Ancient Ruins entrance, near the City of Rivana, Kingdom of Astralia
The ancient ruins loomed over the two soldiers who remained outside, waiting for their comrades to return. The four other guards, the merchant's son Aiden and the old secretary Bennett, had vanished into the ruins hours ago and not yet returned,
"Think they're still alive, Colby?" Wilton Osbournee anxiously asked his partner.
Wilton was worried. They had heard screams shortly after the group had entered the ruins. That was half a day ago and there hadn't been any signs of life from the group since then.
Bennett had assured them that there wouldn't be any problems and that they would only be gone for a short while. That was clearly not true. It was late noon when they had left, but the sun had set and Elyria's large moon was illuminating the small camp and the surrounding forest now.
"Colby?" Wilton called out to his partner again, growing frustrated. "Come on, you lazy oaf!"
As he turned toward the place where Colby was supposed to stand guard, he found that the overweight guardsman fast asleep with his back against a tree, using his cloak as a pillow and his armour laying discarded nearby.
Enraged, Wilton stomped toward his slumbering partner and, with the most force he could muster, kicked him against the shin. Colby jolted awake, his improvised pillow falling to the floor, and banged his head painfully against the oak tree behind him.
"Wilton! What the hell is wrong with you!" The fat man cried out, springing to his feet and confronting Wilton much faster than the latter thought possible.
It should have been an intimidating sight, Colby was as plump and tall as Wilton was scrawny and small, but the sight was ruined by the enormous wet stain that the large man's drool had left on his woollen shirt. Unable to contain himself, Wilton burst into hysterical laughter at the sight and the situation diffused.
A sulky Colby sat back down against the tree. "That was not okay, man," he grumbled.
"No, you falling asleep and leaving me to do all the work, that is not okay," Wilton retorted.
"Oh come on, what work? We haven't even seen so much as a rabbit here, let alone anything that needs guarding against." Colby replied defensively.
"Hmpf." Wilton shrugged, conceding Colby's point, and moved on. "So, what about it?"
"What? What about what?" the fat guardsman replied.
"I asked if you think that they are still alive." Wilton reiterated.
"Oh. I hope so, Sir Orval told us that there wouldn't be any problems. I'm sure that they are fine!" Colby said, though this discomfort was evident as he nervously glanced toward the ominous ruins' entrance. Wilton shared his unease. Despite Bennett Orval's reassurances before they had left, the whole situation seemed suspicious in his mind..
The same few questions were nagging the guard ever since. What was this place and how did Silver's private secretary know about it? As far as he could tell, the ruins didn't appear on any of their maps, nor did he hear any locals mention it on the way here. Did Aiden know about this? The young merchant's son had looked just as puzzled as the rest of the group when Bennett had demanded that they explore the ruins. Ultimately the young man had relented when the secretary told him that Aiden's father had supposedly ordered the exploration, and that there was treasure to be had.
The promise of treasure had filled the rest of the group with excitement. Colby and Wilton were initially more than just a little bit dismayed that they were not chosen to explore the structure. However, after they heard terrible those screams from within the ruins, the idea of staying in the relative safety of their camp became much more appealing.
As time passed and the others still hadn't returned, worry settled in, and Wilton thought about leaving. They could take their horses and some of the rations from the master's carriage and ride to the next town and get help. Or, alternatively, they could take everything and get away from this place permanently. Wilton was sure that there had to be plenty of gold and other riches in the carriage's storage, probably more than the two guardsmen were ever going to make in their entire lives.
Wilton had tried to carefully broach his ideas with his plump partner, but despite all his faults, the man had made clear that, while he might be fat and lazy, he was not a coward or thief and would not betray the rest of the group.
"Oh well…" Wilton sighed, accepting the situation, and readying himself for more hours of waiting in boredom.
Hours later, while Wilton had gone back to guarding the camp and Colby was taking another nap, the alert guardsman finally heard noises from the entrance of the ruins.
"Wake up, Colby! Quick, something is coming!" he shouted towards his sleeping partner.
While the groggy Colby was starting to get up and put on his armour, Wilton brandished his sword-sword. He got into position in front of the ruins's entrance and readied himself for whatever was to come out of this. Mere moments later, a distant light at the end of the entrance's corridor came into view and the soldier started to hear the shuffling of boots on the dusty floor.
"Who goes there?" Wilton shouted into the corridor.
He tightened the grip on his sword, his knuckles whitening under his thick leather gloves, and was about to repeat his call when, in a moment of relief, Wilton recognised Bennett Orval, the old man, making his way out of the darkened corridor, followed closely by Aiden Silver, who wore a guard's cloak for some unknown reason. However, the rest of their squad failed to appear.
"Sir Orval, Master Silver. Thank the gods, it's you. ," he said with relief.
"Yes, yes. Enough with the pleasantries." the old man replied impatiently. "Prepare the horses, I want to be in Rivana by the morning."
Wilton hesitated as he was still waiting for the other guards to appear. A sense of foreboding enveloped him when they didn't come. Bennett's stern voice broke through his thoughts, scolding him for not moving promptly.
"Are you deaf, Mr. Osbournee, or are you just incredibly stupid? I told you to get the horses ready!"
"My apologies, Sir." Wilton stumbled over his words. "But where is the rest of our squad?"
"Dead, I'm afraid." Bennett replied bluntly.
"D-Dead? How?" Wilton asked in horror, failing to fully comprehend the situation.
"They died doing what they were paid for. Very valiantly, if that brings you any comfort," the old man responded coldly. "If you could do the same now, that would be most appreciated."
"D-do the same? You want me to d-die?!" The scrawny guard's face went white as he stared open mouthed at the secretary.
"No, you imbecile!" Bennett was shouting now as his pale was rapidly turning red.. "I want you to do what you are bloody paid for and get the horses and our carriage ready!"
Wilton paled further as the situation was finally sinking in. Still, he shut his mouth, straightened his back and hurried past the angry old man. As he moved toward the horses he noticed Colby, who was still struggling to equip his armour, staring at the young Master Aiden.
"M-master Aiden, you are naked." the fat guard pointed out, audibly disturbed by the sight.
"So go and get him new clothes from the carriage!" Bennett snapped from behind. "By the fiery abyss, I knew you two weren't the sharpest tools in the shed, but have your tiny brains shrunken even further in our absence?"
Wilton watched as his partner suppressed any retort and got to work.
###
As the carriage traversed through the dark forest, Arcanus gazed absentmindedly out of the window. Silvery slivers of moonlight painted an eerie, ethereal picture as they broke through the ancient oak trees' thick canopy of leaves, but it barely registered in his mind as his thoughts were consumed by recent discoveries.
He had spent most of the time in the ostentatious black carriage probing his own mana core and the results weren't promising.
Although he found that his core surpassed most others he had probed so far, except perhaps the old man's, it still paled in comparison to what he had been accustomed to in his previous life. He had expected that, but it also barely matched the capacity of a child's mana core from his time, and using even the small amount of mana earlier had depleted much of his reserves.
In the Everlasting Empire, expanding one's mana core was a primary focus of the education system, regardless of one's societal status. Only in rare cases were individuals not taught these techniques.
Arcanus knew of one of such cases, of course. The 'Soul Witch' Alyssa wasn't taught any mana techniques when she was living on the street, and when she was caught and thrown into the orphanage, she was deemed too old by the authorities and subsequently abused.
He had sensed her innate talent and when he had rescued her from the horrid place, he had made it his mission to strengthen her. In the end he had spent every single coin in his possession and most of the favours that were owed to him before she was caught up.
Arcanus needed more than Alyssa had, who had still been a teenager when he had found, and he feared that the items required to get his mana core to an acceptable status would be exceedingly rare and expensive in this time, if they existed at all.
Then there was the conversation with Bennett. The old man had given him Aiden Silver's life story as they were walking back through the ruins.
Aiden was the third child of Egon Silver, a cunning and ruthless individual who had lifted his family's merchant company from obscurity to greatness. Egon now held one of four prestigious seats in the Royal Mercantile Council, representing all interests of the kingdom's northernmost duchy's merchants.
Aiden's mother, Madelyn Silver, belonged to a minor but well-placed noble house in the same region; the marriage was largely a political alliance. Bennett didn't have a lot of information about Madelyn, as she kept herself distanced from the family's business affairs.
Aiden's elder brother, Marcus, was a shining example of their father's desires. Though not obligatory for a merchant's firstborn, Marcus had voluntarily served two years in the army when he was Aiden's age. His dedication had earned him an officer's rank and valuable connections with the young nobles who served alongside him. After returning, he spent two more years under his father's guidance before being sent to Astralia's capital. There, he was representing their family's business interests while cultivating political connections, including an alleged relationship with the first royal princess, Isabella.
Aiden's sister, Charlotte, was a year older than him. Despite being more like her older brother, she deeply cared for Aiden. Bennett described her as a good hearted, beautiful young woman, who spent most of her time away from the family business with her mother.
In contrast, Bennett painted a less favourable picture of Aiden. He described him as a lazy and directionless brat with no real ambitions of his own. Aiden had only managed to barely graduate from the merchant guild's academy and had spent the past few years squandering his father's money on gambling and whores. This reckless behaviour had caused significant conflicts with Marcus, as the two brothers no longer saw eye to eye. Aiden resented Marcus's relentless pursuit of perfection, just as Marcus disapproved of Aiden's lackadaisical lifestyle. When one of Aiden's affairs needed his father's intervention, Egon decided it was time for a change. He sent Aiden to Rivera, in the southern duchy of the country, with the expectation that he would take control of the local branch of his family's business and prove his worth.
Arcanus let out a sigh and turned towards Bennett, who sat across from him.
"Why did Aiden's father send him here?" he asked. "I understand that it's partly a punishment for his behaviour, but from what you've told me, the man seemed completely unqualified to represent his father's interests."
The old man chuckled in reply. "You are absolutely right, Master. The situation in the duchy, and its capital, Rivana, is complicated but heavily favours Egon Silver's schemes." He paused briefly.
"A decade ago, his majesty the King found the old duke guilty of high treason against the crown and ordered the execution of the whole family. Now, the southern duchy provides the majority of the country's grain supply, so, to avoid a revolt here in the south, he appointed a local lord, Baron Camara, as the temporary custodian of the region."
Arcanus nodded along and Bennett continued. "Since his position is temporary, the king declared a ten-year probation after which the Baron's work would be assessed. If he proved worthy, the Baron would become the permanent ruler of the duchy and ascend to the rank of duke. if not… well at best he will be relegated to his former role.."
"Let me guess. The decade is almost over, and, considering that the head of a powerful merchant's company is taking interest in the matter, the baron is in trouble." Arcanus surmised thoughtfully.
"Indeed, Master, there's less than half a year left," the old man replied with enthusiasm. "The old fox has discovered that Baron Camara lost most of the duchy's wealth in a series of ill-fated speculative investments. This information is not yet public, but if the crown learns that not only the Baron's wealth but also the duchy's resources have been squandered, he'll surely face a fate similar to the previous Duke."
"Right, so the Duke needs Egon's money to secure not only his ascension, but also his life. But what does the merchant gain from all of this?" Arcanus inquired further.
"I mentioned the Royal Mercantile Council before, yes?" Bennett asked, continuing after an affirmative nod. "The Royal Mercantile Council holds great power when it comes to matters of trade. The crown delegates most decisions regarding mercantile laws to the council, and its members are granted access to his majesty's inner circle. There are always four council members, one representing each duchy. Your father was appointed as the council member for the north years ago, and the west and east positions are held by two of the other powerful merchant families."
"But the situation in the southern duchy means that the council seat is up for grabs," Arcanus realised, grasping the head of the Black Swan merchant company's plan.
"Exactly! The merchants from the individual regions appoint the councilmen, but the dukes must confirm them. If Egon secures the duchy with the Baron under his control, he would essentially guarantee that council seat for his family. With only four seats on the council, having two in his grasp would mean that no decisions could be made without his approval," Bennett explained.
"Brilliant," Arcanus murmured, impressed with the cunning plan. "I assume that Aiden wouldn't have been the one to take that council seat?"
The old man burst into uncontrollable laughter. "No, of course not. The moment the duchy was secured, Aiden would have been sent back to the north, and Marcus would have taken his place on the council."
In the darkness of the forest, Arcanus, Bennett, and the guards continued their journey through the night. Arcanus was thinking about the latest revelations, his meagre mana pool, although it could be rectified in the long term, was an issue for now, and the Silver family's schemes were dangerous, but also presented an opportunity to him. He realised that, for now, he needed to assume the identity of Aiden Silver. While he was weak, Arcanus would need the resources and protection of the merchant's family. He was about to share his conclusion with Bennett, when his senses jolted with alarm.
He had left his senses expanded after he finished probing his mana pool, aura manipulation was an efficient method of extending your mana capabilities. It didn't cost much mana, but the constant strain helped to expand the core.
Now, Arcanus detected an immediate ill intention directed toward him and moments later, the forest came alive as the telltale sounds of a tree crashing down disturbed the silence of the night. The guards shouted and horses whinnied, as Arcanus's aura senses detected the presence of two attackers.
He signalled Bennett to remain in the carriage and swiftly leaped out. Glancing around, he took in the area. Just as he had thought, a massive tree had crashed down and obstructed the path before them. Arcanus was just quick enough to witness the end of the battle between the two guards and their attackers.
Two burly figures clad in mismatched armour, bandits he thought, had brandished wicked looking clubs.They subdued the guards with a brutal swiftness, landing a series of well-aimed strikes and rendering them unconscious. Arcanus hadn't expected much from the guards, but he hadn't even seen them manage to land a single strike on their opponents before being overwhelmed. With a sigh, he grabbed one of the discarded swords and got ready for a fight.
In his previous life, Arcanus could've ended the fight immediately, but now he had to exercise caution. His magic core still hadn't fully recovered from his earlier encounter in the ruins and, given his unfamiliarity with his new lack of capability, he didn't want to risk using too much mana, as fully emptying your mana core was never a good idea, and Arcanus was sure that doing it with his current body would result in unconsciousness, if he was lucky enough to avoid worse consequences.
"Ey, boy! Throw that thing away and we just might let you live," one of the bandits taunted him with a toothless grin as they noticed him.
Instead of responding, Arcanus used the moment to carefully study his adversaries under the moonlight. Both men were burly, their physiques clearly superior to his own, and he doubted he could withstand a direct blow from their clubs without resorting to magic. However, having dealt with bandits in his previous life, he knew their tactics well. They relied on overwhelming opponents without using much technique, making them vulnerable to a skilled adversary in prolonged combat.
"Pah. Leave this idiot to me," the same bandit said impatiently as he spat on the ground and approached him with a sneer,
Arcanus had hoped for this outcome, a single enemy would be far more manageable than fighting both of them at once. He decided to play on his opponent's underestimation. The bandits had no idea he was more than a pampered young boy, and he planned to use that to his advantage.
As the bandit approached, Arcanus forced a panicked expression onto his face, shivering in apparent fear. The burly man smiled broadly at that and, instead of taking the young man seriously, dismissed him and decided to end the fight with a single overhead blow.
It was a grave mistake. Arcanus pretended to awkwardly prepare for a reckless block but deftly shifted to the side at the last moment, evading the attack. With his opponent off balance, he sidestepped behind the man, and his blade gleamed in the moonlight as it swiftly cut deep into the man's unprotected right calf, severing his tendons.
A horrifying scream pierced the night as the man collapsed in agony. Arcanus, seizing the opportunity, summoned all the strength his new body could muster and delivered a fierce slash aimed at the bandit's neck, ending the fight decisively.
A fountain of blood stained the ground with a crimson liquid, as the man's head rolled to the dirt. Arcanus quickly refocused on the second bandit, who hadn't moved during the brief fight. He had hoped that the man would lose his mind at the sight of his dying comrade, but instead he just stared at him with a stoic expression.
After a few brief moments, the bandit grunted and started to circle Arcanus, who mirrored the movements of his opponent, waiting for an opportunity. Feinting a slash from the right, Arcanus lunged forward with a thrust towards the man's other side.
He had hoped to land a decisive blow, but instead his opponent twisted away at the last moment, causing the sword to only cut a shallow wound into the man's arm. Worse, the bandit brought his club around and painfully struck Arcanus's right shoulder.
A dull pain pulsed from his shoulder and adrenaline shot through his veins as he scrambled to get distance between himself and his enemy. The bandit wore a triumphant smile as he continued to circle him.
Determined to turn the tide, Arcanus tried to surprise his opponent and once again attacked, challenging the bandit with a series of fast slashes and stabs. However, the man blocked or sidestepped the more severe hits, while taking the weaker hits as opportunities for counterattacks. Then, he blocked one of Arcanus's more powerful slashes with his club and delivered a vicious slap to the back of the exhausted man's head.
Arcanus stumbled back, his vision going white for a moment. For the first time in this new life he felt a sense of panic. He knew he didn't stand a chance to win if the fight continued this way. His body was weak and the injuries that he had already sustained would significantly slow him down soon. In contrast, the bandit's wounds, though numerous, were not severe enough to hinder his fighting ability significantly.
Arcanus steeled himself as he decided to break the rule that he had imposed onto himself at the start of the fight. He lunged forward again, targeting the man's chest. Just as he had hoped, the bandit tried to bring up his club to parry once more. Arcanus instantly channelled as little mana as he could into his left arm and grabbed the man's weapon by the haft.
Though he couldn't overpower the bandit completely, the momentary struggle provided the opening he needed. His now unimpeded sword found its mark and plunged into the bandit's chest. The man collapsed to his knees, staring in shock at the weapon that would be the cause of his death. Arcanus, releasing the sword, picked up the discarded club, intending to end the bleeding bandit's suffering. However, just as he was about to strike, a surge of danger flared from his aura, warning him of imminent danger.
Arcanus swiftly twisted to the side, narrowly avoiding the deadly arrow aimed at his heart. Instead, the arrow grazed his chest, leaving behind a painful but shallow cut.
Spinning around to face the new danger, he was taken aback by the woman standing in the forest not far from him. Arcanus hadn't felt her aura until it was almost too late, a feat he hadn't thought possible, especially from a mere bandit. Clad in tight-fitting leather armour, she was staring at him in obvious disbelief, thankfully forgetting about killing him for the moment.
As he gazed back at the woman, Arcanus couldn't help but admire her skill in concealing her aura. It was a rare and impressive talent, one that intrigued him as he started to probe her aura.
"What a pleasant surprise," he murmured as a broad smile formed on his face.