The port city of Sheran came into view suddenly as they crested the last hill. For the past hour, they had spotted evidence of the city nearby; traders with full carts on their way out, small clusters of buildings designated for repairs on the equipment needed for travel. There was even a carnival’s tent pitched along the road, a massive red and white pavilion alive with colorfully dressed individuals in strange outfits. Small children with the troupe waved happily at Samuel and Tobi as they passed.

The city was a wonder to behold. To Samuel and Tobi, who were used to the sprawling capital city, it came as a shock to see how spread out Sheran was. Even stranger, the city stayed close to the water’s edge, barely reaching more than half a mile from the coast. It was a long, thin strip of buildings, as if the city were growing out of the ocean.

There were too many docks and piers to count, and hundreds of ships were moored there. Ships of all sizes, from small swift-moving gem trader’s ships to the gargantuan war galleys, ranged along the horizon. From their elevated position atop the hill, the ships seemed like one large, living organism, floating and bobbing on the waves. From a mile away they couldn’t hear much, but they were sure it was a bustling place, full of noise.

“So that’s the Trading Capital,” Samuel said in an awed voice. “Have you ever seen so many ships in one place?”

Beside him, Tobi shook his head. “There are some ships that come along the Durmeau, of course, but nowhere near this number. It looks like an army of sailors.”

Sheran was, of course, where the ships of Tyrman’s naval force docked when not on duty, which made it an apt comparison. Sheran was rumored to be not just a trading hub but also where many great works of engineering and magical advancements were studied and made. The Mage’s Guild, the colossal organization that owned the College, was based here in Sheran, where its members could work with the Merchant’s Guild in raising funds for research.

“Do you think we should stop in at the guild?” Tobi asked, mirroring Samuel’s thoughts. “They may be able to provide a ship for us.”

“Perhaps,” Samuel said slowly. “I have always wanted to visit the guild headquarters, to glimpse at life beyond the College.”

“And now you get to visit for your first time as an Archmage,” Tobi replied, grinning. “It’s a bit like losing a copper but finding a gold, isn’t it?”

Samuel gave a derisive snort, sure that Tobi’s answer was deliberately incorrect. “One might think you’d show more respect for the aforementioned Archmage.”

“Ah, but the Archmage in question would know better,” Tobi threw back. “Else he may have selected the wrong apprentice.”

Samuel couldn’t help but laugh at that as he started down the hill once more, leading the way. Now that their day’s journey was almost at an end, he could feel the sense of wonder and excitement that only the unknown could inspire in him. Even if he hadn’t come with a firm goal in mind, the city was a frontier of variety. Ships came and went from all parts of the world in this port, and he knew that, if he had the coin, there was no limit to where he could go.

There was no wall around the port city, but there was a large building set about a hundred yards from the edge of the city, where carts and horses were coming to a stop. Men in blue and white uniforms were milling around the area, speaking to merchants and visitors, and inspecting the goods brought into the city. It wouldn’t do any good for defense in the case of attack, but Sheran had little to fear from a surprise attack. The inland area was filled with regular patrols, and outposts along the coast would warn of attack days ahead of time.

Samuel and Tobi were held up for a short while at the gate until they were seen to. There were half a dozen carts coming in before them, and the guards took time to study each one, as well as asking many questions as to their purpose in the city. It was a slow process, but they all accepted it for what it was, sure that urging the guards would get them nowhere. Finally, after what felt like an hour, they were beckoned forward by one of the guards.

“Step forward,” the guard said with a tired air. “What’s your purpose in Sheran?”

“I’m here to find a ship to take me to Zaban,” Samuel explained politely. “I’ll also likely stop by the Mage’s Guild to gather information and supplies for my trip.”

“The Mage’s Guild isn’t likely to give free information to a stranger,” the guard commented. “Do you have any identification?”

“Identification?” Samuel asked, confused. “What does that entail?”

The guard looked up, confused as he was. “How do you not have papers for your trip? You know you cannot leave the port on a ship without them, right?”

“No, I did not know this. I didn’t need papers to travel last time I went on a journey.”

The guard let out a snide laugh. “When was that, a hundred years ago? Listen, boy, you need papers. They have to have your name, city of origin, and your official title. Without that, you could be anybody, and we can’t have that.”

Tobi stepped forward at once, his jovial expression replaced by the serious demeanor of a soldier. “Watch your tongue! You speak to Samuel Bragg, Champion of Arcana!”

The guard stiffened at once, his face shifting into lines of stubborn anger. He opened his mouth to reply to Tobi’s interruption, but before he could say a word, one of the other guards, who sat nearby in case of unrest, spoke up. He had been watching the conversation with mild interest.

“The new Archmage of Knowledge?” The man asked. “How did you get here so soon? I just received news of your promotion an hour ago!”

Samuel gave him a friendly smile. “We walked very quickly. But if you don’t mind, I’d prefer no special treatment.”

“Of course,” the guard said, smiling back. “You may go on through, Master Bragg. Welcome to Sheran. We hope you enjoy your time here.”

Samuel bobbed his head in gratitude and led the way past the first guard, who stood as if stunned, his mouth open in surprise. Tobi directed one final dirty look in the man’s direction, then followed his mentor. It was only as he drew level with Samuel that his face relaxed back into its more normal, calmer expression.

“Do you just have the ability to switch between happy and terrifying at will?” Samuel asked, peering owlishly at him.

“It’s not a natural talent,” Tobi laughed. “I don’t like being angry, but projecting authority is something I picked up from my father. It is a useful skill sometimes.”

“Your father has taught you too well,” Samuel sighed, shaking his head. “I shudder to think what you’ll be like when you grow up.”

Tobi grinned at the jibe, then he was distracted by the buildings around him. In addition to the heady scent of salt carried to them on the breeze, there was also the smell of food, both familiar and alien to them. All the countries of the world came to trade here, and it was represented by the variety of goods and food offered in small market stalls along the road.

In Milagre there was a considerable amount of trading done, but it was all done in the Market District in the eastern part of the city. In Sheran, vendors and merchants stood everywhere Samuel looked, calling out to everyone who walked by. The food vendors were particularly boisterous, and under the current circumstances, Samuel and Tobi were all too willing to give the food stalls their attention.

They tried a wide variety of strange new foods, some good and some bad. Tobi seemed particularly fond of one vendor who sold chunks of meat, vegetables, and pepper pierced by a stick and grilled. Samuel enjoyed it as well, but the concept of food designed to be eaten while walking was strange to him. He much preferred another cart they passed where a lady from the Mitene Union gave him a bundle of meat, tomatoes, and lettuce all wrapped in a thin, flaky kind of bread. He made a mental note to visit the stall again before he left, so he could learn more.

As they drew closer to the water’s edge, Samuel began to notice more taverns and drinking halls. There was also a bigger presence of armed men and women here, from Gorteauan soldiers to the mercenaries often hired to protect merchants from roving bands of pirates. Such men hung around the docks when off-duty, drinking and gambling their money away while waiting for more work.

They took a sharp turn at the signs by the docks, following instructions from patrolling guards to the Mage’s Guild. Used to the grand estate and soaring towers of the College, Samuel was surprised to find that the main guild was rather plain by comparison. The men and women here all wore robes of the same color, a light blue with brown trim and stripes. The guards wore tabards of matching colors, the fronts of their uniforms bearing the owl crest of the Mage’s Guild.

There was no gate to separate the guild hall from the rest of the city, so Samuel decided to step into an alleyway briefly to change back into his white robe. Once the belt had retied itself around his waist he stuffed his blue robe back into the satchel and stepped out onto the road once more, easily identifiable to the Guild’s guards.