The First Archmage

“Care to explain why you just vanished on us?” Kade asks.

“I got thrown through a Rift,” I say. “Time passed slower there than it did here. To me, only a day passed before I made it back here, where a year and a third passed. I’ve been trying to catch word of where you guys were by hanging out in the Hunter’s Guild, though I’ve also been running the Dungeon as well. I’ve learned where Tyler is, and today, that Michael’s going in and out of Dungeons, disappearing into one, and sometime later – be it days or weeks – reappearing in another. He’s been gone for two weeks, right now.”

“He’s mapping the connections,” Kade states.

“That’s what I figured he was doing,” I nod. “I didn’t hear any word of you, and nor had Collin.”

“The Guild Master?” He raises an eyebrow. “He doesn’t talk to anyone.”

“He talks to me,” I say. “It’s good to see you again, Kade.”

I grab him and hug him tight.

“Gavin,” he sighs. “I don’t-”

“So how much stronger did you get?” I ask in Velusan. “You going to train with Warren and me? Warren’s going to help me get an audience with the fairy king, since he apparently doesn’t like people. I figure, if I can get two Classes to the second Tier, then all of us will be strong enough to return to Jozan and take back the throne, and-”

“There is no Jozan,” Kade’s expression turns dark. “The Council killed off everyone who supported the king, and the rebellion was recently scattered, taking several massive blows to their leadership. Michael’s had to flee from there several times, and has never come into contact with the rebellion. It’s called Turas, now, and they’re slowly conquering the surrounding nations. It’s little pieces of property right now, places no one will care if they lose, but they’re amassing an army. They’re forcing every male over the age of twelve to train with a sword and join the military. All magicians are forced to serve them, even if they don’t have access to the System. Turas is a slave country, and bears no resemblance to Jozan, save for the royal castle and the land the country sits on. Even that has changed.”

“There is a Jozan,” I say. “So long as Tyler lives, so long as we don’t lose our Jozan pride and spirit, Jozan lives on in us. All we need to do is get strong enough that we can take down the Council and place Tyler on the throne. To do that, we just need to get stronger, then join the rebellion. Unite the separated factions of it and lead a change like no other. Defend Tyler as he reestablishes his kingdom.”

“That’s not possible!” Kade snaps. “Didn’t you hear me? Jozan’s dead! We can’t restore it! By the time we’re strong enough to make a difference to the Jozan of then, there won’t be a chance in hell for us! We’ll be fighting against every soldier, every magician, every Adventurer in the entirety of Turas, Gavin! Do you have any idea how many Tier II’s we’ll be forced to go up against? How many powerful magicians we’ll have to face?”

“Then we’ll all get to the second Tier!” I snap. “Then we’ll make our way to the third Tier! We’ll become as powerful as necessary to take back our land! Be it a year or a decade – or even longer – our prince will sit upon his throne. No, not our prince – our king. He is our fucking king, Kade – his father’s death made it so! You might have lost hope for our land, but I haven’t! It’s been a year and a third to you, but a month to me! I still remember the pride from our kingdom! I remember the pride of being called Jozan! Every nation on the fucking continent speaks our language, knows our land! They respected us! I will not allow people who disgrace the honor of our land to remain in power! I will train as long as it fucking takes me to get strong enough to restore our king to his throne!”

“Tyler doesn’t want to return!” Kade says. “The nation is destroyed, its reputation gone! Jozan isn’t anymore! You need-”

“The king doesn’t make the kingdom!” I interrupt him. “If Tyler won’t take the throne, then there will be someone else who will be willing to lead Jozan back to prosperity and make up to the other nations the damage done by Turas! Jozan isn’t dead, no matter how much you think he is! So long as his spirit lives, even if in just one person, then he lives on!”

“Yes, it-”

“He lives on in me!” I’m yelling now. “I will not let my kingdom perish! I will take as long as it takes to become strong enough to restore my kingdom! So long as I live, Jozan will return to power! I swear this on the blood and power that flows within my veins!”

A crimson light emanates from me as a strange feeling of power fills me.

Blood Oath Sworn!

Blood Quest Granted: Restore Jozan to power

Requirement: Destroy the forces ruling Turas and restore the former nation of Jozan to power, rekindling the spirit lost with the takeover in his people.

Actions Left (will change as circumstances change):

8 Turasite Councilman still alive (0 required)

40 Turasite Inquisitors still alive (0 required)

8 Turasite Executioners still alive (0 required)

1 Turasite Grand Executioner still alive (0 required)

1 Turasite King still alive (0 required)

0 Jozan King in power (1 required)

4 Jozan National Reputation (5,000 required)

0 Jozan King Public Reputation (25,000 required)

Time Limit: 5 Years

All Requirements must be met within the time limit

Reward: 25,000 Experience (will change as difficulty changes)

Penalty for Failure: All Levels, Skills, and Classes stripped, all stats returned to base, Experience gains and LTC of 50% for 5 years, all Affinities decreased by 50% permanently

Recommended (will change as difficulty changes):

1 Tier IV Class

2 Tier III Classes

5 Tier II Classes

4 Party Members of at least one Tier III Class

As a result of this Blood Quest, a Hidden Stat now available:

LTC: Loot Chance – the chance to automatically gain Loot from kills (this is not a percent, which is why people don’t see it, because they can’t undestand that for some reason, no matter how clear you make it, and you really should make it a permahide sometime)

LTC: 98

“Please tell me you did not just get a Blood Quest,” Kade says.

“You going to help me?” I ask. “It’s a pretty severe penalty if I fail.”

“No shit!” He yells. “It’s a fucking Blood Quest, Gavin! They’re not going to let you off easy for failing it! Not something like that! Blood Quests are serious things, Gavin! You’re a fucking idiot!”

“You’re the fucking idiot!” I yell at him.

“You’re both fucking idiots!” Warren yells. “Everyone’s fucking staring at the two of you bickering like children!”

“I am a child!” I yell at him, then look back at Kade. “I am a child who still has a sense of duty to his kingdom, and is willing to risk the severe penalty of a fucking Blood Oath to restore his kingdom back to its former glory!”

“You’re a fucking idiot!” Kade yells at me.

“No, you’re a fucking idiot!”

“Will you two fucking idiots shut the fuck up?” Warren yells, and we both look at him.

“You’re as bad as Michael,” Kade says. “I shouldn’t have approached you.”

He turns and leaves the inn, and I’m left angry and confused.

Tyler and Kade both think Jozan’s dead and never going to return, but Michael doesn’t. It isn’t until Warren and I are in our room that I realize something.

Kade changed his name to the king’s name. If he really thinks Jozan’s dead, why would he do that? There’s no way that’s a coincidence – he had to have picked that on purpose.

He’s still got a Jozan spirit. I’ve got five years to return to Jozan and complete the Blood Quest. By the time I return, he’ll be back with us.

Now I just have to hope Michael returns soon.

Lying on the bed, I close my eyes and start condensing my Mana again, going until my head feels as if it’s going to burst. It takes a lot longer for me to recover from that than normal, and when I do, I notice Collin sitting on a chair in a corner of the room, Warren looking very worried from the pillow he’s sitting on. Collin’s face is impassive, though his eyes say he’s furious.

“You’re an idiot,” he says in Velusan. “A major one, Gavin. Acting rashly is never a good thing, and then you went and swore a Blood Oath in anger.”

“It is one I will complete.”

“You say that now,” he says. “But what about in five years, when you realize that you’re alone, you don’t have the power to do what is needed, and time’s running out?”

“That won’t happen.”

“You say that now,” he says. “But things happen. You could get delayed, or penalized for something, you could be imprisoned by a force you can’t defy or wind up back in another realm. What if, in five years, you’re in the middle of a battle, and suddenly, you’re back at zero, with no Classes or Skills or Levels to make you stronger? What will happen, then?”

“It won’t.”

“You’ll die,” he says. “That is what will happen. I’ve paid an additional week for you in here, and paid for some magicians to enchant the room. For the next week, you’re not to leave this room. I’m giving you time to cool off and think about what you just did.”

“But-”

“Share with me the Quest,” he says, and I frown. “Just say ‘Share Quests – Blood Quest’, and it’ll share with me all of your current Blood Quests.”

“Share Quests – Blood Quests,” I focus on Collin, and he frowns, probably reading it.

“You fucking moron,” he says. “No one’s ever confirmed the existence of a fourth Tier to Classes, and it’s recommended you have one. On top of that, it’s also recommended you have at least two Tier III Classes and five Tier II Classes. Then the party recommendations… four people with at least one Tier III Class. This Blood Quest you’ve gained is, right now, what is believed to be needed to kill a young dragon. Over time, it’ll only grow more difficult. What you really need for this is a fucking army. The gained Experience alone should be enough to tell you how difficult the Blood Quest is, and then add on the penalty for failure – something you are all but guaranteed to find.

“I’ve arranged,” he stands and moves to the door. “For food to be brought to you. Warren isn’t trapped in here, like you are, so he can still leave and train. Think on what you did, and cool off. It’s okay to have pride for your country, but to swear a Blood Oath isn’t okay. It rarely turns out well for the one who made the oath.”

He leaves, and it isn’t until he’s gone that I realize he knew the timeframe for the Quest, even though I didn’t tell anyone.

How?