Sybilla woke up in the House of Healing and Rigo met her after she awoke. Sybilla followed Rigo through the portal to the Scar and when they arrived, Rodring appeared riding on a Horse, and then instructed Sybilla to join Rigo and assist him in driving his wagon. Sybilla looked out into the darkness of the Scar and saw craters caused by impact force, still burning from the raw destructive power unleashed by some great cataclysm. Sybilla sensed that magic had been unleashed similar to the battle against the demon horde at Dor-Gata, and worried that some dire fate had drawn demons, which left Rodring to lead the caravan to Kalavahn.

  “Did the demons attack again? What caused all this destruction? Where is my master and the chief warrior?”, Sybilla wondered.

  “Them? They’re doing just fine. They decided to have a contest of magic. They summoned more and more, bigger and bigger storms, until Thraxor passed out, fell over, and we threw him in the larder to sleep it off. Radikor wants to be left alone in the Emporium, until we reach Kalavahn.”, Rodring explained.

  Sybilla realized that Rigo’s wagon had no Horse, until Rigo sat in the driver’s seat next to her. Then a horse’s skeleton appeared in front of the wagon, rising from the ground, attached to the reigns and wagon’s axel, and ready to pull the wagon.

  “Do you have a problem with Rigo using necromancy like this?”, Sybilla asked Rodring.

  “We’ve had this conversation several times. Yes, Rigo is using necromancy. But as you can see that is a horse. It maybe an undead horse, but still just a horse, in it’s current state it feels no pain, and most importantly it is not human.”, Rodring explained.

  “It’s a mule actually.”, Rigo corrected.

  The Skeletal mule pulled the Wagon all the way to the Kalavahn outpost, where a Bishop from the Trinomion church was waiting with the gate guards. As the first wagon approached, the bishop lit a bronze lantern hanging from an silver chain. The bishop stood next to the first wagon, as the Bishop, the two guards, and Rodring watched the smoke rise from the heat. A moment later the wagon was allowed to enter the outpost.

  “What are they doing?”, Sybilla asked Rigo.

  “Checking for demons. The smoke responds to magic, but that’s all I know. You’ll have to ask the church how it works.”, Rodring declared.

  The wagon carrying the blue, red, and black book chests was next to be inspected by the bishop, when Rodring presented a letter. The Bishop glanced at the letter, and assured Rodring that no letters of trade from the Radikor Trading Company could overrule the authority of the Church. The Bishop held up the bronze lantern, and the smoke turned purple.

  “Powerful curses within these tomes…Let me see that letter again.”, the Bishop asked.

  Rodring presented the letter to the Bishop, and the Bishop handed the lantern to Rodring to hold while he read the letter under torches carried by the outpost guards.

  “We aren’t expecting any wizards for at least a fort nite. I will report this to the guard captain. He will most likely instruct the vendors to limit trade.”, the Bishop suspected.

  The wagon that connected to the Angelic outpost was next to be checked, and the smoke immediately turned green, causing distress among the guards and the Bishop. The Bishop hoped that Rodring had a letter to explain why he detected demons from a wagon marked as the House of Healing. Rodring explained that they had performed an exorcism, and the Demons were contained. Rodring jumped from his horse and led the Bishop and one guard into the House of Healing, while Sybilla, Rigo, and the remaining guard watched.

  “Is everything okay?”, Sybilla asked Rigo.

  “How would I know? I’ve been in the House of Healing for a day. I trust Rodring knows what the church is looking for.”, Rigo assured Sybilla.

  A short while later Rodring led the bishop and the guard back into the Scar, and the guard was ready to join the Trinomion Church. The Bishop proudly held up an Angelic Scroll with writing in angelic script. Rodring seemed relieved that the demons imprisoned in the house of healing did not stop their entrance into the outpost.

  The final wagon to be checked was Rigo’s wagon, but when the Bishop saw the skeletal mule, he glanced once at the angelic scroll, once at Rodring, held up the bronze lantern, watched the smoke turn red, and granted us permission to enter the outpost. Rodring rode in alongside Rigo’s wagon.

  “What does red smoke mean?”, Sybilla asked Rodring.

  “Normally red smoke means the presence of blood magic, any kind enhanced with the death and decay of living creatures. But not necessarily demonic.”, Rodring explained.

  Rigo stopped the wagon behind the Caravan, and as soon as he stood up from the driver’s seat, the skeletal mule vanished into the ground. If the Caravan needed to move Rigo’s wagon after the mule vanished, they would have to use a normal horse. Thraxor emerged from the back of Rigo’s wagon dragon his feet and looking around to learn where he now stood.

  “This is the Kalavahn outpost.”, Thraxor realized.

  “Yes, you’ve been knocked out since the you lost to Radikor. Now that you’re awake, you’re in charge. Radikor is in the Emporium, Rigo is working on lunch, and I’m going to the Temple. If you need Sybilla to help you, then you have to help her. Radikor said Sybilla’s supposed to craft a seeing stone.”, Rodring explained.

  Rodring handed a stack of letters to Thraxor, and then departed into the outpost.

  “A seeing stone? That’s easy, we can find everything we need in the outpost. Sybilla follow me, to the guard’s office, then we’ll stop at every vendor who can give us the the materials you need.”, Thraxor instructed.

  “But shouldn’t we see Radikor before we leave?”, Sybilla wondered.

  “Why? What did Radikor tell you to do?”, Thraxor asked.

  “He said when I reach the outpost, I will craft a seeing stone of common quality or better to pass my next test.”, Sybilla reported.

  “So why do you even want to bother Radikor? He will be selling merchandise in the merchant’s quarter all day long. I think he just wants you to do what he told you to do, and to not bother him until you have finished your test.”, Thraxor argued.

  Thraxor dragged his battle axe along the ground as he started to move, but then switched to using the handle as a walking stick to push himself forward. Sybilla followed Thraxor to the lead wagon where Thraxor picked up a long banner wrapped around a decorative spear. The outpost was a wooden fort built around stone ruins of previous structures. Sybilla rememebered how the Scar was like a curse inflicted upon the land, which meant there was something before the Scar. Sybilla imagined that if there were cities before, those cities would have been built along the best trade routes.

  “What’s the spear for?”, Sybilla asked Thraxor.

  “We need to place it in front of the command tower with our banner, for the Trade Company, letting the other members of the Alliance know who’s here.”, Thraxor explained.

  Sybilla followed Thraxor up a hill and, she began to wish she had a long staff to lift herself up the hillside like Thraxor used his axe and the spear wrapped in a banner. When they reached the summit, Sybilla could see the entire span of the outpost. The outpost was not as large as Dor-gata, but she could see the lanterns used to light the pathways of the outpost, and the torches carried by the guards as they patrolled the walls and towers. Each building displayed markers to indicate if they sold or repaired weapons and armor, had food, or rooms for travelers to rest. A large bell held above the command tower rang three times.

  “What does the bell mean?”, Sybilla asked.

  “Three rings. The third watch of the day has started.”, Thraxor explained.

  The command tower was different from a guard tower as it had a base of stone and the top half was made of wood. The command tower also had it’s own defensive wall, and as Thraxor approached the guards only allowed them to pass after Thraxor presented the spear, signifying their membership in the Alliance. Sybilla followed Thraxor behind the defensive wall and Thraxor froze when he saw the rows of spears each displaying a banner of the other Alliance. Thraxor regretfully unrolled the banner and placed the spear at the end of the row.

  “What’s wrong?”, Sybilla asked.

  Thraxor pointed at a black banner with a silver sword, lance, axe, and shield between two jumping horses that mirrored each other. Sybilla compared that black and silver banner to Radikor’s banner which had blue horse drawn wagons, barrels, chests, the symbols of food, and healing. Sybilla realized if Radikor was here for trade and commerce, then whoever the black banner belonged to was some kind of military.

  “That’s the banner of Sunderskar. If there’s a contingent of Sunderskar Soldiers, let’s hope we don’t run into them.”, Thraxor revealed.

  Thraxor led Sybilla into the command tower, and inside they found an office filled with guards managing salaries, supplies, food, weapons, maintenance, who had to rest, sleep, and for how long. The guards even discussed how many of their guards were seeking healing from the temples, and how many of their guards were doing business with prostitutes. Thraxor handed two letters to a guard, who glanced at one of the letters, and then focused on the second letter. The guard returned the letters to Thraxor and then presented a ledger, which Thraxor had to write his business and number of people that arrived with him in the outpost. Thraxor walked around the guard’s desk and Sybilla followed. Thraxor examined a map of the outpost that wasn’t just drawn, but also contained small carvings of every building that surrounded the tower. The map even had an accurate outer wall that even revealed which parts were stone and which were just wooden. A guard walked up to the map and placed a small wagon with Radikor’s banner scribbled onto it into the map, and adjusted some models while reading a report of the changes that needed to be made.

  “We’ll stop at the local tailor’s first. The Sunderskar soldiers have occupied the Southern stables, and are looking for a fugitive mage, so you need to change the color of that cloak with dye before we pass there. Sunderskar soldiers have opinions about the role of women.”, Thraxor suggested.

  “How did you know I have permission to dye my cloak?”, Sybilla asked Thraxor.

  “You have permission? That make this easier. I just want to avoid Sunderskar, and I won’t get in trouble for destroying the mark of the Trinomion church.”, Thraxor admitted.

  Thraxor led Sybilla to the tailor’s shop in the crafters quarter, and the tailor was a kind lady wearing an apron who didn’t stand much higher than Thraxor’s elbow. The closest walls of the tailor’s shop was covered with elaborate garments, which Sybilla knew that she could not afford. The adjacent wall was shelved with rolls of fabrics, some meant for luxury and others means for repairing armor. The opposite wall was reserved for a crafting table with tools for the repair, assembly, and adjustment of many types of garments.

  “How can I help you two?”, the tailor asked.

  The tailor looked at Sybilla and her eyes focused from the the top of Sybilla’s head down to Sybilla’s feet.

  “That’s not the uniform of a Sunderskar soldier, and you don’t look like one either. Did you need help with that?”, the tailor asked.

  “We hoped you had dye to change the color of my cloak.”, Sybilla explained.

  “Let me see, remove your cloak please.”, the tailor instructed.

  Sybilla presented her cloak to the tailor, and the tailor spread the fabric over the crafting table, and began to examine it with a magnifying crystal.

  “This wasn’t woven in Sundeskar. I’ve never seen fabric like this. The threads are like musical chords. I’ve only heard that Angels wear clothing like this.”, the tailor revealed.

  “It was a gift. I promise it’s not stolen. We’re from the Radikor Trading Company. Here’s my letter of trade.”, Thraxor delclared and presented a parchment to the tailor.

  “Trading Company? Is my order ready?”, the tailor asked.

  The tailor reached under the world table and stood up holding a coin purse. Thraxor shuffled through his letters and stopped on a letter for the tailor.

  “You’re order is ready for you to claim and you can pay at the Emporium, Radikor will setup shop in the merchant quarter. How long will this dyeing take?”, Thraxor asked.

  “I don’t think I could destroy such a beautiful cloak with my budget dyes. You need a dyer, but there isn’t one in Kalavahn.”, the tailor explained.

  “This is important, please do this.”, Sybilla pleaded.

  “Well this cloak belongs to you. Do you know what color you want?”, the tailor asked.

  “Blue please. But like a dark blue, just not white anymore.”, Sybilla explained.

  “Then you’re in luck, because my last customer also wanted dark blue dye, so the dying vat is ready. It will be finished tomorrow.”, the tailor estimated.

  “Tomorrow? Can I get it done today?”, Sybilla asked.

  “Only if you want to wear it while it’s still wet and the dye will get all over everything else you’re wearing. Unless you have a faster way to dry wet cloth.”, the tailor warned.

  “What if we did have a way to speed up drying wet cloth?”, Thraxor asked.

  “We will use magic.”, Sybilla declared.

  “If you’re mages, then it should be done before the fourth watch.”, the tailor suggested.

  “Can you dye my tunic too?”, Sybilla asked.

  “That shouldn’t be a problem.”, the tailor thought.

  When Sybilla removed the tunic, the tailor saw Sybilla’s dress, and the sight of Sybilla’s garments filled the tailor with disgust. The tailor looked away and regretted accepting the tunic, as if the existence of Sybilla’s dress offended the tailor.

  “Actually now that I think about it, dying two garments will take twice as long. So if you want this done quickly, let’s just do one.”, the tailor lied, while urging Sybilla to wear the tunic.

  “Well some of these orders are nearby. I’ll check up on a few and come right back. Just wait here, I’ll be back before the fourth watch.”, Thraxor instructed SYbilla.

  “That will be fine.”, the tailor agreed, while lifting the lid from a vat of blue dye.

  Thraxor departed to check on trade orders for Radikor, while the tailor slowly placed Sybilla’s cloak into the vat, replaced the vat’s lid, and Sybilla waited and watched.

  “I didn’t know the trading company hired women. I thought you were a new recruit for the army of Sunderskar. What is your job as a mage?”, the tailor asked.

  “I’m a sorcerer actually, and I’m Radikor‘s apprentice.”, Sybilla revealed.

  “So what’s the difference between a sorcerer, a wizard, and a mage?”, the tailor asked.

  “I don’t know yet, I’m only an apprentice. I can tell you that I was born with magic, and Radikor is the only one willing to teach me about magic without asking for anything more than following him through the Scar. I know that wizards study magic, and mages can also use magic, what different kinds of magic we use is still unknown to me.”, Sybilla admitted.

  “So why are you wearing…your…dress?”, the tailor asked Sybilla looking for words.

  “Well it’s not a dress, it’s actually armor pretending to be a dress. As far as I know I am the only women to join Radikor’s Trading Company. I would not be allowed to travel in the Scar, without it’s protection. I’m told that magical dye was used to make it.”, Sybilla revealed.

  “So did they show it’s actually magic? Did you test it? Or did they play some sort of joke on you to make you wear something ridiculous?”, the tailor suggested.

  “That’s a great question. I can test it.”, Sybilla decided.

  Sybilla focused her magic sense on her dress, and instantly felt all of her mana depleted, her arms grew heavy, her legs refused to stand, and Sybilla fell to the floor. As Sybilla watched the ground moving closer to meet her, she felt the dress curve her body and brace for the impact, to prevent a broken arm or ribs.

  “What happened? Are you alright?”, the tailor gasped.

  “I might have cursed myself. I’m certain my dress is magic now.”, Sybilla admitted.

  The tailor went to the back of the shop to fetch a wooden chair. She returned and lifted Sybilla onto the chair’s seat. Sybilla tried to move herself, but only managed to regain some of her balance and her mana. Sybilla estimated that if someone cast hostile magic against her, that they might suffer something similar.

  “Will you be okay?”, the tailor asked.

  Sybilla moved her arm and felt her mana slowly return, as she closed and opened her hand and watched each finger move.

  “I think I’ll be fine. I just need time to rest.”, Sybilla hoped.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  “Will you be able to use magic to finish the cloak?”, the tailor asked.

  Sybilla decided to test if she was able to cast spells. Sybilla looked around and saw that the door to the tailor shop was still open, since they did not need to open the door when they arrived, and Thraxor had no closed the door since he left.

  “I will attempt to close the door with magic.”, Sybilla explained.

  Sybilla cast force impact on the inside of the door, but only managed to move the door halfway closed. Sybilla imagined that if she was cursed, her magic was also weakened.

  “That almost worked. Try again.”, the tailor suggested.

  Sybilla estimated that she did not have enough mana to attempt another cast, she would involve life force in her next immediate spell, and she needed to rest.

  “If I try again now, I might rip the wall apart.”, Sybilla warned.

  “Rip the wall apart? Let’s just avoid magic spells until you’re ready then. So why would it rip the wall apart?”, the tailor asked.

  “Without complicating, my master’s lessons. There is the magic around us and the magic within us. The magic within is relatively useful, I’ve seen it used in warfare, in healing, and solving all kinds of problems. My master says the magic within us is unstable and unpredictable. I used life force fueled magic once and it worked, but I was knocked out for an entire night.”, Sybilla explained.

  “Can magic make the dyeing faster, and then dry faster too?”, the tailor asked.

  “So what I leaned on my first day with magic is that mixing magic is dangerous, because if there is a conflict with the effects of the spells it can cause either an explosion or a curse. For example if something were enchanted to become hotter, but also enchanted to freeze. Even if the two spells cancel each other out, they both fail. It’s a contradiction, and that’s a problem for magic, until the warriors in the Trading Company decide to throw magic explosions at Warlocks. It might rip the wall apart. The only times that it’s safe is lifting a curse or if we know the counter-spell, but I haven’t learned those yet.”, Sybilla explained.

  “So as Radikor’s apprentice, will you take over his business, serve his customers, when he eventually retires or moves on?”, the tailor asked.

  “We haven’t talked about his future. Our only arrangement is that he teaches me about magic, and…I don’t actually know what he gains from an apprentice.”, Sybilla realized.

  The bell of the command tower rang four times, and Thraxor returned to the tailor’s shop. Thraxor walked up to the open door holding his seeing stone next to his ear, his other hand holding a latter of trade, and his axe was stopped to his back, but stayed outside.

  “She said her husband died, and she’s doesn’t want to pay for this contract, so she refuses to pay the rest of the gold.”, Thraxor said.

  Then Sybilla heard Radikor’s voice from within the seeing stone.

  “So if she doesn’t want the paint, does she want to refund her husband’s previously completed payments?”, Radikor asked Thraxor, through the seeing stone.

  “She told me to leave, and Sybilla is waiting for me at the tailor’s shop. Should I ask if she wants the money back?”, Thraxor asked.

  “That’s a waste of time, just burn that contract, and forget about it.”, Radikor instructed.

  Thraxor tucked the seeing stone into the satchel on his belt and cast the sigil of fire on the letter of trade turning it into smoke and ashes. Thraxor then entered the tailor’s shop and saw that Sybilla was weakened.

  “What happened to you?”, Thraxor asked Sybilla.

  “I cast magic sense on my armor.”, Sybilla reported, and Thraxor laughed.

  “When Radikor says something is magic, he’s usually right.”, Thraxor explained

  Thraxor looked around the tailor’s shop and then focused on the tailor.

  “Taylor, so is the cloak ready?”, Thraxor asked.

  “You can’t just call people by their job titles.”, Sybilla objected.

  “It’s fine, Taylor is also my name, and my job is tailor.”, Taylor explained.

  Taylor opened the vat and then reached for a mixing tool from the work table.

  “I’ll take it from here.”, Thraxor declared.

  Thraxor looked into vat and cast a spell, but Sybilla did not recognize it. The cloak floated out of the vat and Sybilla saw that it had changed from white to blue. Thraxor cast another spell causing all the wet dye to drip from the cloak, back into the vat.

  “She said mixing magic is dangerous how did you do that?”, Taylor asked Thraxor.

  “I can cast one spell on the cloak, and a different spell on the wet dye.”, Thraxor said.

  Thraxor presented the dry blue cloak to Taylor to test if it was ready.

  “Yes this is ready to wear. I’ll close up shop now, so I can go to the merchants' quarter. I’ve need my order from Radikor.”, Taylor reported.

  Taylor began sorting her tools and locking up the supplies.

  “Can you walk?”, Radikor asked Sybilla.

  Sybilla stood up but saw that she had trouble keeping her balance. Thraxor conjured a walking stick as tall as Sybilla and presented the walking stick to her.

  “This is conjured. So if I lose focus or if you get too far from me, it will start to fade and eventually vanish over time.”, Thraxor explained.

  Sybilla examined the walking stick and saw that it was solid and sturdy enough to hold her weight, but she also realized that it had no substance, and didn’t actually exist, when it felt weightless in her hands. Sybilla realized that over time since his time awakening after they arrived in Kalavahn, Thaxor’s vitality grew with each time he used magic, and she could sense his vitality through the walking stick. As Thraxor grew stronger, his magic, and combative skill grew with his power. Sybilla wondered if Thraxor could sense her through the walking stick that he had conjured as if it could be an aspect or grant him perception, but in that moment the walking stick Thraxor had conjured was a durable as him. When Taylor and the tailor shop were no longer within view, Thraxor’s steps slowed.

  “Did he behave the entire time?”, Thraxor asked.

  “He who?”, Sybilla asked.

  Thraxor presented a letter of trade to Sybilla, that revealed Someone named Taylor in the Kalavahn Outpost has paid for potions of shapeshifting, and the purpose of these potions was to give the appearance of a woman to a man. Sybilla realized Thraxor had left with the letters of trade, read through the orders, and determined that Taylor was the actually a man, using a potion to have the appearance of a woman, and Taylor was also paying Radikor to keep his situation secret.

  “Do all of Radikor’s customers pay for magic?”, Sybilla asked.

  “Why else would someone hire a Sorcerer?”, Thraxor suggested.

  Another small woman approached them. The woman wore the robes of the Trinomion church, but she stood no taller than Sybilla’s shoulders. The woman had stubby arms and legs, and her small fingers gripped a Trinomion Holy Book. The woman’s hair was flat and tied with a white band. The woman waddled towards them as her flat sandals padded in the streets, and Thraxor made no effort to avoid the woman. Only one of the woman’s eyes turned to look at them, but as they got closer, Sybilla felt the presence of the House of Healing, but also felt a magic artifact hanging from the woman’s neck under her robes.

  “Hi Tractor. Mighty Tractor.”, the woman struggled with her words.

  “Hi Leedah.”, Thraxor greeted.

  “I’m Leedah!”, the woman cheered, waving her copy of the Holy Book.

  “Kneel, so you can be healed.”, Thraxor instructed, as he also knelt on one knee.

  Sybilla knelt down next to Thraxor and she could feel the healing move above her head.

  “What does this say?”, Leedah asked and presented a page of the Holy Book to Sybilla.

  “The followers of the High King shall spread the word of peace, defend the faith, and heal the sick. When they do so for others the High King will reward them in the High Kingdom, in the New Kingdom, protect their family, and bless their children.”, Sybilla read the page.

  “High King!”, Leedah cheered as she pointed at the sky.

  Sybilla realized Leedah was pointing at the New Kingdom. Thraxor and Sybilla felt their vitality fully restored and they stood up.

  “Thank you pretty lady.”, Leedah thanked Sybilla and waddled away.

  “My name is Sybilla.”, Sybilla said to Leedah.

  “Thank you Zibah.”, Leedah struggled with her words and wandered into the outpost.

  “Who was that?”, Sybilla asked.

  “That’s the sister of…Rodring.”, Thraxor reluctantly explained.

  “Big Brother! Rawree!”, Leedah cheered and pointed in the direction of the Temple.

  “What’s wrong with her?”, Sybilla whispered and asked Thraxor.

  “Don’t let her brother hear you say that. All I know is she was born that way and they let her out of the House of Healing whenever it’s safe, so she can fulfill her mission. She must have sensed your distress and sought us out.”, Thraxor explained.

  “Why do they make someone like her do this mission, when they can send an angel, or send Rodring?”, Sybilla wondered.

  “Big Brother! Rawree!”, Leedah cheered and pointed in the direction of the Temple.

  “If an angel does the mission, then that angel gets the rewards. That’s the same reason Radikor sends me to do all the things he doesn’t have the time to do and find all of his customers. We each have a job, even you have a job, and finding people who need healing and sharing the Holy Book is her mission. You should be able to stand without a walking stick now, after some healing.”, Thraxor estimated, and the conjured walking stick vanished.

  “I wish I could conjure a walking stick.”, Sybilla revealed.

  “Conjuring and sustaining constructs distracts the caster’s focus, and I think inaccurate magic is more dangerous than blood magic. Radikor decides your lessons.”, Thraxor argued.

  Sybilla followed Thraxor to the crafters she needed to obtain the components of a seeing stone. The potter provided the ceramic core, following the specifications in the book, that Sybilla carried, but while Sybilla waited for the potter to bake the ceramic core, she assisted Thraxor with the Radikor’s letters of trade. Only once was Thraxor not allowed to see a customer, and it was a bride on her wedding day, as she married a captain of the Alliance, but Sybilla was allowed to see the bride. The last component for the seeing stone was provided by the metal worker, and which was sphere shaped polished metal casing for a seeing stone, but had to wait for the core to be baked by the potter. Thraxor and Sybilla returned to the potter’s shop to ask the core to be delivered to the metal workers, and to send the final assembly to us at the Radikor’s Trading Company.

  “I would like to be present for the assembly of the components.”, Sybilla protested.

  “The crafters do not need you getting in their way. Your contribution is the final addition to enchant the seeing stone.”, Thraxor explained.

  Thraxor and Sybilla returned to the metal worker’s shop to inform them of the change in plans. But when Sybilla and Thraxor arrived, they found Sunderskar soldiers negotiating for repair of weapons and armor. Thraxor instructed Sybilla to wait and not to draw the attention of the Sunderskar soldiers. Sybilla saw that their armor looked like Rodring’s armor, except their armor was made of steel and not divine bronze. The metal worker negotiated with the Sunderskar captain who carried a steel sword and shield, also made in a same shape as Rodring’s sword and shield.

  “Look Captain, as a leader to another leader, I don’t have anyone skilled enough to repair Sunderskar Steel, your weapons and armor will take up too much time from my smiths and fuel for my forges, when I need them to work on weapons and armor for the Alliance. Do you really want to risk giving Sunderskar Steel and armor to an apprentice, and then take that repaired weapon into battle?”, the metal worker argued.

  “But Forge Master, we’re also part of the Alliance. If I can get my own fuel, will you let my soldiers use your forge?”, the Sunderskar captain offered.

  “I have two empty forges, so I’ll allow it. But remember captain, these forges also serve the Alliance. So if anything is broken, lost, or needs to be cleaned just to work again, then Sunderskar will be paying for the restoration.”, the Forge Master agreed.

  “Excellent, we will return after the sixth watch with everything we need to start working. Two of my soldiers will remain here, please show them around.”, the captain agreed.

  The Sunderskar captain instructed one of his lieutenants and one of his corporals to learn about the forge and the other Sunderskar soldiers walked passed Thraxor and Sybilla.

  “I didn’t know the Radikor Trading Company arrived.”, the captain recognized Thraxor.

  Thraxor explained the plan for the seeing stone to the Forge Master and then instructed Sybilla that they needed to go to the temple to warn Rodring.

  “What does the Sunderskar army want with Rodring?”, Sybilla asked.

  “The Lord of Sunderskar is the last Holy Knight, and Rodring is the next Holy Knight. I read their arrival report at the Command Tower, and they are looking for fugitives. But if they’re aware of us, they will be looking for Rodring as well.”, Thraxor explained.

  “Will they try to fight Rodring?”, Sybilla asked.

  “If their weapons and armor need repair, they should save fighting for real threats. But Sunderskar is also wealthy, so they have other ways of causing problems, especially for merchants with incomplete letters of trade.”, Thraxor revealed.

  Sybilla followed Thraxor to the Trinomion temple, where they only found Rodring, Zavdiel, the Bishop, a Guard captain, and an Alliance merchant of the Kalavahn outpost, standing in front of a small tent. The merchant did not appear to allow the temple to be built.

  “The temple is built, and we’re ready to move it here. We just need the lease. The Bishop didn’t change anything. It’s not his job to build the temple.”, Zavdiel explained.

  “But building a temple will take years, so we need a new lease.”, the merchant argued.

  “It would take humans years to build the temple, that’s not the same for the Angels. Humans build human structures, and Angels build the Holy Temples.”, the bishop declared.

  “You haven’t laid a foundation, you haven’t marked the master walls, and you haven’t even scheduled an inspection yet.”, the merchant explained.

  “Look if you don’t give us the lease, we can’t put the Temple here. So we’re just going to put our Temple somewhere else, maybe not in the Kalavahn Outpost.”, Rodring warned.

  “Let’s not be hasty. The Bishop as served faithfully for years. It would not be fair to make him start over in a different outpost.”, the captain assured.

  “If we laid the foundation, and it can pass inspection, can we renew our previous lease? Is that allowed under the builders’ guild, Master Builder?”, the Bishop asked.

  “Yes if your foundation passes inspection, you can renew.”, the master builder agreed.

  “Zavdiel, you heard the master builder. We can lay the foundation to be inspected. There are no other stipulations on the rest of the temple.”, Rodring instructed Zavdiel.

  A ray of light from the sky shined on the ground behind the tent, and the light grew brighter and brighter until nothing in the light could be seen. The light then faded around a fully built temple, which Sybilla recognized as the temple being built next to the House of Healing now stood behind the small tent.

  “My work here is done.”, Zavdiel declared and flew up into the sky.

  Sybilla watched Zavdiel fly into the sky faster than an arrow shot from a bow.

  “The foundation is ready to be inspected.”, Rodring announced.

  “Well then I need someone who isn’t from the Trinomion church to show me around inside, otherwise you might as well just send this temple back to wherever it came from. Because I don’t know anything about Angelic building methods.”, the master build said.

  “We’re from the Radikor Trading Company.”, Thraxor announced.

  “I’ve been in this temple once before, when it was being built.”, Sybilla added.

  Thraxor and Sybilla led the Bishop, the Master Builder, and the Guard Captain into the temple, and Sybilla felt her sorcery was no longer impeded. The temple was empty of furniture, but also filled with light, as if the sun shined through the windows, even though daylight did not shine from the Scar outside. The master builder had to check three times as he tried to understand the presence of daylight within the temple.

  Sybilla could now also see the completed windows that were blocked before. The first window showed the founder of the Trinomion church being born and growing up in a poor family. The next window showed the founder preaching, praying, and finding followers. The third window showed the founder being executed. The fourth window showed the founder reviving from the dead, as an ascended being, and returning to his followers. The fifth window showed the founder being crowned as the High King. The Sixth window showed the High King naming the Original six Holy Knights.

  Thraxor and Rodring stepped away to discuss the Sunderskar soldiers, while Sybilla continued to lead the Bishop and the Guard Captain to the room that had once been Zavdiel’s office and every door was removed, waiting to be built by a human crafter. The stone steps waited for humans to build soft seats, and the stone alter waited for the Bishop to move his relics from his small tent. Sybilla led the inspectors back to the entrance, after seeing the entirety of the visible foundation within the temple.

  “Well did we pass inspection?”, the bishop wondered.

  “You passed your foundation inspection. I’ll be back tomorrow with my stone mason, my carpenter, and and my glazier to inspect the rest of the Temple.”, the master builder said.

  “Well you can keep using the tent, until the Temple is allowed.”, Rodring suggested.

  The Bishop returned to his tent, where people clamored to investigate the arrival of the temple. The Guard Captain and the Master Builder departed for the Command Tower, Rodring departed for the House of Healing, and Thraxor instructed Sybilla to follow him to the Marchants’ quarter as the bell rang five times to signify the start of the Fifth Watch. An apprentice from the Metal worker’s forge delivered the finished polished stone to Sybilla, and Sybilla realized the stone was not a perfect sphere. It was round and circular but slightly flat on opposite sides. Sybilla almost wanted to get her money back.

  “Why is it the wrong shape?”, Thraxor asked.

  “If I enchant this stone and it works, then I pass my test. That’s all that matters and that’s all I care about.”, Sybilla decided.

  “Well rest, prepare the spell, and then show it to Radikor. Because I don’t think these crafters are worth doing business, spending time or money again. And right now it’s time to eat. Let’s find what Rigo is cooking.”, Thraxor suggested.

  When Sybilla and Thraxor approached the row of wagons, Many of the Drivers made deliveries of supplies to the Alliance. The Soldiers of Sunderskar, had not placed any orders, so only Rodring, Thraxor, and Sybilla were aware of their presence. Leedah and Vaylandra arrived for lunch as well. Leedah waddled up to the row of wagons, as Vaylandra floated next to Leedah, and Leedah tucked her Holy Book into a pocket in front of her apron nearest to her heart. Then when Leedah removed her hands from her pocket, she lifted up a wooden plate with a thick edge and a wooden spoon.

  “Hello Leedah, Vaylandra.”, Rigo greeted as they approached.

  “Yummy! Wigo!”, Leedah cheered as she presented her plate, over her spoon.Vaylandra thanked Rigo, but did not leave with a plate of food for herself. Vaylandra only followed Leedah to the tables prepared for the Radikor Trading Company. Sybilla noticed that Vaylandra and Leedah were speaking in a language that she did not understand, but their conversation, sounded like when the Warlocks threatened to Kill Rodring. One of the wagon drivers brought a stack of letter of trade to Thraxor, which Thraxor accepted, but only placed them into his belt satchel. Rigo provided plates of food, slices of bread, and metal utensils for the members of the Trading Company. When they reached the tables, the closest seats were next to Vaylandra and Leedah. Leedah lifted the wooden plate over the edge of the table and then pushed the plate into place with the handle of the wooden spoon. Leedah climbed up the side of the bench and then pulled out a bib from her apron to prepare to eat, an she continued talking to Vaylandra in the strange language.

  “Are you not going to eat?”, Sybilla asked Vaylandra.

  “I do not eat.”, Vaylandra explained, and Sybilla imagined that not eating caused Vaylandra to be so thin, but stayed silent.

  Leedah laughed and said a few words to Vaylandra, and Vaylandra replied, but the only word Sybilla understood was “Rodring”.

  “I just told my future sister-in-law, that she should not make people feel embarrassed about their thoughts, even if they are funny, at least Rodring thinks I am pretty, and he has never called me skinny.”, Vaylandra explained.

  “She can read minds? Why didn’t you warn me?”, Sybilla pleaded to Thraxor.

  “I told you that when we met her.”, Thraxor laughed.

  “What language are you speaking?”, Sybilla asked.

  “Low Angelic, it sounds like High Angelic, but it’s not as serious.”, Vaylandra explained.

  As everyone else ate lunch, Vaylandra explained what Leedah said to her.

  “Leedah was telling me about walking around the Kalavahn outpost helping people, listening to their thoughts, looking for people who need healing, and people willing to read the Holy Book. And Yes Leedah is correct, I have never walked myself, but I see other people walking, so I know what walking is, and what walking looks like.”, Vaylandra explained.

  Leedah gulped a mouthful of food and said a few words in Low Angelic.

  “If I ever were gifted a form of substance, I’ll walk for you first.”, Vaylandra offered.

  Leedah replied in Low Angelic to Vaylandra, said the name “Rodring”, and laughed.

  “If Rodring saw me with a physical form, that’s a different situation.”, Vaylandra offered.

  “So Radikor has us looking for all kinds of things for him around Kalavahn Outpost. What is your day like, working with Angels?”, Sybilla asked Vaylandra.

  “I deliver instructions from the Archangels to the other Angels, and bring their reports back to the Archangels. The work is important, I watched them build temples, and scribe Holy Books, but I wish I could join Leedah’s mission of healing.”, Vaylandra admitted.

  After lunch, Thraxor suggested that this was the best time for her to complete her seeing stone to present it to Radikor. Vaylandra returned to the House of Healing and Leedah resumed searching the Outpost. Sybilla placed the Polished Stone on the ground away from anything important, while Thraxor, Rigo, and the other wagons drivers observed. Sybilla checked the instructions and the incantation from the book of crafting at every step, and when the spell was complete, she lifted the Stone, and when it did not explode she was confident that she had completed the task. Sybilla presented the stone to Thraxor for his estimate.

  Thraxor looked through the Seeing Stone, and was even able to use it safely, and saw nothing that made him feel concern about using her crafted artifact, but he was having trouble. Thraxor handed the seeing stone to Rigo to try using it as well. Rigo activated the seeing stone without any problems as well, but made his own observations.

  “It’s blurry.”, Rigo reported, and Thraxor agreed.

  Rigo handed the seeing stone back to Sybilla.

  “But it works. Right?”, Sybilla pleaded.

  “Radikor would want at least common quality.”, Thraxor argued

  “Wait! Is this a magic test? I don’t think you should present this.”, Rigo warned.

  “Can I fix it?”, Sybilla wondered.

  “We can’t… We spent the entire day checking with vendors. They will all be closing out any open contracts and letters of trade for at least three watches. Nobody will have any time to spend on crafting the parts we need.”, Thraxor reported.

  “So this is all I have to show to Radikor?”, Sybilla realized.

  Thraxor led Sybilla to the Emporium, and Sybilla watched all the magical wards cast by Radikor’s awesome magic, announcing all the great magic treasures crafted by the hands of the Master Sorcerer, and when they entered the wagon, they saw a great hall filled with magic artifacts, master quality, and magic oddities that Radikor demonstrated to customers. An old woman spread a potion over her face and turned into a young woman. Customers marveled at magic paintings of bowls filled with fruit, and they could watch the painted fruit fall out of the bowl when the painting was tipped to one side, and when they flip the painting upside-down, and then right side up again, the painted fruit would fall from the top to fill up the bowl. Even other spell casters were in the Emporium to purchase potions and spell books. Sybilla feared that Radikor would reject her seeing stone and take away her apprenticeship since her Seeing Stone was like her other attempts at magic, unfocused and flawed. Sybilla almost wanted to destroy her seeing stone and tell Radikor that it exploded.

  “Thraxor, Sybilla. Well do you have a seeing stone for me?”, Radikor demanded.

  Sybilla presented her seeing stone, and Radikor begin to examine it, but then Radikor lifted the Stone higher and examined it once more.

  “Thraxor, Sybilla watch the Emporium, I’ll be in my lab.”, Radikor instructed and left.

  “Is that good or bad?”, Sybilla asked.

  “I don’t know. He’s never done that before.”, Thraxor revealed.