--
Ceras woke late into the evening and looked around the room, noticing that it was empty of the other two young men. Thinking that they must be down in the common room, he pulled out spare clothes from his bag of holding and dressed quickly, washing with a spell. As he started to walk down the narrow stairway, he heard the sound of music and people talking coming from the common room.
The room now had a different crowd filling it. At midday it had been full of merchants, now it was caravanners and guards who were taking goods long-distance across the kingdom and beyond. There were some exotic faces in the crowd of travelers and he saw some races from other kingdoms or empires. Ceras really had not much experience of any other races as they were seen infrequently around the farm where he had been brought up. He did notice the features of an elf on one traveler, and others he did not recognize. He thought as they were closer to the capital that maybe he would see more people of different races.
After some time of looking around the common room, he found the rest of his group over in a secluded corner of the inn. As Ceras approached, he noticed a large military man was sitting with them. The rest of the team did not seem upset by his presence so Ceras went over to join them with mild curiosity.
“This is Captain Zokroz of the palace guard. I’ve known him all my life - my father sent him here to escort us to the palace,” Symania said with relief, as if the chase was over.
The captain stood up and bowed to Ceras with a polite smile and said, “His Majesty is most interested to meet the new dungeon master who has been causing half the spies in the kingdom to be on the lookout. He was concerned about the safety of his daughter so I’ve been sent to give your party an escort to the palace, where you will be able to discuss the situation with the king.”
Ceras at first had hoped to go to the capital and just immerse himself in studying magic, but now he’d acknowledged that at least he would have to try and sort things out with the king so he could get down to the important task at hand - becoming a legendary wizard.
“Thank you for your kind offer, captain, as it will be most useful to meet the king and get everything sorted out,” said Ceras in the politest manner he could muster.
The rest of the team all started to relax a bit, as if they had been on the edge of their seats waiting for an explosion to happen. The conversation started up again as they all started to enjoy their meal.
--
The next week of traveling was quiet for Ceras and the other four adventurers as they traveled toward the capital city of the kingdom. Captain Zokroz was most polite, made all the travel arrangements and even paid for everything, to Ceras’ delight. Each day his men formed an honor guard for the princess and her company. Sometimes to Ceras it felt more like a prison escort as there were people with him all the time, but as he needed to sort the situation out with the king, it was for the best if he just went along with it.
The soldiers and their escort had just made the final ascent of the last hill before the kingdom's capital, and now were just about to crest the peak giving Ceras his first view of the city. When he reached the top of the hill, he was amazed at the sight before his eyes. The massive city seemed to be built on ledges in the side of the mountain, leading all the way up into the misty clouds above. Between each of the ledges were walls and fortifications guarding the city against any invader that might gain entrance from the foot of the mountain. On top of the mountain was a large building that seemed to be made completely out of one type of stone, with strong fortifications as if it contained something priceless.
“Captain, is that the palace at the top of the city?” asked Ceras as he gazed at it in wonder.
“No, that is the entrance to the city dungeon,” said the captain matter-of-factly. “The great-grandfather of the current king is the dungeon master. Every now and then he seems to add to the fortification of the castle controlling the entrance. I don’t know why, as it’s already one of the most heavily-guarded places in the kingdom.”
“The palace is about halfway up before it starts to get cold,” Symania said. “Dad prefers the warmth and he sees no reason to be all the way at the top of the city.”
“Where's the university?” Ceras asked, still in awe of the spectacular city.
“Oh, there’s a whole level devoted to the university and the people that supports it. I think it’s on the fifth level,” said Symania.
“Will we be going through it?” Ceras wondered as he was eager to look at the university.
“No. Luckily we can use one of the elevator platforms that take you directly up the levels of the city, or else it would take until nightfall to get to the palace.”
“Oh.”
“You'll be able to see the university later,” Symania assured Ceras.
Ceras hoped that would be true, as he wondered what was awaiting him with the king and the court. He did console himself that the worst that could happen here was for him to be killed, and then he would appear back in the dungeon - only he’d have to find another way to get the information he needed to advance to the legendary level.
The plain before the city was filled with farmland and small walled hamlets, with a network of roads leading toward several city gates. It took them a few hours to cross the plains to the nearest city gate.
Ceras watched in wonder as he got closer to the massive city walls of the first level. He thought what Cleosre had been building for his city was amazing, but these walls were well beyond that. They loomed hundreds of feet up into the air with a tower every hundred feet, giving the option of covering fire if the walls were breached. Not only were the fortifications on a gigantic scale, but he could also see magical wards inscribed in the walls, giving a rainbow of color signifying a multitude of magical defenses. He had no idea of how most of them worked, as he’d only had the chance to specialize in a few magical spells.
The roads were layered with large stone in front of the gate, allowing easy access to all the merchants and farmers entering the city. One of the soldiers that had been escorting them took out a trumpet from his bag and started to play a tune. The effect was immediate, as the people on the road trying to enter the city started to move out of the way of their party.
“That makes it easier,” said Rinaldo with a smile at Ceras, as they walked past all the staring people before the gate.
The troop of guards at the gate saw the soldiers’ uniforms and the captain up front and formed up, saluting him as he entered. When Ceras walked through the massive archway in the wall of the city he found himself in a large square, but instead of it being a market square as was usual for towns and cities, it only held several roads leading off into the first level.
“Your Highness, the platform is over here,” indicated the captain as he pointed to a large building with a stone slope and platforms going up and down the side of the mountain at its roof.
The soldier’s trumpet worked its magical effect again, as the group was able to move past people and carts lining up to gain access to a platform that was on the ground starting to be loaded. As the workers on the platform unloaded the current occupants, allowing for the captain and his escort to take the platform by themselves, Ceras wondered how it worked and if he could create one for the climb to his own city from the valley below.
Once everybody was on board, a worker in a magical robe walked over to the platform and activated an inscription on the platform’s surface. The platform started to glow with a dull blue light as it began to move up the slope. A shield went up around the occupants of the platform to guard them from the elements - and from falling off. At first the platform ascended slowly but then it built up speed, going through the hole in the roof as it moved up the rocky slope cut into the side of the mountain.
Ceras looked up and saw that the platforms above him were moving out of the way of the quickly-ascending platform he currently occupied. As the platform started to rise higher the first level of the city came into view. He was again amazed at the size of
this first level as it seemed to go on forever, curving around the mountain and out of sight. It was filled with many different types of houses and buildings, and open areas where markets seemed to be taking place, packed with people and cloth-covered temporary stores.
The platform was gaining speed as it went through a hole in the bottom of a building of the second layer, only to pass quickly through a building similar to the one below, with people waiting to the side beyond a shield barrier for the next platform. Exiting again through the roof of the building, Ceras saw the second level of the city looked similar to the first. The next half-hour of traveling was very similar as the platform passed through more and more levels, though the area of each level grew smaller the higher they climbed.
Finally, after what seemed like a long journey up the sloping mountain, the platform started to slow down until it stopped at a level full of guards in the same uniform that the captain and the escorting soldiers wore.
“This way, Your Highness,” said the ever-polite captain to Symania, leading her off the platform toward a large wooden door with guards in front of it.
The captain saluted one of the officers at the wooden door and presented him with a magical amulet.
“Captain Zokroz, returning from a mission for His Majesty,” he said in a formal voice, as if reporting to a superior.
The officer at the doorway placed the amulet on his hand and his eyes appeared unfocused for a few seconds as if in communication with something. He then smiled and said to Symania, “Welcome home, Your Highness.”
After offering a bow, he moved back to the wooden door and knocked on a hinged panel which flipped open to reveal the face of another soldier.
The officer passed him the amulet and said, “Open the door for Her Highness.”
After the other soldier had checked the amulet, he nodded and closed the panel. The doors started to open with a grinding sound as if heavy counterweights were required to open the palace entrance.
When the doors were open enough for them all to pass, the captain led them through the large wooden door and Ceras noticed the other side was reinforced with thick iron - now he knew why they were so heavy.
The captain led the adventurers up a long and sloping tunnel with holes in the top for the defenders to drop hot oil and other unpleasant items if anybody attacked. After a few hundred meters of winding their way upwards, the same process was repeated with the tunnel’s exit gate. Finally the doors were opened, and they found themselves in a courtyard with walls around the central structure which housed a massive keep. Rather than a tall, thick stone structure, it was an elegant building covered with beautiful carvings, large windows and pleasant gardens all around it.
“Home, sweet home,” muttered Symania with a slight frown as she eyed the palace.
“It looks quite nice,” said Qyndad reassuringly.
“Yes, it’s wonderful to live in, but it took me so long to convince my parents to let me go that I’m afraid the next time they might not let me,” said Symania in a somber tone.
“Don’t worry, I can always take you away if you want,” the dragon said with a comforting smile.
“Thank you,” whispered Symania and placed her hand on his arm.
The rest of the walk to the magnificent palace took place in silence; as they walked the captain tried to tidy up his uniform before being presented to the king. Rather than going through the front entrance to the palace, the escort and adventurers made their way through a small door with only a few guards.
Ceras found himself and the others being led through plain, whitewashed service corridors that appeared to have been cleared of people, as they met nobody on the way. They seemed to go miles into the palace, up and down stairways and along twisting corridors. The guard who was escorting them led them through a wooden door that came out into a study room; the doorway was hidden by some bookshelves that swung out into the room, as when it closed, no evidence remained in the room that a door had been there.
“His Majesty will be here in a minute,” said the captain as he waited, looking nervous.
Ceras glanced at Symania who seemed to be both excited and nervous at the same time, while the only one who looked blasé was the dragon who peered around the room with interest.
The door opened and a large, middle-aged man entered the room, with gleaming chainmail armor covering his whole body and a large sword at his side that looked as if he always carried it, judging by the easy way he walked with it.
Symania let out a squeal of excitement and rushed forward into her father's arms for a long hug. Her father patted her head with tears in his eyes.
“Good to have you home, dear,” said the king. “Your mother will be here in a few minutes as she was just finishing some work.”
Taking his daughter’s hand with the guild mark, he looked at the healing inscription and the number of levels and sounded pleased when he said, “A master healer so soon! I knew that you could do anything you set your mind to, but a master healer so young – that’s wonderful.”
Symania blushed with embarrassment and mouthed the words, “Thank you, Daddy.” The others stayed silent, not wanting to disturb the reunion of the king and the princess. Ceras happened to glance at Qyndad, who stood off to one side with a small smile on his face as he saw the princess' happiness.
Just as the king was about to say something to the rest of the adventurers in the room, a tall, elegant woman burst through the door and a smile spread across her face when she saw Symania. “Come here, daughter. I’ve missed you so much.”
Symania rushed into her mother’s arms and both started to tear up as they hugged. Still holding onto her daughter with one arm, the queen – who in her deep royal-blue dress looked a lot like her daughter with the same elegant looks, and a thin sword at her side - glanced around the room and spied Shunneth in her warrior clothing.
“Dear Shunneth, come over here and let me have a look at you,” she said in the kind, familiar voice of an aunt.
Shunneth shyly went over and curtsied before the queen and the king. As she rose the queen took her hand and studied her warrior class, the marks indicating she was at the top of the standard levels. She beamed with pleasure as if the young woman had brought her a wonderful gift.
“Oh, my dear. You seem changed - your dear father will be most pleased,” the queen said, still with a smile on her face. “Your mother may be abashed to see you dressed like this but I think that she will be happy as well.”
Shunneth seemed to glow under the compliment from the queen and said, “I still have a lot of work to do. That is why I came to the capital - to get some training.”
“Wonderful,” said the king with a smile at the duke's daughter. "I will send a message of your progress to your father.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“Right, we need to get down to business,” the king said, looking sternly at everybody in the room. “Thank you, captain. I’m most grateful to you for bringing my daughter and her companions home to me in safety.”
“At your service, Your Majesty.”
“You had best report back to the barracks and see to your men.”
The captain saluted and left the room without a look back, now that he had fulfilled his duty. Once the captain had left and the door was firmly shut, the queen looked at the three boys in the room with a slight frown.
“Which one of you is the dungeon master?” she asked sharply, still holding her daughter with an arm around her waist.
Ceras stepped forward and raised his hand. His mouth had gone dry now that he was before the king and queen.
Before the king could open his mouth to say anything, the queen asked, “Dungeon master, what are your intentions with my daughter?”
Ceras had been mentally running through a lot of possible questions he could face from the king or queen, but this wasn’t one he could have expected in his wildest imagination.
“Nothing at all, Your Majesty!” said Ceras, surprised. Symania
’s face was flushed red as she tried to interrupt, but her mother shushed her.
“Whatever do you mean, nothing at all?”
“We have only been in an adventuring party, and traveled here together as we want to study. She’s a loyal friend and that’s it.”
The queen looked skeptical, disbelieving even.
“Mother, will you stop that? There is nothing romantic between Ceras and me! We’re just friends that worked together as adventurers,” protested the princess.
The queen and king looked at their daughter with surprise on their faces, but saw that she was earnest and looked back at the shocked Ceras.
“Will you promise me, young man, that you will not pursue my daughter?” the king asked formally.
“Of course, Your Majesty. I’m just here to study. All I’ve ever wanted since I became a dungeon master is to not end up killed,” Ceras replied with equal formality.
The king and queen let out a loud sigh, not noticing the smile on Qyndad’s face as he whispered something to Rinaldo, who went white as a sheet and elbowed him in the side as if to say Be quiet!
“Well, that’s such a relief, as there would be such a political maelstrom around you and my daughter if there was anything between you two,” said the queen, hugging her daughter again. “Now we just have to deal with your being in the capital. You said all you want to do is study - is that at the university? Rumor has it that you’re a wizard, is that right?”
Ceras held out his hand to the king and the queen, and they gasped when they saw the wizard’s marking and the level just below legendary.
“With that level I think that you might have a chance of actually surviving,” said the king with a friendly smile. “It would do me a lot of good if things went well for me as Moryam, the Duke of Riverwind, is not in the faction that supports me. That faction having access to your dungeon could shift the balance of power.”
“Your Majesty, all I want to do is study quietly at the university to gain the legendary level, then go back to the dungeon,” said Ceras with intensity, just wanting to be left out of anybody’s political games.
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