“This is an example of what we can do with rune magic, instead of relying on a constant flow from the leyline to maintain one golem we can instead imprint this depleted Arcaneum into ruins that can store and release energy into the stone. Meaning that you could make rune keys that each unique wizard could mark as their own unique ruin! Also meaning you could create, store and activate armies of whatever golem you desired to create metal, stone or bone. Limitless labour for the age! Slavery could become a thing of the past!” I’Landris Felrae Archmagistrate of Magic, 1398 1st Magical Conference of the Empire

1509.04.09 Mondark, Varsh

Wind blew through Nico’s hair as he used a spyglass in the crow’s nest of the ship, rain sprinkling lightly as they passed.

Do you see it yet?

Nico didn’t answer, he also felt frustrated that the captain wasn’t letting him turn his familiar back into a bird and was now on ‘bird duty’. Something about his familiar's transformation into a cat disturbed the sailors and many spoke of ill omen. Nico thought nothing of it and found it foolish to be afraid of a very measurable and practical magic.

If only I had your eyes in the sky Sal.

I know, I know! This form just feels wrong wet, it isn’t as though being able to see the spire is going to make this trip faster though.

Maybe it’ll show up in another hour

Nico scanned the remainder of the horizon.

Master someone is coming up the ladder

Its a crow’s nest Sal

I see no crows.

Nico saw Vick’s hair first before the rest of them, Nico also saw an eye of mischief though was unable to parse exactly what they were up to.

“Its good to see you Vick.”

“Ah it's true that you can't catch a wizard unawares.”

“Sal helps, what’s up?”

“Heard you were on bird duty so I figured I’d come see if I could scare you off the ledge.”

“Try again next time I guess.” Nico tried to sound sarcastic but something about falling at this height put him on edge.

“I wasn’t actually! Maybe it's just to scare you then.” Vick pulled themselves up onto the wooden platform and snatched the spyglass from Nico’s hands. Sitting through the bannisters with legs dangling over the edge. Staring out to the northwest.

“Yeah I figured you wouldn’t be able to see it yet, probably in a couple of days, you’ll start to see some of the closer island mountains before you even see the tip of the spire.”

“Just as excited to see it as I am then?” Nico raised an eyebrow as he asked the question.

“Well its probably the only pretty thing the Empire ever built.”

“My master often speaks of this place as more of a governmental mistake, something about putting all the wizards in one place would make them easier to control.”

“Seems like a fool’s errand, control is a fickle things as are wizards.” Vick lightly punched Nico’s thigh, more for the felt impact than actually hurt anyone.

“I don’t feel very fickle.”

“I am sure they’ll put the fickle in yah!” That grin never left Vick’s face and they even wink at Nico which made him blush somewhat.

“Well I will say this is easier than peeling potatoes.” Vick snorted loudly

“Nevermind you are plenty temperamental if you prefer freezing your arse off here.”

“It hasn’t been too bad actually.”

“I am surprised, I am freezing up here” Nico made some mental notes.

“It helps that Atalar has long wet winters I think.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah five out of nine months it's cold, wet and muddy with snow that doesn’t stop piling up until late Iglosteralis then it just rains and melts till Empinister then we plant what we can for the next four months of growing and harvest.”

“So you come from a farming town then?” Nico nodded back the response and stared out northwest, though the air was warmer, Nico had acclimatised to the warmer climate quickly and was only wearing his first layer of travelling clothes. He had to borrow some clothes from Vick though not all fit him due to Nico’s stocky nature as well as Vick’s smaller elven frame. Vick had a certain stockiness to them as well. Nico learned over the last few days that Vick lived on the ship with their adopted parent Captain Teratha herself. She was a dwarven woman Nico learned, and an exiled one at that. Nico knew very little about dwarves, only thing he knew was that exiled dwarves had to shave their beard and it was clear that though the Captain may have had her beard shaved, she’d grown much of it back.

“I don’t remember much of the old village I grew up in,” Vick brushed their fingers through their hair pulling back into a small ponytail.

“I remember fighting some of the other kids in the neighbourhood a lot. And that my pa was taken by the army.” Things were quiet for a time until Vick spoke again, Nico knew that they must not get to talk about these things a lot so he stayed quiet.

“I remember my mum but she could seem to take care of us.” Vick’s voice spoke in a low monotone like as if the emotions could barely be contained but so much so contained that their tone felt still as stone.

“At first it was neglect, I was the only one working now in our household as my mum couldn’t seem to do the work on the farm. It was gruelling work.” The rain stopped falling and in spite of the crashing waves Nico felt a silence between them. The young mage wasn’t sure what but Vick just stretched and smiled.

“Not sure why I brought that up! Come on Nico let’s go bother someone in the hold.”

“I am supposed to keep an eye out for passing ships.”

“And you did, there isn’t anything for miles.” Nico sighed deeply. He still felt unsure.

“Your senses are muddled friend, if you think the captain wanted you up here all day on Crow’s nest duty? This is like a day off! No doubt she has you scrubbing the deck in the next few days in no time.” Nico found that strangely comforting.

“Thanks, sure let's go in the hold and see we can get Sal to catch more rats.”

“I am pretty sure we can find something more entertaining to do than that.” With a laugh Vick then hugged Nico tightly and unexpectedly.

“Thanks for listening to me Nico. It means a lot to just be able to just talk without someone interjecting.”

“If I am being honest I didn’t really know what to say and it seemed important to get it out.”

“I spent forty years of my life in that village doing the same thing everyday, comparing that to the forty years I’ve spent here Nico and I’ll tell you what I’ll take the boat any day.”

“Your childhoods are my entire lifetime Vick, I couldn’t imagine spending forty years anywhere. It just seems like such a daunting amount of time to stay in one place.”

“And yet you are getting ready to spend a decade there?” Vick pointed to the northwest and at a horizon that held nothing but empty ocean.

“Well my master believes it to be the best course of action for my education.”

“I thought the best wizards learned from deep crypts where ancient wizards sealed away magic spells and knowledge.”

“You need the tools to go into such a place first but…” Nico’s voice trailed off, he thought about his mother again.

“You alright?”

“Me? Yeah I am just thinking about graduating right now, it’ll mean my mom and I will be able to live much better lives.” Vick squeezed Nico again in another hug.

“Well that is awesome, I mean I’ll probably still be working the boat by the time you are done. Don’t forget about me.” Vick then started down the ladder of the boat’s main mast and Nico followed. They both then made their way to the lower hold of the ship, the smell of stagnant vinegar and other curious smells that couldn’t quite be placed. Sal began chasing something moving beneath their feet and disappeared with it in the shadows.

“Wine?” Vick seemingly apparated a bottle from the darkness.

“Why wine?”

“Because the voyage is long and we have much to talk about, and wine often makes it easier to talk about shit.” Nico had never drank wine before, he had ale before but the two liquids smelled nothing alike. He grabbed the bottle and took a sip, Nico discovered something bitter then oddly sweet before a mild burning sensation coated his throat.

“Oh gods that's awful!” Nico coughed and passed the bottle back to Vick, they were laughing hard using a barrel to keep themselves upright.

“Yeah, elven wine is much better than imperial wine but even so its still an acquired taste.”

“So what did you want to talk about down here?” This time Vick remained silent, Nico felt a little nervous down here.

“I think I like you Nico.”

“I like you too, Vick.”

“It's too bad humans age so fast and die so soon.”

“Maybe I’ll find a way to stop it.”

“Stop ageing?”

“Yeah, well maybe. I have witnessed someone being brought back to life through magic so I imagine we can probably do more.”

“People can be brought back?”

“Yeah it takes a lot of work and two different kinds of mages to do it but yeah it's definitely possible. My master says that sometimes the soul won’t come back and there is sort of a time limit and how long someone can be dead for.”

“Ah well it's been a few years so probably not.”

“You could animate the corpse but I doubt that's what you were looking for.”

“No, not what I wanted to find or talk about down here either.”

“Oh?”

“You mages know lots of stuff, even you know some things apparently.”

“I took some good notes but magic is very complicated.” Vick then pulled Nico to the side to discuss what they had planned for the coming days.