Captain Fan-Dor squinted across the square, his black eyes searching the crowd, but missing the strapping young man waving at them from a table near a line of food stalls. Gel-Dor's attention fell on Alex. Confusion lined the first mate’s forehead while he pointed in Alex’s direction. The young wizard noted their body language shifting from puzzlement, to uncertainty, to sudden recognition.

“Alex, is that you, boy?” Fan-Dor shouted, as Alex stood, waving the selechar sailors over to his table.

All smiles, the captain and first mate of the Red Siren pushed through the crowd toward Alex and Claygon.

“Hey, it’s great to see you guys!”

“What th—” Captain Fan-Dor gaped at the towering golem, then at the young wizard, then at Claygon again. “Look at this, Gel-Dor!”

“By Ek-u-Dari, we didn’t recognize you!” Fan-Dor’s head kept swivelling between the muscular young man and the massive golem. “You look like you should be juggling ships’ anchors, what you been eating? A side of beef a day?”

“Not that much, but I have been working out. As a matter of fact, I started when we were on the Siren,” Alex grinned. “Though I’m not as strong as Claygon, here. Claygon? Meet Captain Fan-Dor and first mate Gel-Dor of the Red Siren. Shake hands with two men who taught us a lot about mana vampires!”

Both large men startled when the golem extended a pair of his titanic clay hands.

“This…this is yours?’ Gel-Dor reached for Claygon’s lower left hand uncertainly, while his brother reached up to shake the upper one. The selechars were big men, but each beefy hand wasn’t much bigger than one of Claygon’s thumbs. They were swallowed up by his massive fists.

“Built him myself.” Alex pulled two more chairs to the table. “Well, I built him with Selina, really.”

Gel-Dor swore. “I can’t believe that. We’ve ferried wizards with golems before, but…they were a lot older than you.”

“Richer too.” Fan-Dor looked up at the golem’s third eye. “What happened? You win a ruby mine or something?”

“It’s a long story. I’d love to buy you a drink, if you’ve got the time.”

“Can’t spare the time today,” Fan-Dor grunted. “There’s a shipment we have to run up to the Irtyshenan Empire.”

“Really?” Alex said. “I thought you were hunting pirates.”

“We still are,” the first mate said. “Be heading up to Thameish waters after this run, but a request came in for the Siren to transport goods up to the empire, so we’ll be heading there first. The coin was too good to turn down.”

“Huh,” Alex said. “You know…I’ve been interested in the Irtyshenan Empire for a while. Do you go up there a lot? What’s it like?”

“A lot of it’s damned cold,” Fan-Dor said. “Dry too, in some places. The people…enh, they’re people. Everywhere you go you find differences, but you also find a lot of the same. Especially in ports. But the Irtyshenans tend to be a bit more stand-offish than most. Look down their noses at folk.”

“Really?” Alex cocked his head.

“Oh yeah. I’m sure there’s plenty of folk like that right here in this very city,” Gel-Dor said.

For a moment, Alex started to deny that, remembering how nice everyone had been to him and his family. But, then he thought about what Jules had said.

That people tended to help those who were already on the road to success.

Alex fit that category. He’d been accepted into Generasi on his own merit, he excelled in most of his subjects and picked most things up fairly easily; that made people pay attention to him. Selina was a regular student up until she tested and the junior school uncovered her affinity for fire magic. And Theresa was the great-granddaughter of Twin-blade Lu; naturally skilled in Life-enforcement like her great-grandfather had been.

Three people with things to offer.

His eyes flicked across the market. And this was a city that liked people who had things to offer. He remembered Lucia’s hard life after she left the university. And…

His mind went back to their crossing from Mausarr to Generasi and to two passengers they’d met on the Red Siren—Anna and Vincenzo—a couple who worked for the government. He remembered how irritated he’d been at Anna’s assumption that he and his family couldn’t possibly have had the means to buy property in Generasi. But, her attitude had suddenly changed when she heard how he’d helped stop the mana vampire.

“Yeah I could see that,” Alex said. “So the Irtyshenans are worse?”

“Yeah,” Fan-Dor made a rude sound with his teeth. “Their gods and government say the same thing: to be Irtyshenan is to be civilised. Everyone else is a barbarian. They deal with us outsiders, but…they’re pretty arrogant. They pay well, though. Very well. So we put up with them.”

“Jeez, what’re you ferrying up there?” Alex asked.

“Can’t tell you that,” Gel-Dor said. “But war’s brewing up in the north so…just put two and two together from that. They’re a powerful realm, and power’s addictive. Of course they want more of it.”

Alex winced, thinking back to some of his earlier thoughts about that very thing.

“After that, it’s back to pirate-hunting for us,” Fan-Dor said.

“Hey, wait…pirate hunting? In Thameish waters?”

“Yeah, that’s right,” Fan-Dor said. “Plenty of ‘em still up there.”

“Hold on for a second.” Alex tore a page from his notebook and quickly sketched an image of what looked like a gemstone then handed it to the ship captain. “If you find anyone with this symbol, you…be careful. Our king—I mean the Thameish king—has a bounty on them. One gold piece per head, and Generasi pledged to at least match that. They’re demon cultists, maybe travelling with demon summoners. I’m guessing they're probably more dangerous than the average pirate you guys go after, so I figured a warning might be in order in case you run across them, then you’ll know what to expect and can either hunt, or avoid them.”

“Hey, a special bounty’s a special bounty,” Fan-Dor peered at the symbol. “Thanks for the tip.”

Gel-Dor looked down at Alex’s notes. “And what’re you up to?”

“Learning spells,” the young wizard said.

“Ah, right, more power then, well you make sure you keep your head on those shoulders while you’re getting it.”

After Fan-Dor teased Alex about Theresa for a while, they shook hands and made him promise to give their greetings to his family, then, the brothers went on their way, leaving Alex to his practising. Fan-Dor turned back and shouted some parting advice to the young wizard: “You should be practising your Spear and Oar Dance with Theresa!” The captain’s hearty laugh rang through the market as his brother shook his head. Then, the two sailors made their way back through the market, stopping to buy magical compasses and a few other items along the way. They disappeared in the direction of the port.

Alex smiled as he watched them go, then let his eyes unfocus for a time.

Power. Having more of it.

Crushing others.

What did he want power for?

‘To crush the Ravener,’ he thought. ‘To protect my family from danger and hardship…and…’

He couldn’t deny that there was some self-motivation there as well. Gaining physical and mental strength, mastering his growing list of spells, building Claygon: a feeling of power came with each accomplishment, more abilities, and he liked it. From barely surviving an attack by a starving mana vampire, to catching a healthy one with his friends, to being part of a strike force that destroyed a dungeon…felt good.

Getting to where he could destroy one with Claygon by his side…would feel even better.

Maybe…he’d talk to Baelin about all of it.

But first…

He looked down at his notebooks, then up at a stall nearby that sold homebrewed alcohol.

It was time to experiment.

Cleanse Flesh waited.

He was almost at 100%.

A full week of practising the spell repeatedly had brought Alex to the point of nearly mastering it. Time for completion. He looked sidelong at Ito’s Spiral; if he didn’t finish the blood magic spell in the next few tries, he’d have to work on the device before his mana ran out.

Alex closed his eyes, visualising the mana circuit blazing into life with glowing crimson mana. With each syllable of the incantation, more mana poured into the circuit. Even through all the interference from the Mark, he felt a sudden shift. The magic started coming together.

Power shifted.

Mana flowed.

Focus sharpened.

He was at 97%. The farthest he’d ever been.

Only 2-3% of the spell remained. Slowing down to a crawl, he methodically eased along the remainder of the magic circuit.

And then…the breakthrough.

Voom.

The circuit activated.

A surge of satisfaction spiked as the spell rushed through his body, washing away impurities and contaminants.

Alex refocused.

He felt centred.

He felt powerful.

Cleanse Flesh. 100% mastered.

“And now, the fun begins!” An ecstatic Alex jumped out of his chair, fished some coin from a pouch and strode to a stall he’d had his eye on all afternoon.

“Excuse me, ma’am!” He waved to the vendor standing in front of a large pair of copper barrels.

“Yes, sir? What can I do for you today?”

“Those barrels, what’s in them?”

“Plum brandy, sir,” she said. “The family recipe. You thinking of buying some for yourself, or a celebration perhaps?”

“Just me.”

“Ah, I see, no other drinkers in the family, sir…?” She gave him a polite smile.

There it was. Making it about him. Opening the door with conversation about him and his family and asking for his name to establish rapport.

Well, he knew better and wouldn’t be playing the game.

“I’m the drinker in the family right now,” he said. “Give me a half…” He hesitated, remembering how much he’d bulked up. It’d take more booze to do what he needed to do. “...no, make that 26 ounces of your fine plum brandy.”

Her eyebrows rose. “Are you going to a party, sir?”

“No.” Alex grinned. “I’m doing science.”

“Alex…really?” Theresa shook her head.

He placed a small cup beside his bottle. “You’re staying in tonight, right?”

“...yes?”

“And you’ve taken care of your drunken brothers, right?”

“...yes.”

“Then it’s perfect!” he said, rubbing his hands together. “I’m doing this to test Cleanse Flesh. It’s either this, poison, or some horrible combination of both.”

Theresa sighed. “Selina, talk some sense into your brother.”

“Nooope,” his sister said, quickly heading to her and Theresa’s room.

The huntress looked at the other occupants of the table. Khalik and Thundar were already uncorking their own bottles with big grins on their faces. She didn’t even bother asking them for help.

“Isolde?” Theresa looked pleadingly at the tall young woman who was pulling out a pen and notebook. “Talk some sense into these three!”

“Well.” The noblewoman said. “He does technically have to test the efficacy of the spell. In the long run, this might prove to be more responsible.”

“Ugh, traitor,” Theresa said. “Alex, there’s got to be another—”

“For science!” Alex, Thundar and Khalik toasted “science”, before chugging back the booze.

Science hurt.

Science hurt a lot.

The following morning Alex Roth found himself in bed, feeling like he was about to die. Outside his room, he heard hushed voices and Thundar’s loud, unmistakable snoring. One of the voices was deep…Khalik must not have made it home last night.

“Thanks, Theresa,” he said, noting that he’d been placed in his bed sideways, the safest position. But trying to crawl out of bed didn’t feel safe, it felt like cruel and unusual punishment, like an angry dragon had used him as a punching bag. He was hot and sweaty, his head pounded, and when he forced his eyes open, even his eyelids hurt. His belly felt like it was full of acid. The slightest noise was like a catapult stone hitting a mountainside, then…the room began to spin.

“Yep,” he groaned, trying not to blink.

Even blinking hurt.

“There’s the hangover,” he whispered.

The sound of his own voice hurt.

Fighting a deep need to curl up like he’d just been beaten by a team of dragons, Alex hauled himself to his feet, stumbled—the room spinning all the while—to his desk, and dropped into the chair. He sat with his head lolling back, incapable of functioning for a good five minutes before his mental faculties recovered enough for spellcasting.

Then, he reached within and slowly began casting the new spell.

Cleanse Flesh’s magic circuit lit up, the Mark's interference was cruelly amplified by the hangover. Every memory of his failures slowed, like they just wanted to take permanent root in his head. But he’d had plenty of experience with the Mark’s obstacles…and thanks to Khalik and Thundar, plenty of experience with hangovers.

He guided himself through the images, then cast Cleanse Flesh. Immediately, he felt an effect. Dizziness receded. His stomach ache lessened. His body feeling like it’d been beaten by Grimloch and an army of dragons, decreased. The cleansing was fast and dramatic.

“Yes! It works! It really works! …aha!”

On the desk sat a pitcher of cool water waiting for him…that is, if he hadn’t died in the night.

“Thanks for the gift and knowing I’d be needing it,” Alex whispered, grateful that Theresa was his girlfriend. He poured some water into a clay cup beside the pitcher, then swallowed it down in one shot.

Then, cast Cleanse Flesh again.

The effect was even more pronounced this time: the water began relieving his dehydration as toxins were washed away by the magic.

“Oh, I am definitely putting this in my staff!”

Excitedly, Alex jumped up and rushed from the room.

“I’ve done it!” he cried. “I’ve cured hangovers!”

He stopped mid-step.

Two furry bodies—one in a rumpled tunic—lay on the floor, and at the table were three familiar figures.

On the floor, Brutus was snoring with one of his heads on a passed out Thundar.

And at the table…well, Alex had been wrong.

Khalik was nowhere to be seen.

Sitting beside a very busy Selina, and an amused looking Theresa…

…was a certain large, imposing, chancellor of the university.

“Well…isn’t this interesting,” the goat man said, taking a long sip of tea.