-Callen-

  I let Crescent go and pulled out a second seat so I could help her go through the reports. The issue wasn’t how extensive the damage was but with what was planned in the aftermath. As the situation stood, it was an awkward prospect. While in total our population had grown considerably due to the refugees, our skilled guards and knights were hopelessly short-staffed. In terms of local power, I felt confident in Reesia being a fully fledged knight if not one in title. With her and Sir Torulf, we still had half of our town's previous strength. Once Callia and I settle back in after our adventures, we will be back up to four, but there's no saying how long Callia will stick around since she now has the means to return home whenever she pleases, and exploring the world was something we both secretly wanted to do someday.

  Looking over the records of injuries and survivors, we had enough manpower to either manage the security within the town or to protect against the outside. Considering defending from external threats would always have priority unless an existential threat existed inside the town, it wasn’t a debate. Once the earthkin reforge the outer defensive weapons, we could probably split the manning so that new recruits can be trained again. Other than the imminent manpower shortage that only time and training will resolve, the damage to the town itself was manageable. Finances would’ve been tight had the remaining fund of our windfall in Eldraine City been relatively untouched. I’ll need to speak to the others to convince them or offer them something for their share.

  With Crescent’s help I drafted the temporary strategy for the duration of our recovery. Now the next issue: the aid of the Imperial Knights was pivotal, but I’m unsure what the standard for rewarding them might be. Even with their late arrival, they had risked their lives, and even a number of them suffered severe injuries. I sighed, as I expect I’ll have to negotiate some kind of nonfinancial reward. The money we had previously saved to build the shelter castle had left the town low, and a big pile of treasure or not, expenses piled up fast.

  Finally was the intervention of the Paladins. While I couldn’t be sure what had motivated them to action, I suspect it might be related to divine trace. I have no way of knowing how common the trait is, but it was starting to show the kind of impact that couldn’t be ignored. If others also had it, it would make sense for some kind of organization to collect and secure people with it to exist. As I finalized my thoughts on the matter, a soldier opened the door to the office.

  “Mam, the paladin has just returned with an elf captive.” He paused a bit, noticing me as well, but the message was delivered without issue. Looking at Crescent, I offered her a hand to get up, which she smiled and took before we both followed the guard. We barely stepped out the door as the sight of a paladin moving swiftly came to a stop before us.

  “Mayor,” He nodded politely to me, though beneath his helmet his expression was unreadable. “After the battle a healer restored my injuries. I was in sufficient condition to pursue and capture an enemy so that we might find their purpose and plan.” I smiled at the man and nodded appreciatively. While in normal circumstances a high-level prisoner like the elf would be asking for a breakout. An idea came to mind for the perfect prison.

  “I have just the place in mind to keep her confined.” I led the man back to the gate at Nightshade’s tower and opened it up. “The gates require a specific affinity to open and can’t be left without someone outside to open them. I’ll warn my sister about the occupant. As a temporary measure it should suffice.” We went inside, and I pulled in some seats for us from the outer storage area. Crescent left to handle management of the recovery plan while I joined the paladin in waiting for the elf to wake back up.

  “A truly unique and convenient skill,” the paladin commented as I sat nearby. I nodded and offered a handshake.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “I’m Callen, prospective mayor of Port Town. I deeply appreciate the aid and sacrifice of your companions.” His hand grasped mine firmly as he introduced himself.

  “Paladin Jonas, my team was sent in search of a divinely chosen so that we might guide them to our citadel. Captain Korin believed Ser Callia to be one such individual. Aiding others is one of the core tenets by which we stand. The survival of your people is the only reward we sought.” I nodded in understanding. I can sort of understand why someone like Sir Fullart greatly admired them.

  “How does someone become a Paladin? Surely it's not an ordinary process?” I wanted to learn a bit more about the order before I went blurting about my divine trace. I still didn’t know how it was determined Callia had her own similar, if now slightly more advanced, variant.

  “The sanctuary lies on the southernmost edge of human territories, because we gather so many chosen monsters flock from a great distance to lead to a perpetual war in defense. The chosen whom we rescue are trained, and those who can sufficiently suppress their mana and thus their trace are permitted to join the order. However, that doesn’t mean all; some of the older chosen become laborers supporting the citadel with their own crafting expertise, or those who never master mana suppression become citadel guards. In some rare cases those who can suppress mana leave the order seeking a normal life.” A smile crept onto my face as I got the answer I needed: Mana Suppression. Ironically, I had the skill the whole time, but I haven’t really thought to use the skill except when trying to hide against those who might be sensitive to mana. The trait even describes it as “Mana holds traces of divine essence entwined during miracle.”

  I’m about to speak up again when the elf in front of us groans. I carefully lean over to the paladin, whispering a quick plan.

  “Focus on staying silent and intimidating, and I’ll approach as a friendly alternative.” The paladin didn’t respond to my comment, but he also didn’t outright reject it. The elf pushed herself off the ground and started looking around, appearing more and more confused.

  “Please sit,” I politely smiled at her while gesturing to a chair opposite me and Jonas. “We have some questions and some offers, but resisting is futile and counterproductive to your well-being.” The elf froze, and her attention snapped to me, but she made no aggressive moves; a flicker of recognition showed before shifting to confusion.

  “Weren’t you a girl?”

  Arrested Again

  Callia woke up in a daze, lying on the hard stone floor. Then the memories of Queen Harlanou’s attack came rushing back. She sat up in a rush and in shock that she had somehow survived. Looking back, she saw a bunch of imperial knights and Eland watching her. He bent down offering her a hand and gently asked.

  “Are you ok, Ser Callia?” She sputtered out a yes as a blush built on her face, but a more urgent situation came to mind.

  “Are you here to aid Port Town?” He blinked first in confusion and then in understanding.

  “We were assembled for an urgent deployment, but Queen Karia is now busy having a discussion with Queen Harlanou.” Callia’s heart soared with hope as she reached out to Callen to have Nightshade open the gate. In their brief exchange she realized how dire the circumstances were.

  “There is no time to explain! They need your help now!” Callia pushed herself up, immediately flashing to the door, opening the way. “The battle hangs in the balance; go through this door and the other door, and you will arrive. They need you at the castle!” Without hesitation or discussion, the Imperial Guard rushed through. As the last man left, Callia closed the gate. While she couldn’t watch in person, she focused on Callen catching snippets of his fight.

  She cried in desperation as the blade stabbed down, aiming for his heart, but saw a familiar thin sword arrive at the last moment. Eland had saved Callen. Her tears of relief, however, were shortly interrupted. The doors to the office shook as guards hammered on them to force entry. She grabbed the voidgate door and sent it into the void just before the guards filled the room. Had Callen just died, it would’ve been a bloodbath, but with relief and gratitude dominating her, she decided not to make a scene, instead trusting Karia to sort out the mess. If Karia needed her help, she would obviously be the first to volunteer, but massacring guards for entering her audience chamber landed in a grey zone that Callia chose to play safe in light of Callen’s survival.

  A short time later Callia, Hew, Philip, Paul, and a lot of the rescued slaves were gathered into a large cage. Callia idly wondered if the slavers had gotten even more bold since her last visit. Still, she took the chance to get some rest while she could. Callen would need plenty of time to recover after that last fight.

  https://www.patreon.com/cw/PortTownMage_Chylore