White light doused the magic circle, illuminating the silhouettes of James and a myriad of other returning Tower officials. After a few moments of stumbling outside the magical array - and a few lost lunches - the transported moved out of the teleportation array.

I’m back, finally.

The thought brought a tear to James’ eyes. He circulated a mote of dust to quench any unresolved emotions, and to stem his unresolved lunch. Teleportation remained a gruesome trial for the stomach, but he had grown used to it over the years. He walked towards the Tower officials, once he was in full control of his faculties. He was eager to return home.

Approaching the customs check James couldn’t help but notice the regiments that patrolled the border of the teleportation array. Uniformed soldiers manned exit points, donned in green and gold. As James walked, he noted how the Australian crest was plastered on his surroundings, not just on the Tower mages’ breast pockets. The roof, the customs desks, even spaced out along the floor, the coat of arms was everywhere. Silently casting detect magic, James noted how the crests thrummed with mana. Security had been upgraded significantly since his last visit.

The storming and murdering of a renowned Tower Magister - dubbed ‘Deathless Henry’ - inside his own Tower was a strong wake up call for this young Tower’s own protections.

James continued walking, satchel bouncing by his side. He was only slightly perturbed by the siege mentality he was witnessing.

The desk he arrived before was manned by a young female acolyte. Her hands fidgeted with a data slate, eyes darting between each of the new arrivals. Focusing too closely to the other international mages, she had over looked the man standing before her; a plain sight deception. James allowed a smile to spread across his face. He remembered the first time he encountered Magus’ from across the Tasman sea; he hoped he didn’t disappoint. James coughed softly into his hand.

“Oh! G’day, I’m Officer Melisa. I’ll need to see your passport, sir.” The girl said startled. Her cheeks reddened at having been caught out in her daydream. James handed over his Australian passport, clearing small traces of dust off the old booklet. He offered a small smile as he handed it over.

“One moment please, sir.”

“No worries.” James replied. However, the young woman’s brow began to furrow. Having scanned the old passport, she wasn’t pleased with the results on her data slate.

“Sir, I believe I’ll need to call for assistance; if you will just wait here.” She exited her booth, quickly making her way to a secondary office before James could interject. He began to tap his fingers on his spell book.

He looked around to see each of the other teleported mages being ushered through without issue. He was now the sole object of each of the guard’s glares. Swallowing his panic, James adopted a neutral expression befitting a Dust mage. However, his fingers continued to tap his spell book with fervour.

He could faintly hear the sounds of discussion out the back, and, had he felt safer, James would have deployed Cosmo to see what the issue was about. He didn’t dare release his friend now though; to many eyes. It would ruin the surprise he had in store for later. Soon a lean man emerged from the back room with Melisa in tow. He looked sleepy, as if he was coming to the end of his shift.

He was shorter than James, with a slightly tanned oriental complexion. There was something familiar about his gait as he ambled in James’ direction. On his nose was a pair of spectacles, with varying sized lenses attached to the corner of them to be rotated up and down. Each of the additional lenses - of which there were three for each eye - appeared to be inscribed with Enchantment runes, which were illumined in the rooms harsh light. He wore his uniform laxly, taking care to make himself more presentable as he entered the booth desk in front of James.

“Now then, who do we have…” The official’s eyes lit up as he analysed James’ passport. “Well I’ll be fireballed. Is that you Scanlan?” He looked up and met James’ confused face. He took off his spectacles and gave him a wide grin. “We all thought you some aristocrat’s house slave but wow, you’re back!” The casual demeanour and light humour tuned James in to who he was speaking to.

“Danny, Danny Feng? Wow, by the Towers it has been a while ayy.” The two old friends shook hands.

“I actually go by Yilin now. Felt right to take a Tower job under my given name.”

“Well it’s a pleasure to see you again, Yilin. It’s been too long.” Both men smiled warmly at each other. It was not every day two mages got to reunite after ten or so years; life seemed to get in the way. Officer Melisa grumbled.

“Oh, sorry Melisa. Well, Scanlan… Wait you’re not a Lord or any-” James shook his head swiftly, ”well it appears your passport is out of date. I’ll need you to provide some other identification before I can let you through mate, sorry.” Yilin’s smile waned a little.

“No worries. This should do.” James assured his old mate. He handed over his newer English passport.

“Wow, you sure moved up in the world.” Yilin commented friendly. “This’ll do for now; and we can do a biometrics test another time for a new Aus passport later.” James nodded in agreement. All the magic in the world and yet a customs check almost stopped his mission. Bureaucracy is a marvel.

“Well now that that’s done. Want me to escort you home, Scanlan? I’m heading out myself.” Yilin offered.

“Sounds good to me.” James said. He walked past the booth joining his old friend in making his was to the exit. “It was nice meeting you Melisa.” James called out behind him. The young woman waved, before she resumed her post.

“So James,” Yilin whispered, “Have you heard the news?”

_____________________

While Melbourne was a Frontier city - known for hosting young Gunther von Shultz during the Portsea Incursion - it possessed the greatest potential (next to Sydney) to become Australia’s first Tier 1 stronghold. Bordered by naturally fertile green zones, and a diverse cast of flora and fauna, Victoria was the safest of the colonies down under. Its capital city possessed some of the most competitive education facilities on the southern continent, in conjunction with varied magical goods and food.

What instigated the colonisation of this area was the untapped Highly Dense Mana reserves, uncovered throughout green and orange zones. Fertile lands, access to HDMs and a close relationship with nearby Towers across the Tasman; Melbourne possessed all the requirements of a fledgling Tier 1 city. However, what held this vibrant multi-cultural hub back wasn’t its inland potential but rather its aquatic southern neighbours.

As James and Yilin boarded their transfer magi-tech train, departing the inner-city hub, a new report buzzed over the trains intercom. One of the boarding mages swiped glances at the pair during the announcement. He positioned to stay close to the pair of friends.

“Breaking news; Mermen incursion tests Lorne, Anglesea and Fairhaven defence network. Casualties are at a minimum with two mages in stable conditions, and seven NoM deaths. This is the third incursion of the month, stay tuned for…” The two mages, and their follower, found places in the express rail’s carriage.

“Huh, they are getting troublesome.” Yilin commented on PA. He held tight to the cabin’s railing as the train took off. However, James wasn’t focused on the conversation anymore, instead his mind was on the casualties.

Seven lives cut short, and all they can say is that casualties are at a minimum. It seems few things change out here. He shook his head, eyes open to his surroundings.

“So these incursions are a recent thing?” James asked. He snagged a seat before the carriage was filled and looked up at his old friend who wasn’t so lucky. His fingers fidgeted with his satchel, that laid across his lap. Small motes of dust poured out of the satchel. They trickled down until disappearing, not appearing to hit the floor. Yilin didn’t appear to notice.

“Yeah. We’ve had a brief reprieve the past half-year or so, due to the Sydney incursion being fought off. But recently the outer townships have been the targets of raids.” Yilin replied. He rubbed his eyes, whether because of lethargy or the discussion’s borish nature James couldn’t tell.

“Are the shielding stations not active? The Tower’s security seems to-”

“They aren’t operational.” Yilin interjected. James’ eyes widened. Their follower’s eyes narrowed, it seems he heard part of that response.

“This ties in to what I wanted to talk about earlier, Scanlan.” His friends face appeared dour, his glasses tucked away into his breast pocket exposed his emotions to the world. “See, since the conflict the Militant Faction has been posturing. Using the fear of the Sydney incursion they have managed to consolidate their position as the ruling faction.” James held his tongue, his dust still trickling.

“The thing is, they were probably right. They eliminated threatening colonies and our port has never been safer. It’s just… recent policy hasn’t been so friendly.” Yilin looked over to the upper corner of the carriage. Along the wall, news feed highlights flashed across; quotes from Tower officials and fearful bystanders appeared. The eavesdropper turned to follow Yilin’s eyeline.

“I take it this policy is not, well, copacetic with public perception?” James inquired. Yilin shook his head. The dust had stopped pouring out of the satchel.

“Arriving at Hampton station.” The PA system buzzed.

The two mages exited the train. They moved outside the station, with James following his companion through the suburban streets. Their eavesdropper followed, dust falling off the heel of his boots.

“I know you’ve been out for, well, a long long time. But I highly recommend you talk with your sister. She’s been very active in the community. Wish I could help you more but-” Yilin nodded over his shoulder to the eavesdropper, “I can’t afford to be caught discussing Tower business with a Rogue mage.” James sent his friend a comforting smile. He understood the situation, and his friend had given him enough info to start with.

The pair of friends moved through closely built housing. It was similar to the American style of suburban housing that James knew from his travels. Every now and again school buildings or grass oval divided the one- and two-storey homesteads. It was a pleasant place to live it appeared, but James was still fretful as to his family’s situation.

“Shall I get rid of him, or you?” Yilin asked, nodding over his shoulder. He led James across a small park and oval, approaching a picnic bench surrounded by eucalyptus trees. A sweet spot for a nap.

“I’ve got it. Home’s still on Charles street to the left, here?” James replied.

“Yep, I’m going right so this’ll be where I leave you.”

“Easy. Just a little further please, for appearance’s sake.” The pair didn’t hesitate or even appear to be departing from each other. As their stalker began to traverse the park in their wake, an ethereal cloud of dust began to surround him.

With each step the eavesdropper slowed. He swayed onto each leg, moving from muscle memory more than on purpose. He approached the bench the friends had just walked past, then staggered and fell. His arms were draped over the bench, head resting on them. As his eyes closed, fatigued, the soft laugh of a hyena echoed in his mind.

The dust departed the sleeping man and returned to James’ satchel. It appeared denser than before. Tightening the satchel James said goodbye to Yilin and made his way home.

“Good work, Cos. Now, let’s go home.” His satchel emitted a faint purring as he walked on.

____________________

James stood outside the small two-story building he had bought from overseas. It possessed a small front garden, hemmed in by a stout wall and the two houses on each side of it. The house’s red door appeared as if a portal to another plane to James. Weird to confront a gift bought out of love but delivered in one’s absence.

“Let’s hope they recognise me, ay Cos?” His friend sent him warm thoughts. The eavesdropper must have been a deep sleeper.

James walk close to the front door and rapped it twice. There was a rustle from behind one of the curtained windows, left of the door. James took a deep breath, steeling himself for disappointment. The door opened slowly.

“James? Is that you?” A deep voice asked.

“Yeah Dad. It’s me” James croaked out.

His father whirled the door open, dumbfounded. His son stood before him, pale but healthy. Moisture condensed at the corner of both men’s eyes. James was engulfed in a bear hug. His Dad’s barrel chest a comforting presence, his head caught on his fathers beating heart. It was the warm embrace a child would beg for, and in this moment it was exactly what James needed.

He hugged his Dad. For a moment the world was peaceful, his inner vortex of emotions settled. But time moved on, willingly or not.

“James, it’s amazing to see you here. Struth, I know we’ve waited in hope for so long. Your Mum will be ecstatic but, well, we need your help.” His Dad said.

James listened carefully, once again besotted by a whirlpool of emotions. When his Dad finished speaking he thanked the stars that he was not a Fire mage; otherwise the whole neighbourhood would have known he had returned. He was not happy.