The First Archmage

(Gavin)

Neai is massive. It probably has a million or so people, which is a ton, for a city here. Tall stone walls surround the city as well, and I fly over them, ignoring the guards down below and making my way towards the Coliseum, which sits a little before the walls surrounding the third ring of the city.

The city is divided into three rings total, with the outer ring seeming to be the common area, the middle being the merchant and upper area, and the inner ring being the wealthy and nobles' area. At least, that's what my assumption says, based on the way the buildings and strees look.

People look at me as I land in their midst, giving me curious glances. I wonder how many of them have Appraisal 5 or higher, and can see my information.

As I approach the Coliseum, wondering how I can pull this off and still make it seem as if I cannot speak their language, I spot a boy with curly brown hair. A distinct characteristic not found on this continent, and it's not Kade…

I use Appraisal on him, looking at the relevant information, of which, there isn't much.

Tyler, 16, Human 2, Fallen Royal 2

So he hasn't really done much training, then…

"Hello, King Tyler," I say in Jozan, and he tenses up, then turns and looks at me, frowning as he looks at me up and down. "It's been awhile, and we only knew each other briefly. I'm Gavin, formerly Wizard, currently Archmage, a Tier IV Class. I'm surprised to see you here, though last time I was on this continent, Kade told me you were on the coast."

Several emotions go through his face, and I get the sense that he's talking to a god. He's not powerful enough to have gained a Blessing that way, so did he befriend a god?

Seems like my kind of guy.

Now let's hope that he doesn't try to fight me on returning to Jozan. It would be much easier to put the actual Heir on the throne than it would be to find someone trustworthy enough to run the Kingdom who holds Jozan's values.

"Gavin," he says in Velusan. "Kade mentioned he ran into you. If-"

"In Jozan, Your Majesty," I interrupt him. "I've spent a fair amount of time not on this continent."

"You don't speak Velusan?" He asks in Jozan.

"Actually," I say. "I'd much prefer it if others didn't know I could understand them. You sounded like you were about to ask a question, before I interrupted you. Forgive me for that, Your Majesty."

"I'm a Fallen Royal," he says. "Not a Royal, Gavin."

"You are still the King of Jozan," I say. "Regardless of whether or not the nation is still active. So long as the spirit of Jozan exists, so too does Jozan, and so too does its royalty. If you would like proof of my power, Your Majesty, I am willing to show you my stats."

"I am aware that you are honest," he looks at a man who approached shortly after, a noble of some sort, judging by his expensive attire and pompous air. The man gives him a questioning look, but Tyler looks back to me, ignoring it. "Though you look younger than I expected."

"When I disappeared," I explain. "I had fallen through a Rift that had formed. I was away for only a day for me, but a year and a quarter passed, here. You have befriended a god?"

Tyler shows a little shock, but quickly covers it up. He has Acting, no doubt, but likely only at Level 1.

"How did you know?"

"The rapid changes in your expression," I answer. "When I greeted you. You were conversing with someone in your head. From what I know, a god can slow down time, to allow them to communicate with someone quicker, taking up less time. I am the Hero of Nies, the God of Blood Oaths."

"My god," he says. "Isn't entirely sure how you managed to gain his liking, but says he's quite amused by it. He also said to tell you that you might be able to have your Blood Quest rescinded without such a penalty to your LIF, and if not, at least extended."

Was Nies planning on ever telling me that?

NIES!

Ah! Screaming in my ears! Wakey-wakey! WHO'S THERE? Oh, hey, Gavin.

Is it possible to rescind or extend my Blood Quest?

Um… yeah. You'll need to go to an altar of mine for that, though. Plus, rescinding your Blood Quest… the requirement set for that, at its current difficulty compared to your stats, is to return your LIF to normal, and lock your ability to increase it. I know how much you hate having your LIF reduced, so I never mentioned it.

Sighing, I send him a bad thought.

That's mean.

Is there another way?

Too much effort.

I'm reducing how much food I give at your altar.

I could always make your Blood Quest have no time limit. However, there would still be a major penalty for you. If I were to extend it instead, crap. I'd have to balance it with your abnormal LIF. Normally, it's a sacrifice of 10 LIF for an extra unit the Quest is in. For you, that's years. Give me some time to think of something I could do.

His presence leaves my mind, and I feel a fair bit relieved. He'd been snoring for fourteen hours.

"You just converse with him?"

"Yes," I answer. "He has to think up something. Apparently, having over 600 LIF and a Hero who doesn't like his LIF being reduced means that he can't do the normal rescinding, and that the regular extensions don't really work."

"You have how much?" His eyes widen a little.

"607 LIF," I answer. "It's also my lowest stat."

"If you didn't come here for me," he says. "Then why did you come?"

"Oberon, King of the Fairies," I answer. "Has requested that I bring his son home, a fairy named Beck."

He's sixteen.

"He's sixteen, according to Nies."

You're welcome.

"Thank you, Nies."

Extra food?

"I'll consider it."

"Pardon?" Tyler asks.

"Something with Nies," I wave a hand. "He's a lazy, yet gluttonous god. He likes eating and sleeping, and that's about all."

I like my tigers, too.

"He also likes his tigers."

A large tiger forms in my vision, cuddling a boy around ten years old with jet-black hair, who looks to be sleeping peacefully.

That's my son!

The tiger?

No, the boy! I also like him! That's my attack tiger!

"Beck," Tyler says, then looks at the noble and speaks in Velusan. "Nick – Gavin here is my nation's most powerful magician. He's here to retrieve the fairy, Beck, and bring it back to its father."

He's referring to Fairies as 'it'. That agitates me quite a lot, but I keep my face passive, calm, devoid of that anger.

Wait.

Nies? How in the hell do you have a son?

When a guy and a girl like each other, they-

I know how babies are made, Nies.

Then don't ask silly questions.

How old is he?

He's ten. He's currently napping. I like him. He naps a lot, and knows good sweets when he sees them. He also knows bad sweets when he sees them. That's a useful skill to have.

Skill Gained!

Sweets Quality Detection: The ability to know how good sweets are by seeing them.

That's… a Skill?

It is, now!

Dear gods…

You're already talking to me.

Dear Oracle…

Talk to Reij.

He actually responded.

Acting is now Level 10!

I guess concealing my surprise at Divine Beings' actions was enough to push that over the edge.

"Unfortunately," the noble says. "I cannot authorize him to be released."

"He says he cannot," Tyler tells me in Jozan. "If he releases it, there is nothing to keep it from attacking us in retaliation, and in addition to that, if it were released, it would refuse to leave without the other fairies here."

"Are outsiders allowed to spar with them?" I ask.

"Nick," Tyler looks back to the noble. "He wishes to know if he may fight it."

Not exactly what I said, but… that is what I was thinking.

"It will be a suicide fight, then," the noble says. "Even our most powerful warriors cannot fight the fairy and win, and he doesn't hold back in matches. You saw what he did to the Jinn, when he went to Aiden's aid."

"You probably would die," Tyler tells me in Jozan. "It used a spell earlier that caused the Fire Jinn to burn from the inside. I don't know what Fire Jinn would be in Jozan, so that had to be in Velusan."

"Translation issue," I say. "That is fine. You are the King, after all."

"I'm not-" he starts, then takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "That fairy is powerful and dangerous. At just sixteen, it can take on older beings that should be far more powerful."

Information, Nies?

You can handle him easily.

"I have made my Title visible to you," I say, and he glances up a little, eyes widening. "I believe that, unless he can also kill one, I will be fine."

"He insists," Tyler looks at the noble. "However, it will not be a fight to the death, as he intends on freeing the fairy."

"Oberon himself requested this of me," I say. "If it means freeing all of them, then I will do that as well. As Oberon is a potential ally for Jozan, I will treat the situation as if someone is holding the prince of an allied nation hostage. Never forget."

Tyler stares at me for several seconds, then sighs.

"Never show mercy," he finishes. "I do not approve of fairies. They-"

"Are a powerful ally to have," I answer. "And the leading experts in Spirit Magic. Michael's tribe will be at our aide, when the time comes. Having the Fairies on our side will be an additional boon. As the traitors grow in power, so too is our need to have even stronger allies."

"I would much rather not owe debts to anyone," he says. "Than to ask the aid of those things. If-"

"Forgive me, Your Majesty," I interrupt him. "For interrupting you, but Michael's tribe is doing it out of loyalty and honor, for a price already paid and an oath sworn to your ancestors. One of Oberon's sons will already aid us in this task. Right now, my only goal is learning Spirit Magic from Oberon himself, and that is what this quest is for. Should he decide to aid us, we can worry about that cost later.

"However," I say. "If your issue with Fairies is that they are Fairies, or that they are not human, I do not care. Your father entrusted me with restoring Jozan, and I will do it, no matter the means required, no matter the species. I am not against any particular one, and will welcome any as an ally, so long as they are honorable in their intent and actions."

"And yet," Tyler says. "I am your King. If I say-"

"I am sworn to Jozan, not to its rulers," I say. "You are my King, but my duty is to the Kingdom. Until its restoration is complete, I will prioritize that over anything you say. After, I will focus on my other goals, only returning to Jozan if necessary, or to visit, or if it's in danger. If befriending the Fairies is what is required to restore our Kingdom, then that is what I will do, regardless of if you like them or hate them."

He stares at me, unsure of how to react.

"Fairies," he takes a deep breath. "Are vile, vicious creatures that-"

"Are hunted by humanity," I interrupt. "Because of what they are. They're forced to fight each other or other species for amusement, and in some cases, tortured for certain things they have, or various other things. There is a reason they dislike humanity. Oberon himself hates me especially, because of my father. And yet I will put that hatred aside to show him that I hold no ill will for him, even if he cursed me upon sight just for who my father is and the fact that I'm human, because I understand what he's thinking."

"Your father?"

"An evil, vile being," I explain. "Who is draining people of their stats, stealing a small portion of them, all to grow more powerful. He wishes to become more powerful than the gods, and reign over all that exists. He tried to pawn off rings on me so he could easily retrieve them when it was convenient for him, likely after I'd grown powerful enough for him to gain a decent boost from. Of course, the idiot told me that whoever was killing beings far more powerful than me was likely after the rings. I didn't know it was him at the time, but that detail alone told me not to accept them.

"Then," I say. "There's the fact that he had months to find me, due to my Bloodline making it so that time passes at the same rate where my brother and I were, and he knew exactly where I was, and yet didn't come to me.

"So while you," I continue my small rant. "Might have an issue with Fairies, try to look at it from both sides, Tyler, and then distance yourself. As a King, you will need to make many decisions involving people that you dislike, or that dislike you, yet not make things worse for you. Befriending a powerful enemy is greater than simply letting them do their own thing.

"Besides," I say. "The Fairy I know isn't so bad, and while these ones might not like me at first, I'm sure I could win them over as well. Since I've learned there are more here than just Beck, I would like to free them all."

Tyler looks at the noble.

"He's insisting on fighting it," he says in Jozan, then corrects himself to Velusan, repeating it. "He has also changed it from freeing Beck to freeing all of them."

"My apologies," the noble looks at me. "Unfortunately, we cannot free so many prisoners, especially not when sending them against our stronger adventurers and human prisoners is what draws the crowds."

"He's not going to let you," Tyler says. "And I'd much rather not have to deal with fairies than to deal with them. That nation is a lost cause."

I flex my Mana Presence, enveloping not just the small area around us, but the entire square we're standing in, laying it on thick and forcing everyone to their knees, all but the strongest of Adventurers around collapsing to the ground entirely – Tyler included.

"If Jozan is a lost cause," I infuse my voice with my Mana, causing it to fill the air itself, vibrating the very fabric of all magic and Mana within its range. "Then its most powerful ally would not have three Tier IV Classes, a Tier II ready to advance to Tier III, and three Tier III Classes ready to advance to Tier IV – and I could do that at any time. Its most powerful ally would not have his lowest stat at over six hundred, and his highest at over nine hundred. Its most powerful ally would not have more than sixteen hundred Mana, and capable of killing Dragons.

"The town that you were held prisoner at," I continue, having command of the attention of everyone still conscious. "Was burned down when I was far, far weaker, simply for having imprisoned my team and doing what they did to all of you. My most powerful spell – one I created specifically to try and kill that Dragon with – the spell I succeeded in killing that Dragon with – costs only 100 Mana. Very few of my spells cost a full point of it. I could obliterate this entire town without a second thought. Do not forget that I can dispel magics, Tyler. If needed, I will break into the Coliseum, dispel the magics on those collars, and bring those Fairies home without his," I point at the noble. "Blessing."

Though to be honest, I only remembered that I could do that as I was talking, and I'm sure some god or other was the reason I remembered. I haven't used it since I dispelled the magic on those tokens from the Guild back when we first met.

"So let me be clear," I continue. "If you will not take your rightful place as King, then I will appoint someone to be the King of Jozan. Either you can take your father's place, or you can truly sever all ties to Jozan. To me, it makes little difference, and only adds to it an extra thing I need to do to restore Jozan. However, it will be restored."

Uh, Gavin? I could do stuff to extend your Blood Quest, but, um… don't forget that you would still have that time limit.

For what?

The demonic force that's sealed away.

I thought the time limit was due to how difficult it would be after five years to bring people back to Jozan's loyalty?

Nah, Blood Quests that can take years just default to five years if it takes more than that, except in some cases. Erm… you weren't made aware. Huh. So you know about the evil force sealed away, that Kar, Jozan, and Kaz are a part of, right? Chief is one of the few from your village aware of it, as they kept it just to the Elders of Kar.

Anyway, you have about four years left on your Blood Quest, and around the same time, that demonic force will break free. It's a fair bit more powerful than the baby Dragon you fought, more akin to a Dragon several decades old.

Also – I came up with an extension, but if you refuse it, it will not be made again, and a new requirement would have to be thought up, so don't expect me to bother. Would you like to hear it? If not, I can tell you at some other point.

What is it?

The Blood Quest will no longer have a time limit, but you will be incapable of gaining Experience until you complete it. Skills can still increase in Level, as they are based off something different. In addition, for the same amount of time it took you to complete the Blood Quest after the Blood Quest finish, you will not be able to increase your LIF. You will also not be able to increase your LIF before you finish the Blood Quest.

So in short, if I accept it, I would not be able to advance any Class, my Species, or Bloodline until I finish the Blood Quest, and nor would I be able to increase my LIF until after a period of time equal to how long it takes me to complete the Blood Quest after the Blood Quest ends.

I can see why it's a one-time offer, as rejecting it now, then increasing stuff, then accepting it, would mean I could become far, far more powerful, and push until the last moment possible to accept the unlimiting.

If it takes me twenty years to complete the Blood Quest, that's forty years without being able to increase my LIF, and I'm the kind of person who keeps doing shit to decrease it…

I don't need to be at an altar to accept that?

Nope. It'd pretty much just be me adjusting the requirements for the Quest, but not quite.

Ah. I don't really want to do it, but if it gives me more time, I'll accept it. I don't like that I can't increase my LIF, though.

Certain methods will still work. All Quests that aren't Blood Quests will still give that 1 LIF, for example. Any Divinity-granted LIF will still be granted. Are you sure you want to accept it?

Yes.

Done. You won't feel a change, but it's there. Anyway, you're still intimidating them with that annoyed look on your face and your Mana Presence. I'd suggest lifting it, before you end up breaking their minds.

I lift my Mana Presence, and it takes several minutes before anyone recovers. The noble was on his knees during that time, but still seems to be heavily affected. He's the first non-warrior to recover, standing and looking at me.

"Can you stand, Your Majesty?" I ask in Jozan.

Tyler shakily rises to his feet, looking pale and unsteady.

"Forgive me for that," I say. "However, I will not allow anything or anyone to stand in the way of my completion of these Quests. If you will not be party to its restoration, then tell me now, so I know now that I need to find a suitable replacement for its leader."

"Give-give me a few days," Tyler trembles.

I may have gone too far with that…

"As for the Fairies?"

He looks at the noble, who looks uneasy.

"He says," Tyler says. "That either you can cooperate with him, or he'll just free the fairies on his own. He can dispel the magic on the collars, and if you try to hurt the fairies using them, he'll probably just kill everyone in the city and burn it down, like he did to Trempar, after finding out they'd held me and a couple others on our team prisoner for a month."

So much for playing nice here, though after my Mana Presence attack, I don't think it would be possible for me to be friends with them. Not likely to increase Jozan's reputation.

The noble nods.

"If he wishes to fight the fairy," he says. "Then I will allow it. If he wants to free any of them, we will need to negotiate it."

"Lead me to the arena," I say, and Tyler passes that on to the noble, who turns and begins walking into the Coliseum.