Each weald hides an unknown number of exalted manabeasts, manabeast exalts, or tenth realm manabeasts, however you wish to call them. We assume these beasts slumber, sculpting their realms for decades or centuries. My theory is that when one of these beasts stirs, the ripples of their actions spread through the weald, agitating and pushing the manabeasts away starting a cataclysmic event known as the saurian onslaught.

  — Excerpt from Lurkers in the Wealds

  Day 164, 1:05 PM

  “That would be an overly harsh way of putting things, Honorable Citylord.” I chuckled. “I would call it seeking better circumstances for my own growth so that I could better serve our glorious empire.”

  She shot me a scalding gaze, well aware I was spewing bullshit. “You are a pardoned criminal, Blackfist, and I was the one who signed the pardon thirty years ago. For thirty years you have been collecting taxes and making yourself wealthy, and now, now you seek to shirk your duty when the onslaught is upon us? I don’t see that happening. Not on my watch.”

  One could almost believe her an upright civil servant, if not for all the dirt I dug up on her, and the assassin she sent after me. No, Flare Brighshine was a shrewd fox, or a clever girl if using this world’s raptor terminology. No, she wanted to rip me off as much as possible, and to do that, she started by making my request seem impossible.

  “Honorable Citylord,” I said, my voice humble yet unyielding, “The imperial law clearly states that as long as I can pay the fines issued by the local administrator and compensate my victims according to law, I am a free man, and I would like to make amends as the law dictates.”

  She crossed her arms and glared at me, acting offended, but I wouldn’t buy it. I waited calmly as she gritted her teeth and replied.

  “Fine.” She stormed out of the room, then returned a moment later with a stack of papers over five inches thick. “You stand accused of two hundred and thirty-seven murders, seven hundred and fifty-three counts of rape, six hundred and twenty-one counts of trafficking illegal slaves, two thousand and seventeen counts of robbery…”

  I knew Dandelion Blackfist was scum, but hearing the heinous crimes of a man who was the scourge of the land for over three decades made my skin crawl.

  “How do you plead for your crimes?”

  How can I plead? You’re the prosecution and the judge.

  “Guilty as charged and also ashamed of my past misdeeds, for which I wish to atone fully.”

  My words made her falter, and I noticed her focusing on the far wall, probably checking some sort of truth-detecting seal or something similar.

  “Each life is priceless,” she continued according to her script after the moment’s confusion. “Each woman’s honor and good name something nobody could ever purchase, and yet, a price must be paid for these transgressions.”

  She paused, weighing the papers documenting some of Dandelion’s crimes and some pinned on him over the long years of his criminal career.

  “Four thousand two hundred and nineteen third realm manarium crystals. That is the blood money you must pay if you wish to leave the imperial service.”

  I stared at her and gulped. She had done a great job researching my wealth, she was asking for just about all of it. I would have some seventy-three third realm crystals and spare change of second realm ones, but still she slapped my purse with all her might, and there was nobody whom I could appeal the decision to.

  For the record, I had read the laws, paying extra attention to the section relating to blood money, and what I owe is around fifteen third realm crystals, with ten more in imperial fines, and she’s asking one hundred and eighty times that.

  She was asking for an equivalent of forty-five billion tons of gold. Assuming Dandelion was robbing people for fifty years every day, which he wasn’t, four hundred days a year, which a year didn’t have, Dandelion Blackfist still needed to steal over two hundred second realm manarium pieces every day, which was impossible, unless he was imperial government charging entrance to a somewhat larger and more prosperous city.

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  “Lady Citylord,” I stuttered, not having to act one whit. “That—”

  “The price of a life is incalculable!”

  You’re just slapping me on the balls because you can. I was indignant. I had already kissed goodbye the four pieces of fourth realm manarium I earned for saving Brand. She was going to take those, but was there really any need to go after my third realm savings? Those were supposed to get me to the eighth or ninth layer of the third realm.

  My money was safely deposited at the adventurers’ guild, but by imperial law, she had the right to confiscate my wealth. The guild would file a complaint, and that might mean trouble for her. No, she won’t kill me and take my money. I could flirt and seduce her. The question was how much I valued my dignity. I looked at her. She was hot, but she was a bitch, and I hated her guts. No, seduction was out of the question. That left bartering. Bartering with a dragon about to eat me. Worse, the only similar skills were Expert Appraisal, which was as useless as Advanced Looting, and I didn’t have much faith in Initial Persuasion.

  I drew a breath and steeled my gaze, trying to look like a man who had made a desperate decision.

  “Lady Citylord, you no doubt know that the sum you are asking is just about all the assets I posses. You also know that the blood money I owe is less than thirty third realm crystals, and the fine another twenty or so, and that’s me being generous on both accounts.” She bristled up, offended I, someone three realms beneath her dared speak, but I dared. Worst case, she kills me, doesn’t get my money and has to face criminal charges, since she damaged the imperial family’s property.

  She was about to speak, but I kept talking. “I don’t deny that the way I am right now I have neither the right nor the ability to own fourth realm crystals.”

  That pacified her a bit, since that was the majority of my wealth.

  “And those crystals will be better used by the Honorable Citylord to hire adventurers who will take my place in Hailstown defense once the onslaught starts. I agree with the Honorable Citylord’s wisdom and foresight in using my wealth to protect the town I was tasked to protect. I also dare not object if you wish to take the fifty third realm crystals for the fines and damages. That said, five hundred is all that I have. I will need the manarium to restore my realm. Leaving the imperial service because I’m stuck only to get stuck because I lack resources and end up forced into imperial service is just stupid, don’t you agree.”

  The woman looked at me like a hawk glaring at a funny animal, but the words did ring true. Why would I give her all my wealth to escape the imperial service only for the lack of resources to force me there? If she kept pressing, I would drop the matter, and instead of a windfall of unexpected wealth, she would get nothing, and I would push for the fourth realm at my own pace at Hailstown.

  “Maybe the exact sum can be negotiated.” She drew out the words, nodding slowly. “Four thousand two hundred. Three hundred manarium pieces will see your realm grow for a long while.”

  “Four thousand eighty.”

  “Four thousand one hundred, that’s my final offer.” She glared at me, daring me to say a word, but I would have already offered the same amount if only she didn’t have to have the final word to appear victorious.

  “Four thousand one hundred sounds fair, Honorable Citylord.” I released the breath I had been holding. “I will have to visit the adventurers’ guild to withdraw the manarium, but I will bring it to you within an hour.”

  She nodded. “You will join me for lunch. I’m interested in your effort at resetting your realm.”

  I bowed as I got up. “Naturally, Honorable Citylord. It will be my pleasure to share all the details. Now if you will excuse me?”

  “You are dismissed, but return shortly. Melon will wait for you by the gate.”

  Fifteen minutes later, I was back at the adventurers’ guild, talking with the guildmaster.

  “So, you survived, eh?”

  I looked left and right before leaning in. “She wanted to take everything I have. Every last crystal. Can you imagine that?”

  Surprisingly, there was little sympathy in guildmaster’s eyes. “Listen, kid, had you crossed my path back when you were doing stupid shit, you and all your cronies would’ve been fertilizer years ago. I’ve seen what you’ve done, and while I believe people can change, they also have to face the consequences of their past actions to continue with a clean slate.”

  “Well, I agree. I’ll gladly make amends, but she’s asking two hundred times the fine.”

  The guildmaster stepped back and grabbed the heavy ax that he kept hidden under the counter. His air turned murderous as he hefted the weapon.

  “How much would you pay me not to kill you?” He glowered.

  “Well, everything I had, but can you stop with the theatrics? I get the point.”

  “If you get the point, you should understand why paying everything you own is a fair price and not what the imperial law asks of you.”

  I considered his words, and he really did have a point.