Magicules

"You didn't have to kill him," Remus said.

"Let's get your friend and leave this place," Andrea said.

Andrea and Remus half-carried Leo to the blacksmith's workshop where Gregory worked. They splashed water on his face until he woke up.

"He stinks," Andrea said.

"Never mind that. I need something from him," Remus said. "The procedure for making magic swords. Tell me where I can find it."

"How am I supposed to know where it is?" Leo replied.

"Think Leo," Remus urged. "All the knowledge of the world is at the Citadel, surely there has to be something about magic swords."

"If there's something restricted then you might find it in the forbidden section at the tower of the Arch-Maester," Leo said.

"How can I get inside?" Remus asked.

"You can't," Leo replied. "I've only been there once when I was asked to present my research to that old man."

"What happened?" Remus asked.

"He rejected it. Told me to stop wasting his time," Leo said. "I had a theory that magic is just a manipulation of tiny particles called magicules which are its building blocks but I have no way to prove my theory."

"What if I crafted a machine that can see magicules," Remus asked. "Like a microscope but for magic."

"How would you go about making something like that?" Leo asked.

"Assuming it's just like the experiment to observe atoms and molecules, I will first need rare metals like platinum, gold and palladium."

"You can get them from high-end merchants but at a very high cost," Leo said.

"I also need a light source and something that can manipulate light using magic," Remus said.

"Like the eye of a basilisk?" Leo said. "Anyone who gazes at it is turned to stone through magic."

"That could work."

"Give me your money and I will go and purchase the metals for you," Leo said. "I will also put in a request at the adventurer's guild for the eye of the basilisk but it will be quite expensive."

"I'm not letting you get anywhere near my gold so that you can drink it away," Remus said. "I will handle the metals myself as well as put in the request at the guild."

"Point taken," Leo said.

"I have a better idea," Andrea said. "Let's register as adventurers and get the eye ourselves as a party. There's something we have to deal with."

"What are you talking about?" Remus asked.

"I watched you when those robbers cornered you in the alley," she said. "You quickly handed them the money."

"Yes, so that they wouldn't kill me," Remus said.

"If you calmed down for a few seconds you would've realised that they were looking for a victim and were going to kill you anyway," Andrea said. "You're hiding your fear behind your intelligence and we have to do something about it."

"What have we got to lose?" Gregory asked.

The next day, Remus, Andrea, Gregory and Leo went to the Adventurer's guild. A cute beast-woman with rabbit-like ears was behind the counter. Remus stepped ahead of the group and approached the woman.

"The three of us would like to register as adventurers please," Remus said. "I'm guessing Gregory is already registered."

Gregory nodded.

"Alright, please fill these forms," she said before placing three pieces of paper on the table. "The registration fee is ten silver per person and then we'll have to check your class before issuing you with a member's card."

"I need someone to fill my form for me," Remus said.

"Why?" Leo asked.

"He doesn't know how to read," Andrea blurted.

"That's not possible," Gregory exclaimed. "We were all taught to read at an early age."

"I didn't pay much attention," Remus explained.

"It's fine," Andrea said. "I will help you."

After filling out all the forms, Remus returned them to the bunny-woman along with three gold coins. She took out an orb from beneath her desk and placed it on the counter.

"Now time to check your class," she said. "Mr Leo first."

Leo placed his hand on the orb. The orb glowed white and the Bunny-woman opened a status window.

</Class Check: Double Class; Scribe-Healer! />

"Wow, a double class," the woman said in an amazed tone. "Mr Remus next."

Remus placed his hands on the orb and it glowed with a golden hue.

</Class Check: Artificer! />

"I've never heard of an Artificer before," she said. "That must be very rare. Lady Andrea next."

Andrea placed her hands on the orb but this time it glowed red.

</Class Check: Blood Hunter! />

"Another rare class!" the bunny woman exclaimed. "How very unusual."

"You wouldn't happen to know where we can find a Basilisk, would you?" Remus asked.

Her face went pale as she brought out a job request from underneath her counter. The paper was yellowed and had dust and cobwebs on it.

"Normally we don't allow new members to take dangerous requests but all the adventuring companies refuse to take this job due to the fact that no one that went looking for that calamity class monster has ever returned," she said. "The King has instructed me to remove all restrictions from this job and offer it to anyone foolish enough to attempt it."

"Thank you," Remus said as he grabbed the paper out of her hand.

The three of them collected their Adventurer Guild license and proceeded to leave.

Their next stop was the market where they picked up the rare metals for the Magicule Microscope as well as supplies for their long journey. Remus stopped at DiNolfo's bladesmith shop to buy one of every type of weapon.

"One of them has to be suitable for me," Remus said.

Remus and his party made their way outside the walls of Oldtown and went west towards the edge of the Midlands before crossing into the Northlands and making their way towards the border of the Kingdom.