Mage And Wolf
Chapter 109

Chapter 109: Chapter 109

Regular liquor is much kinder to the system than Elven Wine. Or maybe that’s just my increased cultivation speaking.

Today we’re taking a day off. The city is having a grand opening for the Travel Gate, so there is a parade and Fairgrounds set up and everyone wants to go try the foods. Little Donuts are almost a food group of their own, so I have no arguments.

A big crowd is gathering in front of us by the edge of the Fairgrounds, so we decide to go check it out. With any luck it’s a Rodeo. I seem to recall this area used to be famous for them and the one I went to by Arcana was fun.

There’s a big stand and the Travel Gate is in the background. I should have realized where we are. Maybe the ceremony will be fun to watch, we’ve got some cheap beer and corn dogs, how bad could it be?

First up is a blue robed Priestess representing Drakon City. She gives a lovely speech about cooperation, mutual benefit and safety in numbers. It’s got the makings of a famous political stump speech, very professional and well practiced.

There’s a twenty minute break scheduled before the Spokane representative is up and we take the time to survey the crowd. I notice a bunch of familiar looking robes around and it gets me to wondering how the Sacred Thunder disciples got here.

"Since we’ve got a moment, why not tell me how you ended up on this planet" I ask Vinnie and Paul.

"You were at the tournament right? I am sure you won the Outer Disciple division" Paul says.

"She won alchemy and cooking too" Vinnie adds, rubbing his stomach to settle the carnival food.

"Anyways, the last day of the tournament, while you were laying waste to a small city with a zombie army, a portal formed in the tournament grounds."

Oh, I’ll bet that freaked people out. The zombie incident too. Kel’Mira is looking at me in horror, but I whisper that I’ll explain later.

"The portal was out of sync with the time flow, so a group of immortal cultivators that specialize in spatial abilities tried to fix it to stop the earthquakes. It worked, but the portal collapsed minutes later, sucking a bunch of bystanders through."

"So the two Realms are in sync now? They collapsed the portal I was leaving through too."

"They should be. But we haven’t found another portal home yet to verify it. There are about a hundred here that got thrown through. All below Immortal. I think all your Sect members were gone though, something about the Dragon God Sect declaring war on them."

"Yeah, they did, bunch of Posers, not a single Dragon God Priest among them. We eliminated their entire Sect as far as I know."

"I don’t know what they were thinking, they had no chance of winning." Paul sighs.

"I’ll explain later, in private" I tell everyone looking around at the crowd "It’s not a story for wandering ears."

The conversation turns to lighter topics until another group takes the stage. I’m looking away until the announcer draws that the Portland delegation is delayed and the Arcana City representatives will give their speech now.

I’m turning around to see who is here when I’m lifted by my feet on a platform of Arcane energy, the delicate looking black outer layer of my Shadowed Sword cultivators dress fluttering in the breeze.

Karl and Lelou are smiling down at me with mischief in their eyes while Neisa begins the prepared speech.

She finishes thanking them for their hospitality and wishes great future cooperation between our cities before turning the microphone over to Karl, who has set me down at the edge of the stage.

"I was going to give a fine speech as the head of Arcana University, welcoming applications from all hopeful students, but by pure coincidence, our newly appointed Foreign Relations Ambassador is here on business and has come to see the festivities. Please welcome High Priestess Katrina to the stage"

"Ambassador?" I mouth at Lelou.

"You weren’t there to object or nominate someone else" she shrugs.

"Thank you all for coming." I greet taking the podium "As many of you know, Arcana is a city unlike any other. Not just in this world, but unique in the Empire. It is a modern city with all the conveniences modern Earth has to offer. But it is also a magical city."

"Built entirely by Mages and Dragons, the architecture is unlike anything you have ever seen. It is a city built for trade, every product imaginable can be found within our walls, and if you can’t find it, we can either make or order it. Hotels that self clean, magical elevators to take you hundreds of stories in the air to view the world from the observatories atop our topiary domes."

A murmur is starting in the crowd, and it’s not all about the city, I should finish up quickly.

"The entire city is walking friendly, with magical walkways and a peaceful multi species population. Please do come visit us, and remember, it is only a short step through the Travel Gate."

The brief but enthusiastic applause is fading and I’m just about to leave the podium when a large man in a Divine Fist uniform shouts out, silencing the crowd.

"Are you not also known as Young Miss of the Shadowed Blade Sect of Assassins and Evil Cultivators?" he asks loudly, causing a feeling of shock to pass over the crowd.

"I don’t appreciate the slander of my Sect, but that is me, yes." I announce with my voice full of dominance.

"The Divine Fist denounces your Sect as criminal! Turn yourself over to my custody for righteous punishment Demon Cultivator" he declares with pride.

There goes all the sympathy he had gained by calling out the Shadowed Blade.

"In case you’d forgotten Young Man, the Divine Fist is not a law unto itself here. Demanding young women allow themselves to be taken might be how you used to do things, but no longer, and definitely not in my hometown of Arcana, where the law rules over all equally."

I’m a bit proud of that retort, it’s shut him up long enough for public opinion to turn against him. The Divine Fist isn’t even well liked in their own territory because of their attitudes.

Local guards are ushering him away, giving him a lecture about being a public nuisance.

"My apologies for the disturbance, I guess you can’t ask for everyone to like you." The crowd laughs a little. Good enough for me. "In conclusion, please do visit Arcana City, even if it’s just for a night to enjoy our many luxurious hotels and enchanted amenities"

I leave the podium, but I see many cultivators making their way forward.

"Young Miss, will you be cooking here? The local cuisine is excellent, but they lack in magical beast dishes" one in green robes asks.

"I’m actually working out of the Adventurer’s Guild, helping clear giant monsters. Perhaps I’ll make a dish sometime this next week for teams headed out" That should raise morale.

I field dozens of greetings and questions about my fighting style from cultivators that were at the tournament before the Spokane team finally takes the stage.

Just as the crowd is clearing a small book is pressed into my hand, but I don’t get a chance to see the gift giver. I tuck it into my sleeve and check the title during a lull between speakers ’Mystic Cooking’ by Professor Song.

Don’t tell me, it’s him again? What hasn’t that man mastered?

The rest of the afternoon is filled with touring the fair, accompanied by the team from Arcana and my friends of the combat team.

"If I see one more meat in a stick I’ll pass out" Lelou declares "It’s time to go home"

"You know you didn’t have to try every single one" Karl chides "We can come back"

"Nonsense, it’s for science"

With a long goodbye and promises to give Lala and the twins extra hugs, they’re ready to enter the Travel Gate.

Days off are exhausting.