"Like this?"
"Yes, exactly. With a natural treasure like this Fire-Aspected Golden Leaf in your Spatial Ring, alongside the trove of other Magic Herbs you have, there is a nonzero chance of a dangerous interaction or explosion. Here, I have a spare Spatial Pouch you can have."
Dorian smiled as the friendly Wizard, a man named Quint he learned, handed him back his Spatial Ring, intact with all of his belongings, as well as a gold colored leaf, tinged with red and a small brown pouch.
'That wasn't at all how I thought this would go down.' He mentally shrugged.
When the Wizard had surrounded him with his bodyguards, essentially ambushing him in the alley, Dorian had prepared himself to smash them away with no regard. He was a powerful, Lord Class expert now. No longer did he need to cower or run.
His initial expectations had been proven completely wrong. Back on Earth, he'd read some fantasy stories where thieves would ambush someone in a dark alley, robbing them of their belongings.
He'd thought he'd found himself in a similar situation. He'd even handed over his ring to see what the Wizard would try.
He shook his head, smiling slightly. This was real life, after all. Just because he'd read of fantasy situations like that in books on Earth didn't mean things would go the same way here.
"My apologies for the rude interruption." The Wizard said, bowing slightly to Dorian.
"The danger present to you, and to those around you, was too severe."
Dorian looked down at the Golden Leaf.
He had been gifted it earlier by Bella. It was a rare Natural Treasure, according to Ausra, one that was imbued with Fire Energy, as well as strings of Life Energy. It was a useful ingredient in forming Pills that healed injuries to the soul, and could also be used to gain a temporary feel for the Law of Fire.
He didn't know what he would do with it yet. With his Ifrit form, Dorian didn't feel like he exactly needed a closer connection to the Law of Fire. Even when he practiced his magic in his other forms, he still maintained a strong connection that vastly accelerated his learning speed.
He could now perfectly cast the Fire Magic: Flame Swords Spell, an Earth Class Spell. He'd gained such a mastery for it that he felt comfortable starting a new spell later on today.
Fire Magic: Blazing Sword. A complex, Sky Class Spell. The first Sky Class Spell he would attempt, skipping over other Earth Class Spells. It was very similar to his Flame Swords in that he was forming a sword made out of fire. Only, this sword would be much larger, at nearly 5 meters in length. A powerful, destructive spell.
The gap in difficulty and complexity between each spell was significant. However, Dorian's Ifrit form was essentially a cheat when it came to Fire Magic, one that he intended to take full advantage of.
They weren't called the Rulers of Flame for nothing, after all.
"No, you're fine. It's rare to meet someone with real, honest intentions." Dorian spoke aloud, his focus returning to the blue robed Grandmaster Wizard.
He was honestly surprised by the genuine concern the Wizard showed. After living in the 30,000 Worlds for as long as he had, he'd come to expect dishonesty and betrayal.
If it was real, that was. Dorian couldn't help but hold a slight seed of doubt.
"Ah, well." The Wizard began, patting on his shoulders as if to build himself up,
"As a member of the Free School of Thunder, it is my obligation to warn others of the dangers they may be in." He said grandly. Or, well, he attempted to say grandly. His tone fell rather short, though he gave it a good try. He didn't quite have a deep enough voice to make it work.
The name vaguely rang a bell in Dorian's head. When he'd researched the powers in the 30,000 Worlds, he'd read a few sidenotes about groups that were powerful, but not as significantly powerful as, say, the Borrel Autarchy. The Free School of Thunder was one of them, if he recalled correctly, but he wasn't too sure. The information he'd read had said little about them.
"I'd recommend you find a use for that natural treasure as soon as possible. The distinct air it gives off is recognizable to anyone that has spent time with natural treasures before. Less generous souls than me might attempt to take advantage of your low strength." Quint nodded at him, giving him advice.
Dorian smiled internally. His human form, indeed, didn't give off a particularly powerful Aura. His true strength, however, was far from weak.
Still. He appreciated Quint's kindness.
"Well, thank you anyway. I will take your words to heart." Dorian shook hands with the odd Wizard.
"Yes, so will I. They were good words." Quint nodded, completely serious.
"Well, I must be off. I have a long journey to make, to a land of danger and peril, full of great treasure and wonder. To a set of ruins that are legendary!" The Wizard began, his eyes shining.
Dorian's eyes narrowed slightly when he heard this.
"Are you, perchance, journeying to the Ascension Ruins on Magmor?" He queried.
Quint gave Dorian a winning smile,
"No, of course not. Why would I want to go there? I'm obviously going to Blizzaria, to one of the many ancient ruins there. Why else would I be in this city?"
"Um- no- right, yes. Ah. Of course." Dorian stuttered, stumbling over his words in surprise at the abrupt answer. He mentally berated himself. Everyone he met wasn't going to be heading to the same place as him. The world didn't revolve around him.
"It's okay, young man. Just keep up your practice. I'm sure you'll gain the strength to stand on your feet proudly one day, just like me." Quint patted Dorian on the shoulder, ignoring the fact that Quint himself was almost certainly younger than Dorian, and then motioned at his two warriors. In a group they turned around and left the alley, leaving Dorian with a friendly wave.
Dorian watched them go, his hands held out slightly to the side in consternation. He stored the natural treasure in the Spatial Pouch, after looking it over to make sure it was just a normal pouch. It was. He then shook his head.
"What an odd fellow. I wonder if their whole School is like that?" He shrugged,
"Well, time to go prepare to leave."
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
The next day…
"Fire Magic: Blazing Sword." Dorian clasped his hands together as he focused, looking at the air above him.
A vast number of magic symbols flashed through his head, sparkling about with color, light, and energy. He guided the power of his soul into a deep pattern, one he focused on fully.
Not a moment later, the image of a large, 5 meter long sword of fire began to appear in the air. The sword was roughly a meter thick, shaped like a heavy broadsword. Sparks and embers fluttered off of it, cascading into the air.
WHOOSH
The sword collapsed in on itself, sending up a small explosion of flames as Dorian's concentration wavered, missing a single symbol in the chain he was forming.
"Damn it." Dorian watched the flames flash into the air and sparkle, quickly fading behind him as he journeyed forward.
He was currently sitting down on the edge of a large, floating ship. This ship was made entirely out of wood, a ship very similar to one that William was able to cast. A Wood Magic Spell. The ships were formed by Wood Magic in addition to a special type of magic artifact that allowed for long-term usage.
This ship was soaring through the sky, following a group of 8 other ships in front of them. Each ship spanned nearly a hundred meters in length, with large, billowing sails of magic energy propelling them forward.
According to Bella, this was a chartered 'Fast Caravan' that they had joined. A magical transport service that was operated by a transport group, the Tone Transportation Alliance. They were actually a B+ rated mercenary team that offered protective transportation to anywhere on Paxital, and to many other planets within range.
Including even certain regions of Blizzaria.
Paxital was not controlled by any single great power, partially as a result of its location near the borders of the Shade Commune, one of the small, yet influential, Vampire Families, and the Borrel Autarchy. As a result of that, mercenary groups or smaller powers held a much greater sway.
While the resources on Paxital weren't vast, as it was a Lesser World, its function as a hubworld, and nearness to treasure troves like Blizzaria, made it a lucrative location.
"Woah." Wind whipped past Dorian as he leaned over the rail, watching as the sparks of flame fizzled out. His hair in his human form fluttered.
There was an invisible layer of energy protecting the ship from any discordant wind as it soared across the continent, flying at a fast speed. With it like this, they would be able to reach the edge of the continent in a mere 2 days, traveling hundreds and thousands of miles with ease and comfort.
"I didn't catch that you were a Fire Wizard." A calm voice caught Dorian's attention as he stepped away from the edge.
Dorian turned to face the speaker. It was Bella, the Luck Wizard.
He shrugged,
"There are many things that I am."
A peaceful calm settled as the echoes of the rushing wind faded from Dorian's ears. This entire ship had been rented and reserved for their team. The other ships were chartered for different groups or people.
Excelsior was one of the premier cities on the continent and had a large concentration of powerful figures. Blizzaria was largely considered a dangerous land of treasure and adventure, so it was little surprise.
As a result, it regularly had caravans like this one moving back and forth between different popular areas.
"I wanted to ask you something, Bella." Dorian continued, turning his full focus to her.
Bella gave him an inquisitive look, and then waved him on,
"Would you mind telling me a little about your Luck Magic? I've never heard of it before and was just curious how it works. It sounds incredible!" He put on his best impression of a layman.
"It sounds like you can change the Fate of anyone at will!"
Bella blinked for a moment, lost in thought, before replying,
"Well, sure. Since you're coming with us, I don't mind." She nodded,
"My Luck Magic, and the Law of Luck I study, isn't as grand as you imagine. It just lets me affect the odds of something happening, as long as it is related to me. The less something is related to me, the harder it is to affect it."
Internally, Dorian narrowed his eyes. It sounded very similar to his own unique soul twisting Fate.
"It's hard to use, even for me. Breaking into the Lord Class was one of the hardest things I have ever done, and my grandest accomplishment in life. My power makes me a perfect support teammate, and is part of why I formed my 'Warrior Women' mercenary team." She continued,
"My father had his own team, called the 'Brash Boys.' A ridiculous name, I know, but he was a bit ridiculous in his time." She smiled as she talked, her eyes growing distant as she spoke of her father.
Dorian nodded, listening attentively.
Meanwhile…
Several thousand meters away, a very different conversation was taking place.
"Are you ready, Lord Hadrion?" A cynical voice called out,
"Stop calling me that. I already told you I have nothing to do with that Black Lightning Wizard prodigy." A gruff, older voice responded, full of irritation.
"You share the same name-"
"It's Hadron, damn it. Not Hadrion. Completely different."
A large, floating boulder stood roughly two thousand meters in the air, drifting in between a few low clouds. This boulder was nearly 50 meters wide, with a largely flat top. It appeared to be made of some dark brown rock, and gave off faint particles of energy. A creation of Magic.
On this rock, a large team of warriors and Wizards milled about, waiting patiently. They all wore black robes or black armor, alongside black masks and hoods, hiding their appearances completely.
Two Wizards stood at the front of the group, talking to each other. They appeared largely the same as the 4 other Wizards in the group. Donning simple black robes and masks, hiding their appearance.
Hadron sighed, looking at his comrade,
"My Collision Magic is far superior to his, anyway, David. I'm just a step away from breaching into the King Class, and dominating on my own." His voice was full of gruff confidence.
"Sure, sure." The other Wizard, David, replied, waving his hands in surrender. David paused for a moment, looking around the floating boulder.
"Don't you think our forces are a bit overkill? 22 Lord Class warriors, and 6 Lord Class Wizards, including you and I at the Peak? It's just a small B- team. Hardly worth such a great effort."
Hadron shrugged,
"It is what it is. Leader wants no room for error or mistakes. You know how he is about little things. We must be getting close to taking over Paxital."
"Now…" Hadron's eyes flashed under his mask as he looked forward, into the distance.
At a caravan of wooden ships that were soaring through the sky, passing by them right now.
"Let's get on with it then." He clapped his hands loudly, turning to face the other masked warriors and Wizards.
"Everyone, prepare yourselves to attack! Last warning!"
.
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