Dawn of a dragon mage, p.3
Dawn of a Dragon Mage, page 3
It was on the fourth day of the second week that they finally got the job they had been waiting for… and it came from a special client, too.
That morning, while the three were having breakfast—which they still had at the student side of the complex since their cafeteria pass for the mercenary side was still being processed—Lady Valentina came in and handed them a small piece of parchment.
“It looks like you three finally have a job you can’t refuse,” she told them as she handed the paper to Garret. She then sat down, prodded Null’s food with his fork, and stole one of his carrots. She took a bite and then proceeded to drink his water. “Team Iron Clad has become a bit of an anomaly here; you guys are so popular, but everyone’s wondering why you haven’t accepted a job yet. Do you not like money?”
Selina shook her head. “No, we’re just being careful. We don’t want to jump into a job that’s beyond our capabilities. We also don’t want to waste our time with something too simple. There has to be something right in the middle.”
“It’s proving harder than expected, however,” Null grumbled as he snatched his fork back and began stuffing his mouth with food. He continued to talk with his mouth full. “See, if we take the small jobs, the other fresh graduates won’t have something to earn from. If we take the bigger jobs, the seniors will get mad because those jobs are their bread and butter.”
As the two explained their predicament to Valentina, Garret unrolled the parchment and read the message. Immediately, his eyes widened when he realized the gravity of the situation.
“Hey, your eyes are popping out of their sockets,” Selina teased him. “What is it? What’s the job?”
Garret handed the paper to Selina, and her face twisted in shock. She silently passed it to Null, and he almost choked on his food when he read the message.
“We’re being requested by Garret’s father?” Null blurted out.
Several students and mercenaries in the cafeteria turned their heads and looked at them. Selina sighed in disbelief and shame and slowly scooted closer to Garret so she could hide her face behind him. Garret grinned, amused, and pushed her back to sit up straight.
“Yeah,” Garret answered. “It looks like it.”
Null handed the parchment back to Lady Valentina. “It doesn’t exactly say why, though. The message just says High Lord Vilfort requests for Team Iron Clad and that it involves something around Castle Vilfort in Caerleone.”
“Well, don’t look at me,” Valentina said as she waved a finger around. “The High Lord is here himself, at my office. The door’s open. Why don’t you go ask him?”
Garret immediately sat up straight. “My father’s here?”
Lady Valentina nodded.
Selina got up from the bench, grabbed their food trays, deposited them back at the cafeteria counter, and then grabbed Garret and Null by their collars. “Let’s go. It’s not wise to waste a lord’s time. Besides, we need to determine if this is indeed the right job for us.”
Garret and Null quickly obeyed, and the trio headed out of the cafeteria. They passed through familiar halls and gardens. Because they were no longer mere students, they were allowed to use the hallways allocated solely for mercenaries and instructors. This made their travel time significantly shorter, and they soon arrived at Lady Valentina’s main office.
Her office was one of the most luxurious in the academy. Lady Valentina had a large study, with a large desk to accommodate the amount of work she did. There were at least thirty bookshelves arranged along the sides of the room and a large hearth to start a roaring fire. There was a separate corner with a lounge, an imported carpet from the Urthgad Isles, and a coffee table which, as most students attested, was often used for tea rather than coffee.
Seated at this very lounge and enjoying a cup of tea himself was High Lord Ghalen Vilfort. He was a large man—so large in fact that he made Hollen look puny in comparison. He was muscular and bore a great white beard and well-groomed silver hair. He looked even more menacing than usual with the thick fur coat he wore and the greatsword buckled to his side.
He didn’t rise when he saw the three enter. He instead lifted his cup of tea, took a sip, and waited for them to approach.
“Father,” Garret said as he walked closer.
“My Lord,” Princess Selina followed suit.
“My Lord,” Null repeated. They all stood in a line and simultaneously bowed.
Lord Ghalen smiled and placed his cup back on its saucer. He then got up and let out a deep, hearty laugh as he gave each of them a warm embrace. “All right, enough with the silly formalities. It’s so good to see you, Son, and you, of course, Princess Selina. I’ve been building a new tower at the castle just for you, by the way, seeing as you two will be wed by the end of the year. I hope to finish it on time.”
Selina blushed but managed to maintain her composure. “Thank you, my Lord. I look forward to it. I also hope it finishes in time for the wedding.”
“Ah, Null,” Lord Ghalen greeted the team’s third member. “I heard you’re a temporal dragon summoner. That’s a mighty feat. The last temporal dragon summoner I met was way back during my childhood. He was a traveling mercenary from the south, many kingdoms and regions away. It was amazing to see the things he could do. I’m very proud to see you become one.”
Null pointed dumbly at his face and blinked. “T-thank you, my Lord. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting any sort of praise coming from a man of your stature.”
“Everybody is so caught up with titles and formalities,” Lord Ghalen mused. “I’m not really one for it, except of course when my wife or the royal family are around. You’re as much a son of mine as Grahm and Garret. I don’t care where you’re from; you’re always welcome in my house.”
Null bowed in gratitude.
Garret took a seat, then the others did likewise. Garret turned to his father and asked, “You specifically requested our team. What’s the job, Father?”
Lord Ghalen’s jovial nature immediately shifted, and his face became stern and serious. His eyes wandered for a second, momentarily checking if there was anyone at the door, then he turned back to the team. “There’s a mine… recently discovered… and it’s right underneath our castle.”
Princess Selina chirped up. “Is it a gold mine?”
Lord Ghalen shook his head. He leaned in closer and kept his answer to a whisper. “It’s gold, silver, iron, and more. I swear, I’ve never seen such a motherlode of metals. That alone would make it a fortune, but that isn’t the significant factor.”
What in the world could be bigger than finding a mine with all sorts of precious metals? Garret pondered. To his shock, Aven replied in his mind. ‘There could be dragon essence down there, too.’
“The thing is,” Lord Ghalen then continued, “the rocks around these metals aren’t stone. They’re charred crystals. You know what that means.”
Dragon essence. Aven, you were right.
Null raised a question. “Wouldn’t that be good? House Vilfort could reap the fortune of the mines and offer the area for future dragon summoner candidates. Every academy would pay a handsome fee to gain access. I’m sure the royal family would do the same.”
“That’s all right and true,” Lord Ghalen said, “but every attempt we’ve made to initiate an excavation or to explore has gone awry. A week after we discovered the mines, a man burst through the crowds when I was at the Caerleone market and attempted to assassinate me with a poisoned dart. Then, just two days ago, someone murdered one of our servants and took their place. They poisoned our food. I would’ve eaten it if our cook hadn’t noticed that there was someone unfamiliar among the servants.”
Garret seethed in anger. “How dare someone even consider attacking you, Father. It’s unacceptable.”
“And for what?” Princess Selina asked. “Even if they were to succeed in their attempts, Lord Grahm would simply continue with your initial plans for the mines. Assassinating you would achieve nothing.”
“Perhaps, in the long run,” Null noted, “but it could give these people an advantage in the short term.”
Lord Ghalen nodded. “That’s exactly the point. Someone wants access to these mines, and they want to use a major death or event to their advantage. That’s not a good sign. By law, only graduates from an academy like this one are allowed to become dragon summoners. I fear someone aims to enter the mines underneath my castle to illegally resonate with dragon essence.”
“Ah,” Garret said when all the pieces came together. “I see now. Our job, if we’re to accept it, is to head down the mines and ensure the operation goes smoothly. If there is another assassination attempt, we’re to apprehend the culprit and discover exactly what their purpose is.”
Lord Ghalen closed his eyes and smiled when his son figured it all out. “Good job, Son. I see that your wits have only improved since coming to the academy. Yes, that is exactly why I hope to hire you. There is a lot riding on the success of this mining operation. We cannot afford someone to take advantage of it for nefarious motives. Of course, that is, if you will accept the task. I’ve heard the rumors while walking through the halls. Apparently, you three haven’t accepted any jobs since your graduation.”
Princess Selina forced a weak smile. “Yes, my Lord, we haven’t accepted any jobs yet. We’ve been waiting for the right one.”
“Does this count as the right one?” Lord Ghalen asked. “Ignore the fact that this comes from House Vilfort. Ignore the fact that this comes from your father, Garret. Just look at the facts. Study the situation.”
Null shrugged. “Well, if it were up to me, I’d take this job. It could be as boring as watching paint dry, especially if the assassins back out after they see dragon summoners patrolling… or it could be one heck of an adventure, should they press their luck.”
Garret glanced at Null and then at his betrothed. The last thing he wanted was for his fiancée to walk straight into the mouth of danger… but she had signed up to become a dragon summoner. Facing danger and mocking death came with the job.
“Okay, Father, we’re in,” Garret said. “We’ll head out right now. There’s no point in wasting time.”
“Good,” Lord Ghalen said after he let out a well-kept sigh of relief. He leaned back on his seat, recalled he had tea, and took a quick sip. It had grown cold during the discourse. He let it slide and continued on, “I have a small retinue at the southern bailey. We can leave whenever you’re ready.”
Garret took the parchment with his father’s formal request. He then handed it to Null. “Absolutely. Null, can you take this to the head minister’s office? Let them know we took the job. You can sign it for Selina and me.”
Null grabbed the parchment and nodded. “I’m on it. I’ll see you at the southern gate.”
Everyone rose, and Garret shook his father’s hand. “Let’s head out then.”
Null was the first to leave Lady Valentina’s office. He walked down the tower stairs, moved past the other offices and residential rooms, and then took a long hallway to the head minister’s tower.
Garret, Selina, and Lord Ghalen went straight to the stables. Waiting for them was a large carriage driven by four horses, flanked by half a dozen knights and Sir Reinholdt, a dragon summoner and one of the most renowned graduates of the Silver Wolf Military Academy.
“I didn’t know you hired Sir Reinholdt,” Garret told his father. “That must’ve been one expensive escort.”
“I only hired him to escort us on our way here,” his father explained. “For the way home, I’ll rely on you three to keep us safe in the Shroud.”
Selina nodded and summoned her dragon. Grael flapped its wings as it floated along in the air. “We’ll do our best, Lord Ghalen. This is my dragon, by the way, Grael’venothyr.”
Lord Ghalen laughed and marveled at the blue-white lightning dragon. In response, Garret summoned Aven and introduced the lone metal dragon in the world to his father. Following these introductions, Garret and Selina relayed the tale of their field examination to Lord Ghalen. It was during this exchange that Null reunited with them. He had a parchment that contained the approval and signature of the head minister.
When they were ready to leave, Garret activated his dragon bone and created a protective shield around their caravan. This would keep them safe in the Shroud, although they knew that stronger monsters would still attempt to attack. That was why most dragon summoners came in teams, ensuring that even if one was resting or had to charge their dragon bone, another could take their place.
Sir Reinholdt bid them farewell, even opening the southern gates for them. With one final wave, the group was off, and they were on the southern trade route that would take them through the small town of Glaenarm and past the Golden Barrows. From there, the roads would lead straight to Caerleone and Castle Vilfort.
It took them about four hours to go around Glaenarm. It was a small town, and Lord Ghalen didn’t want to bother the locals with their presence. Instead of passing through, they took a side road that prolonged their journey by a good thirty or forty minutes. An hour after, they finally reached the Golden Barrows.
Lord Ghalen opened the windows and marveled at the small hills. They were all as big as small houses and arrayed with golden flowers. The grass that covered these hills shone gold, even through the thickness of the Shroud.
“This is my first time seeing the Golden Barrows,” Null whispered as he stared outside.
“Marvelous sight, aren’t they?” Selina asked him. “When I was young, my mother would take us through the countryside often, and we would always take a moment to stop here.”
Garret smiled at his betrothed. “It’s a beautiful place. I would have thought it’d be too dangerous for a picnic, though.”
“Oh, we always hired groups of dragon summoners to keep us safe from the threat of the Shroud.” Selina paused and gave a sheepish smile when she realized she spoke too much of her royal privilege. Even lords like Garret and his father didn’t always have the resources or opportunity to have such leisurely trips as the ones she had enjoyed.
Lord Ghalen turned to Null and asked, “Sir Null, do you know the history of the Golden Barrows?”
Null nodded and recited with confidence, “The Golden Barrows are the burial mounds for the greatest dragon summoners of Fraeldhen. Many of the warriors buried here were metal summoners. A few of them could even summon gold or silver dragons. They all perished, however, before and during the Last War of the Metal Dragons. Lord Garret here is the first known metal dragon summoner in five thousand years.”
Garret suddenly felt a little lonesome upon hearing that. He whispered, just loud enough for his companions to hear, “I have five thousand years’ worth of responsibility weighing down on my shoulders… I pray I do not let anyone down.”
Chapter 3
Two hours further into their journey, Selina suddenly summoned Grael.
“What is it?” Garret asked. He knew something was amiss the moment Selina perked up.
“Did something happen?” asked Lord Ghalen. He glanced at Garret, but his son simply nodded back at the princess.
Selina wore a frown. “I can’t really explain it, but Grael and I… we sensed something. There’s an oddness to the air here. It’s like that feeling one gets right before lightning strikes amidst a storm.”
“I trust her gut feeling,” Garret informed his father. “Tell the coach driver to stop. It’s better we deal with this threat here and now than wait until we arrive at Caerleone, where many bystanders could get caught in the crossfire.”
Null nodded. “I agree, Lord Ghalen. We might be outnumbered here, in the middle of the Shroud, but I’d take those odds rather than endangering innocent people.”
Lord Ghalen didn’t waste another moment. He pulled open a small wooden flap that allowed him to speak directly to the driver outside. “Halt the horses. Tell the knights to stand guard. Something’s wrong.”
The mighty lord reached for his sword, which he kept beside him at all times, but Garret grabbed his father’s hand and shook his head.
“Let us deal with this, Father,” Garret said in a low, heavy tone. “You hired us so let us do our job, which includes keeping you safe. Stay inside, and we’ll take care of this threat.”
“I hope I’m just being overly cautious,” Selina whispered.
“It’s better to make sure,” Null consoled. “Come, let’s go outside with the knights and see what’s troubling you and Grael.”
When they stepped outside, Garret winced as soon as he realized that it was getting dark. The sun was on its way down the horizon, past the hills, and the Shroud covered the little light that remained.
“Selina, can you?” he asked, and she understood him immediately. The princess accessed her lightning magic and created a bright ball of sparking light that floated above them, illuminating the area.
That was when they saw the figures in the fog.
“We’re surrounded! Defend the caravan!” Garret shouted as soon as he saw the enemies waiting for them in the thickness of the Shroud. Surprisingly, they weren’t monsters, but humans arrayed in black armor and wielding edged weapons.
Four of the Vilfort knights charged against the closest enemies while two remained close to the carriage door. This was to ensure they could protect the driver and Lord Ghalen.
Null was the first to unleash his magic. He immediately opened small portals and started punching targets even when they were ten or twenty feet away.
When someone got too close, he would shut down everything and allocate his magic to stop the target with a gravity well. This gave him or one of the knights a chance to attack the helpless enemy.
Selina didn’t settle for the backlines either. She charged to the front, alongside Garret, and started slinging lightning bolts at any target that came too close. She made a great pair with Garret, too, as he had learned to not only summon an iron sword but to also allocate the metal to form a protective, metallic skin.
Whenever an enemy would slash at Selina, Garret would throw his sword at her, and it would automatically transform into a shield to keep her safe. He could then turn it back into a sword for her to wield, and Selina could even manipulate her electric magic to make the sword float for her, allowing her to strike at multiple targets even at a distance.
