Chapter 3 - The Parties Gather
The last thing Colin expected to see mere minutes after getting out of bed that morning was a room full of guards, mercenaries, and robed magicians, and yet there they were, staring right back at him, armed to the teeth.
"It's good to see you well, Mr. Watts. I anticipated you would be far worse for wear after news of your early retirement for the night had reached me," The King mused.
"I apologize for the inconvenience. It was not my intention to let the alcohol get the better of me," said Colin. Strangely enough, he wasn't feeling any after-effects from the night before. His mind was clear; not even the slightest bit of a hangover plagued him. "I assure you; however, I'm completely sober with little to no fatigue from the night before. I'm ready to do what is asked of me."
The King's piercing gaze studied Colin with fascination. "Very well, we will see your mental acuity soon enough." The King gestured to a robed magician on his left as he stepped down from the throne with a silk pillow, then nodded in Colin's direction. On that pillow lay a crystal ball the size of a child's head; Colin could see his distorted reflection dance along its surface as he approached. "Come forward. Place your hand on its surface."
As The King commanded, Colin touched the crystal ball. The magician muttered an inaudible incantation, and a window of light shimmered into existence. Lines of text and numbers, empty lists, and a radar chart materialized upon the glowing pane. Colin had yet to decipher them, yet The King seemed to know them well.
"Fascinating... To think that your weapon... No, it's still too early to make assumptions," The King murmured. The King beckoned a decorative magician to his side, passed on a silent order, and sent him down from the throne to stand before Colin. The man looked to be in his mid-twenties with sharp features, violet hair, long eyelashes, and blue eyes behind a set of antique glasses. From his left ear dangled a crystal earring. The magician approached with a crystal ball in hand.
"Let us test your magical affinity, brave hero. This will help us determine what kind of spells you can learn."
"I didn't realize there was a limit," Colin replied.
The magician looked intrigued. "Hoh? You mean to say that you already know magic?"
"Sort of. I can do a very minuscule amount of fire magic at the moment."
The magician grinned with giddy enthusiasm. "Magic seems to be your calling, after all. Now I wonder..." Taking the crystal ball and resting it in Colin's hand, he observed, watching as nothing happened.
"What's wrong?" Asked The King.
"Hmm..." The magician carefully studied the crystal ball before retrieving it, "It would appear that the brave hero has no affinity for magic whatsoever," he declared.
"What?! How is that possible?" The King cried.
"Not to fear; I have a theory." The magician waved down another crystal-holding magician and placed the sphere in Colin's hands.
"For you, to keep that is. Within is the first-level water spell for Aqua Shot. This spell will serve you well for the purpose of this examination and any future endeavors as a magician."
Colin held the crystal to his eye. Nothing about it was outwardly different from the others; however, he felt a mental tug in the ball's direction when he put his fingers to its surface. Colin relaxed himself and felt the spell flow from the ball to him, filling his mind with arcane script. With the ball turning to dust in his fingers, the spell was transferred, beginning to break down to its primal form, and a voice spoke to Colin once more.
"Nourishing is how man knows him. Generous is he, for it is life he sustains. Once dominant over the earth and its bounty, he gave way to the lands and the mountains while dotting the heavens with his color. Though charitable, he is not without rage; when his temper builds, desolation follows. Be warned, partake yet take no more than you need, for he rewards gluttony with death. His name is..."
"Water," said Colin, and a steady stream followed, slipping from along the gossamer thread that wrapped his palms and flowing upward. Colin bit his tongue to keep himself focused and keep his mind from wandering as the creation filled his being. The throne room murmured curiously as they watched Colin poke at the water droplets suspended in the air.
"What? What is this?" The King said, addressing his visible confusion.
"As I thought, you're not bound by aptitude. Though it would seem the magic has been weakened as a result? An effect of your shortened incantation, perhaps?" The magician mused.
"This is the spell. From my understanding, the ring cannot use incantations, but it can call upon the element by which I know."
"It can't hold incantations?!" The mercenaries erupted into gossip.
"What good is he if he cannot cast spells?"
"That's it? A few measly droplets of water?"
"Is he really a hero? I've seen more impressive displays from novice mages, to say nothing about tales of the seven-star heroes."
The King sighed, rubbing his temple. "Colin, if this is about your state from the night prior..."
"Your Majesty, I assure you this isn't the case. This is simply how the ring functions, nothing more, nothing less." Colin understood that the display wasn't impressive by their standards but didn't understand what standard he was supposed to meet in the first place. To him, the ring was something to marvel at, yet as The King described upon the hero's arrival, it would need time to grow. Was there something he was missing that made them react this way?
"Then I'll ask you, in your current state, is combat even feasible? How is it you'll be fighting the Waves of Catastrophe?"
"Whoa, this is bad," Colin thought. The expression from The King and the look he was getting from his audience didn't make him feel confident that he would be winning over any supporters. Still, he had to do something.
"F-From my understanding... In the future, I can command these powers to do my bidding. If you would allow me to gather strength with the rest of the heroes, then I'm positive my prowess will grow."
"Your Majesty, why not hold a demonstration to ease your worries?" The magician's cold smile reminded Colin of the folklore enthusiasts back home; morbid curiosity filled the magician's eyes.
"Very well. Colin, I'll have you prove your potential." The King motioned for a decorated knight who stood adjacent to the throne. A blond soldier with pronounced facial features stepped forward, hand on his sword. Beneath his mustache, his face was set in a perpetual frown. The mercenaries and magicians took a collective step back, allowing a large opening to form in the center of the room.
"Wait, you mean fight? Here?" The King nodded as Colin expressed his concern. There was no sign that Colin had misinterpreted his meaning.
The knight's expression twisted into a sneer. "Quit your sniveling boy. I've seen adventurers with more backbone than you're showing now."
"The heck? Who pissed in this guy's breakfast?" Colin bit back the urge to retort before The King, opting to merely tilt his head, saying, "Alright, let's get to it then."
Colin was in a bind. He had no idea what he was supposed to do about a guy in full plate armor and a sword. Colin doubted the ring would be much help as, currently, its only two functions are to create water and make fire. He didn't even know how he was supposed to command them yet. With the knight drawing his sword, he would have to learn fast.
"If you don't step forward, I'll make the first move, hero." The knight surged forward with his blade in a low stance. The room went quiet as they watched on with a judging gaze.
Colin felt his hair stand up on end. That sword looked sharp. Part of him wanted to believe that maybe The King only meant for this to be a showcase, not a duel, but that blade looked like it could take an arm if Colin wasn't careful. Adrenaline surged as Colin jumped back from the blade, dodging around with awkward movements. Colin tried in vain to close the distance, first going for a tackle and then trying to shove the knight, but each attempt ended with him jumping back from the point of the knight's sword. A bead of sweat began to dot his temple. Colin understood that the knight had reach that he couldn't compensate for. The knight's movements were relaxed by comparison. In his eyes, it was clear that Colin didn't even qualify as an opponent.
"Screw it." Colin grit his teeth as he hastily called upon the ring's power. "Water, come to me," he whispered. Silver thread shot from his temple down to his forearm, coiling around his neck and creeping down his chest. In his hand was woven the pattern for water, and droplets began to peel away, coalescing into a ball the size of his fist. Colin felt a rush but carefully hid his hand behind his waist as he recklessly ran at the knight, who merely raised his sword as he waited to intercept him. Colin flung out his hand, releasing his hold on the water, causing the ball to strike the knight's face with the force of a water balloon. The knight grunted as he lost his vision, and in that brief second, when his guard was down, Colin struck the man with a right jab to the cheek. Colin exhaled, satisfied with serving the guy a bit of what he was asking for, but that satisfaction was short-lived as the knight grabbed Colin by the wrist with anger burning behind his eyes.
"Was that supposed to be clever? I didn't realize you wanted to tickle me to death."
"Huh?" Colin barely had any time to react in his shock. The knight plowed into Colin, tossing him onto his shoulder and slamming him to the ground. Colin gasped as the air left his lungs, and panic rolled away from the soldier. Grunting, Colin returned to his feet. The knight, unhurt, leisurely closed the distance, and Colin stole a glance over at The King, who seemed to be judging carefully. Colin swallowed as he quickly plotted his next move. It didn't take a genius to figure out he wouldn't win this fight, so instead, he opted to lose after striking the knight at least once. That way, The King couldn't complain about him being unable to fight.
"Maybe I'm thinking about this the wrong way..." Until now, Colin approached the situation practically based on his own common sense, but common sense would have ruled that the knight getting struck like he had would have left a mark. It wasn't that his punch lacked strength; Colin felt the weight of his knuckles upon impact. Rather, his strike didn't harm the knight in the first place. One thing about this world that was becoming more and more apparent as time went on was game-like it was. In games, characters good at one thing typically tended to be bad at others. Now Colin was a caster, meaning his skill set would specialize in spell casting, not fighting. Going by that logic, he might be powerless in a hand-to-hand combat situation.
Colin carefully plotted his next move, whispering, "Fire, ignite." A spark bounced from the new pattern forming along his palm, and his eyes danced to the emerging flame. From his failed attempt with the water, he gauged that he could produce larger effects by pouring more focus into his channeling, but the process quickly drained his stamina. As things stood, he would only have one chance to get a good hit in. "One more opening, then," he muttered.
"I hope I'm right about this," Colin thought as he quickly took off his raincoat and wrapped it tightly around his arm. The knight advanced, sparing no inch of room for Colin to disengage. Once more, Colin ran towards the knight.
"Water, gather before me," he uttered, and a ball of water bled into existence in his left hand. Colin hurled it like a softball, only to bring forth another and another. Pelting the knight with a flurry of water balls, Colin pressed forward.
"Bleh! Gah! That trick won't work a second time!" The knight declared as he swung downward. Colin let the sword fall onto his arm. The force of the hit ran through him. Clenching his teeth through the pain, he stepped closer, inches away from the knight. The knight reared his knee and struck Colin in the stomach. Colin gasped.
"All this talk of false heroes has caused nothing but needless gossip. I don't know who you think you are, but you don't have the right to name yourself as such! When I knock you down again, His Majesty will see you for the yellow-bellied liar you are…" The knight's rant fell silent when Colin held a finger to his lips.
"Close your eyes, tighten your abdomen, and don't breathe," Colin grunted.
"What?"
"Fire, surge forth!" Colin lowered his hand, snapping his fingers as a spark leaped from his palm. In that instant, a cascade of flame erupted between them, the force sending the knight stumbling back. The knight grunted, moving to raise his sword once more, only for The King to clap his hands, signaling an end to the fight.
"A most illuminating display," The King mused. "Though you lack combative strength, your power is crafty. What say you, Dansith?"
"Your Majesty, if I may, I would like to explain the nature of this fight in detail," the decorated magician replied.
"By all means."
"Adventurers, have you ever seen a magician handle magic in such a way? I bet you're thinking, what's the big deal? But to those who have fought alongside magicians, have you known one to control magic so freely? Today, we have witnessed three key traits of this hero of unknown origin. The first being that they are a mage with the capacity to learn any spell. Though that may show itself to us in the form of a lack of talent, as you all have seen, this is not the case, as Sir Watts has beautifully channeled two elements in succession when our tools would dictate he could wield none. This in itself is a great boon, as those born with an affinity for all magic are few and far between," Dansith adjusted his glasses, pushing them up his nose bridge.
"Now, the second is that this mysterious hero can alter the elements freely without abandon. As I'm sure you all know, spells are tools that cannot be accessed without incantations, and like tools, spells perform a single function by which they were designed. However, Sir Watts performed a feat that would be impossible by such a standard; he shaped the spell. Yes, as he so clearly described, his legendary weapon is incapable of using incantations, but such a thing is unnecessary when you can shape elements to your will. Just imagine the possibilities as Sir Watts hones this skill," Dansith spoke with sparkles in his eyes, excited by the prospect of his words. Colin thought it to be the passion of a professional.
"Finally, though not a trait for the ring itself, it is by no means any less substantial. Sir Watts, I say this to you: You are cunning. You have as much combat training as the average commoner, yet you took precautions in the fight I wasn't expecting, tackling an impossible task with practicality and wit. Well done, I say." The decorated knight clicked his tongue at Dansith, clearly displeased with the statement.
"To the adventurers who answered the crown's call, I ask you now. Who would join with this hero? Who would put their faith in this hero as he prepares to fight the coming Waves of Catastrophe?"
"So that's what this is about," thought Colin. The mercenaries gathered here were potential candidates for comrades. The mercenaries began to talk amongst themselves, filling the room with the clamor of conversation and debate.
"A magician, I admit this does sound interesting on paper."
"Well, it's not like he can't learn how to fight properly, but I really don't want to be the one to teach him."
"It could be interesting, partying up with the new guy, even still..."
""Is it worth not partying with the Cardinal Heroes?""
Such a reaction was to be expected. Colin knew that trust was not easily obtained; flailing around in front of a knight wouldn't change that. Colin would be at the bottom of such a list if these people had come intending to pick which hero to journey with. It's thanks to The King and that magician, Dansith; however, he was able to make the list at all. Looking up at the decorated knight, he knew he needed to tack one more thing onto that effort; after all, there was a glaring issue he had to address.
"I'm not one of your Cardinal Heroes. I'm sure you all know that. But I want to make it clear I'm not trying to be either. I understand you all have your reservations about my being here. But know that I never intended to try and replace the heroes you all hold dear. I've come here for one reason and one reason only: to put an end to these Waves of Catastrophe. Glory, renown, prestige, none of them mean anything to me. There was a lot of talk about rewards when the five of us were summoned, but suffice it to say, I've already got mine, and that reward is riding on my success here. I can't promise you lot anything that the other heroes might. As I am now, fighting any great monster is nothing but a pipe dream, but I ask those of you who've seen the disaster firsthand, who experienced the horrors that the waves bring, do you not want this cycle to end? Legends speak of the heroes beating back the waves time and time again, and yet, do they not always return to take more lives? I extend this promise to you, people of this world, that I will strike at the head of the snake and purge the source of these waves, whatever that may be. This isn't a task that's possible for me alone, and for that, I'll need you. If there is any among you who desires nothing more than to end the waves, then know there will be no greater supporter for such a dream than I, and as a hero, I'll be with you every step of the way. If you want a legendary weapon at your back, I will welcome you with open arms."
The room fell silent as Colin's words sank in. Colin paned his gaze about the room as the mercenaries fidgeted amongst themselves.
"Did I sound too cocky?" Colin worried. The last thing he wanted to do was make it seem like he was looking down on them or the other heroes. Only one person stepped forward, but they weren't among the mercenaries. A tall woman among the magicians stepped down from her spot next to Dansith. Her blue robe was adorned with several necklaces, bracelets, and bangles, with golden tassels hanging loosely from her sleeves and hem. In her right hand was a bronze staff fashioned to a crook at its head, with four crystal bells jangling softly within. The woman stood before Colin and pulled back her hood. She looked to be in her early to mid-twenties. Fluffy, cream-colored hair bounced softly in a short bob, and upon her head was a threaded circlet that looked like a dew-covered web with the gemstones woven within. It complimented her big, amber-colored eyes. Her skin was fair, with the only mark being the beauty marks that dotted the corner of her left eye. In her ears were set a pair of earrings fashioned from multicolored feathers; they brushed gently against her rosy cheeks.
"Put an end to the waves, you said? And you truly think such a thing is possible?" Her smile had an impish charm, making Colin think she was teasing him somehow.
"That's what I said, yes. Does that mean I've convinced you?"
"Hmm, I wonder..." The woman leaned in, her face close and her eyes calculating. Her gaze washed over Colin as she studied his reaction.
"Just where does that confidence come from?" There was a pause as she mulled over her thoughts, and then she took a step back.
"Very well, I'll join you, brave hero, or should I call you Mr. Watts since we'll be traveling together from now on?" She laughed.
"Colin is fine. What do I call you?" Colin replied.
"Dispensing with the formalities, I see. Not a bad proposition... Lamara, you can call me Lamara."
Dansith descended from the throne, resting his hand on Lamara's shoulder. "Are you sure about this?" Lamara merely nodded in response.
The King reached out to the rest of the mercenaries. "Are there no more who would join with this hero?" The general lack of a response was enough to answer The King's question. "Then I grant The Ring Hero my blessing. From this day hence, you may be known as an honorary hero. With this title, you have the support of the crown. Our resources are available to you, as they are for the rest of the heroes." The throne room was filled with applause as some offered their best wishes while others respected The King's decision despite their own misgivings.
"Now then, with this event's end comes the gathering of the Four Cardinal Heroes. You've all journeyed far to become members of the heroes' parties; I wish you all the best in your decisions; may your hearts guide you true."
The Four Cardinal heroes stepped through the gigantic ornate double door to the throne room, stopping before the crowd of mercenaries. Colin stood among the magicians beside the throne.
"Brave heroes. Today marks the beginning of your journey; thus, you will need companions to aid you as you endeavor to strengthen yourselves against the coming disaster," The King declared. The four heroes silently celebrated amongst themselves, with Motoyasu pumping his fist and Naofumi grinning ear to ear.
"Future champions, the time for choice is now!" As The King announced this, the mercenaries moved in tandem, splitting off mid-walk as they gravitated toward their respective heroes. Colin watched as they all filed in, but when they stopped, all but Noafumi's corner was filled.
"Huh..." Naofumi stared in disbelief as the other three heroes were accompanied by no less than three people. "Yo King!" He cried.
"...This was unexpected." The King murmured, troubled although not surprised. An attendant bent down to whisper in The King's ear. "Hmm, it would appear there's a troubling rumor being spread that The Shield Hero is ignorant of this world."
"Huh?!" Naofumi uttered in annoyance.
"Understand that legend describes the heroes as knowing the world's ways, capable, and ready to face coming challenges. If this rumor bears any truth, then such a predicament would be reasonable."
Colin sucked in the air through his teeth, only now realizing how lucky he had been to even get one companion.
"This isn't good," he muttered. Lamara watched on; as Colin glanced, he saw a distinct sadness in her gaze.
"Reasonable?! How is that..." Naofumi felt a light tug at his sleeve, and he turned to see Motoyasu lean in close.
In a low whisper, he spoke, "I think someone might have been eavesdropping on our conversation the other night."
"Seriously?" Naofumi replied exasperated. He clenched his fist in silent contemplation, then turned to Ren in a whirl. "That aside, Ren, you don't need five companions. Help me out! Tell someone to party with me!"
"You're right, I don't need five companions. Anyone who can't keep up gets left behind. You got that? I don't have time to waste on stragglers." Ren sternly cautioned his new party.
Naofumi whirled back to Motoyasu, "Motoayasu, come on, this is ridiculous! Help me out, please?"
"Well... I'm just kinda surprised my party's mostly girls," he replied.
Naofumi looked ready to pop a blood vessel.
"It would make sense to split the parties into three people each, but forcing it wouldn't be fair to everyone else." Itsuki chimed in.
"Fair?! Fair for them, but what about fair for me?! What am I supposed to do alone?"
Motoyasu sighed as he tried to rack his brain on the issue. Suddenly, someone from behind him raised their hand.
"I'll join you, Sir Hero," a young woman spoke up. From within Motoyasu's party, a woman with candy-colored red hair and green eyes stepped forward. Naofumi sat there stunned, entranced by the woman; he merely nodded in response.
The King's gaze turned solemn. "Is there no one else who would join The Shield Hero?" His question passed around the room to be met with a now all too familiar response, silence. "Very well, then we'll have to resort to other methods. Naofumi, you will have to recruit on your own. But be not discouraged. The crown will support your endeavor nonetheless."
The mercenaries filed into rank once more, with only Naofumi and the red-headed woman standing shoulder to shoulder. "Each month, the crown will supply the heroes with funds. Seeing as Naofumi needs to outsource for adventurers, I will grant him extra funds."
Several servants stepped down from the throne with coin purses in hand. The balding servant from the other day spoke as the money was distributed, "Sir Motoyasu, Sir Ren, and Sir Itsuki, each of you will be granted 600 silver pieces, while Sir Naofumi, you will be granted 800 silver pieces." Bags filled with silver coins were handed to the four heroes, the look of worry on Naofumi now replaced with a sigh of relief.
"There is one more matter that would be addressed...," said the balding servant.
"Ahem. Thank you, Falmus," The King interrupted.
"As the four of you know, another was summoned amongst you. Though the nature of his origin is still a mystery, a factor I hope to rectify in due time," The King glanced at Colin. "I have decided to grant him the status of an honorary hero as the weapon he bears is still a legendary weapon. Sir Colin has proven himself ready and willing to fight against the waves, and thus, he will set out on a journey all the same. Sir Colin, I ask that you step down and receive your coffers."
Colin stepped down from the throne with Lamara close behind him. Nobles murmured in interest and discontent as they fell in rank and file with the other four heroes. Naofumi swore the woman was staring at him, but when he met her gaze, she averted her eyes.
Motoyasu gave Colin a hearty pat on the side. "Way to go, dude! You got The King to recognize ya."
Colin winced, replying, "Thanks. At least now we can bypass the politics and get down to strengthening our weapons for the time being."
Falmus stepped forward, producing another coin pouch. "In light of the exception made for The Shield Hero, the crown will also grant you extra funds until you build an adequate party," he said. Falmus turned to the audience of noblemen and noblewomen, declaring: "Sir Colin Watts, hero of the ring, the crown hereby grants you 800 silver pieces."
"This money will serve as the foundation for your continued growth. Now go forth and strengthen your weapons, heroes. From this point on, your journey truly begins. You're all dismissed!"
The four heroes were sent off to be escorted outside the castle with their party members in tow. Stepping foot outside the castle gate, Colin felt the warm breeze caress his face. The wind carried past the castle walls, flapping his coat along with the breeze. Only now did he realize that he was setting foot into the new world for the first time. The feeling was surreal.
Motoyasu stretched his arms, letting out a big sigh. "About that time, huh? Finally, the game begins."
Naofumi tossed his coin pouch into the air, catching it with his left hand and weighing its bulk. The red-headed woman followed closely behind with a soft smile. Colin whistled as the gate raised along the castle wall. Though he had never been to any of the castles that dotted Europe's landscape, he imagined this was what they might look like.
Lamara chuckled, "You seem impressed."
"It's hard not to be. It's not every day you see sights like this, though maybe it is for the people of this world."
"Did the people of your world not build fortresses?"
"Like these?" Colin pointed to the castle wall. "In the past, we did, but as the world advanced, the structures changed. You'd be hard-pressed to find someone building a castle for anything other than a passion project."
"Really? Where does your nation's ruler reside? If you don't mind me asking," Lamara inquired curiously.
"Hehe," Colin giggled, rubbing his nose. "Well, it's nothing as large as this, but it's a building about as old as my nation's founding. In the capital, there's a mansion a little over two hundred and thirty years old, give or take. Since the first person to take the leader mantle, the building's been home to just about every president to ever serve."
"President, not king?"
"The government is a republic in practice, just about as far away from a monarchy you can get, with a long history behind its conception to justify it."
Lamara pursed her lips, "I knew the heroes' worlds were different in structure, but I never thought those differences would be so vast."
Colin sighed in playful exaggeration, "Tell me about it. One world is already a big enough place; add one more to the equation, and it just becomes confusing, ay?" He smiled.
Lamara chuckled, "I suppose so."
Motoyasu approached Ren and Itsuki close behind. "You guys hit it off pretty fast."
"There's just a lot we don't know about each other is all," Colin mused. "What happened to your parties?"
"They're waiting by the gate. Figured I should send you off before we pass each other by," Motoyasu explained.
With a wave, Motoyasu, Ren, and Itsuki said their goodbyes.
"Later. When you get strong enough, we should tackle a dungeon sometime!"
"Don't die out there, ya hear?"
"Good luck! Try not to overdo it, ok?"
Colin smiled as he jokingly waved them off. "Yeah, yeah, see you guys later, ya big saps." As the three heroes set off after their respective parties, Colin chuckled. "Man, I can't tell if they're worried or just trying to show off."
"Perhaps a bit of both," laughed Lamara. "It's not unheard of for heroes to carry such bravado."
Naofumi stepped forward. He had been patiently waiting to say his parting. "It might be a while till we meet again, so we might as well say goodbye while we still can," chuckled Naofumi. "Not sure how they do it in the States, but here." Naofumi held out his hand, and Colin smiled as he took it and gave it a firm shake.
"Don't be a stranger, okay?" Said Colin.
"Right, see you around," Naofumi said, giving a light wave as he turned his back to Colin and Lamara. Colin waved in return while Lamara gave a respectful bow.
Colin winced as soon as the heroes disappeared past the gate. "Might take a detour before we start gathering strength. I think that knight did a number on me."
Colin rolled back his sleeve to reveal to dark bruise that spanned the length of his forearm; the sight was so jarring he took a step back, sucking in the air through his teeth. "Yikes."
"Let me take a look at that," Lamara interjected, reaching into a leather pouch along her waistband. She retrieved a glass vial with a green bead as a stopper, uncorked the strange liquid, and liberally poured it along the wound. The clear liquid shimmered with an emerald finish and let out a wafting cloud of glittering steam as it ran down the length of Colin's arm, rapidly absorbed into the skin. Not a hint of discoloration remained when the bottle was empty, and Colin felt strangely rejuvenated.
"What was that?" He asked, trying to hide his awe.
"A healing potion. It's a useful tool when you get into scuffles like that often. On a side note, here, take this, too." Lamara retrieved a bottle with a blue bead stopper and placed it in Colin's hand.
"Mana recovery potion, I'm guessing?"
"Right, it will help you recover from the fatigue."
Colin shrugged as he removed the cork and downed the potion. It was tasteless yet somehow refreshing. Colin felt his stamina return to him, his body filling with strength once again. "Thanks," he said, "We should probably stock up on those before we set out."
"That and equipment, you can't go out like that, not unless you want an even worse injury."
Colin frowned, "I'm not sure what exactly I'll be able to use, though. I know weapons are out of the question, but don't magicians normally wear robes rather than armor?"
"It's not as cut and dry as that. You'll see, come. There's a good magic emporium in this city. I'm sure we can find something to help you out." Lamara held out a hand, and Colin took it. The two stepped past the castle gates. The castle guards watched as they faded away into the crowd before lowering the gates behind them.