Evolution: A Warlock’s Rise To Power

Lucan exited the transfer point and entered the Shadow Tunnel heading to the mine while enhancing it along the way.

After letting Oar known that he was close, Edgit Hammerstone was waiting outside for Lucan.

"Lord Quilldrake, Let's go inside." Said Ed, leading Lucan into a small shack that had been built. Inside was a ramp going underground. The dwarf led him deeper. "You picked a good one. We found high quality mana crystals."

The ramp spiraled down till they were 200 feet below ground. Oar and the other dwarves had pickaxes and were removing the dirt to expose the bright white mana crystals. They had already begun to gather a pile in the corner. Small ones the size of a coin littered the area while there were also a few the size of a small table. Lucan's jaw dropped.

"Ha, ha, looks like I was the fool this time." Ed said while slapping Lucan on the back, knocking him out of his shock. Ed then leaned in close. "I trust my men, but this, this is a royal fortune. I didn't want to take any risks."

"I understand." Lucan said. He then gathered Oar and the other dwarves. "Before we go any further, I will require you all to make another pact with me. You will inform no one about this mine or its contents. This pact will make it impossible for you to reveal this sensitive information, accidently or on purpose. If you do this, I am willing to give you each a single percent of the value that is unearthed here. I would give you more, but I plan to use the money on our village and to start mining other locations. This is just the beginning. If you accept my offer, come and shake my hand."

Only Oar protested, he felt he didn't deserve a percent. Lucan explained what the dwarves understood, taking a percent made him part of this, not taking it meant that Lucan couldn't trust him to act in the mines best interest. Oar gave in and promised to work twice as hard. Lucan was satisfied.

"Let me move the tunnel entrance down here, that way you don't have to take everything back up the ramp."

"Yes, do that." Ed said. "Can you move the other end into our supply warehouse? Then we can move the Mana crystals without being seen."

"That's no problem. I will also place formations around your warehouse and have Renia increase the guards presence around your shop for the time being. I don't think anyone in the village would steal from us, but let's not give them a chance."

Lucan spent the next 3 hours moving the tunnel entrances. He then spent 12 hours, the rest of the day, going back and forth from end to end, enhancing the tunnel repeatedly. Soon it was time to log off. He made sure the dwarves had everything they needed. He wouldn't be back for 24 hours.

***

Lucan logged back in and checked with the dwarves straight away. They were still doing well. The time Lucan normally spent making wands on his front porch was moved into the supply warehouse. He made wands while guarding the mana crystals.

Lucan filled 4 of his bags with small but high-quality mana crystals. He barely dented the growing pile in the Supply warehouse. The problem was each mana crystal was unique and unprocessed. This meant that there were no identical pieces making them unable to stack in his bag. Each individual crystal took up its own slot.

To move the bigger pieces, he would have to use wagons. Lucan was already realizing that he would need guards to transport the materials. And a good number of them. He would trade this to the Grand Magister to get some gold to work with. He felt that Faylen would be grateful and also shortchange him at the same time. Lucan accepted this as the price of keeping his path to Avalon open.

Lucan contacted Alasan and had him send Renia over. She had already posted a guard on the end of the block to keep an eye on things, but Lucan wanted to make sure she knew that this warehouse would need to be protected while he was gone. Lucan had placed a protection formation over the contents of the warehouse along with an illusion to make the crystals look like coal. On top of that, Ed and the others would keep the crystals they were currently excavating in the mine, until he returned.

Renia met Lucan outside. "Lord Quilldrake." She said bowing to him.

"I was surprised you requested to become my follower."

"Alasan said it was important to be able to contact you if I wish to be the Guard Captain. Most of the villagers would join you if given the choice, but they are a bit intimidated by you."

"By me?"

"Yes, I find it odd they are intimidated by our Lord who worked in the fields for a month with his slippers and bathrobe."

Lucan laughed. "I called you here for 2 reasons. I was hopping you would escort me while I make an important sale. I also want to buy you some better equipment. You are our Guard Captain and you have recently crossed over level 100. You deserve equipment that can keep up with you."

Lucan could see here eye shine when he mentioned getting her better equipment.

"Would this have to do with your secret deal with the dwarves?" When she saw the look on Lucan's face and explained. "Everyone knows the dwarves to be talkers. But now they aren't saying a word about what they are doing, and you had me increase the guard here."

"You are very wise. If things go well, we can get equipment for the whole guard, start paying you all the wages you deserve, and we can begin to develop our home."

"I will guard you with my life, Lord Quilldrake." She said resolutely.

"I appreciate the enthusiasm, but I am ordering you to live for me. My life can be replaced, the contents of my bag can be replaced, your life is unique and one a kind, it cannot be replaced. No matter what happens you must live for me. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I misspoke. Give me a few minutes to inform my lieutenant that I will be leaving."

"Alright, if everything goes well, we will be back this evening."

Lucan and Renia entered the Shadow Tunnel.

"If we aren't going to Vertshadow, where are we going?" She asked.

"We are going to a city called Avalon. It's the capitol of Baramore. A kingdom in the material plane. I need to sell my goods there to make the city happy, even though I am sure I could get a better price out of Raze."

"I will do my best to make sure nothing interferes with your business."

Renia had started being less cold to him the past week. She no longer thought of him as the pathetic level 0. She could admit that he had a bit of power and had good potential. She was no longer bothered by the fact that her Lord was weaker than her.

"But that doesn't mean I like it when your eyes linger on me."

Lucan started to blush and picked up his pace to get ahead of her. He missed Silent, she never cared when he looked for a few seconds too long. She would only ever tease him a bit about it.

Lucan and Renia entered the city. Even though she was wearing a cloak, Renia hadn't hid all of her scales. The players were the ones who were most intrigued by the draconian women. A race rarely seen in the human kingdom.

They made their way to the palace. Lucan spoke to a guard and requested an audience with Grand Magister Faylen.

***

"Lucan, good to see you. The young squires were asking me the other day if you would be coming back soon. First, what did you want to speak to me privately about." Faylen asked.

Lucan, Renia and Faylen sat in a private room with only a table between them.

"I had a lucky encounter recently on my land and wished to see if you would be interested in buying my gains. Or perhaps you could point me to someone you know."

"What did you gain?"

Lucan pulled out a pure white mana crystal the size of a fist and set it on the table in front of Faylen.

"By the gods." Faylen said in shock. He reached out to feel the mana radiating from within the crystal. "May i?" He motioned to pick up. Lucan nodded. Amazing. It's high quality without any defections." Faylen thought for a moment. "I can give you 1,100 gold."

Lucan thought over the price for a moment. He asked Super to help him get a price. Lucan had acted as if he was the one buying. Super told him that he would have to pay 1,300-1,500 gold.

"I have 400 I am looking to sell." Lucan replied.

When Faylen picked up his jaw from the table he was already back peddling. "Wow, that many, it will be hard to find a buyer to pay full price. Anyone else will likely assume your goods are stolen, things would be horrible for you. The best I could do would be 60%."

"Oh wow, I didn't think of that. Jeez, I guess I am in a real bind." Lucan said. "I know you are doing me a favor, but could you do 75%. My people are desperate. Every piece of gold matters to me. I need this money, or we won't have any chance of surviving the next goblin raid."

"You did return to Royal necklace; I owe you a debt of gratitude. The best I can do is 70%, think about your people Lucan. Get them what you can. You may be able to get a better price elsewhere, but you could lose everything if you're not careful. As a Lord you must always put your people first, don't miss out because of your own greed."

"Ah, you are right. Thank you for sharing your wisdom with this ignorant Lord. Shall we make it official." Lucan said standing up and reaching out his hand.

"It is a pleasure doing business with you. Make sure you come to me if you find anything else on your land." Faylen said shaking his hand. "Do you need any recommendations while you are in town?"

"It may seem improper to ask a person such as yourself but I need slaves."

"Slaves? That isn't a big deal, you won't find a single kingdom that wasn't built on the backs of others. I happen to know a broker who will treat you right. I will write you a letter of introduction."

"You would do that for me? I won't forget this kindness." Lucan said.

Faylen signed and sealed a letter, he told Lucan where to go and who to give it to. After that Lucan followed Faylen to the treasury. He deposited the 400 crystals and Faylen gave him 308,000 gold. Lucan's stomach churned when he thought about only getting paid half of what they were actually worth.

In the scheme of things, it wasn't even a fifth of what had already been taken out of the mine. Lucan kept telling himself that a good relationship with Avalon was important. He would bear with it. He had no doubt that the slave broker would clean him out with overpriced goods.