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***Mislow Kingdom, City of Mirrors –  Capital***

“... Sagittarius do this. Sagittarius do that. We need your help with the fortification spells. Please help us with the new spell. Nobody else but you can go on this diplomatic mission …” I shake my head while looking down from my carriage.

The streets of the City of Mirrors are neat and clean. There is nobody who looks like he belongs to a lower class. Everyone is dressed in fancy clothes. This is the capital of the Mislow Kingdom.

I realize that there aren't any old people like me or children. Well, maybe there are a few elderly people, but their numbers may be a hundredth of the entire population.

The reason is the unbelievable pressure on your body and mind in this place. You can feel that this city is dangerous. There is a rumour that someone who crosses the whole city from one end to the other turns insane.

There are mirrors all around me. No place, where you don't have to look into a twisted image of yourself.

Everything is for the purpose of honing your mind. The mind magicians created this city to train their skills. Only the smart and strong willed people manage it. If someone has a weak will, he can easily lose himself in this place.

The streets are arranged like a maze. The mirrors have the purpose to confuse and distract. If you don't pay attention for a single moment, you might end up running into a mirror, where you believed a long and wide road to be.

There are also confusion spells embedded in most of these hellish items. Some may show you reality, others display horrible visions of a future self. I guess the whole city can be seen as an artefact. A growing and changing one, because every generation of magicians adds their own unique touch to the city.

Survival of the fittest has a warped meaning here. It's Survival of the smartest. Everyone cares just for himself, people who aren't able to cope with this place are expelled and discarded. Useless material.

That's why there are no children or elderly here. Most of them are put into special facilities to prepare them for Mislow's harsh nature, or to get rid of them.

“Could you stop mumbling like that, geezer? Are you sure that you are in the right place?” The carriage driver interrupts my train of thought and I look and him.

Even the commoners are impudent in this place. “Don't get cheeky with me! I'll morph you into a mouse if you talk to me like that a second time! And I talk to myself as much as I want! After all I am paying you, so shut up and drive!”

The driver still looks at me like I would be a mad old man, but he doesn't talk back and concentrates on the streets once again.

I change my mind and concentrate on my goal here. It's just a small visit to the house of Arenzien. That stupid Norent Grant persuaded me to use my status and come here and gather information.

Normally I wouldn't follow a request by him. But since Jazira, the Empress has shown interest in this Ascathon, it would be very unwise of me to leave the matter as it is.

“We are here old man. The house of Arenzien.” The driver stops and points at one of the bigger buildings at the side of the road. It has seven floors and towers over its neighbours. There are no gardens in the City of Mirrors, so one building is neatly joined to the next.

I take my time to get down from the carriage. Jumping is only for the young. When I am finally on the ground, I grab into my pocket and hand one silver coin to the driver. Then I hold out my hand, expecting the appropriate change.

But the man snorts and spurs his horses. I barely avoid to be pulled to the ground by the carriage. Did I just get cheated? Several seconds go by until I finally make up my mind.

My finger points at the carriage and a wind gust hits it from the side, tilting it over and breaking the two left wheels. The driver falls off and slithers over the ground until a wall stops him.

Ho! Watch out. I may be old, but my finger is still deadly! The driver is wriggling on the ground in pain, so I guess he isn't dead. Maybe he will learn something for the future.

So I turn and walk slowly to the big entrance of the Arenzien's house. On the big double door is a luxurious golden door knocker. It's a stylized dragon with a chain around its neck. There are two long claws on each leg and the mouth has very sharp teeth.

A fine piece of art, but to place it on a door which is open to the public is stupid. Won't someone steal it? There has to be more to this thing than what is visible to the naked eye.

I reach for the chains, which are obviously used to alarm the owner of the house. Suddenly the golden door knocker starts to move and the dragon snaps for my fingers. It misses just by an inch because it's attached to the door.

Reaching for it slowly and cautiously saved my fingers!

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“HiissssSSSS”

The fucking thing hissed at me!? “I will teach you! Nobody hisses at Sagittarius, the great Archmage and Headmaster of the Academy!” I grab my cane with both hands and start beating the dragon with all my might.

*Knock* “Hiss” *Knock* *Knock* *Knock* “Hiss” *Knock* “Hiss”

What! The fucking lizard grabbed my cane! “Give that back! Little monster!” I start twisting and place both of my legs on the door while pulling. Some passing people smirk at me and I realize my position.

I look like an old geezer who is trying to do something inappropriate to the door! So I reconsider my approach and place one leg on the door to pull in an appropriate manner. But suddenly the door knocker lets go and freezes back into it's original position.

I stumble a step backwards. Luckily I didn't fall, something like that could end badly at my age. A butler looks at me and waves to come inside.

So I enter while cautiously staying away from the door knocker and look at the butler. “No questions asked?”

The butler shakes his head. “Everyone who manages to knock on the door without serious injuries is worthy to have an appointment. I will announce your arrival. Mara will lead you to the drawing room.”

A middle aged female servant bows to me. So I follow her into a spacious room with couches, tables, a bar and various bookshelves. I place myself on a comfortable couch and wait for the owners of the house.

Just a few seconds later, a man and a woman appear. The man has dark hair and grey eyes. The woman has brown eyes and violet hair. I immediately recognize them from the descriptions.

“Tendril Arenzien and Irda Arenzien. We welcome the Headmaster of the Academy to our house. What can we do for you?” Tendril starts the introduction and I nod.

I try to smile. “I thank you for the welcome. But unfortunately it's about a matter which you will most likely dislike. It's about your son.”

Both of them place themselves on the couch across from me. Tendril starts to speak. “I guess you mean Ascathon.”

I bow slightly. “If you could enlighten me on his person. There are some issues between him and the Academy.”

Tendril pulls a grimace. “The Academy protected him. Why are there suddenly problems.”

I shrug my shoulders. “Times change and circumstances change. He is breaking many laws on scientific research and the creation of artefacts. And an Inquisitor got killed while investigating his principality. The Jarl is protecting him, but we would still like to gather all the information we can.”

“We don't know anything ourselves. Since he started to control his borders, there isn't much information on how he is doing.” Irda looks at the ground with a sad expression.

I stroke my long beard while thinking. “That's not an issue. I am not interested in his current circumstances. I want to know about his childhood. His personality. How was your impression of him while he was in your care?”

Tendril bristles with anger, but after a few seconds he starts to talk. The story I get told is quite unique and without doubt a big lie for the most part. But Irda's expressions tell me everything I need to know. She isn't a good liar. Even if she is just sitting beside her husband, her facial expressions tell me the whole story without a word.

So they sent Ascathon into one of those facilities, when they got scared of his abilities. And furthermore they seem to know nothing of importance about their own son. “Hmmm. He hid his true nature well, while he was at the Academy. It's sad that you two don't know much.”

“Have no worries, Headmaster Sagittarius. The Arenziens tend to deal with their own shame.” Tendril's eyes are hard and unforgiving.

I get to my feet with the help of my cane. “Ohohoh. I think it will be hard to lay a hand on him. And his wife is dangerous as well. She was the one who killed the Inquisitor when he threatened her child.”

“Child?” A faint smile rushes over Irda's face. I decide to dig a little further.

“Oh? I guess you didn't get the information yet? They have a daughter. She should be about one year old.” I study Irda's face very carefully, but I can find nothing. Her expression froze into an expressionless mask.

Then I realize that she changed totally when her husband looked into her direction. I purse my lips. So it's that type of relationship.

“Well, I will excuse myself. I stole enough of your time.” I turn and walk towards the exit.

There is still some unfinished business with that door knocker!

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