The Iron Teeth

Interlude: Study and Reflection

Cervassa Mas Dhallia hurried down the busy stone halls of the Heavenly Spire. Classes had just been let out so the halls were full of students in their plain grey robes, and the occasional teacher in their blue ones. Their excited voices and joyful cheers rang out all around her.

It was still the morning, barely, so sunlight poured in through the large windows that lined the outwards wall and illuminated everything. This meant none of the mage lights that lit the hallways of the guild during the night were lit.

Cervessa rudely brushed past anyone who got in her way, and ignored any complaints or calls for her to slow down. Normally she would consider such rash behavior to be far too undignified for her, but not right now. She was late, and Archmagus Rastilio Fer Grehmar the Supreme Master of the Endless Heavens Guild was waiting for her.

She was one step away from panic, and only a finely ingrained sense of decorum kept her from breaking into a sprint and racing to his office. It wouldn't do at all for a mere junior researcher like her to keep such a man waiting. As she was a mage and disciple of the Endless Heavens Guild the Archmagus had almost complete control over her life, and more importantly her research funding.

She clutched her notebook to her chest as she reached the doorway to the staircase that led to the top of the spire, and the Archmagus' office. She had to lift her blue robes up so that they didn't trip her as she bounded up the stairs, and there were a lot of stairs. The spire towered over the surroundings and was one of the tallest buildings in Hulgaron city, which made it among the tallest in the entire country of Hulgaron.

She was panting and out of breath when she finally reached the top. Still on the edge of panic she only gave herself a brief second to recover and fix herself up, before pushing open the door and stepping into the reception room on the other side.

The Archmagus' middle aged secretary looked up from her desk and frowned in disapproval as she entered. Cervessa flushed in embarrassment as she gave the secretary a polite nod in greeting. The room around her was small but comfortable looking with plush furniture for visitors to sit in.

A window to one side had a magnificent view of Hugaron city, but Cervessa had seen it many times before. She just stood there by the door uncertain about what to do with herself for a minute before the secretary spoke.

"Go right in. He's been expecting you," she said with an amazing amount of scorn packed into those few words.

"Right, thank you," Cervessa replied before nervously walking across the room.

The door to the Archmagus' office was on the wall beside the secretary's desk. Feeling a surge of dread that made her heart skip a beat she pushed it open and prepared herself to meet the master of her guild, and one of the most powerful people in the country.

Archmagus Rastilio Fer Grehmar turned and gave her a welcoming smile as she entered the room. Cervessa felt herself relax as she took in his calm cheerful eyes and friendly demeanor. She was extremely relieved that he didn't seem angry. Maybe she would get out of this with some research funding after all.

The Archmagus had been standing by his window and taking in the view, which was much larger and fancier than the one in the waiting room. He was an older man of average height with a clean shaven face.

His white robes of office didn't quite conceal the fact that he was a bit on the pudgy side, and he was clearly in the advanced stages of going bald. Most men of his rank would have tried to hide their baldness or at least covered it up, but he did no such thing. She wondered why.

His gold ceremonial chain and amulet hung around his neck, and his incredibly ornate staff was leaning up against one wall. The amulet was studded with several crystals of different colors and sizes. Cervessa had never seen some of them anywhere else, and had no idea what they did. She had heard several wild rumors though, each more impressive and unlikely than the last.