《The Dawn of Sentience》 Prologue 6077 Years After Unification ¡°Conjured chains held me by my hands and a metal spike jutted out of my chest. I heaved to break my chains, to go help my home, but all I got was pain.¡± ¨C Crown Prince Etolan Roan. Adan skipped along the cobblestone street, a broad smile on his face as the first drops of water fell on his head. He loved the rain. Especially the first of the season. His mother, apparently, did not, for she grunted loudly, quickly opened the big yellow umbrella and hurried towards their home, tugging Adan along with her. ¡°Ma! I want to stay in the rain,¡± Adan cried, trying to pull away from her and the shelter of the stupid umbrella. ¡°Don¡¯t be crazy, Adu, You¡¯ll get sick,¡± his mother said, navigating around the potholes in the street. Adan saw one right in front of him and, taking his opportunity, he jumped into it, splashing muddy rain water all over him and his mother. She shrieked in annoyance as Adan chortled. Looking at her son¡¯s toothy grin, Dorene gave a smile as well. Adan tried jumping into several more holes filled with water along the way but Dorene was successful in stopping her son¡¯s plan. Soon their home was visible at the end of the road and a slight hill; a tiny brown cottage with a red oakwood roof. Standing in front of the fireplace, Adan dried himself with a giant towel. Furiously rubbing his hair, as if it were a game. ¡°You do such shenanigans again and I will hang you upside down from the ceiling, mister,¡± Dorene said, her wide smile betraying her feigned anger. She sat near the fireplace, getting rain water out of her long curly hair. ¡°I would make a great bat, ma.¡± Adan tossed aside the towel, rolled on the ground and stood on his head, upside down, balancing against the wall and making shrill noises, mimicking the creatures from the Daamun woods. ¡°Stop it, you naughty littlebittle.¡± Dorene pulled Adan straight and began tickling her son, who laughed uncontrollably. A loud bang on the door made Adan freeze. Silence filled the room, the only sound coming from the crackling of wood from the hearth and raindrops pelting the roof. A second knock came at the door but before Dorene could move, it burst open, sending the rain rushing in. Adan¡¯s heart clenched in his chest as he saw the silhouette of a giant person, shrouded in shadow, standing at his doorstep, holding something in his hands.Adan rubbed his eyes to check again because he thought it was another person! Dorene stood and pulled Adan behind her, who tried peeking at the stranger. ¡°Let me put him to bed,¡± she said and picked Adan up, moving upstairs. Fear gripped Adan as Dorene made for his room but he quickly dismissed it. Ever since his father¡¯s death the previous year he was the man of the house. He had to be strong.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Let me stay, ma. I¡¯ll protect you from the stranger,¡± Adan said, his eyes full of determination even as his voice shook from the cold, and a smidge of fear. He may only be eight winters old but he was strong for his age. Dorene kissed his son on the cheek as she tucked him in bed, a smile on her face, her voice soft. ¡°My little guardian. Ma doesn¡¯t need protection, Adu. The man¡­he¡¯s a friend. Go to sleep now.¡± His mother¡¯s smile always made Adan relax and yet he could now see a tightening around her eyes, her tone wavering. Dorene looked back at her son from the doorway, smiled reassuringly before turning off the light and leaving. Shrouded in darkness, Adan thought of the stranger downstairs. Maybe it¡¯s Reeyu, though it didn¡¯t look like it, he thought but that didn¡¯t make sense. His ma wouldn''t have sent him to bed if it were Reeyu. Moments passed but Adan couldn¡¯t sleep. He got off his bed, picked up the tiny sword¡ª more of a wooden stick¡ªhe had by his bed and slipped out of his room, determined to find out who the person was. The bat was just for safety. He moved silently down the stairs, he was good at sneaking around. Reeyu had taught him. Voices drifted to him as he stepped closer to the living room. ¡°Where was he?¡± Dorene was saying, her voice ragged, as if she¡¯d been crying, ¡°All this time?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± a man¡¯s voice came. Adan recognized it. He hurried down the rest of the steps, got down on his knees and peered around the wall. His mother sat on the lone couch, her back to Adan, her head resting on her palms. The man sat in the chair opposite her, drenched in rain and sitting in a pool of water constantly dripping from his clothes. It was Norandun Stormaxe! Adan wanted to run towards Nor da and tug on his long flowing white beard, like he had done numerous times but the somber look on the old Mage¡¯s face stopped him. Adan¡¯s eyes fell on the sack on the ground in the corner which Norandun had been carrying. It wasn¡¯t a sack but indeed a person, lying down, unmoving. Adan saw the figure¡¯s face and all life drained from him. It was his papa. A shiver ran down his whole body as he saw the pale, gaunt face, lying in his living room. Nothing made sense. His father had died a year ago in war. How was he here? A thousand questions rushed to his mind as he stood there, the sound of his beating heart ringing in his ears. His mother¡¯s cries brought Adan¡¯s attention back to her. ¡°You were to protect him,¡± Dorene hissed, contempt clear in her voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Sorry won¡¯t give me back my husband!¡± Dorene shouted. Norandun shrank back in his chair, his shoulders slumped. The giant man had never seemed so small. ¡°We need to go, Dorene. Odarin needs to rest,¡± Norandun said after a long pause. Dorene said nothing for a long time. Eternity seemed to pass but Adan couldn¡¯t bring himself to look at his father again, as if not looking would make it not real. And yet he wanted to run to him, shake him, wake him up. The last year had been dreadful and lonely and sad. Days had been filled with random people of the village coming and going, offering condolences, carrying food and the nights had been filled with an eerie silence, only broken by his mother¡¯s muffled sobs coming from her room. Adan wasn¡¯t supposed to know his ma cried herself to sleep every night. Still did sometimes. He wanted his papa back. His father, who laid in front of him and Adan couldn¡¯t make himself go to him. Adan kept staring at his mother, tears flowing down his cheeks. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Dorene sighed and heaved herself off the couch, her shoulders slumped, as if tired from carrying a huge burden. Norandun picked up Odarin. Dorene opened the door to their home and both left in the dark night, the sky filled with thunder and lightning, the rain falling heavier than Adan had ever seen. Chapter 1 18 Years Later ¡°One moment I was home, the next I was standing beside a shallow creek in the Daamun woods, several leagues away from my home. Stealing from a god does have its perks. Even though I can still feel His eyes on my back. Even now, all these centuries later, Chronos watches. And He seems mad.¡± ¨C Khna¡¯ Badosh. ¡°At least give me fifteen minutes before you blast the damn ship,¡± Adan said, looking into the tiny mirror on the wall, checking his disguise for the tenth time. The red, bushy beard was fine but the wig was quite itchy. He grimaced as he shifted it a little but to no avail. ¡°Fine,¡± Reeyu said, who sat at the lone chair in the tiny, darkly lit room, ¡°but no more than that. Every minute we stay there is just unnecessary danger.¡± He picked at his teeth, making annoying noises. Adan was sure Reeyu did that mostly just to annoy him. ¡°It¡¯s not unnecessary.¡± Adan adjusted his leather jacket for the last time and made for the door. Reeyu followed him. ¡°Maybe. But it sure as hell is one crazy plan.¡± ¡°That it is.¡± Adan grinned as he left the dingy, old inn in the town of Hosin and headed for the docks. Adan stood in the captain¡¯s cabin, aboard the ship of the Karathian pirates¡ªthe most notorious pirates in all of the Known Universe¡ªand the incredulity of Adan¡¯s plan dawned on him. These people are known to be cannibals! What if I¡¯m the dinner? Adan was well practiced not to let his emotions show on his face, but fear churned in his stomach, fighting with excitement. The cabin was lit by a lone brazier on the left wall giving it an ominous look. Four pirates stood on the right, one sitting in front of Adan. The captain. And he was just as scary as Adan had heard. Most of his face was hidden under the large brimmed hat and the rest of it was covered in scars. The most prominent ran from his lip to his left ear. Every pirate was dressed similarly, tight brown breeches, no shirt, dark loose vests, and a sword at their hip. Two of them also carried pistols. The lanky pirate who¡¯d been his escort through the docks stood behind Adan, guarding the door. And each and every pirate chewed on telah, their lips stained red with it and the rhythmic grunting of teeth filled the room, along with the sea hitting the ship. ¡°Good evening and may the sun and moon bless you,¡± Adan greeted, trying not to stammer under the collective gaze of the tall, broad men. The Karathians did worship goddess Iseda, like most of the universe, but they referred to her differently. ¡°Ello young rat,¡± the captain said, scanning Adan from head to toe. Those vicious golden eyes almost shone from under the hat, making Adan gulp. ¡°I am to believe you are here to buy some information.¡± ¡°Yes, captain.¡± Sweat glistened on Adan¡¯s forehead, despite the chilly wind entering from the tiny window to his left. He knew what he had to say next; he¡¯d practiced. But for some reason the words didn¡¯t come out. Get on with it, fool! ¡°Well go on then,¡± one of the other pirates in the room spoke in a rough accent. The tallest and the burliest of the men in the room, he wore a shirtless vest that was too small for him, and rested a large triple barrel shotgun on his shoulder. Adan glanced at the weapon¡ªhe had never seen one before, just read about them¡ªand quickly brought his gaze back to the captain. He knew he should get on with his questions; Reeyu could do his part any minute. ¡°Norandun Stormaxe,¡± Adan began, trying not to let his nervousness show, ¡°where is he?¡± The captain smirked and lifted his hat a little. The scar looked like an extension of his smile. ¡°You talk of a ghost, boy. No one knows the answer to that.¡± ¡°Not for certain, sure. But if anyone has any clue, I¡¯d bet it is you.¡± Adan¡¯s voice didn¡¯t waver anymore. The desperate need to find the old Mage outweighed his fear. The captain seemed like the little praise. ¡°That, you speak true. But so do I. The latest rumour place him in the Vorbon solar system.¡± Adan gritted his teeth in frustration. That was too vague information. How was he to search an entire solar system! The knowing smile on the captain¡¯s face gave Adan pause. ¡°You know more?¡± Adan guessed. The captain nodded. ¡°I have more information about the mythical Mage in here,¡± he beckoned one of the pirates, who left the cabin and returned with a dusty brown file, handing it to the captain. ¡°You need to pay before I let you see this.¡± Well, Adan had no intention, or frankly the capacity to pay the price for the information. Where the hell is Reeyu? As if the thought were a summon, a huge, ear-numbing blast went off on the top deck of the ship, much larger than Adan had anticipated. The entire ship shook. Going down on one knee himself, Adan scanned the room. Three of the six pirates in the room were on the floor, but the one closest to him was standing straight blocking the door. The captain, who still sat on his chair holding on to the wall, stood up with his sword out of his scabbard, eyes bulging, face painted with shock, the file laid on the floor. He looked at Adan with suspicious eyes but didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Don¡¯t let him leave,¡± the captain snapped, pointing at Adan, and exiting the cabin. Another one followed him out, leaving Adan with the remaining four. The one who had escorted him firmly grabbed Adan by the shoulders. Adan thanked Iseda as the captain walked out; his gamble had worked. It would have been impossible to fight the captain. He was a cobalt Mystic, after all. Anything short of another Mystic or a Mage didn''t stand a chance, and Adan was none, yet. Adan could summon Kallor like the cobalt Mystic, but not even one-tenth of his intensity. The captain would¡¯ve taken care of him in seconds. But the four pirates remaining in the cabin? Adan had no doubt who¡¯d be the winner here. Adan waited ten seconds for the captain to be far enough. He stood still, not letting his anticipation show. At the tenth second, a smile curled up on his lips as Adan summoned Kallor, the soul of a dead god. The Mage ring on Adan¡¯s finger melded with his skin, becoming a part of his body and began to glow a fierce blue. The energy entered his body through the ring and travelled to his heart, lighting his veins faintly on its way. A burning sensation accompanied the energy as it coursed through his entire body, reaching every organ. As the energy filled his body, Adan felt his muscles tighten, his heart beat faster than it normally could. He felt the urge to move, jump, run. He felt raw power surging in his bones. The pirate¡¯s grip on his shoulders, which until now was a strong one, suddenly felt like that of a child. A sharp tug broke the rope that bound his wrists. He turned sharply and kicked the man holding him in the groin followed by a punch to the chest, sending him to the floor. The satisfying crunch meant he had probably broken a rib or two.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The other pirates stood in stunned silence as the screams of the man on the floor filled the room. Weapons drawn, they came at Adan. Adan ducked a pistol blast and got closer to the two wielding curved swords, nimbly dodging their slashes. Kallor made the pirates appear as if they moved through water. Closing in on the one with the gun, Adan punched him square on the jaw, sending him to the floor before he could fire another shot. A cut on his shoulder made him stagger away from the two pirates still standing. Clumsy, Adan thought in disgust as he scanned for a weapon. The cabin did not have much room to move or escape and the pirates knew it too, for they jumped together, swords held high. Adan lifted the captain¡¯s chair to his right and threw it at one of his attackers, making him stumble and went down on his knee, avoiding a deadly slash where his head had been a second ago. Slipping to his left and avoiding a flurry of attacks, Adan punched the pirate in the gut once, twice, four more times, sending him sprawling on the floor, grunting with pain. Picking up the pirate¡¯s fallen sword, Adan moved in to attack the last one, who finally gained his footing. A sword was a familiar weapon to Adan, for he had spent years practicing with it, and the quick lunges and jabs at the pirate proved it. Within seconds, Adan had the lone pirate bleeding from a thousand cuts, his sword arm wavering. A final slash made the pirate drop the weapon and a kick to the chest made him join his fellows on the ground. Adan rolled his shoulders and moved to pick up the file when the cabin door smashed open. Bursting alight with Kallor, the captain walked in. ¡°You swiny runt,¡± the captain said, face bubbling with anger, ¡°you attack my ship!¡± ¡°Technically,¡± Adan pointed a finger as the glowing Mystic, ¡°I didn¡¯t. My friend did. And I can¡¯t be held¡ª¡± The captain charged in, cutting Adan off and swinging his sword high. Adan barely got his sword up in time, saving his head from being split open but the sheer force of a Mystic¡¯s Kallor reverberated through Adan¡¯s arm, shoulder, and entire body. Adan grunted in pain as he bent under the attack and barely managed to slip to his left, putting some distance between him and the captain. That didn''t seem to help a lot as a foot came flying as Adan¡¯s chest, throwing him back at the wall, his head hitting with a crunch as he slumped to the floor, dazed. The captain bellowed as he raised his sword again but Adan managed to get up in time and slip to his left once again and, blessedly, exit the cabin on unsteady legs. Adan¡¯s Kallor had almost run out when he stepped on the upper deck and took in the chaos. He wasn¡¯t great at holding in summoned Sentience, yet. The north end of the ship was covered in flames, surrounded by frantic pirates trying to get the damage in control. Two of the three masts had fallen and several pirates were stuck under it. How many explosives did the idiot use? Adan thought as he looked for an escape, the gangplank he had walked on to get abroad the ship. There! Adan spotted his exit to his left, empty of pirates and made a run for it. A shove from behind sent him crashing to the floor, the sword almost slipping from his sweaty fingers. He grunted as he skidded on the floor, scraping his hands. If not for Kallor, he¡¯d have felt that a lot worse. ¡°I will skin you alive, boy,¡± the captain said from behind as Adan struggled to get back up, hefting his sword. Many others saw Adan and came to stand in a loose circle around them. Summoning more Kallor would bring with it strength and agility, sure, but it would also bring mind numbing pain. Summon too much and the energy would literally burst out of your veins, especially if you were a novice. And as much as Adan hated to admit it, he still was one. ¡°I can¡¯t allow that, I''m afraid. I¡¯m quite fond of my skin. I can¡¯t seem to find anything better.¡± Adan shrugged, trying his best to sound confident, but his voice faltered as he summoned Kallor and bright blue energy coalesced in his body, making him lighter, faster, and under immense pain. The captain seemed to have summoned more of his own energy, for he burst with a blinding glow of his own as he came at Adan shouting a wordless cry, sword held at his side. The captain seemed to move faster than light. Adan barely kept track of his movement enough to parry the attack. His Kallor may be miniscule compared to his attacker, but Adan had years of sword practice under his belt and he knew how to deal with a stronger enemy. Instead of meeting the captain head on and blocking his attacks, Adan slightly nudged the attacking sword away from his body enough to slip and avoid injury. The captain shouted in frustration and increased his speed, swooping in from every direction with all his speed and came at Adan¡¯s chest, gut and legs. He deflected the first, stumbled back from the second and barely jumped in time to save his legs. The captain grinned as Adan stepped back, trying to catch his breath but a shove from behind¡ªanother bloody pirate!¡ªsent him to the Mystic. On unsteady legs, he rebuffed another slash at his chest and rolled under an overhead attack and came to a halt behind the captain. The Mystic spun, his sword little more than a blur for Adan, and slashed at his gut. Adan¡¯s heart clenched and a cold shiver ran down his spine. I¡¯m going to die! He stumbled back, trying to put some distance between him and certain death when hit the only standing mast. No more room to retreat. The captain laughed maniacally as he lunged for Adan. A loud thud made him stop. A figure had fallen from the sky and slumped between Adan and his attacker. A pirate, and judging by the way he didn¡¯t move, a dead one. The entire deck had gone silent, only the crackling of the wood under the remaining fire filled the air. Most of the fire seemed under control, the dark cloud of smoke over the ship slowly dissipating. The captain looked up in utter confusion when an old croaky voice came from the top of the mast. ¡°That pirate had the worst breath I have ever come across. And that includes my friend down there.¡± Reeyu. Adan, relieved to hear his friend¡¯s voice, didn''t have time to react to Reeyu¡¯s blabber as another explosion went off at the south end of the ship. Adan went to his knees as the ship trembled, dropping his sword, but so did several others. Cries and warnings began again as the pirates steadied themselves and rushed to put out the newly lit fire. The captain managed to stay upright. Adan looked up in time to see a silhouette of a man rappelling down the mast and landing in front of Adan. The tall, lean man, with a rough head of greying black hair, stood with a long wooden staff in his hand. ¡°You were right,¡± Reeyu said to Adan, not taking his eyes off the fuming captain, ¡°two explosives are better than one.¡± The captain bellowed as he ran for Reeyu, sword held to his side. Adan tried getting up but his legs failed him. He realised he didn¡¯t hold any Kallor. Dread filled his eyes as the captain got close to his friend and swung. Reeyu, against all logic, moved to the side missing the overhead swing and hit the captain on his ass with the staff, sending him stumbling and skidding down the deck. Reeyu couldn''t summon Kallor or any other Sentience. And yet the man had dodged the Mystic¡¯s attack. Iseda¡¯s blessing! The Mystic looked just as stunned as Adan. He got up and ran for Reeyu again, forgetting about Adan, but Adan wouldn''t let him have another go. Wincing with pain akin to a thousand needles stabbing you at once, Adan summoned Kallor again and lunged for the captain, sending both of them to the deck floor again. ¡°Reeyu,¡± Adan shouted. ¡°Run!¡± Reeyu dropped the staff and came for Adan, helping him stand up. Thankfully, the other pirates were busy with the new explosion enough to forget about Adan and his friend. Reeyu helped Adan across the gangplank and they began running as they hit the ground. Adan, limping his way across the docks, could still feel the heat of the fire on the ship and the smell of burning wood in the air. He could also feel agony filling his body, all his bones and muscles crying out in pain and yet the frustration of not getting the file on Norandun gnawed at him. The relief of getting out alive wasn¡¯t enough to overshadow that. ¡°If only I could¡¯ve reached that file,¡± Adan said, looking over his shoulder at the ship. Several pirates were running towards them. Many held guns, firing in their direction but thankfully missing every shot. ¡°What file?¡± Reeyu asked amid ragged breaths. ¡°The one that had info on Norandun.¡± ¡°You mean this one?¡± Reeyu pulled out a crumpled brown file carrying loose pages from the pack slung on his back, a cheeky grin covering his face. Oh I could just kiss you, old man! Adan thought as he grinned too, limping his way into town. Chapter 2 ¡°This is an order, both of you. You are not to look for the lost shrines of Iseda anymore.¡± - Norandun Stormaxe. Adan laid in the creaky old bed of the Tarag Inn, groaning in pain. Reeyu stood beside the only window in the room, scanning for pirates. ¡°Don¡¯t think we were followed, though I can see some Karathians running in the streets,¡± Reeyu said, sitting down in a chair by the bed. Adan breathed a sigh of relief at finally ditching death. Limping along the alleys of Hosin in the middle of the night, avoiding men with swords and guns had been a much more difficult task than he¡¯d anticipated. Most of it had to do with the magic fatigue. Adan wasn¡¯t used to summoning Kallor to such extremes as he had to do on the ship. His legs throbbed with pain and his chest was filled with several cuts oozing blood. And his palms were smeared in ugly red splotches of allergy which Adan wished to scratch desperately but knew not to. All signs of overexertion of magic. A few more minutes of Kallor on the ship and Adan was sure he would have burst a vein. Surviving that would have been nearly impossible, let alone escaping. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Reeyu asked, chewing on an apple. Where¡¯d he get that? ¡°Other than the cuts on my chest and the feeling of a million needles stabbing in my gut? Just peachy.¡± Adan coughed, gently rubbing his throat. Even speaking hurt. He tried to get up and soon found out his shoulder was ablaze with its own set of pain.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Just rest, you idiot,¡± Reeyu handed him the glass of water he was reaching for. ¡°I need to see the file.¡± Reeyu sighed and got the file lying on the table in the middle of the room, covered the window with a curtain and lit the lamp by Adan¡¯s bed. ¡°Surely, this can wait.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Adan said, trying to sound as breezy as possible, ¡°but where¡¯s the fun in that?¡± He took the file and opened it. The first page had a hazy picture of a man, hovering in the sky, dressed in flowing robes, strands of bright red energy swirling around his outstretched hands, as if he were conjuring something. Norandun. Even though the man¡¯s face was mysteriously blurred, like it was in every single picture of him, Adan had no trouble identifying Nor da. His Guardian Soul. Taken 20 years ago on planet Uron. Last confirmed sighting, the caption of the picture read. Following pages had further confirmed sightings, none more recent than the Uron one. And Adan knew even that wasn¡¯t accurate, for Nor had visited Adan¡¯s home eighteen years ago, right here on his home planet of Eor. He¡¯d never forget that day. Several pages were filled with detailed descriptions of the man, some true, some clearly rumours. One such said that Norandun could fly through space between planets without the use of spaceships. He was undoubtedly the strongest Mage alive but even for him that sounded like an impossible feat. The last few pages detailed reports and rumours of his current whereabouts. All pointed to the Vorbon system, and many also guessed him to be on the Capital Planet, itself. This was a much more solid lead than any Adan had had in all his years of tracking the old Mage. Karathian pirates were famous for selling the most reliable intel in all of space. A smile came on his face as relief and determination dawned on him. His next destination was planet Xylen. Chapter 3 ¡°My daughter loved chocolate and blueberry cake. I bought it for her every year on her Name day. And I did the same on her seventh one, too. Her last one.¡± ¨C Etolan Roan. The night was nigh and the moon was rising. A pale blue tint covered the skies. Norandun Stormaxe walked through the streets of the Old Market. The only place left in the City of Alcen¡ªthe entire planet of Xylen, really¡ªwhich reminded him of the old gone days. Norandun was not a Xylian, yet he was tall enough to not stand out much on this planet. Though the fact that his skin had a grey hue to it and wasn¡¯t a deep blue like the locals did make him a bit conspicuous in bright enough light. He walked along the cobblestone pavement around the circular Old Market, watching the vendors getting ready to wind up. They all looked worn out with slumped shoulders and sweaty clothes. The market was always packed with people. ¡°Sir!¡± A sweet yet firm voice came from a shop ahead of him. ¡°Sir! Will you be buying fruits today?¡± It was Neri. She looked like a beam of sunlight in the dark. Due to her mixed ancestry, she had lighter skin than other Xylians, and she hadn¡¯t grown very tall yet. Height wouldn¡¯t kick in for a few years for her. Where everyone else was packing up, counting their earnings for the day, this young girl was shouting on top of her lungs to attract more people. Norandun always liked the naive, unadulterated enthusiasm of the young. ¡°Of course, little one! On my way, I am!¡± Norandun shouted back, raising both hands above his head. He was more than three centuries old now, but he still had his own blend of naive unadulterated enthusiasm. Some even said more than the young. Norandun reached Neri¡¯s shop, grinning. ¡°How was the day, Kid?¡± ¡°The usual. People still don¡¯t believe I sell the best fruits in all the galaxy. They prefer the more obnoxious type. Like him,¡± Neri said, gesturing toward an old man stacking up boxes a couple of shops over. ¡°Want me to kick his ass?¡± Norandun said, making his eyes bigger and stroking his long white beard in a menacing way. His bald head marked with black, branch-like veins, reaching down the side of his face, made him look all the more menacing. Neri smiled. ¡°I might take you up on that offer one day, Sir. Your scary-face is getting better. Here are your fruits for the week.¡± She packed a bag full of blueberries, Uronean apples and southern grapes¡ªhis favourite¡ªand handed it to Norandun but he held up his hand. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t carry them with me, kid. I am going somewhere else. Can you drop them off at my home tomorrow morning?¡± Nor asked. ¡°Sure thing.¡± Norandun examined and smelled the fruits laid on the stall. ¡°You, kid, do sell the best fruits in all the galaxy.¡± He leaned in and whispered, ¡°And I would know, for I have seen it all.¡± The fruits, in truth, weren¡¯t the best. Far from it. But Norandun liked the kid. So he never bought fruits from anyone else. ¡°Of course, old man,¡± Neri scoffed as she took the payment. She raised her wrist, where she wore her Zemek, a square metallic wristwatch. Norandun raised his own to meet hers. Moving both of them close to each other transferred the payment. The look and feel of the market may be old and separate from the rest of the city, but some technology had crept in. ¡°You don¡¯t believe me.¡± ¡°Of course I don¡¯t. No one has seen all the galaxy.¡± ¡°I have.¡± Norandun grinned. ¡°Sure.¡± Neri couldn¡¯t help but do the same. ¡°See you next week, Kid,¡± Norandun said as he left. Walking further down the street, Nor greeted several other shopkeepers, the fruit sellers, the bakers, the cobblers. Right before the giant exit leading out of the market, Nor turned right into a narrow alley. The bright lights of the market barely penetrated this dingy place, filled by muffled noises of the market and the scuttling of rats in garbage. Making sure he was alone in the alley, Norandun summoned Altin, a faint golden glow coursed through his veins as he jumped and flew into the air, the gust of wind rattling the garbage bins. Summoning Mavi, he conjured thick spectacles out of thin air around his eyes to protect them from the rushing wind as he soared. The vehicles flew high enough to not be an issue to Mages who preferred to fly for themselves-- the few that were left on Xylen, anyway. The night was at its zenith by the time Norandun reached the Northern district, stopping to hover over the City Korums¡¯ headquarters and waited for Terren, his hands clasped behind his back. The wind had picked up its speed, whipping Nor¡¯s Mage robes left to right. A few minutes later, a tiny green ball of light flew up from the headquarters building below and came to a halt in front of Norandun. It blinked twice and then burst like a tiny firework, spraying minute green sparks all over Nor¡¯s beard. It was a message, and he knew exactly who sent it, and what it meant. Stupid boy, he thought, looking down at the roof of the majestic building and shaking his beard clean. The headquarters housed not only the protectors of Alcen but of the entire continent of Aeodro. It was arguably the most secure building in the city. After The Premier House, of course, and The Evren Council. Norandun descended toward its rooftop, his long white moustache and beard flowing in the air. As he got closer, his eyeglasses shimmered blue and slowly vanished into the air. ¡°Good evening, sir,¡± Terren said as Norandun landed beside him. The tall, muscular Xylian was a City Korum, well on his way to becoming a Sector Korum. He had a full head of wavy, unruly brown hair and a clean-shaven, slightly rounded face that made him look younger than he was. Although in Norandun¡¯s eyes, almost every Xylian was young. The lifespan of Xylians was quite long, only matched by the Nethians, but they all paled in comparison to a Myrian such as Norandun. ¡°How was work?¡± Norandun asked, assuming he had just finished his shift. ¡°Great!¡± Terren smiled. ¡°So did you ask out that girl?¡± ¡°Okay¡­ not so great.¡± Terren rubbed a hand through his hair, wincing. ¡°You need courage, young man.¡± Norandun shook his head. ¡°What I need is a better personality.¡± ¡°No, you don''t. You just want me to say nice things about you.¡± ¡°Well, if you know that, then why don¡¯t you do it?¡± ¡°Because¡­ I don¡¯t lie.¡± Norandun grinned. Terren gave him a flat stare. ¡°Where was the attack?¡± Norandun asked. ¡°North-West border. Diplomatic residence. Where were you?¡± ¡°Home, sleeping.¡± ¡°We may be going through a national crisis, and you were sleeping?¡± ¡°What can I say? Mages are lazy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a Mage.¡± ¡°Yes. Case and point, then. Let¡¯s go.¡± Norandun moved towards the stairs but Terren stopped him. ¡°Why can¡¯t we just fly there?¡± Terren asked. ¡°It would be faster.¡± ¡°You need to learn restraint.¡± ¡°Why? What¡¯s the point of magic if you can¡¯t use it?¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Norandun said nothing for a few seconds. ¡°You¡¯ll learn one day.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s not today, then can we please fly?¡± Terren asked with a grin. Norandun sighed. In a split second, his glasses were back. The ring on Terren¡¯s index finger began to glow azure, and a ball of pale blue light coalesced in his hand. It slowly began to take the shape of eyeglasses. When done, the glasses glowed brighter, and with a flash, were now made of plastic and glass, tiny blue and red sparks flying off it. ¡°You need to work on that,¡± Norandun said as he effortlessly lifted off the roof. Terren followed, slowly. He was a master conjurer and a gifted Mage¡ªbetter than everyone else in the City Korum¡ªbut in front of Norandun he looked like a kid learning the alphabet for the first time. ¡°Comparing me to yourself is really unfair.¡± ¡°Stop complaining, loser.¡± Norandun smirked. ¡°Let¡¯s race.¡± ¡°So you want me to exercise restraint, but you also wish to race?¡± ¡°Well, yes, and yes. But if you aren¡¯t going to do the former, we might as well do the latter.¡± With a burst of speed, Norandun took off, leaving Terren stumbling for balance mid air. He was a better flyer than a conjurer, so such races were always fun. He¡¯d never beaten Norandun, but still, they were fun. The Korum headquarters was in the northern district, like every other government building. It took Norandun and Terren merely twenty minutes to cover what would have been an hour-long journey on an uncaya. Thin tendrils of smoke still hovered above the large patch of ground, covered in rubble. Only that morning it had been a beautiful and grand residence complex for the dignitaries and diplomats of foreign planets. And now it was burned to the ground, along with the diplomats. Norandun came to a halt in an instant above the decimated piece of land, the scent of burned flesh still lingering in the air. The western district was the richest district in the city, housing all the wealthy and powerful of Xylen. An attack of such a massive scale couldn¡¯t be hidden, like the previous attacks were. Terren came into view a minute later. ¡°How do you just slow down instantly?¡± he asked, breathing heavily and dazed from the speed. Norandun hadn¡¯t even broken a sweat. ¡°Three centuries of flying will teach you a few tricks.¡± ¡°How much for you to teach me?¡± ¡°You know I don¡¯t teach.¡± Not anymore. ¡°My ring is running low on Axonus, that¡¯s why I lost,¡± Terren said. ¡°Sure,¡± Norandun said with a touch of sarcasm. ¡°Now, walk me through the scene, please.¡± They descended onto the street at the edge of the massacre. The roughly square residence complex was now a pool of charred buildings with collapsed roofs, burned gardens full of soot covered debris, and several white markings on the ground done by the City Korums, indicating where people had died. Ashes and motes of dust were carried by the light wind, making it a tad difficult to see and burning Nor¡¯s eyes a little. A tiny summon of Kallor dulled the pain a little. He still felt disgusted by the scene. No magic could cure that. ¡°how will the Korums cover this one up?¡± Nor asked. ¡°They can¡¯t.¡± Terren''s voice betrayed his frustration. ¡°Too big an attack. It is classified as a simple act of aggression by an unknown party. Which, in a broad sense, is what it is.¡± ¡°Have we found out anything about the assassins yet?¡± ¡°No, not yet. We aren¡¯t even sure whether it was the work of the Assassins Order,¡± Terren said. Norandun walked through the ashen street of the complex, looking at the missing doors, broken windows, seared curtains. The furniture was unrecognizable; it looked as if it would collapse by the faintest of wind. Bits of burned off skin and body parts still filled the corners of the floor. ¡°Be careful,¡± Terren said as Norandun walked closer to the scene. ¡°We don¡¯t actually have permission to be here.¡± This was the sixth incident in the last two months, but by far the biggest. This had to be the work of the Assassins Order. The entire incident was said to have happened within minutes. Fire appearing out of thin air, silhouettes of men flying around, killing the frantic people who lived here. The last time Nor had seen such signs was back during the Ascension War, the last time the Assassins Order was freely used. It had died with the War, or so it was believed. ¡°Have the families...¡± Norandun asked, wincing. The smell of burnt flesh got stronger as he walked further in, but he didn¡¯t stop. The floor seemed to slightly crumble away with every step. The fire was scorching, burning hotter than it should have, Nor reckoned. Magic was definitely used. ¡°Yes. They¡¯ve been contacted. The planets have been notified and assured of their continued ties with us and our dedication to protecting diplomats on Xylen.¡± ¡°I bet they didn¡¯t take that well.¡± ¡°No. They don¡¯t believe us anymore. They have pieced together that it was a targeted attack and are saying Xylen was involved, or lazy enough to ignore it,¡± Terren said. Terren wasn¡¯t naive; Nor knew he understood that there must be some Xylians involved in all this, but the old Mage could also tell how frustrated the young City Korum was. Terren didn¡¯t like Xylen being seen in such a negative light. ¡°Almost all the minor planets are questioning their place in the Council now, Norandun. There are revolts. This could get out of hand very quickly.¡± ¡°This already is out of our hands. Diplomats of Minor planets are being targeted. On the other hand, several Major planets within The Evren Council are demanding to ban Minor planets from becoming members altogether! And Xylen isn¡¯t vocal enough to voice its dissent in the matter. If the other planets succeed in exiling the Minor planets from the Council, war will be inevitable.¡± Norandun walked out of a fallen building and into the garden. Charred pieces of broken walls covered the ground here. ¡°This was the work of The Assassins Order, Terren. I am sure,¡± Norandun sighed. ¡°Iseda bless the damned,¡± Terren cursed. ¡°The Korums need to issue a public notice. And how can you be sure about the Order?¡± ¡°Based on the evidence I have been able to collect. The attack patterns and the deaths are too organized, too well planned. I conclude that it is being orchestrated by a single entity, and not just a bunch of lowly rogue Mystics and Mages.¡± Norandun had a lot of other evidence to support his claims. Similar or even worse attacks were reported on other planets too, but they were small enough to be hidden or quickly dismissed. But, he could not divulge them or his sources to Terren. Not yet. ¡°Trust me on this. It is the Order. Reborn. Do you really believe The Korums would issue a public notice? They¡¯re not known to be proactive.¡± Terren¡¯s face betrayed a bit of anger, but he composed himself again. He was good at that. ¡°They are¡­ unwilling, just yet.¡± ¡°Lazy giants.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a stupid stereotype.¡± ¡°True, in this case. How many diplomats from the Minor planets would have to die on Xylen before you people wake up. And what if tomorrow diplomats from a Major planet are targeted? How will The City Korums keep that quiet?¡± ¡°It''s not like it''s in my hands! And even if it was,¡± Terren lowered his voice, even though no one was around, ¡°if it really is the Assassins Order, then it would be damn near impossible to stop them. Xylen isn¡¯t so strong yet.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve had almost two decades to adjust since Avadon fell. When will The Ten wake up?¡± Norandun started moving out, annoyed with the whole situation. Ever since Xylen ascended to being the leader of The Evren Council, chaos among the planets had been on a rise. With the Major planets now starting to form a faction to boycott the Minor planets, the situation was getting very unstable real quick. ¡°You need to talk to Elas,¡± Terren said. Elas was the Premier, the head of the ruling group of Xylen, The Ten. ¡°It''s his father one needs to convince, and talking to him is truly an ordeal. That boy is nothing but a puppet,¡± Norandun said. Though he might be judging the young man too harshly. He seemed like a child to Noradun, but most Xylians did. ¡°At least try. Again.¡± ¡°Of course I will. I just don¡¯t see it leading anywhere.¡± Terren had already conjured his goggles. Norandun did the same, and they both took off. They floated above the mass of rubble and ash, looking down at it in silence for a moment. ¡°How can you be sure?¡± Terren asked, breaking the quiet. ¡°About The Assassins?¡± Terren nodded. ¡°Just trust me on this one. The planet''s security is compromised, Terren. You need to look into it.¡± ¡°I am a City Korum. The security of the planet¡ªthe galaxy¡ªis not my jurisdiction.¡± ¡°People will die. People have died. Explain to their families about jurisdiction.¡± Terren looked down again and didn¡¯t say anything, but Norandun could tell the stress he was under. ¡°Dinner,¡± Norandun said abruptly. Terren cocked his head, as if waking up from a deep thought. ¡°What? Now?¡± ¡°No, soon. Kassian is coming back, if his father lets him see me this time, that is. We should go out for dinner. Get your mind off things.¡± ¡°My mind shouldn¡¯t be off of these things.¡± ¡°True. But it should be during dinner time. He¡¯ll be here by the end of the week, maybe. I¡¯m not sure when his classes are truly over. We¡¯ll go then.¡± Terren smiled. ¡°How old is your nephew now, anyway?¡± ¡°Twenty-three.¡± ¡°In Myrian terms, that sounds like an infant.¡± Norandun smiled. ¡°He can still kick your ass in magic.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Terren said, smiling a little to himself. It was well into the night, the blue tint of the sky long faded into utter darkness. Norandun bid farewell to Terren and flew further west, to his home.