Chapter 238 - Finalising Paul's Relief

"Hey!" Paul smiled happily his solution went down well.

"You do know you're like a couple thousand short." Anna reminded him after rejoining us.

"Ah good question, this is why it cost me so much, I needed masters in Conjuration, only they would be able to bump up the potency of the spell, everyone here should able to house ten thousand individuals each," Paul answered. "Anyways, right now we need to persuade the public to head to my other associates," Paul explained as it looked like everyone seemed to favour the human wizards over the other non-human ones.

"Why are they afraid?" I questioned a little unsure whats happening.

"It's only natural to trust your own race," Paul answered.

"Alright, I'll try and if you don't mind can I speak to the Arch Druids as well?" Grace questioned.

"Of course, unlike most Elves, I know this couple and her daughter and very nice and very open-minded." Paul smiled.

"I'll handle Queen Seiriuphis." Anna sighed.

"Thanks, Anna," Paul whispered.

"You owe me." She looked at him sternly and began to walk away.

"Whatever you want!" Paul shouted out to her as she began making her way to the crowds

"Come we'll deal with Grofrel Mithrilforge." Paul smiled at me.

"Sure." I smiled back, "So she's your consort?" I looked at Paul with a cheeky smile.

"She's just messing with me, she enjoys embarrassing me." He laughed awkwardly.

"Really? I remember a time when you was too afraid to ask me out, this should be a dream come true no?" I sarcastically joked.

"Honestly, she's far too forward for my liking," Paul answered with a shudder.

"Didn't know you were such a prude." I chuckled enjoying the situation.

"I'm not a prude, just you know... I prefer someone down to earth." He smiled.

Eventually, everyone disappeared into the spectral building, "Thank's for the help." He thanked each of his friends personally before they disappeared behind the magical door.

"Sure you don't want to come and see our personal room?" Queen Seiriuphis joined us and asked him seductively pulling him close to herself looking deeply into his eyes,

"As much as I'd love to, but duty calls." Paul declined her offer with a smile.

"Well if you ever change your mind, you know where to find me." She pulled him giving him a very tight hug feeling him all over and smelling his neck.

"I know." He replied giving her the awkward hug pat and broke contact pushing her off him.

"You're such a tease, well cya," She winked before returning to her door and disappearing behind it.

"My lord that was straight s.e.x.u.a.l harassment." I laughed.

"See what I mean, way too pushy," Paul said straightening his clothes.

After waiting for quite some time for any latecomers, explaining the situation and guiding them to the respective buildings. "So what is it like inside there?" I questioned Paul.

"Well it all depends on how the caster wants it to look, and they can easily tailor it specific to each person with just a thought." Paul smiled.

"Do you also know that spell?" I wondered.

"Yes that spell I can also cast, but not as effective as my friends, they are far better trained and practised than I am." He smiled.

"What would yours look like?" I smiled.

"Hmmm like a giant mansion many rooms, defiantly decor similar to something we'd have back at home." He answered.

"Many rooms?" I asked curiously.

"Yeah, whatever you want would be in there, training room, wine room, kitchen, library whatever you want." He smiled.

"No way!" I looked at him in shock, "Maybe..... we can spend one night there?" I hinted to him.

"Yeah, of course, we'll have to return to Atlantis of course though, I've only been scheduled to leave for a day." He answered.

"So all the homeless are now safe now?" I asked as we made our way to meet the others.

"Yes, I've accounted for the majority of the lower city plus some extra, assuming that they all heard what's happening here. Actually...." Paul answered back and with a whistle, he caught the attention of some guards calling them over.

"Black Dragon Slayer." They all saluted him with respect.

"Take Princess Calista and walk scan the lower district for any leftover homeless who might have been too afraid or didn't get the news, and make sure they get a spot." He ordered them and with a hand gesture issued Calista to follow the guards. "And explain to Princess Calista what to do and tell her to meet us back at Atlantis." He ordered.

"Yes sir." They saluted and made their way to meet Calista who was engaged in conversation with all the remaining royals.

"Oh and if you don't mind increase her escort just in case please." He asked the guards before they left.

"Yes sir." They answered back and proceeded to meet Calista.

"Are you sure she's gonna be okay?" I questioned a little worried she'd be here by herself.

"Don't worry she's more than capable of defending herself, she's also the chosen champion of a Storm Giant," Paul smiled at me genuinely clearly happy I had some care for her well being.

"Hi, guys." grace greeted us.

"Hey, did you manage to talk to Aerith and Ailduin?" Paul questioned.

"Yes, I did thank you," she answered

"Are they relatives or acquaintances of Helen?" Paul asked politely.

"They have heard of her Aunt and Uncle but they don't know her or her relatives personally." She answered.

"Ohhh... is their Enclave safe from the Black Fungus growth thing?" Paul questioned sounding a little worried.

"No sadly, She lost her Aunt and Uncle and the Ancient grove," Grace answered.

"Ohhh no, I'm so sorry for her loss." Paul instantly apologised sending his condolences.

"Is there anything you can do about it?" I questioned Paul.

"Sadly contracting the spores is deadly to anyone and everyone, even I dare not to get involved or risk going near there," Paul warned.

"How about your Arch Druid friends?" I questioned.

"Even they said they can only stem the growth, but it's so widespread now it's too much to hold back," Grace answered.

"There must be something you can do Paul," I questioned.

"The thing is, it's just so dangerous I won't even dare send Scarlet near there if she inhales the fungus or spores, lord knows what could happen to her. Also, I have heard no news of anything that survives after contracting the disease, for me even to begin trying to discover a workaround." Paul answered me sounding kinda sad.

"How about just annihilating it?" I questioned curiously.

"Doesn't work either, upon destroying any plant life or fungus or even disturbing the ground itself will just kick up and spread more spores," Paul answered.

"So nothing lives in there? It's desolate of all life?" I carried on questioning.

"Well not really, there seems to be a lot of swamp monsters insects and creatures but they behave differently from what I have spectated, they move with a strange unison with an unnatural perception, natural predator and prey don't hunt each other either which is very weird," Paul answered.

"Is this place close to us?" I questioned.

"None that are close, unless Helen's Uncle and Aunts Grove was nearby, but there are two known central areas, which are called the blighted forests. One is spreading slowly through the enchanted forests on the Elven Island, and another is near Zessiah although a lot smaller and growing at a far slower pace, it still remains something that will need to be dealt with sooner or later and of course any enclave or ancient groves that are scattered throughout the land," Paul answered.

"Hey, guys!" Daisy greeted us with a giant smile." Paul, what were those spells that those mages cast to help the city?" Daisy questioned the moment he greeted her back.

"It's a spell that can house many individuals, I've rented their help for a month or two to provide a constant living space for the citizens while the reconstruction is completed," Paul answered.

"It will only take a month or two?" I questioned in absolute shock.

"I don't know how they do it myself but they are so naturally amazing and fast when it comes to construction," Paul answered with a look of absolute amazement.

"Really?" I questioned a little unconvinced.

"Well with the help I've enlisted that can get them the material in the perfect shape and size they want, I'm sure they will just breeze through the project. Once I saw a team of six Dwarves finish a house from scratch in just under half a day." He said with a smile of amazement. "and that included shaving and sculpting the materials." He added.

"So why did asking for help cost so much?" I questioned curiously

"Well, high-level casters are in constantly high demand, two of which is a Prince and Queen so obviously I need to make it worth their while," Paul answered.

"Well, thank you on behalf of the city." Daisy smiled.

"Yeah, I'm sure everyone is super grateful." I smiled joyfully.

"I didn't do much except fork out some gold and used some connections, anyways let us start making our ways back to Atlantis it's getting late, Paul smiled.

"OH!" Daisy gasped and pulled out a few small pouches of coins. "This is for you guys, Seraphine wanted to say thanks for the help today." Daisy smiled handing us all except Paul a small pouch of coins.

"Here you go boss," Anna said tossing Paul her pouch.

I said don't call me boss!" He said catching the pouch and fastening it to the inside of his coat.

"You can have mine." I offered him my pouch.

"Nah it's fine, your first piece of hard-earned cash." He smiled pushing the pouch back to me.

"So how long till the rebuilding of the city starts?" Daisy questioned.

"Oh yeah! be right back." He said opening a red portal stepping through closing it behind him and opening another red portal stepping back out after about ten seconds. "Thank's for reminding me, Daisy!" He smiled giving her a pat on the back.

"Wait what?" Daisy question utterly confused.

"I needed to hand the council the plans for the new lower district, once all has been confirmed I can then proceeded with materials and labour and thanks you, you reminded me." Paul smiled.

"Mr Paul, if you don't mind can I ask you a question?" Grace asked politely.

"Sure." He answered with a smile.

"On that note what was the thing you did Anna?" I questioned as Grace asked Paul her question.

"What do you mean?" She asked in return.

"Vanishing to Paul in a whiff of darkness," I questioned curiously.

"It's a special ability I learnt when I was in the thieves guild, it's called shadow step." She smiled.

"You was a thief?" I questioned in shock.

"Yes, before I met Paul, I used to work for very unsavoury people," She answered clearly regretting her past choices.

"It's alright you're here now." Paul smiled interrupting our conversation throwing an arm around her shoulder and giving me a look to let the conversation slide.

"So yeah don't worry about Travis, he's extremely durable but unlike his father and Scarlet if you hit him hard enough he will still get hurt," Paul carried on answering Grace's question.

"Wait so you can't hurt her either?" I questioned in shock.

"Well to be honest I haven't really tried, but so far from what I've seen almost nothing has hurt her so far." Paul laughed.

"How did you defeat her then?" I questioned a little curious.

"Who knows." Paul shrugged with a chuckled clearly hiding it from me.

As we arrived at the Waypoint, Paul began casting a spell causing certain runes to illuminate around the floor and with a flash a blue portal opened up for us to step through. Arriving back at Atlantis I gasped in shock at how different, and how irregularly full the school was.