The Sun Knight jumped off their horse, which immediately pulled to a stop, whinnied, and backed away.

“The sun judges you for your wickedness!” they shouted, holding their shield forward and sword out to the side.

“You think to kill me?!” the male orc bellowed incredulously. “You may be big for a humankin, but you are a hundred years too early to defeat me!”

“And if you think I am any weaker than my mate, you are far wrong!” the female orc added. “We will destroy you!”

“Wait!” Isa called out as she ran. “I want to fight too!”

“A scaleskin?” the male orc said in surprise. “Fighting alongside humankin?”

“I will kill the scaleskin,” the female orc said. “And we will feast on lizard meat tonight!”

“Then I will kill the one encased in metal.” The male orc grinned, revealing almost tusk-like lower canines.

“I’ll keep the remaining riffraff off you,” Rai said once he caught up, turning to look at the remaining goblinoids that hadn’t been caught in his spell, of which there were only a few dozen.

The orcs faced off against Isa and the Sun Knight.

“Perish!” the Sun Knight shouted, rushing at the male orc. The orc, with his larger stature and longer reach, swung his greatsword to meet the approaching knight. They caught the blow on their shield and shouted wordlessly, their sword slashing savagely across the orc’s front, spraying blood. The orc barely flinched, despite the severity of the wound, and returned the favor with an X-double-slash. The first blow hit armor with enough force to stagger the Sun Knight, but the second heavily dented the armor, driving the metal into their flesh.

“Healing Light! Solar Heal Strike!”

A nearly vertical slash from a glowing yellow blade sent more blood flying, and the bent metal of the armor pushed out slightly, allowing the wound beneath to partially heal as the light flowed backward into the Sun Knight.

“Die!”

“Parry and Strike!”

The orc’s blade came down. A silver light surrounded the Sun Knight as they bashed the blade away and thrust their sword straight into the orc’s stomach. They ripped the weapon out and took a couple steps back. The orc snarled and smashed his sword into the Sun Knight’s right side twice in a row, denting armor and sending them staggering sideways. When he raised his sword high for a vertical chop, they lunged forward, slashing upward. The orc staggered back two steps, then fell onto his back, sword falling from his hands.

The moment the Sun Knight charged forward to attack, Isa did as well. She bore the heavy blow that smashed through her reinforced scales and sent blood spraying out to form blood armor, yelling, “Dragon’s Wrath!”, infusing herself with qi from the fourth tier combat art as she swung her halberd with incredible power at the same time as she entered Berserk Mode, her aura smashing into the female orc a moment after her halberd completely savaged her target. The orc stumbled back in shock and pain, scarcely able to process the extreme damage done by that one strike even as blood continued to flow profusely from the wound. She swung wildly, only for Isa to shatter her sword with a shout of “Sword Breaker!”

Then Isa buried her halberd in the orc’s chest, killing the orc. She turned to watch the last few seconds of the other fight, smirking even as her Berserk Mode ended.

“I was faster,” she said in satisfaction.

“It was not a contest,” the Sun Knight replied. “We should help the Scholar finish the job.”

“Eh, he’s got it handled. I need to catch my breath.”

“Then I shall go alone.”

When no goblinoids remained, Rai took a deep breath and vomited all over the ground.

“This was a massacre,” he whispered once he had emptied his stomach. “We killed more than a hundred goblinoids.”

“They were evil,” the Sun Knight declared. “This was a virtuous act.”

“How can you know that?” he said hoarsely.

“I know. This encampment could not have been an exception, not with orcs at the head.”

“What makes you so certain of that?” Isa said curiously.

“Because of what I have seen in my years of fighting to eliminate evil. Because of what I know orcs are capable of. What was done to my mother.”

“To your mother?” Isa said in confusion.

Rai, however, thought that he understood. His eyes widened.

Wait… their mother? Rai thought. I’ve heard stories about lustful behavior from goblins before. Do they mean…? Then a thought occurred to him. The Sun Knight is… exceptionally tall… and unusually strong…

“Wait a moment,” he said, eyes still wide. “Are you…?”

“Not another word,” the Sun Knight interrupted, voice harsh. “Keep your speculations to yourself.”

“…All right.”

If I’m right, that explains why the Sun Knight never so much as shows their face, Rai thought. It also explains why they have such a strong hatred for goblinoids and orcs especially. I may have to do a bit of research on goblinkind; their opinion is undoubtedly biased. For now, though, I’ll just have to take them at their word… I don’t think I’ll be able to live with myself if I doubt the veracity of their statements. As it is, I don’t think I’ll be sleeping well for a while.

Once they had cleaned themselves up with the spell Tricks, healed up with the Sun Knight’s Healing Hands, and repaired the Sun Knight’s armor with the Repair spell, they set out to return to town. They arrived early the next day, met with the mayor to report, and received the letter of recommendation to the shop called “Trader Bartholomew’s.” Not wanting to spend too much time in the town when they could be traveling, they soon left and resumed their journey.

-x-

Skyreach was a tiered city built on the slopes of a large, steep hill that some might call a small mountain. As expected, the trio faced resistance when they tried to enter.

“No. Absolutely not. Unless you have permission from the King himself, there is no way we’re letting a saurian into the city,” the guard in charge at the gate said. “No way. Especially not one that looks as strong as that one.”

Isa sighed. “Just… go on in. I’ll wait out here.”

“Are you sure?” Rai asked.

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“I shall remain with you,” the Sun Knight said. “I have no particular reason to enter the city, and people are less likely to pick a fight with you if I am here.”

“Then, I’ll be back after doing some shopping,” Rai said, handing over the entry toll to the guard, who reluctantly let him in.

Apart from its tiered nature, Skyreach wasn’t a particularly unusual city. People still, consciously or subconsciously, avoided getting too close to Rai thanks to him obviously being touched by magic, but such subtle behavior was a far cry from the blatant stares and fearful whispering Isa had elicited (especially after evolving). When he directly approached someone to ask for directions, the woman was clearly a bit nervous but did not run or otherwise freak out. Even following the instructions given by Lord Yeldor and the directions of passersby, it took him several hours to find the shop, which was in the wealthier part of the city.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

A middle-aged man with vibrant red hair sat in a chair beside the door under the wooden sign marked “Trader Bartholomew’s.” When Rai approached, the man spoke.

“I’ve never seen you before. This place is membership only. Do you have a letter of introduction?”

“I do. Here.” Rai took out the letter and handed it to the man, who unfolded it and scanned it. The man handed the letter back, nodded, and stood, unlocking and opening the door. Rai walked through.

The interior was softly lit with warm yellow light. Shelves, tables, and display cases of polished wood and transparent glass were scattered about the large room, filled with an eclectic variety of items, from clothing and jewelry to knickknacks to tools to armor and weapons. The floor was covered in a lush red carpet, and the white walls were decorated with colored ribbons and strips of cloth. There were six other people in the shop: a gnome dressed like a nobleman in a tailored black suit covered with gem sequins, one young elven man dressed like a butler, two young human women in slender dresses, and two middle-aged human men who were apparently being assisted by the women. The young man approached Rai immediately.

“Welcome, good sir,” the man said with a respectful salute. “Is this your first time with us?”

“Yes. I was given a recommendation to this shop as payment for a job my party and I accepted from Lord Yeldor in lieu of coin. He said this shop carried a wide variety of rare goods.”

“It does indeed. Is there anything in particular you’re looking for?”

“I will be traveling through the Republic, and then the Desert of Death. I have a spell for dealing with the heat and a magic item that produces fruit for water. I don’t have a tent. Any suggestions?”

“Well, how many people are in your party?”

“Three. One has their own tent already; they were hired to come with us.”

“I see. So you need a tent for two people. This over here would serve you well.” The shop assistant walked over to a shelf and picked up a foot-long cylinder. “When activated, it turns into a tent large enough for four people, or two people with extra room. The tent is waterproof and flameproof, and it filters air so that you’ll be protected from sand as well. It’s very inexpensive for its features at just eighty gold.”

Rai did his best not to wince. A night’s stay at a tavern inn was only one gold, and even a good inn wouldn’t ever be more than five gold. However, he couldn’t deny that the assistant was probably right that this was a good deal. They had started the journey with five hundred gold to spend and were down around sixty so far. It will be a worthwhile investment, Rai decided.

“Are prices negotiable?”

“Only if you have something to trade,” the assistant said with a smile.

“Hm… I may take you up on that next time I’m in the city, but for now, I’ll just pay in coin. Any other recommendations?”

“Do you have rope? If you’re going into the desert, then I assume you’re chasing after tales of treasures. If there are ruins in the desert, rope could prove invaluable. This spool here can unroll up to four hundred feet of silken rope on command, or respool it. It can also affix itself to any surface, so there is no need to have something to tie it to if using it to descend a cliff or something. Thirty gold.”

“Add that to my list.”

Over the next hour, Rai checked out various items, both magical and nonmagical, and added a number of smaller, less expensive things to his total. In the end, he spent approximately a hundred and fifty gold. The payment was not given to the assistant, but to the well-dressed green-haired gnome, who handed him a small badge in return.

“Is this proof of membership?” Rai asked.

“That’s right. With that, even if the door guard doesn’t remember you, you can get in, Mr. Flamme. Oh, I forgot to introduce myself: my name is Bartholomew, owner and manager of this shop. I look forward to seeing what you bring in for trade next time you’re here.”

“I’ll make sure to bring something interesting.”

The streets were dark even though the sky was still light when he left the shop, thanks to the fact that evening had arrived and he was on the eastern side of the mountain the city was build into, causing the area to be cast into shadow. He made his way through the streets with a floating orb of by his side, humming a tune to himself.

“Halt!”

Three men approached him, wearing armor emblazoned with the symbol of the city watch. “You, mage! We’ve received reports of illegal acts of magic in the vicinity! You need to come with us for questioning!”

Illegal acts of magic? Like what, mind control or necromancy? Rai thought.

“Of course. May I ask what illicit acts have been committed?’

“Murder, for one,” the woman said as the trio reached him. She grabbed his left arm roughly. “A man was found dead by elemental assault, and a suspect matching your description was spotted leaving the area.”

Rai’s eyes widened. What?! What’s going on? “I assure you, I had nothing to do with any murder!”

“That’s what they all say. Come on, we’re taking you to the scene of the crime!”

Rai allowed himself to be dragged along, unsure of what to do. The woman was significantly physically stronger than he was, so it wasn’t as though he could easily break out of her grip, and running seemed like a bad idea anyway. And I can’t attack them. They’re city guardsmen!

It took several minutes for them to arrive in the secluded alley where one figure stood near another lying on the cobblestones. The dead man had electrical burns on his body, as well as charred clothing, indicating a combination of fire and lightning had been used to kill him. When Rai saw the standing woman, however, he understood what was happening.

Because he recognized her.

“Eliza Rynze!” he snarled, face twisting in fury. “You murdered a man to frame me?!”

“Is this the man you saw leaving the scene?”

“Yes, that’s him!” Eliza said, faking fear.

“Do you know him?” the female guard asked.

“No! My name’s not even Eliza; it’s Mary!”

“Eliza! Or Mary, or whatever name you’re pretending is yours! You dastards from Eternity have gone too far!” Rai tried to lunge forward and had his other arm grabbed by another guard. “Trying to assassinate me is one thing, but murdering people that have nothing to do with this just to frame me?!”

The third guard stepped in front of Rai and put his face up close to Rai’s. “What kind of attack magic do you use?”

Rai’s anger drained, replaced by the crushing realization that answering honestly would cement their impression of his guilt, but that lying and being caught out would be even worse.

“Fire and lightning,” he said, sighing. “The same elements used to kill that man. But I swear to you, I am not responsible. That woman is part of a secret organization that wants me dead. I don’t know if she did it herself or not, but her people are the ones who did this.”

He could see that the guard didn’t believe him. “A secret organization that wants you dead? Why, are you a noble or something?”

“…I’m a scholar.”

“And secret organizations murder scholars, now? You’re coming with us to prison… and with this much proof, it won’t be long before your execution.”

Rai closed his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“Apologizing for murder won’t—”

“Not for that. I’m innocent. For this.”

He twisted his left arm and touched the female guard’s side. Nonlethal lightning magic surged through her, and she released his arm in pained surprise. The guard holding his right arm twisted it behind his back and slammed him down into the street. The other guard drew his sword.

“I guess you want to die right away!” he growled. The one holding him twisted his arm back further, eliciting a pained cry. “I’ll go ahead and do that for you!”

Nonlethal yellow lightning blasted upward in a spray, catching both the man holding Rai and the one with his sword out. Both staggered, and the grip on Rai loosened enough for him to break free and roll away. Rai got to his knees and looked up at the three guards, who now all had their weapons out. They struck.

He sprang upward, leaping high over their heads, and at the apex of his fifteen-foot leap he sent another spray of lighting down, striking all three of them. The woman collapsed, spasming, while the men staggered again. He landed in front of them.

“I truly am sorry for this,” he said. The men swung at him, but he easily evaded. As he dodged the second swipe, he vanished from visibility, courtesy of a silently-cast Invisibility spell.

His combat sense alerted him to impending danger, and he jumped sideways, shifting into another dimension at the very moment that the fireball exploded in the alley, shooting up toward the roofs and out into the street. When he realigned with reality, he saw that while the spell had brought the guards low, Eliza appeared completely unharmed.

He hesitated, unsure of whether he should stay and fight to see if he could save the guards or whether he should flee. He silently activated Force Armor. A moment later, a bright flash and an explosion of glittering particles erupted in the alley. While he managed to close his eyes in time to avoid being blinded, he was still covered in glitter, outlining his location.

He heard a soft thump behind him, between him and the wall, and he spun around, leaning back and to the side. Something scraped against his force armor. Then, while he was still coming to terms with the situation, two more thrusts broke through his magical armor, piercing through his chest and out of his back. He stumbled back a few steps.

Rai activated his ring, his clothes changing and his sword appearing in his hand. In a quick burst of focus and a whisper of the word “Accelerate,” he carved a new third-tier combat art into his qi core and activated it, mixing qi and star energy together and flowing it through his body and mind, altering the path of his body and mind through time, accelerating himself and seeming to slow down his surroundings. He threw out his free hand and squeezed his eyes shut, silently casting Dancing Sparks. When he opened his eyes, he could see the invisible body of his attacker surrounded by electrical sparks… and his own body had become visible again.

His attacker’s rapier came at him in a flurry of three quick strikes. He dodged and twisted, each one glancing off his forcefield armor as he barely evaded, and then he returned the favor with three thrusts of his own. His assailant managed to deflect two of them, but the third caught them in the center of their chest. Rai’s pulled his sword back out and immediately moved to evade the subsequent flurry, empowering himself with star energy from his qi core to further enhance his speed and ability to take advantage of openings.

The strikes felt like they were moving in slow motion. One went by his head as he moved to the side, his retaliatory strike slashing across the attacker’s chest. The second glanced off his forcefield on his side; his return strike was angled poorly and failed to penetrate his opponent’s own forcefield. The third he deflected with his hand, giving him an opening to slash across the attacker’s throat, cutting it wide open.

The body thumped to the ground.