Between Hunger and Glory

Ost-Valla wakes along with the port. Narrow streets wind between towering stone houses; in the square, merchants bicker over prices, steel rings at the smithies, and the shouts of sailors drift in from the docks. The area in front of the guild building is particularly crowded: some are turning in loot, some are searching for work, and others are already haggling over a new contract.

Kira Karri and Kair Wald have stopped before the notice board. Between them hangs a fresh sheet bearing the guild's seal.

— It says here the caravan vanished without a trace. But how is that even possible? Even if they were ambushed, something should have been left behind.

— Not necessarily, if the attacker was a mage. Look at the description of the last site. Traces of green energy, yet damage is almost non-existent.

— Green?

— Soul color. Everyone has a spectrum that comes to them more naturally than others. Green is tied to life and healing. Red, for instance, is used for destruction; blue for protection; and white allows for the creation of matter.

Kira briefly shifts her gaze to the other contracts.

— And the other colors?

— Orange is good for piercing; violet is tied to the mind; black to the destruction of life itself. But color doesn't set a limit. A mage can study other spectra and combine them. The more knowledge you have, the stranger the result. And those who try to master it all at once... they dream of reaching Conceptual Magic.

— And if they don't have the strength?

— Then no amount of knowledge will help. Spiritual Energy is drawn from the body. After heavy magic, you need rest and food. That's why some prefer steel.

Kair touches the hilt of his sword.

— A swordsman uses energy too; they just channel it into their body and their weapon. A true master can withstand a magical strike with a blade. Though, the more you specialize in one path, the harder it becomes to master another.

The registrar, who had been listening silently to the conversation, finally pulls a contract from the board.

— Since you've figured out what might have destroyed the caravan, all that's left is to find someone willing to test it in practice.

She scans the crowd gathered near the board. Her gaze settles on a person nearby.

— We need one more. If this notice interests you, step forward. I'll tell you everything the guild knows before the party heads outside the city walls.

The contract remains on the counter, as the noise of Ost-Valla continues all around.