The rest of the morning was uneventful, and I soon found myself on my way back to Stutra. From there I travelled to Flae, but even with the more speedy levitating carriage it took me three days to arrive.

I looked out the carriage window at the fading light of day and watched as the city approached. All I could say is that Flae was huge, and even with the fading light, there was activity everywhere unlike the two largest cities I had seen yet, Stutra and Kein. The busiest of the streets had been lit by torches whereas everywhere else went dark.

Upon entering Flae I saw that it was remarkably clean. It still stank, but I had been expecting a place this populous to be filled with trash and other discarded materials. I also saw that the buildings were generally well kept and almost never run down.

I watched outside for the next few minutes until the carriage came upon the wall marking the inner city.

It was not the largest of walls and, strangely for the academic mentality of Flaern, looked more ornamental with intricate carvings and the occasional statue.

Upon passing through one of the equally ornamental gates I saw that the homes and other buildings took on a more important and rich vibe, while the streets were even better lit here than they had been outside.

"Welcome to Flaern," The carriage driver opened the door to let me and the other passengers out.

I was the first to exit and since I now only had the small chest with me did not need to stay and could find myself an inn at my leisure.

The carriage had pulled inside a large building and I could see several other carriages parked here. Two of them were even being recharged and, for the first time, got to see the guts where the dozens of storage and levitation crystals were stored. Near them was a guard and several dozen peasants hoping to earn a copper recharging a crystal.

I seriously doubted many peasants had enough magic supply to fill one, but it didn't stop them from trying. The carriage companies didn't turn anyone away even if they could not and would charge those that couldn’t.

I looked at my hand and wondered if a few coppers would be worth spending my time on.

Maybe later.

I walked out of the building and found myself an inn.

The next morning I was fairly excited. It was finally time to visit the royal forges and get things sorted out for my sword. I would have been completely excited but I would spend so much money it was hard to be.

I left the inn and walked out onto the street. It was much more lively now that it was daylight and many people, poor and rich, filled the streets and, as usual, everyone stared at me.

It didn't take me long before I flagged down a small carriage and got on my way to the castle.

Somehow I got stared at even more in the carriage than I had when I was in the middle of the crowd. It was strangely fun watching people as they pointed at me and I even threw a few coppers at those that got a little too excited. Nothing like a well-aimed piece of metal to the forehead to quiet them down, or get them to chase the carriage angrily. It was fun either way though the carriage driver began giving me worried looks after a few times.

I finally pulled away from my the crowds when the castle came into sight.

I had seen nothing like it and that was what I could see over the walls. Even the walls were a sight to see. Like the walls I had passed through last night it was covered in carvings and statues but they made this wall out of what looked to be marble at the gates and a lesser but nearly as striking blue stone everywhere else.

The carriage pulled to a stop outside of a gate where I disembarked.

"Hold!" A guard dressed in ornate crystal forged armor said as I approached.

The guard looked as if he would say something else but looked me over thoroughly.

I pulled out a wooden block I had tied around my neck and handed it to the guard.

The guard took it and inspected it closely.

"Business with the royal treasury?" He said after a moment. "Do you know where to go or can I get you a guide?"

"I should be fine," I said.

"Very well." The guard said and opened the gate.

I entered the gate.

Inside I saw what I had only read about and I could indeed tell that the construction of the castle and acolytes of Usui and Vellis designed the grounds.

The roads and walkways were lined with trees and flowers, and I saw several servants tending to them. The roads themselves were made with polished stones and that easily reflected the sky and these too were being maintained by servants.

I walked down the main road, almost scared to ruin the polish these servants worked so hard to maintain, but at the sight of others walking down it unconcernedly I felt stupid and pushed the thought out of my head.

Until now the trees had mostly blocked my view of any buildings but now found my view blocked by another wall. This wall was made of marble but looked more defensible and lacked the statues and carvings. It was also surrounded by the most unique moat.

This moat, instead of being a hole in the ground like those I would expect around the castles I had seen in movies and books, was raised above the ground, the water a near-perfect mirror. I looked at the moat curiously and saw that along its entirety, water leaked over the edge and fell into channels that took it down behind the flower beds and out of sight.

I looked inside the moat and saw that it was deep enough where even the tallest Calorin could not touch the bottom. I also saw what looked like holes for pipes. There were also many ornate fish swimming inside.

I moved back to the road and crossed the bridge that arched over the moat where I was met by a set of guards at attention on the other side. Neither of them even so much as looked at me as I passed through.

I took one last look at the area I had just gone through. Helnion would go crazy there, I'd have to bring her sometime.

I turned back towards the inner castle yards. In front of me, I saw that this area had forgone the extreme amount of vegetation and had a more Romanesque vibe to it. Instead of the shiny cobblestones, the paths were made of fine marble blocks. Interspersed at various intervals on the path or in the middle of rock gardens to the sides were marble statues in the likenesses of people and the occasional animal.

The buildings in the area were made from marble and took many of their features from roman architecture yet still held a Flaern vibe to them with their more rounded foundations and walls.

The castle itself was probably the biggest structure I had ever seen on Calorin. It was only two stories tall but took up most of the field of view in front of me. Another decorative moat surrounded it.

I turned from the castle and looked around to see if I could tell which building the royal forge was in and easily found it. The building I spotted was attached to the wall I had just passed through and had several chimneys that had smoke coming out of them.

The building itself was more rough looking than the others and more worn but was still decorated with many statues, most of which were men holding various forge tools.

The building looked to be a few minutes walk from where I had entered but I didn't feel like tiring myself so I walked at a leisurely pace.

Upon entering the building I saw that hardly a soul was in sight so I headed through the nearest opening.

"May I help you?" A deep male voice came.

I turned to see who had spoken and saw an older man that looked like he had been bodybuilding his whole life. He was holding an unfinished sword pommel.

I pulled off the second wooden block that I had tied around my neck and handed it to the man.

The man took it.

The block contained all the specifics of my order including the smith that was making my sword.

The man looked me over.

"I see. I thought you were the Terran that had hired out Dormas. Follow me,“ The man put down the item he had been working on and motioned for me to follow him.

I followed him through several rooms before finally coming to a stop.

"Dormas. One of your clients has arrived."

"Is it her?" Another man replied somewhat excitedly.

Door Mouse poked his head out from a room farther on. He was younger than the man I had followed and was shorter but was just as well built.

"I will leave her to you," My escort left the room.

Door Mouse walked over to me. He looked me over carefully as he did so, "Good timing. Just in time to customize before forging the crystals into the blade."

He walked around me more and I could hear him commenting things quietly to himself.

"Yes. Sapphire should do nicely for the pommel gem. Matches the eyes. Ivory for the handle. Matches the hair. Purple lightning crystals instead of yellow. Also matching the hair."

Door Mouse stopped.

"Are you sure you want fire crystals on the blade?" He asked me. "Ice would suit you much better."

He nodded to himself.

"I'll stick with fire," I replied.

Fire was much more dangerous than ice was as far as I was concerned. There was also something else that drew me to fire that I couldn't quite make out.

The man looked at me with disappointment but didn't try to change my mind again and instead began circling me.

"If ice crystals are no good then maybe an engraving of the snow woman? Hmm, hmm. Or a snow-covered mountain. Girl seems stubborn and unmovable like a mountain and cold," He shook his head, "No, a mountain does not feel right. Yes, yes, add nonfunctioning crystals everywhere there is no lightning or fire crystals. Make it look like a blizzard in the light."

Door Mouse stopped and thought.

"Need at least one engraving on each side of the blade and hilt." He turned to me. "We normally engrave the family crest on the blade, hilt and scabbard but since you are a Terran that is not possible."

I thought. I didn't particularly care if they decorated my sword at all.

"You can leave it blank," I finally replied.

Door Mouse looked at me with disappointment again.

"Do you not have family crests on Terra?"

I shook my head.

"Terrans are different as I thought, though without a crest you will be no better than a peasant. You should at least have something."

What was a good thing to use as a crest? Most of the ones I had seen were not particularly complex and ranged from ones much like the European crests to straight up animals. "How about an animal?"

"Good idea." Door Mouse nodded. He began walking around me again, "What kind of animal… what kind…"

I thought as well. No way it would be a dog or any reptile or rodent. Cats and I never got along so they didn't work either.

"Something white. A white animal?" Door Mouse said to himself.

I had long gotten sick of the white theme people kept putting on me no matter how much I understood the reasoning.

"A flower!" He said all of a sudden. "Yes, a flower."

I didn't object.

Door Mouse hurried over to a table and began writing on a piece of paper.

"Good. Now I need you to do some sparring," He exited the room without looking at me.

I followed closely behind him and soon exited the building and found myself in a sparring field where several boys, men and a woman were practicing.

"Maffat!" Door Mouse yelled.

A man in his mid-twenties replied and jogged over to meet us.

More Fat glanced at me quickly but spoke to Door Mouse, "Yes, Master Dormas?"

"The usual," Door Mouse held his hands out showing the length of my sword and then headed for a bench next to the wall of the foundry.

More Fat looked at me, "A Terran, huh? I take it there is more to you than you look?"

I didn't reply.

"Quiet one I see," He turned and pointed to a small open shed that I could see housed several racks of swords. "You will try out several swords, each with a different balance. Maffat will watch us spar and see which one you do the best with."

I nodded, and he led me to the shed where he handed me a sword. I noticed it was longer than the one I had requested.

I ended up sparring with six different swords and indeed could feel a difference.

"You surprise me," More Fat said when we finished. "So much strength in such a small body. Make sure to spar with me again when you are fully grown.“ He bowed his head to me and left.

"Good," Door Mouse said when I approached him at his bench, "You still have much to learn with the sword, but it is no matter."

"Is that all?" I asked.

"Yes. Come back in a month and I will have your sword ready."

I nodded.

"Since you already paid in full, you can just drop in and pick it up.”

"I already paid?" I didn’t remember paying for anything.

"The royal treasury took care of it for you.”

That made things easier. Now all I had to do was withdraw what I had left and do the rest of my shopping. After that, I guess I would see what sorts of amusement a large city offered.

I turned and looked at those practicing nearby. I wondered if they would let me practice over the summer. Two of them were even training with poleaxes. I hadn't gotten as much training as I had wanted with them in Kein, so maybe now would be a good chance.

I walked over to More Fat and he stopped training when he saw my approach.

"Does Master Dormas need me for something else?"

I shook my head, "I was wondering if I could train with you while I wait for my sword.”

More Fat considered my request.

"If you can convince the captain of the guard, I do not see why not. He is a bit stuffy though and I doubt you have a chance."

"Where can I find him?"

More Fat pointed towards the gate that led inside the castle.

"Ask the guards there and if you are lucky, they will take you to him."

More Fat smiled at me in a way that said he thought I had no chance.

"Oh," I remembered something, "where's the royal treasury?"

I needed to get my shopping money out.

"Ask the guards at the castle gate and they will show you the way. That is if you have a pass."

I turned from more fat and headed to the castle where I easily got past the guards and was escorted by a servant to not only the royal vault, which was underground, but also to the captain of the guard.

To my surprise, the captain readily agreed to my practicing with the others by the forge. He thought it would be amusing to see them sparring with someone a quarter their size.

I immediately headed back to More Fat and told him the good news. I couldn't tell if he was happy for me or if he cared.

Now that I had that out of the way I had my summer mostly set and I just need to make sure I didn't spend all the money I had left.