Chapter 6 - Book Worm Stefan

"Yes yes. He is that type of Worthless. He came for a visit a few moons ago and now he is going to help me sell my goods." Explained Woldemir trying to avoid uncalled for punishments. These people are notoriously known for double standards.

"Very well, you may enter. But if you commit a crime this time, you won't get so lucky. Either one of you. Understand?" Told one of the GateKeepers as they were abnormally laughing with each other. Afterwards he turns his head up and shouts "Open the Gates!"

Shortly after, the great wooden gate opens. It was quite flattering to see a ten meter tall gate open, showing a 500 house Kingdom bit by bit. The strength and people needed to open it isn't exactly small either for a door that is 16 meters across. One simple Guard can't ever open it. Imagine if this door fell due to faulty construction, and landed on a person. Even the Witches and Wizards of Zameria can't heal the victim.

Upon entering Crutal Kingdom, Garther was dumbfounded on how much the city expanded behind these 10 meter tall walls. When he left, there were roughly 200 houses. Now he is witnessing well above 500 houses. More than the eye can capture at once. It is just a miracle. Crutal Kingdom couldn't get more beautiful. It is the people in there who are a scar.

They made their way towards the town center after walking through a 5 meter wide alleyway for a while, it was very populated, far exceeding the number of people this Kingdom can hold. Especially this month when it is harvesting season. People from everywhere who aren't living in the Kingdom, come to sell their crops. The competition is rough, although it is bursting with buyers since Crutal Kingdom holds over 3,000 people.

When they reach the city centre, they see a lot of men and women trying to sell their crops. Some carrying them with carts and some have settled in a small wooden booth, dragging more attention.

"Fresh wheat grains here."

"Get your potatoes here."

"Get them while they are fresh."

Shouting like that were heard over and over from people going the extra mile to sell their crops. Taking a left turn away from the city centre, the bookshop they were aiming to reach was very close by. It only takes half a minute of walking to reach it.

When they entered the bookshop, The bookseller instantly notices new "Customers" since he isn't used to ill.u.s.tratios or Ignites being crazy about reading. He gets a little disappointed when he sees Woldemir and Eric but still welcomes them with a good greet and asks "Who is your friend there Woldemir?"

"A very special person. Dear Stefan, we need your help. Can we find a quiet place to talk this out? You know, a place where a diseased ill.u.s.tratio can't overhear us and get us in trouble." Pointed out Woldemir, showing that this case is rather delicate to talk in the open. Which it is. Many lives can be at risk.

"Of course, let's go to the storage room in my bas.e.m.e.nt. No soul could hear us there." Told Stefan swiftly as he understood the importance of this situation.

"Alright that sounds like a good place."

And then he turns to Eric and says

"Son, you stay here and keep a look out. If anything, knock three times on the door and enter. Alright?" Security measures have to be pushed to an extra mile after all. They are literally surrounded by ill.u.s.tratios. "Yes for sure. Go ahead and don't worry." Told Eric, trying his best to help while avoiding to talk a lot.

Woldemir, Garther and Stefan make their way down to the bas.e.m.e.nt, they didn't find much to see. Only wooden crates who were either empty, cracked or filled with books halfway, rarely full and some half full bookshelves were here and there, forced in to fit in this small storage room. They take a seat on some wooden crates and Woldemir starts the conversation by saying

"Let's keep our voices down just in case. You can never be too safe around ill.u.s.tratios.

Also, Stefan my friend. I'm sure your curiosity is at its pique about who this man is."

"Well yes. I mean, you come in my shop, urge me to speak with you in private and now we are in my bas.e.m.e.nt. Of course I am no doubt curious." Added Stefan in a bit of sarcasm, but he meant well and just wanted to keep a good vibe up.

"You do have a point. However, I am going to sound like a madman right now for saying this but, this man skipped two hundred years and appeared here, on our time and year."

Explained Woldemir with his tone getting lower and lower by each word.

"You got the Madman part right. How on Earth would he skip two hundred years and appear here? Seriously! How? I wanna use it to get out of this ill.u.s.tratio infested place." Exclaimed Stefan with a bit of sarcasm but he also meant what he said.

"Shhh. Be quiet! My friend, I know it's hard to believe this. Trust me, i still have doubts. But why would this intelligent man lie to me or you? What possible benefit could he have from it except for a waste of time? Eric saw him in action with his own eyes. You know that Eric never lies!"

"You have a point there, that kid barely even speaks. But can you at least explain how you "skipped" those two hundred years and came here? I'm sure being shot from a Catapult wouldn't do the trick." He said again with never ending sarcasm. For a bookworm he sure has a loud mouth.

"Actually, have you read about the last Electus? He knows Electus personally. And he was her Mentor." Quietly told Woldemir.

"Right of course. And i am secretly King of Ignis but i work as a shopkeeper to keep attention. How the actual hell do you expect me to believe that?"

"You don't believe because you haven't seen anything yet. All Witches And Wizards were killed right? After the ill.u.s.tratio invaded Occidentis ignis, right? They all were killed after our country got invaded, correct?"

"That is true. They wiped out every Witch and Wizard here on Occidentis ignis. Even on all the three other countries in our continent as well. All this genocide happened when Xakro ill.u.s.tratio l was crowned King of Septemtrionis ignis." Afterwards, Stefan became serious for a second because his knowledge strings were pulled, so he couldn't stop talking history. "Invading the two other countries was a breeze but invading Occidentis Ignis was always impossible when Akareas was the Queen. So he waited for her to die, then launched an attack, Occidentis Ignis losing the support of the two countries, became even easier to invade."

"Exactly. Xakro even assigned his knights to hunt down any Witch or Wizard in hiding. They wiped out each and every one without missing. Meaning there shouldn't be any more of them left, or if they were, they would be extremely rare." Pointed out Mogranius, puzzling himself as he explained further.

"Yes that is correct according to the books. So your point being?"

"Garther whose name is actually Mogranius survived because he skipped through the entire war when Akareas unleashed a teleportation spell towards him. It's a long story on why she did that, but the main reason is that teleportation magic isn't well researched, so the results were unpredictable, but Akareas was left no other choice. This however, might prove our point a bit more."

Afterwards he turns to Garther and confidently says "Garther, blast out fire out of your hands like you did back in the woods. But careful, don't burn this store down."

"As you wish but i hope you know what you are doing." Gently told Garther who has been holding in a lot of sarcasm outbursts.

After that he breathes in and as he breathes out, fire comes out of his palm. Not a fireball but just a small amount of fire rising above the palm of his right hand. After it starts off from the palm, it goes down to the back of his hand as well. Reaching down to the fingers, it shows quite well that Garther's right hand is surrounded completely by that fire, burning hot, further proving their point. Stefan's face turns pale. Which is ironic because a warm fire is near him.

"You see Stefan, if i was lying to you i wouldn't even trust you enough to show you my abilities in these troubled times. And if there was some trickery behind this fire, I wouldn't be able to hold this continuously lasting fire around my hand without burning my own hand down in the process and I wouldn't be able to control it as I please." Said Garther a second after he shut down the fire on his hand.

"W-well now i am a bit more c-convinced and i can understand why you aren't using your own name. To dangerous to walk around telling people your name. Sounds to much Wizard like. But I am still confused on why you told me all this. What can I do for you?"

"My friend, you've spent your entire life buying and selling books. I'm sure you can help us get unique books that will prove useful to us and history books that will shed more light to the situation Garther is in. And a bit more knowledge on how the war happened of course. You are one of the brightest people I've ever met. You grew up studying. You can be of much use to us." Slowly and quietly explained Woldemir.

"With that i can be useful. Help yourself with any book you please sir Mogranius.

Indeed I studied a lot. And about the unique books, what exactly are you looking for?"

"You see dear friend, Akareas and i found a book about teleportation deep down in a dungeon. But disaster was short to follow after part of the dungeon collapsed." Explained Mogranius in as much detail as he could.

"Oh crap. Then what happened?"

"I was seconds away from being crushed by boulders and dirt but Akareas teleported me out of there. She read a page or two of the book and as I was poking around the dungeon, I became victimized from my own curiosity. Those boulders didn't crush me, but at the moment I'm thinking that would be more lucky than living at these times.

However, we need that book about teleportation. Do you have at least the slightest clue where we can find it?"

"I'm not sure but i can help you filter things out so you'll know where to look. I've read that Akareas peacefully died at the age of ninety three. And she died peacefully in her bed. At least, that's what her second in command claimed. Was she that old when you were in that dungeon with her?"

"Not at all, she was in her fifties at that moment. Do I look like that old to you? I'm clearly not over one hundred and thirty years old. I mean look at my wrinkleless face."

Said Mogranius with a slight laughing tone.

Stefan replies with a humourless look on his face "Right. Well that means Akareas along with the book survived that collapse. Meaning the book might still exist hidden somewhere. But I am not sure myself on where it could be. Perhaps in the Castle collecting dust?"

Woldemir jumps in the conversation and says

"Did Akareas have a journal or diary? You know, where she writes down her adventures, thoughts and such."

"Woldemir my friend, you just gave us the break we have been looking for. That is a brilliant idea. And whoever became her second in command after me, had a diary for sure. We even have read it on that book."

Exclaimed Mogranius, getting louder than he is supposed too.

"Yes and if we find it, it might lead us to the teleportation book. And at least, these diaries or journals are less impossible to find compared to the book I suppose." Pointed out Woldemir.

"Yes! I love it when a plan comes together. Lets do this!!!." Yelled Stefan.

Both Woldemir and Mogranius look at Stefan with confusion and sounds of crickets shortly followed. After that, Garther replies with

"You wish to join us? Dear friend, the Dangers along with it can be very unpredictable."

Stefan replies with "The heck with it, I'm not living a better life like this anyway. Most of what I earn is stolen from the ill.u.s.tratio for "taxes". Plus I'm sure that you two have way more plans afterwards. I mean what would you need a teleportation book for if neither of you have the power to control it? You surely must have more plans, am I right?"

"Indeed we have, we could use your knowledge at these troubled times. And there is more for you to know. My son Eric is actually the new Electus. He restored to me something i lost long ago, hope and faith."

Explained Mogranius with his heart feeling warmer.

"I always saw something different in that boy. He isn't like the other mannerless kids. But i never thought he would be this special. What are your plans after you get the book?"