The Boot

Mage
A  Tal eo fSelhcTor Ttn fechlcd

yTcclt ADsktD

A ieNla eo rSl vrSlcNlcDl

Before You
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CHAPTER  OE

I t only stands to reason that with the advent of an age of magical

brilliance, there would come specialization of said magic.
Anyone who’s learned anything about basic economics could tell
you that. But the world had not been expecting the Seld of magic to
have the boom that it did all those years ago, but it did. ?o why should
magic be the exception when cordwainers and cobblers existk
I thinO it prudent to bring up the specialization of foot apparel
craftsmen and repairmen because that is exactly where I St into the
picture. ?ee, I come in about eighty years after the world experienced
its Srst truly great magical boom.
Gne day, there’s hardly a spellslinger walOing the streets of -aeE
laga, then suddenly, everyone and their grandmother wants to be a
leyweaver. Fverything becomes about getting your hands on a magical
Tocus, so that you can augment your magical abilities with even greater
strength. jhe world changed one day, from normal to Pust insanity.
Gf course, I’ve only ever Onown the insanity. I PoOe about it often,
because you really have to do that in my line of worO. Deople looO at
you funny when you tell them you went into the magical footwear
business.
Y RANNFK A?2IK?

Meah. Mou heard me right. Wagical footwear. Nemember when I

told you that with the advent of a great age of magic, there needed to
come specializationk qell, that’s true, even commercially.
Fspecially commercially.
jhese days, if you walO into a shop not run by a spellslinger, you’re
more liOely to walO right out the door than even —uestion why the
owner bothered sOipping their lessons in magic. It’s Pust so conveE
nient to have someone that can Sx, solve, or provide services for your
problems with a wave of their hands. Kot to mention that there’s a
certain level of —uality you can expect from those who can artfully and
masterfully tacOle anything you throw at them.
But bacO to the matter of magical footwear. I Onow. I Pust have you
on the edge of your seat. qhenever I’m at dinner parties, it’s always
a matter of discussion. qell, not the fact that I am in the magical
footwear businessLplenty of people specialize into that.
But, you see, I tooO it one step further. Tor me, not all footwear is
made to be e—ual. jhere is a world of diHerence between your sandals,
his busOins, and her turnshoes. But for me, it was all about boots.
Anyone can wear boots. Jadies. Wen. Fveryone. And for all occaE
sions too. -oing to a fancy dinner with your friendsk Dut on the dress
boots. 3iOing into the wilderness without a clue for where you’re
headedk Boot time. 4ust taOing a stroll to your favorite tavern. Better
wear your assEOicOing boots.
Mou see, boots are a world of their own. ?o, it stands to reason that
they receive a magician prepared to sell them alone, and only them.
qhich is why, dear friends, I became the world’s one and only boot
mage.
Mou heard me right. Boot magic. Kot booO magic. Kot shoe magE
icLno, deSnitely not shoe magic. I shudder at even the idea of someE
 j3F BGGj WA-F “

thing so barbaric. Ko, I’m talOing about boot magic. jhat’s magic
concerning anything and everything boots.
Mou see, I can lace up your OneeEhighs and polish your hunting pair
without even a thought. I do it many times a day. And it all started
with a mere fascination. Mou see, my parents were shoemaOers.
jhey were the best shoemaOers in all of 3ollowvale. Kever mind
that they were the only shoemaOers in all of 3ollowvale. It’s a small
town, after all, and my father’s customers tended to only need two
things. 3unting boots or riding boots. jhere really wasn’t any deE
mand for much else.
?o, my family ruled the bootwear of 3ollowvale for the better part
of my childhood. It was a rural place, up on the edge of a forest, next
to several diHerent woodland plateaus that I used to climb in my spare
time. Mou could see for miles around in all directions from those. And
one thing was always apparent to me. If you were going to go anywhere
in the world, you needed a solid set of boots.
?o, when the time came, and my father tooO me on as an apprentice,
I really only paid attention to the lessons where he talOed at length
about boots, whichLto be fairLwere most lessons. And I thought
that I was doing the world a good service. I was enabling exploration.
qhenever a traveler came in, we would set them up with a fantastic
pair of boots that could see them on their way.
jhat is, until we had the worst sort of competition come to town.
Wy father was a Oind man, you see. 3e could not see threats when they
were over the horizon and swooping down onto his doorstep.
I remember the day the shoe mage came to 3ollowvale. 3e set up
his shop Pust across the lane from my father’s place. 3e did that on
purpose, you see. It was all a part of the shoe mage’s strategy. All their
Oind have their heads full of nasty thoughts. jo me, they didn’t care
” RANNFK A?2IK?

not for the love of the craft, but only to line their pocOets and further
their in5uence.
qhy go and buy the perfect pair of boots from an expensive boot
craftsman, when you could Pust have your boots repaired for half the
price. Gf course, it would come with half the love and care, but the
shoe mage would never tell you that. jhey’re all silverEtongued, trust
me.
?o it was that all those travelers went to the shoe mage’s business
instead of my father’s. If it was not for my mother’s moreEthanEfantasE
tic embroidery, we would have potentially either had to leave or starve
to death in 3ollowvale. jhe boot business became a tailors, and my
father learned to picO up a new trade, never muttering a single word
against shoe mages.
Kot me though. I wasn’t about to let a shoe mage get the better of
everything I had learned during my childhood. Jaugh, if you will, but
boots were the lens that I chose to view the world through. 2ings were
only as good as the boots they wore. A man with neglected boots often
had a neglected life. jhat was how I learned everything. And I wasn’t
going to give that up.
?o, I went across the lane, to the shoe mage shop, and pushed open
the door.
CGh, hello there, 4ordyn,6 the shoe mage said, grinning from beE
hind his towering counter at the far corner of his shop.
3e currently had Sve strips of leather across his counter, with two
planOs of wood and several other adornments, liOe a bar of iron. qith
a 5icO of his wrist and wiggle of his Sngers, the materials came to life,
dancing about each other. jhe leather walOed into the planOs of wood,
which were beginning to shave each other down to the recognizable
shape of feet.
 j3F BGGj WA-F 7

qhen all that was done and good, the iron bent itself into bucOles
and hopped on top of the newlyESnished boots that the shoe mage
had whipped up in the blinO of an eye. jhere was no love there. Ko
passion. But it was, undeniably, a sign of power.
qhat could possibly compete with something so marvelousk jhe
shoe mage Onew what he had done too. 3e Pust sat there, at his high
counter, grinning, eyebrows up, liOe he was asOing me to challenge him
and his superiority to my father’s former shop.
3e must have suspected that I harbored ill toward him. I had never
said anything bad to him before that day. But I marched right up to his
counter, and placed my hands down upon it, turning my head toward
his pair of newlyEmade boots.
And I said, Cjeach me.6
?o it was that I learned my Srst inOlings of shoe magic from what
I detest the mostLthe shoe mage. I’m not proud of it. But I asO you,
you may sit there and Pudge me a hypocrite, have you never done what
irOs you to accomplish something so primal to your being that you
would sacriSce anything for itk I would wager that there is no one who
would ever deny what I had done to be right.
ArricO the 8onPuring 8obbler was his name, he primarily dealt in
shoe repair, and he taught me how to connect with a pair of shoes. 3e
taught me how to listen to laces and perform sorcery on soles.
And yes, I didn’t necessarily learn Pust boots either. I had to worO
my magic upon sandals, clogs, and all manners of diHerent footwear. I
didn’t liOe it. In fact, I detested it. Boots were what I yearned for. Boots
could do anything. ?andals broOe when you stepped in mud.
?o it was that by day, I was the apprentice of the 8onPuring 8obbler.
But by night, I spent my time reading material from our diminutive liE
brary and testing my mettle against crafting boots from natural mateE
rials. I would bring hide out into the woods and wrap it around small,
9 RANNFK A?2IK?

fallen logs. Wore often than not, the boots would stitch themselves
into failures.
Wine would have holes, or no soles, or I would forget how to do the
laces. But, eventually, I crafted my Srst pair. It was not easy either. I ran
out of money to purchase hides, and times were rough for my family,
so it was not liOe I could Pust buy more material.
I was lucOy. Because the local wolves had left for me the halfEeaten
body of a boar. At Srst, I was too scared to go near it. But once I Onew
it was not going to return from the dead, I tooO steps closer, and closer,
and then realized that it would be a shame to simply let its hide rot on
its body.
?o, I tooO it bacO to 3ollowvale and consulted with the local tanner.
I did not want him to apply his trade to the hide, because if he did,
then there would be a chance that ArricO heard of my intentions. And
I didn’t want my parents to Onow either. It already hurt them enough
that I preferred spending my time with ArricO over helping with the
tailors, although I thinOLI hopedLthey understood.
jhe next day, I made sure to get the hide Pust right. It wasn’t, but
it was good enough. jhat was how I would liOe to recall these boots.
-ood enough. Tor what I was practicing, it was good enough. Kot
great, but hey, I was learning from a shoe mage, so nothing would turn
out great yet.
But, you see, it was those very boots that were the problem. jhey
were Sne. jhey were a decent pair of general boots that would serve
you well on the bacO of a horse, on a road in the wilderness, or in the
middle of a battleSeld. jhey were perfectly ade—uate for the Srst pair
of boots made by an apprentice of a shoe mage.
And, to my heart’s dismay, I was damn proud of them. I didn’t wear
them. I Oept them in my room bacO home, tucOed under my bed, so
 j3F BGGj WA-F 1

nobody Onew my intentions might not wholly align with those of my

master and family.
Mou see, though, my problem was that the world was far bigger than
I believed it to be. ArricO had me doing the Pob up to what customers
expected. But that challenged no boundaries. jhat didn’t deepen my
Onowledge of shoe magic. jhat did nothing to grow my sOills.
And so I grew bored, and mildly content, unfortunately. I was
helping the very person that put my father out of business. I barely
thought anything of it, even if I still didn’t love ArricO for it.
jhen the war started. jhey called it the qar of the Wages. It was the
Srst time that spellslingers were called into battle on both sides and on
a massive scale. And it was the Srst time, since the founding of -aelaga,
that brother had to put down brother.
I’m sure I don’t have to emphasize how terrible civil wars can be,
and the qar of the Wages was unliOe any other. If magic had been
streamlined before with the coming of Tocuses, wartime brought it to
another level entirely. Kew professions were discovered to supply the
war engines.
Kew weaves were created to devastate provinces. Wages learned
that they could pool together their energies and unleash remarOably
terrifying results upon the world. Fntire cities were wiped oH the
maps. Gne massive, mageEmade meteor, in particular, was responsible
for turning the grand BlacObrooO 8ity into what everyone now calls
BlacObrooO 8rater.
It was a terrifying time to be trying to s—ueeze out a living in a small,
outEofEtheEway town smacO in the middle of -aelaga. jhe east rose up
against the west, and nobody in 3ollowvale seemed to Onow which
side of it we were on.
0 RANNFK A?2IK?

Gur province belonged to the emperor, but he was dead and his
lands were up for grabs. ?ome days, we were leaning toward the west.
Gthers, the east.
jhen the soldiers came. I don’t thinO it really mattered what side
they were from, but they were 8loudwatch troops. jhey had come
marching down from the eastern lands, and the Srst time I saw them,
my eyes were drawn down to their boots.
qorn, wearied, and broOen in several places. jhese were men that
could use new boots. jhey Onew it too. jhey used 3ollowvale to
resupply their battalion and they would have been on their way after
that. But you see, one of them needed a new pair of boots. jhey were
getting new saddles from the tanner when the man directed him in my
direction.
jhe tanner told them that I was the apprentice of the local shoe
mage and I had been setting myself to the construction of boots
recently. 3e probably meant nothing ill by it. 4ust trying to give us
business.
jhat soldier came OnocOing on my father’s door. ?ee, the problem
there was that my father was a man of the Fmpire, for better or for
worse. Wost people had mixed feelings about the Kameless Fmperor,
who followed in the footsteps of Baelladrus the Benevolent, but not
my father.
3e would swear by his heart that there was a reason the emperor had
become so secretive. 3e said that sometimes good men had to worO in
shadows to do what was right. I had taOen that to heart, even though I
wholly disagree with the sentiment now. 3is words were what inspired
me to hone my crafting of boots in secret.
?o, when he saw that soldier at our doorstep, who represented
everything he thought was wrong with his country, well, things did not
 j3F BGGj WA-F

go our way that day. Immediately, I was behind my stubborn father,

correcting his speech whenever he strayed too far into the political.
CWy apologies,6 the soldier said, a handsome young man with a
grizzled and shaded Pawline. CI was told a magical bootmaOer lives here.
Is that the casek I see the sign shows this to be a tailor.6
CIf you want shoes, you better Oeep on your way out of 3ollowE
vale,6 my father said. Cqe ain’t got someone that can maOe a decent
pair of boots anymore.6
Waybe it was because I saw that blanO expression on the soldier’s
face sour, or maybe it was because I thought my boots could serve a
grander purpose, but I spoOe over my father.
CILI Onow someone who can maOe you boots,6 I blurted out. jhe
soldier regarded me as I said. CI actually may have some that could St
you.6
I went and fetched the pair of boots from under my bed and reE
turned, bringing with me the original leather I had cured and used to
maOe the boots in the Srst place. Mou see, a real magician is master over
all. It didn’t matter that I had sized the boots for myself. qith enough
material, I could resize them as many times as I wanted.
I measured the soldier’s feet and placed the boots on him, slapping
more leather to the boots and convincing them to grow in size Pust
enough to cover the man’s feet for a snug St. It should have all been
perfect.
But if you’re paying close enough attention to my tale, you already
Onow what I’m going to sayLnothing a shoe mage does is perfect.
It can’t be. And, liOe it or not, at that time, even with my favoritism
toward boots, I was still Pust barely a shoe mage.
At Srst, the soldier’s looO excited me, but when he pivoted, he
pivoted right out of the boots, using the soles to cut right through the
 RANNFK A?2IK?

weaOened leather. I was devastated to see my worO of art tarnished so

much.
CIs this some sort of PoOek6 the soldier asOed.
Wy heart lurched, and I looOed to my father for guidance. I felt so
embarrassed and I could see the disappointment in his eyes. jhere had
been no love in those boots. I had learned from ArricO how to use
magic to craft, create, and repair boots. But I had forgotten my father’s
lesson about putting our souls into what we created.
Wy father put me behind him and said they had been his boots.
3e could not Oeep the edge from his voice either. I’m not sure what
happened next because my mother tooO me inside.
At the time, I wanted to believe that my father promised to maOe
the soldiers all new boots without charge. Fven if he disagreed with
their philosophies, that seemed liOe something my father would have
done.
I Onow now that he didn’t do that. 3e left with that soldier, and was
found dead in a Seld Pust outside the town, his throat hacOed through
with what seemed to be axe marOs.
jhere are many small details of that story which are signiScant to
me. 3owever, I do not wish to share them. Flements of every person’s
life have the privilege of remaining private, and I will share what I
choose to share.
3owever, even after the war ended and the west lost, I Onew that
I had failed my father. If I had not cut corners, he would have lived.
It’s funny looOing bacO on it now, because I could blame the western
rebellion for his death, or I could blame that soldier in particular, but
I only blame myself.
And with that, I blame ArricO and all shoe mages. jheir craft cost
my father his life. ?o, from then on, I vowed to live mine in the spirit
 j3F BGGj WA-F

that I choose to remember him. I became the world’s one and only
Boot Wage.
3owever, boot magic isn’t so easy as naming myself a title and movE
ing to a city to maOe a name for myself. jhe problem in specializing to
a boot mage is that nobody has heard of a boot mage before.
I was going to change that.
CHAPTER T  W

I couldn’t stay in Hollowvale. Both because my failures bled

through all my enjoyment of my hometown, but also because Ar-
rick had won over the hearts of those people and there was not enough
business to sustain two similar mages, as much as I now learned to
loathe to compare myself to one of Arrick’s talent.
My mother only worsened after the death of my father. That proved
to be the hardest part in leaving. She had become a shell of her former
shelf. Each night she muttered to herself and whenever I got close, she
quieted, still moving her lips, but to the point where I could not hear
a peep.
I also Ngured she was talking to the spirit of my father. She always
insisted that he never left her. That he was still with her, somehow,
though she never quite speciNed where, how, or why. I think it kept
her sane because she really didn’t get out much after his passing.
Deighbors came by to try and help set her right again, but there was
not much we could do.
The tailoring business crumbled, and before I set out, I sought out
the will of the church and asked for guidance. I will admit that I’m
not one to submit myself to the will of the Ten Rivinities, but they
responded by sending out a paladin, convinced that there was demonic
work afoot.
4x RAKKED AS1IDS

The paladin found no such curse, nor taint, nor corruption. She
was just a woman devastated by the war, like many other women
throughout the continent. The paladin did perform many diWerent
eYorcising weaves upon her, and day by day, I saw her slipping further
from the truth of what she was. Her mutterings grew louder from then
on, though they were practically incomprehensible.
I don’t want you to worry too much about my mother, so I will say
that the paladin did eventually leave to go back to the church, which
left me with my feeble-minded mother. I wish I could also say that her
illness did not inOuence my opinion of her, but that’s simply not true.
She had been a strong lady before. Ghen my father had failed, she
had taken up the business and ran it herself. Dow, she was simply a
husk.
There was a cloister that took her in. That was my Nrst journey away
from home. It was seeing my old mother committed into safety. And
from then on, I never looked back.
The process of becoming a boot mage is not an easy one. The
Nrst city that I visited was called Ambergrad, and it wasn’t lacking
of welcome. 5ou see, I had known a woman growing up who had
managed to start a practice in pardoning in Ambergrad, which is why
I retreated there. Ge were close when we were younger, so standing
outside of her great black house, I grew a little nervous.
The years had not been kind to our relationship. Ge had fallen
for the same boy back when we were Nfteen, and since then, our
relationship had grown frail. I had tested the waters already by sending
a letter and receiving kind words in turn, but there was only so much
that mail could convey.
I pushed on her door, entered into her antechamber, and my friend
greeted me, whose hair fell down straight now and was covered in a set
of thin, black robes.
 THE B““T MAJE 4”

C?ordyn,— Lamylle said. CI’m so happy that you were able to come
all this way. Ghat has it been nowF Twenty yearsF—
CDearly,— I replied. CLloser to Nfteen, but who’s countingF—
CKight. Dot me anyway. Too busy to do much counting nowa-
days.—
She showed me to her drawing room and oWered to pour me a
glass of wine. I told her that I would abstain from that. I was not one
to drink for any occasion. In fact, I mostly detested the stuW6nev-
er could quite get the taste for alcohol or any sort of strong drink.
Lamylle was nice enough to still pour me a glass of water though,
which I merrily accepted.
CGhat brings you to Ambergrad, ?ordynF— Lamylle said. CI6I
heard what happened to your mother. That’s terrible business. I’m
so sorry about it. 7ucynde was always very kind to me, and if there’s
anything I can do to help6—
CActually, that’s why I’m here,— I replied. 5ou see, I didn’t want to
take advantage of my old friend, but if I could use anything to get what
I needed, I would. That was something I had learned from being the
apprentice to a shoe mage. Kesults mattered most, but how you got to
those results, well, there was a whole world of possibilities there.
CI’m in serious need of raising a bit of capital, you see,— I said. CI
don’t necessarily need a whole lot of coin, but I could do with a loan
to get an establishment rented and materials that I’m going to need.—
Lamylle, bless her, probably had her own skeptical views of my
intentions, but didn’t voice any worries. Instead, she played it safe.
CGhat sort of business do you intend to runF— Lamylle had not
followed my lead and was sipping a small glass of wine. 8rom its
smell, it had probably been imported from the vineyards in southern
Jaelaga. There, coastlines ran green and dry.
49 RAKKED AS1IDS

CShoemaking,— is what I said at Nrst. But then I followed it up with,

CBoots, speciNcally.—
C5ou want to follow in the footsteps of your fatherF—
CMore or less.—
CGeren’t you in league with that shoe mageF Ghat was his name
again, 7oveF ArrisF ArrynF Something like thatF—
CArrick. 5es, I was apprenticed to Arrick, but I’m no longer. I have
no interest in becoming a shoe mage, I can assure you.—
CGell, that’s honestly a shame. I could write you a loan, but I’d be
more inclined to do it if you were to employ the skills you learned
under Arrick. In the wake of the Gar of the Mages, there’s been a great
boom in magical shops and professions. To be competitive around
here, you’re going to have to hire a mage, and that sort of loan isn’t
one that I’m willing to just hand out.
CI do hope you Nnd the funds that you’re needing though. But
just, my business is so tight these days, especially in the waning of the
church. The war shook them to their core, and not many people are
really feeling the need to have their sins pardoned these days. They
all saw what happened across Jaelaga. They know the sins that were
committed.
CHard for these people to justify spending money on committing
their sins when they know there are ten more people out there, who
do things ten times worse and have never spent a dime to do right by
the Ten. Ramn this war. Keally.—
I could raise my glass to that, and I did. And then I Ngured I would
let the beans spill and see what came of it. Ghat was the harmF
CI am trying to start a magical profession,— I said.
Lamylle raised her eyebrows. C5ou didn’t mention that before. 5ou,
hmmm. 5ou said you were going to be focusing on boots.— She took
a sip of wine. CSurely, you’re not implying that you only want to set
 THE B““T MAJE 4‘

yourself to applying magic to bootsF 5ou think anyone’s going to be

comfortable investing in a shoe mage shop that only services one type
of shoeF—
CI don’t see a problem with it,— I replied. CBoots are the most
versatile of footwear. They can be brought to the tops of mountains,
to the depths of the deepest canyons, or to your in-laws’ dinner table.—
CDo one is disputing that,— Lamylle said, raising her glass, to boots
apparently. CBut my question is what about the customers that don’t
want bootsF 7et’s be generous and say that boots are worn by almost
half of all people in Jaelaga. Ghat about that other halfF—
CThe other half doesn’t know yet. I can make boots with magic, but
boots themselves are magical. I will show them.—
Lamylle pursed her lips. CThen you have an uphill battle, 7ove. But
not one you’re going to have to Nght alone. 5ou’ve sought me ought,
even though we both know the last time we spoke, we weren’t on the
best of terms.
CI’ve thought about you a lot the last couple of days, ?ordyn. I’m not
going to turn you away. I can’t throw a mountain of coin your way, but
I can get you enough to get you started up. Dothing much, but maybe
you’ll be able to work your magic and build it out into something.—
Ghich is eYactly what I did. Gell, eventually. That wasn’t really how
it went at Nrst. 5ou see, there are many steps to starting a business, even
one that is magical by nature.
8irst and foremost is that you’re going to need customers. Business
is business, and without business, your business will fail, inevitably.
That was my problem at Nrst. I was a local. I didn’t have friends or
family I could call upon to come and stand in my shop, even just to
make it seem like I was trustworthy or busy. It was simply me, and on
a good day, Lamylle would stop by.
42 RAKKED AS1IDS

That wasn’t for the best though, because that Nrst week, having her
see how empty my shop was didn’t Nll me with much pride. Then
again, I could’ve taken more time setting up the interior of the shop.
The coin that Lamylle had lent me hadn’t been an overwhelming
amount, like she had said. It had been enough to get a small shanty
house down by the river docks of Ambergrad. My window faced the
small marina where all the boats were moored. I didn’t hate it. The
smell wasn’t the best, but as long as I got people looking in and seeing
what I was capable of, I felt conNdent enough.
CThe issue is that it looks like a pigsty in here,— Lamylle said.
CGhat’s all this on the groundF—
CGood shavings. Boots soles take a lot of wood.—
C5ou don’t sweepF—
CI’m a boot mage,— I replied, as if that eYplained literally everything.
“f course, it didn’t. But, at the time, I had thought that was all that
mattered. If I was just boot mage enough, then everything would fall
right into place.
Ten Rivinities, I made so many, many mistakes. That was one of
them too. Lamylle, bless her kind heart, did take pity on me. She
showed me the ropes of what it meant to start up a business in a foreign
city you knew nothing about.
C8irst things Nrst,— Lamylle said, Cwe’re going to have to get you
some signage.—
CI wrote that this place is a boot shop outside.—
Lamylle slapped her forehead with her palm. CAnd was that all
you were planning to doF Boot shopF So whatF Anyone who sees it
probably already has a shoe shop they go to, or they’ll go to a cobbler
to get their current set of shoes repaired, and they probably like their
shoes. 5ou’re never going to win anyone by saying boot shop.
 THE B““T MAJE 40

CAlso, you’re not a Pboot shop’ per se. 5ou’re a PBoot Mage Shop,’
and there’s a world of diWerence there. 5ou don’t just sell boots. 5ou
craft them to the eYact speciNcations of the customer with magic,
rightF—
CErr, yes. 5es, I do. Am I supposed to put all that on a sign thoughF—
Lamylle tapped her right temple and said, CDot a sign. A Oier. 5ou
have to get the word out about your shop. After all, you’re not just
selling to the people that see your shop from the marina, rightF 5ou
have to get word out to the rest of Ambergrad.—
C“kay, a Oier then.—
C8liers. There are a couple town boards we can pin them to, plus
we can pass by a few markets to hand them out. “h, and a tactic I
did when I was starting was go to an inn and buy ten rounds of beer.
Tell the bartender that whoever claims one of the rounds gets a Oier.
Rrunks still need boots, rightF—
CKight.—
I had to admit that it was all a bit overwhelming at Nrst. There was
a lot to running a boot shop that I really had never put into thought
before. In a small town like Hollowvale, it had not mattered that my
father had not marketed himself. Everyone had known him, and word
of mouth was key to setting up his business.
But here in the city6even a small one like Ambergrad6I wasn’t
going to have the same sort of luck. So, I drafted up the Nnest set of
Oiers my Nngers could spin, making sure to embellish them with Nne
illustrated lines and eye-catching script. Lamylle helped me make a
couple too. Hers were more plain, but she insisted that they remain
that way.
CSailors aren’t going to go for that fancy stuW,— she said, Cbut some-
one might. Ge’ll post both up on the boards and see what sort of
:3 RAKKED AS1IDS

customer base we can lean into. If they like fancy, we’ll keep yours. If
they like plain, we’ll keep mine.—
As it turned out, they liked it plain. But we didn’t get our Nrst wave
of customers just yet. Before we even gave the Oiers a chance to work,
Lamylle had me working on another issue.
C8oot trazc,— Lamylle said, pressing her hands together in front of
her chest and then bringing them up to her nose, lost in deep thought.
CEven if we manage to pull one person oW their routine to come here,
they won’t trust this place if it’s as dead as it currently seems.—
I gave the place a glance around. I had boots stacked up on tall
shelves that nearly reached the ceiling. Ghere there was enough space,
I had tucked boots between the shelves and the ceiling, which basically
meant that even if the shop did eYperience trazc, they could very well
be hidden between the shelves.
C“h, and that’s a problem we’re going to readdress too. This is a
workshop, not a library. These shelves cover you up too much from
your window. 5ou need to get rid of them. “r, at least, bring them
down. The people need to be able to see your boots up close. They
need to be able to touch them.—
CTouch my bootsF— I said, astounded. CGithout payingF That’s
going too far.—
CAnd how do you eYpect them to pay for something when they
cannot be sure of the quality.—
CEverything I make is quality,— I said, wincing. CEverything, from
here on out.—
CGithout proof, how is a customer supposed to believe thatF—
So, before we even put our strategy with the Oiers to action, we Nrst
had to cut down the shelves I had installed. That took two days of
grueling labor, but it wasn’t so bad as getting the shelves into the shop
in the Nrst place. Most of what we did was mark locations where the
 THE B““T MAJE :4

shelves could be halved and then sawed them down to half of their
original height.
Dow the shelves held three rows of boots, with the top level being
easily inspectable by passing people. Better yet, from my counter at the
back of the shop, I could see out into the road and the marina beyond,
meaning everyone could see me at work while I wove boot after boot
together.
CGe’re actually going to want to change where the counter is too,—
Lamylle said.
That broke me out of my trance. I put my hands on my hips,
because it seemed like Lamylle was changing everything about my
shop. I had to put my boot down somewhere, so to speak.
CGhat’s wrong with the counterF I like being tucked in the back.—
C5ou might, but I want the counter to be against the window. I want
passersby to be able to see you hard at work, front and center. Ghen
you’re spinning your boots together, people should stop just to look at
your magic at work. Trust me. That’s how a lot of magical professions
set up their shops. Ge don’t have to worry about it right now, because
I’m tired beyond belief and I don’t want to move a counter, but I’ll
get contractors to rearrange your shop overnight this week.—
I, begrudgingly, agreed. She had used my logic against me. It would
be better to have my mystical labor seen by all, even if they weren’t
necessarily looking into the shop.
C“kay, so now that people would be able to see your foot trazc, we
have to address the issue that you have no foot trazc. Ge need people
in the shop to really show others that there’s something of value here.—
CHow do you propose thatF— I asked.
Lamylle turned to me, smiling wide, inhaling to blurt out her neYt
big idea, when she suddenly deOated and laughed a bit. CI have no clue.
Dormally, you’d want to bring in your friends, but I’m a pardoner,
:: RAKKED AS1IDS

which means I don’t have the luYury of making friends and you’re new
to the city.
CAnd since neither of us is local, we can’t just invite our family to
act the part. Do, we need another sort of tactic. Any ideasF—
I thought back to the Oiers, which we hadn’t sent out yet. Ge might
not have been able to get foot trazc for the Nrst people to get their
hands on these Oiers, but we could make the Oiers so enticing that it
overcame the fact that we had nobody in the shop.
CGhat if I oWered free boot repair for the Nrst week, no strings
attachedF—
C5ou would eat that material costF— Lamylle asked.
I shrugged. It would be a minimal lost investment, as boot repairs,
most of the time, didn’t need much more material than what I was
working with. And I was certain I could make decent impressions on
people from repairs alone. If I wanted to be eYtra devious, I could make
the repairs appear to be in tip-top shape but leave some structural
issues intact. That way, when their boots actually broke, they could
come back to me for entirely new ones.
CIf it gets us the foot trazc we need,— I said.
C lus, you get to start building relationships. Trust me repeat cus-
tomers are going to become your bread and butter. Even for boots.
5ou don’t just want to sell them one pair of boots. 5ou want to sell
them a pair of boots for every occasion they could possibly need them
in.—
I nodded to that but didn’t necessarily agree with that sentiment.
Sure, for the wealthier patrons, that could be the case. But for the
everyman, I would much rather sell them a single pair of boots that
could last than ten or so years without repair and would serve them
for each and every day of their lives.
That was the true beauty of boots. That was my mission.
 THE B““T MAJE :

So, with that in mind, we eYecuted our tactics down to the letter.
Lamylle said she would take point on distributing the Oiers6now
with our added oWer of free boot repairs, for a limited time only6to
the local town boards and to be passed out among inn patrons. Ruring
that time, she wanted me working up my magic, more to make a show
to the passersby than anything else.
Ge had the most eYquisite boots displayed up in front and I had
cleared a spot toward the center where I began spinning out a new set
of boots from imported leopard skin. Lamylle had managed to get me
all sorts of diWerent, unique hides that I needed to form into boots.
“n top of jungle cat skins from the continent from the 8ar Gest, I
had mandrake scalehide, scuttler carapace, and elephant leather. The
last was going to prove the most challenging as forming boots was
a trick of changing material, and elephant leather was notorious for
being stubborn. I’d win out over it eventually, but I didn’t want to
apply myself to it today.
Do, for the most part, the day was quiet. I took my time crafting the
leopard boots. I shaved away sections of mahogany planks until I was
left with two perfect soles. I kept the remaining pieces of wood, in case
the boots needed to be resi ed, and then set about stitching them into
the leather itself.
Even for tasks I was familiar with and needed very little time for, I
did not rush, like the lacing and embroidery. I wanted people to see me,
Nrst and foremost, so I also crafted the boots in the most noticeable
way possible, Ooating the leather above my head for dramatic eWect
and spinning out all the stitching before having it lash itself into the
leather like a viper retreating into its burrow.
By the time the sun was setting, not a single person had walked into
my shop though. At the very end of my day, the door did swing open,
:x RAKKED AS1IDS

but it was just Lamylle returning. She did not have a single Oier on her
person.
CJot them all passed out,— she said.
CDobody came by,— I replied.
CThat’s Nne. I wouldn’t eYpect them to. Ge only just put up the
Oiers and the outside of the shop still looks like trash. Lontractors will
be here tomorrow night to rearrange the shop. I also booked a painter
to come by tomorrow. He said it might be a two-day job, but I tipped
him well. Ge’ll see if he can do it in one. Ge need you to get coin fast.—
Ge packed up the shop, and before Lamylle left, I said, CLamylle.—
CHmmF—
CThank you.—
CHmm.—
And she left.
CHAPTER THREE

T he next morning, there was a broad-shouldered woman waiting

outside my door before I even got to my shop. I had spent the
night in a local inn—not one of the ones that Camylle had visited, or,
if it was, then the bartender must have passed out all of our Eiers.
The woman had a giant pair of brown leather boots in her arms,
with rips and tears along the sides that showed how loved they had
been over the years. “ven as I approached, I could see a layer of soot on
top of the toes and how the laces were about to snap if someone tied
the boots too tightly.
O?i, is this one here your shop”k the woman asFed, once she had
spied me.
Bor some reason, I could feel my cheeFs blush a little, as if I bore a
hint of nervousness. ’ut I wasnNt nervous at all. So, I was excited. This
was my Drst customer and I had a chance to treat her right.
I practically swooped in and had the Fey in the locF not even a
second after I said, O?f course, it is. ?f course. Sow, how can I be of
assistance today”k
The lady picFed up her chin and pleasantly stepped through the
threshold, peeFing around the whole shop before turning to regard
me. Ahe held up two things. ?ne was those boots that were in des-
perate need of a patch-up. The other was one of the plain Eiers that
Hq RK22“S KA6ISA

Camylle had set out yesterday. Ler Dngers were tapping the word
Ofree.k
OKh, you need these beauties Dxed up, do you”k I said, reaching for
the boots.
Ahe allowed me to taFe them from her and bring them over to my
worFstation, which was still situated on one of the shelves in the center
of the shop.
OTheyNre my husbandNs,k the lady said. Though, it was already fairly
obvious that these boots were too big for her feet, even if her toes were
Wuite large for a lady. OLeNs a coal miner, and worFs in one of them
new reDneries. Moves these boots. Moves them.
OSever would have been able to taFe them oG of his feet if he didnNt
get in the accident. ?ut for a month, at the least. ThatNs what the
foreman said. ’ut the only time my husbandNs ever sat around for a
month was when he went on a four-weeF-long Dshing retreat. I need
these to be ready in two weeFs. 7hat do you thinF” Can you do it”k
I only Fept on nodding to her story and half-listened, absorbing
what she was telling me but remaining Dxated on the story of the
boots. Aee, the thing was that I already Fnew everything that she was
telling me. The boots gave me that story the moment my Dngers
brushed against their cowhide leather, stained in soot, dust, and small
chunFs of rocF and coal.
Kll the smells from the boots—what puddles they had stepped in,
what part of the city the couple lived in, and how often the man tooF
his dinghy out onto the river—wafted into my nose and forced me to
grin. I could tell that the man had a bit of a nervous ticF in his right
hand, from how tightly he looped the right lace over his left.
I could even tell how heavy the man was from the depressions left in
the soles. Le was slightly overweight but also pacFed full of muscles,
 TL“ ’??T PKU“ Hj

from how stretched the walls of the interior were. This was a man that
was meant for splitting rocFs.
OLello” I said, can you do it” Two weeFs”k
I looFed up at the lady and gave her a full-lipped smile. OI can do it
today, if youNd liFe”k
The way her face lit up was exactly liFe a campDre roaring to life after
the right amount of Findling had been set. Knd so, my worF, o8cially,
began. Yro bono.
I had already determined the boots to be cowhide leather, which
meant that Dnding the right materials to patch up the holes would be
simple. Knd though I had determined that I could leave the structure
of these boots weaFened—to encourage her to come bacF—hearing
her story and feeling the love that had gone into these boots had moved
me. I would see that they would last another ten years, easily.
I cut open the bottom of the boots and used spare planFs of oaF to
reinforce the wood that was already there. It was as easy as holding up
my hands and willing it to be. 9pon my index Dnger, I had my magical
Bocus, which came in the form of a ring. It was woven from thin
strands of blue Dber laid in a criss-cross pattern. The Bocus dimmed
slightly while I drew from it.
The wood, in response to my weaving, disintegrated into dust that
hovered 3ust above the air. The lady gasped at that, to which I grinned.
7hy not give her a show so that she could tell all her friends”
The boots lurched into the air at my reWuest and Eoated above my
head. The wood dust spun around it liFe a hurricane before winding
into place liFe a marble falling into a hole. The soles built themselves
bacF out. Kll cracFs and worn-away edges returned to how they must
have looFed when the boots were new.
So, that was not Wuite right. I had the whole day to do this, so I set
about maFing these boots not new—but better than new. They would
H0 RK22“S KA6ISA

be beautiful beyond measure. These boots would serve as a means of

marFeting in their own right. Yeople would turn and asF where this
man had gotten his boots, and he would be forced to say that it was
down by the marina. There, they would Dnd a boot mage worthy of
their time and footwear.
7hen the soles were to my satisfaction—a satisfaction of higher
standard for boots than anyone who had ever lived, I was sure—I
moved on to renewing the leather. K normal cobbler might have been
forced to patch the holes manually. ’ut I was no mere cobbler. I could
undo the leather I had in stocF in its sinews and meld it with the leather
of the boots.
7hich is what I did, practically. The exterior of the boots seemingly
liWuiDed, though held their relative shape. The same happened with
the leather I added to the mix. ’oth swam into each other and became
one. 7hen I collapsed the leather-liWuid bacF into its normal state, the
exterior of the boots was absolutely, positively Eawless.
1ou wouldnNt have been able to tell there had been any holes at any
point, even with a magnifying glass. Two pristine boots slowly Eoated
bacF down onto my worFstation. 7ith a snap of my Dngers, the boots
laced themselves up and were Dnished.
I exhaled and then held the boots up to the lady, who had a shocFed
expression over her face, mouth a3ar. Ahe looFed once at the boots,
then up at me, then at the boots again.
OPy word,k she said. OIs that how shoe mages do it” That was all so
fantastic, and—and powerful.k
OSot shoe mages,k I replied, holding onto the boots a little tighter.
O’oot mages. ThatNs what I am.k 7hen I handed the boots over to her,
I said, O2emember to tell your friends that.k
O?h, I will,k she said.
 TL“ ’??T PKU“ H

7hen she left, it didnNt taFe long for the painters to show up af-
terward. Le was an old-looFing fellow—bald head, liver spots on his
brow, with a rib cage that showed through his shirt—but he seemed
eager enough to get started. Kpparently, Camylle had already given
him his instructions, so all I had to do was set him to it.
Sobody else came by for the rest of the day, so I simply worFed on
creating more boots in the middle of the shop until Camylle came at
the dayNs end.
OThis place is still dead, huh”k she asFed.
OI had one lady come in today,k I replied. OAhe wanted her hus-
bandNs boots repaired for free.k
OKnd you did it, right”k
OThat, and then some. Those boots will last a lifetime.k
CamylleNs face twisted and she bobbed her head from side to side.
O7ell, that might end up costing us, if youNre not being facetious. ’ut
I suppose going overboard at Drst will only worF in our favor. I see our
painter is hard at worF outside.k
OLe said you gave him the designs” Pay I asF what those are”k
OSo, you may not. 1ouNll see it for yourselves when heNs done. ?ur
contractor to rearrange the shop should be arriving soon. 1ou should
worF on getting yourself pacFed up for the night.k
Ao, I did, and Camylle was right in that their contractor—a bearded
’rux, surprisingly, from their subterranean Fingdoms beneath the
mountains—arrived as dusF truly set in. The man said he would have
everything moved to their speciDcations come sunrise, though he did
not disclose how he alone planned on moving a whole shop in such
little time without damage.
I will admit to having slight reservations, but Camylle encouraged
me to trust her, and so I did. Py sleep at the inn was not an easy one
though. Sot only was I worried about what those men were doing to
 RK22“S KA6ISA

my shop that night, I was anxious about if I was truly meant to succeed
as a boot mage.
Ao much of this had become out of my control, or so it seemed.
Low had I been so naive in the Drst place” If Camylle hadnNt been here
to show me the ropes, I would have already failed as a business.
Sot only had the ’rux contractor Dnished overnight, but appar-
ently the painter had come by early, early in the morning. ’ecause by
the time I got to the shop, he had taFen down all of his canvases and I
could see my shop in all its splendor.
The painter had splashed several diGerent depictions of several dif-
ferent sorts of boots across the exterior of the shop, bordering the
sole, large glass window that I could now see had my worFstation
3ust behind it. The boots all sparFled and glimmered, as if they were
enchanted straight out of a fairy tale.
’ut what was most eye-catching to me were the words above the
window, designating the name of my business for the whole marina to
see. I spoFe it out loud, and could not help but to cracF a smile as the
words left my lips.
OThe ’oot PageNs, Lome of Ahoecraft and Aorcery.k
O1ou liFe it”k
Camylle slapped me on the shoulder from behind and hooFed her
elbow around the bacF of my necF to lean on me. Ahe admired the
whole building liFe it was made of gold, eyes glinting.
OAhoecraft, hmm”k I asFed.
O?h stop. If you donNt allow me to say that, then youNre never going
to get anyone to walF through those doors. Trust me, you deal in
shoecraft. “ven if you convince every customer who comes in to buy
a pair of your boots, youNre still peddling shoes, liFe it or not.k
Knd, though I would never refer to myself as a shoe mage—I was
a boot mage, through and through—I didnNt deny Camylle. Ao here,
 TL“ ’??T PKU“

tucFed next to the marina where the scent of the river never Wuite faded
away and the sailors left mud prints more than they left coin, I began
my foray into shoecraft.
CHAPTER  FOR

B usiness did pick up for a time, after that. Our marketing tactics
were slow, yes, but they built to something bigger.
Within half a year, I was bringing home enough coin month by
month to start thinking about paying oC some of ’amylleAs loan. vnd
by the end of the following year, I was entirely earned out of it.
’amylle still came by e—ery once and a while after that point, but she
was not nearly in—ol—ed as much as she had been when I was starting
out. vnd my days were magniMcent.
I got to the point where I could count on helping more than one
customer with their own pair of boots e—ery single day. vnd they all
paid me good money for it too. Word around vmbergrad was that if
one needed some good pair of shoesFones that would last you all the
way to the Barrier Uounts and backFyou needed to —isit the Boot
Uage.
xolk e—en started calling me that outside of the business. Whene—er
I bothered going back to an inn or a ta—ern, there would be someone
there wearing my boots, willing to put some coin down to wet my lips.
Uy reputation grew, and with it, so did my clientele. Tntil, one day,
I recei—ed a letter from someone I did not entirely eHpect.
 EG3 BOOE Uv-3 ‘‘

I say that because the letter I recei—ed was nearly as big as my whole
body. It was not signed but it was addressed to me. Well, it was adj
dressed to the qUighty Boot Uage.A
Ehe letter spoke of a Pob, which pi?ued my interest. Ehey claimed
to be the bearers of the most magniMcent set of boots that the world
had left. Ehe customer would not specify much more than that, but
only that I would lo—e for the chance to work on these boots. Ehough,
I was not so sure.
Business had Pust gotten good in vmbergrad and I was not in such
a real hurry to abandon my customers. xor the letter called for me to
tra—el to a mountain that was deep in the Barrier Uounts. It was so
deep that I would ha—e to abandon my duties here for weeks, and I was
already backed up on orders. I could not do that to my burgeoning
customer base.
If I left now, there was no guarantee that I would be able to start
it up again. If they were betrayed by a boot mage, they would ne—er
welcome one back into their li—es. Serhaps I was being a bit too meloj
dramatic, but that was how I sought to run my business. If you didnAt
take yourself seriously, how could you eHpect anyone else toz
No, I ignored the letter, which was, in hindsight, probably a poor
decision. It was half a month before the neHt letter came. Ehis was of
the same siDe, so I knew it came from the same place, and still unsigned.
But it was taunting me.
Ehe letter spoke of how I had declined the challenge, and the
customer was sad to see it. Uy reputation had begun spreading all
throughout -aelaga, and this customer doubted whether or not I was
the best shoe mage there was.
Eo that point, I checked to see if there was a return address I could
return the mail to. Ehis customer had insulted my pride. Rot by
stating that I was unwilling to work on their bootsFfor that was the
‘L Kv443R vN5IRN

case, and simply because they were too far. Ro, they had insulted my
pride by insinuating that I was of the dastardly shoe mage branch.
Tltimately, there was no return address. Ehere were only instrucj
tions on where to Mnd the customer, on this mountain that was
beyond the reaches of e—en the -aelagan 3mpire. Eo tra—el such a
distance would ha—e been foolish for Pust about anyone. Eo tra—el such
a distance while trying to maintain a relati—ely new business, alone,
was Pust plain folly.
I knew it. I agreed to myself that I did not ha—e to go. But that did
not keep me from failing to sleep that night and all the rest of that
week.
I had a steady customer base now. I had a business that had Pust
become proMtable. vnd yet, I did not discard the letter. I could not. It
sat in the back corner of my shop, between two shel—es where I kept
most of the pricier pairs of boots that nobody eHcept the elite could
aCord.
It rested there for two weeks, until I could not take it anymore. I was
the Boot Uage, and I was not about to let some gnarled, old customer
get the better of me. I packed up my belongings, gathered materials
that I would need for a basic boot repair, and then put up a sign in my
window that said the shop was currently closed and that I would be
back soon.
I did not lea—e without any warning, e—en if it was an abrupt decij
sion. I made sure to close out all of my orders Mrst. It hurt to ha—e to
decline new orders as they came in. I was honest with people though. I
said I would be back before the end of the month, so if they could only
wait until they, I would be happy to fulMll their orders in due time.
Tltimately, e—en a professional like myself earns their Pust time away
from their business. In fact, I would say a trip on the road is —ital to
 EG3 BOOE Uv-3 ‘6

oneAs mental health. Business is fulMllment, but it can also become

o—erbearing and alljconsuming.
Ehose Mrst couple days on the road, with nothing but my trusty
backpack slung o—er my shoulders and a solid pair of deerskin boots to
keep my feet warmFcomplete with soft, willow wood soles for pure
comfortFwere nothing but pure bliss. I felt freed. vnd also slightly
distraught, if I was really being honest.
3ach night, I wondered about turning back. What if my customers
did not wait for mez What if they strayed and found themsel—es in the
shop of a dastardly shoe magez
Tltimately, there were a million reasons as to why I should not go
and see whoe—er sent me this letter. 3ach time my mind wandered into
regretting my decision to lea—e, I pulled the letter back out and glossed
o—er the penmanship. Ehe words were crafted so elegantly, but the ink
was so Mrmly pressed down on the page. It made me think that the
writer had to ha—e a strong hand.
vnd they said to report to Seak Yunamere, which was deep, deep
in the Barrier Uounts. I had ne—er been to the mountain range that
bordered the —ery edge of the western parts of the -aelagan 3mpire
and I wasnAt necessarily eager to ha—e to put my feet to the test.
But my boots could con?uer any Pourney. I was sure of that much.
vnd more than that, a boot mage was not going to back down from
a matter of foot tra—el. Whene—er I got tired, I simply drew upon my
xocus and bade for my own boots to handle the walking. I simply
had to keep myself upright and my boots would take care of the rest,
enchanted as they were.
Which was a good thing too, because between vmbergrad and the
foothills of the Barrier Uounts, a whole world awaited. Ehis was the
eHpanse of the -aelagan 3mpire, which ran from the froDen coastline
‘7 Kv443R vN5IRN

of the Nhattered Rorth to the glimmering green waters of the 3ndless

Ocean in the south.
Between these was a miHture of woodlands, rolling hills, and grassy
plainsFwilderness country. 3—en though my boots could ha—e cut
through anything, I didnAt want to bog down my time hiking, climbj
ing, and struggling. vs a professional, I did not care for my Pourney
taking any longer than it absolutely had to. Business owners are always
hypersensiti—e to the concept of time. We know eHactly how much
coin weAre losing when we waste it.
No, I kept my Pourneying upon a series of o—ergrown, bricked roads
that were collecti—ely referred to as the Web. Nome of these roads
were hundreds upon hundreds of years old. Ehey were remnants of
a collecti—e of old kingdoms that had used these roads for trading back
when there had been no unity on the continent.
Ehe Web itself was not really maintained by the -aelagan 3mpire,
but it was used by its merchants, tra—elers, and, unfortunately, by
its —agabonds. “ou see, the Web was useful for tra—el, but was also
undeniably in a state of disrepair. Nome parts of the Web cut right
through woods that had either grown up or regrown back since the
construction of these ancient paths.
Ehese woods were the perfect spot for highwaymen to hide in
waiting for unsuspecting tra—elers. Ehey probably, howe—er, preferred
those more ancient times to do their business. Because trying to rob
magical folk when one did not ha—e a lick of magical potential was not
the wisest of mo—es.
Which was why whene—er I was stopped by a man in a mask, branj
dishing a steel sword, I assumed from the start that there was more to
him than met the eye.
 EG3 BOOE Uv-3 ‘”

Ge wore clothes of black, with darker pants and a hardened Perkin

for his top. v thick black cloak concealed most of his form, eHcept for
a muscular arm that held a steel longsword in the palm.
Gis face was griDDled, with a wide Paw and s?uinting eyes. Ehe hair
on his head was sha—ed on the sides, but strands came down from the
top in a ragged way that made him seem both uncouth and eHtremely
dapper at the same time.
Gis best ?ualities were the twin black boots made of bullhide that
he wore upon his feet. Ehese were eH?uisite, with great lacework and
perfect stitching to keep them all together. I could not see the soles, but
from the way the boots pounded into the ground as the highwayman
approached me, I could tell that they were woodenFperhaps maple,
from the scent of it.
8If you donAt want trouble, youAll hand me your backpack and keep
on your way,Q the highwayman said.
8Ntrange that you would ask for my backpack,Q I replied. 8Because
most of the —alue on my person lies in my boots.Q
I gestured down to my lo—ely pair and then awaited the highwayj
manAs response. Ge still brandished his blade but also now tilted his
head to one side.
8IAm curious as to why you would relate that to me. Would you
prefer to ha—e me take both your pack and your bootszQ
8I would prefer you to do neither. But it hardly matters what I
prefer, because youAll Mnd yourself unable to do that which you wish.Q
8“ou think yourself better than mezQ
8I do not,Q I replied. 8I know myself to be better than you. Eherein
lies my conMdence.Q
Ehe highwayman raised his blade so that it was pointed straight up
at the sky, right in front of his nose. It bisected his —ision, making it so
staring him down meant staring right at the blade. But blades were no
‘9 Kv443R vN5IRN

matter to the Boot Uage. Ehey were a weapon that re?uired footwork
to be eCecti—e.
vs a ruler of the boot, I would dictate all of the footwork, if an
altercation were to unfold. Ehe years spent in vmbergrad had not only
been to hone my craft in boot creation. I had also picked up more than
one trick when it came to boot puppetry.
Ehe highwayman, without a word, made a lunge for me with his
longsword. 0uick as wind, I glided to the side, my boots enchanted. vt
the same time, I pressed my will into my opponentAs boots and slowed
their ad—ance. Ehe highwayman, caught oCjguard by the sudden slugj
gishness emanating from his shoes, stumbled and struggled to keep his
footing as he plummeted on by.
Ge composed himself again and spun back around, still Mghting
against my control of his boots. Ge glanced down and I s?ueeDed his
boots to his feet, Pust to let him know that he would not be able to e—en
remo—e his shoes without my consent.
8“ouAre outmatched,Q I said.
8’learly, you ha—enAt been out in the world much,Q the highwayj
man said. 8Or else you would know ne—er to Pudge an opponent by
their Mrst strike. I was merely testing your ability. Row I know what it
is youAre capable of. While, on the other hand, you ha—e no idea about
me.Q
With all of his strength, the highwayman managed to take a Mrst step
toward me. vnd then another. vnd another. With each step that the
highwayman took, he seemed not only to pick up speed but to loosen
my grip on his boots.
But that shouldnAt ha—e been the case. I pressed my will into his
boots and urged them to clamp down against the bricks underfoot.
But the boots still rose, and rose again, and again, until he was no more
than ten paces out from me.
 EG3 BOOE Uv-3 ‘1

When he thrust at me with his longsword, I did more than bid for
his boots to pin themsel—es to the ground. I willed those boots to 2y
backward, and take my oppressor with them. Instead, he still came at
me. No, I resorted to bringing up my own boots and enchanting them.
I 2ew right near to the highwaymanAs blade and planted the botj
tom of my left boot s?uare in his chest. Gowe—er, instead of 2ying
backward and reeling from the blow, the highwayman continued in
his thrust and sho—ed me aside.
When I came to my feet again, I noticed that his face had turned
red and he was ?uietly gasping for air. Ehere was something foul at
play here that I had yet to Mgure out. Ge may not seem like it, but he
wielded some form of magic.
Ehe highwayman caught his breath again and asked, 8Ga—enAt
guessed it yetz Uaybe this will help you know what youAre dealing
with.Q
Ehen he threw his longsword straight at me. I ducked low and the
spinning blade passed right o—er my head. When I turned to watch it
2y on, I saw that the sword hurled into the distance and then started
to cur—e. It came around and 2ew right back into the awaiting palm of
the highwayman, who was grinning all the while.
8“ou see, IAm what they call a momentum mage. vnd if you —alue
your life, shoe mage, youAll gi—e me your backpack and your boots, and
then turn around to return from whence you came.Q
I stomped forward and said nothing. I was not going to be deterred
by this mere —agabond, and I was going to pro—e that my command
o—er boots would win against any magic.
8“ou ha—e talents then, and yet you choose to waste them robbing
others instead of creating a name for yourselfzQ I asked. 8Is that what
the powers of a momentum mage are good forz Nimply robbing those
who mean you no harmzQ
LJ Kv443R vN5IRN

8“ouAre tra—eling on roads that those in the 3mpire fre?uent, which

means IAm assuming that you associate with them. I am an enemy of
the state and thus an enemy of yourself. ItAs been that way e—er since
the war.Q
8“ouAre a remnant of the War of the Uages thenz xrom the western
rebellionzQ
84ebellionzQ Ehe highwayman shook his head. 8Ray. I ser—ed as a
lieutenant in the Imperial forces. I commanded these parts and held
the line as the rebellion swept o—er this region, seeking to strike at our
heartland.Q
I noticed how the highwaymanAs grip on his sword hilt tightened.
Ge brought it to his side and held it out with a steady arm.
8Uy skills were impeccable for mounting both the perfect defense
and oCense. I could sa—e battalions from a rain of arrows and I could
singlejhandedly take out whole troops of rebels. Uy blade was ?uite
literally unstoppableFstill is.Q
Ehe highwayman raised his blade and angled its tip straight at me.
Ge gritted his teeth and s?uared his feet.
8vnd so, now you seek to harass those that you once sought to
protectzQ I asked.
Ehe highwayman slightly lowered his blade. 8I seek to li—e well.
Once the war was o—er, we had won, but the cost I had paid was too
dear. Uy entire life was spent honing myself into a weapon meant to
defend the 3mpire. But without battles, I was useless. What good is a
momentum mage in a cityz What good am I to the 3mpire without
arrows to stopz Without rebels to clea—e downz
8I take what I can from whome—er I can, and I do not think twice
about it. I deser—e to li—e well, and this is the only way the 3mpire has
left a—ailable to me. I am not going to let a shoe mage con—ince me
otherwise.Q
 EG3 BOOE Uv-3 LV

Ehe momentum mage lunged for me. Gis wea—e controlled his
whole body, throwing him forward at me with an eHtraordinary
amount of force. Ge would ha—e passed straight through a boulder,
had one been in his way. Ehere was no way I was going to be able to
force his boots to halt his ad—ance.
But I did not need to work against his momentum. Ge could conj
trol his momentum, but I still had command of his boots.
Instead of skewering me, I forced his boots forward and mine to the
side. I 2ew out and away from his strike as he glided on by at a speed
?uicker than he intended. Ehe highwayman shifted his momentum
and sought to recorrect his course to impale me.
Uy will on his boots shifted those plans though. Ehe brush that had
concealed him from my sight earlier now worked against him. vs he
attempted to change course, I forced his boots with his momentum so
that the highwayman 2ew into the branches, brush, and trees. Before
he could eHit it again, I do—e into the o—ergrowth and used the woods
to my ad—antage.
Gis lunges had to be cut short, or else he would barrel straight into
the trunk of a mighty oak or maple tree. Instead of commanding his
boots to a standstill, I worked with the highwaymanAs momentum to
keep him mo—ing outside of his control.
Gis sword fell e—er lower and lower, until his strength was spent
and he could not raise his blade at all. Uy boot came down on top
of the sword. I stood upon the 2at edge of his weapon. With my
enchantment, I pressed my boots into the ground until the metal of
the sword groaned, bent, and then Mnally snapped, lea—ing the sword
fractured into two.
8I am no mere shoe mage,Q I said. 8I am the Boot Uage. If this
3mpire does not ha—e a place for you, then itAs up to you to make one.
L Kv443R vN5IRN

Ntealing from others only works to your own detriment. “ou could
grow your own skills, instead of trying to take from others.Q
8Npoken like someone who has e—erything,Q the highwayman said.
8“our skills in wea—ing magic relate greatly to goods that the mindless
hordes of the 3mpire want. Whereas mine do not relate to anything
tangible. Gow am I supposed to Mnd a li—ing oC of momentumzQ
8“ouAre right,Q I said. 8I do ha—e my niche and place within the
3mpireAs ridiculous economy. But do not pretend like I happened
upon it. I worked my way to where I am o—er years of hard work, study,
and practice. 3—en my Meld was not designated until I found my place
within it.
8EhereAs a reason I call myself the Boot Uage, and not a boot mage.
I am the one and only, and that is a badge I wear with pride. “ou should
study your own talents and skills and forge a path through whate—er
mountain you seek to climb. “ouAre a momentum mage, after all. Why
ha—e you let the 3mpire stop you in your trackszQ
Uaybe it was my words that were too sharp for the highwayman.
Uaybe he had Pust grown fed up with my talking. But the highwayman
lunged at me one last time.
Yike before, I sped him up on his path, but I kept e—en more focus
upon my own boots. I cur—ed myself around him, pi—oting until I
came around his back. Ehen, with all of my strength and my will, I
planted my boot right into the small of his back and kicked as hard as
I could.
Ehe highwayman 2ew oC in the direction that he had willed, but far
faster than anything he had anticipated. Ge collapsed to the ground
and skidded to a halt. Gis broken blade clattered out of his hand and
rested on the bricks of the road.
Ehe highwayman struggled but ultimately did not get up. Ge could
not get up. Ge had now lost his momentum, and he had lost his
 EG3 BOOE Uv-3 L‘

strength entirely. I could tell that he was beaten, and I wasnAt the only
one.
8Ko you wish me illzQ the highwayman asked.
8I wish you nothing.Q
8Serhaps that is my problem. Or, maybe, it isnAt yours to bear. Yea—e
me.Q
No, I did. I wish I could say that I know whether or not I resol—ed
the turmoil within that man, but the truth is that his fate ended up
beyond my concern and my in2uence.
What was more important was Mnding the customer that I sought.
vnd so, I continued on my Pourney, crossing from the Web to one of
the few wonders left the in the world.
Ehe great venu 4oad was also a relic from the past. But where
the Web was only thousands of years old, the venu 4oad was tens of
thousands. vnd it did not look a day o—er twenty.
Ehe venu were an old people. Serhaps they were the oldest people.
Ehey were the ones to ha—e constructed this great, impeccable road
that bore no cracks and was wide enough for Mfteen carriages to tra—el
sidejbyjside. Ehe venu 4oad connected to the Web, but it seemed
from the WebAs integrity that it was built as an eHtension of the venu
4oad, after the fact.
vnd unlike the Web, there was no brush on the borders of the venu
4oad, which meant there were no —agabonds. I passed many diCerent
tra—elers, but most kept to themsel—es. Which, ultimately, made for
decent tra—el time.
It was by the end of my Mrst week that I Mnally came oC of the venu
4oad, which ended in the far west of the -aelagan 3mpire. Row, it
was time for me to strike north up and into the foothills that bordered
the great Barrier Uounts.
LL Kv443R vN5IRN

It was in the foothills that the great kingdom of ’loudwatch sought

to hold out against -aelictusAs Mnal assault to con?uer all lands east
of the mountains. Ehey had not held out in the end, but the will of
the ’loudwatchers had ne—er truly faded in these lands. Ehough they
belonged to the 3mpire, it was from these lands that the rebellion rose
up once new magics had been disco—ered.
No, in my interest to preser—e time, I decided to only stop at ’loudj
watch cities when I ran low on supplies. Ehe city that I chose to
stop in was Gighguard, which was nestled into a hillside and was
only accessible —ia a great stairway car—ed from stone. ’loudwatchers
were known to be less than hospitable to lowlanders, and that was the
reception I got when all shops priced my supplies at almost twice their
usual price.
Ehe city did ha—e a -aelagan ?uarter though, which was where I
found people from the heartlands. Ehey did not charge me an arm and
a leg to restock on food, rope, and a tent for the neHt leg of my Pourney.
I left Gighguard without any unusual happenings, though I kept
a Mrm watch on my back as I trekked up into the hills, Pust making
sure that no rebellious ’loudwatch nati—es followed me to take out
their displeasure with the 3mpire. Ehankfully, I was left alone and
my boots were able to carry me through the neHt leg of the Pourney.
3—erything went smoothly all the way up until I witnessed the grand
Barrier Uounts for the Mrst time in my life.
Seople called the Barrier Uounts the —ery edge of the world, let
alone the -aelagan 3mpire. vnd there was a reason for that too. Ehe
mountains seemed more like a wall, that warned anyone approaching
them that they would ne—er be able to pass.
Ehe mountains themsel—es were so monstrously large that all clouds
that hit them dissipated as they could ne—er hope to pass o—er them.
Ehe peaks were so far up that they faded into the blue sky itself.
 EG3 BOOE Uv-3 L6

ust seeing that sight would ha—e made most people reconsider their
purpose here.
But not the Boot Uage. Uy boots would handle the Pourney, and
I would see myself o—er these mountains, who were so great that the
3mpire did not e—en bother eHpanding beyond them. Ehe foothills
e—entually morphed into a more rugged and rocky landscape, and
e—ery step took twice my strength as the incline drastically increased.
v secret that the Barrier Uounts hid, that I only disco—ered while
on that perilous Pourney, is that it did not matter what time of year it
was. Ehey were always froDen o—er in snow beyond where their slopes
faded into the sky. In fact, it felt like time itself was froDen and that
these mountaintops were permanently stuck in winter.
Ehankfully, a good pair of boots made all the diCerence. Uine
trudged on through snow, through slush, and through perilous peaks.
I kept myself Pust barely warm enough to sur—i—e with my cloak and
tent. I only ?uestioned my capabilities three times while en route to
my new customer.
What was I doing out therez I was pro—ing to myself that I would
not cut corners. I would not let a single soul rest that had unMnished
or subpar boots. Ehe Boot Uage did not back down from a challenge.
Eo back down was to be a shoe mage, of which I had no relation. I had
since ceased that —ein of shoe magic and become something more.
Eo which, I needed to gi—e something more as proof. No, I continj
ued onward and upward, e—er climbing the mountains of frost and
hoping that the mountain that I sought would be the neHt peak that I
had to climb.
Ehe letter called it Seak Yunamere, and I understood why it was
called such once I beheld it. Ehe top of the mountain came to a cur—ed
point, like it had been blown o—er from the wind. It was surprising to
L7 Kv443R vN5IRN

see such a phenomenon, but the peak itself was made from hard stone
co—ered in a sheet of snow and ice.
What was e—en more incredible was that there was another, smaller
peak Pust below it that reached up to meet it. It too was co—ered in
frost, and together both peaks looked like that they formed the cur—e
of a crescent moon. It was a mountain straight out of storybook, and
it was where I would Mnd my challenge and customer.
Uy boots weathered the last part of the Pourney, as I parted snow
sheets and con?uered dormant boulders. I kept my guard up, Pust
in case I needed to a—oid any sudden a—alanches or rockslides. Noon
though, I was o—er the peak of the mountain and approaching a small
gully that ended in a large rock.
3Hcept it was no mere rock. It was a great chair. vnd when I say
great, I mean greater than anything I had e—er seen up until that point.
It was a chain that was larger than a house. Ray, it was larger than a
castle. vnd upon that throne of stone so massi—e that a catapult would
ha—e had trouble destroying it, sat my customer.
Ge had referred to me as mighty, but now I saw that such a word
could only reasonably apply to him. v massi—e stone throne re?uired
a massi—e body to occupy it, and my customer more than Mt the bill.
Yegends tell of a race of giants that used to occupy the Barrier
Uounts. IAm sure that most people dismiss them as Mctional, only
because we do not ha—e mountainous in—aders coming down from the
slopes.
“et, here sat a man that was larger than a building and hairier than a
bear. Gis brow was low and currently re2ecti—e of deep thought. Gis
arms were like tree trunks, or e—en bigger than them. Ge wore no true
clothes, instead ha—ing a thick layer of fur that shielded him from the
biting cold and tumbling snow2akes.
 EG3 BOOE Uv-3 L”

Ehe only things that he wore were eHactly why he had summoned
me. vnd at that moment, I was so glad that I had chosen to come.
What I saw changed me fore—er.
Ehere are boots in this world, and then there are works of art. I had
always Mgured that my boots tended to fa—or the latter than simply
being an attribution of the former. Neeing this pair of boots caused me
to retroacti—ely consider all my hard work for naught though.
On this giantAs feet were true tapestries. Ehese boots were fashioned
from a sort of leather the likes of which I had ne—er seen before. No
Mne was the grain in this leather that I could not picture what sort
of creature it had come from. Ehere was no break in it for stitching
either. Ehe creature these boots had been made from had to ha—e been
so massi—e that the boots were taken from their hide perfectly.
Which was not to say that the boots did not ha—e stitching. I call
them tapestries, because that was what they were. Uany cultures of
the world tended to record their histories through —isual means. Ehey
would paint out their mythologies, draw their stories, or wea—e their
legends.
Ehis giant held the whole history of his peopleFnay, the whole
history of the world itselfFon his pair of boots. I could see images of
mountains being created. I could see armies of what could only be —ile
demons, and how the giant and his people had stood against them.
Ehere were secrets on these boots that the most dedicated leywea—ers
would ha—e lo—ed to get their hands on.
vnd people think that what they wear on their feet doesnAt matter.
Ehe giantFmy customerFgrumbled and regarded me with eyes
that were bigger than my head. Ge stared down at me, muttering
something to the cold wind. 3—entually, he did speak.
8“ouAll ha—e to forgi—e me,Q the giant said. 8I needed to warm my
throat, for itAs been ?uite some time since IA—e last spoken. Welcome to
L9 Kv443R vN5IRN

Seak Yunamere, as your kind will refer to it. Uine has another name
for it.Q Ehe giant took a long pause and then shook his head. I heard
the wind whistle across his face as he did so. 8IA—e ?uite forgotten that
name though. ItAs been so long since I spoke in the tongue of my
people.Q
In order for my —oice to reach his ears, so high up that I might as
well ha—e been shouting up a hill, I had to shout at the giant. 8Ehere
is nothing to forgi—e,Q I yelled. 8I came because you summoned me.
vnd I see as to why you thought it prudent to call upon myself.Q
8Ehere are many things that IA—e allowed to fade from this world,Q
the giant grumbled. Gis whispers were louder than a whole armyAs
march. 8Uy people ha—e gone. Our holds ha—e —anished. 3—erything
has faded as it pertains to myself. 3Hcept for my culture, inscribed on
these boots here. I would not see these fade, like e—erything else has. I
would rather perish before these boots do, and ha—e them adorn my
skeleton for all eternity upon this solemn throne.Q
Tpon approaching the giant and studying the boots, I could see
small nicks and almost unnoticeable tears. Ehese would be de—astating
on any mere normal pair of boots. But for these bountiful things, they
were nothing more than scuCs.
Ntill, in time, they would degrade and fade, much like the giant
feared.
8“ouA—e done right to call upon me and my ser—ices. Ehere is no one
more e?uip to see your boots preser—ed against all eternity than the
Boot Uage. I can set myself to work, so that these boots may last for
the remainder of our worldAs 2eeting time. I only need information
from you about the creation of these boots, should you ha—e it.Q
8I do,Q the giant said, much to my pleasure. 8I was not the one
who made these boots, but I know the eHact materials used in their
construction, for it was my decision to make them the way that they
 EG3 BOOE Uv-3 L1

were. Ehey were, originally, a gift, for a brother. Ehat brother has long
since perished and now all that I ha—e left of him are my halfjforgotten
memories of his face and these boots.Q
8IAm sorry,Q I said.
8Ko not weep for the waning of my kind. It was ne—er in our interest
to outlast the younger races that ha—e come to con?uer the world. “our
kind has done wonders already, and it does my heart good to know
that your people will watch o—er the mountains, —alleys, and hillsides
that at one point my people set to building. Ehe world was shaped by
my people, and now we pass it into your hands.
8vll I ask is that you help preser—e the story of my people, inscribed
on these boots. No that one day, when no one remembers who we were,
one might come upon my boots and behold the grand legend of the
origins of their world and know that we had a part in it.Q
I bowed my head to this giant who sat upon the top of the world
and said, 8It would be my honor to see your wishes to fruition.Q
Ehe giant grumbled to himself and then nodded. Ehen he said, 8It
does my heart good to know that I am in the best of hands. I know
that together, the two of you will be able to accomplish what I could
not alone.Q
I rose and then tilted my head to the side. 8Ewo of uszQ I called out.
Ehe giant raised a hand that could sink a ship and I turned to see
where he pointed. Ehere, Mnishing his climb up the slopes of Seak Yuj
namere, trudging through the tracks that I had left, came the person I
least eHpected and least enPoyed seeing.
In the years since our parting, I had worked day and night to forget
e—erything taught to me by vrrick the ’onPuring ’obbler, whose cut
corners had cost my father his —ery life.
Nhoe mages, as a whole, are people who do not understand their
own importance in the daily li—es of the 3mpireAs people. Ehey are, as a
6J Kv443R vN5IRN

whole, mind you, a profession of buCoons who only wield the powers
they unco—er to make a ?uick buck and nothing more.
Which was why when I beheld the redjmustached and lithe face of
vrrick, I immediately sought to pin his furred boots down underneath
the snow drifts and potentially send him careening back to the black
pits of the 3mpire, from whence he had come.
8Oi, whatAs all this aboutzQ vrrick shouted, trying to free his boots
from the —ice I had them in. Ge wiggled and s?uirmed and Mnally
beheld me at the foot of the giant. 8 ordynz Is that youz Is this your
doingzQ
I gritted my teeth, eHhaling as I did so. vrrick shifted and fell in the
snow as I released my grip upon his feet. Ehe shoe mage scrambled
back up to his feet and ?uickly paced o—er to the giant, where he beheld
my customerAs mighty form.
8Uy dear, this is all so much grander than I realiDed,Q vrrick said.
8What are you doing here, vrrickzQ I eHclaimed. 8Kid you follow
mez Gow did you know that I would be here.Q
vrrick glanced me up and down and then said, 85now youFwell,
I didnAt know that you would be here. I recei—ed a letter bigger than
my body telling me to come to this mountain. Ehe promise was that
I would be paid eHtraordinarily.Q Ehis last part, he shouted up to the
giant, who grumbled in turn.
8Both of your compensation will be handsome, should the Pob
you perform for me satisfy me completely.Q Ehe giant, much to my
chagrin, then related the Pob to vrrick before Mnally asking, 8vre we
all in agreementzQ
8Ro,Q I said, stammering for more words. 8Ro, no, no. IAm not
going to work with a shoe mage on the most important proPect of my
life. IAm sorry, but I wonAt do that.Q
8“ou ha—e an issue with your partnerzQ
 EG3 BOOE Uv-3 6V

8I ha—e an issue with partners in general. Ro one can match the Boot
Uage when it comes to the art of repairing your maPestic footwear. Eo
ha—e a shoe mage work on this proPect with me is to in—ite disaster and
to work against our purpose on preser—ing your boots for all time. “ou
must allow me to work upon these boots alone. I will not accept help.Q
Ehe giant shifted, and in doing so, mo—ed his grand boots away
from me and closer to vrrick. Ge leaned forward on his stone throne
and peered down at me with his huge eyeballs. I felt Pudged but did
not shy away from the scrutiny. Uaintaining my shop by working in
the window had taught me many tricks on the art of appearances, and
I was e—ery bit the Boot Uage that I was said I was.
8IA—e been under the consideration that this is a Pob for more than a
single person alone. “ou ha—e not e—en heard of the materials that are
going to be re?uired to repair these boots. Gow do you know that you
will be e?uip for the task.Q
8It is not a matter of if I can repair your boots,Q I replied. 8It is
a matter of the fact that I must repair your boots, for the sake of
the world. “ou desire your boots to remain throughout time out of
respect for your people and your brother. I desire your boots to remain
throughout time as well, though for a diCerent reason. “our boots are
mightier than anything I ha—e e—er seen. xor the world to lose these
bootsFit would be a tragedy that IAd rather not e—er ha—e to consider.
I will see that such works of art are preser—ed. Ehat, in itself, is its own
reward.Q
I shot a nasty look o—er to vrrick and said, 8But shoe mages are
not as altruistic as myself. Ehey only see Pobs as opportunities to earn
coin and spread their in2uence. Nhould you allow vrrick to work on
your boots, youAre making these works of art liable to damage and
irreparable decay. “ou must allow me to do my Pob and work upon
these boots alone.Q
6 Kv443R vN5IRN

Ehe giant eyed me for a while yet, and then returned to lounging on
his stone throne, thinking to himself. In the meantime, vrrick walked
up to me, holding his hands behind his back. v couple of wrinkles now
dotted his face, which had not been there when we had last seen each
other.
Ge said, 8 ordyn, I had no idea you thought of me in that regard.
IFI donAt know what to say.Q
8EhereAs nothing that needs to be said. “ou are what you are, and I
am what I ha—e become. vs a Boot Uage, I ha—e stri—en to be e—eryj
thing that you do not. “ou produce shoes of ?uestionable ?uality and
e—ery pair of boots that I set myself to become works of art, nothing
more and nothing less.Q
vrrick nodded slowly, but I could see by his neutral eHpression that
he did not necessarily agree.
8If it is of a matter to you, I would hear what your opposition would
ha—e to say,Q the giant grumbled. 8I ha—e had a mind to put two of the
great shoe mages to task upon my boots, and my people are infamous
in our refusal to change our minds. Slease, speak. Eell me what you
deem to be the wisest course.Q
vrrick ga—e me one last glance and then shouted up to the giant,
8Oh, Uighty One, I think you are prudent in your decision to re?uest
the skills of more than one mage. “our boots are strong and I know
personally that ordyn is the best in all the land at their craft of boot
magic. With their raw talent and my resources, together we should be
able to see your task to completion.Q
I nearly raised my —oice in protest, but I knew there was no chance
I would make the giant reconsider now. Ge was already sitting back in
his chair and nodding to himself. Ge then ga—e me one last, sidelong
glare.
 EG3 BOOE Uv-3 6‘

8Ko you ha—e any dissent toward what your fellow has claimed
herezQ the giant said.
vnd the real problem was that I did not. vrrick, regretfully, was
right in one regardFhe was more connected than I was. If these maj
terials re?uired fetching, and if the fetching became arduous, it would
pay to ha—e someone of his tra—els on the proPect with me.
Serhaps it was my arrogance, which had grown alongside my conMj
dence, but I thought I could curb vrrickAs in2uence o—er the proPect.
I had skill enough to see to the repairing of the boots. vrrick could
handle the garnering of resources, and I would apply myself to the
perfection of these boots.
8I do not,Q I said.
8 ery well,Q the giant boomed. 8Ehen your task is before you. xor I
would see my boots returned to the glory they once held. “ou might see
them and behold something beyond comprehension, yet I proclaim
to you now that they are a shell of their former grandeur. I am told
that shoe mage needs materials at hand to begin in their reparation of
footwear. ’orrectzQ
vrrick responded, 8Ehat is correct, Uighty One.Q
Ehe giant nodded and continued, 8Ehe soles of these boots were
constructed by pliant willows that used to nest in a gro—e found at
the foot of this mountain.Q Ehe giant rose from his stone throne and
took a mighty step, which shook the —ery ground underfoot. Nnow
drifts loosened and a small a—alanche drifted down the side of Seak
Yunamere.
8We will make this the Mrst ?uest for your task, and we shall accomj
plish this together. Eoo long ha—e I sat idle upon a throne that means
nothing to anyone. I will go with you down to the gro—e and see to the
collection of willow logs myself. Ko my mages permit itzQ
6L Kv443R vN5IRN

vs if we could in2uence what a giant did and did not do. vnd so,
our Mrst task began with the thunderous stomps of a giant storming
down a mountainside.
CHAPTER  FIE

I t soon became readily apparent just how long the giant had sat
upon his throne made of stone. For when we all entered the gully
which supposedly held a grove of willow trees, it was nothing but frost,
ice, and barren dirt.
“There was a river which ran down these walls of rock and gravel,”
the giant said. “But it runs no more. Ice rules here now, which is
constantly at odds with the growth of the forest. I feel shame for
allowing such a thing to come to pass.”
“It is what it is,” Arrick said. He walked between two drifts of snow,
where the naked and brown dirt made itself a home. Soon, he was bent
over, studying the ground as if it could reveal answers that the plain
sight of death could not.
My mind was already at work though, trying to think of locations
across all of Gaelaga that might bring us the willow wood we would
need to supplement this fallen forest. There were swamps in the east-
ern half of Gaelaga, but these were all halfway across the world and
there was no guarantee in their quality.
There were stories too, of trees that could grow mighty in the Far
West. These would be beyond even the Nalkar Desert and would be
harder to Ond than anything in mainland Gaelaga. Rf course, willows
6? DAEEKN AS5INS

were not an uncommon tree. But these were not just any common
boots. They required only the strongest and highest quality materials.
“I believe I have our solution,” Arrick said, pulling his Ongers from
the soil. Eesting in his palm, amidst dirt and a couple small pebbles,
were three little specks that had wooly cotton-like substance encom-
passing them.
“I see nothing but an empty hand,” the giant said.
“As do I,” I concurred.
“That is because,” Arrick said, looking at me, “you fail to see the
potential my hand holds. Here are three willow seeds that are preserved
in the permafrost. These can bear another tree, given enough time.”
“Time’ And how much time do you think we can spare’ Would
you have us wait for these three trees to sprout’ How long do willows
take before we could reap them for their wood’”
“So many questions. IPm surprised the Boot Mage doesnPt have any
of these answers. xerhaps youPve become too narrow-minded in your
quest to handle any and every boot in the Kmpire.”
“xerhaps youPve become too la7, if you think our customer will be
willing to wait for a tree to grow to Onish his request.”
“For me,” the giant said, “time is not an issue. I have waited for eons
with these boots. A few more decades will not aLect me in the slightest,
though I am one to point out that I Ond you smaller races more prone
to the passing of Great Mother Time.”
“In ages past, us smaller races would not have been able to fulOll an
order such as yours, Mighty Rne,” Arrick said. “But the day and age
have changed, and there are new professions and avenues of possibility
being created by the day. I suspect we will be able to bring these seeds
to fruition, and much faster than the normal time it takes to grow a
tree. Such is the creative mindset you get with the worldPs Onest shoe
mages.”
 THK BRRT MAGK 6z

The giant grumbled and then nodded, taking one lumbering step
back up to xeak Cunamere. To us, he said in his booming voice, “Then
the rest I might leave unto you. The rest is a matter of stitching, lacing,
and leather. The laces and stitches both belong to the Arduras, which
are the mighty horses that roam the midlands of the continent which
you both call home. Would either of you happen to know if their
descendants still call that place home’”
“IPve never heard of anything called the Arduras before,” I said to
him.
Arrick again had a suggestion though. “xerhaps the xanvengan are
what you speak of. The nobility of the Gaelagan Kmpire pri8es these
majestic horses, which have long manes, ears, and massive hooves.
TheyPre the most e7pensive breed of horse around, pureblooded ones
even more so.”
The giant waved a hand that was the si8e of a small tree at us. To us,
he said, “That is no matter. I suspect we should talk about the cost of
a task such as mine. —ome with me.”
To my luck, we were not led up the mountain once more. Instead,
we passed around the back of the mountain, where the smaller hills
rolled outward and outward. Beyond the hori8on, the e7panse known
as the Shattered North ran all the up to the roof of the world. Thank-
fully, we did not have to go that far.
There was a cave on the north side of Cunamere, where the giant
Oshed his hand into the stone. What came out were boulders made
out of what could only be solid gold. It shined in the dim sunlight like
it was a hot coal plucked straight out of a Ore. The light danced oL of
it and bounced along the ground.
Arrick could not even sti9e a laugh. He jumped up and down, just
gesturing to the thing. There was enough gold here, as the giant pulled
out three more boulders of the ore to build a solid house of it. We
60 DAEEKN AS5INS

would never have to work again if we completed this task, and that was
assuming we wanted to split itYsomething I was not keen on still.
“I suspect that this is enough payment’” the giant asked. His hand
was still halfway into the cave.
To this day, I wonder if we had said that it was not enough, would
the giant have taken more gold out of his stash’ How much richer
could we have made ourselves’
The giant was able to break oL small chunks of the gold boulders
as both down payments on our services, and so we could aLord to
purchase the materials we were going to need for his boots. What he
paid me in small shavings and gold rocks was probably more than I
had proOted the whole previous year working in Ambergrad. It made
me a bit sad to think that this giant was the last of his kind, as the giant
race would have made e7cellent clientele of the Boot Mage.
“Finally, we must discuss the matter of leather,” the giant said. “This
is the part of the task that IPve been dreading the most, and perhaps
youPll forgive me for withholding from it once I e7plain it in detail. It
is my hope that the payment I have passed on to you will e7ist as a small
retainer for your services.”
The giant stomped forward and we were able to get a close look at
his boots. Again, they were grand. And being out in the snow, I could
see how the frost simply rolled oL of them, as if the leather itself was
immune to its eLects.
“The leather of these boots came from a speciOc species of aurochs
that roamed these mountains. Cike my kind, they were wide-shoul-
dered, long-legged, and helped to shape these mountains with horns
that were larger than the buildings you now call your homes. My
people domesticated these aurochs and turned them into o7en.
“It was from these o7en that, every now and again, a Oerce bull
would spawn and throw the herds into a chaos. These bulls would be
 THK BRRT MAGK 61

even larger than their kin and stronger than even the toughest of my
kind. It would take a whole hunting party of people of my strength
and greater to even attempt to bring one of these bulls down. These
boots were fashioned from the leather that came from one of these
raging bullsP hides.”
The giant glanced down at the dark brown boots and then shook
his head. “No, I lie. It was not merely one of the raging bulls. The
bull I speak of was named 5ithlon by my people. It was my brother
who raised him and 5ithlon was the mightiest of our o7en. When he
turned and became savage, it wounded my people deeply, for 5ithlon
was much loved. My brother did not have the heart to Oght the Oght
that brought 5ithlon lo. It was I who swung my club down on that
bullPs skull. I donPt have memories of that moment. All I recall are
5ithlon as a calf when I look down at these boots. That, and his son.”
“Son’” I asked.
“5ithalack and these boots were all that 5ithlon left in this world.
My brother tried to Ond solace in 5ithalack, but alas, that rage ran
strong in the blood. I feared that we would have to put 5ithalack down
in the same manner as his father. Fate was kind to me though, though
less to my brother. 5ithalack vanished before his rage took him and
disappeared into the west. Rnly the stones know what became of him.
My brother never raised another o7 after him. I always caught him
staring down at these boots. Rnly now do I know why.”
Arrick scratched at the back of his head then looked over at me,
shrugging, as if he e7pected me to say something. And I did have
something to say, which Arrick was not going to like.
“For such a grand pair of boots, made from such speciOc leather
which means so much to you, there can be no replacement,” I said.
And I meant it too. This giant loved these boots more than he loved
? DAEEKN AS5INS

the idea of having them fully repaired. If we replaced the leather, both
the giant and I would be heartbroken.
“Do you mean to say that youPll be declining the task,” the giant
asked.
“I am not saying such a thing,” I replied.
I saw, out of the corner of my eye, Arrick e7hale. It was just like a
shoe mage to only be thinking about one thingYthe coin. His mind
was only turned to the boulders of gold we would inherit if we saw this
task to completion. And while I admit the gold was a deciding factor,
what I was really after was the challenge.
This giant would get the best pair of boots that the world would
ever know. I fully meant to make these boots last through eternity and
beyond that, if such a thing was even possible.
So, I said to the giant, “My colleague, as youPve so named him,
would have you believe that we can bend the rules of reality to our
bidding in the name of these boots. If that is possible, then I would
go so far as to say that we can Ond the correct leather to fully repair
your boots to their grandeur. I will not rest, personally, until I have a
solution for you.”
And would I live to regret those words to the fullest. But that is for
later. For now, the giant was satisOed and we had our parts to play. It
was after the giant took his leave, to return to his solitary stone throne,
that Arrick turned to me to work over a plan.
“We can travel together to the heartland and see if we can Ond a
breeder of the xanvengan to purchase their manes.”
“ ou think I would travel with you’” I said.
Arrick looked slightly stunned. The years had been overly kind to
him. His hair still grew fully from the top of his head, and he was
nursing a more-than-One little goatee sprouting from his chin.
 THK BRRT MAGK ?

To the shoe mage, I said, “My boots will never walk the same path
that you choose. Should you head east, I will go west. If you walk down
the mountain, I will choose the cliLs. There isnPt a boat I would share
with you, and I only tolerate your presence in this task so far as it allows
me to complete it. If you do anything to impact the integrity of the
Mighty RnePs boots, then I will personally see your feet smashed and
your hands broken.”
I spat those words so vehemently that I bit the inside of my cheek in
the process. Arrick seemed so small before me now. I had only known
him as a growing child, so it was strange now seeing him at eye level
and watching how he could actually fear me.
“Why do you hate me’” Arrick asked.
To that, I replied, “Because youPre a shoe mage.”
CHAPTER  SI

T here was never going to be any peace between a shoe mage and a
boot mage. That much had always been clear to me, even when,
to the rest of the world, we were nearly one and the same.
We did not journey back together. I insisted that I would, alone,
Pnd and purchase the necessary materials from a breeder of the -anS
vengan. The shoe mage, if he wanted to prove useful, could Pnd a
means of growing willow trees in a matter of days instead of half of
a lifetime. I had to admit that I did not envy him in his task. quch a
feat would prove hard to conBuer.
’ut one thing IYve learned in my years of managing a successful
storefront is that one can never focus on too much at one time. Aou
must always attempt to solve the problems before you, instead of the
problems all around. That would prove the only way to your goals.
qo, I put the shoe mage and his toils out of my mind and traveled
upon the Renu xoad once more. Instead of eGiting at the Web, I left
the Renu xoad much earlier and turned my direction north, to the
heart of the Naelagan continent.
Dow, IYm no historian, but Eivinities know that we have enough of
those in the Hmpire. The only thing uncertain about the founding of
the Hmpire was when one could really say it began.
 TOH ’MMT 6RNH 3z

The Naelu people, upon whose achievements the rest of the HmS
pire came, rose up out of the fertile farmlands that dotted NaelagaYs
southwestern coastline. Oowever, though they were the start of the
bloodline that would rule the Hmpire, most people claimed that it
only o:cially began when the old, middle kingdom of qhorl was
conBuered. Their capital, qhorBuaal, was seiKed and named the capital
of the new Naelagan Hmpire.
xegardless, there used to be a saying, that no matter wherever one
went, it would only take no more than two turns to get to qhorBuaal.
That was because, like the Renu of old, the Naelagan nobility had seen
the construction of many roads.
Dow, these are not the grand or forgotten roads that one would
Pnd in the Web though, and they are not the grand wonder of the
Renu xoad. These are instead small paths that are roughly maintained
by barons and counts and dukes, and all other forms of nobility that
Naelictus set in place when he took the throne in qhorBuaal.
The idea was that anyone and everyone would eventually make a
pilgrimage to the capital at one point in their lives. Rs for myself, I
had never visited the capital before, but not for any particular reason.
It was a long way from Rmbergrad, and an even longer road from
Oollowvale.
qtill, the road I was on would end in the capital, and I had to admit
that my mind was a4utter just thinking about all the strange sights I
would see. They said that architects had no words to describe what
qhorBuaal had become.
In the advent of our age of magic, those who lived in qhorBuaal
had desired to push the city past its natural limits. It was augmented
through sorcery and other magicallySenhanced enchantments. Think
of it like thisL if I could create boots that compared to nothing else
3— ERxxHD Rq5IDq

on the face of the world itself, the same had already been done to the
whole of qhorBuaal as well.
It was hard to think of qhorBuaal as a plain city anymore too. That
was clear enough when I approached qhorBuaal, and the horiKon lit
up like a lighthouse burning for ships coming to harbor.
In fact, qhorBuaal might have, in itself, been a lighthouse. The city
was massive, sprawling across an entire ravine in the shadow of the
massive “ake qhorl. Instead of trying to Pt more buildings in the space
allotted to the city though, the magisters, mayors, regents, and other
decisionSmakers had taken it upon themselves to try and build the city
up. “iterally.
’uildings were stacked upon buildings, which were enhanced with
magical enchantments that held them aloft when they really should
have been called down to the ground. Where supports were not, there
were bridges that connected towering structure to towering strucS
ture. The sun rose and outlined the tower that was the whole city of
qhorBuaal.
Rnd it was not two, or three, or four levels either. I could not count
how many layers went into the chaos and grandeur that was the height
of qhorBuaal. It was easily more than twenty layers of pure city all
stacked on top of one another in a way that should not have been
possible.
There were boroughs of the city that seemingly 4oated out in the
air, away from the rest of it all. In fact, the city was dePnitely wider
the further one went up, then at the bottom. That, in itself, gave
qhorBuaal the appearance of a massive tree almost.
Which left the area underneath that tree of a city to be used for
livestock and, more importantly, horses. In the shadow of a borough
that was at least a mountainYs height above me, I walked down a road
that led to a small redSpainted house in the shadow of a black barn.
 TOH ’MMT 6RNH 3?

There were horses roaming the Peld and graKing upon the deep green
grasses.
The only downside of having a ranch in the shadow of the HmpireYs
capital city was that all the refuse from the people above tended to fall
upon your land. There were towels and rags and even piles of refuse
that needed to be cleaned up, all courtesy of this rancherYs upward
neighbors. Though it did make for good fertiliKer, I could not even
imagine trying to run a business when one had to be cautious of what
fell out of the sky.
’ut that was why I had chosen to start my boot business in RmberS
grad and not qhorBuaal.
There was a woman on the porch of the house, who rocked in an
armchair and petted an armSsiKed bird with blue feathers and a beak
that looked like it could tear o” a thumb. qhe had her handCslightly
hairy and callousedCover the bird, but she was not touching it. qhe
was also muttering something to the bird that I could not hear, even
as I came up to her home.
When she noticed me, she allowed the bird to climb up to her
shoulder, where it proceeded to sBuawk directly into her ear. To that,
the woman laughed and then regarded me with a halfSgrinning face.
JAouYd think these birds would get that no matter how much they
beg right into your ear, youYre not going to give them everything that
they wantU7
JWhat sort of bird is itU7 I asked.
JEunno. Fame from a trader from the west. 8ungle bird, by the
seems of it. 6aster of the ranch gave it to me as a gift, for all the good
I do her. Fan I help youU7
JIYm looking to purchase myself a -anvengan,7 I said. Then, I
added, JMr, at least, the mane of one. Aou see, IYm in the market for
33 ERxxHD Rq5IDq

shoe lacing and stitching, and I believe the mane of a -anvengan would
be perfect for the job.7
The woman nodded. JThat it would. That it would. 9nfortunateS
ly, as I said, IYm not the master of the ranch and I have no authority
when it comes to the selling of -anvengan nor their manes. AouYd have
to wait for the master of the ranch to return, or Pnd her in the city.7
Nalloping up to the edge of a fencedSo” region was a massive horse
that could only be one of the -anvengan. Oonestly, it was hard to see
the pure resemblance to a horse in this creature. It seemed more akin to
a bear, eGcept for its long legs and hooves. Its fur was long and shaggy,
and this one had its fur braided into long strands that 4owed behind
it as it galloped.
Its mane and tail were yellowishSblond, while the rest of its fur was
a deep chestnut brown color. R normal horse, neGt to it, would have
probably stood at around half of its height. It, in itself, seemed like it
was capable of springing itself up onto the roof of the barn.
JOow come they donYt just jump over the fenceU7 I asked.
JTheyYre smart horses,7 the woman replied. JEonYt really think that
they much care to leave our care. We give them only the best, and they
know that. Mut there is going to be only a worse life for them, but itYs
theirs if they want it. Mne thing I always tell buyers is that you can only
work with a -anvengan. Aou canYt get it to do what you want, only
what it wants.7
JRnd if I want one,7 I said, Jwho would I have to talk toU7
The woman stroked the back of the blue jungle bird until it started
sBuawking again. qhe said, JThat is a tough one. Aou would have to
search out the 6archioness Oaelvetta, but IYm not eGactly sure if sheYs
still in the city or not. qhe was three days ago, but she often returns
back to her estate due west. If she is in the city, youYll Pnd her in Hstate
Oaelvishkint. FanYt remember how far that is up in the sky now.
 TOH ’MMT 6RNH 30

JFanYt say I really enjoy all the changes to the Fity. The Oaelvetta
Hstate used to be just over that hill. Dow itYs high in the clouds and
IYm not sure that IYm better o” for it. Aou didnYt come here to listen
to me prattle though.7
J’ut I appreciate your opinion nevertheless,7 I replied, staring up
at the city once more.
I was going to have to ascend up to the branches of the mighty capS
ital, it seemed, if I wanted to gain access to a -anvengan. Thankfully, I
was not going to have to walk all the way up to the top. The builders of
qhorBuaal had already solved transportation within its infrastructure
long ago.
There were small ferries that almost acted like slingshots, capable
of 4inging one up to whatever level of the city one needed to get to.
These shot out both from the ground and from all levels of the city.
1rom afar, it looked like someone was constantly sieging qhorBuaal,
but it was simply the way folks got to and from their places of work,
rest, and leisure.
1or me, I grew anGious in the waiting station for the sky ferries.
These were powered by nothing other than propulsion, but each was
guided by a ferryman. These were proPcient wind mages, from the
seems of it. Mr maybe they were something else, having to do with the
laws that dictated that whatever was let go from a high altitude would
always, eventually, hit the ground.
Dormally, I would have asked the ferryman what types of magic he
invoked in his profession, but my mind was too occupied in climbing
to the handles they had screwed into the walls of the small boG. There
were several other people who joined me, with the ferryman at the
helm. Mnce we were all situated, I closed my eyes.
Rnd we took to the sky.
32 ERxxHD Rq5IDq

There was a great whoosh, and I could hear the wind sliding against
the outside of the boG. I opened my eyes to see us ascending upward
and soaring through the clouds. 6y head felt like it was lurching
down into my chest, but what my eyes beheld took away all worries,
thoughts, and desires.
The city branched out as we ascended into it. There were terraces
and domes and homes and stacked shops that seemed entirely like
miniature versions of qhorBuaal. These all branches out from the main
stack of buildings that was the city proper. Hach level shone with a
di”erent color of lights and seemed to adhere, for the most part, to a
given theme of architecture.
Mne of the levels seemed entirely chiseled from solid granite, with
statues that were so massive that the architects had made them seem
like they were holding up the level above. Rnother level was carved
from deep blueSgreen seastone jade. It glimmered in the light of the
sun, as if I was staring down onto it from a boat on the surface of the
water.
qo much of the city boggled the mind that I didnYt even notice
that our ferry had begun to descend. There had to have been some
manual guidance to the whole craft, but I swear it felt all precisely
calculated while I was up there. We crashed down into what could
only be described as a landing made entirely out of pillows. It probably
would have hurt a whole lot more if we had not landed just shortly
after peaking in our ascent.
It was a bit of a bumpy ride, but after a couple of minutes, I had
the strength of my legs back on my side and a city full of wonders to
eGplore. I stood there, in the middle of a street, staring out what very
much felt like a jungle of urban living. ’uildings did not follow normal
rules here. qome hung from the balconies of other large buildings.
Rt the time, I thought I saw some buildings even floating in midair,
 TOH ’MMT 6RNH 3*

suspended by some strange principles discovered in the past couple of

years.
Rnd the people were just as strange. There were Naelagans like me,
but these were not the people I was used to. They wore shirts with
tattered sleeves, formed from only the most eGpensive cloths, as if it
was style to show how frivolous they could act with their wealth. Rnd
there were other creatures that walked between them.
There were redSnosed and hairy ’ruGes, that carried themselves
with the weight of the world on their shoulders. That all Ptted their
sBuat forms and angry demeanor. It had been nigh on oneShunS
dred years ago since the ’ruGes Prst made contact with the people
of Floudwatch and journeyed out of their caves beneath the ’arrier
6ountains.
8oining certain wealthy nobles were retainers called 6inuun. These
came from deep swamp recesses in newlySunearthed land. These were
even shorter people than the ’ruGes, but far less burly. They had fur
on their heads, though any other fur growing upon their bodies was
shaved and sheared to an Imperial, cleanScut style. Though, that could
hardly hide their strangest aspectCtheir green and muddy brown
skins, like they had just been plucked from a sea of Buicksand and had
chosen not to bathe.
Tall and lithe Dalkarians were easy to spot amongst the hordes of
people in qhorBuaal, but a deal more rare than these other peoples.
They were bald and dark of skin, with long ears and demeanors that
spoke of both calmness and smugness. I had never seen a Dalkarian
before my arrival in qhorBuaal, but I could clearly and instantly tell
why most people held to the truth that doing business with a DalkarS
ian was inviting both disaster and Pnancial loss. The saying went that
one should rather do business with a bee than a Dalkarian, because at
least the bee has the pleasure of dying when he stings you.
0 ERxxHD Rq5IDq

1inding my way around the big city was not easy at Prst. 6any
times, I had to resort to asking someone for directions. 6ost of the
time, the people just ignored me. Rnd even when they did stop and
help me, their directions would contradict one another, or they would
be confusing on their own.
Three times, I was told that the Hstate Oaelvishkint was near the
base of the city. I knew that was wrong, but still, people believed that
by ascending the many staircaseSlike roads of the city, I was making a
mistake.
R couple of folks said that they knew someone who knew someone
who had worked in the 6archioness. Dobody knew where it was
though. Thankfully, I had my own ways of Pguring out who I could
trust.
It was a small secret among shoe mages, but something a boot mage
would noticeCthe dirt on oneYs shoes gave away what sort of folks one
may be hanging out with. I Pgured that if I was visiting a noblewoman,
I wouldnYt wear any shoes that were covered in even the smallest layer
of dirt.
Aet, many folks who told me where to Pnd the 6archioness had
dirt or scu”s or simply holes in their shoes. They were talking big
talk to seem wellSlearned to the cityYs newcomers, but that was all.
It was a gentleman with both impeccable hair and impeccable boots
who pointed me to what seemed to be a 4oating island made of three
clusters of homes.
Mf course, the island was not 4oating. It was attached to the city by
way of a solid and thick bridge, which kept the whole structure rooted
and a4oat.
The folks around here did not have dirtied boots. In fact, I was
convinced that my boots were the ones that trekked in the most dirt. It
was a footman in light emerald robes, wearing sandals that were about
 TOH ’MMT 6RNH 0

as happy on the stone road as they would have been on a sandy beach,
that came running out to meet me.
JOo there,7 the footman said, taking a deep bow. JIs there someS
thing I could do for youU Aou seem to have wandered onto the estate
of the 6archioness Three.7
JThen I have arrived, at last,7 I replied.
The footman tilted his head to the side and scratched his pate.
JAou meant to come hereU IYm sorry, for I wasnYt told to be eGpecting
anyone. The 6archionesses arenYt seeing anyone at the moment.7
JI was told to come here to have an audience. I have come to speak
with the 6archioness Oaelvetta.7
JRway for the day. -erhaps for the neGt week. Though, between you
and I, the 6archioness Oaelvetta is wont to do whatever she fancies.
There isnYt a day that passes that I know eGactly what drives her.7
JFould I leave a message with you thenU7
JFertainly. I will present it to Oer Hminence at Prst convenience.7
J-erfect. Then tell her that the ’oot 6age calls and that I have
interest in procuring one of her -anvengan. If she has reservations
about selling one, I would still wish to speak with her, permitting that
sheYs open to talking.7
JI will recall everything you said and relate it to her without a detail
spared. If you want to have my opinion too, ’oot 6age, I would tell
you that the 6archioness isnYt one for matters of business. Oer mind
is turned to 4ights of fancy, not 4ights of Pnance. The chances that
sheYll wish to speak with you are slim. Is there anything more that you
could o”er her to increase your chance of piBuing her interestsU7
I thought about this for only a moment. ’ecause, as it so happened,
there was a scu” on the footmanYs right sandal. I took my leave without
saying anything more.
0 ERxxHD Rq5IDq

qometimes, people think themselves above the rules of the world. In

great cities like qhorBuaal, there are plenty of people who only care for
the rules that they set forth. They think themselves above natural law,
hence, why the magisters of our country thought it wise to build a city
higher than the clouds.
’ut ask them if they can walk anywhere, even within the city that
they built. Their answer will be no. They must walk upon the roads
that they themselves designated. Oow then are they above the rules of
the worldU
IYll tell you. They arenYt. They are less immune to the e”ects of the
world than their fellow man. That is the irony there. They must weave
further laws for their transportation. They must designate ordinances
in order to procure living arrangements. Theirs was a world cloistered
and dictated.
It isnYt so for the ’oot 6age. I wasnYt going to let the false tongue
of a footman dissuade me. The laws of Naelaga might have prevented
me from entering Hstate Oaelvishkint, but the laws of the world said
that a boot mage could go where a boot mage is wont to journey. If I
wanted to enter that estate, it did not matter that I could not walk in
via the front door.
I would walk vertically, up the very sides of what many called the
greatest city in the world. Rnd I did.
1or the road of a boot mage need not be the one that lies before
them. I did not follow the laws of the world. The laws of the world
followed me. qo, I retreated down a level from the Hstate Oaelvishkint
and charted my course, knowing that I would circumvent an airborne
garden, climb the home of a couple spending time on their dangling
 TOH ’MMT 6RNH 0z

porch, and then make a break across what could only be the stained
glass of a sideways chapel.
When my foot touched the bricks below the ledge from which I
would begin my ascent, I did not even think twice. I did not 4inch.
I shifted my weight forward, and walked straight o” the edge of the
towering city.
Hven after all that IYve told you, you might eGpect a lesser mage to
fall. Nods be good, if I was a dastardly shoe mage, maybe I would have.
Instead, though, I rose.
I sneaked down Prst, and then shot across the nearlyS4oating garden
in the middle of the air, as was my course. When it came to the wooden
home of the couple, I vaulted myself across their wall and then o” of
their roof. The hardest part was making sure that my landing didnYt
shatter the glass of the chapel.
Rgain though, I am a boot mage. I forced my feet to descend lightly.
I landed upon the glass no harder than a gust of wind blowing against
your cheek. 1rom there, it was only straight up. I walked across the
underbelly of the estate above me and then soon found myself on the
bottom side of one of Hstate OaelvishkintYs stone balconies.
1oot over foot, I walked around and onto the balcony like a lady
might step down from a sidewalk. I brushed myself o”, looked back
to see a cloud break against the cityYs form far, far below me, and then
moved inside the estate.
What I found was a palace constructed only out of ornate stone
bricks, velvet fabrics, and the coKiest of canvas. There were adorned
pieces of furniture that called this place their home, and rooms bigger
than most houses back in Rmbergrad. I made my way into a small
courtyard and found that the estate split into three sections, each with
a di”erent color for a theme.
0— ERxxHD Rq5IDq

I took a wild guess, recalling the green of the footmanYs robes,

and assumed the color of the 6archioness Oaelvetta was not indigo
nor purple. What I then found was the footman from earlier, with
grapes in hand, feeding a woman that was deep in thought reviewing
a catalog.
The woman sat directly underneath a great, red tapestry, and was
nearly one herself. qhe was on a couch of red cushions, in a solid
red dress that complimented the green of everything else in the room
eGcellently. Furly hair tumbled down, auburn in color, and she bit into
a grape from her footman, chewing it between ruby lips.
The footman was Buick to take notice of me. Oe did a double take,
and when he was sure I was not a trick of the mind, pu”ed up and spat
some gibberish my way.
When he managed to get control over his words again, he said,
JAouCyouYre not supposed to be here, ’oot 6age.7
JI can see that your 6archioness is very much not home at the
moment,7 I replied.
JThis is the shoe mage that came knockingU7 the woman asked.
JTheyYre a lot prettier than you led me on to believe.7
JAes, erm, Aour Nrace, I can see them dispatched at once.7 The
footman moved to put down the grapes Prst, with no doubt all inS
tentions turned toward heaving me o” of a balcony.
JEonYt bother,7 the woman said. JTheyYre welcome here. They
came knocking for Oaelvetta and Oaelvetta would hear them out.7
JMhCof course, Aour Nrace,7 the footman said, bowing.
J“eave us.7
The footman picked up the grapes and Buickly shu ed out of the
room, casting one last, mean glare in my direction. ’ut, hey, I wasnYt
the one who lied here.
 TOH ’MMT 6RNH 0?

JWelcome,7 the woman said. JOe told me that a shoe mage came
here calling on me. OeYs always trying to protect me. ’ut youYre not
some brute who thinks that they know what a girl wants.7
qo, this was the 6archioness Oaelvetta. qhe shifted until she was
leaning against the back of the couch. Oer eyes were PGed upon mine,
unmoving. 9nwavering.
JIYm the child of a shoemaker and the successor of all shoe mages,7 I
declared. JThere is no one better to deal with in the matter of footwear
than the one and only ’oot 6age.7 I had mastered my pitch by now.
It was what got people to buy from me once I got them in the shop.
JRnd what can I do for such a powerful craftsman, “ord ’oot
6ageU7 the 6archioness asked.
It was a play at mockery, but I elected to roll with it. JI would
purchase one -anvengan from your herd below.7
JIndeed,7 the 6archioness said. JIs boot magic so lucrative that you
could a”ord such a purchaseU7
1rom my backpack, I plucked the chunks of raw gold ore that the
6ighty Mne had bestowed upon myself and Rrrick. It glimmered in
my hand and seemed far too heavy for what it was, as I held it up
with the intent of trading it for an actual horse. In the face of the
6archioness, it made all her features glimmer and shine, as if she
herself were made of gold.
JAes, this will do,7 the 6archioness said. JThis will do nicely for an
eGchange for a -anvengan. 6ay I ask what is your purpose with one of
my herd thoughU7
JI would use its mane to help in the repairs of the worldYs greatest
pair of boots. Dothing more. Dothing less.7
The 6archioness scratched at her chin. Jqo, you donYt even really
need the horse then, do youU7
JI do not. Mnly the mane.7
03 ERxxHD Rq5IDq

JThen I propose a trade, if you do not mind. There is an event this

evening, that I wish to go to. Rnd I have my outPt all picked out and
perfected. Oowever, it was my shoes that did not sit right with me. Aou
see, there is a trend of late in the city. They have woman stu:ng their
feet into the smallest shoes that you could ever imagine.7
Jqounds awful,7 I said.
JMh, itYs the worst. 6akes dancing a nightmare and I do so love to
dance. 6y deal is thisL if you can concoct and provide for me a pair of
shoes that both daKKle the crowds and allow me to dance to my heartYs
content, then I will provide a -anvenganYs mane to you free of charge.
Eo we have a dealU7
Mf course, we had a deal. The woman would trade one of the rarest
boot materials for a mere pair of boots. I was in, and there was no way
I wasnYt going to surprise and satisfy. To the footman, I related all that
I would need for the 6archionessYs new shoes.
I would craft a pair of dancing boots that both allowed the 6arS
chioness to twist and gyrate, but also came up to her knees and disS
played the heights of Naelagan fashion. These boots would not have
solid shafts, and instead would have holes to form sortSof laces that ran
up from the soles to the liner.
I knew what the 6archioness wanted too, even without asking. The
insides would be red velvet, the compliment to all the fabric of her
home. The soles would be a soft and supple maple, while the leather I
chose came from the cured hides of river otters from the eastern edges
of the Dalkar. Rll in all, once the footman had the materials assembled,
I made sure to enchant them all together into the master dance boots
right in front of the 6archionessYs eyes, and with a little dance of my
own to make it seem a show.
 TOH ’MMT 6RNH 00

qhe clapped and cheered and beheld the completed boots even as
they levitated just before her. When her Pngers tentatively reached out
and graKed against them, I knew that I had completed my job.
J6arvelous,7 she whispered. JTheyYre almost too perfect to wear.7
JThere are no boots that are too perfect to wear,7 I said. J1or if they
were, they would cease to be boots. ’ut IYll admit that anything I craft
always comes close.7
The 6archioness had not taken her eyes o” of her new pair of
boots, which she now held out in front of her as if they were a pair of
giant diamonds. JTruly eGtraordinary. I had no idea something could
become so precious to me when in truth, I will only use it for so little.7
JThat remains to be seen, Aour Hminence,7 I replied.
JToo right. Too right. -erhaps this will become the default for my
wardrobe as I attend all the balls and galas across the country. Rnd
what should I say to those who ask where I obtained these fantastic
bootsU7
JThe truth. Tell them you got them from the ’oot 6age of RmS
bergrad, and that they should inBuire about them should they need a
pair of boots that will never wither and only daKKle. The time of mere
shoes has come to a close. I will see that all of Naelagan high society
has what they deserve.7
Jqpoken truly eloBuently.7 The 6archioness clapped her tiny
hands together and smiled.
qhe had her outPt assembled and on Buicker than I would have
given her credit for, which meant that it took her no less than three
hours, of course. ’ut she looked nothing but stunning when she
strolled down from her chambers, skinStight maroon dress with an
arctic foG pelt dangling from her shoulders.
02 ERxxHD Rq5IDq

Oer lithe wrists and hands were covered in grey gloves that were
laced with scarlet thread. 1or her legs, she had chosen to allow the
boots to do all the talking.
Rnd all the talking they did. Hvery single piece of clothing she
had chosen to adorn augmented the beauty I had bestowed in those
otterSskin boots. Mut of the corner of the eye, it would seem like a
4ame approached you. Rnd when you turned, you would become
enchanted by her Pre.
The 6archioness marched straight up to me and held out her hand,
to which I held out my own. qhe dropped a small shell into it. The shell
was swirled and pearlescent, and seemed to have endured the passing
of waves, as it was smooth to the touch. I rubbed my thumb against
it while holding it in my Pngers and thought of my shop o” of the
marina back in Rmbergrad and how I had always listened to the waves
when opening up and closing down.
J-resent this to RmvinaCthe woman at my stead. qheYll know that
it came from me and you tell her that youYre entitled to the mane of
my best -anvengan. Which one, you choose. I do not care, because you
deserve only the best. Rnd if it suits you, take the horse while youYre
at it. I suspect that even then, youYll still be the one walking away with
the worse in this trade.7
I bowed my head and said, JRh, Aour Hminence, I suspect that weYve
come to eBual terms. I could not procure myself one of the -anvengan
without your aid, and you would never have gotten boots like as youYve
gotten without the ’oot 6age. The way I see it, such a trade is in all
regards eBual.7
JOmm, pity,7 the 6archioness said, strolling over to the doors to
the estate. JOere I hoped that I would be placed in your debt.7
JAou would wish yourself indebted to meU7
 TOH ’MMT 6RNH 0*

JIndebted to the ’oot 6age. Aes. 1or then there would be reason
enough for us to meet again. Rs it stands, I suppose I will simply have
to search you out. Rmbergrad, you saidU WeYll see how long that lasts.7
CHAPTER  ESEV

I had come to Shorquaal by the integrity of my own two boots.

Now, I was leaving by the hooves of the pnest and largest horse I
had ever had the Hleasure of riding uHon.
ker name was Sunset, and she was as orange as an evening szy and
as quicz as a high soaring UeHhyr. ker mane was blond and it Mowed
with the wind, tumbling down from the bacz of her necz almost to
the ground. ker tail was equally as long and riding uHon her must have
given all those I Hassed the imHressing that I was surpng uHon a wave
of pre.
ker galloHs were smooth, esHecially for a horse of her siUe. ’Hon
her mighty bacz, it felt more lize she was Hushing the earth beneath us
away, so that everything else was moving around us.
I had done everything in my Hower to refrain from tazing one of the
ParchionessAs “anvengan. Tmvina had insisted that the Parchioness
kelvetta would only want the best for someone who Hresented the
shell I had handed over.
”-he Parchioness always hands out gifts to those she lizes,B Tmvj
ina had said. ”—ut in all my years underneath her wing, I have never
seen her give away a shell. -heyAre always household obEectsOthimbles
and sHoons and other common trinzets. T shell. -hat means she must
really lize you.B
 -kG —88- PT1G Fx

Sunset had been the prst of the herd to aHHroach, and riding her
felt lize I was still whole. I did not feel lize I was mounting another
creature. Instead, it felt lize I was growing more legs uHon which I
could carry myself. Tnd so, my boots of many occuHations gained yet
anotherOriding boots.
I was gently urging Sunset onward. -he Eourney would be long into
the Hart of the GmHire znown as the Shattered North. I had held uH
my end of the acquisitions of our resources but I znew that I would
have to assist Trricz with his end. 8ne simHly could not trust a shoe
mage to do any sort of tasz, no matter how small or insignipcant.
—eyond the froUen tundra that stretched outward from the rolling
Hlains of the heartland, there were hundreds of small rivers, creezs,
and lazes that were froUen over nearly yearjround. -he northerners
built small bridges over these, mostly made out of stone bricz but
sometimes out of roughjcut wood and sticzs.
Py destination was deeH into the Shattered North, where the
mainland of 1aelaga broze away from all the many diWerent icedjover
rivers triczling down from the DroUen 8cean. -he whole tundra bej
came more of a collection of islands, and both myself and Sunset
were dearly thanzful that there were still wooden bridges by which to
navigate.
Snow tumbled down from heavy clouds in great storms of Mazes
and frost. It was hard to see much of anything when all of the land
that one could see was Eust white.
I did my best to zeeH us on the right Hath. Dor not only am I an
eRHert in bootcraft, but IAm also an eRHert in the sorts of footHrints a
boot might maze, esHecially in snow. Khenever I felt uncertain, all I
had to do was pnd our way again from footHrints left by the HeoHle of
1aelagaAs northernmost city, Settelem.
F3 2TCCGN TSLINS

Settelem was also one of the longestjstanding cities in all of the

GmHire. In fact, lize relatively few cities, it outdated the GmHire itself.
Settelem had been home to the northmen before 1aelictus had united
the continent and had been the location of “alinfas, which was the
greatest of their halls.
-he northmen had a brutal culture, which celebrated surviving the
snow and surviving each other. -hese halls were where they gathj
ered and celebrated long life and a temHorary end to their endless
bloodshed. -hey were among the prst that 1aelictus anneRed into his
nowjmighty GmHire.
—ut though the GmHire had tamed the northmen, it could not bring
Settelem down from its northernmost Heninsula, where it weathered
sheets of ice, biting winds, and all manners of arctic creatures that
made their home all the way out here in the frost.
-he reason I came all this way was because I znew where Trricz
would go. kis issue was a matter of time, which was a magic unlize
most others. -ime was a pniczy issue and was not something one
should Hractice with scores of HeoHle around. T secluded tower at the
Heaz of the world was the location where one of the most notorious
time mages made their home.
-hey fancied themselves the 4hronocaster. Kell, at this Hoint, they
were Eust the prst of a handful, as other cities had chronocasters of
their own. It was something that, I susHect, I will have to learn to deal
with in time, once boot magic catches on with more of the general
HoHulace.
kowever, Yarzim the 4hronocaster was renowned throughout all
the GmHire as the woman who had brozen the issue of time. It had
once been thought that no one could mess with time, not even with
magic. It had been an absolute until Yarzim had Hroven that to be
false. Kord was that she announced her own arrival to the emHeror
 -kG —88- PT1G F5

himself when she had solved the issue of time, arriving before herself
to tell everyone that she herself was coming.
-hat, of course, had been Hroof enough that she had solved time
magic. 8r, at least, that was how the story went.
Nobody had seen Yarzim in years though. -hat, too, was a rumor,
but I believed it enough. If I had the mind and ability to cracz through
time, I donAt thinz I would sHend much talzing with other HeoHle. No,
I would have an agenda, and that would be all.
Settelem loozed Hlain enough through the bliUUard I was in. -he
city had mighty walls made out of thicz wood, which almost seemed
lize a whole Meet of boats turned on their sides. No guards were Hosted
at the gate, but Hrobably only because they didnAt get a whole lot of
visitors this far uH north.
It was a city of a couHle hundred and nothing more. “laces were
mostly built from imHorted wood, because they could retain heat and
zeeH their HeoHle warm. Gverything in the city seemed to be built on
the same level, as the Shattered North laczed any sort of verticality as
it reached out to the ocean.
8n all sides of Settelem eRceHt for one, the DroUen 8cean raged and
churned uH the beaches, which were iced over for the most Hart. Tt
the furthermost Hoint of land in Settelem, a tower rose uH into the
snowjplled szy, Hiercing the veil with stone bricz staczed uHon stone
bricz, all held together through the worldAs strongest mortar.
It was as I stared uH at the 4hronocasterAs tower that I realiUed the
snow around me wasnAt falling. It was moving, sure, but it wasnAt
falling to the ground. No, instead, the snowMazes tumbled uHward,
bacz toward the szy.
T man eRited one of the nearby homes, but he came out strolling
baczward. Doot over foot, he baczsteHHed without loozing across the
F? 2TCCGN TSLINS

road, where he then waved at a woman closing her windows that he

had not seen before.
Gven more surHrising was that when he reached his own small hut,
the door oHened itself and met his hand, as if he had summoned it.
Tfter which, he steHHed baczward into his house and gently closed the
door.
I had realiUed what was haHHening by this Hoint, but it was still
strange to see everything Mowing baczward around me. Somehow, for
some reason, time itself was moving oHHosite of me.
I felt a small tugging on my szin. Sunset still trotted forward, but it
was as if whatever weave forced these HeoHle and the world in reverse
was seeing if it could aWect me and my steed too. So far, it had not
been able to, and it would learn that I would become a challenge. No
oneOnot even time itselfOwould force a boot mageAs boots to walz
baczward when they did not mean to do so.
I did not have to wait for long to learn why the world had suddenly
turned on its head. —ecause who should come uH to run neRt to me
but Trricz the 4onEuring 4obbler, sHrinting baczward and moving
all the way bacz in the direction of the 4hronocasterAs tower.
Ts Trricz steHHed baczward, heel over toe, he cradled something in
his arms. ke was saying something too, but because it was in reverse,
I couldnAt begin to Hiece together what it was.
Now, you wouldnAt znow this oWjhand, but I swear to you that
itAs true. 6our clothing has more of a sway over you than you give it
credit for. It can change your mood. It can change your life. Tnd, in
the hands of a Hrofessional, it can even shaHe time itself.
-hat was why by drawing uHon the energies stored within my Docus
uHon my pnger and thrusting my hand toward Trricz, I bound his
boots to this one moment that I also occuHied. Tnd since I commandj
ed his boots, Trricz the shoe mage came with them.
 -kG —88- PT1G F7

ke sliHHed baczward uHon the snow, after having regained forward

momentum, and collaHsed onto his bacz, groaning and crunching
snow underneath him. Trricz rolled over and stared at the tower,
shuddering.
”Khat have I done,B he said, haczing and trying to catch his breath
again.
”Dunny, I was Eust about to asz you that too.B
Trricz rolled bacz over again and stared uH at me, where I sat uHon
the bacz of Sunset. I had only managed to correct TrriczAs time, and
only so long as he zeHt his shoes on. If he removed them, then he would
be bound to the baczward Mow of it again, Eust as everyone else was in
Settelem.
Trricz scrambled to his feet and then gaUed around. -hen he loozed
down at whatever it was he was cradling in his arms. ke said, ”I did
what I thought was right in order to comHlete our quest. 6ou would
see the Pighty 8neAs boots renewed, would you not9B
”Khat have you done, Trricz9B I aszed.
Trricz oHened his mouth, but said nothing. Instead, he held out his
hands and a Hlain, golden medallion tumbled from out of his pngers.
It dangled uHon a striH of leather and, for the life of me, I couldnAt
pgure out why Trricz even had it.
”-his is the 4hronocasterAs 4ornerstone,B Trricz said. ”She said so
herself. ItAs what allows her to maniHulate time.B
T man walzed baczward between us on the road. T rocz Mew uH
from the ground and into the manAs hands, where he then Hroceeded
to toss it uH and down before pnally settling it down gently and
steHHing into his home without even loozing.
-o that, I nodded my head and raised an eyebrow.
”Dair enough, Hoint tazen,B Trricz said. ”It aHHears that the
4hronocaster can change the Mow of time without actually having
F0 2TCCGN TSLINS

their 4ornerstone. -hat goes against what she disclosed to me in our

conversation, to which IAm actually quite Heeved.B
”6ouAre Heeved9 6ouAre Heeved that someone didnAt tell you the
whole truth so that you could rob them HroHerly instead of abysmally.
Kell, good for you that youAve stolen this 4ornerstone, because if
it wasnAt imHortant, she wouldnAt be trying to reverse time to get it
bacz.B
”6es, well.B Trricz stared at the medallion and then grimaced. ”I
suHHose thatAs true.B
It was quite obvious that the shoe mage had done what all shoe
mages do bestOhe had not thought this through. So, nimbly, I leaned
down, scooHed the medallion out of TrriczAs hands, and started oW
trotting Sunset down in the direction of the 4hronocasterAs tower,
Hushing through the uHwardjtumbling snow.
”Khat are you doing9B Trricz aszed, trying to catch bacz uH with
me.
Kith Eust a thought, I could release his boots and all time to have
its way with him. I zeHt my mind to them though and him froUen to
the Hresent moment. I didnAt znow what he had done nor what I was
walzing into, and as shoddy as his suHHort was, it had the chance to be
better than having no suHHort at all.
GmHhasis on chance.
-he tower of the 4hronocaster was something else to behold. -he
stones on the bottom of the tower seemed craczed and old and comj
Hletely brozen. -here were briczs missing, and some of the steHs uH to
the threshold had crumbled into Hebbles.
kowever, the more I loozed uH at the tower, the newer the stones
loozed. -here were fewer craczs, fewer missing stones, and there were
even crenellations and crests and other embellishments that adorned
the tower which time had yet to consume.
 -kG —88- PT1G FJ

Dor a recluse that HeoHle rumored to frequently travel through time,

Yarzim seemed to mess around with her tower quite a bit. In fact,
though it was hard to tell in the snow that was trying to run uH from
my cheez and oW of my hair, I swore that I saw some of the craczs in
the tower sealing themselves.
Paybe that was a tricz of the 4hronocasterAs current enchantment
uHon Settelem. -here was only one way to pnd out.
If it was uH to me, I would have left Sunset outside the tower. I
could not Eust leave the horse unguarded though. Py dominion was
over boots, and the horse wore none. -he only reason, uH until now,
that the strange Mow of time didnAt aWect the “anvengan was because
I was riding her.
-he second I hoHHed oW, Sunset would be forced to trot baczward
all the way out of town, and for who znows how long that enchantj
ment would last. I wasnAt going to risz that. So, it was a struggle to
pt the massive horseOand myselfOin through the threshold. It may
have resulted in me having to rest my bacz against the horse, but we
managed enough.
Tnd inside the tower, we were greeted to an endless stair that wound
around the inner wall, uH to oblivion. Tt least, loozing uH, that was
how it seemed, staring uH into the void.
Drom all around us came a voice, ”6ou do not return here at my
bidding.B
It was not a question but a statement, and one tinged in a heated
tone. Tnd, though I znew who said it, I could not see Yarzim. Trricz
gave me a shrug when I loozed to him to see if he had any ideas.
”She was here last time,B Trricz said. ”I donAt znow how sheAs doing
this.B
FF 2TCCGN TSLINS

”6ouAre hearing words that IAve sHozen before,B YarzimAs disemj

bodied voice echoed. ”Kords that have been left in the Hast, only to
become unfroUen by this moment.B
”6ou znew we would come here9B I aszed.
”8bviously. -ime is as much a blessing as it is a curse. Khen youAve
seen everything, then nothing surHrises you anymore.B
—ut the Hlain medallion in my hand contradicted that. ”kow do
you eRHlain this9B I aszed. ”6ou would have Eust let Trricz leave with
this9 Gven if you znew that he would taze it.B
”I znew I needed to buy for time to let you arrive,B YarzimAs voice
echoed. ”Tnd here you are.B
”6ou znow who I am9B I aszed.
”Poreso than you znow who I am. —ut time is a pczle thing, and
IAd rather not have it tangled too much. Tscend to the toH of my sHire
and bring with you my 4ornerstone. I would rather not have myself
stranded in this moment, if you donAt mind.B
Gven though we had the 4hronocasterAs blessing to climb her towj
er, I could still feel the Hull of her weave uHon my being, trying to force
me bacz through time. If not for my enchanted boots, both myself and
Sunset would have trotted right bacz out of Settelem.
Khich now meant that the Hroblem was whenever I dismounted
Sunset, the weave uHon the city would seHarate us. So, it was a good
thing that I had a nearlyjgoodjforjnothing shoe mage with me. —ej
cause although it was hard to rely uHon a shoe mage, there was almost
no way that Trricz could mess this tasz uH.
”6ou need to stay here with Sunset,B I told Trricz.
”Khy me9B
”—ecause I canAt enchant her to resist the time weave and the moj
ment I dismount, weAll lose the “anvengan. So, unless you want to
really get bacz to square one, you need to sit on her and maze sure
 -kG —88- PT1G FQ

that we donAt lose her. 8zay9 I would love to stay down here, but
aHHarently, the 4hronocaster znows something that neither of us does
and wants to see me.B
Trricz gave me a short nod, and we swaHHed Hlaces, with him tazing
a seat uHon the “anvengan, much to the mighty horseAs chagrin, and
me dismounting only to begin my seeminglyjinpnite climb uH the
sHiral staircase.
Tnd when I said seemingly, I mean it in the loosest conteRt of the
word. —ecause, for all intents and HurHoses, I felt lize I was climbing a
staircase that never ended.
If I wasnAt a boot mage, then I would have never comHleted that
climb. Nobody could have visited the 4hronocaster but me. So, when
I say that the climb felt so very inpnite, that is what I mean. It was so
far that anyone but me would have failed. I could even feel the strength
of my Docus beginning to fade toward the end, as I urged my boots
onward when my own Hhysical strength failed me, though I didnAt
quite run it dry.
Khat was HerhaHs stranger than the inpnite climb, which wasnAt
Hossible from how pnite the tower had seemed from without, was the
inpnite void that it deHosited me at. -here was not a room at the toH
of the staircase.
-here was, well, nothing. Tfter coming to the last steH, a blacz void
stretched out all around me. -here were waves of diWerent colors that
danced about and shot oW in a whole myriad of countless directions.
Some curved around me before Minging themselves oW into the darzj
ness. 8thers ignored me entirely and drifted into oblivion.
”Khere do I go now9B I aszed.
”Dollow my voice,B Yarzim echoed. ker voice bounced and rej
bounded lize droHlets of water on a window. Gach droH seemed closer
or further away, and so I was able to move toward them.
Q… 2TCCGN TSLINS

—ut that didnAt solve the Hroblem of the void. —ecause where there
was nothing, there was nothing to walz on.
kowever, a boot mage didnAt need anything for their boots to walz
on. If I wanted my boots to steH onto nothing, then all I had to do was
bid them to do so. Tnd my boots strolled through the void as if I was
walzing through a meadow.
I walzed uH into the void. Tnd I walzed bacz down again too. I
walzed in a Harabola and a sHhere and all manners of directions that
you could not even begin to fully comHrehend. ust znow that I was
not walzing uHon anything and it was becoming so very clear to me as
to why the 4hronocaster had chosen to see me and not Trricz.
Tt the end of the void, following the bidding calls of Yarzim, I could
see something. It was grey and glimmered in the void even though
there was hardly any light.
Kalzing uH to it, I found it to be a large metal door. It seemed to be
made out of some sort of steel, but this steel was baczlight, almost as if
it had recently cooled from a furnace. -here was a handle on the door
too. I reached out and held my hand Eust barely away from the door,
testing to see if it was actually hot.
It was not. It Eust seemed lize it was, and I grasHed the handle. In
fact, it was quite cold to the touch. YarzimAs voice had left me alone,
but I was sure that the 4hronocaster wanted me to enter through the
door.
—efore I could oHen the door, it swung oHen. 4oming out was a
short woman with red braids. She had on a set of violet robes with
ornamental shoulder Hieces that were toHHed with hourglasses. -he
sands in these hourglasses fell uHward.
8n her face rested a Hair of halfjmoon sHectacles that were attached
to her ears via a small silver chain. T tiara wreathed her forehead and
bore a glowing white gemstone Eust above her brow.
 -kG —88- PT1G Qx

Ts a whole, Yarzim didnAt even seem lize she noticed me. She
Hushed me aside and then drifted oW into the void.
I almost called out after her and wouldAve gone to chase her down,
when someone sHoze uH from the other side of the door.
”2onAt mind her,B YarzimAs voice called out. ”SheAs Eust doing her
Eob. 4ome. “lease, come.B
Startled, I elected to ignore the fact that I had Eust seen Yarzim
vanish oW into the void. I walzed through the oHen metal door and
found myself in a rather Hoshjloozing Harlor, comHlete with a massive
sheeHszin rug and Hlush armchairs that were carved from the pnest
of oaz trees. -here was a preHlace lit in the bacz of the room, in
front of which sat Yarzim, with her white gemstone glimmering in the
prelight.
I sHun bacz around and loozed at the oHen door, squinting. I had
depnitely seen Yarzim eRit this room. Tnd yet, I turned around again
and there she was.
”If youAre shoczed by what youAve already seen, then youAre Hrobj
ably going to want to steH aside.B
I did as Yarzim suggested, and not even a second later, another
Yarzim steHHed into the room from the void, closing the door before
her. -o my surHrise, she walzed over to me and held out her hand,
eRHectantly.
”6ouAre going to want to give her the medallion,B the original
Yarzim by the preHlace said.
I loozed down at the medallion and held it uH. 1ingerly, I Hlaced
it in YarzimAs hand and halfjeRHected it to droH through, as if this
Yarzim was nothing more than an illusion. —ut it fell into her oHen
Halm readily enough.
Q3 2TCCGN TSLINS

Tfter that, the new Yarzim sHun about, oHened the door, and eRited
oW into the void again, closing the door once more. Khich left me with
the Yarzim by the preHlace, who had a wide smirz over their face.
”Khat was that9B I aszed. ”-here are three of you9B
”-hereAs only one of me,B Yarzim said. ”Ts IAve said, time can be a
pczle thing. Sort of hard for those who arenAt uH to sHeed to wraH their
minds around it.B
”-ry me,B I reHlied.
”Dine. 6ou tooz my 4ornerstone. 2o you znow what 4ornerstones
are to chronocasters9B
”I assume itAs something along the lines of what Doci are to the rest
of us mages. Something for you to draw your Hower from9B
Yarzim shooz her head. ”Not quite. Tctually, 4ornerstones are
rather unimHressive when it really comes down to it. -hat medallion
was nothing more than Hlain Holished brass.B
I rubbed my pngers together, as if trying to test for any magical
residue coming into contact with the 4ornerstone might have left on
my pngers. I didnAt believe the 4hronocaster even for a second.
”If itAs truly nothing sHecial, then why did you have yourself come
and collect it from me9 Khy did you enchant Settelem so that you
could get it bacz9B
Yarzim chuczled and shooz her head. ”ItAs unimHortant to everyj
one, eRceHt for me. -o me, it means everything. ItAs what will zeeH me
from becoming traHHed here. Kithout my 4ornerstone, I would be
forbidden from leaving this Hlace.B
”Dorbidden, by whom9B
”Pyself. T 4ornerstone symboliUes accountability. -o steH
through and disregard the normal Mow of time is a huge undertazing,
and the only way of truly acceHting that is to carry a 4ornerstone uHon
my Herson whenever IAm not weaving time.B
 -kG —88- PT1G Q5

”So, when I gave the 4ornerstone to that other you9B

”-hatAs the real me. So far as IAve come to understand it. SheAs out
in the world again, doing whatever it is that IAm busy at.B
”—ut then, what does that maze you9B
Yarzim stared into the pre and then shrugged. ”IAm me too. —ut IAm
weaving time. I came here and left my 4ornerstone, and then another
me came to Hicz it uH. Gventually, I will leave with my 4ornerstone
and continue on with my life. —ut thatAs after you and I have had our
conversation.B
Yarzim motioned to the other seat in the Harlor and I tooz it, if
nothing more than to hear more about the fantastical abilities that a
4hronocaster could emHloy. It seemed so strange to me, for a Herson
to be able to disregard time lize oHening an umbrella helHed one
disregard the rain.
”I znow what you would do,B Yarzim said. ”6ou seez to accomHlish
a quest that would see your name inscribed in the annals of history.B
”Py name would be inscribed on the pnest Hair of boots ever to
eRist,B I countered.
” uite. Tnd that is why we must sHeaz. 6ou see, there are conj
sequences for tamHering with time. 6ou seez to accomHlish two
taszsOyou wish to accelerate the growth of a select grouH of willow
seeds so that you will not have to wait half a century for those to bear
the fruit you need.B
”6es,B I reHlied. ”kow much would that tamHer with time9B
”kardly. -hat is not the tasz that you should be concerned with.
In fact, I will assist you with that, so that when you leave here, you
will have everything you need. kowever, it is the other feat which you
desire that can be more triczy.B
”-he oR. 6ou mean to say that if we Hull the oRen out from the Hast,
we could risz the Mow of time, or something lize that9B
Q? 2TCCGN TSLINS

”Tctually, no. If you Hull an oR through time, then the oRen will
have always been Hulled through time. 6ou wouldnAt actually be riszj
ing anything by doing that. No, I need to sHeaz to you about the act
of Hulling in itself. 6ou see, time is simHly another dimension.B
I was ba ed. -he 4hronocaster was going to sHeaz to me about
Hulling something through time9 kad that even been our Hlan9 Kell,
I suHHose that was when it became our Hlan.
”If time is Eust another dimension, wouldnAt that maze it easier to
Hull here then9B I aszed.
”karder. -hinz about it. ItAs not Eust lize snaHHing your pngers and
having the oRen aHHear. 6ouAll have to physically drag it all the way here
through time itself. Poving an oR an inch would Hrove hard for you,
no9 kow do you Hlan on moving it through eons9B
”2eHends how far an eon is to Hush something, I suHHose.B
”Dar. Gons are far, and your sHecialty is merely shoes. Nothing more
nor less. —oots, to be sHecipc.B
I had oHened my mouth to attest to the 4hronocaster insisting
that my trade was shoes, but then closed it again when they corrected
themselves.
”So, it sounds lize IAm going to be unable to comHlete this tasz.B
”Ts it stands, yes. 6ouAll Mounder trying to Hull the oR through time,
and risz caving in time itself, which is why IAm talzing to you in the
prst Hlace, not that I wouldnAt relish the chance to talz to you later.B
”If I canAt Hull the oR through time, then how am I suHHosed to
reHair the boots9 I need the oRenAs hide.B
”Tnd youAll get it. 6ouAll Eust have to thinz a little diWerently than
normal. 8Ren arenAt znown to wear boots. kowever B
I thought about it for a moment, and then realiUed where the
4hronocaster was going. Instinctively, I felt lize I needed to gag. I
 -kG —88- PT1G Q7

was not going to succumb to lowering my standards on the most

imHortant Eob of my entire career.
”IAm not going to let a shoe mage cut corners and ruin this for me,B
I said.
”kave you ever aHHlied your craft to horseshoes, or the metal shoes
of oRen9B
I groaned, because I had not. I learned my initial trade from Trricz,
but I had never Hiczed uH that Hortion of the Eob. ke did, very ocj
casionally, worz on horseshoes. I donAt thinz I ever saw him worz on
anything for oRen, but from time to time, shoe mages were znown to
worz outside of their comfort Uone.
-hat was what made them such inferior oHHonents when it came
to the art of bootcraft.
”6ears. ItAs tazen me years to unlearn the weaz lessons that Trricz
imHarted into me. IAve aHHlied every hour of my wazing life to honing
my szills with boots and only boots. I am the one true master of the
boot, and I wonAt allow a Eacz of all trades to mess this one uH.B
-he 4hronocaster stared oW into the pre. She hummed to herself
and then said, ”6ouAre loozing at it all wrong. Docusing on one thing
and one thing alone doesnAt maze you better. It mazes you more blind
to the world, and what you need to do to succeed. T Eacz of all trades is
a master of none, and yet still oftentimes better than a master of one.B
”Tre you saying that the shoe mage is better than me9B I aszed.
-he 4hronocaster rose from her seat. I moved to do the same, and
then realiUed that my boots were clamHed to the ground. I forced my
will bacz over them and stole control of them bacz from Yarzim.
”IAm saying that to be a master of one, youAre going to have to
augment your szills with others. 6ou canAt Eust focus on one area
forever, or else youAre going to blind yourself to what you need for the
road ahead. I donAt Eust weave time, as you see. If I couldnAt ground
Q0 2TCCGN TSLINS

myself with boot magic, I would have been lost in the future or the
Hast long, long ago.B
”I see,B I said. ”Gven if you have a Hoint then, how do you HroHose
I go about bringing the oRen through time.B
”Kell, for starters, you shouldnAt steal a chronocasterAs 4ornerj
stone. -hatAs Eust rude. Tnd my answer to that is simHle. Pemories.B
”Pemories9B
”Pemories do not age.B
I shooz my head. ”-hat doesnAt seem right. I donAt even remember
what I had for breazfast three days ago.B
”Cest assured, memories do not change. 8ur HerceHtion of them
does. 8ur HerceHtion can be warHed and clouded and often is. —ut the
memory itself is intact. It is a Hure thing, loczed in a door that requires
only a very sHecipc zey.B
Yarzim nodded to the sole metal door. I regarded it for a long while,
and then eRtraHolated what the 4hronocaster was telling me.
”2oes that mean weAre in a memory right now9B
”8f sorts. Not onejtojone, but a similar HrinciHle aHHlies. Cegardj
less, youAre going to need a memory of the oRen in order to Hull it bacz
through time.B
”kow are we suHHosed to get that9B
”IAm often told that song is a great translator of memories, from
Herson to Herson. “erhaHs you need to eRHose yourself to an old tale
of the oRen youAre trying to bring9B
Khich meant that we needed the giant to sing to us about the oRen.
1reat. Tnd I needed the shoe mage to helH Hull the oRen through time.
-his was all going to worz out Eust Herfectly. I could already tell.
Cegardless, I had my answer. I znew acceHting this quest that it
wasnAt going to be easy, and, sure enough, it wasnAt.
”kow are we going to get bacz9B I aszed.
 -kG —88- PT1G QJ

-he 4hronocaster laughed and then said, ”Tll you have to do is

droH your guard, and let me do the rest.B
CHAPTER E  IHT

T rue to her word, Larkim not only helped me out of her tower by
rewinding time around me, but joined through the process of
doing so. She rewound the time of my body but kept my mind intact.
I could see everything shifting around me as I descended back down
the inWnite staircase.
Ahen I reached the bottom, I felt her hold over me dissipate. I spun
around, Larkim at my side, to Wnd one shoe mage.
’nd no horse.
’rrick stood in the middle of the towerHs Wrst “oor, muttering to
himself and shifting from side to side. ”e blinked a couple of times
when he beheld both myself and Larkim. Then he started to chuckle
and scratch at the back of his head.
?’rrick,Y I said, ?whereHs our horsePY
?I only got oE it for a minute.Y
I swear to you that I saw a “ash of red in that moment. See, mark my
words that what IHve been saying about shoe mages always turns out
to be true. Bou canHt trust a shoe mage with anything. So, what was
’rrickHs grand reasoning for getting oE of the Oanvengan and allowing
for the backward “ow of time to bring the horse back out of Settelem
againP
?I, uh, had an emergency,Y ’rrick said.
 T”M G99T N’qM CC

?It couldnHt waitPY I asked.

?-o, it couldnHt wait. IHd been holding it for over a day. I had relieved
myself when I left Settelem, but then this one brought me all the way
back, and I wasnHt the only one to return. Gut donHt worry. ’t least I
got this.Y
’rrick unslung something from his back and showed me the mane
and tail hairs of the Oanvengan, which apparently he had possessed
enough wherewithal to shave before he dabbled in stupid ideas.
?SeeP -ow we donHt need the giant horse. Ae only needed it for its
mane.Y
Still, I couldnHt help but to think about how far back in my journey
Sunset had gotten trapped. ”ow long had we been gone in the Wrst
placeP The Oanvengan could have been just outside of Settelem, or the
horse could have been halfway to ShorDuaal.
Gefore I asked Larkim, the Rhronocaster said, ?I cannot control the
“ow of time for something no longer near to me. Ny weave sent it
back, but IHm not sure how far. ThereHs no point even asking me to
Wgure this one out. AhatHs done has been done. AeHre wasting time
now.Y
There was solid reasoning behind that, so we joined the RhronoK
caster outside of her tower and I told ’rrick to hand her the willow
seeds. ’rrick was reluctant to do so at Wrst, but then begrudgingly
handed them over when I said that our alternative was to let him spend
the rest of his life tending to those seeds.
Larkim planted the seeds in the ground. ?Rould one of you fetch
me some waterP IHd rather make sure they have all the nutrients that
theyHre going to need when we do this. ThereHs a well in the center of
Settelem. It should have enough in it to draw out a bucket. ThatHll be
all IHll need.Y
Jzz 1’00M- ’SxI-S

?The seed wonHt need more than a bucket of water to fully growPY
I asked.
?It will,Y Larkim said. ?It will need a river to become fully grown.
I will pour enough water on these seeds to get you three sprouts. IHll
anchor these in time and youHll return with them. Then, once you have
them planted, theyHll Wnish their rapid growth and be ready enough
for you to harvest their wood.Y
So, that is e2actly what we did. It was strange, for some reason, seeK
ing Settelem moving forward at its own pace again. Some of the people
throughout the city looked at me rather strangely, probably because
their backward minds had not perceived me coming into town. ’nd
the Rhronocaster wasnHt known for her hospitality.
-evertheless, they did not take issue with ’rrick and myself hauling
up a bucket of their water, which we brought back to Larkim. The
Rhronocaster had three willow seeds sprouting in merely minutes and
then snapped her Wngers.
?There,Y Larkim said. ?They shouldnHt grow anymore until theyHre
planted back near Oeak Lunamere. ’nd theyHll survive the journey like
this. I wish you both luck in the days ahead of you. BouHre going to
need all of it.Y
Aithout even waiting for a response, Larkim returned to her tower
and was gone. Ahich was fair enough. Ae had what we had come here
for. I shared with ’rrick that I had a means of obtaining one of the
o2en so that we could return back to Oeak Lunamere, now with the
saplings and mane.
The going was hard at Wrst, but only because my feet missed the
friendly back of Sunset between them. ’ Oanvengan was too large to
have any natural predators on the plains of the heartland, and so I had
to hope that the horse would Wnd a life for itself out in the wilds of
qaelaga or perhaps Wnd its way back to the stead of ”ouse ”aelvetta.
 T”M G99T N’qM JzJ

I wish I could say that ’rrick and I fared better. The truth is that
boot mages and shoe mages can hardly ever get along. Ae walked
mostly in silence. ’rrick didnHt help whenever he slowed me down too.
?I donHt know how you can stand to walk anymore,Y ’rrick said.
?AeHve been over these bridges and sheets of ice for a day now. 1onHt
you ever stop to take even a momentHs rest, 3ordynPY
?’ boot mage has no need to stop and rest. ’ boot mage is fully
capable of controlling their own boots at all times. Should I wish my
boots to continue the journey, they will. If youHre not up for the task,
either hand me your willow sprout or allow me to control your pace.Y
?Bou push yourself this muchPY ’rrick asked.
?I donHt cut corners. I only give my customers the best service they
could ever want. Rutting corners cost lives.Y
’rrickHs shoulders slumped a little bit, and his gaFe lightened. ?9h,
3ordyn, I never did say that I was sorry for what happened, did IPY
I stiEened and forced ’rrickHs boots back into motion, keeping
both of our paces up and our journey on a Wnite timeline. The edge of
the Mmpire was not so far for a mage that could command their own
boots. So, I walked us on, and on, and on until we reached the foothills
of the Garrier Nountains.
Ae kept on walking, until the curved top of Oeak Lunamere poked
out from between two other mountains. The Wrst thing we did was
Wnd a viable new grove for the willow sprouts. Ae could not take them
back to their old grove, since it no longer had a river running through
it.
There were other rivers though. So, a mountain over from where
the giant rested, we planted the sprouts ne2t to running water and
watched as roots clambered out of the soil and buried themselves
again, while the trunks of the willows twisted and grew and leaned
over the running water.
Jz4 1’00M- ’SxI-S

The wood grew fast, until the willows were fully formed and
drooping with their wispy canopy of stringy leaves. Ahile ’rrick
could not prepare for what might happen should he abandon my
horse, apparently, he had enough foresight to bring a small hatchet
with him. It was my pleasure to be able to watch him struggle at cutting
down one of the trees.
That was, until we heard a mighty stomp.
The giant came through the ravine, stepping over the running river
and joining us with our newlyKsprouted willows. ”e bent down and
stared at one of the trees.
?Bou found thesePY he asked. ?I thought, when I saw their dead
grove, that I would never behold these willows again. Bou can tell their
Duiet strength from how resistant to the wind their leaves are. They
hardly pick up the breeFe at all. Stubborn trees.Y
The giant was not wrong. Mven though a cold wind blew through
the ravine, the leaves of the willows remained angled down. There was
something heavy about these willows, which was to their advantage.
They would have to hold up the weight of one who shakes the world.
The giant aided us in the collection of lumber. ”e uprooted two of
the trees and carried them on his shoulders. To the third tree, the giant
said, ?Let it grow and populate the ravine. I would see these willows
thriving throughout the mountains once more. Let them claim what
my people could not.Y
So, with two willows in hand, we returned together to the top of
Oeak Lunamere, where the giant set our lumber down beside his stone
throne. -e2t to them, we placed the hairs of the Oanvengan mane.
?Less than a year and youHve brought me two out of three of the
materials,Y the giant said. ?This is indeed why I chose the both of you
to undertake this Duest. 1o you have a plan for the hide of the o2enPY
?Ae do,Y I replied.
 T”M G99T N’qM Jz—

?Ae doPY ’rrick asked.

?I have my ideas,Y I whispered back. ’nd to the giant, I called out,
?5or the Wnal material, all we need is your help. Bou told us that the
son of the o2 whose leather fashioned your boots went missing. 1o
you, by chance, recall anything about himPY
The giant grumbled and then sat himself down upon his stone
throne. The mighty rock groaned with the giant, but the whole seat
did not even bear a single crack even after all the years of holding the
giant aloft.
?Bou speak of xithalack. ’nd a songP I hardly recall the o2en. I told
you that my memories of my people are faded. I canHt even remember
much of my own brother, save for the fact that his will resides in these
boots.Y
?Bou canHt recall anythingP ’ tale, evenP ’ poemPY
?There was a song,Y the giant said. ?’ song that my brother used to
sing. ”e would let it roll through these mountains, letting his mighty
voice nurture the growing rock. I think part of the reason the Garriers
are so massive is because of the voice that he lent to them. They learned
to grow tall and mighty.Y
?1o you remember the songPY I asked, fearing the answer.
?-o,Y the giant said. ?It wasnHt my song. It was his.Y
?’nd the mountains,Y ’rrick said.
The giant grumbled in agreement.
’rrick turned to me then and said, ?Then thatHs going to be how we
bring the o2en here. The song is in the earth.Y
?BouHre talking nonsense.Y
?-o, IHm not. Ahat happens when you walk upon the earthPY
?Bou leave a footprint.Y I could not see where he was going with
this, at all.
Jz6 1’00M- ’SxI-S

?Orecisely,Y ’rrick said. ?’nd what happens when the Nighty 9ne
speaksP The world shakes. It groans and grumbles. Their voice is powK
erful. Like feet walking upon the ground.Y
?Bou think the song is imprinted in soil like a footprintPY I asked.
The giant grumbled some more, and then said, ?9ur voices are like
plows. If there is such a thing as a print for our voices, you will Wnd it
on the northern cliE faces of Lunamere. Bour lyrics will be inscribed
into the very rocks that the ocean has kept bare.Y
’rrick bowed up to the giant and said, ?Thank you, Nighty 9ne.
Goth for your wisdom and for your grandeur. This would not be
possible without either.Y
?Nany things would not have come to pass. Gut that is the way of
my people.Y
I did not fully understand what ’rrick intended to do, and yet I
followed the shoe mage. ’nd I hated every moment of it.
I was the Goot Nage. I was the master of shoecraft7the one to
stand above any and all shoe mages at all things. ’nd yet, here was
’rrick, spinning ideas that I had not the foggiest clue about. I could
not help but to wonder at the time if there was something that I had
missed in my years of applying myself to honing bootcraft.
The northern face of Lunamere was a dreadful place. ’side from
the peak, where we stood, the mountain fell drastically down and
away, as if some great sword had come from the heavens and sliced
a much larger mountain into two, with one half vanishing into the
churning waters below.
The lines of sediment in the cliE face told a story of their own, I
knew that much. Gut I had no idea how to begin reading it.
?In the line of work of a shoe mage, it helps not only to know the
properties of shoecraft,Y ’rrick said, placing his palm against the open
 T”M G99T N’qM Jz8

earth, ?but also to know the properties of the earth that theyHll stride
upon.Y
?Ran you Wnd the songPY I asked.
?If you give me a moment, I must search through the eons. Gut yes.
I believe I can Wnd this song. Let me have a listen.Y
’nd let him, I did. ’rrick put his ear to the earth and hummed to
himself. ”e nodded his head against the rock and smiled a little. ”is
humming grew louder and louder. ’nd soon, he was pronouncing
the words to an old song. ”is voice, sweeter than I would have usually
given him credit for, resonated upon the northern wind and echoed
against the mountain.

“Short of horn, horns of gore, playful.

Cast my doubt, cast, if you’re able.
The diamond splits in half for you.
There is no rock you can’t break through,
Because your strength is greater than
The strongest among the Anguithou.

“Hide so thick you can shatter spears.

Eyes so sharp you can conjure fears.
There is nothing that you can’t do,
For you’re might is unrivaled to.
Kithlon, o Kithlon. Mighty ox.
And Kithalack, son of the horns.

“Kindness, there is nothing more in

You. There will be a day to come.
When I must show you how I care.
The earth may take you, can’t know where.
JzU 1’00M- ’SxI-S

Don’t know where you will be going.

But rest assured. We will be here.

’s the words trickled out of ’rrickHs mouth, I listened to them. I

latched onto them. ’nd I allowed my imagination to paint a picture of
the young o2 who, whose sire could split diamonds and shatter spears.
There is nothing more important in magic than connection. ’nd
this song connected me to the mighty xithlon and his spawn. I could
picture the great o2 in my mind. Gut it was not him that I needed.
There was a small warmth in my mind, ne2t to where I felt the idea of
xithlon. That warmth trickled throughout my body. It mustHve been
what the giantHs brother had felt for the young o2.
It was that connection that I leaned into. I could see xithalack in my
mindHs eye. That o2, like his sire, had a hide like a mountain and horns
like swords. Its hooves shook the ground whenever it walked, and it
could leap entire rivers in a single bound.
Like the boots that had come from it, there was no eDual to this
o2. It had been the greatest of its kind up to that point, and was the
greatest one since.
Gut I could not focus on the o2. I had to focus on the iron plates
that adorned its hooves. These were not boots.
Bet, who was to say that the Goot Nage would back down from a
challenge that would change their whole careerP -ot I. -ever, not I.
The o2 shoes were, in a manner of speaking, a type of shoe, and
while I was not a master shoe, I was a master boot mage. Ahich meant
I was a damned good shoe mage, at the very least.
I called to the hard metal in those hooves. I called through time,
with my wishes carried out on a memory traveling backward. ”owK
ever, this left me with a Duestion that I had not the faintest idea of an
answer to.
 T”M G99T N’qM Jz

Bou see, up until that point, I had only ever performed magic upon
something which then moved through usual space. Time itself was the
domain of the Rhronocaster. 9r, so I thought.
’s it turned out, connecting with the o2 via a memory opened my
mind to another possibility. I did not have to move it up or down, or
left or right. I could move it before. ’nd I could move it after. I could
pull it through the memory, which had transposed upon my mind.
’rrick repeated the chorus to the song, and I gave the o2 a hard yank
through time, telling its iron hooves that it needed to come to me. I
was the lord and lady of all shoes, and I was not going to be denied my
rights. These iron hooves might have been ancient, but they could not
resist the authority of the Goot Nage.
I could feel the o2 becoming more real, and before the cliE face,
there came a pair of horns. They were short, like swords. ’nd yet, also
like swords, they were so sharp that I knew running my Wnger along
one would lead to a cut.
The winds blew and the sky split open. I could not bring the o2 all
the way here though. I was the Goot Nage and had the o2 been wearing
boots, I had no doubt that I could bring it the remainder of the way
through time. Gut it was not wearing boots and I was not a shoe mage
generalist of a spellslinger.
That was when, thankfully, ’rrick ceased in his singing, spun
about, and pulled the o2 the rest of the way with me. Together, we
yanked it through time and heaved it against the mountainside.
’n o2 larger than my neighborhood back in ’mbergrad fell from
the sky and crashed onto Oeak Lunamere above us. Its landing sent
avalanches of snow in all directions, and hugging the side of the
mountain was all we could do to keep ourselves from being knocked
to an icy death.
Jz 1’00M- ’SxI-S

’s Duick as we could7which was Duick, as I made sure our boots

carried us well7we raced up to the top of the mountain again. There,
we found two rivals engaged in a combat that had now lasted for
eternity.
xithalack had his head down and horns turned upon the giant.
9ur patron held those horns back with hands that could have easier
handled trees by the trunk. The giant roared, but xithalack managed
to push him back against his stone throne.
The giant dug his boots into the ground and held his own against
the massive o2. It was bigger than he was, if that was even possible. Its
muscles looked like it was strong enough to bring down the mountain.
Mach advance made by xithalack sent out a shockwave that threatK
ened to burst my ears. I had to slap my hands against my head and hold
them tightly there just to keep my sanity. ’rrick stared on in horror
with me at what weHd done. 9ne Duestion, I knew, was at the forefront
of both of our minds.
”ow were we supposed to take the leather of something like
this7something which could not be killedP
The giant had one leg forward and one leg using the stone throne as
leverage. I could hear those mighty and grand boots stretching as they
tried dispersing all the force “owing through the giantHs body. Ahen
youHre a boot mage, youHre especially tuned to listen to the sounds of
bootcraft.
’nd so, over the roars of the giant and the grunts of xithalack, I
heard the snapping of the stitching in the giantHs boots. I could see
the leather beginning to tear, even as the giant himself was forced back
into his stone throne.
The giant was not going to give any ground though. Gut something
that to give. So, the stone throne cracked. ’nd it cracked some more.
The boots sunk into the stone and the giant gave oE a mighty roar,
 T”M G99T N’qM JzC

managing to gain enough ground to stop himself from completely

splitting his throne in twain.
That was when I decided that I had seen enough. I couldnHt wrestle
with an o2 the siFe of a mountain, but I could handle boots. That was
the one thing that I was good at.
Nost people have many skills that they learn throughout their lives.
That wasnHt me though. I could make, unmake, and remake boots.
’nd that was it.
Gut even then, I was sure that I could rely on my bootcraft to solve
any problem.
So, I took hold of the giantHs pair of mighty boots. I could tell that
doing so shocked the giant at Wrst. ”e nearly slipped. Gut no one could
slip while a boot mage acted as the puppeteer of their steps. I brought
the giant forward and swung him around to the side of the o2 before
it even knew what was happening.
’nd then I swayed the boots to come forth with the strongest kick
probably ever delivered on the face of our world. The giant took one
massive stride forward and brought his heel right into the ribcage of
the o2.
3ust listening to the cry of pain from the animal let me know how
successful our attack had been. ’nd that was only the beginning. The
o2 tried to dig in its hooves and gore the giant, but I pulled him back
before he could ever be nicked.
Aith my enchantment upon his boots, there was no way for the
giant to lose. Ahenever the o2 even came close, I would yank the giant
away. IHd moved an o2 through time. I could easily move the Nighty
9ne across a mountain. So, I did, and I did it well.
I gave the giant the upper hand7or upper foot, rather7that he
needed. Aith a couple more wellKplaced kicks, I heard the audible
crunching of ribs underneath the giantHs weight. The o2 managed to
JJz 1’00M- ’SxI-S

snag the giant in the knee, but I kept him on his feet. ’s the o2 fell, I
positioned the giant atop the o2, as if I was the true mastermind behind
their tussle.
I moved to force the giant atop the o2, crushing it to its death. ”owK
ever, before I could follow through with my plan, the giant shouted
out, voice booming against the top of the mountain.
?”old,Y he said.
So, I released the giant and his boots. The o2 panted against the
ground but did not move. It did not have the energy to even pick itself
up oE of the mountain again.
?I thank you for what youHve done,Y the giant said, turning to me.
?Gut this last act against xithalack must be mine to bear. 5irst, I would
know how I am seeing my brotherHs o2 again.Y
?Bour brotherHs song left its mark on the mountain,Y ’rrick said. ?I
sang it for 3ordyn.Y
?’nd I used it as a bridge through time. I reached into the past,
and like I just moved you around the mountaintop, I moved the o2
through time to this moment.Y
The giant placed his hands on his hips and stared down at the
e2hausted o2. ?1oes that mean that xithalack never died in the past
thenP ”e was never lost to usPY
I recalled what the Rhronocaster had told me, and how that bringK
ing the o2 forward through time was not a problem for time in itself.
?’pparently, yes. Since we brought it here, the o2 was always
brought to this moment to die. This is the ultimate fate of xithalack.
Ahen I pulled xithalack through, I felt your brotherHs anguish. Ahen
did he sing that song to the mountainsP That was the time that the o2
came through.Y
The giant nodded and put his foot upon the mighty o2. ?”e sang
it in mourning of the father, xithlon, as the babe was beginning to
 T”M G99T N’qM JJJ

enrage. It was a way to alleviate the aching of his kind heart. Ahich
makes me glad that weHve done this, as his heart would not have been
able to bear putting down both father and son. ’nd now to Wnish it.Y
The giant pressed his weight down upon the o2. ’fter the thunderK
clap of a crunch, the o2 was no more and we had all the materials weHd
need to be able to fully mend the giantHs boots.
’nd those boots had not left the battle unscathed. 9n the contrary,
they needed repairing now more than ever before.
’s the giant moved, the stitching unwound from them even more.
The right boot had a tear that ran all the way from the toe to the back
of the heel. Aorst of all, the o2 had gotten its blood on the leather,
which meant that when I renewed it, I was going to have to work on
getting out all those stains.
?Ahy are you smilingPY ’rrick asked.
”e was right. I was grinning more than I had ever grinned before. I
couldnHt help myself. I was going to get to work on the most majesty
pair of boots that the world would ever know. Bou would have smiled
too, I tell you.
?Gecause this is what I was meant to do,Y I said.
The giant heaved and then asked, ?Shall I remove themPY
?ThereHs no need. -ot yet, at least. Ae have the bull, but we need
its leather. ThatHll take me some time.Y
?Bou donHt have a faster way of curing itPY the giant asked.
’rrick and I shared a look, and I think we almost shared a laugh as
well.
?’fter all that weHve been through, I think the last thing we need
right now is to worry about time,Y I replied. ?ItHll take me about a
month, but I should be able to cure the leather for you, provided we
Wnd ourselves enough salt to dry it out. ’rrickPY
JJ4 1’00M- ’SxI-S

?3ordynPY ’rrick said, at my side. ”e had not left it. Through that
whole charade, the shoe mage had been there.
AhatP 1o you e2pect me to denounce him one more timeP I think
IHve said enough about shoe mages. ’rrick though, I have a few more
things to say about him. Shoe mages might cut corners, but7just
maybe7not all shoe mages cut corners.
?IHm going to need about an ocean of salt. I donHt mind handling
the skinning of xithlon, but could you go back to Rloudwatch and
fetch me the saltPY
?BouHre going to handle the skinningP ’loneP That bull is bigger
than the whole peak. ”ow are you7Y
?Goot Nage,Y I said.
?Goot magePY
?The Goot Nage. I can handle all things boots. ’nd that includes
skin and hides. Leave the skinning to me and bring me the salt. Think
we can do itPY
’rrick looked back over my shoulder at the bull and then grinned.
? sP I know we can.Y
So, while I worked day and night to artfully pull the massive skin oE
of the bull, ’rrick left Lunamere and descended back into the Mmpire
to grab himself a caravan to bring up the mountainside. Ahen they
returned, one might have been fooled into thinking it was a traveling
troupe because of how many wagons came all the way up to the peak.
Instead, they were Wlled to the brim with barrels of salt. These were
all poured into the barren ravine, where the willows used to grow on
the mountainside. In the ravine, I laid the skin of the mighty o2. 9ver
it, we poured the salt, barrel by barrel, until the hide was completely
submerged in it.
5or thirty days and thirty nights, we waited. ’rrick and I sheltered
in the shadow of the giantHs stone throne, e2changing ideas about our
 T”M G99T N’qM JJ—

businesses, if you could believe that. I know, IHm still surprised to this
day.
It was on the thirtieth day that ’rrick said to me, ?I am sorry, you
know.Y
I shook my head at him and said, ?IHm not looking for an apology.Y
?Gut I should give you one nevertheless. I wonHt claim that IHve
changed. I wonHt claim that youHre better than me at shoecraft.Y
?I donHt engage in shoecraft, so I wouldnHt imagine to be. I engage
in bootcraft, and at that, I am better than you.Y
’rrick shrugged. ?Naybe you are. Naybe you are.Y
?Naybe I am. Still though, I will admit that your knowledge of the
earth came in handy.Y
There could be something to learning the ways outside of shoecraft
too. The RhronocasterHs words still rang in my ears. -ot every situaK
tion suited the master of one.
It was on the thirtyKWrst day that I wove the leather out of the ravine.
It was a massive sheet7larger than the curtains that one would Wnd
on the biggest castles. I brought it up the mountain, to where we kept
the other materials.
Aith the leather, the stitching, and the lumber for the soles on
hand, we had everything that we needed to see the repairs to the
worldHs greatest pair of boots done. Mven though I could have easily
repaired the boots with the giantHs feet in them, I still asked for him to
remove them.
?Nuch obliged,Y the giant said. ?I would actually prefer to see you
two work your craft upon that which I care about most in this world.
These boots, IHve treated with a special care. ’nd I only hope that you
would both do the same.Y
JJ6 1’00M- ’SxI-S

?Nore than that,Y I replied. ?Ae will see to it that these boots last
longer than anything, and become greater than anyone. I will personK
ally see them perfectly repaired.Y
?1onHt,Y the giant said.
I was stunned at Wrst from the giantHs words, as he slipped the boots
oE of his massive feet that could have easily crushed both myself and
’rrick in a single stomp. I think I was about as big as one of the giantHs
toenails, if I can recall that correctly.
The giant elaborated on his insane command though. ?1onHt feel
like you need to keep them intact. Oart of their story is already inK
scribed on their outsides. There is no reason that you have to refrain
from telling more of their story. 3ust, please, keep my brotherHs intact.Y
?I will,Y I said.
Aith ’rrick holding the boots aloft, I set about my business. Ae
had already agreed that the best of us would provide the giant with
the best boots that could be fashioned.
I Wrst set to turning the two willow trees into two massive soles.
I sliced at the willow logs until they were “at as a homesteadHs “oor.
-ormally, I would have had to take the giantHs measurements in some
capacity, since I was working on boots in a siFe I had never yet done
before.
Gut I wasnHt making boots from scratch. I knew how big to make
the boots because I had the original on hand, so I made perfect copies
of the soles in the shoes. Then it was time to Wt the soles into the
leather. I made sure to keep every single divot and crease that had been
there already for eons.
I could have chosen to make the boots spotless, but then they would
have lost a lot of their character. These were old boots, and those who
looked upon them in the future needed to know just how old they
 T”M G99T N’qM JJ8

were. I chose to keep the creases in the boot, because let no one ever
say to you that age is anything but strength and wisdom.
-ow came the fun part. I set the new boots and old boots
sideKbyKside and readied the stitching. The horsehair ran around my
shoulders like a snake. Gut before I spun it into the new boots, I
snapped my Wngers and both pairs of boots unraveled.
The leathers joined together and slid over one another. They meldK
ed and joined, with the old skin of xithlon joining with xithalack and
becoming one. It was like a conversation. I could see diEerent strands
of leather reaching out and touching the other strands, feeling out
what they needed to do.
It was then that I let the stitching “ow. ’s the leathers and soles
combined, I wove patterns back into the boots. I made sure that the
original story was left intact. ’nd I renewed it so that everything could
be rewritten. Ahat I did not know to stitch, the boots told me.
There were stories of the giantHs kind7of their origin out of the east
and how they had befriended smaller races which had only, ultimately,
turned against them. The boots told of their “ight to the mountains
and how there were tribes of men who had worshipped them as gods.
They, too, had abandoned the giants.
Gut the stone and the rock did not abandon the giants. That was
why they settled the mountains that no one else could. They were the
tenders of the forgotten. ’nd these boots were king of that domain.
Gut I didnHt just renew what was already there. I was the Goot Nage.
I could do what others could not. ’nd so, I let the stitching “ow and
dance and weave itself into countless patterns of the world as I knew
it. The boots ultimately decided what it would take, but I threw ideas
at it, nevertheless.
’s I worked, the skies clouded. ’nd my work took the day and
the night, and the clouds wept in preparation for the conclusion of
JJU 1’00M- ’SxI-S

my task. -o wind blew either. I could feel the world itself holding its
breath in anticipation for the return of this lost grandeur.
The last of the stitching wound itself into the boots, and the rain
stopped. The clouds gently parted and showed me the fruit of my
labors.
The three of us all beheld the boots in their newfound glory. ’nd
I daresay that it was glorious. There was nothing else like it in all the
world, because it was the worldHs and mine all at the same time.
?Bou added your own story to them,Y the giant said.
?IHve left my mark, as you said I could, and I left ’rrickHs mark too.Y
’rrick perked up at that. ?Bou put me on there tooPY
I put a hand to ’rrickHs shoulder and Wnally rela2ed after my long
journeyHs end. ?I couldnHt have done this without you. Let the world
know forevermore that this task was accomplished by a shoe mage and
boot mage, working together once more.Y
pon the giantHs feet, the boots slipped without complaint or
groan. They were a perfect Wt, such as I knew they would be. The
stitching didnHt groan or threaten to snap. ’nd when the giant took a
step, the boots cushioned the stomp to a gentle rumble.
Then, the giant did something une2pected. ”e started to laugh. ”e
guEawed, letting his voice boom and echo against the snowy peaks of
the Garrier Nountains. Snow shifted upon other mountaintops. Some
rolled down in avalanches.
?I havenHt felt this grand since I was young,Y the giant said. ?BouHve
brought the spring back to my step, IHll wager.Y
?IHll wager I did too. -ew boots can do that to you. These boots are
new and old all at once. TheyHre old to you and new to the world. They
yearn to know what theyHve been born to.Y
?In that case, it doesnHt make much sense to sit upon this stone and
waste my days, does itP ’ new pair of boots needs walking, and this
 T”M G99T N’qM JJ

world hasnHt known my kind for too long. There is much I would want
to share with you smaller races that my people once knew and then
ignored. I would see you all Wt to step up in our place, but not before
I step Wrst7just one more time.Y
The giant moved and jumped and stood at the base of the peak,
hands on his hips, staring out at the wide world7qaelaga, the -alkar
1esert, and what lay beyond.
?I would see it all one more time, at the very least,Y the giant said.
?Mven if your people wonHt have me, I would still walk the earth.Y
?’nd in those boots,Y I said. ?-othing can stop you.Y
’rrick nudged me in the back and asked, ?Is this wisePY
I turned to the shoe mage and smiled, saying, ?-ew boots need to
be walked in. The Nighty 9ne is right.Y
?Gut to have the Nighty 9ne walking in qaelagaP 1o you think
that will go over well with the emperorP Ahat of our kinPY
?9ur kin will weep when they see boots this grand,Y I said. ?The
world needs to know their step again. If it comes to blows, well, we
know whoHll win.Y
The giant raised a mighty hand and said, ?Bou worry over nothing. I
have no Duarrel with any people. If it comes to hostilities, I will gladly
turn and go. Gut I wish to know the land again, and so I will walk
over it. Gut not before I see you both paid. ’ cave full of gold was the
promise, and a cave full of gold shall be given.Y
CHAPTER  N  E

W hen I returned to Ambergrad, the city seemed much the

same.
There was still the usual hustle and bustle of people, especially
down by the marina. My shop was still there too. Closed, but there.
Shoecraft and Sorcery. With as much as I had done, I still had missed
it.
I pulled up my wagon, practically over’owing with gold, and told
the guards that Ikd hired to wait with my haul. The shop itself, as I
entered, had layers of dust covering everything, from the shelves to the
boots to the ’oor.
My worjstation seemed cold. It had gone unused for over a year
now. All the clientele that I had worjed up were probably now with
some other shoe mages or something. I would have to win their trust
again. I had so much I needed to do and so much now that I wanted
to do.
Itks true that a Sourney around the world changes a person. I was still
sure that Ambergrad would be my home for a time, but I wasnkt sure
about my business angle. “o, it was as I was putting up a sign out front
that I heard a familiar voice call out to me.
D‘Returned and now serving shoes?’ ?o my eyes deceive meH And
here I thought that you had gone and let the pressure get to you.
 TEB OGGT MA1B 99”

Oecause no person in their right mind would have turned their bacj
on something so good, and for whatH-
Camylle strolled up to the shop, loojing at the sign that I was
hanging underneath the shopks name. It was true that I now planned
to service shoes. I had grown too complacent worjing on boots. Eow
could I jnow if a boot would be superior for someone if I was unfaY
miliar with shoesH
The answer was that I couldnkt, and so I needed to get better. I
would not be satisJed as merely a master of one. “urely, a master of
two, or three, would be better. “urely.
DCamylle,- I said. DRou jnow, itks good to see you again, after so
long.-
DI wish I could say the same for you, Pordyn,- she said. D?o you
jnow how much this place has cost me to jeep upH Rou may have
stopped your practice, but the city didnkt stop its rent. Rou owe me.-
Camylle crossed her arms, and I wasnkt sure if she wanted me to
beg her for another chance or not. Negardless, I wasnkt going to do
that. Instead, I casually waljed over to my wagon and opened the bacj.
Kractically bursting from a chest, chunjs of pure gold clattered to the
’oor.
My guards both tensed up, but only because every passerby stopped
to stare at the practically massive pile of gold that had Sust fallen
from my wagon. I only laughed as Camylle tentatively bent down and
picjed up the gold in her hands.
DWhere have you beenH- she asjed.
DGh, Camylle, to the end of the world and bacj.-
“o, remember now and remember well, that when you need to
travel across mountains and rivers and streams and plains, you can rely
upon the ordinary shoe mage. Out if you need boots that will taje you
9— ?ANNB2 A“0I2“

up to the stars and around the earth if you need boots that can taje
you through time, thereks only one mage for the Sob.
They may have had their start in Ambergrad, but now theykre
more than a legend. Theykre an idea a myth passed down in time
through a pair of incredible boots. Theykre, well, me, who comes to
you now to remind you that at the end of everything, you donkt want
to cut corners.
Rou donkt want to hamstring yourself. Master your craft. Master
your wealth. Oecome the master of everything else. And, please, for the
life of me, when you get a pair of boots, maje sure you get them from
a boot mage.
Copyright © 2022 by Darren Askins

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