Two hours of fast travel later, I finally reach the destination.
It has been five days since I left the Goblin City, the Magic Gathering is already happening in the city called Twilight. But in accordance to the pointless law of hierarchy and the regulation of 'Know-Your-Place!', the real important Archmages won't be here till near the end.
In the first place, what is the point of this gathering?
I don't know, that's why I need to ask someone who knows.
"Hey, beautiful Lich over there! I'm new to this gathering so I don't know much about it, can you tell me what it's about?"
I call over to a skeleton in white robes who just entered the city like me. From my endless wisdom as a sage, my database says she is- was female!
"Ohh, a handsome Goblin. Unfortunately it is my first time here as well so I am as clueless as you. As new people here, let's work hard together."
Ohhh, she can actually tell that I'm a goblin, no doubt she must be a beautiful and wise person when she was alive…
"But your personality is horrible, so stop acting, Lyliasviel."
"Oh, I thought you have gone senile so I am just humouring you, Aruk."
We drop the smiles on our face.
"You two know each other?"
"That's right."
We recognise each other not because of our faces, but the white robes we are wearing. It's the robes me and Lyliasviel threw our heads together to make, they boast great physical and magical defence, many magical enhancements to protect against the elements, and most importantly Soul Bound. That's how we know each other.
She is one of the three Sages, the Sage of Life and Death. Quite ironic knowing she was once an Elf.
"And what form of monstrosity are you? A Doppelganger?"
"Wha-?!"
The Lich points towards April. See, I'm not racist, the world simply works that way. A former elf denies you~.
"No, this is Fake Elf, a wanderer."
"I see, that makes sense. Nice to meet you, Fake Elf."
"No it's not!! My name is April! Not fake elf!"
"Now, now, we are making a scene so let's find a better place to chat, Aruk, Fake Elf."
"Sure."
"I'm April-!"
And so we left the gates with many eyes on us. The Holy kingdom advocates the equality of all races as all life has received the blessing of the Gods. But a trio of Goblin, Lich, and Elf (fake or not) together is still a rare sight.
"So how have you been doing these years."
We are sitting in an open-air restaurant as we chat over some food. Me and April are having lunch while Lyliasviel, now shortened to Lylia, is shining her skull as she speaks.
"Don't ask me that question, because I've been stuck in my city near the World's Edge all the time. I have no story to tell. What about you?"
"Same here, I've been stuck in the deepest part of the Underground Tomb all this time and I still am. But I managed to snatch a wanderers body when his spirit disappeared, resulting in me possessing this body. He did not come back all this time so I've been using it."
"Hoh~, the key lies in the wanderers after all. Lily here is a slime, I had her eat a few wanderers and we found a way for me to safely possess her. I'm not as masterful at Soul Magic as you."
I could have probably done the same, but the further I go from my real body, the harder it will be to maintain the link. For Lily, I can just use our soul link so it's fine.
April by the side seems creeped out by our conversation, but this is for the greater good. Understand it, immortal!
"Intriguing, but we have gone off topic. What is this gathering for?"
We look out to find the street packed with people, most of them wearing colourful robes, showing off their status as mages. I look towards April.
"…We have a huge information network we can use here."
"H-Huh, me? Why are you asking me? Shouldn't you know this world more than me?"
"Didn't we just say we were isolated to our own place. They are both quite far from proper civilisation so we don't have much information."
"We lived in the dark for 700 years…"
She looks at us incredulously.
Weird, didn't I tell her about the war from 700 years ago. Obviously I am a part of it, or did I she think I was telling her a piece history? I am history!
"I'll ask someone."
She went scrolling in the air again for a few minutes as we finish our meal. Fun fact, undead wanderers need sustenance too, I suppose it's to remind them they are human.
"Well, the Magic Gathering is a gathering of all distinguished mages in this continent. There is no specific timeframe between each time it's held. The most prominent Archmages decides when it happen, though it's usually when something big happened and they gather to discuss the future policy for the magic society."
Fumu, pretty much what I expected. It should also be a place to show off your talent trying to get recruited by an archmage, and a place for the stronger mages to stroke their ego.
"The conclave was usually held in the Mage Country, but recently, an ancient tower at the center of this city is showing signs of activity, pulling the gathering to this place. It should be to investigate that tower."
April points to an unassuming tower that's about seven floors tall. It looks oddly familiar…
"… Isn't that my house?"
Right, that's my magic tower. There are a few of such towers in this city, but that one specifically is mine. It is also where I am trying to go, and because the gathering is happening in the same city that I chose to check it out, else I wouldn't have bothered. Yet, the Conclave is actually a gathering to bust into my house?!
"Hahahaha!! You came back after 700 years just to find your juniors trying to rob your house! How do you feel, Aruk?"
The skull is cackling away. I hope you dislocate your jaw!
"Um, it has been five days since the gathering started, the archmages are all here and ready to excavate the tower."
What, five days? That's when I started my journey. Whilst I was frolicking on my way here, they are trying to find a way to break my house!
There's no time to lose!
"I'm going home!"
I run off, leaving a stumbling elf and a convulsing lich behind.