Brothers
Once back in Norland, Richard forced himself to calm down and organised his thoughts. HIs first step was to organise what Sharon had left behind. The demiplane was already his, but the Deepblue nominally was not. Sharon was a woman with a dragon’s passion for money, and she would definitely freak out and kill him if something happened to her tower.
Imagining that scenario, his lips curled up into a small smile. However, that beautiful image only lasted for a moment before cold reality swept over, bringing him back to the world. He quickly decided to search for clues regarding Sharon’s disappearance. This time, no matter where the Scholars hid, he was determined to root them out one by one and kill them.
He quickly contacted Blackgold, asking him to gather all the grand mages of the Deepblue for an important announcement. He also asked Professor Fayr to inform Ensio and Yori; whether they chose to return was up to them.
……
Early in the morning three days later, Blackgold and Fayr were waiting by the portal. They already had a bad feeling about the impending announcement from Richard, predicting that it would cause chaos. All the grand mages left their work behind as well, waiting in silence. This could be a historic moment, and even without the ability to make decisions witnessing such an event would be important as well.
The wait was suddenly interrupted by a flash of light that cut through space, Ensio slowly walking through the rift to land in front of Blackgold. He appeared charismatic as ever in his common cloak, but his simplistic appearance did not hide his power. Even Fayr was surprised— the way he had walked through space made it seem like he was about level 25, only a couple levels away from officially being considered epic. Although Sharon’s students were all known for astounding combat ability, levels were important too.
The bald youth looked around and smiled, “Looks like I was the first to arrive. I guess I really am an insignificant figure; aren’t we mooks the first to arrive?”
“A level 25 mook?” a voice boomed behind him, a large portal forming not far away from the existing one. This portal wasn’t in the style of the Deepblue, instead composed of large rough carvings in barbarian style. A doe-eyes barbarian walked through, dressed like a martial artist with a pair of long and short swords by his waist. On his back was a stone hammer, only the staff in his left hand indicating his identity as a mage. Dressed more like a shaman than anything else, this was Yori.
Ensio squinted at his peer’s appearance, breaking out into a smile, “So you actually attained success.”
Yori laughed, calmly walking to the platform, “All paths lead to the top, it doesn’t matter which you pick. I’m not very bright, so I chose the one that fit me most. Who cares about politics.”
Ensio nodded in understanding. While Yori was rather middling for a legendary mage, he also had the blood of ancient beasts and was a level 20 warrior. His abilities weren’t much on their own, but they combined together into extraordinary power.
Yori walked up to the platform, but the portal behind him didn’t yet close. A few tribal warriors quickly followed through, the one leading them a middle-aged man whose white hair was braided completely. The mages around felt like their bodies were pierced when he saw them; this was a legendary warrior!
The other eight warriors were saints as well, and combined with the legend they could theoretically contend with Ensio. If Yori joined in, even the level 25 mage would be in trouble.
Ensio watched as the light started to dissipate, staring at Yori, “So the rumours were right; turns out you’re a big shot.”
Yori chuckled, “Indeed. One should use the power they possess, and status is just as useful as anything else. I came this time to flaunt.”
Ensio’s eyes flashed in the face of this blunt proclamation, but Yori didn’t back off. The middle-aged warrior suddenly cleared his throat and took a step forward, standing next to his master while the eight others surrounded Ensio with bloodlust in their eyes. The pure mage remained undaunted; he was significantly more powerful than anyone else here, at least to the point that he could escape.
These two men were at odds from the moment they met, and they were clearly displaying their wealth and power. Yori’s teleportation alone would have cost millions of gold, an enormous sum to the Deepblue that had only spent four or five in a year before. On the other hand, Ensio’s rift made it clear that he was a much better inheritor of Sharon’s legacy. Many had grown uneasy since a few days ago, when Sharon’s puppets suddenly collapsed and refused to work anymore. They had all reached similar conclusion, and what were once Sharon’s two strongest disciples were currently jockeying for status in the tower.
However, the older portal flashed with light before Ensio and Yori could confront each other, a haggard figure in regular mage robes walking out from within.
“What happened?” Blackgold gasped at the sight. Richard seemed paper-thin, hints of blue veins peeking through his skin. Around his bloodshot eyes were pitch-black bags, and his face was pale as a sheet. He clearly hadn’t slept in the last three days.
Richard nodded at the grey dwarf who had started quivering in realisation, sweeping a glance past Yori’s entourage before looking at his two fellow students, “My mood wasn’t very good the last few days, and I couldn’t rest. I see everyone’s here.”
Blackgold and Fayr started whispering with a few other colleagues, all speculating about Richard’s reason for calling this meeting. Something had to have happened with Sharon, and her strongest students were now making gambits for power. However, Richard himself had walked over in humble attire and frail appearance. Did he plan to give up his position as the de-facto leader of the tower?
The Deepblue had bonded with Richard and the Archerons over the past few years, giving up a number of its students and grand mages for his research projects and war effort while receiving a hefty sum for their services. Of course, Richard made his own profits in the process. With Sharon’s relationship with him, he was second-in-command here, but if she was gone that position was no longer guaranteed.
When Richard’s gaze brushed past him like he was nothing, Yori frowned, “Richard, I hear you’ve been doing well in the past few years. Why don’t you have better attire?”
“I don’t need to dress up like a peacock to prove anything,” Richard dismissed.
Yori’s face burnt red, but in the presence of the grand mages and a growing group of others, he restrained himself from a direct move. Instead, he rebutted, “Then what will you use to prove yourself?”
“Prove myself? For what?” Richard laughed before answering the question, “Everyone here knows me quite well.”
“Such…” The barbarian’s face turned red and then purple, while Ensio slowly started to frown.
“How dare you be rude to His Excellency?” the legendary warrior following Yori bellowed, but the portal Richard had stepped through suddenly flashed as a hulking man walked out from within. One could recognise the legendary shield on his back easily, and many in the crowd gasped at his appearance.
Ironshield walked over to Richard and bowed, standing behind him and glaring at the others on the platform. Yori and his warriors were specific targets of his animosity.
Richard’s peers immediately grew serious. A cannonlike mage and wall-like warrior were a frightening duo to go up against, capable of stalling any opponents. Even if one could stop these two, they would still escape easily.