The moment I opened my eyes, I felt like a brick wall hit me. The sensation only lasted a few seconds but it was nigh unbearable. It felt like every shred of my existence was being ripped apart, examined and then thrown back together. I barely managed to splutter out the words "What in the name of perdition was that?”

Crystal smiled "A mage that had the same magical type as you had died. Every fire mage felt his death pangs. I’m afraid you will feel every single mage die as you are spread across the spectrum.”

"What are you even doing here?” This time Xandile stepped up to answer

"We heard all about your exploits and we had to come down to give our support. We had to, you are a friend of the family. We have dealt with it so you get no trouble at all for the death of Grendel. Not that you could be blamed. He was everyone’s enemy and nobodies friend.” That was a great weight off my chest. I was petrified that I would be cast out from the university just as my talents were beginning to arise. I sat up, I felt much better. I tested the extent of the damage to my system with my water powers. I had sustained a broken rib which was healing nicely and my face had another scar marring it. Going on the other diagonal across the bridge of my nose. I now had a cross shape on my face. I forced myself to make a rough chuckle, "Well the ladies won’t want this ugly face now will they?” I beamed at them. None of them laughed.

Then Crystal spoke up, "Au contrare. You are a hero and any girl would love to have a place by your side. Including some I know well.” Crystal blushed, no she couldn’t have. Crystal couldn’t have had feelings for me then…or did she? Now that I think about it I don’t really know. As she said that I was blushing every known shade of crimson and several, yet unknown, ones as well I suspect. I levered myself up and started to stumble towards the window. Xandile stood up and bore the brunt of my weight. He half carried, half dragged me to the window. I stepped out onto the balcony unaided. Below there were many mortals, they all looked up, saw me and…exploded into cheers!?

I hadn’t realised that the extent of hatred towards Grendel had reached the mortals. I hadn’t even realised I had used the word mortal. It hadn’t even dawned on me that I was now immortal to age and could only die from wounds. Not even disease can touch a mage you see. I realised that I was being watched from afar. I scanned the area and spotted a group of roughly 10 people wearing black, they certainly didn’t seem as happy as the rest of the crowd. When they noticed that I had seen them they melted away into the dark. Xandile walked up beside me, "Lets check them out, they look suspicious to me, lad.”

Without even another word he clapped his hands and we were in the alleyway. The black shrouded figures were huddled in a corner. Xandile broke the tense silence between us, "What is your business in the city? And pray which profession are you of?”

Without even as much as a sound between them they all, 12 of them as I could make a better count now that they were closer, lunged at me. All but 2 of them wielded long daggers with a twisted blade. The other 2 had some sort of magical power and hung back. I quickly raised my shields as a fiery ball of power. My assailants all went sprawling over the hard ground. One was unlucky and was immediately knocked unconscious. The others quickly picked themselves up and joined battle. Xandile and Crystal, who had accidentally been transported along, rushed forward to defend me. Xandile wielded a scimitar-like blade made from, so it seemed, pure lightning. While Crystal had a whip made from ice. Both looked fierce. It was obviously a one sided battle.

I drew my sword which luckily hadn’t been removed from my side. My sword blazed with multi-elemental power. Blue, green, grey, black, red and gold. All the colours mingled together and were part of the blade. Xandile and Crystal took a step back, dispatching a pair of black clad assassins as they went. The air around me thrummed with power. I raised the sword above my head and a beam of this multi-elemental light shot to the heavens. It met the clear blue sky with a stentorian clamour. The beam stayed strong and I brought my sword down upon the first of my deluded attackers and there was a flash of light. His black shrouded clothes disappeared and were replaced with a bright golden armour, as were the rest of the enemies in the small, cramped alleyway. They stopped attacking and the one closest dropped to his knee. "My liege, what are your wishes?” I was confused, this very same man was attacking me mere seconds earlier and was now kneeling before me and treating me as he would a king. I thought swiftly and putting on the most regal tone I could summon at the time I said, " I command you to join the ranks of those who would fight on the side of my friends.”

"Yes, of course, my liege. But, if I may be so bold, where are your robes? Why is there no crown upon your brow? And most certainly why are you out on the streets without a full bodyguard procession?” This man obviously thought I was somebody else. A monarch of some kind it seemed. I guessed that I would come clean with the man as he seemed highly loyal even if he had tried to slaughter me a scant few minutes ago.

"No” blazed Xandile’s voice through my mind, "It would be more beneficial if he didn’t know. I assure you, my liege.” Xandile’s dry chuckle was projected through even telepathic conversation. I couldn’t help a grin spreading across my face.

"I-I’m keeping a low profile. Well I can’t let one of my men go to waste, so all of you.” I made a vague hand gesture around the alley, " Find out as much information on the Fenswar Cult as possible. You two,” This time I gestured to Xandile and Crystal, "Follow me back to my - royal residence - immediately.” I finally glanced once more to the golden troops in front of me.

"You report to the Ickar attack front head quarters when you have gathered sufficient information. Those are my wishes, make them so.” I almost sagged with relief when the troops turned and marched from the overcrowded alleyway. " What was that about? And h- how? They thought I was a king!? That’s just absurd!” All Xandile did was nod and then before I could even start discussing it he teleported us back to the Ickar attack front head quarters. I hadn’t even noticed the crowd that had gathered around us after the encounter.

I thought that Xandile would try and answer my questions but he left the room without a word. I decided that he wanted me to follow him. I had to break into a jog to keep up with him. Then I realised he was using one of the spells shared by all mages. He was using boost. There was the definitive pink aura that showed a boost spell surrounding him. This is a spell that raises your reactions, speed and stamina for a short time. I felt stupid that I hadn’t realised it earlier, and immediately cranked up boost by a half. We walked down the corridor about a thousand metres up to a old looking door.

Nine hundred sixty three and a half metres. What in perdition was that? I had never noticed that before but that must be another part of magic that all mages got. Although this could be one of the more annoying aspects of my powers, it must have it’s uses. I lowered my boost back to normal and followed Xandile through the door. It appeared that we were in some sort of archives. Finally Xandile voiced his opinions. "There must be some real reason why they thought of you as a king. I’m hoping these archives, compiled with ancient texts dating back to centuries ago, hold a record of all the noblemen that there have ever been. Maybe we might find something about the Fenswar Cult also. This archive system is famously magic and I have no idea what wonders lie in these texts. Now lets begin our search. You start in that corner, I’ll start here.”

After 3 hours of fruitless searching we called for help. We called Crystal, Poltin and a few of my closest friends from the university that I thought I could trust. After another 2 hours of searching we found what looked like records of every person that had been in any sort of powerful position. I sent my healer sense through the book for a picture of someone that looked anything like me. I found none. I then started searching for names suggested by Xandile and Crystal. Marchinat, Tregurt, Potrino, Forgantinua, and Dreganinha. I found only the name of Potrino and even then that lead to nothing.

Out of curiosity I searched for my name. I was amazed, the name Centin appeared on 3 pages. I pored over them. ‘Possibly the most effective battle general ever, a tactician rivalled by none. Lived from 1000 - 1092. Died from an infected wound. He was fighting up until the bitter end.’ That couldn’t be me as it was over 1000 years ago.

I looked at the next entry for Centin. ‘A small nobleman of no real significance. He sat on the board of merchants and then disappeared for over a year before returning with a wife and a sack of money. He then got employment as a tax collector. Lived from 1712 - 1745. Died from unknown causes.’ That was slightly closer to home but still wouldn’t explain the actions from the alleyway.

I turned to the third and final entry for Centin. ‘ A revered leader, known as the White Tiger. A fierce fighter in battle and an equally good provider for his country. A cross spectrum magician of fearsome power. A mere mortal raised to power by The Tree. He raised from being nothing at all to being it all. He had many, many worshippers and was betrayed by one of his closest allies. Lived,’ This was tense. ‘2300 - 3400. He was killed by the aforementioned traitor.’ That could very well be me. What was I talking about, that must be me. I quickly hid the book in a dark corner where we had already searched and said that we might as well give up our search for information now. But I was troubled greatly by the traitor part. Who could it be? And why? I knew I wouldn’t find out until the day I died but yet I vowed to myself that I would find out the next day.