The Wandering Spire

For weeks, Jeze maintained a busy routine. Every morning, she trained with the Frostsworn. With her arm improved, she could participate in the team's strength exercises, where they carried heavy rocks around the compound.

"It is said that a Berserker can climb the sheer side of a mountain while holding a hundred-pound stone in one arm," Dunar explained.

“Berserker?” Jeze asked.

"That is what we call the Adept Rank in our homeland," Helga replied and promised, "I will achieve that rank by my 28th year."

Jeze recalled the rankings from her brother's journal: Prospect, Initiate, Adventurer, Adept, Elite, and Hero. In addition to strength training, she maintained her running, climbing, and jumping routines. Her brother wrote that an Adventurer rank could run a hundred miles while wearing a heavy pack in four days and fight at the level of a master warrior. Jeze's goal was to achieve Adventurer rank within the year.

After the physical training exercises, the group practiced their formations. Jeze learned the capabilities of the others and their fighting styles. The giant Rolfe was the team's Protector. He fought with the spear and shield or sword and shield. He held the front, and beside him was Helga, the team's Striker. Her primary weapon was the two-handed Dane axe, and her backup was a side sword and shield. Helga would remain close to Rolfe. The warrior maiden could launch forward to deliver powerful attacks and retreat to safety. Dunar made up the final addition of the front line. He fought with sword and battle axe or sword and shield. He assisted Rolfe with creating a shield wall or skirmished alongside Helga, depending on the team's needs.

Mikal stood behind the three, armed with a spear, where he guarded the flanks and provided healing support. Jeze was placed alongside Mikal, guarding the flanks and rear, where she utilized her speed and range attacks. In their standard formation, Rolfe stood front and center with Helga to his right and Dunar to his left. Jeze and Mikal stood behind the two. Dunar coached them on tactics and formations. They practiced how they would advance and retreat and made adjustments to attacks from the rear or flank. The team stood in front of an array of wooden sparring dummies.

"A larger force is attacking our front!" Dunar called out, and the team sprung into action.

Helga launched ahead and swung her two handed axe in wide arcs and struck multiple targets before she retreated back to Rolf's side. Mikal moved to behind Helga to protect the right flank. Jeze Summoned, Shaped, and Controlled the Earth aspect and bombarded the targets with stone fists as she covered the left flank.

"Good!" Dunar complimented and shouted another scenario, "Archers!"

Helga unslung her shield and interlocked it alongside Dunar and Rolf to form a shield wall. Mikal crouched behind the three, and Jeze Summoned and Shaped a wall of stone in front of the team. She sweated from the exertion as they continuously drilled the movements.

"Retreat!" Dunar barked.

Mikal Summoned water and Splashed it onto the dummies in front of them. He completed the glyphs in the air with fluid motions of his hands and Shaped the water into frost. Jeze sprinted back and Summoned and Shaped Earth to form two stone walls with a gap wide enough for one person in between. Mikal ran back to join her. Helga slapped Rolf's shoulder, and she retreated. Dunar was next and Rolfe came in last through the gap. Jeze Shaped the Earth and closed the opening. The team reformed behind the stone wall and marched backward.

"Good!" Dunar cheered and added, "But we need to be faster."

The team relaxed, and Jeze looked up at the sun to gauge the time. "I have to head out," she said.

"You hear that team? Let's run with Jeze around the compound before she leaves us," Dunar commanded.

The others groaned and took off into a jog while carrying their heavy packs and weapons. They ran in formation around the perimeter of the expansive Guild compound. Jeze said her farewells at the end of the run and headed to have lunch with Irvin in the Hall of Heroes. The buzz of Guild activities increased as the Wandering Spire event approached, and the Guild Official talked with Jeze about the organizing efforts.

"I just got assigned to act as a liaison with the Golden Empire and the Ironfist Kingdom," Irvin explained as the two ate.

"How is that going?" Jeze asked.

"The two nations are reluctant to work together since they have been at war on and off for the past decade. They can't put aside their petty differences," Irvin said with a scowl and added, "It's like working with children!"

"Are there enough troops in place to manage the Spire?" Jeze asked.

Irvin shook his head, flustered. "Many monsters will escape, and many villages will suffer the brunt of the calamities."

"What will the Guild do?" Jeze asked.

"Typically during the arrival of the Wandering Spire. The nations fight the bulk of the monster hordes, which are tier one," Irvin replied.

"Tier one?" Jeze asked.

Irving narrowed his bushy eyebrows at Jeze and rubbed his face. "Jeze, did you read the bylaws?"

"I've been busy!" The teenager snapped.

"That's a no," Ziplocke's voice snickered from under the table.

Irvin flinched. The small Demon unnerved the Guild official, and Ziplocke enjoyed that.

The rotund Guild official cleared his throat and recited, "There are eleven tiers. One being the weakest and eleven being the strongest. Tiers one and two can be managed by Prospect ranked and non-Guild combatants. Most armies and militias should be capable of managing those tiers. Examples include low undead, such as skeletons and unequipped Howlers. Tiers three and four are too challenging for Prospect and regular military units. They can fight them but will suffer losses. Initiate ranked teams should be able to manage them. Tiers five and six are for Adventurer ranked. Seven and Eight are for Adepts. Nine and ten are for elites. Anything greater than ten, it is recommended that we call in a Hero ranker."

"What are Floor Guardians considered?" Jeze asked.

"That varies, but they are at least tier five," Irvin answered.

Jeze was concerned and stated, "I was ranked to Initiate for fighting Howlers, and you placed them in the first two tiers."

Irvin nodded and responded, "Yes, you fought armed Howlers, and you were outnumbered. Those factors were taken into account when rating your fight. That was why the Observer ranked you at Initiate."

A pit formed in Jeze's stomach, and she quietly asked, "Any word on Drake?"

Irvin wiped his mouth and answered, "He tried to request to oversee the Frostsworn. I felt it was suspicious, but we managed to assign the Frostsworn to Lady Kalina."

Jeze bowed in gratitude. "Thank you, Irvin."

The older official waved his hand. "Don't mention it. You best get going, no?"

Jeze stuffed her mouth with the remainder of her food and waved goodbye. She ran up the stairs toward Seb's chamber. She used any excuse to get additional training in and avoided the Lifts.

"You are late," Val commented in her annoyingly nasally voice. Jeze couldn't tell if Val naturally looked like she scowled, or that she was actually scowling.

The teenager ignored the blonde lady and went to work creating Channeling tools. Her assignments consisted of crafting the Channeling tools and showing other Initiate ranked Rune casters how to complete the final glyph to activate the portals. The other Rune casters were nowhere near Jeze's or even Val's level in casting. As a result, it took a lot of Jeze's time to train them. It reminded her of when she worked with Raynor, she recalled with a pang of sadness.

Despite her low opinion of Val, the blonde lady was a highly skilled Rune caster. Jeze thought that Val was probably on the level of Adventurer ranked in terms of Rune casting. However, the guild required athleticism and combat ability for those to be ranked. Val was university-trained and looked too soft. Jeze doubted that the blonde lady would be able to cast under pressure.

"You will regret this!" Miss Heng proclaimed as she stormed out of Seb's office along with a few other guild members that Jeze didn't recognize.

The Amber Guard paused when she spotted Jeze. The teenager felt some fear in her chest but managed to return a glare. Miss Heng shook her head and walked away, followed by her small entourage. Jeze hurried over to Seb's office.

"What was that about?" She asked the small man as he sat behind his cluttered desk.

Seb looked perplexed. "What are you talking about?"

"Miss Heng storming out of here," Jeze responded.

"Oh, that is nothing."

"I think it is more than that. Why was she angry?"

"I put your statement about the pyramid in my report," Seb answered.

"About the Emperor not being immortal?" Jez asked.

Seb snorted, "No, we have no proof of that. About the Fiendish Lord and how the Wandering Spire is called the Stronghold and it is an invasion force."

"And Heng was still angry?" Jeze couldn't believe that.

The spikey haired official shrugged and concluded, "I suppose she feels any information that could potentially raise questions on the status of the Emperor's immortality as an insult to her Empire."

"They just want to keep power to themselves," Jeze growled.

Seb glanced at the teenager and shrugged. "Like I said before. I do agree with Heng that instability in the Empire would be bad for everyone."

"That would be amazing!" Ziplocke shrieked while rubbing his hands together.

"Right, okay go back to work. I have no time to talk with you," Seb shooed the two out of his office.

When Jeze completed crafting her assigned amount of Channeling tools, she headed over to the chamber with the traps. Per Dunar's request, she spent several hours learning the mechanics of various traps and how to disarm them. Unlike the Runic studies chamber, the individuals within the traps chamber were more than delighted to coach her. They were impressed by her Rune magic for lockpicking, and several practitioners asked her to craft the Channeling tools.

"You have more things to do!" Ziplocke teased with mischievous delight.

It was early evening by the time Jeze arrived at Hannah's tent. The stocky craftswomen handed her a pouch filled with coins. The teenager's eyes went wide.

"That's right, we sold all your enchanted sets of armor. I added a little bonus in there for you!" Hannah exclaimed.

Jeze opened the pouch and marveled at her earnings. She was finally able to afford some gear.

"I've decided it is time for you to work on a better quality suit of armor. Here is your next set, one I personally crafted myself," Hannah showed Jeze a finely stitched dark colored breastplate with accompanying vambraces and greaves. The material was a mixture of heavy cloth and leather with metal plates interwoven in to offer greater protection.

"What enchantments do you want?" Jeze asked, her voice in awe over the craftsmanship. Up until this point, she only worked on used gear. What she saw before her outclassed everything else she had seen on thus far.

"You are the expert. What do you suggest?" Hannah asked, her eyes twinkling.

Jeze tapped her chin. "The black color makes it perfect for the Darkness aspect for better stealth options. We can reinforce it with the Earth aspects for greater protection and overlay it with the Life aspect to self-repair damage. I can infuse it with the Fire aspect to power the magic!" She said with excitement.

"Whatever, sounds great!" Hannah said and left Jeze to her work.

Jeze pulled out her tome and Daverius's journal to look for the proper Runes. Ziplocke moaned.

"What's the matter?" Jeze asked.

"When will you have time to make my paste?" The Goblin whined.

Jeze patted Ziplocke's head. "I'll get to it," she said, but inwardly, she didn't know how she would find the time. The Wandering Spire was set to appear in just two more weeks and she had a lot to do!