"Okay. Note to myself, Emy speaks literally. "

When the fairy talked about a catchall, Maximilian figured she used a certain way of speaking, an image, a metaphor of some sort.

"Yeah well...in your face metaphor... "

Because now, as Maximilian stands at the treasure room's door, he couldn't do anything else than accept the fact that this room looked a lot like the biggest flea market he had ever seen.

There was a lot of different things in this room. Unlike the previous one, Maximilian felt he should explore it a bit before calling his imp partner.

So Maximilian started looking around. Even if it was not an amount of shining gold, the man felt the treasures had a certain value, if not in price, in utility. He passed next some beast skins. Heavy, warm and fluffy as he passes his hand on it. Next to it were bed covers of good quality, as well as different kinds of pillows.

Continuing his research, he came across a good amount of kitchen utensils, frying pans, forks, knives, cups, plates and even two small pots to cook in.

"hmm, those things plus the covers earlier could be useful for a long journey, I take note. Oh, what's this? "

Next to the pots was a chest. Blue in colour, it measured more or less fifty centimeters on seventy, with a high of forty. as he opened it, Maximilian saw numerous compartments, each of them having a different type of spice stocked inside. By habits, Maximilian scanned the inside, learning more about those spices, and gaining the skill ingredients recognition, a skill he maximised immediately, planning to travel a lot, it would be useful.

A lot of what was inside this room was just souvenirs, or so it seemed. There was a lot of statues of all kinds. Some small enough representing some animals or people (a lot of those people were lightly dressed ladies).

"was Dragnïr some kind of otaku? I mean what's with the women's figurines? Or maybe are they some kind of deities... Well, I can always take them with me, it could interest someone later...but you, you stay here."

The last sentence was directed at another statue, this one so big it nearly reached the ceiling, representing nothing else than what seemed to be Dragnïr himself.

"firstly, I don't know how you get in there and I certainly don't know how to get you out. Secondly, I think you will be at your place here, showing who was the master of this place... "

Maximilian slightly tapped the statue before continuing his exploration.

Stopping on his track, he thought for a few seconds before summoning Asterife who bowed to him.

"master. "

"hello again Asterife. This time, it's going to be a little different. "

"I'm listening. "

"I'm still checking all this stuff, but you can call some of your people to begin. "

"Where should we begin? "

Maximilian indicated to Asterife where to begin. The imp summoned some of his clan. Maximilian gave the Havenbag to them so they could work effectively while he continued his tour with Asterife at his side, who summoned another imp each time it was necessary.

"The least I can say is that Dragnïr had quite a collection. What are those... "

Maximilian and Asterife had arrived before one of the walls. On it, were a multitude of what looked like smalls shield, not bigger than Maximilian's hand. All of them were different, and all were very well made, stylized with pictures of different animal, weapon or armours pictures.

"those are coats of arms master. From wich family, I cannot tell, but the style is quite recognisable. "

"indeed, now that you tell me, I remember seeing one before. "

It was true. Although not from this world, Maximilian remembered seeing those kinds of thing when he was working at the shop in his previous life. The big difference was in the quality. If the other one he saw before was clearly a replica, here you could almost feel the authenticity... Feel?

"It's strange, it seems like there's some kind of energy coming from them. "

"that must be the seal of proof you feel master. "

Looking at Asterife, Maximilian arched an eyebrow.

"seal of proof? "

"take one and look behind it, normally it's there."

Following the imp instructions, Maximilian took one of the coats of arms on the wall, this one was a silver coat, almond-shaped one, with the golden picture of a lion with wings on it. Looking on his back side, Maximilian saw what seemed to be a picture of the coat of arms in his hand, but very smaller and shining.

"that's it?"

"Yes master, this proves the authenticity of the piece. "

"I guess it's good? "

"indeed, a coat of arms is a symbol. They are quite rare and very difficult to make, bringing back one of those to the family concerned would assure you great recognition. "

"So it is good. Alright, in the Havenbag with the rest. "

And like that Maximilian and Asterife pursued the exploration of the room, coming across numerous things, sometimes strange...

"I assure you Asterife, I think this man's portrait is looking at me..."

"if you say so master, should we take it?"

"hell no, it's freaking me out. And to be frank I wouldn't have any uses for it."

...sometimes just ridiculous.

"And why is a dragon keeping a hats collection in a treasure room? "

"you think they would have been better placed elsewhere master?"

"no, I think Dragnïr was getting a bit old and delirious to begin a hat collection at all."

"but you know master, some of those are of a very good quality. It's possible for you to have a good price for some of them."

"Asterife, if I took the time, by calling you I mean, to empty a room filled with gold, it's not to travel the world as a hat seller... Oh hell, take them. Who knows, it could be a good gift for someone someday. "

Passing next to one particular hat, Maximilian stopped a moment.

"is there a problem master?"

Before answering, Maximilian took in his hand what happened to be a pirate captain 's hat.

"forget what I just said about the futility of this collection, this is awesome. "

He took a moment to put it on his head and admire himself in one of the mirrors in the room. He laughed a bit and took it off, putting it back with the others before continuing.

"haha, awesome. Yoho Yoho and a bottle of Rhum... "

At the end, a lot of different kinds of things found their way in the Havenbag. At the room's end, a small parchment library was there, scrolls rolled in it, a thin layer of dust was on them.

"And what are those? "

Examining them, Asterife answers his master.

"those are magic scroll master. Very useful for those who cannot use magic by themselves. "

"hmm, I wonder..."

Stepping closer, he took one of the scrolls and read it mentally.

*this one describe an ice spell, ice spikes. If what I think is right then... *

In his mind came the now familiar feeling of new knowledge Assimilation, and a smile appeared on the man face.

"is everything fine master? "

"Ho yes Asterife, but if you could give me some time, I have some reading to do. "

"Of course master, I'll supervise the others. "

"Before you go Asterife, don't be afraid to come get me if you should find something special. I'm always glad to discover new things. "

"you can count on me, master. "

For a moment, Maximilian stayed alone, opening and reading the spells in the different scrolls. A lot of them weren't of any use, being about fireball, boulder throwing, those kinds of basic elemental spell were already known to him. Actually, he was looking for something more precise, a special spell that would help him in this situation, a way to get out.

If he wasn't showing it to his new partner, he was actually kinda worried about this. The key Dragnïr gave him had disappeared, and he didn't know how to get out.

*I could always use the earth magic to try and get out, but who knows how deep I am right now... I need to find food. Water spells are fine for defending myself or a bath, but the water I use is not for drinking... How do I know that?*

Wondering about his own observation, he put another scroll down and stepped back a bit. He put his hands near to each other and concentrate a bit, making a water sphere appeared between them. Hesitantly, he put his mouth on it and try to drink a bit of it...before spitting it out.

*as I thought, awful. it's as if there was too much mana circulating in it, altering the taste in a horrible way. I mean, This tasted like melted metal, but at least I didn't burn my tongue. *

"master... "

"hmm? Who's there?"

"not recognising the voice, Maximilian turned around to see one of the female imp standing there, she bowed to him and pursued. "

"My name is Umipa, master. Lord Asterife send me to bring you back, he said you should see what we found. "

"oh, very well. Show me the way my friend. "

The imp bowed again before turning and leading Maximilian to another place in the room, back to the front, nearer the door.

There stood the imps, encircling a puddle of water with, in the middle, a waterskin still emptying from the water inside.

Maximilian came next to Asterife who was looking at it while resting his chin on one of his fists.

"I suppose that's what you wanted to show me?"

Asterife straightened himself as he looked at the man.

" indeed master, isn't it strange?"

"strange? "

Maximilian put a hand on the ground, touching the water.

"isn't that water? I mean it's okay, but unless you tell me you just witness one of your friends turning into this puddle, I don't see how it is so extraordinary. "

"but master, look at the waterskin. "

Maximilian did that. Although kinda pretty, the skin ornate with little jewels and the neck in What seemed to be white wood, it was just a waterskin.

"Okay that's pretty, but you shouldn't waste water like that."

Stepping in the puddle, he came to the waterskin and lifted it up...to realised it was still full.

"what the...why is it still full?"

"that's what strange master. One of the carriers let it fall on the ground, opening it by mistake. I was scolding her when she realised the flow of water wasn't stopping, so I thought of sending her to get you."

Maximilian nod to Asterife, then turned his attention to the waterskin in his hand. Half the size of the Havenbag, with a silver chain linking the wooden Cork to the rest.

By newfound habit in front of a curiosity, he scanned it. And as he read the description, a smile appeared on his face.

"you told me this was discovered due to a mistake. "

"y...yes master. My apologies if any wrong was done, I'm ready to take responsibility for..."

"Don't stress yourself Asterife, just tell me, who?"

The female imp named Umipa, who had come looking for him earlier took a step forward, head down.

"It was me, master. "

"oh, so it was you, Umipa..."

Maximilian came in front of the female imp, under the worried looks of the other imps. Standing less than a meter away from her, she looked even smaller with her head down.

"raise your head my dear, you did nothing wrong. "

As she looked up, she could see the smiling face of Maximilian.

Showing the waterskin to the imps around him, Maximilian explained what he learned.

"The little mistake of your friend here has revealed a very precious thing. This is the waterskin of the thirsty god, and it was enchanted for a very simple reason, to never be empty. That's why water didn't stop flowing from it. And there's more, this water is perfectly drinkable. "

Maybe he was overdoing it a bit, but Maximilian had a reason for that. The imps reaction didn't escape him, the worry in their eyes, and Umipa who wouldn't dare to look him in the eyes. He patted slightly the imp shoulder.

"you did well. I'm glad this mistake was made, so don't worry about it anymore. "

Umipa slightly smiled at him, as if uncertain. Maximilian straightened himself and went back to the scrolls.

"Asterife, do you have a moment, I would like to talk to you."

The imp leader followed him to the back of the room, where the two of them would be alone.

"Asterife, I'm gonna ask you a question, and I want you to be honest with me."

"always, master."

"do I scare you?"

Asterife seemed taken aback by the question.

"master, what would make you think that?"

"I'm not blind Asterife, I see your people don't dare to look me in the eyes unless I asked them to. I saw their look when I approached that imp with the waterskin. Even the elder, under the reverence and politeness, I could almost feel the uneasiness. So tell me, if I don't scare you, what makes you all react like that?"

Asterife kept silent for a minute or two, thinking.

"you are right, master. But more than scaring us, it's more that you intimidate us."

"intimidate? Did I do something wrong? If so I'm sorry, but you'll have to explain it to me."

"It's your aura master. "

Maximilian arched an eyebrow, intrigued.

"my aura? "

Asterife nodded in agreement.

"Yes master, the first time you summoned me, it wasn't very present. Something about you was special of course, but nothing more than what could be felt with a powerful mage. But now that a bit of time has passed, it's tremendous. It's as if your power was only waking, and the difference is so much that yes, we are starting to fear you."

Asterife stopped talking, looking down. Maximilian didn't say a Thing for some time, thinking.

After a few minutes, Maximilian broke the silence between them.

"I'm sorry. "

Asterife seemed surprised by those words.

"master? "

"this power I have, it is new to me. I'm only starting to comprehend bit by bit what I can really do, and this aura you're talking about, I wasn't even aware of it."

"master, you shouldn't worry about it, we are here by your will, we will adapt to your aura and all will be fine. "

"no Asterife, you're not the ones who should adapt, I am."

"what do you mean master? "

"I know for a fact I have the capacity to learn far superior to normal. What I want you to do is to stay here and guide me."

"guide you? I'm sorry master but I don't have a very vast knowledge about magic... "

"no no Asterife, when I say guide, I meant more indicate. I think that if I concentrate enough on it I should be able to control this aura. I want you here as a test subject, to see if it works. Naturally that is not an order, it's a favour I ask of you. Would you be willing to help me?"

Asterife thought about it for a minute before nodding in agreement.

"alright master, I'll do my best. "

"thank you Asterife. Let's begin."

To be more relaxed, Maximilian sat on the ground, leg crossed in a meditation position.

*first thing first, I have to feel this aura of mine, but how?*

At first, Maximilian tried to make abstraction of everything around him, but it only resulted with him being bored.

*if the aura is like a presence, maybe I should try to... Yeah, why not *

You know this feeling? When you try to make yourself bigger than your opponent, but you cannot change yourself physically, so you sort of put your spirit into it? Of course, you know it. Being someone bigger than you at school, an abusive adult, or even the neighbours' dog, all of us had at least once feel that.

For Maximilian, it was some bully at school. You wouldn't guess when you saw him now, but there was a period in his life, before his growth spurt, where he was not the tallest of the kids.

Maximilian had never forgotten the day he stood to face his bully, being smaller he put all his spirit into it.

He lost, badly, but for an instant, he made the bully stepped back, he scared him.

*maybe that was that, even for an instant. Maybe that day I used my aura without knowing it...I have to retrieve this feeling... *

And for minutes he stayed silent, searching through his memory, this old feeling he discovered that day.

Asterife, standing in front of his master, was kinda frantic.

Since he met him, the human had shaken the foundation of his knowledge about humans.

His father and his father's father before him had served numerous masters, of different races. The elves, so full of pride, some orcs, brutal in their way of doing things. But the humans were something in between. The thing with humans is that you can't know for sure how he will react, he could be cruel or just, gentle or not, but he always will look for his best interest in all situations.

Or master Nilmerus, the one he was now sure was the most powerful master his clan has ever served, was also one of the gentlest.

First, even after being looked down upon by Asterife, he just laughed it off and didn't take offence.

He gave more than asked for the contract as payment, and that was a first in the clan history. He wasn't even bothered by the impudence of his children. He was gentle with children of another race.

*I still don't know what I would have done if he had decided to punish my little ones. What could have I done? To be frank, I don't think all the clan put together could resist him if he really wanted to hurt us...he is terrifying. *

Speaking about terrifying, the master's aura, since the first time they met, hadn't stopped growing. Asterife was kinda happy the children were still too young, the journey they made to come to this plane was so much perturbing for them they weren't aware of his aura.

*Even now, when the other imp has made the mistake with the waterskin, he wasn't angry. Even better, he spoke to all of us to reassured us. And the first thing he does when he discovered this aura of his? He takes time to try suppressing it. *

As Asterife was thinking to himself, he suddenly felt something. As if the air was gaining weight, his shoulders were heavy to him.

"master? "

Maximilian was burning! Okay not really, but his aura was now so powerful that Asterife had to put a knee on the ground while looking at that golden flame around his master.

Maximilian didn't have a choice. This old feeling, to grasp it again, he had to push it, exciting it to retrieve what he once had. The air around him seemed to be pushed away, the furniture around him started to tremble.

Asterife, now on his two hands and knees, was resisting to not be forcefully pushed on the ground.

"Master, it's getting worse... "

The imp would have liked to scream his master 's name, call him, but the air was still getting heavier, now pushing him on the ground.

The force of the aura was now so strong, Asterife was getting crushed. In a last attempt, he took his last strength and...

"MASTEEER !!!"

The scream resonated in the room as, in a violent wave of energy that made the parchment library crumble, all the scrolls rolling on the ground.

The air in the room instantly became lighter, than normal again. The golden flame around Maximilian had disappeared.

As he was looking through his souvenirs, Maximilian didn't realise he was hurting Asterife. The imp screaming had been like a cold water bucket on his head and, as he came back to his senses, he realised he had acquired a new skill, aura control. He maximised it quickly, determined to not let one of his new partner being scared of him again.

"It's done, thank you Asterife. Without you there to help me I don't know Wath would have hap... Asterife? "

It's only when he looked around himself that he realized the mess he made. But it was not the scrolls everywhere or even the broken library that stopped him in the middle of a sentence. What stopped him was the side of an unmoving imp laying face down on the ground.

"Asterife!!! "