When the day arrived for the caravan to depart, the sky was cloudy and overcast, making the world seem gray and gloomy. I didn’t think it was going to rain, but I hoped it would. That way, I could absorb some more water mana. The mist from Gloom Mist Forest had a decent amount, but I preferred water mana from rain. After all, rain was water from the sky and I was descended from a storm dragon. If I was lucky, there would also be lightning.
Leroy and I rode in the House Sturm carriage, with Jeffrey as my driver once again. I thought about going more low-key and taking the farmer’s cart, but fuck that. This was an escort gig. While riding in a carriage with House Sturm’s emblem on it might attract unwanted attention, it might also act as a deterrent. Since danger was guaranteed on this gig, according to Guildmaster Sinclair, I figured I’d take any advantage I could, no matter how small.
On the way to Icefall City, I noticed the spirit inside me starting to stir from its slumber. It wouldn’t be long before it woke up. When it did, the two of us would need to have a conversation.
I hoped it agreed to be my familiar. With the special contract I had in mind, having this particular kind of spirit as my familiar would be a significant boon to my cultivation.
The carriage arrived at the designated meeting spot for the caravan. Given the number of people, animals, and vehicles involved, it was inconvenient to meet inside Icefall City itself. Instead, the caravan gathered in a clearing just outside of the city.
We arrived to find a scene of organized chaos. People shouted, animals brayed, and wood creaked. A dusty cloud rose from the ground, almost like fog.
There were of course the carts and wagons from House Icefall itself. Those were guarded by House Icefall’s troops, and it was clear that they were the ones leading this caravan. I even saw Lieutenant Hayden among them. He was talking with a middle aged man that I took to be the caravan master.
However, there were also a number of carts and wagons that belonged to merchants who weren’t affiliated with House Icefall. During these dangerous times, there was safety in numbers. They had their own guards, with a few of them being wizards from the Adventurers Guild. Some merchants were wizards themselves.
Speaking of wizards, I saw Guildmaster Sinclair’s people standing near the Icefall part of the caravan. It was easy to pick them out. There were five of them, and each one was a Second Circle wizard, the only ones in the entire caravan. Three of them either had magic armor, magic weapons, or both. Like Leroy, they used magic to supplement their martial prowess.
The other two looked like what I considered typical among wizards; squishy spellcasters wearing robes. They both had magic beasts as familiars, however, to make up for this. Each familiar was the equivalent of a First Circle wizard with eight or nine threads. Unlike wizards of equal rank, they were much stronger and much tougher, making them more dangerous.
The House Sturm carriage attracted attention when it arrived at the gathering grounds. I had Jeffrey stop us next to Lieutenant Hayden and the caravan master, before I stepped out. Both men looked surprised to see me. I guessed Guildmaster Sinclair failed to inform them about me.
“Lord Gabriel,” Lieutenant Hayden said, recovering first. “I’m surprised to see you. What are you doing here?”
The caravan master remained silent and crossed his arms. He didn’t look happy to see me. I was getting used to that.
“Isn’t it obvious?” I asked. “I’m here to join the caravan. I’m working a gig.”
Both Lieutenant Hayden and the caravan master started at this, before the latter scowled at me.
“Look, boy,” he said, looking down his nose at me. “I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing, but the adventurers hired by House Icefall have already arrived. It’s best if you run along now, and stop messing about.”
He gestured to the group of Second Circle wizards standing nearby. They all gave me looks of disdain and scorn.
I ignored them. Instead, I gave the caravan master my coldest look. Fear and worry crossed his face.
“You will address me as Lord Gabriel,” I said to him in a sharp voice. “Not, ‘boy’. Speak to me like that again, and I’ll rip out your tongue.”
The caravan master blanched at this and took a step back. Lieutenant Hayden stepped between us.
“Apologies, Lord Gabriel,” he said, bowing. “Today has been a busy day, and tempers are short. I’m sure that Caravan Master Jeeves didn’t mean to speak out of turn. I hope you find it in your heart to forgive him.”
Lieutenant Hayden must have a lot of experience with Houses, because he knew the right words to say. While still bowing, he glanced back at Caravan Master Jeeves and gave the man a meaningful look. It took a moment for the caravan master to get it, but in the end he bowed as well.
“I apologize for my words, Lord Gabriel,” he said. “Please forgive me.”
I studied them both for a long time, before nodding.
“Very well, I accept your apology,” I said. “Don’t do it again.”
Both men rose from their bows.
“He does bring up a good point, Lord Gabriel,” the good lieutenant said after some hesitation. “The adventurers hired by House Icefall to escort the caravan have already arrived.”
“I said I was here for a gig, I didn’t say I was here to escort the caravan,” I said, answering his unspoken question. “I’m here as a bodyguard for my client, who will be joining the caravan.”
Lieutenant Hayden opened his mouth, no doubt to ask who my client was, but then I sensed three presences and turned to look at them. He did the same.
Guildmaster Sinclair, Lorelei, and a priest walked through the gates of Icefall City and headed towards us. It took me a moment to realize that the priest must be Guildmaster Sinclair’s husband and Lorelei’s father, Allen Sinclair.
He was a tall man, though shorter than his wife, with pale skin and light blonde hair. Freckles dotted his face. He had green eyes, and soft features. Due to his priest garments, it was difficult to discern his build. The man wore a kind smile.
The man also had a strange aura, at least strange to me. He wasn’t a wizard, yet he emanated power. This came from the so-called Holy magic wielded by the priests and paladins of the Church of the Sun. It was a kind of magic that excelled as healing injuries, buffing one’s allies, and combating Dark magic.
Holy magic wasn’t wizardry, but was instead said to be a divine blessing from Sol himself. A gift for his faithful. As Lord Gabriel, I had been skeptical of this claim. I thought that Holy magic was a particular kind of Light magic that only the Church of the Sun had access to, similar to how Houses had their own signature spells.
However, now I knew better. Thanks to the knowledge accumulated by Immortal Celestial Thunder, I knew of several methods for gods, deities, and Immortals to bestow power upon their followers, including mortals. The aura that Guildmaster Sinclair’s husband emitted was similar, though not quite the same, as those methods.
A dog with gold-colored fur walked next to the priest. It looked like a mix between a German Shepherd and a husky, getting the best of both. It also emitted an aura of Light, though it was clear that this creature was a magic beast.
I frowned. A Light Hound. They were magic beasts with an affinity for Light magic, specifically Holy magic. Because of this, they were considered sacred by the Church of the Sun.
Not only that, but one of the Sun Emperor’s titles was Hound of God. Why? Fuck if I know. None of the myths and legends involving the man, or Sol, ever explained why. The Sun Emperor was a mysterious and inscrutable being who founded the Solarian Empire thousands of years ago and had ruled it from the very beginning.
Powerful, and seemingly immortal. In other words, he was the kind of person I wanted to avoid at all costs until I reached a certain level of power. If someone like that found out what I was, a reincarnated Immortal, the consequences would be dire for me.
“Guildmaster Sinclair,” I called out when they drew close enough. “Lorelei. As always it is a pleasure to see you both.”
Lorelei gave me a cheerful smile and waved back. She wore clothing fit for travel, and carried a large backpack. It was so large, it looked comical on her small frame. I was worried about her ability to carry it, but then I remembered she was an Earth and Metal wizard. Not only that, but she was Guildmaster Sinclair’s daughter.
The package that I needed to help deliver was likely inside that backpack.
Guildmaster Sinclair just rolled her eyes at me.
“Lord Gabriel,” she said, gesturing to her husband. “This is my husband, Allen Sinclair. As you can see, he’s a priest from the Church of the Sun.”
Priest Sinclair bowed.
“Greetings, Lord Gabriel,” he said in a low and pleasant voice. It was the kind of voice that would be perfect for audiobooks back on Earth; even and smooth. He gestured to the Light Hound. “This is my familiar, Magnus. Say hello Magnus.”
The Light Hound barked at me and wagged its tail. It looked like it wanted to walk over to me to receive head pats, but it held back.
“Priest Sinclair,” I said, nodding to him.
I gave the Light Hound a wave, and resisted the urge to grimace. I did not like dogs, and I liked Light Hounds least of all. I never have. This was something I had never understood before I regained my memories, since I never had a negative encounter with a dog. In fact, the damned things seemed to love me.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Now I knew. It was all because of that backstabbing son of a bitch who killed me when I was Immortal Celestial Thunder. Man’s best friend my ass. When I became an Immortal again and returned to Spirit Earth, I was going to skin the bastard and turn him into soup.
“Lieutenant Hayden,” Guildmaster Sinclair said. “Caravan Master Jeeves. I hope everything is in order. Lord Icefall told me that he wanted everything to go well for this trip, and I don’t want to disappoint him. He is the one paying for five of my best.”
As she spoke, I walked over to stand next to Lorelei. Since we were both here, I might as well get started on the gig. Leroy followed my lead and stood on her other side.
Both the lieutenant and the caravan master noticed this. They glanced at each other, before the caravan master gestured to the lieutenant to take the lead, before walking off to continue organizing the caravan. Lieutenant Hayden gave the other man a betrayed look, before facing the guildmaster again.
“Guildmaster Sinclair, do you mean to tell me that you hired Lord Gabriel to look after your daughter while she travels with us?” he asked.
“That’s right,” she said. “He and his retainer are also aware of the true nature of this trip, so you don’t have to worry about them accidentally messing things up.”
Lieutenant Hayden’s expression turned sharp, breaking past that polite mask he always seemed to wear
“Are you insane?” he asked in a heated voice. “You know how important this mission is. When Lord Icefall finds out that you told-…”
Guildmaster Sinclair walked forward until she was inches away from the good lieutenant. As with everyone, she towered over him. To his credit, Lieutenant Hayden didn’t back down. He faced Guildmaster Sinclair without flinching.
I stood off to the side, not interfering. This was all vastly entertaining. Leroy imitated a stone wall, Lorelei looked worried, and Priest Sinclair wore a placid expression on his face. Given who he married, he was likely used to such scenes.
“Who I hire to protect my daughter is none of Lord Icefall’s concern,” she said, glaring down at him. “If Lord has a problem with that, he can tell me so himself. He’s lucky I agreed to let my daughter participate, just to add authenticity to this scheme of his.”
Lieutenant Hayden didn’t respond right away. He matched Guildmaster Sinclair’s glare.
“Perhaps I should send a message to Lord Icefall now, and inform him of your actions,” he said. “I doubt he would be pleased. By telling Lord Gabriel the truth, you risked the entire mission with your actions. If the truth gets out, then we will fail.”
“You can try,” Guildmaster Sinclair said. “However, you’ll find that Lord Icefall is in an important meeting right now, and he won’t be available for hours. Can you afford to wait that long?” She glanced at the caravan. “It looks like everyone is ready to go, and it’s a long trip from here to Rosewood City.”
She was right. In the short amount of time we had been talking, the organized chaos from before had transformed into something resembling order. The caravan looked ready to go. If Lieutenant Hayden sent a message to Lord Icefall and waited for a reply, it would delay us by hours. That sort of thing mattered in these situations.
I wondered if Guildmaster Sinclair arranged for her cousin to end up in an hours-long meeting at around this time. I wouldn’t put it past her. Despite her appearance, she wasn’t a dumb brute.
Priest Sinclair put a hand on his wife’s arm.
“You shouldn’t bully the young man,” he said. “He’s just trying to fulfill his duty to his lord. You did pull a nasty trick on him.”
“You know why I did what I did,” she said to him.
The two shared a look. I figured that look had something to do with the reason why Guildmaster Sinclair hired me in the first place: the divination Priest Sinclair performed.
Lieutenant Hayden also noticed the look the two shared, and narrowed his eyes.
“Did you see something, Priest Sinclair?” he asked.
The priest paused before answering.
“Let’s just say that Lord Gabriel’s inclusion is critical for the success of your mission,” he said. “And keeping my daughter alive.”
So, Lieutenant Hayden knew about Priest Sinclair’s gift for divination. The question was, would that convince him to go along with this?
Not that it mattered to me too much. I just wanted to get my bottles of Spiritblood Ink. Either I would get it for doing this gig, or I would earn it the slow way.
That said, I liked the idea of traveling. Until I had set out for the Icefall Region, I never traveled all that much as Lord Gabriel. I looked forward to seeing more of this world, instead of just reading about it.
“Fine,” Lieutenant Hayden spat out, looking unhappy. “I’ll go along with this for now, but I will file an official complaint with the Adventurers Guild about your conduct when we reach Rosewood City.”
“You do that, Lieutenant Hayden,” Guildmaster Sinclair said, unconcerned by his threat.
The good lieutenant walked away and shouted orders at his men.
“And you call me a troublemaker,” I drawled in a lazy voice.
“You are,” she replied. “However, I never said I wasn’t one either.” She turned to Lorelei and pulled the young woman into a hug. “Stay safe, baby girl. The mission is important, but so is your life. If things get too bad, drop everything and run.”
Lorelei returned the embrace, before pulling away from her mother. She wore a determined look on her face.
“I’ll make you proud, Mama.”
Guildmaster Sinclair patted her daughter’s head. She wore a smile, but I saw the worry in her eyes.
“Just come back alive. That’s all I ask.”
Priest Sinclair pulled Lorelei into a hug as well.
“Stay close to Lord Gabriel and his retainer,” he said when they separated. “They will keep you alive.”
“I will, Papa.”
After the Sinclairs said their goodbyes to each other, Guildmaster Sinclair turned to me, her one eye narrowed.
“I’m entrusting my daughter’s life to you, Lord Gabriel,” she said. “If she gets hurt, or worse, I’ll hunt you down myself. I don’t care who your family is.”
I smiled. While a part of me was tempted to get offended by her words, I knew they came from a place of love and worry for her daughter.
“Don’t worry, Guildmaster Sinclair,” I said. “I’ll defend your daughter with my life.” I gestured to Leroy. “And since he’s sworn to defend me with his life, Lorelei is in capable hands.”
Leroy snorted at this, but didn’t say anything.
“Thank you, Lord Gabriel,” Priest Sinclair said. “It eases my mind that you’re the one looking after Lorelei.”
I raised an eyebrow at him.
“Apparently, it’s because I’m critical to keeping her safe during this trip,” I said.
“Yes, you are.”
I waited for him to say more, but he gave me a mysterious smile and remained silent. I wanted to press him for answers about whatever divination he performed, but my intuition told me that he wouldn’t say anything.
Damned fortune tellers and diviners. This was one of the reasons I hated dealing with people like them. They were always so smug and insufferable. As if the ability to peer a little bit into the future meant they knew everything.
Ah, I was being unfair to Priest Sinclair. He probably didn’t know any more than he already told us. Divination was an imperfect art after all. One never received clear answers.
After we said our goodbyes, the Sinclairs walked away.
“Excited?” I asked Lorelei.
“Yes, Lord Gabriel!” she said. “This is my first time leaving Icefall City, and I can’t wait to see what’s out there.” Worry flickered across her face. “I am a bit nervous, however. I’ve done a few jobs before, but this is my first big mission. I’m afraid of messing it up.”
I patted her on the shoulder.
“Don’t worry,” I said. “With me and Leroy around, you’ll be just fine.”
Lorelei gave me a bright smile.
“Thank you, Lord Gabriel.”
“Now then, let’s get going. Everyone else is waiting for us.”
It was true. The others in the caravan were already in place, and waiting on us. They didn’t look happy about this, the five adventurers least of all. No. I take that back. Lieutenant Hayden looked the least happy about the situation. Poor guy. I sympathized with him. Guildmaster Sinclair had made things more complicated for him.
I walked up to the House Sturm carriage and opened the door with a flourish.
“Your ride, Miss Lorelei,” I said, giving her a slight bow.
“Oh,” Lorelei said, her cheeks turning pink. “I couldn’t-…”
I interrupted her.
“Think of it as part of the job,” I said. “A House scion is your escort. That means you get to travel in comfort and style. This is a rare opportunity. Don’t turn it down. Enjoy it while you can.”
Lorelei looked hesitant at this, but then nodded and started to step into the carriage. However, before she could, someone called out to us.
“Wait!”
We all turned to find a tall and pale skinned red-headed woman sprinting in our direction. She wore a backpack that rivaled Lorelei’s.
Corie Blackburn. What was she doing here?
She skidded to a stop right in front of Lorelei, ignoring Leroy and I.
“Corie, what are you doing here?” Lorelei asked, mimicking my thoughts. She looked just as surprised as I felt.
Corie didn’t respond right away. Instead, she braced her hands on her knees and sucked in air, trying to catch her breath. Sweat coated her entire body. It looked like she had run here all the way from the Adventurers Guild.
“You didn’t think I would let you go off on your own, did you?” Corie said once she regained her breath. “Especially with that one.”
She threw a glare in my direction.
“Excuse me?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at her.
“Corie, Lord Gabriel is a kind and thoughtful gentleman who has been nothing but courteous to me,” Lorelei said with a frown. “Why must you disparage him so?”
“He’s a man,” Corie spat out. “They only care about one thing, especially men who look like him. I don’t know what your mother was thinking, having you travel alone with him. It’s like letting the fox guard the hen.”
I gave Corie a mystified look. I knew she disliked me, but I hadn’t realized it was to this extent. I mean, we hadn’t interacted all that much. Whatever gave her the impression that I would do anything untoward to Lorelei?
“You know Leroy and Jeffrey are coming along as well, right?” I asked. “It won’t be just the two of us.”
“That makes it even worse,” Corie said. “Which is why I’m going too.”
Lorelei’s frown deepened, and she glanced at me. I shrugged, leaving the decision up to her. She was the client here, or rather, her mother was. I was just the hired muscle in this situation.
“Corie, I can’t let you do that,” Lorelei said. “This isn’t a sightseeing trip. I’m here to work.”
Before Corie could respond, one of the adventurers called out.
“Will you hurry it up? We’re burning daylight here!”
I glanced at the adventurers, who all gave me impatient looks, before looking back at Lorelei.
“They’re right,” I said. “We need to leave soon. Either let your friend come along or don’t. Whatever your decision, make it fast.” I paused. “That said, given the nature of the job, I think it would be a good idea to bring Corie along. The more the better, and she is an archer.”
Lorelei let out a sigh.
“Fine,” she said. “You can come along.” She pointed a finger at Corie. “But remember that we’re here to work.”
Corie let out an exuberant shout, before pulling Lorelei into an embrace. After they pulled apart, the two of them stepped into the carriage. I shut the door behind them, since I intended to walk alongside the carriage. It was hard to keep an eye out for danger while cooped up inside. Besides, given my physique, I could run faster than any mundane horse.
Leroy raised an eyebrow at me.
“Regretting taking this job now, young master?” he asked.
I shrugged.
“It could be worse.” I looked at Jeffrey. “Let’s get going.”
“Of course, young master.”
Jeffrey maneuvered the carriage to join the caravan, and soon we were off.