Chapter 39: Stronghold Deragun

My next lesson I’ve decided to teach you is the secrets of dual casting. No, you don’t need to be an archmage to do it. Hells, even an apprentice can do it if they’re good enough.

Two first circle spells cast simultaneously. They have to be of the same identity, no mixing fire and ice, or you’re just creating a more complicated second circle spell. Honestly, it’s even easier if you’re casting the exact same spell twice, no need to split the mind on two different desire runes then.

• Eridor’s Journal to his sister.

I follow Libby through the halls of the Inn, new doors appearing in the endless hallway until she arrives at the one her key is enchanted to take her to.

She opens it up, revealing a room with two beds. On one side, plants of all kinds are kept in pots, climbing up the walls and over the bed, but halfway through the room, they stop, none of their leaves even attempting to cross an invisible boundary.

At the center of the tiny jungle, a young Lin girl is mixing a concoction in a bowl, humming to herself as several blue jellyfish float aimlessly above her head.

Tanya looks up and smiles, “You’re here! I just finished.” She walks over to a desk and sets the bowl down. “The hair is easy to do, but the eyes required a little more… magic.” She smiles to herself, then motions for me to come over as she hops over to her bed and picks up a vial that swirls with a green liquid.

I step through the plants, noticing how several of them react to my presence, their leaves turning towards me. The pots and seeds I’d given her from the Archmage’s sanctum were being put to good use it seems.

Libby works on her side of the room, moving things in preparation to leave while Tanya motions for me to sit on a chair.

I do, and watch as she pours the vial onto her hands. She hesitates for a second as she looks at me, “Can I…?”

“Go ahead.”

She takes a breath, then steps forward to rub the green liquid into my hair.

“It’s temporary, right?” I ask.

She nods, “Two weeks.”

She shifts my head and I focus on the desk where the other concoction sits.

I don’t know why, but I do know that mages often have features that match their alignment. Eyla’s hair was a prime example, but I’ve seen some stranger ones during my journeys with my mentor. He’d hired a mage with stark purple hair during an adventure through some particularly poisonous ruins. Even my own hair and eyes usually have the mix of gold, brown and hints of green to match the hazel of my mana.

A strand of the dyed hair falls into my eyes, a solid dark green now.

Tanya steps away, then takes a dollop of the concoction she’d been mixing on a spoon. “For your eyes.”

I take the spoon, then hesitantly move it towards my eye.

She laughs, “You can eat it.”

Ah. That makes more sense. I eat it, tasting the slight earthy flavor as it makes its way to my stomach.

A stream of mana makes its way to my eyes, then goes away.

I look up at Tanya, who’s studying me with curiosity. “How do I look?”

“Green.” She smiles.

I snort, then look over to Libby. “What do you think?”

The older woman pauses, studying me for a moment. “You look like a mage.”

“That’s what I wanted.” I stand from the chair, and watch as Tanya hurries around the room, gathering various vials into her pack. “I’ll grab my things, and we’ll meet out front?”

“I’ll grab the boys.” Libby calls from the other side of the room.

I make my way towards the exit, then pause at the door. “Tanya?”

The young Lin girl looks up.

“How are you going to take care of the plants while we’re gone?”

She points at the watering can we’d looted from the sanctum. “Kingston will water them.”

I try to see if I recognize the name, but nothing comes to mind, so I simply nod and leave the room.

Keve and Shar are ready for me when I get to the room, and it’s a quick process to throw my cloak on, and put my backpack over my shoulders.

I pull the hood up, make sure I have the nature gloves on, and check my pocket for my wand. A few twigs and seeds rest in my other pocket. The builder’s sword is wrapped in cloth, and placed in my pack with the handle sticking out to hide the symbol of wings on its scabbard.

My usual sword is tied to my waist, and I do one last check of the room before we leave and meet the mercenaries out front, Jasper already resting with them, fully packed.

Shar takes to the sky, while Daron keeps an eye out on the ground for anyone following us as we leave through the main gates.

Again, there’s a reaper watching the entrance, but he doesn’t even look up from his fire as we head towards the southern road.

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It’s a two day journey to the human Stronghold Deragun, and our wariness is high.

Snow starts to fall, a light snowfall that covers the ground in a thin layer, maybe an inch thick. It slows us down slightly, as the dark clouds make nighttime approach all the quicker, and we’re forced to make camp early to avoid the dangers of the night.

Shar and Daron have us stop four separate times, activating the Angel statue. Once a pack of creatures hunt the road, keeping us in place for an hour before they move on, and twice, large monstrosities leave the trees, crossing the road to wherever they’re wandering takes them. The fourth time, I don’t see or hear whatever has them worried.

Towards the end of the second day, we come across the bodies. A small group, around the same size as ours, are strewn across the road in pieces.

We’re forced to hurry through, and Libby covers the eyes of poor Tanya, who looks even greener than usual at the sight.

Only a few hours from the Stronghold, and a party of five were dead on the main road. It’s a reminder to me of something that I already know.

The world isn’t safe.

Whoever had ambushed me on the road to Onder doesn’t bother us on this journey, and soon enough, the large walls of the stronghold become visible.

Reaching to the sky, I can feel the mana radiating from the ancient stone as we approach, covered in runework and enchantments, it is a bastion against the terrors of the world.

A large gate is open at the front, several guards, two reapers, and a mage standing guard. They all straighten as we approach, raising spears and loosening swords. Most of their gazes stay on me, which is something I’m not used to.

At least the disguise is working.

“Step forward.” The mage, an older gentleman with bright blue eyes and gray hair tied back into a ponytail, says.

I glance at the others, then step forward.

“Are you the leader?” The guard captain asks, stepping up beside the mage.

I nod.

“Good, place your hand here.” The captain holds up a familiar class orb, and I reach out to place my hand on it.

You are being appraised. Would you like to reveal your 1st class (general) or your 2nd class (general)?

I mentally select the second class.

“Mage. What’s your name and specialty?”

“Leo. Nature.”

The guard looks over to the other mage, who gathers mana to himself. “Demonstrate a spell please.”