The First Archmage

(Tyler)

"Lord Jozan," a soldier approaches me.

Alan, Human 3

I seriously need to increase my Appraisal, and soon. Fortunately, few people have it, and fewer still have it at Level 3, so I'm safe. There's only one person I've come across on this continent who can see my Class, and he's shown no inclination to using it against me, nor to sharing it with others.

At least, only one person who has revealed he can see it. His Appraisal Resistance is high enough to resist my Appraisal, making me wonder what, exactly, he has faced in his life that allowed him to bring it up so high.

Not that it matters right now.

"How may I help you, Alan?" I ask, and he looks stunned for a moment.

As far as I'm aware, we've never met before, so he's probably wondering how I know his name.

Someone as young and weak as me never has a god's Blessing.

"Duke Thornly requests your presence," the soldier answers. "I am to escort you there."

I nod, and he begins walking. I follow him to a conference room, where Nick sits at a table, a couple of maids standing at the ready. I sit down, and a maid pours me a glass of wine. I sip it. A little bit more bitter than usual.

"Dismissed," Nick waves a hand, and the soldier leaves. The Duke looks at me. "You've been in our town two months now, yes?"

"That is correct."

"And yet," he says. "You haven't been to the Coliseum once."

"I'm not interested in watching fights like that," I respond. "When you intentionally pit a weaker opponent against a stronger one, and his death is drawn-out for nothing more than entertainment, I find no pleasure. I'd much prefer seeing an all-out fight than something so ridiculous."

"Why don't we attend the Coliseum?" He suggests. "You can watch a show, and see if you like it."

"When a demon is bored," I say. "It will chase a human around, possibly for days. No matter what the human does, it cannot damage the demon, and in the end, the demon gets bored and kills it. Many demons won't just kill the human, though, but begin to rape or eat it while it's still living, sometimes both, sometimes in that order. It does that because it's bored, and other demons find interest in that, often watching just for their own amusement, or even participating."

Nick stares at me as he processes what I said. His Acting Skill is good enough that he doesn't show his actual feelings on me comparing humans to demons. They are something of myth and legend, and not at all real, as far as I'm aware. The story of their hunts, however, was not invented by me.

"I see," he says. "Why don't we watch a few matches, then, after, if you still find no interest, I can have them put two opponents of similar strength against each other?"

"How do you qualify 'similar strengths'?" I ask. "A warrior and a magician could have similar strengths in their own Classes, but if that magician specializes in ranged combat magics, and that warrior with a sword, then would not that allow the magician to be superior? Indeed, even a weaker magician could take on a stronger warrior.

"Continuing that," I say as he attempts to speak. "You could say that two soldiers are of similar strengths, but their mindset and training could put them on two entirely different levels, even if they had the exact same stats, Skills, and Classes, and all at the same Levels."

He contemplates my response, several minutes passing before he opens his mouth to speak again.

"That may be," he says. "However, the circumstances at the time could change the entirely. If, after a few matches of that, you aren't bored, then I am sure we can find some other way to pass the day away, and I will owe you a favor."

"Very well, then," I say. "The latter option is the most likely to entertain me, as long as they are going all-out, and it isn't one-sided. Otherwise, I will find it nothing more than barbaric."

Nick nods, then we leave, entering a carriage outside his manor. It leads us out of the Inner Ring and into the Middle Ring, stopping in front of the Coliseum, a circular arena three hundred feet in height and built entirely of stone.

We make our way inside and to the Duke's seats, attendants arriving to bring us food and drink to consume as we watch the matches going on. The current fight is between two humans, a man and a woman, and the man is clearly the superior, and only toying with her.

It's disgusting, especially when the crowd yells for him to force himself on her. Concealing my disgust from that – especially when he complies – must not be within my Acting ability, because Nick sighs.

"Not your thing?"

"I find it disgusting," I answer.

"If it were two males, would that be more to your tastes?" He asks. "I know-"

"I find rape disgusting."

He falls silent for several seconds, then walks to the edge of the booth, holding his hand out, a thumb down. As the crowd notices it, they begin calling for blood. When the warrior realizes that it's the Duke calling for death, he finally reacts, snapping the woman's neck.

The Duke speaks with an attendant as the warrior adjusts his clothes, then waits for the next challenger.

"This will be a little more one-sided," the Duke says. "But I'm sure you'll enjoy it. After, we'll pit it against another of its kind."

It?

So he's sending one of their captive fairies in for battle.

A few minutes after that comment, the gate opposite us opens, and a boy who appears around ten or eleven walks out. He has nut-brown hair and eyes, and is dressed in a threadbare tunic, a frayed rope tied around his waste, and a silver collar around his neck. The two humans did as well. Some sort of imprisonment binding?

Aiden, Fairy 4

"How old is it?" I ask.

"I'm not sure," Nick answers. "He was here when I was assigned to this town twenty or so years ago."

Fairies don't age past ten or eleven, and few will ever look twelve. This Fairy could be forty or fifty, or even two hundred. Its Species is low, but still decent, for a Fairy, so it's probably at least four or five decades.

The warrior looks at the fairy, then up at Nick.

"The agreement was human-only!" He yells.

The fairy looks at Nick, who watches the two of them, nodding slightly. A gong sounds.

Then, the fairy's lips begin moving. From this distance, I can't hear it, but it's probably doing a chant for a Spirit. The warrior turns around, then attacks the fairy, which moves to the side, its movement too quick for my own eyes to catch.

That was fast.

No wonder the warrior isn't happy about being pit against a fairy.

It finishes its chant, then flames begin to swirl around it, the vortex lasting only a few seconds before exploding forward, burning the warrior. The warrior screams, scrambling back as he smacks at his body.

In his distraction and pain, he loses focus of the fight, and the fairy lunges forward, his fist connecting with the warrior's face. The warrior flies backwards several feet, then crashes to the ground, the fairy appearing above him, bringing a foot down and into the warrior's face.

I check the warrior, and see no stats. He had them before.

Deceased, just like that.

"Tch," Nick says. "He's been talked to before about killing his opponents."

"I prefer it when they don't hold back," I state. "Though it was too one-sided."

"There is a prisoner," Nick says. "That we pit Aiden against, when we need a crowd. Him and some of the other fairies. The strongest prisoner we have, who isn't a fairy. Aiden won't kill him. They only fight until they reach a draw, as is their orders. However, we believe that if the two were to go all-out, the result would be the same as when they fight – the other warrior winning."

Nick says something to an attendant as the corpses are cleared off the field, the fairy watching silently, but not moving from his spot, and a few minutes later, a new warrior floats through the far gate.

This one stands nine feet in height, with a thick, meaty body devoid of hair or clothes. Its skin is crimson in color, its eyes a blazing orange. Two black horns protrude from its head, and its ears are a little pointy, curving back a little. A pair of tusks protrude from its lower lip, and its legs merge together past the knees, forming an almost tail-like appendage, surrounded by a sort of mist.

A necklace of bones hangs around its neck, a golden link on each wrist and ankle. It also has the silver collar the other prisoners I've seen have, so it's likely my initial assumption – something to bind them, in case they try to escape.

Ta'Avar, Fire Jinn 9

I've never heard of Jinn before, but this thing is ugly. And why is it naked? To show off its assets? Blech.

"What is it?" I ask.

"A Jinn," Nick answers as the Jinn and the fairy examine each other, likely waiting for the signal to fight. "Ordinarily, they aren't physical beings, but we managed to capture one. This one is a Fire Jinn, and all of its powers are exclusively fire-based. Its Experience Rate is roughly two-thirds a human's."

"Why is it naked?" I ask. "Even the fairy is dressed, and fairies aren't known for wearing clothes, unless it's armor for war."

"Quite ugly, yes?" Nick chuckles. "We think it does that to disturb its enemies, though the fae just attack it without care."

"I look forward to seeing it die."

"I don't believe," he says. "The Jinn will lose to the fairy."

"If it wins," I say. "Send in a stronger fairy than that one."

Nick gives a small nod, and the gong sounds. The fairy begins its chant as the Jinn raises a hand, sending a wave of flames at the fairy. The fire surrounds the fairy, but when they fade away, it's unharmed, chanting.

Did it do a protection chant, then switch while that was active?

The fairy ignores the Jinn's fire magics as it chants that single spell, a massive vortex of flames beginning to form around the Jinn. It closes in on the Jinn, which comes only look furious, floating towards the fairy, which runs to the side.

They battle it out with fire for a bit, the fairy taking longer to cast spells, the Jinn casting more, but they don't seem to be doing much to each other.

This isn't entertaining in the slightest.

After nearly ten minutes of battle, the crowd yelling for an end, the gong sounds again, and the Jinn and the fairy stop, looking confused. Battles aren't normally ended early.

Nick walks to the edge of the booth, looking down at the two creatures. He holds a stone up to his mouth.

"Prisoners and guests," he says, his voice echoing through the arena. "Today, we have an esteemed guest, Lord Tyler, of a distant nation, here to observe the fights. He is, however, quite bored by fights where blood doesn't necessarily come. Nor is he pleased with one-sided fights, like between the fae and the humans.

"And so," Nick continues. "Until he is satisfied, fights will go without restraint. If a warrior is able to satisfy him with their fight before the sun goes down, then they will be given a week-long rest, to be done at my manor."

The crowd begins murmuring to themselves as Nick sits back down, and I look at him.

"It's been six years," he says. "Since I granted a rest to any prisoner for a feat, allowing them the luxury of my manor. It was a human, and the other prisoners were quite jealous of him. He didn't last long, once he returned. The others used dirty methods, though I don't really disprove of those. He never made it to another fight against a fae."

This will both incentivize and deter winning. However, the implication that the fights are to the death means that both sides will fight until the other is dead.

The Jinn performs some spell, and the fairy is thrown back, screaming, its clothes burning, its flesh darkening.

So the Jinn has been holding back in its power…

Shame. I want it dead, and soon.

Roots burst up from the packed-dirt floor of the arena, surrounding the fairy, and its screams fade away. The Jinn looks stunned.

"That little-!"

"What?" I calmly interrupt Nick's outburst, and he takes a deep breath, holding it for several long seconds before letting it out, the Jinn roaring and trying to burn the roots away. "That wasn't the fairy?"

"Not that one," he snarls. "We have twenty fairies imprisoned here, and one of them is more powerful than the others. Much more powerful. We've talked to him before about interfering in fights, when the fairies' lives are in danger, but he just doesn't listen!"

A sapling forms in the center of the arena, quickly growing into a massive flower with pink petals, blooming, a fairy standing in its center. It's dressed in a fine, green tunic with silver trim, a black, leather belt with a silver, flower-shaped buckle around its waist. A silver collar around its neck denotes it as a prisoner here.

The fairy has brown hair and ocean-blue eyes, and glares at Nick, before turning and walking over to Aiden.

Beck, Fairy 8

Fairies have one of the lowest Species Leveling rates out of all Species. If this one is Level 8, just how old is it? How did they capture it? How powerful is it really?

I really wish I had Appraisal Level 3 already, so I could view Classes.

Appraisal is now Level 3!

How convenient…

Thanks, Len.

That wasn't me, it was just time for it to go up, with how often you use it, and the various things you use it on.

Thank you anyway, Len.

You're welcome.

I check the fairy again.

Beck, Fairy 8, Royal 15

A Royal? He's related to Oberon?

I check the Jinn.

Ta'Avar, Fire Jinn 9, Firebringer 23

Damn, is this thing powerful. What's his Secondary Class? Beck might have one, if he's been fighting in here, or he might not. Judging by the level of power of that root-shell he put up around Aiden, he likely has one.

But still… if his Primary Class is only 15, how could he be so much more powerful than then Level 23 Firbringer?

"YOU DARE!" The Jinn roars.

Beck glances at the Jinn, which then flies backwards, slamming into the arena's wall. A moment later, a dozen spears float in the air around Beck. They look ordinary, but the way the Jinn hesitates after seeing them tells me that they're likely charged with some sort of power that can severely injure the powerful monster.

"That's him," Nick sighs. "Beck, our most powerful prisoner. We can't pit him against others, due to his sheer level of power. Only the collar keeps him here and under our control – but not the one on him. No, it's the collars on the other fairies that keeps him here. So long as there is a single fairy imprisoned here, he will not dare attack us, for we will use them against him. Capturing him was a sheer stroke of luck."

"How old is it?"

"The time I managed to get him to show me his basic information," Nick responds. Basic information only shows name, Species, and age, and nothing else – not even Species Level. "It said he was fourteen. That was two years ago, so… I'd say he's around your age."

My age, and its Species is already Level 8, its Primary Class at Level 15? Just how did it gain so many Levels so fast? It's a fairy!

Beck walks over to the shell, which unfolds itself, the roots sinking back into the ground. The spears remain in the air, aimed at the Jinn.

Beck picks up the sobbing fairy, lips moving in some sort of brief chant, and the other fairy begins to glow with a faint, golden light.

The Royal Fairy walks back to the flower in the center of the arena, stepping into it, and the petals fold back up over it, and the flower fades away, the spears lingering for a moment, then launching into the Jinn, which screams, its skin bubbling, then turn black, charred, the smell of burnt flesh filling the arena as the Jinn cooks from the inside, turning into nothing more than ash by the time it finishes.

The crowd has fallen silent, no one daring to make a sound.

Nick sighs.

"We're going to have a serious talk with him," he says. "Interrupting a fight is not allowed, and this? This just went too far beyond. I'll punish him, Aiden, and a few others, to make it clear that this will not be tolerated."

"Why don't we leave for now?" I ask. "Let it recover? I actually found that a little amusing."

I'm not sure if anyone else noticed, but the Jinn pissed and shit itself when it saw the spears.

Nick concedes, and we leave, making our way outside and to the carriage.

"Hello, King Tyler," a voice says in Jozan, and I stop in my tracks.

When I recover from the fear of an assassin finally tracking me down, I turn and face the speaker, a boy around a year younger than me, with blond hair and ocean-blue eyes. His body is solidly-built, with squared shoulders, a chiseled jaw, and an authoritative and uncaring look in those eyes.

He's dressed in a simple, black and violet tunic, black pants and boots, and a violet belt wrapped around his waist. His clothes aren't made of any material I know of, and Appraisal fails against him.

"It's been awhile," he continues speaking, staying in Jozan. Why does he seem so familiar to me? "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."

Oh. That's why he looks familiar.

Wait.

Archmage?

In just barely more than two years, he went from a Tier I Class to a Tier IV? Is he lying, or is he really a Tier IV Class?

He's honest, Len speaks into my mind, the familiar feel of his time-slow taking effect. What does he have to say to me that will cause him to do this? And why would he do it? Gavin isn't patient often, and I'd rather not upset him, or I'll get an earful from Nies.

The God of Blood Oaths?

And the one who Blessed Gavin. Well, hijacked Ekre's offer to Bless Gavin. Gavin is the most powerful human in the world, Tyler. He still wishes to restore Jozan, and with the power he has acquired, as well as the team he's formed and the allies he's making, doing so would be no difficult feat.

However, he is not here for you. Rather, this is mere coincidence. He is here to gain favor with the Fairy King, by bringing his son, Beck, back to the fairies' realm. Best pretend like I didn't tell you that, though. I'm not sure what he'll say, and I'd rather not get chewed-out by Nies again.

Alright.

Also, tell him that he can be relieved of a Blood Quest of that caliber without his LIF being restricted to not-growing anymore, though Nies would still probably drop it down to a normal amount, and probably require some other stuff, if he doesn't restrict his growth. No better way to piss Gavin off than to remove his LIF and to restrict its growth, yes? Yeah… that's why he hasn't bothered asking Nies to lift the Blood Quest.

Blood Quest?

He has five years to restore Jozan, Len explains. Though it's a little less than four years, now. Or is it three years? Something like that. He could also ask for extensions, if he'd prefer that over sacrificing it entirely. Those are costly, too.

Okay…

Just let him know that, Len tells me. He won't be happy about sacrificing his LIF, but he might do it, to give him more time.

"Gavin," I say. How did he get so strong. "Kade mentioned he ran into you. If-"

"In Jozan, Your Majesty," he interrupts me, though his tone is respectful.

Either he's a good actor, or he actually sees me as his King.