The Nine Bishops
Chapter 26: Signature

Mika realized that the faster she figured out how to cut the stone in half, the faster she could proceed with her training. So far, all of her training had been constrained by her speed in completing the task. It had taken almost two months to complete the first. How long would it take to finish this one?

Mika decided to learn everything she could about the stone before she even attempted a solution. Stone in hand, Mika took it and went to visit Zaya. It was the first day she had finished her training with the whole day to spare.

Mika wished she could talk about what had happened in her training with Zaya, but it was an unwritten rule that members of opposing guilds did not talk about guild specifics. Each guild had its own secrets. Guilds were highly competitive and didn’t disclose training details. Lucky for Mika, Zaya didn’t dig for details.

Zaya wasn’t at her guild when Mika dropped by, she was likely creating maps which was her primary job during the week. Mika left her a message saying vaguely that she had completed her first phase of training. Mika and Zaya had talked about completing contracts together, once her training was complete. While guilds did not discuss training details with each other, mages from different guilds often worked together to complete contracts, something she truly wanted to do with Zaya.

Working with other mages not only made contracts easier, it improved intra-guild relations, despite their fierce competition. Guilds like Crow’s Nest forbid their mages to work with other guilds, favoring in-house collaborations. However, Howling Moon’s master had no qualms about allowing it.

Master Beng had prohibited Mika from taking on any contracts until she had completed her training, which was difficult because she had no other source of income. She had just three-fourths silver left after spending the rest of her coin foolishly with Zaya one night, visiting Monsoon’s many pubs.

With almost no coin of her own, Mika had to rely on the guild. She made sure to always be back in time for meals that Tink prepared, since she could no longer afford to go out. Mika explained her situation to Zaya, to avoid giving the impression she didn’t want to spend time with her. Of course Zaya offered to pay for everything, which Mika respectfully declined. She promised she would be back on her feet in no time.

Coin was needed for traveling across Monsoon by the canal systems, which was fast, scenic, and reasonably priced—not a luxury, as she had first thought, but practical.

She also wanted to buy a library membership. Monsoon was home to the largest library in Seemos, with a collection that included almost every book ever written. Doc had a membership, as did Tink—though only because he was considered a guild member. Ordinary Filth were barred from it, and he avoided lingering there because he was scrutinized by other patrons.

Doc and Tink both brought her books to study, but they were ultimately responsible for their return. She longed for her own access so she could explore the library’s catalog and check her own books out. She longed to check out books on magic training, but Doc only brought her books he wanted her to study, since he assumed Mika was already a capable mage. Membership cost one silver a month, but Mika had already blown her bank.

There were fourth-class contracts she could easily complete for some easy coin, but the master of a guild had to sign approval for all contracts. One fourth-class contract caught Mika’s eye that was perfect. The library needed personnel, for one-month rotations, to return books to the proper shelves. The reward was a year of free membership at the library, equivalent to twelve silver.

Most fourth-class contracts were as easy as that to complete. Hardly any involved magic. The reason they existed at all was to provide issuers with trustworthy mages guaranteed by a guild master’s approval. A reliable, educated mage from a guild was a valuable resource, and many people were willing to pay for their services.

Above fourth class, contracts got more complicated. Any mage could issue a fourth-class contract for no cost at all through the Seemos Contracting Agency (SCA). Contracts were screened through a council of twelve mages, all former guild masters, who read, verified, and formally issued contracts so mages could trust their authenticity. Contracts not issued via the SCA were fifth-class and had no guarantee of a reward.

Mika could have taken any of those contracts, but Tink advised against it. He told her that mages who published fifth-class contracts were cheating the person out of proper pay, and the tasks often took much longer to complete than what was posted. If she were to take such a contract it would be simply a humanitarian effort that wouldn’t go on her record, which she needed to improve. First and second-class contracts were only offered to top tier mages; those that had a top track record. Issuers would not sign a contract to an unaccomplished mage.

Mika was all about helping the Filth, but she did not have a lot of time. Her focus right now had to be on training and studying, and she needed to make coin before she could really help effectively. She needed lower-tier contracts, since they were often simple tasks.

The reward for completing a fourth-class contract, which wasn’t dangerous and required little or no magic, was usually ten to twenty-five silver, and the issuer paid no fees to the council. About sixty percent of all contracts were fourth-class.

Contracts deemed to be third or second class required fees to the council and paid between twenty-five silver and one gold, sometimes in the form of property, equipment, or services. They required varying degrees of magic ability, sometimes specific formulations and strains, and could be dangerous.

First-class contracts were on a whole other level and cost the issuer one whole gold coin in fees—plus payment of at least fifty silver upfront to the mage who accepted it. Mika understood very quickly why many mages were afraid to take them; as many were killed completing them. It was also why they were so lucrative for those who dared.

One first-class contract she spotted was in the form of a bounty. The issuer wanted Lancel Beng’s medallion and was offering one platinum for it. There were many such contracts out there, but usually asking more vaguely for a Bishop medallion. Mika found it strange that there were no laws against targeting any mage for such a purpose. The masses made it seem like a big game—but one that put real lives on the line, which was why Mika kept her medallion a secret. She had been tempted briefly to think about cashing it in for a huge amount of coin, but quickly banished that notion from her mind. There was far too much at stake to entertain that idea.

Mages could even work in teams to complete contracts, splitting the reward, which was why mages often worked together.

For Mika, though, perusing contracts of any sort at this point was a dead end. Master Beng had made that perfectly clear. She stared at the rock in her hand as she headed back to the guild house. The task she had seemed simple, yet the rock was a mystery. Mika knew conventional methods for splitting it wouldn’t work.

“Mika!”

She looked up and was surprised to hear Zaya calling out to her in such a random part of town. But she was delighted to see her.

“I just stopped by your guild to replace you. I got out early!” Mika started.

“I finished early too! And I just stopped by your guild ten minutes ago looking for you!” Zaya said with a laugh. “I wanted to tell you the amazing idea I came up with today, about your contract problem!” She was grinning mischievously.

“And what’s that?”

“I know how we are going to get you Master Beng’s signature for that library contract!” she whispered in Mika’s ear.

The idea was audaciously simple, and it would get Mika working on her first official contract.