《Immortalis Turris》


 Chapter 1: Pain

    Burning.


    Everything felt like it was burning.


    Pain was the only thing that Owen felt as his consciousness was ripped from the depths of the void of unconsciousness he had been suspended in. It wasn¡¯t often someone craved a return to the void, but when you woke up to the pain of what felt like being engulfed and digested by a slime, you probably would too.


    If only it were that simple, because if that was the case he would have at least perished given enough time. He truly wished the end would be swift and merciful, but fate was cruel and there will be no end to his story.


    Sweet release never came; instead, Owen heard a familiar cackling¡­ ¡°Very good. The fact you are still breathing is immense progress,¡± a raspy voice of an old man giddily came from the outer ends of something that muffled it slightly.


    While the voice sounded familiar, what he was saying was not. The last thing Owen remembered was clocking in for work after a particularly bland morning coffee, his mullings over such trivial matters cut short by the sharp, stinging pain running through his body.


    He couldn¡¯t seem to move far. His arms and legs did cooperate, but it didn¡¯t take long to figure out that he was strapped down to whatever he was laying on. ¡°No need to strain yourself,¡± the voice said, closer this time. ¡°Now, I need you to do me a favour. Open your eyes,¡± the voice commanded.


    It was a struggle to do so, everything in his body begging him not to, but he needed to know where he was. When he finally did manage to open his eyes, he was blinded by the bright lights that flooded his vision along with the searing pain of his eyeballs being overtaken by the same burning sensation.


    ¡°My, my, excellent progress,¡± the man said. Owen''s vision slowly began to return, blurred and strained before it all finally became clear. The face of a decrepit old man staring at him from the other side of a wall of glass.


    To say this old man had scars would be an understatement. His hair was long, greasy and unkempt with cuts across most visible parts of his face, that was almost pressed directly against the glass he was behind to stare at Owen. ¡°Many other subjects had their eyes dissolved by this point. You may just be the first successful volunteer.¡±


    Volunteer? Not a chance anyone in their right mind would volunteer for something like this.


    Trying to focus on the rest of the room to see what was going on, he could hardly make anything out. His eyes flickered back and forth, rushing to find anything to ground his experience but he only found blurred images due to the lights facing whatever prison he was in which made it next to impossible to see past the old man.


    Owen could make out the vague silhouettes of others watching from a distance. He was in far too much pain to be embarrassed about the lack of clothing in front of all these strangers.


    His vision began to blur as his consciousness faded once again, his body on the verge of a total shut down. The last words heard ¡°Now rest. We have many more tests to conduct.¡±


    Losing his consciousness led him back to that inky black abyss.


    He awoke again some time later to the sound of knocking on the glass and was met with the old man¡¯s face once more. Finally, he remembered why he looked and sounded so familiar. The old man was his employer of sorts. Fresh out of college he started working here on an internship.


    Owen had clocked in like any other day to come work for him. Owen was an alchemist that the guild had sent over to intern with one of the largest labs in the world. On a quiet Sunday shift at his designated workbench, Owen felt a sharp stab of pain in his neck before the world went dark.


    Opening his mouth was an awful idea; trying to speak filled his mouth with the horrid tasting liquid that soon filled his lungs and his body begged him to expel the liquid from his lungs, to thrash and fight for fresh air and against the burning that filled his throat. Attempting to gag, attempting to cough but he found that nothing worked.


    He found, confusingly, that he wasn¡¯t drowning.


    Yes, the acids were incredibly painful, but the panic of being unable to breathe led Owen to realise that he would have long since drowned if the acids hadn¡¯t killed him first. Then came the second problem: the taste.


    There was no doubt about it, he had been suspended within a vat of sodium hydroxide which would explain the severe irritation and burning, but the question was how in the hells had he survived this long.


    ¡°You have done your part for me. You have done your part for the greater good,¡± the raspy voice gleefully exclaimed, finally moving his face away from the glass, leaving some smudges of grease against it and turning to face someone in the darkened crowd ¡°Get him prepared for departure!¡±


    The greater good¡­?


    What a horrid term, Owen thought. As if probing at his brain and extracting the information buried deep within, he remembered the wisdom of his parents. ¡°No greater evils are committed than those done in the name of the greater good,¡± they warned him when he was a child¡­ The question was why?


    Trying to remember more details it was slowly coming back to him, he had become adjusted enough to the pain to allow him to think. A small hut in the countryside where he spent his days playing with bunsen burners and glass test tubes; his parents warned him of the various dangers he would encounter when he would eventually leave for the city when he was older.


    His thoughts were cut short as the crowd began to move behind the blinding lights pointed at him, and before Owen knew it, the light intensity grew and the tubes stuck directly into his veins began to pump a lethal amount of morphine as the pain began to dull. A brief moment of respite for sure but he could only wonder why they were doing this to him. Attempting to scream, attempting to ask any question only caused a raspy muffled scream/


    He couldn¡¯t maintain consciousness, and by this point he had to accept that he was going to die here.


    Owens'' dreamless sleep abruptly ended once more when the sound of the glass around him smashing rang through his ears, the feeling of fresh air hitting his face was a shock at first, followed by a sudden vertigo caused by falling to the ground of the tube. His skin sizzled, his hair burned laying atop the broken shards of glass that threatened to pierce his skin but failed to do so. Despite it all, it was welcome, he was free.


    His body was still numb from the amount of morphine flowing through his system but his eyes functioned just fine, and what he was met with was a horrifying sight. A large, older man, almost eight feet tall stood over him from the other side of the broken glass. The old man''s brow furrowed and eyes staring directly through him. Thank the All-Mother looks could only do emotional damage, but that''s where a fist the size of Owen''s head came in and a punch directly to the gut knocked a large portion of the acids out of his mouth and out across the man''s arm.


    Though it sizzled away the fabric of his clothing, along with the layers of skin on his arm, Owen watched as the skin began to rapidly repair itself. ¡°Do you need to be so aggressive all the time?¡± A much lighter toned feminine voice asked from nearby.


    Finally getting his senses back and the first thing that assaulted his nose was that disgusting scent of rotting meat with fruity undertones of decaying flesh. Then the sight of the lab followed; the machinery smashed to pieces with tools strewn about.


    It was as if he had blocked out the rest of the room, at least from his memory of the event, but the bodies¡­ oh the bodies. What one could only assume were the men who had been watching him within the vat had all been slaughtered. Blood strewn across the walls along with their faces left as smears on the floor, their bodies being piled up together in front of a Ratling.


    The short humanoid rat creature that resembled mostly a child in its stature held up one of her arms, revealing a series of black markings that glowed through her fur. The glow created a rippling effect against the fur before her hand slipped directly inside. A bottle was removed and the runes lost their glow.


    ¡°There is no sympathy for someone like him,¡± the man said, which pulled Owen¡¯s attention back to him, once again followed by a fist to the gut. The last of the acids leaving his lungs across the man''s face this time. ¡°Who do you work for?¡± he asked sternly, ignoring the burning sensation once more.


    Owen could only sputter, and even if he could speak, he had no idea. He only recognised the man but that was as much as his brain could process right about now.


    His assailant seemed quite irate with the lack of response.


    If the smell of rotting bodies wasn¡¯t bad enough, the Ratling had uncorked the bottle¡­ Kerosine. They planned to burn the place to the ground.


    ¡°Come on, we have to go,¡± she said as she began to splash the flammable liquid everywhere.


    The old man finally relented from his assault on Owens gut and reached up to snap the chains holding him in place. ¡°You are coming with us. You have a lot to answer for.¡± His tone implied that Owen was some form of enemy, but what had he done wrong?


    All he had done was go to work like he always had, and now all of this happened. If anyone was to blame for whatever this was, it was the boss. That disgusting old man with no sense of personal hygiene did this.


    Owen hardly had the strength to move at this point so when the Ratling pulled a large tarp out of that same dimensional pocket and placed it flat on the ground. The man placed Owen in the centre and the last thing he remembered seeing was the two of them staring down at him, before he was wrapped up within it as if he was one of the corpses to be taken to the abbey.


    He was hoisted over the man''s shoulder. Moments later he could smell the black smoke and the horrible scent of burning flesh.


    From his position over his shoulder he could hear the conversation the two had when they left the scene of the crime. The man asked the rat ¡°Did you get everything?¡±


    ¡°Of course I did!¡± the rat replied; the conversation sounding so¡­ casual for the state they had left those bodies and that building in. She continued ¡°I stored the notes so we can review them and decide to burn them later if needs be. Anything else of importance was destroyed.¡±


    ¡°We cannot be so sure.¡± the man replied. Of the two he was much more serious. ¡°There were a lot of men there. Who knows how many of them had sent letters of what they learned.¡±


    Owen attempted to focus and use his senses to determine where they were going. A lot of chatter and the smell of the myriad of spices and baked goods that he would often be tempted into purchasing before getting to work. The strongest coffee in the world followed which was what got him through most of his days. That could only mean they were on 4th avenue, the path that he took to get to work from the dingy apartment he could hardly afford.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The burning smell had finally stopped by then and he could focus on the conversation the two had but once they had confirmed the situation they both fell completely silent. At least not verbally communicating anymore.


    If Owen had to make a guess, it wasn¡¯t for another hour that either of them said anything and what was said was simply ¡°Home sweet home.¡± from the rat. It sounded like the floor was made of some form of smooth stone, and even with his sense of smell he could not pinpoint where they were by this point.


    Unfortunately he didn¡¯t have the time to try to think deeper on what the smell exactly was because the next thing he knew was the numbed impact of hitting a cold and solid ground after the man tossed him. The tarp unrolled as he tumbled back into a wall which finally gave him his first view of the prison cell he had been thrown into.


    The older man stood on the other side of the cell bars holding what looked to be a clipboard in one hand and a pen in the other. The sound of the very large man sitting on the tiny stool he had made it sound like it was close to breaking at any moment.


    Motor functions were returning by now and Owen could sit up, slumping back against the wall as the man looked up from the board. ¡°You can move, good. Can you speak?¡± He asked, impatiently tapping the pen against the board.


    ¡°I can¡­¡± Owen managed to squeak out in a hoarse tone, that awful taste still lingering despite his sense of taste being numbed.


    ¡°Even better, we can start.¡± He responded, writing something down before he flipped over the page. ¡°What is your name?¡±


    ¡°Owen Vice,¡± he told truthfully. There was little sense in lying to them at this point.


    The man nodded, taking notes and moved on to his next question ¡°Who do you work for?¡±


    Well, he worked for the alchemist guild, which the ratling should have known given the majority of the guild was run by her kind so a quick question would reveal the identity of everyone who worked there. Still, he found it best to answer ¡°I can¡¯t remember his name¡­ He was old, short, scruffy white hair, hardly had any sense of personal hygiene¡­ I was an intern.¡±


    He continued taking notes as Owen talked and continued to his next question once Owen finished, ¡°How long have you been associated with your current boss?¡±


    ¡°About a month..?¡± It was a guess but as far as he could remember before his memory went hazy, that was how long he had been within the city since the alchemists guild paid for his transfer after he had graduated.


    ¡°Were you a willing participant in this experiment?¡±


    ¡°My memory of what happened is hazy,¡± Owen responded, remembering what his boss said ¡°He said he was proud I volunteered for this, but I can¡¯t see myself ever willingly doing this¡­¡±


    ¡°Who paid for the experiment?¡±


    That was one he had no idea of. He had a few thoughts but at the end of the day they would be nothing but guesses. ¡°I have no idea,¡± Owen answered.


    ¡°How effective do you think the procedure was?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what this ¡®procedure¡¯ was supposed to do,¡± Owen spat, unable to hold back being snarky, quickly realising that was the wrong choice of words given the look on the man''s face.


    Before his next question could be answered a door opened nearby and the same voice of the Ratling from before saying ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem to be the mastermind behind this.¡±


    ¡°As if this fool could be the mastermind behind anything,¡± the man responded. A tad cruel of a response, but he justified his statement with ¡°He¡¯s a recent graduate.¡±


    The ratling approached, this time wearing some thin robes with blackened tribal symbols and frills on the ends of the sleeves. She was holding up a few burnt scraps and said ¡°Someone was trying very hard to erase any evidence of this, but it seems that this guild was consistently requesting interns from various guilds and schools around the continent the last two months.¡±


    ¡°Now why would they try to hide that?¡± The man asked. Closing over the sheets he had he stood and reminded Owen just how large he was. Placing the clipboard on the chair he continued ¡°It is quite common for guilds to request interns.¡±


    ¡°Well, trying to hide it means that something nefarious was going on with them,¡± the rat thought aloud, rubbing at her chin before turning its attention to Owen. ¡°Do you remember much of your time there? It is common for memories to be a bit muddled after what you went through.¡±


    At least she seemed kinder than the interrogator. Owen needed a moment to reflect but he did tell them what he knew. ¡°As much as I can remember, I was the only intern there. The guild recently sent me out on request after I graduated. It was supposed to be my big break into the industry¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, perhaps it is time we ask some questions around town,¡± she said to the older man. Kindly enough, she finally decided to tell him ¡°My name is Swiss and grumpy here is Alister. I am sorry, but we are going to need you to wait in here while we do some investigation.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­¡± Was all he could say. Not like he had a choice given the situation.


    Swiss approached and peeled back the sleeve of their robes to reach within those odd black markings again. This time she pulled out what seemed to be a set of clothing and tossed them through the bars ¡°Do cover yourself up while we are gone. As flattered as Alister may be, I would rather not come into a naked interrogation.¡±


    His state of indecency was something that had slipped his mind in all of the commotion. Clamouring to pick up the bundle of clothes that seemed to be a bit large for him. At this point he had to take whatever he could get. ¡°Thanks¡­¡± Owen eventually responded while using them to cover his lap while they remained here.


    ¡°See, a bit of kindness goes a long way,¡± Swiss mocked before turning on her heel and confidently marching out of the hallway.


    Alister gave Owen another stern look but once he was done reviewing what Swiss had said he tapped the bars gently which caused a ringing to echo through the cobblestone halls of the prison ¡°If we confirm our suspicions then we will re consider the current arrangement.¡±


    He swiftly left and Owen was left with his own thoughts in the dark and lonely halls.


    Suddenly when he was not on high alert from the sudden change of situation the cold hit him like a train. A welcome feeling at first after the pure hellfire that was that tube.


    Eventually came the idea that perhaps he should put on that set of clothing that Swiss had given him. It was surprisingly good quality given the situation. A pair of underwear along with a brown tunic and white undershirt with some loose fitting pants and a thin pair of shoes that did enough to combat the dangers of being barefoot to be worth wearing.


    He was given time to soak in the atmosphere, and the atmosphere was thick. Not in a pleasant way, more in a ¡®you are going to rot in here¡¯ kind of way. The cell across the hall was empty thankfully with identical objects from the small bed in the corner and toilet on the further side. Checking the sink next to it showed that it had a very weak stream of water. Just enough to wash your hands but not much else could be done unless you were some form of advanced hydromancer¡­ Even then, one would struggle with a stream so flaccid it could be likened to a monk in a brothel.


    There wasn¡¯t even a window to make heads or tails of where he was. Finally once he was dressed and ready to do what he could in here, he took the time to smell the air to see what he could find.


    It was remarkably clean smelling for a prison. Usually one would expect a mixture of sweat and acrid odours of chloroform and other such cleaning supplies, if not blood and refuse depending on the prison. Instead it smelled quite sterile. There were very few smells he could make out, and the ones he could most likely came from himself.


    He wasn¡¯t planning to taste anything he found in here so that was all the information he could get until he heard the door eventually opening down the hall. This time he could hear only one set of footsteps and based on what he had heard before it was Swiss. Far lighter and faster than Alisters given her short stature.


    She stood by the cell door and waved a key. Owen wasn¡¯t sure if she was just here to mock him, but he chose to stay silent until she stated their reasoning for being here. ¡°Your story seems to hold up with the locals. That means we have one more step to go through before we can finish up what is going on here.¡±


    ¡°What in the hell is even going on here?¡± Owen finally asked, feeling like he had been left in the dark over the most important thing in this crime drama. Why was he being treated like a damn criminal?


    ¡°Did Alister skip over the most important detail?¡± she asked, seeming quite exasperated at the idea ¡°I swear, that man¡­¡±


    Swiss spent a few moments pondering the best way to tell him the news and eventually pulled up the same stool Alister was using. Moving the clipboard off of it, she needed a hop to get up. Reading what Alister had written down and mumbling ¡°Oh of course¡­¡±


    Lowering the board she grinned widely, which was quite unnerving to see given the ratlings wide sets of sharp incisors. Owen was unsure if the grin was supposed to assure him he was speaking with a friend, or a threat.


    Luckily for him, it was meant to be assuring. He wasn¡¯t going to be the one to tell them that it certainly had the opposite effect. ¡°So, I imagine you have very few memories of the last few days, correct?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Yeah, the last thing I remember was clocking into work what I assume was a few days ago.¡± he explained, it finally felt like something was going right and he was going to get some form of answers.


    She took some notes at the same time and then explained ¡°Dissociative amnesia. The process that you went through was quite traumatic so the brain is shutting off access to the memories. Give it some time and you will remember, but most wish they didn¡¯t.¡±


    Owen shifted awkwardly in his cell at the idea. If the pain he went through in that tube was anything to go off of, it probably was best that those memories stayed in the past. She saw his hesitation and brought his attention back around by clicking her fingers. ¡°However, the process that you underwent seems to have been forced on you. A procedure that practised highly forbidden magic and alchemy.¡±


    Instead of simply telling him like a normal person would, she held up a small hand and formed a spear of ice inches from his face. ¡°A long story short. They made you immortal.¡± She said, pushing her hand forward and the shard moved backwards slightly before aiming and spearing itself directly into his chest.


    The force was enough to knock Owen back across the cell into the wall and knock the air out of his lungs as it shattered on impact, sending shards of ice upwards into his face. Of course, he panicked and brought his hands up as quickly as he could to help reduce the bleeding, unable to shout through the immediate shock of the very real pain.


    What he found was¡­ Concerning. Placing his hands on his chest there was a clear hole through the tunic that he had been given, his chest was completely unharmed. Even the trace amounts of what chest hair he had in the first place remained unchanged.


    Finally he could breathe again and Swiss laughed a dirty cackle as if this was the funniest thing she had ever seen. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She began with a bow of the head. ¡°It is simply a treat to see someone''s first reaction.¡±


    Though he struggled to understand the idea that he was immortal. Attaining immortality was always seen as one of the highest offences one could commit against The Spire, as much was burned into his mind as a child.


    He assumed that Swiss expected him to break down, have some form of panic attack that they had most likely seen on several occasions given their previous statements¡­ But what he felt was nothing close to despair. What he felt was jubilation.


    She noticed the smile creeping across his face which in turn caused her to raise a brow ¡°You certainly seem happy about this.¡±


    ¡°How could I not?¡± He asked in an elated response. Beginning to pace back and forth his mind was racing with the forms of potions he could work on, and the types of ingredients he could now use without fear. It opened an entirely new world, and he let Swiss know that. ¡°Do you know what the biggest limiting factor of science is?¡± He asked


    ¡°Uhh¡­ funding?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Well¡­ Yes, but also mortality!¡± He exclaimed ¡°Do you know how many potions I can test without fear of side effects? I can test the uses of narrowart outside of poisons without the fear of poisoning whoever drinks it,¡± coming more animated as he wondered what he could do first, ¡°I could potentially even work with acids and see what I can extract from the corrosive substance! Imagine all the breakthroughs I could make!¡±


    He once again felt at his chest and turned back to her on the spot ¡°And think of all the money I can save not having to pay for people to try my potions? I can be my own test subject¡±


    Swiss seemed amused with his reaction and when he finally gave her time to respond, she said ¡°An alchemist through and through.¡± The jubilation was not to last as Swiss did need to inform him of what happened next. ¡°While I am happy you have reacted better than a majority that have had immortality forced onto them, we still need a plan going forward here. We cannot let immortals just freely roam the world. What you are, is still considered a great crime.¡±


    ¡°What, am I going to be left in this prison?¡± He asked without much thought before it left his lips. Even then, if they provided ingredients for him he may not be too against the idea.


    The look across the ratlings face once again was a cause for confusion. Owen wasn¡¯t the most social butterfly with his own race, let alone trying to read the body language of another. ¡°We won¡¯t need that, hopefully. What we will need is to take you to visit our boss.¡± Swiss explained, impatiently kicking her feet while taking down more notes.


    Owen paused for a moment, wondering who would be leading a group that hunts down labs that were committing forbidden magic. Though, unfortunately, he felt he knew who it was¡­


    She hopped down from the chair and put the notes she had been taking within that space inside the runes and said ¡°Would you like the good news, or the bad news first?¡±


    ¡°The good news..?¡± Owen hesitantly asked.


    ¡°The good news is that you are now immortal!


    The bad news is we might have to kill you.¡±

 Chapter 2: Judgement

    The City of Souls¡­ Death¡¯s Door¡­ The Final Rest¡­ The Dragons Nest.


    The capital had many names but all conveyed the same meaning. This was the place where life and death circulated.


    A giant tower stood in the exact centre of the city that spanned for miles and upon that tower coiled a mighty dragon of pristine scales that changed colours and horns of pure ivory. Most common folk would know what purpose it served as it was a topic of discussion by all from children''s idle stories to scholarly research. There wasn¡¯t a corner of the globe that didn¡¯t know of Psychopomps and its influence.


    The giant preserved the cycle of life and death for the very world.


    Owen was allowed to walk without restraints between the two through the cobbled streets from the entrance of the city. Well, without restraints was a tad bit of an overstatement as both of them stood either side of him and he could feel their gaze burn holes through the back of his head. If he had attempted anything there was no doubt it would have been mere moments before he was pinned to the ground and carried in a tarp yet again.


    Alister seemed to want to let Owen know that they were watching by occasionally placing his hand atop his shoulder and squeezing with such force one would think he was trying to break it.


    Owen wished his first trip to the capital would have been under better circumstances. He had always wanted to sit at a cosy restaurant in a back alley during the night so he could watch the spectacle that was the dragon over a nice meal with someone that he cared for.


    Instead he found himself walking like a criminal towards the giant creature for something that seemed to have been in no way his fault according to Swiss.


    In a breath-taking scene, an ethereal panorama unfolded before his eyes. Above, a vast expanse of sky stretched endlessly, its once star speckled canvas transformed into an otherworldly spectacle. Instead of stars, countless souls meandered through the firmament, their forms flickering with an iridescent glow.


    Each light represented a soul once living upon this plane of existence, each embodying the hopes and dreams of someone who until recently shared this very land with Owen¡­ Each slowly making its way towards the dragon that coiled the tower, Its scales shimmering with a myriad of colours, reflecting the luminescence of the souls it absorbed.


    Entering the dragon''s aura the souls underwent what was only considered a divine purification. A glow emanating from the creature that acted as a beacon for the city. Passing through this aura the souls one and all whispered stories into the dragon''s ear. Each soul presented a lifetime of experiences in the blink of an eye to the majestic servant of fate.


    Once the dragon was done listening to the souls tale it would accept them into its gentile care, cradling them into a soft oblivion that purified the soul of any burden, of any strife. An embrace that Owen would apparently never experience.


    Tonight was a night that many would anticipate. The dragon stirred from its perch and spiralled up towards the heavens. It''s scales encompassing the same shimmering colours. Blocking the moon, the dragon let out a loud and terrifying roar that caused Owen to pause in his tracks, simply to admire the beauty.


    With this roar it flapped its arms downward which created a large gust of wind through the entire city that would have caused Owen to stumble backwards if not for Alister placing his hand on his back.


    Raising its head high into the sky and staring to the vast expanses of the stars above the dragons scales began to illuminate brighter, the souls almost shivering in anticipation for when the dragon let out one final roar that shook the foundations of the city and caused the souls to fire off like a beam of light into the nights sky, returning to the vast expanses of the universe in hopes of reaching the embrace of the All-Mother.


    ¡°Seems the boss is busy today.¡± Swiss added, the streets left in a stunned silence for a brief but powerful moment. The sounds of chatter slowly building again when the moment needed to soak in what had just happened ended.


    ¡°This won''t take much of his time.¡± Alister assured, and that was the last thing they said for the remnants of the trip.


    Approaching the tower through the main street it got even more nerve wracking watching the giant dragon pay them no heed as if they were no more than insects to it. The city seemed to have even been built to accommodate it as the main street approaching the dragon was huge and led from the entrance directly to the tower it called home.


    Once they approached the large bulked gates surrounding the courtyard of the tower, Swiss flashed a sigil at a giant that sat with one knee held high to lean on and a leg stretched out to block the entryway. His long and scruffy hair hid most of his face, apart from the long nose that poked out from behind the veil.


    Seeing the sigil he nodded and removed his leg from blocking their path and stayed his hand from the giant club that lay next to him. Assumedly to be used if someone tried to force entry. It felt like they were going to some form of business meeting with the head of the alchemists society with all these precautions. ¡°Surely the dragon could easily protect itself?¡± Owen thought. ¡°Perhaps it was to protect us instead¡± he continued to mull over. If anyone managed to wander in, who knew what it would do to them.


    The grounds of the tower''s base was also a sight to behold, a lavish and lush green garden with large amounts of topiaried bushes and plants. Most resembling some form of dragon or wyrm.


    A path led directly into the tower below the dragon, its tail covered the door. Where they were going however was off of the beaten path. To the left of the path past the well trimmed hedges there was a large circular area of cut grass with stones lined up around in shrinking circles until the centre had what Owen could only assume to be a podium upon it.


    They took him along with them until they stood atop the podium which from the looks of its position sat within eye view of the dragon. Alister however made sure to get its attention by placing his hand into the air and in a swirl of wind caused the podium below to glow.


    Owen would be lying if he said that he was not terrified of what was about to happen. This was an ancient deity that has been around since the beginning of the world itself. What in the world could it want with someone like him?


    Ready or not, he was about to find out.


    The dragon slowly lowered its head from its resting position when it sensed the magic and saw the glow. ¡°Ah, Alister and Swiss,¡± it began, though its words were clearly not any language Owen had ever heard, he could understand it, as if it was speaking directly into his mind. ¡°Is this the result of the mission?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Alister responded.


    Swiss stepped in to continue the explanation and she seemed to at least be on Owen¡¯s side. ¡°A victim of the real culprit. All evidence we have gathered points towards the fact he was an unwilling participant of this experiment,¡± she continued to detail the evidence that they had found from speaking with the locals. ¡°Several new recruits had come to the lab in the last months but when we checked the ledgers, and testimony from Owen here show that there are no records of any. Looking at the records there was also no mention of Owen, they most likely planned to scrub all records and get rid of the body if the experiment failed.¡±


    Owen wasn¡¯t sure if it was his place to speak here but the dragon noticed his expression and turned its attention to him ¡°You may speak, immortal,¡± it stated calmly.


    He found it difficult to speak at first, as if a thousand needles had stabbed directly into his throat. Unable to form the words, it leaned its head down towards him and as its giant eye came into view, dwarfing his form, he could feel it prodding within his mind with ease.


    It hummed for a moment as a blink of the eye caused his mind to feel as numb as his throat for a moment and leaning back up to its perch the titan slowly rested its head against the tower once more ¡°I have seen enough,¡± was all it said at first.


    It sent a chill down his spine, unsure of what that phrase even meant for the few moments before it spoke once more. ¡°Child of man, what has happened to you is beyond nature. While I cannot offer you a cure, I can offer you a choice.¡± The two standing either side of Owen stood to attention as he could only imagine the dragon''s voice echoed through all of their minds. ¡°Though your body may be immortal, your soul may be removed from it in this early stage. If you desire freedom from your fate then allow me to cleanse you before your soul and body become one, merged for eternity.¡±


    The first choice wasn¡¯t one that he was excited about, who would be? Hardly even a month past 23 and he was being told his first option out of this fate was death. Luckily it continued on to the second option, one he truly wasn¡¯t prepared for. ¡°Secondly,¡± it stated. ¡°You may choose to stay and put your immortality to use. The cycle of life and death is one that is very important for this world. It ensures that life flourishes and that nature continues to blossom. If the cycle of life and death were to become disrupted then the world would fall into chaos and ultimately, perish.¡±


    Its gaze filled his mind with images of the land desolate and blackened. Only the tower remained with the dragon coiled, the soil falling to ash and decay, it continued ¡°This is the future we wish to avoid. While I may be eternal, as are you, the world is not. It may one day become unsustainable for any life other than our own. So my second offer to you is that you join our cause and use this new found immortality to steer humanity towards a vibrant and prosperous future.¡± Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    It was like being stuck between a rock and a hard place. The options from here on out were death, or eternal servitude. He struggled to even fathom the idea of either.


    The dragon clearly noted the hesitation and most likely expected it as it continued ¡°I know it is a difficult question to answer at once so I shall grant you until morning to come up with an answer. Though I must request you stay within the room provided. Swiss will lead you there.¡±


    Its giant, snake-like tail began to move once it was finished speaking and it eventually revealed a metal door that had no visible form of handle or lock nearby. Swiss grabbed his hand and pulled his head out of the clouds by pulling it down to their level ¡°Come on!¡±


    Once at the door they placed a hand up on it and with a wave of magic, a loud clunking noise was heard from the other side. Owen was expecting the door to open up to another jail cell where he would get to spend a lovely night on the cold floor. To his surprise the door opened to a regular room. Fitted quite well with a bed on the far right corner and a wooden partition in the middle of the room separating the sleeping area from an area that had a small kitchen and a stocked pantry with a dining table near the countertop.


    ¡°Well, here we are,¡± Swiss said as he stepped inside. She stayed by the door and as they began to make an exit stopped and peered back in at Owen. ¡°If you decide to join us and need someone to talk to, come find me. I got mine in a similar way.¡±


    She didn¡¯t give time to react before the door was closed and ultimately locked from the other side. It was a much nicer room, but still a prison cell after all. Right now that didn¡¯t matter. Owen was starving and luckily for him, the pantries were stocked with enough ingredients to make his mothers ¡®town wide famous¡¯ meat pies.


    As he lay out the ingredients to make the crust he couldn''t help but dip a finger into water and then the flour to test how fresh it was. The simple taste was quite surprising as not only was it less than a week old, it had been imported from the third region of Kiln to the east. They always had a very specific type of feed they strew across the wheat that left a somewhat faint but nutty aftertaste.


    The meat on the other hand smelled as if it was butchered the morning before, and luckily with a knife cut so fine that there was no nasty lingering metallic stench clinging to the outer layers that often upset his very delicate sense of smell.


    Having time to cook again gave him a brief respite from the stress of the last few hours and allowed him to clear his mind so he could tackle the situation at hand. Placing some tinder into the open stone stove and a click of his fingers to ignite a spark that set it alight he was able to place the dishes in on the rack to begin cooking.


    While it slowly cooked he moved to the table to take a seat with a tankard of ale that had the distinct smell of the sea. A brand he had before on the celebration party that his father threw when he graduated and got his offer to come to the city. ¡°What a fat load of good that did me,¡± he thought as he stared into his rippling reflection upon the surface of his ale.


    Simply the smell of the pies in the oven was enough to give a sense of security. A feeling of being home once more while his mother prepared a feast for the whole town. Something he wholly missed and wondered if he was ever going to get to experience again.


    Distractions aside, he was in a better space at this time to think about the option that was given. Of course he didn¡¯t want to die, who would? On the other hand, did he truly want to live forever? If this was his only chance to resist an eternal life he would need to think carefully about his future.


    The more he thought about it, the simpler the answer became.


    Surprisingly he slept like a log that night. Amazing what a warm bed and lack of agonising pain would do for your sleep schedule. Cleaning the dishes from the night before and placing them back where he got them he was ready to face Psychopomps once more.


    He seemed to sense Owens willingness to give an answer as not long after the last tray was placed away the door to the room opened with a loud clicking noise of the lock sliding away. Swiss opened the door, quite taken aback by the smell before she said ¡°Well, something smells good in here.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, it''s probably the fact I haven¡¯t showered,¡± he tried to joke but his face betrayed the playful nature by being coated in a thick ooze of worry and anxiety.


    The ratling hardly gave a chuckle and seemed more confused than anything ¡°Uh¡­ Okay!¡± She began, waving a hand to usher Owen outside ¡°Boss man will see you now about your answer.¡±


    He decided to not dwell on the failed joke and instead chose to worry about speaking with a dragon that could easily erase him from existence instead. Life was full of choices like that.


    Alister was already waiting for the two outside and once upon the podium again the large creature''s eyes fixated on Owen and without moving its mouth he heard its voice echo within his mind ¡°I can see across your face what answer you have come to, but I would like to hear you say it.¡±


    He was nervous while standing face to face with the dragon to say the least, but he had already decided on his answer so he opened his mouth to respond but it cut him off at first ¡°You should know, my orders will be absolute,¡± Its tone sinister and its gaze serious ¡°If I order you to kill something, you kill it. No matter what moral compass you have.¡±


    He had anticipated this already, hard to imagine working as some form of secret service for a deity without having to do some things that he may not agree with. It didn¡¯t change his mind and he finally responded, without being interrupted this time ¡°I can work on alchemy for an eternity?¡± he began, something that had excited him about the idea ¡°Not only that, I can work with dangerous ingredients to create things that no average alchemist could even dream of.¡±


    It was hard to tell what the expression on the dragon''s face was, but from what he thought it was, it was some form of interest in the reasoning. ¡°A man dedicated to your craft?¡± It asked.


    ¡°Alchemy is all I ever wanted to do since I was young.¡± Owen explained, remembering those few moments as a child when he watched the alchemists wander through town with their carts of mystical ingredients. Standing at the front of the crowd to watch them mix up miracle cures for the ill in the town square. The nights he spent half asleep in his mothers study while she prepared batches of potions that had been ordered from the neighboring towns.


    ¡°Then you have accepted your fate.¡± The dragon responded. Its head moved down from the coiled position it sat in to stare at Owen, in which he could see his own reflection against the gleam of the giant eye.


    Uncertainty overwhelmed him as he stared into the creature''s eye as it seemed to judge him. Not just physically, but it felt as if it stared right through him. The silence was overwhelming and Owen felt his heart beat faster with each passing moment.


    Once again it spoke ¡°Swiss, if you would be so kind,¡± to which the ratling bowed and reached within her markings to pull out a sheet with various types of magic on it.


    Handing it to Owen, the dragon explained ¡°Alchemy may be a passion, but as a group, magic is also very important. Choose one from this list to be trained in as each has a unique purpose to serve.¡±


    Owen was taken aback by such a list, it had the basic magics of course though they were crossed out as he could naturally assume others already covered those areas. What shocked him was ones that he had never heard of before such as magma sorceries which sounds like it was a natural disaster waiting to happen. Some were even downright illegal, such as the practice of blood magic, polymorphism, soul links, and mind magic.


    He was sure that every form of magic to ever exist and even those that didn¡¯t exist anymore were written on this sheet. Now the question was what would he choose.


    There''s no doubt he had a curiosity connected to a type of magic such as necromancy or blood magic. Said curiosity was trumped by the disgusted feeling he felt in the pit of his stomach remembering the feeling of existing within that test tube, just another research specimen for a group of power hungry alchemists. He didn¡¯t want to force that on to anyone else, especially from beyond the grave.


    Shaking his head to erase those thoughts as if he were wiping an eraser against his chalkboard he asked ¡°What of these spells, sir?¡± Unsure how he could point to them.


    Psychopomps already had an answer prepared as the large dragon stated ¡°Legality matters little for one of our group. I keep you all in line, not the law. It just so happens that I agree with these little rules the mortals have put in place often.¡±


    Owen wasn¡¯t sure if that was the answer he wanted, but it was the answer he got so he returned his gaze to the sheet and thought once more about what he would want to study. ¡°Necromancy and blood magic I understand, something that is quite forbidden all around the world,¡± he stated as his eyes glazed the page, ultimately settling on one. ¡°But what does mind magic entail?¡±


    Alister stepped in to explain for the dragon, puffing his chest as if needing to appear like authority when he already was. ¡°Mind magic is quite dangerous in the wrong hands. It is a type of deep seeded magic that allows one to read the inner most thoughts of their victims. You would be able to discern emotions and read someone''s true intentions.¡±


    That was enough to perk up Owen''s attention, a very interesting type of magic indeed that would allow him to truly understand who he was talking to. Alister noticed the sudden enthusiasm and added ¡°You will also be able to influence others thoughts to a degree. This will be strictly used against people of interest, and not to be used against innocent civilians unless deemed absolutely necessary.¡±


    ¡°Of course, that makes sense.¡± Owen responded, but it was clear to all that his mind was made up.


    Before he could even announce which magic he had chosen, Psychopomps spoke to them once more ¡°I see you have chosen. In doing so, a task shall be given.¡±


    Within an instant a small light flashed in front of Owen, revealing what seemed to be a metal emblem of sorts. It contained an image of the spire with a somewhat cartoonish depiction of the dragon coiling around it. The outer ring of the crest contained runes that Owen had no ability to read in his current state.


    ¡°Take this,¡± Psychopomps began, allowing the crest to fall into Owen¡¯s hand and reveal that it was quite a bit heavier than he expected it to be, causing him to stumble slightly. ¡°This crest will allow you access to information kept from the public. Present it to officials and mages alike to prove your affiliation with the spire.¡±


    Alister waited once more to speak, explaining the more day to day uses that the dragon had no need for. ¡°It also allows you to use public transport free of charge within the seven kingdoms, and often will gain you discounts on magical artefacts.¡±


    The dragon seemed to care not for his explanation and spoke once more to Owen ¡°There are a species of moles that live deep under the earth. They specialise within mind magic to survive. Your task is to go visit them with the information we provide and convince them to come back with you and train you in mind magic. Swiss will accompany you and provide information if you so need it.¡±


    Swiss nodded in response and hopped slightly to attention ¡°You can leave it to me!¡±


    Alister didn¡¯t seem too impressed with the decision, but it seemed the dragon spoke privately with him. Whatever he said caused Alister to gruffly huff and walk off the podium towards the tower''s main entrance.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get going.¡± Swiss said as she once again rummaged through those runic marks that were somehow etched into her fur, creating a rippling effect around her arm before she pulled out a small notebook. ¡°All the information we have on the moles is in here.¡±


    Owen looked over the book for a moment, taking it and keeping a hold of it as he found a pocket to keep the crest inside. ¡°Alright, I will find these moles and bring them back,¡± he stated with his gaze diverted to the dragon.


    Though Psychopomps had returned to his position coiled around the spire in a state of what he assumed was rest.


    The conversation was over.

 Chapter 3: Mole People

    The train ride was quiet at first with Swiss allowing Owen to read through the notes that had been taken on the moles. All they had to do was flash the crest to the conductor and they were allowed on the train bound for Agdyne.


    It was a small village not far from The Dragons Nest but it was where the search would begin. According to the notes the moles primarily lived underground and would only surface by mistake if they had gotten confused by something interfering with their sense of direction.


    They had razor sharp claws that they would use to dig through the dirt and create tunnels for traversing. This was where their mind magic came in and they would project a small mental wave of sorts to let other moles know that they were nearby to prevent each other from digging into the others tunnels.


    It stood to reason that their eyesight was quite poor due to living underground along with communicating through mental waves. It left Owen mostly concerned with what could someone like him even offer these moles that would convince them to train him.


    It¡¯s not like any race would simply hand over the secrets to their signature magic for the promise of some coin. Especially if the coin was completely useless to them. Not unless they found the shiny pieces alluring.


    Primarily nomadic in nature they only came together in times of mating, where the newborns would stay with the mother until they were developed enough to be taken by the father and taught mind magic, then thrust into the world on their own to forge their own path when training was complete.


    After a while of reading, he placed the book down and returned to thinking ¡°Access to infinite gold isn¡¯t something that is going to help here.¡± He said aloud to stir up conversation with Swiss, who was currently enthralled with the scenery as she stood on her seat to watch it pass.


    She turned her attention from the window and sat on the seat regularly once more. ¡°Sometimes you need to think of more of what a client needs, rather than what they want,¡± a cryptic hint to say the least but it did give him some food for thought. Returning to thinking hard about the problem at hand. She let him mull over his options as he would ponder mostly on the fact that as a race they seemed quite fragmented.


    ¡°Perhaps some form of teaching them language?¡± He asked aloud, hoping that Swiss could share her input on his ideas. ¡°It would allow them to communicate with those above and perhaps even make trade agreements,¡± the ratling suggested for a moment but ultimately shook her head at the idea ¡°What would they even have to trade?¡±


    ¡°They could train others in the forms of magic they seem to be the sole owners of.¡± He reasoned, though remembering that this magic was considered highly illegal in most parts of the world. Just letting the world know that these moles not only practised it, but used it in their daily lives may cause a stigma before they had even advanced sufficiently enough to be considered a society by the king.


    Returning to his thoughts he watched the scenic forestry soon part ways through the window to reveal large open fields as far as the eye could see. The green grass filled to the brim with animals and monsters alike. The latter seems to grow stronger and more prominent every year.


    Though that wasn¡¯t his problem at this current time, he needed to focus on the task at hand.


    Luckily the trains were warded and often patrolled by goons hired by the company to fight off any monsters or bandits that attempted to board at any point. It reminded him of the time that he came to the capital of the seven kingdoms during the war to study alchemy at the Rosemary academy.


    A lot of attacks happened on trains during the war and when bandits attempted to get on board the wards activated and each room locked keeping him inside with the other passengers he shared a booth with. Outside, the guards dealt with the bandits before they could even begin to crack the wards.


    Returning from his memories he once again read over the information that he had. A nomadic group that communicates through mental waves that project intents into the recipient''s mind. Agriculture may not be what they want, or need at this point given they seem to survive just fine within the tunnels and whatever food source they already have.


    Swiss watched him struggle to come up with something and once again gave her own hint towards what might help. ¡°I remember a very long time ago, the ratlings used to just be considered another subspecies of monsters. Until the Queen at the time granted us the title of advanced civilization.¡±


    He perked up when she spoke, closing the book once more using a finger to mark the page he was on. ¡°Hard to imagine,¡± he replied, as far as he knew they had been in charge of the council of alchemy for decades at this point.


    ¡°It was a very long time ago, as you can imagine being immortal you live to see a lot. The history of entire kingdoms passes in the blink of an eye,¡± she continued, reaching into her pocket space once more to pull out what seemed to be an ancient coin. Given the condition that it was in and the markings it was probably worth far more than the entire estate Owen¡¯s family owned plus double.


    She flicked it into the air with a satisfying clang before catching it when it slapped against her palm. It was likely she had time to perfect the technique but she soon rolled the coin between two of her fingers to show the face of it that contained an engraving of Alexandria, the first queen to rule one of the seven kingdoms under the spire almost nine thousand years ago. ¡°My mother gave me this coin that had been passed down through my family for generations. It was the first coin ever traded for goods and services once Alexandria officially recognised the ratlings as a community and not monsters.¡±


    She held it out, allowing Owen to take a hold of the ancient coin that pre dated anyone in his family''s lineage as far as he could remember. A piece of history so valuable that it deserved to be within a museum. The coin itself was in quite good condition given what he had seen it being used for, the grooves still defined with ¡°In the All Mother we offer our eternal souls¡± engraved around the outer rim. Alexandria was known for many things, but her devotion to religion was one that was often criticised by modern scholars.


    Some went as far as to argue that magic, alchemy, and technology would have advanced threefold during her era if not for the meddling of the church. ¡°A lot to take in, huh?¡± Swiss asked, leaning on the table between them.


    ¡°Holding a piece of history in my hands is quite difficult to process¡­¡± He responded, running his thumb over the indents before he handed it back to her ¡°And you were there for it?¡±


    That got a snort from Swiss, her snout wrinkling as she let out a series of short chirping noises that he could only assume was laughter given her body language. ¡°Do I look <i>that </i>old?¡± She asked.


    ¡°You know, neither of you looked your age, I imagine,¡± he argued in his defence.


    Once her bursts of chirping came to an end she placed the coin back into her pocket space and said ¡°No, no. I may be immortal but I am the most recent before you. Probably about five hundred years. I just know a lot about my people''s history.¡±


    Five hundred years¡­ That was such a long time, far beyond the scope of any mortal and yet here she was, speaking of it as if she was some toddler compared to her peers. Though it came to stand that the others must have been far older.


    ¡°If there is a time that your people were not recognised as a society, what was it like back then?¡± Owen asked once he gathered his thoughts.


    ¡°It was a dark time for us, according to the annolds there was no shortage of alchemists in search of a ratling to force their concoctions and scalpels onto given we were the closest thing to humans they were allowed to experiment upon,¡± she explained.


    That caused Owens'' heart to jump slightly into his throat. He knew that his chosen profession wasn¡¯t the most ethical one throughout history but it wasn¡¯t pleasant to hear. Echoes of the old man''s raspy voice filled his mind along with glimpses of his vision trapped within the tube and an all too familiar scent of decay.


    ¡°It is where the term lab rat came from,¡± she responded to his sullen face with a few more quick chitters, pulling him back to reality. ¡°What is in the past is in the past. It is not like you personally victimised my people.¡±


    ¡°Victimisation¡­¡± Owen mumbled, tapping the notepad against the table. His thoughts still lingered upon the lab. Finally, after some time, he felt he had an idea of what he could offer.


    He slapped the notepad down on the table and said ¡°Alright. I have an idea.¡±


    When they made it to Agdyne they were quick off the train and Swiss decided it would be best to lead Owen to where she knew they could access the underground. They had been here a few times to document what they could.


    It was quite well hidden. Swiss explained upon their approach ¡°We had found one of the moles had made it to the surface on a tip from one of our envoys. He had made it to the surface by mistake and we had to help him make it back. From there we gathered all our intel.¡±


    ¡°How are we going to communicate with them given they don¡¯t speak our language, I imagine?¡± Owen asked.


    ¡°Well, being mind readers they can read your intent and infer what needs to be said, then project their response into your mind,¡± she continued to explain as she waved her hand and dispelled a constructed set of rocks that covered a large hole.


    It left Owen quite nervous seeing just how large the hole was ¡°Just how big are these guys..?¡± He asked, given the hole was large enough for them to walk upright into.


    Swiss demonstrated by wiggling her body left to right in a crawling motion. ¡°Well, they crawl on their stomachs so as you can imagine this hole is big enough for them to shimmy though.¡±


    ¡°So standing they would tower over us?¡± He asked, all of a sudden being quite a bit more nervous about meeting them face to face.


    ¡°Just because they are bigger than us doesn¡¯t mean that they are dangerous!¡± Swiss said with a confident huff, puffing her chest with her hands on her waist.


    ¡°Easy for you to say, everyone is bigger than you,¡± Owen responded. It was hard not to find her endearing at times, her boundless optimism and happy attitude was slightly contagious.


    It did little to help in this situation but he was able to get a chuckle out of her fur puffing up ¡°You aren¡¯t even trained yet and you are already rude!¡± He wasn¡¯t able to read the body language of a rat very well but he at least hoped that her tone of voice implied it was more playful banter than genuine annoyance.


    That didn¡¯t matter as it was, a noise came from the tunnel below and once again renewed Owen¡¯s fear with the shifting of earth below them felt through the trembling earth.


    ¡°We have the one willing to talk to us waiting below.¡± Swiss said. With a hop in her step she jumped into the open hole within the earth.


    Owen had little choice now. Taking a deep breath he readied himself and plunged into the earth below. The walls of the tunnel were quite compact, almost feeling like he was walking on a paved road


    The darkness on the other hand, made it feel quite eerie. The deeper they went the more distant the ambient noise of the world above faded and left behind a silence that hung heavy in the air and left Owen tensing with each step. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Soon the silence was shattered by a scraping noise in the back of his head that took him off guard, causing him to quickly look over his shoulder to find no one there. It was uncomfortable, it felt like someone was dragging their nails across the back of his skull which produced a similar noise to doing so across a chalkboard that bounced around the inside of his skull until suddenly¡­ it stopped.


    All the pain and discomfort of the noise just vanished within a moment''s notice, to be replaced with a silence that was now entirely relieving rather than concerning. Walking forward they came into an area of the tunnel that seemed to have been hollowed out even larger than the one that they had appeared from. As if some form of room.


    The relief was short lived as from the darkness finally a figure emerged. A colossal shadow revealed itself to be the form of the mole they came to seek. Its eyes squinted to the point of looking closed while on the opposite end the claws that it had were quite a bit larger than Owen. They looked sharp enough to cut through solid boulders and given they lived down here they most likely did.


    It had a long nose that it used to sniff the air and discern they were there and several whiskers that all reached the edges of the tunnel. While it lay on its stomach while moving this tunnel seemed quite bigger than it which was a tad strange.


    Though he felt as if words were being placed into his mind directly, or more¡­ feelings.


    The mole sensed his confusion at its form and in turn placed a feeling within Owen that it would ¡°show him¡± and at that it began to stand within the tunnel. It soon made more sense as to why this tunnel was so large in showing that it stood on its hind legs. Its form resembled that of a child''s teddy bear with a stout form that happened to be very large in comparison. Owen tried to size himself up to the creature that towered over him that he must have been about a third of its size which made it almost comical the difference between Swiss and the mole.


    His thoughts were interrupted by once again a feeling flowing through his mind, the mole wanted to know what someone from the surface was doing down here with the ratling that helped them return to the underground.


    At that he was still unsure how to communicate with them so he said ¡°I have come to offer a deal in return for learning your ways of mind magic for use by the spire.¡±


    The next feeling was hard to interpret at first but it seemed to be a mocking tone. If the creature could laugh it would at such a request but this message into his mind would have to suffice.


    Owen maintained his stance and once again tried to explain himself ¡°Do you not think to wonder what would happen when those on the surface find out about your abilities?¡± Doing his best to not make it sound like a threat so he added ¡°We can offer a lot of stability and ways to protect yourselves,¡± part of him hoped that being helped once already by the spire would have it feeling like it owed some form of debt.


    Again the mole responded in kind as Owen felt it projected that they had been safe for millennia as it was. While the surface is a threat the moles as a whole did not view the need for stability due to being a secluded race. Letting Owen know that it saw through his visage.


    Swiss watched the interaction but it seemed the mole wasn¡¯t including her in this telepathic conversation so she was mostly trying to discern if this was going well.


    Finally he could piece together only what he could describe as words from the feelings that had been passed within his mind. ¡°The mind speaks truly. Words are manipulated.¡± While he had no idea what that meant, he once again kept his firm stance in front of the beast.


    It seemed amused by the gesture with its whiskers twitching against the walls. ¡°It seems even you look down upon us with such thoughts¡±


    He shook his head to try and clear his mind, moving back slightly and composing himself with a deep breath. This time focusing on his thoughts since words were useless here. The first thought he pushed forward was that for any race a danger exists, and that is those on the surface. Eventually, no matter how careful they are, someone would find out about it down here. The fact they were here was proof of that.


    The mole thought about it for a few minutes and finally responded with ¡°There is some truth to your words but what you offer is vague.¡±


    Of course it was, Owen hardly even had an idea of what he could offer and that was apparent when the mole read his mind. This time he focused his thoughts once more on explaining the story that Swiss had told him.


    The tale of the ratlings and the laboratories that took advantage of them because of their nature and not being recognised as a society. In order to avoid a similar fate at the hands of those willing to bend the rules once it suits them, they would need a form of society. A form of kinship and advanced living that the kingdom could view and grant them the title.


    Owen felt it was a deal that could not be denied at this point, it was an offer of safety for his people and at the cost of training a single person in their magic.


    While the mole seemed hesitant as once again it thought about the implications of what teaching him of their magic would be. ¡°To teach someone such as yourself could take decades with such a primitive and easy to probe mind¡­¡±


    Now that one just felt like a personal attack but it was a valid concern. ¡°Time is indeed of the essence¡­¡± Owen said as he rubbed his chin.


    The next statement seemed vague, but all Owen could do was wait. The mole towered over them and its whiskers twitched before a wave of power rushed over them and echoed through the underground.


    Its face scrunched and the small brow it had furrowed as it did not seem to enjoy the response that it had gotten, letting him know in no uncertain terms ¡°My people do not care for your terms. They claim to not need help from outsiders.¡±


    Owen could feel his heart sink, this would mean his first mission was going to be a failure, along with meaning he would not be able to learn mind magic which he could not deny he was excited at the prospect of. Swiss seemed unphased by the news but it was hard to tell if she knew what was going on.


    ¡°However.¡± The mole added once he was done wallowing in his thoughts of failure. ¡°I fear my people do not know what is best for them and that they are blinded by the ignorance of decades of safety.¡±


    In waiting for Owens'' response it continued to press its thoughts onto the human. ¡°My people may be strong, but I fear for our future and I could not rest knowing I passed up such an opportunity to prevent hardships for them.¡±


    As much as it would have pleased Owen to simply accept and welcome him, he needed a definitive answer ¡°Are you sure about this?¡±


    ¡°Delving into your mind I have seen the depths of depravity the surface dwellers are willing to inflict on their own. One could only imagine what they would be willing to do to one of mine. I accept your terms, Immortal,¡± the creature soon said, which was what he wanted to hear. Pulling his head out of failure to that of success before it once again probed his mind and stated ¡°Your companion has informed me of a compromise on time. We shall grant you, and you alone, access to our teachings. In return you will provide us with what we need to be safe from the surface.¡±


    Owen felt his heart skip a beat as that meant a job well done. The mole once again seemed amused and said ¡°Enjoy these feelings while they last.¡±


    Ominous, and it was enough to cause Owen to stop and stare at it blankly. Before he could try and formulate his thoughts into a question, it stated ¡°From what your companion says, training will be a difficult task in itself.¡±


    It would make sense that the creature capable of reading minds was capable of holding two conversations at once, but that did little to settle his nerves. Swiss simply shot him a smile and a thumbs up when he looked at her direction which also did very little to settle his mind.


    At that, the two left the tunnel once Swiss had finished making her plans with the mole. Somehow she gave him directions to the tower which one would assume he would travel underground.


    ¡°So, three moles will accompany us to our training.¡± She stated once they were approaching the town once more.


    Owen was still currently processing all that happened, but he did eventually reply to her and ask ¡°What form of training is this going to be?¡±


    ¡°Well, what form of training do you think an immortal seer of life and death undergoes?¡± She asked as if it was a foregone conclusion ¡°Rigorous and painful training.¡±


    The journey back to psychopomps was quite quiet as Owen kept to himself, lost in his thoughts of the moles and what he was about to learn, along with what had even led up to this point. It was all a lot to take in. Swiss respected his silence and aside from the occasional jab or joke she allowed him to deal with his own feelings, along with preparing himself for what was to come.


    In reporting success to the spire, however, Psychopomps seemed quite impressed at the time it took them. ¡°I see you have completed your task,¡± it stated as they approached, before they could even report. Somehow Owen felt that he already knew of their success long before they even entered the city.


    ¡°We have, sir,¡± Swiss responded, saluting the dragon.


    The dragon turned its attention to Owen and said ¡°It is a pleasure to see you taking your new role seriously. Though you may harbour doubts about us I am sure in due time you will learn that what we do is just.¡±


    Owen would be lying if he said that he didn¡¯t have any doubts about this whole operation. Hard to take the word of an immoral beast coiled around the spire that it had the best of mankind''s interests in mind. By now he also assumed that with the power the dragon claimed, it too could also read his mind and had been this entire time.


    Nevertheless, he had already agreed to this position and no matter what doubts he may harbour he had a job like any other, and now it was time to learn.


    ¡°Then, as you have accepted your role with us you shall be trained.¡± The dragon said once it finally came to a decision. Its stare felt like it pierced right through his soul and an odd feeling washed over his body, as if something was taking a grasp on the very essence of what made him¡­ well, him.


    Darkness began to wash over his vision and he lost control of himself, collapsing to his knees before landing face down on the ground with shadows encroaching.


    ¡°You may come out of this a different person,¡± the dragon''s voice said as it rang through his mind ¡°But you will be the person you were destined to be.¡±


    With that, the world faded and his consciousness followed soon after.


    ¡°Hey, hey, wake up!¡± Owen heard from the darkness, followed by a light slap to his cheek.


    He pulled away of course but the slap continued until he opened his eyes, it was Swiss who was standing over him. The ratling grinning widely and stepping back ¡°About time, lazy!¡±


    Taking a moment to gain his bearings he looked around to find they were in an odd sort of¡­ town. The sky filled with a blackness that would terrify most, but somehow it felt almost comforting at this point.


    Blue flamed lanterns lit up the village with a few buildings around, a town square where stalls were set up and a cobblestone path running through the streets leading to each house, shop, and even a large field full of striking dummies to the east.


    The flames of the lanterns seemed to stave off the darkness of the edge of town. In the distance he could see a group of people hoisting large crates of supplies from the looks of it. Taking most of them to the stalls in the centre of town and some of them into the buildings around.


    ¡°Good morning.¡± Swiss said, offering Owen a hand.


    Owen felt that his weight would pull her down, but to his surprise she was quite powerful as taking the hand helped him to his feet with ease, even if he was quite a bit taller.


    ¡°Welcome to the nexus. This is where we come to train new recruits and retain a part of ourselves!¡± She explained joyously.


    Owen wasn¡¯t sure what to make of the ¡®retain part of ourselves¡¯ bit, but he did know he was here to be taught how to work alongside these other immortals that he was yet to even meet. All of them gathered ahead.


    First there was Frost, a woman of colossal stature. She put Alister to shame as she stood over a foot taller than him, and he was already a titan compared to most. Owen had no idea where she was from or even what she looked like. Her entire body was coated head to toe in thick winter vests, gloves, and a hat that covered most of her head. What little of her face wasn¡¯t covered in cloth and fabric was covered in an odd black fog that only let through the view of two yellow orbs that he assumed were to represent eyes.


    ¡°Welcome.¡± She said, in a distinctly northern accent. Given her dress code it made sense that she would come from the mountains.


    As he approached with Swiss, the group took a break from carting around supplies and turned to greet him. Alongside Frost was Alister who needed no introduction at this point, but he still took a moment to say ¡°Welcome to the crew.¡± Patting his back so hard he could feel the air forcefully leaving his lungs ¡°Sorry about the manhandling before.¡±


    It was a brief apology, and one he wasn¡¯t sure was even genuine but at this point he took what he could get. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it¡­¡± Owen mumbled in response.


    Returning from one of the homes with an empty crate in tow was a large orc. Osmir dressed in a long black coat with pants to match with a pair of nice shoes and a white undershirt; he looked quite similar to a group from Kiln that studied all forms of magic. Often dedicating their lives to the craft. ¡°Ah, I see our new arrival finally raised his face.¡± The large Orc said, quite articulate for what the common comprehension of an Orc was. His two large teeth from his bottom jaw sticking out from his lips to create a rather intimidating set of fangs that reached up to his cheeks where he had some tattoos that were common for Orcs to be given at birth. ¡°It is good to see Swiss is the one showing you around. She is the best at gaining people''s trust.¡±


    ¡°It is because I look normal, compared to the rest of you.¡± She responded with a cocky tone, head raised high in the air with nose pointing upwards in a smug superiority.


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Osmir responded, fixing a pair of thick glasses upon his face and brushing the long greying hair that contrasted against his dark green skin to the side. Mostly having it tied back into a ponytail but some strands still snuck down in front of his vision.


    ¡°That is enough talk.¡± Alister said. Placing his large hand on Owens back again he shoved him forward, towards the large field full of training dummies. He didn¡¯t have much time to react but the others waved him off. Alister began to explain ¡°If you are to be a part of the team, you need to be trained like us. So, starting today we will be training you in a specific area, starting with combat.¡±


    He was certainly nervous at the prospect, at best the only fights he had ever gotten into were the ones on the schoolyard. The last fight he had ever been actively a part of ended in a single blow that left him unconscious, back when he was mugged on his way to work. He was sure they were thrilled with the entire four bronze coins and pastry he had on his person at the time.


    He was broken out of his thoughts when Alister threw something at him, ¡°Catch.¡± He said as the wooden stick hit Owens chest and fell to the floor. ¡°Reaction time needs work too,¡± he added.


    Owen picked up the heavy wooden stick that was quite durable and smooth before he heard Alister say;


    ¡°Your training begins now.¡±