“Of course, the problem goes beyond the Diamond Coast.” Horix rose to his feet and paced steadily back and forth. He took on the assertive tone of a professor lecturing a troubled class. A shark swam close to an octopus on the other side of the ice, only to be batted away with a firm slap of muscled tentacles. “The threat of the Wilds arises in every corner of the Seven Realms. Those whose power is unearned, untrained, tainted by the influence of strange spirits and monstrous tendencies. Most lack the discipline to control their own power, so they succumb to primitive instincts and the lure of uncivilized behavior. The power is a danger to its own wielders.
“But more than this, the power threatens society. Imagine if we handed our armies to individuals at random across the Empire. Think of what they would do with such strength: crime, self-indulgence, petty feuds. Wild Augmenting is a power as great as such armies, and it is outside our control. Without order, it is a threat to all of civilization.”
“Isn’t it the place of the guilds to help Wilds control their power?” I asked.
Horix dismissed the idea with a wave of his hand. “Wilds are a threat to good order and discipline within a guild, just as they are anywhere else. Recruiting them would be like putting a rotten apple in the same barrel as the good ones. The infection spreads, and soon all your apples are spoiled.”
I thought of Kegohr and his place within the Radiant Dragon Guild. He was a Wild. The half-ogre had gained his power over fire in a Vigorous Zone when he was young, and he’d fostered it for many years without the direction and support of a guild. Sure, Kegohr had his moments of indiscipline, just like anyone else, but he was a better student than many others. He studied hard, listened to our instructors, and helped others to refine their techniques. I couldn’t think of a better example of how the guild system should work.
It was possible that Horix just needed to see examples like that in action. If all he had ever seen of Wilds was the troublesome kind, then examples like Kegohr and Kumi might help to bring him around. It was one angle to explain this outright hostility toward the Wilds that permeated every level of the Resplendent Tears Guild. But Horix spoke too damn well for someone who was merely misguided. The elf and Xilarion were old friends, with the emphasis on the ‘old.’ It was likely they hadn’t met since after these Tainted Wars.
Maybe Horix was just an asshole who hated anyone who wasn’t like him?
My task here was completed. I’d given the letter to Horix. Now, I needed to see King Beqai to learn more about the situation.
So, why hadn’t the elf dismissed me yet?
“Did Xilarion leave you with any other instructions?” he asked.
“None,” I lied. I didn’t want to tell him I planned on meeting King Beqai. “I thought I’d take the time to train with your guild, but it appears that we’re not welcome.”
“Your caution is commendable,” Horix said, though with his coldly calculated demeanor, I couldn’t tell how much he meant it. “But brazen assumption is a mistake, disciple. You’d do well to remember that. A handful of posturing Wilds should not discourage you from the pursuit of knowledge.”
He walked to the ice wall and stared up at the octopus. The creature turned its head and looked down at the guildmaster. Some understanding passed between them, because the creature detached itself from the wall and pulsed through the water until it vanished into the darkness of the deep. I kept my mouth firmly shut. I still had no idea what this elf’s game was, but my gut told me not to trust him.
“I hear that you are an Augmenter of rare power,” Horix said as his eyes drank in the darkness of the ocean before him. “That you are not only an elementalist, but that you can combine elements to access unusual powers.”
“Something like that,” I said.
“And water is part of your repertoire.”
“I recently acquired it on my travels here.”
“The Guild of Resplendent Tears offers the finest training in water Augmenting,” he said. “I would be honored if you would take part of your training in the guild while you are here.”
I kept my tone civil. “It would be a privilege to train here, as long as my fellow members of the Radiant Dragon, Vesma and Kegohr, can train with me.”
Horix turned, an eyebrow raised. “An unusual request, given that they are not water Augmenters. And that one of them is, in fact, a Wild. Someone with a unique talent such as yours would do well to steer clear of such creatures.”
I wanted to hit him with the table. Kegohr was my friend, not a fucking monster.
“If they go, so do I,” I told him bluntly. “Loyalty is something I take very seriously. To friends, guilds, masters.”
Horix gave me a sideways look and a raised eyebrow. “Then, you will find no lack of such things here. I’ll make sure to see that you—and your companions—are well-housed. However, I’m not in the habit of being spoken to in such a tone. But, for the sake of your training, I accept your terms. ”
A shoal of fish swam past outside the office, scales shimmering in the light from the orbs. Suddenly, a larger fish appeared among them and snapped around with jaws full of pointed teeth. The shoal scattered, and its unified
