King of the Realm

by Andrew Bardsley

“Is it my turn, then?” Ceras asked drily.

  There was no answer from Conlamir, but the look of exhaustion on his face said it all. Ceras held out his hand with a smile on his face and cast multiple spells in quick succession. Soon, hundreds of fireballs the size of footballs were circling in the air above Conlamir’s head, buzzing with their intense energy. Conlamir’s face went ashen white as he stood staring at the hundreds of white-hot suns just meters from his head, as if he could feel their intense radiation.

  From the side the master shouted, “Don’t use them, the magical wards will not protect him! He’ll be blasted to nothing.”

  Ceras just nodded as he sped the fireballs into the ground between the two of them, which caused a massive explosion that he kept mostly contained with a shield. When the dust settled, Conlamir was on the floor with a face full of fear, while the ground where the fireballs had hit had turned to glass with the intense heat.

  “OK, fun’s over, children,” said the master as he strode toward Ceras. “Let me see your hand.”

  Ceras held his hand out for the master to see, who looked at it in shock and said, “One step off legendary. You really shouldn't have picked on these journeymen, master.”

  The group of students gasped in disbelief and Conlamir went even whiter as Ceras said, “You’re probably right, but he was so insistent on battling.”

  Nodding to the rest of the students and smiling at the girl, Ceras walked out of the large hall as he heard the master berating Conlamir. ”You stupid idiot! Why did you have to challenge a near-legendary wizard? You're lucky he didn't blast you to pieces.”

  Leaving the college, Ceras was back on the main street and soon back on track for his shopping excursion. Before he could round the corner, the girl who he had knocked to the floor came rushing out of the college, out of breath from the run. When she spotted him about to go around the corner, she seemed to flush red but approached him at a more sedate pace with a smile fixed on her face. She had long blond hair that was twisted into a braid over her right shoulder, making a stark contrast against her black robe. As with all the journeyman-level students, her robe stopped at the thigh and below it was an ankle-length green skirt. Ceras noticed that among the group of students he had bumped into, she was the prettiest, and she clearly knew it with all the attention that Conlamir had been paying her.

  “I didn't get to apologize for Conlamir’s behavior toward you,” the girl said with a shy smile. “I’m so sorry for all the trouble I caused you.”

  “That’s OK. It wasn't your fault, but thank you for the apology,” said Ceras, trying to give her his most reassuring smile.

  “My name’s Calipe. Do you want to get something to eat?” she asked, tilting her head.

  “Sorry. I’ve just eaten and need to go shopping for some items, so maybe another time.”

  “I’ll help with the shopping if you want some company.”

  “Well, I could do with some company and advice, actually,” Ceras said gratefully, as he really did not know what to buy for formal occasions. “I’ve got to buy some magical robes for dinner with some of the masters.”

  Calipe linked her arm in his and started to lead him directly to the shops that the maître d’ had suggested. “Say no more. One thing that I’m good at is shopping, especially for clothes,” she said with a bright smile. “What style of robes do you prefer?”

  As the two walked arm in arm around the inn he was staying at and toward the street with all the shops, Ceras started to ponder over what he wanted. “Well, I guess something with high defense stats that improve your intelligence would be what I’m really looking for.”

  “No, I mean what style of robe do you want? Do you want it to have a scene of the night sky or something else magical?”

  “Oh, I really don’t care about that. Just that it has good stats, if I’m going to have to wear the thing.”

  “Well, I’ll sort out the style for you,” the girl said confidently. “What can you afford to pay?”

  “Oh, price isn’t that important, just as long as it’s fit for purpose.”

  “You do know that some of the top-range robes can go for up to several gold coins,” said the girl, looking skeptical that he’d be able to afford that.

  “That's not really an issue,” said Ceras as he patted his money purse, knowing it contained a lot more than that.

  Calipe seemed to get closer to him as they walked, pressing her body into his like she didn't want to let go.

  The pair had arrived at the long, narrow street filled with shops. All the buildings seemed to be built from a mixture of wood and stone and stood behind the large college compound that towered above the market street. The street was teeming with wizards of all levels and some warriors, all moving from shop to shop. Most of the storefronts were large wooden bay windows with glass panes displaying the items. Calipe led him straight past a clothing shop with wizard robes displayed in the window, but didn’t stop.

  “How about there?” asked Ceras, as it seemed to sell the robes he needed as well as other equipment.

  Calipe snorted. “If you’re looking for something good, I know just the store for you.”

  “Lead on, then.”

  Arm in arm, they passed multiple stores selling all types of magical items. Ceras couldn't help wanting to stop at the bookstores to at least look in the window, but Calipe just pulled him away with a tight grip as if she was leading a small child. She guided him into a precinct on the left with large, expensive-looking shops where well-dressed people were browsing.

  Ceras saw a range of shops in the precinct, but one caught his attention as Calipe led him along. It had magical weapons for wizards in the bay window, with several staffs on prominent display. Making a mental note to call in at the shop to replace his staff before he left the precinct, he found himself being dragged into the clothes shop by the beautiful but insistent girl.

  The doorbell sounded in the large shop as they entered into a room filled with tailoring tables, mirrors and bundles of cloth tidily arranged around them. Several men and women were working at the tables, cutting out and sewing materials that glowed with magical power. From a corner a smartly-dressed man with a fully-tailored suit that looked fit for a king walked forward, with a questioning look on his face.

  “Can I help you?” he asked shortly, as if he certainly couldn't.

  Calipe took over and unwound her arm from Ceras’, stepping forward with the confidence of a lion playing with a deer. “My friend here needs a formal robe for a master's dinner,” she said firmly, as if it was obvious.

  “We’re very expensive here, young lady. You’d be better off going to one of the cheaper shops that might be more in your price range,” said the man, with a look of disdain at the forward young woman in the journeyman robe.

  “You’d better show him your money and level,” said Calipe to the bemused Ceras, who was trying to stay out of this exchange. “He never believes that you have the money until you do.”

  Sighing, Ceras fished in his money purse for a handful of golden coins and presented about twenty to the tailor. He then held up his hand to show his guild mark and levels to prove he was a master in wizardry.

  The countenance of the tailor suddenly changed to one of all smiles and he said, “It will be an honor to serve one of such high level. So, what kind of robe do you want?”

  “I’m looking for something with high stats that will improve my intelligences, and also has some defensive capacity,” said Ceras.

  “More importantly, it needs to show off his fine body,” said Calipe, causing Ceras to blush. The tailor coughed.

  He called over one of his colleagues and instructed him to measure up Ceras, while he took Calipe over to some of the rolls of material for selection. Ceras was led to the back of the shop and stood on a wooden box while the tailor moved around him, taking measurements.

  “Very pretty girl you’ve got there, sir,” said the tailor conversationally.

  “Yes, she seems m
ost determined to get me dressed how she likes.”

  “That is often the case, isn't it, sir? How long have you been together?”

  “We’re not together. I just met her a few minutes ago and she offered to help me out with buying a robe.”

  “Hmmm.”

  When he had all the measurements he needed, the tailor guided Ceras over to Calipe who was comparing several samples of material that were laid out on a table.

  “Which do you prefer?” said the intense but pretty young woman, gesturing to the cloth.

  Ceras looked at the cloth samples on the table. Some of them had changing images like he had seen on the masters who had talked to him earlier today, but only one was to his liking. It had no images of a sunrise or stars, but was a deep, endless black as if all the light was being sucked into it from the room.

  “The plain black, as it would be good for adventuring,” said Ceras firmly, not wanting to discuss his choices in depth. “Calipe, why don’t you choose some clothing for yourself and I’ll pay for that, too?”

  She let out a squeal of excitement and started to talk to the tailor more intently than before, and was led off to get measured by a female assistant who took her to a curtained-off area in the back of the shop.

  The tailor returned to Ceras with a smile and said, “I think you’re in for quite a wait, sir.”

  “I’ll give you twenty gold now, and could you send my robe to the inn I’m staying at with the change?” asked Ceras. “Calipe’s robes you can deliver to her, and please tell her I had to leave.”

  “Most wise, sir!”

  As the twenty gold coins were handed over the tailor looked delighted with his gain for the day, and took down the address to deliver Ceras’ robes. Ceras managed to walk out of the clothes shop without alerting Calipe to his departure.

  I wonder why I spent so much money on her so frivolously. Maybe it was a nice change to get away, or I’m just getting used to having money to spend.

  Entering the shop where he’d seen the magical staffs, he realized he felt a lot more at ease in this environment. The store was full of staffs for wizards to use, and other weapons that glowed with magical energy. From the side of the store a man cleared his throat to get Ceras’ attention.

  “How can I help, young sir?” asked the small, balding man, who was wearing clothes that would be better suited to a woodworking shop.

  “I’m looking for a new staff, ideally one that can take a lot of punishment. I use it as a weapon, as well as for casting spells.”

  “Yes, you do look stronger than the normal wizard. Could I please know what your level is, to help me find you the right staff?”

  Ceras held out his hand to show his guild marking and level. The man's eyebrows went up a bit, but all he did was lead him to the back of the shop and through a doorway into a woodworking shop. A few young men were working away, slowly manufacturing different weapons using hand tools. The air smelled of rich wood, varnish and the buzzes of magical energy from several crystal artefacts around the room.

  The man walked up to one of the workers and said, “Take over the shop while I serve this customer.”

  The young man set down his tools on a well-organized rack and left.

  “If you would follow me to the strong room where I keep all the high-level weaponry, sir.”

  Ceras followed him out of the workroom and down a corridor with stairs leading upward, but they passed them and kept walking to the end of the corridor. As Ceras passed the stairs he could hear the sound of children playing at the top. At the end of the corridor there was a metal door with a magical inscription on it, and the shopkeeper seemed to mutter a spell under his breath before pulling a lever to open the heavy door on its thick hinges.

  “Hmmm. You said you needed something strong that can take a lot of punishment. I might have just the staff for you.”

  He reached into the weapons safe and pulled out a staff that was made of the blackest metal that Ceras had ever seen. The shopkeeper lifted it with two hands as if it was too heavy for him to handle with just one. As soon as he passed it over, Ceras felt how heavy the weight was. If he’d had the normal strength of a wizard he would not have been able to carry it, let alone fight with it, but for him it was easy to move around.

  Moving back out into the corridor to get some space, he twirled the staff in a martial art form for a few minutes, feeling the power and momentum behind the staff. It felt as though it could crush anything he hit with it.

  Equipment Name

  Carry

  Type

  Effect

  Worth

  Dense Star Staff

  10

  Magical Weapon

  MP storage and transmission

  30g

  “It is rather expensive for what it is, sir, but it does have magical energy storage you can call on that is part of the staff’s metal.”

  “How much MP can it store at a time?”

  “I’m rather proud of that, sir. The special metal enables it to store three thousand MP points at a time. The only problem is that the metal makes it so heavy that no wizard so far has been able to carry it for long, so I've not been able to sell one despite the MP storage being so high. But with your bulk, sir, you look like you can manage it.”

  “Do you mind if I try it out on a target?”

  “Of course, sir. This way to our warded room.”

  Ceras soon found himself in a warded room with a dummy at one end and magical inscriptions on the wall, with sand on the floor scattered with burn marks. The store owner was standing just behind him with an expression of interest.

  Ceras filled up the staff with the three thousand MP, which took just under half of his MP.

  “How long will it hold the MP for?”

  “Indefinitely, sir, and it can be used by anybody.”

  The outside of the staff felt no different, but he could feel the inner core was filled with magical energy as if it was a sun trying to burst forth at daybreak from behind a mountain. Casting a fireball spell, he sent his magical energy up and down the staff forming an array of fireballs that all hit the dummy dead-center, blasting hole after hole in its body. As Ceras was casting, the process felt smoother than with his previous wooden staff, giving him more control.

  While the target was regenerating, he walked down the range toward the dummy and swung the staff at it with as much strength as he could muster. The effect on the dummy was amazing, like passing a hot knife through butter, and it just disintegrated into small wooden pieces. Ceras could see that the damage was about three hundred hit points.

  “It makes me happy to see the staff have such an affect,” said the shopkeeper with a smile on his face.

  “I like it too. I’ll buy the staff, but I was wondering if I could commission you to make one heavier and even more powerful.”

  “You certainly could. It will also hold more MP, but it might take some time, sir.”

  “That’s fine, as I’ll be here for a while.”

  By the time Ceras had left the shop he had passed over significant amounts of money for the black staff and the second one he had commissioned. Carrying the Dense Star Staff in his hand, he felt its comforting weight as he headed back to the inn with a smile, pleased that he had a good weapon at last.

  Entering the inn, the elegant lady at the counter smiled at him and brought some parchment messages to him. As he walked toward the suite of rooms he was renting, he found that all of the messages were invitations to different college events. Before he was going to accept any more, he wanted to see what would happen tomorrow at the dinner he would be attending, so he placed them all in one of the room’s many drawers.

  Chapter 12 Palace Ball

  With his face in his pillow, Ceras regained consciousness to hear the dulcet tones of Rinaldo. “I told you that it wasn't an illusion – he’s really snoring that loud. He must have had a wild time studying all night long.”

  Ceras turned over and looked at the two young men.
Well, at least, one young man and a somebody in the image of a man.

  “I’ll have you know that I was out at a banquet at one of the colleges in the university last night, not studying. There’s more to my life than just studying, I’d like you to know,” he muttered.

  “It's been really evident in the past few weeks that you’ve been a near hermit living in the university library, while we on the other hand have been giving our time to the more useful pursuit of combat training,” Rinaldo retorted. “We were just about to invite you to join us for a bit of a dungeon dive.”

  “Sorry, I’m meeting with a master at the college today to-”

  “Do some spell studying?”

  “Well, yes, but this is important!”

  “Yeah, yeah. All the addicts say that. Your loss, as the dungeon’s quite spectacular. I’ll have to get some of the levels imaged to show to my sister.”

  “Are you all prepared for the ball in a few days' time?” asked the excited Qyndad.

  “What ball?” asked Ceras, bewildered, as he pushed himself up to sit.

  “The one we were all invited to by Shunneth last week. Don’t tell me you weren't listening again!” said Rinaldo.

  “Well, I have no recollection of any conversation about this ball,” Ceras admitted.

  “Not unusual for one with your study addiction, as your mind’s probably completely full of magic and other wonders,” said Rinaldo sarcastically. “OK, the ball’s in three days. It’s in the evening and you’ll need to wear something formal.”

  “Good thing I bought the wizard robe,” said Ceras with a smile, as he was already prepared.

  “You mean the one in the corner in a pile with all your other clothes?”

  Ceras looked into the corner and noticed a pile of clothes that had been dumped on the floor. He had gotten so used to the gremlins cleaning and cooking that he had just become lazy with where he dropped his belongings, and now he was in a hotel the maid did all of the work. His parents would be horrified at his irresponsibility with expensive clothing and other items.