*Eldovian Era 1715, 16th day of the 8th month*

Carnaby Palei had been the man whom Elsbeth had appointed as head of the Varkevia Branch of Moonshadow before she’d departed to the southern continent six months before. He’d proven himself quite intelligent beforehand as one of her seconds, and had only continued to grow and impress since her departure. He was young, only in his thirties. Elsbeth had taken him in because he’d been cast out from his family. A Noble family in Varkevia.

The Palei Family had looked down on Moonshadow for the first few months it had been established, especially when they’d learned that it was where Carnaby had found a place. But the draw of the Charms and their abilities proved too much for even the most prideful nobles.

Carnaby spent most of his time these days avoiding any of his family members. They’d attempted to try to slot themselves in with Moonshadow in the first few weeks of Carnaby’s appointment as it’s Varkevia branch head. Carnaby had been quite annoyed at their antics, but hadn’t the manpower to dismiss them. Ebony had shown up when she’d heard word, and paid them a visit just a few days after her unsealing. The Palei family never dared to mention themselves in the same sentence as Moonshadow again.

Carnaby had been very grateful for Ebony’s help, but in all his time at Moonshadow, he had yet to catch more than a glimpse of the Lord Moonshadow whom all those employed within the Moonshadow Company were eager to meet and show gratitude to. After all, they were treated and respected at Moonshadow on a scale that they were nowhere else. He was well aware of the Master’s…peculiarities. But Elsbeth had always been strict about how she spoke of it. Carnaby knew that it wasn’t exactly a secret, but it wasn’t something that was discussed outright either.

“Mr Palei, are you positive that Mr Moonshadow will be arriving so late?” asked Katie, his personal assistant. It was after midnight, and the air was quite cold in the main courtyard of Moonshadow. They wore thick winter coats, the two braziers on either side of them lighting much of the large courtyard.

“I’m sure, that is what Miss Moonshadow informed me earlier this evening,” replied Carnaby, “Is the Young Master Bennett comfortable?”

Katie nodded, “Yes, he retired not long ago after spending much of the day in the garden. He complimented the landscaping quite genuinely”.

When the young man had shown up at the Bennett house a month before with a written letter signed by Rassa Moonshadow himself, Carnaby had been quite taken aback. Considering the aging of the letter, he hadn’t known whether or not it was something he should trust. Hence, he’s asked the Young Master to send a letter the traditional way to the Lord Moonshadow requesting that the bargain they had unofficially made be met.

It was because it was so unofficial that Carnaby was so reluctant to see the reaction of the Lord Moonshadow. It had been nearly two years since the original letter was written, surely, he would be annoyed that the original owner of this Estate had appeared so late.

The wind stirred in the Courtyard, and a dark figure suddenly appeared just inside the gate, followed by a second, then a third. The fourth seemed to appear at the top of the gate’s arch, balancing on the stone.

“That was not fair, you tripped me,” said the figure on top of the arch. A young man from the sounds of it as he dropped down to the ground. That was a two storey drop. Carnaby’s eyes widened as the young man appeared completely casual and uninjured. The figure who had appeared second threw back his hood, revealing blonde and brown knotted hair stained by days under the sun. He grinned at the younger man, “Anything goes, that’s what you said”.

The younger man huffed, “It’s still not fair”.

“You’re such a sore loser,” the sun-kissed man stated with a roll of his eyes.

“I-”

“Enough,” stated a fifth figure who walked through the gates at a leisurely pace, “You’ve had your fun, time for a little business”.

The man did not wear his hood up like the others, but from his dark leather coat, red vest, short brown hair and maroon eyes all contained in the figure of a man in his early twenties, Carnaby knew in an instant that this was the infamous Lord Rassa Moonshadow.

Carnaby bowed his head respectfully, “Welcome, Lord Moonshadow, I trust your journey was smooth?”

Rassa paused before him, his eyes intimidating and calculating for a moment before they softened, “It was just fine, Mr Palei,” he said. “How is the Varkevian Branch?”

Rassa stepped forward towards the doors, Carnaby falling into step beside him, “Business is good, my Lord, though at least once a month we struggle to keep up with orders. Miss Moonshadow insists that it is an issue that will be resolved with expansion”.

Rassa smiled, “You worry that the expansion is not fast enough for demand though”.

“I would not dare, my Lord,” Carnaby stated.

Rassa’s smile dropped as he frowned and paused, turning to Carnaby, “I would make it clear to you, Mr Palei, that I would prefer it if you did dare when it came to the business. It may be mine, but that does not mean I will not be grateful for your input and ingenuity, or anybody’s for that matter. We cannot grow without it. I had hoped that Ebony and Elsbeth had made that clear”.

“They have, my Lord,” Carnaby stated nervously, “But admittedly…you are quite the legend among the staff. Perhaps I have let my imagination wonder in their speculation of you. Apologies”.

Rassa chuckled at that, the smile returning as he continued his walk, “I trust the Young Master Bennett is suitably accommodated?”

“Of course, sir, he likes the gardens,” said Carnaby.

“Pity they are no longer his gardens,” Rassa replied, “Will you arrange someone to show my companions to some rooms. I’ll be out for most of the night so do get some rest. I’m sure waiting so late for my arrival was taxing. I will meet with Young Master Bennett at dinner tomorrow evening, for now, I had some things to attend to”.

“Of course, Lord Moonsha-”

But as Carnaby looked up from his respectful nod, the man had simply vanished. Carnaby turned awkwardly to the other four before he nodded to Katie who quickly took over, showing Lord Moonshadow’s companions to some spare rooms.

Elsbeth had not been wrong. Rassa Moonshadow certainly had some peculiarities about him. He was just as quick-spoken and sure-footed as the stories claimed. There and gone in an instant, but leaving behind such a profound presence. Carnaby was not sure if he would be able to rest comfortably from all the excitement.

***

Leiv did not recognise those that Rassa Moonshadow had brought with him. He expected to see a somewhat familiar face in Iah or Ebony. Or perhaps even those two Charm Crafters he’d seen from a distance on Rouke Island, Kit and Olly. But the four that were there were not people Leiv had encountered before.

What he was certain of though, was that they were not human. The Earth told him so. It had shocked him at first. The vibrations they sent into the Earth at their phenomenal pace were certainly not human, nor were they that of a Magician or other creature. But what Leiv was certain of was that the Mist did not cower from them, it simply reacted differently than it did to any other Leiv had known.

So, as he sat in the dining hall, making conversation with Carnaby and awaiting the arrival of the distinguished guests and owners of his mother’s family’s land, Leiv was not entirely sure what to expect.

Jane, whenever she’d spoken of Rassa, had always spoken of a kind and caring boy who had been wrongly treated and imprisoned. Even if Leiv had yet to meet him, he was not entirely sure that Jane’s image of the boy was one that had survived the test of time.

Even as he’d swept into the room and taken a seat, his party of four entering with various forms of elegance. The young woman was the most delicate, but her height and slightly darker skin tone hinted at somebody who originated from the south, not Eldovia. In fact, the others held features that were not consistent with Eldovia’s either. They all sat down, though made no move to take any drink from the wine, in fact a couple of them pushed the un-filled plates away.

Rassa sat at the head, looking down the length of the table at Leiv.

“So, you are the young master Bennett?”

It was spoken like a businessman. To the point. Leiv raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t tend to take my mother’s name, but yes, this estate was owned by her family and as the only descendant I claim rights to it,” said Leiv.

Rassa chuckled, “No, you don’t claim any rights to it. I brought it two years ago”.

“From a man who had no right to sell it in the first place,” Leiv stated with narrowed eyes.

“That may be the case,” Rassa admitted, “But it is not I that got cheated in that deal. That falls on your shoulders alone. I believe you would have read what I offered, it is more than enough for you to purchase a home of your own and fully furnish it. You may even staff it as you wish. It was my understanding that most Magicians prefer the company of their Guilds. Though, I will admit you are an exception to most Magicians”.

Leiv’s eyes narrowed at the reference to his half-blood nature. Most of the time it was malicious, but that did not seem to be the case when Rassa Moonshadow said it, “Then you will not give me the land that is mine by birthright?”

The floor boards below them seemed to shudder, but while Carnaby and Katie seemed shocked, Rassa looked completely unbothered. Amused even.

“Little Magician, you may have the blood of elves in you to drive your power just that little bit higher than your peers, but I can guarantee that you will lose if you pick a fight with me,” Rassa warned. His eyes flashed a crimson red, and he let Leiv see for just the slightest second, the power that dwelled within him. Leiv held his gaze for a moment before he turned away with an annoyed scoff.

“Jane was wrong about you,” he said, “You are not kind nor caring. You are arrogant and greedy”.

Rassa laughed, “It’s been a decade since I’ve seen her. Nobody remains the same in that time, least of all those who have been through a dramatic change. I am kind and caring to those I call my own. I am arrogant because I have earned every right to be. As for greed, I think you have misunderstood my impulses. I am not greedy, Little Magician, I am gluttonous. And if you so bait me, I will be more than willing to consume you and all you hold dear”.

The table was tense for a moment before Rassa stood, “Ensure Leiv gets what I promised him, Carnaby, and have more maps sent to my office”.

Carnaby stood quickly, gulping before he bowed his head respectfully, “Yes, Lord Moonshadow”.

Leiv watched the five of them stand and leave, not having touched anything on their plates.

Ever since his Magician Team had returned from their mission, they had heard everywhere of the changes that Moonshadow had induced in Eldovia’s everyday life, and they were thoroughly impressed. Right up until they heard the name Rassa Moonshadow.

Jane had been shocked, and then she had seemed to retreat within herself. The friend she had thought was dead for a second time, was in fact, still alive. And thriving better than any of those from her childhood ever would. The Team, without Jane to hold them together, had applied for some time off and returned to their homes for a long overdue holiday. Leiv had not expected to find Moonshadow having set up shop on the land he’d been sure his mother had promised to him.

He’d wanted to show Jane that Rassa was not all she had pictured him to be. That he may have been alive, but he was still just as normal as the rest of them. But that was far from reality.

Now, he wondered whether or not he should tell Jane about meeting Rassa at all.

***

*Eldovian Era 1715, 21st day of the 8th month*

Having to wait ten days in Varkevia for the Moon Voyager to arrive gave Rassa plenty of days to plan for his new endeavour in Eldovia. He’d proposed it to the other branch heads, who had all agreed readily that it was a revolutionary idea that would help immensely in keeping production up with demand.

Rassa planned not just the route from Varkevia to Moonshadow, but also Routes between the cities and towns that were the best locations for stops. Moonshadow had no problem building it, or purchasing the land to build the stations on, it was the land in between that would be cause for concern. This was still Eldovia, still an Empire ruled over by an Emperor, and Rassa was loath to ever speak with the Imperial Family. In fact, he wanted as little to do with the governing of the Empire as possible. Having the perspective of knowing that the line was bound to die out some time within the next 30 years meant that Eldovia was on a sure route to civil war. Ensuring that his business and plans would not become a victim of that war was paramount.

Still, Rassa did not wish to explain this to anybody else. The only one that knew was Aegin, and he…well, there was no chance of him returning anytime soon if he was still feeling so resentful even after two years.

“Rassa, if you don’t get permission from the Emperor to build something of this scale, you’re going to end up becoming a victim to his wrath,” Ebony huffed through the communication crystal, her transparent form standing unhappily behind her seat, “I thought your plan was to not draw attention to yourself? You can pretty much guarantee that this will mean the exact opposite”.

“I’m not entering that snake’s den willingly,” Rassa frowned like a petulant child.

Iah sighed, “Rassa, I have to agree with Ebony on this, it’s not something you can ask through correspondence. You’re talking about Empire-wide infrastructure that could mean a new age for trade and industry. It needs to be discussed and negotiated in person”.

“This will propel the entire Empire forward generations in development,” Rassa huffed, “He can’t say no”.

“He can if it means that one company unaffiliated with the crown controls the entire network,” said Iah.

“That’s why I suggested investments, that and the station control crystals,” said Rassa.

“I don’t get why you would give the man the ability to cut off your own supply network,” Ebony pointed out, “From what you’re saying, those control crystals will essentially make any track cart within three days ride of the cities inert”.

“And the way I have the lines set up, it won’t matter if he chooses to make the Capital go dark. He’d be an idiot to do so, really,” Rassa replied, “He’d cut himself off from the network with no feasible way to request for immediate back-up and no way to reactivate, it’d be suicide”.

Rassa chuckled at the thought, then realised the rest of the meeting room was quiet. He raised an eyebrow, “What?”

“Are you telling the Emperor this?” asked Iah.

“Ah, no?” Rassa said. The room looked divided. To undermine the Emperor like that…

Rassa stood, “Look, I’m not giving that man absolute control over these transport routes. In three years, they could be a predominant way of transport on the continent, and giving him control over it is essentially giving him the power to suppress his people. But if I tell him that’s a possibility and hand over the means for him to use it on his own city, then if he does end up using it, whatever befalls him afterwards is his own stupid fault”.

“You’ve really got some double standards there,” Ebony frowned, “Because who will actually have the power to cripple the entire system?”

“No one,” said Rassa.

Ebony’s eyes widened in surprise, “You’re not keeping such a crystal to yourself?”

Rassa rolled his eyes, “Ebony, there are better and less crippling ways to deal with insubordination than destroying my own supply routes”.

Rassa caught Iah hiding a smile out of the corner of his eye and Ebony just glared at him, “You’ve still got to talk to him to get this whole plan of yours underway before we leave for the South in five days”.

Rassa sighed, “I’m not talking to him. I’ll have a letter sent. That’s final”.

Ebony turned away from his glare before Rassa waved his hand, “We’ll reconvene tomorrow, meeting dismissed”.