So, we hit the road. The grinning Enmyra White rode a strange beast: it was an incredible two-legged creature with horns, a beak on its muzzle and a lizard’s tail. The animal had huge claws that could easily tear the flesh of any living being.

We left behind the village of half-bloods and the ruins of my parents’ house. Tren’ya Polozoob promised to protect Oulsast Dark’s estate. Following Lysandra’s advice, I made a contract, certified by the magic, with Tren’ya. The Black Guard had to defend the estate, I let him hunt and fish on Oulsast’s lands.

We locked the basement, the lab, and a lot of chests. I hoped that would be enough to keep our new home safe.

Apart from being escorted by the unpleasant Enmyra White and the expectation of an imminent painful death, I didn’t feel any inconvenience. My assistant was Sergeant Spine, a green-skinned half-orc. He was a sober and reasonable fellow. He got his nickname from a scar that ran from his nape down across his back. I tried to find out where he had got it, but he didn’t want to tell me.

Sergeant Spine kept looking down on Triya. He acted like an overseer, rather than my assistant. I kept thinking about the Gladiator Academy. Lysandra took about ten different books to the road, there were textbooks on military tactics and strategy, martial arts techniques and tips for shooters.

While Vasilisa was deftly riding the hog, Lysandra read aloud expressively. We were escorted by the soldiers, who loved her reading so much that they took turns walking by our cart.

Among other things, Lysandra read about the Gladiator Academy, “Before the age of the HAND, let its reign be eternal, most people were slaves. The slave owners were not just humans, but also elves, dwarves and nagas—all but freedom-loving orcs. The orcs didn’t want to be enslaved, therefore they died in battle but didn’t give up. So, the arenas have been built throughout the continent for the entertainment of rich slavers. More than a thousand years have passed since then. The old regime fell. The Demon Lord became the head of the Empire. But the arenas still existed. The new ruler didn’t ruin the useful buildings, turning the largest of them in the Academy, where soldiers, magicians, rangers and all the others were training.”

I also learned that there were different types of mages. For example, the Black Guards had the ability of magic Regeneration. There were also swordsmen-mages and duelists-mages. The latter had to be experienced in swordsmanship and handling of crossbow. Warlocks were soul mages; I had already met the blood mage and knew that they drank other people’s blood. Life mages impressed me best of all. They could change themselves. The older and more experienced they were—the more powerful their abilities became. They could treat any injuries and even reattach severed limbs. I couldn’t even imagine how much this operation could cost. It’s likely to be more expensive than Oulsast’s mansion. Well, why do I keep calling it ‘Oulsast’s mansion’? It’s mine. It was strange, but the warlock’s estate was worth less than Lysandra.

Lysandra was dressed in her disciple’s costume, made of fine and durable leather and steel plates. The plates were likely to be manufactured by my father from his steel on Oulsast’s order. The cut of the suit was very functional, the clothes were made for combat rather than for style: the belt was wide enough carrying bandages, the loops for potion flasks.

I sighed over the leather armor that my mother had given me. It turned into rags after the battle with the Black Jaw. Today I was wearing Oulsast Dark’s clothes, they were comfortable and high-quality, but not intended for roads and long journeys. There weren’t even leather patches. The warlock’s mantle and staff now belonged to the new chief of the village.

I urgently needed to buy new armor.

“Hey, lady Slave,” Spine respectfully addressed Lysandra, “is there any information in your clever books about killing a mage?’

“There is, of course,” Lysandra replied, “this is called ‘the tactic’. Each enemy has his weaknesses, it must be taken into account. By the way, your and my master killed a blood mage, having revealed his vulnerability.”

“You’re right. But they say the mage was killed by a fire sword, and the master was badly injured during the battle. How could ordinary people fight the mages, if they are armed with spears and swords? Can we defeat these monsters?”

“You may throw corpses at the mages,” Enmyra White burst out of laughing, following us, “you are the corpses. After the first battle in the arena one out of five will survive at best. None of you is able to fight mages. Your hero will also die in the third or fourth battle…” Enmyra White wanted to continue, as no one dared to interrupt her, but suddenly a long stream of smelly liquid hit the woman in her face.

“You’re a bitch! I’ll kill you!” Enmyra White roared furiously.

I saw the mermaid hiding under the water. Triya! I stood next to the barrel with the water maiden while Enmyra White was driving her beast to the cart.

“I apologize for my slave’s behavior, she’s a little wild, but she hasn’t harmed you,” I said sternly, looking into the woman’s eyes, “nothing threatens your life. Are you going to damage my property?”

Report of Michael Greystle is filed

Analysis

No damage to property

Threat isn’t confirmed

Cancellation of report

Entering a formal reprimand in a personal file (a false report)

First warning

“Okay, bitch, live,” Enmyra White hissed and turned in the direction of a forest river, flowing along the road. The beast under her feet snorted and shook its head, it also didn’t like the smell.

“Triya,” I said sternly; the mermaid made a move, her guilty eyes appeared over the water, “you shouldn’t have done that. It ended well this time, but what if I was far from here?”

“Sh-sh…” The girl said quietly, covering her mouth with both hands and carefully looking around.

Intelligence Check

Base

2

Bonus

0

Dice Roll

3

Requirement

4

Success

I couldn’t help screaming with joy. She speaks! It’s a miracle! Yes! I must calm down! With great difficulty, I pulled myself together and stroked the mermaid’s head. Lysandra was right. She was able to talk and breathe air. Maybe she would help us after a while. I had no doubt that the agile and strong mermaid would be useful in the team.