Chapter 3: Dove, Home of the Mage's Library!
The town of Dove was known as a bustling trade city. Through its heart ran a river, which emptied out onto the nearby sea. The city itself hosted fishermen, travelers, and tradesmen of all kinds. The city was built out of a unique white sandstone, which gave it the appearance of an oddly shaped pearl resting next to the ocean. Tall white spires stretched out from various buildings, and several of them were topped with big white domes. Those structures were generally used by mages and tradesmen who specialized in magical goods, and the biggest of them all was where the greatest known library for magical knowledge was housed - the Mage's Library. Even from a distance, Rosa could see the dome, capped in extravagant magical symbols that reflected the sun in all directions.
The city boasted a host of guards for standard law enforcement, but it had no standing military. With the Mage's Library, nobody would dare attack Dove for fear of sparking magical retaliation. Even the ruling class of Dove were all mages with ancient family ties. The defenses were said to be without peer, though they were rarely used. Rosa had the honor of seeing Dove's magical barrier only once before, and it had left a lasting impression.
However, as if to contrast her excitement, Cyn became more and more lethargic as the city came closer. His shoulders were slumped in defeat, and several times Rosa heard him muttering things like "maybe if I tell them I have a stomach ache," or "I wonder if he's still around..." Sensing his mood, she gave him some distance, though she could scarcely understand why he looked so moody. Dove was a magician's dream city, but Cyn was reacting as if he was being forced on some errand he couldn't stand.
In the last five days, there had been no threat whatsoever. Despite heightened paranoia, nothing of interest had been spotted after Cyn had joined them. In that time, the pyromancer had gotten along splendidly with the Desert Rats, and Rosa's training had progressed as well. After the initial scare of producing too much fire, she had worked to control the size of the flame and the location she summoned it from. Now, she could produce a flame large enough to light a candle with a small amount of concentration, and the flame would not expand unless she willed it. While Rosa was delighted, she realized she was a long way from producing the pillars of fire Cyn had created with a single swipe of the burnt elm staff.
Cyn as a person was quite carefree. When he wasn't helping train Rosa, or assisting the Desert Rats with their various duties, he would chat with Emil about various bits of information. He never complained about the desert heat, and he was always happy with what little rations he was given. Rosa had given him one of the refilling canteens, but it mostly just became an ornament for the camel he was riding. True to what he had said when Emil questioned him, the pyromancer preferred to travel light and left any and all gear he was given with his camel. Most of the time, when given an item to help with a task, his eyes would look off into the distance and his trademark smile would slowly appear on his face, like he had been told some sort of personal joke. The same expression appeared on his face whenever he was asked about his origins or family, to which he usually would mumble about them being very far away and leaving it at that. He often slept on the camel while they were travelling, but Rosa suspected it was some sort of act. At least once she had caught him peeking at her with one eye. While it didn't seem perverted in nature, she was careful to conduct herself properly when he was watching.
As they neared the gates, a checkpoint station came into view. While Dove had no fear of invasion, they still had to keep vigilant for outlaws and troublemakers. However, Rosa's group didn't wait in line with the rest, Emil having decided to speed up the process by approaching the guard station directly. Rosa didn't have a problem with it, but she wondered if it was really the best idea to draw attention now.
When Emil approached the guard station, several men wearing intricately carved armor emptied out of it. Many of the armor pieces were crafted from full plate and etched with various magical symbols or adorned with magical stones. Like with Emil's armor, this denoted someone of higher rank than the average civilian, and Rosa wondered what had brought the men to the station in the first place, but now wasn't the time for such questions.
"Emil and his pack of rodents, I see," sneered the most prominent of figures. A man in silver-colored armor stepped out from the bunch, his mail-covered hand stroking his thin mustache in mock contemplation. "And what makes you too important to stay in line with the rest of the rabble today?"
Emil didn't respond to the taunt, instead tilting his head in acknowledgement of the armored man. "Master Costello, today I am here in the capacity of escort. Returning with Miss Dupardone and requested materials, on the orders of the Archmage. Please let my group pass through."
Rosa looked over at Cyn to see how he would respond to the names Emil was using, but found the back of his head instead, as he was busy looking over at a part of the city wall. Was he oblivious, or merely carefree? She couldn't tell. Sighing, she returned her gaze to the gaudily-dressed soldier.
Costello smirked and looked her over with a mix of interest and disdain, stroking his mustache absentmindedly, "Only the third daughter of that old coot. What makes her so special? I hear she's barely even a magic caster. Now he's got her running errands too? What materials are you bringing back?"
Emil gestured to a few packs on the camels. "Rare books from the East. An addition for the library. Also a few rare materials. The Archmage should be expecting us." His gaze lingered on Cyn for a moment, but he kept mum about the pyromancer. It would be hard to explain where he came from, or the circumstances for their meeting. Plus, if word got out he was a pyromancer, he'd cause a big enough fuss by mere existence alone. With only four known users of that specific art, the sudden appearance of a fifth would stir things up significantly. Plus, Rosa's addition to that number would make it six, even if she had only mastered a very basic form of it. In a town like Dove, where knowledge was considered power, the mere hint of old knowledge was like droplets of water hitting a smooth pond surface - the ripples would reach quite far already.
Costello shrugged pompously after a moment. "Very well. You and your rabble can pass. Just don't cause the market district any trouble, unless you'd like to feel my enchanted blade cutting you." His hand rested on the hilt of a curved sword, the sheathe of which was decorated in semiprecious stones and magical symbols. Another symbol of rank, the symbols were a form of sharpening and strengthening enchantment that only high level soldiers with magical ability could wield. Costello was a power-hungry weasel, but he at least had some power of his own.
Emil nodded his head and returned to the group of camels. When he was close enough, he locked eyes with Rosa. "Miss Rosaline, I believe this more or less concludes our contract. I'll accompany you as far as the Mage's Library to collect payment. I will have to charge for the losses we went through as well." His eyes twitched for a moment, and Rosa recalled the sand worms once more. Emil turned to Cyn and tilted his head. "Something the matter, Master Cyn?"
"Hmm?" Cyn returned his attention to the leader of the group, his smile frozen in place like a mask. When he realized he had been asked a question, he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Sorry, what was that?"
Emil smiled and shrugged. "We're almost done with our business here, do you have any plans while you're in Dove, Master Cyn? It's not great, but my group could provide lodging until you've decided what you're doing next. I would offer you a place in our group, but I doubt a man of your... talents would like the meager pay we offer."
Cyn shook his head politely and held up a hand. "I'm fine." He looked like he wanted to add more, but after a moment or two he resumed looking at the nearby city walls, his eyes narrowing as he focused on smaller details. Emil took it as a cessation of the conversation and shrugged.
Rosa followed Cyn's line of sight and realized he was looking at a cluster of magical symbols used for defense of Dove. "Are you interested in Dove's defenses? My father might be able to tell you more."
Cyn finally turned his head back to the group and was wearing his trademark smile. "It's nothing," he told them, waving the matter aside. "Are we going to the library, then?"
Rosa was happy to see the return of the pyromancer's smile, and nodded in return. "Yes, we have to drop off the supplies we brought here, and I must let my father know what happened. I'm sure he'd be interested to meet you, and I have to show him the fruits of the training you've shown me."
"No problem!" Cyn replied, urging his camel to follow the group as Emil once again led the way into the city.
Weekly Power Status
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