Fifty days ter we returned to Tyco and resumed our usual dungeon hunting job. We spend two weeks inside one of the dungeons, and, after selling our loot, we decided to take a few days rest. I still needed to visit Hermes temple to get my reward, but there was no need to hurry. I was zing in my bed when someone knocked at my door.

  - Come in, - I said, thinking that it was one of my party members. Door opened and unexpected guests came inside. It was Milligan accompanied by Al, Alfred, and also by Graig and Mortana.I got out of the bed and pced my hand on my sword.

  - Baron Milligan, did not expect to see you here?

  - I am sorry to disturb you. May we talk to you?

  - Fine, but let us go downstairs.

  Milligan nodded, and we went to the taverns first floor. Milligan's companions occupied the empty table, and I ordered a cup of ale. Milligan still looked like a boy. Last time I saw him he looked like an eleven year old, and now five years older he still looked like a child. Taller and around thirteen year old, but still just a boy. That was Milligan's greatest regret, since he did not know that increasing his level and life force will slow down his aging.

  - So, what brings you here?

  - Before I expin myself, allow me to introduce to you my companions. Captain of the royal knights Graig, and his sisters royal mage Mortana.

  - We met, - I grimaced: - Your little captain accused me of steeling.

  - Yes, I heard. And Graig is sorry about that. Are you captain?

  - Yes, - he looked at me with the expression of a man who ate something disgusting.

  - Sure, he looks like he is very sorry.

  Milligan coughed and waved his hand.

  - Let us forget about the past. I came here to offer you a job, that you may be interested in. Have you ever heard about the King of Iron Mountains?

  - Read something about him in the Mage academy library. Some ancient ruler, who lived in the Iron Mountains.

  - Yes. He died more than a thousand years ago. His pace was abandoned and kingdom destroyed, but some of his legacy survived. I want your help to retrieve something from his castle.

  - His castle? Wasn't his kingdom destroyed long time ago?

  - It was, but his castle, Bcksmith Cave survived. King of the Iron Mountains was great alchemist and powerful sorcerer. His spells preserved his castle, and it stands even now. He created many powerful potions. And I want to get one of those potions.

  - What potion exactly?

  - I am sorry, but before I tell you, I want you to promise me that you will help me.

  - No, - I shook my head: - All I can promise you is that I will not tell anyone about this potion and your quest. But I will not risk my life blindly.

  Milligan chewed his lip, but nodded:

  - Fine. It is an aging potion.Geesh, talk about being desperate. Not that I could not understand him.

  - What makes you think that this potion is even there? Adventurers like searching for treasures in ruins. And besides, no potion would st a thousand years.

  - King of Iron Mountains developed a spell that preserves his potions for the ages, so it will not go bad or stop working. And I believe that the potion is still there, because in order to get inside the secret chamber you would need a key. According to the legends, king's most powerful archmage escaped the kingdom, after its fall, and hid the key inside the cemetery. Then he sacrificed his own life and turned the cemetery into the dungeon. Many years ter if became known as Cemetery dungeon. We do not know why this dungeon disappeared, but I was able to get the key, which was hidden inside the dungeon. It is an artifact - King Gorragod bde. I was able to buy it. I also tried to find out, who removed it from the dungeon, but all I was able to find out was that some adventurer sold it to the Adventurer guild. Guild did not have records, who sold it, but it is not that important. What is important, is that I now have that key.

  I did know what happened to the dungeon. I was the one who destroyed dungeons magic core and sold the sword. But the kid did not need to know that.

  - Sounds good, to you. But why do you even need me? Your companions are powerful enough.

  - She is right baron, - interfered Graig: - We can get you that potion even without her help.

  - No. We need her. Goddess warned me that without her, we may not succeed.

  Again goddess. Why cannot those gods leave me alone.

  - That is not an answer. Your companions are strong, you as well. You do not need help from some adventurers. Besides, even if I am a B rank, I am an archer, not a warrior or mage.

  - You won the tournament of Ares. So your skills with the sword are far better than those of the royal knights. At least most of them. But that is not the reason, why I need your help. King of the Iron Mountains could use a rare form of magic called Primordial magic. In order to open the secret chamber, we need the key and someone who is able to use this magic. I searched the kingdom for a mage with such skill. King even granted me a permission to access Mage guilds records, to find out who possesses such skill. But this skill is very rare. Only Mage guild master Mesmer can use Primordial magic in Ashgrin. But according to Grimsburg Mage guilds records, you learned several Primordial magic spells. One of these spells is necessary to open the secret chamber. Master Mesmer refused to go, because he was worried that king's treasures will be guarded by powerful monsters. Apparently he already ventured into the Iron Mountains in search of the castle, but had to retreat, because he lost some of his companions to the monster attack. For that reason, I need your help.

  I did not like the fact that this kid knew about my skills. That made me vulnerable, and in a battle I would lose an element of surprise, if people would knew about spells that I could use.

  - I see. I understand why you came to find me, but I am afraid that you wasted your time. I have no interest in this king treasures. Besides, Mesmer is right. Such journey is too dangerous. You can wait a few years and grow up eventually. Risking your life for the potion is absurd. And there is nothing that you could offer me, that I cannot get in Tyco, without such obvious risks.

  - I was told that King of the Iron Mountains collected six vials, with the blood of semi-divine creatures. I was told that you will be interested in such a reward.

  Blood of semi-divine creatures was main component of a potion that could increase someone's level. I was searching for it, but it was not like I could ask someone potentially as powerful as ancient dragon for his blood. I was very interested, and the moment Milligan mentioned six such vials, he had me. But he did not need to know that.

  I shrugged my shoulders: - Told by whom?

  - By the goddess, who granted me Light magic skill. She also told me about the aging potion. And there should be many more powerful artifacts that we can share amongst ourselves. That will be your reward, for the quest. For you and your party members. Equal share of anything that we will find in castle.That expined a lot. He probably worked for Theia, main goddess in Ashgrin. No wonder he knew so much about the king's castle and how to find that potion.

  - And should I assume that your potions and the blood that you offered me, will not be part of the divided spoils?

  - Yes.

  - But, baron, - started to object Graig.

  - That will be only fair, - interrupted him Milligan: - Does that mean that you agree to come with us?

  - One more question. Why did you came to Tyco? The journey here and back will be at least a year long. You could have convince Mesmer to go with you, or ask king to order him?

  - You are perceptive. There is one more reason, why we are here. We still need a map with the exact location of the castle. It is kept in this town. We came to get it.

  - I see. Well let me know when you get the map. We will discuss the rest then. And I will also need to convince my friends to accept your offer.

  - Actually, I could use your help. The map is kept in the temple of Hephaestus. It was suppose to be there, but when we visited the temple it was empty. There were no priests, but temple looked like someone was taking care of it. We waited for more than a week, but no one came there. We asked around, but people who were walking by, could not help us.

  The people that he asked were probably the "worshippers", who were visiting Aphrodite's temple. Hephaestus temple was located near it, and many people passed it on their way to Aphrodite's temple. They could have told Milligan that priestesses of Aphrodite were taking care of the temple, but as "devoted believers", they probably decided to let priestesses know about the strangers, before telling them anything.

  - I will ask around and see what I can do. Let us meet here tomorrow at midday. I will talk to my party members and give you my final answer then. In the meantime, I will ask around, about your map and regardless of my answer tell you what I have find out.

  - Thank you. I appreciate that, - nodded Milligan.

  I finished my ale and left some copper coins on the table. First I decided to visit Hermes temple and get my reward.

  Temple was full with fresh flowers, and the air inside was fresh and pleasant. I approached the altar and kneeled in front of it. I closed my eyes and prayed to Hermes, mostly asking him for my reward.I heard a ughter and opened my eyes. In front of me was Hermes. He was sitting on his throne and smelling a flower.

  - Has no one told you that when you pray you are supposed to thank a god? Not demand something from him.

  - Never was a praying type, - I shrugged.

  - Do not look like one, - he nodded: - You my receive your reward. I could have given it to you without summoning you here, but I got a felling that you wanted to ask me something?

  - I did. Something that you said was bothering me. You said that you created magic bags. And most of the magic bags are created by sages, using their magic.

  - That is right. I taught the first sages how to create them and blessed citizens of this world with necessary skills.

  - I thought so. But my magic purse was discovered in the dungeon. People believe that some magic bags are created by the dungeons magic. But that does not makes sense to me. Monsters, I understand. All of them have magic stones, which makes them unique creations of the dungeons. But what about the artifacts? How can dungeons magic create something simir to your creation?

  Hermes ughed: - You have almost figured it out. Fine, I will tell you, but you need to keep that little secret. Dungeons do not create the artifacts. Gods leave them there for humans to find. Hephaestus biggest headache. After all most of the weapons that humans find in the dungeon are his creations.

  - But why would you do that?

  - It started long ago. Dungeons are creations of chaos gods. Their main purpose is to create monster that will overflow the world and kill every living creature in it. We cannot directly interfere and destroy them. For that reason we need humans help. But, when dungeons first appeared, human magic has not evolved, and it took humans thousands of years to develop spells and ways to use magic stones and monster parts to create artifacts and potions. Back then dungeons were scary pces, filled with monsters, and no one was eager to go inside them. So gods came up with a method to make dungeons more attractive. Kill a monster and get a reward by finding a powerful weapon or an elixir that can cure your child or lover.

  Dungeon magic does not create artifacts. Magic ore and adamantium, yes. They are a sub product of too much magic that changes some of the metals, but artifacts are pced there by gods. We could stop doing that, since humans have find a ways to use magic stones and hunt monsters to get rich by selling them, but then humans would start to get suspicious. So we continue this little game of reward. Sometimes things go the other way, when monsters find those artifacts and start using them, but nothing could be done about that. Luck of the draw, so to say.

  I sighed:

  - That expins a lot.

  - Gd to help, - smiled Hermes: - But I thought that you will ask me about the King of Iron Mountains.

  - No, do not want to owe you. But you could tell me his name? Calling him King of Iron Mountains all the time is quit mouthful.

  Hermes ughed again: - Perhaps another time.

  He snapped his fingers, and I found myself standing in front of the altar, covered with fresh flowers. That was quit a bombshell, but I did suspect that something was wrong with dungeons artifacts. Always considered that they are a bait to lure the adventurers, but had no idea how right I was. Well, not that it changed anything. As long as gods will continue leaving artifacts in the dungeons, it did not matter whose magic created them. Most important part was that adventurers and more importantly me, could find artifacts in the dungeons.

  Next pce on my list to visit was Aphrodite's temple. Time was still early, and there were no worshippers visiting the temple. Young priestess greeted me as a regur.

  - Miss Avone, you have not visited as for a while now?

  - Busy with work. Same reason, why I am here now. Can I talk to high-priestess Sahana?

  - She should be able to find some time for a devoted worshipper of Aphrodite, - nodded the priestess: - Please, follow me.

  She took me to the side entrance and asked me to wait in the room, where Sahana usually worked. Or at least I thought that she worked there. I took a seat on the comfortable couch, and soon high-priestess came inside the room.

  She was wearing revealing cloth and looked like a woman in her early twenties. She should have been around thirty years old by now, but she will look the same for a long time. On her head was tiara, which granted her longevity. I was the one who gave her that tiara, and had to work for several years to pay back the gremlin who created it.

  - Avone, what a pleasure to see you. My priestess told me that you wanted to talk to me, about some job?

  She pced a jug of wine and two crystal gsses on the table and filled gsses with wine.It smelled like berries and was sweet and light. Just the way I liked it.

  - Yes. Someone from Ashgrin asked for my help. He was looking for something, that was supposed to be in the temple of Hephaestus.

  - Young boy and four of his bodyguards?

  - The same one.

  - I was wondering when he will visit me. He should have offered people money in exchange for information.

  - He is slow in that way, and his companions are nobles who think that ordinary people live to serve them.

  - Yes, nobles could be troublesome in that way. So, what exactly was he looking for?

  - He says that there was suppose to be a map, of the Iron Mountains, inside the temple.

  - I might know what you are talking about. But you should know that sacred objects from Hephaestus temple were entrusted to us, and we are simple keeping them. I have no right to do anything with them, not even showing them to outsiders. I will need permission from my goddess. Without it I will not be able to help you. And it could take many month before goddess would answer me.

  - Could you ask her now? Maybe I would get lucky, and she would answer you right away.

  - No harm in trying, - shrugged Sahana.

  She went inside second room, which was a small praying room with Aphrodite's statue inside it. Sahana kneeled in from on if and lowered her head. She prayed for a while and then, surprised, lifted up her head. She bowed to the statue and again spend some time praying, before coming back.

  - Goddess gave me her answer. She has agreed to let me give you the map as long as you will agree with her demands. And also, you will need to return the map.

  - Can you just make me a copy of a map. I would prefer that. Do not want to owe you and your goddess in case if I lose the map.

  - Are you sure that you do not need an original?

  - Should be good enough. I will ask my employer, but if he will agree, then copy will be better.

  - That should be fine, I guess. About her other demands. What are you hoping to find?

  - Hmmm, I am not allowed to tell you that. All I can tell you that there are seven vials that are spoken for. You can choose from the rest that we will find there.

  - Do some of those vials contain blood?

  - Six of them.

  - I see. And what about the st one? Can you at least describe it?

  - I do not know how it looks like. All I can tell you that it affects persons age or something like that.

  - Does it transform a person. Evolve it, or something simir?

  - No. Nothing like that. You could say that potions abilities are in a way simir to your tiara's abilities. But they do not let someone to evolve into different race, the way beast people do.

  - I see. Then my goddess will choose one of the vials that you will find in a pce that you are pnning to go. The vial is made of crystal with a golden snake encircling it. Also Ni will accompany you. She will collect the reward, and also equal part of the treasure that you will find. If you found any, that is.

  - You are aware that Ni does not like me? Besides, I will not be able to guarantee her safety.

  - Those are the rules that my goddess told me. If you do not agree, then you will not receive the map.

  - Fine. But only Ni will come with us. Not her party members.

  - That should be acceptable.

  - I will talk to my employer and return tomorrow. I think that he will agree with your terms, but I will still need his approval.

  - Very well, I will expect your answer tomorrow.

  I left the temple and grimaced. I was not sure that it was such a good idea, to work with Ni, Graig and Mortana. I was suppose to work together with three people, who did not like me. That was annoying. But it cannot be helped.

  I visited Adventurer guild and increased my level. I was also able to increase my Arcane butchery skill to basic level. According to Artemis this skill will be helpful when fighting undead, and I had a feeling that I may need it.

  All my party members lived in the same tavern, and we met for the dinner in the evening. We ordered the food and drinks and waited until after waitress brought us our orders.

  - I was able to increase my level, - informed us Nelly: - I also was able to increase my Earth magic skill to master level. I can call myself a master magician now.

  - That is great. But were you not master magician already. I thought that you needed only advanced magic skills for that.

  - Most of the mages that have advanced skills call themselves master magicians. But official title for master magician requires master level magic skills for that.

  - I see. Well now all you need to do is to increase your Wisdom skill, and we will be able to go to Grimsburg... I mean every guild and town where we have registered.

  - We all know what you meant, - sighed Luara: - I also bought myself a shield. Master Gremlock made it for me. It should be ready in a few days. I spend most of my money on it, but the shield will increase my defense by four and strength by two.

  - That is amazing! Such artifact is definitely a high ranking one.

  - That was money well spent, - I agreed with Nelly: - You might need to use it soon. I wanted to talk to you about something. I met Milligan today. He offered us another job. I was pnning to take it. Hard to say how dangerous it will be, bur possible reward could be worth it. At least I hope that it will be.

  - What kind of job is it? - asked Luara.

  - Have you heard about the King of Iron Mountains?

  - Some king from the ancient times. He ruled over the Iron Mountains and conquered surrounding kingdoms. I read about him, when I was still apprentice mage.

  - Yes. Milligan thinks that he left behind some of his treasure and potions. Our little baron found a key to king's secret treasury. He wants us to accompany him to Iron Mountains. Our reward will be part of the treasure.

  - Again a long journey. I thought that we will stay in Tyco and resume our dungeon explorations?

  - That was the pn. And Trevor is right, it could be a long journey. But this king was supposed to be a powerful alchemist. He created many powerful potions. They could be worth a lot of money. I think that it will be worth it. But there are some problems.

  - What kind of problems? - asked Luara, and everyone looked at me with suspicion.

  - Three of them. Milligan's companions. He is traveling with Al and Alfred, but his other companions are Graig and his sister Mortana. Also in order to find the king's castle, we will need a map. Current map keeper is high-priestess of Aphrodite. She agreed to give us the map, but only if we share part of the treasure with Ni. And also Ni will be coming with us. Not her party members, she alone will accompany us. But like you noticed, she does not really like me. Well she does not hate me, like Graig hates Trevor, but still, not the best companions for a journey.

  - Cannot say that I like it, - sighed Trevor: - Who will be in charge?

  - Milligan. He is the hero, and it is his adventure. Why do you think, he is traveling alongside those two?

  - Hard to say. I was never good at politics. There could be several reasons. Graig was among ten best swordsman, among royal knights, and his sister job changed to a mage. I heard that she was skilled magician, who rose quickly among the ranks of royal mages. Also Milligan is first human with hero job born in Ashgrin in two hundred years. That made him special, and his companions could become just as famous as he. Perhaps, their father used his influence to assign both of his children to Milligan. Also he could try to marry his daughter to Milligan. Descendants of a hero usually are born with rare skills, and such union could increase archdukes standing in kings court.

  That sounded reasonable. I did not consider all these reasons.

  - What kind of treasure are we looking for? - asked Luara. Unlike me and Trevor, she and Nelly had almost no encounter with Milligan's companions and did not have to worry too much.

  - Do not know. Some of the vials with potions will be divided between party's leaders. The rest will be equally divided between all the members of this adventure, but we do not know what exactly we will find. Could be something that is worth hundreds of orichalcum coins, but could be just dust and ruins.

  - I am surprised that you agreed. Usually you get at least something in advance.Luara was right, but she did not know that I was sure that my reward will definitely be there.

  - Let us just say that I want a proper adventure. Besides finding castle that belonged to King of Iron Mountains could be worth a lot by itself. And we never had an adventure just for adventure's sake. Searching for lost treasure. Exploring ruins for the hope of finding long lost treasure. It could be fun. What do you think?

  - I started to think that you will never take a quest, just so you could have and adventure, - smiled Luara.

  - I never had such an adventure. Could be fun. I agree, - nodded Nelly.

  - We could use such a job, - agreed Trevor: - I am in.

  - Good, - I raised my cup: - To our first adventure for adventure's sake.