A Soldier's Life - 360 - Reacquainting Myself With the City (edited 3-18-25 +150 words)

Chapter 360: Reacquainting Myself With the City

I woke in one of the guest rooms of the villa but didn’t quite remember getting myself here. Why did I stop using purify self spell form to eliminate the alcohol in my system? I rolled out of the bed in slow motion and pulsed my healing and purify self spell forms to clear my head.

I recalled I had wanted to let go and enjoy the celebration, first challenging Konstantin and then Benito to a drinking contest. My pounding head faded quickly. I really should have just cheated. I walked to the door and began to orient myself in the small villa. I made my way toward the smell of cooking food.

The kitchen was immaculate, and a middle-aged woman sat as she kneaded dough. Cast iron skillets sizzled with meat and vegetables, and loaves of bread were already baking in the oven. A young girl was at the table reading—or studying—a book. Both the cook and girl turned to me.

I recognized the girl with her thin blonde hair. “Clara, you’ve grown into a beautiful woman,” I said, smiling at her. It had been a year and a half since I last saw her. I had been ordered to kill her brother and her but instead captured them in my dimensional space and eventually released them in Gramney with their mother, Viridia.

The girl broke into a smile at the compliment, “I am twelve—or almost twelve, anyway.” She sat taller, but clearly didn’t think of herself as a woman yet. She got excited and rambled out, “Are you going to do magic for Anna and Mabel today? Can I come along?”

I moved to the counter to examine the offerings being prepared. “Not today, but when I meet them, I will show them a trick or two. Are their stables in the villa?” 

The cook answered, “Mistress Viridia has stables in the merchant quarter along the eastern wall. Her trade caravan horses are stabled there.” 

“Are you going to get all gross and stinky again, and is Mama going to have to clean you up again?” Clara asked, scrunching her nose. I winced as the cook narrowed her eyes at me in distrust. She was referring to when I unlocked my water affinity. The cook looked suspiciously at me and the girl, wanting an explanation. 

“No. That was just a one-time thing. Your mother cared for me when I was very sick and near death,” I explained for the cook’s benefit. The cook seemed to relax a bit at the explanation, but it reminded me that I needed to visit Elaro for him to examine my core. I decided that would be my second stop today. I cut a thick slice of freshly baked bread and folded a ham steak into it. The cook didn’t stop me since she was preparing this feast for everyone at the party last night.

As I was leaving, a golden fig appeared in my palm, delighting Clara and surprising the cook. Even in a world of magic, such wonders still brought joy to children and astonished adults. As I exited the kitchen, the cook was slicing the fig for Clara.

I wandered toward the merchant quarter and, after asking some questions, found the teamster who operated Viridia’s stables. He would confirm with Viridia but assured me that a horse stabled here would be well cared for. Satisfied with his response and demeanor, I entered the city’s upper district.

Elaro’s manner was just as I remembered. The massive ironwood door looked the same, and so did the maroon flag of Milvanoris above it, depicting an eagle clutching a sword and an hourglass in its talons. I knocked firmly, and the door soon opened to reveal the young elf servant who immediately recognized me.

“Young mage, Elaro was aware you had returned to the city and was hoping you would visit,” he said with a slight bow.

I followed him inside, wondering whether it was Castile who had informed him or if he possessed some spies. Elaro was reading in his study and quickly set the book aside. The old elf rose energetically to greet me, “Mage Eryk! Good to see you well!” He embraced me with an elven greeting. “You can leave us,” he said to his servant.

When the door shut, I tried to satisfy my curiosity, “How did you know I was back?"

“When your companion died in Adrian’s Rest, I spoke with Castile. Two of my people and I have been scrying for her. I saw you arrive with the old warrior and the heavyset woman,” he said casually. He moved to pour us both some wine. “I’m sure Castile has already informed you of her progress. The techniques I taught her have enabled her to cast normally, although not as quickly as she was used to.”

I sipped the wine. “Thank you for helping her. She was in a wonderful mood last night and mentioned that her spellcraft has improved every day.” I was not about to tell Elaro that I had given Castile a stash of channeling essences. “I’m here for myself today, though. I want to pay you to analyze my aether core and see if it has healed.”

The elven healer broke into a grin, “I was hoping you would grant me the privilege. You are a most interesting subject, and if you are staying in Gramney, I still want to study you more thoroughly.”

“Maybe another time. We are still coming to terms with Lirkin’s death. You did mention that I would need supervision if I wanted to unlock another affinity,” I said, moderating my words.

Elaro scoffed, “Another? A fifteenth? It would be interesting to study, but I doubt you are stable enough.” He sighed, switching to Elvish. “Impetuous youth. Come, I will examine your core.”

I approached, and we both put our glasses down. I raised my shirt, and his cold hand rested over my heart. It quickly became warm. The feeling of being violated as he sent tendrils of aether into me was unpleasant, and I tried to resist but was unsuccessful. Elaro closed his eyes to focus, and I waited for minutes as tingles of cold, heat, and electricity played inside me.

He smiled as he removed his hand, and I lowered my shirt. “Remarkable. It is mostly healed, and you can safely expand your existing affinities. But the answer is no. Your core is much too small to take another. It looks like an angry child assembled it,” he chuckled.

“I understand. Will aether pool essences expand my core to unlock another affinity?” I picked up the wine and took a sip. It was far too acidic for me, but I pretended to enjoy it, assuming it had cost a fortune.

He nodded, “A two-fold increase should do it, raising your attribute by twenty points.” I winced. “With your convergence ability, it’s not out of reach, but it may take you a lifetime to acquire them.” He shook his head, “Focus on the affinities you do have, Eryk. Fourteen is a remarkable count for any mage.” I nodded, but I was not a mage—not yet.

“If I manage to achieve this feat, can I come to you for support when I unlock another affinity?” I asked.

“Of course! As long as you let me record the experience, it will be an interesting study to see whether you survive or not!” He laughed, and I understood it was Elvish humor—at least, I hoped it was. We talked a bit more about my travels. Even though I had been on the other continent, I hadn’t been near his homeland of Milvanoris, an Elven nation that had been destroyed and turned into a desert by humans.

We also discussed the aid he could provide the company. He had several of his people in Gramney, among them a few mages. He had already been relaying information to Castile, so I aimed to strengthen our relationship. We talked through the morning and into the early afternoon. I left him with two bundles of undried tea leaves from the Manticore Dungeon and a dozen golden figs for his experimentation. I didn’t reveal my alchemical recipe for the aether restorative, as I felt that it belonged to the goliaths. It was their dungeon to use as they wished, and if the valuable harvest inside was revealed to the world, it might attract more than just the Adventurer’s Guild.

I left the residence and planned to visit Ignis next, as I technically owned half of her smithy. My route brought me past Adrian’s Rest, and I paused because the boards had been removed and the windows opened to air it out. I walked to the door to find Benito on his hands and knees, trying to scrub weeks-old blood stains out of the wooden floor. He was drenched in sweat but managed a smile when he looked up. 

From the back kitchen, I could hear Konstantin and Gilda arguing. “If you want me to work in this kitchen, it will need a significant upgrade,” Gilda bellowed. I had almost forgotten that the changeling had been a cook in the Legion. A good cook at that, but she was also a master poisoner—not the best combination for someone running an inn. I stood in the doorway as Konstantin took Gilda’s verbal jabs as she entered the kitchen.

From Lirkin, I learned that all cooks like to do things their own way. Lirkin was accustomed to using old pots, pans, and cauldrons. He mentioned they added flavor. Gilda wasn’t talking about replacing the cooking utensils but instead rearranging things in the kitchen and expanding the wood-fired stove. I watched in amusement as Konstantin listened, probably figuring out how much it would cost him to retain Gilda’s services. Although I doubted she would leave even if he didn’t acquiesce.

“So, Castile just handed you the inn?” I asked, drawing their attention to me. “Just want to remind you one of the rooms upstairs is mine in perpetuity.”

Konstantin grunted, “I’m not running a charity, Eryk. It’s one silver a night for your room to be held.” His serious expression softened slightly, revealing that he wasn’t entirely serious. My funds had bought most of the inn, and I was sure Castile would have informed him of the transaction. 

“Are you sure you should be reopening so soon after…” I left the words hanging.

Konstantin replied sharply, “It is what Lirkin would have wanted, and you dedicated it to Adrian’s memory. It will reopen, and I dare anyone to cause trouble inside while I am here.”

His words had a lot of deeper meaning. Konstantin was still angry, and this was an act of defiance for him against the Empire’s intrusion. I still thought he would run the inn into the ground with his coarse attitude. “Fine. What do you need from me?” 

Konstantin smirked, “Since you own half the inn with Castile and I’m just managing it, your contribution would be appreciated to help reopen it. Castile was still paying the staff even though they weren't working, so I hope to have them back tomorrow. Go talk to Blaze upstairs; he can tell you what we need.”

I turned around and saw the futility of Benito’s work. “Benito, go find a void mage to clean this up or purchase an alchemist’s cleaning solution. I’ll pay for it.” A relieved Benito nodded and hurried out of the room. 

I climbed the stairs and found Blaze in the room that was reserved for me. Maps of the continent were tacked to the walls, and chalkboards were full of notes. Some of the writing was Castile’s, but most belonged to Blaze. Blaze looked at me and smiled, “Good to have you back. Sorry, I failed in protecting Lirkin.”

“Don’t shoulder the blame yourself, Blaze. Firth was always a pixie prick, and we will see justice served. What is this?” I indicated the walls.

“Notes Castile was collecting rumors, events, skirmishes, and political inclinations. It’s not everything; there’s a more complete room beneath Viridia’s villa. This,” he pointed out, “was preparation for Mateo, Benito, and me to go after Firth.” I nodded in understanding. He was plotting behind Castile’s back to seek revenge.

“Show me what you learned…”

I spent the next hour as Blaze guided me through the room layout and his notes. The information was organized into three categories: facts, information that was probably true but acquired as rumors, and rumors that were likely false—but you could not discount them out of hand, as there was always a thread of truth in them. They didn’t discard anything they learned; they simply archived it. When he reached the maps, they were in the process of identifying the most likely locations where Firth, Wylie, and his remaining Hound would be assigned in the shrinking Empire. 

Most of their reliable facts came from Duchess Veronica Angella in Sobral City. She had not ventured forth from her province, but it had grown substantially in population in the last two years and began to become a trading hub. This meant a lot of merchants and nobles passed through regularly and dined with her.

“Linus is responsible for her Citadel guards,” Blaze concluded his extensive review of the boards. Linus, who had once served as the company medic, was injured before the Emperor's assassination. After the battle, he entered the service of the Duchess and became an informant for Castile. “We planned to head there and follow the trail to Firth. Given his failure here, we believe he will be assigned to patrol the southern border, where the goblins are strengthening their position. To our knowledge, he has not yet reported to his Centurian commander.”

I studied the wall for a moment before nodding. “When you’re ready to go, let me know,” I added, somewhat firmly, feeling guilty for not being there. “But we won’t go without informing Castile,” I added. I didn’t say we would need Castile’s permission, but I wasn’t going to leave without telling her. Blaze smiled and nodded. I spent the evening chatting with Blaze about lighter topics.

Blaze was mentoring Marius in swordsmanship and archery, but the boy favored the blade. Besides that, Bentio and he had been taking some short-term bodyguard assignments in the city at the Adventurer’s Guild for some extra coin. I left the inn late in the afternoon with one more stop planned for the day. I was off to visit Ignis’ forge.

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