Right now I am sitting in the room of Jacob Starfall. He is supposed to be the second strongest figure in this fort.

  The difference between the commander's room and this man's room is quite stark. The first major difference would be that the room is much larger in the first place. This room is at least three to four times the size of the commander's.

  Looking at this room, I must admit that the man does not seem to be in a position of power here. This is not the type of room that a person in a steady position would have. Everything in the room has been placed to intimidate the person visiting the room. This is not something you keep to entertain allies,

  Of this, the most prominent example is the spoils of war spread across the room. Weapons, claws, and teeth are just a few of the things that I have seen spread across the room in glass cases. I recognize the teeth of a drakon, but beyond that I don't know any of the other creatures.

  As I am busy looking at the many things in the room, I almost don't notice the mana of the man coming here. He has hidden himself in a very basic manner which must mean that the man is underestimating my mana sense. That is kind of expected to be honest. Nobody expects me to have a mana sense at my level of cultivation.

  I have to admit that the man does not look particularly impressive. If you were to place him in a group and tell me to find him, I might not be able to do so. Yet there is an edge to this man, something that tells me that this is not a man that I should be messing with. I won't be killed is the only guarantee that I have today. Beyond that, Let's just say that wrestling with a tiger would be a safer endeavor.

  A power difference does exist between this man and the commander. The commander can slay this man with a swing of his sword if he wishes to do so. That is what Trevor tells me.

  In a manner, we both are in pretty similar situations. We both are in enemy territories, with only the power and reputation of our respective organizations acting as our shields. For me, it is the hexmountain, while for this man it is the noble family he comes from. (I don't think I have mentioned it before, but the commander here is a commoner. The commoners and nobles of this place have a complicated relation to put it simply. I will have to speak about that one of these days.)

  The only difference between the two of us is that the commander needs a bit more effort to kill him. If the commander needs a glance to kill me, he needs to make a move to kill Jacob.

  "I greet you, young master Jacob.", I speak bowing down appropriately. This time I have practiced the move very diligently. I am quite fond of my head remaining exactly where it is.

  "Well, it has taken you long enough to appear here, Guard.", he replies. "You are supposed to greet the representative of the nobles within a day of reaching the fortress. You would be wary not to break rules like that with my brethren. They tend to take this seriously. Thankfully I am more lenient among the folks here. I will require an explanation."

  "We wished to meet you the first thing that we wanted to do, Master Jacob.", I reply. "We were essentially imprisoned in the guest room. We could not be sure if our meeting would be reported to the commander. It would have been too risky for you, no."

  As I speak this I can see the expression of the man flicker for a second. The mention of the commander causes this man to flair up into anger. The instant that he makes this expression, it disappears. It was so brief that in a few minutes, I would be personally doubting whether this had happened. The only reason that it made such an impact on me is that for a second I could have sworn that the man was scared.

  "Well, a lesser noble would have taken offense already for such behavior, Guard. I am the leading noble in this place and I will be given my due respect.", he replies. "Regardless, with what business have you come here? I do hope that it is something important."

  "Well, I would like to visit the markets of the frozen peak.", I ask, feeling that I am being too direct. Well, Trevor was the one that warned me to be clear. You don't want to be cryptic with the nobles. They are the masters of beating around the bush.

  "Well, we have reason to worry for your safety.", speaks the noble. "Your people have managed to Provoke a lot of people here, Guard. With the Seven Temples incident, right now it is not particularly safe for you to roam in the frozen peak. We have reason to believe that somebody might try and attack you. We cannot predict which faction might take such an action. There are too many factions for us to defend you against each of them. Even the commander cannot claim that this place is completely in his control. Any of the more extreme factions would kill you very happily if they got the chance."

  "Well, that still doesn't explain why exactly I am being restricted to a room. It is not like placing us in a restricted space where all our enemies know that we are there is a wise idea. Especially when these nobles are the very people meant to guard us. Right now, it is your people guarding us in the guestroom. They also would be nobles, won't they.", I speak, really pushing my luck. "I am sure that there must be a better way to do this."

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  "Well if you can enlighten me on that other way I will certainly consider it. I cannot imagine how else will we ensure your safety. We already have given up on two of our best soldiers in your protection, Guard.", he replies. "If your people want to visit the peak, you will require at least a couple more guards. With winter approaching that is a risk that I can take."

  "Well, I will still have to request that I be allowed into the frozen peak. I am sure that you need not send more guards to just escort me. I am pretty strong myself.", I request the man. "Maybe we can come to a deal regarding it. After all, I am a formation mage. I could build something that would make it worth your time."

  "Well, if you were to die in the city, it would cause too much damage to my reputation.", he replies. "I specifically had to take responsibility for your protection, Guard. If you want to leave the fort and die, I will take you there personally. In the fort, your death is more costly than anything that you will be able to offer to me."

  "Well, it is quite important that I have to enter into the marketplace, young master. Without it, we shall not have a working airship and that is just a bit too risky at the moment.", I reply. "What would you say that I have to do to be allowed into the fortress."

  "Well, if it is that vital, I guess that we can figure out something.", he replies. "I will be frank with you, captain. I have no interest in whether you die or not. If anything I prefer you dead at the moment. You and your people are nothing but distractions to my people at a time when we should be focused. My only problem is that my reputation is at the moment linked to your safety. Figure out a method of breaking that link and I will give you whatever permission that you need."

  I finally get the man where I need him to be. Well, I must say that Trevor certainly knows what he is doing. Most of my actions today have been done based on his advice. They have been working correctly up till now at the very least. In a way, I am starting to see why my master recommended me to take him.

  "Well, I guess my solution will work out perfectly then.", I reply before I can be interrupted. "What I propose is quite simple, I want to undergo a duel with your best soldier. You can pick the date and the time."

  "Well, that would certainly handle this mess quite nicely. Do you understand what you are proposing though.", he speaks. "A duel is a pretty serious matter among us. A duel's results are not forgotten easily. You win and you will insult the entirety of the starfall's. That is if you win. If you lose, things will be even worse."

  "Well, I do understand it quite well, young master. If we win, then you will have an excuse if I were to die in the frozen peak. After all, you cannot be expected to protect a person who is actively spitting at your face.", I reply. I hope that I am projecting confidence.

  "It would also mean that the Starfall's are going to treat you with hostility.", he replies. "Do you think that you will be able to survive our hostility?"

  "Yeas, I am sure of that, Young master.", I reply. "I have thought this through."

  "Still, I don't see how this benefits me.", he replies. "You win and I have to answer for this failure. You lose and I gain nothing. Why should I support such a duel."

  "How about this, I will follow your directive for the remainder of my stay here if I were to lose." I reply, "as long as it does not actively damage the black mountain and its reputation, I will follow it. This I can and am willing to swear on the guarantee of the formation corps."

  As I say this, I can see the man think in front of me. There is still so much that can go wrong here. The man might not know about the guarantee. (I will speak about it some other day.)

  "Well, it certainly will be enough. Fine, I accept this duel of yours, but there is one thing that I have to make clear before that.", he replies. "Win or lose, I will not forget about what has happened here today."

  As he speaks the world suddenly seems to constrict around me, crushing me to the ground. Thankfully, I was sitting in the chair or I was sure that I would have fallen to the ground.

  "Well, you certainly are more resilient than the fools that they usually send to this place.", he speaks. "Let's see where will you be able...."

  As he spoke, the pressure on me intensified like a constricting python. I can feel my breaths becoming harder to take. I think that I am on the ground, though I can't feel anything at the moment.

  And still, the pressure grew. Within a few moments, I was sure that my breath would be squeezed out of my lungs. It had already begun to pain, a squeezing pain which felt as if my muscles were being pulled out of my body.

  Finally, even the pain disappeared and all that was left was a void, one which I remember vaguely like a bad dream. Yet like a nightmare, I remember the feeling of terror very vividly.

  (The pain was so great even my log came out half coherent. I had to later rework all of it to make it more coherent. It is a weird feeling too to touch my thoughts already recorded and change them.

  It took me quite a while too, though I am sure that others would be able to do it quicker than me.)

  It took an eternity for the pressure to disappear. It started slowly, with the first feeling returning to me.

  By then, I was ready to even welcome the pain that I was feeling at the moment. Slowly even the pain disappeared and the pressure finally disappeared.

  "Well, I am surprised that you managed to hold so well, Guard. Most at your level die within a few moments, squashed to a pulp.", he speaks, his voice echoing in my head. "Be thankful that my honor forces me to keep you alive and that you seem to be so durable. You shall fight my strongest soldier tomorrow at noon then."

  After this, I honestly do not even remember how I made my way back to my room. I remember it like a haze. Well, at the very least I made my way back to this room. For a few moments there, I was not sure if that would be the case.