The Trials of a Modern Paladin 2

by Kevin Culp

  He nodded, and I extended my hand which he shook then returned to his tent.

  I assumed by his standard of distance that for at least a decent portion of their travel, the family had been on horseback. If they were anything like me, none of my friends could use their real-world knowledge in this world and wouldn't have been responsible for these inventions. I was still a little curious about it, but I probably had plenty of other things on my plate before I could worry about investigating this.

  It didn't appear as though Tyler and his crew would need me anytime soon, so I decided to just head into town. Freid was a small town, even with the new people that had settled here in the last few months. That being said, maybe it was a stretch to say a crowd was gathering outside Gadrick's place, but there were four or five people standing outside peering in curiously which was enough to get my attention.

  As I got closer, I heard the sounds of a shrill eccentric gnome that was clearly agitated yelling from inside. “What do you mean you left your wallet in the capital?! You think it's okay to just land in my shop, ruin my whole system of organization, break merchandise, and not even pay for damages!”

  I still wasn't sure what Gadrick's system of organization was, but clearly, this man had upset it.

  The voice that replied seemed to be an old man with a raspy voice. He struggled to form words. “I'm so sorry, so so sorry. I assure you that you will be reimbursed for the damage. I just need some time. If you could kindly point me in the way of Sir Archaeus, I'm sure we could figure everything out.”

  Hearing this stranger throw my name out like it was an answer to his dilemma was starting to not seem too surprising. Most of the people who moved here sought me out. Then again, expecting me to solve whatever he had done in Gradrick's shop might be going a little overboard. I decided that I should step in regardless before Gadrick got too worked up.

  I opened the door and walked in. There were papers strewn all over the place, and where the pair of men were arguing there was a turned over table with a collection of several lanterns most of which were now broken and strewn over the floor. Standing on top of a table beside this was Gadrick, who seemed to have decided he wanted to be eye to eye with this individual that had damaged his store. The man standing across from him was an old man that seemed to be bowing apologetically. He wore thick brown robes and carried a large wooden staff that was twisted at the top. He had a full Santa beard and a head thinly covered in long wispy gray hair. His nose was long and crooked but his face was kind save for one eye filled with cataracts and almost completely misted over.

  Gadrick saw me and immediately turned in my direction. “Archaeus, look at what this ruffian has done to my shop. He just pops in here, doesn't even use the door, crashes into a well-maintained stand of merchandise, and says he can't even pay for the damage.”

  The old man looked at me. “Archaeus, please I can explain everything if I could just have a moment of your time.”

  The old man's voice was slight and raspy as if someone were directly crushing his windpipe, though he didn't seem to have trouble speaking.

  I looked at him. “I'm listening if you would like to explain. I'm sure we can work things out.”

  “Of course, of course, my name is Gregory Lieger, and Prince Leovald informed me that you had a young sorceress that you would like me to help teach.”

  I had sent that letter to Prince Leovald probably only an hour ago. Not only did I normally expect a longer response time, but if the prince truly sent this man, it could only mean he had teleported here. I guess there wasn't any reason to doubt him, but it still surprised me. I walked over to the man and extended a hand. He took my hand and shook it with much more strength than I would have expected. Not that his grip was strong, it was just much stronger than the feeble old man in front of me would have led me to believe.

  “It's very nice to meet you, Gregory. I wish your entry hadn't caused such a ruckus, but we are glad to have you in Freid. Why don't we go to the tavern and talk about what happened here?”

  I turned to Gadrick. “I'm sorry, Gadrick. This man was sent from the capital on my orders. How much do I owe for the damage?”

  Gadrick seemed happy to shift the blame to me. Probably because he knew I'd pay him. “Well, at least he didn't break the roof like you did. I can probably replace everything for around fifteen gold pieces.”

  I reached into my belt pouch, pulled out two platinum pieces, and handed them to him.

  The gnome beamed at me. “Always a pleasure doing business, Archaeus.” Then he happily started working on cleaning up his shop.

  I turned and started to walk out of the shop, and the old man followed.

  Once we were outside, he spoke again. “I can't thank you enough, Sir Velnir. I've never been to this town before and sometimes Teleportation can be unpredictable if you don't have a clear image of where you are going. I assure you it won't happen again. If I need to reimburse you for the money you just spent, I will certainly do so. I just got so excited that I left without all my supplies.”

  Hearing someone with a voice that sounded like they were on death's doorstep talking about being excited seemed a little strange to me, but hopefully, that meant he would be dedicated to the task he came here for. The tavern was only a few buildings down, so we got there quickly and took a seat at a table in the back.

  I looked the old man up and down. “I'm not at all worried about the money, but I must admit to being rather confused. It was only a little over an hour ago that I messaged Leovald. I understand you have some form of teleportation magic to get here, but that was still a quick response.”

  “Yes, of course, I could understand being surprised. Prince Leovald was just finishing his morning breakfast when he received your letter, and as it so happened, I was visiting with the king. He told me of this young half-dragon knowing full well that even an old retired fart like me couldn't resist the chance to help teach a young half-dragon.”

  Well, I guess the enthusiasm I had hoped for was certainly there. Most people seemed to be afraid around a half-dragon, but this guy jumped on it like the opportunity of a lifetime. About that time, I noticed I was holding a letter.

  I looked at the old man. “Give me just a moment.”

  “Certainly.”

  I read the letter:

  Sir Velnir,

  A mage named Gregory will be visiting your town and assisting in the training of the half-dragon you spoke of. Honestly, I would have liked to have a little more time to discuss this with you, but you will come to find that when it comes to opportunities to learn or teach magic, he can be a little overzealous. I spoke with him shortly after receiving your letter, and he immediately got excited and began preparations to teleport. We couldn't talk him out of it, but if you could just make sure he is taken care of while there I would appreciate it. When it comes to magic, he is the most knowledgeable man I know. Until a few years ago, he was the appointed Mage of the Court and has remained a friend of my father since retirement.

  Sincerely,

  Prince Leovald

  “Well, your story definitely checks out, and Leovald seems to put a lot of faith in you. Can you tell me a bit about yourself, Gregory?”

  “Of course, I was the Mage of the Court for twenty years under King Casius and was a magical researcher under King Casius and King Jeremiah for close to forty years before that going back to when I was just a boy. Mage of the Court, just to be clear, is the mage that works directly under the king to help answer questions on all things magic related. More or less, I guess you could say the leading authority on magic in the Varnelion Kingdom. I am also the only sorcerer I know of that uses very little of their innate power and instead has resorted to wizardry, which has made me one of the best teachers of arcane magic in general since I understand both sides of harnessing magical energy.”

  “That is impressive indeed. You say you’re a sorcerer that uses wizardry. That seems a little strange to me. I'm not an expert on magic but can you tell
me a little more about that.”

  “Well, I was born with innate magic, which is really what sparked my interest in it, to begin with. There isn't really a lot of magic in my family’s lineage, so where that bloodline came from and what it was, I cannot say. After I learned how to control that magic though, I just wanted to learn more about magic in general and poured myself into studies. I was very gifted with magic. I could study for days on end and quickly mastered spells that took some wizards years to learn. Sorcery is something you grow by using magic and expanding your overall ability, whereas wizardry is learned through study, which is what I wanted to do anyway. As a result, it just kind of happened that I became a much better wizard than a sorcerer. Being both though means that I have all the knowledge of magic learned through study with the understanding of how it works to channel it through yourself, so I have trained countless individuals in both wizardry and sorcery over the years.”

  That seemed strange, and I had to question it from a game mechanic standpoint. It seemed he was probably a level one or two Sorcerer with quite a few more levels in Wizard. He also made it sound like he had done little combat, which made me question how he gained those levels since Christina didn't gain experience just through training and study. At least it didn't seem that way so far. The only time I noticed a change in her experience was after our fight in the cave.

  “That is quite fascinating. I traveled with a powerful sorceress for quite some time, but she seemed pretty content to just expand her abilities innately through use. She understood magic and was probably knowledgeable about it, though I would assume more out of necessity than the genuine interest you show. I'm definitely honored that one such as yourself would take the time to come help train someone for me, but as much as I realize you are very passionate about magical knowledge, why are you taking so much interest in spite of being retired?”

  He looked confused. Not by the question but as in surprised I would even ask it. “Because she is a dragon of course. Dragons are the epitome of arcane magic and very few integrate themselves with human society. An adult dragon that has never studied magic a day in his life is more powerful of a caster than I am, and I am considered to be among the most powerful spell casters in the Varnelion kingdom. What's more, is they continue to become more powerful as they age with almost unlimited potential. Why the very thought is fascinating. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. She may only be a half-dragon, but I think that learning how her power grows might answer many questions I've had about the source of innate magic. Half dragons are not well-liked and dragons almost never associate with the humanoid races, so I have never actually worked with any form of dragon. At least not one that was willing to speak with me in a civilized manner.”

  I guess that meant he had met dragons before, but they either showed him disinterest or hostility. It didn't seem like even as a mage he had ever done much combat, so I could guess either it was disinterest or potentially a younger dragon the kingdom had captured that wasn't happy about its position. Either way, for now at least, I don't think I should tell him about Sairana. Who knows, he may be able to help her regain her dragon form if I was wrong about the cause, but I didn't want to deal with him constantly bothering her, and I wasn't certain that her regaining her dragon form would be a good thing, anyway.

  “I'm glad I could help you achieve a first in your life. I guess you will be staying here in the tavern until I can find other arrangements.”

  “Oh, that won't be necessary. I can make some decent living quarters for myself for now. Just show me where I can put it, and I'll get myself situated.”

  Irene made her way over to our table. “Can I get anything for you and your guest, Sir Velnir?”

  “I believe I'm good thank you, Irene. Would you like anything, Gregory?”

  “Oh no, thank you kindly, young lady. Archaeus, if you would just lead me to where I can stay, and I will get things set up. When could I expect to meet the young sorceress, and I apologize, I don't think I ever got her name?”

  “Her name is Korana. I can take you to a location to set up your lodgings and will hopefully be able to arrange for the two of you to meet this evening.”

  “Excellent, lead the way.”

  Irene was just standing there, not sure if she could take her leave. I handed her a gold piece, and she bowed gratefully. We had ordered nothing, but it seemed rude to come into a tavern, sit down, order nothing, and then leave when they had tried to take our order. We left the tavern, and I walked Gregory to the edge of town back towards my home. Our house was a little bit outside of town towards the northern woods. I figured I could have Gregory establish himself somewhere between there. Far enough out that I didn't have to worry about magical mishaps affecting the town and close to me.

  “Would this location work for you, Gregory?”

  “Yes, I think this would be perfect. Give me just a moment.”

  He reached into his robes and produced a small block of wood and what seemed to be a primitive pencil, just a small length of wood with a pointed bit of charcoal on the end. Slowly and carefully, he began to draw things on the block of wood. It looked like he was drawing a door and windows as well as a chimney on the sides and top. On the bottom of the block, he drew a bed, a nightstand, a table, and a few other things. It felt strange to just stand here and watch this, but I have to admit it was pretty interesting, and the thought of the magic he was about to use was impressive. There were spells in the game that made lodgings, but I don't feel I had seen anything with quite the eloquence as the spell that was seemingly about to take place.

  Gregory walked about thirty feet from me and sat the block down on the ground. He chanted a few quick words in a language I didn't recognize and moved his arms in fancy gestures that must have been the spell's somatic components then walked back to me. He turned and faced the block of wood.

  “Grow.”

  It was only one word, and he said it in common. I kind of questioned if he had just created a magic item in that short time with this being the trigger or if it was just a regular spell. Magic items typically took a lot longer to craft. Regardless, the effect was immediate. The small block of wood began to grow. As it grew, it took a much more house-like shape. The roof became angular and developed shingles; the walls started to look more like rows of logs like my home rather than a smooth surface. The charcoal lines that were there to emulate the doors and windows grew into their intended purpose. I could assume I knew what was happening on the inside as well.

  Once it got to be about 30’ x 30’ he said, “Stop,” and the house immediately stopped growing. Not very big for a home, but I guess if he intended to stay in it alone, there were certainly studio apartments that were much smaller.

  “That was a fascinating spell, Gregory. I have seen a sorcerer cast something similar but nothing with the customization and creativity of what you have done here.”

  “Thank you very much, Archaeus. I actually spent quite a bit of time perfecting that spell back in my younger years. When I was a boy, before I was the Mage of the Court, we would often have to travel to collect tomes or inspect magical creatures or lasting spell effects throughout the Kingdom and sometimes further. I do not enjoy staying in taverns or sleeping on the ground. There are spells such as Safe Haven that can produce shelter for a night, but it is not nearly as comfortable as what I can create with this. Would you like to see inside?”

  “Of course.”

  He opened the door for me and I walked in. To my right, there was a small kitchen with a counter to prepare food on and a table. There were even some cooking supplies, such as pots and pans and basic utensils. To my left was a small work desk and chair complete with a stack of blank parchment, an inkpot, and a quill. The back right corner had a bed with a nightstand and lantern and the back left corner had a fireplace with a nice rocking chair next to it. What surprised me most was there was a bookshelf along the back wall that was stocked with books. I would assume he had to already know what was in tho
se books to have made them appear or maybe this magic is somehow linked to his own library.

  “This really is impressive. I almost wish I could cast arcane magic just so I could use it myself. I don't plan on traveling right now, but I'm sure the time will come for it soon.”

  “You flatter me, Archaeus. I know you can complete feats far more impressive than this old fart. Perhaps I'll get the opportunity to teach it to this young sorceress though. This is actually one spell that none of my apprentices ever bothered to learn, though there are probably only two that would be capable of learning it, anyway.”

  “Can I ask what tier of magic this is?”

  “The spell itself is actually only 3rd tier magic, but given its size, it would only last about eight hours from the spell itself. I have enhanced it to make it more permanent, which was 5th tier magic. That was magic I had placed on the wood a while back though.”

  “Is it strange that what now surprises me most is that you were carrying this block of wood for creating a magic home but not your coin purse?”

  He chuckled. “Old mage's habits, I guess. You traveled with a sorcerer for a long time, so I would think you would realize our spell components are far more valuable than gold to us. I designed this robe to hold all my spell components.”

  I assume that meant it was a magical robe with extra-dimensional pockets similar to my bag, but he only used it for spell components. I guess an old wizard that knows who knows how many spells would likely have to have a lot of components to cast all of said spells.

  “Now if you would excuse me, Archaeus. I think I will take some time to get settled in. I may even make a trip back to the capital, but don't worry, now that I'm established here, you won't see another mishap. It was great to finally meet you.”

  He extended his hand, and I shook it again. I definitely felt I could place my trust into this man for teaching magic, but I knew little else about him. I couldn't help but wonder if he could answer some questions about how I may have ended up here, but then again, I probably couldn't even ask him those questions to get an answer since Archaeus couldn't talk about it. Either way, I was certain that having a powerful caster here would be an asset to Freid.