James yawned tiredly as he stepped off the ship’s deck bridge, his feet finding balance on the floating platform.
“Already tired?” Seamus asked as he stepped onto the platform behind James.
“Slept like crap last night and I couldn’t get a single minute of sleep on the way,” James explained as he checked the cloth wrap he had around his sword. James raised an eyebrow at Seamus, realizing that he kept his sword’s sheath out in the open.
“Keep that blade hidden. Not every Vindis guard here is friends with Argyle,” James pointed out.
Seamus blinked, realizing that he had overlooked that fact. “Oh, right. Wait right there, I’ll be back!” He rushed his way back to the ship, nearly knocking off Harald and Bjorn into the waters below.
Harald let out a sigh. “Is it wise to take all of us at once?” The veteran looked around the harbor, his suspicion apparent.
“Don’t worry about it. Liam and the crew can look after it,” Dimitri called out as he stepped onto the platform.
“The shipmaster is coming?” Archibald asked from the deck bridge.
“He’s vital,” James answered, before he turned his attention to Harald. “If you’re worried about us being a sizable target, don’t fret. We’re going to split up.”
“Split up?” Harald seemed even more confused.
“Of course. Seamus, Lilith, Archibald, and I are going to Nathan’s shop. You, Bjorn, and Dimitri are going to get a place for us to stay at. As comfortable as the ship is, we can’t have our meeting spot in the harbor the entire time. It gives trailing thieves a spot to loot whenever we leave it.”
“I thought the crew could handle it?” Seamus spoke up, his sword now wrapped in what looked like dirty clothes. Lilith trailed behind him, obviously nervous about the new place.
“The crew can handle a wandering drunk or thief. They cannot, however, handle a gang of organized thieves that had followed one of us to the ship,” James explained. “We are already low on money as it is. We can’t afford to risk anything. Understand?” He watched as everyone nodded their heads in agreement. “Alright. Let’s not waste any time then.” James gestured for everyone to get moving.
‘I have to say, you’re a little stricter than usual. Did someone piss in your flask?’ Faust chuckled. James sighed, his eyes moving up to the cloudy sky. It was already dimming, meaning that the dangers of night would soon come.
‘Our voyage already took up so much time, despite the shorter distance from Vindis to Yorktown. I don’t want a repeat of the last time I stayed out late in Vindis.’
James recalled the first time he had gone out in the dark streets of Vindis. He and Dahlia had gotten involved in a scuffle that nearly finished the young man’s life had it not been for a rogue wave shifting the platforms. Then again, that entire fight was James’ fault.
Still, the clan leader wanted to avoid such encounters, since last time, he had pissed off the thieves who had been beating on Dimitri. He turned to his friends, all of whom were already moving into their respective groups. James sighed, his hand bringing out a piece of parchment Dahlia had scrawled on before his departure. The lettering was foreign, but James could read it as if it was English. That was a rtesult from his summoning, which had swapped out his English dialect and replaced it with Azuran, the most common language spoken around Valenfrost and Azurvale. He read the scratchy handwriting, which described where Nathan’s shop was located. James scratched at his head, unsure if one of the street names was ‘Halige’ or ‘Halipa’.
“This is probably going to take a while.”
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It turned out that it wasn’t as difficult as James had originally predicted. By the time the clouds had tinged orange, James and his group had already arrived at the Wizard’s shop, its sign lit up by blue lanterns.
Nathan’s Runes and Gizmos!
NO REFUNDS
James tilted his head at the recent addition to the banged up sign. He wondered what the Wizard had done that he needed to add that little subtitle.
“Never knew this place existed,” Archibald muttered from behind.
“It’s pretty well hidden, it seems,” Seamus added, his head turning as he examined the surroundings.
“It’s a bit isolated, I’ll admit. Still, Nathan is basically one of the very few people I know in Vindis,” James explained. He still felt like an outsider in this city, despite his previous visits. Then again, most of them were very short-lived. The longest visit he spent in Vindis was his first time here.
James led the way to the shop, with the rest of his group trailing behind. The bell chimed as he opened the door, prompting a muffled response from the rear of the shop.
“Coming! Just uh… Give me a minute!”
James sighed, holding the door open for his companions as they filed in. Seamus and Archibald looked unimpressed by the clutter of junk around the front of the shop, staying away from it. Lilith, being the last, was fascinated by the inside of the store. She poked at the discarded vials and pieces of scrap, staring at them with the interest of a child. James ignored her and focused on the curtain that led into the back. Through the dim lighting of the waiting area, James could see the glowing light that emanated from behind the red cloth that acted as a barrier to the rear of the building.
“This is…underwhelming,” Archibald muttered, his eyebrow raised as he lightly kicked a warped shield.
“Is this their junk pile?” Seamus asked as he examined a trinket that seemed to have been made from scrap metal and discarded trash.
“I’m not sure,” James answered, blinking as he looked around the room.
“At least someone is having fun.” Archibald sighed as he gestured towards Lilith, who was now examining the bell that hung above the door. She climbed on an empty shelf, her hand moving to poke at it. It rang its chime once, causing the berserker to make a light gasp of interest. She poked it once more, then again, and again. Before long, the entire shop was filled with non-stop ringing.
“HEY! WHO’S DOING THAT?! I SWEAR TO HORUS IF YOU BREAK THAT BELL I’LL–” A young gnome stepped out of the curtain, equipped with an oversized stick that was double his height. He stopped mid-threat as soon as he saw James, his eyes widening. “Oh dung.”
“Who is it?!” an annoyed voice shouted out from behind the curtain.
The gnome blinked before a grin grew on his face. “It’s blondy! The guy we met around the Frost solstice!”
“What?!” another voice, a gruff one, called out in confusion.
“He’s alive?!” the first voice added. The curtains shifted and a tall man stumbled up, his spectacles twisted and his crooked hat on the edge of falling off his head. Soot and blue powder stained his wine red robes, making it look as if he had tried making a cake through explosive means. Still, James could recognize the Wizard who had given him his first casting.
“Nathan! How are you doing?” James grinned.
“Delphine’s tits!” Nathan exclaimed, a grin of his own appearing on his face. “Rockford! You owe me and Wheaton each a gold piece!”
“Are you serious?!” Another figure bursted through the curtain, this one an old dwarf with a graying beard and head of hair. “Dammit! Just my fuckin’ luck,” Rockford cursed aloud before he turned back and pushed through the curtain, leaving the room.
Nathan ignored the dwarf, instead moving to shake James’ hand. “Good to see you my friend! Ignore what you heard. We had a little bet after you left our shop last time we met,” he chuckled nervously.
“Bet?” James stared blankly at Nathan.
“Well, you see, Rockford doubted that you’d last a year in Valenfrost. Wheaton and I, however, had betted that you would survive and come back to our shop within a year,” the Wizard explained.
“How thoughtful.” James narrowed his eyes.
“Hey! I vouched for you!” Nathan assured, before he turned to the backroom’s entrance. “Come on then! I know you didn’t come here to spite poor ol’ Rockford,” the Wizard said. James looked at his companions, who all stared at the blond man. James turned back to the curtain ahead, sighing as he walked through the red drapes.
The backroom had barely changed since the last time James had been here. Blue lanterns still lit one end of the room, while regular lamplight illuminated the other half. An alchemy table sat in one corner, followed by bookshelves and even more tables covered in questionable ingredients. By the entrance to the room was a smaller table covered in many scraps of metal and contraptions.
Where James expected to see two gnomes working at the table, he only saw one. The female gnome from before was there, her small hands working on an unrecognizable contraption. James recalled her and the other gnome working on a special orb the last time he was there. That orb, of course, had turned out to be the grenade that James and Dahlia used to blow those crystal-covered abominations to hell.
Now, it seemed like the gnome had moved her sights to a different invention. One involved a weird rectangle shaped piece of scrap. James turned his attention away from the artificer, now focusing on the open door that led to Rockford’s place of work. James could see the forge beyond the doorway, the firepit that fueled it emanating waves of heat. Rockford stood at its entrance, his hands counting the coins in his pouch.
“Ignore him,” Nathan called out. “He’s just getting my money. Which I rightfully earned!” He shouted that last part. Rockford grumbled audibly, letting James know the dwarf was not in the talking mood.
“What brings you here, anyway?” Nathan asked. James moved to answer, but stopped as soon as he saw the other man. The Wizard was completely tidy, his dirty clothes now clean of soot and powder. His spectacles were up right, his hat now comfortably resting on his head. James was about to ask before his eyes caught movement. He saw misty figures creep up behind the Wizard, their arms extending to the man.
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James instinctively grabbed at his sword’s pommel, his feet taking a couple of steps back. “Uh… Nathan?”
Nathan raised a confused eyebrow before realizing what the young clan leader was looking at. “Oh! Wait! They’re no danger!”
“What?” James was already halfway through unwrapping his sword, ready to strike down the strange beings. He wasn’t alone, as even Archibald and Seamus reached for their weapons. Lilith only stared in confusion.
Nathan raised his hands in defense. “They’re harmless. Look.” The Wizard whistled, making one of the mist figures come to fix the man’s red robes. It also straightened Nathan’s spectacles, which were slightly crooked.
“What are they?” Seamus asked.
“Mist clones,” Nathan revealed. “They’re my helpers,” he explained.
“Clones? Aren’t clones supposed to look like you?” James asked.
“They do! Well, in a way. In a fogcloud or mist domain spell, these clones will look exactly like me in color and detail. Out of a foggy environment, they just look like this. Still, they have a bit of resemblance to me if you look closely,” Nathan pointed out.
Now that James looked at the mist clones, he could see what Nathan was talking about. He could barely make out a weird wispy Wizard hat and a floaty robe, but it was there. Nathan snapped his fingers and his clones immediately moved. Both misty apparitions slowly made their way to the scattered books and papers that sat on the Wizard’s desk. James could only watch as they used their transparent hands to clean up the mess.
“Now then, let’s get to business. What brings you and your friends here?” The Wizard asked.
“Well, it’s a complicated issue,” James chuckled nervously, his hand moving to point at the back of his cloak. “You see, I have some responsibilities to attend to.” He turned to show the Wizard the symbol of the white raven, its visage almost glowing under the blue lantern light.
“I came to make a proposition.”
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“Drunken Draugr?” Harald read aloud. He stared at the dirty sign that hung above the tavern’s entrance.
“It’s pretty reliable, cheap, and the wenches are fairly nice to look at,” Bjorn stated.
“I agree with the drunk, this place reeks of possibilities!” Dimitri exclaimed, his grin clear on his face.
Harald sighed, moving to rub his eyes. “The only possibilities I see are a massive hangover and a sizable order of drinks. Let’s find somewhere else,” he muttered. He hadn’t been to Vindis in nearly a decade, but he knew well enough to avoid places like the ‘Drunken Draugr.’
“There should be an inn near the center of Vindis, a quiet place last I visited. No distractions, nor any thugs of note if I remember correctly,” Harald suggested.
Dimitri tensed up at those words. “Near the center?” He asked, all the enthusiasm in his voice gone.
“Do you have any objections?” Harald asked. Dimitri was silent for a moment, his head turning to the sky above. It had slowly dimmed in the last hour, the sunset’s orange light already reflecting off the clouds.
“I do,” the shipmaster answered meekly. “I have many objections, most that just boil down to one thing. If you take me anywhere near the center, I will be dead by sunrise.” Dimitri’s words hung in the air, surprising even Bjorn.
Harald stared at the shipmaster, who was now showing a side of himself that the veteran didn’t even know existed. “If you’re involved in something. I think we should know. Now,” Harald stated.
Dimitri turned to the veteran, his expression like that of a stone. “Again, I suggest we do not move towards the center. This…problem is one that involves only me. I doubt you’ll get caught up in it. Please, let us just stay here and keep away from the backstreets.” The shipmaster was much different from the man he was before.
Harald pondered the choices, his mind going to the shipmaster’s shady reasons for not going out into the city.
‘Although, regardless of whether or not he’s lying, he’s clearly terrified.’
Harald could see the way Dimitri’s posture had changed. HIs hands were clenched, with slight shaking accompanying them. His eyes darted towards the streets now and then. While anyone can replicate these hints of fear, very few can actually truly show fear. Harald knew well that genuine terror wasn’t an easy thing to copy, and he was willing to bet that Dimitri wasn’t faking.
“Fine,” Harald sighed in defeat. “We’ll stay here. Under the condition that we find a new place tomorrow.” Dimitri’s shoulders relaxed at that, his chest deflating as he let out a breath of relief.
“Well then, let’s get us a room before the night falls.” Bjorn spoke up. “Drunks usually fill up all the rooms by midnight,” he added. The dwarf entered the tavern, with Dimitri following right behind him. Harald was about to enter the tavern as well, but stopped.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood with chills, his skin turning to gooseflesh. Harald hadn’t gotten a feeling like this in ages. He knew exactly what it was. Behind him, hidden among the crowd of folk that passed through the nearby market, was someone who was slowly approaching him. It was a foolish task to sneak up on the veteran, as he had learned the Alert skill when he was but a soldier. Harald could feel his spectral skill work its magic, his senses on edge as the figure moved closer. He moved to adjust his belt, his fingers grabbing at the knife he kept hidden.
Harald stopped mid-way, gritting his teeth as he thought over his options. To attempt a fight here was dangerous, especially with the collateral and patrolling guards that lurked the corners. Harald weighed his options, his mind running through the possibilities. In the end, he played it safe, sheathing his blade as he headed towards the tavern. As he did so, his vigilant skill waned and diminished, his senses relaxing as he entered the doors.
The man following him was moving away, possibly on edge about getting too close to Harald.
‘Good riddance.’
While it was a relief to have that nuisance out of the picture, his inner senses still kept him on edge. The stalker must have followed the three from the harbor, since Harald had sworn to have felt the man’s presence throughout the marketplace. The stalker didn’t seem too dumb, since he had mostly kept out of Harald’s skill radius.
‘I should keep an eye out for any more surprises. Who knows what this city holds.’
With that, Harald kept moving forward to where Bjorn and Dimitri sat alongside the bar.
----------------------------------------
“I see.”
Nathan rubbed at his growing beard, his eyes focused on the ground. James watched with anticipation, hoping the Wizard had what he needed.
‘Hey, as a precaution, what’s Plan B?’ Faust commented.
James brushed off the spirit’s question. ‘Quiet. I’m trying to think of one.’
Truth be told, James didn’t have a backup plan. He was so sure that Nathan would be on his side, yet the Wizard seemed to be conflicted. The reaction was more than enough to set off alarms in the man’s head.
James turned to where his friends were, hoping to get his mind off of the impending answer. Archibald was examining some items on display by the bookshelf, his attention fully focused on a white whetstone. Seamus was conversing with Rockford, his hand carrying what looked to be his old chipped blade, his fingers pointing out the nicks. At the same time, he was also trying to keep Lilith from touching everything, including the blue flames that lit some lanterns.
“James,” Nathan called to the young man. James turned to the Wizard, who sighed as he took off his spectacles. “I can help you,” he answered finally. James let out a breath, his anxiety washed away.
“But I must ask you for something,” Nathan added. James raised an eyebrow at that, his shoulders tensing up at the Wizard’s words.
“What is it?”
“It’s a simple thing, of course. Perhaps a little out of nowhere,” Nathan nervously chuckled, his hand moving to rub at his neck. “Can you let me speak to him?”
“Him?” James questioned.
“The spirit inside of you,” Nathan answered simply.
James instantly felt his blood run cold.
‘What in Caleus’ name?! How does he know?!’ Faust panicked, the spirit’s shouts shaking James out of his stupor. He could feel his body heating up from the Centurion’s restlessness.
“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about,” James rebutted.
Nathan sighed, his hands clapping together. “The spirit that resides in you,” he repeated. “Don’t lie. I know you are harboring it.”
“What are you…?”
“Back when I tried to link you up, when you first got your Carapace spell, I felt it. I brushed it aside at first but…” The Wizard laughed. “My curiosity got the better of me. I went through my books, curious as to why you were already linked up prior to meeting me. Why were you linked to the ley lines below? Why were your ley lines were mixed with two different types of mana? That is insanely rare, you know!” He gestured towards the organized library nearby.
“I went through every book I had. Went through every book in Vindis’ and Bernis’ libraries. I even asked passing merchants their thoughts on it! I went insane trying to figure it out. But then…” He raised a finger up. “I heard of you. The Draugr.” Nathan grinned. “It’s you, isn’t it? You are the man whose eyes glow blue like the undead. The same man whose abilities go far beyond human understanding? When I heard of those stories, everything clicked!”
“So I went through my books again, this time focusing more on the ones about undead and necromancy. They didn’t have the answer, but they gave me the clues as to what it was!” Nathan was excited now, grabbing the attention of everyone in the room. “You were resurrected with dark magic, right? A makeshift ritual that involved a form of necromancy and marionette arts. Someone had to summon a spirit, implant it in a transfer tool, and embed the properties into your body.
“Not even a healthy body, but a dying one! A healthy one would only have its heart explode from the sheer power. A body at the edge of death, however, would desperately need that kind of energy to be resurrected!” Nathan rambled. “Five types of magic, with the conditions of a freshly killed body, with underdeveloped ley lines that could take the energy. Not just that, but the spirit and host would have to be compatible, otherwise the body would die…” The Wizard trailed off. “It is a nigh impossible task, with conditions that have to be perfect. Yet, it’s the only explanation that fits your condition.”
Nathan turned to James, who could only stare with awe and surprise. The Wizard’s theory was frighteningly close to what had happened. Still, he had to deny it.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” James managed out.
The Wizard sighed, rubbing at his eyes in frustration. “Don’t lie to me, James. I know you have the spirit in you. If you keep denying, I’ll be forced to prove it.” The Wizard crossed his arms. James pondered his options. He needed Nathan’s help, yet at the same time, he didn’t want to reveal his condition. It was bad enough that people knew about the Draugr. If more people knew that James Holter and the Draugr were the same, then…
The blond man shivered. The consequences were something James didn’t want to face. “Nathan, there is no spirit,” James persisted, hoping the Wizard was bluffing.
Nathan only narrowed his gaze, his head shaking. “I warned you,” he muttered. The Wizard raised his hands, outstretching his fingers. Nathan muttered a word James didn’t catch. Suddenly, magical strings appeared and connected to the Wizard’s fingertips. He formed his fingers quickly, his voice gaining an ethereal boom.
“Runic Circle: Reveal Spirit.”
The ground around James lit up with runes and lines that formed a complex circle of magic. Before James could speak, his body was hit with a weight that brought him to his knees. In only a second, Nathan had summoned his spell, bringing James down with little of a fight. Everyone in the shop reacted loudly, causing Seamus and Archibald to rush towards the Wizard.
Nathan raised a hand at them. “If you don’t want to get paralyzed, stay back.”
“What… The hell?” James managed out, unable to move.
“You had a chance to tell me. I told you I would do it myself if you didn’t.” Nathan frowned. “I don’t like doing this. But you chose to make it difficult.” The Wizard finished his hand movements, causing the circle around James to brighten to extraordinary amounts.
For a moment, James was blinded, his body shivering as what felt like electricity hit his body. Soon enough, however, the experience was over. James blinked, finding himself on the ground, the weight removed from his body. His vision was fuzzy, but he could see how a dome formed around the circle, with Nathan and the rest standing outside of it.
‘No… Not everyone.’
James spotted one person in the dome with him, his stature tall and broad.
“Wait…” James blinked some more, his heart beating out of his chest when he recognized this person. It was someone he had met before, many times. Yet he had only seen his true form a handful of times. This person was someone who was good as dead, yet here he was, steel plate armor and all. James stared at the Centurion before him, his throat forcing out the word he had been looking for.
“Faust?!”