An hour's walk West of Harkynn, the convergence of three grand hillsides is carved away into a massive quarry, with monstrous steps descending into an auditorium built for giants.
Scattered throughout, dust plumes followed the quaking movement of mammoth cubes of soil and stone.
Ramsey overlooked the unnatural canyon from its highest point with his job posting in hand, awestruck by the godly ability of terra mages. On Earth, such feats were only possible with fantastic machines.
Each mage utilized the same skillful techniques to cut away and move cubes three times their size. Enormous blocks of Elorr scraped across the ground as mages steered them to a clearing. There, the quaking intensified, until the mass crumbled into finely sifted dirt and stone. Finally, the ground moved beneath them, carrying them to their respective piles.
"Hey kid! You can't be here!"
Ramsey turned to see a rotund man with wildly bushy sideburns barreling toward him.
"Actually, I'm here to work," he extended the job posting to the out of breath foreman, who looked up at Ramsey, then around.
"Well, you can sit over there," he pointed toward a few picnic tables, "while we wait for the rest of your crew."
"Oh, it's just me, Sir," he said, stopping the man from turning away.
The man took a frustrated breath, "Do you see that pile of boulders over there, son? Each one needs to be lifted and precisely stacked on top of a trailer for transport.
I'm sure you're a talented terra mage, and raising a pillar of dirt to lift boulders sounds easy, but it's the stacking on the trailer part that you guys never think about. It's a disaster every time. So… it's manual labor or nothing.
Now, if you'll excuse me," he sighed.
"I'm a gravity mage, Sir," Ramsey corrected him, "moving them by myself won't be a problem."
"A… gravity mage?" The man cocked his head, thinking he may have heard wrong.
"Yeah, is it okay if I go ahead and get started?" He asked.
Over the course of the next several minutes, the foreman - and all terra mages present - stopped where they stood to witness something they'd never seen before. One by one, the young man raised a boulder into the air, then effortlessly pushed it like a stone cloud until it settled in its destination.
Two mages looked on together, "Janis, what exactly are we watching here?"
"Can you imagine?" Was all she said.
Unknown to Ramsey, a terra mage's magic was tied to the ground, to Elorr. They could move vast swaths, raise them into towering columns, mold them into intricate shapes, and destroy or reform them at will. But once they left the ground, their magic could no longer reach them.
Ramsey was doing something they could only dream about.
By lunchtime, a job which should have taken three people a full day, was completed by one young man without breaking a sweat. As the dust covered mages broke for their meal, they watched that young man casually walk back to town.
'That was easy,' Ramsey grinned shamelessly.
'But, for 50 silver a day, I'd have to do this for 39 more days to pay off my debt.
Let's try something a little more challenging.'
***
Beams of sunlight illuminated humid air as they passed through the glass canopy of a magnificent greenhouse. Vaulted ceilings allowed trees along its walls to flourish, reaching across the space to join branches in a majestic arch. Beneath them, small pathways curved around vibrant flowers, twisting vines, and lush foliage.
Myra traced her fingertips across their leaves as she strolled barefoot on the path, her delicate summer dress flaring with each step.
Each plant here had been grown from a seedling, raised and nurtured by her into the grand ecosystem that existed today. A harmonious melding of different species, a model for what was possible with attention and compassion.
"My Queen," a woman in a blue long-tailed suit stood outside the entrance with her head lowered.
"Yasma," the Queen sighed, "how many times must I tell you it's okay to enter the arboretum?"
"I wouldn't dare intrude on my Queen's personal space," she replied.
"Oh, fine," Myra walked the path back to her. "What is it today, more nobles complaining about unfair taxes?"
"Actually…," the woman paused.
"Well, that's new," the Queen raised her subject's chin, "what could possibly leave you speechless?"
Refusing to meet her eyes, the woman continued, "There's been… a new mage registration."
***
Returning to the Guild Office, Ramsey entered and approached the dark haired girl wearing her usual expression.
"Back so soon?" She tucked her hair behind her ear.
"Yeah, I took a pretty easy job, so I'm back to see Cerill again," Ramsey smiled.
"You know, he told the whole Guild Office about your demonstration. He gets flustered every time he talks about it," she half smiled back.
Ramsey rubbed the back of his head and laughed while turning for the door.
"Oh, before I go in, can I ask your name?" He asked.
She pointed to herself, receiving a confirming nod. "I'm Sarra."
"Nice to meet you, I'm Ramsey."
"Oh, I know… Cerill, remember?" She reached for the tube and sent a current of air through to unlock the door.
After entering the left hall, Ramsey noticed someone was meeting with Cerill, so he decided to search the job wall for his next employment.
'Ideally something that can get me out of debt more quickly than stacking boulders… and help me earn some coin in the process.
If I'm traveling to Farion, I'll need money.
…I wonder how expensive the academy is.'
Surprisingly, the hunting postings paid equal to the debt of the offender. 'Any one of these would settle my debt.'
Ramsey read them aloud.
"Pria, Growth Mage, 40 Gold debt for two healings. Last seen heading east of Harkynn.
Byron, Fire Mage, 60 Gold debt for a family healing following a flare incident - what's a flare incident? Disappeared from his home during the night.
Wells, Sound Mage - Sound Mage? That's interesting, is that a branch of the Unseen? - 100 Gold debt for disturbing an official Guild ceremony. Last whereabouts unknown.
'What happens if they get caught, though?
That fire mage was probably just helping his family. I can't be a part of that.'
Ramsey stepped slowly down the hall, watching the pictures change from human faces to monstrous terrors. There were detailed drawings with names, class and abilities. He regretted not bringing his journal and making a monster manual of sorts.
'It'll be extremely dangerous,' he sighed, 'but… I could double-dip, collecting from both the guild and the system.
Ten class 10 monsters were worth 5 gold and I've already defeated one class 3 monster.'
"Let's see."
'A class 4 Gorren, looks like a griffin with membrane wings.
A nest of Slews, class 2 snake-like creatures.
"Thank you, Cerill," a woman said exiting the registrar's office.
Cerill came out, looking in Ramsey's direction.
"Hey, Cerill. I killed a herd of warvles and a krewlhorn recently, does the Guild owe me back pay?" Ramsey questioned, still looking at the postings.
"No registration, no payment," Cerill shook his head as he approached. "Did you skip out on your job today?"
"No, I finished before lunch," he showed off the posting signed by the foreman. "I'm here to collect my payment, and to pick something new."
"Before lunch…" Cerill muttered as he took the posting. "And what job are you considering now?"
Ramsey reached up and retrieved the hunting for the nest of slews.
"Oh my, are you sure?" His eyebrows shot up in surprise. "We don't know how many there are, you could be quickly overwhelmed."
"I'm sure. For 8 Gold, with half that going towards my debt, I'll be out of your hair in no time.
Oh, can I contribute my own money towards my debt?" Ramsey was anxious to know.
"Of course, you could have paid it from the beginning," Cerill confirmed.
Returning to his office, Cerill paid Ramsey his 50 silver and registered his new job. He explained that a cave used for cold storage northwest of town was recently taken over by the nest of slews. Its constant darkness and damp environment turned into a breeding ground. Two merchants had disappeared initially, then half the members of a search party.
"I know you're a powerful young man, but a warning - they are very fast. There's no shame in exchanging jobs," he assured.
Despite the warning, Ramsey accepted the job. The prize outweighed the risk.
After a visit to Last Chance Supplies for a very… unique purchase, he returned to his hotel room to prepare. Ramsey knew well what snakes were afraid of, he'd watched enough nature and extermination videos. The only question was if slews were that similar to snakes.
In the morning, Ramsey stood outside the darkened cave dressed in his most tattered clothes, he stared into its depths while carrying a large bag and a torch.
"This is a ridiculous plan," he sighed.