At the city gate, a guard suddenly asked, "Come to think of it... haven't there been more and more out-of-town wizards entering the city lately?"
"You only noticed now?" the old guard said mysteriously.
"I heard the Wizard Gathering held every six months is about to begin. Nine out of ten of the wizards who've come these past few days are here for that."
"The Wizard Gathering?" The new guard's eyes lit up. "Is that the place where all those wizards gather to sell things?"
"It's more than selling things," the old guard said. "They exchange ideas, trade, make connections, and swap knowledge. But it has nothing to do with us. Ordinary people like us can forget about ever getting in during our lifetimes."
The new guard gazed toward the depths of White Stone City, an indescribable longing suddenly rising in his heart.
Would there be something at those Wizard Gatherings that could make him a wizard too? Something that would let him wield that mysterious power?
He squeezed the spear in his hand. Its shaft was icy cold, but his heart burned with fervor.
Lynn walked down the street, paying no attention to the discussion behind him.
White Stone City was far livelier than Graystone City. Four carriages could travel side by side along its main street.
Three-story stone buildings lined both sides of the road, with shops on the ground floor and living quarters above.
Wizards mingled with ordinary people, and now and then, a few figures in robes hurried past.
There were still two days until the gathering. Lynn planned to find somewhere to rest first, then head out to gather information and see whether he could buy some good goods in the city.
He had just turned onto another street and was strolling along when a