The First Mage

Ever since Lilly had done away with the town-wide curfew, nights had become more lively in Alarna. The market district in particular saw a considerable amount more visitors in the late hours of the evenings, and establishments across the board benefited enormously from it.

Prior to this, going to bars and other establishments for rest and relaxation wasn’t an option for many citizens, because there were only so many hours in the day that they could be visited after work. Some business owners offered customers to stay the night, but they charged a lot for such privileges. As such, being able to come and go freely until late into the night was a revelation. And even though owners had less chances to charge for overnight stays, this was ultimately better for them as well, due to the increased influx of customers.

For almost two weeks the citizens had enjoyed the new status quo, until the appearance of the dungeon. Not a single beast had made it inside town, but the deaths of dozens of Fighters were a stark reminder that the world hadn’t fundamentally changed. Some even argued that it was getting worse, due to new kinds of beasts appearing and the number of guards slowly dwindling. This most recent incident still fresh in everyone’s minds, not as many people were out and about when the sun set a day later.

***

“We might as well go back to our old schedule if this is how it’s going to be from now on,” a barmaid complained.

She looked around the room, counting twelve customers, most of them guards. Not the worst for this time of day, but not worth the hassle of staying open this late.

“Nooo...” a guard said, his speech slurred. “Janna... I can... finally come every day...”

Half-laying on the counter, barely even awake, he didn’t notice the disdain with which she briefly glared down at him. When a cup was placed in front of him, he looked up to see a charming smile on her face instead.

“You can help me make it worth my while, Crait,” Janna said.

“Oh... I’m sorry. I have reached my limit for today...”

“What? No, no,” she said reassuringly. “You only had seven!”

“I know what you’re doing... I had ten... If I drink any more I’ll be a mess tomorrow...”

Touching his hand gently, Janna leaned in closer and looked deep into Crait’s eyes, before whispering something into his ear. A contented grin crept onto his face as he listened intently, but he soon shook his head to clear it and slapped her hand away.

“You’re lucky I like you...” he grumbled. “You’re overdoing it.”

“Tsk.” Janna took the cup back and gulped down half of its contents in one go, letting out a frustrated sigh after. “Hah... Why can’t people just come here and drink their worries away? Stupid beasts... I guess it will take a few days until we get more customers again. They have to calm down eventually.”

“Unless another dungeon appears,” Crait snickered with a hick.

“Another? What do you mean?”

Getting comfortable at the bar, Crait laid his head on the cold wood and closed his eyes as he replied. “The boy apparently told the captain it would happen again...”

“The notice said they were still investigating what happened,” she said with a frown. “There will be more of these dungeons?”

“No idea... It’s just what I heard...” he said with a relaxed sigh.

“What about the beasts? Were they strong?”

“Uhu. The last one was estimated to be a cat seven...” Crait let out a derisive laugh. “If more of those turned up, we’d be in serious trouble...”

“Is that so... I heard a rumor, you know?” Resting her head on her arms, she lowered it down onto the bar next to his. “It’s said that these things happen because of Lilly’s blessings. That the beasts being gone makes others appear. Have you heard about it?”

He slowly opened his eyes and glanced at her. “I have... It’s nonsense.”

“I know, it’s a terrible thought... but all those beasts did show up just as she came here. All the stronger ones. It’s weird, isn’t it?”

She looked at him with piercing eyes, though they appeared terribly alluring to him at that moment. Feeling as if he was sucked into them, he could only stare in a daze.

“It’s so weird...” she repeated. “And they are the only ones who can fight them... Almost as if... they are responsible. Isn’t that weird?”

“That’s... just a rumor... there’s no... evidence... at all...” he stammered.

“No, there’s no evidence we know of. You’re right. It’s just weird... isn’t it? Their timing... How easily they came to power... That there’s a beast in town...” She scooted a little closer to him. “Hey... do you think it’s weird?”

“It’s... a little weird,” he parroted as his eyes glazed over.

“It is! Right?” she said happily. “You’re right, it’s definitely weird. I’m so glad our guards aren’t just yes men who don’t question these things at all. It’s so weird.”

“Yeah... It’s weird...”

Janna started stroking his head and he closed his eyes, falling asleep almost immediately. With Crait out of commission, her pleasant expression faded and she lifted herself up, looking around the room once more. None of the guests were talking to each other, and the way they were drinking was oddly stiff.

“Overdoing it...” she said under her breath. “This is what the gods wanted me to become, didn’t they?”

She emptied the cup originally meant for Crait, who was strangely resistant to at least some of her charms. Given his tired and intoxicated state, it should’ve been easy to convince him to order more before she conveyed her message to him.

“So...” she said, turning towards a table in a corner—the only one not occupied by guards, and the only one who’s occupants were still vivid. “Think you can do this?”

The young man and woman at the table surveyed the bar with wide eyes. Tyra and Calom had just become Charmers, and while they had a general idea of what they were able to do, seeing a professional at work was something else entirely.

“The brothel is another option,” she continued when she didn’t get a response. “That’s easier, though bars are better. Done right, it’s more efficient than sleeping with one or a couple of targets at a time. So? What will it be?”

“I...” Calom started and then quickly turned to Tyra, whispering, “Do you have any idea how she did that?”

“Not a clue...” Tyra whispered back, still scanning the lifeless faces of the people scattered around the bar’s tables.

Their gawking was disrupted by Janna clearing her throat in annoyance. “Hey, I asked you a question.”

“Uhm... I’ve been sitting here the whole time...” Tyra said. “I have watched your every move... But I still don’t understand how you charmed all of them—one by one—without anyone noticing. They’re guards! Shouldn’t they be... like... on guard about this?”

“Guards...” Janna spat. “As stupid as they get. The Calling sucks all brain cells right out of them. If you want to practice, do it on them. Ideally when they already had a few. Though I was really hoping I wouldn’t have to teach you the basics,” she sighed.

“Can I ask you a question?” Calom said hesitantly.

“Apparently that’s what I’m here for, so...”

“If you’re this good... why does Ten even need more Charmers?” He smiled wryly through a frown. “I feel like we won’t have anything to do.”

Janna blinked unbelievingly. “You’re not the brightest either, are you? Do you know how many people live in this town?” Sighing in annoyance, she took a seat at their table. “The plan is to convince enough people of Lilly and her guys being suspicious. Would you have me go from door to door for the next couple of months? That would be moronic and alert them to our actions. Besides, that’s just the beginning. There is much more to be done afterwards.”

“Ah... Right,” Calom nodded in apparent understanding.

“What if we can’t do this though?” Tyra asked worriedly.

“You know him, don’t you?” Janna said. “He’s not going to abandon you either way. Though you’ll obviously have a better time if you do well. Focus on the task at hand. Do you understand your powers at all?”

“Well... I thought I did. It’s suggestion, and the more the guy likes you, the easier it is. Like... If you’re hot, it’s a breeze. Right?”

“That’s... all you know?” Janna raised an eyebrow. “Maybe these special rituals aren’t what they’re made out to be... What was your actual Calling supposed to be?”

“Worker...” Tyra said, somewhat disappointed.

“And you?” Janna asked Calom.

“Me too.”

Janna hung her head. “Ugh...”

Ten had asked her to test their abilities and put them to work for the time being, but it seemed like this wouldn’t be as simple as she had hoped. The two were very clearly Charmers, she could feel that, but they were evidently not quite ready for the job.

“Okay... You’re not completely wrong. It is suggestion, but you can’t just tell them something and expect them to go along with it. No matter how ‘hot’ you are. What your Calling should’ve taught you is how to enamor them. That’s the thing we Charmers actually have going for us.”

Tyra and Calom looked at each other with uncertainty. They didn’t know what Janna was talking about, and it was awkward to ask about something they were expected to know. Though their senior understood from their expressions.

“How do I explain this... Have you ever been charmed?” Both shook their heads. “Of course not... Mini temple kids...” Janna said under her breath. “Okay, have you ever felt your mind going blank? You’re focused wholly on one thing and you stop perceiving what’s happening around you.”

Tyra shrugged slowly and apologetically.

“Boy, is this annoying,” Janna complained. “Picture it then. That’s the feeling you can elicit in others. Essentially, they stop thinking and become receptive to what you tell them. Obviously it’s easier if they’re attracted to you, because that turns off part of their brain in a natural way, and getting them drunk makes it easier yet. Sex is a pretty nice way to get their minds off other things as well.”

“Okay, but how do you do the actual charming part?” Tyra pleaded.

Janna frowned as she fell into thought. If only Charmers could charm other Charmers, she could have them experience what she was talking about directly. It wasn’t easy to explain. And since it was supposed to come naturally, she had never thought about how exactly she was doing it.

“You have to... try to look into their souls.” She tried her best to convey what the process felt like to her. “Not just into their eyes, but at something beyond. And at the same time, you lure their mind... over into your world. Your body should then hopefully do the rest.”

“Their eyes? But didn’t you just whisper to half of the guards here?” Tyra asked.

“That can work, but it’s a more... ‘advanced’ technique I guess you could say. Focus on eye contact for now. Got what I explained?”

“Uh... I think so...”

“Alright. Let’s see...”

Janna bent down and drew a dagger from under her skirt, the sheath strapped to her leg. After throwing it onto the table unceremoniously, she got up and walked over to the next occupied table, where three guards sat. Tyra and Calom watched in confusion, wondering what she was doing. Their eyes went wide when she suddenly said, “Try not to get arrested,” before snapping her fingers in front of the guards, yelling, “Help! These two just tried to rob me!”

The three guards shook out of their daze, glancing around somewhat disoriented, until their eyes settled on Janna.

““Huh?””

“Why are you just sitting there, you useless idiots!?” she said. “Those two over there threatened me with a weapon!”

Their heads finally snapped in the direction of the two new Charmers, as well as the dagger on the table. Chairs clattered back as two of them shot up immediately, albeit shakily. The third one had a hard time standing up at all, though he did eventually, propping himself up on the table while the other two made to draw their swords.

Three on two is tricky, Janna thought. But it’s doable in their state, and if you can’t do it in a moment of desperation, I don’t know when you will.

“You! Hands up!” one of the three shouted, barely intelligible.

Tyra and Calom’s faces grew white as sheets, watching the armed guards stagger in their direction. Before they could reach them, however, colorful flakes suddenly started ascending from the floor, swirling around, up to the ceiling, creating a pillar in between the Fighters and the Charmers. Everyone there came to a standstill as they stared flabbergasted at the display.