They were searched and checked for weapons, the sword in Sonder was the exception.
As they rummaged through Vell's bag, they asked, "Why are you going around with an empty bag?"
"I am a wizard; what do I need a bag with actual things in it for?" He answered, still in that old voice.
That shut them up.
The blue line that went from the dead man's head they followed was still there, but none of the people in the fortress seemed to notice it.
It went farther in and into a closed-off area with a rebuilt door and windows.
"Who's the leader of this band?" Vell asked as they were led exactly to where the blue line was going.
"Soon, you'll know," was the answer, which Vell didn't think was very satisfying.
They saw people in cages. Prisoners and slaves. They were dirty and desperate. Their hands reached out of the wooden bars of their prison at the appearance of two new people in the Garrions' camp, in the sliver of hope that they were the ones who would free them.
Their pleas were ignored.
Vell and the Garrions went on, but Sonder's eyes were glued to them until they turned a corner and couldn't see them anymore.
They stopped before a door, and the guard who escorted them knocked, waited a moment, and then opened the door slightly, just enough to speak through.
"Sir, the mage Accismus is here to see you."
"Let him in, but take his staff away." A voice from inside said.
The guard turned around and looked at Vell as he heard the same thing.
He handed it over without any resistance.
"Wait outside for us, and station a few other people here, if things turn sideways," said the voice from inside.
They went in and saw two people.
Two women, one orc and the other clearly an elf.
The blue line went to the elf woman.
Vell made himself comfortable and sat down without saying another word.
The elf's eyes shrank a bit when looking over the two.
"Greetings," Vell said. He fixed his robes and crossed his legs, "You already know who I am, and now it is my turn to know."
The orc spoke, she was the one to give orders, "Does it matter?" She was strangely articulate.
"What do you mean?" Vell asked.
"Does it matter who we are? Accismus is known to work for money. If we give you a bag full of gold, you'll work for us, no matter what, isn't that right?"
"Yes, yes, but manners maketh the man. Having a polite interaction before we come down to brass tax would be polite, no?"
"And you're truly a wizard?" She asked.
"Yes, I have proof of-" Vell said, though was cut off.
"Show us your magic then, sorcerer." The elf said, and her words spat out like she was trying to poison him.
Vell scratched his chin lightly, "If that is what it takes, then so be it."
"What do you want me to do?" Vell asked.
"You're a wizard," the elf said, "Conjure me a bar of gold."
Vell gave a decisive, "no."
"No? What do you mean: No?" She tensed up.
"That is the one thing I will not do."
"But you could?" the orc asked.
"Yes."
"I don't understand," the orc said, "why not? And then why even work if you could just magic the money right into your pocket?"
"Why do anything then? Why work, why eat, why sleep, why walk or talk? For the small things, of course. If I don't work, then why do I do anything for my existence? Why would you keep on working if you could have all the gold in the world."
"True, but can't you make an exception this one time?" The orc asked, "Even we fall on hard times, and this life does not offer opportunities that often."
"Don't beg him for money," the elf said as she shot up from her chair.
"Alright, this one time," Vell said, "but use it for anything else except for an emergency, and it will dissolve into smoke and dust. I'd need my staff for it."
"We can't just let him do magic without any kind of security," the elf said, looking to Sonder, "The girl, strange as she might look, could still just be a trick. Give her into my possession for the moment, and you can get your staff."
"What do you say, Sonder? Will you trust these fine ladies?" Vell said to her.
She nodded, and the elf grabbed her and directly put a knife to her throat.
"Just a precaution," she said.
"Bring in the staff!" The orc yelled out.
The man from before went in and gave Vell his staff, then left.
"Just one little bar, you understand," Vell said.
He pointed the staff at a table nearby and said, "Ath Ehm Cke."
The staff lit up, and then, out of nowhere, a cube of pure gold appeared.
It was as big as Sonder's hand.
The orc moved to touch it, but before Vell would warn her, she cut herself on the edges of the cube.
"Careful. It has sharp edges."
The orc looked at the cube with amazement.
"We could make hundreds of coins with this much gold," she said.
"Only if you need to," Vell added. "You can't use it to pay me for my work."
"Truly, you are a mage. We would have many tasks for one to solve for us."
"Great, if you can spare accommodations for me and my young friend here, we'll-" Vell said, but was again cut off by the elf.
"No."
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