Wild Era 3, Ch 1: Herald's Departure

“Rise quickly, Kelin Wildfire. You are needed.”

The words rang in Kelin’s ears with echoing force and a sense of timeless power, voiced by the Herald of the Silver Lord he was speaking to.

The Herald’s name was Sleset.

He was a Silver Naga, one of the most faithful followers of the Sovereign of Silver Chaos. He was also Level 720 and an old friend of Kelin’s, at least from his first life.

Now that they’d met again, it looked like that would stay the same.

All around them, the arena where Kelin had fought the duel against Verasun was frozen in time, held there by Sleset’s power. 

Only the two of them were moving.

Their conversation had gone on for a while now. Sleset had filled Kelin in on the details of the Chaos War since his death close to four hundred years before and Kelin had shared some of his plans for his new life.

“I am glad you did not perish. At least, not permanently,” Sleset hissed with good humor. “I must depart in a moment, but do not forget to call on me at need. The Path can reach me. If I cannot answer, then one of my people will.

“The Silver Lord has forbidden us from interfering with you unless an enemy immortal appears, but there are some small things we might still accomplish that will not affect your rise.”

The naga glanced toward the guild officials who were frozen on the other side of the arena, and his attention settled on Hugo Whitestar.

“Like that one. Should he break the guild’s laws or attempt to deliberately interfere with your path, I will remove his head. Preserving the guild’s stability is a duty of mine that runs in parallel with you, so the Silver Lord will not blame me for dealing with it.”

Kelin chuckled as he glanced over at Whitestar.

If Hugo wasn’t outright a traitor to the guild, he was walking a close line by trying to push its interests toward private hands, mainly the nobles he was friends with on this world, and interfering with the council’s votes.

It was a problem Kelin had planned to deal with as necessary, but it would be better if Sleset wanted to save him the trouble. 

He was happy to know the guild hadn’t lost its way.

Its purpose was to strengthen civilization and destroy dungeons before they could cause a problem, not to sell out to people like Whitestar and his allies.

As it stood, however, he wasn’t sure it would be necessary.

Whitestar was half-pale from fear just due to Sleset’s presence. Several of the people standing around him, who were probably his allies, were shaking.

Some of the city lords and nobles of Celadon were even worse off. 

Their arrogance flew high when they were the strongest around, but the city lords were barely into the Third Evolution, while the nobles were mostly at the First and Second. 

The difference between them and Sleset was greater than the stars.

Even those who were on the righteous side of things, like most of the other guild officials, looked nervous. Sleset’s presence was that commanding.

The only one who was mostly holding her head up was the guild commander for this world. She was around Level 420 and the strongest person on Lareth, at least officially.

Even she was ill at ease.

Sleset was her commander’s commander’s commander’s superior. And it might be necessary to add a few more people in the middle.

He wasn’t just a Herald of the Silver Lord, which would have been threatening enough since all of them were at least Level 600.

Sleset was the First Among Heralds and the Sovereign’s right hand. He was one of the top five strongest beings in the entire galaxy.

He had enough power to destroy solar systems and to tear reality in half.  It wouldn’t even be that difficult for him.

Then he could command it to never repair itself.

At the Seventh Evolution, one of the strongest abilities an immortal had was to permanently alter reality.

But that actually wasn't what terrified Whitestar and the nobles the most. It was that he had all of that power and was also a Silver Naga, one of the eternally faithful and nearly insane battle maniacs who served the Silver Lord.

They had heard a lot of stories about them.

Most of them were true.

Kelin wondered what the impact of this visit would be on the guild and the world, and how long it would last. It should be enough to keep things quiet for a day or two.

Sleset hissed again, sounding amused, and it pulled Kelin’s attention back.

“Remember your quest about the Sarathian Empire,” the naga said. “There is something important there and the Path has chosen you to handle it. I am eager to help, but you will have to polish your scales with your enemies’ blood on your own.”

Kelin nodded in response to Sleset’s words. The Path had given him that quest, so he would take care of it, along with the few allies he’d invited to help. 

“Farewell, Wildfire,” Sleset hissed. “May your return to power be swift and terrify your enemies.” 

With that, the naga raised his hand and ended the slice of immortal time where they’d been speaking.

The world resumed.

The murmurs of the spectators in the arena filled the air as they grappled with the truth of the Chaos War that Sleset had just shown them. 

The naga had filled the sky with images of the war, from the hordes coming through the gates to the immortals that sometimes led them, displaying exactly what was at stake for the galaxy.

The forces of the invading enemies and the defending armies had been overwhelmingly powerful, stretching from star to star with terrifying divine might.

Their world of Lareth seemed small now.

Since the early years of the war, the Sovereign destroyed any enemy immortals that dared to enter the galaxy, but now and then they still tried. 

It was a key lesson for people who had never looked beyond their world to the greater horizon, but it would take some time for them to adapt to the perspective.

Sleset’s words rang out across the arena, drawing everyone’s attention. Each of them felt like molten steel as they hung in the air.

“Any who dare to question the outcome of this duel will be dealt with by the Silver Army. Remember, the Silver Lord is your sword and your shield. Uphold his commands and the Edicts of the Path. His word is all that stands between you and destruction.”

With that, Sleset rose into the sky. His movement was so swift that he resembled a beam of silver light, one that disappeared as swiftly as it came.

He left only an afterimage behind.

Kelin could sense the flow of spatial energy all around and he knew that Sleset hadn’t bothered to teleport.

It was just that his speed was so great it looked like teleportation.

As the crowd stared at where Sleset had been, one set of eyes after another turned to Kelin. He was the only one at the center of the arena now.

To them, it had only been seconds since the duel between him and Verasun ended and the Herald declared his victory.

There was no sign now of the former baron’s body. Sleset had destroyed it so that it wouldn’t cause Kelin any problems in the future. 

Given that the Sovereign of Undeath, the being behind all of the undead, was Kelin’s personal enemy, it was a good choice.

Only the title and wealth Verasun had controlled were left behind.

According to the terms of the duel, Kelin had inherited all of it.

He had some plans in mind, things that Verasun would have detested, like setting up a better orphanage and a high-tier academy in Highmist to benefit everyone, but he could deal with that later.

Right now, the guild officials and some of the nobles had recovered from their shock and were heading toward him.

Hugo Whitestar and the guild commander were among them, as was the city lord of Highmist. None of them looked very happy, although for different reasons.

Kelin scanned their souls as they came closer, which let him get a read on their emotions. 

It was a more subtle type of appraisal than analyzing them and undetectable, which meant he could do it without being impolite. 

What he saw from their souls combined with the rest of their appearances.

Whitestar felt ill, like he was trying to decide if he had been poisoned, while the city lord was both nervous and interested. 

The second emotion bordered on greed, like he’d suddenly seen a way to get something that he’d wanted.

His official title was Lord Highmist or sometimes just Lord Mist, but his real name was Letro Arcolen, from a long line of nobles in the city. 

He was the third in his family to become the city lord and he’d been in the position for almost fifty years.

Kelin didn’t have a good impression of him, a feeling that was only reinforced by what he could see from the man’s soul.

His current self had been raised in an orphanage that was under the city lord’s authority. It had been impoverished, cold, and little more than a feeding ground for the local gangs.

He’d seen the man a couple of times before, but this was the first time he would be meeting him.

If it had been those two alone, it would have been an unpleasant meeting, but fortunately the guild commander was there as well.

She was a stern-looking older woman with iron-grey hair pulled back into a bun. Despite looking like a school teacher, she was leanly muscled and a powerful fighter skilled in Fire and Wind.

She was the first to speak, seizing the initiative from the other two.

“Congratulations on your victory,” she said. Her tone was firm and decisive, as suited her position. “It seems you will be the new Baron Verasun. I am relieved to see it. I did not want the guild to lose a young prodigy.”

“Thank you,” Kelin said calmly. “It was mostly luck.”

It wasn’t, but it was polite to call it that, and it would make things easier.

“Kelin...err Lord Verasun,” Hugo Whitestar said from beside her. His voice was polished and elegant, but overly so. “Indeed. Congratulations on your surprising achievement. I didn’t think it was possible.”

His voice was a sharp contrast from his emotions, which were more obsequious, like a toady, but he apparently had plentiful experience in hiding behind an image of refinement.

“Those artifacts you used...those were talismans?” he asked. His words were carefully balanced between curiosity and casualness, but underlying them was a sense of surprise.

“Some of them,” Kelin agreed, not giving away much. “A mix of those and my main abilities.”

“So talismans are not your main ability?” the city lord asked with interest. “That is impressive. I have never seen a man defeat another in a duel with such a level difference, even with assistance. Most warriors could not have even activated that many talismans in a row without exhausting themselves.”

Arcolen was a tall and bony man with prominent cheekbones and deepset eyes, and his soul flared with a sense of calculation as he tried to estimate Kelin’s abilities and value.

He wasn’t wrong.

If it had been someone else using Kelin’s talismans, they would have found it very difficult to get the same level of strength out of them. 

It was only possible because he had crafted them himself, so they were all from the same source and capable of seamlessly augmenting each other. 

Using a talisman made by someone else took more mana, and talismans from different masters often conflicted, preventing the type of synergy his had shown, but he had no desire to explain.

“All of my nobles are powerful,” Arcolen continued, “but you will be a wonder among them. It is a great day for Highmist to welcome you among the ranks of the elite. I will host a banquet in your honor starting tonight. It will last for a week. You must come as the guest of honor.”

He looked as if he was going to say more, but the commander cut him off, waving her hand.

“He is a prodigy of the guild,” she said firmly. “It is only natural for him to have this much strength. The Evolutions under Level 400 are based on power of mana and body more than anything. 

“His skill is unquestionable, but it is not the first time that someone has been able to jump an Evolution. It takes a good foundation, but it is the type of training that the guild excels in. 

“There is no need to take up his time with a banquet that will only make him suffer for days as every noble in the city tries to demand something of him.”

Her name was Lorna Yaslen, and her words left little room for argument. 

“The guild will host a banquet instead,” she added, giving the city lord a firm look. Between that and her tone, it looked like she was about to shake her finger in his face. “Tonight. Any noble who wishes to speak with him can do it there.”

Arcolen’s expression froze and his soul flared with anger, but he apparently knew better than to argue with her. 

“The guild’s hospitality is legendary,” he said as he forced out a thin smile. “Tonight then. I will have it announced. If that is what my new noble wishes, of course. If he disagrees, I will do my best to make it up to him. I can’t allow the guild to treat him badly or to give him less than he is due.”

He turned to look at Kelin, raising an eyebrow. The clash of politics was on full display, with Arcolen trying to make the guild look bad, but Kelin didn’t care at all.

“The guild has been a great help to me,” he agreed, hiding a smile. “The commander's suggestion for tonight sounds fine.”

He didn’t mind letting the guild take the brunt of the city lord’s attention, so he had no reason to disagree, especially since it seemed the commander was intending to protect him from the other two. 

Arcolen’s displeasure radiated from him, even as the man forced a nod of acknowledgement.

“I just realized some key flaws in my talisman creation during that duel,” Kelin added, putting a thread of urgency into his voice. “The insights are still flooding through my mind. If everyone will forgive me, I need to meditate on them before they disappear. I'll be there this evening.”

With that, he gave the guild commander a brief bow, followed by a nod to the city lord and Whitestar. 

It was an insult not to bow to the city lord, since his rank as a noble was higher, but Kelin had no intention of doing it. 

It would have symbolized a relationship he didn’t want. 

He saw the man’s temper flare again, but Arcolen didn’t say anything, and from Yaslen’s satisfied smile as he turned away, Kelin knew that he’d chosen correctly. 

His actions had placed the guild between him and the city and shown that his new title as a baron was less important to him. 

For now, that should be enough.

The city lord didn’t have anywhere near the power necessary to fight the guild. Now that would extend to his relationship with Kelin too. 

Every time Kelin declined a noble meeting or ignored the city lord, it would just look like he was staying loyal to the guild.

It was as good an excuse as any to do what he wanted.

He had no intention of getting involved in local politics.

The nobles here were like children playing with toys. Every ridiculous banquet or card game they wanted to invite him to would only waste his time.

From a practical standpoint, if he’d been planning to stay in the city for a long time, he might have forced himself to go and play nice, since it could have been useful for business agreements or other things he wanted to accomplish, but since he wasn’t, he had no intention of doing so.

Before long, he would be leaving Highmist. The dungeons here could only support his growth for so long.

He was careful not to look at Yao and Naomi or at the others he knew as he walked out of the arena and into one of the passages reserved for fighters.

Everything he did right now was under observation and it would bring them trouble. They didn’t need a bunch of nobles or anyone else trying to get to him through them.

He moved through a stone hallway that led out toward the city proper and as soon as he was out of sight, he activated invisibility and Soul Veil talismans to conceal himself and block scrying.

Then he changed his path, taking a lesser-known side route that would send him out on a different side of the arena. There were few people in the passage and he moved around them easily.

As he walked, he sent a few silent message spells to his apprentices and to Maro, Galin, and Serai, telling them to meet him back at the guild and to ignore anyone asking about him.

He sent another to Sandren asking her to look after Yao and Naomi on the way back.

When he reached the exit, the guards had their backs to him. He reached out through Gaius’s connection with the earth and made a pile of rocks slide across the stones outside.

While the guards were distracted by the noise, he slipped through them and turned the corner, swiftly ducking around one building and then another.

He heard a shout of surprise, but by the time the guards ran over to investigate, he was already gone.

They had scrying enchantments on their helmets that were intended to see through invisibility, but the level of the enchantments was low.  With the level of his talismans, it was difficult for them to really catch sight of him.

They’d only been able to tell that something was there, and not what, like a shadow.

It was enough.

He didn’t really need to leave the arena in secret. He was just muddying the waters, since he didn’t want anyone to follow him.

It wasn’t too far from the arena back to the guild and he arrived before long. 

Almost everyone had gone to watch the duel and he’d beaten most of them back to the guild, so he stopped by the guild’s tavern and had a mug of fairly decent southern beer as he waited.

Celadon was more of a wine country, but excellent beers and ales came up from the south, from the kingdom of Baralis.

Many of them were brewed by the dwarven clans there.

As people began to trickle back into the guild, he finished his drink and stopped by the front desk, where he was pleased to find Jesra was back on duty. 

He’d been waiting for her.

He checked on a few things and then he put in a request to have the guild take over Verasun’s estate and holdings on his behalf. 

His position as a Knight of the Path gave him a significant amount of leverage in the guild, so tasking them with simple things like this wasn’t a problem.

It was something they would do more efficiently than him, and it would further elevate their power, especially if any of the nobles or Verasun’s people tried to stop them.

The guild was tolerant and polite, but that was velvet hiding the steel underneath.

“I’d like you to personally oversee the details of Verasun’s estate and to collect all of the titles and funds,” he said. “If you’re willing to anyway. It would be a favor to me.”

“I’d be happy to,” she said, but she looked puzzled. “But don’t you want one of the guild assessors to do it? They’re experts in that sort of thing and will be able to handle the paperwork better.”

“Take one along with you,” Kelin said with a smile. “You have an administrative class as well, so it will be some experience for you, and I trust you.”

Then he paused for a moment.

“But there’s a more important reason that I’m asking. If you’re interested, I’d like to offer you some work overseeing part of the estate in the future, including setting up a better orphanage and an academy in the city, ones that will be an improvement over what Highmist has now. 

“You can still devote most of your time to the guild, but I’d like to give something back to the people here and make them stronger, especially the ones who can’t afford a better education.” 

“You’re not going to keep the whole estate?” Jesra asked with surprise. “The orphanage wouldn’t cost too much, but academies are very expensive.”

“The orphanage won’t be cheap either, not with how I plan to do it,” Kelin said, his smile growing wider. “I think you were an orphan once, weren’t you? So was I. Let’s make sure this one is better than those, and that we take care of more people. It’s the least that Verasun’s money can do.”

Especially after all the people the man had killed creating dungeons. Some of those orphans had been caused directly by his actions.

Kelin’s fingers tightened on the edge of the stone counter and left impressions that were a quarter of an inch deep before he caught himself. 

A subtle wave of Earth magic smoothed them out again.

Jesra froze for a moment as she looked up at him. Then a bright smile appeared and she nodded quickly.

“I’d love to help,” she said. “There’s a lot I would have done differently when I was there. Maybe you’ll let me make some changes.”

“I’ll leave it to you,” Kelin said, nodding in agreement. “I’m sure we’ll need to sell off some things and modify others, but now that you know what the idea is, you’ll be able to start thinking about it. We can discuss the options later, once we know what we’re dealing with.”

With that, he thanked her and headed back to the tavern, where he had reserved one of the private halls.

He needed to talk to Sandren and the team about things, and his apprentices as well. After seeing that duel, he was sure they were full of questions.

It was time to tell all of them who he really was.