To keep that phoenix as a secret, he ordered his undead bird to come back. If he didn't, it would be suspicious, and knowing the merchants, they would probably deduce that Dezen found something precious, or at least worth attention.
Not long after it, they heard the sound of mountains falling. Normally it would be really, really loud, but formations covering this mountain chain muffled them. They also stopped every earthquake that would happen.
Seeing it, Dezen was indeed amazed, but more than this, he was puzzled why kingdom uses this way to lower the terrain. Surely it has better options, which are less destructive.
For him, it was something "good" to think about, but not a mystery he wanted to solve. Currently he has better, more important things to do, and it doesn't seem to grant him any benefits.
While waiting, he sent his undead birds and flying bugs to see the area, which is becoming unusable.
From the air, he saw the terrain falling, destroying countless routes in the process, the ones they could use included. Seeing it, Dezen whispered to himself.
- And so we travelled. - Then, he turned his head in the direction of the caravan overseer, and said. - The routes are being destroyed, when it ends I will tell how much. If it's not too... big, I can use space magic to teleport us.
He nodded in response, and started asking what are the changes that already happened. Dezen agreed to do such things, while signing the contract, so he wasn't surprised in any way.
Soon, the collapsing of the terrain ended, and Dezen could tell if he is able to teleport the caravan, and how long it will take. He won't be teleporting them all at once, instead, he will create portals for carriages to use, that will last a few dozens of seconds. Then, he will be regenerating his mana.
Seeing the scale of damages, he estimated that getting the whole caravan to the other side will take around 7 hours.
The task was boring and went peacefully, but he didn't let his guard down. As always, it was of no use to him, but he didn't complain.
After 18 days of travelling, they finally saw the Harben. He heard how it looks, so he wasn't surprised, only impressed. The city was covering the whole mountain, some of it inside, some of it craved in the stone. Around it, there were few kilometres of plains, filled with farmlands and smaller military facilities. Another, thing worth attention, also being the most eye-catching, were 5 enormous golems, standing around the Harben, made from mountains which once were standing around the city.
Dezen was amazed by this sight, but he didn't let himself be distracted for too long. He shook his head and thought that he just has to wait, until they enter the city, then he can relax.
Before they entered the Harben, Dezen noticed something interesting. Around 2 kilometres from the city walls, workers were gathering and preparing to build something. After asking, he got to know that they will be expanding the city, and the first part of it, is building the walls to grant safety.
It surprised Dezen a little, since the population of Harben isn't enormous (from what he was told there are many empty buildings in the city), thus there is no need for it. Soon, he stopped thinking about the reason of it, because he saw in this situation an opportunity to cheaply buy land. It can be used either by himself, as his house, or for the company he is going to create in the distant future.
After reaching their destination, which was a warehouse belonging to the caravan's company, Dezen got a short holiday. It was because that company has many employees in the Harben, guards included. Thus, he wasn't needed, and his supervisor decided that he deserves some free time. Mostly because they didn't want their employees to see his paranoia of safety, which would them uneasy, and thus, distracted.
He used it to find possible clients. Of course, he wasn't walking around the town, and asking random people what they would like to buy. Selling goods to people needs merchants or intelligent enough undead. To get any of this, he needs a lot of time and effort. Instead, he decided to transport items from one city to another, for other companies, focusing on this aspect of merchant trade, since it is the fastest and easiest way for him to earn more money.
He was doing it all day, ending in the evening.
While going through roads of Harben, back to his flat, Dezen was thinking how many assignments he will be able to take, at the first time.
At some point, he heard some people fighting, woman and man. At first, they were just cursing each other, but then, man attack the woman. Dezen doesn't tolerate such things, thus he stopped him.
Teleporting behind the man, he grabbed his arm and almost broke it. The male turned his head to see Dezen, and then ran, when his limb was released.
Straightening her clothes, the woman thanked.
- Thanks, good to know that there are good men willing to help me when I'm in need. How did you do this? I didn't see you coming, and, no offence, but you don't look like someone who has so much strength. Unless I don't see your muscles under these clothes. Then I think we can do something with that.
She smiled and tried to look as good as possible.
Dezen deduced that she is a prostitute, when he saw her. He doesn't anything against it. Everyone is trying to survive somehow, and he usually doesn't judge the ways people do it.
- I'm a mage. I just teleported here and stopped him using one spell.
- Yeah... Wait, no way. You gotta be joking, why would mage help a random prostitute? You have no reason... Don't you all have better things to do, and...
Dezen shrugged his shoulders.
- I just decided to do it, since I wanted to. You see, I don't like man beating woman for shitty reasons. Nor do I like the opposite, though, most men should be able to deal with normal women by themselves.
- Yea... It is really rare. So, you want to use my services?
- No. Though, I wonder, have you ever been working for someone?
The woman looked at him, first with disappointment, and then with hostility.
She replied firmly.
- No. Nor do I plan.
- Don't look at me like that, I didn't plan it, or something. I have just thought about hiring people from this trade, and you seem to be a possible employee, and someone who can give me some information about it.
- And why do you think I would work for you.
- Well, it's not like you have to, but it doesn't look like you are too good at protecting yourself. Wonder how hard it is to heal, and whether it affects your work.
- Really, would you waste your time and protect me whenever I'm working. Yea, I don't believe it.
- I didn't say anything about doing it by myself. I can leave you a creature that I made to keep you safe and heal you.
- You can tell such fairy tales to kids, I don't buy it.
- Do as you please. - He started walking off. - Just remember you can always try, here - Dezen throw to her piece of paper. - that's where you can find me in the next few days. I don't know when I will come again to Harben. If you try and don't like it, you can always leave, that's your right.
The woman went silent, watching Dezen walk away.
She came to him a few days after, not to accept his offer, but to negotiate the terms of work. He accepted what she wanted, and they both were happy.
- So, where is the servant of yours, that is going to protect me.
From one of the shadows in the room, wendigo emerged. Not the normal one, but modified. The woman was terrified seeing it, so Dezen waved his hand and made her calm, using one of the enslavement spells, he made.
Chloe, the woman, was surprised. Both by the wendigo and her calmness.
- How, did you use some spell on me?
- Yes. Calming down people by words is really annoying and ineffective, in situations like that.
- I... Uh, thank you?
- No problem. Now, you want to add something, ask me, or should explain how he will be protecting you.
When Chloe left, he begin training. He already found every possible client, that he could sell his services to, so Dezen focused on his development. Since he has difficulties with learning new magics, Dezen wants to use the ones he already has, to imitate the others. The spell that he used on Chloe is one of the examples.
He wasn't training in the Harben, instead he was using a special space he created with space magic, which was much more comfortable.