The Starry Mountains of old were home to the Mountain Folks-- hard, hardy, clever folk who made their homes in the cold north.

They were ruled in turn by the Guilds, who were founded long ago by the Great Sage. Each of the powerful Guilds, totaling nine together, governed their own city-state with outlying villages and towns here and there-- that would fall and rise by the beast tides.

At the helm of the Guilds where the Guild Masters! Powerful men and women who were experts and true authorities of their Guild's respected trade. They each, in turn, earned the respect and loyalty of their fellow guild members and risen up to the position. Though in later days, the position was passed down through hereditary.

Together the Guilds were unified under the banner of the Starry Union. Under this alliance, they were able to stand together, united, creating a front that helped spread their reach far and wide. The Union was lead by the President, whom the position always stayed in the hands of Greybrows.

The Greybrows where Scholars much similar to us present-day Scholars, but at the same time, far too different. The Greybrows were Master Calligraphers, Keepers of Grand Obelisk Library, Residents of the Knowledge Spires, Rulers of Volhelm, and Creators of Magical Scrolls of tremendous power.

Though that position of power was much contended by the other guilds, among them were the Brewers Guild, a guild of Alchemists. They were Master Chemists, Residents of the Pillars Of Wafting Fumes, Guardians of the Black Titanic Cauldron, Rulers of Celecross, and Makers of Magical Potions of incredible uses.

Then there was the Dustgear Guild, a guild of Construct Builders. They were Master engineers, Residents of the Colossus Towers, Masters of the Gear Plant, Rulers of Exastrand, and Builders of Magical Constructs of unbelievable might.

In addition, there was the Stargazers Guild, navigators of the Void, although the weakest Major Guild, their trade was the most valuable and useful. These navigators where Master Cartographers, Residents of Heavenly Spires, Wielders of the 8-pointed Golden Compass, Rulers of Spheris, and Wayfinders of other worlds.

Being only a step above the Stargazers where the Crumbled Abode Guild, a guild of architects. They were Master Designers, Residents of Broken Towers, Users of the Gargantuan architect's Compass, Rulers of Clode, and Planner of wondrous Magical Structures.

After that, there was the Pentagon Guild, practitioners of warding. They were Master Sketchers, their residents were the Endless Circling Spires, Owners of the Grey Chalk, Rulers of Voxis, and Drawers of grand Magical Wards.

Next, there was the Red Anvil Guild, a guild of forgemasters. They were Master Smiths, Residents of the Blazing Lookout, Owners of the Blazing Ember Forge, Rulers of Ozon, and Producers of mighty Magical Armaments.

Then there was the Talisman Guild, a guild of artisans. They were Master Trinket makers, Residents of the Ornament Towers, Users of the Adorned Modeling Utensil, Rulers of Aerostar, and Craftsmans of exquisite Magical Trinkets.

Lastly, there is the Weavers Guild, a guild of fabric makers. They were Master Spinners, Residents of the Weaved Spires, Owners of the Antiquity Spinning Machine, Rulers of Aerihold, and Weavers of numerous Magical Wears.

Nevertheless, this small list does not round up all the Guilds that used to make up the Starry Union. There were plenty of other Minor Guilds who latched on to the Major Guilds for support and backing.

-Excerpt From Imperial Scholar Placus study on the Guilds of Old Pandora.

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3 Seasons Later (3 Earth Years)

Magnus, who was now 13 seasons old, walked among the crowded streets of Exastrand. The passing of seasons worked miracles on him, instead of being the scrawny little runt he used to be, now he looked his age, that is Pandora age, meaning he looked like a fifteen year old Earthling.

Over the seasons, he grew in many areas, whether it be in heights, which he now stood at 1.6 meters with plenty of room to grow. Plus, in weights which he gained several over the seasons and was finally within the normal human range.

In addition to his baby fat being all but gone and him gaining several pounds, he started to attain an athletic body shape. Though maybe he should concede that to all the training he has been going through. Furthermore, he was also coming into his manhood, so he has been feeling all the teenage angst.

Besides that, he noticed he is fitting in more and more into his ethnicity group as his features sharpened and becoming more prominent. His curly hair, which used to be a dirty jumble of mayhem, was now cut short and into a mohawk style with a light stubble growing in and a line running across.

The seasons have also treated him well financially as it did physically, he was wearing white loose satin trousers with intricate golden designs and a similarly long-sleeved white vest with a plain white tunic underneath.

At his waist was a black sash of brocade fabric with beautiful white interwoven serpentine designs. Worn around his neck was a black shawl that covered his upper torso and was dotted with small sliver white dots that shone in the sun like tiny stars and white elongated prism-like beads at the base.

He could pass off as any guilder’s son with the fine clothing he was wearing, and he did. As he made his way to the hideout, the masses gave him a wide breadth even though there wasn’t any room to be found at all.

‘If they only knew,’ Magnus thought to himself, ‘if they only knew that everything, from the clothing, to the perfume, and the money-- everything was stolen and bought with ill-gotten money. How would they react or even feel?’

“They would riot, plain and simple,” a woman’s voice replied to his gratifying thoughts.

“Ah, if it isn’t my eternally insufferable companion,” Magnus said in a light-hearted manner.

Codex snorted derision, “Would you look at that, the pot calling the kettle black. If I am insufferable, and that is a big if then you are unbearable.”

Magnus chuckled in amusement; it was good to see some folk were still the same old, same old. Biting back any more jokes, Magnus cut to the chase and asked what was on his mind. “Alright, Codex, all jokes aside, it has been a while since I saw my Stat Sheet, could you go ahead and put it up?”

“Sure,” Codex simply replied as she did as he asked.

[Scanning Complete]

[Physical Stats Available

Mental Stats Available

Spiritual Stats Available]

[Module Units Identified:

Might: 3.76 → 6.51

Speed: 5.14 → 10.93

Physique: 3.98 → 6.87

Mind: 10.14 → 13.06

Spirit: 11.0 → 15.92

]

Stats

Might:

6.51

Speed:

10.93

Physique:

6.87

Mind:

13.06

Spirit:

15.92

The young practitioner looked over the gains that he made over the season. Those stats that went up through techniques made a steady and gradual gains, those that he worked hard for went up with his effort, and finally, those that had the benefit of both technique and training went soaring up like a ballista bolt.

At any rate, he was finally out of the red zone, below normal. Man, that was humiliating, having the pull of a little child. Presently, most of his stats’ were either in the normal range or above normal.

Now, if only he was able to break through the abnormal range any day now. He would be a powerhouse among regular folks if he got to that stage-- just like Taylan, Bulut, and Shui.

Plus, he wouldn’t be somewhat closer to where Soykan and the Matron stood, he still had no idea where that was, nor was Codex able to pick up anything, but baby steps.

While Magnus was distracted looking over his advancement, somebody ran into him, whether it be by accident or on purpose, thankfully he didn’t fall down on to the ground. Though that didn’t stop them from thwacking him with some sort of pastry which got all over his face.

Magnus took in a deep breath to calm himself and took out a silken handkerchief from his vest inner pocket and used it to wipe his face. Once he was done cleaning himself, he looked down at the person who ran into him, which turned out to be a little girl who had her hair tied into two ponytails.

No wonder he didn’t even budge an inch when she collided with him.

“Are you alright?” Magnus asked the child as he offered her his hand. There was no point in getting angry with a child; he will only be making an ass of himself if he did.

The child didn’t even register his offered hand or, for that matter even give him a glance since she only looked down at her now empty hands. It must have struck her that her pastry was gone since it was at that moment the waterworks begin.

‘Ow, shit,’ Magnus thought. He can’t be dealing with this. He was no good with children. No make that horrendous. Whenever he was given baby duty back at the orphanage, he would always try to shrink it, any way possible.

Thankfully with his quick wit, he was always able to get away without carrying out his duty, or was it because of his irresponsibility?

“Come on, don’t cry, it will be alright,” Magnus said weakly to the child. However, it only went on ahead and did the exact opposite.

People were now staring at them as they passed by, and Magnus was totally out of his playing field. “Alright, calm down, I will buy you’re sweet again. What do you say to that?” Magnus asked as he reached for his coin purse and brought out some silver bolts.

The child gave the money one look and broke down into tears again while crying out, “I wanty my taaaart!”

‘Well, aren't you a smart bugger,’ Magnus thought as he gave the child the stink eye. ‘Sure does know what you want.’

As Magnus was thinking about something, anything to pacify the little girl, a young woman came running into the opening. “Fusun,” she shouted as she darted to the child.

Once her little devil was in her hands, the older girl or should he say, young woman. Even though the young woman looked like she was seventeen or eighteen seasons old, he always gets confused with this nonsense that you are an adult at fourteen.

The young woman looked up to face Magnus, who immediately got on the defensive. “This is not how it looks!” he shouted as he held his hands up, trying not to create a misunderstanding.

“He took my tart, mommy,” the brat screamed from underneath her mother’s hug.

Magnus swore under his breath, is she trying to send him to an early grave?!

Plus, no wonder people say children are adequate liars.

Still, Magnus had to defend himself since it is guilty until proven innocent in this sort of situation. “That is not what happened, my lady,” Magnus professed. “Let me explain, and it shall all become clear.”

“There is no need for that Young Master, my daughter is clearly in the wrong here,” the young mother hastily declared, as Magnus noticed the trepidation in her eyes. “Please have mercy on us,” she said as she bowed her head to him in surrender and plea.

“If there is anybody you must punish, then let it be me, for I am the mother who couldn’t discipline her daughter correctly.”

And here Magnus thought this couldn't get any more complicated. Now the mother herself is afraid of him and asking for punishment. Masochistic much?

Nevertheless, anybody common sense or just plain eyes for that matter could see the jelly still stuck in his hair. From there, you could easily come to the conclusion that he didn’t take the child’s tart, and he is clearly not in the wrong.

So, why shouldn’t she be afraid for her life and her child’s, her daughter just sullied and insulted a Guilder’s son. Since Magnus is dressed as the part, why shouldn’t she believe anything less?

“It’s alright,” Magnus said as he held his hand out to stop her from doing something unexpected. He was no in store for any more surprises!

“The fault lays at my feet. I wasn’t watching where I was going, and then I ran into your child.” Magnus admitted, which was the truth, but also a fact which he hoped would ease the young mother’s worries.

“Now where debt is do, debt is do.” Magnus declared as he brought out the silver bolts again. “Here,” Magnus said as he held out the coins, “this should be repayment, enough.”

“This is too much, Young Master,” the young mother uttered as she was more fearful than ever now. Clearly, she was wondering if strings came attached to this money.

“This is nothing to me,” Magnus stated, which was a fact, plain and simple. “Buy your child as many tarts as she wants,” he added as he shoved the money into the young woman’s hand.

“Now, I must be on my way,” he uttered. “And you be out of trouble,” he concluded with as he gave the child a glare.

With that, he left and at a near running pace at that too.

A part of him wondered why a simple outing out into town became so complicated and convoluted.

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“Your late,” Soykan stated as Magnus came down the stone steps.

“I know, I know. I ran into some complications,” Magnus clarified. As he looked down at the small gather, unlike him, who grew a plenty all four men were the same old same old.

“You were able to get what we asked for, right?” Taylan asked, taking his meaning the wrong way.

“Yes, I have our getaway vehicle is ready, I just need to pick it up later,” Magnus said, setting them straight as he sat with them at the table near the hearth.

“Good,” Soykan said as he nodded his head. “We all know the plan, right?”

Without a word, everyone at the table nodded their heads, giving their acquiescence.

“Alright then, let’s get on with our job!”

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Magnus drove the carriage that they rented down an alleyway, the thing was more of a small train cart than anything else.

It had six horses tethered to it, which made it a headache keeping all those animals in line. Plus the thing was so massive and heavy, he was afraid that the wheels would leave cracks and fissures on to the earthen stone.

Thank Pandora for all the myriad of training he got, ow, and there he goes sounding off like a Pandorian. Humans are truely creatures of adaptability, it only took a few seasons and he has already adapted to this world cultures and customs.

Anyways during his time with the Infamous Menace, his training hasn’t only been physical training, weapon training, thievery training, and strategical training. He would have already lost his mind if that is what he did every single day.

No, he has been branching off into other fields.

From Bulut, besides the weapon training, he has been learning hand to hand combat, discipline, command, and strategy. It has been a lot of military training from him, and Magnus was able to glean from that Bulut used to be some sort of soldier.

From Shui, besides the physical training, he has been learning herbology, medicine, apothecary, brewing. It has been a lot of doctoring with him, and it seems like Shui was a sort of physician before he came into this life.

From Taylan, besides the thievery training, he has been learning freerunning which was basically parkour, disguises, theater, and music-- especially how to play his damned instruments, the Oud.

With Taylan, his teaching has been all over the place, he would learn one skill than another, but it all seemed like Taylan was teaching him how to be the best thief he could be. Also, just like how he taught, it was hard to pinpoint what he used to be in his past life. From his mannerism, he sort of reminded him of a street rat, but he also had skills in music and acting which could only be found with a troupe.

Then there was his skill in thieving, unlike the others, he was born and breed for this line of work. If there was anything to do with thieving he was the master and he was the person Magnus only learned from in that field.

Be that as it may, Magnus put aside the mystery that was Taylan, his history was his history, alone. It wasn’t Magnus’s right to be snooping around, plus he didn’t even the others backstories well enough as well. He only had a gleam but not a full picture.

Finally there was Soykan, besides their game of square, he has been learning etiquette, intrigue stewardship, and diplomacy. With him, it has been a lot of blue-blooded education and Magnus had to say he was not expecting that at all. It looks like Soykan used to be upper crust and the only highborn in the Starry Mountains are those part of the Guilds.

Thanks to all the different kinds of training he has been through and the education he had, his résumé has grown extensively. Now he could safely say that he could make something of himself in this world.

He could create his own path and build a legend of himself.