Dimension System - Chapter 91

“Here is your identification badge. This signifies your rank and will allow access into the citadel. I’d offer you the complimentary coat but it looks like you’ve already got a tailored suit.”

 

Taking the badge that Antonio handed me, I couldn’t help but ask about their manner of dress.

 

“Thanks, can you tell me a little more about the clothing? Why suits? I saw Xander wearing robes when I met him.”

 

He answered my questions, filling me in on the history and protocol of the spatial mage dress code.

 

“Our founder passed on many traditions, teaching us about business, fashion, and ethics. On the subject of clothing, he explained that a well-dressed man commands respect. Various garments were constructed based on the memory of his former world.”

 

Sighing, he continued his explanation.

 

“Sadly, we only wear them inside the citadel, as outsiders are set in their ways. They cling to the primitive notion that mages must wear robes. For now, the mages are required to change back into robes, prior to departing for any missions.”

 

With the explanation taken care of, I now had my answers.

 

“Would this apply to me as well?”

 

“As you’re under the probationary period, it would not apply to you Zanir. Once your probation is over, you’ll be eligible to apply for a merchant insignia, which will qualify you as a trader and exempt you from the dress code.”

 

“Thank you, Antonio. I’ve one final question. Where do I go for the assessment?”

 

“Down the hall, into the bar, third door on the right. Just show them your badge!”

 

Making my way down to the testing room was no issue, however, the guards outside the door informed me that the instructor was running late. With an unknown amount of time to spare, I returned to the table where Reed and Xander were finishing up their afternoon meal. Several of the men called out to me at once.

 

‘Are you already done with the as-assess.. *hic* that test thing?’

 

‘No way? No way! Grandpa Luca takes foreeeever’

 

‘Scoot over you animals! Give the kid some room to breathe.. sheesh!’

 

I sat down to join the crowd. I recognized Vinny at the head of the table but didn’t know who any of the other men were. A quick glance at their respective badges, showed the same main symbol as Xander’s badge, indicating the rank of captain. Vinny’s badge was etched with another symbol, which I understood was the higher rank of Capo. All of the badges had smaller symbols that complimented the primary ones and varied from badge to badge.

 

Xander noticed my inspection of the spatial mage badges and brought up a conversation to help explain them.

 

“I see your curious about the badge symbols. As you may have already guessed, the primary symbol indicates your rank, beginning from Soldier and progressing through the ranks of Captain, Capo, and finally Don. The smaller symbols on your badge denote things such as, which department you work for, as well as distinguishing exemplary acts of valor and courage performed in the line of duty.”

 

I nodded, having filed in more of my understanding of the organizational structure. Continuing the conversation, I asked about the large gathering of captains present.

 

“May I ask why so many captains are meeting together?”

 

Vinny answered my question.

 

“We’re having our monthly meeting. I’m the Capo in charge of their departments. I have to relay the important bits to the Don to make sure that we maintain our yearly projections. After your assessment, you’ll be assigned to a relevant department, where you’ll receive further training and instructions. Given your connections with a trading group, you’ll most likely be assigned to the merchant department, where you’ll be able to raise quickly.”

 

I respectfully thanked Vinny for answering my questions. After a few moments of general conversation about the organization one of the guards approached and informed me that the instructor had arrived. Taking my leave, I followed the guard to the assessment room, where an old man was waiting for me.

 

Glancing around the assessment room revealed it to be a sort of firing range, with several targets set at various distances. Scorch and scuff marks marred the otherwise pristine appearance of the room, a testament to the sheer amount of trials conducted here.

 

The wizened old man had a distinguished appearance that seemed to be tied to the color grey. Unlike the others who wore dark suits, he donned a very neutral grey suit, which matched his grey hair. His dark grey eyes gave off an impartial vibe, as if he’d spent a lifetime judging and guiding others.

 

“Come in, come in! I’m head inspector Luca Vincetti. I’ll be conducting your assessment today. Just relax, and we can begin whenever you’re ready. Don’t worry too much about the results, we’re well aware that you haven’t had any formal training yet.”

 

Bowing slightly to inspector Luca, I began to materialize my ghost dragon hand, using it to summon and absorb a variety of common household objects. Seeing what happened, the instructors eyes went wide, as he was extremely shocked. Hurriedly, he began scribbling down several notes on the sheet in front of him, while mumbling to himself.

 

“Hmm, object materialization and de-materialization, innate comprehension and talent, and a unique magic formation…wait a second! T-the color of that mana.. how is this even possible!”

 

A ripple appeared in the room, as the Don entered, accompanied by two masked men. The Don immediately began ordering the two masked men.

 

“Seal the entrance to the room and seize the recording crystal!”

 

‘At once, sir!’

 

‘It will be done!’

 

Recovering from his shock, Luca questioned the sudden intrusion.

 

“What is the meaning of this?”

 

The Don explained what he was doing.

 

“Due to the unique energy Zanir possesses, the Godfather himself has ordered that the assessment records be sealed. Effective immediately, he will be inducted into the Covert Ops department, and his ‘official’ designation will be to the Logistics department, as a coverup.”

 

Stroking his chin, inspector Luca agreed with the proposal.

 

“Ah, yes. If word got out about this energy, there would be countless attempts on his life, from without and within. I’ll modify the test results to keep this under wraps.”

 

As the Don’s men retrieved the recording crystal, he congratulated me on doing so well, before informing me that inspector Luca would answer answer the questions I had. Once we were alone, the inspector began to explain what was happening.

 

———————-

 

Armed with the newly issued initiate badge, I made my way to the church library, where I was allowed entrance without issue. The head librarian had even informed me that they’d reserved a private room for me to study the scriptures.

 

“Thank you, but that won’t be necessary.”

 

Summoning the familiar albino dragon hand, I begun the processing of ‘scanning’ the lengthy church library. Ten minutes later, I had acquired all of the books, adding them to the ever-growing repository of knowledge in the spatial world. The nearby staff who witnessed the event were flabbergasted.

 

Not only was the process much quicker than they anticipated, it was also nearly silent, having gone entirely unnoticed by those who were engrossed in their respective books. With a satisfied grin on my face, I gave a slight bow to the staff, and thanked them for allowing me to record these sacred texts.

 

Returning to the bishop’s office, I knocked on the door.

 

“Come in!”

 

Entering, I saw the bishop gathering various things together, as he prepared for our upcoming pilgrimage. Upon noticing that it was me entering, he called out to greet me.

 

“Welcome initiate, was there a problem with the library staff?”

 

He had stopped packing for a moment, as he appeared concerned that they may have offended me. Waving him to continue, I replied.

 

“There was no issue, I’ve already recorded the texts.”

 

Shocked, the bishop quickly responded.

 

“Y-you haven’t even been gone for an hour! Surely, it would take time to copy so many books?

 

Smiling, I began to recite several passages verbatim.

 

The bishop quickly recovered from his shock, lauding me for my ability and comprehension.

 

“This is amazing, truly miraculous! Since you’ve already memorized the sacred texts, we can begin our journey to the morning mist capital. However, I’ll need a few days to finish packing my belongings. We can set out as soon as the provisions are gathered.”

 

Sitting down in the nearby chair, I used my albino ghost dragon to produce a bowl of beef and vegetable stew. The aroma spread through the small office room, attracting the bishop’s attention.

 

“W-where did you get that? It smells so wonderful!”

 

Glancing over, I casually replied to the bishop.

 

“Oh, this? It’s just a little spatial magic.”

 

The bishop dropped the book he was packing, stunned by the new initiate’s casual reply.

 

“Spatial magic, you say? Such a talent could be infinitely useful to the church. Would you be interested in handling our supplies for the journey? Why, we could even leave tonight, if you could lend us your powers.”

 

Pretending to take a moment to consider the offer, I gave my answer.

 

“Normally I charge for such a server, however, I’d be willing to make an exception for the church. Let’s have a meal and then gather the supplies, if your holiness agrees?”

 

Sitting down with a relieved look, the bishop voiced his agreement to the plan.

 

“That sounds most excellent! I always dread packing everything up, for I always seem to leave something behind. I’m sure the guards will be very appreciative of how light we’ll be able to travel this time.”

 

In the middle of his response, the bishop’s stomach growled audibly.

 

“Ah! Forgive my rude display of worldly desires, it seems I’ve forgotten to take my after service meal, having been so caught up with these exciting developments. That stew smells simply divine! Y-you wouldn’t happen to have another bowl, would you?”

 

Blinking heavily, I had to fight off the urge to laugh out loud, at the thick-skinned bishop’s request. With a flourish, I conjured another bowl of stew, so that we could have a meal together.

 

“Forgive my lack of manners, your holiness.”

 

Waving his hand back and forth, he dismissed it as a non-issue.

 

“There’s no need to be so polite, initiate. I’m sure that with your talents, you’ll outrank me in no time at all!”

 

Dropping the pretense of manners, we both dug into the hearty bowls of stew, sating our hunger. At the end of the meal, I conjured up two small pieces of warm bread, before quoting one of the sacred texts.

 

“Let those who accept the light want for nothing, as they strive to waste nothing.”

 

The bishop observed me using the small piece of bread to mop up the remaining sauce at the bottom of the bowl. With much delight, he did the same, savoring the deep flavors produced by high quality ingredients. After a moment of reflection he gave a deeply contented sigh.

 

“Truly a divine dish! I’ve never tasted such deep and rich flavors!”

 

Taking a slight bow, I did my best to reply humbly.

 

“Thank you. My company strives to deliver the best products possible. Shall we begin packing, your holiness?”

 

With a nod, the bishop agreed, as he began to point out the various objects he might need for the journey. Before long I’d absorbed the majority of the office contents, storing them temporarily in a private section of the spatial world.

 

After his personal effects had been properly secured, the bishop clapped his hands in amusement, clearly pleased with the unexpected turn of events. From his office, we headed through the church, eventually reaching the barracks where the guards were housed.

 

Our appearance, far ahead of schedule, startled the unsuspecting guards who present. Quickly coming to attention, they saluted the bishop, as the head guard scrambled to approach and greet us.

 

“Your holiness, to what do we owe the pleasure?”

 

“I’m taking this brilliant initiate on a pilgrimage to the morning mist capital. Gather a dozen men to accompany us. We leave tonight!”

 

I felt bad for the poor guard, as he had a conflicted look on face and was hesitant to give the bishop any bad news.

 

“Your holiness, I can give my guards the order, but surely it will take time to pack the necessary provisions for such a journey. If we force the men to make such haste, they may not be able to gather what is needed.”

 

The bishop reached out and put a hand on the guard captain’s shoulder, before calmly replying.

 

“Have a little faith my son, I would not ask the impossible of you. This man has agreed to assist us with the provisions. Come, let us enter the storehouse and witness a miracle!”

 

———————-

 

“Captain! Captain!”

 

One of the crew members called out for my attention. After sailing down the coastline for a few hours we finally encountered something. Hopefully, it was something worthwhile.

 

“What’s going on? Give me a status report!”

 

The crew member started relaying the scouting report.

 

“The undead manning one of the sloop scout ships has reported something farther up the coast. It appears to be a small fishing village. Approximately two hundred people, minimal fortifications, it doesn’t appear to contain anything of value. Should we approach them?”

 

Hmm, there wasn’t anything noteworthy about the place, so it didn’t seem worthy of looting. I considered simply bypassing the village, but reconsidered, as they may have information about local points of interest.

 

“Prepare to make landfall, just up the beach from the village. We’ll make camp for the evening and see if they have any information about the nearby area. Everyone be on your best behavior!”

 

On my orders, the galleon landed on the beach, at a distance that hopefully wouldn’t alarm the nearby locals. The sloop ships docked nearby, with the undead pirate zombies remaining to guard the fleet.

 

Disembarking from the ship, we made landfall, as the men stretched out their limbs. After taking a moment to get our bearing, we approached the entrance to the coastal fishing village. Various wooden huts and piers were built out over the water, having been ravaged by weather, and subsequently rebuilt many times.

 

The overall appearance and quality of the construction could be described as ramshackle. As we approached, several of the men had gathered together, unsure of the intentions of our large, armed group. Clutching primitive spears and crude construction tools, the gaunt men had fear and mistrust in their eyes.

 

As we neared, the oldest among them approached us, calling out to greet us.

 

“This is a simple fishing village. Please have mercy on us! We were already raided earlier this week, we won’t survive another raid. You’ll have to kill us, if you want to take what little food we have left.”

 

I could see that the people were quite serious. I quietly wondered what kind of bastard would pillage such a poor fishing village. Given the condition of the people and buildings, it was undoubtedly slim picking from the get-go. Clearing my throat, I gave a response to what I assumed was the village elder.

 

“I’ll ask you kindly, to address my men with a little more respect, good sir! We don’t rob from the destitute, no offense. We only seek information about the nearby lands. Landmarks, points of interest, shipwrecks, that sort of thing.”

 

Taking a moment to discuss among themselves, the village debated on letting us enter, wondering out loud if they could really trust us. In the interest of saving time, I offered something that would help sway their minds.

 

“We have food and medical supplies, that I’m prepared to offer up, for any information that proves valuable!”

 

I chuckled as the rickety entrance gate was opened up, allowing us to enter the village. The locals looked timid and afraid, backing away from us as we made our entrance. To my dismay, I noticed that there were at least thirty injured people, occupying a few of the sturdier huts at the rear of the village.

 

Walking over slowly, the old man approached us, leaning on a gnarled driftwood staff to support himself. His tanned skin was weathered and wrinkly, alluding to a lifetime of exposure to the sun and elements. At a glance, it was obvious that this village lived and died by the net and spear, eking out a living through their fishing.

 

“Forgive the suspicion sir. Our humble village has been facing frequent attacks from the local pirates. Everyone became alarmed, when the men reported another pirate ship approaching.”

 

Sighing, the old man maintained eye contact as he addressed me, concerned that we might be tricking them, or that he might offend us with his response. Removing my helmet, I did my best to reassure him that he made the right choice.

 

“You bear the responsibility of your village’s safety. It is understandable to be skeptic of those you don’t know. May I ask if you were recently attacked? There are many who appear to be injured?”

 

Hesitation crossed the old man’s face for a brief moment, before he sighed and gave his response.

 

“So you’ve already noticed.. Yes, we were attacked by the Black Dagger pirate crew last week, when we couldn’t afford the heavy tribute they enforce on us. They’re going to return soon, to finish us off. There’s still time for you and your men to leave, if you don’t want to get caught up in this. We would understand.”

 

Taking a moment to think it over, I rubbed my chin, while pondering what to do. The old man seemed sad, as he must have assumed I was considering abandoning the village. Finally, after a few minutes, I asked him a question to clarify what his people could do for me.

 

“How well do you locals know the nearby area? We sailed up from Ishtar.”

 

The old man’s eyes lit us, as he seemed to catch my drift. He responded eagerly, trying to catch onto the thin line of hope that I’d cast out for him and his village.

 

“We’ve fished the surrounding waters for generations sir! W-we can tell you about the local points of interest, like the nearby reefs that have claimed countless ships, or the pirate groups that raid the area.”

 

Approaching the old man, I extended my hand.

 

“Let’s shake on it, if we have a deal, that is.”

 

Clasping my hand with both of his, the village elder readily agreed, even dropping his walking cane in the excitement. Chuckling, I reached down and returned his walking cane. Using my dark dragon hand, I conjured up a pile of supplies, before barking out my orders to the crew.

 

“Prepare a large fire here in the clearing. Begin preparations for a feast! Distribute the medical supplies to the injured villagers. Prioritize the most heavily wounded for first treatments. Move! Move! Move!”

 

Seeing the villagers shocked appearances amused me. Bringing heaps of supplies out of thin air was an amazing ability, I had to admit. Perhaps, they’d never seen such a quantity of food. Either way, I took a seat near the large fire that was being constructed.

 

Just as I was about to conjure up some nice cold beer for everyone, I was rudely interrupted.

 

“Captain! The scouts have sighted a pirate ship approaching!”

 

“Status report!”

 

“Single ship, the flag displays a skull pierced by two black daggers, estimated time of arrival is thirty minutes if they maintain their current speed.”

 

Hearing the information, the nearby villagers grimaced. Everyone focused on me, wanting to see what my orders would be.

 

“Have the scouts bring up the entire fleet! Dock them into defensive positions along the piers. All hands on deck, prepare to engage in combat!”