The First Archmage

(Gavin)

Gavin? A voice speaks hesitantly into my head, and I frown.

I don't recognize this voice. They're male, and probably only around nine or ten. I'm already a bit tired, because I just awakened my brothers' Bloodlines for them, and I'd rather not deal with more mysterious voices.

"Who are you, and what do you want?" I ask, standing and ignoring Dylan's confused expression.

Despite the young-sounding voice, he's likely a Divine Being. Unless it's a weird case, he's an ancient one, likely one of the Original Divine Beings.

I am Grinto, he answers. Um… do you see No-Noah as a friend?

"Noah?" I ask. "The Fairy who pretended to be me to fool Nies in exchange for some money? I befriend him as Marty, yes. Why?"

Um… he and his people are under attack. Some people discovered that they were Fairies, and attacked them. They're losing. Would you… be willing to go help them?

Immediately, I Teleport to the general location of Noah, though about two hundred feet in the air, my robe and tunic already put away, my wings spread out. I'm over a tropical island, where a battle's broken out on a beach.

There are around a hundred Fairies total, with maybe thirty or forty already dead, excluded from that number. At least a thousand Humans, and I only count three dead ones.

The Fairies all have similar looks – varying shades of blue hair and matching eyes and wings. A lot of them look exhausted, and judging by the devastation through the woods, they were chased from the other side of the island and from within it.

They've been cornered.

I descend rapidly, stopping around twenty feet in the air, all eyes on me, the presence of a Tier III Species overriding their current thoughts of war.

"What do we have here?" I ask with my Magic Voice.

Magic Voice is Now Level 8!

"Do I see Humans slaughtering Fairies for being Fairies?" I ask, and many of the Humans tremble.

"Who are you?" One of them yells at me, rage in his eyes.

"Blood Smite," I hold out a hand, a blast of crimson light bursting forth.

He tries to dodge, but one does not simply dodge a Smite. It strikes him, and he explodes into a shower of blood.

"I am Gavin Jakran," I state. "Archmage. Eternal. Mere Tier I trash like you can only tremble in fear at my power. And die against it. Firebolt Chain."

I cast several of them. The Humans try to flee, but I destroy them, their weapons, their ships – everything. Once there are no living Humans left on the beach, I land in the sand, looking out across the terrified Fairies.

"I only know your Human appearance, Noah," I state. "You know me as Marty."

A blood-soaked Fairy flies towards me. He looks to be around ten in non-Fairy ages. He's dressed in light leather armor that covers his chest, his groin and ass, his shoulders, elbows, and knees, along with a pair of soft leather boots.

I suppose I should have expected it to be him. Twist did tell me that Noah was a Fairy King, and this one wears a golden crown with a leaf-like pattern adorned with blue jewels.

Plus, his Status kind of says that, too.

Norahl Fairy 17 Ruler 6

Hero of Grinto

So that mysterious voice was the Divine Being he worships, then? I suppose that explains why he petitioned me. He must be a Fairy in form as well, which would explain his youthful voice.

"You look quite different," Noah/Norahl says. "Than you did in either of the forms I remember, though I do see the resemblance to your True Form."

"This is my True Form, now," I state. "I have Advanced my Species twice. Eternal was not a title, but my Species. Unfortunately, I cannot dampen this aura I emit, which is why you likely feel a sense of both fear and awe at my presence. It affects anyone of a lower Tier of Species than me, with a stronger sense the further the Tier they are away. It likely won't be long before I reach Tier IV, considering I hit Level 23 of Tier III earlier.

"That said," I look around at the Fairies, who are weary and wary. "It looks as if you have had a hard time."

"Indeed," he nods. "We've concealed what we are, and have managed to do so for centuries, but in the end, it wasn't enough. Somehow, someone discovered what we were, and then… this. We are no longer safe here, though we have nowhere to go."

"Do you remember," I state. "What I do? The purpose of my Order?"

"To protect those who cannot," he says. "And train those who wish to train. Yes, I remember well what you said the purpose of the Order of the Violet Flame was. I also remember that you did not have a location for it… and were still a Tier I Human, Marty."

"I have a headquarters, now," I say. "It's in a vast valley. Right now, the only people in that region of the world are of the Order. If you would not mind moving, and leaving behind this place, I would be more than happy to bring you there."

He looks hesitant, as do many of his people. It would be a huge move for them, but after what has happened… I know there's more to the hesitation than that, especially as they need a safe place.

"I have several Humans," I say. "A Wolf Beastborn, and a son of the Fairy King Oberon. I assure you, those within my Order cannot have issues with others simply because of their Species. In addition, the valley is quite vast, spanning several miles before reaching the mountains. I would have no issue creating a home for you, as I have done for others there, and you would not have to stay around mine, though I do ask that you do not create problems with them, should you interact. I know it might take some time to trust people, because of this.

"That said," I say. "There is the requirement of giving us all knowledge you have of the full variety. Magical, mundane, Skills, and so on. My brothers are in charge of the actual acquisition, so you would have to speak with them."

"Okay," Norahl thinks for a few moments. "There is an item that I would not feel comfortable leaving here. It's hidden underneath the island, in a sealed room. The way into it has been forgotten, though it's rumored to be an artifact of great power and knowledge. I'd rather not leave it for them to find, in case they find a way to enter the chamber."

I close my eyes, pushing out with my magical senses until I locate the room. It's sealed pretty tightly, but using proper runic formulas…

It only takes me a moment to Teleport into the chamber, grab the Grimoire, and Teleport back to Norahl.

"Obtained and stored in my ring," I state, smiling at his stunned face. "I can take everyone there, though it will take me several trips. Thankfully, the distance isn't too far."

He nods, and starts calling Fairies over. I tell him that I can do two at a time, so he calls over two at a time, bringing me a couple of stronger warriors first. I Teleport them to the settlement for the Order, then return immediately, taking two more warriors.

After that, Norahl calls over others, weaker ones. They trust him, and thus, they relax a little, though I can tell they aren't too sure. I can tell that they know of me, though. Likely from Norahl's mentioning of me at times.

It takes me around four hours to manage to Teleport them all to the Order's headquarters, and the Fairies are all looking quite nervous. A few people are trying to talk with them, but failing, while Michael chats happily with a couple, able to speak a common language. Warren's likely using a Spirit to translate for his own conversations, and I can tell that my twin's learning as he goes, listening intently to the various conversations.

"Thank you," Norahl says when I finally bring him, the last of them, to the headquarters. "I suppose we should find a place to live and make our homes now, Marty."

"Call me Gavin, and I'll call you Norahl."

"Alright, Gavin," he smiles. "I suppose I should thank you, for helping me with my anger issues back then. We were both working on them, but if it weren't for you able to actually manage yours, I'm sure I'd still be the rash child I was back then."

"Maybe," I shrug, taking on my more human appearance, and he jumps. "I can revert the extreme changes, such as the spatial appearance to my eyes and the wings, though they're part of my True Form. It feels weird, not having them normal. My wings itch to come out, and my eyes just feel itchy."

"I know how that feels," he smiles. "That year we were training was hard on me. I wanted so badly to return to my True Form and stretch my wings, flying around for awhile. I did sneak out a couple of times to do so."

"I debated following you," I say, and his eyes widen a little. "I noticed you sneaking out. But yeah, I debated following you to see what you were doing, but figured it was just you venting your anger more. Normally, I'm not surprised by things, but finding out you were a Fairy was… interesting. Definitely a shock to me, and unexpected."

"How did you find out?" He asks.

"A god told me," I answer, and he raises an eyebrow. "Months ago, and it wasn't yours. Yours contacted me just before I Teleported to rescue you and your people. They can't interfere directly – not without certain issues – so he requested my assistance, since he knows I have no issue with Fairies and holds no love of those who do what those Humans were doing. I once wiped out twenty million Elves for imprisoning a goddess's small following."

Speaking of them…

"I'm going to be back," I down a pair of Potions, recovering my Mana and Aether, then Teleport, startling a group of the Kemmel, immediately spotting a golden dot in my vision and teleporting to it. "Hello, Ultarna."

"Gavin!" The goddess exclaims, charging at me and giving me a hug. "Nies gives me so much crap about giving you that Skill! I have no regrets! He totally deserved that! Congratulations on Advancing your Species, too!"

"Your people seem to be settling in alright," I say. "I wanted to make sure they were doing okay, and weren't having problems with others – of any Species."

"Nope!" She smiles up at me, then releases me, stepping back as the Kemmel who heard her exclamation start approaching, watching. "I think everyone learned their lesson! Thanks so much for the help! My people are doing well, too! Oh! They wanted to do a feast for you, if you ever came back! And a few want to join your Order!"

"A few want to join my Order?"

"Yep!"

"You were talking about it with them?"

"Yep!"

Her tail's flicking back and forth, energy in her eyes. Inwardly, I sigh. I guess I should've expected that my patron's newest girlfriend would talk about me and my goals with her people, especially since it's why they were freed in the first place.

"I'm currently," I tell her. "Helping settle in some people who just moved to my Order's location. There's around a hundred of them. If you want to do a feast, I will return one week from today, to give you time to prepare, as I'm sure you'd scramble to figure out what to do, only to panic, if you were to do it now.

"That said," I say. "If anyone wishes to come back with me now, I will not mind bringing them to my Order's location. Otherwise, I would have no issues taking you with me after the feast, to give you time to say your goodbyes."

She nods, then starts speaking with her followers. A couple have no issues leaving immediately, while the rest will wait until after the feast.

While I'm in this region, I should probably see if any of the Elves want to join the Order. There might be a few of them in that nation I dropped into before attacking the one whose name I can't remember. The one I rescued the Kemmel from.