The First Archmage

(Gavin)

"Probably something," Eli says after presenting to them the fact that we need to have a currency of our own. "That has the Seal of the Order on one side. The trick would be making it so that we can easily identify fakes."

"That would be easy," I say. "Create a series of stamps with the Seal to magically imprint them. I could do that now, actually. The magical imprint would be easily identifiable, and merchants could use a tool to register if it's real or not."

"Alright," he says. "Now the issue is deciding how to determine its values, and how to convert everyone else's money into it."

"That's where you and Michael come in," I say. "I've already come up with the basic system for it, off of the currency somewhere I've been to before. The currency is tiered in coins of different colors, made of different metals. There are one hundred of each before reaching the next. I think you and your brother were there."

"Ah," Eli nods. "Yeah, we know the system. A lot of games back on Earth used it, too. So then we need to figure out the basic prices for things, and go from there."

"Yeah," I nod. "That's where you two come in – you can talk with everyone, figure out how much they price everything, then determine the values in our currency from there. I may recruit a few more continents' people here. I'm planning on heading to the Dark Knights' continent, partly to grab the Grimoire that's there. Ah. I'll ask the Dwarfs if they had a place that was difficult to get to or impossible to survive in, just in case."

"Oh, yeah!" Michael nods, and I hear his tail start swishing. "They do! There's these tunnels deep underground that come out in these mountains that have a magic that prevents their airships from working! Anyway, if you go into the valley in the center of those mountains, there are these golems everywhere! They punch hard! We could only get a few dozen yards in before having to turn back."

He's loosened up a lot. He used to be extremely stiff whenever new people were around, yet lately, he's been a bit more friendly. The old Michael never would have charged at someone for a hug like that, unless they were in private.

I'm glad, for that. It will be helpful, when my time comes to depart this plane.

"Michael," I say. "You already know some of the currencies – maybe most – so that should help speed things up. It'll basically just a refresher for you. As part of it, I want you to figure out how to convert everyone's own wealth into our currency.

"Also," I say. "You're an excellent swordsman who's learned many styles from your travels across the world. Once this is figured out, would you mind helping train people who want to learn how to fight with a blade?"

"Sure," he nods, his face turning more serious.

I guess combat-related business will override his cheerful demeanor and turn him serious again.

"Thanks," I say. "Before we get to any of that, though, I'd like you two, Dylan, Ryan, Warren, and Tristan to meet me for some special training. I'm going to fetch Tristan, then Ryan. Can you two locate the others?"

They nod, then I teleport to the Tower.

"Hey, Tristan," I say.

"Morning, Gavin," he says. "Something else?"

"Want to have some rapid Leveling on Skills?" I ask.

"Not if it's experimental," he tells me.

"It's not," I answer. "It's through a Skill I already have at Level 3. It allows people to train their Skills a fair bit more rapidly."

"No, thank you," he tells me. "I'm more interested in studying these tomes than training. I'll acquire the Levels eventually."

"Alright," I say, then Teleport to Ryan, who jumps, looking up from the runes he's studying. "Come on, Ryan. You're training in actual magic this time."

"Not in here?"

"Not in here."

He frowns, but approaches me so I can Teleport both of us back to my house. We wait a few more minutes for everyone else to return, and while we do, I look through my First Five Subspecies left, deciding to take on Dekami after reviewing its bonuses. The others aren't as all-round, but they're all still powerful. Other than Dirsoor, they all add to the RNN, too.

Once I have the Dekami as a Subspecies, I immediately spend the 7,500 Experience to max it out.

Experience Remaining: 34,948

Still have plenty left to finish the others and get my Secondary Species up. With the Tier X Skills, I'll be able to probably bring my Secondary Species all the way to maximum. It needs 105,000 Experience left for that. To bring a Species or Class all the way to maximum from absolutely none takes 127,500 Experience, so unless I get ridiculously lucky with Skills and shit, I won't be bringing my Third Species up to maximum through that alone.

However, it's possible that these Tiers also increase the Experience bonus from Wizard as well, which would override that. Unfortunately, it does seem that the 'All Sources' bonus from the First Five Secondary Species doesn't affect the Experience acquired from mastering a Skill or bringing it to Tier X or up a Level at Tier X, but I suppose that's too much to ask for.

"What did you just do?" Ryan asks.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"You just got a look on your face like you were doing something with the System," he answers. "I've seen it a few times. What were you doing?"

"Adding a Subspecies before the training," I answer. "It'll help me Level some of my higher-Tier Skills."

"Ah," he says. "You're scary sometimes, you know that, right?"

"Yes, I know that," I tell him. "Also, when we're done, you're taking a bath. You seem to have forgotten to do that yesterday."

He sniffs himself.

"I don't even smell," he says. "Wait – you can tell I didn't take a bath?"

"My Stat for hearing is over a thousand," I say. "Yes, I can smell it. I use magic to regulate the cleanliness of my body, so I can get away with, but you can't do that at this moment, so you can't get away with it."

He sniffs himself again, then shrugs.

He probably doesn't realize he's got a streak of dirt on his neck. I'll let him figure it out later, or if someone else tells him, but I won't.

I mostly just want him to take a bath because I swapped his soap out with something that looks identical, but will turn the bath water yellow. It'll still clean him, but it's an old alchemy trick I learned when I was younger.

The number of people I got with that before they realized it was happening was hilarious. Almost the entire village fell prey to that prank. The punishment was so worth it, too.

My brothers, Michael, and Warren arrive, and I explain to them about the Training Dimension.

"A spell like that exists?" Dylan asks.

"Duh," Eli smacks him in the back of the head. "He did just say he designed it. So it can hold up to six people at a time?"

"Right now," I nod. "It can also stretch an hour into three, and grants a bonus to learning and Leveling Skills of three hundred percent. It only Levels once everyone leaves and the spell cancels, too – which actually wasn't part of my design, but is nice. I've improved the spell a little since I used it on the island, for efficiency, so I can make it larger than before as well, and it's much, much more stable. Once I get a few things in order and take on the Faeborn Subspecies, I'll be able to work on enchanting a building to function similarly, though we might need to charge people for use in it. Odds are, it would require a lot of Mana to actually function."

"And right now," Warren says. "You can only do the Mana version of it?"

"I already have the formulas for the others," I shake my head. "I've just never formed them yet."

Actually, doing that might give me plenty of Experience. That's ten more Skills at Tier X, after all. Mastering all of them would actually give me enough Experience for everything. I'll leave it alone for now, though.

Even though I'm a higher Species, I still need to pace myself with the gains in my Stats and Resources. Especially my Resources.

"Alright," Michael says. "And what about with my warrior training?"

"With the bonus to your Mana Regeneration," I say. "You'll be able to advance the Skills of yours that use them quickly. That said, you have several that use Health and Blood, right?"

"Yeah," he nods.

"Which ones do the Dark Knights use more?"

"Blood."

"I'll work on generating that one next," I tell him. "Then Spirit, for Warren. After that, I'll work on the Aether one."

"Alright," Dylan says. "Should we have someone stay out, to guard it?"

"No," I answer. "It won't let anyone else in once it's full, and you can't damage it. Tristan's not joining us, though… but I can seal the room we'll be in so that others can't enter. Let's head to it."

They follow me to a spare room I made just for this, then I seal the room off before summoning the Training Dimension (Mana). After the five of them enter it, I follow them in, shutting off my aura immediately.

"Sorry about that," I say. "I forgot it does that to me."

"Gavin?" Warren says.

"Yeah?"

"You only had one zierna last night."

"I had two."

"You've already advanced Fairy, haven't you?"

"What makes you think that?"

"You have two zierna."

"I had two last night, too," I say. "Let's get working. I'll be on the other side of that barrier," I summon up my barrier. "To practice without affecting you five, but I'll be able to see and hear you. Let me know if you need help with someone, and remember – your Mana will regenerate at the same rate that mine does."

They nod, then I summon up targets for them before heading to my side of the Training Dimension to begin working on some of my spells. Spear of Frozen Lightning will be next, so I begin summoning it over and over, improving the formula little by little as I do, adjusting the Mana within it and how it flows, though there isn't much left to do to improve it.

After an hour passes within this Dimension, I bring it up to Level 7. Another two hours, Level 8. Another three, and Level 9. With three hours left before our agreed time to leave, I focus on using it and adjusting it more, making it larger and smaller, directing its blast, and more. Just before the nine-hour mark is reached, I receive the final notification.

Spear of Frozen Lightning (X) is Now Mastered!

+10,000 Experience!

Good. Next time I'm in here, I'll work on Summon Void, and bring that up. After that, Blood Smite, then Aetherial Sword. At least that one can be used in here without rending the place and destroying the Dimension, otherwise, I'd never really get to Level it much.

"Ah, fuck," I realize something.

I forgot to give everyone the Gift.

Oh, well.

I fly back to them, landing on the ground and looking between the five of them, then dipping my head. We leave the Training Dimension, and I cancel the spell.

Training Dimension (X) is Now Level 4!

+1,000 Experience!

Dismissing the notification, I look at the team.

"Everyone else will probably be waking," I say. "Though you five look exhausted. Progress?"

"Lots!" Ryan grins at me. "I got Magic Bolt up to Level 7! I also studied runes some more, and got Dekami Runic Language up to Level 3, finally!"

He actually worked on ones that he'd be able to comprehend with some heavy studying, so I'm not surprised he acquired that.

"Good job," I tell him. "Go take a bath before going to sleep, though."

"Yes, sir!" He salutes, then runs to the door, slamming into it because I hadn't unsealed it yet, so he pulled without it actually moving, resulting in him pulling himself into the door. "Ow!"

"Try it a bit more gently?" I suggest, removing my seal.

Ryan sheepishly opens the door a bit more gently, then gives me a sheepish smile before leaving. Eli looks out the door, counting under his breath. Once he reaches ten, he looks at me.

"You hadn't unsealed it yet, had you?"

"Nope."

Michael cracks up laughing, then the five of us part ways, my brothers off to their place, Michael and Warren off to theirs, and I head out to meet with some of the other members of the Order, chatting with them if they want, or if they're training, giving them some tips or tricks I know, as well as learning a few from them as well.

This is starting to become what I want it to be. With the help of the Dwarfs, the Fairies, and the Elves, I might even be able to figure out a decent defense system against any monsters that try to come here – or people who want to invade us.

"Gaaviiiiiin!" Ryan half-yells, half-whines, running out of our house with a towel around his waist, his body soaked and half-soapy. "The water keeps turning yellow while I'm bathing!"

"Have you tried not peeing in it?"