Chapter 156: The Beastfolk City 1

The road towards the capital was busier than Tanaka anticipated. There were caravans of merchants going back and forth, trading timber, grain, metalworks and enchanted goods between their settlements. Beastfolk merchants rode along with their cargo and now and again there were messengers passing amongst the traders, quickening their pace by boosting their speed with spells.

Tanaka watched a rabbit beastman race past, his green mana circling his legs as he launched himself forward on every stride, measuring out dozens of metres with every leap before slowing to a walk once he turned the corner. "Convenient, isn’t it," Tanaka said, "he’d have missed the express if that spell hadn’t lasted." Garric gave him an amused look.

"The courier guild teaches various spells of locomotion to its members, but the more powerful magics require greater control of magical energy. I’m guessing he used a simple acceleration spell - something any young beastman would learn before reaching adulthood," Garric explained. Tanaka was watching the road ahead, thinking of the mages of Eldoris who could understand how such a spell had been cast, but seeing it performed by ordinary beastfolk was an education in itself.

They were used to magic being employed in Bravelm, but never to such a degree. "All beastfolk are taught?" he asked. "Most of them are," Maeryn said, "some are better taught than others and not all become masters, but the basics are common knowledge." Tanaka nodded.

It was one thing having mana in your body, quite another to harness it. Eldoris was fortunate to be blessed with so many gifted warriors and mages, but they didn’t have the patience to teach magic to ordinary people. The more Tanaka saw, the more he was thinking of establishing a magical curriculum in Eldoris.

They arrived at a hill in the late afternoon and paused to let the others catch up. Tanaka’s breath caught in his throat. Below them, nestled in a valley, lay a magnificent city bordered by high stone walls and watch towers that flew blue insignias with a silver wolf embroidered into them. Beyond them sprawled a mixture of modest dwellings and ornate buildings with tiled roofs and ornate balconies and doorways on every side.

At the very heart of it all loomed a vast fortress, looking down on everything with immeasurable eyes, its towers crowned in soft, flickering light. Tanaka was surprised by the amount of magic that emanated faintly from its walls. "Wonderful, isn’t it?" Maeryn said, smiling. "That’s the capital?" Tanaka asked.

"Varghelm, the royal city of the Beastfolk Lands," Maeryn replied. "The city grew around the old stronghold of the wolf clans and for centuries it’s been the seat of power for the Wolf King. Now, he doesn’t actually rule over all the beastmen, just the wolves proper - the other big clans swear allegiance to him and pay him tribute, the smaller clans trade with us and for the most part, Bravelm remains independent."

"How does the system work?" Tanaka wanted to know. "How can the Wolf King sit atop the throne when there are independent rulers at the same level?" "That’s been centuries in the making," Maeryn explained. "There are mutual agreements between certain great clans and they, in turn, have contracts with the lesser clans and settlements. All the power is concentrated at the top with the King, Wolf or not, he controls Bravelm, which controls the surrounding lands."

Tanaka turned back to the palace. "The walls didn’t spring up overnight," he said. "No," Garric said, "and the protections on them have taken decades to complete." As they walked back down the hill and towards the main gate, Tanaka couldn’t help but study the walls some more.

There were a number of inscriptions carved into the stone pillars which framed the road on either side, which shimmered with ambient mana when anyone was passing, their markings pulsing in short rhythmic bursts as they sent ripples of magic along carefully etched lines of the stonework until it reached similar sigils embedded inside the gates. Tanaka got close enough to one of the pillars to read what kind of magic had been woven into it.

"It’s enchantments that identify hostile spells and strengthen the gates," Garric told him when he asked. "All the sigils co-operate, so the magic guards don’t have to use up their energy reinforcing every weakness." Tanaka examined the runes with growing interest. It was the kind of defensive magic that would be useful in Eldoris, but the guards there didn’t use any enchantments beyond simple runic circles painted onto their equipment.

The people of Varghelm weren’t just building a city - they were constructing a whole kingdom of magic around themselves. Eldrin would love to get his hands on some of the blueprints. He shook his head at the thought. The last time he’d done so, he’d gotten a message demanding he return to Eldoris ’as soon as possible.’ Tanaka was just laughing to himself when he remembered the note’s contents.

Let the Goblin heal and recover for the next few days. Maybe he could let poor Raizen survive long enough to finish another job. The crowd that had gathered at the gate was thinning out as merchants were allowed entry, their goods inspected, their passes checked by guards in finely maintained body armour with magic etchings running along the seam of their breastplate. One of these guards spotted the familiar sight of Maeryn, and immediately came to attention.

"Chief Maeryn," he said. "Barely a greeting!" she replied. "I’m always happy to see the royal guard, especially on returning journeys. I’m from Wolfeim." The sergeant saluted the chief and turned to greet Garric, but his eyes widened when they landed on Raizen, Zephyr and the dark-blue creature perched cheerfully on the latter’s shoulder.

"Does that mean..." the guard whispered to himself, his ears twitching upward in astonishment. "Ladies, gents - this is Tanaka Eldoris," Maeryn introduced, "of the slime kingdom of Eldoris." The captain blinked several times. "Lord Tanaka, you..." he began. "Nice to meet you," Tanaka said, bouncing lightly on his back.

A group of guards had gathered round them, exchanging mutterings with the merchants nearby. Some of the wolf beastfolk had looked up to see who was causing the commotion and were now whispering to each other. "He’s actually a slime?" one said. "I’d be surprised if he was much larger," Raizen said thoughtfully. "This little guy’s barely the size of a dinner plate."

Tanaka pretended to be oblivious. The captain was recovering his poise, bowing deeply to Tanaka. "Forgive us, my Lord. We were not informed of your travel plans, but the royal officials will require you to report to the capital gates and make an official statement so that your arrival can be recorded," he said. "Of course," Tanaka said. "Could you please tell us what the requirements are?" he asked.

"A standard process," the captain said. "All rulers and officials from foreign lands must give notice of their intent to visit Varghelm, the length of their stay and their reasons for arriving." Tanaka smiled. He liked that. Foreign dignitaries had to declare themselves to the local authorities when entering Varghelm before they’d be permitted to enter the city’s main thoroughfares.

It made perfect sense, and now Tanaka gave a summary of the events that had taken him to Varghelm. He said he’d come at Maeryn’s request and revealed that it was on behalf of the royal court, whose officials had petitioned for him to come to the capital and conduct an interview, and now Varghelm needed to confirm if he was actually the slime king and not some opportunist playing a trick on them. "I see," the captain said, writing this down, "and your companion..."

"Raizen, Star Wolf King," Maeryn told him, stepping aside to reveal the wolf beastman. "Permit me to correct myself," the captain said, pausing to glance back at his notes. "Lord Raizen, King of the Star Wolves." Several of the guards present were stunned. Tanaka couldn’t contain a small snort of laughter.

He was starting to think introducing two kings at the same time had been a terrible idea. It took more time than it should have before the royal guards let them through the main gate and into the city. Tanaka was just getting his bearings when the sounds of the street reached his ears.