Draith
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Chapter 2 - Means of Travel
🕑 Added 2025-02-23 19:33:52 +0000 UTCI felt it in my soul.
The binding of the oath. The link between me and Ro’an. It sat heavy on my shoulders, like cloak. And like a cloak, that oath protected me against the storm that would’ve been duty on the front.
By the time I recovered from the new sensation, we had returned to the study.
With the sound of shuffling of paper, Perth’s father said simply, "Rise."
Doing as instructed, I stood. He was turned away from me, and I was grateful for the momentary reprieve even as I took in what he'd laid out on the table. It was a map. A map I didn't recognize, even as I drew on Perth's knowledge.
"Well, my ambitious son," Perth's father said with a cold chuckle that sent shivers down my spine, "congratulations on joining our ranks, Magus Dominus. And thank you."
“Thank you?” I found myself asking in confusion. There was no way Perth should be qualified to be a Magus Dominus. He'd had a few lessons on governance growing up, but only enough to understand the basics. Under ordinary circumstances, his father shouldn’t be thanking him. Or me, in this case. If Perth knew nothing about governance, I knew less than nothing. Most I’d ever managed was a mechanic’s shop, and I’d been the only employee.
Given the unfamiliar map, I could discern he’d somehow already made plans for me. I wouldn't be staying in my father's domain. And I was committed to Magus Dominus, of that there was zero doubt. There was no running away from an oath sworn on the Pillars of Ro’an. The energy I’d felt had imprinted itself when I’d finished swearing the oath. Something Perth had known about but I only recalled after I’d said the words.
Even as I contemplated my fate, Perth's father continued talking. "Yes. It seems my old companion Althon has had a dearth of suitable Magus Dominus for the past couple decades. While not ideal, you are no fool. And this would give you a chance to prove you are worthy of the surname Aranor."
Such words would've been enough for Perth to jump in gratitude immediately. Being officially recognized as his father's son was something he'd only ever dreamed of. Not that his father had actually said he'd get that. Just that he'd be worthy of it. And while I had every intention of going along with his solution, I had questions. The first of which being, "Who is Althon? More importantly, where would my Domain be?"
A flash of a smile crossed his face, disappearing as fast as it appeared before Perth's father gestured at the map in front of him. "Althon rules over the Frigid Peaks, on the far side of the continent. Your domain will be there."
No wonder Perth had never heard of him, nor recognized the map. The Frigid Peaks were on the far side of the continent. That was a journey of years for anyone below Djinn-souled. And even they'd take months flying along the Rift just to get there.
"What can you tell me? Am I going alone? How am I getting there?" I fired off even as I inspected the map, considering my options. With a trip counted in years, I'd be traveling by ship, most likely. Which would provide me with a great deal of time to work on my magic. Even longer by enchanted carriage or horse, though practice would be harder.
"You have much more of a backbone than your brothers said. You’re more my son than I had expected," he said, his green eyes catching my own.
"I suppose I am," I replied, doing my best to hold his gaze as a weight pressed down on me. It got heavier, and I felt my knees begin to shake, but I kept my gaze locked on his. There was a glint to his eyes, and I couldn’t tell if the flash of dark green was real or imagined.
Suddenly, the pressure eased and he rolled up the map. "Excellent. Send Calbern in after you leave. I will have him gather all you need to know. Also, you may have one boon. Think well-"
"Calbern. I want him to come with me. As my boon, I mean."
His eyes narrowed for a moment before he shook his head. "That is no boon. As of your awakening, he has fulfilled his contract. A week from today he shall be freed from my service. If you wish to retain his services after that, you will have to ask him yourself." He held up a hand before I could say anything else. "Wait at least a day before having Calbern ask your boon of me. You will not depart for a month."
"I… thank you, father." And I really was grateful. For the boon at least. A boon from Perth's father was no small thing. The logical part of me was already reprimanding myself for my reckless request to bring Calbern. It was drowned out though.
Calbern might not have raised me, but after peering through Perth’s memories, and seeing all he'd done for the kid… well, I knew I wanted such a man in my corner. Even if I could never tell him the truth about the ritual or who I really was.
As I stepped outside, I found the man in question waiting, standing at attention.
"Father tells me you're no longer his servant," I said, holding up a hand to forestall his words. "I'd like you to be mine but…"
"I'd be honored, master Perth. What, if I may ask, was your calling?"
“Father wanted me to go to the Front,” I said, unable to help myself, fighting down a smile.
“The Front?” Calbern replied, his composure slipping for a second as his eyebrows raised a degree. Then he composed himself, his eyes narrowing. “Wanted you to?”
“I took the oath to become a Magus Dominus.”
“I… that is an ambitious choice, master Perth.”
"It wasn't much of a choice, but yes. Father wanted me to send you in so you could get the details for me."
"Indeed? I suppose I should talk to him then,” he said, straightening his back by a fraction of an inch. Then he entered the study, leaving me to wait once more.
When he emerged, he gave me a slight inclination of his head, “Shall we discuss this in your chambers?”
"Fair 'nuff," I replied, nodding at him to lead the way.
He raised an eyebrow at me, before nodding in return and guiding us back to Perth's corner of the complex. Specifically to Perth's study, where he'd taken most of his classes. To my amusement, Calbern pulled a map down from the shelves, unfurling it on the desk. It hadn't even been hidden. Perth had just never cared to look for it.
The map lacked any of the magic I’d come to expect from the world, though the detail was impressive.
"Your father doesn't know exactly where Alavon will send you," Calbern said as he weighed down a stubborn corner of the map with an old statue. It was of the seven faced god, the supposed god of magic. Perth had made the thing years earlier, as part of his lessons. Calbern had insisted on keeping it despite how uneven the features were. "But it won't be along here. These regions are all governed by his own Magus Domini." He gestured along the smoother parts of the Frigid Peaks, the 'foothills' that bordered the Front, shorter mountains that would be considered tall anywhere else on the continent. Then he gestured towards the far eastern side of the map. "Meaning you're going to be stationed somewhere higher. And that means we need to be prepared for the cold. And Frost Wolves."
I nodded. The Frigid Peaks weren't actually in the north, instead lying in the far east. They weren't far from my new world's equator. The frigid part came from their height. They were the highest mountains in the world, and it was said the heavens touched them directly, stealing the weak’s breath from their lungs.
Poetic way to say there's no air that high up.
Calbern and I continued discussing the basics of my preparations which led to him reminding me we’d have to restrict the amount we could bring, on account of the fact we'd be traveling by Gate.
"Wait, we're going to take a Gate to the far side of the continent?" I asked, unable to hide my shock. Gates were rarely used. They required incredible amounts of mana. Holding one open for a single minute took more mana than Perth's father generated in a year.
"So I've been told, master Perth," Calbern replied with a serious nod. "And your faster insisted that we bring only what we can fit within the cube."
Perth's memories failed me, forcing me to ask, "What cube?"
"Ah, I suppose your tutor never had reason to discuss the mechanics of gate use with you. It is quite simple, master Perth. Maintaining an open gate is ruinously expensive..."
I nodded when Calbern paused, indicating my desire he should continue with a roll of my hand.
"Well, to ensure full use of a gate, a great deal of preparation is involved. Each cube is not particularly large. Suffice to say, the more possessions we bring, the more we shall have to sacrifice comfort. To the best of my recollection, we shall have to endure some amount of time in such a state, so we should choose wisely.”
I simply stared at Calbern for several seconds, before pressing him for details.
“Well, if the container is of a standard configuration, I believe the cube would be just over six feet on each side. I’ve heard that the minimum sent through are in the order of a hundred such cubes, all loaded days or longer before the gate is opened.”
“And that’s why we’re leaving in a month? Because we need to prepare?”
“Ah. I believe I should clarify. Every six months the gate is powered up. While I don’t believe there is a great deal of travel, your father has taken such a trip before. Once around your tenth birthday, as I recall, when he took your siblings to the City on the Water.”
I grimaced at that. His father had taken all the other children except Perth and his half-sister Nexxa with him. It had been the most blatant sign of Perth’s perceived value to the man, though Perth and Nexxa had bonded somewhat over the six months the others had been gone.
Shaking my head, I refocused on the gate. “How do they get so many cubes through at once? That seems like it’d cost insane amounts of mana. Isn’t the cost continuous?”
“I… am unsure, master Perth. I do know that the gate isn’t open for very long,” Calbern said, tapping the symbol for the gate on the map. “I’ve never traveled through one myself.”
“I wonder if they’re tied together… Maybe they set them on tracks? Is it gravity fed?” I mumbled, pulling out one of the empty journals on the study shelves.
"I must admit, master Perth, I'm somewhat surprised by your interest," Calbern said as I was jotting down my ideas on how they might handle sending things through the gate.
His comment caused me to stop, looking down at my notes. He was right. Perth never would've expressed interest in the workings of the gate. There were only three things that had ever caught his interest. Pleasing his father, girls who fluttered their eyes at him, and 'hunting'. Though the latter was more of an excuse to drink and gossip with his riding buddies. They seldom caught anything themselves, leaving such ‘base activities’ for their servants.
None of his old hobbies appealed to me. Besides, I had a perfect excuse for a change in my behavior. Two even.
"Well, I wasn't a Magus Dominus before, was I, Calbern? Can you believe it? And Father was already looking for one," I said, flashing him a smile as I placed my hand on the map.
"I always knew you had it in you," Calbern replied as he placed a hand on my shoulder, making a twinge of guilt hit me. I wasn't the Perth he knew and loved, even if I'd already accepted I’d be filling Perth's shoes. I considered then, not bringing him with me. Would I really be able to lie to such a good man?
The affirmation I felt when he squeezed my shoulder chased those doubts away. It was greedy, but I… I needed him. I was about to embark on a task neither Perth or I had truly been prepared for.
It seemed that the answer was yes.
Yes, I could lie to a good man. And I could do so with a smile on my face.
