《Ends of Magic》 Chapter 1 A long trip Nathan twisted the key to his apartment¡¯s front door and felt the heavy bolt clunk back. He took three steps into the darkened single-room studio, swinging the door closed and shucking his backpack into the center of the bright carpet that took up most of the open floor space. Then he flopped into the overstuffed armchair that was the largest piece of furniture in the place, aside from the bed. It had been a nightmare to get the chair up the stairs and into the apartment, but Nathan¡¯s friends had earned their pizza for helping him move out of the graduate student dorms a few years ago. Besides, he¡¯d found the comfortable chair marked ¡®up for grabs¡¯ on the street when somebody had moved out. On a graduate student¡¯s stipend it was hard to turn down comfortable furniture for the low price of free. Sighing, Nathan twisted in the chair to fish his phone from underneath his wallet and keys, pulling up the meditation app. He¡¯d started doing mindfulness meditation almost a year ago to help deal with the anxiety of graduate school. To his surprise, it had helped. I¡¯m definitely better about not just sitting in this chair and feeling bad about everything I should be doing. I can meditate and feel productive about not doing anything instead! Nathan started the session, listening to the soothing voice through his earbuds as he relaxed deeper into the cushions. He let his mind relax, stilling his inner voice and focusing on the sensations of breathing, of gravity pulling his body into the chair. Time passed, and Nathan didn¡¯t focus on anything. He didn¡¯t plan, and he especially didn¡¯t worry about the fellowship application due soon or tomorrow¡¯s experiment that would cap off the last two months of work. If that experiment worked, it would be a big step forward towards his doctorate. If it didn¡¯t¡­ well. It depended on how it didn¡¯t work. Nathan realized he was spiraling, and with a moment of attention the worries dissipated like smoke. Some more time passed, and another thought intruded on Nathan¡¯s mind. [A kinnar avi, nukol ad kayikxrokko, dlan avail-xalark da dhak!] He was confused. The words had emerged clearly in his consciousness in a deep, booming voice, but he didn¡¯t understand where they¡¯d come from or what language it was. He was pretty sure they hadn¡¯t come from the earbuds - the words had seemed injected directly into his brain. He was about to stop meditating early and start making dinner when it happened again, the words more forceful this time. They pressed against the inside of his head, grinding and overwhelming. [A KINNAR AVI. DANO DA NO JAILROAV UDLAKK DHO XAAK. A KINNAR AVI] Nathan¡¯s eyes snapped open and he tore off his earbuds, exhaling with frustration. I don¡¯t need this now! Can¡¯t it wait until after the cytometry experiment? Just gimme a 24-hour rain check. He started to stand, but the voice crashed into his skull for a third time. It wiped out thought. [DANO DA NO] Nathan didn¡¯t feel the chair under him anymore, or the clothes on his skin. His eyes were open and saw nothing but black. Air tore itself from his open mouth and his ears spiked in pain. This must be what being in vacuum feels like. Why aren¡¯t there any stars? Nathan flailed, accomplishing nothing but feeling the vacuum pulling on his lungs and eyes and the spit in his mouth boiling away. He tumbled in absolute darkness, with no reference point and no sense of anything other than himself. After what must have been mere seconds but felt much longer, he tumbled into brightness, landing on his butt on smooth stone. With vision tunneling, he heaved deep breaths, paying attention to nothing but pumping air in and out of his abused lungs. After a minute of slowing breaths, he looked around the room. Why am I naked? He was sitting in a shallow bowl of cold stone in the center of a large room. The entire place was made of the same smooth pale stone as under his butt, all lit evenly by a grid of bright lights in the ceiling. It looked like a cleanroom done in pale marble. The bowl was only a foot deep and several feet wide, so he could see out easily. The room around him was decorated with several pedestals capped with orbs shining in muted purples, yellows and blues. They were linked together by a complex grid of glowing metal that looked like nothing so much as multiple overlapping circuit boards. The metal started dimming in color before his eyes, losing some of the blinding radiance. . The formation wasn¡¯t centered on Nathan, but rather right behind him. He scooted around, sitting on his hands to protect his butt from the cold stone. There was a metal filigree arch supporting a horizontal disk of exquisitely carved stone eight feet across. Multicolored lights emanated from a series of enormous gemstones inlaid into the arch and the stone. Over the disc hovered a horizontal portal into darkness, rapidly shrinking until it vanished with a tiny ¡®pop¡¯. Nathan stared blankly at the disk, losing himself in the fractal-like carvings for a moment. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Whatever that is, it¡¯s beautiful. It¡¯s like an arcane language or art, all carved with mathematical precision. Magic? Then Nathan¡¯s attention was drawn by movement beyond the arch. There was a man on a low dais at the edge of the room, and it looked like he was concluding a victory dance, pumping his fists and bouncing like somebody who had just won the lottery, his orange robe flapping around him. Just beyond him were a pair of humanoid statues with eerie levels of detail, flanking the door out of the room. The orange-robed man saw Nathan looking at him, and held out his palm, the semi-universal gesture for ¡®stop¡¯ as he mouthed a word that didn¡¯t look like ¡®stop¡¯ at all. He busied himself at what looked like nothing so much as a wide control panel, complete with flashing lights. The grid of equipment surrounding Nathan dimmed even faster, quickly turning into a mix of shiny metal in steel, copper and gold tones. The shining orbs lost their glow, many of them cracking apart with a faint tinkling sound that sounded expensive. The man hopped down from the dais, nearly skipping over to Nathan¡¯s bowl. He kept his attention fixed on Nathan, not sparing a second glance for the complicated apparatus that he threaded his bulk through with a deftness borne of familiarity. Nathan found the man¡¯s single-minded focus unnerving, and looked around for anything to cover himself with. He settled for simply putting a hand in front of his genitals before looking up and observing the man who was just now approaching Nathan¡¯s bowl. He looked to be an average height man in late-middle age, fairly pudgy, with a full head of black hair and a wide, stubbly face. His eyes glowed orange (what?) and his face was full of excitement as he stopped in front of Nathan. He clapped his hands together and spoke in a low, fast voice. ¡°Dhak ak ka odadark!¡± It sounded like the same deep voice Nathan had heard in his head earlier, and Nathan looked up at him dumbly and spoke with a raw throat. ¡°Excuse me, sorry, but what?¡± The man slapped one hand across each eye in a gesture that looked self-admonishing, before quickly stepping forward and laying a hand on Nathan¡¯s forehead. [Ankiko Rurkiuko] Orange light emitted from the man¡¯s mouth with the words - and from the hand on Nathan¡¯s forehead. Nathan''s head spiked in pain, a pressure and tightness squeezing down behind both temples like a concussion combined with the worst migraine Nathan had ever had. His eyes slammed shut and Nathan collapsed sideways. Both hands flew to his head, modesty forgotten. After a brief moment he heard the man¡¯s voice again, and Nathan felt the language was more familiar than before. Cold and unyielding hands slid underneath him, lifting Nathan gently off the floor as he tried to curl into a ball around the pain in his head. Whatever was carrying him felt more like a statue than a person. Nathan felt its steps carry him across the room, down a staircase and through a hallway. The pain in his head receded rapidly, and he blinked teary eyes open. He was being carried by a humanoid statue made of the same sand-colored marble as the walls. A multicolored opalescence shone from its eyes. Then a blue box flashed in Nathan¡¯s vision, front and center.
Welcome to Davrar Davrar will help you survive Adapting you to the local biosystem Calibrating to your understanding and determining your capabilities Please, be patient, this will not take long
What. Nathan desperately wanted to figure out what any of that meant, but the box vanished as soon as he parsed what it said. The man in orange was hovering next to him and when he saw Nathan open his eyes he heaved a relieved sigh and started to talk quickly. ¡°Hail the Giant, you must be so confused. Be patient just a moment and all will be explained.¡± Each word caused another pulse of pain, but they were just faint wisps of the paired migraine of a moment before. Hang on, that wasn¡¯t English or Spanish. And neither was the text in the box. How did I understand that? Was that magic? I¡¯m being carried by a statue? The man had distinctly spoken in the same language as before, but Nathan understood all the words and the grammar. His head was sore, his breathing uncertain and too many questions and observations swirled in his mind, so he let the statue carry him down another flight of stairs and to a metal door. Beyond the door was a small stone room in the same seamless pale marble, complete with bed, table and two chairs in light wood. In one corner of the room a trough of water smoothly ran underneath a hollowed-out seat. The statue (or golem? Animated object?) gently set Nathan down in one of the chairs, on one side of the table. The orange-robed man smoothly slid into the seat across the table and his orange eyes focused on Nathan¡¯s face like two searchlights. Given that they were faintly glowing, it wasn¡¯t too bad of a comparison. ¡°I will explain. I am Grand Dimension Archmage Taeol dho Droxol, seventh finger and third researcher of the Ascendant Academy of Giantsrest. I have summoned you here in a grand quest for Insights and power. I scried across dimensions to find¡­¡± he was interrupted by Nathan loudly coughing into his elbow, his lungs feeling scraped raw. Taeol¡¯s eyes widened briefly, and he took in Nathan¡¯s teary eyes and naked body. ¡°Oh, a gauntlet of apologies. You have had a long journey¡±. His lips curved into a self-satisfied smile. ¡°A very long journey¡±. Taeol sized up Nathan, then gestured to the statue/golem. ¡°Fetch an extra-large apprentice robe, a bowl of porridge and one spoon¡±. The golem immediately turned and left the room, closing the door behind it. Taeol leaned across the table, catching Nathan¡¯s left hand in his right even as Nathan flinched away. He spoke again in that resonant voice that Nathan was starting to associate with spellcasting. [Moderate Curing] Nathan¡¯s residual headache lessened dramatically, his breathing evened out and the ringing in his ears reduced to background noise. He called himself an archmage! He used magic on me! There¡¯s magic here and I can probably learn it! Excitement quickly replaced the pain. Nathan knew he should probably be scared, he should probably ask what the hell had just happened to bring him here. But instead his mouth spoke the words at the front of his mind. ¡°Can I learn magic?¡± Taeol smiled again, broad and genuine. ¡°Yes my boy. You will give me the secrets of your world, and I will teach you magic. Together we will grasp Davrar and bring it to our breast!¡± Chapter 2 A new system Nathan shared a grin with Taeol, excitement flooding through every part of him. He¡¯d wanted to do magic ever since he was little, his parents reading fantasy stories to him in bed. The wish had only grown stronger as Nathan grew older and started reading on his own. Every birthday when he blew out the candles, his wish had been the same. I wish I could do magic. Then - nothing fantastic had ever happened to him. No magic had appeared. Nathan had turned to the closest thing available - Science. If you couldn¡¯t discover arcane secrets and bend reality around you with magic words, then at least you could discover secrets of the natural world and bend it around you with normal tools. That motivation had gotten harder to rely on over the years. It could be hard to convince yourself that understanding the signaling pathways of stem cell differentiation was plumbing the deep secrets of reality. Especially if your last few experiments had failed to even let you know if you were on the right track. But none of that matters now! Wherever I am, magic is real and I can learn it! Taeol leaned back in his chair, adjusting his bulk and steepling his fingers. ¡°I am glad you will be a willing helper in this. It is easier than if you were unwilling, and presents fewer knots to slice. But ah, here, food and clothes have arrived. I will allow you some time to dress and eat, soon I shall return to discuss what you will tell me.¡± As he spoke, the door opened and the golem of pale stone walked through, holding a steaming bowl. It placed the bowl in front of Nathan on the table, then put a spoon next to it and laid a folded robe of gray cloth and a pair of slippers on the bed. Taeol pushed himself up from the table and followed the golem out of the door. Then there came the thud of a bar being placed across the door. I should probably be worried about that. Nathan just sat in the chair for a moment, too many thoughts crowding his mind. His excitement was warring with his worry and anxiety about everything that was going on here. What are my priorities? Figure that out. Clothes first, I¡¯m cold. He picked up the robe and put it on with only a bit of fumbling. It seemed to consist of a sort of t-shirt-like outfit that fell past Nathan¡¯s hips, attached around the neck, back and sleeves to an enveloping robe that touched the floor. There was a separate pair of underwear, like thick boxers with a drawstring. All of the material was soft and warm against his bare skin. Had his body changed at all? Nothing obvious. Pale, tall, a little bit more fat than he¡¯d prefer. He eyed a lock of lanky blonde hair. Wish I¡¯d gotten that cut last week. Hard to plan for portal shenanigans. Then he put on the slippers and looked at the bowl. He¡¯d been about to eat back on Earth, but food was at the bottom of his list after the events of the last¡­ hour? Half hour? Nathan had no idea. It¡¯s possible to eat and think. You don¡¯t want to be distracted by hunger when it¡¯s time to learn magic! So, Nathan sat and started to mechanically eat. It was bland, but that was ok. He was excited about magic, obviously. But he couldn¡¯t let that overwhelm everything else. And he was being overwhelmed. Nathan took a minute to just sit, close his eyes and breathe, blanking his mind for a moment so he could focus on one thing at a time. What had happened, and what did it mean? Taeol had summoned him here intentionally¡­ what had he said? He wanted knowledge, science and technology? But where was here? Another reality? A parallel dimension or universe? Another world in the same universe as Earth, but far away and with magic? It probably didn¡¯t matter - likely the only way to get back would be magic, the same way he¡¯d arrived. Something to think about. I¡¯m not raring to go back immediately. There¡¯s magic here! The magic was an opportunity he¡¯d only dreamed of. Nathan didn¡¯t have people waiting for him that trumped that - he definitely didn¡¯t want to see his ex-girlfriend again. His parents were distant and divorced, and he¡¯d drifted apart from most of his friends over the last few years of intensive research. Nathan wondered if his labmates would notice he had stopped coming into work before his few friends noticed he hadn¡¯t scheduled the next D&D session. I don¡¯t want to forget about the idea of going home, but I definitely want to learn more about this place. Is the world called Davrar? That¡¯s how the¡­ box thing identified it, and Taeol said it too. Why were the people here humans? Taeol certainly looked human. That suggested either a parallel universe or¡­ something else going on. Magic or something that makes everybody look like what he expected, to put him at ease. Nathan had read a sci-fi short story like that. Don¡¯t jump to conclusions. What do you know? Nathan grimaced. Taeol had mental magic, didn¡¯t he? That spell had taught Nathan a language. If you could add something to a brain, you could probably take something away. Would Taeol use mental magic on somebody without their consent? He kind of already had, and hadn¡¯t made a good first impression on Nathan. Taeol reminded Nathan of some really arrogant professors he¡¯d met, the ones who thought their positions and authority made them unquestionable beacons of knowledge, and god help the poor grad student who disagreed with their ideas. He also implied that if I didn¡¯t cooperate it would just make things harder. ¡®More knots to slice¡¯. I don¡¯t like that phrasing at all. Nathan had finished the porridge and he looked down at the empty bowl, and the metal spoon he was holding. With a flash of inspiration, he looked around the room, for somewhere inconspicuous. The corner of the room with a trough of running water looked best. On closer inspection, the chair was almost exactly like a toilet seat, with waste intended to fall into the shallow trough of running water. It also seemed intended as a source of drinking water - there was an empty stone cup next to the seat. Mixing sewage and drinking water was a terrible idea, but maybe they relied on the water to sweep away everything? Maybe cleaning or healing magic makes that a non-issue. I wouldn¡¯t want to tempt fate with that, I bet bacteria can evolve magic resistance. They can figure out how to resist about everything else, after all. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Regardless, it was the perfect spot for Nathan¡¯s plan. An inconspicuous part of the room that he would often return to, even if he got his mind messed with. Using the base of the metal spoon he¡¯d used to eat, Nathan scratched a symbol into the stone wall next to the toilet. It was something he was confident he would recognize as coming from himself - nobody else here should know the chemical structure of caffeine. Then, after another moment of thought, he added a single tick mark next to it. Ok. Maybe if he got mind-wiped this would help him realize what had happened. What was next? That weird blue box? As if summoned by the thought, a larger blue box popped up.
Davrar has recognized you, Nathan Lark. You have become fully integrated into Davrar, and are ready to begin! As you have no Talents, classes or skills despite being of mature age, Davrar has deemed you to be at a Disadvantage. Therefore, Davrar will provide more explanations than usual, and your class, Talent and skill gain and progression will be accelerated until you are no longer at a Disadvantage. Davrar is here to help you survive and prosper. It will offer you Talents and utility skills according to your innate talents and abilities, and allow you to choose a class to suit your deeds. Talents and utility skills can develop every 10 ranks, but require Insight to do so. Each class will grant different and unique class skills according to the theme of the class. To unlock classes, reach level 9 and choose from the presented list. Classes develop at levels 27, 81, 243 and so on. There are ways to acquire more than one class; good luck discovering them! To level up, overcome challenges. The more dire the challenge, the more you will be rewarded. Davrar hopes you will survive and prosper.
Nathan understood what the box said without fully reading it, as if pulling it from memory. He still took his time to read it over entirely. This was bizarre, and he felt anxiety build in the pit of his stomach. Davrar knowing his name was the first of his concerns, but it certainly wasn¡¯t the last. Davrar - the world and the origin of the boxes? - seemed to be offering him an RPG-like progression system. The overuse of the ¡®survive and prosper¡¯ phrase made him suspicious. And how was it appearing to him? More mental magic? Nathan turned his head, and the box turned with him. He wished it would move to the corner of his vision, and it did. It¡¯s definitely integrated with my thoughts somehow. Don¡¯t like not knowing anything about that. He closed the box with another thought, and tried to open it up again. It took a second, and only opened when Nathan prompted it with the first sentence of the box. I gotta figure out what¡¯s going on with these things. Toss it on the pile of stuff to figure out. Honestly, it seemed like something he should just ask Taeol about. Was there any reason to hide it from the mage? Maybe Nathan should ask about it circumspectly. Nathan was mulling it over when another box opened up.
Status of Nathan Lark
Talent 1: Pending Talent 2: None Talent 3: None Class: None, level 1 Utility skills: None
That was pretty bare-bones. The Pending talent was listed underneath the status.
Pending Talent: High-tier Magic Resistance Your body has no magic inside it, and magic-resistant alchemical ingredients permeate your bones and brain, making you difficult to affect with magic. This Talent will turn a temporary quirk into a personal Talent. You will be able to resist and interfere with spells, and will have great difficulty casting magic of your own. Less effect on higher-tier spells. Magical items will have less effect on you, and weaker magical items degrade when in prolonged contact with you
Again, Nathan didn¡¯t have to read the description to understand what it said. Wait, magic-resistant alchemical ingredients? Earth had no magic, which was probably why he didn¡¯t have magic, but the magic-resistant alchemical ingredients didn¡¯t sound good. Maybe something common on Earth that wasn¡¯t common here? And High-Tier magic resistance? He read the description again with the eye of an RPG player. It sounded good, but it depended on how common magic was. The talent would do better resisting minor spells than big ones, which is where you would need it most. And it prevented both beneficial spells and personal magic, which made it a big no-no for Nathan. Maybe this was the basic Talent and he could develop it to be better, like not preventing his own magic? Being immune to his own magic would probably let him do all sorts of risky magical experiments. But the name suggested it was already a high-tier talent because of the alchemical ingredients thing. The lower-tier versions must be awful. Nathan could feel the Talent waiting for his approval and almost declined it on the spot. Magic! But it didn¡¯t seem like there was time pressure, so he held off on making the decision. With another thought, all of the boxes vanished again. What now? Well, I¡¯m locked in a cell. It¡¯s not the worst cell, but it¡¯s still a windowless box with a door barred from the outside. Nathan realized he was ratcheting up his anxiety about the lack of control he had. He was being held in captivity by a man who didn¡¯t strike him as entirely trustworthy. But Nathan was not as anxious as he probably should be. Either I¡¯m just really excited about learning magic, or¡­ Nathan slapped himself in the forehead and started checking his thought processes, seeing if he could notice anything weird. He checked around the rest of the room for other messages he might have left himself. There was nothing, just smooth stone that looked like it had melted and cooled in the shape of a room. The bed was somewhat crudely carved, and the mattress felt like it was stuffed with grass. At least I don¡¯t have to worry about that fellowship application. Or my experiments. Though my experiment is totally shot unless this is all a really convincing dream. But that¡¯s ok! I can learn magic! Then if I go home, I demonstrate magic and become a celebrity. Maybe get shuffled off to a black site. But hey, then I get to confuse government agents, build up a rapport with the scientists studying me and save the world or something. It would be a welcome change from the daily grind. None of that seemed likely, but it felt good to think about. Maybe that¡¯s why he wasn¡¯t feeling very anxious. His standard day-to-day worries of the last few months were gone. No more worrying about research, funding, lab politics or budgeting to cover the rent on an expensive studio apartment he¡¯d originally planned on splitting with his ex. And while there were definitely new things to worry about, they were exciting things to worry about. The sort of things that came with the territory of hopping between worlds and learning magic was real. And he could learn it! Status:
Status of Nathan Lark
Talent 1: Pending Talent 2: None Talent 3: None Class: None, level 1 Utility skills: None
Chapter 3 The first discussion Nathan didn¡¯t have too long to wait before Taeol dho Droxol, Grand Dimension Archmage of Giantsrest, came back. He heard the door being unbarred, heralding Taeol waddling in and sliding into the other chair. He was wearing a new robe, still in orange. It was embroidered with gold thread in patterns that could be magical, but were certainly decorative. A man-sized stone statue in the same khaki marble followed him in, bearing a wooden slab covered in food. The golem set the food down in the middle of the table and withdrew to stand in front of the door. Taeol shook his robes back from his hands and dug in, slapping preserved meats onto soft cheeses and dipping them in fragrant sauces. He smacked his lips appreciatively, and gestured for Nathan to follow suit. As Nathan tentatively nibbled on the luxurious fare, Taeol began lecturing, continuing to eat while doing so. ¡°When I scried upon your world, I beheld marvels made common. Buildings taller than the clouds, metal travelling devices that flew faster than any bird. Ships the size of islands. And wonder of wonders, all without magic. Imagine what could be done by combining such knowledge with magic! I tailored my spell to summon one of receptive mind with expertise in your ¡®science¡¯. I know you know the secrets behind such things. First, and most important for planning, what is your class?¡± He was looking at Nathan expectantly, and gestured with what looked like a pickled chicken leg to answer his question. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but classes? What do you mean, I don¡¯t think those exist where I come from.¡± Taeol¡¯s jaw dropped, giving Nathan an unfortunate view of his latest bite. He sprayed some of it across the platter as he spoke. ¡°You cannot be serious. But you are! No classes and still your world achieves such things. I expect a vein of gold and find it instead to be of oricalchum! But no matter - surely you¡¯ve received some kind of message from Davrar about classes, all people in this world do as soon as they can understand. Just think about your abilities and Davrar should grant you information in some way that makes sense to you. You have seen such a thing, haven¡¯t you?¡± Nathan tentatively nodded, and Taeol grinned hugely. ¡°Excellent. We shall begin by making you my personal apprentice. We will start with initial training in basic mana shaping to unlock the Talent, the mage class and your mana pool. Then we can speed along the basic enslavement mage progression, as it is the fastest mental magic class to level if you have the resources. There are mental spells that allow directly imparting knowledge to another, and I would have you master them as soon as possible. Then it will be possible to impart to the necessary craftspeople your knowledge and realize the wonders of your world. I had hoped you would have a teaching class already, so you could effectively explain things, but truly mages and magic are superior to all other classes in all things. Oh, is it not wonderful that I can design your advancement? Truly perfect.¡± Taeol had continued to shove food into his mouth as he spoke excitedly, and the combination of chewing while speaking and additional sprayed food turned Nathan off the platter nearly as much as Taeol¡¯s words. Enslavement mage? Nathan tried to get a word in edgewise, but Taeol plowed right over him. ¡°Of course, I must assuage my curiosity before we begin. so I will ask you questions as to how your world accomplishes these things. First, what is your full name, and how do those metal boxes move along the ground? There is no magic, but they move by themselves. What moves them?¡± Nathan needed time, and information. He cast around for a good alternative subject to assuage Taeol. ¡°My name is Nathan Lark. And I apologize for answering a question with a question, but what is Davrar? Is it the name of your world? Is there a person named Davrar granting people power? How do these classes work?¡± Taeol shook his head for a second before responding. ¡°It is understandable, I would respect curiosity about such things. Our world is called Davrar, and also it grants us the powers of Talents and all the rest. There was a series of experiments some years ago showing Davrar cannot learn, and does not change its name if you teach people to call the world something different. The scholars of renown on the subject say that Davrar is the will of the world, ensuring that thinking beings survive on its face against the horrors of monsters and Endings. One could wish it was a little more selective to civilized beings and excluded some of the barbarians and intelligent monsters from its blessing, but we can fix that oversight on our own.¡± Fearing what he was going to hear, Nathan pushed more on that last point. ¡°How will you fix it?¡± Taeol turned expectant eyes from the remaining food to Nathan. ¡°Of course, there is only one permanent solution. We must take control of their lands, and either civilize them appropriately or replace them with good stock. How else?¡± So they¡¯re not just slavers, but genociders as well. I hate that I¡¯m glad I look like them. Taeol pointed the chicken bone at Nathan. ¡°I see what you¡¯re doing boy, and I clap my palms at it. You find yourself in an unfamiliar place and wish to learn as much as you can before you make any commitments. It reminds me of myself when I was your age. But I must be clear as flawless gems, your only path here is giving me what I want. You shall do it willingly and I will raise you up to stand Ascendent in magic. Else I will dominate your mind and force you to tell me your truths. If you prove stubborn I will transfer your soul to a golem core and extract your knowledge from a screaming husk.¡± Sweat broke out all over Nathan¡¯s body, and he felt adrenaline in his veins. Taeol seemed entirely serious, and without hesitance or pity. Nathan did the only thing he could think of. He brought back the window for his pending talent, and approved it. He could probably undo it later so he could learn magic, but right now he needed all the protection he could get from a powerful mage threatening to rip out his soul.
Congratulations, you have accepted the ¡®High-Tier Magic resistance¡¯ Talent. It will become a permanent part of your status and rank up as you use it. It starts at rank 1 and becomes more effective as it ranks up. Think about how you use your Talent¡¯s functions to aid in Talent development at rank 10
¡­It said Permanent. Maybe he couldn¡¯t get rid of it. Shit. Well, something to think about later, after he didn¡¯t have a genocidal archmage staring him down and expecting him to explain how cars worked. I could just tell him. It¡¯s not like a basic explanation of internal combustion engines will start an industrial revolution. I certainly don¡¯t know enough to make one from scratch. But on the other hand - not only was this the start of a slippery slope, but maybe the very idea of how to convert expanding gas into rotational energy would interact with some magic he didn¡¯t know about. And Nathan found that somebody making direct personal threats against him to break his principles didn¡¯t make him anxious. It made him enormously pissed off. He was not going to teach this genocidal maniac about technology. He would rather die than enable genocide. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
Pending Talent: Moderate-tier Resolute Mind You have resolved to refuse to violate your principles in the face of overwhelming power. This Talent will make that decision into a personal Talent. You will be harder to persuade to change your mind, and be extra resistant to talents and skills that can charm or influence you. You will also have minor resistance to mental magic geared at influencing you. Less effective on high-tier talents and spells.
Nathan found he could understand the box¡¯s contents almost instantly. And again, almost immediately rejected it. Harder to persuade to change his mind? That would make him useless at science¡­ or anything. Forever. Only an arrogant idiot presumed they were always right and didn¡¯t sometimes need to be persuaded otherwise. That wasn¡¯t something he was willing to sacrifice for what seemed like only a minor benefit. Taeol tapped his fingers on the table impatiently. Nathan took a deep breath and tried to stop quivering with rage. He was playing for time and information now, until he could escape. ¡°It seems that it is much better for both of us if I cooperate willingly. I apologize for my reaction, but you must have noticed that my world is generally peaceful. We have wars, but most people will never experience violence. The talk of wiping out peoples is shocking to me.¡± Taeol pursed his lips at Nathan, then shrugged, and with an offhand wave of his hand cast a spell. [Charm] Nathan¡¯s eyes saw double for a second. Had he really seen that gesture and heard that spell? Surely his good friend Taeol wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. He was a nice guy, and he was going to teach Nathan magic! Why was he balking at talking about combustion engines - they were really neat and it was fun to explain the basics of science like that. Nathan had spent a lot of volunteer hours in college doing science demos and explaining basic science and technology to younger kids. Surely he could just explain this basic thing to Taeol. And then Taeol would teach him magic! Taeol the asshole who had threatened him with the worst kind of mental magic. The moment faded, and Nathan felt the spell slide off him. It tingled as it disentangled itself from his head and puffed away, leaving him clear-eyed and once again, furious. While he had been struggling with the spell, Taeol had been talking. Extolling the greatnesses of his culture, it sounded like. ¡°... and of course, the barbarians have none of that. What will they do when the next Ending comes, cower in their hovels and beg their ancestors to save them? No, the Giantsrest Dominion brings enlightenment to those we conquer, and we raise them up for it. We are harsh at times, but it is an absolute necessity! Many peoples have strange and ridiculous superstitions and traditions that prevent them from properly fitting into the dominion. But the academy is open to all peoples if they can pass the entrance exam, and our civilizing influence will truly save the world. That is a truth of the fist.¡± Taeol¡¯s eyes were positively beady as they surveyed Nathan again, gauging the effect of his spell and speech. He apparently decided it wasn¡¯t enough. [Charm] This time, Nathan felt the spell hit, and blinked his eyes closed against the tingling, stilling his mind in an instant to focus entirely on the feeling of the spell sliding off. It did so, feeling like a wave of pins and needles sliding over his skull.
High-Tier Magic Resistance Rank 2 achieved!
Taeol had asked Nathan a question. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, can you repeat that?¡± Taeol frowned slightly, then repeated his question. ¡°Therefore, with such a glorious cause as ours, don¡¯t you think you can satisfy my curiosity? It¡¯s a simple question. How do those metal boxes move along the ground?¡± It didn¡¯t seem like this was about Taeol¡¯s curiosity anymore, but his authority. Nathan didn¡¯t see any way to avoid the question. He hoped that Taeol didn¡¯t jump straight to dominating him, but he couldn¡¯t think of an evasion. He thought about jumping Taeol, but there was a table in the way and the golem was still by the door. He needed to rank up his magic resistance before he challenged Taeol for real. He should go with a soft refusal. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Taeol, but I¡¯m feeling overwhelmed and confused right now. You have some really good arguments but all of this is too much. Can you give me some time to try to understand everything that¡¯s happened? I also want to hear more about how your culture governs subjects, and the rights of the citizens before I commit to anything.¡± It was weak, and Nathan knew it was weak. But he¡¯d been the target of two mind-affecting spells in as many minutes, so it was the best he could do. Taeol seemed to agree, since he sighed, and stood. ¡°You¡¯re a soft, sentimental boy, but surprisingly resistant to charm spells. It would be so much better to have you cooperate willingly. Next time I won¡¯t threaten you, or mention the inferior peoples at all.¡± [Paralysis] Nathan¡¯s body froze in his chair. He was breathing, but every voluntary muscle had frozen. He couldn¡¯t blink, couldn¡¯t move his eyes. It nearly caused him to panic until he focused on the thrill of the adrenaline still coursing through him. He tried to throw off the paralysis like he had the Charm, but it wasn¡¯t working. The tingling of the spell stayed anchored firmly in his muscles, blocking or jamming all the messages sent to them. He focused on his right hand, trying to throw his entire will into twitching the pointer finger. Nothing happened. He pushed harder, and still nothing happened. Taeol was slowly walking around the table, coaxing a faint glow along in his hand. He seemed to be muttering under his breath, but Nathan couldn¡¯t spare the attention to listen. He focused again on his right hand, this time imagining sucking the energy in his hands into his bones. He felt¡­ something moving. Like there was another sense in his hand, detecting not pressure or heat but something wispier. He drew that wispy feeling out of the muscles and into the bones of his hand and arm, naming the bones in his hand and arm as he paid attention to them. Ulna, Radius, the big ones. All the phalanges in the hand, then the mess of small bones in the wrist. They¡¯re all sponges, soaking up the magic. His hand twitched and then came completely under his control once again. Satisfaction bloomed in Nathan¡¯s mind, competing with the terror. Nathan focused on doing the same to the rest of his body. It wasn¡¯t easy, the paralysis pervaded him and wasn¡¯t letting go easily. The spell started to generally unravel, and¡­
High-Tier Magic Resistance Rank 3 achieved!
And he was out of time. Taeol¡¯s hand came down on his face. [Memory Purge]
Status of Nathan Lark
Permanent Talent 1: High-Tier Magic Resistance 3 Talent 2: None Talent 3: None
Class: None, level 1
Utility skills: None
Chapter 4 Putting the pieces together Nathan woke up in an unfamiliar bed, his back itchy against the lumpy mattress. He shifted, and the heavy blanket twisted with him. Much heavier than his blanket. What was going on? He opened his eyes and looked around the room, waking up slowly. He had a bit of a headache and it felt like he¡¯d had a particularly intense dream that he couldn¡¯t quite grasp. The last thing he remembered was dropping his backpack on his carpet in his apartment. And what was up with this room? Seamless stone on all six faces, it looked like it had been carved out of raw rock and then smoothed to a soft gleam. All of the corners were slightly rounded. There was a light in the middle of the ceiling, and it looked like a¡­ glowing rock. A table with two chairs sat in the center of the room, and it looked like there was a bowl of fruit on the table. On the other side of the room was a water trough underneath a¡­ toilet seat? Gross. And a bad idea. Nathan got up and looked around the room. Nothing was manufactured, it all looked made by hand. This seemed like way too much effort for a prank, and who would put in this much effort to prank him? Unless he was on a weird reality TV show. But those required waivers and things unless they wanted to get sued out of existence. He recognized none of the fruit. Where was he? Something drifted up from his barely-remembered dream, a feeling of certainty. A different world. That must have been some dream he¡¯d had. It was still bouncing around in his head, but nothing about it was clear, just an overwhelming sense of fear. But here he was, somewhere he couldn¡¯t explain. Maybe he should give the dream more credit. Nathan realized he was parched, and looked in vain for another source of water than the toilet. But there was nothing other than a handy cup near the toilet trough. Dammit. He scooped up a cup of water and sat on the toilet seat to drink it, studying the wall from close-up. It was nice rock, well-polished, with a moderate grain to it. The sort of rock people paid a lot for in houses. The water was clean, and about as cold as you¡¯d get from a tap. Right there, the rock was scratched, with a two-ring chemical structure Nathan recognized. Caffeine? What the hell? And a single tick mark next to it. For some reason that drawing filled him with anxiety, causing a yawning pit to open up in his gut. Nathan stared at the symbol of wakefulness and was afraid of what it meant. Wake up Nathan staggered back to the bed, sitting on the soft surface and breathing quickly, pinching himself. It felt like his chest was being crushed, like it was impossible to take a breath. He put his head in his hands, a foggy brain and tight chest threatening to make him pass out. No. Sit up straight, deep breaths. This is why you learned to meditate. You don¡¯t have the app, but you can still clear your mind. Start by focusing on the breath. In through the nose, down the throat, into the lungs. Feel your lungs expand all the way out, the ribcage opening up. Then breathe out. Slowly. Again. Now focus on your body. It¡¯s a cloud of sensations and your consciousness fills all of it. You''re not asleep because you can feel your body so clearly. Minutes passed, and as Nathan¡¯s mind emptied, his breath came deep and even. After a time, he broadened his thoughts beyond physical sensations. What now? I have clues. I¡¯m somewhere weird, with all sorts of inexplicable things. A glowing rock, handmade furniture, weird fruit. And a weird toilet. I have a fragment of a dream in my head about being in a different world. And there¡¯s a chemical structure I know well carved into the rock in my cell. That is the sort of message I would leave myself. Did I forget something? Was I made to forget something? Everything pointed back to the dream. He needed to try to remember what it was about before his sense of it faded entirely. Nathan shifted his entire focus to the hazy memory in the back of his head and he tried to call it up, to relive the dream. But it was slippery, passing through his fingers of concentration like a wispy cloud. No, like there was a wisp of something blocking him from it. He captured the sensation in his mind¡¯s eye, it was like an angled piece of glass bouncing light to the side. Nathan pictured dispersing it like he did unwanted thoughts. There was a distinctly physical sensation like a skintight net around his head falling apart, and he remembered. Everything that had happened yesterday. Exposure to vacuum, Taeol¡¯s summoning room, the messages from Davrar(!), the subsequent conversation with Taeol, and the mind wipe. Taeol is a rampaging asshole. He opened his eyes and saw three blue boxes waiting for him.
High-Tier Magic Resistance Rank 4 achieved!
Good. Ranking up that skill was almost certainly his path to survival and freedom.
Pending utility skill: Low-tier Focused Mind You have used mental exercises to avoid panic and focus on what was necessary. This skill will help you attain a focused and undistracted state more easily when you need it. Requires you to be seated, unmoving and with eyes closed to use If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
As far as Nathan could tell, that was only beneficial. And there didn¡¯t seem to be a limit on the number of utility skills he could have. He accepted the skill.
Congratulations, you have accepted the ¡®Low-tier Focused Mind¡¯ utility skill. It will become a part of your status and rank up as you use it. It starts at rank 1 and becomes more effective as it ranks up. Think about how you use your skill to aid in skill development at rank 10
Then he turned to the third box.
You have leveled up to level 3! Congratulations, you have defeated high-tier mental magic with very few resources! It will be harder to level up as you gain a higher level
That was nice - it seemed like he didn¡¯t have to kill anything, just overcome a difficult challenge to level up. Now what? It was time to plan, figure out his next steps. Nathan wished he had some scratch paper and a pencil to list what he knew and what options he had, the same way he planned experiments back home. But he hadn¡¯t seen anything like that in the room, and he didn¡¯t want to leave any evidence for Taeol to find next time he knocked him out and erased his memories. Speaking of, there was something else to do. Nathan looked around for an object he could use to mark the wall. The only metal object in the room aside from some nails holding the bed together was the dish the fruit came in. It wasn¡¯t ideal, but it served to make another tick mark next to the caffeine molecule. Then Nathan put a hand on his forehead. He was being an idiot, using a complicated plan with many chances of failure when a simpler plan would be way better. Nathan could just write ¡°You¡¯ve been mindwiped¡± and as long as he saw it and Taeol didn¡¯t he was set. Nathan was also pretty sure Taeol didn¡¯t understand English. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t think the plate would be great for letters. Something to keep in mind. Regardless, it was time to use his new skill and see if it helped with planning. Nathan closed his eyes and focused again, finding it easier than ever to banish extraneous thoughts and focus on how to deal with Taeol and escape. First, should he try to catch Taeol by surprise and attack him as soon as possible? Upsides, he was unlikely to be expecting it after the mindwipe and would likely get more suspicious of Nathan as time went on. Also, staying here longer made it more likely Taeol would succeed at breaking him or decide to suck the secrets of technology out of him the hard way. Downsides, Nathan knew nothing about where he was, or any magical defenses Taeol had. He needed more information to develop a plan beyond ¡°punch Taeol in the face and try to find an exit¡±. Also, if he could get Taeol to cast more spells on him, he could rank up his magical resistance. That Talent was his trump card, and Nathan wanted to wait as long as possible to play it. Ok, so if attacking Taeol was a bad idea, how about trying to sneak out? Well, it had most of the downsides of attacking Taeol except there was also a bar on the other side of the door. Maybe worth doing if Nathan saw an opening, but it would have to be a good one. If Nathan was going to stick around and talk to Taeol again, how would he handle it? Nathan knew he wasn¡¯t great at lying, but it didn¡¯t look like he had a choice. Well, the first step to manipulation was to look through the other person¡¯s perspective. Taeol believed in his own superiority and the power of his magic. He¡¯d wiped Nathan¡¯s memories of their previous conversation and was probably taking time to plan out the perfect series of lies to get Nathan on his side. It would definitely have been smarter to not give Nathan any time after waking up to realize what had happened, but Taeol probably believed his mind magic was very good, and unlikely to be beaten by Nathan. Maybe he wanted Nathan to stew in an unfamiliar setting before swinging in to rescue him. Or maybe he simply had other things on his plate than a dimensional abductee with the secrets of industrial revolution. Well, if he wasn¡¯t going to attack Taeol, Nathan should conform to his expectations as much as possible. He should act confused and be grateful to Taeol for any friendliness or explanation. But that had to have a limit - he had to have a justification for refusing to follow Taeol¡¯s plans. Should he try to get Taeol to teach him magic? It would be tricky to do without giving up anything, but the possibility was right there. On the other hand, Nathan reminded himself there were some really good reasons not to learn magic. His magic resistance skill would interfere with it, and that could clue Taeol in. Also, there was a chance that if he picked up more skills or talents right now then his magic resistance skill would not rank up as quickly. Come to think of it, that would have been a good reason to hold off on accepting the focused mind skill. But it was already proving its value, letting him plan without being interrupted by gibbering fear about deciding to oppose an apparently genocidal city/kingdom/empire single handedly. But I want to learn maaagggiiic Tough. Magic didn¡¯t have to be manipulating mana. Talents seemed like they could be a close approximation and that would have to be enough, at least for now. Should he try to pick up any other talents or skills immediately? Only something that could help him with the immediate situation. And unless he could figure out a Talent to burrow through solid rock, the only thing that made sense was being better at lying to Taeol and stringing him along. Nathan opened his eyes to yet another blue box.
Low-tier Focused Mind Rank 2 achieved!
Nice. Now it was time to try lying to a wall for a while.
Status of Nathan Lark
Permanent Talent 1: High-Tier Magic Resistance 4 Talent 2: None Talent 3: None
Class: None, level 3
Utility skills: Low-tier Focused Mind 2
Chapter 5 The second discussion It turns out that Davrar does not reward lying to inanimate objects. That was fair. And included golems as ¡®inanimate¡¯. Not long after he¡¯d finished failing to convince the wall that it really was in fact, made of small particles of silica and was not a contiguous solid, the door had opened and a golem had walked through, carrying a plate of roasted vegetables. Nathan had done his best to act like a confused world-traveler with no knowledge of how he had gotten there, asking random questions starting with ¡°Where am I¡±, moving on to ¡°who are you¡± and ending with ¡°what is this place¡±. The golem had ignored him, placing the food on the table and removing the now-empty bowl of fruit. When Nathan made a halfhearted move toward the door the golem had sped up, quickly moving to the door before closing and barring it. Nathan inspected the meal, and was quite pleased to note that the roasted¡­ zucchini? had come with a fork. A two-tonged fork where the tongs were nearly an inch and a half apart, but still a metal utensil. Huzzah! He sat down on ¡®his¡¯ side of the table and quickly scratched three words in small text into the side that faced him. ¡°You¡¯ve been neuralized¡± was pretty close to ¡°You¡¯ve been mindwiped¡± but the extra level of obfuscation through pop reference seemed like it could only help. Added to his terrible handwriting and potentially unknown language, it was unlikely Taeol could read it even if he found it. Unless there was a [Translate] spell that worked on cultural references. Man, magic was bullshit. The kind of bullshit Nathan badly wanted to be able to do, but that was looking less likely as his plans firmed up. He sat down to munch on the plate of grilled green veggies. They weren¡¯t bad - cold and a little soggy, but naturally a bit peppery in a way that combined nicely with the crisped edges. Nathan could only hope it didn¡¯t contain allergens that would cause his throat to close up. He was almost done with the plate when he heard the door being unbarred again. Nathan did his best to look up in a hopeful and confused manner when Taeol entered the room, the golem a stride behind. Taeol was in another orange robe, this one decorated with shiny stones around the hems and sleeves. As he was sliding into the chair, Nathan asked ¡°Can you please tell me what is going on?¡± Taeol looked gravely at Nathan. ¡°My boy, I do apologize but I must be clear as flawless gems with you. First, allow me an introduction. I¡¯m Taeol dho Droxol, a researcher at the Ascendent academy. You find yourself in a new world. As much as it twists my thumb to admit, my understanding of what occurred is limited. I believe that some cosmic force moved you across dimensions to this world. I was conducting an experiment to probe dimensional quasi-resonance and my utter harmonic went out of control. Entirely beyond expectation, and much expensive equipment was destroyed. But right where the primary phase-resonator had broken I found you, lying on the secondary tuning rod. And before we continue, may I ask your name?¡± That sounded to Nathan like techno-babble intended to confuse him. Magi-babble? Regardless, it seemed like Taeol was trying to sell Nathan a story where he¡¯d appeared here by chance, and destroyed valuable equipment in the process. He had to pretend to believe it and play into the effect that Taeol was going for. He wished he could take back telling his name to Taeol earlier in case it gave him some magical advantage, but he¡¯d done it while trying to stall Taeol before the memory purge. ¡°Oh, that is a lot to take in. My name is Nathan Lark. Thank you for the answer, but I¡¯m still so confused. I¡¯m sorry to hear that I destroyed some valuable equipment. This is all a big shock for me, I was going mad with panic earlier trying to figure out what was going on. I have a lot of questions. You must have incredible technology to be working on something like dimensional science¡± Taeol seemed satisfied with the answer, and smiled gently. He gestured with a hand, and Nathan saw the spell coming before the word left Taeol¡¯s mouth. [Charm] Nathan let his eyes go unfocused for a moment, the same way it had happened the first time. He took a long blink, focusing his thoughts to notice and banish the seductive foreign thoughts as they flowed into him with a prickling sensation.
Low-tier Focused Mind Rank 3 achieved!
¡°No my friend Nathan, we do not use ¡®technology¡¯. In this world, we use magic to bend the world to our will. I take it from your response that your world does not have magic? Would you like to learn magic?¡± Taeol conjured a floating ball of smooth orange light over one hand, and his smile had changed into something predatory. He knew what Nathan wanted, and was leveraging it and his mental magic to gain leverage. Nathan knew what the right response was. Luckily, it wasn¡¯t hard to channel his excitement for magic. He didn¡¯t have to try hard to make his eyes bug out at one of the first visual displays of magic he¡¯d seen. ¡°Magic! That¡¯s incredible! I can learn it? How does it work? Where does the energy come from? Is that an easy spell to learn? How long will it take before I could cast it?¡± He pointed to the orb of light, doing his best to seem like he¡¯d forgotten his misgivings and was entirely excited about learning magic. Pretty much the same as the first time he¡¯d learned about magic from Taeol.
Pending utility skill: Low-tier Earnestness You have done a good job conveying seriousness and honesty to a suspicious observer. This skill will help you portray your intense conviction and honesty when you speak to people. Cannot compel actions beyond what natural speech could, and cannot fool truth spells or skills.
Not exactly what Nathan had in mind, but beggars couldn¡¯t be choosers and it seemed like it would help here. He accepted the skill.
Congratulations, you have accepted the ¡®Low-tier Earnestness¡¯ utility skill. It will become a part of your status and rank up as you use it. It starts at rank 1 and becomes more effective as it ranks up. Think about how you use your skill to aid in skill development at rank 10
Those messages were getting a little repetitive. While he¡¯d been considering it, Taeol had started talking. ¡°... forgive that, and I would be sure as a good glove that you can learn magic. I¡¯d like to get you started on a mage class soon. With my enormous guidance we could have you casting light spells such as this by week¡¯s end. But if you have no magic, I would love to hear how your people do things! This technology sounds fascinating, and I would love to hear all of it I could. If your people have no classes, how do you accomplish anything?¡± Nathan nodded, noticing Taeol¡¯s slip - he hadn¡¯t told Taeol he didn¡¯t have a class yet. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but classes? Do you mean something like educational degrees?¡± Taeol flushed a bit in response, so it was probably a mistake, and not Taeol trying to draw Nathan out in a slip. He rushed to explain classes again, this time omitting the mention of ¡®less civilized¡¯ thinking beings that had tipped Nathan off the first time. Then he closed by saying ¡°But Talents, classes and skills are essential to all we do. My civilization - no civilization - could long survive without them against the monsters and Endings of this world. Then, I ask you, even if your world has no monsters, no Endings, how do you accomplish anything?¡± Endings? Something to ask about later. For now, Nathan had an opening to convince Taeol of his usefulness as a thinking, free agent. ¡°I have dedicated my life to furthering our technology, and had nearly attained the highest education my world offers before¡­¡± he gestured around the room. ¡°Knowledge is shared freely in my world. We have a saying among my people, ¡®if I see further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants¡¯. It means that even though I may not be as wise or as smart as my predecessors, I can learn all they discovered and then surpass them in knowledge.¡± Nathan spread his hands, as though laying his secrets upon the table.
Low-tier Earnestness Rank 2 achieved!
Taeol had his hands tightly clasped together, and was listening to Nathan with slightly teary eyes. ¡°Amazing. When we lose a titan, their Skills and Talents die with them. When you lose one, their skills and knowledge are taught to the next generation. What a grand world that must be. Ah, but can we make it real here? My people hoard insight like dragons, only to be dispensed to their trusted heirs, if at all. Only a fist of steel, one armed with advantage and insight beyond all others, could break that culture. Will you give me the strength of your fist in this, Nathan? Together we could raise the banner of knowledge, to take what is best of your world and use it in this one.¡± He raised his hands dramatically with that, gesturing with one hand in a now-familiar gesture. [Charm] It was a remarkably persuasive argument, Nathan had to admit. But as the spell washed around him and passed by, Nathan reminded himself of Taeol¡¯s past actions. He was not the beacon of knowledge and truth that he pretended. Taeol dho Droxol was a scheming man convinced his own superiority justified any means necessary to get his way. He¡¯d thrown away any chance of Nathan ever willingly cooperating with him the first time he¡¯d cast [Charm]. Looking up, Nathan saw Taeol watching carefully to see his reaction. Then he gestured again, his voice louder, more insistent, and the glow from his mouth stronger. [Charm] The spell was clearly cast with more strength, meant to overcome any resistance, and Nathan allowed his eyes to go unfocused for a moment. He bent his will to overcoming the spell, sucking the tingling feeling into the bones of his skull as it sought to latch onto his brain. After a moment, the spell broke.
High-Tier Magic Resistance Rank 5 achieved!
You have leveled up to level 5! Congratulations, you have resisted your opponents attempts to persuade you! It will be harder to level up as you gain a higher level
Nathan smiled, and Taeol smiled with him. Then Nathan gave the only answer that Taeol would accept, mimicking Taeol¡¯s speech patterns as best he could. ¡°Of course I will help you. This is a much grander path than I expected to walk, and I would be honored to walk it with you. But please, I have so much to learn about this world before I know what we are about. Could you please tell me where we are? Can you tell me of your government and society, and to learn what my place is within it? I don¡¯t want to disgrace you if I should meet another prominent member of your academy.¡± Nathan could feel his Earnestness skill activating, guiding his voice and face to express honest curiosity and sincerity as he tried to pump Taeol for information.
Low-tier Earnestness Rank 3 achieved!
Taeol seemed taken in. ¡°It is good you are thinking ahead, but you should not have to worry about that for some time. We are currently in my personal research tower, a ways to the west of Giantsrest, and there are no other living beings in this tower to worry about. It was given to me with the title of researcher, as it is traditional to conduct experiments away from any large group of people. We are protected by golem, ward and trap and will not be disturbed. There will be plenty of time to tutor you in scholarly etiquette before I present you to the academy, as I am not due back for a month at least. The town of Halsmet is a short way to the South and I will take you there next time I visit the brothel, to give you an introduction to our culture.¡± And that was the bare minimum that Nathan needed to know. He still hoped to get more general information from Taeol, but every exchange increased the risk that Taeol would figure him out. It was time to switch priorities toward escape. Nathan nodded to Taeol and looked over his shoulder at the golem. Nathan was distracted, thinking about how to get the golem out of the room and get a jump on Taeol. I don''t think my antimagic will do squat against the golem, I probably need to wait for Taeol to send it somewhere. Can I ask for something? And Taoel needs to speak to cast his spells, so I should punch him in the throat. Taeol asked ¡°How would you like to start our teachings? I have many questions to ask you, but you also must have many questions for me?¡± Nathan, trying to deflect from his own secrets, answered. ¡°You said we should start mage training with mana shaping, right? Could we get started on that?¡± Just learning how mages manipulated mana would probably help him figure out how to absorb it. Taeol froze, and his eyes narrowed. He stood up and backed away from Nathan. ¡°I never mentioned mana shaping. Not today.¡± Nathan, realizing his mistake, broke out in a cold sweat. Shit. I blew it. All my plans and one slip of the tongue throws the game He stood up, and started to approach Taeol ¡°No - I meant, you mentioned mana earlier, and it makes sense that you¡¯d need the mana shaping ability to be a mage¡±. Taeol wasn¡¯t buying it. ¡°No. You¡¯ve been strangely resistant to my charms. You must have somehow broken my memory spell. You didn¡¯t think I would notice? You tried to fool me?¡± Taeol snarled in what was probably supposed to be an intimidating manner, but came off more afraid than anything else. That fear showed weakness, and caused Nathan to lunge toward Taeol. Maybe he could get in close and hammer him before Taeol could get off a decisive spell. [Paralysis] But you could cast ranged spells as fast as you could speak and gesture. Nathan felt his muscles lock up, staggering and falling mid-step as all his muscles fell asleep at once. He frantically pulled at the feeling of paralysis in his muscles, but his focus was broken by his cheek slamming into the ground in front of Taeol¡¯s slippers. Taeol looked down on him and gloated ¡°Magic is superior to all! You have given up a chance many would cut off their thumbs for. And now you will lose all you have, you stupid boy.¡± [Slumber] A heavy fog descended upon Nathan¡¯s mind, pushing at his consciousness. His eyes prickled and magically slid closed. Nathan felt his focus sharpen with [Focused Mind], and he was able to hang onto awareness by his fingernails. Taeol spoke again and the words were spikes of meaning that Nathan grabbed onto to avoid falling into the pit of nothingness. ¡°Take him to the Golem creation room, put him on the table¡±. When the sound faded, Nathan focused on the cold stone hands that manhandled him into an over-the-shoulder carry. The golem¡¯s steps were smooth, but he still bounced on its shoulder, the hard stone digging into his stomach and hips. As he was carried out the door and down the hallway, the suffocating pressure on Nathan¡¯s mind lessened. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. He was still paralyzed, but at least he wasn¡¯t threatening to pass out entirely. He could feel the wispy sensation of the magic more clearly now. It was filling his head like a nasty hangover, itching and cloying. It wouldn¡¯t slide off like the Charm spell, or sink into his bones like paralysis did. It was just sitting there, a sticky fog adhering to thoughts, weighing them all down. So, Nathan tried to think as fast as possible, to recall as much as possible of that manic state he¡¯d found after trying out some internet-ordered stimulants. He imagined bright blue skies over the mountains he¡¯d grown up in, dredged up memories of the martial arts he¡¯d done in high school and the beautiful design of the optics in superresolution microscopy. The sleep spell was swamped by the number of topics. It tore apart into fragments and was subsumed by Nathan¡¯s mind. He tried to sigh in relief, but he was still paralyzed and draped over the back of a golem. Right. One thing after another, ain¡¯t that just the way The humor kept the fear at bay, a bit. He knew how to break the paralysis, and it was much easier to do now. As he concentrated, the tingling sensation faded. He didn¡¯t know if that was his focused mind, the rank-ups in the magic resistance, or just practice feeling the spell and breaking its patterns. Before he was quite finished, the golem smoothly followed Taeol into a room and gently lowered him onto a large stone table filling the center of the room.
Low-tier Focused Mind Rank 4 achieved!
High-Tier Magic Resistance Rank 6 achieved!
But before Nathan could do anything, Taeol cast another spell. [Chains of Restraint] Nathan hastily shut his eyes again as slick magical chains sprung from the base of the table and wrapped around his limbs and across his torso. He surreptitiously flexed his arms and legs to check the paralysis and the chains tightened to restrict him further. Oh come on! This jerk is so damn paranoid. At least he¡¯s using magic and not real chains. I can break these cuffs! He was definitely feeling a bit punchy, but Nathan wasn¡¯t sure if it was a response to the mind magic he¡¯d resisted so far or his impending doom and fate as an animated rock. Breaking the thin but immobilizing chains seemed like an important next step. Nathan tried tugging against the chains but felt absolutely no give in them. His admittedly limited strength was not the answer here - he needed to use his Talent for it. Once again he reached out to a new kind of magic, hoping he could resist it somehow. And it¡¯s not like I have a plan B! He focused on where the chains dug into his flesh. There was a feeling¡­ beyond the merely physical. He visualized the chains, felt them engraved in his consciousness by more than just touch. The feeling wasn¡¯t wispy this time, but harder, more structured. Nathan didn¡¯t think he could do the same thing he¡¯d done to the mental spells here - the magic couldn¡¯t flow. But maybe it could break? He tried hitting the structure with his will, making a hammer of his consciousness to shatter the chains. Nothing happened. Taeol was busy against the back wall of the space, sounding like he was sorting through a full toolbox. He commanded the Golem ¡°Go get an empty golem core from the second magical storage space. One of the grandmaster-quality ones I think, I want the highest-quality imbuing right now.¡± Nathan heard the door open again and close. The golem is gone! Now or never. This may be impossible, but you only win if you play as if it is possible. How would it work? He¡¯d succeeded in resisting magic by utilizing the inherent magic resistance of his body and some sort of magical sense the skill had given him. To resist charm magic, he¡¯d noticed and denied the intrusive thoughts and the spell had evaporated. The paralysis had needed to be drawn out of his muscles and into his bones. The sleep magic had been overwhelmed trying to suppress frantic thoughts. In each case he¡¯d found a key element of the spell and subverted it until the whole structure had fallen apart. What was the appropriate key element of these chains? They had a detailed structure, as if each link in the chain was a tightly packed mass of geometric shapes. It most reminded him of the representations of how DNA was packed into chromosomes - coiled strands made of looped string, itself made of tightly wrapped but unknotted¡­ energy? The analogy fell apart at that level. The strings themselves felt tough, like an extremely thin metal wire. Nathan picked a chain that was tight around his stomach, focused on a link directly over his belly button where he imagined a single loop in a single coil. He focused on grabbing a single wire and pulling, yanking with his mental fingers right into his gut. The string responded quickly to Nathan¡¯s intention. It flowed into him and stung slightly, like a needle poking into skin. But as the magic entered his body it became less substantial, sliding down some sort of energy gradient from solid to insubstantial to nonexistent. The link Nathan had focused on fuzzed out, and the entire structure of the chains loosened slightly. Nathan wasn¡¯t paying attention to his surroundings, and he flinched a bit as his head was lifted by fleshy hands. Taeol placed some kind of metal construct under his head, folding up flexible arms that encircled his head with cool metal. Nathan tried to ignore it and started pulling on more threads in more chains. He could only manage three at a time, focusing on his arms first. It only took seconds per chain, but there were a lot of chains. Then, all of a sudden Nathan could do four at a time. Probably a rank-up, but he didn¡¯t open his eyes to check. Now that he could do something about the chains he was feeling claustrophobic, and he wanted out. The chains across his chest were suddenly unacceptably tight, and Nathan tried to ignore the rising tide of panic as the last chains around his arms loosened. It was getting easier now, the entire structure of the spell falling apart. From directly above him, Nathan heard a gasp, and knew he had run out of time. His eyes snapped open.
Low-tier Focused Mind Rank 5 achieved!
High-Tier Magic Resistance Rank 7 achieved!
The boxes vanished, revealing Taeol¡¯s face, wide eyed and staring at the snapped chain links. He was standing to Nathan¡¯s right and was holding a spike capped with a green gem in one hand and a small hammer in the other, poised to drive the spike into Nathan¡¯s solar plexus. Nathan¡¯s left hand came up across his body, and his hips and shoulders twisted as he drove a palm into Taeol¡¯s face. Or, at least tried to. Nathan¡¯s palm skated off a barrier of slick force a few inches in front of Taeol. The orange-robed man staggered back a few steps from surprise, though the force of the blow seemed to affect him not at all. Nathan sat up, pulling away from jeweled and engraved metal arms folded across his forehead. He tugged at the last few chains around his ankles as Taeol took further steps back, pointing at Nathan with the spike. ¡°You¡­ how? What kind of toxic power do you have?¡± Nathan replied by shutting his eyes again, frantically pulling on the strings of the remaining chains. They fell away in moments, and he pushed himself up, and towards Taeol. The mage had backed up until he ran into the workbench, and his eyes flicked to the door. Nathan sprung at him, and Taeol cast just as quickly as last time. [Paralysis] Nathan was ready this time. He saw the gesture coming and balanced himself so he wouldn¡¯t immediately fall. Then, he drained the feeling out of his muscles nearly as fast as it came in, staggering but not falling. Taeol¡¯s eyes bugged out further, and he reflexively held his hands out in front of him. Nathan charged into him a moment later, relying on momentum to get through the defense spell, or at least knock Taeol over. The barrier flexed as Nathan hit it, but he bounced off as if he¡¯d shoulder-checked a padded bag, and Taeol wasn¡¯t pushed back in the slightest. Magic is bullshit. Conservation of momentum is a core physical law! At least Taeol seemed to be panicking. He stared at Nathan¡¯s face like a man with a hundred hammers seeing a screw for the first time. Nathan loomed over Taeol and wrapped his arms around the smaller man, feeling the barrier a few inches above Taeol¡¯s skin all over. It flexed under his arms, but didn¡¯t break. Then Nathan dug his fingers into the barrier behind Taeol¡¯s shoulders and pulled as hard as he could, trying to rip the barrier apart. It cracked and tore, a brief blast of force pushing Nathan a few steps back. Taeol¡¯s lips were moving, and Nathan could feel the mana of the spell he was weaving from feet away. It was more powerful than anything Nathan had felt Taeol cast before. Nathan raised his hands protectively in front of him. [D-d-d-DISINTEGRATE] A thin beam of pale green light shot from Taeol¡¯s pointing finger and hit Nathan¡¯s left palm. Taeol¡¯s face pulled into a satisfied rictus as Nathan¡¯s left hand fell apart. Pain blasted through him as first his wrist, then his forearm turned to black dust. He screamed.
High-Tier Magic Resistance Rank 8 achieved!
The wave of magic swept down Nathan¡¯s arm and he felt his Talent fight the spell consuming his inherently magic-resistant flesh. Nathan clutched his left arm with his right hand, unable to do anything but watch and feel his arm slowly disintegrate. The advancing wave of mana felt like a hungry void, a consuming pit that would never be sated.
High-Tier Magic Resistance Rank 9 achieved!
Nathan tried to push back, he tried to arrest the advancing tide of entropy. Not with any clever ideas, just with frantic desperation. And maybe it made a difference, as the spell passed his elbow and slowed to a crawl. Both Taeol and Nathan¡¯s eyes were glued to the advancing black line. Then, a few inches from his shoulder and with one final notification, it stopped.
High-Tier Magic Resistance Rank 10 achieved! Congratulations, you have maxed out this talent! It cannot be improved any further. You must achieve insight into this talent to develop it to the next level. As it is high-tier, the kind of insight will affect how it develops.
Nathan fixed tear-filled eyes on Taeol, whose victorious expression paled into terror. Nathan stalked forward. [Paralysis] Nathan barely stumbled, overcoming the spell with sheer rage and desire to beat Taeol¡¯s face in. Taeol started gathering magic for another powerful spell, but Nathan took a long step and pivoted his entire body, smashing his right elbow into Taeol¡¯s nose. Nathan felt cartilage pulping under the blow, and continued his turn, stomping on Taeol¡¯s left knee with his right foot. The knee folded with an unpleasant popping sound and Taeol dropped to the ground with a whimper past bloody lips. Nathan¡¯s left arm hurt, and he tried to cradle it as he turned to the door. Time to get out of this place. Especially before the golem came back. He stumbled to the door, pushed it open and was ten steps down the hall before he paused and turned around. I hurt him, but he won¡¯t die. I need to kill him. He¡¯s tried to do worse to me. He deserves to die. He¡¯s a powerful, vengeful mage and if I don¡¯t kill him now he¡¯ll come for me. He¡¯s also a man named Taeol dho Droxol, who seeks knowledge. If I kill him, I kill a story, and all of the potential he could have. Nathan¡¯s face hardened, and he walked back to the door into the Golem creation room. A potential for great evil. Fucker took my arm. Kill him now, think about it later. He turned the corner, and Taeol looked up at him from across the room, pulped lips stuttering. [t-t-Teleport] And with an orange flash, he was gone.
You have leveled up to level 9! Congratulations, you have forced a powerful and deadly opponent to flee! Please choose a class from the following list to continue leveling, as you have unlocked a higher level than 9!
Potential classes:
Student: You have spent decades learning knowledge from books and teachers. This class will enhance your capability to learn knowledge, offering skills to improve memory, comprehension and intellect. It may develop into classes focused on discovering new knowledge, or teaching, recording and using already existing knowledge.
Scientist: You have spent years engaged in pursuit of knowledge via careful scientific experimentation. This class will focus on discovery through experimentation, offering skills to improve your intellect, precision and luck. It may develop into classes further focused on discovering new or lost knowledge, or classes focused on using or communicating your discoveries.
Rebel: You have struck a blow against the Giantsrest Dominion and escaped their custody. This class will make you capable of striking back, offering skills for disguise, sabotage and combat. It may develop into classes focused on assassination, rabble-rousing or political subterfuge.
Martial Monk: You have trained in hand-to-hand combat techniques as well as meditation and focusing your mind. This class will focus on mental discipline and using it to enhance hand-to-hand combat prowess, offering skills to improve mental focus, combat capability and heightened awareness. It may develop into classes further specialized in combat, guiding others or achieving enlightenment.
Explorer: You have explored forbidding lands far from home, journeying across continents to see natural wonders and foreign cultures. This class will focus on travel into new lands, offering skills for increasing travel speed, adapting to new societies and surviving in the wild. It may develop into classes focused on unearthing lost ruins, information gathering or trade and diplomacy.
Disciple of Magic: You can sense and manipulate flows of mana untrained, even if you have not yet cast a spell. This class will make you better able to sense and direct mana, offering skills for understanding magic as well as sensing and manipulating mana. It may develop into a more powerful spellcasting class, or a class which lets you subvert the magic of others more easily.
Conman: You have lied to a prominent member of the Dominion and gotten away with it. This class will enable you to continue deceiving people, offering skills on disguise, deception and manipulation. It may develop into classes focused on information-gathering, assasination or thievery.
Antimagic Brawler: You have hand-to-hand combat training and neutralized a powerful mage and his magic with your bare fists. This class will make you tougher in combat, offering skills to improve combat, toughness and antimagic capability. It may develop into classes further focused on hand-to-hand combat or suppressing magic
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: High-Tier Magic Resistance 10 Talent 2: None Talent 3: None
Class: None, level 9+
Utility skills: Low-tier Focused Mind 5 Low-tier Earnestness 3
Chapter 6 Escape? Nathan stood in the doorway, caught between horror, relief and a haze of pain. Taeol dho Droxol, the man who¡¯d abducted him across dimensions, manipulated his mind and been ready to rip his soul out, had escaped. And now Nathan didn¡¯t need to kill him. Couldn¡¯t kill him. That was probably bad; Taeol didn¡¯t seem likely to forgive Nathan or forget about the knowledge in his head. And Nathan was still furious with the man. But Nathan was having a hard time feeling bad about not being able to kill somebody. Maybe if he ran far enough, fast enough, Taeol wouldn¡¯t be able to catch him. But he needed to start now. As if to emphasize the point, he heard a scrape of stone on stone as the sand-colored golem rounded the hall to Nathan¡¯s right. Nathan turned and ran down the hallway, awkwardly cradling the stump of his left arm where it jarred with every step. And I only have one arm now He heard the Golem¡¯s heavy footsteps chasing him, and rushed around a corner to find a wide flight of stairs winding around a huge square vertical shaft. A bright light shone down from the top, and the stairs and balustrade were made of the same seamless pale stone as the rest of the tower. Nathan started running down the staircase, skipping four steps at a time in his haste. The golem cornered behind him, its stone feet scraping against the floor and slamming on the steps as it descended. It was fast, but not great at turning corners on the staircase. Nathan continued down, looking over the edge for an exit. Nearly a hundred feet down was a grand hall, with statues on the walls and a shallow fountain in the center. I¡¯m not going to make it. Taeol mentioned more golems and traps, and this golem is going to catch up as soon as I get to a straightaway. Nathan had one more untapped resource, and he quickly reviewed the list of classes he¡¯d been offered earlier as he bounced himself off a wall to turn onto the next flight of stairs. It was a good thing that the knowledge of his classes was more or less inserted into his head since he couldn¡¯t exactly ask the golem for a timeout. The pain from his arm was a gnawing, biting thing, and these were terrible circumstances to make a decision. But this decision needed to be made now.
Potential classes:
Student: You have spent decades learning knowledge from books and teachers. This class will enhance your capability to learn knowledge, offering skills to improve memory, comprehension and intellect. It may develop into classes focused on discovering new knowledge, or teaching, recording and using already existing knowledge.
Scientist: You have spent years engaged in pursuit of knowledge via careful scientific experimentation. This class will focus on discovery through experimentation, offering skills to improve your intellect, precision and luck. It may develop into classes further focused on discovering new or lost knowledge, or classes focused on using or communicating your discoveries.
Rebel: You have struck a blow against the Giantsrest Dominion and escaped their custody. This class will make you capable of striking back, offering skills for disguise, sabotage and combat. It may develop into classes focused on assasination, rabble-rousing or political subterfuge.
Martial Monk: You have trained in hand-to-hand combat techniques as well as meditation and focusing your mind. This class will focus on mental discipline and using it to enhance hand-to-hand combat prowess, offering skills to improve mental focus, combat capability and heightened awareness. It may develop into classes further specialized in combat, guiding others or achieving enlightenment.
Explorer: You have explored forbidding lands far from home, journeying across continents to see natural wonders and foreign cultures. This class will focus on travel into new lands, offering skills for increasing travel speed, adapting to new societies and surviving in the wild. It may develop into classes focused on unearthing lost ruins, information gathering or trade and diplomacy.
Disciple of Magic: You can sense and manipulate flows of mana untrained, even if you have not yet cast a spell. This class will make you better able to sense and direct mana, offering skills for understanding magic as well as sensing and manipulating mana. It may develop into a more powerful spellcasting class, or a class which lets you subvert the magic of others more easily.
Conman: You have lied to a prominent member of the Dominion and gotten away with it. This class will enable you to continue deceiving people, offering skills on disguise, deception and manipulation. It may develop into classes focused on information-gathering, assassination or thievery.
Antimagic Brawler: You have hand-to-hand combat training and neutralized a powerful mage and his magic with your bare fists. This class will make you tougher in combat, offering skills to improve combat, toughness and antimagic capability. It may develop into classes further focused on hand-to-hand combat or suppressing magic
Going off first impressions only, most of the classes called to different parts of Nathan. Except Conman and maybe Explorer. Student and Scientist both aligned extraordinarily well with his adult life goals. However, Disciple of Magic appealed to a younger Nathan, the one wishing for magic over birthday candles. Unfortunately, Davrar seemed to be long on genocidal archmages and short on opportunities for graduate programs in biology or magic. Or at least ones that didn¡¯t involve giving up the knowledge of the industrial revolution to said genocidal archmages. Those were off the table. Rebel called surprisingly strongly to Nathan - if ever there was a government in need of a revolutionary, the Gianstrest dominion sounded like that government. And he owed them some revenge. But when the authorities had mental magic, staging a rebellion seemed like an exercise in futility. Nathan bounced off another wall. He wasn''t gaining much over the Golem. He needed something to enhance his speed, and something to enhance his antimagic to get through the locks and traps Taeol had mentioned. Both Martial Monk and Antimagic Brawler appealed to Nathan, and seemed like ways to immediately improve his chances to escape. Both were equally disadvantaged by missing an arm. That was a problem for later Nathan, who was not running from golems into magical traps. What made the decision easy to Nathan was that Antimagic Brawler mentioned his antimagic, and Martial Monk didn''t. Furthermore - his meditation was a means to an end, not an end to itself. Being a monk was a calling, a purpose in the way being a brawler wasn¡¯t. And Nathan didn¡¯t want to let Davrar give him a purpose, just a tool. A tool to escape this goddamned tower. So, wishing he could have considered the matter more fully and without the pressures of running down the staircase missing an arm, Nathan chose to be an Antimagic Brawler. More boxes and knowledge unfolded before him.
Congratulations, you are now an Antimagic Brawler, and have unlocked three class skills! These skills are tied to your parent class, and their power will increase with your level in that class. Davrar applauds your choice, and hopes you will continue to survive and prosper.
New Class skill Stamina: You have unlocked the stamina resource! Stamina will accumulate during periods of rest, and can be spent to improve the speed and strength of your movements, or used for other skills or talents that utilize stamina.
New Class skill Brawler¡¯s Indifference: You will be less likely to flinch and more able to ignore pain and wounds to continue fighting.
New Class skill Antimagic Blows: Your blows and strikes will enhance your inherent antimagic, allowing you to break magical barriers and constructs with barehanded strikes.
You have leveled up to level 15!
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: High-Tier Magic Resistance 10 If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Talent 2: None Talent 3: None
Class: Antimagic Brawler level 15 Stamina: 250/250 Brawler¡¯s Indifference Antimagic Blows
Utility skills: Low-tier Focused Mind 5 Low-tier Earnestness 3
The pain radiating from the stump of Nathan¡¯s arm abated and his run became smoother, his gait more even. The pain wasn¡¯t gone, but the intensity was muted and he didn¡¯t feel the visceral horror of missing his arm anymore. [Brawler¡¯s Indifference] was allowing him to ignore it. The arm wasn¡¯t what mattered right now, and being distracted by his stump would get him killed. Next, Nathan used stamina to run faster, as naturally as breathing deeply. Instead of skipping four of the shallow steps at a time, he was skipping six, and then seven. The stamina inside of him was decreasing at about a point for every leap. It wouldn¡¯t last forever, but he was already leaving the golem behind. Once he had a healthy lead on the golem Nathan stopped using his stamina, which now sat steady at about 150/250. The stairs ended in a grand hall at the bottom of the shaft, wide and tiled with an intricate mosaic showing some scene that Nathan didn¡¯t stop to look at. There were a few doors in the hall, but a large set of double doors sized to drive a semi through was the obvious winner in the ¡®door to outside¡¯ contest. Nathan sprinted over to those doors and threw his body weight against them. He bounced off. There wasn¡¯t a handle, bar or obvious locking mechanism. Nathan pivoted and slammed his palm into the center of the doors, spending stamina as he struck. He felt a layer of magic crack at the blow, and his next shove sent one of the doors open wide. A plaza of stone lay in front of him, and beyond it a road wound through scraggly pine trees. Nathan took off across the plaza, spending stamina again to get away from the tower. Hearing something, Nathan glanced over his shoulder and stumbled. Behind him, flanking the door, were two twenty-foot tall statues of warriors. Well, they had been flanking the door. Now they were charging after Nathan, metal greatswords held ready in stone hands. The swords were nearly fifteen feet long, and were glowing. Shit shit shit run faaaaster Nathan turned his back to them and took off, spending stamina like water and doing his best to emulate Usain Bolt.
Pending utility skill: Low-tier Sprinting You are running very fast. This skill will help you run quickly in the future. Will not allow you to run in circumstances where you couldn¡¯t otherwise
Yes please!
Congratulations, you have accepted the ¡®Low-tier Sprinting¡¯ utility skill. It will become a part of your status and rank up as you use it. It starts at rank 1 and becomes more effective as it ranks up. Think about how you use your skill to aid in skill development at rank 10
Nathan¡¯s chest came up and his toes dug in more. It wasn¡¯t an enormous difference, but combined with his stamina Nathan made it across the plaza in seconds, and into the trees. Once he was past the second layer of trees and didn¡¯t hear the golems anymore. He turned around to see one of them throw a fireball at him. It flew at him with the speed of a baseball pitch, coming straight for his chest. Nathan didn¡¯t flinch. He didn¡¯t have time or bracing to dodge, so he brought his hand up in a stamina-assisted slap at the fireball, which exploded away from his palm. The fire blasted out, Nathan was knocked stumbling backwards. He wasn''t badly burnt, though it felt like somebody had pointed a very large hairdryer at him and he¡¯d held his hand in a campfire for a bit too long. His robe was on fire, so Nathan darted behind a small rise in the ground and dropped to the ground, rolling around to extinguish the flames.
Low-tier Sprinting Rank 2 achieved!
He snuck a quick glance over the small lump of earth he¡¯d fallen behind. The tree in front of him was aflame, the backblast from the fireball turning it into an instant torch. The giant golems had turned around and were returning to the tower, but Nathan was concerned about the fire spreading, so he started running further into the forest, careful to avoid line of sight to the golems. He got another fifty feet away and slumped to the ground, checking his injuries. His arm wasn¡¯t bleeding, and his palm wasn¡¯t hurting very badly. It was definitely burnt, but not into deep tissue. ¡°Hail! May I request a word?¡± Nathan¡¯s head snapped around and he jumped to his feet. A woman had come out from behind a tree forty feet away, looking straight at him. She was short and wide, with dark brown skin and voluminous tied-back dreadlocks. She was dressed in scuffed leather armor, festooned with pockets and a warm-looking fur cloak. Her hands were out wide, palms clearly visible and empty. She approached slowly, voice low and calm. ¡°Are you ok? What is your name?¡± Nathan eyed her, ready to run again if she made a threatening move. She looked nothing like Taeol, but he was on edge and his voice was tense. ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t want to tell you. What do you know about that?¡± He pointed back toward Taeol¡¯s tower, hoping her answer would tell him her intentions. He checked his stamina to see what kind of reserve he had in case he had to run.
Stamina: 36/250
She turned to look at the tower, a grimace across her broad face, but she kept her voice even and calming. ¡°It¡¯s a research tower of Giantsrest, just taken over a few weeks ago by a newly raised Archmage. We¡¯re trying to figure out what his research is and kill him if we get the chance.¡± Nathan relaxed a bit on hearing the answer, but kept pushing. ¡°We? Who is we? And what is your name? And please stop coming closer.¡± If she was telling the truth, he¡¯d stumbled onto enemies of Giantsrest. But he had a skill that helped him lie, so it was only prudent to assume other people did. And Nathan didn¡¯t like the way she was edging closer to him. She stopped about twenty feet away, arms still held wide. ¡°My name is Vhala, and I lead a scouting team out of Gemore. Artha, Emerald, come out.¡± Another figure emerged from the brush to Nathan¡¯s right, decked in a darkened breastplate, heavy chainmail and a sturdy helmet that completely blocked their face, leaving only the mouth exposed. Their exposed skin was porcelain white, and a fancifully decorated rapier on one hip was balanced by a heavy cleaver on the other. Vhala gestured to the figure. ¡°This is Emerald.¡± Nathan¡¯s attention was grabbed by another figure coming up behind Vhala. It was a centaur, but instead of a horse, the bottom half was an elk. The top half was a well-muscled man wearing scuffed leather armor similar to Vhala, but his skin had the texture and color of gray maple bark. He had long hair and a great beard, in a deeper silver. Finally, two large antlers sprouted from his head. He spoke in a deep, smooth voice. ¡°And I am Artha.¡± With that voice and body, Nathan would have found him hot if it wasn¡¯t for the whole¡­ elk thing. Fantasy world. Fantasy world. These are good candidates for Taeol¡¯s ¡°barbarians and intelligent monsters¡± though. That thought made him relax further. He turned back to Vhala. ¡°Thank you, I apologize for my caution. My name is Nathan Lark. I¡¯ve had a rough few days. I just escaped from that tower. If you could help me, I would really appreciate it.¡± She looked him over again, eyes lingering on the burnt robe and stump of an arm. ¡°Ayup, sure does seem that way. Seems sure you¡¯re not a giant¡¯s agent after that fireball, though I¡¯d like to hear how you ate a guardian golem¡¯s fire and came out just a little singed. Stick to my heels and we¡¯ll go to our camp and meet Wiam, the last member of my team.¡±
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: High-Tier Magic Resistance 10 Talent 2: None Talent 3: None
Class: Antimagic Brawler level 15 Stamina: 36/250 Brawler¡¯s Indifference Antimagic Blows
Utility skills: Low-tier Focused Mind 5 Low-tier Earnestness 3 Low-tier Sprinting 2
Books 1-4 on Amazon! Ends of Magic Book One: Antimage released on Amazon (KU) & audible on October 10th 2023 Ebook: https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B0CJBL9RXV Audio: https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B0CJW5H8QW A scientist from another world. A mage seeking deadly knowledge. A power that could topple an empire. Nathan''s life was defined by labs and lectures until an Archmage yanked him into Davrar and made him a tantalizing offer: master magic in exchange for Earth''s scientific secrets. Yet, Nathan can''t shake off the feeling that darker truths lurk beneath such promises. The world of Davrar is a dangerous place teeming with dungeons and monsters ¨C ruled by levels, Talents, and a near-infinite progression of power. Nathan will need to rely on himself to survive, forging alliances and taking every advantage he can get against those that seek to control him. His unique capacity to counteract magic gives him an unprecedented edge, making him a beacon of resistance against those who wield magic as a weapon of control. Armed with intellect and an emerging power that could dismantle the very foundations of Davrar''s society, Nathan emerges not as a mere student of magic, but as its ultimate adversary: the Antimage. Ends of Magic Book Two: Adventurer released on Amazon (KU) & audible on January 30th 2024: Ebook: https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B0CKF8FS4Q Audio: https://www.audible.com/pd/B0CSKRDKVK If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. The magical world of Davrar is inhospitable and strange. Terrible monsters roam, ancient dungeons lurk over every hill, and the prophesied Endings promise doom. But it¡¯s Nathan Lark¡¯s new home. He¡¯s developed his antimagic and found friends in the most powerful Adventurers of his generation. They¡¯ve sworn an oath to defend the city of Gemore and defeat the Endings. On the horizon is the enslaving mage-empire of Giantsrest, and Archmage Taeol dho Droxol hasn¡¯t forgotten that Nathan holds secrets of Earth. Conflict is certain. There is only one path forward. Nathan and his friends must advance. Ends of Magic Book Three: Assassin released on Amazon (KU) on May 15, 2024. Audible is delayed until July 30th. Book 3 on Amazon: https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B0CTCCKYGQ Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Assassin-Audiobook/B0D98LK2MF Nathan and his companions are free. For now. They''re trapped inside the fortress-city of Halsmet, and every mage of Giantsrest is hunting for them. Luckily enough, they''ve been found by Faline, the shapeshifting leader of the Assassins of Gemore. She''s pledged to teach Nathan her deadly trade. How far will he go to fight the empire of slavers? How much murder is justified? Even if they manage to win this fight against Giantsrest, it won''t be the end of the conflict. A Questor from ages past lurks in the heart of the Ascendent Academy, and he won''t allow Giantsrest to suffer a defeat. It is time for Nathan to face his sworn enemy, to stand against the Ascendent Academy. But how can one person fight an empire of thousands? Ends of Magic Book Four: Anarchist released on Amazon (KU) Book 4 on Amazon: https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B0D47TCCBW Audible delayed an unknown amount of time... The Empire of Giantsrest must fall. With an army marching on the liberated city of Halsmet, Nathan and his allies are prepared to fight to the death. Giantsrest may have overwhelming magical might, helmed by the nearly immortal archmage Badud ¨C but Nathan has a few tricks of his own. To win the war that will follow, Nathan must risk it all. With his skills as an antimage and assassin, he will disguise himself behind enemy lines, attacking where Giantsrest least expects it , in the capital ¨C the political heart of their power, where mages jockey for status. But one wrong move would spell failure and place Gemore in the crosshairs. Striking from the shadows, he must defeat his targets and uncover the secrets of the Academy before his time runs out. Even if he fails, Nathan is sure of one thing. His enemies will learn to fear the antimage. Also - here''s the map (and a link to the big version) Book Five Prologue: Consequences of Action The skyline of Esebus was gorgeous at night. Towers of crystal and magic pierced the sky, and people soared through the air on wings of bronze and chrome. The night was overcast, but the light of the city illuminated the clouds from below. Badud stared over the skyline moodily, watching a patrol of city guardians swoop high above. They were carried by constructs that would be better described as battlesuits than simple wings, and he considered blasting them from the sky to make a point. The Questor started absently crafting the necessary spell construct, not really intending to go through with it. But then he winced, the mana starting to unspool from the tight weave he¡¯d been shaping. He gritted his teeth through the sudden headache, hurriedly banishing the failing spell before it could blow apart the rooftop terrace where he stood. It wasn¡¯t even a Questor that did this. But my revenge was thorough, even if it was expensive. In a detached sort of way, Badud knew that the damage to his spellcasting wasn¡¯t that bad. He could still cast any spell he knew. But without the automagic every spell would be slower and require more concentration. He wouldn¡¯t naturally enhance every spell with wizardry. The guidance wouldn¡¯t be automatic. And¡­ Badud shook his head, stopping himself from reciting the litany of ways in which Nathan Lark had damaged his magical capabilities. The balcony railing creaked under his grip, and he forced himself to release it and clasp his hands behind his back. His gridmates would be here soon, and he needed to appear calm and collected before them. Even if it¡¯s an obvious lie, given the deals I have made. As if summoned by the thought, Sussu levitated over the balcony. The stick-like woman appeared entirely androgynous, and her bare feet delicately cleared the railing before landing gently on the artful stonework of the terrace. She looked at Badud for a moment in bland examination. ¡°It is a shame, that the project of Giantsrest is ended.¡± Sussu¡¯s voice was level and dry, and it was only through long familiarity that Badud could detect the derision laced throughout her words. He frowned and returned her gaze flatly, not giving her the satisfaction of defending himself. ¡°It is. Let us wait until the others arrive for the full description of the events.¡± Sussu nodded faintly, then clapped her hands twice. With each clap, another Questor appeared on the balcony. The first was a large and well-muscled man in loose and flowing robes. He¡¯d teleported in sitting atop a chaise lounge, and was munching from a bowl of fruits. A wide-bladed scimitar leaned against the side of the couch, within easy reach. ¡°Amoh.¡± Badud said in greeting before he turned to the other new arrival, his gaze narrowing at the gaunt man. ¡°Ogarius.¡± They coordinated arriving like this. Hoping to catch me in the middle of defending myself to Sussu, and make me repeat myself. The last Questor was standing casually, wearing a hooded robe and holding a plain staff that had been the walking stick of a god. Some kind of skill concealed his face, exposing only the hint of a goatee and a satisfied smile. His voice was calm and smooth, like pouring oil. ¡°Badud, it has truly been an age. Tell us of how Giantsrest fell while you were present.¡± Badud smoothed his expression, running his mind through the story he meant to tell. It galled him to make excuses, but he had to explain what had happened - and justify his response to it. ¡°Several months ago, I decided it was time to tier up Giantsrest. I showed myself occasionally to give lessons and dispense appropriate Insights, but it was my desire to give them true advancement. I finished annihilating that blight up in Quilbor, the one that you allowed in, Amoh.¡± He turned his attention to the reclining man. Amoh shrugged blandly. ¡°Edes as a witness, they were trained and motivated. Their failure is their own fate.¡± Neither Sussu nor Ogarius diverted their attention from Badud and he sighed, aware his attempt to divert attention had failed. He resumed his story. ¡°I intended to teach them more magic and drive the expansion of Giantsrest over the continent. One of the mages there was skilled with dimensional magic, and I was attempting to usher him towards [Mass Teleport], and make that a common Insight of Giantsrest. Then they would have been able to ambush their enemies at will, quickly conquering the escaped slaves to the west. I expected it to draw in Brox, but he¡¯s closer to a lizard than a dragon.¡± ¡°What happened instead?¡± Sussu asked, cocking her head in a birdlike fashion. Badud twisted his mouth in annoyance. ¡°The dimensional mage was a fool. He derived some Insight into summoning magic, and managed to pull in an outsider, from the external universe.¡± The others reacted with varying degrees of surprise, with Amoh freezing mid-chew while Sussu frowned slightly and Ogarius¡¯s hidden face gave the impression of a cocked eyebrow. Badud waved his hands to dispel some of the suspense. ¡°Not from anywhere important. Pre-orbitals, but he had an anti-magic Insight and my student was obsessed with even basic technological Insights. I set them against each other, thinking it a way to develop my student and grant Giantsrest deniable technological Insights. Think of that bounty, if Giantsrest could have developed their magic with even basic scientific Insights.¡± Ogarius¡¯ voice emerged again, tinged with a faint hint of disapproval. ¡°Antimagic Insights are a plague. You should have scrubbed this outsider before it could spread.¡± Sussu replied quickly, before Badud had a chance. ¡°The downsides of antimagic make it a curse of Quenfi. It either denies all supporting magic and equipment, or is weakened to uselessness. Situationally useful, but without the capability for true power.¡± She tilted a hand towards Badud, indicating he should resume. He sighed again. ¡°This outsider has a supporting build for it. One of the most monstrous self-healing Talents I have ever seen and Talent-enabled flight. A second class, focused on mundane stealth and disguise.¡± Amoh spat out a seed and regarded his colleagues in disgust. ¡°Regard your history, and appreciate the pre-orbital Insights. Before the abstraction to smart systems, people need to understand the world, to change it with their own hands. I put godly treasures on the balance that this outsider has used his own hands to dissect or transmute people, before Davrar took him. Such worlds always resort to barbarism, and such things create strong Insights.¡± He regarded Badud with a glare. ¡°What is his name? If his light is bright enough to scorch you, then we can¡¯t refer to him as ¡®outsider.¡¯¡± Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°Nathan Lark.¡± Badud said with a frown. ¡°His build countered Giantsrest - and me. My student was dead days after I set them up as rivals, and when I gathered an army to crush him, Brox was there. He knew Nathan¡¯s potential, and sacrificed himself to protect the antimage. I was forced to retreat.¡± With a blade of oblivion in my gut. Brox had some counter to [Reverse Time], to preserve memory through the spell. Badud shrugged. ¡°By the time I found him again, he had developed his antimagic at least three tiers above Unique, and I have never fought or heard of an antimage of such potency. He broke wizardry and survived my [Last Arrows of Olita].¡± Now all of the other Questors were glaring at Badud. ¡°You used your [Last Arrows of Olita]?¡± Sussu said judgmentally, with a tinge of disbelief. ¡°And this Nathan survived it.¡± Amoh said, his eyebrows drawn into a worried V. ¡°If his antimagic is that powerful, he can teach it. With such a demonstration, many will learn it. That will be a blight on the future if we do not suppress it." Badud chewed his lip. ¡°I made a deal. The Ending of History will come early to the Giantsrest continent.¡± He corrected himself. ¡°The continent where Giantsrest once stood.¡± Sussu focused on Badud with laser-like focus. ¡°That would be negotiated with Sarya¡¯s grid, as the others who have claims there. What price?¡± ¡°We withdraw from three continents of their choosing. And some personal promises from me to stay away from their aims.¡± Badud said tightly. Sussu¡¯s lips pressed together, and Amoh made a disgusted noise. Ogarius¡¯s lips worked, barely visible inside his hood. ¡°You - you promised what?¡± Badud didn¡¯t reply. They¡¯d heard him well enough. They just had difficulty accepting it. Ogarius¡¯s expression calmed after a moment. ¡°This is not a problem fit for an Ending. It is like killing a rat with an [Annihilation bolt]! Sarya will demand I give up Estefar, and on the crux of my victory over Garna!¡± The hooded man was visibly fuming, stalking back and forth, eyes distant as they gazed over the ruin of decades of planning and plotting. Then he spun back to Badud, stabbing a finger towards the other Questor as his voice grew shrill. ¡°You owe two dozen years of favor for this promise! To me!¡± The gaunt man kept pacing, whispering under his breath. ¡°Naval routes are a loophole. Strike across the board. Bring in mercenaries, grant concessions instead of treasure, deniable leverage¡­¡± Amoh flicked his wrist to draw their attention. ¡°If they decree I need to leave any of my investments, I will also claim two dozen years.¡± His mouth twisted disdainfully. ¡°You should have sent [Assassins]. I have my Seminary, and you know Ogarius has his cells. An Ending is overkill.¡± Sussu¡¯s head was bowed, but she looked up. ¡°Send them anyways. With wealth to bribe. Kill this Nathan Lark before he leaves the continent. If Brox protected him, then he is important to our rivals. I would deny Sarya such an agent.¡± Ogarius thought about it. ¡°I will send a cell to Litcliff. It seems a better point of origin than Agmon. They will eliminate Nathan Lark and his allies, and scout for the spread of the antimagic Insight.¡± He nodded decisively. ¡°Send more.¡± Badud said, grumpy with the plans being made without his input. ¡°Nathan has an assassin class, inherited from the tradition of the escaped slaves. He has levelled by slaughtering the mages of Giantsrest. He will not be simple prey.¡± ¡°Good. I will send the most promising students. Nothing sharpens assassins like slaying other assassins. Blades in the dark are the sharpest.¡± Ogarius replied with a lazy smile. ¡°That truth holds to both sides.¡± Sussu said, turning between them. ¡°Nathan Lark may learn from your assasins, just as you hope to learn from him. I have a trader-agent in the area, and will send them to make arrangements with the peers of Litcliff. He will only find enemies there. What if they should go to Agmon?¡± Badud shook his head. "Gemore and Agmon are at war. Some of the treeborn tribes can be bribed to ensure that conflict flares hot. They will not seek safety in Agmon. They will go to Litcliff." "Ugh. Treeborn." Amoh said, then gestured with a piece of fruit. ¡°Regardless, the smaller matter is dealt with. We should discuss the larger. How will this change grid politics?¡± ¡°Losing three continents of their choice is a blow, but not a fatal one.¡± Sussu said, glancing around to see the reactions to her words. ¡°It may even allow us to petition the Aleph grid for aid. They see us as better allies than Sarya.¡± ¡°They might have even forgotten what I did.¡± Amoh said with a chuckle. ¡°It was the Ending of Monsters, after all. Quite some time ago." Ogarius stroked his goatee thoughtfully. ¡°The Alephs are too large to move quickly. We would be better off drawing in an independent Questor. Are there any new Questors we could tempt to join us, with lands to claim and battles to fight?¡± Badud kept silent, though he stewed internally. He¡¯d always been opposed to involving the larger Grids in their struggle, or trying to bring new Questors into the sector. He liked how few Questors there were in this corner of Davrar. He wanted to be lord of all he surveyed, not merely one champion of many. But he wasn¡¯t in a position to make that case now. Sussu had framed bringing in other Questors as a way to solve the problem, and Badud could feel the scales tipping against him. ¡°I would accept bringing in one new member to our grid,¡± he said begrudgingly. ¡°I will handle half of the recruitment cost, but there must be conditions. Our grid was formed to create new societies made possible with magic, and any addition must share that goal and have the ability to contribute.¡± Ogarius nodded thoughtfully. ¡°Yes, I would rather share the credit of our demonstrations with a fifth than muddy the waters with a larger Grid. I will reach out to some like-minded members of my own batch to determine their interest.¡± Sussu seized the moment of accord quickly. ¡°Then it is agreed. We will bring in another Questor to push back against Sarya¡¯s claims. Do we whet the new Questor against the blight, or against one of Brox¡¯s holdings?¡± ¡°Send them towards Brox.¡± Badud said quickly. ¡°He is a good opponent to learn how Questors fight.¡± ¡°Shall we share our next plans?¡± Ogarius said, eyes evaluating the other Questors. Amoh shook his head. ¡°I will not justify myself.¡± Ogarius nodded. ¡°Very well. Good luck, and create something new.¡± He blipped away without a single indication of spellwork. Badud relaxed internally. He¡¯d been worried that they¡¯d all discuss their future plans, which he wasn¡¯t interested in. He meant to take it easy for the next few decades - or centuries - as he rebuilt his spellcasting abilities. This way, he wouldn¡¯t have to figure out a way to justify those actions to his compatriots. Though I should probably be worried why Amoh was so dismissive of the idea. What¡¯s he up to? It wasn¡¯t worth worrying about. With his duty discharged, Badud transported himself to one of his designated travel points. With barely a flicker he appeared in a large and well-appointed study, lit by a bluish light spilling through the window that dominated one wall. He spent a minute looking out over the underground city of Sangrad. Buildings spread out over every surface of the massive cave, the tallest structures clustered around the pillars of massive crystal that glowed with purple light. His vantage point was high above every other building, the Seal Fortress stretching upwards towards the opening in the roof of the cavern high above. He sat in the chair delicately, though his aches weren¡¯t physical in any sense. Eventually, he reached for an enchanted bell sitting near his elbow. It rang without sound, and seconds later the door slid open to admit a formally-dressed woman who bowed deeply. ¡°Archlord Badud. What is your will?¡± ¡°The annual reports of the triumvirate for the last decade, as well as the records of the artifice guild auctions.¡± The woman nodded her understanding and turned to leave, but Badud raised a hand. ¡°Wait. And the list of state assets with deep ocean capabilities. Mercenaries preferred. I don¡¯t need that list immediately. Make it thorough.¡± The woman left with her amended instructions, and Badud laced his fingers together as he awaited the papers that would let him catch up on what had happened in Sangrad since his last visit. If Nathan slips through Sussu¡¯s trap, then he¡¯ll be vulnerable at sea. I¡¯m never going to get within a hundred miles of that boy again, but if we destroy his ship, then he won¡¯t be able to survive the deep ocean. It was only a few minutes before the woman returned with several folders of reports, and Badud licked a finger before diving in. There were more efficient methods of organization and data storage than paper, but he loved the feeling of control that came from manipulating an empire through such basic physical means. It was one of the reasons that Davrar was worth it. Chapter 1: View from On High Nathan stood thousands of feet above the ground, thin air supporting his bare feet. The sky below him was still clouded with dust, though Badud had cleared enough of it that he could see the city of Giantsrest spread out beneath him. He was directly above the ruins of the Ascendent Academy. The building had been closer in size to a mountain than a piece of architecture - but no longer. Now it was a mound of gray rubble decorated with occasional fizzing sparks of the decorative magic that had once graced the heart and soul of Giantsrest. I shouldn¡¯t be surprised it collapsed. Badud killed the ancient giant that powered the Academy, then I threw his black-hole spell into the center, and finally he tried to kill me with a divine artifact - with the Academy as the backstop. It looked like the building had mostly collapsed downwards. The zone of absolute destruction was relatively small, though a few larger stones had blazed trails of destruction as they rolled out into the city. The detonation of the shielding enchantment had done more damage, blowing out windows and crumpling smaller buildings halfway to the city walls. More worrying were the giant stone statues rampaging through the streets. Nathan¡¯s enhanced vision picked out flashes of light as a trio of mages volleyed fireballs against a twenty foot tall stone statue sprinting towards them. The golem pirouetted between the spells and even the ones that struck home did no more than stagger it. Then the animated statue reached the mages, and the splashes of blood were visible from here. I think that probably started when I broke the control spell on the dungeon core. Everywhere Nathan looked, there was chaos. There couldn¡¯t be more than a couple dozen statues loose in the city, but they rampaged freely. Their sudden appearance combined with the destruction of the Ascendent Academy had panicked the mages of the city badly enough that there was no sign of organized resistance. That was especially true since those expected to coordinate the resistance had been inside of the Academy. Another golem dug itself out of the rubble far below and raced into the city, seemingly eager to join the destruction. Nathan was unsure what to do next. He had come to Giantsrest to topple the Academy. By the look of the rubble that was all that remained, he¡¯d accomplished his ambition. But now what? What Badud said was important. I need to leave this continent, get involved with the Questors. But reading deeper into his words - was Davrar created for the Questors, as a game? Am I inside some kind of game world right now? Nathan¡¯s mind swirled. He wanted nothing more than to sprint back to Halsmet, take a nap and figure out what to do next. But looking down on the unfolding catastrophe below - he couldn¡¯t just wash his hands of Giantsrest. Do I have a responsibility to these people? The city was built around roads that radiated out from what remained of the Ascendent Academy like the spokes of a wheel, the areas in between a mix of grand villas, prosperous urban neighborhoods and packed tenements. The golems were being indiscriminate in their destruction, and Nathan¡¯s eyes narrowed as he saw a golem burst through a tall wall and enter into a packed maze of workshops and residences. He¡¯d been in that very spot a little while ago, when he and Faline had snuck into the Chokiz estate to sow discord by assassinating Nol dho Chokiz and framing the Nails. But the golem wasn¡¯t rampaging through the estate or the parkland around it. It was in the industrial part of the complex, where thousands of slaves lived and worked to make manufactured goods. I¡¯m not here to save everybody. I came to Giantsrest to cast down the Academy, to break Giantsrest¡¯s power. It¡¯s not on me to save everybody and make something new from the rubble. But I can¡¯t just leave when there¡¯s such a clear way for me to save lives. Nathan stopped spending Stamina to hold himself up and fell out of the sky. He aimed himself towards the Golem who¡¯d attracted his attention inside the Chokiz estate. At this point he was practiced enough with [Airwalk] to guide himself precisely through a freefall using an occasional sideways push. The wind of his descent against sensitive skin reminded him of another issue. I also need new pants. Badud¡¯s last spell wasn¡¯t any kinder to my clothes than it was to the Academy. The golem smashed its way into a workshop and moments later the building collapsed inwards, hiding it from Nathan¡¯s view. He slowed down, waiting for his enemy to re-emerge so he could strike. Fast or slow? The rubble shifted before the Golem pulled its way free, head rotating mechanically to search for the next target. It locked onto a building across the street, and Nathan caught a glimpse of somebody slamming shutters closed to avoid its gaze. The golem tensed to pounce. Fast. Nathan stopped slowing himself down, letting gravity take hold as he flipped around for the last hundred feet of the descent. He impacted the golem with both feet, hitting it in the upper back with knees bent. Nathan¡¯s legs protested at the force of the impact but his recent level-ups had improved the strength of all of his class skills. That included [Unarmored Resilience], which toughened his body when he wasn¡¯t wearing armor. And I¡¯m not wearing much of anything right now. His recent level-ups had also improved [Antimagic Momentum], and the spellwork in the golem fractured as Nathan¡¯s strike smashed it to the ground. But that wasn¡¯t enough to finish off the magical killing machine, and it started to push itself back up, uncaring of Nathan¡¯s weight on its back. He slid down the stone torso wrapping his legs around its chest and yanking back on the golem¡¯s neck even as his antimagic tore at the wizardry inside the golem. The golem stopped trying to get back up, instead reaching back towards Nathan with smooth precision. Then its limbs jerked as the damage he¡¯d already done made some enchantments misfire. Nathan leapt away from the golem to evade its grasp, happy to gain some distance now that it was focused on him. He¡¯d gained a lot of power in the last few fights, and it would only take seconds longer for his antimagic to cut the golem off from power, draining and sealing its artificial mana pool. The golem lunged once again, but Nathan dodged the strike easily. He kept the distance open until the stone statue slowed and froze mid-leap, toppling to the dirt street with a thud.
Spellslayer has leveled to 379! You have slain the last remnant of an ancient Giant!
Void of Magic has leveled to 517! You have destroyed a rogue golem!
Nathan walked over and poked the golem with his toe, then turned to the building that had attracted the golem¡¯s attention. ¡°Hey, anybody there?¡± There was no answer, but Nathan walked closer and reached out with his magical senses. There were several enchantments in the building, most feeling half-completed. But Nathan had broken thousands of slave collars in the last few months. There was another one just inside, attached to somebody hiding just below the window. Breaking that enchantment was automatic at this point, and once that was done Nathan knocked politely on the door. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to have any spare pants, would you?¡± There was a moment of scrambling before the door opened to reveal a short older man with crude spectacles. He gaped at Nathan before rushing back into the building and leaving the door open. Nathan stepped inside and looked around, surprised by how well-maintained the space was. The house was tight and crude, with faded wood and rickety furniture, but everything was polished and clean. The workshop off to the side absolutely brimmed with handmade tools, and it looked like the man had been halfway through carving an intricate pattern into a spearhead to prepare it to hold an enchantment. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The ex-slave himself was rooting through a set of drawers in the bedroom nearby. After a few seconds he found what he was looking for, turning with a set of baggy pants. Then he looked Nathan up and down, measuring his own five-foot frame against Nathan¡¯s six and a half. Deft fingers undid the drawstring around the waist, then held them out. Nathan sighed as he took the clothes, sliding them on with a nod of thanks. They were still tight around the waist, and only reached partway down his shins. But at least now he wouldn¡¯t be flashing everybody. ¡°I¡¯m going to protect this area from golems and mages, and free every slave here. Can you start organizing people somewhere in the open so I can break the control magic? I want some kind of local leadership set up.¡± The man¡¯s face furrowed, and he felt at the metal-and-leather collar around his neck for a moment in confusion. Then his eyes lit up and he spoke in a voice rusty from long disuse. ¡°The magic is broken?¡± He coughed a few times and rushed to his tools, reaching for a pair of shears and working them under the collar. ¡°Get more slaves out of their houses and into somewhere central.¡± Nathan reiterated as he turned to go, though he wasn¡¯t sure the man heard him. He walked out of the building, musing on how to get things moving quickly. He didn¡¯t want to lead a slave revolt himself, but he certainly wanted to start one. That meant finding - and freeing - slaves who could take the leadership role. His eyes turned to the fallen building across the street, and Nathan couldn¡¯t help himself. He used his magical senses to search the building for any more slavery enchantments, and found a pair of them buried under the rubble. With a shrug, he started digging into the rubble. The building was mostly wood, and with judicious applications of Stamina he was able to dig his way into the pile. The debris shifted, and Nathan leapt forward to catch it before it could fall far, throwing aside a heavy beam with a grunt. He found a man and woman huddled under what looked like a printing press, the lightly enchanted wooden frame protecting them from the weight above. He helped both of them out, breaking the enchantments on their collars as they clambered out before ripping the collars off with his bare hands. The two people looked at each other, the similar features on their faces shifting from terror into relief, then happiness as they embraced, before turning to Nathan as one. The man released a shaky breath. ¡°The mage-breaker. You¡¯re real.¡± Nathan almost rolled his eyes, but caught himself. For him, the battle had been won. He didn¡¯t think there was anything Giantsrest could throw at him that he needed to be scared of. But he¡¯d just completely upended the lives of the two people in front of him. My scale of reference is not the same as most people. But I also need to be careful of getting arrogant. ¡°My name is Nathan Lark. What are your names?¡± The two looked at each other, and the woman spoke. ¡°I¡¯m Thia. This is my brother, Shong. We¡¯re printers.¡± She raised an ink-stained hand as if in proof, then looked worriedly back at the ruined building. ¡°That was our press.¡± Nathan nodded. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m overthrowing Giantsrest, and can free any slave I get close to. Can you get more slaves out of the buildings? I¡¯ll protect the area until you can get organized and defend yourselves.¡± Shong turned back to his sister with scared eyes. ¡°But the masters. The ways they kill slaves who escape the collars¡­¡± Thia touched her bare neck. ¡°The collars are already off.¡± ¡°The Academy is no more.¡± Nathan interjected. ¡°The reign of Giantsrest is ended, and the mages don¡¯t have the strength to hold you down anymore. I can free thousands of people, and the only question is what you decide to do. Will you rise up against your captors and fight until every slave is free, or flee to Halsmet, and Gemore beyond?¡± Both siblings traded a doubtful look. ¡°We can try?¡± Thia said. Nathan sighed heavily, glancing between the brother and sister who seemed more terrified than inspired. ¡°Ok, get started. I¡¯ll go take a look around for any more golems, or mages.¡± He leapt back into the sky, shaking his head as he bounded upwards to get a better vantage point. Not everybody can be like Myrla. Or Suse. Where is Suse, after all? I hope she didn¡¯t get crushed when the Academy collapsed. Along with Yelun, Hibor and Roni. I didn¡¯t expect the Academy to collapse, but I also didn¡¯t expect Badud to pull out such destructive spells. I think he considered the Academy lost after the Golem core was destroyed. Nathan grimaced as he thought about the death toll from the Academy¡¯s collapse. Every single student was likely dead, along with their professors. They¡¯d represented the next generation of Giantsrest, its future archmages, war mages and enslavement mages. But they¡¯d also been schoolchildren who hadn¡¯t yet committed evil deeds. Badud cast the spells that destroyed the Academy. My actions led to all of those deaths, but I¡¯m not directly responsible for them. He closed his eyes for a moment, reflecting on the thought. He hadn¡¯t destroyed the Academy, and if he¡¯d had the choice to vaporize it then he would have looked for another way. That was precisely why he hadn¡¯t taught Stella any nuclear Insights. But he had freed the enslaved magical intelligence at the heart of the Academy, and that had led directly to its destruction. Now rogue golems were killing people throughout the city. But that wasn¡¯t his fault. He¡¯d corrected an evil and caused another one, but Giantsrest had invited those consequences when they¡¯d enslaved the last Giant and converted its dungeon into their Academy. Then Badud had accelerated everything by tossing a black hole spell at Nathan, then hit him with [The Last Arrows of Olita]. That was a spell that seemed designed to destroy armies. A shiver went through Nathan as he considered combat between Questors, where that kind of destruction was common. He would be engaging in more fighting like that, and didn¡¯t want to end up the only survivor every time. Will I be able to protect the Heirs from that kind of attack in the future? Not with my current power. But my antimagic is already growing to cover a battlefield, and Khachi and Stella have some pretty formidable protections of their own. We¡¯ll manage. I just hope they¡¯re ready to come with me when I leave the continent. They¡¯ll probably need to catch up with me in power. He¡¯d reached a good height, so he looked around, keeping a careful eye out for any Golems. There were none visible in sight, just the sprawling tangle of workshops, warehouses, forges and tenements that made up the Chokiz industrial district. But coming down one of the streets that led to the estate was a small group of mages and slave-elites. As Nathan watched one of the slave-elites pointed up at Nathan before drawing back a bow and firing an arrow in his direction. Oh, my next target has volunteered. Nice of them.
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 6 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 4 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: Void of Magic level 517 Deepened Stamina: 14696/15810 Void of Feeling Antimagic Momentum Raging Thrill Implacable Inertia Unarmored Resilience Magic Anathema Airborne Agility Hand-to-hand Expertise Voluminous Aura Denial of Wizardry Mana Severance
Class: Spellslayer level 379 Regenerative Focus: 3613/3890 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Wizard¡¯s Meditation 7 Inspiration 3 Acceleration 7 Wizard¡¯s Detection 5 Alertness 8 Wizard¡¯s Understanding 6 Effortless Dodge 6 Mental Vault 1 Tutoring 3 Parkour 6 Visibility Control 1 High-tier Disguise 1 Mid-tier Battle Cry 8 High-tier Aura Manipulation 6
Chapter 2: Building Communities Nathan dove towards the ground, headed for the group of mages. The arrow already in flight curved to strike him regardless, but he had so many movement skills it was trivial to bounce around the projectile. It attempted one last skill-guided course-correction but it wasn¡¯t enough. The four mages cast spells, with one sending a spray of flaming liquid, another a gust of cutting wind and two summoning rocks the size of bowling balls to fire up at him. The slave-elites deployed amongst them in anticipation of Nathan''s attack. They weren''t expecting him to ignore the spells entirely, though the spray of sticky flame blocked his vision for a moment and set the buildings to either side alight. He hit the ground a dozen feet away from the mages, bare feet cratering the hard-packed dirt. His aura swept outwards, extinguishing the magical flames in a wave. The mages drew back as one as their spells were snuffed out like mosquitos flying into a campfire. But the slave elites didn¡¯t hesitate, and three of the five charged at Nathan with excellent coordination. He¡¯d been expecting that, and jumped up and then sideways, ricocheting off the walls to bypass the warriors and get to the mages. Their [Mage Armor] spells popped from Nathan¡¯s proximity, and he moved faster than they could react, zipping through the group at head-height to crush skulls and mangle throats. He routed around the two slave-elites remaining in the group, intending to remove the mages before he freed the elites. I don¡¯t want a repeat of the fight in Fireface pass, where I freed the elites and the mages promptly torched them all. The archer was able to get a shot off, sending an arrow into Nathan¡¯s path as he barreled down on the last of the four mages. [Fireba- Nathan didn¡¯t deviate course, accepting an arrow through the torso to slam his knuckles into the last mage¡¯s throat hard enough to throw him into the wall of the nearby building. Only then did he settle to the ground, the bodies of the mages hitting the ground moments before he did.
Parkour 7 achieved!
Spellslayer has leveled to 396! You have slain Kalman dho Chokiz, Ravs dho Gras, Sigs dho Gras and Arleta dha Olyz within moments of them noticing you!
The elites weren''t put off by the display in the slightest. But Nathan didn''t attack them, merely dodging their weapons for the seconds it took him to unravel their enslavement enchantments. It took him slightly longer than it otherwise would because he was trying not to disenchant their arms and armor at the same time. One by one they stopped attacking, shaking their heads in confusion. Nathan stepped aside from one last arrow, not moving quite fast enough to prevent it grazing his arm. Then he addressed the suddenly freed elites, using his skills to draw their attention and project his voice clearly. ¡°You have been slaves of Giantsrest all of your lives, bound to serve the will of mages. But the Ascendent Academy is gone!¡± He gestured at the newly empty patch of sky. ¡°You are free, and your will is what matters.¡± He paused to grab the arrow that was working its way out of his torso, pulling it out the rest of the way before using it to gesture around. ¡°You are trained to protect mages, to defend your enslavers. But now, the slaves of Giantsrest need protection, from monsters and mages alike! I will free every slave of Giantsrest I can, but I cannot protect them. Will you help your fellows, instead of defending your masters from the fates they have earned?¡± The archer looked at Nathan, and spoke in a rusty voice. ¡°I¡¯ll fight with you, mage-breaker. By the Giant¡¯s fist, and to the Giant''s end.¡±
Inspiration 4 achieved!
Void of Magic has leveled to 528! You have killed four mages and freed their slave-soldiers from enslavement magic!
The other elites all nodded, and Nathan let out a relieved breath that they all seemed to be genuinely on his side. ¡°Great. Start getting the slaves hidden in the buildings out into the streets, so I can break their enchantments all together instead of seeking them out individually. The square over there will work,¡± he pointed off towards an open area he¡¯d noticed from above. ¡°Keep your weapons close, I can¡¯t be everywhere and there are still enemies around. Have you seen the golems yet?¡± They all nodded as one, and the archer spoke again. ¡°One broke into the estate. We lost Benim and Sarkal to it.¡± Nathan grimaced. ¡°I can kill them pretty easily, so try to delay them instead of taking risks to kill them. I¡¯ll be patrolling around, and will focus on keeping the area safe. Are there more elites in the area I can free to help you out?¡± One of the other elites spoke up. ¡°Segril and Trun were left at the estate, along with the household slaves. The masters are planning to flee. They were going to take the most skilled craftsmen with them.¡± Nathan nodded back. ¡°I¡¯ll go get them. Stay in this area, it''s a good base of operations. Before I go, can I get your names?¡± ¡°Gasc. May you have the strength of the Giant, mage-slayer.¡± The archer held out his hand, and Nathan clasped it with the hand holding the arrow the man had shot him with, leaving it behind in the elite''s hand. The archer looked down at the bloody arrow in amusement, then tucked it away into his quiver. The rest of the newly freed elites gave Nathan their names, then scattered into the surrounding buildings to corral people into the central square of the district. Nathan took a moment to refill his Stamina by draining the disembodied mana pools left over from the dead mages. It was simpler than cutting a mage off from magic had been, and he spared a moment of thought for the fire elemental that had shown him the trick. It¡¯s a bit ghoulish, but it''s not like they''ll miss the mana. As soon as he was done he ascended back into the air, heading back towards the abundant greenery of the Chokiz manor and the surrounding grounds. This time he used his stealth skills to make himself less noticeable. He had a destination now, and wasn¡¯t trying to draw the attention of any potential threats in the area. He ran towards the sculpted parkland, noticing a few burnt trees from the time he''d carried Faline out of here while mages blasted spells at them. I¡¯m already getting too involved. I need to get moving, get out of Giantsrest, find the Heirs and start heading towards the Questors. Then he looked back towards the elites and the small but growing crowd of slaves awaiting his antimagic. But I can quickly make such a huge difference here. Is there anybody else who could fight the golems, the mages, and free all of the slaves? I can stay here a few days, maybe a week or two. That''s not too much. Nathan descended towards the familiar mansion, noting the relative lack of guards. There were a few slave-soldiers on each door, but not many. He landed lightly on the roof, avoiding tripping the alarm spell and sweeping his magical perception through the building. Only two more mages. I think there¡¯s just the two elites too, but it¡¯s harder to pick out the slave enchantments from here. The magical lock on a window wilted before him, and Nathan entered the mansion for the second time. He padded quickly through empty hallways, prioritizing speed over stealth as he beelined towards the mages. He peeked around a corner to find two enslavement mages emptying a vault that had been hidden beneath a rug on the ground floor, pulling dimensional storage pouches from the recessed nook and squabbling over them as two slave-elites looked on. ¡°No, by the Giant¡¯s will, the enchantment materials are mine. You can have the alchemy ingredients.¡± Said the woman, grabbing at a bag a heavyset man was holding. He protested with a whiny voice. ¡°But neither of us are alchemists! You can take the second and third food storage, that should be enough for a long time.¡± They both bore a strong family resemblance to the late Nol dho Chokiz. Food? That¡¯s something we¡¯re going to need. Nathan stepped out from hiding, unraveling the slavery enchantments on the two elites and settling cloaks of antimagic over the mages, careful not to disrupt the magic on the dimensional pouches they held. ¡°Stop. Your slaves are free and your magic will do nothing. Tell me about the forces inside the city.¡± Nathan said, making his voice loud and intimidating as he popped their mage armors with tendrils of antimagic. The two mages spun towards him, attempting to cast spells that achieved precisely nothing. Then they gaped at him for a moment, seemingly unable to process the changed circumstances. The stretched moment ended when one of the elites drew a blade and stabbed both mages through the heart in quick, economical movements. They fell quickly, only a small amount of blood staining their robes. The elite turned to Nathan, putting the bloody blade into a high salute and speaking in a gleeful voice. ¡°Hail the mage-breaker. I thank you for breaking our chains. What occurs?¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Void of Magic has leveled to 530! You have freed slaves and enabled the deaths of their masters!
Nathan blinked, then shrugged and quickly explained the situation. It wasn¡¯t like he could get upset about the freed slaves killing their masters the moment they had a chance. And he was pretty sure he could get better intelligence from the elites than the mages. He spent a few minutes running around the estate to free the remaining slave soldiers and household slaves, before sending them to join the others carrying everything useful from the house. As he moved on, Nathan once more considered what he was doing. Following up on Badud¡¯s warning was more important than saving people here, but it was also less certain. In about ten minutes of effort he¡¯d freed a few dozen people from slavery and claimed a large amount of wealth and supplies for the new community of freed slaves. He could do an enormous amount of good here in Giantsrest, very quickly. But would it all come to naught if Badud fulfilled his promise to start the Ending of History? I can''t stay here indefinitely. My priority needs to be making them self-sufficient, able to operate without me. That means putting them in touch with Halsmet. I could probably run there in half a day, but I don¡¯t think I can leave them alone that long right now. Some mage or golem would come along and wipe them out. But somebody will have noticed the fact that the Academy¡¯s gone, and will come to check it out. I just need to be on the lookout for them, and hope they have [Message]. Though I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the Heirs see it and beeline straight here. He wondered if this was a similar problem that Questors faced - being pulled in a dozen directions, and trying to help without making a society dependent on them. I think Badud did a better job than Brox at building a functioning society. Though he was pretty quick to burn it all down once I broke his control of the dungeon. ¡ª The next few hours were a blur of activity. Nathan tried to spend every moment aloft, keeping watch for wandering golems or mages who tried to investigate or attack. The city seemed to be calming down, with the population hunkering down and the golems starting to move more methodically.
Spellslayer has leveled to 401! You have slain the last remnant of an ancient Giant!
Void of Magic has leveled to 535! You have destroyed a rogue golem!
He made frequent runs back to the central square to free batches of slaves. His expanded aura easily encompassed a crowd and excised the slavery enchantments of hundreds of people in moments. They kept asking him for instructions, but Nathan steadfastly refused to tell the freed slaves what to do, making them figure it out themselves. That serves two purposes. It makes them less dependent on me, and it also gives me more time to keep watch. If I get too involved now I won¡¯t be able to leave as easily later. He picked a few nearby buildings and rotated between them, trying to reduce the Stamina drain by not spending all of his time aloft. He replenished his Stamina every time he got in a fight or freed a new group of slaves, but he needed to stay Stamina-positive. He descended back to where he¡¯d seen Gasc organizing a barricade, greeting the bow-wielding elite before quickly quizzing him about the city. Nathan wanted to know where other elites and slave-soldiers were concentrated, and Gasc pointed him towards a few more noble estates that each housed a retinue of soldiers. Got it. Fancy houses usually come with soldiers & elites. Time to hit the fancy houses and free them before they get sent against us or used as cannon-fodder against the golems. We can backfill freeing the civilians behind them. Nathan embarked on a series of surgical strikes to the mansions of the city, each of them housed on their own small stretch of parkland. Half of the estates were already abandoned, with signs of rapid evacuation. But the others contained hunkered mages and their slaves, and Nathan snuck into each quickly to scope them out. He didn¡¯t kill the mages out of hand, but they usually attacked him the moment he revealed himself. In those cases he cut them down without remorse.
High-tier Disguise 2 achieved!
None of the fights were especially hard. The mages couldn¡¯t threaten Nathan, and the hardest challenge was killing the mages without them catching their own slaves in the crossfire. The golems he fought were harder to kill and could actually hurt Nathan, but they couldn¡¯t catch him. He spent Focus freely to outmaneuver the big statues, the discount from [Mental Vault] meaning he didn¡¯t have to be nearly as careful with the resource.
Mental Vault 2 Achieved!
Void of Magic has leveled to 548! You have killed seven mages and freed their slaves!
Spellslayer has leveled to 421! You have slain the mages Rogef dho Sodz, Gea dha Sodz, Todil dho Quam, Todril dho Quam, Silan dho Quam, Sozur dho Ruthi and Shia dha Ruthi!
Through his magical senses Nathan could feel mages in many of the more humble buildings all over the city - but they all seemed to be weaker mages trying to avoid attention. A few times he went inside to free groups of household slaves, but each time the mages stayed hidden and out of the way. He thought about hunting them down, but a memory of a handmade quilt on a bed flashed in his mind and he turned away each time. I don¡¯t know what to do about them, but I¡¯m not going to go on a murder spree. Besides, we¡¯re not at the stage of clearing the city house-by-house just yet. Now, nightfall was approaching, and Nathan was considering how to safeguard the enclave overnight. He wouldn¡¯t be able to see any attackers coming, and his first warning might be the sound of fighting. I should also consider getting some sleep. I was busy murdering archmages last night, and I spent the nights before that exploring the Academy. I can go for a while without sleep, but I''ve been leaning on that pretty hard already, and I''m starting to feel the strain. Then a series of explosions from one of the exterior gates of Giantsrest caught his attention. There¡¯d been explosions before, usually from mages fighting golems - though Nathan was convinced a few of them had been from mages using the chaos as an opportunity to settle old grudges. But these detonations were different. For one thing, they seemed to be coming from outside the city, as if somebody was trying to blast their way in. For another, they weren¡¯t the simple blasts of standard fireballs - each explosion carried a crackling undertone of lightning that made Nathan smile. The Heirs. That didn¡¯t take long.
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 6 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 4 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: Void of Magic level 548 Deepened Stamina: 13227/16740 Void of Feeling Antimagic Momentum Raging Thrill Implacable Inertia Unarmored Resilience Magic Anathema Airborne Agility Hand-to-hand Expertise Voluminous Aura Denial of Wizardry Mana Severance
Class: Spellslayer level 421 Regenerative Focus: 4193/4310 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Wizard¡¯s Meditation 7 Inspiration 4 Acceleration 7 Wizard¡¯s Detection 5 Alertness 8 Wizard¡¯s Understanding 6 Effortless Dodge 6 Mental Vault 2 Tutoring 3 Parkour 7 Visibility Control 1 High-tier Disguise 2 Mid-tier Battle Cry 8 High-tier Aura Manipulation 6
Chapter 3: Long-awaited reunions Nathan sped towards the sounds of destructive magic, bounding through the air in a straight line as he soared over houses. A golem below looked up, but Nathan was gone before it could react. The outer walls of Giantsrest are no joke. I hope I get there in time to help. The gate he was headed to was nearly a mile away, and even at Nathan¡¯s top speed it would still take him over a minute to get there. All he could do was watch the towers to either side of the gate and hope the Heirs could handle themselves. Each of the towers was enchanted with archmage-level magic that could destroy armies, and if there were any defenders left they would be rushing to activate the enchantments. The leftmost tower sparked and activated, sending a torrent of lightning into the farmland that surrounded the city. The crackling energy lit the night, strobing across the buildings and reflecting from the distant mountains as a deafening wave of sound rolled out. The spell continued for fifteen seconds before cutting off and leaving behind a sudden stillness like an indrawn breath. The quiet was broken as yet another plasma-tinged explosion sounded against the wall. The enchanted gatehouse slumped slightly, stones raining down into the streets behind the gate as the magic reinforcing the structure splintered. Sounds like they¡¯re doing fine. The right tower started to activate, sending a puff of fire shooting out the front before sputtering out. Then the entire edifice detonated in a bloom of flame. A burning mushroom cloud rose as the hundred foot tall tower exploded like it had been made entirely of dynamite. Stone shrapnel was launched in all directions, and the blast wave rolled across the city, collapsing many of the nearby buildings. More than fine. I wonder how they pulled that off. I sure hope Stella didn''t figure out any nuclear Insights. Half of the gatehouse had been blown away by the explosion, and the rest collapsed in a roar of falling stone. Dust fountained out from the crumbling structure, and the entire area was covered in an obscuring cloud that blended into the darkness. Nathan was getting close. He paused, eying the dust in annoyance. He was getting a bit frustrated at the way every big explosion or collapsing building created huge plumes of dust that blocked his sight and made it hard to navigate. Was he just supposed to wander around until he found the Heirs?
Acceleration 8 achieved!
A flash of armor caught Nathan¡¯s eye, and he looked sideways to see a group of slave-elites charge out of a wrecked side street, headed directly towards the fallen gate. They were formed into a disciplined phalanx around two war-mages, and some kind of force magic enhanced the entire group¡¯s movement speed. A quick reaction force of some kind. Let¡¯s take care of that. Nathan dropped from the sky, spending Focus to keep himself inconspicuous and Stamina to move as quickly as possible. The group entered the cloud of billowing dust, but he tracked the mages with his magical senses and closed in on them like a missile. Nathan impacted like a rock from a catapult, pulping one of the mages underfoot and cracking the cobbles of the street below.
Visibility Control 2 achieved!
The other mage reacted nearly instantly with a flare of dimensional magic. [Blink] But Nathan knew that spell, and his aura was already extended towards the man. He¡¯d learned how to destructively interfere with spellcasting, and the spell triggered in a flare of unbalanced energies. The mage vanished in a pop of light - but instead of rematerializing in his target spot he ended up evenly spread across fifty feet of the street. That¡¯s a new one. Gross.
Spellslayer has leveled to 437! You have slain the mages Bragdan dho Moz and Ton dho Nian from stealth and surprise!
The elites also reacted quickly, and Nathan dodged three attacks before getting smashed in the back by a warhammer. He healed the broken spine in an instant and turned the tumble into a leap, getting out of easy reach and gaining a moment of calm. He spread his aura out and clenched his fist, crushing two dozen slavery enchantments at once without letting any of the failsafes trigger.
High-tier Aura Manipulation 7 achieved!
Then Nathan winced and pulled out the various darts and throwing knives they¡¯d hit him with in the meantime. One of them had bounced off his forehead, but most of the rest had sunk into his torso. They were all poisoned. What a fascinating cocktail of toxins. Whoever led this group liked their alchemy.
Void of Magic has leveled to 562! You have easily wiped out an elite Giantsrest quick-reaction force!
Nathan looked down at the confused elites, summoning the right words. He¡¯d discovered the key to waking the slave-elites from their confusion back in Halsmet, and had only refined it since. He could feel his [Inspiration] skill quivering inside of him, eager to fulfill its purpose by giving these ex-slaves a new purpose. [Inspiration] may be my strongest skill. I can do a lot, but inspiring a hundred people can do a lot more. ¡°As of this moment, you belong only to yourself!¡± Nathan cried out, his voice loud and resonant. ¡°To Giantsrest you are weapons, tools to kill before you are discarded. You were born property, and have never had a choice in who you kill, in what you are.¡± The elites were looking up at Nathan now, some awestruck, some angry. ¡°That ends today!¡± Nathan yelled back in their faces. ¡°You are free, and you must decide what that means! You can kill slavers and protect towns, start a family or run a bakery - your dreams are yours. You merely need to reach out and take them! Find your dream, and chase it with all of your newfound freedom.¡± He was answered with a roar of affirmation, most of the elites looking up at him with the expressions of men given hope for the first time.
Inspiration 5 achieved!
Nathan inhaled to keep speaking and almost choked on the dust, coughing for a few seconds before turning an angry glare at the cloud. He cleared his throat and yelled as loud as he could towards the gate. ¡°Stella! Clear the dust, please!¡± His voice boomed as if he¡¯d used concert speakers.
Mid-tier Battle Cry 9 achieved!
There was a faint laugh that Nathan could barely pick out with his enhanced perception, and then the wind grew stronger until it was a gale. The dust cloud cleared in an instant, and Nathan looked up at the fallen gate and smiled. Four figures stood there, silhouetted by the scattered fires lit by the giant explosion. Aarl floated just above the ground, clad in braided metal armor that wouldn¡¯t have looked out of place in a science-fiction movie. He wielded a Questor¡¯s light-drinking sword in one hand and a greatsword that buzzed with energy in the other. Khachi stood firmly next to him, the armored wolf-man radiating an angelic golden aura that lit the broken stone he stood on in warm tones. His hammer glowed as if fresh from the forge, and his shield had been inscribed with curving glyphs that hummed with divine power. Behind them was Sarah, dressed in dark leather that helped her brown skin blend into the night. Her eyes were constantly moving, scanning over Nathan quickly before flicking to the streets and the roofs to look for threats. Bandoliers criss-crossed her chest, carrying cartridges for the rifle and supporting revolvers on each hip. The last member of the Heirs was off to the side, standing on her own. Stella¡¯s eyes shone with blue lightning, and more dripped from her hands and arced out from her skin, as if she¡¯d become a tesla coil. Her braid of red hair swung lazily behind her, and over each of her shoulders sat tubes of contained light that pivoted around to follow her gaze. I guess she figured out how to make the laser spell mobile. Several of the freed elites saw Stella¡¯s magic and hissed, readying weapons and spreading out to ready themselves for combat against a mage. But they looked back in confusion when Nathan laughed long and loud, his amusement rumbling out over the ruined gate and nearby neighborhoods. He started jogging towards the Heirs, speaking to the elites over his shoulder. ¡°They''re not foes. Decide what you want to do next. I can guide you to the other freed slaves of Giantsrest, or you can go to Halsmet.¡± The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Then he turned his attention forward and saw the Heirs regarding him with smiles on their faces. He dropped to the rubble, striding forward with his arms held wide. ¡°Welcome to Giantsrest! Glad you could make it!¡± Sarah responded in an acerbic tone, her smile betraying the sarcasm. ¡°City looked nicer a few days ago. You must have truly woken the Giant. Then killed it.¡± Nathan couldn¡¯t help but smirk. ¡°You don¡¯t know how right you are.¡± Aarl was next, giving Nathan a salute with Brox¡¯s sword as strands of metal crawled down his neck to reveal his face. His features were nearly identical to Sarah¡¯s and he looked Nathan up and down before clicking his tongue. ¡°You are returning to old habits. Barely clothed and covered with blood.¡± Nathan looked down and sighed. He was still wearing the badly-fitting pants he¡¯d acquired earlier in the day, but only barely. ¡°In my defense, almost none of this blood is mine. I landed on a war mage back there.¡± He pointed back towards the watching elites. Khachi ignored the interplay, stepping forward and offering his arm with a proud expression. ¡°Your tally of deeds is weighty. All can see that the Ascendent Academy has fallen. What of the Questor?¡± ¡°Dead.¡± Nathan said, reaching forward and grasping Khachi¡¯s armored forearm as their auras engaged in a respectful dance. Nathan could tell his own was stronger, but didn''t exert that strength. ¡°Well. I killed him, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯s dead. We need to have a longer conversation at some point.¡± He stepped back and caught the cleaning rags and change of clothes that Aarl tossed his way. The wolfman nodded thoughtfully, his lips pursed. ¡°We follow your light.¡± Stella strode up, most of her spellwork banished. She put her arms on her hips and glowered up at Nathan. ¡°So. What¡¯s the count?¡± ¡°What count?" Nathan replied innocently. "You need to be more specific. I killed a lot of mages. There¡¯s several hundred freed slaves back that way.¡± He pointed back into the city. Stella rolled her eyes. ¡°No, what level. In both classes. I want to know how far behind I am.¡± A low growl came from Khachi. ¡°Don¡¯t be burned by your own fire.¡± Nathan shrugged. ¡°Like I said, I killed a lot of mages. And a Questor.¡± Stella blew air out from between her cheeks. ¡°I just want to see the target I¡¯m aiming at, and know if we can still fight by your side. Where are we going? Are we escorting people back to Halsmet?¡± Nathan hesitated. ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. It¡¯s been a busy day. There¡¯s a fortified neighborhood where I¡¯ve been gathering people I¡¯ve freed, let¡¯s get back there first.¡± Then he looked at Stella. ¡°562 for my Antimage class, 437 for the Assassin. But there¡¯s a lot I can¡¯t do. Like blast holes in city walls.¡± He glanced back at the ruins of the enchanted tower. ¡°Why did that blow up, anyway? Did you hit it with something, Stella?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Sarah shot it with an enchanted bullet when it ramped up the spell. Made the enchantment self-immolate.¡± She turned towards her gun-toting friend. ¡°How did you do that?¡± Sarah replied laconically. ¡°My class is about spotting and hitting weakspots. I¡¯ve gotten better.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get moving.¡± Aarl said, pointing towards the freed elites, who were starting to get impatient and whisper amongst themselves while watching the Heirs talk. ¡°Nathan, guide our path.¡± Gasc and the other elites can hold out for half an hour. I can take the time to guide everybody back. ¡°Right.¡± He strode forward onto thin air, calling out to the watching fighters. ¡°A bunch of freed slaves are forted up in the Chokiz industrial district, and we are going there. You can come, or you can do something else.¡± He pointed out of the city walls, towards the mountains. ¡°The city of Halsmet is free, and will take you in. That¡¯s likely the best path if you don¡¯t want to fight anymore.¡± He turned back to his friends. ¡°There are a bunch of giant rogue golems running around the city, trying to kill everybody. They¡¯re stronger, tougher and faster than any other golems we¡¯ve faced, and can cast a few spells, especially light-beams from the eyes. They also throw rocks really fast. No specific weaknesses other than shattering their bodies.¡± Aarl made an exasperated noise as his helmet crawled back over his face. ¡°Hear me, this sounds like a tale for the ages.¡± Nathan just smirked in response, then took off at a jog. ¡°This way!¡± He looked back to see that about three-quarters of the elites were following, the rest split between scattering out into the city and leaving through the giant hole in the walls. There was a whooshing sound overhead accompanied by a bundle of air mana. Nathan looked up to see Aarl flying overhead and called up to him. ¡°That¡¯s new. How did that happen?¡± ¡°I figured out [Fly].¡± Stella floated down next to Aarl, lounging mid-air as she kept up with him effortlessly. ¡°It gets disrupted by my most destructive spells though.¡± Sarah broke in. ¡°And we don¡¯t all trust it yet. Aarl was battered by her first attempts.¡± ¡°Well, I hope you can all join me in the sky soon¡­¡± Nathan broke off, head snapping around as he spotted a golem barreling out of a side alleyway towards them. He called out a warning and pivoted sharply, reaching out with his aura to start breaking down its magic. It was going to take a minute, and he needed to keep it away from the elites following along behind.
Alertness 9 achieved!
Aarl was faster. He zipped right over the golem¡¯s head, black sword swinging faster than Nathan could see. The golem¡¯s head and both arms fell from its body. It stumbled forward, the torso continuing out into the street. Khachi barely broke pace as he slammed his hammer into the golem¡¯s torso. The strike let out a blast of light and the huge statue was hurled a dozen feet down the street. Its stomach was cratered where the warhammer had struck, and it didn¡¯t rise again. Huh. They¡¯re definitely faster at killing those than I am. They faced no more interruptions as they moved with purpose through the streets of Giantsrest. Curtains twitched closed ahead of them, but not very many. Many of the mages had already fled, though Nathan wasn¡¯t sure where they¡¯d gone. There are other satellite cities of Giantsrest. Ardglass, Azamar, Skargess and Lerwick. But what about the mages who remain? There have to be thousands, and we can¡¯t just kill them all. I don¡¯t want this to be my problem. I did what I came to do, now I want to leave. Freeing slaves and killing mages is one thing, deciding the fates of all of the artisan and entertainment-mages is another. Before long they were approaching the Chokiz estate, and Nathan¡¯s teeth bared in a snarl as he heard the sounds of combat. He bounded into the air, calling backwards as he did. ¡°There¡¯s fighting. It¡¯s just ahead and to the right.¡± Aarl and Stella joined him in the air, and Nathan went over the rooftops directly towards the next fight. I suppose half an hour away was too long. At least I¡¯m with the Heirs. It feels like I have a full toolbox again.
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 6 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 4 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: Void of Magic level 562 Deepened Stamina: 14601/17160 Void of Feeling Antimagic Momentum Raging Thrill Implacable Inertia Unarmored Resilience Magic Anathema Airborne Agility Hand-to-hand Expertise Voluminous Aura Denial of Wizardry Mana Severance
Class: Spellslayer level 437 Regenerative Focus: 4301/4470 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Wizard¡¯s Meditation 7 Inspiration 5 Acceleration 8 Wizard¡¯s Detection 5 Alertness 9 Wizard¡¯s Understanding 6 Effortless Dodge 6 Mental Vault 2 Tutoring 3 Parkour 7 Visibility Control 2 High-tier Disguise 2 Mid-tier Battle Cry 9 High-tier Aura Manipulation 7
Chapter 4: School Stories Nathan was faster in the air than Stella and Aarl, but not by a huge margin. Which once again showed the power of magic - all they had was the [Fly] spell, while his flight was enabled by a unique Talent boosted by multiple skills. He reached the fight before they did, finding a half-dozen elites battling a golem. They were trying to bait it into overextending, and the cracks and chips taken out of the stone showed they¡¯d had some success. But the exchange hadn¡¯t been entirely one-way, and several fallen elites were scattered around the space. Most looked like they were only injured, but at least one¡¯s chest had been crushed. The golem lunged forward, but its movement was interrupted by Nathan colliding with its shoulder. His momentum was enough to stagger the construct, and he struck it a few times with an elbow and open palms before darting away. His antimagic-boosted attacks left scars in the animating magic, and the golem¡¯s head rotated around to lock onto him. That¡¯s when Aarl arrived, the Questor-sourced black blade swinging in a flurry that cut the golem into a pile of twitching stone.
Void of Magic has leveled to 566! You and your allies have destroyed a rogue golem!
Nathan looked down at the remains of the golem. ¡°I think I¡¯ll leave future golems to you. They¡¯re a pain for me.¡± Then he turned to examine the wounded elites, putting pressure on bleeding wounds and directing others to do the same. ¡°I can heal those.¡± Stella said, landing nearby. The elites regarded her carefully and one raised a weapon, but another elbowed him. [Moderate Curing] Stella pressed the glowing magic into the man Nathan was tending to. His wounds quickly sealed up, and she went around to repeat the magic a few more times. I forgot she could do that. Well not forgot. Just not top-of-mind. Khachi''s a better healer. A minute later Khachi rounded the corner behind at a dead sprint, followed by the formation of elites from the gates. He skidded to a halt, eyes taking in the wounded before he spoke a quick benediction. ¡°By the strength of my faith, they shall be healed.¡± His aura expanded to fill the space, pumping healing energy into every wound, no matter how small. Nathan retracted his own aura to avoid interfering with the process and every elite was healed to perfect health in moments. That left Khachi standing over the body of the elite with the crushed chest. The man''s wounds hadn¡¯t healed, and the wolfman stared down with deep concentration. He cast aside his hammer and shield, which clanged to the cobbles. Then he knelt before the dead man, interlacing his fingers and holding them over the corpses'' torso. Stella sidled up to Nathan and cast a quick [Hush] spell that just encompassed the two of them. ¡°He reached 243. [Shield of Hope].¡± She waved the spell aside. Nathan nodded, watching Khachi as he bowed his head and closed his eyes, seeming to pray over the dead elite. This wasn¡¯t something he¡¯d seen his friend do before. Did it have something to do with his new class, demanding he pay respect to the dead? Then Khachi started intoning a prayer, his voice resonating with the world in the way it did when he used his divinity to its fullest extent. ¡°Through the divine spark blazing within me, I invoke sacred authority over this man¡¯s fate. He fell in valor, defending chosen kin against a fearsome foe. By my power, by my flame, I decree that his path is not yet ended. Arise, arise and reclaim your place! Let life¡¯s labors ignite in your mortal frame once more!¡± Everybody watched, spellbound, as power spilled out of the fabric of Davrar. It was more than Khachi could have conjured himself, enough to change the nature of the world with its very presence. The night was lit like a gentle noonday sun by the power suffusing the air, and even Nathan felt his spirits rise from the presence of so much benevolent divinity. Khachi¡¯s words wove the power together, the spellwork growing ever more complex with every sentence he spoke. On the last line it gained extra depth and vibrancy, impressing a new reality onto the fabric of Davrar. Yup, that¡¯s wizardry all right. Not sure what to call divine wizardry. A miracle, maybe? ¡°Dragon¡¯s breath¡­¡± Stella whispered, staring open mouthed at the spell before her. She and Nathan both watched, entranced, as the magic sunk into the body of the dead elite. Khachi trembled, as if holding up an enormous weight with his clasped hands. The elite awoke with a gasp, the mortal wound vanished as if it had never been. He looked around with wide eyes to the gasps of the onlookers. Khachi got slowly to his feet, almost staggering. He let out an exhausted sigh and tilted his head back as if feeling rain on his face. His aura dimmed and the street became almost dark, especially compared to the brightness of earlier. Then the cleric looked down, his eyes opening slowly to reveal glowing orbs. He bent over carefully to pick up his hammer and shield, then turned to Nathan with a tired smile. ¡°A new deed for me. But a tiring one. Is there a place to rest for the night?¡± Nathan nodded, resisting the urge to slap his friend on the back in congratulations. ¡°We need to talk anyway.¡± He turned to Gasc, who¡¯d been commanding the elites fighting the golem before Nathan arrived. ¡°Is there anywhere we can crash? Doesn¡¯t need to be anything fancy. Just somewhere central so we can help in case of an attack.¡± The man swallowed, darting glances between Nathan and Khachi. ¡°Ye- yes. We set aside a master¡¯s quarters for you. Come with me.¡± He led the Heirs a short distance deeper into the district, seemingly wanting to ask deeper questions but too intimidated to do so. ¡°Do you need food?¡± ¡°No.¡± Sarah spoke up, having melted out of the shadows to join the group. ¡°We have our own provisions. A roof over our head, a fireplace, maybe even a bed and our bones are settled.¡± ¡°Here.¡± Gasc said a moment later, directing them to a door to a comfortable-looking cottage that was sandwiched between two warehouses. There was a bloodstain right outside the front foor, but no body in evidence. ¡°Thanks.¡± Nathan replied, ignoring the blood and gesturing for the Heirs to enter. ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate to get us if there¡¯s any attack. We need rest, but please wake us if you spot a mage or golem so much as heading in this direction.¡± Gasc nodded jerkily, and Nathan let him go. He could probably have pushed harder on that, but he was starting to feel the exertions of the past¡­ week? It had been a while since he¡¯d slept a full night, and most of the rest of the time had been high-tension subterfuge or straight combat. The door closed behind them, and Nathan plopped down onto a padded bench. He rubbed his face, letting loose a long, exhausted sigh. Then he looked up at the rest of the Heirs and braced himself for the conversation that was to come. He''d need to tell them about Badud, and what the Questor had said before he died. Something on Nathan¡¯s face must have shown his mood, since Stella began weaving privacy magics around the room. She wasn¡¯t capable of anti-scrying magic like her father was, but Nathan¡¯s could handle that angle so long as she prevented mundane eavesdropping. Aarl was busy feeding the banked fire in the fireplace, rummaging through kitchenware as he prepared to cook them all a meal. He called over his shoulder. ¡°So, tell us the tale of the Ascendent Academy, and the Questor you defeated!¡± ¡°In a moment.¡± Nathan said, eyes on Khachi. ¡°You can raise the dead now. That¡¯s incredible.¡± The wolfman nodded tiredly, sitting down across from Nathan. ¡°My flame burns bright, but many things made that possible. The man was dead for very little time, and he died valiantly defending those he considered family. His body was mostly intact, and all around wished him to live. It drew my divine spark to the limit regardless, though I believe it will become easier with repetition.¡± Then Khachi looked up, eyes curious as they met Nathan''s. ¡°Where is Faline? What occurred?" Nathan waved his hand absently. ¡°She should be around somewhere. She¡­¡± He trailed off, not sure how to explain things. After a few seconds, he shook his head and plowed forward. This wasn¡¯t the news he needed to sugar-coat. ¡°She tried to make me kill children, so I split off from her.¡± The Heirs all reacted differently to the news, with Stella wincing, Aarl sighing and Sarah¡¯s face turning stony. None of them compared to Khachi, whose lips peeled back in fury. His aura flared with harsh light, twisting in a way that reminded Nathan of the fire elemental that had wanted to burn them all alive. The wolfman bit out two words, fangs flashing in the radiance. ¡°Explain, please.¡± Nathan sighed once more and rubbed his face with his hands. Dried blood came away under his fingers, and he looked down at it and grimaced. He was tired. So much had happened - and none of it was important. The Questors were what was important, and the thought had been bubbling in Nathan¡¯s head for the last day, waiting to be verbalized. But he closed his eyes and centered himself. They had time - at least tonight. He could explain himself to his friends, and tell the story as it happened. He pushed away thoughts of Questors, of Endings and Davrar itself, and recalled the time he¡¯d spent in Giantsrest, and what the Heirs needed to know. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Faline and I entered the city and started assassinating rich and powerful mages, focusing on stirring up tensions between rivals. She¡¯s incredibly good at gathering information, and between our abilities we were able to impersonate the Nails and stage the assassination of a major figure during a party. That stirred up a lot of conflict in the city. We almost had various factions fighting each other, but then Badud called all of the mages into the Academy to mediate the conflict.¡± Nathan chewed on his lips, unsure why he was providing all of this context. He didn¡¯t need to justify Faline¡¯s actions - except he did. The Heirs needed to understand that Faline wasn¡¯t somebody who killed for pleasure. Every time she¡¯d killed, she¡¯d had a reason for it. Her actions were those of a desperate rebel, not a depraved murderer. She and I disagree about what is justified in fighting Giantsrest. But how many students died in the Academy¡¯s collapse? ¡°We needed to interrupt the gathering to prevent the mages from comparing stories and scouring the city for us. Faline said it was suicide to go into the Academy, so she took me to the mansion of archmage Gergar dho Ka. She didn¡¯t tell me what we were there for, but I assumed it was to take something precious, or maybe retrieve a powerful weapon. Instead, she took me to the nursery.¡± The Heirs kept silent, listening attentively while Nathan told his story. Aarl was still preparing food, but he was taking pains to keep quiet. Khachi was laser-focused on Nathan¡¯s words, with the mien of an interrogator listening for a key detail. Nathan continued. ¡°She wanted me to kill the archmages'' children, because it would interrupt the summit and probably make him lash out blindly. She said it was necessary, and they were all going to become mages anyway. When I refused, she tried to use social skills to convince me to do it, then tried to do it herself.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I stopped her, relocked the door and left. Without her. I didn¡¯t know what to do, so I went into the Academy.¡± Khachi waited to see if Nathan was going to keep talking, mulling over what had been said. His expression relaxed fractionally, though his eyes retained a fierce light. ¡°Then no evil deeds were done? No innocents were murdered?¡± The wolfolk¡¯s gaze intensified as Nathan paused. Most of the people we killed were mages directly involved in slavery. Archmage Gerger dho Kav¡¯s son Rodril was just eighteen or nineteen, but he was an asshole and did attack us first. Even if Faline baited him into it. ¡°No.¡± Nathan replied. ¡°We killed only mages who were directly involved in slavery, or attacked us.¡± With a nod, Khachi relaxed. ¡°Then I will not swear an oath of judgment upon her. But I will tell my mother, for she has suspected Faline of many evils committed inside the walls of Giantsrest. I expect she will demand an explanation under the aegis of her own magic.¡± Khachi eyed Nathan carefully for a moment. ¡°Do you object to this?¡± ¡°Honestly, no. We have more important things to talk about.¡± Nathan said tiredly. Stella could restrain herself no longer, and interrupted. ¡°Like the Academy! How did you get inside? How did you bring it down?¡± The closer he got to describing Badud¡¯s words, the more tired Nathan got. It was like his body was trying to give him an excuse to give his friends another night of hope, another night without confronting what Nathan suspected about Davrar. But he forged onwards, answering Stella¡¯s question directly. ¡°I Developed my [Assassin] class, picked up several stealth and disguise skills. I don''t have more social skills past [Inspiration].¡± He looked around, raising an eyebrow to invite commentary. They didn¡¯t, beyond some impressed nods, so Nathan continued. ¡°I disguised myself as a student to blend in, and made friends to learn things about the Academy. There was a lot to learn.¡± Stella looked like she wanted to interrupt, but shook her head and gestured for Nathan to continue. ¡°The Ascendent Academy was actually a giant dungeon called ¡®The Grave of All Giants¡¯ that had been tamed by the Questors after the Ending of Elements, when they founded Giantsrest. The dungeon tracked every person inside of its walls, and only opened doors for those allowed to be there. That¡¯s why it¡¯s never been infiltrated by assassins. It also had a force of golems to kill those who don¡¯t belong - the same kind as the two you¡¯ve fought so far in the city. They¡¯re smarter and more advanced than what Giantsrest can make, and I think each one is some kind of tomb or housing for an individual Giant''s intelligence.¡± ¡°That explains the notifications I got.¡± Aarl cut in, leaving the kitchen to claim a chair. ¡°But why are they rogue?¡± Stella chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s as clear as flawless gems. Nathan destroyed whatever enchantment was keeping the dungeon tame.¡± She cocked her head. ¡°But then did it destroy itself, or did Badud destroy the awakening dungeon to prevent it from attacking Giantsrest?¡± ¡°What a dungeon of fools¡­¡± Khachi was aghast. ¡°To build your city around such a powerful dungeon, when it could break free. Madness.¡± He frowned, and turned towards Nathan, opening his mouth to ask more questions about why Nathan had decided to unleash a dungeon on a city. Nathan cut him off. ¡°It wasn¡¯t so simple. I tracked down the core of the dungeon, but I thought it was a power source or control center for the Academy that I could break to cause chaos. Only when I reached it did I realize it was intelligent. It was a person, Khachi, and they¡¯d enslaved it with the most complex and comprehensive enchantment I¡¯d ever seen. I freed it and tried to talk to it, but it was insane. It attacked me, even after I helped it against Badud.¡± The wolfman¡¯s frown didn¡¯t go away, but he nodded, accepting Nathan¡¯s explanation. ¡°How long were you in the Academy?¡± Sarah asked. ¡°A while.¡± Nathan said. ¡°I attended classes during the day, and then explored at night. I was discovered by a couple lecturers and high-tier students, but managed to kill them before the alarm was raised. That scared them, when people started being killed in the Academy.¡± Nathan chuckled darkly. A magical academy, rife with tension as people are murdered in the night. What a trope. The Heirs looked at Nathan quizzically, but he waved it away. ¡°Eventually I learned enough to be able to move freely through the Academy. I developed my antimagic quite a bit, and started assassinating archmages. That was last night. Got four of them, then broke the enslavement magic on the core. Badud showed up and destroyed the core, then attacked me. He kept using bigger and bigger spells to try and kill me, without caring about the damage to the Academy.¡± Nathan shook his head, remembering some of the spells Badud had been throwing around. ¡°Some of them were pretty potent, but he just kept escalating when I survived. I think the last one was some kind of divine artifact. [The Last Arrows of Olita]. It almost killed me, but it definitely killed the Academy.¡± Stella opened her mouth to interrupt again, but Nathan held up his hand to forestall her. He was almost to the critical point. ¡°Badud thought I was dead, and I was able to get the jump on him. I couldn¡¯t cut him off from magic, but I certainly damaged his mana pool. Then I killed him.¡± The Heirs exhaled as one, as if they hadn¡¯t believed the Questor was dead until Nathan had said it. ¡°But.¡± Nathan spoke into the silence, his head bowed. ¡°Before he died, he said that he would start the Ending of History when he respawned.¡±
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 6 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 4 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: Void of Magic level 566 Deepened Stamina: 15171/17280 Void of Feeling Antimagic Momentum Raging Thrill Implacable Inertia Unarmored Resilience Magic Anathema Airborne Agility Hand-to-hand Expertise Voluminous Aura Denial of Wizardry Mana Severance
Class: Spellslayer level 437 Regenerative Focus: 4470/4470 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Wizard¡¯s Meditation 7 Inspiration 5 Acceleration 8 Wizard¡¯s Detection 5 Alertness 9 Wizard¡¯s Understanding 6 Effortless Dodge 6 Mental Vault 2 Tutoring 3 Parkour 7 Visibility Control 2 High-tier Disguise 2 Mid-tier Battle Cry 9 High-tier Aura Manipulation 7
Chapter 5: Challenging Conversations It took a second for the Heirs to parse what Nathan had just said, and they all went through the same progression of confusion, dawning comprehension and horror. Aarl was the first to break the silence. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°It means,¡± Nathan said in a gravelly tone, ¡°that the Questors control the Endings. It means, Questors can¡¯t die. It means¡­¡± He stopped himself mid-sentence. It means that this entire world, Davrar itself, is probably a game. That somebody designed every aspect of it to be ¡®fun¡¯ for the Questors, from the ways Talents, classes and skills work to the dungeons and the Endings themselves. Davrar might be a simulation or it might not, but it feels real enough that it makes no difference. And more importantly, real people are living and dying in this world, which makes it real enough for me. But he couldn¡¯t say that to the Heirs, not yet. Telling them that their world was fake - that Davrar was built entirely to please the Questors - that would not be an easy revelation. It could destroy Khachi¡¯s Faith, and disrupt Stella¡¯s thirst for magical knowledge. After all, it was a different thing to explore a magic system that had been designed to one that existed naturally. They have the right to know. Not telling them is a small betrayal, it means I¡¯m not trusting them to handle the truth. But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s vital I tell them this instant. I¡¯ve known about this myself for less than a day, and I haven¡¯t slept in way too long. I could also be wrong. There might be another explanation. Maybe it started as a game, and spun out of control. I don¡¯t know. ¡°It means that Questors are more than just powerful people from some far-off empire. They have some kind of unique power over Davrar, and could do just about anything with it, especially if they work together. He mentioned that he needed Sarya Pamaris'' agreement to launch the Ending, but seemed sure he could get it with a large enough price. They seem to enjoy travelling around to use nations as pieces on a game-board.¡± ¡°They¡¯re entertaining themselves.¡± Sarah spat out, eyes hard. Aarl¡¯s face was creased into a deep frown, but he looked up sharply at his sister¡¯s words. ¡°Not all of them. I don¡¯t think Brox was lying, when he talked about the weight he carries. Some Questors protect people from other Questors. From the Endings. Maybe they can speed the Endings up, but not slow them down." Stella spoke quietly. ¡°But even Brox would sacrifice us all to the Ending of History.¡± ¡°If we believe Badud,¡± Nathan cautioned. ¡°But he seemed certain. He also said he would bring the Ending to this continent early. Not everywhere. So Endings can happen on different continents at different times, and maybe that¡¯s what he bargained. Maybe they moved it backwards somewhere else in exchange.¡± ¡°How long?¡± Khachi¡¯s voice was a deep rumble that cut through the conversation. He glared challengingly around at them all. ¡°Giantsrest has fallen. If we unite the continent, can we defeat this prophecy of death?¡± His burning eyes settled on Nathan. ¡°Did he speak of the nature of the Ending?¡± Nathan didn¡¯t need to reach into his mind palace to remember Badud¡¯s words. He¡¯d burned them into his mind already, and recited them easily. ¡°A hundred years, a hundred and fifty, and then all of the horrors of history will awaken and scour the land clean. Have you even delved into the depths? Looked for the hidden fortresses in the sky? I anticipate watching joyfully on the day Gemore drowns in ancient magics and monsters beyond imagination.¡± The Heirs let out thoughtful noises. Khachi spoke quietly. ¡°There is time, then.¡± ¡°The depths? Fortresses in the sky?¡± Sarah quoted, disquiet clear in her voice. ¡°There is more unknown wilderness than anything else on our continent, all of it full of dungeons. North is the blasphemous blight, with its own dungeons. Waking giants, a hundred years is not enough. We don''t know how far the southern desert reaches." ¡°It¡¯s enough time to evacuate.¡± Aarl replied. ¡°Abandon the continent. Go somewhere else.¡± Stella snorted. ¡°Or.¡± She turned to look Nathan in the eyes. ¡°We go after the Questors. Make them change the Endings. Or stop them entirely.¡± Nathan smiled slightly. ¡°Yes. We swore to stop the Endings. Now we know the Questors are the key to that, and Brox told me where to find one. Sarya Pamaris in Keihona, and we can take a ship there from Litcliff. We should tell Sudraiel and the council about all of this, then leave and try to address the problem at the root. At a bare minimum find out if Sarya sold us out.¡± The Heirs thought about that for a second, before Khachi replied slowly. ¡°A hundred years - or more. That is a long time. We can stay here for a year. Free the people of Giantsrest and protect them until they can protect themselves.¡± Aarl shook his head. ¡°Our fires will dim in less time than that. Fifty, sixty years before we are too old.¡± ¡°I¡¯m already immune to aging. Between my knowledge, Stella¡¯s magic and Khachi¡¯s divinity we¡¯ll figure out a solution.¡± Nathan said airily, brushing aside the problem of old age. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to stay here for a year. This may take ten years or a hundred, but we don¡¯t know. Davrar is huge.¡± He waved a hand vaguely upwards, encompassing the lands revealed by the night sky. ¡°If there are Questors across all of it, then we may need to journey for a thousand years to meet them all. The sooner we start dealing with the problem, the sooner we''ll be able to answer these questions.¡± The Heirs rocked back, all somewhat taken back by Nathan¡¯s assertion that they¡¯d all be ageless. Or maybe it was the scope of the task he¡¯d laid out before them - the base assertion that if this took a thousand years they''d all buckle down and get it done. None of them had a quick response, so Nathan continued. ¡°But the point is we don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t want to go out there and fall short by a year, or a month, because we spent that time here. Preventing the Ending of History is far more important than trying to stabilize Giantsrest. Furthermore, the other Questors will respect our deeds - because we did what Brox could not, and toppled Giantsrest.¡± ¡°You did.¡± Aarl said with a roll of his eyes. Nathan conceded the point, but kept going. ¡°If we wait a year, it will not be so fresh in their minds. We need to speak to the Questors before the impact of that deed fades, or else they will ignore us.¡± Brox was treating everybody like NPC¡¯s. Entertaining ones, sure, but he didn¡¯t really see us as people until the end, when we made him. That''s when he explained himself. Even then I¡¯m not sure he¡¯d put a lot of weight on us. ¡°But surely, Questors must remember such deeds across the ages.¡± Khachi trailed off, then twisted his face in a grimace. ¡°No, my bones say that one such as Brox would forget the actions of others quickly.¡± Sarah glanced at Stella, speaking bluntly. ¡°We¡¯ll likely meet Brox as an ally again. Will that smother your fire?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show him blasphemous destruction.¡± Stella said sharply. ¡°Seeing fear and respect in his eyes will settle my bones.¡± Sarah nodded hesitantly, but didn¡¯t challenge the statement. She turned her attention back to Nathan. ¡°Then when do we leave?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with spending a few weeks here, but not more than a month. You all know that Giantsrest will need Adventurers for protection, and that''s a neverending task. We need to do what we can and then leave without getting stuck taking care of routine problems.¡± Stella was nodding along. ¡°How do we kill this problem as quickly as possible?¡± Khachi clasped mailed hands together, the metal of his gauntlets creaking with the strength of his grip. ¡°Free all of the slaves. Kill all the Archmages. Let the people here begin with fresh fuel, uncorrupted by the legacy of the Academy.¡± ¡°It''ll earn us a blasphemous amount of levels.¡± Sarah said approvingly. ¡°And grant us all some claim to the destruction of Giantsrest.¡± Nathan looked around at the other Heirs, who all exchanged a series of shrugs and nods to signal their agreement to the plan. ¡°That¡¯s a place to start, but there¡¯s going to be a lot of details. What do we do with all of the artisan mages, who don¡¯t want to fight us? How do we organize the slaves? First we should call in reinforcements so we can go hunt the archmages who fled, and people to handle everything else. Stella, can you [Message] Egall? I want to get Olad out here to manage the newly freed elites, along with any adventurers who can come. Myrla herself, if she wants to run Giantsrest.¡± He thought for a second. ¡°How are the antimages doing? I¡¯d love to get them out here to replace me for freeing slaves, but I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re ready for that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll message Halsmet, and the other Adventurers.¡± Stella said, putting her hand to her temple and closing her eyes. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°I can break slavery spells.¡± Khachi said calmly. ¡°My aura allows me to destroy vile magic, including compulsive mental magic.¡± ¡°And the undead!¡± Aarl said with a grin. ¡°They just fall apart. More effective than dragon¡¯s breath.¡± Stella opened her eyes again, frowning. ¡°The spell isn¡¯t working.¡± She looked up at Nathan. ¡°Did Giantsrest disable [Message] inside the city?¡± ¡°Oh, I think that¡¯s my fault.¡± Nathan said sheepishly. ¡°I have a new class skill that inhibits communication, scanning and scrying magic around me. I might be able to control it.¡± He closed his eyes and focused on his intangible abilities. Not his aura, which felt as natural as a third arm at this point, or his magical senses, which were as fleshed out as vision, but on something newer. He hadn¡¯t had the luxury of exploring his new class skills, since he¡¯d gained them partway through his rampage through the tower. But he¡¯d learned how to manipulate new abilities before, and after a moment of attention he found a new sensation buzzing away in the back of his mind. It took him a minute to figure out how to control it. Seems like I can¡¯t direct it, but I can turn it down. That¡¯s nice. It would be a little bit inconvenient to permanently jam Stella¡¯s messages. I should pay attention to that sense, it might tell me when somebody tries to cast [Message] around me or tries to scry me. He dialed the ability all of the way down, then opened his eyes and looked back at Stella. ¡°Try now.¡± She grunted. ¡°It works now.¡± She hunched over, focused on the communication spell. Aarl got back up and returned to the fireplace, squirting some oil into the heated pot before tossing in the ingredients he¡¯d cut up earlier. ¡°The antimages are doing well. Raf is the highest-level of them, but he fights like you. Takes too many risks. Two on his team have died, and he is covered in scars. Shai is smarter, and has built herself a fine tally of missions without terrible risk.¡± ¡°You¡¯re blinded by her light.¡± Sarah said, mixing humor with scorn. ¡°She relies on her teammates for most things. She can fight well and is immune to magic, but has not learned to fight with her antimagic.¡± Aarl shrugged, stirring the stir-fry. ¡°She wins all the same.¡± ¡°Glad to hear it.¡± Nathan said, recalling the intense young man and the flirtatious beauty. ¡°But what about Hetal and Shom?¡± ¡°They stick to each other like stalkers of the same pack.¡± Khachi replied with an approving nod. ¡°Hetal has learned to imbue her antimagic into weapons, and Shom has focused on cursebreaking and fine control of his antimagic.¡± A bit of tension released from Nathan, one he hadn¡¯t even realized was there. ¡±I¡¯m just glad they¡¯re all alive. I worried they were going to get killed, trying to follow in my footsteps.¡± ¡°Hear me, Raf should be dead.¡± Aarl said with a disgruntled snort. ¡°But [Regenerate] is a weighty Talent, and he¡¯s survived wounds to kill a castlebear. His team killed a northern wyvern after it tore him in half. They should have waited for¡­¡± They all fell silent as Stella opened her eyes again. ¡°The Giantraiders will be here just after dawn. The Old Hands and the Oath of Tulin are coming, but not quickly. Egall said she¡¯ll speak to Myrla tonight, but they won¡¯t send me a [Message] with their plans until tomorrow.¡± The redheaded mage sighed deeply. ¡°Now I should speak to my parents. Hear me, but I¡¯m not going to mention the Endings, or leaving the continent. Not yet.¡± Nathan winced. If there was anything that was going to derail their plans, it was Stella¡¯s parents. Well, not just them. All of his friends¡¯ parents were elite Adventurers, and they¡¯d spent their entire lives defending Gemore. They might not approve of their kids gallivanting off into the wider world on his word. There¡¯s Sudraiel too. She¡¯s definitely not going to be happy about the news of the Endings, but I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll try to stop us. The Guildmistress of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild is a pretty sensible woman, and I think she trusts me. Besides, she doesn¡¯t really have the authority to directly command people, even if she''s working to turn the Adventurer''s Guild into more of a military association. ¡°We have a chance at food and rest.¡± Aarl said, sprinkling seasoning into the pot he''d been working over. ¡°We should seize it while we can, then plan to blaze a path tomorrow. The Giantraiders can work with the freed elites to protect this area and provide [Message] support, and we can range across the city to kill mages and free more people. There should be less chaos and more clearly-defined targets.¡± Nathan scrubbed a hand through his hair. ¡°I¡¯m too tired to argue with that. We¡¯ll need to be ready if there are attacks in the night, but I need a night of rest.¡± ¡°We are in good condition.¡± Sarah said comfortingly. ¡°We can protect this area. We¡¯ll only wake you if there are mages we cannot handle.¡± Khachi nodded decisively. ¡°You have accomplished a deed beyond prophecy¡¯s hold, but we are a team. Allow us to bear this weight.¡± ¡°Is it really beyond prophecy¡¯s hold?¡± Aarl called over from where he was starting to dish up food. ¡°I recall Kia¡¯s prophecy saying that ¡®Ruin will be brought to an ancient city by a mage beyond Endings - and the outcome will determine when the Ending of History begins.¡¯¡± He shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ve hit that target in the center. Badud - a mage beyond Endings - brought ruin to Giantsrest to try and kill Nathan. Then he changed the date of the Ending of History when he lost.¡± ¡°Hah, bitter loser.¡± Sarah said with a wry chuckle. ¡°It does suggest that he succeeded in convincing the other Questors to start the Ending early.¡± Stella sat back up from casting [Message], shaking her head and looking around brightly. ¡°My parents didn¡¯t lecture me! They just asked me to be careful.¡± ¡°Are the Guardians coming to aid us?¡± Khachi said with a raised eyebrow. The redhead shook her head sharply. ¡°They¡¯re needed in Gemore, with so many Adventurers in Halsmet. The northern tribes raided Woodsden and Agmon is moving on the Treeborn of the plains. More Adventurers will come, but we¡¯re the elites here.¡± She looked around at the group, repeating her words and savoring them. ¡°We¡¯re the elites.¡± Then she looked down at the plate of steaming food in front of her. ¡°Oh, thank you Aarl!¡± He gave an elaborate bow, the motion shockingly smooth in his armor. ¡°I serve only elite Adventurers.¡± Khachi¡¯s eyes were far away. "We are responsible for Giantsrest,¡± he said softly, looking vaguely sick to his stomach. ¡°Tens of thousands of people, and they are our responsibility.¡± Nathan looked up from inhaling his food. ¡°Only if we accept that responsibility. We can help them get started on their own, give them the chance to determine their own future. It may be better than dictating it for them.¡± The wolfman hummed thoughtfully in response, but he didn¡¯t comment for the rest of the meal. As Nathan ate, he felt his eyelids grow heavy. He knew this was a good time to catch up with the Heirs, to plan and relax. But all he wanted to do was fall asleep on his plate. I could keep going, keep pushing, but it¡¯s more important I¡¯m functional later. I can only put off sleep for so long. I''ve finally relaxed and the tiredness caught up with me all at once. Nathan finished eating, then bid the Heirs a muttered goodnight and set his eyes on the staircase, which seemed the natural place to find a bed. At the top of the stairs he found two bedrooms, one unused and the other messy with dirty clothes. He stumbled into the messy bedroom and collapsed onto the bed, falling asleep in moments.
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 6 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 4 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: Void of Magic level 566 Deepened Stamina: 15942/17280 Void of Feeling Antimagic Momentum Raging Thrill Implacable Inertia Unarmored Resilience Magic Anathema Airborne Agility Hand-to-hand Expertise Voluminous Aura Denial of Wizardry Mana Severance
Class: Spellslayer level 437 Regenerative Focus: 4470/4470 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Wizard¡¯s Meditation 7 Inspiration 5 Acceleration 8 Wizard¡¯s Detection 5 Alertness 9 Wizard¡¯s Understanding 6 Effortless Dodge 6 Mental Vault 2 Tutoring 3 Parkour 7 Visibility Control 2 High-tier Disguise 2 Mid-tier Battle Cry 9 High-tier Aura Manipulation 7
Chapter 6: Proactive Problem-Solving The sun¡¯s appearance in the sky awoke Nathan from a dream of him locking Yelun, Roni and Hibor in a room. Only this time, he had also trapped Suse in the room with the students before a laughing Badud had engulfed the entire area in suffocating stone. He jerked awake, reaching towards Badud before realizing it had been a dream. Relief flowed through him, followed by guilt. They were almost certainly dead, and there were things he probably could have done to prevent that. If anything, I should have taken into account the chance the Academy didn¡¯t survive the night. In the future, I¡¯ll make more accommodations for mass destruction. Especially with Stella around. Nathan rose slowly, stretching and looking around with new eyes. He didn¡¯t feel fully refreshed, but the dull itch at the back of his eyes had disappeared. He changed into a fresh set of clothes thoughtfully placed in front of the door and washed his face in a basin. Then he headed downstairs in search of friends and food. Sarah was in the ground floor room, eyes focused on a single enchanted cartridge sitting in the middle of the table. Without looking up or saying a word she gestured Nathan towards a pot of porridge bubbling near the fire. He shrugged and moved to serve himself, getting a cup of water from the cistern and sprinkling a handful of dried fruit that had been left out into the dish before sitting across from the [Sniper] and blowing on the bowl to cool it before he started eating. Just because I can heal a burned tongue doesn¡¯t mean I can taste with one. Nathan held off saying anything. It seemed like Sarah was intently focused on her ammunition, and he didn''t see a reason to bother her. He trusted her to tell him if she needed him to do anything. He just calmly ate his porridge, then went back for seconds and more water. It must have been half an hour later when there was a faint ¡®pop¡¯ and suddenly there were two of the enchanted cartridges on the table. Sarah exhaled slowly, then dropped her head to the table. ¡°Uhhhgh. That¡¯s exhausting.¡± Nathan pointed to the pair of bullets, which both felt identically enchanted to him. ¡°Congratulations, I know you were worried about your ammunition supply. When did you figure that out?¡± The dark-haired girl reached out to grab the pair of cartridges, slipping them into her bandolier. ¡°A few days ago. Dad told me about some arrow-creating Insights, and found a scroll in mom''s things from somebody who had a class skill like mine and could make enchanted arrows with it. It takes most of my Focus to accomplish. Much slower and harder than making unenchanted ammo.¡± ¡°Still impressive. You should think about putting a copy of the scroll in the Adventurer archive.¡± Nathan replied, cleaning out his bowl. ¡°Where is everybody?¡± Sarah waved a hand towards the door. ¡°Khachi¡¯s breaking slavery enchantments, Aarl and Stella are going to retrieve the Giantraiders from outside the walls and guide them here. They¡¯re flying, so it will be fast.¡± ¡°Has Stella cast [Fly] on you yet?¡± Nathan asked curiously. Sarah shook her head. ¡°The spell isn¡¯t reliable when Stella casts it on others. She¡¯s getting better, but Aarl has been bruised through his armor several times.¡± She paused, considering. ¡°My jumping Talent allows me to reach vantage points, and I would prefer to go unseen, not float obviously in place.¡± Nathan shrugged, heading towards the door. ¡°You can hide in the air, the key is not silhouetting yourself. The spell makes you immune to melee unless the other people can also fly. It seems like the domain of the true elite. You would also be able to get another Talent." The dark-haired woman frowned and changed the subject as she got to her feet. ¡°If you¡¯re done eating, we should see what occurs. Stella and Aarl said they would scout as they flew, since we saw little of the city last night.¡± Nathan nodded, getting up and tossing his bowl into a tub of soapy water before following Sarah out the door. He looked around the street, seeing a few people hurrying to and fro while carrying various burdens. They watched him with wide eyes, and a few gathered to whisper before dispersing under his gaze. I don¡¯t know if I will ever get used to that. Or if I want to. That¡¯s how you end up like Brox. What he didn¡¯t see were any of the other Heirs. He looked up, shading his eyes against the sun overhead, and was about to leap up into the air for a better view when a rolling explosion sounded in the distance. Sarah snorted. ¡°Stalker bones to dragon teeth, that''s Stella. Go find them, I¡¯ll get Khachi.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Nathan replied, climbing above roof level like he was ascending a steep staircase. He scanned the horizon as he started running towards the explosion, spending Stamina like it was infinite. With Stella around again, it might as well be. His eyes picked out Stella and Aarl in the distance, each of them weaving and dodging in the air as magical and physical projectiles flew up at them from the ground below. There were also a couple of flying mages engaging them, but they stayed at a distance. Nathan saw why as Aarl darted forward and they fled away from him like fish fleeing a shark. Massed fireballs flew up at Stella, but she whipped up a powerful gust of wind and sent them raining back down to the ground, with only a few making it through to detonate on a shimmering sphere of force that surrounded Nathan''s friend. In retrospect, it may not have been the smartest thing to split up. But they¡¯re handling themselves just fine. Then the unmistakable nauseating flicker of four [Disintegrate] spells speared upwards. Stella¡¯s shield held for only a split second before popping, allowing the lethal spells to continue their paths. Stella put the moment to good use and twitched aside, avoiding the spells by inches. Nevermind. That was too close. His friend seemed to agree, sending out a crackling web of lightning before diving for cover. The spell didn¡¯t have much direction and the magical energy grounded itself against the nearby rooftops, but it served to blind the mages below long enough for Stella to get into cover on the next street over. Aarl paused to hurl something downwards before he followed Stella into hiding. Nathan stayed low over the rooftop, zipping over the last row of shops and landing in the street in time to hear Stella finish swearing. ¡°...asshole archmage, hiding among the enslavement mages. And two war mages, wearing the wrong colors too!¡± She snarled and lapsed into furious concentration, building a pair of lasing tubes piece by piece. They came together quickly, and she started feeding power into them. ¡°They never agreed to wear a sign.¡± Aarl said wryly, turning to face Nathan. ¡°Forty or fifty mages, a few hundred slave soldiers, a couple dozen elites. I used the invisible ax to make a ghoul, but they¡¯ll be on us like a pouncing stalker. Should we retreat until Sarah and Khachi catch up?¡± After a moment of consideration, Nathan nodded. ¡°I could probably take this group, but we don¡¯t want the mages to scatter or kill their slaves when they realize what¡¯s happening. Let¡¯s draw them in and then ambush them hard enough that we get all the mages and free all the slaves.¡± He looked over to see if Stella was paying attention, but her gaze was split between the charging lasers and the rooftop she¡¯d just escaped over. ¡°Now!¡± she muttered. Nothing happened. The short girl scowled, brows drawing down furiously. ¡°Now?¡± A trio of mages flew over the rooftop, cautiously scanning the street and keeping their distance. Nathan stepped towards the wall of the building and flared [Visibility Control] to stay hidden. Their eyes passed right over him, focusing on Stella and her building spell. The lasers fired with a loud crack, blasting enough light to melt metal straight at two of the three mages. Their [Mage Armor] spells stopped most of the light mana but the effort caused them to pop with faint hisses. Lightning coursed down the path of ionized air a split second later and two smoking corpses bounced off the rooftop before falling into the streets on the other side. The last mage dove down behind the roof before any of them could respond. Huh. She¡¯s toned down the spell some. Makes sense, this one is a lot faster to cast and gets the job done. Not every spell needs to leave a crater I could lie down in. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Stay low.¡± Nathan said urgently, indicating the direction that led back towards where he¡¯d left Sarah. ¡°Can I get a disguise? They might retreat if they see me.¡± Aarl tossed Nathan a slightly bloodied green mage robe that he pulled on quickly as they flew down the street. He probably couldn¡¯t trick the mages into believing he was on their side, but this might prevent them from realizing it was him for a bit longer. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. I don¡¯t know how far my reputation has spread yet, but I bet Giantsrest mages are going to start running away whenever I show up. ¡°Stop.¡± He said at the next intersection, watching the corner that their pursuers would come around. ¡°Onto the ground. We need to let them keep up with us. Stella, put up a shield behind us. I¡¯ll block anything that gets through. We need to make them think they¡¯re just about to get us. If they''re busy chasing us they won''t stop to think.¡± His friends complied, though Stella huffed at having to run. They waited until the tromp of boots was just around the corner before taking off, running down the street in a frantic sprint that was nonetheless slower than the maximum speed they could manage with skill and spell.
High-tier Disguise 3 achieved!
Nathan glanced over his shoulder to see the Giantsrest formation speed up to catch them. It was a sight to behold, with ranks of slave-soldiers carefully spaced in front of each mage to give them cover without blocking their view. Fireballs and other spells started flying after them but impacted onto the shimmering shield Stella was dragging behind them. Another four [Disintegrate] spells flew for Stella¡¯s back and cracked the magical shield like an egg. Nathan used his aura to subtly redirect the beams, making them fly wide and impact nearby buildings. Dust billowed over the street as a three-story storefront partially collapsed, obscuring them from more spells. The next round of fireballs was thrown blind and Nathan absorbed the ones that would have gotten close. The spell after that was a strong wind spell that dispersed the dust, though it wasn¡¯t strong enough to interfere with their running. By that point Stella had recast her shield. They were pulling ahead of the Gaintsrest formation, and took the next corner at speed to break line of sight and head back towards the Chokiz estate and the other Heirs. More long-range spells flew towards them, but they were out of range of easy fireballs and it seemed like the [Disintegrate] casters weren''t confident in their aim anymore. A spiky orb of ice flew overhead instead, aimed at the street ahead of them. Nathan took a second to understand the spellwork to make sure it wouldn¡¯t be a problem. The spell was designed to summon a couple inches of slick ice over a broad area, making an area slippery and potentially engulfing people¡¯s ankles in solid ice. It also had a bit of anti-fire magic worked in, to make the spell harder to melt or block with fire magic. What it didn¡¯t have was defenses against plasma mana, and Stella¡¯s purple-tinged fireball blew the spell into a warm mist. They turned another corner and Nathan saw Khachi and Sarah down the street ahead. He called out to them, modulating his voice to be audible to them but difficult for their pursuers to hear over the tromping of hundreds of boots. ¡°Ambush as soon as they come around the corner.¡±
Mid-tier Battle Cry 10 achieved!
Khachi responded by accelerating into a full-out sprint, pounding down the street towards them. His glow intensified until it was obvious despite the bright sun overhead. Sarah leapt atop a nearby building, finding cover behind a window that protruded out from the roof. She seemed to fade from sight after a second, though Nathan¡¯s skills let him pick her out regardless. Oh good, she¡¯s got some stealth skills. Probably class skills from [Sniper]. He turned around and stepped back towards the corner they¡¯d just come around, not looking but preparing to pounce as soon as his enemies came into view. Stella and Aarl came to a halt next to Nathan, looking to him for instruction even as they readied their own attacks. Nathan spoke in a low but clear voice. ¡°I¡¯m going for the archmage. My aura will pop shields and block big spells. Aarl, go for the other mages. Stella, clear the fliers. Don¡¯t kill the slaves.¡± The Giantsrest formation rounded the corner as a unit, smoothly pivoting to continue the pursuit down the street. There was a hitch to their organization as they saw Khachi¡¯s headlong charge, and all of the other Heirs launched their own attacks. The most eye-catching was definitely Khachi, the huge wolfman glowing like an avatar of the sun and yelling in a voice suited to a giant. ¡°I am bane to the oppressor, and balm to the enslaved! Let your spirits be free.¡± He flashed even brighter on the last word, crashing into the shield wall as spears deflected from his shield. Khachi¡¯s aura billowed out, subsuming the first ranks of slave soldiers and crushing the slavery enchantments in a wave of divine power. Nathan, Aarl and Stella all launched themselves into the air, going over the lines of soldiers as Khachi crashed into them. Four more [Disintegrate] spells rose to meet them, but Nathan was done hiding his abilities. All four spells vanished into his aura, one of them bearing a touch of wizardry. He homed in on that magical signature, arrowing towards a nondescript man in the simple green robe of a low-ranked Enslavement mage. As Nathan zipped through the formation he threw out a dozen tendrils of antimagic, popping [Mage Armor] spells and breaking flight spells. Five mages dropped out of the air with squawks of dismay.
High-tier Aura Manipulation 8 achieved!
They were easy prey for Aarl as he zipped back and forth behind Nathan, both arms moving independently to decapitate mages here or bisect them there. The weapons in his hands continually swapped with flickers of movement, trading the enormous reach of the disintegration-edged greatsword for the elemental strikes of the Sklian sabers or the magic-penetration of Brox¡¯s black-bladed shortsword. Stella fired lasers and threw out homing fireballs, dropping three flying mages in seconds as two more fell from Sarah¡¯s bullets. The skies were clear in moments and she raised a hand skywards, spending a second conjuring a jagged ball of lightning before three ragged tendrils reached out to smite mages standing on the edge of the group. The disguised archmage¡¯s eyes went wide as the Heirs tore through his formation. He blinked once before belting out a quick spell. [Teleport] Nothing happened because Nathan¡¯s aura had already surrounded the man completely. His slave-elite bodyguard tried to get in Nathan¡¯s way by throwing themselves and their weapons forward to block his path. Nathan dodged high and then low, passing through the maze of weapons without issue. Burning both Focus and Stamina made it feel like everybody was moving in slow motion.
Effortless Dodge 7 achieved!
His fist went through the archmage¡¯s chest, pulping his heart and throwing the lifeless body to the stones of the street in a spray of blood.
Spellslayer has leveled to 454! You have assassinated the archmage Dennar dho Ozor on the field of battle without harming his bodyguards!
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 6 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 4 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: Void of Magic level 566 Deepened Stamina: 16840/17280 Void of Feeling Antimagic Momentum Raging Thrill Implacable Inertia Unarmored Resilience Magic Anathema Airborne Agility Hand-to-hand Expertise Voluminous Aura Denial of Wizardry Mana Severance
Class: Spellslayer level 454 Regenerative Focus: 3165/4640 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Wizard¡¯s Meditation 7 Inspiration 5 Acceleration 8 Wizard¡¯s Detection 5 Alertness 9 Wizard¡¯s Understanding 6 Effortless Dodge 7 Mental Vault 2 Tutoring 3 Parkour 7 Visibility Control 2 High-tier Disguise 3 Mid-tier Battle Cry 10 High-tier Aura Manipulation 8
Chapter 7: Friendly Acquaintances Once more, Nathan was surrounded by a dozen muscular men who wanted nothing more than to stick their weapons into him. This seems to happen with surprising regularity. He continued his forward charge, stepping over the archmage¡¯s body and dodging a few hasty strikes to continue moving. His aura blanketed the elites and unraveled their enslavement enchantments as he passed through their formation. They all paused at the sudden lack of mental shackles, and the hesitation allowed Nathan to escape the encirclement. He gained a bit of height and looked over the rest of the battlefield. It took only a glance to see that the Heirs had routed their enemies. A few mages still lived and fought, but they all struggled to protect themselves from Stella and Aarl¡¯s furious advance, to say nothing of Khachi and Sarah. One mage tried to [Blink] away, but a bullet from Sarah caught him mid-cast, dropping a headless body to the ground. Another war mage had figured out that Stella was avoiding blasting the groups of slaves and brought a cordon of slave-soldiers tight around herself. Khachi bulled through the living shields with sheer physical strength, tossing them aside as his shield deflected a hasty bolt of ice up into the sky. His hammer came down atop the mage in a blow crackling with divine energy. It blasted through [Mage Armor] to leave a bloody crater in the street. I believe the proper term there is ¡®smite¡¯. Nathan hurried to dispel the magic on the remaining slaves before the basic logic within the enchantments decided that the battle was lost and it was time to kill their hosts. His aura had grown enormously in the past days and he let it out to its fullest extent, blanketing the street and ripping out the mental magic from everyone present. Then he opened his mouth to speak, to repeat the same inspiring words that had awoken so many freed slaves from their stupor. Khachi beat him to it. The wolfman¡¯s rich voice rolled over the street, powerful but calm. ¡°Victory!¡± His aura spread behind the words, pushing insistently against Nathan¡¯s own. Nathan retracted his influence, closing his mouth and ceding attention to his friend. Stella gestured and the stone under Khachi rose, giving him an impromptu stage. The golden aura spread across the entire street, flaring with light as every eye turned towards the wolfman in warmly glowing plate armor. He spoke again, his voice gaining the reverb effect that accompanied invocation of the divine, ¡°Victory over the slavers of Giantsrest!"
Void of Magic has leveled to 580! You have killed the archmage Dennar dho Ozor and broken his household guard before freeing every single slave soldier he possessed!
Khachi looked like a hero from a storybook, clad in immaculate gilded armor and haloed by a golden glow. The barest tinge of the aura bled past Nathan¡¯s antimagic, and he felt hope surge within him at the sight. It¡¯s a magical promise that things will get better. That a better way is possible. It¡¯s also healing the injuries of anybody who can see him. ¡°Your captors are slain, and the magic on you is broken.¡± Khachi didn¡¯t yell, speaking in a deep voice that rumbled across the cracked street that had so recently been a battlefield. ¡°Your life begins anew on this day, free of the tyranny of slavers. Come, join others like you. You will be cared for, so you may care for others.¡± I¡¯ll give it a six out of ten. But then again, he has some pretty potent magic to help his case. The recently freed slaves seemed dazzled by his appearance, but when Khachi stepped off the stage and walked down the street they turned to follow. He broke into a jog towards the Chokiz estate, and the crowd broke into an unsteady run after him. Nathan took to the air, garnering worshipful looks from the crowd below before he caught up to Khachi. Aarl joined him, and Sarah hopped off her rooftop as they passed to fall in with the other Heirs. ¡°What of the Giantraiders? Did you find them?¡± Sarah asked her brother, holstering her rifle into a dimensional pouch as she ran. Stella swooped down from above to float along overhead. ¡°We found them, but got spotted by that archmage and his army. We split up to draw the archmage away and gave them instructions on how to find us." She smirked. ¡°Then I made a big explosion to draw your attention. Hear me, I¡¯m glad that worked. An archmage and three war mages are a blasphemous foe.¡± Khachi grunted in response, speaking over the clanking of his armor. ¡°I am glad the Giantraiders are relieving us once again. It will be a weight lifted to have other Adventurers helping.¡± ¡°They know it¡¯s worth being bold.¡± Aarl spoke shortly. ¡°I¡¯m worried they won¡¯t be able to kill these targets. These are not easy foes.¡± Sarah shrugged. ¡°They¡¯ll be better than we are at organizing the elites. Vhala¡¯s been fighting Giantsrest with trickery for decades, she¡¯ll know how to guide the elites to defend themselves.¡± She gestured around to indicate the Heirs. ¡°We fight these foes directly, but they can''t and shouldn''t try.¡± There was a snort from above, and a quick glance up showed Stella was wearing a smug grin. ¡°An archmage and his entire household guard. Thirty-eight mages, and they were goats to our castlebear.¡± Nathan thought over the battle they¡¯d just fought as he ran. The Heirs had dumpstered the mages, as soon as everybody had gathered together. But that was the problem. They¡¯d split the party, and then had differences in mobility that meant they¡¯d needed to split it again. ¡°We¡¯re fine in a straight-up fight.¡± He said, speaking over Aarl¡¯s snarky response to Stella¡¯s gloating. ¡°But we have problems with mobility.¡± Nathan pointed at Sarah and Khachi. ¡°It was a problem that you two couldn¡¯t fly. The rest of us needed to retreat to give you a chance to catch up.¡± And to spread the levels a bit. I could probably have taken out more mages than just the archmage, but killing is the most reliable way to gain levels. I bet each of the Heirs picked up at least thirty or forty levels from that fight. He continued, glancing around to gauge his teammate¡¯s reactions. ¡°It also limits our choice of battlefield. Flying is faster and bypasses terrain.¡± Stella was nodding along. ¡°You speak the same words as my parents. ¡®To fly is to choose when and where you fight, and to ignore anybody below you.¡¯ That¡¯s what they say.¡± ¡°Then I will learn how to use the [Fly] spell.¡± Sarah said with a sigh. ¡°Though I might borrow Aarl¡¯s armor to learn it.¡± Nathan nodded. ¡°I learned some Insights inside the Academy that might help Stella with the spell.¡± But his eyes were on Khachi, the wolfman deep in thought as they turned the final corner before the Chokiz district. They ran on in silence for a moment longer before Nathan prompted for an answer. ¡°Khachi, will you practice with [Fly] too?¡± His teammate responded hesitantly, not out of breath from the jog at all. ¡°I would prefer to fly with my own magic. Kia¡¯s books say it is possible. But if I fly with another¡¯s magic, I may never learn how.¡± Nathan wasn¡¯t entirely happy with that, but he wasn¡¯t going to tell Khachi how to walk his own path. If he could fly under his own power, that would definitely be better in the long run. ¡°Alright, let me know if I can help.¡± Stella spoke up. ¡°I can¡¯t cast four [Fly] spells, that¡¯s too much air mana to channel all at once. But if I learn [Mass Fly] then I can move everybody. Except you, Nathan.¡± He shrugged. He was always going to have to manage his own movement. ¡°Can I get some mana? My Stamina is getting a little low.¡± With a snort Stella shot a beam of intense light mana at Nathan, and he greedily absorbed it to fuel his Stamina. He could replenish his Focus on his own, but Stamina required either food and rest or external magic. He had enormous resource pools now, but it was preferable to keep them topped off. Up ahead was the main gate into the Chokiz industrial district, and Nathan saw the Giantraiders talking to some of the freed elites outside. He grinned at seeing the three familiar figures, though they seemed to have picked up a fourth somewhere, a vaguely familiar squat man in heavy armor. Emerald had already noticed them and raised a hand in greeting. Nathan raised his voice to call out, ¡°Hey, Vhala!¡± The broad dark-skinned woman turned away from talking to Gasc and the other elites, a smile on her face. The expression morphed to amused disbelief as she saw the crowd following the Heirs but she laughed and called back a response. ¡°Hail to the Giantslayer!¡± The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The elites guarding the gate cheered at the Heirs'' approach, hurriedly opening the gates to welcome the new arrivals inside. Khachi gave a few instructions in his booming voice and the freed slaves funneled inside to be integrated into the growing community of free Giantsrest, Gasc left to manage it all. Nathan and his friends stepped off to the side to chat with the Giantraiders, each team sizing the other up. Vhala was much the same as before, short and broad with dark dreadlocks draping down her back. She was armed with an enchanted bow and axes, though she¡¯d added a revolver to her belt that made Nathan¡¯s eyebrows go up. Emerald was dressed the same as they had always been, the thin figure¡¯s face hidden behind a full-face helmet. Wiam¡¯s beak clattered in excitement as he looked over the Heirs, his eyes flicking over each of them in turn. ¡°Good to see you all.¡± Nathan said with a wistful smile. The presence of the other Giantraiders made him remember Artha, the elk-centaur who¡¯d been Nathan¡¯s first mentor on Davrar. The big Treeborn had set Nathan¡¯s feet on the Path of Rage, and he would have been thrilled beyond words at what his student had accomplished. Vhala¡¯s smile turned a bit sad, her mind clearly going in a similar direction. ¡°Hear me, but I thought Halsmet was a prophecy of victory. But now the Academy itself is a pile of rubble.¡± She shook her head, then turned towards the fourth member of their group, the replacement for Artha. ¡°This is Honsk, you may remember him from Halsmet.¡± Nathan clapped the squat man on the shoulder. He was one of the elites Nathan had freed so long ago, as part of the plan to liberate Exea''s city. ¡°Of course! I remember when you guarded me in Halsmet. Good to see you again.¡± The wide elite nodded and spoke in a surprisingly high-pitched voice. ¡°Mage-breaker. I¡¯m pleased beyond prophecies¡¯ hold to be here. It¡¯s good to see more people freed. I should speak with the newly freed elites, tell them lessons we learned in Halsmet.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need my permission.¡± Nathan replied casually, turning back to Vhala as Honsk bustled off. ¡°We¡¯re glad you¡¯re here. We were going to go hunting in the city and free more people, but don¡¯t want to abandon these folks. Now that you¡¯re here we¡¯ll be a lot more comfortable leaving them alone.¡± Wiam interrupted, cocking his head to the side. ¡°Ya¡¯got near fifty elites! That¡¯s a lotta defense already!¡± Sarah shrugged in response. ¡°But they don¡¯t fight mages, as you do. And you can communicate directly back to Halsmet, guide in more Adventurers, more antimages. Myrla¡¯s coming too. Now you can talk to her, while we¡¯re out killing problems.¡± The birdfolk tried to think of a response to that, his feathers drooping. ¡°Message bird, am I?¡± ¡°The fastest in Gemore.¡± Emerald said flatly. ¡°Or the one always closest to trouble.¡± Vhala chuckled, cutting through the bickering. ¡°A good role for us. I¡¯ll speak to Gasc. That one has stared the ghoul in the eye. Stand guard until we can get a strong reaction force organized, then you can go hunting.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Nathan said, nodding and turning to Sarah. ¡°Good time to practice [Fly]?¡± She sighed and rolled her eyes. ¡°I¡¯d rather take up hydra farming.¡± ¡ª ¡°This is too easy.¡± Aarl said, watching his sister bob through the air like a moderately spastic balloon. Nathan twisted from where he stood to raise an eyebrow at his teammate. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s picking it up too easily.¡± The dark-haired man shook his head, keeping his eyes on the streets below. ¡°That too, though I think Stella¡¯s control is stronger. I mean Giantsrest. We are here, in their city. We¡¯re floating in plain view over a community of thousands of freed slaves, and nobody is attacking. Where are the armies? Where are the archmages?" ¡°Well,¡± Nathan replied. He thought about it for a moment. ¡°I think there¡¯s a few things going on there. First we killed a lot of the more adventurous mages and archmages in the mountains, with the ambush. Then Faline and I were encouraging tensions in the city. I don¡¯t know how that went after I separated from Faline, but I can¡¯t imagine that dead bodies inside the Academy soothed the tensions. The Academy was supposed to be invincible, after all.¡± He bit his lip, remembering back to the way Faline had described the mood of Giantsrest. ¡°That probably caused some mages to leave Giantsrest, to go to the cities that weren¡¯t having an assassin problem. Then I had my fight with Badud, and the entire Academy collapsed. That probably killed more mages than everything else put together. As for the archmages, I got four of them on that last night, and Badud¡¯s spell and the collapse of the Academy probably killed a few more. We just killed another one that was trying to establish order here. With the three from the battle and Cala dha Drex, that comes to nine confirmed dead archmages, and who knows how many dead in the Academy.¡± Stella whistled in appreciation as she floated over to join the conversation. ¡°Smoke and blood, you killed that many?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± Nathan said with a smirk. ¡°Mostly from surprise.¡± He picked up his train of thought. ¡°Then the golems invaded the city from the inside out. I bet a lot of the remaining mages either fled or are planning to flee soon, to get to the other Giantsrest cities. There are definitely some still in the city, but they¡¯re hunkered down and don¡¯t want to fight. As for the archmages, there might only be a couple of them left, and they might have decided to leave Giantsrest altogether. I killed the master of Skargess inside the Academy, and Sarah killed the master of Ardglass during the ambush.¡± He gestured around the quiet city beneath them. ¡°Giantsrest is done. Even if the remaining satellite cities survive, they won¡¯t all work together without a coordinating authority. With the Academy gone they also won¡¯t be able to train mages to maintain the status quo.¡± ¡°To repeat prophecy, we¡¯re visiting those cities?¡± Aarl asked with raised eyebrows. ¡°To ensure they don¡¯t continue as normal.¡± Nathan shrugged. ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯m worried about that. Without mages, how will those cities protect themselves? Maybe we need to organize evacuations back here. Especially for Ardglass, since they keep getting attacked by Sklian undead.¡± ¡°Or we could just destroy the undead.¡± Stella contributed, her expression innocent. ¡°We can¡¯t solve every problem.¡± Nathan said bitterly. ¡°We need to get moving to Litcliff and beyond, to Pamaris.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Stella said, but she trailed off as Nathan raised a hand, focusing on one of the streets below. He¡¯d just caught a flicker of movement, and his skills were telling him it was one he should pay attention to. He focused for a moment on the street, spending Focus to peel back layers of deception and focus in on a figure walking down the street in this direction. It was a somewhat dumpy woman dressed as a household slave, looking around the street furtively as she crept along.
Mental Vault 3 achieved!
¡°It¡¯s Faline.¡± He said to the unspoken question from his teammates, before he darted towards the gate she was approaching from. This is going to be interesting.
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 6 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 4 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: Void of Magic level 580 Deepened Stamina: 11720/17700 Void of Feeling Antimagic Momentum Raging Thrill Implacable Inertia Unarmored Resilience Magic Anathema Airborne Agility Hand-to-hand Expertise Voluminous Aura Denial of Wizardry Mana Severance
Class: Spellslayer level 454 Regenerative Focus: 3198/4640 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Wizard¡¯s Meditation 7 Inspiration 4 Acceleration 8 Wizard¡¯s Detection 5 Alertness 9 Wizard¡¯s Understanding 6 Effortless Dodge 7 Mental Vault 3 Tutoring 3 Parkour 7 Visibility Control 2 High-tier Disguise 3 Mid-tier Battle Cry 10 High-tier Aura Manipulation 8
Chapter 8: Unfriendly Acquaintances In the seconds before he impacted the street, Nathan briefly considered landing on Faline, killing her without warning in the way he¡¯d killed so many mages. He discarded the idea, instead deciding to land intimidatingly close to the assassin - and without slowing himself down very much. We¡¯re on the same side, but I¡¯m never going to trust her again. Nathan¡¯s feet cracked stone as he slammed to the ground just feet away from the assassin. She dodged backwards, but not far. She wasn¡¯t especially fast, just sneaky, experienced and vicious. In a straight fight he''d certainly win. He greeted her flatly. ¡°Faline.¡± The knives she¡¯d drawn vanished as suddenly as they had appeared, and she smiled up at him. ¡°Nathan! Your presence sparks my courage.¡± Her disguise came off in a flurry of cloth as it vanished into her dimensional bag to reveal tight leather underneath. Her dark hair grew out and became silky with iridescent streaks as her face and body morphed into statuesque beauty, and the smile became truly dazzling. ¡°You did it. The Academy has fallen. How did it happen? Are all of the mages inside of it dead?¡± She blinked up at him, lips parted slightly. If Nathan¡¯s approach had intimidated her, she wasn¡¯t showing it. He studied her impassively for a long moment, ignoring her physical charms and looking for nervous tells. He didn¡¯t see any. She¡¯s been a spy and assassin in Giantsrest for a damned long time. If she was anything less than perfect and lucky she¡¯d be dead. This isn¡¯t a game you¡¯re going to beat her at. ¡°The Academy is gone, and most of the mages in it,¡± he confirmed flatly. ¡°The building itself was a dungeon the Questors had tamed. I broke their control, and that¡¯s why the golems went crazy. Badud destroyed the entire place trying to kill me.¡± She nodded to herself as if confirming a theory. ¡°A dungeon under the control of the archmages.¡± She looked back up to Nathan. ¡°Your antimagic was the light that allowed you to hide inside, in plain sight as you killed mages.¡± It hadn¡¯t been spoken as a question, but Nathan answered it as one. ¡°It did.¡± He didn''t give her the details she was fishing for. Instead, he cut to the chase and asked the question that had been on the tip of his tongue ever since he¡¯d seen her. ¡°Why are you here, Faline? You said you were returning to Halsmet, and Giantsrest has fallen.¡± Without you. Her answer came quickly, lightly. ¡°Not all of it. Mages and archmages remain, and they must burn.¡± She gestured over Nathan¡¯s shoulder, towards the Chokiz estate and Aarl hovering overhead, watching them talk with uncertainty writ across his face. ¡°Now that we can act openly, it is time to cleanse Giantsrest. I can train¡­¡± She moved to step around him, waving up at Aarl as she did so. Then she stopped abruptly as Nathan held his arm in her path. ¡°No.¡± Nathan said, his voice growing venomous. ¡°You won¡¯t train any more assassins here. I¡¯ve seen how you treat your students. Stay away from the people I¡¯ve freed. They don¡¯t need you.¡± Faline¡¯s eyebrows crinkled in genuine-seeming confusion. ¡°So long as a single mage of Giantsrest survives, they are in danger. I can protect them, and teach them to protect themselves from those that enslaved them. You¡¯re angry enough at me to endanger them?¡± She looked him up and down, taking a performative step back. ¡°Did your Rage class Develop so far?¡± She¡¯s trying to make me doubt my own anger towards her, imply I''m letting my skills influence my opinion. Nathan was unsure how to address her implication. In the end, he decided to go with the simple, unvarnished truth. ¡°I don¡¯t trust you, Faline. You manipulated and betrayed me, and I don¡¯t want you influencing the freed slaves of Giantsrest.¡± Her mouth opened in genuine indignance. But then again, she always appeared genuine. ¡°Please, explain how I betrayed you. We fought the same enemy, and you were the one to falter.¡± With a deep breath, Nathan fought back a snarl. Blowing up at Faline for her manipulations wouldn¡¯t solve anything. Unless he killed her. But she¡¯d served as Gemore¡¯s spy in Giantsrest for decades, and averted more than one invasion by murdering the right person at the right time. She was vicious, but she had justification for it. She did a job nobody else could do. But now that a better way is possible, I worry that she¡¯ll fall into old patterns. If she had her way, every mage and all of their families would die. But that¡¯s not the correct path. That''s fighting the battle of yesterday at the expense of today. After the breath, he faced her again with a smooth face. ¡°Not every mage needs to die. Mages are a vital part of Gemore, even the ones who were originally from Giantsrest. The freed elites here will have enough trouble working with magic-users without your poison.¡± Faline tried to interrupt, to insert herself into his commentary with some social skill. Nathan rolled right over her. ¡°The people I¡¯ve freed will be protected, and organized by others, by Halsmet and the Adventurers. We can talk and share information, but we won¡¯t work with you. Stay away from the freed slaves.¡± He didn¡¯t threaten, but he did clench his fists in an implied threat. The assassin¡¯s eyes flicked down to his hands, narrowing in calculation. Her jaw set stubbornly. She opened her mouth to challenge Nathan once more. Then the sound of steel on stone sounded down the street and Khachi came into view, Stella by his side. He marched forward like a tank rolling down the street. He was sighted in on the woman beside Nathan, his golden aura a halo overhead. The assassin scowled at him, and her jaw snapped shut. She turned back to Nathan and nearly spat her words. ¡°Then this is your nemesis to slay. I will go to the northern cities, and ensure the mages there do not seek to destroy Gemore in revenge.¡± She turned to leave, rippling like a mirage as her stealth skills reactivated to escape Khachi''s notice. Nathan watched her go with dual feelings of vindication and loss. Faline was capable, and she would be a fabulous ally to have against the Questors. But he couldn''t trust her, and she was too tied up in her endless struggle against Giantsrest to do anything else. His tone was softer as he called out one last time. ¡°Don¡¯t fight endlessly. Ask yourself, when is your war done?¡± She paused in her flight, turning back to Nathan and spoke in a sourceless voice. ¡°Vud dho Nam seeks to take his slaves to Azamar. They are leaving from the southern gate. Go, if you wish to be a hero.¡± The sarcasm on the words were cutting, but carried an odd note of longing. Then the assassin turned and fled, moving quickly until she could round an alley and retreat before Khachi could catch her. Khachi slowed to a halt near Nathan, looking around warily. ¡°She¡¯s gone?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Nathan said, pointing in the direction Faline had gone. Then he looked curiously at the wolfman. ¡°Why did she run away from you like that? Were you going to attack her?¡± Khachi¡¯s expression was pensive, eyes flitting around to catch any trace of the assassin. ¡°She spoke lies to my mother about her murders. Sudraiel halted Kia from slaying her like a monster. They are enemies.¡± ¡°Were you going to attack her?¡± Nathan repeated, sharing an alarmed look with Stella. The wolfman shook his head. ¡°No. But I would have invoked a divine mandate upon her to speak the full truth.¡± ¡°Hear me, she might fear that just as much,¡± Stella said with a shaky chuckle. She was wide-eyed at the thought of so openly challenging the master of the Assassins of Gemore. Nathan blew air out from his cheeks, then gestured for Aarl and Sarah to come down out of the sky. ¡°Come on, she said that there was a mage taking all of his slaves out of the southern gate. She might lie, but not about something so immediately verifiable.¡± ¡°Could this merely be a stalker¡¯s ploy, so she can hide amongst the freed slaves?¡± Khachi asked. ¡°I doubt it,¡± Nathan replied. ¡°We¡¯re not always on watch, so she could always slip in when somebody else is. But I can see through her disguises, and she knows it. I warned her away from here, and if she doesn¡¯t stay away then I might really kill her.¡± Stella winced again. ¡°She¡¯s held back Giantsrest for decades. It feels like a blasphemous betrayal to kill her now that the battle is won.¡± Aarl and Sarah floated down nearby, with Aarl steadying Sarah¡¯s uncertain flight. It was notably better than it had been, but she still bobbed around uncertainly. The conversation with Faline had crystallized a line of thought for Nathan, and he mused aloud. ¡°She¡¯s been the knife in the dark for a long time. Killing the innocent and the guilty both, to protect Gemore. I don¡¯t know if it was necessary or not - and it''s hard to judge since we weren''t there. But it isn¡¯t needed any longer. The Academy is no more, and Giantsrest can¡¯t survive without it.¡± The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. He hit his stride, voice becoming more confident. ¡°She wants to kill all of the mages. But if we do that, then every mage will fight to their last breath. They will attack our villages with destructive spells for no other reason than revenge. And then Giantsrest and all of the people who live here will fall to the monsters of Davrar. The Adventurers of Gemore can¡¯t protect the city of Giantsrest and all five cities. They could barely protect Halsmet while it found its feet. ¡°The mages need to be involved in whatever happens next.¡± Nathan shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is, and I have no idea how to set it up. But not only would it be wrong to kill them, I don¡¯t think we can." Then he snorted. ¡°This sounds like Myrla¡¯s problem. We kill the monsters and slavers, she gets the intractable governing problems.¡± Khachi¡¯s answering smile exposed every single one of his teeth. His aura blazed out, filling the street with light. ¡°Your light illuminates our Path.¡± Then he looked around at the brightly lit street. ¡°Well. My light illuminates our physical path, but you lead us towards righteousness. Did you say something about a caravan of slaves?¡± ¡°Right.¡± Nathan said. ¡°Southern gate. Let¡¯s go. Can you fly yet?¡± The wolfman grimaced. ¡°No, but I am working on an Insight for that.¡± He took a deep breath and intoned a prayer. ¡°Righteous battle lies elsewhere, and I must be there. To save the innocent, I require speed. By my power and my oaths, I will move.¡± His aura stretched downwards towards the street, and divine mana spilled out of the fabric of Davrar to surround Khachi¡¯s feet. It looked like he was wearing boots of golden light. ¡°Let us hurry!¡± Khachi took a few exploratory steps, each movement carrying him dozens of feet forward as his feet lifted him up and forward. It looked easy and natural, like the magic was helping him balance and adjust to the strange movement. Then he started running south with blurring speed. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Stella cried out, lifting into the air and laughing as she accelerated after him. Sarah followed. Aarl was close behind, ready to grab his sister if she looked like she was about to crash. Nathan climbed into the air after them, stressing his skills to keep up with his friends. His Talent let him walk on the air, and he had multiple skills to boost his speed. He still needed to spend Stamina freely to keep up with them. And that¡¯s why mages are powerful. I need a Talent, four skills and a class resource to equal a single spell. ¨C They caught the caravan outside the gates. It was huge, with at least a thousand people surrounding a long train of wagons. They traveled on the broad southern road that connected the city of Giantsrest to the cities of Aardglass and Azamar. Near the front of the caravan were a few covered palanquins carried by burly slaves. The rear was protected by formations of mages, elites and slave-soldiers carrying bows as well as shields. The Heirs jumped the convoy with much the same plan they¡¯d used against Archmage Dennar¡¯s forces earlier that day. Nathan bounded through the air at the front and used his aura to block the spells thrown their way as Khachi charged on the ground holding his magically augmented shield in front of him. The other Heirs attacked from the air, with Aarl close behind Nathan, Stella even further back and Sarah remaining distant. Their opponents volleyed spells and arrows at them, but Nathan¡¯s aura was large enough to intercept the entire volley. He almost sent the intercepted spells back at their casters - but it was too likely that the magic would go wide and hit the people they were trying to save. He did manage to strip the magic from the most dangerous arrows, detonating several explosive ones mid-flight.
High-tier Aura Manipulation 9 achieved!
Void of Magic promised me an aura large enough to cover the battlefield. Every one of the Heirs had their own protections against the remaining arrows. Nathan took a few inconsequential hits as he dodged most of the salvo. Khachi¡¯s shield covered his entire body, and even skill-enhanced arrows bounced away from the protective magic. Aarl¡¯s armor was impermeable to the ones he didn¡¯t manage to cut from the air, and a large spherical shield around Stella protected both herself and Sarah. Then the Heirs reached the convoy and split up to go after independent targets. Khachi slammed into the frontline with a burst of light while Aarl zipped overhead to target the mages just beyond. Stella focused on keeping the groups of archers suppressed with gusts of wind. Sarah sniped the mages from farther away, compensating for the unfamiliar flight with skill and skills. Nathan¡¯s attention was split a dozen different ways as he flew over the caravan. He dodged the occasional projectile, popped [Mage Armor] spells and snuffed the occasional fireball. But Focus enabled him to handle all of that and stay oriented on his true target. The palanquins had accelerated even as the rest of the formation turned to face the approaching Heirs, and a gap was opening up between them and the rest of the slaves. Nope. The master isn¡¯t getting away.
Acceleration 9 achieved!
There were enchantments on both of the palanquins, but the left one had much more powerful defenses and was carried by slave-elites. It was the obvious target. Nathan crashed into the wooden litter from the side and sent it toppling to the ground. He landed easily, stalking through the wreckage to home in on the mana pool of the mage who¡¯d been in the litter. The small enslavement mage spluttered and flailed as he tried to extricate himself from the wreckage of his conveyance, but Nathan didn¡¯t give him time to get his bearings. He crushed a half-dozen protective enchantments before grabbing the green robes and pulling the man into a descending punch.
Spellslayer has leveled to 457! You have slain the fabulously rich enslavement mage Vud dho Nam as he attempted to escape you!
The elites surrounding Nathan were faster to get to their feet, and they attacked him immediately. He tore apart the magic enslaving them as he dodged past their weapons and shouted into their faces. ¡°Be free! You have no masters! Join the people of Giantsrest in building a new society.¡± Nathan tossed the command over his shoulder as he closed in on the second litter. It hadn¡¯t stopped when he¡¯d attacked, and was another fifty feet down the road. It didn¡¯t matter much. Nathan closed in and repeated his attack, finding an older woman in a green robe who tried to stab him with an enchanted dagger.
Spellslayer has leveled to 460! You have slain the enslavement mage Kleck dho Nam as she attempted to flee from you!
He stripped the spellwork from the burly men who¡¯d been carrying the second litter, then turned back to the larger battle. It looked pretty much over. There were still mages fighting but that wasn¡¯t because they were holding off the Heirs - Nathan¡¯s friends just hadn¡¯t gotten to everybody yet. Good. No war mages, no [Disintegrate] spells. Just a bunch of enslavement mages accustomed to slave raids.
Void of Magic has leveled to 594! You and your team have defeated a large Giantsrest force and freed their captives!
I only killed the two mages, so I bet the Heirs each got twenty or more levels for taking care of the rest.
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 6 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 4 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: Void of Magic level 594 Deepened Stamina: 17601/18120 Void of Feeling Antimagic Momentum Raging Thrill Implacable Inertia Unarmored Resilience Magic Anathema Airborne Agility Hand-to-hand Expertise Voluminous Aura Denial of Wizardry Mana Severance
Class: Spellslayer level 460 Regenerative Focus: 3299/4700 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Wizard¡¯s Meditation 7 Inspiration 5 Acceleration 9 Wizard¡¯s Detection 5 Alertness 9 Wizard¡¯s Understanding 6 Effortless Dodge 7 Mental Vault 3 Tutoring 3 Parkour 7 Visibility Control 2 High-tier Disguise 3 Mid-tier Battle Cry 10 High-tier Aura Manipulation 9
Chapter 9: Rushing Towards a Conclusion Nathan spread his aura wide and started crossing over the crowd in a grid pattern, stripping enslavement magic from the hundreds of people in the caravan below. They¡¯d clearly been ordered to ¡°go south¡± and he could track who he¡¯d already gotten by who¡¯d stopped. Then he passed over the wagons in the center of the caravan and paused, frowning down at them in confusion. They were covered with fabric and enchanted to move on their own, but that¡¯s not what had drawn his attention. Each one was full of mages. Not particularly strong ones, but there were still sixty-some mages who''d done nothing to contribute to the fight hidden in the wagons down there. Nathan dropped behind one of them, tearing off the canvas covering the back of the wagon and coming face-to-face with a metal bar. The artisan mages on the other side flinched away from him, piling up against the other side of the wagon. It wasn¡¯t quite a cage on wheels, but it was close. The magical lock on the front gate was intricate in a way that suggested it would be hard to bypass. They¡¯re not slaves, but they¡¯re still being held captive. What¡¯s going on here? They weren¡¯t in a rush to attack him or the freed slaves around him, so Nathan jumped up in the air to check on the rest of the caravan. The last of the mages had been dealt with, and Khachi had gotten the bulk of the ex-slaves turned around and headed back towards Giantsrest with magically amplified shouts about respite and hope. Below him there was a flare of very noticeable magic as one of the artisan mages cut their way out of a wagon. A pair of orange-robed mages spilled out, glancing around cautiously and trying to stay low. One of them cast a bit of illusion magic to hide themselves and they started sneaking away from the wagons. Nathan landed heavily in front of them with a bloody palm held outwards. ¡°Stop.¡± The illusion shattered with a flick of his aura. The two young men recoiled, and one swore. ¡°Giant¡¯s ballsack.¡± The other mage turned to run, but the man who¡¯d sworn grabbed him by the sleeve. ¡°You idiot. That¡¯s the mage-breaker.¡± He turned towards Nathan. ¡°Please, let us leave.¡± With a frown Nathan looked past the two men at the wagon they¡¯d just broken out of. A couple of worried older faces peered out towards him from the broken gate. ¡°Why were you in cages? You¡¯re graduates of the Academy. Not slaves.¡± A flash of anger spread over the man¡¯s face. ¡°We owe Vud for his sponsorship and trainings. With interest. He charges us for the enchantment materials, then ensures we can¡¯t sell to anybody else. We¡¯re slaves, just through coin instead of magic. He doesn¡¯t let us off his estate, for our own protection he says.¡± It doesn¡¯t really surprise me that somebody figured out wage slavery of the one group they can¡¯t dominate with mind magic. Nathan considered the two men - and the mages beyond. ¡°Vud dho Nam is dead. Where are you going?¡± The mages were unsure how to answer, so Nathan continued. ¡°We¡¯ve freed all the slaves and are taking them back to Giantsrest. If you want to come back with us, then you can. No mental magic.¡± The mages were still unsure, trading uncertain looks. ¡°What ¨C but the slaves¡­¡± Sighing, Nathan flexed [Inspiration] and raising his voice to carry to the other artisan mages still hunkered inside their wagons. ¡°The freed slaves are striving to create a functional society, which means they''ll need enchanters. They can''t kill all mages and still survive on Davrar. They need you as much as you need them. Return, and earn a fair price for your skills. The Academy taught you to scheme and steal, but you can instead support your neighbors and be supported in turn.¡±
Inspiration 6 achieved!
The two mages gave him hesitant nods, and he evaluated them for a moment. ¡°Go. Cut the locks on the other wagons, and join the group moving back towards Giantsrest. Follow the caravan, and tell them I sent you. Can you do that?¡± I always forget how dangerous of a skill [Inspiration] is. I can change what people want to do with their lives. That¡¯s kind of terrifying. The other boy, the one who¡¯d been silent the whole time, spoke in a voice just above a murmur. ¡°I built the Endings-damned carts. We¡¯ll get them moving.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Nathan said, stepping forward to clap them on the shoulder. They both flinched, and he aborted the motion and gave them a grin instead. ¡°Be part of the solution, not part of the problem. See you back in Giantsrest.¡± Then he took to the air once more, heading back towards the glowing figure leading the huge crowd back towards Giantsrest. Aarl and Stella were busy looting corpses, while Sarah kept high watch. Nathan passed over the crowd to catch up to Khachi and called down to him, ¡°All good?¡± The wolfman responded in a booming voice. ¡°We are gods-blessed! The gate is our next target.¡± He pointed ahead to the gatehouse at the end of the road, the wide gates closed tight. Nathan nodded. "I''ll get it open." He sped forward and eyed the towers looming along the wall warily. They looked deserted, but even a single mage could trigger a slaughter among the approaching crowd with the tower enchantments. But he didn¡¯t want to destroy the enchanted defensive towers unless he had to. They¡¯d be priceless to the new occupants of Giantsrest. He settled for running through the towers that had an angle to fire on the approaching crowd while spreading his magical senses wide to ensure that there weren¡¯t any mages hiding. On the way he checked the enchantments, hoping to understand how Giantsrest had made so many copies of such powerful magic. The enchantment that cast the destructive spells was fairly elegant, with multiple layers that built up the spells in a rapid cascade. The giant explosion earlier had likely been from Sarah hitting one of the stabilizers that held the magic steady while the cascade built. But more significant than the enchantment was the power source, and there Nathan found something interesting. A thick bar of silvery metal stretched up the inside of the tower, connecting the enchantment at the top to an insulated tunnel that ran through the foundation of the wall. As soon as Nathan entered the chamber he felt the buzz of an enormous amount of mana. It was flowing through a rune-inscribed metal tube set into the center of the room. The whole thing reminded Nathan of a particle collider, but for magic. There¡¯s more mana in that than the metal should be able to contain. Wizardry? Yup, wizardry. It¡¯s altering the properties of the metal to make it as good at storing and conducting mana as prismatic diamond. Wow. I should show Stella. Though I think the effect will break if it gets moved. Or if the loop gets cut. I guess the tower we blew up earlier didn''t damage it.
Wizard¡¯s Understanding 7 achieved!
With a start, he remembered he had other tasks - like getting the gates open before Stella blew them open. ¡°Harpy tits.¡± Nathan raced back up the stairs, bouncing off the walls in his haste. He made it to the gate, finding the whole area abandoned. If there had been any mages here, they¡¯d fled when Nathan and the Heirs had passed overhead and dismantled the convoy. The gate itself was held closed by a complicated magical locking system accompanied by a broad bar that would require a half-dozen strong men - or a single mage with a force spell. Before Nathan would have struggled with the lock. But inside the Academy he¡¯d grown adept at using his aura to pick apart magical locks that contained wizardry, so this mana-only lock was a piece of cake. He braced himself underneath the bar, which was really more of a whole tree-trunk, and lifted with his shoulders and a judicious application of Stamina. He had to stagger forward a dozen paces to drop the bar where it wouldn¡¯t block the opening gate. Panting, he returned to the huge double doors. Even as he reached for them there came a polite knock on the enchanted wood, and Nathan grumbled. ¡°I¡¯m coming, I¡¯m coming.¡± He hauled open the gates a few feet to find Khachi on the other side, his fist upraised to knock again. Nathan grinned at him. ¡°Welcome to Giantsrest! Now under new management.¡± ¨C The afternoon was wearing on by the time they¡¯d gotten the convoy back to the Chokiz estate and gotten everything sorted. There was a tense moment when Nathan revealed he¡¯d brought back several dozen artisan mages to join in, but it wasn¡¯t hard to resolve. Gasc was unsure at first, but Vhala quickly reassured him that the enchanters were both necessary and tolerable. They were sent to an isolated series of tenements and placed under elite guard, for protection in both directions. At least they had the space - the Giantraiders had been leading patrols to expand the claimed zone. They¡¯d walled off some intersections and posted guards on others, with the goal to clear a wedge of the city so they had the wall at their backs. There hadn¡¯t been much resistance, with only a single golem causing problems until Wiam had used illusions to trick it into leaving the area. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. After a quick discussion, Nathan and Khachi left to break the mind magic on thousands more people from the newly claimed territories. Night had fallen by the time they returned to the impromptu headquarters to find a hearty meal and heavy conversation awaiting them. ¡°The mages.¡± Gasc said as Nathan devoured the bowl of hearty stew that had been placed in front of him. ¡°We¡¯ve been letting them turn their heels to us, but that cannot last. You think they can join us. Despite what they have done.¡± Nathan shrugged and finished swallowing before replying. ¡°You can¡¯t kill them all. They¡¯ll get desperate and fight back. There are enough mages that don''t want to fight that it would be a brutal fight. For now they''re staying low, hoping to avoid my attention and figure out what''s next now that the Academy is gone and the archmages are dead. But you need them. More than just the artisan mages. If you¡¯re going to defend yourself against the monsters of Davrar, you need enchanted weapons and the firepower of mages.¡± The elite scowled, not liking what he was hearing. But he didn¡¯t dismiss it out of hand. ¡°So we lock them away, and hope they don¡¯t try to take over again?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a problem we can just kill, that¡¯s sure and certain.¡± Aarl contributed from where he leaned against the wall. ¡°But we¡¯re not the ones to solve it. That¡¯s Myrla¡¯s problem. She¡¯ll be here tomorrow?¡± He glanced towards Vhala. The heavyset woman nodded. ¡°Indeed. She should arrive tomorrow afternoon.¡± Nathan nodded. ¡°Just try not to kill anyone who doesn¡¯t start it. The mages left behind aren¡¯t the ones who controlled Giantsrest. The rich and powerful ones, the ones who owned thousands of slaves, have fled already. Or are dead. The mages that are left are the weaker ones that don¡¯t have anywhere to go." Khachi spoke in a low rumble. ¡°These deeds establish the ethos of your people. Do you take revenge, slay the weak and the young? Are you their mirror or their better?¡± The elite¡¯s lips thinned, and he seemed to be considering a harsh rebuttal when Nathan waved a hand to grab everybody¡¯s attention. ¡°We¡¯re not going to decide the issue right now. We also won¡¯t dictate to you, because we¡¯re going to be leaving soon. Think about it, talk to the artisan mages, talk to Myrla. She''s done this before. But let¡¯s talk about what¡¯s next for us. If we¡¯re only here for a few days, what can we help with that will help immediately?¡± Vhala twisted her lips. ¡°The golems. The mages have fled, but these stalker-shit golems just tear through everything in front of them. We¡¯ve been avoiding them and baiting them away from anything important, but they¡¯re dangerous and take a castlebear¡¯s killing.¡± She glanced over at Gasc and arched a single dark eyebrow. The elite rubbed his face with a hand and sighed. ¡°Straight speaking. Those golems are lethal. But they are not so interested in killing as they were, and we have seen fewer than yesterday. We still can¡¯t secure this city until they''re gone." ¡°Sounds like our target.¡± Stella said from where she lurked in a corner. ¡°Let¡¯s get hunting.¡± Sarah broke in with a frown. ¡°Do we hunt, or do we sleep and hunt in the morning?¡± ¡°You can see in the dark,¡± Stella rebutted. Sarah¡¯s frown grew deeper. ¡°I see better in the day. Let¡¯s wait until tomorrow.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s nothing critical, I could use a rest.¡± Nathan admitted. ¡°I pushed myself hard during the last few days in the Academy.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing.¡± Gasc replied to his questioning look. He pressed his hands together in a Giantsrest-style salute. ¡°Gratitude once again, mage-breaker. Sleep, recover. We will wake you if needed.¡± Aarl pushed himself away from the wall. ¡°Not if we can kill the threat without his help.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get yourself killed trying to let me sleep.¡± Nathan replied, getting up as they headed down the stairs and towards the house they were staying in. ¡°I¡¯m a member of the team, and I¡¯m better at dealing with fatigue than you are.¡± ¡°Not anymore.¡± Khachi said with a wolfish grin as soon as they were walking down the street. ¡°I don¡¯t need to sleep since my level-up. Immune to all fatigue.¡± Nathan blinked at him, and opened his mouth to complain. Then he closed it. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m well-positioned to complain about that. My own build has some slightly more ridiculous things going on than merely not needing to sleep. Instead he asked about their plans. ¡°So, tomorrow we kill golems, say hi to Myrla. Then we swing by the other cities and punch out any archmages that escaped the city. Then we go to Litcliff. Does that sound about right?¡± ¡°We will need to go to Gemore first.¡± Stella said. ¡°Our parents would track us to the ends of Davrar if we left without seeing them.¡± She looked around. ¡°My parents.¡± ¡°No. Dad would join them.¡± Aarl said wryly. ¡°Yeah, I should check in on Beatred and Poppy. Maybe give them something new, if an Ending is coming.¡± Nathan grimaced. He¡¯d intentionally limited what he¡¯d told the two crafters, and warned them away from cannons and artillery. But it might be time to reconsider that stance. How could he justify holding back mundane weapons when spells like Badud''s [Last Arrows of Olita] existed? They walked into the home they¡¯d slept in the night before to find that the entire place had been cleaned to within an inch of its life. The floors were polished, every piece of metal gleamed and the sheets had been freshly laundered. The air smelt of herbs and wax. ¡°They replaced the cushions.¡± Stella said as she plopped herself down in a chair. ¡°Somebody wants us to be comfortable.¡± Khachi looked around as if expecting an attack. ¡°There is much else that needs to be done. This effort is wasted on us.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± Aarl said, crossing to the kitchen and checking the pantry. ¡°Hear me, but I appreciate this more than any thanks. Ooh, fresh kellfruit.¡± He busied himself by peeling some kind of spiky fruit and heating up a pot of water. The wolfman harrumphed, but he didn¡¯t contest the point. ¡°We should rest, so we may fight in the morning. Tomorrow will be a day of prophecy, and we must be ready to face it.¡± ¡°Not everything¡¯s an Ending.¡± Sarah replied, claiming the dining table and laying out a cloth. ¡°Our parents rest in Gemore in between missions, but we won¡¯t have a home if we leave. We¡¯ll need to grab rest every chance.¡± The brown-skinned girl¡¯s gaze stayed on Khachi, even as she disassembled her rifle. ¡°This is the beginning of a long race. There is no need to sprint in the beginning.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Stella agreed energetically. ¡°Aarl, is there any juice in there? I¡¯m running low.¡± ¡°Come get it yourself.¡± Nathan sat in the corner, and let the chatter wash over him. He relaxed a hair, feeling his hypervigilance slip ever so slightly. I¡¯m safe and among friends. I don¡¯t need to hide who I am, what I want. Not every action needs to be guarded, considered. He sat there for a while, suddenly feeling a bottomless tiredness. He hadn''t let down his guard in... weeks. Eventually he turned to Stella with a mysterious smile as she returned with another mug of sweet juice. ¡°So. Let¡¯s talk about what fire really is. There¡¯s this thing called an oxidation state...¡±
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 6 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 4 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: Void of Magic level 594 Deepened Stamina: 18120/18120 Void of Feeling Antimagic Momentum Raging Thrill Implacable Inertia Unarmored Resilience Magic Anathema Airborne Agility Hand-to-hand Expertise Voluminous Aura Denial of Wizardry Mana Severance
Class: Spellslayer level 460 Regenerative Focus: 4700/4700 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Wizard¡¯s Meditation 7 Inspiration 6 Acceleration 9 Wizard¡¯s Detection 5 Alertness 9 Wizard¡¯s Understanding 7 Effortless Dodge 7 Mental Vault 3 Tutoring 3 Parkour 7 Visibility Control 2 High-tier Disguise 3 Mid-tier Battle Cry 10 High-tier Aura Manipulation 9
Chapter 10: The Skills of Leadership ¡°So when I eat food¡­ I¡¯m burning it?¡± Stella said in confusion. Aarl looked up from where he was caramelizing the kellfruit. ¡°That would really smother my fire. Or stoke it?¡± He eyed his cooking with a perturbed expression. Nathan snorted at the interjection. ¡°Kind of. You¡¯re oxidizing it from carbohydrates into carbon dioxide, which is a more oxidized state. Burning the food does the same overall conversion, but your body is better at extracting the energy so it can be used to power your muscles, instead of just having it all go to heat.¡± He paused. ¡°Though skills and Talents can definitely mess with that. Stamina is cheating.¡± Sarah was frowning down at a rifle round that she was holding. ¡°Then how does burning gunpowder move a bullet?¡± ¡°Well, the charcoal in there burns just like a carbohydrate does, but it¡¯s not being oxidized by the oxygen in the air. The oxidizer is solid and mixed in. The process produces hot carbon dioxide and nitrogen gas, and that gas needs to expand so it just pushes the bullet really fast. So not all of the energy is going to heat, some of it is going into expanding gas.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Sarah said, spinning the cartridge through her fingers. ¡°That¡¯s an Insight.¡± Nathan was about to continue, but Khachi gave him a warning look and he hesitated. ¡°It¡¯s late, and we do have a lot to do. Can I take a watch rotation tonight?¡± Khachi replied with a thankful nod. ¡°You can take the morning shift. It is the most likely time for an attack, and you are the most suited against these threats.¡± ¡°Great. I¡¯ll head to bed then.¡± Nathan got up from his chair and snagged one of the soft slices of fruit before heading upstairs to bed. Funny how magical healing - and [Immortal Body] - mean that brushing teeth isn¡¯t a thing on Davrar. ¨C The night passed without incident, though some nearby celebrations meant it wasn¡¯t entirely quiet. During his watch Nathan was able to relax a bit more. He was glad to have some more time to sit and think. He realized what was bugging him was that he didn¡¯t have a true plan right now, or a way to make one. When he¡¯d first come to Davrar, his objective had been clear - destroy Giantsrest. He¡¯d needed to find his feet and figure out the details, but the objective and the means of achieving it had been relatively clear. Get good at killing slaving mages, then kill a bunch of slaving mages. Simple. But now, the objective was much murkier. He didn¡¯t know what a reasonable goal was. If Davrar was some kind of artificial world built as a game, what did that mean? Could he change how the game worked? Was he just flailing against something that couldn''t be changed? I¡¯m not even certain it really is a game. Maybe an ancient civilization set up some super-powerful wizardry and programmed things this way. Maybe the Endings are necessary to prevent Davrar from exploding or something. There¡¯s also what happened on the Solstice, where the Seals were recharging the sun - or something. ¡°Huh.¡± Nathan hadn¡¯t thought about the Seal that sat atop Gemore in a while. He hadn¡¯t been able to learn much about the strange door the last time he¡¯d been in Gemore. But his ability to sense and understand magic had advanced dramatically since then. I bet it¡¯s wizardry. I should definitely drop by and see what I can learn before I leave. The Heirs woke to join Nathan a few hours before dawn. They wanted to be prepared to make the most of the day. After all, they were planning to purge the city of golems today. Khachi pushed the door open and led the way outside. There was a small crowd of people waiting for them who burst into mutters and low cheers as soon as the Heirs emerged. A woman came forward and bowed stiffly. Nathan expected her to praise them, but he was surprised. ¡°Honored Heirs of Gemore. There are two golems nearby, and the Adventurer Vhala asks that you defeat them.¡± She proceeded to describe the two locations while avoiding eye contact. ¡°I can lead you, if you wish.¡± ¡°That will not be necessary. We will find these places and destroy the murderous constructs that dwell there.¡± Khachi replied in a booming voice. The crowd cheered louder, and Khachi basked in the praise, soaking it up like a plant soaked up sunlight. His glow spread out to encompass all five of them, making every member of the Heirs look like they were standing in a heroic painting. Except Nathan, of course. He was very aware that his shirt was stained and his hair could use a comb. He rolled his eyes at the display, then walked up into the air to get the ball rolling. The Heirs were grumpy when they followed him a minute later but he didn¡¯t have a lot of sympathy. ¡°Come on, we have a job to do. Let¡¯s earn that adoration before we enjoy it.¡± ¡°But our deeds -¡± Stella cut off when Nathan arched an eyebrow at her. Her eyes flicked to the pile of rubble that was all that remained of the Academy, which was just visible over the rooftops as they climbed to get a better vantage point. Then she frowned and pointed. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Nathan followed her finger, seeing figures moving among the rubble of the Academy. They looked big despite the distance, and Focus sharpened his vision. ¡°Those are golems. They¡¯re digging into the ruins?¡± He rose a little bit higher into the air to get a better angle. The giant statues were carving a trench into the rubble and dumping the debris into the surrounding streets. Nathan watched as a trio of golems hauled a particularly heavy block away, freeing a fourth golem that stood up and stretched before reaching down to retrieve a giant bow and bending it back into shape. Oh shit. They¡¯re digging out the rest of the golems. That one was one of the anti-air defense golems from near the top of the tower. I¡¯m amazed it survived the fall. ¡°They''re digging out the buried golems. We need to go deal with that.¡± Nathan said, more calmly than he felt. ¡°At least it looks like most of them gathered in one place.¡± Khachi rose up next to him, supported by a diffuse cloud of golden light. His hammer and shield were hooked onto his back, and the wolfman folded his arms and studied the ruins of the Academy. ¡°We should destroy the nearby golems first. They are the brightest danger.¡± Nathan did a double-take at the divinely-powered flight. ¡°How are you flying so quickly? Just yesterday you said you might have an idea for how to do it.¡± The [Shield of Hope] gave a lopsided grin. ¡°My class approves of my deeds. Freeing the enslaved is worth a dragon¡¯s hoard.¡± His grin slipped and he looked down at the crowd with a measure of disquiet. ¡°So is worship. It grants power. Though that power also makes Davrar seem simple, and worthy of judgement.¡± The self-doubt stood out as unusual coming from him. Nathan pursed his lips, looking around at the other Heirs as he thought of a response. ¡°Just¡­ be self-aware. Pull back if you catch yourself thinking in absolutes, and trust us to intervene if you go off the deep end. Now, should we go kill some golems?¡± The Heirs agreed enthusiastically, and they tracked down the nearby golems in short order. The first one was busy patrolling a single block over and over again, and a rut of cracked stone betrayed that it¡¯d been doing this for a while. It didn¡¯t see them approach, so it was simple for Aarl to swoop down behind it and dice the golem into a dozen pieces. As they made for the second location, Sarah spoke up. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I need enchanted rounds against the golems or if mundane bullets will work. Let me kill this next one.¡± ¡°As your flame calls.¡± Khachi replied with an amused tone. ¡°But it has nested itself inside of a building.¡± He pointed down to a warehouse with a gaping hole in the wall. ¡°Well, get it out.¡± Sarah replied in a disgruntled voice. ¡°I got it.¡± Nathan said with the air of long-suffering. He dropped down to the hole and peered into the shadowy cavern beyond. It was full of stacks of lumber that blocked his sight. ¡°Hey! You big dumb lumbering lunk of stone! Get out here and fight me like a man! Or a giant, I suppose.¡± The grinding of stone on wood came from within, but no golem emerged. Nathan eyed the building in displeasure. His magical senses could tell that the golem was lurking out of view to the right of the opening, but he didn¡¯t want to go in after it. A fight in a tight area like that played to the golem¡¯s strengths. With his recent [Immortal Body] Development the golem likely couldn¡¯t kill Nathan, but that didn¡¯t mean he wanted to get stomped into paste. ¡°This target is mine.¡± Stella called from above, and he glanced up to see her putting the finishing touches on a fireball about four feet across. She released the scintillating purple orb and it drifted slowly down towards the warehouse. Then she tossed a second, much smaller, fireball at high speed to blow a hole in the roof. The larger fireball flew neatly through the hole and Stella pumped her fists in victory. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. The entire building blew up. Flaming wreckage flew in all directions and smoke and dust obscured the area. The Heirs were protected by a quick shield from Stella, but Nathan barely managed to escape the blast radius and was still pelted by wooden splinters that ripped at his clothing. But Sarah was ready, and her rifle cracked as she aimed down into the cloud of dust. She didn¡¯t look away as her hands blurred to load another round into the large bolt-action rifle. Moments later her gun spoke again, and then a third time. Only then did Sarah nod and stow the weapon, satisfied with the work. A gust of magical wind blew away the smoke and dust to reveal the blast-site. All that was left of the building was a foundation and scattered flaming wreckage. The golem was laid out near the edge of the crater, slightly scorched but with the head shattered and broken from three overlapping bullet impacts.
Void of Magic has leveled to 597! Your party has destroyed a rogue golem!
Stella looked down at the golem in disgust. ¡°Hear me, are the golems immune to fireballs? That blast did nothing to it.¡± ¡°It lit the neighborhood on fire.¡± Nathan grumbled as he climbed back up to join the other Heirs. He glowered at Stella. ¡°That was dumb.¡± ¡°He wasn¡¯t leaving the building.¡± She protested. ¡°So I killed the building.¡± ¡°And now the freed slaves won¡¯t be able to use it, or all of the lumber that was inside!¡± Nathan replied. ¡°There were so many other options available to us. I could have killed it with my aura, or you could have been more precise in taking down the building. Or Aarl could have chased it out, or¡­¡± He fumed. ¡°This, this right here is why I¡¯m scared to teach you the most dangerous Insights. You blast first and ask questions later. We have so many ways to solve problems now, and we need to be responsible in how we do things.¡± She opened her mouth to protest, then closed it and looked to the rest of the Heirs. Sarah and Aarl¡¯s faces were studiously blank, while Khachi¡¯s glare matched Nathan¡¯s own. She turned to survey the destruction and the scattered fires and winced. Her tone was apologetic, ¡°...pardon my ax. I¡¯ll smother the flames.¡± She started circling the area, using fire and wind mana to quash the fires before they could catch on any of the surrounding buildings.
Tutoring 4 achieved!
He blinked at the notification as he climbed up to join the other Heirs. Did this mean that the lesson had finally sunk in? Aarl raised his eyebrow at his sister. ¡°Well? You didn''t use enchanted ammunition.¡± Sarah nodded in acknowledgement, but there was a slight frown on her face. ¡°No, but all three rounds struck the same place. Not a hard target with this distance and a stunned foe. But on a battlefield? It will be a challenge.¡± ¡°Better than each golem requiring an enchanted round. Even if you can make them now, they look costly.¡± Her brother replied in an upbeat tone. Sarah merely hummed in response as she watched Stella finish her circuit and rejoin them. ¡°Let¡¯s face this blasphemous foe before they dig up any more golems.¡± The [Sniper] led the way as they flew towards the rubble of the tower. Stella joined Nathan where was he running on air and sent him a streamer of mana to regenerate his Stamina. ¡°Can you teach me an Insight to help with precise attacks? Something that can damage one of these golems? I can¡¯t fight them without destroying the battlefield.¡± Nathan nodded his thanks for the mana. ¡°I''ll think about it. Nothing comes to mind right now beyond a concentrated plasma jet. We could think about a magnetic spell to keep it together...¡± The red-haired mage shook her head. ¡°For later. I can¡¯t strike through powerful armor if it¡¯s shielded against lightning. What kind of spell would penetrate a solid wall?¡± ¡°I have a few ideas.¡± Nathan replied, tilting his head back and forth. ¡°We¡¯ve already started talking about the truth behind fire. Some of those Insights will probably let you burn anything. Even stone. Or water.¡± Stella¡¯s eyes lit up at that, but she merely gestured for him to keep going. ¡°Or I could try to help you get metal mana? There¡¯s very little that¡¯s more effective at penetrating armor than a lot of sharp metal going fast.¡± ¡°Could we do that?¡± Stella asked, looking intrigued. ¡°I think so.¡± Nathan said. ¡°It¡¯s probably something we could get from earth, lightning and magnetic mana.¡± The Heirs came to a stop on the roof of a four-story building that stood just outside the radius of devastation caused by the collapsing Academy. About thirty golems were spread across the massive pile of stone, working tirelessly to excavate their peers. Or maybe they¡¯re trying to dig up the dungeon core? The one that Badud destroyed. It would be bad if they could get it back online. Good thing we¡¯re here early enough that the question will remain unanswered. They all surveyed the ruins for a moment, then looked at Nathan expectantly. ¡°Right.¡± He started. ¡°These things are dangerous, and their teamwork is excellent. Aarl, if you get pinned down you¡¯re toast. They could kill a castlebear in close combat. Stella, they will throw boulders at you as fast as an [Ice Spike], and probably try to hit you with a light spell similar to your mother¡¯s. Sarah, they¡¯re smart enough to triangulate where you¡¯re shooting from and demolish the building out from underneath you. But they also don¡¯t run from fights, so we can afford to fight this slowly and safely.¡± He met Khachi¡¯s eyes. ¡°Khachi and I will draw their attention, Khachi on the ground and me in the air. I¡¯ll go farther forward, try to keep most of them distracted while Khachi just draws in a few. Once they get split off from the main group, Aarl and Sarah will eliminate them. Then Khachi draws the attention of a few more and we repeat to cut down their numbers.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Stella interjected, disappointment clear in her voice. ¡°Am I a prophecy of doom?¡± Nathan shook his head with a grin. ¡°No, you¡¯re our secret edge. When things go wrong, you blow everything up and scatter them. Do you think you could charge up a couple of those giant capacitors hidden from view?¡± Stella¡¯s disgruntled expression shifted into a gleeful smile. ¡°As your flame calls. Should I worry about destruction?¡± ¡°I think the Ascendent Academy can¡¯t get any more destroyed.¡± Aarl said wryly, gesturing at the giant pile of rubble and the destruction radiating away from it. ¡°Yup. People fled this area a long time ago, and most of these buildings need to be demolished anyways.¡± Nathan agreed. ¡°When Stella blasts them, we try to finish them off if we can. But if they¡¯re pressing us too hard, we use Stella¡¯s spell to buy breathing room and retreat, but not towards the freed slaves.¡± He pointed away towards the east, away from the Chokiz estate. ¡°That way. If we lose track of each other, meet at the Eastern gate.¡± He looked around and nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t die.¡± Khachi snorted. ¡°Please. Allow me the benediction.¡± He breathed deeply and the divine mana responded to that simple action. His aura spread out to encompass the Heirs. ¡°By the Oath we swore, we defend the innocent. By our own strength, we smite the monster. By the power of prophecy, we fight the Endings themselves.¡±
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 6 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 4 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: Void of Magic level 597 Deepened Stamina: 18167/18210 Void of Feeling Antimagic Momentum Raging Thrill Implacable Inertia Unarmored Resilience Magic Anathema Airborne Agility Hand-to-hand Expertise Voluminous Aura Denial of Wizardry Mana Severance
Class: Spellslayer level 460 Regenerative Focus: 4700/4700 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Wizard¡¯s Meditation 7 Inspiration 6 Acceleration 9 Wizard¡¯s Detection 5 Alertness 9 Wizard¡¯s Understanding 7 Effortless Dodge 7 Mental Vault 3 Tutoring 4 Parkour 7 Visibility Control 2 High-tier Disguise 3 Mid-tier Battle Cry 10 High-tier Aura Manipulation 9
Chapter 11: Razing the Ancients Nathan strode confidently out over the rubble of the Ascendent Academy. He stayed at least sixty feet in the air, well out of the jumping range of the golems below. There were about thirty of the giant stone statues busy digging into the rubble - presumably to free more golems that had been buried when the giant structure had collapsed. Each of the constructs was sculpted in the shape of a beautiful man or woman in the prime of their lives. They moved with smooth efficiency even under the burden of tons of stone. As Nathan approached, a trio of the twenty-foot golems stopped digging and hefted pieces of rubble before whipping them at him in a coordinated volley. He¡¯d dodged similar throws before and knew to expect the fastball speeds. But he had three dimensions to dodge in and could change direction in a moment, so it wasn¡¯t a challenge to dodge the first salvo, all three rocks going wide. That caused another three golems to break off and join in the next barrage. The rest of the golems definitely knew he was there, they¡¯d just judged that he wasn¡¯t worth their attention. That¡¯ll probably change once I start draining them. Let¡¯s hold off on that until Khachi gets involved. Nathan dodged another two salvos of rocks before Khachi announced his presence with a flash of golden light and a clang of metal. He was standing in one of the narrower streets that had once led to the Academy, banging his hammer on his shield and flashing like a photographer at a fashion show. Another three golems broke off to head towards Khachi, and Nathan took that as his signal to get serious. He dipped slightly lower and reached out with his aura to sever the threads of wizardry that connected the golems together. Then he dug his aura into four of the stone-throwers and started the process of drilling into their mana pools. The reaction was immediate. Every single golem looked up in apparent confusion as the magical network connecting them together was broken. Then they moved as one, and all of them reached for a giant metal bow or a piece of debris sized for throwing. Uh oh. I don¡¯t know if I can dodge that much rock. If they knock me to the ground then they can just stomp me until I stop moving. Nathan used the bare seconds he had to gain another twenty feet of altitude, releasing his grip on two of the golems to maintain it on the other two. He also severed the strands of wizardry that attempted to reconnect all of the golems together and braced himself to dodge. The volley of projectiles was staggered without the communication network. Nathan spent Focus as if he had an unlimited supply to speed up his perception and plot a path through the projectiles. He was still hit twice, both times by one of the giant arrows fired by the bow-wielding golems that had previously been stationed on the outside of the tower. At this distance their arrows moved so fast they were almost impossible to track. The only saving grace was that the projectiles overpenetrated, one removing his arm at the elbow while the other tore through his side in a spray of blood and vanished into the distance.
Effortless Dodge 8 achieved!
It¡¯s been a while since I lost an arm. But Davrar rewards risk, and that¡¯s a high bar for me these days. The Stamina cost was irrelevant in the face of what Nathan drained from the two golems he was targeting, and both injuries healed quickly. His aura was stretched out like a pair of taut tethers to connect him to his targets, and he couldn¡¯t gain any more distance without breaking the connections. A series of gunshots sounded from the direction of the Heirs. Nathan didn¡¯t look back, but he smiled. He knew that his teammates could handle three golems. Now they just had to attract more. The next volley of projectiles was more coordinated. It almost formed a wall of stone flying up towards him. The three golems with bows were holding their shots, waiting for him to commit to a dodge before firing. Nathan responded by intentionally leaping into the path of one of the smaller stones. It impacted across his legs, spinning him around like a baton and making the follow-on arrows miss entirely. They¡¯d all been aimed at his head.
Parkour 8 achieved!
A bullet impacted against the head of one of the bow-wielding golems below, rocking its head back and shattering the feminine nose. Some of the statues turned towards the source of the attack to see Khachi standing in the street with three shattered golems lying around him. He banged his hammer against his shield one more time, and the golems flinched from the light that burst forth from the blow. Without their communication network the crowd of statues split up piecemeal. Most of the golems turned back to Nathan, but seven of them had apparently decided that Khachi was worth their attention. Nathan had to turn his focus away from his friends as the remaining golems prepared another salvo. One of the bow-wielding giants was directing them, giving the others precise hand signals. But Nathan had finally finished drilling into the mana pools of his two targets and both of the huge sculptures seized up and fell into the rubble of the academy with deafening crashes. The destruction of their peers caught the existing golems off-guard. They all lowered their stones to turn and stare towards their fallen members. Nathan spent the time reconnecting his antimagic tethers to the two undamaged archer-golems. As soon as he started boring into their mana pools the one who¡¯d been giving instructions chopped their hand down in a decisive motion. That was the signal for every single golem to start hurling projectiles as quickly as they could. It wasn¡¯t a coordinated volley but rather a constant stream of missiles that flew towards Nathan. He utilized his Focus and Stamina to the maximum to dodge dozens of attacks, moving like a shadow in a hall of mirrors. All the while he kept his eyes on the archers and their blazing-fast arrows. He needed to change directions the instant they released the bowstrings.
Effortless Dodge 9 achieved!
He didn¡¯t always succeed. He lost a foot, then took an arrow to the shoulder that nearly severed his arm. A rock the size of a motorcycle hit him in the hip, spinning him around and hurling him higher into the sky. One of his tethers broke and Nathan strained his aura to hold onto the other one from a hundred feet away. His aura didn¡¯t want to stretch that far, especially while maintaining the spiraling motion that was necessary to drill into the Golem¡¯s mana pool. But he dug in, straining his antimagic to keep his grip on the archer-golem even as he juked once more to avoid the follow-up shots. Dodging was easier with this much distance, but the attention demanded by his aura spoiled his focus and Nathan took more hits.
High-tier Aura Manipulation 10 achieved!
The rank-up lessened the pressure on his aura, and Nathan was about halfway done draining the archer golem when the golems decided to change tactics. They¡¯d managed to re-establish a basic communication network and all pivoted as one to charge towards the Heirs. Nathan used the breather to glance towards his friends. Two of the other golems were still up, and one swatted at Aarl while the second whaled on Khachi. The wolfman blocked a heavy blow with a grunt and retaliated with a thunderous swing that the golem caught on its forearm with a crack of stone. They won¡¯t be able to handle twenty more golems. Where¡¯s our ace in the hole? As if reacting to Nathan¡¯s words Stella floated over a roof. Her loose hair whipped wildly, illuminated from underneath by the actinic glare of caged lightning. One of the archer golems reacted instantly, sending a metal pillar through two layers of shielding before it was barely deflected by a third. Then it was too late for their reactions to matter. A tendril of lightning thick as a tree arced over the building to ground itself in the middle of the swarm of golems. As soon as it touched down it brightened and thickened into a blazing cascade of energy. It was like standing next to a continuous explosion. The thundering roar went on and on, and Nathan was dazzled by the glare of unleashed energy as Stella panned the lightning from side to side. He dove towards the maelstrom of electricity, trusting his aura and lack of contact with the ground to keep him safe. Stella¡¯s magic might be partially real, but his antimagic made him a poor conductor for even slightly magical lightning. Just as he got close the lightning winked out to reveal a field of glass and scorched stone. Nathan blinked against the sudden absence of light, the glare of the lightning leaving afterimages in his vision. But his magical senses weren¡¯t so limited, and he counted the number of active golems left. Eleven, some of which feel damaged. We can take that, especially if I keep them distracted. Two of the archer-golems had survived but one of them was covered with blackened lichtenberg scars and was missing both an arm and the ballista-sized bow the arm had held. That was the one Nathan had been draining, and it fell apart as he finished severing the magic holding it together. He aimed for the only remaining archer as it drew back another arrow to loose at Stella. His heels impacted with the golem¡¯s back before it fired, knocking it off balance and sending the arrow through an opulent townhome instead. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The blow dropped the giant sculpture to its knees and Nathan proceeded to slam his elbows down against the top of the golem¡¯s head repeatedly. The statue was sculpted in the shape of a woman with long and flowing locks, and the stone cracked and split under his strikes. It wasn¡¯t so much a matter of him having the physical strength and power to crush stone as it was that each strike carried the full force of his antimagic. Concentrated on a small area, it was enough to disrupt the wizardry-derived material and stagger the giant construct. Nathan kept his attention on the battle around him even as he focused on shattering the archer underneath him. Aarl was on the warpath, flickering around at the golem¡¯s head height with enchanted swords whirling so quickly it looked like he had four arms. He took a glancing blow on his armor and flew backwards before returning to the fight by kicking off a nearby building like a swimmer kicking off a wall. Khachi advanced more cautiously. His shield glowed with a steady light, deflecting a thrown rock the size of a refrigerator without a flicker. His hammer ramped up in intensity over time, each strike releasing a stone-shattering burst of power as it struck home. Meanwhile bullets and lightning bolts rained down from the sky. Stella hadn¡¯t completely drained her lightning capacitors, and each bolt struck with the resounding crack of a natural bolt of lightning. Sarah was also mixing enchanted rounds in with her normal ammunition, and a golem¡¯s head exploded as three of them tried to overwhelm Khachi. Through his magical senses Nathan felt a golem wind up to take a swing at him from behind. It was trying to knock him off the archer golem without hitting it. He flattened himself against the golem, feeling the breeze as the unseen blow flew by. Then he got back up and resumed slamming his elbows into the golem underneath him as a bullet staggered the one who¡¯d taken a swing.
Alertness 10 achieved!
Eventually, after dozens of blows, Nathan managed to crush the golem¡¯s head at about the same time as Aarl cleanly de-limbed the last mobile golem. It probably would have been safer and more efficient for Nathan to stay at a distance and use his antimagic. But what he¡¯d done had split the foe¡¯s attention and let him see how his physical abilities stacked up. I¡¯m fine at punching, but my antimagic aura is a game-changer. I can drain a mana pool at over a hundred feet, even through walls. That¡¯s pretty good.
Spellslayer has leveled to 466! You have destroyed the last vessels of four ancient giants, including a Matriarch of the Grave of All Giants!
He rose to his feet, brushing the dust from his hands and shoulders and looking around the battlefield. Nathan was standing on the edge of the zone where Stella¡¯s lightning had blackened and fused the broken stone of the Academy. Small fires burned where various flammable debris had been ignited. He scanned around with his magical senses to make sure all of the golems were dead, then called out to his friends as they cautiously surveyed the battlefield. ¡°All clear! Come on over.¡± Stella zipped through the thin smoke before settling lightly on the ground next to Nathan. ¡°Was that justified?¡± She asked, daring him to disagree. He chuckled, looking around at the scene of devastation. ¡°All this and more. The Academy¡¯s already toast, and the golems need a lot of killing. Good job.¡± He eyed the places where the golems had been digging, seeing a heavy block shifting slightly where a buried golem struggled to escape. ¡°In fact, the job¡¯s not quite over yet. Look, there are more golems to deal with.¡± The rest of the Heirs followed his pointing hand to the place where a golem was trapped just beneath the surface. Aarl grimaced, his finger circling to indicate the giant pile of rubble. ¡°Do we need to dig them all up and kill the problem piece by piece?¡± Nathan shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯ll take care of it. My aura can drain them without digging them up. In fact, I can probably get rid of a lot of the rubble too. It¡¯s all conjured from wizardry.¡± ¡°Muckgrabber¡¯s asshole, really?¡± Stella said, her jaw dropping open. ¡°A permanent conjured material?¡± Nathan picked up a piece of stone the size of his head and applied his aura. The stone melted away to nothing in seconds as if he¡¯d pointed a blowtorch at a snowball. ¡°Yup. This is how I got around the Academy. Easy to sneak around when you can dissolve holes in walls.¡± He proceeded to tell Stella everything he knew about the Academy¡¯s Wizardry as they hiked around the rubble. As he talked Nathan directed his magical senses downwards, feeling for the telltale signs of a functional golem. Whenever he found one he stretched his aura downwards to destroy the trapped golem, keeping it thin to avoid destabilizing the giant pile of rubble too much.
Wizard¡¯s Detection 6 achieved!
On the few occasions that he had trouble reaching a deeply buried golem he used his aura to dissolve the rubble above it, starting from the top downwards. It was a strange experience to keep his balance atop the pile of stones as it evaporated. Eventually, Nathan looked up and brushed sweat from his forehead. ¡°That¡¯s all of them. I think we¡¯re done?¡± As if prompted by his words, a trio of notifications popped up.
Spellslayer has leveled to 472! You have destroyed the last conscious members of the Grave of All Giants!
Void of Magic has leveled to 620! The Grave of All Giants is ruined beyond any hope of restoration! It will never again emerge on Davrar.
Congratulations on Clearing a Grand Dungeon! There are 80 grand Dungeons left on this continent! Your future class Developments will be more powerful in recognition of this deed!
¡°The Grave of All Giants is no more.¡± Khachi said, speaking almost reverently as he read his own prompt. ¡°We have eliminated an ancient evil from Davrar.¡± Aarl snorted and spoke sarcastically. ¡°One target killed. Eighty more to go.¡± Sarah rolled her eyes and poked her brother in his unarmored forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t smother our fire. This is a win. I gained forty-five levels and a better Class development!¡± Stella¡¯s grin was wide. ¡°Well I gained¡­¡± She cut off and frowned as something distracted her. ¡°Ah, Myrla is here, along with Nathan¡¯s students. Let¡¯s get over there and drop the city on their shoulders.¡±
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 6 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 4 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: Void of Magic level 620 Deepened Stamina: 18011/18900 Void of Feeling Antimagic Momentum Raging Thrill Implacable Inertia Unarmored Resilience Magic Anathema Airborne Agility Hand-to-hand Expertise Voluminous Aura Denial of Wizardry Mana Severance
Class: Spellslayer level 472 Regenerative Focus: 3791/4820 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Wizard¡¯s Meditation 7 Inspiration 6 Acceleration 9 Wizard¡¯s Detection 6 Alertness 10 Wizard¡¯s Understanding 7 Effortless Dodge 9 Mental Vault 3 Tutoring 4 Parkour 7 Visibility Control 2 High-tier Disguise 3 Mid-tier Battle Cry 10 High-tier Aura Manipulation 10
Chapter 12: Coordinating A City The Heirs moved through the city more casually then they had before. With the golems mostly wiped out and most of the mages fled, the city felt safer than any other time Nathan had been in Giantsrest. The streets were littered with discarded belongings and occasionally the bodies of the victims of the golems, but now the Heirs could openly walk the streets without being attacked. ¡°My notification said that we¡¯d destroyed all of the conscious golems.¡± Sarah said, looking disturbed. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°It means that the golems that weren¡¯t digging weren¡¯t conscious,¡± Khachi replied levelly. ¡°Such as the two we destroyed this morning. They had no agenda beyond their territory. Likely they are broken in some way.¡± Aarl shuddered slightly. ¡°Davrar only rewarded us for destroying the dungeon when Nathan killed the last conscious giant. It¡¯s like a Fortress Foundry, but any conscious construct could rebuild the Grave of all Giants? That¡¯s a blasphemous enemy.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll fight worse in the future,¡± Nathan replied with a shrug. ¡°A lot of the dungeons of Davrar can expand themselves. You remember that first dungeon we did, the Sklian tomb full of undead? Even that one was built to spread if it wasn¡¯t stopped. That¡¯s why the Ending of History is so scary - every single dungeon is a threat if it gets a chance to build up steam.¡± ¡°Including the ones underground and in the sky,¡± Khachi said dourly. ¡°Why are there dungeons in the sky?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Stella said sarcastically, then pointed ahead and waved as a group of eight people came around a corner. ¡°Look, it¡¯s Turbang! I think they¡¯re here to show us the way.¡± The ex-Elite waved back, a look of grim satisfaction on his face. The expression reminded Nathan of when he¡¯d met the man after freeing him from enslavement magic in Halsmet. Turbang had been the one to warn Nathan that two of the freed slaves had warned Exea about his plans. If that hadn¡¯t happened, she wouldn''t have been ready for us. Artha would be alive. But it would have been worse if we hadn''t known she''d been warned. Nathan took a deep breath and studied the seven others who accompanied Turbang. One was another elite who Nathan recognized as part of the army they¡¯d ambushed and dropped a lake on. He¡¯d broken the enslavement magic on the man, but never learned his name. The rest appeared to be newly trained fighters with crude but functional gear and a single mage wielding shadow and ice magic. Nathan recognized the older woman as one of Egall¡¯s students. This was one of Halsmet¡¯s homegrown Adventuring teams, and Nathan liked what he saw. ¡°Good to see you, Turbang,¡± he said, holding out his hand. The large fighter clasped it and his smile broadened into something vicious. ¡°Mage-breaker. You¡¯ve done it.¡± He pointed his chin at the clear sky where the Academy had been. ¡°Come. Myrla wants to speak with you quicker than any.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Nathan said, falling into step next to the elite. ¡°Who¡¯d she bring with her?¡± ¡°Camran, her left hand. Liluce, her right hand, remains in Halsmet.¡± ¡°How¡¯s Halsmet doing while I¡¯ve been gone?¡± The elite¡¯s face split in a much more genuine grin. ¡°It blossoms. Ah, but there is life there now. And we fight to defend it.¡± He rolled his head around to indicate his team of eight. They made smalltalk about Halsmet as they walked through the city of Giantsrest, and Nathan noted a few curtains twitch as they passed. He felt mana pools behind many of those curtains. The reminder of that problem made him grimace. Something to chat with Myrla about. Turbang ushered Nathan into a good-sized restaurant that was located just outside the Chokiz estate. It was large but not especially luxurious, likely originally intended to cater to lower-income mages and wealthier slavemasters. Based on the flurry of activity it wasn¡¯t hard to guess that Myrla had set the restaurant up as her base of operations. The main dining room was even more chaotic than the outside. A dozen scribes were seated at tables, frantically writing messages to hand to runners flowing in and out from the desk in the center of the room. Myrla sat behind it, the matronly old woman looking in her element as she spoke to Gasc even as her quill flew across a page in front of her. ¡°...need to look for more food supplies, and get people working on the fields again. The land around Giantsrest has few monsters, and we must seize that opening.¡± She paused as the room slowed down, more and more people noticing the Heirs¡¯ arrival. The old scribe gave them a glare, but the harsh expression was betrayed by the slight smile on her lips. ¡°You¡¯ve left me with a wakened dungeon.¡± ¡°Rather the opposite, actually.¡± Nathan said, strutting up to stand in front of the desk. ¡°We just killed most of the golems. They were trying to reawaken the Academy, which was always a dungeon." ¡°Hmph,¡± Myrla responded with a disgruntled noise. ¡°Well, it¡¯s the task of an archmage, to calm this city." She glanced around at all of the people watching and her gaze sharpened. ¡°Move, you Endings-damned fools! There¡¯s work to be done!¡± Then she jerked her head at Nathan and the Heirs. ¡°Come with me.¡± She led them back into a private dining area. They were only accompanied by Camran, the man Turbang had named as Myrla''s left hand. He was tall, thin and stern, but he was an able secretary for the woman who¡¯d risen to lead Halsmet through sheer grumpy competence. As soon as the doors swung closed, Myrla pointed to Stella commandingly. ¡°Muffle spell.¡± Once the spell was cast, she pointed to Nathan. ¡°Mage-breaker, this is a victory beyond prophecy. You know that, and I don¡¯t have time to praise your light. Nathan, tell me everything I need to know.¡± Nathan blew out a deep breath and sat down in one of the comfortable chairs around the central table. ¡°Short version. The Academy was a dungeon called the Grave of all Giants, and the fancy golems were part of it. Giantsrest had control over the whole thing. I broke their control, and the golems started attacking everybody. Badud and I fought, and he destroyed the Academy with his spells. I killed him and got a special notification from Davrar. He can¡¯t come back for a generation.¡± Nathan hesitated, unsure if he should relate what Badud had said about the Endings. Camran looked like he wanted to interrupt when Nathan mentioned killing the Questor, but a glance from Myrla made him sit back while Nathan thought. ¡°Badud had called most of the important mages and all of the archmages back to the Academy, and we had our fight before dawn. I killed four archmages and I think most of the rest died when the Academy collapsed. The city afterwards was chaotic, with golems attacking people, some mages settling grudges and others panicking and fleeing. I started freeing people and destroying golems, establishing this area as a safe haven. When the Heirs arrived we started killing any mages who tried to take control and then went after the golems. ¡°I don¡¯t think there are many mages who want to fight left in the city. At least none organized. The main worry is the other cities, Lerwick and Skargess in the north, Ardglass and Azamar in the south. We were going to go south to deal with the organized resistance there. I figured taking out their leadership and war mages would do it, and then send the populations here because there won''t be mages to defend them.¡± He grimaced. ¡°Faline went north, but¡­¡± Nathan let out another sigh before meeting Myrla¡¯s level gaze. ¡°She wanted to lead here, and I told her to get lost. She tried to murder a nursery full of kids, and her plan was to kill all of the mages left in Giantsrest. I don¡¯t want the freed Giantsrest to start out that way. You need those mages, the artisans and the entertainers and the healers.¡± ¡°They still enslaved us.¡± Myrla responded, but it was without heat. Khachi¡¯s responding growl was low and deep. ¡°The example you set will resonate through what you make of Giantsrest. Will this city be driven by hope, or by vengeance?¡± His tone left no doubt as to which the correct answer was. Myrla waved an acknowledging hand at Khachi¡¯s outburst. ¡°We do need those mages, but their lives must change. This city must change, and that choice lies in my hands, yes?¡± The question was a challenge, a demand to know if they were imposing their wishes or merely advising. Nathan shrugged. ¡°I¡¯d hoped you would take over. After we go south we¡¯re probably going back to Gemore.¡± Myrla¡¯s brows drew down, but Nathan kept going. ¡°And then to Litcliff. To leave the continent.¡± Nathan glanced around the room again, checking to be sure nobody was eavesdropping. ¡°Badud said he would start the Ending of History early, in a hundred or a hundred and fifty years.¡± He quoted the Questor from memory, communicating exactly what the man had said before Nathan had killed him. ¡°We¡¯re leaving to stop it. I don¡¯t think we can stay here to fight it, and stopping the Ending is more important than anything else. You¡¯ll need to rely on the antimages I trained to free more slaves.¡± Myrla absorbed the news like a rock facing the tide. She was silent for a few seconds after Nathan was done, then spoke with a dry voice, "exceptional news.¡± She exhaled for a long moment, slumping in her chair before sitting back upright and pinning Nathan with a stern gaze. ¡°We need three things before you leave. I yearn for more, but three are needed. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°First, there are thousands more slaves that need the enslavement magic removed. Your students can¡¯t do it fast enough. We¡¯ve been gathering them around the city. Camran, the locations?¡± The thin man pulled a map from a folio and handed it to Nathan. ¡°The longer you can stay, the more of a help it will be. Coordinate with Camran before you go somewhere, we will need supporters ready to help.¡± ¡°I can break slavery magic,¡± Khachi said from the side. Myrla pursed her lips. ¡°Coordinate with Camran. It will help, and we appreciate it, but you are also not staying.¡± She turned her attention back to Nathan. ¡°We need more antimages. At my request Shom has taught more students the Insights behind [Regeneration].¡± She winced. ¡°Though his success rate was lower than yours. We have three students. Hear me but we need three more antimages.¡± She looked questioningly at Nathan, giving him space to object. He worked his jaw for a moment, thinking. He¡¯d carefully selected the people he''d granted antimagic to, choosing students who were tough and dedicated. He wouldn¡¯t have that chance with the three new candidates. But he trusted Shom - the kid was shy but smart and responsible. He¡¯d soaked up everything Nathan had said like a sponge. Additionally, Myrla¡¯s responsibilities had ballooned since the fall of Giantsrest. She needed the tools to solve all of those problems. ¡°I¡¯ll meet with them at least. I trust Shom to have done a good job.¡± Myrla held his gaze for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Third. I need your help with a few fortified locations. Some mages design their homes to resist attack, and they¡¯ve been firing spells at everybody who approaches. If you wish to avoid a massacre, then strip them of their magic.¡± At Nathan¡¯s raised eyebrow, she explained. ¡°We already have some mages who will speak to us, but they are unsure what the future holds. If we take the holdouts without devastation, and with prisoners as proof, then most of the mages still in the city should surrender.¡± Nathan nodded to accept the explanation, then turned to look at his friends. ¡°Does a few more days in the city sound good?¡± Sarah pursed her lips. ¡°Your deeds are required, but we can¡¯t help. If you get us a list of the remaining golems then Stella, Aarl and I can clear them out while these two are being responsible.¡± Camran spoke up, ¡°I have a group cross-referencing sightings and have sent out scouts for confirmation. We don¡¯t have all of the locations yet, but we will.¡± Myrla rubbed at her face. ¡°Good. There are so many things going wrong, but at least the golems won¡¯t be one.¡± For a moment she looked absolutely exhausted, and Nathan wished he could share some energy with the old woman. ¡°Aught else? Ah, Nathan. Yesterday we met a strange trio on the road that claimed they knew you. They were led by a young mage named Yelun. One was an ex-slave who claimed you freed her. Suse?¡± She raised an eyebrow at him. Nathan exhaled a relieved breath. ¡°Yeah, they were in the Academy. I freed Suse and told them of the evils of Giantsrest then sent them to Halsmet before the Academy collapsed. Yelun is archmage Declan¡¯s daughter, she¡¯s skilled.¡± He paused. ¡°You said three? Who was the last?¡± Myrla frowned, consulting her memory. ¡°Hibor.¡± Nathan winced. ¡°Guess Roni didn¡¯t make it. Send them to Egall.¡± ¡°I already did. Thank you for confirmation.¡± Myrla made a short note on a piece of spare paper, then waved her hand in dismissal. ¡°Camran, coordinate Nathan with Shom. Go, go, let¡¯s be about it.¡± A few minutes later Nathan and the Heirs left the building, seeing a sudden swell in the chaos as Myrla and Camran whipped up a frenzy of messengers. He looked down at the map, where a route was traced out for him. ¡°You know, I¡¯m kind of terrified of Myrla¡¯s competence sometimes. And of the faith she had in us. Based purely off a [Message] she brought most of Halsmet¡¯s military and a bunch of support personnel here.¡± Aarl punched him in the shoulder lightly. ¡°To repeat prophecy, you¡¯ve accomplished some weighty deeds.¡± Nathan shrugged. ¡°Meet you all back at the house we¡¯ve been using after sunset?¡± Upon receiving a series of nods he took to the sky, heading towards the first of his assigned locations. He moved fast, stressing his skills with constant effort to reach the next location as soon as possible. The magic from the slavery enchantments provided all of the Stamina he needed to move at top speed for hours.
Acceleration 10 achieved!
Void of Magic has leveled to 628! You have broken slavery enchantments on thousands of people!
¨C A few hours later Nathan walked back into the humble home he¡¯d been sharing with the Heirs here in Giantsrest. Aarl was busy in the kitchen, and the smells that wafted out indicated he¡¯d found some fresh ingredients. Nathan fell into one of the padded chairs with a groan. Nothing hurt. He didn¡¯t ache all over. But it felt like he should after all of the fighting and running and the last few hours of constant movement and focus. His abilities meant he could keep going, but there was a level of tiredness that no amount of healing, Stamina, or Focus could erase. He was emotionally exhausted from everything that had happened. It¡¯s been pretty much nonstop since the Heirs and I were roaming around the area south of Gemore. First there was the Fortress Foundry, then Badud kidnapped the other Heirs. Ever since then it¡¯s been me against Giantsrest, or me helping people I¡¯ve freed from Giantsrest. A hesitant voice spoke up from the side. ¡°Nathan? Are you ok?¡± Nathan opened his eyes, realizing he¡¯d completely missed seeing Shom sitting at the dining room table. He was glad to see the dark-skinned teenager. ¡°Hi, sorry.¡± He shook his head and blinked a few times, waking back up and getting ready to have a conversation with his favorite of the four Antimages he''d trained before he left Halsmet. I am tired, if I missed even seeing him when I came in. I think I gave myself permission to turn off as soon as I walked into the door. That¡¯s another reason to leave - if I don¡¯t take a step back I¡¯m going to burn out and die to something stupid. I hope I can take a break as we travel. He turned his attention fully to Shom. ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s up. Where¡¯s Hetal?¡± He¡¯d only rarely seen the siblings apart. The shorter boy shrugged. ¡°Busy out in the city. They need us for many things. Opening magically locked doors, fighting mages. Breaking slavery enchantments. Enough mental magic to fill a dungeon.¡± Nathan nodded. ¡°Yeah, a lot of that going around. Funny that it feels like a chore, to give somebody their freedom back.¡± ¡°Any action repeated often enough will lose its luster.¡± The way Shom said it made it sound like a quotation. ¡°I got a message that you wanted to speak to me?¡± Nathan nodded. ¡°Yeah. Myrla said you had some students who were ready for Antimagic. Are they really ready?¡± The look he turned on his student was tired, but penetrating. Shom swallowed, then gave a shallow nod. ¡°They all have [Low-tier Regeneration]. They all want to help people beyond all else, and being an antimage is the best way to do that. There is no reason to delay.¡± After another moment of evaluation, Nathan nodded. ¡°Okay. I trust you. We¡¯ll do it tomorrow. Do you want to stay for dinner? Aarl, is it okay if Shom stays for dinner?¡± ¡°Only if he tells me where to find Shai!¡± came back the amused answer from the kitchen. Sarah emerged from upstairs, wearing some lighter clothes that looked more comfortable than her typical armor. Her tone was mocking. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t burn yourself on that fire. If you do, I will mock you past the Endings.¡± Shom was surprised at Nathan¡¯s easy acceptance, but accepted the dinner invitation and slowly slipped into the Heirs'' banter. Khachi arrived back even later than Nathan had, but he was positively glowing with satisfaction at the day¡¯s work.
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 6 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 4 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: Void of Magic level 628 Deepened Stamina: 11720/19140 Void of Feeling Antimagic Momentum Raging Thrill Implacable Inertia Unarmored Resilience Magic Anathema Airborne Agility Hand-to-hand Expertise Voluminous Aura Denial of Wizardry Mana Severance
Class: Spellslayer level 472 Regenerative Focus: 4009/4820 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Wizard¡¯s Meditation 7 Inspiration 6 Acceleration 10 Wizard¡¯s Detection 6 Alertness 10 Wizard¡¯s Understanding 7 Effortless Dodge 9 Mental Vault 3 Tutoring 4 Parkour 7 Visibility Control 2 High-tier Disguise 3 Mid-tier Battle Cry 10 High-tier Aura Manipulation 10
Chapter 13: Student Follow-up The next day started with a messenger from Myrla delivering a few new maps before dawn. Some showed new collection points for slaves who needed their mental magic removed. Others showed a few scattered golem sightings, and the last few showed the locations of fortified mansions that needed to be cracked open. There were a few other notes requesting other kinds of help from various members of the Heirs. Several of the elites and fighters had been wounded beyond basic healing magics, and they wanted Khachi¡¯s help restoring the wounded to fighting shape. Myrla had also penned a request to Stella that she help them figure out how to control the outer defenses of Giantsrest. The mage frowned down at the note, furrowing her brow before looking up at Nathan. ¡°This isn¡¯t my strength. It¡¯s yours.¡± Nathan took a moment to answer because he was busy making his way through a stack of pancakes flavored with condensed fruit juice. ¡°They¡¯re asking me for a lot already, so I bet they just didn¡¯t want to put more on my plate. Besides, you can ask for some treasures in return. I bet they¡¯d give up some prismatic diamond from some archmages'' stash if you asked nicely.¡± Stella¡¯s eyes lit up, and she glanced down at the note. Sarah snorted. ¡°What a phrase. Here¡¯s some more for your plate.¡± She tossed a few sausages from her plate onto his before standing up and joining Khachi in the kitchen to clean up. Nathan shrugged and grabbed the sausages. ¡°Besides, they want to know how to manipulate the towers with magic, not antimagic. But tell me when and where you¡¯re going to take it on, and I¡¯ll show up to help out.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just do it before we take out the¡­¡± Stella frowned at one of the maps spread across the table. ¡°The Nhir estate? It¡¯s close to the walls. We¡¯re planning to do that one around midday?¡± ¡°Yup,¡± Nathan replied. ¡°Everything is probably waiting on me regardless. But we¡¯ll do everything we can for a few days, then head south.¡± ¡°I look forward to challenging a city from the outside,¡± Khachi said, wiping his hands as he walked into the room and starting to put on his armor. ¡°I will declare my intent and dare the enemy to meet me.¡± ¡°Now that¡¯s a blasphemously dumb idea,¡± Sarah replied. ¡°They¡¯ll shoot you from afar with [Disintegrate] or hold their own slaves hostage against you.¡± Nathan raised an eyebrow. ¡°Not¡­ necessarily. It would be a good way to get them to mobilize, to concentrate their forces and decision-makers in one place. Ideas for the future. For now, let¡¯s get moving.¡± ¡°As your flame calls,¡± Khachi replied. ¨C Nathan¡¯s first stop was to see Shom¡¯s students. They were waiting for him in the garden of a nearby villa. It wasn¡¯t quite as opulent as the Chokiz estate, but the accommodations were certainly luxurious. The students hadn¡¯t succumbed to the lure of their surroundings and were busy following Shom¡¯s sister Hetal through a series of physical exercises, accompanied by the other antimages. It looked like dance practice, and the willowy girl moved with evident grace. That¡¯s right, I think Hetal was a dancer. Before. They all snapped to attention as soon as Nathan alighted on the ground, and he nodded to Hetal, Shom, Shai, and Raf in turn. ¡°Nice to see you.¡± He noticed that Raf seemed embarrassed at being caught in the exercise and was looking resentfully at Hetal. Nathan raised an eyebrow at the impetuous teenager. ¡°Not a fan of dance practice, Raf?¡± The brown-skinned young man glared back through messy hair. ¡°We are fighters, not dancers. This practice is not worthy of the antimages.¡± ¡°To the contrary!¡± Nathan declaimed gleefully, falling into the dancing drill that Emerald had taught him long ago. ¡°I thought I taught you this. Dancing teaches you to move better. Antimages can¡¯t wear armor, so we need to dodge. One of my best utility skills started out as a dancing skill. Now it is [Effortless Dodge] and it¡¯s saved me from a few deaths.¡± Hetal looked smug at Nathan¡¯s words, but Raf sighed and threw his arms up. ¡°I¡¯m still killing more problems than anybody else.¡± Nathan had been ready to give each of the students a once-over, grant them antimagic and then move onto the next thing. But he hadn¡¯t known all of the antimages would be here, and now he wanted the chance to chat with them. Or offer advice, as the case may be. He addressed Raf directly, tone stern. ¡°That¡¯s not always a point of pride, Raf. I heard you keep charging in when you should wait for reinforcements. Not only will that get you killed one day, but it will kill others too.¡± ¡°But you challenged Giantsrest on your own, without backup!¡± Raf protested. ¡°I had Faline.¡± Nathan contradicted his student. ¡°And a plan. What I did was the best way to accomplish my goal. If there was somebody coming who could have helped me, I would have waited.¡± Then his mouth quirked in a smile. ¡°But, Davrar rewards risk. Just make sure the risk is reasonable and you¡¯ll do great.¡± Then he turned to Shai, the young woman having grown only more beautiful since he¡¯d last seen her. Her curly black hair pooled around her shoulders like a curtain of cascading shadows. She blinked up at him coquettishly, then snorted out a laugh when he returned the gaze with stubborn annoyance. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Nathan.¡± ¡°You too,¡± he replied with a chuckle. ¡°Still breaking hearts?¡± Shai blinked at the phrase, then tilted her head to the side with a grin. ¡°Yes, I am. What a blasphemous phrase!¡± She gave a courtly bow, hands spreading out to either side. ¡°I accept the light in your eyes, and will accept the title of heart-breaker.¡± She reminds me a bit of Faline. I should probably warn them about her. He sighed. ¡°Something else. I had a fight with Faline, the Assassin. She used a social skill to manipulate me into killing children, then tried to do it herself when I refused. She¡¯s still out there, still fighting what¡¯s left of Giantsrest. I don¡¯t think she knows how to stop. But she might come and recruit you. Train you as an [Assassin], like she did for me.¡± He paused, chewing over his next words. ¡°It¡¯s up to you if you accept. But take this caution seriously. She will try to manipulate you. I taught you all to have a mental defense skill - keep it alert around her. Her social skills are strong. Watch out for each other, and if the others tell you that you¡¯re in trouble, listen to them.¡± He looked around at each of them, meeting the antimages¡¯ eyes. ¡°But she is a powerful teacher, with weighty Insights. Be cautious. And know that I will come for you myself if you commit an atrocity.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about it. I warned her about it, and I''ll kill her if she oversteps. But I¡¯ll be leaving soon, and it might be a while before I come back. I need to follow up with the Questors." Then he turned to Hetal and Shom, both of whom were looking at him with alarm. "How are you two doing?¡± ¡°Well,¡± said Shom, speaking for both of them as per usual. Hetal dipped her head with a quiet smile barely visible through her curtain of dark hair. ¡°We¡¯ve both developed our antimagic to high-tier.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Nathan replied with a slight frown, before deciding to pass on another Insight. ¡°If you want to develop the antimagic as an aura, push it beyond your body. The key Insight for me was to push it away from myself to extend it at the cost of making me vulnerable to magic.¡± All of his students grimaced at the explanation, and Nathan nodded in understanding. ¡°It does feel unnatural. Your antimagic is a protective cloak, and to extend you need to start by pushing it away and making yourself vulnerable. It might be a difficult Insight, I only Developed my antimagic when fighting my first archmage.¡± He hesitated once again. There was a good chance he wouldn¡¯t see his students again for a long time, if ever. This might be his last chance to pass on some more key Insights. And there was one that was far and away the most important. But there was something else that had to come first. He gestured towards the three students, having them step forward for his study and asking them to introduce themselves. All three had been young menial workers in Halsmet, full of the fury of youth. But it seemed like Shom had succeeded in tempering them them somewhat, instilling patience and caution. Once Nathan was done learning the names and some personal details, he moved on to other questions. ¡°You all have Regeneration?¡± A series of nods. "You want to become antimages?¡± More aggressive nodding. ¡°Do you know what being an Antimage means?¡± The nods were more hesitant this time. Nathan reached back in his memory for the words he¡¯d spoken last time. He¡¯d noticed that rituals had weight in the eyes of Davrar. He¡¯d gotten certain class offerings because of Faline¡¯s tutoring. There was a reason that the Gemore Adventurer¡¯s Oath was sworn on the solstice atop the Seal. If he could establish becoming an Antimage as a ritual, then that could only improve their class quality. ¡°Being an antimage is about denying somebody else¡¯s power. Mages of Giantsrest can throw fireballs and cast [Earthquake] to destroy cities. The mages of the past could topple mountains and bring down the sky. Their smallest leavings threaten everybody. Most of the dangers of Davrar are rooted in magic.¡± Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. He waved his arms to indicate the ruined city all around them. ¡°Magic is how the mages controlled Giantsrest. They hoarded Insights and channeled their wealth to enchantments that allow each mage to control hundreds or thousands of people. Magic enables power and dominance in a way that other classes do not. Mind magic, flight, invisibility, mass destruction. Each of those things is something that a high-leveled elite can accomplish without magic, if they dedicate their build to it. ¡°But a mage can do them all, at half the level. Magic is the most powerful Path on Davrar. It is easy for a mage to dominate those without magic. Even those without the Insights of a mage can use enchantments, placing those with wealth above those without it.¡± Nathan stabbed his finger towards the three soon-to-be antimages waiting in front of him. ¡°Equalizing those imbalances is the Path of the Antimage. You will bring down those who rely on magic and wealth. Tear away their advantages and see what they are without them. What is left to a mage when their magic is gone? What power does a warrior have when you break their enchanted blade? The power of their body, and the power of their spirit. The antimage must be tougher, more resilient than anybody else, to triumph when all advantages are stripped away. That is your Path.¡±
Inspiration 7 achieved!
That speech was what Developed [Leadership] to [Inspiration] last time. Glad it still carries weight. Here¡¯s hoping they carry the tradition onwards. I know Shom has a memory skill. I hope he gives the same speech if they ever induct new antimages. The new recruits were looking at Nathan with starry eyes, as if they¡¯d been struck by divine revelation. Nathan turned his attention back to the original four antimages. ¡°I need to tell you a few more Insights before I go. There¡¯s another layer of magic, beyond mana. Davrar and the Questors call it wizardry. A wizard can use it to overwrite the rules of reality with their spells, to make certain things true. There are spells that can only be cast with wizardry, and it can also reinforce spells, making them harder to beat with antimagic. But you can overcome it. And the start is to learn how to cut people off from magic. That is half of how you give people antimagic. The other half is to extend your aura and purge all ambient magic from their bodies. Step closer, to feel what I''m about to do.¡± All four of his students did so, and Nathan reached the smallest part of his aura out. He moved slowly as he sunk the intangible extension of his will into the first of the new students, then looked up at the four clustered close around. ¡°Feel it?¡± Shom¡¯s brows furrowed as he reached his hand out towards the subject of Nathan¡¯s focus. ¡°Yes - dragon¡¯s breath. It¡¯s so¡­ dense.¡± Nathan raised his eyebrows at the other antimages as they crowded around, all trying to detect what Nathan was doing. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve purged all of the magic from his body, I must cut off his connection to magic. This connection is made of wizardry, and every person has it.¡± His mouth twisted into a lopsided grin. ¡°Except for us. This is why no antimage can ever wield magic." He started spinning his aura demonstratively, forming the pattern that would drill through the wizardry and sever his target¡¯s potential connection to magic. ¡°Do you see what I¡¯m doing?¡± He moved slowly, drawing out the process as long as possible. ¡°It¡¯s a knot weave,¡± Shom breathed out slowly. ¡°Around and around, to choke off something at the center.¡± The young man that Nathan was focused on inhaled suddenly, gritting his teeth as the magical connection stretched and tore. Nathan bore down to sever the connection entirely and reached out to steady the guy he¡¯d just used as a demonstration. He spoke comforting words and confirmed that the new antimage had been offered [Low-Tier Magic Resistance]. Then Nathan looked up to Shom with a smile. ¡°I think of it like a drill, or a whirlpool. But yes. Let¡¯s do it again. Did the rest of you feel that?¡± Shai nodded hesitantly, while Hetal furrowed her brow and grimaced. Raf shook his head and spoke bluntly. ¡°I couldn¡¯t feel much beyond a blur.¡± Nathan shrugged. ¡°Let¡¯s do it again.¡± He turned to the next antimage student. ¡°Assuming you¡¯re still ready.¡± Both of the remaining students agreed fervently, so he proceeded to cut them off from magic, moving his aura around slowly first before closing it around the wizardry like a noose. He explained what he was doing, trying to communicate some of the Insight that would grant resistance to Wizardry.
Tutoring 5 achieved!
Then before him stood seven antimages where before there had been four. ¡°Congratulations on your new Talent.¡± Nathan said, meeting the eyes of the three new antimages. ¡°Don¡¯t misuse it. Remember what I said - this is a power meant to topple the powerful, not dominate the weak. Celebrate, and then help the people around you.¡± He turned towards the other antimages. ¡°It¡¯s harder to do this to a mage, but if you do they will lose their magic. They won¡¯t gain the antimagic Talent unless you also purge their bodies of magic. Don¡¯t do it lightly. As far as I know it¡¯s permanent, and a lot of mages will choose death first.¡± Then he gave them a respectful nod. ¡°I¡¯ll be around for another couple of days, but then I¡¯m going to make sure the Questors don¡¯t come back. Killing Badud has caught me up in their games, and they¡¯ll make Giantsrest into a battleground unless I deal with them. Good luck, and good hunting.¡± All of the antimages stood straight and offered him a Gemore-style salute, fist clenched over their sternum. They stayed that way as he jumped back into the air to head to the next stop on his schedule. ¨C ¡°Is this even the control mechanism?¡± Stella asked in confusion as she studied a symbol-studded panel set into the wall. They were inside one of the giant towers that ringed Giantsrest, studying the enchantments that let the fortifications fire massive spells in defense of the city. Nathan pursed his lips. The panel certainly had connections throughout the rest of the enchantment built into the bones of the tower, but it didn¡¯t feel like it was used to fire the thing. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. The control panel should have a view of what the tower¡¯s firing at. I think this is to help with maintenance. Try pushing that symbol there.¡± He pointed at a circular glyph. Stella pushed the button and a couple rows of illusory text appeared above the panel. She read them aloud. ¡°Forty-second Finger of the Founder, all systems synchronized. Warning: Minor damage to the wall-circuit is detected.¡± She snorted. ¡°Huh. I suppose that would be where we blasted our path through. That¡¯s the conduit you showed me in the foundation, right?¡± ¡°Probably,¡± Nathan said. ¡°Let¡¯s go up and find the actual control panel. I don¡¯t know if Myrla wants to try and maintain these, but just knowing how to fire them on command would probably be pretty useful for her.¡± It didn¡¯t take long to figure out the firing mechanism atop the tower, though figuring out how it worked was a little bit more involved. It was designed to be easy and fast to use, but the pair of dials used to aim weren¡¯t obvious in their use. Before they left Nathan held out a hand. ¡°I want to try something. Let¡¯s go back to that central chamber with the maintenance panel. Can I have some paper and a writing implement?¡± Stella complied without question, handing him the requested implements. I suppose she¡¯s used to me doing weirder things. He sat down and took the proffered tools, drawing a quick sketch of the tower in two dimensions. Then he closed his eyes, stretching his magical senses out to the bounds of the massive enchantment that made up the tower. He mapped the enchantment, building it up in his head piece by piece until he held the whole thing in his head. It was like a large circuit diagram, one used to channel massive amounts of power.
Wizard¡¯s Meditation 8 achieved!
Nathan opened his eyes and proceeded to copy down the circuit, marking it with magical notation to indicate where the flow went and what the purpose of each junction was. After a few minutes he handed the sheet to Stella, then stood and dusted off his hands. ¡°Alright. All good.¡± She eyed the complicated diagram and rolled her eyes. ¡°Your mana sense is blasphemous.¡± Then she shrugged and tucked the diagram away. ¡°I¡¯ll give it to Camran later. It¡¯ll help any mages who get interested. Time to get to the Nhir estate?¡± "Yup. Let''s root out some paranoid mages."
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 6 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 4 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: Void of Magic level 628 Deepened Stamina: 11720/19140 Void of Feeling Antimagic Momentum Raging Thrill Implacable Inertia Unarmored Resilience Magic Anathema Airborne Agility Hand-to-hand Expertise Voluminous Aura Denial of Wizardry Mana Severance
Class: Spellslayer level 472 Regenerative Focus: 4009/4820 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Wizard¡¯s Meditation 8 Inspiration 7 Acceleration 10 Wizard¡¯s Detection 6 Alertness 10 Wizard¡¯s Understanding 7 Effortless Dodge 9 Mental Vault 3 Tutoring 5 Parkour 7 Visibility Control 2 High-tier Disguise 3 Mid-tier Battle Cry 10 High-tier Aura Manipulation 10
Chapter 14: To Leave Victory Behind Nathan and Stella joined up with the rest of the Heirs a few streets away from the Nhir estate. They had decided to stay out of sight, because the notes from Camran indicated that anybody in line of sight to the reinforced villa got fired upon by trigger-happy mages. ¡°This seems a trivial task.¡± Sarah said as she arrived. ¡°Nathan goes in, strips the magic from the mages, then leaves.¡± Nathan shrugged, glancing around the corner to study the fortress of a house. ¡°That would probably work. But when I go in the front they might flee from the back. I also can¡¯t break through that metal door very quickly. All of you have better solutions for that sort of problem. And you need the levels more than I do. How about this, I go first and draw their fire, then take to the air and watch for runners. Sarah stays on high overwatch in case of anything unexpected. The rest of you go in the front and secure the mages.¡± Aarl looked hesitant. ¡°This is a poor attempt. Why don¡¯t you come with us? I have a weapon that won''t kill my targets, but it can¡¯t penetrate mage armor.¡± He showed off a small dagger that gleamed with a filmy iridescence, as if it was covered with an oil slick. Nathan tilted his head from side to side as he thought. ¡°I¡¯ll be able to keep an eye on you and the mages inside with my magic senses. When you reach the mages I¡¯ll disable their magics so you can capture them. Doing it that way might actually be easier than if I had to also dodge the traps and soldiers they have in there.¡± ¡°Traps?¡± Stella said questioningly. ¡°Traps.¡± Nathan replied with enthusiasm. ¡°Do you think somebody would build their house like that and not put traps in? Just don¡¯t let Khachi die, and he can bring you back!¡± He¡¯d meant the comment as a joke, but all of the Heirs nodded along thoughtfully. We all are kind of insane. The wolfman rumbled, hefting his hammer. ¡°These foes will not be my end.¡± He sounded utterly certain about that. He pointed ahead with his shield. ¡°Take the lead.¡± With a shrug Nathan walked around the corner, yawning as he casually walked across the spell-pocked street towards the mansion. A single firebolt whipped out from a viewing port hidden behind an illusion. Nathan could see through the spell, and he met the eyes of the scared-looking teenager holding a wand as the firebolt dissipated feet away from his skin. The boy¡¯s eyes opened wide, and he yelled something to the side that Nathan couldn¡¯t hear as he cast firebolt repeatedly. The boy¡¯s aim grew worse with each cast, and Nathan continued his stroll as the bolts flew around him. He¡¯d just about reached the front door when an older man wearing an eyepatch and a black robe came into view behind a disguised window on the second floor. Oh, a Nail? Interesting. Nathan gave the man a jaunty wave and then hopped straight up three stories to land on the roof with an audible thump. He spread his senses out to find the magic in the house, raising his eyebrows at the sheer density of security and privacy enchantments woven into the stone. But it was all mana-based, and nothing compared to what he¡¯d found in the Academy. He sat down cross-legged and concentrated on his perception of the house below, picking out the signatures of a half-dozen mages underneath him. A moment later he detected the Heirs impact the front door. Stella shone like a welding torch to his inner eye, while Khachi radiated a profound glow. Aarl barely showed up to Nathan¡¯s senses, mostly just the enchantments on his gear allowing Nathan to track the fighter. Some kind of trap went off as Khachi hammered his way through the front door, but the torrent of magical flame washed over a glowing shield without leaving a mark. The Heirs progressed quickly through the rest of the house, chasing the Nail who appeared to be staying just ahead as he led them to a specific room with bursts of force-driven speed. What¡¯s in there? Oh, it¡¯s a [Disintegration] trap. Nasty. Nathan disabled the enchantment from a distance, breaking the triggering mechanism with a tendril of his aura. Then he watched as the Heirs entered the room. The Nail spoke to them through some kind of shielding enchantment, then panicked when the trap didn¡¯t activate. He tried to go invisible and flee the Heirs again, but Nathan decided that the chase was up. He ensnared the man with an tendril of his antimagic for the Heirs to capture, then kept watch as his friends progressed through the rest of the mansion. Once they were done, Nathan opened his eyes and stood up. Darn. I was hoping for a development of Aura Manipulation. Or at least Wizard¡¯s Meditation. He popped his neck and hopped off the roof to join his friends as they hauled the captured mages out of the building. Nathan raised an eyebrow as Sarah landed nearby. ¡°No slaves?¡± Aarl shook his head. ¡°No slaves. Not even bodies.¡± ¡°He is too paranoid.¡± Khachi said, prodding the unconscious man gently. ¡°In his mind, trust can only be given to blood.¡± With that somewhat disturbing observation into the mind of the Nail complete, Nathan stepped forward to grasp the man¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯m cutting him off from magic, right? What about the rest?¡± Khachi pointed to the older woman slumped next to the man. She also wore the black robe that marked her as a Nail. ¡°She is his partner.¡± Then he indicated the next two men, who looked to be in their mid-twenties. They both wore green robes. ¡°They bear the mark of enslavers, so them as well.¡± Finally his attention turned to the two younger boys, both teenagers. Both were dressed in the gray robes of low-tier students. ¡°They have not chosen a path. We will send them to follow the course of Harthi dha Jaltre. They can avoid the fate of their parents.¡± Nathan eyed his teammate for a moment, wondering if he should point out the logistical difficulties for their allies to transport two teenage boys to Gemore, especially if those boys could cast magic. But the alternative is permanently crippling them and probably seeding a deep hatred in their formative years. I¡¯m not sure he¡¯s wrong, just.. Inefficient. Nonetheless, Nathan agreed. He quickly closed his antimagic around each of the unconscious mages, severing them from magic before handing the whole group off to the soldiers who¡¯d been waiting to take possession.
Void of Magic has leveled to 632! You and your team have bloodlessly captured two dangerous and paranoid Nails of Giantsrest, along with their family!
A lot fewer levels for not killing people. And zero Assassin levels. I guess the Heirs did most of the work. He knew that not every scene across the city was so bloodless. The freed elites and Halsmet Adventurers were storming other holdfasts, slaying the mages that fought back while Nathan fought his battles cleanly. But he had only so much time, and cracking the toughest nuts without difficulty would help intimidate the rest into surrender. Besides, his schedule was busy enough. It was time to go break the mental magic enslaving a few thousand more people. ¡°Lot left to do,¡± Nathan said to the other Heirs as he stood. ¡°Let¡¯s be about it.¡± ¨C The rest of the day saw Nathan charging across the city, breaking mind magic and occasionally putting out other fires.
Void of Magic has leveled to 636! You have captured a war mage of Giantsrest inside his fortified home!
Not every task was so clean, and Nathan was called in to take care of one mage who had decided to use his own slaves as leverage.
Spellslayer level 471 achieved! You have killed Lar dho Ansci from surprise inside his own home!
Void of Magic has leveled to 640! You have killed an enslavement mage of Giantsrest as he held his slaves hostage!
Nathan stumped into the temporary house after dark, feeling exhausted. He¡¯d had a full day of running around the city, dealing with holdouts and freeing people. At least Myrla had extended her control across most of the city at this point. It was patchy, but she and her team of scribes possessed a supernatural ability to coordinate their forces to take control of a chaotic city. Camran had never once been unsure where Nathan was supposed to go next, and every time he ran through his objectives he found a messenger waiting with new instructions. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. I mean, I presume they literally have skills and Talents helping them with coordination. I¡¯ve never been so impressed by somebody¡¯s ability to do paperwork. There was something delicious cooking, and a plate landed in front of Nathan before he even finished sitting down. He clasped his hands together and looked up at Sarah with wide eyes. ¡°Please take my unending gratitude, because I¡¯ve got nothing else to give.¡± She simply snorted, eying him sleepily. ¡°I¡¯m still a bit hungry.¡± She went back to a plate of her own. ¡°Everybody else is asleep already. Hear me, liberating a city is tiring.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that late, right?¡± Nathan said. The sun had only set a couple of hours before, and usually the Heirs sat around chatting for a while before bed. He''d been expecting to have some time to catch up before they went to sleep. Sarah waved a hand dismissively and started wolfing down her food, pausing to look at him seriously. ¡°No, you are fine. We are glad you have rejoined us. These few days have shown us more levels than months in the wilds.¡± Nathan nodded back, digging into his own plate. ¡°Killing a lot of people will do that. Even the golems are counting - something about the dungeon and them each being the tomb of a giant.¡± Sarah yawned hugely. ¡°Yeah. Dad¡¯s told us stories of a few dungeons like that.¡± ¡°Any that gave a notification like what we got on destroying the last of the awakened golems?¡± Nathan asked. ¡°No,¡± Sarah said, polishing off her plate. ¡°None of the Guardians have ever cleared a dungeon like that.¡± She stared off into space and then sighed. ¡°Not even the one that killed mom.¡± Her head drooped and settled onto the table before him before she started snoring slightly. Nathan snorted, continuing to eat. The Heirs did appear tired, which was funny. But that made sense. They had been busy all day, and if the tiredness was catching up with Nathan, it definitely made sense it was catching up with his friends. He frowned as a couple of his skills twigged. This was weird. All of his friends going to bed so early was weird. Sarah falling asleep at the dining table was weird. Now there was a force pushing him to brush it off, to take her to bed and go to bed himself. Didn¡¯t he feel tired?
Mental Vault 4 achieved!
There¡¯d been something in the food, and Nathan could feel his body breaking it down as the soporific tried to invade his bloodstream through his stomach. He started getting to his feet only to hear the faintest scrape as the door to the pantry opened. He spun towards the kitchen to see a figure standing in the door. It was a short, wiry man dressed in stained brown cloth. He looked like an average slave except for the cloth covering his nose and mouth that left only his eyes exposed. The way he was standing suggested he held a weapon out in front of him, but his hands were clearly empty. Except there was the faintest twist of wizardry around one of his hands, and with a blink and a moment of concentration Nathan saw a knife. Is it Faline? No. This isn¡¯t her style. She would impersonate somebody I know, most likely. It was an ordinary knife, just a few inches long. But the way the man held it indicated he was scared of it. There was more wizardry in the item than the twist that made it hard to notice. Unfortunately, Nathan¡¯s hesitation let the man make his own decision. His eyes flicked between Nathan and Sarah, and he moved towards Sarah quickly, holding out a hand for Nathan to stop and starting to speak. ¡°Stay still or¡­¡± Nathan burst into motion before the man got any farther towards his friend. He kicked the table hard enough to send it flying, sending Sarah crashing to the floor. Then he lunged forward, accelerating across the room directly at the seeming-assassin. He stretched his aura out to the knife but it resisted the magic. I need to understand Wizardry for my antimagic to be fully effective. The man with the invisible knife dodged around the flying furniture fluidly. He pivoted to face Nathan¡¯s oncoming attack, interposing the knife like a charm between them. His grip on the blade had become practiced in the last moments, as if he¡¯d gotten over any reservations about using the weapon. Nathan dodged around the knife¡¯s point, bouncing upwards to get over the man and come down on his head. But the arm holding the knife blurred upwards in a sudden strike, and Nathan¡¯s dodge was followed by another blurring strike of the knife. Oh screw it. Let¡¯s not play tag and give this guy any chances to go after my friends. I can take a hit from a weapon. Nathan¡¯s lashing leg caved the assassin¡¯s chest in even as the knife scored a shallow line across his side. No more than a scratch, really. Darkness fell across Nathan¡¯s vision as his brain ceased functioning. The Wizardry was swift and sudden, an imposition of death that went directly for the most critical part of Nathan¡¯s body. It lasted only a moment before Nathan crashed to the ground next to the flailing body. The hell was that! He shook himself woozily, then jerked his head to the side as the knife came down right where his face had been a second before. It scored across his ear and the world flashed again, the dizzying vertigo of a missed moment of time cutting across Nathan¡¯s perception.
Immortal Body 5 achieved!
He lurched away from the man, gaining distance and watching him wheeze and thrash on the floor. The mans¡¯ other hand scrabbled at a pouch at his belt before pulling out a small vial. Nathan cast around for a second before grabbing a chair and bringing it down atop his foe. The improvised weapon let him stay outside the reach of the terrifying knife, and his first blow crushed the man¡¯s hand against his broken chest before he could drink the vial. The next one cracked one of the legs of the chair. Nathan didn¡¯t stop until the chair was kindling, and the attacker¡¯s head was split open in a gory mess.
Void of Magic has leveled to 643! You have defeated an assassin sent to kill you!
Spellslayer has leveled to 479! You have defended yourself from assassination, and killed your attacker with brute force.
Nathan took a deep breath and looked around, trying to calm his frantically beating heart. He¡¯d died before and been brought back by his Talent, but never with so little warning. The Wizardry had reached out and stilled the nerve impulses in his brain. His antimagic had protected him more the second time than the first, and had prevented the wizardry from any harm that required more healing than simply restarting his brain. But it had still been a terrifying experience to have his consciousness blink on and off like a lightbulb. He moved to check on Sarah, relieved to find her catatonic but breathing in the corner of the room. She was bleeding slightly from where her head had impacted the floor. He let out a sigh of relief and picked her up gently, concentrating on preventing his antimagic from damaging her gear - especially the dimensional pouches where she stored her rifle and ammunition. He deposited her in a bed, then checked on the rest of the Heirs. They were all soundly asleep, each showing the signs of being drugged. Khachi had managed to get his armor off, but it looked like Stella had barely managed to reach the bed. Nathan left them to sleep it off, returning to the round floor to sit on the floor a few feet away from the bloody mess that he¡¯d left of the assassin. Well. I think it might be time for us to leave.
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 6 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 5 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: Void of Magic level 643 Deepened Stamina: 18202/19590 Void of Feeling Antimagic Momentum Raging Thrill Implacable Inertia Unarmored Resilience Magic Anathema Airborne Agility Hand-to-hand Expertise Voluminous Aura Denial of Wizardry Mana Severance
Class: Spellslayer level 479 Regenerative Focus: 2903/4890 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Wizard¡¯s Meditation 8 Inspiration 7 Acceleration 10 Wizard¡¯s Detection 6 Alertness 10 Wizard¡¯s Understanding 7 Effortless Dodge 9 Mental Vault 4 Tutoring 5 Parkour 7 Visibility Control 2 High-tier Disguise 3 Mid-tier Battle Cry 10 High-tier Aura Manipulation 10
Chapter 15: The Assassin’s Way Nathan sat on the ground, looking at the bloody corpse lying on the other side of the room. He¡¯d need to retrieve the man¡¯s weapon sooner or later - or destroy it. It was too dangerous an artifact to leave out. He¡¯d also need to dispose of the corpse before it started smelling even worse. But that wasn¡¯t what was overwhelming him at the moment. They¡¯d been attacked by an [Assassin], and he''d been after Nathan. The man was neither a mage or a slave, and his gear was all wrong for Giantsrest. No, this person was from somewhere else. It was possible that the remaining mages had thrown around wealth to get some external help. But more likely was that this was just the first indirect attack of many that came from the Questors. He said he¡¯d start the Endings early, not that he wouldn¡¯t send killers after you. This isn¡¯t going to be the last time. And the next one might take the opportunity to kill my teammates, even if it would have tipped me off. There was a faint knock on the door, and Nathan got up to answer it. He found a nervous-looking woman outside with the armband that identified her as one of Myrla¡¯s messengers. She blinked up at Nathan, then seemed to remember how to speak. ¡°Is there a problem here?¡± Her eyes widened as she spotted the scattered furniture and the pool of blood Right, the noise. I demolished a chair over the man. ¡°Yeah,¡± Nathan replied tiredly. ¡°An assassin. I¡¯d like to ask for some guards and some help getting rid of the body.¡± He glanced back into the room. ¡°And a new chair.¡± The messenger clapped a fist to her breast in a Giantsrest-style salute before sprinting away. Nathan heaved a deep breath and went to carefully secure the knife. He also managed to extricate the man¡¯s dimensional bag, disabling a lethal security enchantment first. Then he patted the would-be-assassin down for other possessions, finding a few enchanted odds and ends as well as a single sheet of enchanted paper that declared itself to be a writ of free passage through Litcliff for one person. It was signed by three of the city¡¯s five oligarchs. A team arrived to haul the body away, leaving a scrubbed floor and a new chair where the old one had been. Nathan sat in it, looking down at the writ and wishing he could talk with the Heirs. This complicated things - in a lot of ways. They''d need to make some decisions soon. In some ways it¡¯s better I get a chance to think this over while they sleep off the poison. Just by being around me they¡¯re in danger. Nathan rolled his eyes at the thought. While true, it was also dumb. He¡¯d already agreed that they were a team, and he wouldn¡¯t split that up over a single close call. He¡¯d always hated it in stories when people tried to protect each other by taking extra risk on themselves. His best defense against future assassins was his friends, and they complemented his weaknesses well. I can win against any mage, but I wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against somebody like Brox. But all of the Heirs together¡­ we might be able to take him. I need them, and they need me. He¡¯d talk about it in the morning. If this changed their decision to come with him then he¡¯d reevaluate, but he didn¡¯t expect it. This attack was a wake-up call that they needed to get moving. Just like the last time they¡¯d pissed off a powerful foe with a long reach, the solution was to get the hell out of town before they got buried underneath hired killers. ¨C ¡°It was on the cookware,¡± Aarl said the next day, tossing down the pot he¡¯d used to cook dinner the night before. ¡°I keep the ingredients in my dimensional bags, but he poisoned every pot in the kitchen and then waited in the pantry. I don''t know if it can be cleaned, so I''ll destroy them." ¡°A blasphemous foe,¡± Stella said, then shivered. ¡°Not something my magic can defeat.¡± Sarah shot her an annoyed look. ¡°You could learn scanning spells.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t have worked,¡± Nathan said, pointing towards a bracelet the assassin had been wearing around his wrist. ¡°That deflects scanning magic.¡± Khachi looked thoughtful, stroking the hair growing on his chin pensively. ¡°My bones say he will not be the last to come for us. For Nathan.¡± He turned his gaze to Nathan. ¡°But are they hired from Giantsrest, or from beyond?¡± Aarl picked up the sheet of paper. ¡°This might be a decoy. Meant to distract us from the source.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Nathan said. ¡°He intended to survive this. When he saw that I was awake he tried to use Sarah as a shield. Only a fanatic would plan for their own death and go to the trouble of getting a fake writ just in case. I think he was from beyond the continent, was already in Litcliff and got hired to come kill us. The timing would match up if he had a travel skill of some kind.¡± He hesitated, thinking over the next part. ¡°As for who hired him - I think it was Badud. The assassin didn''t seem to care about killing anybody but me. If an archmage hired him he would have tried to kill us all." ¡°We need to be more careful,¡± Stella said. ¡°Ask for guards on the door.¡± Nathan shook his head. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t take much in the way of stealth skills to sneak through the city, especially now. The main defenses against that sort of thing are enchantments or people with perception skills of their own. And if it is Badud hiring assassins to kill me, they¡¯re going to be the best. This guy almost got us all.¡± He looked around at his friends. ¡°There¡¯s only one good defense against that.¡± Aarl snorted. ¡°Run away. The same way we evaded Taeol. For a while.¡± He met Nathan¡¯s eyes. ¡°That just slows the problem, it doesn¡¯t kill it.¡± Nathan shrugged in response. ¡°If this guy was merely the first of several then we¡¯ll avoid the rest by leaving today. There might be a few others without travel skills still on the road. Let¡¯s go south to take care of Azamar, swing by Ardglass and zip back through Gemore and get to Litcliff while all of the assassins are chasing our trail. If we¡¯re quick we can be on a ship before the people who took the contract can even get back to Litcliff.¡± ¡°We could trap them?¡± Stella suggested, but it didn¡¯t sound sincere. ¡°Ambush them when they attack us here.¡± Sarah shook her head. ¡°The next assassin won¡¯t attack the same way. What if they fire a giant arrow from far away? Or pretend to be a slave and stab Khachi with one of those.¡± She indicated the sheathed dagger that had almost killed Nathan. ¡°Aarl, do you want it?¡± Her brother reached out a tentative hand, plucking the sheathed dagger off the table. It vanished to their eyes, making it look like Aarl was empty-handed. He breathed out a surprised breath. ¡°The description says that it slays anything the blade cuts.¡± ¡°Description?¡± Nathan asked with some confusion. ¡°One of my new class skills, for [Relicwielder],¡± Aarl replied. ¡°[Item Descriptions], it tells me the details of any magical item I touch. This is a weapon for surprise kills, not open battle. It will hide itself from any search or scan.¡± He nodded and opened his pouch, presumably depositing the knife inside. ¡°Litcliff will be a dungeon for us," Khachi said. ¡°We should ask Sudraiel and our parents to see if there is another way to leave the continent.¡± He inclined his head towards Nathan. ¡°But the faster we move now the less likely we are to wake up without heads.¡± Nathan spoke decisively," Then are we good to get out of here?¡± He received nods from every one of the Heirs. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll leave a message for Myrla. We¡¯ve helped a lot here, but it¡¯s time to go. The antimages and the elites will need to be enough. At least we''ll take care of Ardglass and Azamar on our way out." He stuck his head outside to confer with the messenger who¡¯d been waiting outside. Myrla had anticipated this decision, and had left a short list of places for the Heirs to hit on their way out of the city. That woman is scary. ¡ª It was good to be on the road again. Granted, they were mostly above the road. Stella, Sarah and Aarl zipped through the air under the influence of Stella¡¯s [Fly] spells, while Nathan ran a few feet above its surface. Khachi was the sole person in contact with the stone surface, footsteps clanking in a rapid-fire staccato as golden light propelled his armored boots. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Nathan had started off running alongside him, but they were moving fast enough that literal friction with the road had started to wear down his shoes. Khachi could fly, but it was apparently significantly less resource-efficient. He couldn¡¯t get a free recharge from Stella the way Nathan could. They¡¯d left as quickly as possible after taking care of Myrla¡¯s final requests and scarfing down a quick lunch from their stores. Nathan had expected to feel bad about leaving Giantsrest behind, but he just felt relief. He¡¯d enjoyed very little of his time in the city. It had been the site of his greatest achievement, but only because there''d been a lot of stuff that needed breaking. He spoke loudly enough that everybody could hear him. ¡°I hope to come back some day, and see a wonderful free city full of life.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pray for that light,¡± Khachi responded from below. The other Heirs nodded, but didn¡¯t say anything. The mood was still somber after their close call, and Stella in particular was smarting over being rendered helpless so simply. It was a good reminder after the last few days of going from triumph to triumph. They weren¡¯t invincible. ¡°There it is,¡± Sarah called out, pointing ahead. ¡°Azamar.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s figure out the plan,¡± Nathan said, slowing down and descending to the road below. He waited for everybody to gather before proposing his plan. ¡°They¡¯re going to be on edge, scared of anything coming from Giantsrest. But we want to clear this as quickly as possible.¡± ¡°I can move towards them, shining brightly and declaring their dooms,¡± Khachi said. ¡°If Stella is with me, we can appear as an army, while being protected from any attack.¡± Sarah nodded. ¡°And then when all of the most powerful mages gather to defend the city, we strike them down.¡± ¡°How?¡± Aarl asked. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to kill them quickly, and they¡¯ll spot Nathan and I before we get close.¡± ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Nathan said. ¡°We should wait for night, so that Khachi and Stella are even more obvious. Sarah will be invisible against the sky, and we can get closer to the city. I can probably get us right up against the walls, and then we can get to the mages and take them down.¡± ¡°What of the city afterwards?¡± Stella said, frowning. ¡°To repeat prophecy, treat it as Halsmet?¡± Khachi frowned. ¡°We cannot stay here so long, and we are not suited to solve all of the cities¡¯ problems. I will tell all we free of the safety that lies in Giantsrest, and we can send a message to Myrla to expect them. The mages can take up hydra farming for all I care, so long as the slaves can escape first.¡± ¡°And then on to Ardglass,¡± Nathan said. ¡°The same trick probably won¡¯t work twice, but at least there shouldn¡¯t be any archmages in Ardglass. Sarah got the archmage of Ardglass when we ambushed the Giantsrest army.¡± ¡°Then let''s wait for night,¡± Aarl said, nodding off the road. He led them into the lee of one of the small hills scattered across the grasslands around Giantsrest. In Gemore, this land would be farmed or at least grazed. But here they had more productive land much closer to the city. ¡°You were speaking of combustion,¡± Stella prompted Nathan as they set up a quick campsite. ¡°Specifically, how it relates to oxidation.¡± ¡°Yes, and how our bodies truly burn food as fuel,¡± Aarl said, shaking his head in indignation as he started preparing lunch. Nathan rolled his eyes. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s dive into the nuts and bolts. We¡¯ve talked about how there¡¯s both positive and negative charges, and lightning is negatively charged. Well, a lot of materials like to have either a positive or negative charge on them. The charge they have is called their oxidation state, and if you mix one material that would like to be more negative and another that would like to be more positive, then they react to shift the charges around.¡± Stella tilted her head, not connecting the dots. ¡°They also release a lot of energy.¡± He pointed to Sarah, or more specifically one of the cartridges on her bandolier. ¡°Gunpowder is a good example. There¡¯s charcoal in there, which is carbon that¡¯s neutrally charged. It would like to be more positive. There¡¯s also nitrate, which has a lot of oxygen that would like to be more negative. Most of the energy comes from the carbon reacting with the oxygen to make carbon dioxide, where the oxygen is more negative and the carbon is more positive. Carbon dioxide is a lower-energy material than both charcoal and nitrate.¡± Sarah was frowning at his explanation. "Then why doesn¡¯t it react on its own? Why doesn''t the gunpowder all burn up immediately?¡± Nathan shrugged. ¡°For the same reason wood doesn''t burn until you light it. It needs a kick to get started. We call it activation energy. It¡¯s like a ball in a hole on top of a hill, you need to give it a push to give it enough speed to get out of the hole before it can start rolling downhill. To start the reaction first you need to break the oxygen away from the nitrate to grab onto the carbon, which takes a bit of energy. But once it happens a little bit, the energy released will cause it to happen again and you get the chain reaction that causes an explosion.¡± ¡°And the same happens with normal fire, but the oxygen is in the air,¡± Stella said thoughtfully. Then she looked back at Nathan. ¡°The key is in what likes to be positive and what likes to be negative. What determines that? Is there anything that can burn in other ways?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Nathan thought about his reply carefully. ¡°It¡¯s a trait called electronegativity. It basically means how much any given element likes being negative. Most things are already in a stable configuration because they¡¯re paired in ways that make them happy.¡± He kicked the ground underfoot. ¡°Sand doesn¡¯t burn because it¡¯s made of silicon bound to oxygen. The oxygen is more negative, and the silica is more positive. It¡¯s basically already burnt, so it can¡¯t burn again, like carbon dioxide. But lots of things would burn that you don¡¯t expect. Most metals like being positive, but they¡¯re just too dense to burn easily. They rust instead. But if you make some powdered metal it will burn well, especially when mixed with something like the nitrates in gunpowder. That¡¯s how you make thermite, more or less.¡± ¡°You can burn metal?" Stella asked incredulously at the same time as Sarah fixed Nathan with an intense gaze. ¡°How do you make thermite?¡± Sarah and Stella pestered Nathan with questions about how to make different kinds of things burn, and he answered jovially, casting around in his memory for a little while. Then he paused, staring off into space as he stumbled onto something interesting. Ah, there it is. I should have read more random science blogs, they¡¯re a fun corner of the internet.
Mental Vault 5 achieved!
He changed tacks from describing the oxidation potentials of various metals. ¡°Some fuels will burn with certain oxidizers but not others. Oxygen likes being negative, but even oxygen gas is just neutrally charged. But if you could start off with positive oxygen, then it will burn with almost anything. And there¡¯s a fuel that contains positive oxygen, called dioxygen difluorine, or more affectionately, FOOF.¡± ¡°Foof?¡± Stella said, mistrustful of the name. Or maybe it was the wide grin Nathan wore as he said it. ¡°Foof!¡± Nathan responded. ¡°About the only thing it won¡¯t burn is glass. It will make ice explode.¡± Then he remembered some of the math behind the article he''d read, and did a quick calculation. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you can summon any, but¡­ maybe try really, really small amounts. A drop of it will probably explode about as hard as a normal fireball. With air as the fuel. If you give it charcoal, that drop will be more like one of your plasma fireballs.¡± Fire danced behind Stella¡¯s eyes, and Nathan wondered if he¡¯d made a mistake in describing ways to make bigger fires. Probably not. She can already make some pretty big fires. How bad could it get?
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 6 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 5 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: Void of Magic level 643 Deepened Stamina: 18202/19590 Void of Feeling Antimagic Momentum Raging Thrill Implacable Inertia Unarmored Resilience Magic Anathema Airborne Agility Hand-to-hand Expertise Voluminous Aura Denial of Wizardry Mana Severance
Class: Spellslayer level 479 Regenerative Focus: 4890/4890 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Wizard¡¯s Meditation 8 Inspiration 7 Acceleration 10 Wizard¡¯s Detection 6 Alertness 10 Wizard¡¯s Understanding 7 Effortless Dodge 9 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 5 Parkour 7 Visibility Control 2 High-tier Disguise 3 Mid-tier Battle Cry 10 High-tier Aura Manipulation 10
Chapter 16: Speedrunning a City It was easy to sneak up on Azamar under cover of night. The walls were well-lit and patrolled by slave-soldiers, but their watchful eyes were the only things preventing Nathan and Aarl from walking right up to the walls. With Nathan¡¯s skills it was child¡¯s play to evade detection. He¡¯d expected Aarl to have problems being stealthy. But the [Relicwielder] demonstrated the other advantages of his class by activating some kind of camouflage in his armor that blurred his outline and helped Aarl blend into the shadows of the night. They reached the cover of a small depression fifty feet from the walls and crouched inside, waiting for their teammates to cause a distraction. ¡°Is that stealth on the armor new?¡± Nathan murmured, gesturing in the dark towards Aarl¡¯s armor. ¡°Well, the armor¡¯s old, and it¡¯s had this talent the whole time,¡± replied Aarl with a hint of snark. ¡°But my class has helped me learn many features of this armor. It can do many wondrous things.¡± At that moment, magic flared from the north as Stella and Khachi crested the nearest hill. They were walking casually down the road from Giantsrest that led to the main gates of Azamar. But what drew the eyes was the shining golden magic that adorned Khachi and the layered panes of force magic spreading out from Stella like wings. A force of hundreds could have walked behind her and been invisible behind the display. Nathan heard sounds of surprise from the defenders as all eyes turned towards their friends. He and Aarl broke cover, scampering up to the base of the walls. They crouched, ready to go up and over when the mages of Azamar decided to respond to Stella and Khachi¡¯s provocation. Nathan was planning on using [Airwalk] to get atop the wall, and he watched as the metal of Aarl¡¯s armor shifted and climbing spikes popped out of his hands and feet. They didn¡¯t have to wait long. A minute later there was a faint pop of somebody teleporting atop the wall, and Nathan tensed to jump. Beside him, Aarl started climbing the wall, the spikes providing excellent grip on even the enchanted stone of the wall. A detection spell swept outwards from the man, but Nathan blocked it easily.
Visibility Control 3 achieved!
A magically enhanced voice rang out across the night, angry and just a little despairing. ¡°You cowardly muckgrabbers! The Academy is destroyed and now you come here to remove every speck of magic from this world? Well, show me your might, for I am the only defender of Azamar, but still I raise my fist against you! I know the strength of my hand does not compare to Badud''s, but I will not allow you to destroy this city without challenge!¡± Nathan bounded up into the air and popped over the wall, coming face-to-face with a short mage wearing an elaborately brocaded robe. The man squawked at Nathan¡¯s sudden appearance as his [Mage Armor] shattered. He scrambled away, nearly falling onto his ass at the instinctive movement. Nathan followed him, grabbing the archmage by the collar and getting in his face. ¡°Is that the truth?¡± Superficially, it appeared so. Nathan didn¡¯t feel any mana pools other than the enormous one belonging to the man in front of him. There were dozens of slave-soldiers atop the wall, but no elites. They had assembled their formation atop the wall and moved towards Nathan with spears forward. But Aarl bounded up beside him and drove the formations backwards with his array of weapons, slicing off speartips and sending blasts of force to push the shieldwall backwards. Nathan refocused on his captive. ¡°Where are the rest of the mages?¡± The archmage in his grasp had gone pale as a sheet, much less sanguine about fighting now that he was face-to-face with Nathan. His mouth worked for a second before he swallowed and spoke slowly in a voice pitched higher than it had been previously. ¡°I sent every fighting mage to Ardglass to defend against the undead siege. The Elites, too.¡± Nathan¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°The undead siege?¡± The archmage of Azamar nodded jerkily, meeting Nathan¡¯s eyes with resolve. ¡°A dread-host emerged from the desert just days ago. With Archmage Declan and many of his war mages dead, Ardglass didn¡¯t have enough defenders." ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go? Surely an archmage could destroy such a threat.¡± Nathan replied, tilting his head as he judged the man in his grip. A fire lit in the man¡¯s eyes, defiant and self-righteous. ¡°For the same reason I ignored Badud¡¯s call to gather. The moment I leave this city, the woodfolk will slaughter everyone they can. They have marked me, and know that my presence means death to any who attack.¡± He grimaced, the flame dimming. ¡°When you kill me, they will come. By the upraised palm of the giant, I ask you to stay and teach them that Azamar is not undefended. If you care for the slaves at all.¡± He said the last sentence with a hopelessness borne of long dissapointment. Nathan¡¯s brows drew down as he considered the archmage in front of him. He didn¡¯t appear to be cut from the same cloth as the others Nathan had met. And - if he was telling the truth, killing him would cause more problems than it solved. Then there¡¯s this whole thing about an undead army besieging Ardglass. I¡¯ve been fighting Giantsrest for long enough I almost forgot that Davrar is a deathworld. It''s still possible all of this is a lie. But luckily, I have a way to find out. He turned his head towards where his friends were still approaching the city. Their pace had picked up since Nathan and Aarl had gone up the wall. His voice boomed across the plains. ¡°Khachi! Get up here!¡± A few short moments later the wolfman ascended to the top of the wall atop a formless glow. Nathan didn¡¯t release the archmage, but he shook him lightly as his friend landed next to him. ¡°I need to know if he¡¯s telling the truth.¡± The rest of the Heirs arrived nearby, the fight for Azamar seemingly finished as nobody else appeared to fight them. The slave-soldiers had been chased back by Aarl¡¯s weapons, and Stella raised walls of stone to block them off more permanently. Khachi¡¯s lip curled to reveal shining canines as he surveyed the archmage. Then his voice thundered, a divine echo overlaid atop it, ¡°I charge you, a captive of righteous battle, to speak the truth! In the holy light, every lie will be revealed. By my own power, every misdirection will be met with righteous justice!¡± Nathan hurriedly dropped the archmage, backing up to avoid interfering with the waves of divine magic washing over the man and illuminating him as if he stood in the middle of a dozen overlapping spotlights. His antimagic was primed to lash out if the man cast any spells, but the archmage didn¡¯t seem aggressive. The archmage blinked, his mouth working at Khachi¡¯s spell. Then he spoke. ¡°Strange. That¡¯s not a mental spell. It¡¯s truly divine magic,¡± He frowned. ¡°I can lie, but this magic is warning me that it will not allow a lie to pass.¡± He was lost in thought as he looked around, trying to find the source of the lights. ¡°What an honest form of magic.¡± Nathan interrupted his train of thought. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Hibril dho Bonaz,¡± came the absent reply. ¡°Archmage of Azamar.¡± ¡°Are there other mages in this city?¡± Hibril rolled his eyes as he refocused on Nathan. ¡°The Giant spare me from foolish questions in my last moments. Of course! We have crafters here by the score. Most of the furniture and woodwork in Giantsrest is done in this city, made from trees in the great forest. But to answer your true question, I sent all of the mages loyal to me who can fight to Ardglass to aid in the defense of that city. That includes the fist of Azamar, War mage Usto dho Thrask.¡± Nathan furrowed his brow, remembering the name. Right. The war mage that Roni looked up to. He uses necromancy? Probably good to have against the undead. ¡°Will the woodland cults attack if you leave Azamar?¡± The man¡¯s mouth quirked. ¡°That name is inaccurate. There are cults among the woodfolk, but they are not monolithic. But if I leave or die, they will attack the city, and slaughter all they can find until they are driven away.¡± Nathan glanced at Khachi, whose gold-glowing eyes had remained fixed on the archmage. ¡°All true?¡± The wolfman nodded. ¡°All true. He is¡­ a righteous man.¡± The words appeared to pain the cleric, and Nathan frowned in response. ¡°How can he be righteous?¡± asked Stella, gesturing out over the city. It was a bit smaller than Halsmet, though still large enough for thousands of people inside the walls. The city was built around a deep cleft in the plains that Nathan couldn¡¯t see the bottom of. ¡°There are thousands of slaves living here, chattel to his desires.¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Hibril dho Bonaz buffed up, indignant. ¡°My charges are not abused, and they do not go hungry. It is my duty to guide them through life, that they may be spared the terrors of Davrar and contribute to the growth of civilization in this world.¡± Khachi¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°A righteous justification, but a hollow one. What is civilization without free people to enjoy it? What is the purpose to slavery, beyond ensuring that power never leaves the hands of those who fit the collars?¡± The archmage sagged slightly. He spoke quietly, the words meant for himself. ¡°The Ascendent Academy has fallen, so why defend it?¡± He looked up at the Heirs, his voice small and lost. ¡°What is left of civilization, now that the beacon of learning is gone? Do you fight just to tear it all down? What can replace Giantsrest?¡± Nathan saw an opportunity and stepped forward, capturing Hibril¡¯s attention as he did so. ¡°There are ways other than slavery. A civilization where every person is free, where they all work together by choice and nature to lift each other up. In slavery you deny the gifts of every slave, you crush their passions, their proclivities. If you just let people be free, then they¡¯ll astound you with their deeds.¡± He gestured over Azamar, feeling his skill guide his words to be more polished, more profound. ¡°Imagine if every slave inside this city worked with passion, to enrich themselves and their families. No person held back by chains or fear. Instead, they are driven by their own desires, their own dreams. They become inventors, artists, healers, and builders¡ªnot because they are forced to, but because they are inspired to. The society that nurtures freedom grows stronger and more vibrant than any built on oppression.¡± The archmage looked vaguely sick. ¡°Anarchy and chaos. Without masters, men will steal and kill. They won¡¯t work, they¡¯ll take. Not give.¡± It wasn¡¯t a strong conviction, and the light that surrounded the man flashed a warning yellow. He looked down at it, and the disgust on his face redoubled. ¡°It must be. Those are the words of the founders.¡± Nathan snorted. ¡°People need to feel safe. They need laws saying their neighbors can¡¯t steal from them, and to believe in those laws. But Badud didn¡¯t want the best society, he wanted mages who could conquer this continent. He didn¡¯t want what was best for his people. But you can change that. You control this city. Will you continue to rule through mind control, or will you free your people and let it slip from your control, into freedom and prosperity?¡±
Inspiration 8 achieved!
Hibril¡¯s back straightened. ¡°Yes.¡± He let out a long breath, losing a planet¡¯s worth of weight and stress from his shoulders as he did so. ¡°That¡¯s a worthy future.¡± Stella spoke up warningly, cutting through the moment. ¡°Nathan, he¡¯s an archmage. Trusting him will only cause smoke and blood.¡± ¡°Anyone can change their Path.¡± Khachi broke in, though his gaze was heavy upon Hibril. ¡°But you are an archmage of Giantsrest. You were a pillar supporting their deeds, including the enslavement of many. Can we trust you to truly change your course?¡± The archmage stared back, the flames in his eyes burning high. ¡°Yes. Humans must survive on Davrar.¡± He blinked at Khachi, just noticing who he was talking to and correcting himself. ¡°People must survive on Davrar. If there is a better way, I will leverage all of my magic behind it.¡± The lights upon the man stayed steady, and Khachi pursed his lips and glanced towards Nathan consideringly. He dipped his head, indicating that it was Nathan¡¯s decision to make. ¡°The problem.¡± Nathan said, watching Hibril dho Bonaz carefully. ¡°Is that you are too powerful. You could decide you know better than the new leadership, and overthrow them the moment we look away.¡± I¡¯m not going to mention we¡¯re leaving for good. The threat of us - of me - should help keep any uppity mages in check for a while. Hibril turned his flaming eyes towards Nathan, spreading his hands wide. ¡°Then will you kill me? Would you break a hand offered in aid? I want to see the society you promise, and the hand of an archmage is a powerful thing to slap away.¡± ¡°No.¡± Nathan said shortly. ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill you. But that¡¯s not the only option here.¡± He stepped closer to the archmage of Azamar, grasping his head. The man tried to jerk away, but Nathan held him in place. Khachi¡¯s truth spell broke into glittering light from Nathan¡¯s proximity. ¡°You are too powerful as you are, so I will make you less powerful.¡± Hibril jerked as Nathan¡¯s antimagic dug into his mana pool, retching slightly as his spellcasting resource drained away. He struggled fitfully, but was unable to speak as Nathan¡¯s aura replaced the power that enabled the man to cast powerful spells. Nathan had drained dozens of mana pools by this point, and they all had their own unique properties. That was especially true of Archmages. Hibril¡¯s mana pool was exceedingly large, with extra containers grafted onto the main pool to grant him increased storage capacity. There was also some sort of feedback loop that seemed to be a way to invest mana to get more back later. Every powerful mage has some way to cheat mana. Stella¡¯s got her tricks to generate near-infinite-mana, and this guy has the same. Some of the archmages I killed had something similar, and Badud¡¯s mana pool was an intricate machine. At least it was before I smashed it apart. Manipulating his antimagic carefully, Nathan set about surgically removing the enhancements to Hibril¡¯s mana pool. He could sever Hibril dho Bonaz from magic if he wanted to. It would be much simpler than what Nathan was doing, but he didn¡¯t want to go that far. He wanted to cripple Hibril¡¯s magic, to leave him his full spellcasting repertoire but deny him access to the amount of mana necessary to destroy an army. He spoke as he worked, explaining what he was doing and why. ¡°I am damaging your mana pool, limiting you to the amount of mana a mage of your level should have without skills or talents to boost capacity and regeneration. I¡¯m doing this because it will mean you can¡¯t fight the new leadership of Giantsrest and win. You will be powerful, but you won¡¯t be able to speak from a place of ultimate power.¡± Once he was done, Nathan removed his hands from the archmages¡¯ head, steadying him as the man reeled. I just broke a Talent, and a skill. They don¡¯t work anymore, and Hibril¡¯s mana pool is permanently scarred. Even if he drops the Talent and tries to get it again, it won¡¯t work. I don¡¯t think leveling will let him increase his mana pool either. I wonder if he can drop the Talent at all? Seems insensitive to ask.
Wizard¡¯s Understanding 8 achieved!
¡°This is your punishment, for supporting Giantsrest. For keeping slaves. You have the opportunity to improve. Don¡¯t waste it. Free your slaves and work with them to build something new.¡± Then Nathan huffed out a breath. ¡°Actually, we¡¯ll free your slaves. You should plan to evacuate, to move to Giantsrest. They need help, and you won¡¯t be able to defend Azamar on your own anymore.¡± Hibril looked up at him with a complicated expression, guilty and angry and hopeful all at once. The flames in his eyes had dimmed, but they were still present. ¡°Let us weave the same color.¡±
Void of Magic has leveled to 654! You have broken the power of an archmage, and freed the city of Azamar from slavery!
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 6 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 5 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: Void of Magic level 654 Deepened Stamina: 19920/19920 Void of Feeling Antimagic Momentum Raging Thrill Implacable Inertia Unarmored Resilience Magic Anathema Airborne Agility Hand-to-hand Expertise Voluminous Aura Denial of Wizardry Mana Severance
Class: Spellslayer level 479 Regenerative Focus: 3791/4890 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Wizard¡¯s Meditation 8 Inspiration 8 Acceleration 10 Wizard¡¯s Detection 6 Alertness 10 Wizard¡¯s Understanding 8 Effortless Dodge 9 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 5 Parkour 7 Visibility Control 3 High-tier Disguise 3 Mid-tier Battle Cry 10 High-tier Aura Manipulation 10
Chapter 17: Undead Come to Roost It took most of the night and part of the next day to settle matters with Azamar. Nathan had hoped it would be as simple as freeing all of the slaves and telling them to go to Giantsrest, but of course it wasn¡¯t that easy. To be fair, it was far easier than conquering a city should have been. It took some argument to convince Hibril that he needed to abandon the city. He was attached to Azamar, but eventually accepted that an evacuation was necessary. Giantsrest had the space and farmland to absorb the population in every one of its child cities. None of them were even a tenth of Giantsrest''s size, and they had all been founded by ambitious mages looking to expand Giantsrest¡¯s territory and provide access to raw materials, not because the capital had lacked food or space. But it would be significantly easier to defend one city instead of a half-dozen, and Myrla and the forces of the new Giantsrest would be unable to defend Azamar. Not too different from the villages of Gemore. Except Gemore doesn¡¯t have nearby farmland because of the ruined city, so they actually depend on their villages to provide food. And there''s a ton of estates available for building, not to mention mansions that can fit a lot more than currently live in them. After that, Nathan and Khachi had gone around and freed most of the slaves of Azamar, starting with the slave-soldiers and then moving on down to the artisans and domestic slaves. Remembering Myrla, he¡¯d looked to Hibril¡¯s scribes to find leaders and found a dour man named Blan who handled logistics for the whole city. He hadn¡¯t shown any surprise at Nathan¡¯s request that he organize an evacuation, just acknowledging his freedom with a long blink before getting to work directing thousands of people towards Giantsrest. Hibril had tried to help but Blan had just given him a level look and ignored his previous master with a faintly satisfied smile. Nathan had been worried the ex-archmage would insert himself again, but instead he''d just watched the proceedings with a kind of dumbfounded bemusement, as if he hadn¡¯t been aware just how unnecessary he was until that very moment. Nathan sidled up next to him. ¡°Will you be able to listen to ex-slaves when they tell you what to do?¡± Hibril shrugged, though he didn''t look entirely content. ¡°I never liked organization. I was good at politics, playing the other Archmages off against each other. I liked being left alone to watch my city grow.¡± He turned to Nathan, baffled but not upset. ¡°But I was never good at coordinating industry. I¡¯ll listen to the experts on matters of organization and combat. But on matters of magic, none match my grasp but the Founders.¡± Nathan raised his eyebrows. ¡°I know some of the mages of Gemore might disagree with you. Dalo and Kullal Caxol in particular.¡± A light lit inside Hibril¡¯s eyes. ¡°Oh, the Guardians of Gemore. They have some Insights worthy of the Giant.¡± He pursed his lips thoughtfully. ¡°I would like to trade Insights with them. Can you make the introduction?¡± This is why I spared him and left as much of his magic intact as I could afford. I hope the Caxols can take him for all he¡¯s worth. With a snort, Nathan called Stella over. ¡°Stella, Hibril wants to trade Insights with your parents. We probably won¡¯t be around long enough to do it ourselves, but can you introduce them via [Message]?¡± ¡°Their daughter?¡± Hibril¡¯s eyes sharpened and his attention shifted fully to Stella. ¡°Ah, that is the source of the wonderous [Fly] Insight! You are a mage of true Talent. Now, what element of your [Fly] spell is lacking refinement? I can see the mana leaks from here and would offer guidance.¡± Stella was surprised by the offer but shot Nathan a questioning look before responding. ¡°He¡¯s trying to get Insights out of you. Decide beforehand what you¡¯re willing to trade.¡± He shot her a warning look, trying to communicate that she be careful of speaking about what he¡¯d taught her. She appeared to understand the warning, giving him a serious nod and pursing her lips in thought. Hibril didn¡¯t dispute Nathan¡¯s statement, and soon the two mages were engaged in a spirited discourse on the nature of flight magics. The Giantsrest mage was providing a lot of advice without really asking for much in return. I think he¡¯s being somewhat political. If he''s nice to Stella, she¡¯ll say good things to her parents and that will be his way into Gemore high society. Not a bad play. An hour later, Stella came and found Nathan with a dour look on her face. ¡°We need to leave.¡± She¡¯d already gathered up the rest of the Heirs, and they were all ready to go. It looked urgent, so Nathan didn¡¯t ask questions. ¡°Ok.¡± He turned to the messenger who¡¯d been directing him around the city to the as-yet-unfreed slaves. ¡°We¡¯re leaving. Tell Blan. There are more antimages in Giantsrest who can free the remaining slaves.¡± Moments later the Heirs were over the walls with Stella leading the way. She took them almost straight south. Once they¡¯d gotten a few miles from the city she adjusted their path to the West, towards Aardglass. ¡°I got a [Message] from one of the mages with Myrla. Camran was kidnapped and tortured, but not killed.¡± Nathan blinked. ¡°By a mage? You¡¯d think they¡¯d use mental magic to get whatever information they wanted.¡± Stella shook her head. ¡°They think it was an assassin looking for us. He doesn¡¯t remember anything about the person who did it or even what they asked, but he¡¯s one of the people who knew where we were going.¡± ¡°Alright. So they¡¯re probably on their way to Azamar now. But if they couldn¡¯t track us out of Giantsrest, they won¡¯t be able to track us out of Azamar.¡± Nathan shrugged. ¡°So we¡¯ve got time to camp and get some sleep. Ardglass tomorrow?¡± Sarah spoke up, sounding ambivalent. ¡°Stella, you¡¯re the one who needs sleep the most.¡± The mage grumbled. "We need to get to Aardglass quickly, and get some distance from Azamar." She set a fast pace and they travelled for several hours before making a quick camp in a hidden glade. They sorted out the watch details, then crashed hard. ¡ª- They got moving quickly and early the next morning. Breaking camp was a routine they¡¯d done dozens of times, but now everything felt more urgent. In the past they¡¯d usually been moving at their own pace, on patrol or traveling on a mission. Even when they¡¯d been in a hurry, breaking camp had been a routine. But now they rushed. There was at least one assassin on their tail, and a siege awaited them at Ardglass. Notably a siege where both the attackers and defenders were presumed hostile, but they still wanted to protect the population of the city. It¡¯s all a mess. We¡¯ve been running hard and need more than just a night of rest. We don¡¯t really know what¡¯s waiting for us, but we¡¯re trusting our abilities to be able to carry us through it. As they got moving, Nathan summed up his thoughts. ¡°We¡¯re in it, aren¡¯t we? These are the times that make us elites. It¡¯s not just winning the big battles, but going from one fight to another without pausing. It¡¯s never stopping when there¡¯s a problem to be solved.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why they schedule delve day,¡± Sarah responded grimly. ¡°To make sure the elite teams are ready for anything. They can¡¯t fight every day. You need time to rest, repair. Heal.¡± She shot an aggrieved look at Nathan and Khachi. ¡°Unless you have two madmen on your team.¡± Nathan shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s stuff that needs doing. If you¡¯re tired, take it easy. I can probably carry this battle if I need to. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much that can challenge me.¡± ¡°I spoke truth before,¡± Khachi rumbled back. ¡°I cannot be fatigued. I will fight without pause.¡± Aarl sighed. ¡°And we can¡¯t let Nathan get all the levels. I¡¯ll keep pace. And if I don¡¯t, well. Khachi can restore the dead.¡± The wolfman¡¯s face turned down in a frown. ¡°That is an ability I would not test. I do not know its limits yet, and I do not think I can yet heal terrible injuries. Be cautious.¡± ¡°Yet.¡± Sarah replied with a snort. ¡°All we need to do is feed you levels, and then we can''t die as long as you are alive? Except for Nathan.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got my own version,¡± Nathan replied with a shrug. "Badud pretty much turned me to dust with the attack that destroyed the Academy, but I Developed [Regeneration] again so it didn''t stick. But if an enemy gets the upper hand over you they can always figure something out. They could entomb me in stone, or a monster could tear me to pieces and swallow them, or they could throw me into a fire. Even if you can¡¯t die, it¡¯s still important not to lose.¡± ¡°Hear me, that is a good problem to have,¡± Stella said dourly. Then she brightened up. ¡°An attacking army of undead means hordes of weak foes. That seems like my problem to kill.¡± ¡°Unless it¡¯s mostly giants, like that one monastery of Quaz,¡± Sarah replied. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Nathan¡¯s eyebrows shot up. ¡°You took down a monastery of Quaz?¡¯ ¡°We did,¡± Aarl said wryly. ¡°Too close to some of the farms of Halsmet. It needed to go.¡± ¡°Can you tell me about it?¡± Nathan asked, curious about the adventures his friends had been up to while he¡¯d been gone. Over the next few hours as they traveled they told him about their adventures in clearing out the various dungeons and dangerous monsters around Halsmet. Giantsrest had kept a lid on the worst of it, but they hadn¡¯t tried to maintain the buffer zone of safety like Gemore did. After all, if their farmers got eaten they could simply replace them. As they traveled, the clouds grew steadily heavier until the sun was mostly blocked off. The day grew dim and oppressive, and Nathan probed upwards with his magical senses. He found death mana high in the air, shaping the clouds and blocking the light. Nathan called it out to the rest of the Heirs. "This weather''s unnatural. Death mana." ¡°It confirms Hibril''s tale,¡± Sarah said with a shrug. ¡°We have a fight ahead of us.¡± Khachi¡¯s face was dour, and he redoubled his speed. ¡°I pray that the city remains inviolate.¡± Aarl merely nodded and accelerated to keep up, resuming his story. He was dramatically retelling how he¡¯d cleared out a nest of earth-stalkers almost single-handedly. Right when he got to the fight with the patriarch, Stella interrupted him. She was flying the highest, and pointed excitedly over the next rise. ¡°Ardglass! And an army of undead.¡± She sounded positively thrilled by the latter. Nathan came over the rise and his impression was decidedly less positive than Stella¡¯s. Ardglass was to the west and looked like a rock in the ocean, with tides of bones and decayed flesh washing against its high walls and barely being repulsed by surges of flame and lightning. The land was flooded with undead of every size and description, from humanoids up through monsters of every variety. Giant stone statues seemed to be concentrated in the center of the army, silently gazing towards the city as smaller undead streamed past their feet. Occupying the hills to the south were a trio of towering monstrosities, each formed of amalgams of thousands of corpses. Oh. Three Grave Tangles. That¡¯s not good. "Why aren''t the Grave Tangles attacking?" Aarl asked, cocking his head as he studied the army from midair. "They could push through the walls without pain. But they''re letting the smaller undead burn." He gestured to where thousands of smaller undead lapped against the walls and were pushed back by surges of flame. Nathan responded with a frown. "They¡¯re waiting until the mages defending Ardglass get tired and run out of mana." He pointed at the larger creatures in the army. "The statues and Grave Tangles are the important pieces, the smaller undead are incidental. They can make more. But this still suggests a lot of strategy for undead. That means we need to strike quickly, before they realize how much of a threat we are." ¡°Still a blasphemous number of undead,¡± Sarah spoke dryly, eyes flicking around to pick out targets. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s time to follow the light and leave.¡± Khachi didn¡¯t pick up on the sarcasm and strode forward, propelled by divine light. ¡°Do not let this enemy overwhelm you! They are a terrible foe, but we must defeat them, so we shall. This tide of death will wash all away unless it is confronted here!¡± A golden glow unfurled from his form like wings, grander than anything Nathan had seen from him before. He lit up the entire battlefield, banishing some of the gloom in the air as he arrowed straight towards the center of the enemy army, where the statues were. ¡°I summon the strength to stand against this scourge!¡± Aarl merely sighed and rolled his eyes as his helmet crept over his head. He leaned forwards and sprinted after Khachi, angling for some undead stalkers that were circling the battlefield like sharks on the prowl. They fired night-black bolts from their central eyes before darting in, just as fast in death as they¡¯d been in life. It didn¡¯t help. Aarl dodged most of the attacks before cleanly dicing the stalkers into pieces. The dark magic never even reached Khachi, and the undead fell apart as his light illuminated them. They pulled back and circled around to attack his rear where the aura wasn¡¯t so concentrated, but Aarl was there to cut apart the flanking attacks. Would have been nice to make a plan, but they¡¯re doing pretty much what I would have told them. We need to go for the heavies hard and fast. Stella and Sarah looked to Nathan for direction, and he spent a few more seconds surveying the battlefield before spitting out final commands. ¡°Stella, take everything smaller than the Tangles. Whatever will clear this valley the fastest. Go hard. If you¡¯re running out of concentrations of undead, start on the farthest-off Tangle. Sarah, watch for anything dangerous. Champions, dangerous monsters. If you can determine the weak points of the statues, go for it. If any of the mages on the wall start to look our way, discourage them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s time to unleash the dragon¡¯s breath,¡± Stella said, light flaring in her eyes as she started channeling a truly impressive amount of magic. ¡°The grave tangles can hit you from here,¡± Nathan reminded her. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate them. Keep your shields strong.¡± Sarah gave him a curt nod. ¡°We follow the light in your eyes.¡± Then Nathan was off, darting for the leftmost Grave Tangle. It was the closest of the giant constructs, and his first target. The mass of smaller undead were dangerous, and the statues probably held the sarcophagi of the undead Sklian mages that commanded the whole army, but the Grave Tangles were the enemies that could crush cities and empower hordes of undead. Even if they took out the leaders the Tangles would still be city-ending threats. As if the thought had prompted it all three of the huge constructs bellowed as one, dark clefts opening up to release roars that shook the earth and the sky. Waves of dark energy surged outwards from each of them, sweeping over the battlefield like overlapping shockwaves. Where the energy passed the undead surged with energy. Nathan slowed down and positioned himself to cover Sarah and Stella. He sent his aura out wide to make a shield and braced himself for the onslaught. He thought about trying to protect Aarl and Khachi, but they were too far in front of him. Then the death magic hit. The energy attempted to drain the life out of everything it touched, and the three waves struck like ocean surges. But Nathan¡¯s antimagic was perfectly suited to combat this threat. He stood firm against the tide of magic and prevented more than the barest edge from lapping around his shield to strike his friends. The attack was simplistic, a simple outpouring of death magic. But Nathan could detect a faint wizardry to the magic. It didn¡¯t strike at them, but rather sought to twist Davrar itself. If left unchallenged over time the magic would blight the ground into something incapable of supporting life, and change the ambient mana of Davrar into something that couldn¡¯t be used by living mages.
Wizard¡¯s Understanding 9 achieved!
Down below the waves of death clustered around Aarl and Khachi, seeking to drown their light in darkness and depth. But Aarl stood close to Khachi, guarding the wolfman as he fell to his knees and raised his arms to the heavens. His aura compressed under the pressure of the dark magic. He was definitely saying something, but Nathan couldn¡¯t hear it over the continuing roars of the Grave Tangles. Then, he could. Khachi¡¯s voice boomed out impossibly loudly across the entire battlefield as he finished his prayer, the words cutting through the boneshaking roars like a knife. ¡°By my power, your evil is Ended.¡± He shone like a sudden star, rays of light stabbing outwards and vaporizing hundreds, thousands of undead.
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 6 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 5 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: Void of Magic level 654 Deepened Stamina: 19012/19920 Void of Feeling Antimagic Momentum Raging Thrill Implacable Inertia Unarmored Resilience Magic Anathema Airborne Agility Hand-to-hand Expertise Voluminous Aura Denial of Wizardry Mana Severance
Class: Spellslayer level 479 Regenerative Focus: 4734/4890 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Wizard¡¯s Meditation 8 Inspiration 8 Acceleration 10 Wizard¡¯s Detection 6 Alertness 10 Wizard¡¯s Understanding 9 Effortless Dodge 9 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 5 Parkour 7 Visibility Control 3 High-tier Disguise 3 Mid-tier Battle Cry 10 High-tier Aura Manipulation 10
Chapter 18: Liches Lament Khachi¡¯s power had broken the Grave Tangle¡¯s onslaught of death magic, but it had also drawn the attention of the undead army. Every undead on the field pivoted towards the Heirs, and Nathan caught sight of one of the tallest statues, carved to look like a wise old man, gesturing towards them with a staff made from a snake skeleton a hundred yards long. Then Nathan hurriedly retracted his aura to avoid interfering with Stella¡¯s attack. She¡¯d taken the time he¡¯d provided to charge a lightning capacitor and now fired a small laser into the center of the army. It impacted the chest of one of the closer statues, doing nothing but blackening the stone on the sixty-foot statue of a cobra with hood flared. The lightning that followed close behind did more than that, shattering the top third of the statue in an explosion of dark magic. But the lightning didn¡¯t end there, instead scything through every undead near the initial target zone as the raging electricity sought ground. Farther down Aarl lashed out with giant swings of multiple weapons, cleaving through the press of undead as Khachi got back to his feet and began moving forward once more. The wolfman was glowing so brightly he was hard to look at, every piece of exposed fur standing on end and shining like fiber-optic. Nathan accelerated forwards once more. He re-acquired the leftmost Grave Tangle as his target and beelined straight towards it. His aura billowed out as he used it to absorb the death magic from the undead below him. Many of them were humanoid and collapsed like puppets with cut strings, but some were monsters and put up more of a resistance. A herd of undead Nindine leapt at him, using the absurd jumps they¡¯d had in life to attack instead of flee. He dodged the swarm of deer-like creatures and used his aura to swat them from the air. My real role here is tank. I can take the hits better than my allies, and every moment they¡¯re defending themselves is one they¡¯re not killing the undead. He burned Focus and used his skills to draw the attention of the entire battlefield, slowing his forward progress to get the enemies to stare at him and the circle of unmoving bodies below him. The statue of the old man shifted their staff to point directly at Nathan.
Visibility Control 4 achieved!
Nice. It helps that I¡¯m flying, close and clearing a void in this cloud of dark magic. The nearest Grave Tangle drew back a fleshy appendage, and that¡¯s all the warning Nathan had before a whip of undead flesh snapped towards him faster than the speed of sound. The instant was enough to dodge that strike, along with the next two.
Effortless Dodge 10 achieved!
An explosive bullet struck one of the smaller statues in the chest and blew its torso apart as a second torrent of lightning surged past to ground itself in another part of the army. The first lightning bolt was still going, playing around the battlefield like a scribbling finger and leaving blackened corpses in its wake. Magical attacks flew at Nathan from the statues and he ignored them almost contemptuously. He was focused on watching for more strikes from the Grave Tangles. He would survive a hit, but it would probably fling him into the distance long enough for the enemies to focus on his teammates. For now he focused on tagging each strike with his antimagic, seeking to weaken the death magic that held the rubbery flesh together as it cracked past at supersonic speeds. The problem was he wasn¡¯t making much progress. The strikes were forcing him to dodge back and forth and preventing him from moving forward. Khachi and Aarl were significantly ahead of him now, closing on the cluster of statues that seemed to be commanding the undead horde. Nathan¡¯s split attention cost him. One of the whip attacks clipped him, tearing off his left leg and sending him crashing into the ground. He bounced like a stone, splattering through ranks of zombies before coming to a stop with a groan. His Focus meant he wasn¡¯t disoriented, and he leapt upwards with his remaining leg before the undead around him could bury him under their weight. Broken bones snapped back into place all across his body as he looked back over the battlefield. The giant statues had deployed some kind of shield against Stella¡¯s attack, but it didn¡¯t protect the rest of the army - or reach all the way to the ground. Aarl and Khachi were battling their way underneath the magical barrier. It looked like they were fighting some kind of honor guard, snake-people dressed head to tail in bronze armor and armed with long pikes that shimmered with deadly magic. The disciplined formation swept forward to stop Aarl and Khachi¡¯s advance. Three of the honor guard fell to headshots in the time it took to take a breath and Aarl swept into the gap in the lines, greatswords sweeping out on both sides to bisect six more. Then Nathan¡¯s attention was drawn back to the Grave Tangles. One had just unleashed a torrent of greenish liquid towards Stella, and she¡¯d summoned a gale-force wind to blow it back towards the undead army. The liquid hissed where it landed, dissolving flesh and smoking against the soil. Two lightning-capacitors hovered in the sky above her, eye-searing electricity arcing across the plain to ravage through the undead ranks. Need to move faster. Hard to keep dodging without a leg and it''s going to take a minute to regrow. Maybe my Stamina can fill the gap, develop [Acceleration]. Nathan envisioned the solid surfaces he pushed off of with his Stamina, and tried to make them push him, to enable something closer to actual flight. He dumped thousands of Stamina into the effort, bracing his arm against the surface. He gritted his teeth and pushed. Nothing happened. Then another tendril lashed out and swatted him from the sky once more. This time it was a direct hit. He plowed into the ground once again, his Focus taking a hit as [Mental Vault] kept him conscious. He shook his head and recollected his bearings just in time to see two dozen zombies throw themselves atop him even as they fell limp in his aura. The stronger ones ripped and tore at him, but he ripped and tore right back, flaring [Raging Thrill] to toughen his body and give him the strength to dismember the ancient corpses. But more and more undead piled on. Nathan¡¯s aura billowed out to drain every locus of death magic in the area, but the pile atop Nathan grew heavier and heavier as larger monsters pushed through his aura to collapse atop the growing mound of flesh. Panic rose and he pushed it back. He would not suffocate. He was buried, but he could dig his way out. He would survive and escape if an entire mountain of undead were piled atop him. He just hoped the Heirs could handle themselves while he was incapacitated. At least it''ll give me the seconds I need to regrow my leg and heal from all the broken bones of that last hit. He tried to dig his way out, but it was hard to make progress with so many broken bones and with only one functional leg. The other one was growing back quickly, but it wasn¡¯t ready yet. Twenty seconds passed as he struggled to burrow his way upwards. He kept his eyes and mouth closed and desperately wished that his aura would let him burrow through undead flesh as it had through the wizardry-conjured stone of the Academy. Goddamn this is gross. I¡¯m going to need to shower under a firehose after this. Nathan felt a huge concentration of mana arcing towards his position, and pulled his aura back as quickly as he could. The pile of undead atop him was blasted apart as Stella¡¯s spell landed, a good third of the corpses incinerated as the rest were blasted in all directions. Semi-magical flame and plasma played over him, burning away most of the gunk and the top few layers of his skin. Maybe not. I¡¯ve never taken a flame bath before. Unless you count fireballs. Taken a lot of those. He leapt up into the open air with his good leg and one half-regenerated one, immediately redirecting himself towards the Grave Tangle. He could feel its influence with his magical senses, pressing against him like a filthy rag against skin. The monster had flowed down the mountain to get closer to Stella and Sarah. They had retreated in turn to stay out of the range of its whip-tentacles. Khachi¡¯s light shone from amidst the giant statues but Nathan couldn¡¯t see either of the guys through the press of monsters. All three of the monstrosities bellowed again, and Nathan wasn¡¯t in the right spot to interpose himself to block the attack this time. He made a split second decision to trust his team and moved towards the nearest grave tangle, gritting his teeth as the feeling of corruption intensified. He¡¯d just been buried beneath thousands of pounds of decayed flesh and it hadn¡¯t even felt like this. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. The hill-sized undead paused in their advance to refocus on him. Nathan''s eyes flickered around to plot ways to dodge. His right leg was usable but not completely functional yet, so his mobility would be limited for the next couple of seconds. But the Grave Tangles seemed to be avoiding any strikes that would hit their own army. So Nathan dropped back out of the sky, feeling the wind and deafening crack of another tendril passing overhead. This part of the army was composed of giant undead snakes. Hundreds of them reared up as Nathan came into striking range. Some of them were recognizably Ashblood Cobras but that was just the start, with dozens of varieties ranging from snakes the size of a normal python all the way up to a black-scaled juggernaut that could have swallowed a train. Not all of them could hiss, but they all tried. Then they struck. Energized by the death magic rushing out from the Grave Tangles, they were just as fast as they¡¯d been in life. Nathan dodged through a dozen snake-strikes in as many seconds, passing through a forest of scaly trunks. He bounced off the sky, ground and the undead like a high-scoring pinball. The colossal black-scaled snake struck for him but Nathan juked to the side and bounced off the nose of a tree-sized viper that was obliterated a moment later by the larger snake.
Parkour 8 achieved!
Then he was through the far side of the army and closing on the first Grave Tangle, finally able to see the source of the putrid magic. It was lit by the reddish glow of flames but Nathan didn¡¯t look back to see what was casting the light. Instead he reached out with his aura to wrestle with the monster before him. A trio of skeletal snake heads reared up from the top of the monster and sprayed acid in his direction. But he¡¯d been expecting the attack and his aura wrapped around each of the heads, boiling away the acid as it was conjured. The heads themselves slumped as Nathan drained the magic animating them. The Grave Tangle opened a huge maw in its bulk, a cavern-sized opening lined with car-sized teeth. It lurched forwards to swallow Nathan - and he let it. Instead of backpedaling he dove deep inside the creature, aiming for the very center of the giant mound of animated flesh and spreading his aura wide. Let¡¯s find out what makes you tick, and break it. The jaws snapped shut on Nathan with surprising force given that he was far, far past its teeth. There was no throat, no digestive system, just a solid mass of flesh that made up the monster. Shards of bones and rough cartilage ground against Nathan, and he felt the pressure bend his ribs. On second thought, maybe this was a bad idea. Oh well, no way out but through! He kept his aura in tight, rendering the flesh around him immobile and lessening the immediate pressure as he spent Stamina to replace oxygen. Then he scanned around with his magical senses to figure out what was going on with the Grave Tangle. He was already draining an enormous amount of the death magic that made the monster tick, but it kept dumping it into the immediate area in an attempt to drown him with the cloying darkness. There was nothing critical like he''d been expecting, no core of the monster that he could target. It was just solid flesh and bone from end to end, all of it boiling with tainted magic - and wizardry. The wizardry was more concentrated than outside, seemingly permeating the flesh of the entire monster. It wasn''t attacking Nathan in any way, but inside the Grave Tangle the rules of Davrar were different. Death and darkness flowed out of the fabric of Davrar to power the monstrosity, and the Grave Tangle used that magic with abandon to press in on Nathan from all sides as well as hurl attacks at his allies. I can¡¯t drain it dry. It¡¯s drawing magic out of nowhere, like Khachi does for his rituals. But this isn¡¯t divine mana, it¡¯s the source of that corruption I felt earlier. If the Grave Tangles had their way all of the land would be covered in this¡­ filth. Nathan spent a moment longer studying the nature of the wizardry all around him. It was different than anything he¡¯d experienced before, but he had the tools to figure it out. Even if being crushed and suffocated inside a giant undead isn¡¯t the ideal study environment. It took a moment for everything to snap into place. This wasn¡¯t like a mana pool, a construct of wizardry that let a mage accumulate a pool of power ready to do their bidding. This was more like a permanent version of one of the spells Badud had cast - something that rewrote the rules of reality in an area. In this case, it made it natural for dark magic to seep out of the world and used that power to sustain itself.
Wizard¡¯s Understanding 10 achieved!
Now he knew what was going on, he just had to figure out how to stop it. That was easier said than done. He had half of the solution, but needed the other half. He needed some way to figure out how he could use his antimagic to break this new style of wizardry. He burned Focus and thought hard about different avenues of attack, modeling different attacks and trying them out as quickly as he could. Spreading out his aura allowed the Grave Tangle to press in on him harder, but he was absorbing so much mana that it was trivial to push back against the pressure with muscle and healing. He started with a drill-like structure but quickly diversified, trying something closer to a spiral before venturing into more distant space, watching how the wizardry retracted slightly when he poked it with a concentrated spike of antimagic. But it wasn¡¯t being absorbed, merely drawing back from his attack. He didn¡¯t have enough antimagic to blanket even a tenth of the monster with that kind of density. He poked again and felt the wizardry retract again before it had fully finished recovering from his first poke. Then he poked it somewhere else, and the wizardry withdrew there too, colliding with itself in a turbulent magical cascade. He concentrated on that turbulence, trying to feel how the wizardry reacted to being pressed into such a tight space.
Wizard¡¯s Detection 7 achieved!
Aha. I think I got you. I''m glad I think well under pressure.
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 6 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 5 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: Void of Magic level 654 Deepened Stamina: 19920/19920 Void of Feeling Antimagic Momentum Raging Thrill Implacable Inertia Unarmored Resilience Magic Anathema Airborne Agility Hand-to-hand Expertise Voluminous Aura Denial of Wizardry Mana Severance
Class: Spellslayer level 479 Regenerative Focus: 1929/4890 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Wizard¡¯s Meditation 8 Inspiration 8 Acceleration 10 Wizard¡¯s Detection 7 Alertness 10 Wizard¡¯s Understanding 10 Effortless Dodge 10 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 5 Parkour 8 Visibility Control 4 High-tier Disguise 3 Mid-tier Battle Cry 10 High-tier Aura Manipulation 10
Chapter 19: Resolving the Intractable Buried inside the giant body of the Grave Tangle, Nathan smiled. Then immediately regretted it as he tasted the faintest amount of rancid flesh. But the joy was real. He had his tool, now he just needed to figure out how to apply it. He planned out the most effective way to use his aura to encourage the destructive turbulence he felt. So far he¡¯d destroyed the smallest part of the wizardry that was the source of the Grave Tangle¡¯s magic. Now he needed to get the rest of it. He gave the wizardry a few more exploratory pokes, refining his strategy as he went until he thought it would work.
Wizard¡¯s Meditation 9 achieved!
Then he unleashed his antimagic, reserving only the smallest portion to defend himself as the rest of it lanced out in dozens of rapid-fire stabs that caused the wizardry to retract away, only to run into another ripple of wizardry. He built the interference until it turned destructive and the overlapping waves canceled each other out. It was a bit like manually controlling noise-canceling headphones and only possible because of the large size of the Grave Tangle and the slow propagation speed of the wizardry.
Congratulations, you have developed the [High-tier Aura Manipulation 10] Utility Skill into [Aura Control]. Utility skill: Aura Control Your Aura moves according to your will.
The process immediately became easier. Nathan¡¯s aura moved instinctively, as if it had been honed by years of training. He canceled the wizardry in a larger and larger area, feeling gleeful as the amount of dark magic flowing into the world dropped dramatically. There was a positive feedback loop between the corruptive mana and the wizardry, and now Nathan was attacking both sides of that loop. The Grave Tangle didn¡¯t seem to notice what Nathan was doing. It certainly didn¡¯t try anything new to kill him. The magic drained away and the crushing pressure went with it. Nathan used the break to extend his assault outward, scouring the wizardry and dark magic from the internals of the giant undead monstrosity. He could feel it slowing down through his magical senses, the attacks more sluggish and its forward progress slowed. There was a tipping point, a moment when Nathan¡¯s influence overwhelmed that of the creature. He drained the last of the magic from the colossal undead and broke the wizardry that generated more. The monster stopped moving and lost cohesion. What had been a unified mass of flesh and bone became a loose heap, held together by nothing at all. It fell apart, slumping down as the mound''s structure couldn''t support its own weight anymore.
Arcane Nullfield 7 achieved!
Nathan burst out of the collapsing pile of rotting flesh into the air. He gained some height and wiped the worst of the gore from his face before taking a breath and looking around. The Grave Tangle had carried him into the center of the army, though there wasn¡¯t all that much left of it. The ground around Nathan was blackened and scorched, with fires burning amongst piled corpses. Scattered undead wandered here and there, but this section of the army seemed to have been destroyed by excessive amounts of fire and lightning. Stella was hard to miss. She hovered in the distance, haloed in crackling light. Three of the spherical lightning-capacitors hovered around her, each spitting out a continuous stream of lightning to wipe out any undead that caught her notice. Then she lifted a hand and flame sparked in her palm, quickly growing into a giant fireball that shot outwards as if fired from a cannon. It impacted amongst a sparse crowd of zombies in a spray of flame. Nathan could feel the heat on his face from here. Damn. She really cut loose. Good thing there¡¯s nothing here we need to not destroy. The walls of Ardglass were awash with flames, the mages likely deciding that now was the time to burn all of their mana to drive away the undead who had gotten close. Likely they didn¡¯t want Stella to aim any of her spells anywhere close to them. Nathan turned to study the rest of the battlefield, seeing that every single one of the mobile statues had been destroyed. There was still a phalanx of the bronze-armored naga soldiers, but Aarl was cutting through them efficiently. Beyond that were the remaining two Grave Tangles. Khachi battled with the nearer one, his shield enhanced with divine light to block a ground-shattering blow from one of the tentacles. A snake-head reared back to spray acid and then fell off the neck as a bullet shattered one of the exposed vertebrae. The Grave Tangle reared back to roar out dark magic, and Khachi roared back his own defiance. Golden light surged forward to meet the black shockwave, pushing the death mana back. The third Grave Tangle had been the most distant and it surged forward to join the fight, occasionally striking out from long distance to aid its compatriot. I think that¡¯s my target. Let Khachi have his duel. Nathan set his sights on the third tangle and sped up, rushing across the battlefield. It looked like his allies had the rest of this stuff handled. All he had to do was kill another of the most terrifying enemies on the field. He passed somewhat close to Khachi¡¯s fight with his own Grave Tangle and felt immense quantities of mana warring back and forth. Khachi had clearly invoked even more power and golden mana surged out of nowhere to battle against the corruptive influence of the Grave Tangle. He¡¯s not winning easily, but I think he¡¯ll take it. Davrar rewards risk, and if I intervene it¡¯ll prevent him from earning levels and Developing his skills and Talents. Nathan flew overhead at highway speeds, rapidly closing on the third and last Grave Tangle. He dodged the attacks it sent his way without trouble. It seemed distracted, rapidly covering ground to close with its peer. Nathan wasn¡¯t going to let it. Now let¡¯s see if I can take it down without diving inside. That was¡­ unpleasant. He came to a stop just above the Tangle. A few enormous pincer-like arms of chitin unfolded from the beast and swung up towards him. He severed their connection to the main body with precise lashes of Antimagic, noting that the mana-generating wizardry only extended to the main body. Then he set to work repeating his feat from before. His aura lanced out in a coordinated pattern, setting up destructive ripples in the wizardry while draining away the dark magic suffusing the flesh. His new skill let him extend his aura further and keep it more coherent, and he didn¡¯t have to approach within thirty feet of the hill-sized abomination to reach all the way through it with a spear of concentrated antimagic.
Aura Control 2 achieved!
The monster continued to try and attack him, but he dodged and disabled every method it attempted. It didn¡¯t seem to have the snake heads of the others, instead relying on the whip-like tentacles and giant insectoid limbs. But Nathan was too close for the whips and disabled everything else the moment it left the central body of the Grave Tangle. The monstrous undead kept moving forward towards where Khachi fought its fellow. It was slowing down, struggling to keep its body together with limited mana, and Nathan had a thought. He looked down at the enormous sluggish undead, below him, then over towards where Stella hovered. She continued to bathe sections of the battlefield in destructive magic, even though all that was left was scattered individual undead. Some of those undead were definitely dangerous, but they no longer faced a cohesive army. Nathan cupped his hands in front of his mouth and waited for a gap in between the Grave Tangle¡¯s roars. Then he yelled as loud as he could, sending Stamina directly to his lungs and vocal cords. ¡°Stella! Kill this one!¡± His words sounded over the crackle of lightning, over the booms of Khachi''s battle against his own foe.
Congratulations, you have developed the [Mid-tier Battle Cry] utility skill into [High-tier Battle Cry]. Utility skill: [High-tier Battle Cry] Your cries will be more intimidating and be significantly more audible across the din of battle.
The sustained bolts of lightning cut out a moment later, though the crackling orbs that produced them stayed. They grew brighter in intensity as Stella crafted a broad cylinder of reflective mana, aiming one end at the Grave Tangle underneath Nathan. He took in the size of the cylinder, then the three capacitor spheres that continued to ramp up in intensity. Then he looked down at the slowly moving monstrosity barely thirty feet below him. Uh oh. He started climbing into the sky, gaining distance against his enemy. It became harder to counter the Grave Tangle¡¯s attacks, but it was moving sluggishly. And he didn¡¯t want to be right next to the thing when Stella finally finished her spell. Khachi won his own battle first. He raised his hammer towards the sky above as his words shook the battlefield. ¡°By my own sacred light I denounce you! Your very existence is the truest blasphemy! I declare you anathema!¡± With the last word he brought down his hammer on empty air. His power surged forward to mirror the action, a furious mass of divine magic crashing down upon the Grave Tangle like the fist of an angry god. Under some interpretations that¡¯s exactly what it is. The Grave Tangle was crushed by the blow, parts of the monster spraying outwards in all directions. Nathan could feel its magic flickering from here. It tried to restore its shape, more magic blooming forth to restore the monster. But Khachi didn¡¯t give it the chance, bringing down his power again and again to bludgeon the monster into submission. The divine power burned away the dark magic and left it as a misshapen and somewhat pancaked mass of flesh. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Nathan¡¯s only warning that Stella was about to fire was a spark of light as she connected her lightning capacitors to her giant lasing tube. A beam of light stretched across the battlefield to connect her to the Grave Tangle with a crack of ionization, and the laser bored into the massive monster with the angry roar of escaping steam. Then she unshackled her lightning. She didn¡¯t use the same lightning bolts that had scoured the battlefield clean. She emptied all three lightning capacitors into the Grave Tangle over the span of a second, unleashing a truly stupendous amount of power in a single moment. There was no pause, no moment where the huge undead tried to contest her power. It simply exploded into a mist of vaporized flesh. Nathan was blasted into the sky and pelted by high-velocity shrapnel that had once been the body of the enormous monster. A piece of bone stabbed into his leg, strong and tough enough to penetrate his skin and lodge in his leg where the heat of it started to cook his calf. He reached down and grabbed the offending projectile, yanking it out and scorching his fingers on the red-hot surface. Then he looked down to see the merrily burning crater where the third Grave Tangle had once been. ¡°Damn.¡± The Heirs convened on Khachi, who¡¯d taken a knee atop the hill he''d been fighting from. The clouds overhead had broken and a sunbeam shone straight down to illuminate the wolfman¡¯s pristine armor. He seemed exhausted, fur slicked with sweat and panting hard. But his mouth was stretched in a pleased grin as he looked over the carnage of the battlefield. He glanced around as the Heirs approached, checking over each one for injuries and merely rolling his eyes when he saw that Nathan was nude and covered with gore. Is his fur a shade lighter? I think it might be. Nathan was going to ask Aarl for a new set of clothes as the fighter approached. But then Aarl collapsed onto the ground. Nathan opened his mouth to tell Khachi, but the wolfman had already seen it. He blazed down the hill, carried upon divine magic. The other Heirs followed, Sarah pulled up last and watched with a tight expression as Khachi turned Aarl over gently to reveal a stab wound in his side. It didn¡¯t look particularly large, but at Khachi¡¯s prodding touch the armor pulled away to reveal necrosis spreading across Aarl¡¯s bronzed body. It covered half of his chest already. His breathing stuttered, and out of the corner of Nathan¡¯s eye he saw Stella lay a gentle hand on Sarah¡¯s shoulder. Khachi¡¯s got this. It¡¯s his whole shtick. The [Shield of Hope] raised both hands high over Aarl¡¯s prone form and spoke. His voice didn¡¯t crack the heavens, but it did reverberate as if there were multiple speakers. ¡°Together we have slain a foul army in righteous battle to protect the innocent! Through my divine power, that deed shall be repaid. Rise, restored by the sacred light and ready to give battle once more!¡± The sunbeam concentrated down on Aarl for a moment as power flowed into him from Khachi. The rotting flesh was wiped away like a stain cleaned with a cloth and the puncture wound in the center healed over in a moment. Aarl¡¯s eyes snapped open and he breathed out an exaggerated breath, sitting up as his armor flowed down to cover his torso and expose his head. He looked over at Khachi where the wolfman was on hands and knees, panting with his head down. ¡°That hard of a target? I didn¡¯t think it was so bad.¡± When Khachi didn¡¯t raise his head Aarl merely reached out and punched him in the shoulder lightly, then stood and offered him a hand. ¡°By the dawn¡¯s light, thank you. Now, don¡¯t we have a city to deal with?¡± Khachi allowed Aarl to pull him upright. He remained haggard, and gestured in the direction of Ardglass. ¡°The rest of you should go deal with that. I need... a moment.¡± Sarah rushed in to hug her brother, bandolier clanking against his armor. ¡°Don¡¯t bait the castlebear! You should have stayed distant.¡± He smirked at her. ¡°And yield to the leaders of the army? Never. Besides, I picked up this.¡± He dumped a wicked trident out of his bag, the tips smoking with dark magic. ¡°It¡¯s what got me. Nathan?¡± He looked around, seemingly noticing Nathan¡¯s state of undress. He sighed and pulled out some rags and a fresh set of clothes. ¡°Here. Priorities. Can¡¯t have you freeing a city looking like¡­ that.¡± ¡°Or smelling like it either,¡± Stella said, wrinkling her nose. Nathan rolled his eyes. ¡°I think that¡¯s the battlefield in general, actually. Can I get some water too?¡± He cleaned up with the rags and some help from a dimensional waterskin as the rest of the Heirs looked around the battlefield. ¡°Do we need to kill the rest of the undead?¡± Sarah shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s nothing too powerful left. We should probably deal with what we can, but they don¡¯t pose a threat to Ardglass anymore.¡± ¡°But they might prevent anybody from going to Giantsrest for a while.¡± Stella pointed out, looking around at the shambling undead stretching into the distance. ¡°All right,¡± Sarah said with a sigh. ¡°Let¡¯s see who can get more. Then meet back here and figure out what to do about Ardglass?¡± ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll attack us?¡± Aarl asked, looking towards the city. It was surrounded by burning piles of undead that sent pillars of smoke into the sky. Nathan focused on the distant city walls as he idly checked over the trident Aarl had looted from the undead champion. He could see people atop those walls looking right back, many in the red robes of Giantsrest war mages. They looked exhausted. He smirked. ¡°No. They¡¯re more tired than we are, and we¡¯re the ones who just beat three Grave Tangles. And blew one of them to smithereens.¡± He raised an eyebrow at Stella as he said it. She looked proud, raising her chin and wordlessly daring him to criticize. ¡°Let¡¯s end this blasphemous fight,¡± Sarah said, already rising into the air. ¡°Before they scatter.¡± The Heirs split up, hunting the undead in their own way. Khachi rested atop the hill where the sun continued to shine down upon him. Nathan ran through the sky, spearing undead with his aura and draining the magic that animated them. Stella threw fireballs, lightning bolts and lasers, switching off without any real pattern. Aarl moved slower than usual, casually hacking any undead he found into pieces, and Sarah''s rifle boomed, shattering the skulls of the far-distant undead. They were greeted with a level-up notification as they reconvened.
Void of Magic has leveled to 694! You and your party have destroyed the ancient legion of Andames, the Shadowed Coil! They will never again trouble the sands of Sklias!
¡°Who got the big guy?¡± Nathan asked. Aarl raised his hand. "The one with the staff."
Utility skill: [High-tier Aura Manipulation] You will find it easier to manipulate your aura, including precisely controlling the shape and density across many targets. Will not increase the size of your aura at all.
Utility skill: [Aura Control] Your Aura moves according to your will.
Pending utility skill: [Mid-tier Battle Cry] You have intimidated foes with a loud yell mid-fight. Your cries will be more intimidating and more audible across the din of battle.
Utility skill: [High-tier Battle Cry] Your cries will be more intimidating and be significantly more audible across the din of battle.
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 7 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 5 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: Void of Magic level 694 Deepened Stamina: 21120/21120 Void of Feeling Antimagic Momentum Raging Thrill Implacable Inertia Unarmored Resilience Magic Anathema Airborne Agility Hand-to-hand Expertise Voluminous Aura Denial of Wizardry Mana Severance
Class: Spellslayer level 479 Regenerative Focus: 2192/4890 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Wizard¡¯s Meditation 9 Inspiration 8 Acceleration 10 Wizard¡¯s Detection 7 Alertness 10 Wizard¡¯s Understanding 10 Effortless Dodge 10 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 5 Parkour 8 Visibility Control 4 High-tier Disguise 3 High-tier Battle Cry 1 Aura Control 2
Chapter 20: Escaping the Win Nathan kept an eye on the walls of Ardglass while he chatted with his friends about the battle. There were a number of mages collected to watch them. If somebody had exceptional aim they might have been able to hit Sarah or Aarl with a [Disintegrate], but Nathan wasn¡¯t actually that worried. They¡¯d just watched the Heirs dismantle an entire army of undead. Though Stella got most of the horde. Anybody with two brain cells to rub together probably knew that Nathan was here, and that he¡¯d single-handedly killed several archmages and Badud back in Giantsrest. The mages in Ardglass were probably hoping that the Heirs would turn around and leave now that the army was destroyed. Sarah fired one more shot, dropping a final undead before her rifle disappeared into its dimensional pouch. "I think this target is dead." The sunlight had spread from the single beam illuminating the wolfman to a large swath of light across the field of corpses. The piles of the dead didn¡¯t look so monstrous in the light. They simply looked dead. Khachi slowly got to his feet. He still looked tired, but not absolutely exhausted. His eyes tracked to Ardglass. ¡°Shall we conquer this city? I am spent, but they are just as tired. The rest of you are fit to fight.¡± ¡°What are we doing with the mages?¡± Sarah said with a frown. ¡°There are a lot of war mages over there.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell them we¡¯re freeing all of their slaves.¡± Nathan replied. ¡°Some of them will probably attack us, and we¡¯ll kill them. Then we tell the ones who are left that Hibril is joining the new administration of Giantsrest and ask if they want to follow him.¡± ¡°Do we worry they will attempt to take over in Giantsrest?¡± Stella asked with a cocked eyebrow. Nathan shrugged. ¡°We can imply that we¡¯ll be around to correct them if they have any lapses. They''re scared of me. That should buy Myrla enough time to get them used to a new normal and to put in contingencies. There''s also the antimages. I wouldn¡¯t put them up against any archmages, but together they should be able to take out some rogue war mages.¡± Aarl was inspecting his new trident, seeming somewhat detached from the conversation. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go do it. Nathan, you¡¯re blazing the path.¡± ¡°Sure," he said, and they set off towards the city on foot, climbing over piles of undead. The mages atop the wall were visibly nervous as the Heirs approached, but none of them did anything but watch. When Nathan was about fifty feet away from the main gate he stopped and pitched his voice to carry to every mage on the wall facing them. ¡°You are mages of Giantsrest, but Giantsrest is no more. The Academy has fallen, most of the archmages are dead. Badud is dead, and the Founders have forsaken you. It¡¯s time for you to make a choice. You can die with Giantsrest, or be part of something new. But either way I¡¯m going to free every slave in Ardglass and send them to Giantsrest.¡± He paused a beat, eyes flicking across the forces arrayed on the walls before him. There were a dozen or so war mages, mostly older men, but a few were on the younger side and there were two women. Then there were nearly fifty green-robed enslavement mages and a score of artisan mages. They were flanked by nearly fifty slave-elites, all of them with weapons slick with gore. One of the older war mages snarled, then raised his hand. ¡°You¡¯ll burn.¡± [Grand Fireball] A dozen more mages joined in the attack, throwing various elemental attacks towards the Heirs. All of them evaporated like a flurry of snow in the blast furnace of Nathan¡¯s aura, and he punched out thin spears of antimagic to break the [Mage Armor] spells of every attacking mage at once.
Aura Control 3 achieved!
¡°Sarah?¡± He said, phrasing it as a request. Pistols appeared in both of the [Sniper]¡¯s hands. Each roared with flame as she shot the mages that had attacked. Most of them were clean headshots, but a few were hit in the neck and one got his ear blown off before a follow-up shot took him through the eye.
Spellslayer has leveled to 488! You have stripped the defenses from a dozen mages so your ally could kill them!
The cloud of gunsmoke cleared, and Nathan looked up at the remaining mages. They were all recoiling from the falling bodies, but weren''t in a hurry to go on the offensive. Seven of the war mages were still alive, and he met their gazes levelly. ¡°Hibril dho Bonaz has surrendered. He¡¯s working with the freed slaves to build something new. You can be part of that. You don¡¯t have to die here. My enemy is slavers, not all mages.¡± Nobody responded immediately, and he gave them a beat to exchange worried glances before following up. "But things will change. Your slaves will be free. Giantsrest is gone, and if you attempt to recreate it¡­¡± He let loose a loud growl, making it clear what his reaction would be to anybody foolish enough to try that.
High-tier Battle Cry 2 achieved!
¡°Now, can somebody open this Endings-damned gate?¡± One of the war mages cast a quick spell, and the gate swung open before them. Nathan and the Heirs marched into the city of Ardglass, heads held high. Pretty different from how we entered Halsmet, isn¡¯t it?
Void of Magic has leveled to 707! You have subjugated the city of Ardglass!
¡ª It took almost a day, and he had to hunt down a few mages who tried to hide within the city. He¡¯d used his magical senses to find mages from a distance before, but it was still a challenge to scour an entire city for mages. The smarter ones didn¡¯t cast any magic, requiring him to pick out their mana pools from the ambient magic left over from the siege.
Wizard¡¯s Detection 8 achieved!
He didn¡¯t kill them, just sending the artisans onwards with a warning and stripping the war mages of their magic.
Void of Magic has leveled to 709! You have chased down several War mages of Giantsrest who tried to escape your judgment!
He had several strained [Message] conversations with Myrla about the logistics and security of another group of mages and ex-slaves arriving in Giantsrest. But eventually, Nathan was comfortable leaving Ardglass. He was very aware that every moment they delayed was another moment that assassins could be catching up to them. In the end they left without fanfare, telling the few people who saw them go that they were going to eliminate some nearby monster nests. Then, they headed west. They quickly lost sight of Ardglass in the foothills of the mountains and paused to debate exactly where they were going next. ¡°Halsmet?¡± Aarl proposed. ¡°It would be nice to see what occurs in that city.¡± Stella shrugged, unenthused. ¡°Most of the people we know from Halsmet are in Giantsrest now. Myrla, the antimages. Most of the elites.¡± ¡°The smart assassins may be lying in wait there.¡± Sarah¡¯s face was shadowed as she looked down, inspecting her revolvers for the dozenth time. ¡°All those we need to see are in Gemore. We should cut straight through the mountains.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t the assassins be in Gemore too?¡± Stella asked with a tilt of her head. ¡°Yes, but it is a harder city for outsiders. And there are more Adventurers in the streets.¡± Sarah replied. ¡°Hear me, but it¡¯s also the only city we need to go to. There and Litcliff.¡± She shot a look towards Nathan. ¡°Where the assassins will be as thick as constructs in a Fortress Foundry.¡± Khachi made a thoughtful rumble. He¡¯d recuperated with some rest and the near-worship of a bunch of freed slaves. ¡°We might as well travel to the site of the ambush, where we drowned the Giantsrest army beneath water. It is the site of our first great victory.¡± ¡°Our first?¡± Stella replied archly. ¡°Not the victory over the Old Gemore constructs outside Tarren? Or the Agmon Legionaries? Or¡­¡± She cast around, clearly having a hard time picking between all the fights they¡¯d been in and won. Aarl replied with a snort. ¡°Those were just skirmishes. Halsmet was a worthy deed, but all in the past. We should look to the future, which means going directly to Gemore to make final preparations for Litcliff.¡± Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°Right.¡± Nathan said. ¡°Sounds good. That reminds me of something I need to figure out.¡± Namely, what final Insights do I give to Sudraiel and the crafters. I told them ¡®no artillery¡¯ before, but I¡¯m wondering if I should relax that restriction with the Ending on its way. A hundred years is about enough time for them to properly integrate industrial Insights. Stella grimaced. ¡°I would rather take up hydra farming than tell my parents I¡¯m leaving the continent.¡± ¡°Hah.¡± ¡ª As they traveled into the mountains Nathan thought about Gemore, and the advance of technology. When he¡¯d last left Gemore he¡¯d laid some restrictions on Beatred, Poppy and Herdin to prevent them developing certain kinds of technology with the Insights he¡¯d given them. He¡¯d primarily been worried about Giantsrest gaining access to mass-produced rifles for their slave-soldiers, as well as artillery to supplement their mages. He¡¯d also wanted to prevent Gemore from going down the same path that Earth had, with industrialization reshaping the world in ways both great and terrible. He¡¯d been afraid of machine-guns that would let a single fighter mow down hundreds of people, or artillery that would be used to level cities. But that had been before he saw the Questors in action, or the unleashed power of the war mages of Giantsrest. There were already ways on Davrar to be extremely efficient at killing - as well as things that demanded that much firepower to kill. Just look at the army we just fought. Thousands of smaller monsters and a couple enormous ones. I don¡¯t think an artillery barrage would be overkill for a Grave Tangle. They¡¯re slow-moving but dangerous to almost anybody who can see them, so artillery would actually be a perfect counter if you didn¡¯t have an elite Adventurer on standby. The more Nathan thought about it, the more he was starting to change his mind on his technology restrictions. Giantsrest was gone, so he didn¡¯t have to worry about them benefiting. And while spreading Insights for [Regeneration] and antimagic would help individuals be better fighters, spreading Insights of industry would help Gemore as a whole fight better. In fact, it¡¯s probably better for Gemore¡¯s development. An elite Adventurer does not in principle require a civilization to support them. They can be a nation unto themselves, killing without consequence unless somebody stronger can bring them to heel. They¡¯re not really incentivized to keep civilization around for practical reasons, just emotional ones. But if those same Adventurers needed ammunition or repairs of industrialized weapons, then they¡¯d require the support of civilization. Additionally, the very nature of the weapons sort of inclined themselves towards teamwork. It was hard to be a lone murderhobo when your weapon was an artillery piece. It was also inarguable that Gemore had enemies deserving of that kind of firepower. Not only were there thousands of dungeons still on the surface of Gemore, but Badud had hinted that there were more below ground and hidden in the sky. That was not a particularly pleasant thought. And even if I prevent the Ending of History, all of those dungeons still need to be cleared. Even if that means hitting them with a few thousand pounds of explosives from ten miles away. Honestly, that¡¯s probably a pretty good way to do it. The Heirs had threaded their way past dozens of dungeons in the deep mountains, and were making camp on a sheltered ledge when Nathan let out a heavy sigh as he considered the dilemma before him. He¡¯d just convinced himself to provide Gemore with more Insights, and now was the time to plan that out. He noticed Sarah shooting him a curious look. Nathan raised an eyebrow at her. She shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re done with Giantsrest. Take the victory for a moment, instead of looking ahead to the next target. The Questors are far away. We have a sea trip ahead of us first.¡± Then she frowned. ¡°And our parents. The Caxol¡¯s are the worst, but dad won¡¯t want us to leave the continent either.¡± Nathan shook his head in response. ¡°That¡¯s not it. I¡¯m thinking about what Insights to give Gemore before I go. Not just the Adventurer Archive, but also the crafters. I¡¯m going to open up the manufacturing of guns, and I¡¯m trying to decide how much more to give them.¡± Aarl joined the conversation. ¡°They¡¯re already in your debt. How much more could you get from them?¡± He paused. ¡°How much more could you give?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Nathan replied. ¡°Some of it might not translate well to Davrar, with magic and skills. But other parts might be pretty trivial to accomplish here with the right enchantments.¡± I¡¯m pretty sure a tank would be a deathtrap, but they might be able to make airships pretty easily. Stella¡¯s shown that air magic can separate out atmospheric gasses pretty easily. His mind ran through the history of chemical industrialization as he considered what to try and give Gemore. Nathan blew air out of his cheeks, eyes going distant as he considered the implications of the magic his friend had developed. Aarl and Sarah exchanged an amused look and went back to preparing the camp as Nathan mused on the potential of magic in industrialization. He hadn¡¯t previously been interested in trying to build up an industrial base in Gemore - he¡¯d thought it would lead to bad things. But that had been before he¡¯d understood the skills of the crafters and the potential of enchantments. Magic can extract pure oxygen from air. Presumably it can do other purification similarly. That - changes everything. I laid out the Bessemer process to Beatred, but you could easily revolutionize steelmaking by bubbling pure oxygen into the smelter instead of straight atmospheric gas. And all that would take is an enchantment on the intake pipe. His eyes went wide at the possibilities as they unfolded inside his mind¡¯s eye. He¡¯d always been interested in the science of industrialization, even if most of the implementation was outside of his grasp. Heat enchantments can almost certainly reach the temperatures required for the Haber process, though they''d need a source of methane. Natural gas probably isn¡¯t an option on Davrar. Electrolyze water to make hydrogen, then use the Sabatier process to make methane from carbon dioxide? It¡¯s probably easier to turn charcoal into methane with gasification. All you need is heat, pressure and a little bit of oxygen. Or hell, they could do gas separation of the air coming out of the sewers. But once they have bulk ammonia then you can get nitric acid with just heat, oxygen and water, and then you can make ammonium nitrate by mixing in additional ammonium. Great for gunpowder production, or just apply the nitric acid to cloth or other organics for more complex explosives from dynamite to guncotton. He internally shrugged, eyes tracking to Stella as he thought. If this was going to work, he¡¯d need to get her to write down some of the Insights she¡¯d figured out to facilitate gas separation. Then he¡¯d need to give the Gemore crafters a crash course on the periodic table of elements, basic chemistry and the reactions that would be most useful to them. All of the Heirs were looking at Nathan now, though their faces were more resigned than wary. This was hardly the first time he¡¯d gone off on a train of thought and they were all waiting for him to return and share. But Nathan¡¯s gaze went past the rest of them to Khachi, who was watching Nathan with a guarded expression. I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ve just convinced myself this is a good idea just yet. I decided not to do this before, so I should be careful before I change my mind. This is a huge decision, even if it''s the right one. ¡°Khachi.¡± He turned to face his teammate, setting his shoulders. The wolfman returned the address with a questioning tone ¡°Nathan?¡± ¡°Before we left Gemore, I decided to withhold many Insights from your crafters. Insights that rule my world.¡± He paused, trying to figure out how to communicate the immensity of what he was considering. ¡°Insights that let us convert one thing into another, to make nearly infinite amounts of things we need. Including weapons and explosives.¡± He gestured towards Sarah¡¯s weapons. ¡°But there was a price. A lot of these processes make toxic byproducts, and the factories where they happened were not good places to work.¡± He chewed on his lip for a moment. ¡°I held the Insights back because I was afraid of Giantsrest stealing them. And because I didn¡¯t understand the capabilities of your crafters, or the potential of magic to overcome a lot of the problems. Now I¡¯m thinking of turning over those Insights. But - can you help me decide?" Khachi met Nathan¡¯s eyes squarely, gold looking into blue as he considered the question. They were interrupted by a shaky breath coming from the side, looking over to see Aarl sitting down as he watched with wide eyes. ¡°This is it, isn¡¯t it?¡± He gestured out over the desolate mountains all around them, lit by the night sky overhead. ¡°Where you two decide the future of Gemore. If it develops like Earth did, or on its own.¡±
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 7 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 5 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: Void of Magic level 709 Deepened Stamina: 21570/21570 Void of Feeling Antimagic Momentum Raging Thrill Implacable Inertia Unarmored Resilience Magic Anathema Airborne Agility Hand-to-hand Expertise Voluminous Aura Denial of Wizardry Mana Severance
Class: Spellslayer level 488 Regenerative Focus: 3791/4980 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Wizard¡¯s Meditation 9 Inspiration 8 Acceleration 10 Wizard¡¯s Detection 8 Alertness 10 Wizard¡¯s Understanding 10 Effortless Dodge 10 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 5 Parkour 8 Visibility Control 4 High-tier Disguise 3 High-tier Battle Cry 2 Aura Control 3
Chapter 21: Hefty Decisions Khachi regarded Nathan squarely, considering the question of industrialization. ¡°You speak of these dangers from the past. Are they in your past, or the distant past of Earth? Is it possible to do this alchemy without it burning those who use it?¡± Nathan tilted his head from side to side before answering hesitantly. ¡°Yes. It''s possible. But every time - over and over - the harm was done first, and only then did we figure out how to prevent it. People died, lots of people, before things got better, and it''s still not perfect. It¡¯s easier and cheaper to do it without being safe. The same thing with the toxins. We killed whole ecosystems, and poisoned a whole generation with lead. We banned whole categories of weapons that are too inhumane to use.¡± Nathan had to stop and take a breath. He was working himself up into a frenzy. ¡°Weapons too inhumane for use against people. Your world has no monsters,¡± Khachi replied. ¡°Every weapon is to be grasped, so long as it does not harm the wielder. If you would share them.¡± ¡°Can we trust people with every weapon?¡± Nathan asked, gesturing to Stella. ¡°It¡¯s like the Insights I refuse to teach Stella. They¡¯ll change everything, and probably not for the better. If every mage can destroy a city, then soon enough there won''t be any cities. I want to help people live healthy and safe lives, but I don''t want to provide the means for people to wipe each other out." Khachi dipped his head. "But those are not the Insights you plan to share. You plan to share deeper Insights of technology, that will enable our crafters to reach new heights. They will change things, and you wish to ensure the change is positive." Stella spoke in an exasperated voice. ¡°It¡¯s already all changing. Giantsrest falls and Gemore expands, and now an Ending is a hundred years away! If Gemore doesn''t change it will die, sure and certain." Khachi held out a calming hand. ¡°Would you strip these abilities from your own people? Return Earth to the time before such Insights were Developed?" Nathan shook his head sharply. ¡°No. They¡¯ve done too much good. Child mortality alone... But I wish it could have been done without so much damage.¡± He¡¯d long been a believer that science and technology were good, but could do massive damage if applied irresponsibly. ¡°In your world these Insights have done more good than evil, with no warning of the harms,¡± The wolfman said quietly. "Do you trust us to act with more care, if we are provided warning of the dangers?" Nathan broke eye contact with Khachi''s intense stare, giving himself space to really dive into that argument. To a large extent, Khachi was correct. Gemore already managed the dangers of Davrar fairly well, and the Adventurer training course had hammered home the importance of responsibility and not waking a dungeon unnecessarily. But now Gemore - and the continent as a whole - faced a terrible danger that he was partially responsible for. He could give them a way to prepare themselves against it and he was hesitating because he thought they might misuse it. But if he wanted to help Gemore, to improve the lives of the people living in his adopted home, then there was little excuse for not sharing. With a sigh, Nathan looked back, reconnecting with Khachi''s gaze. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you, or Gemore.¡± he said softly. ¡°I will share many things. But I have a responsibility to balance the good against the potential harm. I could share limited Insights like I did with the guns, or I can give Gemore a broader base to build off of. But I don''t know which is right." Khachi¡¯s golden eyes were kind. ¡°This responsibility is not yours alone to bear. If you warn us of the dangers of the Insights and still we err, then the fault lies with us. You are not to blame for trusting us. But today, Davrar kills most before they can reach old age. If you wish to change that, if Gemore is to survive and thrive, then I ask that you share your knoweldge. Gemore has struggled against Giantsrest for generations, and now we secure their territory without their Insights. Give us the power to fill that void." ¡°I¡¯ve seen the power of your Insights, even the dangerous ones,¡± Stella said steadily, following up Khachi''s point. ¡°They aren¡¯t a prophecy of doom. They¡¯re power, and power is dangerous. But Gemore has dangerous Insights already. The Adventurers guild exists to control dangerous people." Nathan looked around, seeing the resolve in his friend¡¯s eyes. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s talk through this. But remember, this isn¡¯t just personal power. It''s the power to conquer, to destroy, and we''ll be responsible for the consequences. If we come back and find Gemore has become everything Giantsrest was by using this power, then that will be our fault." ¡°Tell it to the council. We don''t rule Gemore," Sarah said, sitting down nearby and pulling out some paper she¡¯d looted from Giantsrest. ¡°For now, let¡¯s get started.¡± She looked up at him. ¡°How long is this going to take?¡± Nathan shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. A few days?¡± Khachi nodded towards him. ¡°We can spend some time here. This place is safe from assassins, unless they can track us into dungeon-infested mountains and fly.¡± ¡°We¡¯re still keeping watches,¡± Aarl replied. Nathan snorted. ¡°Thanks. Well, let¡¯s get started. Let me draw you a diagram of the basic chemical supply chain, then we can talk about what each thing enables. I want to hear your opinions on what things to include.¡±
Tutoring 6 achieved!
¡ª The next day came and went, and they stayed hunkered on their secluded ledge while Nathan discussed the Insights he wanted to share with his friends before writing them down. There was more than he¡¯d expected, though his knowledge had some clear holes. He had the entire process for producing nitrate fertilizers written out with multiple options for many of the steps, but he couldn¡¯t remember for the life of him how phosphate fertilizers were made. Perfect memory didn¡¯t help if you¡¯d never learned information in the first place. Obviously it starts with phosphorus, which I think needs to be mined. But what does the ore look like? Can you extract it from manure? I¡¯m not sure. You''d need to oxidize the inorganic phosphorous to phosphate, but I¡¯m not sure how to do that. It might just be sulfuric acid and heat. That''s kind of the universal oxidizer in organic chemistry, but I''m not sure it would work for this. Then you¡¯d need to neutralize the acidity, which you could do with ammonium. Is that all that¡¯s needed to make diammonium phosphate? The chemistry makes sense, but I don¡¯t know the details of how you¡¯d make it work. He shrugged and looked down on his summary of phosphorus fertilizer. He¡¯d just need to leave a lot of question marks throughout the document. He could at least note down his guesses and make sure to clearly mark it as uncertain. His memory was infallible, but his suppositions were not. Then he passed it off to Aarl and picked up a clean sheet for the next topic. They¡¯d spent quite a bit of time outlining the important knowledge, and he scanned down the list for the next topic. It looked like he¡¯d just finished the last part of chemistry. Darn. I like teaching intro chemistry, and I doubt I''ll get many more chances at it. They¡¯d covered the basics including the periodic table, some basic physical chemistry and oxidation & reduction. It was basically just the highlights of an undergraduate chemistry textbook with every detail Nathan could remember of the most important reactions - producing sulfuric, nitric and hydrochloric acid, sodium carbonate, the Haber process, aluminum smelting and portland cement. The next topic was metal forging, and after that was steam power, though Nathan had been debating even including steam. The Heirs had been fascinated by the idea when he¡¯d explained it, but they didn¡¯t expect steam engines to make much of a difference on Davrar, given the prevalence of dimensional enchantments. You didn¡¯t need to build a train when a person with a pouch could carry thousands of pounds of goods. Still, Stella had urged him to include it because it might lead to some powerful Insights they couldn''t imagine. But heat enchantments seem really easy. It might be easier to use steam to convert magic to motion than force enchantments. Somebody will probably figure out an Insight to build a steam-powered mech. Beside him Aarl scrutinized the latest paper and then rewrote it on a fresh sheet, cleaning up Nathan¡¯s handwriting and the places where he¡¯d scratched out one explanation to write a different one. The resulting product was clean and precise. When Aarl was done he carefully threaded the corner of the paper through a ring so it would be in the proper order. Sarah and Stella were working together to write down the supporting magical Insights that Stella had developed. That had started with the details on how to use air magic to separate different gasses from each other, but now she was working on distilling down her electricity Insights into something the average mage could understand. They couldn¡¯t exactly plan to teach calculus and magnetism to every mage so they could make electrical enchantments. It seemed to be slow going, but Stella thought she could get a weaker version of her own understanding across, something that would be sufficient for enchanting if not battle. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Khachi was keeping watch, meditating on the edge of the ledge overlooking the vista beyond. They¡¯d been attacked shortly after noon by a pack of silver darters, but Stella had chased the venomous birds away with a few gusts of hurricane-strength wind. Some loose notes had been blown away and had to be hunted down, so now everything was being stored in dimensional bags when it wasn¡¯t being actively worked on. Nathan frowned down at the sheet of paper with the word ¡°cannons¡± written at the top. He knew something about American civil war cannon manufacture, but that wasn¡¯t really what Gemore needed. They needed something closer to world-war one artillery, able to hurl a large explosive multiple miles and strike an unseen target. But he didn¡¯t know how to make a WW1 artillery piece. Start with what you know, then make educated guesses. The Gemore crafters are smart and practical, if they know the basics and the goal they¡¯ll figure it out. I wouldn¡¯t be entirely surprised if I come back in ten years to a bunch of mecha held together with Insights and spit. He got back to work. ¨C They were done on the afternoon of the third day. Sarah held the tome carefully, looking down at it with something akin to awe. She¡¯d looted a couple of reams of blank paper from Giantsrest because they were a valuable commodity in Gemore. Most of them had ended up in the book or been used in the various drafting steps, but she hadn¡¯t complained. ¡°Well, it¡¯s done.¡± ¡°What do we call it?¡± Aarl asked, reaching out a hand to stroke the spine. He¡¯d stitched the cover together out of some spare leather and bound the spine with glue he used to fix clothing. ¡°A book like this needs a name.¡± ¡°The Book of Natural Law,¡± Stella said with a yawn. She¡¯d stayed up late into the night to work on more general versions of the purification spells and see if she could make them work with earth mana for metal as well as air. She¡¯d also tried to distill the full electricity Insight down into something that could be understood by regular mages, but hadn''t had a lot of success. Nathan considered the name. It was good, but didn¡¯t feel quite right to him. ¡°The Engineer¡¯s manual? No, too far the other direction.¡± He frowned, thinking about what kind of thing this was. ¡°I think this needs something more classic. Let¡¯s call it the Liber Physicae.¡± Khachi scrubbed at his ear. ¡°Was that a different language?¡± ¡°Yup,¡± Nathan replied. ¡°It means ¡®physics book¡¯ in one of the old languages of Earth, the one usually associated with scholarship in my part of the world. Seems appropriate to me.¡± Sarah voiced her approval. ¡°It¡¯s a book of Earth knowledge. It should be labeled in an Earth language.¡± Aarl asked Nathan to help him emboss the book¡¯s name into the cover. When they were done he examined the strange Latin letters on the surface, sounding them out. ¡°Liber Physicae. They¡¯re probably going to just call it Nathan¡¯s book, or maybe the Book of Insights. There¡¯s enough in here for a dozen builds, and a hundred crafters. I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s a full process to make explosives from air and water. That seems like a dungeon''s trick.¡± Nathan chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s the great thing about science. It doesn¡¯t care how you feel, it just works. Or doesn¡¯t, as the case may be. But it''s always your fault.¡± Stella scrubbed at her eyes. ¡°I should send something to my parents. They¡¯ve been sending me worried [Message] spells all day. I just told them I was busy.¡± She looked around at the Heirs and then longingly towards her bedroll. ¡°Should we head to Gemore? We could make it by morning.¡± Sarah shook her head. ¡°Talking to our parents will be a prophecy of death. Let¡¯s do it fully rested.¡± She looked towards Stella. ¡°You haven¡¯t told your parents that we¡¯re planning on leaving the continent, right?¡± Stella replied with a snort. ¡°Not for a dragon¡¯s hoard. They won¡¯t believe my power until I show it to them, and even then they¡¯ll try to deny me.¡± ¡°I worry the same of our father," Aarl said, sharing a complicated look with Sarah. ¡°He''s given us more freedom than your parents, but my bones say he¡¯ll fight to keep us nearby.¡± Everybody glanced at Khachi. He replied nonchalantly. ¡°Kia will ask if I am certain. I will tell her I am and she will not obstruct us.¡± He tilted his head up, his aura spreading around him to illuminate the ledge. ¡°I anticipate seeing the light in her eyes as she feels my power.¡± Stella shielded her face from the light and crawled into the pile of blankets that was her bed. ¡°It¡¯s a fight for tomorrow. Can I skip my watch? I didn¡¯t sleep last night.¡± Nathan glanced towards Khachi. ¡°Want to split her watch? I won¡¯t have a challenging conversation waiting for me tomorrow.¡± Aarl cut in with a wry comment. ¡°You¡¯ll just need to prevent the council from tearing you apart trying to get that book once you tell them what it is.¡± Khachi nodded his acceptance. ¡°I must meditate to replenish my Faith for the flight tomorrow. We do not all possess infinite resources.¡± He shot a mildly sour look at Stella. ¡ª The next day, Stella confirmed that he was scheduled to speak to the council of Gemore soon after they arrived. She¡¯d expected it to be harder to schedule the seven guildmasters on the council, but as soon as she¡¯d mentioned that Nathan needed to speak to them they¡¯d cleared the time. It was a good thing too - the Heirs were planning to spend as little time in Gemore as possible to lessen the risk of Assassins. They¡¯d fly to the city, do their business and then head south to Litcliff to find a ship. I¡¯m surprisingly nervous about the meeting with the council. There¡¯s a lot to go over, and I worry they won¡¯t accept that the Endings are coming. Or how important the Liber Physicae is. Nathan sighed, closing his eyes for a moment and telling himself that the meeting would go fine. Sudraiel was on the council as the Guildmistress of the Adventurers, and he¡¯d heard Herdin had taken over the Crafter¡¯s guild again after the impact of the firearms Insights. That was good. They¡¯d listen to him and appreciate the Insights he carried. And he would be able to release Herdin from the oaths he¡¯d had her swear on using his Insights. Still, there are seven guildmasters total, and they vote on courses of action. I hope the rest will take my warning seriously. They were getting close to Gemore, and Nathan looked down on the foothills. He could just pick out the place where the Grave Tangle had almost killed him, the Giantraiders and the Vanguard. He¡¯d been saved by the Heirs¡¯ parents, the Guardians of Gemore. It had been his first introduction to how dangerous the world really was. Now I¡¯m confident I can kill a Grave Tangle myself. So can Khachi. Stella could probably handle one if she had somebody to distract it. We¡¯ve outgrown the Guardians. They came over the final foothill and Nathan looked down upon the giant ruin of Old Gemore, with the mountain in the center that bore the living city of Gemore. It was still an impressive sight, but less so now that Nathan had seen the Ascendent Academy. The first time he¡¯d seen the massive city he¡¯d wondered what could have destroyed it. Since then he¡¯d seen dungeons and the armies they could spawn. He no longer had to speculate what could destroy a city the size of Old Gemore. He knew.
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 7 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 5 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: Void of Magic level 709 Deepened Stamina: 21570/21570 Void of Feeling Antimagic Momentum Raging Thrill Implacable Inertia Unarmored Resilience Magic Anathema Airborne Agility Hand-to-hand Expertise Voluminous Aura Denial of Wizardry Mana Severance
Class: Spellslayer level 488 Regenerative Focus: 4980/4980 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Wizard¡¯s Meditation 9 Inspiration 8 Acceleration 10 Wizard¡¯s Detection 7 Alertness 10 Wizard¡¯s Understanding 10 Effortless Dodge 10 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 6 Parkour 8 Visibility Control 4 High-tier Disguise 3 High-tier Battle Cry 2 Aura Control 3
Chapter 22: A Tainted Return Ever since Nathan had picked up his magical senses, the transit roads of old Gemore had confused him. They just didn''t seem to follow the rules for normal mana-based magic. When he''d learned about wizardry he''d wondered if it could explain the spatial nonsense that went on with the roads. Now, he¡¯d asked his friends if he could stop and examine the roads so he could satisfy his curiosity. He stood in a clear area just to the side of the enchanted road with his senses focused on the grandiose enchantment buried underneath the cobbles. The roads were suffused with just as much wizardry as the Ascendent Academy had been. However, there were more differences than similarities between the two ancient wonders. The transit roads of Gemore weren¡¯t aware in any way, and didn¡¯t seem to have any kind of monitoring component. It was just a stationary enchantment, albeit a very advanced one on an enormous scale. He delved deeper into the feeling of the wizardry, noting how it was different than what he¡¯d encountered before from Badud and the Academy. It felt less tangible, less focused on matter and more focused on the fabric of space. Dimensional-flavored wizardry? It¡¯s not a different type the way there are different mana types, but it feels like the entire spell is in a slightly different wavelength that is more in tune with spatial effects.
Wizard¡¯s Detection 9 achieved!
The other Heirs lounged around the courtyard. They were keeping a wary eye on the ruined buildings of Old Gemore. The monsters that prowled these ruins weren¡¯t much of a threat to them anymore, but even a stalker could claw your face off if it caught you by surprise. They left Nathan alone. He had enough of a track record of staring at weird magical things for them to trust him that far. But he had promised not to break it first. I probably could break it. Isn¡¯t that a scary thought. I bet it would be enough to rank-up Arcane Nullfield. Definitely not going to do it. Gemore depends on these roads, and I think this enchantment spans the Tokyo-size ruins of Old Gemore. He delved deeper into the network of wizardry underneath him, noticing how it stretched out to both sides of the road. The magic seemed to be stretching the structure of space and holding it in place. The effect was most notable on the road, where reality was scrunched up and compressed down to facilitate the fast-travel effect. But the web stretched out across the city, subtly stretching reality in all directions. This wizardry is also creating more space inside the walls, though it''s not a significant effect except compounded across the city. I wonder if anybody¡¯s ever noticed. It seems like a lot of effort for a relatively small effect. I wonder if there¡¯s another reason they did it. Nathan drew his brows down and closed his eyes as he held the structure of the wizardry in his head. It was taut, but the magic wasn''t doing any work. It was like supporting two heavy weights by connecting a rope to both and then hanging them from a tree. This isn¡¯t just a spatial compressing spell linked to a spatial expansion spell. If I understand wizardry properly both of those would take constant energy to maintain. But somehow this magic has linked them together to support each other. It¡¯s completely stable, self-maintaining and has no obvious failure modes unless tampered with. Let¡¯s not do that.
Wizard¡¯s Meditation 10 achieved!
He opened his eyes and breathed out a long breath. ¡°I can¡¯t use the transit roads. At best they won¡¯t work for me, at worst Old Gemore explodes.¡± Aarl snorted. ¡°Is that all you learned from ten minutes of silent contemplation? We were planning to fly over them anyway.¡± Nathan smirked back. ¡°I also got two rank-ups. Both to unique skills.¡± ¡°I hope your own fire burns you,¡± Aarl replied, shaking his head in mock disgust. ¡°Ranking up skills by sitting and studying ancient magic. I should have been a mage.¡± Stella spoke up, sounding dour. ¡°I can¡¯t even feel what he¡¯s talking about. It¡¯s all blasphemous twisting of space.¡± She seemed grumpy. ¡°My parents don¡¯t know either, unless they hold secrets from me. And nobody can explain wizardry to me either.¡± Nathan scratched his head awkwardly as they climbed over the buildings and set course for the center of the ruined city. ¡°I think it¡¯s easier from the antimage perspective. Also, this wizardry is pretty subtle compared to what Badud was throwing around. That made it a lot easier.¡± They flew in silence for a time before descending into the large open square before Gemore¡¯s enormous walls and making for the gates. Khachi let out a long, satisfied sigh as they approached. ¡°It is good to be home. The air smells right here.¡± Nathan resisted the urge to make a snarky comment about them leaving and never coming back. Khachi already knew. He was just enjoying the familiarity while he still could, and it would be cruel for Nathan to rub salt in the wound. The guards at the gate of Gemore gave them the stink-eye as they approached. One whipped out an enchanted monocle to scan them for unwanted magical signatures, like mental magic or parasitic monsters. She squinted through the loop and tilted her head as if she was trying to make the image better. Nathan¡¯s aura had been floating around them in a loose haze. It wasn¡¯t enough to interfere with any of the Heirs¡¯ magic items, but it was enough to block most sensory magics. He withdrew it and the guard blinked in shock at what was revealed. She held up a hand. ¡°Halt. You¡¯ve got the mana signatures of¡­¡± she squinted through the monocle again. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what that is. We need to check you out carefully. And as for you,¡± she gestured to Nathan. ¡°You¡¯re a problem. I will need an accounting of what you¡¯ve been doing, and we¡¯ll need individual interviews.¡± He opened his mouth to protest, then closed it. They didn¡¯t have much time, and he didn¡¯t want to spend hours getting interviewed by the Gemore guards to prevent them from bringing a cursed magical item into Gemore. But the poor guard was just following protocol. The whole situation still made his recently upgraded paranoia tingle. This might be justified, but it would leave the Heirs vulnerable regardless. A good assassin could infiltrate the guard, and it would be a great way to get close to us without arousing suspicion. ¡°But we¡¯re elite Adventurers now?¡± Stella said questioningly, gesturing around. ¡°We¡¯re the Heirs! You know. Took Halsmet. Destroyed Giantsrest. Are your ears closed to the world?¡± The guard gave them a hard look. ¡°Sure. But we must be stone certain that you aren¡¯t bringing danger with you.¡± She glanced around as if seeking input, but spoke again before anybody else had the chance to chime in. ¡°Hear me, we¡¯ll do this as quickly as we can. Let¡¯s split you up so the magical signatures aren¡¯t interfering. Then you¡¯ll show me the new items and explain what you¡¯ve done to ensure their safety.¡± Nathan kept his face blank as everybody around him nodded in acceptance. On the face of it this seemed like a reasonable way to deal with them. But his memory was perfect, and this was not how the guards of Gemore dealt with potential risks. They didn¡¯t split people up and examine them individually, they kept tabs on them and reported potential dangers up the chain. But this one guard seemed very intent on splitting them up and interviewing each of them individually. I¡¯m guessing the lead guard is an assassin. I¡¯m not completely certain, so I¡¯m going to wait for confirmation. I should be the primary target, so if I go with her first then that should trigger her to act. I need to warn the Heirs. ¡°I¡¯ll go first,¡± he said amiably and the guard nodded her acceptance, turning to lead him towards the gate. He glanced back towards the Heirs with a wry smile on his face. ¡°Just like coming back from the Fortress Foundry.¡± When we were fleeing Kozar¡¯s anger and ran into Badud and Taeol. Stella blinked in surprise, and Khachi¡¯s brows drew down, but Nathan had already turned to follow the guard into the darkness of the tunnel through the massive wall. He was on high alert, his senses tuned for the slightest indication that they were about to be attacked while trying to seem completely at ease.
High-tier Disguise 4 achieved!
That feels like confirmation, both that she¡¯s an assassin and that I managed to hide my suspicion of her. I''m just the trusting adventurer, back from the wilds and trusting the guards to keep the city safe. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! The moment Nathan stepped into the darkness beneath the gate the woman turned to face him. Her movement was slow and casual, and she had an apologetic look on her face as if she was sorry for the delay. But Nathan felt the Heirs¡¯ attention slide away from them as her off hand struck with casual speed. The limb stretched towards him, stabbing a dagger towards his gut. Nathan swept his hand down, striking her in the wrist hard enough that the dagger spun away and clattered against the stone wall of the tunnel. The assassin¡¯s other hand reached out, seemingly empty. Nathan caught the blow, holding tight onto her hand. He grabbed the arm he¡¯d just deflected with his other hand and glared into her face, speaking loudly. ¡°Who hired you? How many more are there?¡± She merely sneered up at him, triumph written across her features. ¡°Dead men don¡¯t need answers.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Nathan said. Then he felt a numb feeling creep up his arm from where he¡¯d grabbed her fist. There was a faint prickling feeling from where a needle attached to a ring had dug into his flesh. Some skill had prevented him from feeling it until he focused on the injury. Now he¡¯d been injected with a strong paralytic. The poison pumped through his blood, quickly reaching his heart and from there spreading through the rest of his body. It tried to shut down every muscle it found, including his heart and lungs. But it achieved precisely nothing. I think she¡¯s got skills to let her blades get through my skin, and more to enhance her poisons. Still not enough for an [Immortal Body] rank. He grinned down at the assassin. ¡°I don¡¯t seem to be dead. Do I get answers now?¡± She snarled and twisted in his grip, fighting not to get away but to stab him some more. He held on even as her arms undulated wildly. Then she twisted and kicked out at him, a hidden blade in her shoe managing to score across his face. She subsided, looking up in satisfaction as black necrosis spread across Nathan¡¯s skin. The smile died as the black patch faded away. Nathan raised an eyebrow. ¡°You done?¡± Her face was grim. ¡°You can¡¯t resist every poison.¡± She started struggling again, and Nathan sighed and headbutted her. She rocked back, dazed. Then she snapped back forward, the blow entirely ignored and scratched him with a blade strapped to her wrist. Yet another poison coursed through his veins far more quickly than it should. He broke her arm over his knee. A moment later the injury vanished as if it had never been. It didn¡¯t heal, it just reverted to the healthy state of a moment before. She flailed further, trying to stab or kick him but unable to escape his grasp. So Nathan did the only thing he could think of. He swung her bodily into the wall, slamming her hard enough into the stone wall of the tunnel to shatter her ribcage. He didn¡¯t release his grasp on her arms and watched as she recovered from the blow in a split-second, transitioning from badly injured to perfectly healthy without any intermediate stages. He whipcracked the assassin¡¯s arms downwards to slam her skull into the ground, cracking it like an egg. A moment later, she was perfectly healed, even the blood and brain matter sprayed across the ground gone as if it had never been. This can¡¯t go on forever. Even my healing skill has limits. Let''s find hers. He slammed her into the wall again, causing near-fatal injuries that once again vanished. Four more times she recovered instantly from near fatal wounds, though she couldn¡¯t do anything with Nathan jerking her around and viciously smashing her into one solid stone surface after another. On the fifth strike the injuries remained. But Nathan had gotten into the rhythm of it and cracked her against the ground one more time. More bones broke, and he looked down at the brutal injuries he¡¯d caused. Very dead, and staying that way.
Spellslayer has leveled to 504! You have killed the renowned assassin Sael Zithrye, escaping her deathmark!
Void of Magic has leveled to 718! You have struck down a deadly assassin.
There was a sudden burst of noise behind him as the guards and the Heirs suddenly noticed what was going on now that the assassin was dead. The guards hadn¡¯t been prepared for a fight, but the Heirs had. It wasn¡¯t even a contest as Stella knocked them all down with a gust of wind and Aarl and Khachi stood overhead with weapons raised. One of them snarled up at them and held up a polished stone that was blinking with an orange light. ¡°We¡¯ve called the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Don¡¯t charge into that dungeon. Surrender.¡± Nathan walked over, dragging the corpse of the guard. ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± The guards frowned at him, looking at the corpse of their compatriot dully. ¡°Yill?¡± one of them ventured. ¡°She¡¯s only been on gate duty a few days.¡± Nathan held out the dagger he¡¯d plucked from the ground. The edge shone with an oily film of poison. ¡°She tried to stab me with this. Have any of you ever met her before the past few days? Why was she leading gate duty if she was so new to the guard?¡± The guards blinked up at him for a moment, then one of them shook her head and cursed. ¡°Harpy Tits. An imposter with social skills. Ending-damned strong ones to fool us.¡± She held out a hand so they could help her up. ¡°We¡¯ll need to explain to avoid a fight with our reinforcements.¡± After a moment of eyeing the hand cautiously, Aarl grasped it with a metal-clad gauntlet and pulled the guard upright. Khachi stepped back and allowed the rest to clamber to their feet. A familiar voice called down the tunnel. ¡°Come through one at a time, weapons down unless you intend to lose the hands that bear them.¡± Aarl yelled back. ¡°Greetings, Father! An assassin just tried to kill Nathan! She¡¯s dead, and we¡¯re all good here. Can we come through?¡± There was a moment of silence, then Stanel¡¯s voice came back, sounding grumpy. ¡°As your flame calls. Sarah first. Weapons down.¡± The Heirs looked around and shrugged, then Sarah walked into the tunnel, stowing her revolvers into the dimensional pouches at her side. One of the guards frowned. ¡°But the security check?¡± Nathan snorted. ¡°Between my antimagic and Khachi¡¯s divine magic we¡¯re clean. If we¡¯re not then your enchantments aren¡¯t going to pick it up. Besides, we¡¯re going to go talk to the Guardians of Gemore. If something goes wrong, aren¡¯t they the ones who would deal with it regardless?¡± The guard shrugged and looked around at his peers. ¡°I don¡¯t have the stones to say no.¡± All of the other guards nodded their agreement, and the Heirs trooped into Gemore. They were met with a semicircle of thirty Adventurers on the other side, with Stanel standing directly opposite the opening. But the danger was past, and Stanel was fiercely hugging his kids. All of the other Adventurers had relaxed and most were starting to head back towards the guild, sheathing weapons and snuffing magic. Stanel finally released Aarl and Sarah, beaming at the rest of the Heirs. ¡°Your arrival sparks our courage. Onwards to a party for the ages!¡± Then he shot a look towards Nathan. ¡°Except you. Sudraiel and the Council are waiting in their chambers.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be off then.¡± He met each of his friend¡¯s eyes, finding trust and resolve in their expressions. Aarl handed him the Liber Physicae and Nathan leapt into the air to climb the hill without exposing himself to any would-be assassins.
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 7 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 5 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: Void of Magic level 718 Deepened Stamina: 20293/21840 Void of Feeling Antimagic Momentum Raging Thrill Implacable Inertia Unarmored Resilience Magic Anathema Airborne Agility Hand-to-hand Expertise Voluminous Aura Denial of Wizardry Mana Severance
Class: Spellslayer level 504 Regenerative Focus: 3791/5140 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Wizard¡¯s Meditation 10 Inspiration 8 Acceleration 10 Wizard¡¯s Detection 9 Alertness 10 Wizard¡¯s Understanding 10 Effortless Dodge 10 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 6 Parkour 8 Visibility Control 4 High-tier Disguise 4 High-tier Battle Cry 2 Aura Control 3
Chapter 23: Long-awaited Bureaucracy Gemore was built up the slope of a mountain shaped like a curling wave just about to crash. When Nathan had first climbed to the very top to swear the Adventurer¡¯s Oath upon the Seal, he¡¯d passed by the council chambers. They were built at the very back of the shallow cavern formed by the overarching stone of the mountain. At the time he¡¯d thought them incredible works of craftsmanship, rivaling the best that Earth had to offer. The council chambers were an original construction of Old Gemore and had a swooping artistic architecture that pleased the eyes. Since then he¡¯d seen dozens of examples of ancient architecture, including the Ascendent Academy itself. The Council Chambers were still equal to any of them in style, if not in size. It was also definitely a dungeon at some point. Likely conquered when Giantsrest first established a colony out here to loot the surrounding ruins. Before their slaves revolted. The guards on the building opened the front doors as he landed in the courtyard before the grand building. Off to the side was another gate, this one leading to the staircase tunneled out of the mountain that led up to the Seal. It was locked and barred. Nathan nodded to the guards as he strode into the council building, finding a wide stone corridor which took him deeper into the building before splitting to go in two directions. There were helpful signs stuck onto the stone, and Nathan followed them towards the central council chambers. He passed by clerks carrying scrolls or clay tablets. Glancing through an open door he saw a grand vaulted room with a defaced stone statue on the other side. It had been converted into administrative space, and the room was busy with people sorting through shelves to find old records. He was interrupted by a crash as a clerk dropped her load. The woman¡¯s eyes were fixed on the book in Nathan¡¯s hands, her eyes wide and shocked. She looked up and met his eyes before blushing scarlet and turning to flee. He blinked at the interaction but decided not to pursue. Likely a skill of some kind. Maybe it let her read some of what¡¯s in here, or just told her of its value. I should have brought it in a dimensional bag if I wanted it to stay secret. Soon enough he arrived at the council chambers proper and walked into the center of a surprisingly small room with a raised semicircular dais at one end. From the magical circuitry scattered around the room it was obvious that something massively powerful had once occupied the central space, and it looked like dozens of statues had once occupied the dais. But now that space had been filled by seven large desks. Behind each of them sat the council of Gemore, elders all. Nathan knew Sudraiel and Herdin, but he didn¡¯t recognize the other five. They represented the seven guilds of Gemore. Beyond the Adventurers and Crafters there were the Guards, the Villagers, the Farmers, the Gatherers, and the Traders. Three for Gemore, three for the villages and one to tie them all together. All of the Guildmasters were old and grizzled, and each looked down on Nathan with the weight of long experience. Sudraiel was the first to speak. ¡°The Antimage has returned with urgent words for us. But first, let us recall your deeds. You recently freed Halsmet and defeated the army sent to reclaim it. Then you became an Assassin to infiltrate Giantsrest, where you defeated a Questor and cast down the Ascendent Academy." She paused, looking around at the other councilmembers. Her words hadn''t been intended for Nathan, but to remind the other councilmembers who they were dealing with. She turned her gaze back to Nathan again. "What more blasphemous secrets of Kalis do you bring to us?¡± ¡°You struck at Halsmet without so much as a warning.¡± The speaker was a gray-bearded man wearing a breastplate with a sword at his side. He was likely the guildmaster of the Guards. ¡°A single upset archmage could destroy this city.¡± An old woman sitting to his left shot the man a venomous glare. ¡°And a war mage could annihilate a village.¡± She transferred the glare to Nathan. ¡°Tell us, antimage, this news that demands our attention. What other dungeons have you awoken, and will now leave in our care?¡± ¡°Hold the stalker shit.¡± Herdin cut in sharply. ¡°He¡¯s destroyed Giantsrest. Don¡¯t complain when the dragon¡¯s hoard contains some curses.¡± She gestured to Nathan. ¡°Speak, and by the Endings I hope you bring more gold than smoke and blood.¡± Time for the shit sandwich. Good news, bad news, good news. ¡°In Giantsrest I killed four archmages and Badud. The Academy was destroyed in the fighting. All of the powerful mages had been summoned there, and I think most of them died. The only archmage I know who survived was Hibril dho Bonaz, the leader of Azamar. I convinced him to join Myrla in Giantsrest.¡± An old man with skin like leather interrupted with a snort. He seemed disgusted, not surprised. ¡°That message arrived this morning. What kind of blasphemous fool leaves an archmage alive when they have the power to kill him?¡± Nathan returned the hostile gaze evenly. ¡°Somebody with divine magic to see the truth. He truly intends to work with Myrla to build something new, without slavery. I also crippled his magic. He will never again be able to cast a spell larger than a [Grand Fireball]. Instead he''ll teach Giantsrest''s magic to the freed slaves.¡± The man¡¯s gaze turned pensive. He dipped his head towards Nathan apologetically and shot a meaningful look around the room at the other guildmasters. When no further interruptions were forthcoming, Nathan continued. ¡°There were a few more powerful mages in Ardglass, but we saved them from an undead army and sent them back to Giantsrest too. Faline is hunting powerful mages in Lerwick and Skargess. But more must be done. Myrla is making something new out of Giantsrest. You should support her in any way you can.¡± He looked around, seeing that a few of the guildmasters were nodding along while others wore guarded expressions. Ahh, politics. He continued laying out his case. ¡°Right now the reborn Giantsrest is in a pivotal moment. They need¡­ everything, and the next few weeks, months and years will set the tone for the nation they become. If you want a strong ally for Gemore, one with the Insights of the Ascendent Academy, the secrets of Antimagic and the fire of freed slaves, then help them now, with adventurers, food and enchantments. They won¡¯t bow to a new master, but they won¡¯t forget it. Which do you want to replace Giantsrest, a strong ally forged in the same fires that birthed Gemore, or broken chaos?¡± Some of the Guildmasters made to speak, but Sudraiel waved them down and gestured for Nathan to continue. Her raised eyebrows indicated that it was time for him to switch topics. With a thankful nod, he did so. ¡°When I killed Badud, I got a notification. He¡¯s not dead. Apparently, you cannot kill Questors. But, the notification said that he can¡¯t return to the continent until those who knew them should have died of old age. He won¡¯t be able to interfere with what¡¯s going on here for fifty or sixty years.¡± Nathan paused, and the gazes of every single guildmaster weighed heavily upon him. ¡°What more?¡± Said the guildmaster of the Guards. ¡°What prophecy of death do you fear to speak? Our ears are the only ones listening.¡± Nathan tilted his head in acknowledgement of the man¡¯s point and resumed. ¡°When I had Badud in my grasp, but before I¡¯d killed him, Badud said he¡¯d bargain what he had to with the other Questors to make the Ending of History come to this continent early.¡± He raised a hand against the angry inhalations that greeted that statement. He didn¡¯t have to reach into his memory to recall the Questor¡¯s words. They¡¯d burned themselves into Nathan¡¯s brain. ¡°He said these exact words, ¡®A hundred years, a hundred and fifty, and then all of the horrors of history will awaken and scour the land clean. Have you even delved into the depths? Looked for the hidden fortresses in the sky? I anticipate watching joyfully on the day Gemore drowns in ancient magics and monsters beyond imagination.¡¯¡± Nathan looked around the room. ¡°Then I killed him.¡± The guildmasters exchanged worried looks, conflict forgotten for the moment as they absorbed what Nathan had said. Herdin summed it up nicely, swearing sharply. ¡°What a muckgrabber¡¯s asshole. Angry at the loss and swore a prophecy of death against us all.¡± She glanced around the room. ¡°Can we hope that the price was too high? That he reconsidered calling an Ending down upon our heads?¡± Sudraiel¡¯s eyes had gone shadowed, and her gaze was calculating. ¡°We don¡¯t know. Questors have always been the darkest dungeons. Nathan, it sounds like you knew his ways better than we do. What do you say?¡± Nathan shrugged. ¡°Badud is a vindictive bastard, and he was mad. I was only keeping him alive because I was trying to cut him off from magic. It didn¡¯t work, but I definitely damaged his casting. I think that would leave a grudge. If he had some time to cool down and the price was too high then he might reconsider, but in that moment I think he would have paid any price to spite me"¡¯ Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Blight and bane!¡± The swear erupted from the weathered old man, his mouth puckered as if he¡¯d just eaten a pile of lemons. ¡°You belong in a dungeon of fools. You angered a Questor, and now he will destroy us all.¡± The other guildmasters started muttering similar recriminations. Sudraiel rolled her eyes and spoke up, her voice cutting through the rising noise like a blade. ¡°You swore your Adventurers¡¯ Oath to fight the Endings themselves. Now it seems that your path is clear. Will you walk it?¡± Nathan answered her question directly, ignoring the chatter of the shocked guildmasters. ¡°Before he died, Brox told me where to find Sarya Pamaris, another Questor hostile to Badud. She was the one that Badud mentioned negotiating with to start the Ending. She will at least be able to tell me if they actually made a deal, and maybe how to stop it. I¡¯ll hunt Badud across Davrar if I need to. I have a hundred years at least. If I can¡¯t prevent the Ending before that, then I¡¯ll come back to fight the Ending personally." Herdin chuckled. ¡°Will you save Gemore as an ancient man?¡± ¡°One of my unique Developments means that I don¡¯t age,¡± Nathan said with a small smile. He forestalled the next question, clear on every face. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it can be taught.¡± There was some grumbling to that statement, but it wasn''t angry. The Guildmasters were used to the vagaries of Insights, and if he said it couldn''t be taught they wouldn''t contradict him. Not without the equivalent of a masters degree in mammalian cellular biology. Maybe Shom will figure it out, but I¡¯m not going to be holding my breath. Sudraiel¡¯s glare was penetrating. ¡°Will the Heirs go with you?¡± ¡°They will. We¡¯re being chased by assassins. We¡¯ve been attacked by two, and have gotten messages from Myrla that more are following us. So we¡¯re leaving for Litcliff later today to find a ship and hopefully get away from them.¡± ¡°Maybe the Questor decided assassins were cheaper than an Ending,¡± said the old woman whom Nathan was pretty sure was the representative from the villages. She sounded like she was trying to convince herself. Herdin¡¯s eyes had found the book. ¡°You have a gift for us before you leave.¡± She held a hand out, one eyebrow went up in a silent question. Nathan grinned at her, stepping forward to drop the Liber Physicae onto the desk before her. He spoke directly to her, though the words were loud enough for everybody to hear. ¡°The Heirs helped me write it over the last few days. This is why we were late. We call it the Liber Physicae.¡± Some of the guildmasters had started talking urgently with each other, ignoring his conversation with Herdin. Nathan stepped back to the center of the room and pitched his voice louder to capture their attention. ¡°It is a book of Insights.¡± Those were the magic words, and everybody turned back towards him, glancing at the book as Herdin pulled it towards her and started leafing through the figures, pausing on a diagram of a thermal cycle. ¡°That book can change Gemore.¡± Nathan said once the room had quieted down. "There are dozens, hundreds of Insights in there.¡± Herdin¡¯s face jerked up in surprise, and she looked at him questioningly. ¡°You mean, all the Insights behind the guns, the ones you forbid to us¡­¡± Nathan met her gaze levelly. ¡°Every Insight behind the guns, and more. I release you from your Oath to me, and empower you to release every other crafter who swore it. Those Insights will let you make gunpowder and other, better explosives from air, water and magic. They will let you make massive amounts of high-quality steel, and give you ideas what to do with it. There are details of fertilizers there that will help with crop yields, and suggestions for new tools and weapons. Weapons that will let low-leveled people destroy a Grave Tangle from miles away.¡± He raised his hands defensively as the guildmasters looked on in shocked silence. ¡°I don¡¯t know what will work and what will not. You¡¯ll need to develop new skills and magics to fill in the gaps, but I¡¯ve provided a number of basic Insights that should help with that. Stella¡¯s added a number of magical Insights to help, but there¡¯s a lot more to be discovered.¡± He turned towards Sudraiel. ¡°I know you wanted more Insights for the Archive. The basic information here is the foundation for at least four different schools of magic, likely including air, metal and lightning mana, as well as a few completely new things.¡± Maybe there¡¯s heat mana, or steam mana. That would be interesting. ¡°Gemore already has a lot of crafters who can make powerful enchantments. With these Insights and the ideas behind them they¡¯ll be able to do incredible things. If you start an industrial revolution and never stop, then there¡¯s a chance that Gemore can survive the Ending even if I can¡¯t stop it.¡± He stared challengingly at the Guildmistress of the Adventurers. The one who¡¯d founded the Adventurer Archives, who¡¯d promised to open-source powerful Insights to raise up all of Gemore. ¡°But only if they¡¯re shared widely. Don¡¯t hide this information. People already know I brought it here, and it will work best if every Adventurer, every crafter and every villager can build upon it.¡± He clasped his hands together and looked around the room. Every single guildmaster was focused on the book in Herdin¡¯s hands like it was priceless - which it was. Sudraiel swallowed and spoke, her voice faint. ¡°By your light, this Dragon¡¯s hoard will be used.¡± The withered old man clicked his tongue. ¡°No book can save us from the Ending of History.¡± ¡°Hold your noise,¡± Herdin replied absently, looking down at one of the diagrams Stella had made describing how to make an oxygen filter. ¡°Get the scribes in here. I want a dozen copies made before the sun goes out, and I will not let this book from my sight until then.¡± The brown-skinned woman looked up at Nathan, faint tears in her eyes. ¡°Thank you. Gemore will provide you aid as long as it exists, sworn on my guild." The guildmaster of the guards harrumphed, but Sudraiel cut him off. "Agreed." Nathan nodded his acknowledgement. ¡°I was being silly about hoarding my knowledge. I¡¯m sorry it took me so long. Heed the warnings in the book, for many of those Insights can cut the hand that wields them.¡± Herdin chuckled, continuing to leaf through the pages. ¡°You¡¯ve left us much to discuss and a mountain of work for me. Is there anything else?¡± Nathan hesitated, then blew out a breath. "The Grave of All Giants - the dungeon that the Academy was built on. It was something special, something called a ''Grand Dungeon.'' When we destroyed the last of the golems we got a notification that there were 80 grand dungeons left on the continent, and that defeating the grand dungeon would boost our future class Developments." Sudraiel''s face was fixed in a frown, but she didn''t appear to consider this groundbreaking information. At least not compared to the bombshells Nathan had already dropped. "Thank you. Will you be at the guild if we have questions?" He shook his head. ¡°We¡¯re leaving soon, before nightfall, to avoid the assassins. But a [Message] to Stella can reach me.¡± Sudraiel gave him a firm nod. ¡°We will follow your flame. May it burn bright.¡± It was a clear dismissal, and Nathan turned and left the room. Before the door closed behind him he heard one of the other guildmasters ask, ¡°Where did these Insights come from? That other world nonsense? How powerful could they be?¡± He smirked, wondering how Sudraiel and Herdin were going to handle that. They might not have to - the benefit of his Insights would be apparent soon enough. Once he was out of the council chambers he turned his attention upwards, towards the cresting mountain of Gemore that loomed overhead. Time to see what my new senses can reveal about the Seal.
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 7 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 5 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: Void of Magic level 718 Deepened Stamina: 20303/21840 Void of Feeling Antimagic Momentum Raging Thrill Implacable Inertia Unarmored Resilience Magic Anathema Airborne Agility Hand-to-hand Expertise Voluminous Aura Denial of Wizardry Mana Severance
Class: Spellslayer level 504 Regenerative Focus: 5140/5140 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Wizard¡¯s Meditation 10 Inspiration 8 Acceleration 10 Wizard¡¯s Detection 9 Alertness 10 Wizard¡¯s Understanding 10 Effortless Dodge 10 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 6 Parkour 8 Visibility Control 4 High-tier Disguise 4 High-tier Battle Cry 2 Aura Control 3
Chapter 24: Lessons of the Past Nathan strolled over to the sheer rock wall, inspecting the gate that blocked access to the tunnel that spiraled up to the peak of the mountain. Out of habit he checked the lock. It was enchanted, but beyond that it was three inches of solid steel. It wouldn¡¯t be impossible for him to break, but it would be loud, painful and slow. But unlike past locks, this time I can just ask. The guards on the front of the council chambers were openly watching him, and stiffened unconsciously when he turned towards them and jerked his thumb at the gate. ¡°Can you let me through?¡± The older guard had an answer ready. ¡°We need orders to unlock the gate from a Guildmaster or an Elite Adventurer.¡± The other guard rolled her eyes. ¡°Sil, you know who this is. He may not officially be an elite yet, but he killed the Endings-damned Academy. He was just alone with the council. Let him through the blasphemous gate.¡± The first guard was unconvinced, and Nathan sighed. ¡°I can fly up if I need to. It¡¯s just tiring.¡± He started walking straight up into the air. The older guard relented. ¡°Harpy¡¯s tits, fine. Don¡¯t be burned by your own fire, and don¡¯t break the seal. I''ve heard about what you can do.¡± Nathan watched as the guard walked over to unlock the gate with a large key. ¡°I won¡¯t. But do you know why? What would happen if somebody does break the Seal? Why do the Adventurers defend it every Solstice?¡± The guard shrugged, yanking open the heavy gate with the whine of unlubricated hinges. ¡°It¡¯s a rule of the Guilds. Defend the seal over all else. Cantila, do you know?¡± The woman¡¯s dark brows creased in thought. ¡°The Book says it was a rule established by a Questor. If the Seal is broken or captured by monsters then Gemore will share its fate.¡¯ That¡¯s the only light I know.¡± Nathan gave a small bow. ¡°Thank you. You can lock the gate behind me, I¡¯ll come down another way.¡± The older guard sighed again, re-locking the gate. ¡°You certainly act as an elite Adventurer.¡± He glared at Nathan. ¡°Don¡¯t break it.¡± Nathan held his hands up defensively. ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± Probably. I just want to try to understand it. And if I think I can open it safely¡­ well, I should probably grab the Heirs and their parents before I do that. He jogged up the steps, remembering the other two times he¡¯d climbed this passage. The first had been the night of the Solstice, when he¡¯d been forced to duel Simla in order to prove himself worthy of swearing the Adventurer¡¯s Oath. And I ended up swearing a different Oath than normal. Instead of merely swearing to protect Gemore against all comers, I swore to fight the Endings themselves. To change things, not just maintain the status quo. That felt like so long ago. He¡¯d been level 52 in [Spellbreaker Juggernaut] back then, and so much less powerful than he was now. But it had marked a turning point in his life. The secret of Earth had been revealed to all of Gemore, and he¡¯d found acceptance here regardless. The second time had been shortly thereafter, when Kia had dragged him to the top of the mountain to give him the [Airwalking] Insight. He hadn¡¯t known at the time that she¡¯d kick him off the mountain, but it had granted him the [Slow Fall] Talent which had Developed into [Airwalking] to complete his build. That had been the moment Nathan had really started to become an Elite Adventurer. Directly afterwards Kia had impressed upon him the exact magnitude of the Oath he¡¯d sworn, and made Nathan understand how deadly Davrar was by showing him the majesty and power of Old Gemore in its heyday. So much has happened. I didn¡¯t truly know what I was getting myself into back then, in swearing to fight Giantsrest. I¡¯d been in a few fights, but I hadn¡¯t killed anybody yet. If I knew the path I would walk back then, would I have climbed this mountain? He considered the question as he climbed through the darkened tunnel, repeating his long-ago pilgrimages. I¡¯ve changed since then. Grown harder. More willing to do bad things for good reasons. But I''ve seen those good things follow, too. Halsmet is free, and Giantsrest along with it. I took down an empire of Slavers, and the cost was lower than I could have expected. I would do it all again, and that''s really all you can ask. Though I would have tried to save Nornan from that Ashblood Cobra. He and his team would have benefited so much from the Adventurer¡¯s Archive. And - I wouldn¡¯t have killed some of those mages in Halsmet. They didn¡¯t all deserve to die. Not every mage was evil, most of them were just living in the system until I broke it. Death isn''t always the answer. What about now? Nathan was about to embark on a journey full of unknown perils with yet another impossible goal. Was there anything he should be thinking about, any preparations he needed to make? I need to understand more about the games of the Questors, and the Seal is part of that. It doesn¡¯t usually get attacked on the Solstice, but when it does a Questor arrives to help defend it. Maybe I can find out why. He emerged from the tunnel into the sunlight atop the empty mountain. There were no railings or platforms, just an expanse of uneven rock that dropped off in all directions towards the ruined city of old Gemore that surrounded the lonely mountain. The only examples of worked stone were the tunnel Nathan had just emerged from, the plinth of stone that served as the stage for the ceremony, and the Seal. The Seal itself was a forty-foot wide stone circle that looked like a giant vault door. It had seams where different pieces of rock joined together, and the stone surface was covered with spidery symbols. On the night of the Solstice those symbols would be glowing, and a pillar of magic would reach upwards from the Seal. It sure looked like it was recharging the sun. Nathan found himself apprehensive about approaching the Seal and instead wandered around the peak for a few minutes. He found the spot where Kia had kicked him off the edge and glanced downwards. He¡¯d completely lost any fear of heights with [Airwalking], but it was still an impressive drop. Next was the divot in the mountaintop that marked the place where he¡¯d dueled Simla. The other Adventurer had set off a magical grenade after calling Nathan out for not being native to Davrar. I wish Simla had survived the Fortress foundry. He seemed like he was starting to rethink the party line of the traditionalist Adventurers. Though they stopped mattering much once Halsmet was liberated and Kozar died. I¡¯m not as sad about Kozar getting killed. That man was an abusive asshole who wanted me dead. Finally, Nathan approached the stage set next to the Seal. It was the central focus of the ceremonies on the Solstice, where the Adventurers spoke eulogies for those fallen before the Guildmistress told the Tale of Endings. Committing the Tale of Endings to memory is what Developed [Enhanced Memory] to high-tier. Let¡¯s see, how did that go? He could see Sudraiel in his mind¡¯s eye with perfect clarity, reciting the ancient warning. ¡°The Tale of Endings is not something written. It is for times when writing is lost, times when civilization dies, when there is no priority but survival. Remember the Endings when cities die and the land breaks. If you lose all else, if nothing else will survive, preserve yourselves, and preserve the Tale of Endings! This is the story of how the world Ends. We record not what was lost, but how it was lost. The Prophecy will allow survival of the Endings. The world has ended before, and will end again! The order of the Endings is the only part of the story that truly matters! ''Magic Gods Monsters Undeath Wrath Storm Deicide Elements History Spite Silence.''" There¡¯d been a bit more, but it seemed like the order of the Endings was the most important part of the Tale of Endings. The last Ending had been the Ending of Elements, and the next was the Ending of History. Brox had made reference to participating in the Ending of Deicide. But most of what Nathan had gotten from the story was that the Endings were effectively the end of the world, and he¡¯d sworn to do his best to stop them. That memory was clear as Nathan ascended the steps to stand in the very place he¡¯d sworn the oath. By the Endings of Davrar and the wonders of Earth, I vow to fight the Endings themselves. I will prevent them from happening at all, if it can be done. May my class be stripped from me if I forswear. I will protect the people of Gemore from that which would assail them, be it monster, person, or Ending! This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it He considered those words. He hadn¡¯t known if it was possible to stop the Endings when he¡¯d sworn the Oath. But that hadn¡¯t stopped the Heirs from swearing it right alongside him. Now they were all committed to going out into Davrar to find Questors and get some answers. But it would be nice to learn as much as he could before he left. Nathan looked down at the stone of the Seal and sat down on the stage to study it from up-close. Time to see if I can find any more clues about the Endings. He focused his magical senses onto the ancient stone. He¡¯d noticed as he approached that the Seal wasn¡¯t emitting any blatant magic, which tracked with what he¡¯d heard earlier. If normal magic senses could understand what was going on with the Seal then it wouldn¡¯t be nearly so mysterious to the Adventurers of Gemore. There was certainly wizardry going on, and a lot of it. The first layer appeared to be some kind of shielding enchantment that blocked magical perception. It was subtle but effective, creating a wizardly distortion that blocked magical signals. Nathan didn¡¯t want to try and break any part of the Seal''s magic. He didn''t understand what it did, but knew that any damage could jeopardize Gemore. But he didn''t have to break it. He¡¯d defeated ten-layer locks inside the Ascendent Academy, and half of the challenge had been seeing what lay past the first few layers. He closed his eyes and started spending Focus while concentrating on the Seal, tuning out the interference from the shield. After what must have been nearly half an hour of concentration, he found himself able to see the structures beyond.
Wizard¡¯s Detection 10 achieved!
The next layer was powerful reinforcement magic that made the seal itself nearly impervious to damage. Nathan was pretty sure a [Disintegrate] spell wouldn''t do a thing, and the only weapon he¡¯d seen that could scratch the enchantment and the stone it protected was the black-bladed sword Brox had dropped when he¡¯d died. Unless I stripped the wizardry with my antimagic. Then it¡¯s just normal stone and Stella could mold it with her earth mana. Past that was where it got complicated. Nathan had gotten used to detecting mages by sensing their mana pools - which lay in a kind of metaphysical dimension that paralleled the physical one. Unless he was mistaken, underneath the Seal was a massive construct that lay primarily on the other side of that barrier, made of wizardry and mana. He frowned as he started mapping out the machine. It was enormous, and there were parts here and there that appeared blank. It was like the parts of the mana pools Nathan couldn¡¯t sense, where there was something there, but he couldn¡¯t get a feel for it. Only about half of the giant mechanism was actually active, with power flowing through in the form of both mana and wizardry. He followed the flows farther into the mountain and then felt his mouth go dry. There was a colossal mana pool down there, buried deep within the stone. He¡¯d been hanging out with Stella for a while now, and had gotten used to being near enough mana to shatter a mountain. Some of the archmages he''d run into had also possessed enormous mana pools. But this power dwarfed all of them, and it wasn¡¯t even full. Feels a bit over half full actually. Which makes sense, we¡¯re a bit over halfway to the next Solstice. This thing is storing power for that event. I suppose it takes a lot of mana to keep the sun ticking. But there was more to it than that. The mechanism was both absorbing and releasing ambient magic into the world around it, seeming to store away a portion of what passed through. The mechanisms that split the mana were the portions Nathan couldn''t sense, and he was puzzling through what they did. Hooked directly to them was a fairly obvious switch on this side of the metaphysical barrier, right on the other side of the stone doors of the Seal. He didn¡¯t know if the wizardry he was feeling had a physical counterpart, but he was guessing that it did. The switch had three positions, and was currently set to the middle one. It felt like the only control object on the entire system, but he couldn¡¯t figure out what it did any more than he knew what the entire machine did. It changed something about the mana splitting portion of the Seal, but he didn''t know what. Whatever it did, the amount of power going through it was ludicrous, on the scale of megatons of explosives. The only thing I can think of that would use that amount of power is the Ending. Maybe one side makes it happen sooner, the other later? Nathan tried to map out what would happen for each of the potential switch positions and ran into a wall. Each of them seemed to provide inputs into mana splitters as well as the rest of the mechanism, and he quickly lost track of all of the connections in the bowels of the magic. He let out a frustrated breath. I should be able to figure this out. I¡¯ve got the skills. But what does the Seal as a whole do? It¡¯s more complicated than it needs to be to just control what happens on the Solstice. He considered activating the switch, pushing it one direction or the other. It wouldn¡¯t be particularly hard with his Aura. He could do it from here, and if something bad happened then he could just switch it back. Let¡¯s hold off on that. I can infer the parts I can¡¯t feel from what¡¯s around them. Most of them seem to be for interacting with the ambient mana, processing it somehow. What are the rest? Nathan spent some time and Focus trying to suss out the details of each invisible section of the machine. He made some progress - some of the blank sections seemed to swap the type of mana that went into them, since the mana conduits were specialized differently on the inputs and the outputs. But that didn¡¯t help him understand the machine as a whole. It was just too big, too much detail for him to fully hold in his head. It was like looking at a computer model of a tokamak fusion reactor and trying to figure out what it did from first principles. He was growing more and more frustrated. He reached out with his aura, intending to flip the switch to the left. He kept his attention on the machine below, anticipating how it would change when he adjusted the controls. Then he froze. His eyes opened, and he exhaled and reeled his antimagic back in slowly. I really shouldn''t poke this. I don¡¯t think I''ll mess it up, but the risk is significantly higher than zero, and I''m just here to assuage my curiosity. That''s not sufficient justification to risk killing everybody on this continent. He took a mental step back, pulling his attention back from the details. He was missing the forest for the trees. He needed to hold the entire machine in his head, but not necessarily to the highest level of detail. He wanted to know the purpose of what it did, not the exact details of how it happened. That could come later. The shape solidified in his mind, a teardrop of metaphysical architecture wrapped around the largest mana pool he¡¯d ever seen. Ambient magic flowed into it from the world and was emitted back out once again, like the breath of a god. But that mana was altered slightly. The ambient mana that flowed in was a mix of everything around Gemore, with life and stone and air and fire and every other component of Davrar. But what flowed back out had a different profile, cleansed of something. All scraps of death mana were scrubbed away, along with crystal and a few other kinds Nathan couldn¡¯t name. He would never have noticed it without his recent encounter with the Grave Tangle and its corruptive death magic. It¡¯s a filter. It¡¯s filtering out the death mana and anything else inimical to life.
Congratulations, you have developed the [Wizard¡¯s Meditation] utility skill into [Tranquility]. Utility skill: [Tranquility] Your mind will be calm and focused under all conditions, and your mind¡¯s eye is expanded.
Utility skill: [Wizard¡¯s Meditation] This skill will allow you to remain focused and undistracted both on the battlefield and as you understand new magic. It will make it easier to predict and understand both wizardry and mana-based spells.
Utility skill: [Tranquility] Your mind will be calm and focused under all conditions, and your mind¡¯s eye is expanded.
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 7 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 5 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: Void of Magic level 718 Deepened Stamina: 21429/21840 Void of Feeling Antimagic Momentum Raging Thrill Implacable Inertia Unarmored Resilience Magic Anathema Airborne Agility Hand-to-hand Expertise Voluminous Aura Denial of Wizardry Mana Severance
Class: Spellslayer level 504 Regenerative Focus: 3431/5140 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Tranquility 1 Inspiration 8 Acceleration 10 Wizard¡¯s Detection 10 Alertness 10 Wizard¡¯s Understanding 10 Effortless Dodge 10 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 6 Parkour 8 Visibility Control 4 High-tier Disguise 4 High-tier Battle Cry 2 Aura Control 3
Chapter 25: The Origin of Corruption Nathan sat atop the mountain, considering what he''d learned. He had one answer, but many more questions. The Seal filtered out deadly magic around Gemore, exchanging it for magic that encouraged life. But why? How far did its reach extend? What happened when those switches were swapped to other positions? Something about the filtering changes, most likely. He opened his eyes and looked to the sky. He¡¯d been sitting here for hours, though not long enough for the sun to set. The burning orb sat in the sky directly overhead. But he wasn¡¯t looking at the sky of this moment. He was consulting his memory, remembering what was revealed on a cloudless night. When the world above revealed hundreds of continents, many infected by huge patches of white and black that looked like spreading blight. He remembered the night of the Solstice, when the sun had gone out. Every single Seal across Davrar had awakened, creating a network of light and magic that connected to the sun. He¡¯d noticed that every patch of spreading blight had been centered around a seal that nonetheless had contributed power during the night of the Solstice. With that information, Nathan directed his attention back down into the mountain. He noted the switches, watching how they connected through the rest of the machine. This time he asked the right question. How would the ambient mana change if the switch was flipped? The answer was clear. The mana flows would be rerouted, passing through different converters and then being released to fill Davrar with corruption. The left side would convert much of the ambient mana to the same corruptive death magic Nathan had felt from the Grave Tangle, blighting the land and covering the sky with darkness. The right side wasn¡¯t quite as obvious. It seemed to involve several different mana types, including crystal, light and a few more that Nathan wasn¡¯t familiar with. But they seemed likely to have the same effect of making the land uninhabitable for hundreds of miles in every direction. The Seals didn''t start the Endings, they were another danger altogether.
Congratulations, you have developed the [Wizard¡¯s Understanding] utility skill into [Arcane Insight].
Utility skill: [Arcane Insight] You understand the arcane.
Nice. I guess ¡®arcane¡¯ means mana and wizardry together. And maybe more. Nathan rose to his feet, stretching and looking down at the Seal before him. The forty-foot circle of carved stone looked like a secure vault, not a machine that kept the continent healthy, and could just as easily doom it. My guess is that during the Solstice it¡¯s possible for somebody to hit the switch - especially a monster. If they let a single monster through it would be enough. I bet there are other rules, like once the switch has been flipped it can''t change again until the next Solstice. I imagine it would be quite an adventure, to fight your way across hundreds of miles of blighted territory to reach the Seal on the Solstice and restore the land. On any other day it would take a powerful Wizard - or a powerful Antimage. This seems aimed at Questors.
Void of Magic has leveled to level 729! Congratulations, you have uncovered the secret of the Seals, and the power to unleash Corruption upon the land! Please choose a developed class from the following list!
Potential Classes:
End of Magic: Where you pass, magic ends. With this class your aura will expand to a storm, and you will smother magical catastrophes of every kind. Your antimagic will obey your will, targeting only that which you wish to End. Upon this Path, you and your antimagic will dominate the battlefield as an Ending dominates a continent.
Nullmage: You wield antimagic as an archmage wields mana. With this class you will be able to create constructs of antimagic that have a long-lasting effect, and grant high-tier Magic Resistance to those you train. Upon this Path you will help protect all civilization from magical scourges and leave the gift of antimagic wherever you travel.
Slayer of Giants: You have slain the last of the Giants, ancient guardians of Davrar turned bitter in their graves. With this class you will gain the strength and nobility of the lost Giants, becoming a beacon and inspiring defender of civilization on Davrar. Upon this Path you will embody their power, guiding others with ancient wisdom and unparalleled might.
Undying: You defy death in all of its forms. With this class your endurance and willpower will reach incredible levels, dramatically boosting the regeneration of all resources. You will also become difficult to entrap, ensuring that there is no simple path to defeat. Upon this Path you will be an unbreakable thorn in your foes¡¯ sides, impossible to defeat with simple means.
Warden of the Arcane: You pass judgment on dishonorable magic users. With this class you will gain the ability to detect evil deeds, and mark those who have done evil. Those marked will not be able to flee you, and you will gain significant advantages against them. Upon this Path you will maintain the balance of magical power, ensuring it is used for the good of all.
Nathan blinked up at the notifications in surprise, open-mouthed and gratified. He¡¯d been hoping for this. He¡¯d noticed how close he was getting to the level 729 milestone, and had considered going off into the wilds to hunt down some monsters for the necessary levels. But it hadn¡¯t felt right. Antimage was Nathan¡¯s primary class, and the results of this Development would stay with him for the next fifteen hundred levels. He didn¡¯t want to earn his next class killing stalkers. But deciphering the secrets of the Seals, learning about Corruption - that felt right. Maybe that¡¯s why I have five options instead of the more common two. Though at least one of those is just there from the Grave of all Giants. I hope that wasn''t the enhancement that was mentioned. He gave the options a quick once-over, forming a few quick opinions. He couldn¡¯t dismiss any of the options immediately, though Slayer of Giants was close. End of Magic seemed the most directly antimagic-oriented, but maybe it was time to step outside of that box. He¡¯d just had proof that his antimagic was good enough to beat a Questor. Nullmage would let Nathan do more for Gemore. He could train more antimages and leave antimagic constructs behind him to suppress dungeons or protect the villages. It would be an excellent class if he intended to stay and fight against the Endings. But that wasn¡¯t the plan. Undying continued the train of classes he¡¯d been offered to upgrade his healing, though this one was more tempting than any of the previous options. It would boost both his Regeneration and Stamina, and help him escape from capture. That meant it was worth considering, even if Nathan already thought his healing to be perfectly sufficient. Warden of the Arcane was interesting. It seemed optimized for one-on-one duels against other people. If he did end up having to hunt Questors across Davrar it would be a good choice. But it didn¡¯t seem like it would help much against their minions, and every Questor seemed to run at least one kingdom. Nathan let out a deep sigh as he stepped off the stage and began walking towards the edge of the mountaintop. He was still deep in thought when a beam of light lanced up from Gemore to burn a hole in one of the sporadic clouds above. He blinked in confusion for a second before a boom rolled across the mountain. That was one of Stella¡¯s lasers, or at least the ionization trail from it. What¡¯s going on down there? Nathan sprinted forwards to throw himself off this mountain for the second time in his life. He scanned Gemore for attackers, focusing on the Caxol residence. That was where the Heirs were supposed to be talking to their parents. He didn''t see anybody except for some guards who''d mobilized from the noise. A moment later he understood what was going on. He slowed his fall from terminal velocity to something a bit easier to control, gently steering himself towards the small but lush garden outside the large house where Stella had grown up. He landed in the garden just a few feet behind Stella, who was red-faced and yelling at her parents. ¡°Younger does not mean weaker! I killed a Grave Tangle just days ago, and have dueled archmages. This is our Path to follow, and you cannot stop us from leaving to walk it!¡± Dalo¡¯s face was fixed in a deep frown as he stared down at his daughter, stroking his beard. ¡°A powerful spell. But you do not have water mana yet. You will be disadvantaged at sea.¡± Stella looked over to Nathan and let out a slow breath, seeming to take reassurance from his presence. ¡°I will learn, or I won¡¯t. We¡¯re still going.¡± Kullal stepped forward, laying a furred hand on her daughter¡¯s shoulder. ¡°If the task is so weighty, the Guardians will go. You¡¯re powerful enough to stay here and protect Gemore. You can inherit our duties.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°No.¡± Stella shook her mother¡¯s hand off and looked up with angry eyes. ¡°We swore this Oath, and the time of prophecy has arrived.¡± She turned to Nathan. ¡°Tell them. What the Questor told you. About the Ending of History. Why we need to go.¡± Nathan sighed. ¡°The council asked me not to spread that around.¡± [Muffle] Stella¡¯s expression was demanding, pleading. She was willing to defy her parents on this, but she¡¯d prefer that he convince them, because they weren¡¯t listening to her. He dipped his head. ¡°Everybody should hear this together. Where are the others?¡± Kullal cast a quick spell, and soon enough the rest of Nathan¡¯s friends emerged into the garden followed by their parents. Stanel stayed close to his children, a resigned expression on his face. Kia¡¯s expression was carved from ice as she followed Khachi out, and her glance towards Nathan was frigid. Once they were all inside the privacy spell, Nathan spoke. ¡°When I defeated him, Badud swore that he¡¯d bring the Ending of History down upon us. A hundred years, but I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s the truth. The only way to stop it is to go out there, to find the Questors. I told the full details to the council.¡± Dalo¡¯s eyes crackled with light, and he lifted a few feet into the air. When he spoke, his voice was thick with anger. ¡°Then your quest has already doomed us all.¡± He advanced towards Nathan, arcs of lightning connecting him to the ground with momentary flashes. Nathan rolled his eyes and suppressed a flash of anger at the man¡¯s melodrama. He stepped up to meet Dalo, letting his aura spill out and suppress the unfocused mana that sparked through the air. ¡°All I did was fight our enemies, and I won. But they¡¯re not done yet. This is one more challenge to conquer. We will go forth into Davrar and stop the Ending of History. And if we fail, we will come back and protect Gemore from it. We are Elite Adventurers, and this is what we swore.¡± The older man scoffed. ¡°None of you have reached level 729. You are not powerful enough for¡­¡± He paused at the derisive smirk on Nathan¡¯s face. Nathan pointed towards the mountain arching overhead. ¡°I just learned the Secret of the Seals, and reached level 729. I haven¡¯t chosen my class, but I do have five options.¡± He paused, seeing expressions of shock cross the faces of the Guardians. Then he stepped forward, cutting off the magic that was holding Dalo aloft. The mage dropped to the ground, catching himself with a huff. Okay, maybe I¡¯m a little annoyed. Nathan wasn¡¯t done talking, even as Kia¡¯s hand rose to grasp her sword. ¡°The Heirs are powerful. We have inherited your Insights and forged our own paths atop them. I am the one who has killed a Questor, and Davrar will back up that claim to impress upon other Questors that they should listen to me.¡± He glanced towards his friends. ¡°Did you tell them about the fight versus the undead army?¡± Kia broke in, her voice sharp and her hand on the hilt of her gigantic sword. ¡°They did, and we will speak on that later. But the Seal - waking giants, did you tamper with it?¡± Nathan shook his head vehemently. ¡°No. I know what it does. It¡¯s safe, and any tampering will only make it dangerous. It could kill Gemore if somebody did the wrong thing.¡± ¡°Blasphemous secrets of Kalis!¡± Stanel swore. ¡°More dangers. What is the Secret of the Seals?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should tell you,¡± Nathan responded pointedly. ¡°Keep protecting it from monsters on the Solstice and you¡¯ll be good. Any other time of year and somebody would need to be a powerful archmage or antimage to do anything.¡± ¡°Then we will keep your antimages away from it,¡± Kia said quickly. ¡°They¡¯re not powerful enough for that.¡± Nathan replied, then thought about it for a moment. ¡°Yet. But they might be. They have the necessary Insights. But they don¡¯t need access,¡± he conceded. Nobody knew how to respond to that, and there was a moment of awkward silence. Then Aarl spoke up. ¡°Five level 729 class options, eh? Dragon¡¯s breath.¡± The silence continued for another few seconds. Kullal walked up to her husband and snuggled into his side. ¡°We¡¯ve only fought monsters for years. The Heirs have faced Questors and mages. Nathan needs to be there to speak to the Questors. This isn¡¯t something we can do, is it?¡± Dalo wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on top of her head. ¡°Hear me, I wish it were otherwise.¡± He glanced over to Stella, eyes sad. ¡°When will you come back?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Years?¡± She glanced around at the other Heirs, who all variously shrugged. "It''s a journey into the unknown." Nathan appraised the Guardians of Gemore, raising an eyebrow to ask if there were any more challenges. Stanel shook his head, expression downcast. Kullal met his gaze with faint tears in her eyes, but did not speak. Dalo sighed loudly. Kia returned his look evenly. ¡°I do not object. Khachi¡¯s power has grown beyond my ability to guide. His is a dangerous Path, but I will trust the man I raised.¡± Then she smiled, the expression weary on her angelic face. ¡°It seems the matter is settled." Nobody else spoke, so she continued. "If this is to be the last time we see each other for years, we should remember it joyously. We have some time, so let us go inside, and create a memory to light the way in darker times.¡± They all trooped inside as Kia took on the task of reviving the party. Soon enough they were all seated in comfortable chairs with hot food spread around them and the drinks flowing. Idle conversation started back up slowly, but it did start. Dalo eyed Nathan over the rim of his glass, morbid curiosity on his face. ¡°Stella said you went inside the Academy. What was it like?¡± Nathan snorted, putting down the glass of syrupy purple liquor he was drinking. ¡°A mess. The lecturers were awful teachers. I swear they didn¡¯t have a single teaching skill among them. They all thought they¡¯d be archmages and that teaching was a chore.¡± He reached for a bowl of some kind of fried meat. ¡°But they had so many Insights, and the Academy itself was designed to teach magic. The dining halls were shaped like specific spells.¡± He went on to describe some of the things he¡¯d seen inside the Academy, quickly gathering everybody''s interest with his descriptions of the Academy. The Heirs had heard some of this before, but Nathan hadn¡¯t exhausted every detail when he¡¯d spoken of the Academy before. Stanel spoke up when he started winding down. ¡°I won¡¯t be free of regret until I hear how you fought a Questor and won.¡± ¡°Well, it helped that I¡¯m an antimage, and he¡¯s a mage.¡± Nathan pointed out. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do as well against Brox. Though I bet Aarl and Sarah together could take him.¡± His friends looked up with wide eyes. Nathan shrugged. ¡°Believe in yourselves. Questors aren¡¯t invincible. Brox is just fast, and has good gear. Aarl can block him, then Sarah lines up a shot. His enchantments might block it, but that''s something I can fix.¡± Stanel opened his mouth, but Kia interrupted him by rapping her knuckles on the table. ¡°Let us hear this story as a tale, in its proper order. I would hear your account as it begins when you entered Giantsrest. Especially of the deeds of Faline.¡± Nathan grimaced. ¡°Ah, yeah. You were right about her. The city was in lockdown as we approached, so I flew us in over the walls¡­"
Utility skill: [Wizard¡¯s Understanding] With this skill, you understand magic and wizardry around you. This extends to all applications of magic and wizardry, including spells, enchantments and other effects.
Utility skill: [Arcane Insight] You understand the arcane.
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 7 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 5 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: Void of Magic level 729 Deepened Stamina: 22170/22170 Void of Feeling Antimagic Momentum Raging Thrill Implacable Inertia Unarmored Resilience Magic Anathema Airborne Agility Hand-to-hand Expertise Voluminous Aura Denial of Wizardry Mana Severance
Class: Spellslayer level 504 Regenerative Focus: 3683/5140 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Tranquility 1 Inspiration 8 Acceleration 10 Wizard¡¯s Detection 10 Alertness 10 Arcane Insight 1 Effortless Dodge 10 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 6 Parkour 8 Visibility Control 4 High-tier Disguise 4 High-tier Battle Cry 2 Aura Control 3
Chapter 26: A Fond Farewell ¡°By the steel of Deiman, I swear I¡¯ll slay her next I see her. May my magic fade if it should be otherwise.¡± Kia made the oath quietly, but her eyes flared with divine fire as she spoke. Nathan had no doubts that the woman would attempt to fulfill that oath at her next opportunity, and he wasn''t going to argue. Faline had been operating in Giantsrest for a while, and given what he¡¯d seen of her methods it was likely she¡¯d done a few things that went beyond the pale. But it likewise wasn¡¯t his place to be a judge of either of them. If I know Faline, she''s not going to show herself before Kia. She¡¯ll know I¡¯d tell the story, especially after our last meeting, and I think she''ll know how Kia will react. With her skills she could just vanish into any city, or board a ship with nobody the wiser. She doesn¡¯t even need to recruit for the Assassins of Gemore anymore. I wouldn''t be surprised if she just vanishes after this. I hope she can find a new mission in life. But she fought long enough for her cause that I don''t know if she can let it go. Maybe she''ll introduce herself to Myrla. Nobody had any commentary on Kia¡¯s oath, so Nathan continued telling his story. Stanel thought that Nathan disguising himself as a student in the Academy was hilarious, and Kullal asked for more details on the magical classes because she was thinking of teaching magic to younger Adventurers. He shared his low opinion of the Academy''s teaching techniques, though he conceded it let the mages level without requiring them to fight. The thing everybody wanted to hear was Nathan¡¯s detailed description of his fight against Badud. He had some difficulty describing the Questor¡¯s spells without slipping into scientific terminology that was unfamiliar to the Guardians. That bothered Dalo. ¡°Unless this light blinds me, it seems that you share many Insights with Badud.¡± His look towards Nathan wasn¡¯t quite accusing, but it certainly demanded an explanation. Nathan gave a heavy sigh and looked around at his teammates. He¡¯d meant to discuss his suspicions about the Questors but had never found the right time for the weight of the topic. This probably isn¡¯t a good time either. None of them really have the context to understand what I mean in describing Davrar as a game. Sarah already got most of the way there when she called all of this entertainment for them. ¡°I think they have a lot of scientific Insights, and some of Badud¡¯s most powerful spells were based on them. That¡¯s probably part of why the Questors are so strong.¡± Nathan agreed. ¡°But Badud didn¡¯t share those with Giantsrest. Maybe he didn¡¯t want them to get too powerful, or maybe he couldn¡¯t for some reason.¡± If Davrar is a game it would make sense to place limitations on what scientific Insights you could share, unless you wanted it to stop being fantasy and start being sci-fi. ¡°My bones say that these divine artifacts are the true worry,¡± Kia said. ¡°You say he used something called [The Last Arrows of Olita] to destroy the Academy.¡± Her expression was troubled as she stared into her glass of liquor. ¡°Well, he tried to hit me,¡± Nathan replied. ¡°It¡¯s just that the Academy was behind me. But it was definitely a physical artifact that was consumed in the casting.¡± Kia¡¯s expression remained downcast, and she quoted from memory. ¡°And lo, did Olita rise from the blood-soaked fields, her visage fierce and unyielding. She grasped her mighty bow Braingal, forged in the fire of the first conflict, and her burning arrows blotted out the sky. The clouds trembled and the earth quaked beneath her battle-fury, for she is the bringer of wrathful war. With each draw of Braingal were the wicked wyrms smote, their screams shattering the earth before being silenced by swift shafts. She is the embodiment of War¡¯s Glory, and her presence foretells true war.¡± She shook her head and exhaled hard, breathing out a cloud of vaguely reddish divine mana that was notably different from the golden mana that she usually wielded. ¡°So it was written, and may it never be so again.¡± Everybody was silent for a moment processing Kia''s words or just shrugging and moving on. Kia downed her drink in a single gulp and reached for more, while Khachi watched with concern. The silence stretched on until Nathan remembered something and snorted. ¡°Brox swore by Olita¡¯s flaming underpants at one point.¡± That caused everybody to chuckle, and Kia¡¯s expression cracked into a grin. ¡°Blasphemous Questors. But they were the ones to kill the gods, and I will follow that light.¡± After that it seemed like there was both everything and nothing to say. The Heirs had already told the story of their adventures since Giantsrest, and they didn¡¯t mean to spend the night in Gemore. It seemed like an unnecessary risk with the number of assassins that were clearly after them. Sleeping in the city was just an invitation for another attempt on their lives. Nathan excused himself to walk around the garden while the Heirs said their goodbyes. Night had fallen while they talked, and he looked up at the world overhead. His eyes settled on the dozens of patches of white and black that stretched across the continents above. They looked like mold, but now he knew what they really were. It didn¡¯t help him feel any better. Every time I feel like I understand this world, I discover another danger. Another terror. Dungeons in the sky and the depths. Endings, Questors, now Corruption. What else is out there? He calmed his mind. He was level 729. He was powerful by any standard. He would be able to at least fight any challenge Davrar threw at him. But for now, it was time to think about his next class development. He wasn¡¯t going to make a decision until he talked it over with the Heirs, but he wanted to form his own opinion on the matter. Let¡¯s see. Five classes, and it will be time soon to make my decision. [End of Magic] is almost too on the nose. But it¡¯s also the straightforward development of my antimagic, and that¡¯s been my highest priority for the last four antimage class choices. But my antimagic is strong enough to fight a Questor, does it need to be stronger? Nathan remembered his fight with Badud. He hadn¡¯t beaten the Questor directly. He hadn¡¯t been fast enough to win that fight straight up. But he¡¯d survived everything the man had thrown at him, then jumped the Questor once he''d thought Nathan was dead. A larger aura would have helped a lot. He hit me from outside the range of my antimagic. And I wasn¡¯t actually strong enough to directly counter all of his attacks. The [Last Arrows of Olita] pretty much vaporized me, and even that black hole spell was scary as hell. Still, it would be nice to finally pick up some physical enhancements and be able to compete with fighters of his level. He was strong enough now to throw down with slave-elites and win even without his antimagic, but somebody at his same level with a pure physical combat class would be able to hand him his own ass on a silver platter. So long as they have Talents that are worth a damn and don¡¯t rely on enchanted gear. I think I could lock Aarl¡¯s armor up if I wanted to. The obvious way to enhance his physical capabilities would be choosing a Development that focused on his Rage - but he hadn¡¯t been offered one. He''d been offered a rage-centric class at every one of his previous class Developments, but not this time. His use of the skill had tailed off over time, and he supposed Davrar had noticed. The next class was [Nullmage], which wasn¡¯t so much an upgrade to his antimagic as a sidegrade. When he¡¯d first read the description he¡¯d interpreted it as letting him plop down antimagic beacons of some kind, but on further thought it was more likely to let him create antimagic enchantments of some kind. That would be pretty neat, but it wasn''t something Nathan thought would actually be useful. Not for him, at least. Unless I think I can enchant something with antimagic and magic at the same time? But given past experience, that seems very unlikely to work. My antimagic is just too strong, even if I have a lot of control over it now. The class also explicitly called out that it would let him grant high-tier magic resistance to future antimages, which would improve their survival prospects dramatically. That would be great for preparing Gemore against the future, but not necessarily for challenging the Questors in the near term. Nullmage would be a perfect class for Shom. It would help him train new antimages, and figure out how to imbue enchantments so people without antimagic classes could still wield it against the monsters and mages of Davrar. And Hetal wouldn¡¯t worry about him as much if he was staying away from fighting enchanting things. Next was a class that was almost the physical combat class Nathan wanted. [Slayer of Giants] promised to give him the ¡°strength and nobility¡± of the lost Giants. Neither of those were quite right. Nathan needed speed, not strength. He was strong enough to break most unenchanted materials already, and with his antimagic that meant he could break most things aside from metal gates or stone walls. Unless they''re conjured by mana or wizardry, in which case I can just wave my hand and they''re gone. Furthermore, ¡®nobility¡¯ sounded a lot like a social skill, and he¡¯d been avoiding picking up another one of those. [Inspiration] already scared him, and he didn¡¯t want to waste a skill slot on something like that. Though maybe nobility is just what I need for the Questors to listen to me. But they all have to have protection against social skills. It just doesn¡¯t seem like a very useful class. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. He¡¯d been offered a few versions of the next class in past class options. [Undying] was the latest in the chain of [Invincible] and [Woundless Berserker]. But he wasn¡¯t going to take it for the same reason he hadn¡¯t taken those. The way to avoid getting buried underground wasn¡¯t to have a skill that made you hard to trap and Stamina that never ran out. It was to have other skills that ensured you never got put in that circumstance in the first place. [Undying] wouldn¡¯t help him win, it would just reduce the circumstances where he could lose. Those were already narrow enough that Nathan would prefer class skills that would actually let him do new things. The last option was [Warden of the Arcane]. The more Nathan thought about it, the more he was seriously considering it. It seemed tailor-made for his fight against Badud, solving both his problems of catching the mage Questor as well as physically fighting against people who had combat-focused classes. Though it does require they have ¡®done evil¡¯ and imposes a kind of absolute morality that makes me a bit concerned. But to some extent that would have been a plus? I doubt Faline¡¯s betrayal would have surprised me so badly if I¡¯d seen a big flashing ¡®evil deeds here¡¯ sign over her head. At the end of the day, it seemed like the top contenders for Nathan¡¯s primary class were [End of Magic] and [Warden of the Arcane], with [Slayer of Giants] as a distant third. [End of Magic] would let Nathan cover an entire battlefield with his antimagic but wasn¡¯t as focused on fighting enemies of Nathan¡¯s level. [Warden of the Arcane] had some weird morality stuff, but was mostly focused on letting Nathan match single enemies. I¡¯m legitimately not sure which is more useful. If he needed to track down the other Founders of the Ascendent Academy then [Warden of the Arcane] would likely be the best choice. But Nathan¡¯s eyes went upwards. Once more he traced the world overhead and found his eyes resting on the corruption blotched across the night sky. Would he end up fighting that? What was the best tool there? Based on what I felt from the Grave Tangles, it¡¯s corruptive magic over a huge area. I didn¡¯t have a problem breaking it with my antimagic before, so [End of Magic] would be helpful but not essential. I don¡¯t think [Warden of the Arcane] would do squat. The door behind him opened, and Dalo stepped outside and closed the door behind him. ¡°I¡¯m allowing Stella a short time with her mother,¡± he said in response to Nathan¡¯s questioning look. ¡°To be free of regret, I would also like to apologize.¡± Nathan realized that Dalo was expecting a response of some kind. He gave the old man a firm nod. ¡°Yes?¡± That seemed to be enough. ¡°I have seen you as a fool in a dungeon since we met. A man with weighty Insights but little wisdom. I merely hoped you would grant the Heirs some Insights before you died, and teach the most important lesson of all with your death. Every Adventurer must learn to bury friends, and I thought you would be that friend to our children.¡± He shrugged apologetically. ¡°But then you did not die. You began to lead the Heirs, and I worried for my daughter, that she would share your grave. But I could not scold her for that, for I was no better as a young Adventurer. Davrar rewards risk, and the only way for you to rise is to embrace risk. But every time I saw Stella depart to potential death it was as if I was staring the ghoul in the eye for the very first time. ¡°And then you began to teach her Insights of Magic. Not the small Insights I had expected, but grand ones. I had expected a stalker¡¯s treasure and instead received a dragon¡¯s hoard. Stella departed from the Path I had planned for her, and embarked upon something new.¡± Dalo¡¯s eyes flared slightly, embers of flame flickering sullenly. ¡°Hear me, but that burnt my pride. That you, who does not even wield magic, could teach my daughter better than I could. But¡­¡± He waved his hand vaguely, as if to encompass everything that had happened. ¡°Then Giantsrest happened. You rescued the Heirs from an archmage, and challenged a Questor. Then you won. The Ascendent Academy is no more,¡± The old man shook his head in disbelief. ¡°You carry a prophecy of victory with you, and the Heirs have shared the load and the rewards.¡± He turned to face Nathan fully, meeting his eyes. ¡°I can only praise your deeds, and acknowledge the debt that you have accrued. Now you lead the Heirs away from the continent, away from their homes. From the place they were born to protect.¡± Dalo mulled that statement over before sighing deeply. ¡°But it is necessary. In going you will rise to even greater heights. I ask only that you keep my daughter alive. My debt is already as deep as the sea, and you are the one person I cannot threaten. But still, I would have you protect Stella beyond all else. If there is a choice between Gemore and my daughter¡­ Well, that is an easy choice for a father to make.¡± He worked his jaw and seemed to deflate. ¡°It would be a poor apology if I didn¡¯t offer recompense. Can I aid you somehow? Give advice on your 729 class Development? It is the most important build choice you will make.¡± Nathan considered the older Adventurer. Giving the apology seemed to have taken a lot of effort for him. He was the most powerful mage in Gemore, on the same level as most of the Archmages of Giantsrest. He¡¯d also been more of a barrier than a help to Nathan, and this apology boiled down to a request to protect Stella. Not entirely. He had to swallow his pride. And what¡¯s the harm in accepting? He gave me some offhand tips early on that turned out to be pretty useful. After a brief pause, Nathan replied. ¡°Stella¡¯s my teammate. Once we cross the horizon I don¡¯t know what we¡¯ll face. But I want the Heirs behind me for whatever comes. All of them, whatever it takes.¡± He met Dalo¡¯s eyes evenly and received a small nod of acknowledgement. That was what Nathan was willing to offer, and he was glad it was enough for the mage. ¡°I have two main choices,¡± Nathan continued a moment later. ¡°One class that focuses on single enemies, preventing my foe from running away and giving me bonuses against them. The other enlarges my antimagic to the size of a battlefield and lets me control what magic I shut down.¡± Dalo answered quickly, with only a few moments of thought. ¡°The second class. Beyond level 729, you must dominate a fight no matter its size, or else your enemies will avoid you and target your allies. If you can strip magic from one side then your enemy must deal with you. It is also a better support for the Heirs.¡± He flicked his hand idly. ¡°Though the larger aura and the ability to leave some magics untouched will benefit any ally immeasurably.¡± He smirked, pleased by the thought. ¡°Imagine Stella, able to unleash her power, without a need to defend herself against her foes. Or Aarl, fighting with his full arsenal against a foe limited to mundane weapons. Khachi, unleashing his divinity against foes with no magical defenses.¡± The old man chuckled lightly. ¡°A blasphemous build, to deny magic to your foes while leaving it to your allies.¡± He cocked an eyebrow at Nathan. ¡°Would you be able to use magic or enchantments yourself?¡± Nathan shrugged. ¡°I doubt it. It depends on what the control skill is. But that doesn¡¯t fit with the theme of the class.¡± ¡°Ever a risk when Developing Classes.¡± The door opened behind them once more, and the rest of the Heirs came out, accompanied by their parents. Both Kullal and Stella¡¯s eyes were red from crying, and Stanel looked sad but proud. Kia stepped forward. She was in full armor, and she clasped her hand against her breastplate in a Gemore salute. ¡°It is time for a farewell.¡±
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 7 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 5 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: Void of Magic level 729 Deepened Stamina: 21391/22170 Void of Feeling Antimagic Momentum Raging Thrill Implacable Inertia Unarmored Resilience Magic Anathema Airborne Agility Hand-to-hand Expertise Voluminous Aura Denial of Wizardry Mana Severance
Class: Spellslayer level 504 Regenerative Focus: 3683/5140 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Tranquility 1 Inspiration 8 Acceleration 10 Wizard¡¯s Detection 10 Alertness 10 Arcane Insight 1 Effortless Dodge 10 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 6 Parkour 8 Visibility Control 4 High-tier Disguise 4 High-tier Battle Cry 2 Aura Control 3
Chapter 27: A Scent of Divinity The Heirs stepped away from their parents, standing to one side of the garden. The trees around them rustled in the breeze, and the glow from the world above lit the scene in a soft blue. Kia¡¯s expression was solemn as she walked into the center of their group, facing the Heirs. She clasped her gauntleted hands together as she prepared to say farewell to her son and the Heirs of Gemore. The valkyrie exhaled slowly and a gentle golden glow rose from the ground, the light glinting off her polished armor. The magic was a slightly different shade than Khachi¡¯s, the emotion emanating from the magic feeling prouder but less hopeful than Khachi¡¯s magic. Just like them. Kia fights to end the threat. Khachi fights for the promise of the future. ¡°By my own shard of divinity, may your Path be righteous and clear,¡± Kia began, her voice strong and unwavering. ¡°Deiman is the god of righteous battle, and with his stolen power I bless you with wisdom and strength. In the moments of smoke and blood, may the light of the divine guide you to valor and to victory.¡± The magic billowed out around her, centering on every member of the Heirs - except Nathan - and giving them their own personal spotlight. She turned to face Khachi, her eyes burning and her expression proud. ¡°My son, you have carried my flame forward into peril and burned brighter than any prophecy I could make. Belief is your shield, and your hammer is justice. Stand as a beacon of hope to the innocent, and I will always be proud of you.¡± Divine mana bled out from her and formed a tether with Khachi. To Nathan''s senses it felt like just half of a ritual, inviting a response. Khachi seemed to feel the same. ¡°So do I swear,¡± he returned, his voice deep and resonant. ¡°For I am a [Shield of Hope], and by my class do I bind myself to divine duty. I shall protect those in need of protection, and strike down those who harm the innocent. There is no other Path I will follow.¡± The divine mana tightened and flexed, invoking wizardry as Khachi spoke his oath. Everybody else took a few steps back as a swell of magic spilled out of the fabric of Davrar. It started circling Khachi, waiting for one last ingredient. Kia was ready to provide it, her hair rising into the air and glowing with light as her voice cut through the world. ¡°Then I bless you with my power. Carry my hopes with you on your journeys, no matter where they take you. I charge you before Davrar to fulfill your Oath and redeem the power of the Divine from the sins of the old gods.¡± The magic around Khachi suddenly compressed in on him, condensing more power than a mere person should be able to bear into his form. He lifted into the air, head thrown back in a silent scream. The glowing magic sunk into his body, vanishing as if Khachi was absorbing it. To the naked eye it looked like streamers of golden light flowing into Nathan¡¯s friend from every direction. Nathan watched the process carefully, using senses beyond the visual to examine the magic drain away from the world and into Khachi. It was like how divine magic emerged from the fabric of Davrar when Khachi prayed and cast his spells - but in reverse. It seems to be piercing the barrier that separates the physical world from mana pools. But neither Khachi nor his mother have a mana pool. They just summon divinity and it comes. But now it¡¯s like that blessing is returning to his mana pool. Augmenting it.
Arcane Insight 2 achieved!
If that was what it was doing, then Nathan couldn¡¯t see it. He took a breath and narrowed his concentration. He ignored the physical light show and the amazed expressions of the Heirs and the Guardians of Gemore. He spent Focus and narrowed his entire world to the place where magic and wizardry vanished across the dimensional barrier to reach across to the other side. The power seemed to be vanishing into nothing, but as it passed across into the metaphysical world of mana it sketched out a shape on the other side. Nathan caressed the edges of it with his senses, finding something closer to a crystalline shard than an ovoid mana pool. I think that¡¯s the ¡®shard of divinity¡¯ he claimed that night way back when. Before we fought the ashblood cobras. Nathan dedicated all of his concentration to the invisible object, trying to batter through whatever was preventing him from perceiving it. The wizardry and mana alike flowed smoothly into the shard and it grew jerkily, sprouting new metaphysical nodes that had no connection with physical reality. Khachi¡¯s divinity is growing stronger. This ceremony is permanently empowering him.
Congratulations, you have developed the [Wizard¡¯s Detection] utility skill into [Mystical Discernment]. Utility Skill: [Mystical Discernment] Magic becomes apparent to you, including mana, wizardry and divinity. You may expand and direct the reach of this sense by spending Focus.
With the skill Development Nathan could suddenly perceive a whole extra layer of magic to the ceremony, guiding and shaping the mana and wizardry. He could sense the ordered crystal growing in the place Khachi¡¯s mana pool would normally be, and the slightly smaller and much more jagged one attached to Kia. Then the influx of power came to a halt and Khachi settled gently to the ground, panting from exertion. The immaterial crystal pulsed with energy and his eyes lit like portals into a world of light. He turned towards Kia and bowed slightly, seemingly unable to find words to describe what had just happened. Nathan didn¡¯t have much longer to ponder his new senses before the gentle heat of Kia¡¯s eyes found him. ¡°Nathan,¡± she said, her voice carrying a true fondness. ¡°Your deeds ring across Davrar. I cannot bless you directly, but know you have my approval. In Halsmet I said I would hunt you down should you become a monster.¡± She rolled her shoulders as if shrugging off a heavy burden. ¡°I no longer bear that fear. You have acted with Righteousness in terrible circumstances, and I pray for your continued ascent. Is there any final Insight I can grant you?¡± He gave her a sly smile in return, holding back a laugh. ¡°You already did.¡± He gestured towards Khachi. ¡°I can sense Divinity now. You both have shards of it, in the places most mages have mana pools.¡± Kia¡¯s laugh rang out like clear bells, joyous and free. ¡°Then your Path may extend to the dead Gods themselves. You know my fears. Both of you, carry that mission forward into the broader world.¡± Her words were vague but encompassed both Khachi and Nathan, and out of the corner of his eye Nathan saw Stella exchange a puzzled look with her parents. I suppose Kia hasn¡¯t told them how she¡¯s scared of people reviving the Old Gods, the ones killed in the Ending of Deicide. I didn¡¯t realize it was that close of a secret. But it really is the basis of both her and Khachi¡¯s Paths. They¡¯re not worshiping their gods, they¡¯re stealing from them, and crafting a new Divinity all their own. Is Khachi going to turn into a deity at the end of all of this? She raised both of her arms to encompass all of the Heirs. Kia¡¯s face was split in a broad smile. ¡°Go! Leave Gemore, and spread the blessings of your deeds across Davrar! It would be selfish of us to keep you here." She continued in a softer voice, ¡°Make us proud.¡± The Heirs all looked around at each other, the moment of ceremony broken. Stella shrugged, and cast [Fly] a few times. The Heirs all rose into the air with a few waves and then took off. They headed west towards Agmon first, attempting to throw off pursuers tracking them. They flew straight over the streets of Gemore and over the walls to exit the city. Flying into the city would have triggered alerts from the guards, but they weren¡¯t nearly as alarmed about people leaving the city. Nathan peeled apart the single detection web over the wall to let them fly through without problems. The night grew darker as they flew, with clouds blowing in to hide the world overhead. With Khachi propelled by streamers of golden light it wasn¡¯t the stealthiest exit, but nobody attacked them on the way out. That was a win in Nathan¡¯s book. They flew in silence for a little while, eventually changing their direction to fly south towards Litcliff. They were over the ruins of Old Gemore, far from the transit roads. The city of Gemore was a beacon of civilization in the distance, contrasting with the darkened ruins below stretching in all directions. Khachi¡¯s magic shed a glow that illuminated the Heirs, but it wasn¡¯t bright enough to light up the ruins below. Sarah called out a halt after a bit longer. ¡°It¡¯s late." She pointed down and to the side. "There¡¯s a high building that would work for camping. My eyes see no monsters.¡± Nathan squinted in the direction she indicated. Despite his perception skills the night was too dark to see anything but a formless blob. From here it looked like a jagged tooth racing up towards them. ¡°Lead the way.¡± They all followed Sarah, soon enough finding themselves in the upper floors of a tall conical building. The top had collapsed at some point, crushing several buildings nearby, and the wind gusted through the shell that remained. But it seemed isolated from the monsters that prowled at ground level. The Heirs could easily defeat anything that called Old Gemore home, but that wouldn¡¯t be conducive to getting a good night¡¯s sleep. They scouted out the upper floors carefully, finding them deserted before settling down for the night. Aarl pulled Nathan¡¯s bedroll out of his dimensional storage, laying it on the ground. He shot a grumpy look at Nathan. ¡°Khachi got a blessing, you got a skill Development. Seems you stole the true treasure.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Nathan replied, scanning the entire tower with his magical senses. ¡°Khachi¡¯s magic is better in every way because of that blessing. He can cast more spells, faster, and they¡¯ll be stronger. I can just detect Divinity.¡± He yawned and rolled his shoulder¡¯s around. ¡°Though that is probably the first step to learning to break it.¡± He glanced over at where Khachi was settling in for first watch. ¡°Did I get that right? Do you feel like your divinity is stronger? What does it let you do?¡± Khachi nodded slowly from where he sat, faint wisps of golden light playing around his fingers. ¡°I Developed [Shard of the Divine] to [Nascent Divinity]. It expanded my Faith pool, and increased my regeneration rate. My magic feels deeper now. A lake, where it was once a pool.¡± ¡°Hah! Welcome to the halls of the bold,¡± Stella said gleefully. ¡°Carefully hoarding resources is for those without weighty Talents.¡± Khachi didn¡¯t respond, and there was a moment of silence before Aarl broke it. ¡°Waking giants, I wish we could sleep in Gemore. I miss a real bed,¡± he grumbled, patting down his bedroll. ¡°Blasphemous assassins. Attacking us is one thing, but keeping us from our beds is the real evil.¡± Sarah snorted from where she was settling into her own bed. ¡°Soon enough we¡¯ll be on a ship. From the stories I¡¯ve heard, that will be even less comfortable.¡± ¡°Why are we using a ship?¡± Stella chimed in uncertainly. ¡°Could we just¡­ fly? Across the sea. We¡¯re pretty fast. Then we wouldn¡¯t need to go to Litcliff at all.¡± Khachi shifted slightly, getting more comfortable as he kept watch. ¡°We would have to fly for days without pause. Maybe weeks, if we did not know the direction of our target. I do not know the width of the ocean. I cannot remain airborne that long, and you cannot remain awake that long. ¡°Oh,¡± Stella said, then rolled over to snuggle into her nest of blankets. "Nevermind." Nathan climbed into his own bedroll. His wasn¡¯t enchanted like the others were, but it was still luxuriously bulky in a way only possible with dimensional storage. ¡°Right now we need a ship. In a few years and a few hundred levels? Maybe we won¡¯t.¡± Khachi chuckled, but didn¡¯t keep the conversation going. The Heirs fell asleep quickly, leaving Khachi to keep watch and meditate upon his Talent Development. ¨C The next morning, Nathan opened the conversation as they were all packing up. ¡°I should choose my level 729 class before we get to Litcliff.¡± ¡°You could wait,¡± Aarl replied quickly. ¡°Hold the choice until you meet the Questors and see the shape of our task.¡± He got a series of unimpressed looks and continued in a sarcastic tone ¡°It would also let us catch up to Nathan in levels?¡± The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°What are your choices?¡± Khachi asked, ignoring Aarl¡¯s comment. ¡°Five, like I said. [End of Magic] makes my antimagic bigger and more potent, [Nullmage] lets me make enchantments out of antimagic, [Slayer of Giants] makes me stronger and more noble, [Undying] makes me hard to trap or kill, and [Warden of the Arcane] lets me mark people who have done evil so they can¡¯t run and gives me advantages against them. Any initial thoughts?¡± ¡°End of Magic,¡± Stella said with a snort. ¡°It¡¯s like your choice is between the glass of an enchanter class and the gem of an archmage class.¡± Aarl shrugged. ¡°[Slayer of Giants] so you can punch hard enough to matter.¡± ¡°More noble,¡± Sarah said, chewing on the word. ¡°Seems like a prophecy of idiocy.¡± She looked back to Nathan. ¡°With [Nullmage] you could enchant my bullets with antimagic. That would be blasphemously powerful.¡± Nathan nodded slightly. ¡°Yeah, but that seems like the only real improvement to actually fighting. The other benefit is making better antimages.¡± Stella''s expression grew thoughtful. ¡°What is the wording on [Warden of the Arcane] and [End of Magic]? Those classes are the ones that will serve our quest.¡± Nathan related the full descriptions of the two classes. ¡°Those are the two I¡¯m most interested in. Do I want to cover a huge area, or be able to mark out specific targets? Dalo¡¯s advice was to take [End of Magic].¡± Khachi gave a slow nod. ¡°I agree. The ability to overlap our auras would be a true edge to hold. And Detecting evil deeds is a power I already possess.¡± Nathan blinked at the comment but didn''t challenge his friend. He looked around at the other Heirs. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m going to think about it for a bit longer and we should discuss it a bit more, but the choice seems to be [End of Magic].¡± They talked about it on and off over the course of the day, but everything came back to the fact that Nathan¡¯s antimagic was the strongest part of his build, and everything was built around it. He could improve his strengths or shore up his weaknesses, and a pillar of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild of Gemore was that a team¡¯s purpose was to shore up each other¡¯s weaknesses. The Heirs could do everything else, but they needed him to fight against overwhelming enemy magic. They camped in the barren hills not far from where they¡¯d fought the Ashblood Cobras so long ago. Just after dark, Nathan made his choice.
Congratulations, you are now the [End of Magic]. As a reward for clearing a Grand Dungeon, all of your existing class skills have developed, and you have unlocked three new class skills!
End of Magic: Where you pass, magic ends. With this class your aura will expand to a storm, and you will smother magical catastrophes of every kind. Your antimagic will obey your will, targeting only that which you wish to End. Upon this Path, you and your antimagic will dominate the battlefield as an Ending dominates a continent.
Class Deepened Stamina -> Bottomless Stamina Your Stamina capacity is increased by a factor of ten. Stamina will accumulate during periods of rest, and can be spent to improve the speed and strength of your movements, or used for other skills or Talents that utilize Stamina.
Class skill Void of Feeling -> Indomitable You are detached from pain and injury, and mind-affecting skills will be ineffective against you.
Class skill Antimagic Momentum -> The Undeniable Strike of the Antimage Your blows will shatter magic. The greater your speed, the more powerful your antimagic.
Class skill Raging Thrill -> Stamina Burn You can spend Stamina to greatly increase your strength, speed and resilience to damage.
Class skill Implacable Inertia -> Momentum Mastery You can control your inertia by spending Stamina, making it harder or easier to change direction. Magical effects cannot change your direction unless you wish them to.
Class skill Unarmored resilience -> Stoneflesh Your body has dramatically increased durability while not wearing armor.
Class skill Magic Anathema -> Arcane Nullification Your antimagic Talent is dramatically enhanced, and your aura is more potent at destroying enemy magic.
Class skill Airborne Agility -> Galefoot You stride easily through the air, able to move with the wind. Your Stamina is much more effective when spent to enhance your movement.
Class skill Hand-to-hand Expertise -> Close Quarters Mastery You excel at unarmed combat.
Class skill Voluminous Aura: -> Boundless Aura Your aura is massive. It can reach extraordinary distances and still carry the strength for action.
Class skill Denial of Wizardry -> Denial of Mysticism Your antimagic can degrade any effect that does not originate from physical reality. The better you understand the unnatural phenomena at play, the greater the effect.
Class skill Mana Severance -> The Ending of Magic You can use your aura to cut a target off from magic, destroying their source of power and preventing them from ever using magic again.
Class skill Aura Projection You can spend Stamina to enhance your aura, increasing its size and the speed at which you can extend your antimagic.
Class skill Selective Dispel With concentration you may designate certain magics as permitted, letting them take effect even while under the influence of your aura. Your body is still anathema to magic, and you cannot personally benefit from spells or enchanted items.
Class skill The Living World Your antimagic enforces neutrality on the world around it, draining corruption and cleansing blight of every form. Where you pass, life can thrive once more.
End of Magic is now level 731!
Oh. That''s what clearing a grand dungeon does.
Void of Magic: Your Path is to deny the magic of Davrar. This class will dramatically expand your aura and allow it to effectively resist wizardry you understand. It will also allow you to render a target forever anathema to mana, unable to ever again use or cast magic. This class may further Develop towards banishing magic and wizardry over a wide area, or denying the subtle effects of magic and wizardry over an entire region. This class will allow you to contest magical might across an entire battlefield.
Class skill Deepened Stamina: Your Stamina capacity is tripled. Stamina will accumulate during periods of rest, and can be spent to improve the speed and strength of your movements, or used for other skills or Talents that utilize Stamina.
Class skill Antimage¡¯s Impassivity -> Void of Feeling You are detached from pain and injury in combat, and mind-affecting skills will be ineffective wile in combat.
Class skill Antimagic Momentum: Motion enhances your inherent antimagic, allowing you to break magical effects with your movements and blows. The greater the momentum behind the motion, the greater the enhancement. Effect is further enhanced while Raging.
Class skill Raging Thrill: You can voluntarily enter and exit a Rage state, where you will be immersed in the thrill of combat. This will rapidly consume stamina, but will greatly increase your strength, speed and resilience to damage.
Class skill Implacable Inertia: Your motions carry significantly greater momentum, and any attempt to slow your movement is hindered. Magical effects will be almost completely unable to change your velocity.
Class skill Unarmored resilience: When not wearing armor your body becomes more resilient to damage from all sources.
Class skill Improved Antimagic -> Magic Anathema Your antimagic Talent is greatly enhanced, and your aura will excel at degrading and capturing hostile magic.
Class skill Strenuous Agility: -> Airborne Agility You will move more quickly and easily, especially when reorienting your body in combat. Stamina spent on mobility will have a greater effect. This skill is substantially more powerful while you are airborne.
Class skill Hand-to-hand Expertise: You will be faster, hit harder and be more skilled at unarmed combat.
Class skill Voluminous Aura: Your aura will be larger and more potent, able to spread farther from you and be more powerful when concentrated.
Class skill Denial of Wizardry Your antimagic will degrade wizardry. The better you understand the wizardry at play, the greater the effect.
Class skill Mana Severance You can use your aura to cut a target off from mana, destroying their mana pool and preventing them from ever manipulating mana again.
Utility Skill: [Wizard¡¯s Detection] This skill lets you sense the mana and wizardry around you, and understand its purpose.You may expand and direct the reach of this sense by spending Focus.
Utility Skill: [Mystical Discernment] Magic becomes apparent to you, including mana, wizardry and divinity. You may expand and direct the reach of this sense by spending Focus.
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 7 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 5 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: End of Magic level 731 Bottomless Stamina : 22170/74100 Indomitable The Undeniable Strike of the Antimage Stamina Burn Momentum Mastery Stoneflesh Arcane Nullification Galefoot Close Quarters Mastery Boundless Aura Denial of Mysticism The Ending of Magic Aura Projection Selective Dispel The Living World
Class: Spellslayer level 504 Regenerative Focus: 5140/5140 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Tranquility 1 Inspiration 8 Acceleration 10 Mystical Discernment 1 Alertness 10 Arcane Insight 2 Effortless Dodge 10 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 6 Parkour 8 Visibility Control 4 High-tier Disguise 4 High-tier Battle Cry 2 Aura Control 3
Chapter 28: A Polite Welcome Nathan inspected his new class description with slack-jawed surprise. There were just so many new things! Each previous class Development had given him three new class skills and Developed two or three of his existing class skills. But this time every antimage class skill had improved, in addition to three new skills. ¡°What occurs?¡± Sarah asked with a raised eyebrow. She¡¯d noticed his expression and drawn attention towards it. Soon enough all of the Heirs were paying Nathan their undivided attention. He swallowed and blew a breath through pursed lips before speaking. ¡°I know what the bonus for clearing the Grave of All Giants is. Every single one of my class skills just Developed.¡± Stella was quickest on the uptake. ¡°All twelve of them?¡± Her voice was excited, almost giddy. Nathan nodded. ¡°Yup. I¡­ Well. Those are some upgrades. And the new skills are incredible too, I think.¡± That last one looks like it¡¯s either completely useless or going to absolutely save our asses at some point. Based on what I felt from the Grave Tangles, probably the latter. Aarl chuckled slightly. Every single one of the Heirs was gobsmacked, but he seemed the most sanguine. ¡°Dad always said the 729 skills were the most potent. What did you get?¡± He asked the question with a hint of hunger in his voice. Nathan was happy to answer. They were in the middle of nowhere with nobody around, and he was blocking magical spying. ¡°[Aura Projection]. I can spend Stamina to make my aura bigger and faster.¡± Stella rolled her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s already blasphemously large. It¡¯s already a trial to avoid it with my spells.¡± Nathan smirked at her and continued. ¡°[Selective Dispel]. With concentration, I can allow certain spells to behave normally within my antimagic.¡± Khachi started chuckling, glancing at Stella with a smug expression. ¡°The expected boon.¡± ¡°My third skill is [The Living World],¡± Nathan said, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. ¡°Which I think comes from the Insight I got from the Seals.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bait the castlebear,¡± Sarah said wryly. ¡°What¡¯s the Secret of the Seals?¡± Khachi¡¯s expression changed quickly to thoughtfulness, and he raised a quelling hand. ¡°You spoke earlier that this knowledge was dangerous. Think carefully if we must know.¡± Nathan shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t think any of you are in a position for this knowledge to be dangerous. All the Questors know anyways, and I have a suspicion that we¡¯ll end up embroiled in these things one way or another.¡± He gestured up at the night sky above them. ¡°The patches of white and black on the world overhead. The blights. They¡¯re each centered around a Seal.¡± ¡°So if you break a Seal, the magic spills out and blights the world around it?¡± Aarl asked. ¡°I don''t think so,¡± Nathan replied quickly. ¡°Seals regulate and filter the ambient magic of the local region, preventing harmful mana from building up. They also slowly charge up a massive mana pool and then release all of that energy to the sun on the solstice. I''m not sure what would happen if you break one.¡± Probably a minor blight? And the sun wouldn''t get as much power. I wonder if that''s ever going to be a problem. Maybe a few Endings down the line. Stella and Khachi both looked like they wanted to talk, but Nathan held out a hand to indicate they should hold their questions. ¡°The problem is that the settings on the Seals can be changed, so instead of purifying the ambient mana they corrupt it. Did either of you feel how those Grave Tangles were trying to corrupt the world, blacken it so nothing could live on that battlefield?¡± Stella shook her head, but Khachi nodded slowly. ¡°It was a bleakness. Corruption is a good description.¡± Aarl shot a confused look at Sarah and raised his hands helplessly. ¡°I just killed undead in front of me.¡± Nathan smirked at his teammate, his tone playful. "There''s more to fighting the bigger threats." His voice grew more serious as he looked back to the rest of the Heirs. ¡°I think that¡¯s what the blight is. A Seal that corrupts the land around it.¡± He pointed upwards at one of the patches of blackness. ¡°Far around it. If the Seal of Gemore was corrupted, I think the blight would spread from Giantsrest to Agmon. Probably further." ¡°What are the colors? Two kinds of corruption?¡± Stella asked, indicating the speckles of white overhead. ¡°I think so,¡± Nathan responded. ¡°There were three settings. One purified the mana, what¡¯s happening now. Another spread that kind of corrupted death mana far and wide, and the third was some strange combination of crystal, fire and light. The death is the black patches, the crystal and light are the white patches I think.¡± Khachi stroked his chin thoughtfully, intently focused on Nathan¡¯s description. ¡°What causes this setting to change? Is this why our traditions are to guard the Seals on the Solstice?¡± ¡°I think during the Solstice anybody or anything could flip the switch. If a monster ever breaks through to the Seal during the Solstice, then it could make the change. I think the setting can only be changed once each solstice." ¡°Wonderful!¡± Sarah said with emphatic dryness. ¡°Another catastrophe. Davrar itself is the dungeon.¡± Nobody had a response to that, so they all sat for a moment before Stella broke the silence. ¡°What does [The Living World] do?¡± ¡°It says it drains corruption and cleanses blight of every form,¡± Nathan responded. ¡°Turns me into a little mini-Seal, I guess.¡± Aarl snorted. ¡°Who needs ancient magical constructs when you have antimages?¡± Sarah rolled her eyes at her brother. ¡°What of your other skills? Any dramatic Developments?¡± ¡°A few,¡± Nathan said. ¡°My Stamina is now ten times the base level. I can ride the wind, so Stella¡¯s wind gusts should be able to hurl me towards somebody. My antimagic is even more general, and I think it can affect Divinity now. I lost my Rage skill, but now have the benefits without the downsides.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Almost everything got better.¡± The Heirs launched into more questions, and Nathan could see their own eagerness to reach level 729 and get their own class Developments and share in the same bonus that they''d all gotten from finishing off the Grave of All Giants. We just need to stay alive that long. "It''s going to take so much time to recharge your Stamina." Stella complained, extending a plasma torch in his direction. - The next night, Stella approached him cradling a deep purple flame. ¡°I¡¯ve got a few questions about an improved fireball spell,¡± she said, holding out the fire. ¡°I¡¯ve enhanced the fire mana to feed from what it burns, but when I tried to work that into the fireball spell it unbalances the spellwork.¡± "Shouldn''t you be working on water mana?" Sarah asked from the side. "It seems a key weapon for an ocean journey." "I''m following my flame," Stella said, indicating the strange fire she was holding. Nathan blinked down at the flame. He couldn¡¯t tell exactly what was going on, but she seemed to have somehow made a feedback loop so that the fire mana fueled itself by reducing atmospheric oxygen. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but it seemed like it would make the same amount of mana produce more energy by drawing energy from the things around it. Then he parsed the actual question. ¡°Ah, yeah. I got some hints into an improved fireball construction from the Academy. I also had some thoughts about how you could use a jet of fire to propel the fireball faster¡­¡±
Tutoring 7 achieved!
- A few uneventful days of travel later they walked towards the gates of Litcliff. They¡¯d landed out of sight of the city and were approaching on foot trying not to be too flashy. Aarl''s armor was hidden under his clothing, Sarah''s bandolier was tucked into a dimensional bag, and Khachi''s armor only reflected a little bit more light than it should. They walked along the remnants of an ancient road, but it was closer to hard-packed dirt than a true road, with the occasional paving stone sticking out of it. It looked like a road with a lot of traffic that didn¡¯t get any maintenance. The Heirs crested a rise and beheld Litcliff for the first time. The dirt road sloped down from the hills towards the dark ocean that covered a third of the horizon. A large inlet cut into the land, with Litcliff at the end farthest from the sea. Cliffs rose to either side of the body of water, making it almost a fjord. The city sprawled around the tip of the bay, buildings scattered over the slope down to the water and the cliffs to either side. A tall wall blocked the land approaches with a singular gate in the very center. Once more, Nathan¡¯s breath was taken away by the sheer scale of Davrar. He¡¯d seen the ocean on Earth, but something about this ocean made it seem larger. After a moment it clicked. The waves were enormous. He was miles away from the main body of the ocean, but he could still see the swells from here. When he squinted he saw the flash of spray in the air as they pounded against the far-off cliffs. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Those waves must be massive. A hundred feet or more. And it¡¯s a pretty calm day. In contrast, the waters of the large bay holding Litcliff were calm. It looked like the huge waves just died away to nothing right past the mouth of the inlet. Fishing boats plied the smooth waters, and he could see a rakish clipper shrouded in a small cloud of mist sliding across the smooth waters towards the city. Nathan turned his eyes back to the city of Litcliff. The buildings marched down the slope to the water, dense and solidly made of stone. But there was a crudity to them that told him they weren''t ancient constructions. This wasn¡¯t a city like Gemore, built upon the bones of the ancients. If there was a ruin or a dungeon here, then it wasn¡¯t visible. The cliff to one side of the harbor was carved into the facade of an elaborate structure, palatial and grand as it surveyed the wide docks. Several towers held structures that Nathan had to squint to see were large siege engines, heavily favoring weird ballista-shapes with three, four or five arms. There was nobody else on the road, though the dirt path looked well-traveled. The Heirs approached the city, ready for attack from any angle. This was where the assassins chasing them had come from, after all. Stella had raised the most inconspicuous barrier she could, and Nathan and Khachi were in front. Everybody had a hand on a weapon, though that wasn¡¯t unusual for people traveling the wilds of Davrar. Nathan raised a hand in greeting to the trio of guards on the singular gate as they walked within yelling distance. ¡°Hail!¡± Between his stealth skills and his mental defenses, the Heirs had all agreed that it made sense for Nathan to take point in any conversations or negotiations that took place. He carried a small bag that looked like it could be a dimensional sack. With only basic clothing and shoes he looked like a farmer or villager here with an Adventurer escort. His aura had expanded with his recent class-up, but it had also grown even easier to control. He was spending a faint trickle of Stamina to keep it almost fully drawn in.
High-tier Disguise 5 achieved!
The guards eyed their party carefully, eyes flicking from Aarl¡¯s greatsword to Stella¡¯s robes and Khachi¡¯s face. An older man stepped forward, droopy mustache hiding his face. ¡°Gemore Adventurers? Purpose in Litcliff?¡± Nathan shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m looking to catch a ship.¡± He examined the guards as he did. They seemed to be a cut above Gemore¡¯s guards in attitude and equipment, armed with enchanted weapons and standing lightly as if ready for a fight. They''re the primary military force of Litcliff. Gemore has Adventurers for the real fighting and the guards are to provide security and keep the peace. Military versus cops. Here the guards do both jobs. One of the man¡¯s eyebrows lifted, and he paused to study the Heirs for a moment longer. A faint mental skill pushed against Nathan, but withdrew just as quickly. He nodded gruffly and beckoned them forward. ¡°You¡¯re the Heirs of Gemore. We¡¯ve been expecting you.¡± That sentence made every one of Nathan¡¯s friends tense. Stella¡¯s magical shield flared bright, and golden light started collecting around Khachi¡¯s armor. The man shook his head, hand dropping to the mace at his belt. ¡°No need to spit salt. The Oligarchs know about your complications. We don¡¯t want fighting inside the city. Wait here and I¡¯ll summon your escort.¡± The mustachioed guard stepped inside the gatehouse, and Nathan tracked the signature of the enchantments on his gear through the wall. The man moved with purpose through a few rooms and activated some kind of [Message] enchantment. Nathan couldn¡¯t decipher the contents of the communication, but it was definitely sent back into the city. There¡¯s a chance they just called for reinforcements. Maybe I should reactivate my jamming-field skill and block [Message]? That just seems like a way to cause confusion and reveal a card we don¡¯t need to show. The guard returned to join his fellows, giving them a shallow nod. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be long. Jaus is quick. Stay with him in the city, unless you wish to be cast into the sea.¡± Nothing happened, and the silence stretched awkwardly. One of the other guards started whistling a jaunty tune. Then a tall man strode out of the open gates, whistling the same tune. He was lithe and toned, wearing armor that was molded to his form and duplicated the anatomy underneath it. As he walked the plates of metal attached to his body bent and flexed, not seeming to encumber him at all. His only other clothing was a loincloth over his groin - though it looked like the armor continued underneath it. He had a bow and quiver on his back and an oddly shaped club at his waist that buzzed with enchantments. He sauntered over to the Heirs while looking each of them up and down. ¡°You must be the Heirs.¡± He drawled out the words. ¡°I¡¯m Jaus, and it¡¯s my station to prevent any mishaps while you¡¯re in Litcliff.¡± He seemed to finish sizing them all up and approached, holding his hand out to Aarl. ¡°You must be Stanel¡¯s get. I¡¯ve always wanted to clash with him.¡± Aarl stepped forward, taking the other man¡¯s hand and shaking. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of your deeds. We follow your light.¡± The two fighters seemed to engage in a brief battle of strength disguised as a handshake. But both of their hands were gauntleted in enchanted metal. Neither showed any sign of discomfort as metal creaked in their grasp. Jaus chuckled. ¡°Well, you¡¯re a young bladeserpent. What¡¯s your purpose here in Litcliff? I warn you, the Oligarchs will decline your audience. Too much risk.¡± ¡°Blasphemous luck that we don¡¯t wish to speak with them,¡± Aarl replied easily. ¡°We¡¯re looking to hire a ship. Are the docks going to decline us too?" The man barked out a laugh, then turned and gestured for the Heirs to follow. ¡°No, but the captains might.¡± He set a fast pace, crossing through the gates at a steady walk that nonetheless ate distance as if he was jogging. It looked like some sort of Talent or skill that let him cover more distance than he should. Once on the other side he shot a curious look back at them. ¡°Why are the Heirs seeking a ship? Doesn¡¯t your destiny lie in Gemore?¡± Aarl just shrugged, and Jaus¡¯s gaze traveled over the rest of the Heirs. When it landed on Nathan he felt a slight pressure to the look. There was something encouraging them to answer, an encouragement to elaborate. Stella shifted uncomfortably, but none of the Heirs replied to the question. If we needed a reminder that this is hostile territory, that wasn¡¯t a bad one. This feels like stepping into the Ashblood Cobra lair, but the cobras are all cozying up to us first. But we don¡¯t want to fight a city, much less a neutral city full of bystanders. If Jaus was put out by their silence he didn¡¯t show it, merely turning back around and gesturing down the road that sloped towards the harbor. ¡°If you needed an escort to find the harbor I¡¯d call you a fool, but I¡¯m lashed to you nonetheless. Follow.¡± He set off at a fast walk, covering distance at what would have been a dead sprint for a normal person, while shooting a challenging look over his shoulder. ¡°Should we even follow?¡± Sarah said with a frown. ¡°He¡¯s supposed to stay with us.¡± Aarl shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s an elite of Litcliff. He¡¯s testing us, and trying to tease out our capabilities.¡± Stella scrunched up her face. ¡°That¡¯s a dungeon for fools. We don¡¯t let him place the target.¡± She started forward, moving at a normal walk. Down the hill Jaus looked back, and Nathan could see the annoyed look on his face. In a flash he was back in their faces, teeth bared in what was technically a smile. His words were mocking. ¡°Are elites of Gemore unable to match my pace?¡± ¡°I want to see the city,¡± Stella said, pointing around at the plaza around them. It wasn¡¯t as fancy as what Nathan had seen in Giantsrest, but a fountain burbled to one side and the ground had a crude mural of breaking waves. ¡°I¡¯ll only regret if I don''t appreciate your home properly.¡± She met Jaus¡¯ eyes levelly, and her eyes sparked with lightning. The man snorted, once more panning his gaze around the Heirs. ¡°Well, if you wish to waste time. Do any of you wish to move faster? I¡¯ll give you a rapid tour of the city if your blood calls for it.¡± Once more there was the pressure of his gaze, encouraging them to take up his offer. He seemed to focus the effect on Nathan and Aarl, but neither of them took the bait. ¡°I can see your city well enough from here,¡± Nathan said, pointing around to the cliffs on either side. They were festooned with colorful buildings, and the cliff near the docks on the left side had been completely covered with a palatial structure carved into the rock. ¡°Is that the palace?¡± Jaus growled lightly. ¡°It¡¯s the Hall of Tides. The Oligarchs do meet there, yes.¡± ¡°Neat,¡± Nathan replied dryly. ¡°Now, the harbor?¡±
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 7 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 5 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: End of Magic level 731 Bottomless Stamina : 73840/74100 Indomitable The Undeniable Strike of the Antimage Stamina Burn Momentum Mastery Stoneflesh Arcane Nullification Galefoot Close Quarters Mastery Boundless Aura Denial of Mysticism The Ending of Magic Aura Projection Selective Dispel The Living World
Class: Spellslayer level 504 Regenerative Focus: 5140/5140 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Tranquility 1 Inspiration 8 Acceleration 10 Mystical Discernment 1 Alertness 10 Arcane Insight 2 Effortless Dodge 10 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 7 Parkour 8 Visibility Control 4 High-tier Disguise 5 High-tier Battle Cry 2 Aura Control 3
Chapter 29: From the Fire into the Oven ¡°I warn you, no captain will be eager to take passengers they¡¯re unfamiliar with.¡± Jaus said as they walked down the main street towards the harbor. Tall houses built of rock the same color as the cliffs rose on both sides, interspersed with occasional squares decorated with fountains. ¡°Let¡¯s talk to them and find out,¡± Nathan replied absently. He was busy watching in every direction, paying attention to rooftops and other possible angles of attack. Litcliff was the origin of the assassins who¡¯d attacked them thus far. Having an escort was all well and good, but it wouldn¡¯t help if somebody popped over a rooftop and put a bolt through Khachi¡¯s head. At least the other pedestrians were keeping their distance. They all took one look at the Heirs being escorted by Jaus in his form-fitting metal armor and gave them a wide berth. Most of the people looked like locals, though there was a scattering of sailors and a few who were dressed like farmers. Behind Nathan the Heirs were keeping a wary eye out, with Aarl taking up the rear. They were using a formation they¡¯d practiced long ago for patrolling Old Gemore. Litcliff was just as likely to house threats as the ruin-infested city was. We just need to hire a ship and get out of the city. We¡¯ve got a veritable mountain of magical crafting materials and enchanted items to pay with. Looting Giantsrest was profitable. Jaus looked back at them and chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re acting like a hunted herd of Nindine.¡± He spread his arms wide. ¡°But this is Litcliff! Gemore might be full of Adventurers craving battle, but here the Oligarchs mandate peace. Fighting is bad for business.¡± He waggled his finger back and forth reprovingly. ¡°Do not stir these depths, unless you desire a swift death.¡± His fingers dropped to the handle of the strange club at his side as his face twisted into a grin. The expression didn¡¯t even come close to reaching his eyes. Nathan rolled his eyes. He¡¯d been threatened by better. ¡°Keep your pants on. We¡¯re not going to start anything.¡± He rolled his head around, popping his neck. ¡°But if somebody else starts something, we¡¯ll finish it.¡± Nathan kept his eyes on Jaus as he spoke, making it clear that he was including the Litcliff elite in his category. The man¡¯s grin twisted into a derisive smirk and he turned back down the road, setting off at a slightly faster pace. The Heirs didn¡¯t speed up and a moment later their escort moderated his own pace to avoid outdistancing them. All power games and bluffs with this guy. I¡¯d think he was trying to get close to us to attack us but he¡¯s being enough of a jerk that that doesn¡¯t seem likely. They reached the final stretch of road that led down to the harbor, and Nathan looked out across the docklands of Litcliff. They were clearly the focus of the town, with warehouses and shipyards crammed onto the flat ground in front of the long piers stretching out into the water. Nearly a dozen ships were spaced around the dock, though only four of them looked large enough to make transoceanic journeys. One of those was the rakish three-masted ship that had just arrived. I¡¯m a bit suspicious of a ship that just got here. If Badud¡¯s put a Questor-sized bounty on our heads I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if a crew diverted to Litcliff to take a shot at us. The day was wearing on and the fishing boats were starting to come in, ready to unload cargos of fish and other aquatic life into waiting carts. In the far distance Nathan could see where the enormous waves of the open ocean calmed down to the mirror-smoothness of the water around Litcliff. Magic calming the water. If I had to bet, there¡¯s probably a dungeon-sourced artifact inside the palace that¡¯s calming the water. Maybe it was a dungeon at some point. Jaus looked back at him and raised a questioning eyebrow, sweeping his hand to indicate the docks. Nathan pointed to the closest of the four large ships - which was also the one farthest away from the new ship. This one looked solidly used but reliable, with a boxy design around two sturdy masts bearing oft-repaired rigging. The Heirs negotiated the docks to reach the ship, Jaus falling into step beside Nathan as he approached the gangplank. He stopped at the base of it, looking up at the absolute bear of a man who was blocking the way. Those are some nice muscles. The hirsute man didn¡¯t say anything as Nathan approached. He just watched and waited, his hands inching towards the curved blades strapped across his chest. If the oligarchs mandate peace, why does everybody seem so ready for a fight? ¡°We''re looking to hire a ship to go across the ocean,¡± Nathan said pleasantly, meeting the man¡¯s eyes and giving him a respectful nod. His reply was a grunt followed by an outstretched hand telling them to stop. Then the man turned and walked back aboard the ship, the planks creaking under his weight. They waited on the dock for a minute. Jaus started tapping his foot impatiently while the Heirs kept a careful watch in every direction. It felt a little ridiculous to be this paranoid in the middle of a busy city, but Nathan joined them. He kept at least some of his attention on their escort as well. After all, it¡¯s not paranoia if they really are out to get you. Jaus has to know about the bounty. But I¡¯m pretty sure I can just brick his armor with my antimagic if he does anything aggressive. My new class is even faster at destroying enchantments than my old one. It only took another minute before the ship¡¯s guardian returned, this time accompanied by a petite woman wearing an enchanted breastplate and an absolutely expressionless face. She looked down on the Heirs from the top of the ship, then spoke in a clipped voice. ¡°You had a wish to travel?¡± Nathan cleared his throat. ¡°We want to book passage across the ocean on your ship. We can pay handsomely.¡± Her eyes flicked over the Heirs, gauging their gear for a moment before coming back to rest on Nathan. Her face gave no clue as to her thoughts, but after a moment she spoke again. ¡°Where to?¡± Grimacing and glancing at Jaus, Nathan replied. ¡°Keihona. Do you know where that is?¡± The woman snorted. ¡°Aye. It¡¯s a kraken¡¯s journey.¡± Her eyes flicked to Jaus, who was yawning at that moment. ¡°But not worth the risk to me and mine. Algoa¡¯s luck to ye, but this ship won¡¯t take you.¡± She turned and walked out of sight, being immediately replaced by the enormous sailor. The man glowered down at the Heirs and wordlessly told them to get out of his sight. Jaus chuckled. ¡°I spoke a prophecy of truth earlier. You¡¯ll need to wait for a ship on the right tide. Might take a few weeks.¡± Nathan was already walking towards the next option. It was the smallest of the ocean-going ships, with a lower deck and only a single mast. But the wood that made it up was dark and heavy, and the bottom was clad in a shell of hammered copper or similar metal. There were two men and a woman playing some kind of card game on deck, and they all looked up with sharp eyes as Nathan approached. All three were heavily scarred, and one of the men was missing an arm and the other had an eyepatch over one eye. The man with the patch spoke up in a rough voice. ¡°What¡¯s you want? Why¡¯s there a beastie with you?¡± Nathan repeated his request, ignoring the slur directed at Khachi. ¡°Looking for passage for five. Off-continent.¡± The man turned back to the other two, flashing a few one-handed signs. The other man shrugged and responded in kind, and the woman nodded her agreement, taking a draw on a pipe clenched between her teeth. The one-eyed man faced Nathan again. ¡°What¡¯s on offer?¡± ¡°Goods, enchanted items. Enough to make it worth the trip.¡± Nathan said, gesturing backwards. Behind him Aarl pulled out an ingot of gold-blue metal, and out of the corner of his eye Nathan saw Jaus eyeing the mithril bar consideringly. Khachi spoke up in a low growl. ¡°Healing for the arm and the eye, as well as anything else.¡± The man¡¯s eyebrow rose, and he darted a look to his companion¡¯s missing arm. ¡°Aye? And what¡¯s the target?¡± ¡°Keihonia.¡± The word soured the mood instantly. The woman reached up and took the pipe out of her mouth, then spat on the deck and spoke in a wheezing voice. ¡°Heard o¡¯ it, but can¡¯t navigate there. What¡¯s your need? Other ports closer. Could take ya to Esebus. Sangrad.¡± I don¡¯t think we want to go to other places with unknown dynamics. Might be we pick the stronghold of one of Badud¡¯s friends. Nathan shook his head. ¡°Keihonia or nothing. If we found a map could you take us there?¡± This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. The three exchanged a few more quick hand-signs before the one-eyed man replied, ¡°Mayhap. Depends on the price. The tales tell it to be an unfriendly town. Full of taxmen. And judges.¡± He spat the words like curses. ¡°Do you have a chart?¡± He spoke casually, but Nathan thought he could detect a thread of greed underneath the man¡¯s words. ¡°Not now. We might come back later with one. Are you staying in Litcliff long?¡± The man shrugged again. ¡°Mayhap some days.¡± He offered no further response, merely staring at Nathan with his one good eye. I swear, these people go out of their way to make conversations awkward. With that apparent dismissal, Nathan turned and walked towards the third ship. This one was the largest of all, and docked the farthest from shore. It was a fat-bellied galleon that stood high above the deck, looking more like a floating wooden castle than a ship. A constant stream of people carried away a stack of goods resting on the pier nearby. A pair of men with dark brown skin and red-green suits cut something like a tuxedo stood before a set of stairs resting on the dock. Their appearance was polished and slick, with long mustaches curled into a spiral and polished swords at their waists. One of the men bowed to Nathan, oiled mustache dipping slightly with the motion. He straightened up and spoke in a smooth and cultured tone. ¡°I welcome you all to the ship of Davion as esteemed guests.¡± The deliberate emphasis on the last two words clearly carried some significance. Then the man turned and led the way up the stairs, opening the door at the top and gesturing Nathan through. On the other side was the open deck of the ship, with high wooden walls all around. But what grabbed Nathan¡¯s attention was the flash of steel in the sunlight. A dozen more men stood arranged on either side of a green carpet laid on the deck, thin swords out and held overhead in a salute. Nathan¡¯s steps stuttered as he beheld the display, and his paranoia surged. Then he mastered the sudden fear. If this was a trap, it was one he would spring and survive. But it looked more like a ceremonial greeting. He stepped forward once more, magical senses scanning their armament Force and weight enchantments. I bet those swords are wickedly fast and cut like a scalpel. They¡¯ve also got an enchantment woven underneath those suits that¡¯ll deflect elemental magic and a couple of blows. The enchantments are impressively standardized. Their guide spoke again. ¡°Please, Davion awaits.¡± He gestured towards the end of the carpet to where a small table covered with an embroidered red tablecloth had been set with a delicate tea service. There were only two chairs, and one of them was occupied by a tall brown-skinned man with broad shoulders and a heavy belly. He was dressed in another red-and-green suit that dripped with enough golden jewelry that he looked like a christmas tree come to life. Nathan took the single proffered seat, settling down opposite the large man - presumably Davion. The Heirs stood in a cluster behind him while Jaus walked a little ways to the side, looking bored. Through his magical senses Nathan felt the swordsmen fan out behind them in a semicircle. He heard the faint clanking as Khachi tensed in his armor. Across from him, Davion reached forwards and poured a steaming dark liquid from a tall teapot into two tiny ceramic mugs sitting on an oval-shaped platter, then swept his hands above them as if to tell Nathan to take his pick. He waited for Nathan¡¯s move, eyes curious. Nathan reached forward and delicately picked up one of the enameled cups, holding the fragile handle between his thumb and pointer finger. He sipped delicately, tasting a subtle flavor that reminded him of green tea mixed with a hint of chocolate. He nodded appreciatively to the man and placed the cup in the precise center of the saucer waiting in front of him. No poison. The large man smiled, then picked up the remaining mug in a nearly identical grip and sipped at it before placing it down on the table. He spoke, his voice rich and deep. ¡°I am Davion, and you are welcome aboard my ship. Tell me, do you know of the ways of Sago? Nathan returned the smile, speaking politely. ¡°No, but I have seen similar customs before.¡± He gestured around at the massive boat. ¡°You have a lovely ship. Truly, beyond anything else in this harbor.¡± Davion bowed his head slightly in acknowledgement of the compliment. ¡°I thank you for the compliment. The Pride of Davion has carried me across a dozen oceans of Davrar, and will carry me farther still.¡± His lips quirked. ¡°But it is not the finest ship in the harbor. The Grace of the Mist has just arrived, and that is a ship of the finest grade.¡± ¡°Oh? Do you know her?¡± Nathan asked, then winced slightly. Davion had referred to his ship as an it, not a she, so he was unlikely to understand Nathan¡¯s question. ¡°Her? Do you mean the captain of the Grace of the Mist?¡± Davion replied with a questioning tone. ¡°Not to the knowledge of trade, no. Eolinne is a captain that all learn of, if they survive the seas for long enough. But few trade with her, for her business is not trade.¡± Then the brown-skinned man picked up his tea and drained it, fixing Nathan with a sharp gaze as he placed the cup back onto the table with a clink. ¡°Now, onto business.¡± Nathan finished his own cup of tea. ¡°Business. We wish to book passage to Keihonia. We offer payment in crafting materials and enchanted items. Enough to be a rich payment for such a trip.¡± Davion¡¯s face was impassive as he looked up, his gaze scanning over the buildings built into the cliffs all around before flicking over Jaus. ¡°Still waters with deep dangers.¡± He said it like a quote, then refocused on Nathan. ¡°I must apologize for my poor negotiation, but neither of us will profit if you remain longer than necessary. You will not find passage aboard my ship.¡± The big man let out a heavy sigh. ¡°Feel no shame for this. You are involved in the games of Questors, and I am awed by your courage. But I do not deal with Questors, for though the rewards are great, the risks likewise. One grand sale makes a fortune, but life is still more valuable.¡± Nathan studied Davion for a second, looking into his eyes. The man seemed completely certain. ¡°Could you provide a chart to get there, so we can hire another ship?¡± Davion shook his head apologetically. ¡°Such a thing is more valuable than the trip itself, and involves me nonetheless. If you acquire such a map, it should serve as payment for the journey by itself.¡± He stood and bowed slightly, gesturing for his guards to escort the Heirs off the ship. Nathan stood and bowed in return. Davion¡¯s lips didn¡¯t move, but his words still came to Nathan, carried in a low whisper that seemed targeted at him alone. ¡°I offer a weight of wisdom in return for your manners. Eolinne is a piece in the games of Questors, and she made haste to come here. Do not show Jaus your back, for the oligarchs are surely tempted by the wealth offered for your death.¡± Nathan blinked, but showed no outward sign of the message as he followed his friends down the ramp. Aarl made an annoyed snort and gestured towards the last ship, the sharp clipper that Davion had identified as the Grace of the Mist. ¡°Last chance.¡± I''m getting a bad feeling.
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 7 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 5 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: End of Magic level 731 Bottomless Stamina : 74082/74100 Indomitable The Undeniable Strike of the Antimage Stamina Burn Momentum Mastery Stoneflesh Arcane Nullification Galefoot Close Quarters Mastery Boundless Aura Denial of Mysticism The Ending of Magic Aura Projection Selective Dispel The Living World
Class: Spellslayer level 504 Regenerative Focus: 5140/5140 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Tranquility 1 Inspiration 8 Acceleration 10 Mystical Discernment 1 Alertness 10 Arcane Insight 2 Effortless Dodge 10 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 7 Parkour 8 Visibility Control 4 High-tier Disguise 5 High-tier Battle Cry 2 Aura Control 3
Chapter 30: Sounds of a Flute Nathan walked towards the Grace of the Mists with the rest of the Heirs and Jaus following close behind. He was more aware of their escort''s presence than ever since Davion¡¯s warning about the Oligarchs. Of course, Davion had also warned him about the ship he was currently approaching. The rakish vessel had made haste to reach Litcliff, and was commonly involved in Questor business. That meant they were probably there for Nathan one way or another. In all likelihood, they¡¯re carrying assassins sent from afar. Or the entire crew is after us. Who knows, they might be pirates. He considered diverting the Heirs away from the ship. But if this was going to come down to a fight, then it might as well happen on their terms. He¡¯d rather face an enemy head-on than be attacked while they were resting. Of course, it¡¯s always possible that they hauled ass here because they¡¯re on our side. Maybe Brox sent them? He considered that. It seemed unlikely for Brox to put that much thought into things. The Questor wasn¡¯t a planner - if he wanted to protect Nathan from assassins, he¡¯d come himself. Though Nathan was pretty sure he couldn¡¯t. The terms of Badud¡¯s death meant he couldn¡¯t return to the continent for decades, and the same was likely true for Brox. As they approached, Nathan heard faint flute music. It was thin and ethereal, like a caress on the edge of his attention. The sound stayed the same volume as they came closer to the three-masted ship, indicating there was a skill at play. The Grace of the Mists was longer than The Pride of Davion but with a much narrower hull, more reminiscent of a supersonic aircraft than a castle. Three masts speared up hundreds of feet from the ship''s deck, each carrying four horizontal yardarms for sails. But there was a suspicious lack of sails and rigging. The ship was made from a naturally white wood, and the combination made it look nearly skeletal. Once more Nathan took the lead, noting the pair of gangplanks and heading towards the one closer to the back of the ship. That seemed to be closer to the source of the mysterious music. Just before he set foot on the gangplank the music cut off and a petite woman appeared on the deck, looking down on him with an intense expression. She appeared no older than Nathan and was dressed in a diaphanous white gown that reached to the ground, cinched at the waist with black ribbons. Her long white hair blended into the ephemeral fabric of the dress, and the skin of her neck and face was similarly pale and pallid. Her auburn eyes and similarly-painted lips stood out in the sea of white like beacons in the fog. A crown of blackened branches topped the ensemble, woven together through her hair. She held a flute in her left hand, made of the same white wood as the ship. Nathan blinked at her exotic appearance, but the woman said nothing. She seemed happy to let him start the conversation. He looked up to her and opened his mouth awkwardly. ¡°We are looking for the captain of this ship. Eolinne?¡± She gently pressed the hand not holding the flute to her chest. ¡°The winds align behind you, for I am known without knowledge of my own. What is your name?¡± Her voice was breathy and demure, but her presence was imposing enough that the soft voice didn¡¯t diminish her at all. ¡°I am Nathan Lark, and we are Adventurers from Gemore. We wish passage to Keihonia. Is that something you can do?¡± Eolinne raised one delicate eyebrow, the white hair barely visible over white skin. ¡°Nathan Lark has come to my ship.¡± She said the words as if tasting them. Then her face hardened ever so slightly. ¡°The day is nearly done, and this is not a conversation for this moment. When we meet again, we will both know more. During our next conversation I may offer you passage. I anticipate that time.¡± She turned abruptly and strode away, quickly disappearing from view. What? Is that a snub or not? Nathan almost made to follow her, but a snort from Jaus distracted him. He shot a look back at their escort and the man looked vindicated. ¡°I told you the captains wouldn''t want to take you, and only an idiot challenges a captain on their ship.¡± He jerked his head back towards the city. ¡°Now come on, there¡¯s a room waiting for you. The Oligarchs don¡¯t want damage, and they¡¯ll take a portion of what you pay for the voyage. That pays for a room at a nice inn.¡± He turned to lead the way, walking at a more normal pace this time and occasionally checking to see if they were following. Nathan shot significant glances at his friends, raising an eyebrow to ask if they thought going along with this was a good idea, or if it was time to reconsider their plans. Aarl just shrugged, and Stella rolled her eyes. Sarah was too busy checking angles to the nearby siege engines mounted to defend the harbor. Khachi met Nathan''s eyes calmly. I guess we¡¯re going along with this. Feels like everybody¡¯s dialing us in for a hit. But if we start a fuss then we get kicked out of the city. The flute music started up again as the Heirs walked away from the ship. It drifted off the Grace of the Mists in an audacious call very different from the previous calm tune. Nathan felt an edge of magic in the music, and reached out with his aura to bat away the spell. The music faded but he could feel it out there, pressing in against the edges of his aura. Once they¡¯d reached the end of the dock he retracted his aura and the song returned, just as loud and pressing in against his attention. He reached out with a spike of antimagic, wondering if he could create an interference effect like he¡¯d done with the Grave Tangle. ¡°Ambush.¡± Sarah spoke the word just as night fell, sudden darkness covering the world as the sun switched off. The sudden darkness always took a moment to get used to, and it seemed like somebody had used that to try to surprise them. Khachi¡¯s shield came up like the rehearsed action it was, a wordless shout erupting from his mouth as a golden dome thirty feet across materialized above them. It intersected with Nathan¡¯s antimagic and yet was not destroyed, as Nathan found his desire not to interfere with his friend¡¯s magic translated into action. The shield shuddered a moment later as several heavy blows impacted against the sturdy forward surface. Nathan spread his antimagic across the street, granting permissions to Stella¡¯s magic and the enchanted gear of each of his allies. Then he turned to face Jaus alongside Aarl. The man had jerked slightly at the first attack, but now he stood still and watched them impassively, his hand on his weapon. Sarah spoke quickly. ¡°Four ballistas that were hidden in wagons up the slope. I saw movement on the houses to either side. We¡¯re surrounded.¡± The Heirs answered her in a staccato. ¡°Finally.¡± Stella said emphatically, her eyes lit from within by lightning. ¡°I¡¯ll take the siege weapons. Sarah can clear the nearby buildings.¡± ¡°I will defend the front.¡± Khachi declared, though he kept his shield raised to maintain the golden dome that protected them for the moment. ¡°I¡¯ll cover Jaus and watch for magic,¡± Nathan said, stepping closer to their escort. This fight is more suited to the others anyway. Might as well get them some levels. ¡°Then the rear is mine,¡± Aarl spoke. ¡°Ready?¡± Sarah asked, drawing both pistols and aiming them upwards. ¡°Ready.¡± They all chorused. Khachi dropped the shield and raised his hammer, jetting forward in a flash of light. A staccato of gunfire sounded from Sarah, interrupted by the deafening crack of Stella¡¯s lightning. There was another flash of light as Khachi slammed his hammer to the ground, blasting shadowed figures backwards with a detonation of divine magic. Nathan watched the fight out of the corner of his eyes, keeping his attention on Jaus. The man smirked back, staying precisely where he was and drumming fingers on the hilt of his weapon. ¡°How would you stop me? You are unarmed.¡± Jaus asked, his words nearly impossible to hear over the sound of combat. Drain the magic from your armor and leave you imprisoned in it. "Try it and..." Nathan¡¯s glib reply was cut off by a broad-headed bolt slicing through his neck from the side. Skills and magic gave the projectile the potency to cut through Nathan¡¯s flesh, but the attack bounced off his vertebrae instead of severing his spine entirely. Blood fountained out of the wound towards Jaus, who flickered backwards at high speed to avoid the spray. Then the man stepped forward with a small smile on his lips, eyes watching as Nathan fell to one knee and raised one hand to clasp his throat. The fighter didn¡¯t draw his weapon or speak, he just watched as blood gushed between Nathan¡¯s fingers onto the stone. His eyes flicked left and right, tracking the other members of the Heirs, all involved in their own battles. At first Nathan was annoyed that he¡¯d even fallen. He¡¯d healed from being practically vaporized before. This blow shouldn¡¯t even slow him down. But there was definitely some amount of nerve damage, and the injury just wasn¡¯t healing. Anti-healing skill. I¡¯ve got one of those too in [Catastrophic Blows], but it¡¯s nowhere near this potent. The wound continued to resist healing, and a sense of panic rose in Nathan. He crushed it utterly, gritting bloodstained teeth as he threw off the mental skill emanating from the wound and focused his attention on his neck. [Immortal Body] didn''t seem to recognize the injury as something it should fix. But that was fine. Nathan had built the Talent off of direct control and understanding of biology. He could manually heal this injury. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. He dumped Stamina into the wound, first focusing on the carotid and jugular to restore bloodflow to the brain. Then he fixed up the nerves in the spine before moving to the rest of the tissues. It took orders of magnitude more resources than it should have, and Nathan burned through ten thousand Stamina in seconds to repair the damage.
Immortal Body 6 achieved!
He kept his eyes on Jaus the entire time, seeing the man¡¯s satisfied look shift to concern as the blood slowed and stopped. His fingers tightened on the hilt of his club and his eyes flicked around to take in the other Heirs. Nathan rose to his feet and removed his hand to reveal bloodied but unblemished skin. ¡°Were you going to help?¡± he asked in an absolutely frigid tone. ¡°Or are you going to drop this farce?¡± Jaus scowled for a second, tensing before his face twisted into one of the most insincere smiles Nathan had ever seen. ¡°I was ensuring you were not struck again. By the tide, you seem hale enough!¡± A gifted actor he is not. He''s definitely rooting for my death. The sounds of combat were trailing off, so Nathan cast his attention around to the rest of the Heirs. Sarah¡¯s eyes were on the rooftops as she slid new cartridges into her revolvers. She stepped smartly to the side to avoid a falling corpse as it finished its slide down the steep rooftop and fell into the street. The red-clad assassin still clutched a crossbow, despite the hole blown through their head. Stella¡¯s attention was on the hill above them, where the ballista had been. Now the carts that had held them were burning merrily, sending pillars of smoke into the night sky. They all looked to Khachi as he came back around the corner ahead, blood flaking off his hammer and armor as his magic ensured he looked pristine. Sure do wish that magic could extend to me. But even [Selective Dispel] won¡¯t enable magic to work on me. Allowing magic in my aura and maintaining it while its in direct contact with me are very different things.
End of Magic has leveled to 733! You have survived a direct assassination attempt by a prepared foe!
Spellslayer has leveled to level 510! You and your teammates have defeated an experienced team of assassins!
Aarl stepped up beside Nathan, cleaning blood off the invisible ax he¡¯d gotten from Archmage Cala dha Drex. ¡°Sneaky muckgrabber. Almost got past me.¡± He gestured towards Jaus with the ax. ¡°Saw the edges of what happened. Should we kill him?¡± Not if we want to stay in Litcliff. If we kill him then we either fight the entire city or leave. And he''s not actively trying to kill us, just not helping. Jaus¡¯ brows drew down, and he took a few steps backwards and settled into a ready stance. ¡°If you strike at me, I will slay you all in an eyeblink.¡± Nathan snorted. ¡°I¡¯ve fought beside somebody fast enough for that. You¡¯re quick, but you''re not that fast. But for an escort, you didn¡¯t seem to protect us much.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not here to protect you.¡± Jaus said with an exaggerated shrug. ¡°The oligarchs know that you¡¯re going to be attacked. They just want to be sure you don¡¯t burn down the city when it happens.¡± He tilted his head towards Stella. ¡°But you showed remarkable restraint fighting a maw of the deep. These assassins were professionals, and they hid themselves well. You cannot expect Litcliff to prevent such an attack?¡± Once more the social skill pressed down on Nathan, encouraging him to agree with the guard representative. He chopped his hand down with a growl in response. ¡°No, but this was too coordinated. You led us down the exact road of their ambush!¡± He was about to continue when a sound caught his attention. It was the notes of a flute, the same tune that had been playing before the ambush. Come to think of it, the music hadn¡¯t even stopped during the fight, though it hadn¡¯t had any effect Nathan had observed. He wondered if he should expand his aura wide and banish the music from the entire area. But that would be giving away the fact he could do that. Nathan¡¯s distraction allowed Jaus to rally. ¡°What did their kill-notifications say! These assassins were not minions of the Oligarchs!¡± ¡°Assassin of Zhark.¡± Sarah said with a frown. Aarl looked back at the red-clad corpse at his feet. ¡°Seminarian of Zhark.¡± Khachi¡¯s brows drew together at the word. ¡°A seminary - of assassination? What blasphemous lessons.¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t wield magic.¡± Nathan said. ¡°Enchanted weapons yes, but no magic or blessings.¡± He met Khachi¡¯s eyes to make sure his point was received. The wolfman let out a tense breath and gave Nathan a grateful nod. These assassins didn''t have divine magic, which meant that Khachi didn''t have to worry about them awakening one of the dead gods. Jaus seized onto the words. ¡°There. Zhark. A city on another continent! Not from Litcliff. Not my station to ask why they¡¯re after you, but you killed them all. Come on to lodging! The guard will deal with this mess.¡± ¡°And collect all of the enchanted items.¡± Aarl grumbled, bending down to rifle through the items of the assailant he¡¯d killed and pocketing a few things. They continued following Jaus, this time keeping a somewhat larger distance between themselves and the fighter. The man appeared significantly more nervous than before. ¡°Didn¡¯t kill them all.¡± Sarah spoke up quietly and without preamble. ¡°At least three got away, including the one that shot you, Nathan. Grey hood, and fast as a nindine.¡± He grimaced at that news. ¡°They had very powerful anti-healing skills, and a mental skill. It was a dangerous wound.¡± Aarl shrugged. ¡°Their ambush is spoiled and their team is lost. I don¡¯t think we have much to fear.¡± Stella bit her lip. ¡°This entire place is a dungeon. I don¡¯t like staying the night here, especially when I can¡¯t just blast everything that makes me jump.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s make a fortress for our room.¡± Sarah replied idly. ¡°You have earth magic and air purification spells. Forget watching the door. Let¡¯s make new walls.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Nathan said idly. ¡°Can anybody else still hear Eolinne¡¯s flute?¡± The rest of the Heirs shook their heads, glancing over at Nathan in confusion. He sighed. ¡°I could hear it following us, some kind of perception magic. It lasted through the ambush, and followed us here." Aarl grimaced. "If Eolinne''s an enemy, we should leave." "She might just be unsure about us," Stella objected. "Or not want to get attacked by assassins." "If she knew of the assassins, then she should have warned us," came Aarl''s quick response. Nathan groaned. "We just don''t have enough information. All of this seems like a mess in the making. Maybe we should just leave. Is there really no other port we can use?¡± ¡°There¡¯s one in Agmon.¡± Khachi said with a snort. ¡°But the last time we met an orc we killed one of their nobles. My bones say that¡¯s a terrible idea.¡± ¡°Might be better than here,¡± Aarl replied wryly.
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 7 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 6 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: End of Magic level 733 Bottomless Stamina : 58830/74300 Indomitable The Undeniable Strike of the Antimage Stamina Burn Momentum Mastery Stoneflesh Arcane Nullification Galefoot Close Quarters Mastery Boundless Aura Denial of Mysticism The Ending of Magic Aura Projection Selective Dispel The Living World
Class: Spellslayer level 510 Regenerative Focus: 3791/5200 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Tranquility 1 Inspiration 8 Acceleration 10 Mystical Discernment 1 Alertness 10 Arcane Insight 2 Effortless Dodge 10 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 7 Parkour 8 Visibility Control 4 High-tier Disguise 5 High-tier Battle Cry 2 Aura Control 3
Chapter 31: Caution in Stone The Heirs moved in formation, keeping a careful watch in all directions as they followed Jaus through the city. He brought them to a wide market square just off the main thoroughfare and pointed to a wide five-story building on the uphill side. His words were loud and boisterous. ¡°The Golden Anchor. A big inn with a fine reputation, for the Oligarchs are fine hosts!¡± Nathan eyed the establishment, noting the solid stone construction and faint burn-marks around some of the windows. ¡°Fine, but we¡¯re sleeping on the ground level.¡± Jaus gave him a weird look but led them into the building without comment. The common area was only about a quarter full, full of the low chatter of people eating and talking. The crowd was diverse, with a broad range of skin tones, a few orcs, and a couple birdfolk in one corner. A few humans in aprons bustled around to serve food and drinks. A heavyset man turned from a quiet discussion with one of the staff and bustled forward to meet them. ¡°Jaus, my salt-brother! And your predicted guests, true as the tide.¡± He grabbed a cloth from his belt and mopped his brow. ¡°We have a wonderful suite of rooms awaiting you on the third floor. They¡¯re blessed by a great breeze and a view of the harbor! I¡¯ll take you there right away.¡± ¡°We want a room on the ground floor.¡± Nathan said, holding out a hand to stop the man. ¡°Not above it.¡± The man pursed his lips, then looked to Jaus for help. The guard shrugged and rolled his eyes but didn¡¯t say anything. The large man gave a shallow smile. ¡°Apologies, but we have no guest rooms on the ground floor! It¡¯s all storage and kitchens, and staff rooms.¡± ¡°A storage room will work,¡± Nathan replied, eyes calm. ¡°So long as it¡¯s large enough. We¡¯ll pay extra.¡± The man stuttered for a moment and shot a hopeless look at Jaus, who shrugged. ¡°I - I think we can make that work. We¡¯ll clear it out right away. Will you take a seat for dinner?¡± Nathan shot a look back at his friends. ¡°We¡¯ll wait here, but take dinner in our room.¡± He led the way over to a table in the corner and sat, the Heirs silently trooping along beside him. They knew they were in hostile territory and were happy to let Nathan do the talking. Jaus pulled up a chair, plopping down with an exaggerated sigh but keeping his distance from the Heirs. The seat groaned under the weight of his armor, the close-fitting metal scraping against the wood. ¡°For people who can fight so well, you¡¯re Endings-damned paranoid.¡± Aarl snorted. ¡°Easier to poison somebody than cross swords with them.¡± ¡°And why the ground-floor room?¡± The man continued with a puzzled expression, ignoring Aarl¡¯s comment. His social skill prodded them for an answer, but the Heirs remained resolutely silent. Jaus tried one more time. ¡°Then why Keihona? It¡¯s a blasphemous voyage. If you seek adventure you should voyage to Esebus, they are attempting to cleanse the continent and need hired steel. In Keihona you¡¯ll be outleveled by their peasants.¡± Nathan met Jaus¡¯ eyes calmly and said nothing. He tilted his head towards the door in a wordless dismissal. The other man grunted in annoyance and stood, walking over to the bar and calling out for a drink. Stella cast a quick [Muffle] spell and eyed their escort''s back unfavorably. ¡°I genuinely can¡¯t tell if he fell to a soul eater.¡± Sarah chuckled as her eyes flicked around the room. ¡°Are we sure the oligarchs don¡¯t desire our deaths? They might want the bounty.¡± ¡°The rulers of a city, engaging in assassination?¡± Outrage tinged Khachi¡¯s voice, but Stella¡¯s spell kept anybody in the room from noticing. ¡°That is a blasphemous thought." He paused, some of the glow fading from his eyes. "But not an impossible one. Not here.¡± Nathan frowned. ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought of Badud being able to bribe an entire city, but if he moved up an Ending it¡¯s quite possible. The question is, do we want to just get the hell out of here? Come back later without as much warning, or go all the way to Agmon? They''re still not technically at war with Gemore." Aarl looked up from where he was distributing snacks around the table from his dimensional bag. ¡°The assassins will catch up soon. We¡¯ll need to keep moving. We could lose our hunters in Agmon. Though we might gain new ones. I would not like to fight a legion of orcs." ¡°We should speak to Eolinne again first," Sarah said. "If we leave then Litcliff might not let us back in.¡± She popped a few small fruits into her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m not so sure,¡± Nathan said. ¡°I think she was watching us with magic after we left her ship and got ambushed. And Davion warned me about her - said that she was a piece in the game of Questors, and made haste to get to Litcliff. Maybe to try to kill us.¡± The Heirs digested that information for a moment before Stella hesitantly spoke up. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean she is an agent of Badud. She could be working for Brox, or Sarya. Didn¡¯t Badud need to negotiate with Sarya for the Ending? She would have sent somebody to understand what made Badud fart ice.¡± Sarah was nodding along. ¡°And the foreign assassins that attacked us couldn¡¯t have been on her ship. They had ballistas hidden in carts. That would have taken longer than one afternoon to prepare. The same for the assassins that attacked us in Gemore and Giantsrest." Those were good points. Nathan may have been wrong in judging Eolinne. ¡°Should we go find her now?¡± ¡°She said that this night was not a time for conversation.¡± Khachi said with a thoughtful expression. ¡°If she is an ally, we should heed her words, and speak with her tomorrow." Aarl interjected his own take as he made a sandwich. ¡°Hear me, staying in the city tonight seems dangerous, but I agree we should talk to Eolinne before we go.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Nathan concluded. ¡°Stay the night on maximum paranoia, then talk to Eolinne in the morning. Check any new ships after that, then leave if there¡¯s nothing available. I feel dangerously exposed here. There was already one attack, and I expect more every day we stay here.¡± The broad inkeeper bustled back into the room and up to the table, bowing all the way. Stella broke the spell and his words became audible. ¡°...room cleared, follow me.¡± He shot a dirty look at the food they¡¯d gotten out, then turned and marched back through a door in the far wall. Jaus watched them go with a sour expression, but took a deep pull of his drink without getting up to follow. The Heirs followed their host through a few tight corridors, that required Khachi to crouch to avoid banging his head on the stone overhead. After a couple of turns the man gestured them to an open doorway, beyond which was a dark and chilly room that appeared to be partially carved out of bedrock. His voice was almost challenging. ¡°Does this serve your desires?¡± ¡°It will do nicely,¡± Nathan replied with a grin, and Aarl flipped their host a faintly glowing green gemstone that made the man¡¯s eyes pop. The Heirs filed into the unlit room and closed the door firmly behind them. Stella conjured a ball of light and Khachi¡¯s armor glowed brightly, allowing them a better look at their abode for the night. It was a clammy and dank room that was mostly underground, the rock walls showing clear tool-marks. Shelves were lined up, many of them showing signs of being emptied recently and in a hurry. ¡°What a fabulous room,¡± Sarah deadpanned, then sighed and started moving shelves to clear some space in the back of the room. ¡°It¡¯s big enough,¡± Stella said, rolling up her sleeves and summoning earth magic to get to work. Over the course of half an hour the Heirs turned the back half of the storeroom into a bunker that would give any attacker pause. Stella used earth magic to shift the bedrock and effectively divide the room in half, installing a new stone wall in the center of the room that was several feet thick. The only access point was a zig-zagging tunnel off to the side, and to even reach that any attackers would have to navigate the shelves jumbled in the front half of the room. Position secured, the Heirs settled back to look over their handiwork. Sarah frowned. ¡°A powerful mage could blast through that.¡± ¡°Or a powerful weapon could destroy it,¡± Aarl added, measuring the width of the wall against the black sword he¡¯d looted from Brox. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°I can prevent that,¡± Nathan said. ¡°I¡¯ll leave my aura around the entire room. Anybody trying to blow through that is going to have a bad time.¡± ¡°Only if you don¡¯t break any of our items,¡± Aarl said distrustfully. ¡°That would be an expensive accident.¡± Nathan shrugged. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be hard for me to stay awake all night tonight. I¡¯ve been sleeping well recently." Khachi slapped his belly, his gauntlet ringing off metal. ¡°My stomach is a void! We are as safe as we can be, so let¡¯s eat!¡± At that moment Nathan caught the sound of the door to their storeroom opening up, and a voice called out, ¡°By the maw of the deep! What have you done to my storeroom?¡± He snorted and turned to leave the bunker, slipping through the entrance to spot the master of the inn standing in the entrance with a heaping tray of food, looking around with befuddlement that was quickly turning to anger. Nathan squeezed through the shelves to stand before the heavyset man. ¡°Sorry about the mess. We¡¯ll put it back the way we found it tomorrow, with another tip for your trouble. Is that for us?¡± He indicated the tray of food the man held. Their host harrumphed, but he handed over the tray of food. It was a few deep bowls of fish stew, with a side of dark bread and something that looked like dried seaweed. ¡°I¡¯ll send more in the morning. You¡¯re not supposed to leave until Jaus gets here to escort you.¡± He gave one more annoyed look at the mess that had replaced his storeroom and then stalked off, slamming the door behind him. Nathan watched the man go, then turned to navigate the shelves. Now that nobody was watching he was much more comfortable using [Airwalking] to navigate the labyrinth of wood they¡¯d left as a tripwire. ¡°Eating that is a prophecy of death,¡± Sarah said, pointing at the food as Nathan set it down atop the stone block Stella had left as a table. Nathan chuckled, grabbing a spoon to taste the soup. ¡°But it would be nice to know if they¡¯re trying to poison us.¡± He proceeded to go through and taste every one of the dishes in turn, paying careful attention to the biochemistry of the food as translated through his talent. ¡°No poison, though it might be slow enough that I can''t detect it yet. Not very flavorful, though it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve had fish.¡± He was still the only one to touch the provided food, the Heirs contenting themselves with trail rations and a few cups of fruit juice. It had been a gift from Stanel in a rare type of dimensional bag that almost entirely prevented food spoilage. They were planning to ration it to last a while, but the harsh conditions seemed to warrant a little luxury. Given that their primary weakness was magical attack, Nathan took most of the watch after Stella recharged his Stamina. He noticed no ill effect from the meal and caught a few hours of sleep in the middle of the night when Khachi and Stella took over. He mostly sat quietly in the darkness, thinking about the Liber Physicae he¡¯d unleashed upon Gemore and coming up with corrections to have Stella [Message] back to Gemore later. We really did write what is basically a textbook in three days. It¡¯s definitely got some rough edges. I think I explained salt batteries badly, but that¡¯s because ion bridges are dumb. I should come up with a better explanation. But it''s got to be short to fit in a [Message]. In the early hours of the morning he heard the door to their storeroom open once more, followed by somebody gasping in surprise. The voice sounded female, and younger, so Nathan didn''t interpret it as an attack. Instead of waking the Heirs he stuck his head out of the bunker to see a young woman straining to hold up a heavy tray of food while she stared in confusion at what the Heirs had done to the room. A simple glowing stone hung from her belt, illuminating the space in flickering shadows. Nathan waved to the girl as he slipped through the shelves. ¡°Hi. Is that for us?¡± Her head snapped around to him, she was just as bemused by his appearance as she¡¯d been by the changes to the underground room, her openmouthed gape turning to a more puzzled look as she took in his plain clothes and lacking equipment. Her accent had a strong lilt. ¡°I thought you folk were supposed to be grand Adventurers. Ya¡¯know, the best of Gemore. Are you their servant?¡± Nathan grinned at her. ¡°Looks can be deceiving. Thank you.¡± He took the tray, ready for some attack or trick. But there wasn¡¯t any magic in the room aside from the enchanted light at the young woman¡¯s waist and the bunker at Nathan¡¯s back. ¡°Awright,¡± she replied doubtfully, then turned to go. Nathan waited until she shut the door behind her and left him in almost total darkness to return to their makeshift fortress, considering the meal for a second before digging in. It was a set of bread bowls filled with stew almost identical to the day before. He was halfway done with the first bowl before he felt a chill tiredness suddenly sweep through him. He gave a deep sigh and pushed the meal away, purging the poison from his body with a moderate amount of Stamina and some conscious attention. Normal poison doesn''t act that way and isn''t that hard to purge. There were skills involved there. He went to wake his friends. ¡°Breakfast was poisoned with some kind of paralytic. They might be trying to capture us, but they¡¯re coming soon regardless.¡± Aarl popped out of his bed like a spring, a wry grin on his face as he rubbed his hands together. ¡°A new day brings new adventures, and new people to kill.¡± Khachi was not nearly as sanguine. ¡°This inn is full of innocents. We must not endanger them in our defense.¡± His meaningful look panned over both Stella and Sarah. ¡°Furthermore, I do not want to be buried in the rubble.¡± ¡°It¡¯s solidly built,¡± Stella protested. ¡°A fireball or two won¡¯t break anything.¡± She started shoveling her nest of blankets into a dimensional bag and glanced at Nathan. ¡°Are we ambushing them, fleeing or pretending to be poisoned?¡± ¡°Ambush,¡± Nathan said with only a second of consideration. ¡°They might just stab us a lot if we pretend to be asleep, and it won¡¯t be easy to get out of here if they''re ready. I''d also prefer not to leave assassins alive to try again. Let''s do our best to keep it quiet.¡± The Heirs packed up quickly and prepared their ambush, leaving one magical light on inside their bunker. Aarl took the closest position, readying the sudden-death dagger they¡¯d acquired from the assassin that had attacked in Giantsrest. His armor darkened to blend into the shadows of the room while the rest of the Heirs stood in a blind spot behind the door. Aarl¡¯s whisper was barely audible in the darkened room. ¡°Is this the oligarchs? Should we leave as quickly as we can?¡± Nathan grimaced. The oligarchs could very well be responsible for this. They¡¯d been the ones to arrange the Heirs lodging, and more and more of the evidence was pointing towards them wanting to kill the Heirs without being obvious about it. ¡°We¡¯ll see who attacks. Don¡¯t hesitate if it¡¯s Jaus.¡±
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 7 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 6 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: End of Magic level 733 Bottomless Stamina : 74100/74100 Indomitable The Undeniable Strike of the Antimage Stamina Burn Momentum Mastery Stoneflesh Arcane Nullification Galefoot Close Quarters Mastery Boundless Aura Denial of Mysticism The Ending of Magic Aura Projection Selective Dispel The Living World
Class: Spellslayer level 510 Regenerative Focus: 5200/5200 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Tranquility 1 Inspiration 8 Acceleration 10 Mystical Discernment 1 Alertness 10 Arcane Insight 2 Effortless Dodge 10 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 7 Parkour 8 Visibility Control 4 High-tier Disguise 5 High-tier Battle Cry 2 Aura Control 3
Chapter 32: A Fire Burns The door opened silently, the lack of sound betraying Nathan¡¯s expectations. The hinges had squealed loudly every other time somebody had entered the storeroom. Nathan was on the wrong side of the door to see the people who''d opened it, but he could feel the enchantments on the weapons and armor of five assassins as they slipped through the door quickly and without a sound. Nathan disabled all of their enchantments with a second of focused attention, then stepped into view. The assassins, again clad in dark red, were focused on the bunker and the faint light enchantment the Heirs had left within, but they pivoted smoothly towards Nathan as he appeared. Aarl melted out of the darkness behind them and attacked with inhuman speed, invisible dagger leading the way. The lead assassin responded like lightning. He twisted to the side in a sinuous motion, his own weapons flickering out to slash at Aarl¡¯s armored throat. The move was fluid and fast, equal to anything Nathan had seen Faline perform. But the weapons weren¡¯t magical anymore. They scraped across the metal protecting Aarl¡¯s neck even as the invisible dagger grazed the man¡¯s arm. He collapsed without fanfare. One moment the red-hooded man was a twisting wraith, the next he was sprawled awkwardly across the floor like a discarded puppet. If the sudden death of their leader bothered the other assassins they didn¡¯t show it, throwing themselves to surround Aarl and attack him from every direction. But without enchantments their weapons did no better than that of their leader. Aarl accepted hits to get in blows of his own. Over the course of mere seconds he seemed to figure out a new style, going for grazes and light injuries that his weapon translated into instant death. The other Heirs watched as Aarl cut his way through the assassins. Any of them could have helped, but it didn¡¯t look like Aarl needed any assistance. Besides, most of their help would have been louder than the brutal knife-fight happening before them, where the only sounds were heavy breathing and the sound of bodies hitting the floor. The last assassin turned to flee, but with one smooth motion Aarl whipped the invisible throwing ax out of his bag and into the assassin''s back. Aarl stood in the center of the ring of corpses, armored face turning to survey the bloodless carnage. Then he turned back to the other Heirs, helmet peeled back from his face to reveal a sheepish expression as he touched the spot on his throat where the first man had tagged him. ¡°I am not a master of knife-fighting."
Spellslayer has leveled to 513! Your party has counter-ambushed a group of Zhark assassins!
¡°Better than I could have done.¡± Nathan said, stretching his magical senses outwards to check on the rest of the building. ¡°I don¡¯t feel any more enchanted weapons around. Or enchantments in general. We might be good to just leave?¡± ¡°Do we wait for Jaus?¡± Stella asked, flipping over one of the corpses to examine the light-skinned face. ¡°His hospitality has no weight,¡± Khachi spoke, stepping into the hallway and hefting his shield to protect against any further attacks. ¡°We should leave, and expect further attacks.¡± Sarah opened her mouth to respond, but Nathan cut her off as he felt a new magical signature in his widened senses. ¡°They¡¯re about to hit us with magic. Enough to destroy the building.¡± It felt like there was some kind of magical ritual in the front square, centered around a bonfire of fire magic. Khachi and Stella reacted immediately, erecting layered shields to protect them from hostile magic - and the building collapsing on them. Meanwhile, Nathan stretched his aura out, using one of his new class skills for the first time outside of practice. [Aura Projection] allowed him to extend his aura farther than it would normally go by spending Stamina. He¡¯d tested it with Stella, and it easily let him double the volume of his aura by spending about a thousand Stamina. Diminishing returns kicked in after that, but he could still comfortably triple his aura before the cost added up to anything significant. And I expect the exchange rate to get better as I level up. He used that extra range now, sending a cloud of antimagic out of the building to catch the wave of destructive magic sent towards the inn. The ritual didn¡¯t look like anything fancy, just a way for a dozen mages to pool their mana together to empower a singular spell into something capable of destroying a building. In this case that was a blast of fire and force mana, like a directed fireball spell that would have crushed the Golden Anchor to powder and then lit that powder on fire. His aura managed the spell easily, picking it apart and subsuming the blast into enough Stamina to pay back his investment and more. Inside the inn the Heirs felt little more than a gentle rattle and a woosh of warm air as a tiny fraction of the spell¡¯s power carried through Nathan¡¯s antimagic. Stella looked at him in confusion. ¡°Was that it?¡± Nathan smirked. ¡°I caught the spell. Let¡¯s see what they¡¯ll try next.¡± He closed his eyes and focused his magical perception, spending more Stamina to send tendrils of antimagic snaking towards the mages. He couldn¡¯t detect the mage¡¯s surprise at the failure of their spell, but he was sure it was there. They hesitated for a few long seconds and one flicked out a [Message]. With a thought Nathan activated [Magic Jammer], deciding that it was better to confuse his enemies than hold back such a minor card. The mages outside started to channel their mana into the ritual once more. Nathan studied the mounting energy for a second before he reached out and cut a few key stabilizing loops in the ritual just as it ramped up to maximum intensity. Another blast rattled the inn as the ritual destabilized and detonated. Magical fire washed over the square and ran headfirst into Nathan¡¯s aura, sparing the inn any consequences of the magical sabotage.
Spellslayer has leveled to 525! You have slain the Seminary mages Drorloot Dadzerga, Genzervir Gibolmivra, Brunked Bitoscu and Jeken Jalisborg by turning their ritual against them!
Mystical Discernment 2 achieved!
Nathan chuckled and gestured towards the open door. ¡°Our path is clear. The mages have been dealt with.¡± Aarl gave him a suspicious look and led the way out, the rest of the Heirs in tow. They passed through the common room, which was completely empty. It looked like the inn had been recently and rapidly abandoned, with bowls of cooling fish stew sitting on the table. At least they evacuated people, instead of killing them or leaving them to die from the fighting. Stella opened the door with a force spell, revealing a nighttime city lit by raging flames. Every other building around the square was on fire. She shot a betrayed look back at Nathan. ¡°You tell me to be cautious in cities.¡± He shrugged. ¡°It was their spell. I just broke it. They were the ones who decided to start throwing around that much magic.¡± The red-haired mage rolled her eyes at him. ¡°You¡¯re free of regret when it''s you that causes the damage.¡± Sarah glanced through the open door carefully, Khachi standing ready in case of attack. ¡°I don¡¯t see any more assassins; but we haven¡¯t gotten level-up notifications, so there are probably more somewhere close.¡± ¡°Are we leaving the city? Heading to Agmon?¡± Aarl asked, glancing out of the door himself. ¡°Eolinne first,¡± Sarah replied. ¡°She¡¯s not working with them. These are the same assassins as yesterday, with too much prep for it to be set up so quickly.¡± She indicated the deserted room. ¡°They¡¯re working with the oligarchs.¡± ¡°She might still be trying to kill us.¡± Nathan groused. ¡°Just because she¡¯s not working with these assassins doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s not still out to get us.¡± They exited the building carefully, heading towards the road that led to the docks. The stone in the center of the square was cracked and blackened from the force of the explosion, but it wasn¡¯t aflame like the buildings around them were. Nobody was moving to put out the flames, or fleeing from the surrounding buildings. It seemed like this section of the city had been entirely evacuated. At least the oligarchs seem to care about their citizens. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. As the Heirs stepped out of the square and onto the adjoining street a phalanx of guards came around the corner ahead, marching towards them in regimented ranks. The leader held out a hand. ¡°Halt, by the authority of the Oligarchs. You shall surrender and be taken into custody until the origin of this damage can be ascertained. You will be sheltered from any who seek to harm you.¡± A low growl rippled its way from Khachi¡¯s throat at the words, and he stepped forward to confront the man. ¡°You lie. Your words are hollow, and your honor blackened. You will not stop us from our goal.¡± Harsh light spilled from Khachi, shining balefully upon the guards and forcing them to cover their eyes or be blinded. The squad of soldiers quailed before Khachi¡¯s judgment, and it seemed like they were about to turn and flee before their leader collected himself. He stood firm against Khachi¡¯s pressure, like a rock resisting the tide. ¡°If you will not yield, you will be slain where you stand.¡± Only the smallest amount of Nathan¡¯s attention was on the confrontation ahead of them. He trusted Khachi to intimidate or smash a way through the guards in their way. They didn¡¯t appear to be especially elite and shouldn¡¯t be able to cause a significant problem for the wolfman. Maybe we should just fly out of here. But then every archer and mage in the city would get an angle on us. There¡¯s also good reason to keep that capability hidden for just a bit longer. Nathan was keeping his attention and his antimagic high. There wasn¡¯t a lot of magic in the area aside from some residual fire mana in the square behind them and the basic enchantments of the guards before them. He¡¯d stopped spending Stamina to spread the antimagic out, but was confident he¡¯d be able to catch any spells and disenchant any projectiles sent their way. He felt another mass of enchantments approaching from up the street, past the square. ¡°Something coming from behind.¡± It felt like another phalanx of guards hidden under a large illusion spell. He jabbed the spell with his aura and saw¡­ another phalanx of guards double-timing it down the street towards them. What are they thinking? Any one of us could take this group out without breaking a sweat. Unless they¡¯re hiding an elite, but the gear seems to be standard. Nobody has fancy enchantments. Nathan turned to face down the new group of guards, squaring himself to meet their charge. He was distracted by a sudden flurry of flute notes that cut across the night, but the guards were far enough away that he had time to reset to meet them. The paired diversions were enough that Nathan only noticed the familiar set of enchantments hurtling towards them at the last moment. He was slow to react as Jaus burst out of a side alley, moving with blinding speed and swinging an absurdly large club at Stella as she began casting a spell at the guards behind them. Nathan¡¯s heart leapt into his throat as the fighter closed in on his friend. His antimagic was following behind, but it wouldn''t be in position to catch Jaus before he splattered Stella across the street. But Aarl was. He¡¯d been watching the alley as a potential avenue of attack, and he managed to interpose himself in time. He caught the descending club on the disintegration-edged greatsword with a flash of magical energies. Both weapons survived the contact, but Jaus kept his attack going. He threw himself towards Aarl with a flurry of blows, swinging the enormous club like it was made of styrofoam. The weight of the impacts implied it was definitely not made of styrofoam, the strength of the blows causing the stone under Aarl¡¯s feet to crack as he blocked two, then three blows. It was only another second before Nathan¡¯s antimagic caught up with the furious duel at a high enough concentration to do anything but that was enough for Aarl and Jaus to exchange half a dozen blows. The flute music continued to build, but Nathan couldn¡¯t tell what it was doing. Besides, he was busy. Nathan¡¯s aura bore down on Jaus¡¯s armor with the full weight of his class, completely draining the magic that made the thick metal flexible while enhancing its protective capability. Nathan had already studied the enchantments while Jaus escorted them around the city, so it only took a fraction of a second for him to reduce the suit of enchanted armor to a prison. The sudden change threw Aarl off as Jaus¡¯s anticipated blow never came. His sword rose to meet empty air, but then Aarl dropped one hand to his pouch. The trident from the undead army appeared in his grip, haft magically lengthening so the weapon speared almost casually into Jaus¡¯ chest. Nathan¡¯s attention was jerked away from Aarl as spells and gunfire went off nearby. Khachi had engaged the guards in front and Stella had set the street behind them aflame to hold off the second group. It took a second for Nathan to trace Sarah¡¯s shots and see her firing at a dozen identical gray-hooded figures dashing across the rooftops through a light mist. All but one were illusions, but they were all dodging and firing illusory crossbow bolts that forced Sarah to dodge and return fire. The flute music was approaching its crescendo, and Nathan spread his aura, paranoid that he was missing some key element. He almost didn¡¯t notice when Sarah ran out of ammunition on her revolvers. She reloaded nearly instantly, but the gray-hooded assassin had been waiting for the gap. The one that wasn''t an illusion stopped and aimed for a moment, launching a lethal crossbow bolt that flew at supernatural speeds. Sarah tried to dodge, but the projectile readjusted midair to ensure it struck its target. It was the same attack that had almost killed Nathan. The rapid fire flute music reached its crescendo in that moment, a single pure note blasting through the darkened streets. Nathan felt the sound converge through skills and unfamiliar magic to give the noise a weight that punched through his antimagic and struck the bolt like a physical blow. The deadly projectile snapped in half and flew off course, embedding itself in the wall behind Sarah. On the rooftop above Eolinne stepped out of the mist behind the assassin, her red lips and crown of blackened branches standing out against the white background. The gray-hooded figure was already in motion, but the flute was at Eolinne¡¯s lips and a series of sharp notes punched into the assassin from close range, sending them reeling away and clutching at their head. Sarah¡¯s bullet caught the assassin in the side of the head and they dropped, the spray of gore leaving a few droplets of red across Eolinne¡¯s pure-white dress. The woman looked down at the figure splayed beneath her and daintily hopped over them and off the roof, drifting slowly down to the ground and putting her flute to her lips once more. Nathan tensed at the motion, but the magic emanating from the instrument wasn''t aimed at the Heirs. It echoed down the streets in both directions, bouncing around corners as her feet touched gently on the stone of the street. The Heirs gathered to meet her, Khachi flashing healing magic to ensure none of the guards he¡¯d battered were in danger of death, while Aarl pried the giant club from Jaus¡¯ deathgrip. The weapon shrank itself to a more manageable size and slid into his dimensional storage without issue. Eolinne¡¯s red-painted lips twitched upwards into a satisfied smile as she regarded them. ¡°You are entangled in the games of the Questors. Are you ready to leave this continent, and make your own moves?¡±
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 7 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 6 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: End of Magic level 733 Bottomless Stamina : 51283/74100 Indomitable The Undeniable Strike of the Antimage Stamina Burn Momentum Mastery Stoneflesh Arcane Nullification Galefoot Close Quarters Mastery Boundless Aura Denial of Mysticism The Ending of Magic Aura Projection Selective Dispel The Living World
Class: Spellslayer level 525 Regenerative Focus: 3292/5350 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Tranquility 1 Inspiration 8 Acceleration 10 Mystical Discernment 2 Alertness 10 Arcane Insight 2 Effortless Dodge 10 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 7 Parkour 8 Visibility Control 4 High-tier Disguise 5 High-tier Battle Cry 2 Aura Control 3
Chapter 33: Sailing into the Mist Nathan eyed Eolinne, well aware they didn¡¯t have time for an extended conversation. They were in middle of Litcliff, and it was very likely that the Oligarchs were in the process of mobilizing their forces to attack Nathan and the Heirs. Their covert assassination had failed, after all. The Heirs might be able to win that fight, but it wasn¡¯t a fight they needed to have in the first place. Eolinne still had that faint smile on her face, as if she knew something he didn¡¯t. She didn¡¯t even seem to be breathing, and Nathan tentatively scanned her with his magical senses, finding nothing but a mess of intricate enchantments that dripped with both mana and wizardry. Everything she wore was magical, from the snow-white dress to the crown of blackened branches and the flute made from bone-white wood. He¡¯d been warned that she worked for Questors, but he didn¡¯t know whom. She¡¯d likely saved Sarah¡¯s life from the assassin¡¯s strike. But that wasn¡¯t enough to completely earn his trust. He was the target, and it was possible that all of this was a ploy to get him somewhere where she could kill him. Like the deep ocean. I¡¯ve got a lot of skills, but if she kicks me off a boat a thousand miles from land I might be in trouble. ¡°Who do you work for?¡± Nathan asked guardedly. Eolinne¡¯s red-painted lips quirked, though Nathan couldn¡¯t tell if it was humor or derision. ¡°Can you guess? Would the name truly hold significance to you?¡± Her voice was polite and polished. It made Nathan feel like a country oaf. Nathan narrowed his eyes suspiciously. ¡°I was told the name of one I should seek out. Tell it to me, so I can start trusting you.¡± He nodded to Khachi. The wolfman took that as his cue, but then he spoke out a quick prayer. "As comrades in battle, I invoke honesty in our dealings. By the blood we have shed together, we will not lie in this moment." The golden light that bloomed around the entire group was more subtle than what Khachi had been wielding a moment before, but it was no less profound. ¡°Ah,¡± Eolinne responded, revaluating. She held her hand to her chest and blinked her eyes closed in a gesture that seemed apologetic. ¡°I bear the shame of my assumption.¡± Then she opened her eyes and met Nathan¡¯s suspicious expression. ¡°I am an agent of the Questor Sarya Pamaris, the Queen of Keihona.¡± "She speaks the truth," Khachi confirmed Nathan exhaled a breath of relief. "Finally. Are you ready to sail? I¡¯ve had enough of being attacked by Badud¡¯s catspaws.¡± Eolinne''s lips curved up into a triumphant smile at his response. ¡°Harmonious. Let us depart. Since you cannot fly, we must take the streets.¡± ¡°We can fly,¡± Stella broke in, already casting the spell on herself before replicating it on Aarl and Sarah. ¡°It just seemed like a bad idea when everybody could shoot us.¡± ¡°I shall cover our passage with my mist,¡± Eolinne said in an unhurried tone, as if this was an everyday conversation. But her feet were already lifting off the ground as her dress blended into the mist around them. She drifted in the wind instead of flying in a straight line like the Heirs did. It was surprisingly fast, as well as looking effortless and elegant. Nathan rose in her wake, finding that his upgraded class skill made it easier to ride the wind alongside her. It felt like he could make himself lighter to let the wind catch him and blow him around. A dense bank of fog swallowed them as soon as they rose above the houses. The damp whiteness covered the world in all directions, and Nathan couldn¡¯t tell how far his vision went, but it wasn¡¯t far. He followed Eolinne with his magical senses as she drifted in the general direction of the docks. He could tell that the fog was magically conjured, but he allowed it to remain within his aura. It still burned away from contacting his skin. I have control over my aura, but my body is still anathema to magic. No magic items for me anytime soon. The Heirs flew close behind him. Sarah looked around like a hawk as she gazed into the obscuring mist. ¡°They¡¯re mobilizing, but everybody seems confused. More ballista there. Soldiers on the walls with crossbows. Archer¡­¡± She trailed off and swapped pistols for her rifle, aiming down the sights. A muted shot boomed out a moment later. ¡°She was tracking us. Must have had skills to see through fog like I do.¡± Nathan could feel more groups of soldiers barricading the streets below them, several of them carrying potent enchanted siege weapons. Nobody seemed to know what they were doing and two groups of soldiers were setting up barricades facing each other just a block apart. Probably a casualty of me blocking communications, and the mist cutting sightlines. He considered disenchanting some of the magical siege engines as he passed overhead but dismissed the idea. Instead he blocked the detection magic that the soldiers were using to look for targets. He didn¡¯t want to give his enemies any clues as to their locations. As they approached the docks Eolinne came to a stop and waited for them. She hovered serenely in midair, blending into the mist except for the black ribbon around her waist and the blackened crown. She turned to face him and he saw her eyes glowing a flickering red and her lips pressed into a scowl. ¡°A foul note indeed. They have boarded the Grace of the Mists.¡± ¡°Is that a problem?¡± Nathan asked. ¡°Is your crew safe?¡± The reply was swift and sharp. ¡°I have no crew, and the Grace of the Mists will consume those who dare sully its decks. But the statement is clear. The Oligarchs have decided to openly oppose me.¡± She paused and seemed to consider. ¡°That is a decision they must be forced to regret.¡± Then she turned and flew down towards where Nathan could vaguely feel the mix of wizardry and mana that was her ship. It was more agitated than the last time Nathan had felt it, and as he followed her he could sense clusters of guards holding position on the decks. They had detection magic going, but Eolinne slipped through like a wisp of the fog she floated within. Nathan''s approach was blunter, tearing a hole in the detection web to prevent the guards from picking up the approaching Heirs. The mist was even denser here, thick enough that Nathan couldn¡¯t see his hand in front of his face. Sarah was guiding the other Heirs through the fog, following Nathan¡¯s lead. His eyes were useless, but Nathan¡¯s magical senses picked out the moment that Eolinne set foot on the deck of her ship. The magic laced through the entire hull awoke and lashed out at the trespassers in response to her command. Twists of illusion and dream mana spun around the trespassers and they drifted apart from each other, lost in a world of whiteness. One by one isolated guards vanished, sucked away to a dimensional space tethered to the ship. Well shit. That¡¯s some serious magic right there. Not the kind of thing you could fight your way out of, though I bet Stella and Khachi could bust out with magical might. And it couldn''t grab me in the first place. He descended, hovering a foot above the white wood of the ship as he felt the last of the Litcliff soldiers disappear. The swirling magic came for him next, not seeming to know or care that they were Eolinne¡¯s allies. He shut it down hard, absorbing every scrap of the befuddling spell that stretched towards him. The magic of the ship jerked back as if stung. But just moments later it returned, this time reaching out with wizardry to twist and distort the world around the Heirs. He smashed those tendrils with his aura and snarled towards where Eolinne stood nearby. ¡°Control your ship.¡± She let out a demure laugh that was barely audible to Nathan¡¯s ears and patted the railing affectionately. The ship¡¯s magic calmed down and the mist lifted to reveal the spotless white deck of the Grace of the Mists. The vapor still held in every direction, making it feel like they were within a cavern with walls of water vapor. Eolinne gave them a coy smile and dipped her head slightly to the Heirs. ¡°I acknowledge your virtuosity. Befitting those who frustrated Badud¡¯s ambitions and sent him fleeing in death.¡± ¡°That was Nathan¡¯s deed,¡± Khachi said proudly. ¡°We are his team, but it was his hand that struck down Giantsrest and its Questor.¡± ¡°In single combat?¡± Eolinne asked, one eyebrow arching nearly to her hairline. Nathan shrugged dismissively. ¡°He¡¯s a mage. Breaking mages is kind of my thing.¡± Then he gestured towards the front of the boat. ¡°Shouldn''t we get going?¡± Eolinne spent a second longer studying him as if to discern his secret. Then she turned and began walking to the aftercastle, where a throne-like chair of white wood sat at the highest point of the deck. ¡°I would enjoy that narrative, and Sarya will enjoy it more. But first we will conclude our time in Litcliff.¡± The Heirs followed the captain up the stairs to the aftercastle, the higher vantage point providing an equally bland view of the fog. The raised area looked like it was designed to be a fighting platform, with gates on the stairs and wooden crenelations rising up from the outer hull to offer cover. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. The moment Eolinne sat in the chair the ship shivered, the magic within stretching like a cat waking up from a nap. With a snap of her fingers the gangplanks retracted and the ropes untied themselves from the dock. A breeze started blowing from behind them, caught by sails of solid-looking mist that materialized on each of the masts. Nathan rolled his eyes at the theatrics. It seemed like it would be easier to propel the ship by magic instead of using magic to conjure a wind and then catch that wind in magical sails. But what did he know? Maybe the symbolism was important. Regardless of the method, the ship surged forward with surprising speed and Nathan had to set his stance to avoid falling over. The bubble of clear space moved with them, and the fog on all sides showed no sign of abating. ¡°We will reach the waves soon, as the sun emerges. Then it will be time to navigate the rough seas of the southern coast.¡± Eolinne spoke absently, her attention on the ship she was guiding out of harbor. ¡°You have some minutes to rest while the water is calm.¡± As if to contradict her words, the fog all around them suddenly streamed downwards like it was being sucked into the ocean by the world¡¯s largest vacuum. Within moments the night was crystal-clear, with a picturesque view of the city of Litcliff stretching on the surrounding slopes and cliffs. ¡°That can¡¯t be good,¡± Nathan observed as he looked towards the city. The palace of the Oligarchs especially drew his attention, with the siege weapons atop the various platforms dotted up the cliffs turning in their direction. Eolinne cursed. ¡°By the cracked bells!¡± She put her flute to her lips once more and started playing a haunting melody. Mist washed out from her and from the bone-white wood of the ship, but it was immediately pulled into the water they sailed upon. Now that it was active, Nathan could feel the subtle wizardry suffusing the water around Litcliff. It had been there the whole time, calming the sea around the port. Up until now he hadn¡¯t really noticed it because of how gentle the effect was. But now it was awake and active, reaching upwards to ensure the sky was clear. The source was also fairly obvious, the wizardry flowing out from the direction of the Oligarch¡¯s palace. ¡°I think whatever artifact is keeping the sea calm is breaking your mist,¡± He observed, moving to the back of the ship. ¡°Sarah and Stella, see if you can stop them from firing.¡± He watched as the first trio of tree-sized bolts was launched in their direction, homing in on the Grace of the Mists. ¡°Khachi and Aarl. We need this ship intact.¡± He stepped into the air, angling upwards to intercept the rapidly-approaching projectiles. Eolinne''s song changed from a haunting ballad to a rapid jig, and the Grace of the Mists accelerated out from underneath Nathan as he stretched out his aura to catch the descending missiles. Each was a massive wooden bolt with metal spikes hammered into their lengths to hold the enchantments. The magic would make the weapons home in on their target and penetrate magical shielding. Their payloads differed - one carried a straight explosive, while another conjured broad force blades to slice their way through the ship, and the last held a double-dose of shield penetrating enchantments. By spending Stamina he was able to extend his aura and catch the weapons a few hundred feet away. They flashed across the intervening gap in moments and he just had time to disable the destructive payloads before the tree-sized bolts reached him. He tried to divert the one in the center but wasn¡¯t properly positioned to do more than let it whizz by him. Not even sure what I could have done. It¡¯s a flying tree big enough to stake the Statue of Liberty if she got turned into a vampire. What am I gonna do, punch it? To his left Aarl brought down the absurdly sized club he¡¯d taken from Jaus right on the center of one shaft, bashing it off course and into the water. To his right was a resounding clang as the last projectile impacted Khachi¡¯s magic-enhanced shield and deflected away, though the impact staggered Khachi and left a scrape along the metal of his shield. A gunshot sounded behind Nathan, but he didn¡¯t get the chance to look back. The next set of siege engines had already fired, though not in a coordinated salvo. Khachi and Aarl positioned themselves behind and below Nathan, ready to deflect the physical projectiles once he was done stripping the magic off of them. What followed was a frantic minute of Nathan lashing out with his aura to disenchant projectiles while Aarl and Khachi blocked and bashed the weapons out of the sky before they could reach the Grace of the Mists. Nathan was spending more Stamina than he was gaining between stretching out his aura and running across the sky to keep up with the ship as it gained distance from Litcliff.
Aura Control 4 achieved!
A few attacks got through, but Nathan didn¡¯t dare take his eyes off the sky long enough to look down. They were making progress away from Litcliff, but the siege engines had range to spare. Fewer were firing now than a minute before due to Sarah¡¯s sniping of the crews, but Nathan didn¡¯t know if they were doing enough to protect the ship long enough for it to get out of range. What¡¯s Stella doing? I was expecting lasers and lightning. But there¡¯s nothing. There was a gap in the stream of attacks and he took his eyes off the sky to look down. A single giant bolt was standing diagonally out of the deck of the ship but other than that the vessel looked untouched. Eolinne was juking her ship wildly, and Nathan had sensed the dimensional pocket activating a couple of times. What drew his attention was Stella standing at the very back of the ship, staring down at a small orb of dark purple fire writhing between her hands. Nathan recognized the spell from previous nights of tutoring, though as far as he knew she¡¯d never cast a larger version. She¡¯s going for a Development. Always better odds of that if the first time you do something is in a fight. But I hope it''s worth the risk. He turned back to the onslaught of missiles, hoping Stella would get on with it. As if his thought had caused the change, he felt a flare of magic from below and heard Stella¡¯s cackle, high and slightly maniacal. Nathan felt when she started channeling a serious amount of mana into the spell, and the purple glow from the spell reflected off the water below. Uh-oh. I¡¯m worried. After another twenty seconds of charging Stella let the spell fly, and a car-sized orb of purple fire so bright it hurt to look at blazed underneath Nathan, headed towards the Oligarch¡¯s palace. It was propelled by a jet of purple fire reminiscent of a rocket engine and seemed to grow larger as it flew. It was only within Nathan¡¯s senses for a second, but he swore the magic was getting more powerful as it burned through the air. It only took a couple of seconds for the new spell to cross the distance to the palace, and the now bus-sized streak of purple flame impacted against a massive magical shield that flickered into view to block it. The explosion that followed was enormous even from this range, a bloom of purple fire that wrapped around the shield and persisted after the protective magic flickered and failed in sections. The flames latched onto the stone underneath, coating the entire palace in flickering purple light. Nathan blinked at the eye-searing display, trying to process what had just happened. At least the siege engines had stopped firing by virtue of them all being aflame. Is that fire burning the stone?
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 7 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 6 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: End of Magic level 733 Bottomless Stamina: 52931/74100 Indomitable The Undeniable Strike of the Antimage Stamina Burn Momentum Mastery Stoneflesh Arcane Nullification Galefoot Close Quarters Mastery Boundless Aura Denial of Mysticism The Ending of Magic Aura Projection Selective Dispel The Living World
Class: Spellslayer level 525 Regenerative Focus: 3912/5350 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Tranquility 1 Inspiration 8 Acceleration 10 Mystical Discernment 2 Alertness 10 Arcane Insight 2 Effortless Dodge 10 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 7 Parkour 8 Visibility Control 4 High-tier Disguise 5 High-tier Battle Cry 2 Aura Control 4
Chapter 34: Agent Introductions Nathan watched the magic burn in the distance, spreading farther and faster than any mundane fire should. The purple flames danced across the Oligarchs'' palace and leapt to the military complex at its base and the cliffs on either side. It eagerly spread to the private docks underneath the palace where a trio of proud warships were preparing to launch. Their frames blackened before his eyes and then the fire jumped to the water, and Nathan worried. This spell seems to be able to use anything as fuel - even water. Do I need to go back and put it out so it doesn¡¯t consume the entire city - or the continent? There¡¯s no way it spreads across all of Davrar¡­ right? He watched the flames like a hawk, hesitating as he thought about going back to the city that had just tried to kill him with dozens of siege engines. They¡¯ve got other worries. I can fly overhead, put out the fire, then fly back. The flames should give me more than enough Stamina to catch back up with the ship. Then the fire on the outskirts of the conflagration started shifting from purple to a more natural orange and the spread slowed in correspondence. Nathan relaxed slightly and looked down to check on the Grace of the Mists. The boat had slowed from its headlong dash, though it still cut through the calm waters of the bay on its way towards the dark ocean beyond.
End of Magic has leveled to 748! Your party has faced the might of Litcliff and destroyed their most potent armaments!
Spellslayer has leveled to 532! Your party has escaped being hunted by the might of a nation!
When he looked back towards Litcliff the flames formed a complete gradient, with the palace still burning purple while the outer sections burned with natural flames. The fires on the water and the bare rock of the cliff quickly fizzled out, though the ships and several buildings continued to blaze. The area covered by the magical purple flames contracted by the second. But it wasn¡¯t fast enough to save the central edifice of the palace, which slumped inwards as the blackened stone lost structural integrity. It looks like it¡¯ll burn itself out on its own. He turned and sprinted to catch up with the Grace of the Mists, taking a few minutes to catch up and join the other Heirs standing on the aftercastle of the ship. They¡¯d been watching him return, and Stella in particular had a white-knuckled grip on the railing of the ship as he descended towards her. He blew out a long breath and landed gently on the white deck. Ahead of him sat the captain¡¯s throne, and Eolinne peeked around it with an expression equally surprised and furious. The anger might have had something to do with the thirty-foot-long shaft of wood sticking out of the deck halfway along the ship. Nathan turned around to face his friends, and more specifically Stella. She was already wincing in anticipation of his words, but Nathan kept his voice level. ¡°What spell was that?¡± ¡°A new one,¡± she replied quickly, the words spilling out of her as she rushed to explain. ¡°Davrar rewards risk, and using new abilities in combat. I used the oxidation Insights we were talking about to enhance a fireball spell so it could draw on the energy of burning fire mana to sustain itself. I tied the spell to the Insight of oxidation so it would get more energy out of burning things. I thought it would make the spell burn harder and last longer.¡± Stella gave him a guilty smile. ¡°Harpy¡¯s tits was I right.¡± She looked around at the other Heirs to gauge their reactions. Aarl was leaning against one of the wooden crenelations with a calm expression, while Sarah seemed mildly amused. Khachi was intent on the conversation, but didn¡¯t interrupt. She continued. ¡°My design would make the mana in the spell burn for longer, make the spell draw energy from the fire to make more fire mana, though it should still lose energy over time. But I think it interacted with the oxidation Insight and [Natural Mana], so that the magic is closer to the natural laws. That let it get energy out of burning anything even remotely flammable with the oxidation Insight. That meant that the mana could draw energy from fire and propagate itself if there was anything to oxidize.¡± ¡°So why did it burn out?¡± Nathan asked, more curious than anything at this point. He didn¡¯t quite understand what she¡¯d done, but the general details were coming across and he was plenty worried. But if he understood what she was saying, then the magic should have kept burning until all that was left of Litcliff was slag and smoke. Stella responded with a shrug. ¡°The spell destabilized. I built it as an expanded fireball, without the intention to do more than light a flame. My target was a fire that burned harder and hotter. I¡¯m surprised the spell stayed together so long, though [Stable Spellwork] probably carried that burden.¡± ¡°That nearly was a prophecy of death.¡± Khachi spoke out, though he also didn¡¯t seem especially angry. ¡°My bones say that Nathan needs to be present for additional magical experimentation.¡± Eolinne called back towards them, her voice piercing and sharp. ¡°No magical experimentation on my ship. Especially not with those magics.¡± Nathan met Stella¡¯s eyes, but not angrily. ¡°I agree with Khachi. Your magic is starting to get dangerous.¡± He said it like a compliment. The mage seemed surprised they weren¡¯t yelling, and a tremulous smile flickered across her face. ¡°You¡¯re not going to smother my fire? Stop teaching me your Insights? I burned down a city.¡± She gestured back towards Litcliff, where scattered fires still burned in the night. Nathan looked back, judging their spread. The flames were concentrated on the ruined palace and the complex of barracks and armories underneath it. They didn¡¯t seem to have caught or spread to the city proper. That made sense - most of the city was built in stone, though there were wood constructions here and there. A couple of the richer-looking buildings near the palace has been burned, as well as the military docks, but it didn¡¯t look like the flame had reached any residential districts. He looked back at Stella and shrugged. ¡°You didn¡¯t burn down the city. You burned down the Oligarchs'' palace. They attacked us after promising their hospitality. I think torching their palace is pretty good retaliation for that. I¡¯m glad your spell destabilized or else I would have had to go back and deal with it. This is the kind of thing we fix by being more careful and talking about it, not by being angry.¡± She still didn¡¯t seem to understand, so he tried again. ¡°I got mad before when you didn¡¯t understand why blowing up buildings was a problem. But you already knew that this was very nearly a big problem, and that you need to be more cautious. You¡¯re going to try and learn how to be responsible with this kind of magic, right?¡± She nodded and he shrugged. ¡°I want to help you do that. Did it get you any developments?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she said, a wide grin spreading across her face. ¡°I think I killed at least one Oligarch, and I got¡­¡± she was about to continue, but then the sun turned on, shining down upon them with a sudden brightness that had everybody blinking. Stella looked up at the sails and seemed to remember that they had an audience. She clammed up and shot a warning look towards where Eolinne sat in command of the magical ship. Nathan and the rest of the Heirs turned to follow her gaze, eyes fixed on the back of the command throne. After a pregnant moment he addressed its occupant. ¡°Eolinne. Let¡¯s have the longer conversation we couldn¡¯t have earlier. You are an agent of Sarya. Why are you here?¡± ¡°To find you.¡± Her face wasn¡¯t visible, but Nathan could hear the eyeroll in her response. ¡°Come forward, that we may speak without twisting my neck.¡± She gestured and the dimensional space attached to the ship opened briefly. Five wooden chairs appeared on the deck, all set before and below her throne. The Heirs walked forward and took the indicated seats in front of Eolinne. Her throne dwarfed the smaller chairs, making Nathan feel like he¡¯d been called into the principal¡¯s office. She lounged in the seat, crossing her legs and looking down on them with a satisfied smile. She didn¡¯t seem to be in a hurry to explain herself. Power dynamics, what fun. This seems like a test, but of politeness or boldness I don¡¯t know. Likely both. She¡¯s trying to see if she can cow us and how we react to authority. Nathan tried again, moderating his tone to be polite. It seemed likely they¡¯d be stuck with Eolinne for a while, and there was no reason to alienate somebody who could tell him more about Questors. ¡°Do you know why Sarya sent you to find me?¡± The woman leaned forward, looking less ghostly and more pallid in the sunlight. ¡°Because she wanted to know what could make Badud fart an Endings-damned glacier.¡± The curses sounded especially shocking in her demure tone.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Nathan zeroed in on what she¡¯d suggested. ¡°What did he do? Can he make the Ending of History happen sooner to punish Gemore?¡¯ Eolinne¡¯s delicate eyebrows arched upwards. ¡°At every step you know more than your station should allow. Did you interrogate Badud before you killed him?¡± ¡°No, he taunted me before I squeezed the life from him.¡± Nathan replied, keeping a tight rein on his temper. ¡°Did Sarya let him do that?¡± All around him the Heirs were very intent on Eolinne, awaiting the answer to the question that could doom their home. She tapped a slim finger against her painted lips, then sighed gently. ¡°I do not know. I am a trusted agent of Sarya, but she does not share every secret with me.¡± Her eyes bored into Nathan¡¯s. ¡°But if she did, it was because she earned something of greater value. If she doomed your people, she did it to save three others.¡± Aarl chuckled grimly. ¡°But they are our people. It¡¯s a cursed treasure to win our freedom and be rewarded with an Ending.¡± Eolinne tipped her hand to acknowledge the point. ¡°It would be a harsh melody. But such is the way of the games of the Questors. I have seen worse rewards for better service.¡± Her eyes grew shadowed and distant for a moment before snapping back to the present. ¡°The games of the Questors are what determine life on Davrar, not the Endings. Sarya¡¯s grid has fought Badud¡¯s across this sector of Davrar for thousands of years, through three Endings. Their battlegrounds are nations and their pieces are people like us.¡± ¡°Does Sarya want us to become pieces for her?¡± Nathan asked, picking up the clues she was dropping. Eolinne smiled faintly. ¡°Perhaps, though I doubt her plan is so solid. I believe she is curious, and merely wishes to know more before she makes a move. She is likely to make you an offer of one kind or another. But I will not predict her actions, for I will surely be wrong in the specifics.¡± ¡°Why do you work for her?¡± Khachi asked, watching their host carefully. ¡°Because I believe in her.¡± Eolinne replied airily, but then her tone grew serious. ¡°Because Sarya¡¯s grid stands for freedom and sovereignty, while every nation Badud¡¯s grid rules is magical tyranny that builds towards empire. I would fight Badud and his allies without Sarya, but she and her grid are the power that can beat them.¡± Her eyes landed on Nathan. ¡°Though it seems you can carry that melody too.¡± The Heirs sat for a moment, digesting her words. After a moment Stella spoke up in a small voice. ¡°There are more slave-empires like Giantsrest?¡± Eolinne¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°Giantsrest was small. Esebus controls an entire continent, and Sangrad is a palace of wonders in a sea of corruption. But from what I know, none are in the same dungeon. Esebus is a hierarchy of enchanters, where magical wealth determines caste and the lowest are trapped in cycles of debt. Sangrad is a collection of guilds built upon magically-enforced contracts that range from generous to ruinous.¡± ¡°Those all sound like piles of stalker shit,¡± Sarah drawled out. ¡°Do you spend your time fighting them?¡± ¡°Not openly,¡± the woman said, red lips curving up in a faint smile. ¡°Or else I lose free passage across the seas.¡± One side of her mouth quirked into faint annoyance. ¡°I will not be able to return to Litcliff for at least a century.¡± She¡¯s either immortal or very long-lived. Good to know. I wonder if that¡¯s a part of her build, a magic item or a gift from the Questors. ¡°Unless the Ending wipes Litcliff out.¡± Aarl said resentfully. Eolinne tipped her hand in acknowledgement, but did not reply. Her eyes scanned around the Heirs, seeming to ask if they had more questions. Nathan had one he¡¯d been chewing on, suddenly hungry for knowledge about Questors now that there was somebody who knew something. ¡°What is a grid?¡± Eolinne shook her head gently but answered regardless. ¡°It is how the Questors refer to their alliances. There are four Questors in Badud¡¯s grid, and four in Sarya¡¯s.¡± He followed up with another attempt. ¡°What makes a Questor a Questor?¡± This time Eolinne responded with a musical chuckle, nearly a giggle. ¡°That is a mystery beyond Endings. Questors are. I have never heard the tale of somebody becoming a Questor. New Questors appear and rise to power, but it is as if they are born of Davrar itself.¡± She tilted her head at Nathan and blinked coquettishly. ¡°If you should ever discover the truth of the Questors, I would give any favor to learn it. Many are those who have tried and failed to join their ranks.¡± Nathan frowned, disappointed that Eolinne either didn¡¯t know or wasn¡¯t going to tell him anything new about the nature of Questors. Well, she has. Four and four. And no stories of people becoming Questors does make it more likely they come from somewhere beyond Davrar. He didn¡¯t want to be impolite, so he didn¡¯t push the issue. ¡°The four Questors of Sarya¡¯s grid. Sarya Pamaris, Brox Thastus. Who else?¡± He kept his tone light, but his eyes watched Eolinne carefully. She returned the gaze for a moment without replying, considering his request carefully. ¡°Knowledge of the Questors is a precious coin, for they are only known widely in their territories and to those who play their game. But you have delivered Badud a setback and have earned that treasure. The other Questors in Sarya¡¯s Grid are Ushia Mur, the orcish seer, and Garna Stogel, the treasure hunter and administrator.¡± Nathan had heard at least one of those names before. He scanned back through his memory, searching for the reference. Brox made an offhand comment that he¡¯d had a good bout with Ushia the last time there was a serious war between Gemore and Agmon. ¡°Ushia controls Agmon?¡± Nathan asked, confused. ¡°Then why are Gemore and Agmon at war, if Brox and Ushia belong to the same grid?¡± Eolinne nodded slightly, as if a student had just gotten a correct answer to a question. ¡°Such is the way of Questors. I have no knowledge of that conflict, but Questors will often set up wars to polish both nations, to level their soldiers, drive Insights and motivate their expansion.¡± ¡°A tenth of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild died when they attacked us,¡± Aarl said, looking troubled by this news. Khachi¡¯s voice was bitter. ¡°But the war forged elites like your father and Kozar, and drove the founding of Bridgeguard and Tenby.¡± He didn¡¯t seem happy to make the acknowledgement, and though none of the Heirs contradicted him they also didn¡¯t seem too pleased about it. Nathan pressed his lips together thoughtfully. He understood why the Questors had made the two nations fight. On Davrar anybody who fought emerged more powerful for it so long as they survived. It¡¯s probably a fine line between making the fighting fierce enough to get levels but not kill off too many of your prime combatants. I wonder if that¡¯s another explanation of why the elites of each nation fight so rarely. They¡¯re already high level, and they¡¯re the most likely to kill each other when they fight. Sending out the Guardians of Gemore is like deploying a strategic asset and risking losing it. He looked back at Eolinne, thinking about how to reply to this revelation. He didn¡¯t know if she considered it a favor, but he wanted to be in her good graces. ¡°Then I¡¯ll repay your favor immediately. I didn¡¯t just kill Badud, but I wrecked his enhancements to his magical casting. I don¡¯t know if that lasts through a respawn, but I think it would. He shouldn¡¯t be able to cast spells as fast or as powerful as he could before.¡± Eolinne¡¯s polite mask dropped into an expression of pure shock, and she pounced on Nathan¡¯s statement with questions. ¡°Did you damage his class?¡± Nathan nodded. ¡°I think so. I¡¯ve done similar things to other mages before.¡± The look of shock quickly became one of calculation. ¡°What a welcome harmony. That would explain much.¡± She trailed off for a moment, seeming to do several calculations quickly. ¡°This is information Sarya will much desire.¡±
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 7 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 6 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: End of Magic level 748 Bottomless Stamina: 51693/75800 Indomitable The Undeniable Strike of the Antimage Stamina Burn Momentum Mastery Stoneflesh Arcane Nullification Galefoot Close Quarters Mastery Boundless Aura Denial of Mysticism The Ending of Magic Aura Projection Selective Dispel The Living World
Class: Spellslayer level 532 Regenerative Focus: 4884/5420 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Tranquility 1 Inspiration 8 Acceleration 10 Mystical Discernment 2 Alertness 10 Arcane Insight 2 Effortless Dodge 10 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 7 Parkour 8 Visibility Control 4 High-tier Disguise 5 High-tier Battle Cry 2 Aura Control 4
Chapter 35: Enemies of the Deeps The captain of the Grace of the Mists drew herself up in the throne-like chair that sat where a wheel would on a normal sailing ship and regarded Nathan with a secretive smile. ¡°Now I understand why Badud¡¯s entire grid has deployed assets against you. You have not just delayed their plans but struck at their combat power directly. Badud was ever the one with the build to clear a battlefield.¡± Nathan grimaced and spoke, his voice bitter. ¡°Great, more enemies. Who are they? Or is that too much of a favor?¡± ¡°You have more than earned that truth. Truly, Sarya would¡­¡± Eolinne hesitated, then cut herself off with a wave of her hand. ¡°Badud, Amoh, Sussu and Ogarius. You know Badud and his powers. Sussu is an enchanter and teacher, and she rarely leaves Esebus. In Zhark they worship Amoh as a god, and he is seeding that theocracy across multiple continents. The seminary assassins that tried to kill you tonight are his signature.¡± She pursed her lips. ¡°And Ogarius is an empty silhouette. I have only heard of him from Sarya, when a city falls to monsters, or an army wins a fight they should have lost.¡± She met Nathan¡¯s eyes grimly. ¡°Badud is the most powerful in a direct fight, but they are all dangerous. We must be careful, for they can move empires to fulfill their desires. If you crippled Badud they will want to kill you as a warbeast seeks vengeance for a wound.¡± ¡°Is that why the Oligarchs of Litcliff tried to kill us?¡± Sarah asked. ¡°The Questors arranged it?¡± Eolinne gave a soft snort. ¡°They merely offered enough wealth to buy the city. Cities like Litcliff can always be bought, it is only a matter of the weight of the treasure. Enough wealth and magic were pledged to usher Litcliff into an age of wonders.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± Nathan asked curiously. ¡°I spent the night spying on the Oligarchs,¡± Eolinne replied without a hint of shame. ¡°They are fools in search of money when they should seek connections. I could do more for their city than half that amount of treasure could in trade maps and Insights of seafaring.¡± Stella looked back towards the city they were quickly leaving behind. It looked like most of the fires had been extinguished, but it was hard to tell in the daylight. A thick pall of smoke still hung overhead, though it was starting to break up in the breeze. ¡°Did they get the treasure? Should we go back for it?¡± ¡°No, and no.¡± Eolinne¡¯s tone was sharp. ¡°The treasure was promised to them under burden of magical contract, but it would be delivered over the course of a decade.¡± Ah, I see the complexities of financial agreements between large entities spans dimensions. ¡°Is Badud the leader of his grid, the way Sarya is?¡± Nathan asked, refocusing the conversation. Eolinne shook her head slightly. ¡°Neither are leaders. Questors are as independent as castlebears. Sarya organizes more than leads, and I do not believe Badud or any of his allies would give even that authority to any other. They may make agreements in the name of their Grids, but none would accept orders from any other.¡± Nathan frowned. ¡°But you think Badud¡¯s grid is going to attack us on the ocean anyways? Why would they throw so many resources at me?¡± ¡°Because,¡± Eolinne said, lifting a single finger for emphasis. ¡°Few Questors can face Badud on the field of open battle and hope for victory. He is one of the most powerful spellcasters on Davrar.¡± Her mouth quirked into a cruel smirk. ¡°He was one of the most powerful spellcasters on Davrar. For a team of mortals to defeat him is worthy of note, and makes that team a powerful asset in the games of the Questors. For one mortal to do so - it is a deed that echos across the Endings. You are a noteworthy piece, and Badud¡¯s grid seeks to deny you to Sarya, for they know she will wield you well.¡± Nathan frowned at being described as a weapon to be wielded, but he didn¡¯t object. His interpretation was that Eolinne considered herself a tool to be wielded by Sarya, and didn¡¯t see it as something negative. She believed in Sarya¡¯s cause and took the Questor¡¯s orders because she trusted her. I¡¯m just not sure if I want to do the same. Especially if Sarya condemned Gemore to an early Ending. But if she did that, she owes me. I can use that to get her to answer my questions. To tell me the truth about Davrar, and tell me how to change it. He looked up from his thoughts, reminded of another question he wanted to ask Eolinne. ¡°Why did you turn us away when we first came to you? We could have left yesterday and avoided all of that nonsense.¡± He waved back towards the direction of the cloud of smoke that covered Litcliff. ¡°If you arrive to a dungeon and find it suspiciously clear of monsters, and at the end is a rack of treasure, do you bless your luck and seize the reward?¡± Eolinne asked in return, looking around the Heirs to indicate that the question was meant for all of them. Nathan answered. ¡°No. It would be a trap.¡± He looked back up at Eolinne, wrinkling his nose at her in confusion. ¡°You thought we were a trap when we came to you?¡± She nodded. ¡°When I arrived I expected to hire agents to gather information and then send a carefully worded message to Gemore to contact you. To have you come to me mere hours after I arrived - it inspired a theme of caution. Especially when I knew a seminary was in the city. They have marked me as an enemy. I planned to investigate, to discover if you were the treasure I sought.¡± Her smile grew wry. ¡°When I tracked the seminary to the palace, I thought their target was the Oligarchs. But then I witnessed the contract binding. The Oligarchs agreed to throw all of the resources of the city against you. It was an expansion of a previous deal, which involved selling information and privileges to the assassins.¡± Nathan couldn¡¯t hold back the exasperation in his tone. ¡°Truly, capitalism at its finest. I¡¯m glad we didn¡¯t trust Jaus farther than we could throw him.¡± ¡°Or Litcliff farther than we could¡­ burn them?¡± Stella frowned at her attempt to mimic Nathan¡¯s figure of speech. ¡°We should have gone to Agmon,¡± Sarah said dryly. ¡°Then Garna would have found us.¡± ¡°Only if we survived their politics,¡± Aarl reminded her. Eolinne watched the byplay fondly, then tapped a finger on the arm of her throne to draw their attention. ¡°This voyage will span weeks, perhaps months. Have you sailed before?¡± They all shook their heads, though Nathan¡¯s denial was hesitant. I haven¡¯t sailed Davrar¡¯s seas, that¡¯s for sure. I bet there¡¯s all sorts of things to worry about beyond getting sea-sick. Besides, I never did any deep-water sailing on Earth. Eolinne clearly noted his hesitancy. ¡°Inland boats are not sailing.¡± The statement was made with complete confidence. ¡°To sail the seas of Davrar is to enter a dungeon of its own rules, with dangers aplenty. Victory is safe passage, and defeat is to be lost beneath the infinite ocean.¡± She gestured towards the bow of the ship, which was currently behind all the Heirs because of how they were seated. ¡°The ocean has more power than any of you.¡± The Heirs all turned around to see the waves of Davrar up close for the first time. The Grace of the Mists was about to exit the long bay that sheltered Litcliff, which also meant it was about to exit the wizardry that dampened the ocean¡¯s waves. The Grace of the Mists rocked slightly as the first wave rolled underneath the boat, still dramatically diminished by the edges of Litcliff¡¯s protective magic. Nathan squinted, trying to estimate the height of the waves. They marched off into the distance, growing in height as they got farther from Litcliff. The sound of surf against the cliffs on either side grew in volume until it was a cacophony of water crashing against rock. I think those waves are taller than the masts of this ship. How are we going to sail through that? Nathan found himself reaching for the railing to brace himself as the boat crested another swell, the ship¡¯s movement growing more pronounced. The Grace of the Mists hadn¡¯t reached the true waves yet, but its bucking motion this far away hinted at the challenge ahead. He shot a glance at his friends, seeing that Sarah and Aarl were exchanging uneasy looks while Stella¡¯s smile kept growing. Eolinne¡¯s voice cut through the crashing waves, composed with an edge of anticipatory glee. ¡°The seas will test our symphony, all and one. First is the challenge of the waves, then will come the monsters, the storms, and those who hunt the wide curve of the sea. But mark this truth - the ocean is a landscape like any other. It is harsh and deadly, but I know its harmonies. Listen to my commands and we shall never be helpless.¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. She angled the ship into the next wave, climbing up it at a slight diagonal instead of taking it head on. The ship tilted backwards alarmingly far and Nathan¡¯s heart jumped into his throat as he worried about it tipping over. They weren¡¯t even at the tallest waves yet. Their captain gave a sharp laugh, the sound like a hawk¡¯s cry. Then she flicked one arm out to the side and her flute appeared in her hand. She brought it to her lips and started to play a wild and free song that sounded like a continuation of her laughter. The wind pushing them forward picked up, balancing the ship and driving it over the top of the wave. The Heirs held on, able to do nothing but stay upright as they tried to anticipate the motion of the deck. Their chairs stayed solidly in place, some kind of magical effect gluing them to the deck as the waves tossed the ship like a matchstick. Nathan made sure to keep his aura away from the deck as the wizardry within the ship cavorted in time to Eolinne¡¯s tune. As they reached the peak of the next wave Stella started chuckling nervously, the sound quickly ramping up into a thrilled laugh as the Grace of the Mists dove into the trough between waves to the song of Eolinne¡¯s flute. Nathan joined Stella¡¯s laughter after a moment, the crazy motion reminding him of a roller coaster. It had been a long time since he¡¯d felt so helpless to do anything. I could use [Airwalking] to escape, but I can¡¯t do anything to help Eolinne get the boat through this. It¡¯s all on her. The flute trilled a harsh note and the Grace of the Mists tacked quickly as it descended the next mountain of water. Nathan only saw why on the peak of the next wave. There were islands off the coast, scattered tables of rock topped with rolling greenery. On each of the islands sat a medieval-style castle. The dour piles of dark stone kept watch over the wide channels that led to the open ocean, mossy stone towers standing tall above the waves. Their new tack was aimed straight through the largest channels, and they had a few more minutes of insanity as the ship climbed diagonally up the face of the towering waves and then careened down the far sides. A few times Nathan was sure the ship was going to dig too far into the side of a wave or flip over, but Eolinne¡¯s song fluctuated in response as she adroitly piloted them through the passage and out into deeper waters. The waves started to grow smaller as they emerged from the channel. The swells were still large by any objective measure, but compared to the insane heights closer to shore the waters seemed downright tame. Eolinne¡¯s flute calmed down as she pointed them towards the distant horizon and then trailed off in a long-sustained note. She breathed out a heavy sigh as the ship rocked slightly, her carmine lips stretched in a satisfied smile. Her wind-blown hair settled down around her shoulders as the gusts that had been pushing the ship calmed into a consistent breeze. ¡°A glorious performance,¡± she said, sounding self-satisfied. ¡°But now I will show you your cabins, and declare the rules of the ship.¡± At her gesture they all stood and followed her, the chairs behind them vanishing with a snap of the captain''s finger. She led them down from the aftercastle to the main deck and cast a nasty look at the tree-sized shaft of wood sticking out of her ship. The wood looked like it was starting to be absorbed by the ship, but it wasn¡¯t a fast process. With a quick gesture the wizardry of the ship activated, and the wood decking rearranged itself into a broad staircase leading down into the ship. Nathan swallowed, drawing his aura tight to his body with a small expenditure of Stamina. He didn¡¯t want to break the ship, but at least it wasn¡¯t a portal or anything. The ship could rearrange itself much like the Ascendent Academy had. I think it¡¯s mostly wizardry-conjured as well, though in a different style from the Academy. I could probably consume the boat if I wanted. But I quite like having something to sleep on in this ocean. The Heirs followed Eolinne below decks, finding the space to be large and comfortable. It reminded Nathan more of a luxury home than a ship. Most of the area under the deck was taken up by a large open living space consisting of a comfortable seating area and a moderately-sized library, though the front half of the ballista bolt stuck down into a reading area, coming just barely short of impaling an overstuffed reading chair. The section towards the back of the ship had a large kitchen done in white tile and a dining table that could fit twenty. It makes sense that there¡¯s this much room, if she¡¯s got extradimensional space for storage and only needs one person to run the ship. ¡°Your rooms are towards the bow,¡± Eolinne said, guiding them towards a corridor that stretched out the other side of the seating area. She waved her hand dismissively at the half-dozen doors on either side of the passage. ¡°Take whichever rooms you like, there is room for five times your number.¡± Nathan winced and scanned the rooms with his magical senses, focused on the beds. They were indeed enchanted for comfort, and he would break the enchantments if he slept in them. With his new skills he could probably lie down on one without shredding the enchantments, but it would take constant focus that he couldn¡¯t maintain while sleeping. He¡¯d have to sleep in his bedroll on the floor. Aarl was quick to examine the kitchen, first examining the magical stove before studying a few of the more esoteric pieces of equipment. It was all enchanted to the nines, but Nathan couldn¡¯t tell at first glance what each appliance was supposed to do. But Aarl laid a finger on each of the different pieces in turn, chuckling and making appreciative noises before he touched something that looked like a stand-mixer made of crystal and light. He gasped and stopped, looking back to Eolinne. ¡°This is incredible!¡± She smiled. ¡°You must have an identification skill. Yes, the mixer is wonderful. I will demonstrate its use later.¡± Their host watched as they scoped out the rooms and chose their sleeping arrangements. She lifted a curious eyebrow when Nathan got his bedroll from Aarl and laid it on the floor, but made no comment. ¡°Where are your rooms?¡± Stella asked her, looking around curiously. Eolinne pointed up, towards the aftercastle that lay underneath the ship¡¯s wheel. ¡°There. Do not enter them.¡± The Heirs all nodded respectfully, and Eolinne smiled. ¡°Come, let us sit and discuss the rules of this voyage. The oceans must be respected, and that means learning some basic lore.¡±
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 7 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 6 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: End of Magic level 748 Bottomless Stamina: 51735/75800 Indomitable The Undeniable Strike of the Antimage Stamina Burn Momentum Mastery Stoneflesh Arcane Nullification Galefoot Close Quarters Mastery Boundless Aura Denial of Mysticism The Ending of Magic Aura Projection Selective Dispel The Living World
Class: Spellslayer level 532 Regenerative Focus: 5420/5420 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Tranquility 1 Inspiration 8 Acceleration 10 Mystical Discernment 2 Alertness 10 Arcane Insight 2 Effortless Dodge 10 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 7 Parkour 8 Visibility Control 4 High-tier Disguise 5 High-tier Battle Cry 2 Aura Control 4
Chapter 36: The Soul of the Ocean Eolinne ushered them all to the seating area, politely gesturing for the Heirs to sit on the overstuffed chairs and sofas arranged around a large fireplace. She went to a side cabinet, opening it and reaching inside to pull out a few drinks while they took their seats. She paused with her hands inside the cabinet and seemed to come to a decision. She put most of the bottles back and pulled out one bottle that was a bright and sparkly pink and a second darker one. She poured out six small glasses of the bright pink liquid, adding a dollop of amber liquid on top of each. Then she distributed the drinks around the room and raised her glass. ¡°A victorious mission earns an expensive toast." Nathan took a quick sip of the drink, eyes widening slightly as spice overwhelmed his taste buds. It was quickly followed by a wave of numbness that traveled in the wake of the fire. Nathan burned some Focus and Stamina to quickly determine if there were any poisons in the drink beyond the high level of spice and the mild numbing agent, finding nothing beyond a few mild stimulants. All of the Heirs looked to Nathan for approval. He fought to keep his expression steady and keep his nose and eyes from watering as he gave a sharp nod of approval. They all turned their attention back to Eolinne, raising their glasses to match her. She rolled her eyes at the display. ¡°You learn your lessons.¡± Then she gave a toast, words formal and a bit nostalgic. ¡°May we evade the eyes of the Questors, and live lives in the spaces left between their footfalls.¡± She threw her glass back and drained the entire thing at once. Nathan and the Heirs followed suit, and Nathan lowered the glass to look around with a guilty grin. Aarl coughed and choked while Khachi growled low and indignant. Sarah¡¯s breath whistled through her teeth as she glared at Nathan. ¡°Didn¡¯t you taste that?¡± He shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not poisoned. I kind of like it, in moderation.¡± Stella smacked her lips, examining the glass and swallowing a few times. ¡°So did I?¡± She seemed uncertain about that, inhaling a few more times to feel the air flow across numbed teeth. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the dragon¡¯s breath. Can I have another?¡± Eolinne seemed thrilled. ¡°I am pleased beyond song to have found another with the taste for fine things.¡± She took Stella¡¯s glass and reached for Nathan¡¯s, pausing and raising an eyebrow at him. He shook his head. ¡°No thanks. You were going to tell us the lore of the oceans?¡± ¡°I would,¡± she said, pouring another two drinks and coming over to sit near Stella. ¡°For the oceans are a realm of their own. To truly understand them would be to know the history of Davrar. While the lands are swept clean with each Ending, the oceans persist. They have never started anew. The ocean of now is the same ocean that every monster has entered since the third ending birthed them.¡± The Heirs didn¡¯t have any commentary, but Nathan did. ¡°Survival of the fittest,¡± he said, pressing his lips together as he thought about the implications. ¡°The things living in the ocean now are the ones that killed all of the other ones to have ever entered. But it''s still got to be a functional ecosystem?¡± Their host seemed surprised at his answer, but gratified. ¡°Indeed. They are dangerous beyond any monster of the land. The true powers of Davrar, such as yourselves, believe themselves beyond simple monsters. You respect dungeons, and intelligent foes. But the monsters in these waters have survived uncounted years of vicious fighting. They are to be respected.¡± Nathan frowned at her. ¡°Is that really true? That means they¡¯re adapted for fighting each other, in the water, and scavenging food from the ocean. They¡¯re probably excellent at underwater survival, but they can¡¯t be particularly developed to eat ships?¡± There wasn¡¯t a word for evolution, so he used developed instead. ¡°That is a new thought,¡± Eolinne said after a moment of contemplation. ¡°It may be true, for I have survived centuries on the oceans with them underfoot. But the true monsters of the ocean are still beyond what you have faced on land. They are calamities to be survived, not beasts to be killed.¡± Stella was sipping at her drink slowly, nose running from its heat. ¡°But if we can kill them, should we?¡± Her eyes gleamed at the idea of a challenge. Eolinne¡¯s mouth took on a wry slant. ¡°When appropriate. Some monsters are too large to notice us, and the danger is being caught in their struggles. For those we must avoid notice, for to sting a bear is to be swatted as an insect.¡± She waved a hand. ¡°But others may take an interest in the ship, and those must be slain or chased away.¡± ¡°What can we do to help?¡± Aarl asked. ¡°I can¡¯t fight under water very well.¡± ¡°My own abilities can harm underwater targets with ease, and the ship is protected from underwater attacks.¡± Their host rolled her wrist around to indicate the Heirs. ¡°But some monsters will try to escape my attacks by emerging from the water to attack us directly, and while you are aboard the Grace of the Mists, you must defend us from anything that directly attacks the ship. Kill them if you are able.¡± She swept her gaze across the Heirs and focused in on Stella. ¡°Do not use large spells that would draw the attention of a larger monster. There are few leviathans, but to draw their notice is death.¡± The Heirs all nodded in some degree of thought. Aarl smirked. ¡°I wonder if the death-dagger could slay a giant sea monster.¡± Eolinne sighed at Aarl''s tone and opened her mouth to reiterate her point, but Nathan caught her eye and gave her a decisive nod to communicate that the message was heard and understood. He could also see Sarah and Khachi seriously considering what she''d said. Stella spoke up, a grimace on her face. ¡°If I can''t use flashy spells, I need to acquire water mana. It¡¯s a blasphemous insight to learn." Nathan made a note to find time to chat with Stella about that later. It should be easier now that they weren¡¯t constantly freeing cities, on the run from assassins and trying to finish a book to kickstart an industrial revolution. Truly, this cruise will be a wonderful vacation. ¡°What of other ships?¡± Khachi asked with a faint grumble. ¡°You spoke of enemies sent by Badud¡¯s grid. Will they come for us?¡± ¡°Mayhap,¡± Eolinne responded, her expression troubled. ¡°This ship is as hard to grasp as the name would suggest, but there are those who could follow our wake. None who would expect success¡­¡± She thought about it for a moment, then continued in a concerned voice. ¡°There is one group that Badud could hire to sail against us. It would stretch even the wealth of a Questor, but the sailors of the Maelstrom have captains who could track me.¡± ¡°Pirates?¡± Nathan asked curiously. Eolinne waved her hand to dismiss the term. ¡°Everything. Traders, smugglers, delvers, raiders and yes, pirates. Wherever the gray sails roam, they gain treasure. They take what they can, and trade for what they cannot take. Everything can be found in the Maelstrom. Artifacts of Kalis. Immortality. Slaves of any species.¡± All of the Heirs tensed at that last comment, and Nathan sighed. ¡°Not surprising. Is there a Questor who runs the Maelstrom?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Eolinne replied grimly. ¡°None of the Questors I know, but the ruler of the Maelstrom is named the Maestro, and is a Questor from the Aleph grid.¡± Nathan couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°The Aleph grid. Another group of enemy Questors?¡± ¡°Unfriendly to Sarya, but not outright enemies,¡± Eolinne responded, finishing her drink and allowing her hair to fall in front of her face. ¡°They are a large grid, with dozens of Questors and their conflicts involve teams of Questors fighting together. Sarya and Badud are street brawlers to them. But Badud could hire a fleet from the Maelstrom if he was willing to part with a true treasure.¡± The Heirs were quiet for a second, trading disquieted looks. They were all thinking about the idea of multiple Questors fighting as a team. That sounds terrifying. Though once the Heirs hit level 729, maybe the playing field will be more even.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! After a moment Sarah let out an aggrieved sigh. ¡°If we destroy this fleet will the Aleph grid seek our deaths?¡± Eolinne shook her head minutely. ¡°No. Few are so unreasonable as to expect us to die at their whim. I do not know of him, but from the tales on the wind the Maestro respects skill and self-defense. He will turn his anger on Badud, for hiring ships to a lost battle.¡± Stella¡¯s face lit up. ¡°That¡¯s a light in my eyes. How do they fight?¡± ¡°In a storm,¡± Eolinne replied. ¡°They bring the winds with them and shroud their target in wind and spray before descending with magic and metal.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I cannot best them. If we see a storm I will attempt to flee and hope they were not paid to chase us for long.¡± Nathan raised both eyebrows. ¡°Is their control of the storms magical, or skill-based?¡± ¡°Both,¡± Eolinne said bluntly. ¡°The captains of the Maelstrom are storm mages, with magics and skills to control the ocean and summon their preferred weather.¡± She turned her gaze to Stella judgmentally. ¡°Contesting a storm without water mana would be above your station.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Nathan said noncommittally. ¡°We might be able to give them quite a bit of trouble.¡± She looked back at him and dipped her head. ¡°Mayhaps. But I will still choose to run before their storm,¡± she trailed off, looking into the distance before sighing in annoyance. ¡°We are attacked, though sea cutters are a pest, not a true threat. May I ask you to counter this irritant?¡± This feels like a test. Not just of our capabilities, but of how agreeable we are. How much we¡¯ll follow her direction while on her ship. And if we¡¯re stupid enough to fight while tipsy. Nathan gauged the other Heirs. They seemed ready and willing to fight, and Stella drained the rest of the glass she¡¯d been sipping at, placing it heavily on the table. He faced Eolinne. ¡°You are the captain aboard this ship, though we know our own abilities.¡± They all stood, and Khachi wordlessly pulsed healing through the room to sober everybody up. The stairs flowed down from the ceiling above and a faint whistling sound came from above. Nathan saw a flash of scales as something flew by overhead. Are they jumping over the ship? He spoke over his shoulder as he climbed the steps. ¡°Let¡¯s stay cautious. An easy fight taken lightly is just as likely to kill you as something more serious.¡± Another fish crossed overhead, fins spread wide and beady eye looking down at him. ¡°Beware the fins and save the meat,¡± Eolinne called up from her relaxed post on the couches below. She didn¡¯t seem to be paying them any attention, but Nathan could feel her focus through the wizardry of the ship. She was paying very close attention. It really is a test. What impression do we want to give her? Nathan thought quickly as he finished climbing the stairs. So far their interactions with Eolinne had been driven by caution and necessity. But now he had a chance to tailor the image that the Heirs presented. Should they try to hide their capabilities in case they needed things in reserve later, or should they pull out all of the stops and try and impress Sarya¡¯s agent? We should try to impress her. All Sarya knows right now is that we killed Badud. But her next impression of us is going to be shaped by the report Eolinne gives. I want Sarya to see us as competent, not disposable assets. I have my own agenda, and she¡¯s more likely to respect that if she respects us. It would also help if the Heirs could differentiate themselves from Nathan. So far he was pretty sure Eolinne saw the Heirs as extensions of Nathan, useful but hardly relevant against Questors. In general he thought he detected a faint air of disbelief and condescension about the woman that he would like to dispel. Decision made, Nathan murmured to his teammates as he cleared the deck. ¡°Show off.¡± The distraction nearly caused him to take a bladed fish through the torso. There was a quick twist of water mana from one of the silvery torpedoes arcing over the ship and it suddenly shot towards him like a bolt from a crossbow. He managed to twist out of the way, though an outstretched fin sliced along his sleeve. The appendage parted cloth and the skin underneath like a hot knife cutting butter, the edge sharp enough to cut Nathan despite his enhanced durability. The wound bled for just a moment before it sealed up seamlessly. His sleeve was a lost cause though. The fish bounced across the deck and Nathan got his first good look at the attacking monsters. The sea cutters were the size of a large dog, covered in metallic scales that looked more like a suit of armor than skin. Three long fins and a tall, fan-like vertical tail flared from its sleek body, the leading edges narrowing to an invisible sharpness. The fish slapped its tail into the deck to launch itself in the air, leaving deep gouges in the wood as it propelled itself back into the water with another flash of water magic. How is it moving so quickly with water magic? It¡¯s not in water. Is it pushing on the water in its body? There''s not enough magic for that. Another fish shot towards them, but Aarl emerged from the staircase and cut the fish out of the air with the disintegration-edged greatsword, letting two bloody halves smear across the deck behind them. The other Heirs emerged from the ship just in time for a cloud of fish to rise from the waters all around the Grace of the Mists, seemingly drawn by the presence of prey. Aarl had time for a wry jibe. ¡°Pests, huh?¡± Then the storm of scaled monsters descended upon them. Nathan dashed away from his friends, gaining distance and letting them form a smaller perimeter without him inside. He found himself ducking and dodging through the chaotic mass of scaled bodies, barely managing to evade the hundreds of fish darting above the deck. From behind him he felt the flare of magic and the boom of firearms as the Heirs defended themselves. He kept dodging, focusing on the movements of the fish. They were still adjusting their movements sharply with strange flares of water mana. But beyond that there was a pattern to the monster¡¯s maneuvers, a flow that allowed the fish to turn and swoop without hitting each other. With a few seconds of concentration and a couple more nasty wounds, Nathan figured it out and joined in with their dance. He flitted in the gaps of the flying fishes¡¯ movements, slipping between the aggressive sweeps as they dodged each other.
Parkour 9 achieved!
He used the reprieve to study their magic, honing in on the mechanism they used to move. It was new and different - and he wanted to understand it. But each use of the magic only lasted a fraction of a second, and hundreds of them were going on all around him. And somehow they were allowing fish to jet through the air like they¡¯d been fired from a bow with a tiny fraction of the mana that should have been required. What is going on with this magic? It almost feels like a light touch of wizardry.
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 7 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 6 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: End of Magic level 748 Bottomless Stamina: 46384/75800 Indomitable The Undeniable Strike of the Antimage Stamina Burn Momentum Mastery Stoneflesh Arcane Nullification Galefoot Close Quarters Mastery Boundless Aura Denial of Mysticism The Ending of Magic Aura Projection Selective Dispel The Living World
Class: Spellslayer level 532 Regenerative Focus: 5191/5420 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Tranquility 1 Inspiration 8 Acceleration 10 Mystical Discernment 2 Alertness 10 Arcane Insight 2 Effortless Dodge 10 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 7 Parkour 9 Visibility Control 4 High-tier Disguise 5 High-tier Battle Cry 2 Aura Control 4
Chapter 37: Turbulent Waters The sea cutters schooled around the Grace of the Mists in a cyclone of armored scales and razored fins. They scored gashes in the railings and threatened Nathan with dismemberment with every moment. But he danced through the openings in their swarm. It would have been impossible if he¡¯d been stuck on the deck, but by moving with the rhythm of the monsters he avoided their strikes. He swum through the air like one of them, darting and dashing in spurts that coincided with their abrupt jerks of acceleration. The rapid starts and stops pushed his movement abilities to their limit as he tried to understand just how the sea cutters were moving so quickly. Each time one of the monsters changed course there was a twist of water mana, but the magic wasn¡¯t strong enough to accelerate them as quickly as they were going. Additionally, the shape definitely wasn¡¯t a spell. But Nathan could feel a nearly instantaneous flash of wizardry accompanying each motion, though it was too fast for him to probe into. Wizard fishes. What will Davrar come up with next? Gunfire and the sound of heavy bodies striking panes of force sounded below Nathan as the Heirs fought against the onslaught. They were nearly invisible at the eye of the storm, waves of scaled bodies striking and being repulsed. Blood sprayed widely as Sarah and Aarl struck out at the swarm, but the violence just seemed to feed the frenzy of the attacking monsters. Nathan extended his aura out tentatively, intersecting with the nearest fish and trying to interfere with their magic and see what happened. He succeeded, though not entirely. The fish nearest him still changed direction, but they did so without control. Several of them slammed into each other and more blood gouted as their fins cut through metallic scales like a sword through paper. I still don¡¯t really understand what¡¯s going on here. This is a much smaller and more efficient application of wizardry than anything I¡¯ve seen before.
Tranquility 2 achieved!
Then lightning blasted out from Stella, chaining through the school of fish. The spell was paired with a magnetic field to keep the lightning contained above the ship and prevent it from touching the water. It seemed that she''d listened to Eolinne, and wanted to avoid tempting any other monsters. She still managed to hit every single fish that was over the ship - and Nathan. The lightning stung a bit as it coursed through Nathan, with Stella¡¯s skills partially converting the magic into natural lightning. But his antimagic was powerful, his body was tough and this wasn¡¯t her most powerful spell. She¡¯s generally pretty good at keeping that out of the spells that hit me. Stella''s spell also knocked nearly every sea cutter out of the air. A curtain of flesh dropped to the decking all around, more fish falling into the ocean on both sides of the ship to float upside down. A few of the monsters closer to the Heirs were steaming with the amount of energy that had been conducted through them, but the rest were still weakly flopping around. They regained energy with every passing second. Nathan saw Aarl step out and slash apart the nearest dozen fish with a quick combination of blows. But then the fish started to twitch, and he stepped back into formation. The Heirs all took a second to reset their stances. Sarah slid fastloaders into her pistols while Khachi reset his shield and renewed the dome of golden force that protected the Heirs. Stella started channeling another spell, strengthening the magnetic spell to contain a stronger lightning burst. The monsters recovered from Stella¡¯s magic in a wave that started at the farthest corners of the ship and converged on the Heirs. They leapt back into the air like a single body to resume their swarm, accompanied by a wave of water magic that fueled their flight. This time there were enough sources of the magic repeated in quick succession for Nathan to figure out the effect. It reminded him of the drilling motion the fire elemental in Fireface pass had used to drill into the mana pools of dead mages. The one Nathan had copied to learn to drain and then break mana pools. Except the sea cutters were doing just enough to ¡°hook¡± into the metaphysical barrier that divided the realm of wizardry and exert force on it to propel themselves.
Arcane Insight 3 achieved!
I didn¡¯t know it was possible to use that barrier to generate physical force. He fit himself back into the pattern of the schooling fish, darting in sync with their movements. But this time he mimicked what they were doing, hooking his antimagic into the mystical barrier that coated all of reality and pulling with a hefty Stamina investment. His aura had never before been a conduit for force, but it worked well enough. Nathan was sent jetting forwards, directly off the side of the ship and through a swirling blender of sharp fins.
Arcane Nullfield 8 achieved!
The notification was the first thing he saw as his eyes came back together from his unintended journey through the storm of sea cutters. He shook himself free and used his aura to drag himself back towards the ship, feeling the muscles of his right leg and left arm heal as his left foot and right arm started to grow back. At least they didn¡¯t manage to cut through my spine. I need to get better at healing dismemberment. It seems to happen frequently, and it¡¯s annoying to have to wait a few seconds for the limb to grow back all the way. He used his functional appendages to get back into the dance of the fish, but was forced to rely more and more on his aura to dodge the onrushing monsters. It was jerky and completely unlike the motion of his muscles, and Nathan started spending Focus in addition to Stamina in order to control the motion and avoid throwing himself through another scaled blender. It worked well, and within moments he was coordinating kicking off of thin air and pulling himself around with his aura.
Congratulations, you have developed the [Acceleration] utility skill into [Impulse]. Utility skill: [Impulse] This skill allows you to accelerate very quickly in any direction with a Stamina expenditure and precisely control your direction with an efficient Focus expenditure.
Well that¡¯s new, but gratifying. I¡¯m glad I took a moment to understand the fish. Nathan spread his aura out to encompass the airspace above the ship, suppressing not just the water magic but also the wizardry used by the monsters. Now that he understood the trick it was relatively easy to shut down. The fish fell out of the sky again, bouncing off the golden shield that surrounded the Heirs and littering the deck in a solid layer of flesh. But this time they weren¡¯t stunned. The fish started flopping around the moment they hit the deck, scoring gashes in the wood and in each other. A few managed to flip themselves over the railings but most remained trapped on the ship. Nathan answered the Heirs¡¯ questioning looks. ¡°They¡¯re stuck. Let¡¯s clean up.¡± The Heirs split up, each taking their own approach to slaughtering their way through the beached monsters. Stella brought out a plasma torch and carved her way through the monster¡¯s scales, spreading the smell of charred fish over the entire vessel. Khachi swung his hammer like a blacksmith, each blow crushing the head of a different fish. Sarah moved carefully, lining her pistols up with a weak spot on the forehead of the sea cutters and pithing them with single shots. But Aarl killed as many as the rest of the Heirs combined, striding around the deck like he was out for a casual stroll as two greatswords swung around him in a blur of barely-visible metal. He neatly decapitated most of his targets, but a few swings ended up cutting through two or even three of the sea cutters at a time, leaving bisected chunks of bleeding flesh on the deck. Nathan abstained from joining the massacre. Instead he descended to the railing and looked down at the water, watching the ocean with worried eyes. Shapes flickered below the surface and a few more sea cutters shot into the air. They tried to adjust towards him and uniformly failed as soon as they entered the reach of his aura. Most fell right back into the water, but one arced up at him and swung a fin. He pivoted on his heel and punched it right in the head, sending it back into the water with a splash. But the sea cutters weren¡¯t what Nathan was concerned about. He eyed the blood gushing through the runnels and off the deck of the Grace of the Winds, staining the water below a bright red. Is all of that blood going to attract something nastier? He turned around as Khachi brought his hammer down one final time, shattering the skull of the last living sea cutter. The splash of gore dripped off his armor, leaving the shining metal spotless. The Heirs shared a series of satisfied nods, looking around the field of slaughter with pleased expressions.
End of Magic has leveled to 759! You have defeated a school of sea cutters that attacked you on the open ocean!
Spellslayer has leveled to 536! You have won an open battle against a swarm of monsters!
The stairway morphed out of the decking, pushing some of the carcasses aside and allowing Eolinne to climb up to survey the deck. She looked around with an expression that was somewhere between disgust and gratification. ¡°That was a harmony of slaughter.¡± She waved a hand towards Aarl. ¡°Would you butcher them and store the meat? The stasis cabinet is against the port wall.¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Should we be worried about the blood causing a frenzy?¡± Nathan asked, pointing down at where blood continued to run out through the runnels. Eolinne followed his finger, then shot a quick glance over her shoulder towards where the continent was fading away behind them. ¡°The scavengers this close to shore are not aggressive. They would only attack if we were to promise a meal and withhold the bounty. Toss most of the flesh overboard and we will have no more attackers, only followers. That will warn off the other opportunists who seek to investigate our ship.¡± With a shrug Nathan got to work, helping Khachi and Sarah toss most of their victims over the side. Soon enough the waters around them churned with activity as other ocean-dwellers tore the carcasses apart. There was some amount of fighting, but most of it was a bunch of different scavengers frantically scrambling to claim their part of what was left of the school of sea cutters. Nathan watched for a moment before turning away with a slightly green face. He¡¯d seen tentacles six inches thick and at least twenty feet long curling along the surface of the water, questing for pieces of fish. They gave him the shivers. I¡¯ve definitely fought scarier things before, but it¡¯s the thought of not being able to see in murky water, of not knowing how big that creature is or how many there are that¡¯s scary. I think that¡¯s called thalassophobia. But right now that seems like a very reasonable fear. It could be something like a jellyfish, or a shark with tentacles for a mouth, or¡­ I dunno, a hivemind of tentacles stretching across the entire ocean. I don¡¯t know, and that¡¯s what''s scary. Aarl quickly harvested hundreds of pounds of fish and joined in cleaning the decks while Eolinne surveyed their work like a queen watching her subjects do labor. As soon as they cleared each section she flicked her finger and the decking cleaned itself as if scrubbed by an invisible crew. That¡¯s not what it was - it was a simple application of wizardry that detached everything that wasn¡¯t wood from the deck and then gave it a little kick overboard. After they were done she drew out her flute and played a calming song that caused the gashes in the hull to heal over seamlessly. It also accelerated the process of the ship repairing the wound from Litcliff¡¯s siege weaponry, though that would take a while longer to be completely fixed. Once she was done she withdrew the white wood from her lips with a flourish that made the flute vanish into her dress and clapped her hands together with a vulpine smile. ¡°Let us enjoy the bounty of the sea that has delivered itself to us!¡± ¡ª The meal was excellent. Aarl was a pretty good cook, but Eolinne danced circles around him in the kitchen. It was obvious that she¡¯d been doing this for a long time and had customized the equipment to her exact tastes. And they were good tastes, Nathan had to admit. They lingered around the large dining table, sipping a light cordial and luxuriating in the feeling of eating at a proper table with food that hadn¡¯t been cooked with the enchanted cooking equipment stored in their dimensional bags. Aarl raised his glass to their host. ¡°A cheer for Eolinne! Our savior from a nest of hydras. May the Grace of the Mists run circles around Questors to the Ending of History and beyond!¡± ¡°Cheers!¡± The rest of the Heirs mirrored the action. Eolinne gave them a brilliant smile, her teeth white against red lips. Then her look at the Heirs deepened, taking in their upright postures. ¡°How many battles has it been since you had a respite? A true period without fear of attack?¡± ¡°Does that include the sea cutters?¡± Sarah asked, jerking a thumb up towards the deck. Eolinne dipped her head silently and allowed the silence to stretch, prompting an answer. ¡°Eleven?¡± Sarah said in response, her tone unsure. Stella shot her a disbelieving look, so Sarah clarified. ¡°Since leaving Halsmet to investigate the Monastery of Quaz. Then we saw the fall of the Academy, fought our way into the city, joined Nathan¡­¡± She trailed off, glancing towards him. ¡°It¡¯s been even longer for you. All of the time we were in Halsmet, you were in Giantsrest.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Nathan said, letting out a tired breath. ¡°It wasn¡¯t all battle. But even when it was quiet - I was still in Giantsrest. It really feels like that night in the Edrani Empire ruin was the last time there wasn''t something hanging over us. After that was Kozar and the fortress foundry, then that thing with Taeol. We¡¯ve been at war with Giantsrest ever since. We haven¡¯t even really won, since our real enemy was always Badud.¡± He looked back towards Eolinne. ¡°Can you win against a Questor?¡± ¡°Not truly,¡± she replied, words slow and bitter. ¡°You can hinder their interests, destroy what they build. But you can never end them. They will always return, and they only need defeat you once.¡± She shook her head, banishing her thoughts before returning her attention to the Heirs. ¡°I hope this voyage is a harmony of peace for you. I have seen true powers ground down by constant warfare, always considering the next battle and never their whole lives. I bid you each to seek your center and set your eyes on the horizon.¡± She paused again, but none of the Heirs interrupted her. The captain of the Grace of the Winds clearly had experiences beyond any non-questor they¡¯d interacted with before, and it would be foolish to turn down her advice. ¡°Consider your developments, and what efforts may complement them. Use this time to practice with your new abilities and ready new Insights for your future challenges. You must rest, but true power emerges not just from battle but from careful thought beforehand. This is the time for that thought.¡± The advice seemed to resonate with Nathan in a way that felt like a mental skill. He took a second to probe what Eolinne was doing, but it definitely wasn''t interfering with his decision-making process. It was trying to help them unpack the advice she''d just given, to convert something that sounded superficial into the deep principle it was. Closer to [Tutoring] than [Leadership] Eolinne watched them all over the rim of her glass, studying their reaction to her words. ¡°I need to be faster,¡± Sarah started them off with a shrug. ¡°I need Insights for rapid aiming. There are always targets, and I need to hit them quicker.¡± Aarl picked up where she left off. ¡°I need to practice combining the different parts of my arsenal. I have a dozen weapons that would each be considered a relic, and I need to figure out how to use them together, and use them while flying.¡± Khachi¡¯s voice lacked the confidence that Nathan had grown familiar with. ¡°I - I must understand my ethos,¡± he said hesitantly. ¡°I began my path mirroring the principles of Deiman, but now the principles that matter are my own. I must decide what they are.¡± He sounded a little lost. Stella¡¯s expression was sour. ¡°I need to learn water mana. It¡¯s a weighty power when on the ocean. But it¡¯s not the path I want to walk.¡± Eolinne frowned slightly at Stella''s response, but then turned her attention to Nathan. He blew out a heavy breath. ¡°I need to understand my new class, and what it means. I haven¡¯t been using it to its full potential.¡±
Utility skill: [Acceleration] This skill will help you accelerate very rapidly in your desired direction, and decrease the Stamina cost of doing so. Cannot be used to move in directions you could not without this skill.
Utility skill: [Impulse] This skill allows you to accelerate very quickly in any direction with a Stamina expenditure and precisely control your direction with an efficient Focus expenditure.
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 8 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 6 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: End of Magic level 759 Bottomless Stamina : 58135/76900 Indomitable The Undeniable Strike of the Antimage Stamina Burn Momentum Mastery Stoneflesh Arcane Nullification Galefoot Close Quarters Mastery Boundless Aura Denial of Mysticism The Ending of Magic Aura Projection Selective Dispel The Living World
Class: Spellslayer level 536 Regenerative Focus: 5460/5460 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Tranquility 2 Inspiration 8 Impulse 1 Mystical Discernment 2 Alertness 10 Arcane Insight 3 Effortless Dodge 10 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 7 Parkour 9 Visibility Control 4 High-tier Disguise 5 High-tier Battle Cry 2 Aura Control 4
Chapter 38: Magical Melodies The next morning Nathan found Stella sitting near the front of the ship. I think it¡¯s called a bow. But none of us really know the terminology, and I don¡¯t think Eolinne cares. Maybe they don¡¯t even have specialized ship terminology on Davrar. Her legs were dangling off the side of the Grace of the Mists, damp from the spray splashing up. Her focus was on the water below, especially the point where the prow cut through the ocean like a plow through earth. Nathan took a seat next to her and watched the ocean for a little while. They were beyond the waves and islands of the coast and well into deep water. The weather was fine, and he could see to the horizon without any obstructions. Or - what would have been the horizon on Earth. On Davrar it didn¡¯t look the same. Instead of a clear line separating the water and the sky, the ocean never seemed to end. It stretched into the far distance, visible until the haze of the air made the surface of the water blend with the vague clouds above. I¡¯ve suspected for a while that the surface of Davrar curved up instead of down. The world overhead - the sayings of ¡°Seeing your home overhead.¡± The night sky. Is Davrar a dyson sphere? The far side is way too close for it to be a proper dyson sphere, but I already know the sun¡¯s not a real star. Davrar could be on the inside of a sphere. He turned his head ninety degrees, studying the horizon off the side of the ship instead of directly ahead. It looked subtly different, though it was hard to tell. Nathan turned towards Stella, breaking their companionable silence. ¡°Do you have a stick? Something long and straight.¡± She jumped slightly, surprised by his voice. Then she thought about the question for a moment. ¡°Will a spellpole work?¡± She rifled through a dimensional bag before pulling out a long rod of metal, thin and absolutely straight. ¡°It¡¯s a teaching tool, for learning to precisely control mana flows. I haven¡¯t used it in years.¡± ¡°Perfect.¡± Nathan took the rod and held it out at arms length, closing one eye and superimposing it over the horizon. It almost matched - but just almost. He rotated the pole ninety degrees from directly ahead to directly to the side. It took him a few more observations to be sure, but about ten degrees off from straight ahead the horizon curved down in both directions. Ninety degrees away from that the horizon curved up in both directions, and the horizon was more defined. Ahead the horizon wasn''t as clear, as if there was an infinite amount of water hiding beyond atmospheric distortion. The effect was very subtle, and mostly noticeable because the day was so clear. And because the curvature of Davrar isn¡¯t away from me. I can see dozens of miles - hundreds - instead of just a couple. So even a very slight curve is visible. But I think it''s curving up ahead of us, and not curved at all to the sides. Nathan handed the spellpole back to Stella, who put it back in her bag and cocked an eyebrow at him, inviting explanation. He didn''t say anything, instead deep in thought. The horizon curved differently in both directions. In one direction it curved up, in the other it curved down, and there was a difference in the distance to the horizons. That meant Davrar wasn¡¯t a sphere. It was a cylinder. One direction was down the length of the cylinder, and so it curved up to both sides. And the other was around the inside curve of the cylinder, and so the horizon wasn''t as distinct and appeared to curve down in both directions. It could also be a spindle that tapers at both ends. If it was big enough it wouldn¡¯t be obvious. And Davrar is damn big. It could be a toroid, if I was on the inside curve. But a cylinder fits Occam''s razor better, as well as the legends about seeing home overhead. He let out a heavy breath and leaned back, looking up. His gaze stretched beyond the faint clouds, towards the world above. He couldn''t see it right now, but he remembered the continents and oceans that could be seen stretching across a clear night sky. Those features look about the same size as Earth does from the moon. Using that as the best yardstick I have, Davrar¡¯s about a quarter-million miles across? Compared to about eight thousand for the Earth¡¯s diameter. No wonder the curvature is impossible to notice if you¡¯re not on the ocean. It¡¯s thirty times further across, and the curvature of the surface would be nearly impossible to notice unless you could see uninterrupted for hundreds of miles. He remained deep in thought, thinking through the math. A huge cylinder or spindle meant it was possible that the gravity was rotational, but Nathan didn''t remember the math to figure out how fast it had to be spinning for that. It wasn''t a particularly important answer regardless. How much more surface area is there? Estimating pi as three, on the order of 200 million square miles for Earth and¡­ assuming no endcaps and that Davrar is as long as it is wide, then what, 200 billion square miles for Davrar. A thousand Earths. That... isn¡¯t as large as I was expecting somehow. Somewhere between five and ten thousand continents? He could easily be off in either direction, but probably not by more than ten-fold unless there was a factor he was completely neglecting. He waited a moment for a blue box from Davrar rewarding him for the realization, but nothing was happening. It¡¯s not a magical secret the way the secret of the Seals was. It¡¯s just how Davrar works. I¡¯m sure if I had a class dedicated to science or exploration or skills dedicated to understanding Davrar they¡¯d be going crazy right now. But I don¡¯t. I have skills for fighting, and killing. Because that¡¯s what is needed on Davrar, not a scientist. He sighed again, and beside him Stella rolled her eyes. ¡°What prophecy of death has your attention? Will you grace me such terrible knowledge?¡± Nathan chuckled. ¡°Nothing like that. Understanding Davrar, that¡¯s all.¡± He waved his hand towards the horizon. ¡°It¡¯s a big cylinder, though the ends might be rounded. It might even be spinning to provide gravity.¡± Stella¡¯s eyes narrowed, and she glanced out towards the horizon, then looked back at him. ¡°Explain.¡± ¡°Which part?¡± He asked. ¡°All of it,¡± She replied evenly. Nathan didn¡¯t get any ranks in [Tutoring] for showing Stella the parabolic horizon or explaining the concept of rotational gravity, but he did when she called over the rest of the Heirs to hear it again.
Tutoring 8 achieved!
Aarl squinted into the distance. ¡°If Davrar is a cylinder, why don¡¯t we see anything but the far side?¡± He waved upwards. ¡±Shouldn''t we see the land sloping up on either side?¡± ¡°Too big,¡± Sarah said thoughtfully. ¡°Too much weather. If you look at an angle there¡¯s going to be clouds somewhere in the thousands and thousands of miles of atmosphere between you and the sides.¡± Aarl contemplated that for a moment, then shook his head in confusion. ¡°Then why don¡¯t clouds block the view to the other side?¡± ¡°There¡¯s probably no atmosphere around the sun. If there was, then the pressure down here would crush us,¡± Nathan replied. ¡°It¡¯s also probably true that the sun only illuminates a portion of the cylinder at a time, and at night it¡¯s mostly facing away from us, illuminating the far side of the cylinder.¡± Khachi was watching the sky above, eyes boring into the blue expanse beyond the sun. ¡°Ten thousand continents. Each the size of ours.¡± Stella watched him with a small smile on her face. ¡°Too many for your flame, or not enough?¡± ¡°Both?¡± Khachi replied hesitantly. ¡°Davrar is no longer endless. There is a limit to the horizon. But to change something that rules ten thousand continents¡­¡± He trailed off. ¡°It is a dragon¡¯s task.¡± ¡°Or a Questor¡¯s,¡± Eolinne said from behind them, making everybody but Nathan jump. She''d approached them quietly, using the wizardry of the ship to hide her presence. ¡°What is your goal? What drives you young masters from your home, to seek out Questors and their games?¡± The Heirs turned to face her, presenting a united front. Nathan spoke for them. ¡°The Endings. We want to stop them.¡± Eolinne gave an unsurprised nod, as if confirming a theory. ¡°Not a new theme, but a worthy one. Endings and Questors are tied together with the strongest threads.¡± She paused for a moment, considering her next words. ¡°I know no details of the Endings, but I know Sarya mislikes them. Speak to her of your goal. She won¡¯t kill you for it.¡± ¡°Do you want to stop the Endings?¡± Aarl asked, a bit confused by Eolinne¡¯s supportive but hands-off answer. Her retort was calm but firm. ¡°Would I wish to slay all monsters? To cut the root of death? I do not think the Endings can be stopped. But I have sailed these seas for centuries, and learned to work its currents in places where a young captian would seek to master the ocean and make it obey their will. Some of those captains have succeeded. I hope that is your prophecy.¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. With that she turned and walked away, leaving the Heirs watching her ethereal form cross the deck and disappear into the bowels of the ship. ¡°She¡¯s half a Questor herself, isn¡¯t she?¡± Sarah asked. Khachi snorted. ¡°Kinder than any Questor we¡¯ve met.¡± The Heirs all shook their heads, remembering Brox¡¯s antics - especially how he¡¯d almost gotten them all killed for kicks on a few different occasions. Aarl frowned towards Stella. ¡°Wasn¡¯t your task to learn water mana? How did you start talking to Nathan about the shape of Davrar?¡± Stella threw up her hands. ¡°Nathan came and sat next to me, then faster than a stalker¡¯s pounce he¡¯s speaking of the horizon!¡± ¡°Sorry about that,¡± Nathan said with a wince. ¡°Tell me about water mana.¡± ¡°Enjoy the Insights,¡± Sarah said, getting up and dusting off her hands to follow Eolinne below deck. "I still need to understand what it means for Davrar to be spinning." The rest of the Heirs left, leaving Nathan and Stella sitting with their legs dangling off the edge of the boat. The water zipped by underneath, slipping past the magically-enhanced hull without resistance. Occasional waves splashed against the Grace of the Winds and the speed of their passage blew the water back into their faces. ¡°Water mana.¡± Stella spoke the words with a faint edge of disgust. She reached for her dimensional bag, pulling a scroll halfway out before shoving it back in as another wave splashed up at them. ¡°It¡¯s a blasphemous form of matter. You¡¯ve spoken to me of water. It¡¯s made of oxygen and hydrogen, produced when they burn. The molecules stick together enough to keep them liquid, but are always moving against each other.¡± She gestured angrily at the vast expanse of water before them. ¡°Hear me, that Insight is not helping me get water mana. Before I¡¯ve combined your Insights with everything my parents have given me and it¡¯s always helped me hit the target. The Insights of Earth, of natural laws, provide the foundation for me to build my Developments. Then my parent¡¯s Insights are the spark that triggers it all. But now they speak of completely different things! I can''t join the two aspects together at all.¡± ¡°What do your parent¡¯s scrolls say about water mana?¡± Nathan asked curiously. Stella shook her head, frustration bleeding through her tone. ¡°They speak of water as ever-changing, always in motion even when still. That makes sense, since the molecules are always moving, like what you said about temperature. But it¡¯s not enough.¡± She subsided for a moment. ¡°There¡¯s also a section about water being free, always moving in its own way. Unpredictable and uncontrollable. But I have the Insight to control it! It isn¡¯t unpredictable, it always flows downhill, and you can predict where it¡¯s going to flow.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Nathan said, a sudden thought striking him. ¡°Does the scroll say that it¡¯s important to think of it as unpredictable when you try to use the mana?¡± Stella hesitated. ¡°Not quite. It says that the ¡®spirit of the water is to follow its own path, despite every effort to control it. By understanding this you will master it.¡¯¡± She mimed throwing an object into the ocean. ¡°How do you control something by giving up on controlling it? And with the Insights of molecules I should be able to gain water magic anyways! Why can¡¯t I hit this target?¡± She turned to Nathan searching for an answer. Nathan sat in thought, going over what he¡¯d learned of fluid dynamics. ¡°I think the Insight for water mana isn¡¯t about the molecules of water moving against each other. It sounds like it might be rooted in something we call chaos theory.¡± ¡°Chaos?¡± Stella asked, apprehensive. ¡°What does that have to do with water?¡± ¡°I need to explain what my definition of chaos is,¡± Nathan replied. ¡°It means that it¡¯s impossible to predict what¡¯s going to happen.¡± ¡°But if I know all of the natural laws then I can predict what¡¯s going to happen.¡± Stella protested. ¡°Yes, theoretically,¡± Nathan agreed. ¡°But you don¡¯t know the exact position of every molecule of water. In a chaotic system, every detail matters. Small changes propagate until the entire system behaves completely differently.¡± He gestured out towards the ocean. ¡°You can predict the waves of the ocean, but if a ship sails through then the wave patterns will be different for days afterwards, even when the impact of the ship is so small against the entire ocean.¡± Stella was slowly nodding along, locked onto Nathan¡¯s words. ¡°I still could predict everything perfectly, but that would require knowing every detail of every molecule. If I was wrong about anything then my prediction would be completely wrong.¡± Probably not the time to bring quantum uncertainty into this. I¡¯m not even sure it would impact this. I don¡¯t know if electron-in-a-box applies here. ¡°Yes,¡± Nathan replied. ¡°As opposed to a stable system, where it doesn¡¯t matter how things start, since they¡¯ll always converge on the same endpoint. But that¡¯s because there are forces pushing things to always end the same, like water flowing into a hole.¡± ¡°What else is chaotic?¡± Stella asked, her eyes alight with excitement as she digested this new principle. ¡°Weather.¡± Nathan said without thinking, then actually gave it a second. ¡°Honestly, most things in the physical world are chaotic. Say I dropped a coin on the deck. Where it lands would be chaotic, because it depends on exactly how it lands on every bounce and exactly what part of the boards it bounces off of. Too many variables to calculate. That¡¯s a chaotic system.¡± I think in my systems biology class it was referred to as exponential amplification of error through non-linear interactions. I like my explanation better. ¡°Then the way to control water with water magic isn¡¯t to control the flow,¡± Stella said hesitantly. ¡°It¡¯s to control where it wants to go? I need to dig the hole for the water to flow into, not try to force it to go to that spot.¡± Nathan shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I know a little bit about chaotic systems in biology, but I¡¯m not an expert. But if I were to guess it would be more about letting your mana flow with the water, even as it escapes your control. You want to control the direction of the flow, not the details.¡± Stella nodded again, deep in thought. After a minute she stretched her hand out, pushing basic mana into the waves beneath them. It was pulled along with the water and Stella let it go, watching the threads of mana fragment and twist away as the waves washed by. She continued this exercise for a little while and then tugged on the strings. They fragmented and broke apart, accomplishing nothing. ¡°Try controlling all of the mana, not just the parts closest to you,¡± Nathan suggested. Stella gave a faint dip of her head but didn¡¯t say anything, completely focused on her next attempt. Once more she pumped mana downwards, letting the wave action mangle the mana¡¯s structure into tiny fibers that followed the vortices and twists of the water. Then she pulled on all of the mana evenly, not trying to bring it together but just providing energy and direction. Threads of water spiraled up out of the surface of the water. They hung suspended in the air just off the bow of the ship, refracting the light like a hundred frozen raindrops.
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 8 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 6 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: End of Magic level 759 Bottomless Stamina : 71029/76900 Indomitable The Undeniable Strike of the Antimage Stamina Burn Momentum Mastery Stoneflesh Arcane Nullification Galefoot Close Quarters Mastery Boundless Aura Denial of Mysticism The Ending of Magic Aura Projection Selective Dispel The Living World
Class: Spellslayer level 536 Regenerative Focus: 5460/5460 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Tranquility 2 Inspiration 8 Impulse 1 Mystical Discernment 2 Alertness 10 Arcane Insight 3 Effortless Dodge 10 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 8 Parkour 9 Visibility Control 4 High-tier Disguise 5 High-tier Battle Cry 2 Aura Control 4
Chapter 39: Divine Tenets The Grace of the Mist was a fast ship. Nathan had been aboard for several days, and he hadn¡¯t really appreciated how fast they were moving. But now he was in the air and trying to keep up. It was not easy. He could match pace with the ship if he spent Stamina and sprinted, but he knew that he could do better. He¡¯d gotten new movement skills from his recent class Development, and one of his core mobility skills had recently developed. But it was one thing to have new abilities, and another thing entirely to use them all effectively in concert as you ran across the sky at high speed. So Nathan was running across the sky at high speed, trying to get used to using all of his mobility skills together with [Airwalking] to keep up with the ship. I thought I left running drills behind in high school. The goal was to make it unconscious, so that he could move at top speed while dodging attacks, disabling magic and taking in the battlefield. If you needed to think about a movement skill then it wouldn¡¯t be useful in battle. But the only way to make it unconscious was to practice, practice, practice.
Impulse 2 achieved!
I was hoping for [Airwalking 8], but I¡¯ll take it. After running all morning, Nathan returned to the deck and settled next to where Stella was practicing with her new mana type. They¡¯d had a party after she developed the ability to cast water spells, but now she was buckling down to do the hard work of actually learning to cast those spells. Right now she was suspending a half-dozen car-sized orbs of water off the side of the ship and working on being able to move them around without hand gestures. ¡°Can I get some mana?¡± Nathan asked, wiping his brow and shivering a little bit in the ocean wind. Stella grunted and held a hand out towards him, dark purple fire blooming in her palm. It was enough mana that without Nathan it would have consumed her and lit the Grace of the Mists aflame for a dozen feet in every direction. Nathan blinked at the display, but his aura was in position and he drank greedily of her magic. ¡°Thanks.¡± She grunted again, then swore as two of the balls of water collided and merged before splashing back into the ocean. ¡°Harpy¡¯s tits.¡± She turned a mild glare on Nathan. ¡°Let me concentrate.¡± He held his hands up. ¡°Sorry for the distraction. Thanks for the mana.¡± He walked away from her, looking at the other Heirs. Aarl was practicing weapons forms, alternating between different weapons. Nathan watched as he cycled through the same series of attacks a dozen times, trying out a new combination of weapons with each attempt. It looked bewildering to see a series of uninterrupted attacks made with greatswords, sabers, a trident, a giant club, and more. Sarah was below decks, reading her way through the library. Nathan didn''t want to disturb her. But Khachi was sitting at the front of the ship, staring towards the horizon. His armor was positively dull compared to its usual shine. He saw Nathan looking and waved him over, a troubled expression on his face. I guess the bow is the place for deep conversations with Nathan. Nathan sat cross-legged beside his friend¡¯s armored bulk, taking a moment to appreciate the sea breeze and the moment of relaxation before speaking. Then he turned to Khachi. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°The sun,¡± came the grumbled reply. Nathan blinked at his friend for a moment and tilted his head in confusion. Khachi gave a dark chuckle and smiled wryly. ¡°A dim joke, but I find it difficult to discuss my current thoughts. Harder than it is to think them. For what remains inside my head is not true until it makes an impression upon the world.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about your faith,¡± Nathan replied seriously. ¡°You don¡¯t follow Deiman anymore. You haven¡¯t called upon him directly for a long time.¡± Khachi nodded, but was slow to speak. ¡°I follow the path of Faith, where I pay homage to the divine and receive power in return. It is possible to follow the tenets of a god and receive their power without belief, but it is mere embers compared to the flame of true faith. That was an early lesson. My class was dim before I truly accepted the tenets of Deiman as my own, and put my trust in his power.¡± The wolfman¡¯s eyes were distant. ¡°He is the god of righteous battle. To follow the path of a paladin of Deiman is to seek injustice and face it in open combat. To be honest in your hatred and direct in your response. Deiman teaches that the best battles are the simplest ones. His disciples are supposed to stand strong against obvious evil and strike it down. It is a worthy path, and by that stalwart belief I matched you and the other Heirs in our rise to power.¡± Khachi paused again, and Nathan almost responded. He had plenty of thoughts to share, but it didn¡¯t seem like Khachi was done. After staring at the horizon for a little while, Khachi spoke again. ¡°Kia fights monsters. She saves people from unthinking beasts and preserves civilization. She avoids fighting people as much as ¡°Giantsrest and the Ascendent Academy were an enemy worthy of a follower of Deiman. Even after I seized a shard of divinity from him, it still carried the same shape, the same purpose. My power was merely a sliver of my god¡¯s, no longer connected to the whole but still of the same hue.¡± He pursed his lips. ¡°But even a fight against such an obvious enemy carried complications I did not expect. It was not an honest war. Deiman is a god of justice through combat, of blessing the valorous so they may carry on the fight. The worthy may be healed, but his powers do not extend to mercy. But I fought and killed those compelled by their masters to oppose me. It was not within my power to free them, for freedom is not a tenet of Deiman.¡± Khachi looked up and met Nathan¡¯s gaze. His own eyes had been dim thus far in the conversation, but now they flickered with a faint glow. It wasn''t quite the shade of gold that Nathan was used to. ¡°To follow your light, I twisted my own divinity away from that of Deiman. I proclaimed a virtue beyond his reach, and it allowed me to bring freedom to Giantsrest.¡± The wolfman let out a deep sigh. ¡°But now I am lost. I still believe in the tenets of Deiman. To seek out a worthy enemy, and strike them down for their evil.¡± He trailed off. ¡°But any enemy beyond monsters is not so simple. At every turn I see conflict against a complicated foe. We forgave the evils of many mages I would have killed on the field of battle, even while we were allied with a killer of children. Then the city of Litcliff became our enemy through greed.¡± His voice was rising in tone, becoming nearly frantic as he expounded on the situations that had led to his conflict. ¡°But how does one fight honestly against a city? If we killed the guards who opposed us, we would have left the city defenseless and condemned innocents to death from monsters. The oligarchs took a contract against us, but their rule is not evil. We would be justified in killing them, but would it be just?¡± he asked, waving a hand back towards where the continent they¡¯d left was visible as a faint blur on the horizon. ¡°The teachings of Deiman still resonate within my being, but hear me, I know they are insufficient for the coming conflict. I cannot fight every battle honestly. I cannot judge every enemy with the bright light of Deiman. I must change my beliefs to adapt to the reality of Davrar.¡± He made grasping hand gestures, as if reaching for something to hold onto. ¡°But how? How should I forge my faith? I stand upon a precipice, and to misstep would be to lose my power.¡± He glanced over to Nathan, his eyes dim once more. He looked lost. Nathan swallowed. ¡°Well. That¡¯s a lot. To start with, I think you¡¯re putting too much pressure on yourself. You don¡¯t need to solve the entire problem immediately. You followed the teaching of Deiman before, but you don¡¯t need to write the teachings of Khachi anytime soon.¡± Or ever, most likely. I did write the teachings of Nathan, but it¡¯s heavy on chemistry and pretty light on philosophy. He continued without a pause. ¡°You also shouldn''t expect to find a perfect answer to this problem. In fact, I would be worried if you tried because that meant you would be deceiving yourself about something. This question doesn''t have a perfect answer." Khachi frowned at that, but Nathan held up a finger and continued. "You will always need to adapt your Faith to new situations, and if you don¡¯t then you¡¯ll eventually be caught off guard again. Trying to create the ¡®perfect¡¯ belief system is a trap, because there will always be an edge case where it doesn¡¯t make sense. So accept that this isn¡¯t a problem you¡¯ll ever permanently solve.¡± The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. The wolfman''s frown lessened and he dipped his head thoughtfully, acknowledging Nathan¡¯s point. ¡°Yet still, I must find a new edge to hold.¡± Nathan nodded in return. ¡°Of course. But a question - what do you value?¡± Khachi looked up at him, mild confusion on his face. ¡°That is what I search for.¡± Shaking his head, Nathan explained. ¡°As I see it, your beliefs stem from your values. You decide what is most important, and from that figure out what tenets you follow. If free will is most important then you¡¯ll always free slaves, even when they¡¯re likely to die because of it. You¡¯ll tell the truth, even if lying would be easier. But if you decide that saving the most lives is important then you might kill an innocent to save many more, or tell a lie to save a life.¡± Khachi¡¯s face went through a series of expressions, and it seemed like he was trying to decide how to respond. ¡°By Quenfi¡¯s flame, why does free will mean you don¡¯t lie?¡± Nathan shrugged. ¡°If you lie, you deny somebody a choice to act on the truth. You make the choice for them, denying them of their free will. If you respect their personhood, then you have to give them the full details and trust them to make the choice responsibly.¡± The wolfman cocked an eyebrow. ¡°And if they choose to be evil?¡± ¡°Part of the ¡®the full details¡¯ would be warning them about the consequences of their choice,¡± Nathan replied. ¡°And if they choose to be evil, then you carry out those consequences. You¡¯re still respecting their choice to do evil by delivering retribution upon them.¡± Khachi gave a low hum in response to that, brows knitting in thought. He sat back and didn¡¯t say anything for some time as he considered Nathan¡¯s comment. Nathan was happy to give him the time to think. He was in deep water here - he¡¯d only had a little bit of exposure to formal ethics, and he knew that if he tried to be too aggressive he¡¯d get something wrong. Guiding Khachi badly now could have some pretty disastrous ramifications down the line. Not only does his path rely on him believing in a personal code, but there''s a chance he ends up as a prophet of a new religion or something. So I should be careful what I say here. ¡°What if I decided to save all innocents, regardless of risk?¡± Khachi asked, giving Nathan a questioning look. ¡°Then the only thing an evil person has to do is take hostages,¡± Nathan replied, ¡°and they will force you to do stupid things. That¡¯s a quick way to die.¡± Khachi grimaced, nodding his acceptance of the answer. After another brief period of thought he looked up. ¡°Then what should I value?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t answer that,¡± Nathan said. ¡°You need to decide that for yourself.¡± Khachi pressed the issue. ¡°What do you value?¡± Nathan leaned back with a heavy sigh, bracing himself on his hands and looking up at the sky. ¡°I think that if you try to define an explicit morality then there will always be a situation where it makes you do something terrible. And - look, the problem with the real world is that you never know everything.¡± Life never boils down to a true trolly problem. There''s always complications. He sat forward, scrubbing his hands through his hair. ¡°I basically believe that you should do whatever will help the most people - but with a lot of caveats. For one thing, taking people¡¯s choices away harms them a lot. Even if you¡¯re trying to help them, making choices for others is questionable at best.¡± Nathan remembered late-night college discussions, and his frustrations with what he¡¯d heard of formal ethics. Every ethical dilemma is so contrived, they¡¯re fun thought experiments but hard to derive actual values from. Things are never so clear-cut, and it¡¯s rarely your responsibility to take decisive action. But then again, I never thought I¡¯d be in a position to truly make life-and-death decisions where the answer wasn¡¯t obvious. And to be fair, most of my decisions have been easy. Giantsrest was an easy enemy to hate, and monsters aren¡¯t exactly more complicated. But killing mages of Giantsrest - even those who never did direct evil? That one was harder. ¡°I try to care about everything, from how happy people are to what choices they are able to make. It all matters. People are allowed to do stupid things, but not when that endangers or oppresses others, because those others have just as much right to their choices. I try to think about what I¡¯ve done so that I can do better next time.¡± He paused, ruminating on his mistakes, like the murders in Halsmet right after he¡¯d gotten his assassin class. His words were rapid and impassioned, nearly a rant. ¡°I''m not perfect at making choices. We needed to stop the Giantsrest army to keep Halsmet free, but doing so meant drowning hundreds of enslaved soldiers. There might have been a perfect solution to kill or strip power from the mages without killing the soldiers, but we couldn¡¯t find it. So we did the best thing we could think of, that also saved the lives of most of the Gemore adventurers who would have died in that battle. Then they lived on to protect Gemore.¡± He paused, closing his eyes and breathing for a moment to calm himself down. He was surprised such a simple question had gotten him so worked up. When he opened his eyes again Khachi was watching carefully, his eyes glowing faintly. He didn¡¯t look judgmental, just curious. Nathan¡¯s next words were measured. ¡°The important thing is to become the person who will do the right thing in the moment. The most important decisions are the ones where you won¡¯t know everything, and you don¡¯t have the time to think it through. You need to care about the people who the decision will affect, to respect them as people with their own wants and desires. Then you pick the option that is the best.¡± He spread his hands wide, signaling that he was done with his explanation. I think that¡¯s more or less virtue ethics, if you wanted to get pedantic about it. Khachi took a long breath through his nose, like somebody who¡¯d just taken a hit of something potent. Slowly a smile spread across his face. ¡°That is wisdom. I will consider it as I plan my Path." Nathan nodded to his friend and got up, taking to the sky to get back to airwalking practice.
Tutoring 9 achieved!
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 8 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 6 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7
Class: End of Magic level 759 Bottomless Stamina : 76900/76900 Indomitable The Undeniable Strike of the Antimage Stamina Burn Momentum Mastery Stoneflesh Arcane Nullification Galefoot Close Quarters Mastery Boundless Aura Denial of Mysticism The Ending of Magic Aura Projection Selective Dispel The Living World
Class: Spellslayer level 536 Regenerative Focus: 5460/5460 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Tranquility 2 Inspiration 8 Impulse 2 Mystical Discernment 2 Alertness 10 Arcane Insight 3 Effortless Dodge 10 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 9 Parkour 9 Visibility Control 4 High-tier Disguise 5 High-tier Battle Cry 2 Aura Control 4
Chapter 40: Lessons of Teamwork The Heirs fell into a routine over the voyage, practicing separately and coming together for meals and occasional conversations. Eolinne proved to be an adept cook with over a dozen different styles of food at her command. She accepted Aarl as her assistant and apprentice after he demonstrated basic competence, and he remarked that if he''d had cooking skills he would be getting Developments by the score. Sarah and Stella delved into Eolinne¡¯s library, both discovering the wonders of fiction and the joy of curling up with a book for hours on end. Nathan joined them, though he found the storytelling to be somewhat prosaic. It was almost more of an anthropological study for him, to learn about the different cultures of Davrar based on the books they wrote. He searched for histories or reference tomes but found the library to be fairly lacking in heavier reading. I wonder if Eolinne prefers to keep only the lighter stuff, or if the nonfiction is hiding away in that dimensional pocket I can feel. I probably shouldn¡¯t check, since I¡¯m pretty sure any attempt will break it permanently. Khachi spent long hours on the deck, clearly deep in thought while his eyes and armor glowed with subtle golden light. Nathan made himself available if the wolfman wanted to talk, but he always met Nathan¡¯s eyes and gently shook his head. The main thing Nathan was focused on was practicing with his new skills. He¡¯d acquired and evolved nearly every one of his skills relatively recently, and under conditions that hadn¡¯t let him thoroughly practice integrating them all together. Some of it was basic, like testing the range of [Magic Jammer] with Stella, while others were more complicated, like attempting to combine all of his movement and dodging skills together into a cohesive whole. The problem was that while most of his skills worked on a mostly unconscious level, they were all high enough level that they also unlocked new possibilities he still needed to think about to take advantage of. [Effortless Dodge] allowed Nathan to move in ways that were impossible to replicate unless he was dodging an attack, but he couldn¡¯t intentionally combine that with [Momentum Mastery] to pull off the truly ridiculous stunts he knew he was capable of. He could even use his aura to jerk himself around with [Impulse], but it took a lot of attention to weave it into the necessary shapes and he still didn¡¯t have good control over the resulting motion. [Airwalking] hasn¡¯t advanced since the Ascendent Academy fell. I¡¯ve been using it in almost every fight, but it¡¯s stayed at rank 7 this entire time. Is it because I¡¯m not using it to its full potential? Is it because only a few of those fights have really challenged me? Is it because the Insight for [Airwalking] isn¡¯t really mine, and was given to me by Kia? He didn¡¯t know, but he resigned himself to practicing for hours each day with his skills, fueled by frequent lightning bolts from Stella when she took breaks from practicing with water mana. Eolinne had thought it was funny the first few times, but after the thirtieth air-shaking blast of electricity she¡¯d gotten tired of the practice and asked Stella to switch to fireballs. The ranks weren¡¯t coming easily. Even [Impulse], which was only at rank 2, stubbornly refused to increase. Nathan was getting better at actually controlling his movement, at using his half-dozen abilities together to move easily across the sky. He was especially improving with [Galefoot], which allowed him to ride the wind when it was moving in the right direction. Unfortunately that one couldn¡¯t rank up, as it was a class skill. He was also on the lookout for an Insight for [Effortless Dodge], which was capped out at rank 10 and ready to Develop into the next level. That skill had developed from the dancing drills that Emerald had taught him, but Nathan didn¡¯t have any good ideas for where to take the skill next. Finally, after quite a bit of work Nathan got a blue box, though not the one he¡¯d been waiting for.
Impulse 3 achieved!
He descended to the deck again, wiping sweat from his brow and taking a drink of water from a pitcher left on the deck. He blew out a deep breath and looked up to where Aarl was practicing in midair. The brown-skinned man had been at it for a few days now and at first the motions had looked remarkably like high-speed flailing, as each of Aarl¡¯s swings sent him spinning slightly. It¡¯s probably good he hasn¡¯t had to duel anybody in midair yet. Now his motions looked much more decisive and controlled, and a dozen different weapons flashed out in lethal arcs towards an unseen enemy before vanishing into dimensional bags. Aarl descended to join Nathan, his helmet melting off his face. He held out his hand for the pitcher. Nathan handed it over. ¡°Looking good. Need any help?¡± Aarl shook his head as he chugged, then stored the empty pitcher away and pulled a fresh one out of his pocket. ¡°Likely no, though I will accept your words. But my practice is clear. I have the arsenal to fully use my skills and need to practice it. How is your effort?¡± ¡°Fine. Not going as well as I¡¯d hoped.¡± Nathan scrubbed a hand through his hair. ¡°I¡¯m trying to rank up [Airwalking] and it¡¯s not easy. I¡¯ve got a lot of new skills of my own to incorporate together and it¡¯s happening, but slowly. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll get the rank-ups I''m going for. I¡¯ve also got a capped dodging skill to develop and no ideas.¡± The corner of Aarl¡¯s mouth curled in amusement. ¡°To encourage a rank-up, deadly combat is the true target. If not combat, sparring. As dangerous as possible.¡± Nathan narrowed his eyes at his friend. ¡°Are you quoting Stanel?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± ¡°Are you volunteering?¡± Nathan asked. Aarl shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think sparring would help either of us anymore. To truly threaten you I would need my enchanted weapons, and with only a little practice I would have no more enchanted weapons.¡± ¡°You could use your unenchanted practice weapons,¡± Nathan suggested. ¡°Maybe,¡± Aarl replied with a shrug. ¡°They¡¯d certainly fail to hurt you, and they will break when caught between my strength and your durability." He pointed towards the back of the ship, where Sarah was watching their wake. She¡¯d been trying to shoot the occasional fish that showed themselves in the wake of the ship to help her aim and fire quickly. ¡°My sister would be the best target. Her weapons can hurt you, and she needs a better practice partner.¡± Nathan was skeptical. ¡°What, just have her try to shoot me? That doesn¡¯t seem like a good idea.¡± Aarl waved a hand at him. ¡°Follow your light. You¡¯ll have an Insight or two for her as always. Be sure I''d ask if I thought you could help." Nathan frowned, but glanced towards where Sarah was standing, statue-still with her rifle in the ready position. He gave it a bit of thought. Was there a way that Sarah could help him out with his practice while he helped her out with hers? I could be a pigeon for a bit, but she¡¯d shoot me down pretty quick. Guns are hard to dodge. She¡¯d be better served by clay pigeons. He chuckled at the image. If normal people on Earth could shoot down clay pigeons with a decent chance of success, then Sarah would simply never miss. All of the Heirs were well into superhuman ranges, and needed superhuman challenges to advance. Though dodging bullets is still a bit beyond me. Even at my fastest I¡¯m twenty times slower than a bullet, and that¡¯s before Sarah¡¯s skills. ¡°Time for me to sweat,¡± Aarl said, jumping back into the sky to resume his drills. Nathan wasn¡¯t quite ready to resume himself. He walked over to Sarah, ruminating on what kind of practice might help both of them. It might be as simple as combining his ideas - he¡¯d fly around and throw targets for her to hit. Moving quickly in different directions while thinking about throwing the targets would help him develop his control, and the extra level of danger might assist the rank-up. Maybe. ¡°Hey,¡± He greeted Sarah as he approached, not wanting to catch her by surprise. ¡°Getting bored?¡± She grunted in response. ¡°There aren¡¯t enough fish for this to be good practice. You don¡¯t have an Insight for summoning fish in that mental archive of yours, do you?¡± The question threw Nathan for a loop. He gave it a serious second of thought, opening and closing his mouth. If you zap fish with electricity they tend to jump. But I think that mostly works for fish in shallow water, not ocean fish. And having Stella electrocute the water seems like exactly the sort of thing that would draw nasty attention. Then he shook his head. ¡°Nothing practical. But I have a different idea. If you have some targets I can carry I can go up and start throwing them around for you to shoot.¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Sarah thought for a moment, then pursed her lips and started rummaging through her bags. ¡°I don¡¯t have much that we could use¡­¡± She trailed off, then pulled out an old and battered hatchet that lacked an edge. She looked at it oddly. Nathan recognized it. ¡°That¡¯s one of your training weapons. From before your level 81 class Development. You threw that at me back at the Adventurer''s Guild in Gemore.¡± His friend twirled the small ax around her hand, watching it spin with nostalgia. ¡°Yes. Before you introduced a better weapon.¡± Her other hand withdrew a revolver from a different pouch and weighed it against the ax. ¡°A strange comparison.¡± Then she held the hatchet towards Nathan handle first. ¡°This will be a good target.¡± He hesitated before taking it. ¡°Are you sure? We¡¯re likely going to lose this to the ocean if your bullets don''t outright destroy it.¡± Sarah gave a sure nod, pulling out more battered practice weapons. ¡°I am. These are tools of my past, and I will not need them again. They seem fitting targets.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re sure.¡± Nathan said, holding out his hands to accept a sack that Sarah quickly filled with old training weapons, everything from the hatchet she¡¯d been holding to slightly rusted daggers, javelins with cracked hafts and a few more exotic projectiles. ¡°I¡¯ll go out a few hundred feet and then start hucking them around. The closer to me you hit them the better. But I¡¯m not the target.¡± Sarah snorted but waved a hand in acknowledgement, pulling out her rifle and holding it ready. Nathan took to the sky, gaining some distance. He had to keep moving to keep pace with the ship, but that was nothing new. Once he judged the distance sufficient he grabbed the hatchet out of the bag and hurled it off to the side. It had barely left his hands before a bullet nailed the metal axehead. It splintered with the sound of rending metal and Nathan was peppered with fragments that stung against his skin. He looked back down towards Sarah, who was aiming her rifle towards Nathan. She took her hand off the trigger and waved it in a circle as if to say ¡®get on with it.¡¯ Nathan tried again, turning around to disguise his arm motions and juking left before hurling the next target straight up. Once again Sarah nailed it mere feet from his hand, and a fragment of metal got in Nathan¡¯s eye. Ow. That¡¯s unpleasant. But good reinforcement for me to do better. How do I make it harder for her? I need to trick her about where it¡¯s going. Pretend to go one direction but actually go another. Nathan turned around and disguised his hand movements to make it harder for Sarah to track. He dodged one direction and another before hurling a dagger to the side. This one made it a little further before Sarah¡¯s bullet intercepted the flying metal. I should think of this in terms of dodging. I¡¯m choosing what openings to show and trying to disguise them as much as possible. He grabbed two more of the weapons, swinging a hatchet wide without letting go and pitching a narrow dagger in the other direction. Sarah went for his fake and a bullet hissed through the air to the side before a follow-up knocked the dagger out of the air a few seconds and thirty feet later. That¡¯s it. My movements are a form of communication, and I¡¯m trying to lie with them. I should take inspiration from my disguise skills. How do I sell a movement without committing? Nathan practiced doing just that, dodging around in midair and occasionally hurling a target for Sarah to shoot. Sometimes he was successful, sometimes he wasn¡¯t. But it was good practice for both of them. Nathan was getting better, but so was Sarah. She fell for less of his tricks, so he got better at executing them.
Visibility Control 5 achieved!
Huh, that makes sense. The bag was getting empty, but Nathan didn¡¯t really notice. His focus was on the game, fully engaged in the rhythm of aerial maneuvering. He moved erratically, readying himself to go in one direction and then using his aura and skills to redirect his momentum or shove off at a weird angle. He felt himself on the precipice of a Development, but it wouldn¡¯t quite come through. It grew whenever he pulled off a tricky feint and made Sarah miss her shot. Don¡¯t push it, just memorize the feeling and what you''re doing. You can get the Development in the next actual fight. He also wasn¡¯t having trouble keeping up with the ship, pushing off hardest when he juked in the direction the ship was going. It was exhilarating. Eventually, he reached down into the sack and came up empty, having run through every single one of Sarah¡¯s arsenal of practice weapons. He looked down at the ship below, breathing hard and feeling exhilarated.
Airwalking 8 achieved!
¡°Yes!¡± Nathan shouted, scrubbing his hand through hair matted with sweat before he headed back to the ship. They¡¯d acquired an audience, with all of the others having gathered to watch the practice session happening off the back of the ship. Eolinne clapped daintily from her chair and muttered something quiet as Nathan landed on the deck. His ears only just caught what sounded like a quote. ¡°True power is born of virtuosity and relentless practice.¡± Sarah wore a similarly huge grin as she stored away her rifle. Her voice was excited. ¡°By the dawn¡¯s light, that¡¯s a target hit. A few rank-ups and I developed [Steady Hands] to [Quick Aim]!¡± The rest of the Heirs congratulated her, though Aarl grimaced and shot a quick look to Eolinne. Their captain seemed not to notice, smiling fondly at their joy and making no moves to involve herself. ¡°Any Developments for you, Nathan?¡± Stella asked. He grinned back. ¡°I think I figured out an Insight, and got some important rank-ups. Including my Talent!¡± The Heirs brought him into the celebration, and Aarl pulled out some of the hoarded drinks, pouring a round to toast their success. ¡°A cheer for the Heirs! The youngest elites from Gemore, who can still rank-up from practice. Let¡¯s never forget that hard work returns treasure!¡± The Heirs drank, and then started discussing other ways they could combine to help improve their skills. ¡°There is unexplored potential in our builds.¡± Khachi said solemnly. ¡°We have leveled quickly in the dungeon of Giantsrest, and now there are easy developments to be found in exploring all of our new abilities.¡± Stella nodded along gleefully. ¡°Why don¡¯t I try burning through one of your shields next! If you tried to angle it it would make me focus the fire to keep it from deflecting.¡± Eolinne interrupted Khachi before he could respond. ¡°The time for practice is done. There are dire hymns on the horizon.¡± She gestured behind her, towards the other side of the ship. Off in the far distance was a collection of gray clouds that took up a concerning fraction of the sky. They grew quickly, indicating that the storm was approaching them fast. ¡°The Maelstrom hunts us.¡±
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 8 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 6 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 8
Class: End of Magic level 759 Bottomless Stamina : 76900/76900 Indomitable The Undeniable Strike of the Antimage Stamina Burn Momentum Mastery Stoneflesh Arcane Nullification Galefoot Close Quarters Mastery Boundless Aura Denial of Mysticism The Ending of Magic Aura Projection Selective Dispel The Living World
Class: Spellslayer level 536 Regenerative Focus: 5460/5460 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Tranquility 2 Inspiration 8 Impulse 3 Mystical Discernment 2 Alertness 10 Arcane Insight 3 Effortless Dodge 10 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 9 Parkour 9 Visibility Control 5 High-tier Disguise 5 High-tier Battle Cry 2 Aura Control 4
Chapter 41: Fightful Weather The Heirs gathered against the railing to inspect the horizon. It looked like a normal storm to Nathan. One that towered high into the sky, sure, but nothing about it screamed magic. But he wasn¡¯t the expert. That was Eolinne, and he¡¯d trust her when she said that the dark clouds were a sign of their enemies. ¡°Do we flee?¡± Khachi asked, eyes on the distant blotch of the storm. Their captain¡¯s expression was troubled. ¡°No. I cannot play such a symphony of speed. Look at how quickly the cloud grows.¡± All of the Heirs turned their attention back to the horizon, and it didn¡¯t take long for them to spot what Eolinne had seen. The storm was getting bigger by the moment. With the distances involved that meant it was moving ridiculously fast. ¡°What do we do?¡± Nathan asked. ¡°Try to lose the trail, or fight?¡± Eolinne gave him her full attention. ¡°I will cloak us in mists to enhance my evasion skills. But they have tracked us across the oceans already. This is a prophecy of conflict.¡± Her mouth twisted in grim humor. ¡°I had not intended such a trial, but it will prove your power better than the sea cutters.¡± She strode back towards the throne she commanded the ship from, her arm flicking out to deposit the flute in her hand. Nathan walked after her, the Heirs trailing behind. ¡°Can you tell us more about them? If we¡¯re probably going to end up fighting the Maelstrom it would be good to know what they can do. They control the storm, what else? How many ships are in there?¡± Eolinne took her seat but didn¡¯t raise her flute to her lips. She gave the Heirs a tight-lipped nod. ¡°The captains of the Maelstrom are all and one powerful storm mages. One would be enough to summon that storm, though there could be any number hidden inside. It would be a deadly surprise for there to be more than two, and I expect only one. The captains of the Maelstrom are expensive hunters, for each one is tutored by the Maestro.¡± She tapped a finger against her lips thoughtfully. ¡°Their officers will be apprentices and heirs, each on the path of a similar power to the captain but not yet given the crucial Insights. The crew will be small, but each is said to be a different m¨¦lange of skills and Talents from across Davrar. All will be deadly.¡± She waved a hand idly as if to dismiss what she¡¯d just said. ¡°Their true power is the storm. They will batter us with the weather, and if we survive will emerge from the storm at a time and place of their choosing. On the seas they control the flow of battle.¡± Nathan snorted through his nose. ¡°Maybe I can contest that power.¡± Eolinne nodded, though her expression remained grim as she raised the flute to her lips. Stella cocked her head. ¡°Why don¡¯t the beasts of the deeps you warned us about attack them, if they¡¯re throwing around so much magic?¡± Eolinne let loose a sigh and lowered her flute again, answering sharply. ¡°It is another Insight from the Maestro, to control and direct the beasts of the deeps. Their ships are not attacked by the monsters of the depths, and so they use their magics without fear.¡± She cocked an eyebrow to ask if there were any further interruptions, and when there weren¡¯t she brought the flute to her lips and began to play a haunting melody. Silvery mist billowed forth from the ship, shrouding them in a sound-deadening blanket that seemed to make the world less real and more ethereal. Nathan could feel magic and wizardry woven through the mist and did his best not to disrupt it. The Heirs retreated to the other end of the boat so they could talk without disturbing Eolinne¡¯s music. ¡°Do we hope that she can escape?¡± Aarl asked to start them off. Nathan shrugged. ¡°If she can, great. If she can¡¯t, then we¡¯ll have to fight. So let¡¯s plan for the fight.¡± ¡°I can make the attempt to control the storm, but I¡¯m not a storm mage,¡± Stella said apologetically. ¡°I can pour air and water mana into this target, but I don¡¯t understand storms. I won¡¯t win that fight.¡± Nathan smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll need to. I¡¯ll break their control first, then you''ll have free rein.¡± She smiled at that, but still seemed uncertain. ¡°What can I do with it? I can¡¯t turn the storm against them.¡± Sarah shook her head. ¡°They¡¯re used to fighting on a battlefield they control. Take that away from them. Calm the storm, and then we can fight them normally. On a calm ocean I could shoot their captain from ten miles away.¡± Stella bit her lip in thought. ¡°Maybe. This is an unexplored dungeon. I don''t know the dangers.¡± ¡°We could take flight,¡± Aarl suggested. ¡°Calm the storm and attack them directly from up close. Not an angle they¡¯d expect.¡± Khachi shook his head. ¡°Too much risk. That would leave Eolinne exposed, and depends on Stella controlling the winds. We disrupt the winds, but then protect the Grace of the Mists and attack them from afar.¡± He gestured to Sarah. ¡°Strike down their captain and the victory is half won.¡± Sarah looked around the ship. ¡°I¡¯ll need to be up high to guarantee a shot.¡± She pointed up. ¡°Atop the mast. But somebody will need to protect me from attacks.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Aarl said, bumping his sister¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll block anything that comes towards us.¡± ¡°Then Khachi, Stella and I stay near Eolinne. We keep her safe and disrupt the storm.¡± Nathan said with a nod. ¡°What if they board the ship?¡± Khachi asked. ¡°Eolinne can probably deal with that,¡± Nathan replied. ¡°If she can¡¯t, then we evict them however makes sense. We don¡¯t know about their powers, but we know how to fight uncertain threats. I¡¯ll prevent any crazy magic, Khachi can block or disrupt anything else and Aarl can beat any fighters once they''re deprived of their tricks. Then Stella and Sarah kill them.¡± He caught Stella¡¯s gaze. ¡°If what Eolinne said is true, then you can cast more powerful magic without worrying about calling up something nasty. I don¡¯t know if I want to be near your new fire spell, but it¡¯s an option.¡± She smiled a crooked smile. ¡°First let¡¯s calm the storm.¡± They talked through a few other minor refinements to the plan, then restlessly separated to get into position as the waves picked up. Before he ascended to the mast Aarl spoke a few wry words. ¡°Don¡¯t break all of the enchanted weapons with your aura.¡± He was being a bit serious. Makes sense. His class - Relicwielder - revolves around taking and using powerful magic items. Eolinne had kept up her flute music and the mist lay thick upon the ship. That meant Nathan could barely see his hand in front of his face, but through his magical senses he could feel Aarl and Sarah high above, waiting on the small platform atop the tallest mast. If it came to combat Sarah would have her shot ¨C but he and Stella would need to clear the storm. A constant breeze was the first sign that their ploy to escape had failed. It started to break up the fog that surrounded the Grace of the Mists, and Eolinne lowered her flute with a sigh. She sounded resigned. ¡°They have caught us. Are you prepared to fight?¡± Nathan nodded grimly. ¡°We are. We¡¯re going to try to neutralize the storm and take out the captain. They won¡¯t expect us to sail straight at them, would they?¡± ¡°A melody of victory.¡± Eolinne¡¯s uncertain tone didn¡¯t match her words. But she swung the Grace of the Mists around and started sailing back into the way they¡¯d come, straight towards the heart of the storm. She started playing again, this time a rising call to action. Soon enough the encroaching winds had thoroughly dispelled the clinging mist to reveal the enormous storm towering overhead. It looked like a mountain poised to fall on them, with outriders of rain lashing the ocean all around. The waves grew even more turbulent as they dove towards the darkest part of the tempest. Nathan felt mana winding its way through the storm, though it wasn¡¯t pervasive. This wasn¡¯t a spell whipped up from nothing by a massively powerful wizard. The magic was more like a puppeteer¡¯s strings, guiding and encouraging a naturally existing storm. It was pretty much what Nathan had been expecting ¨C anything else would have been a ridiculous amount of magic. This was why he wasn''t expecting to be able to neutralize the storm on his own. The underlying weather would keep going even after he cut the spell controlling it. He reached out with his aura, slurping up the nearest tendrils of mana as the Grace of the Mists bounded over the waves to the sound of Eolinne¡¯s flute. It didn¡¯t seem to make much of a difference to the storm, so Nathan cast his net wider. The magic grew thicker as they drove further underneath the towering thunderhead. The ship bucked against the waves just as tall as those off the coast and Eolinne¡¯s magic fought to keep the ship steady. Nathan burned Stamina to spread his antimagic, seeking not to saturate the area but to follow the tendrils of magic and cut loose as much of the controlling web as he could. His attention was split too many ways, so he sat crosslegged on the deck, closing his eyes against the driving rain and spending Focus to keep his aura under control.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Stella took that as the signal to send out her own magic and attempt to contest the storm. Her air mana spiraled upwards in an elegant construct that forcibly suppressed the movement of the nearby air by creating hundreds of little vortices. The waves around them calmed as Stella sunk tendrils of water mana into the ocean and forcibly calmed it, though it was more of a brute force effect than a simple spell. Regardless, she sunk incredible amounts of mana into the two spells, and Nathan could feel the power rushing out of his friend in a torrent as she calmed the local storm. That was a bridge too far for the storm mage controlling the spell. The knotwork of mana outside of Nathan¡¯s range swiveled towards them, directing the full wrath of the storm down upon the bubble of calm that surrounded the Grace of the Mists. The waves swelled again, pushing against Stella¡¯s spellwork. Lightning struck down at them and was diverted down a magnetic channel she¡¯d set up beforehand. Stella¡¯s breathing grew harsher as she fought against the storm mage controlling the spell, even though they couldn''t directly reach through Nathan to contest her. She spun out webs of her own through the air to turn the wind against itself, and generated waves to cancel the mountains of water surging towards them. She was getting better, but not quickly enough. Nathan stretched his aura out even wider. He fought against the influence of the storm mage, trying to break their control over the storm as a whole. Their web of mana stretched for miles, beyond the range of Nathan¡¯s magical senses. But by burning enormous amounts of Stamina his aura could reach that far, and he piggybacked his senses along his aura as it stretched ever outwards.
Mystical Discernment 3 achieved!
Nathan¡¯s awareness expanded to encompass ever more of the storm. It was almost too much information, but he spent Focus to help digest the immense amount of data. The weather around them calmed as Stella regained control and began pushing out the bubble of her spellwork. She wasn¡¯t able to stretch her influence to the entire area Nathan had cleared, but it was still an impressive display of reach. At the very edges of Nathan¡¯s aura he caught a flash of magic emerging from a seemingly empty patch of ocean. A packet of magic sped in their direction and he called out a warning. ¡°Incoming.¡± He tried to catch the projectile with his aura, but he was spread too thin and the attack was moving too fast. He managed to get a bit of his aura interposed and shredded a guidance spell.
Tranquility 3 achieved!
Eolinne¡¯s flute trilled on a high note and the Grace of the Mists turned sharply. The hull dug into the water as the ship changed course and everybody had to grab onto something to keep their footing. The attack covered miles of distance in seconds before flashing past to detonate on a nearby wave like a naval shell. Stella was already extending her magic in the direction the spell had come from, creating a tunnel of clear air in that direction. Nathan followed her lead, sending tendrils of antimagic to quest around the origin point. But there was nothing there, and his brows furrowed. What¡¯s going on? It¡¯s just empty ocean? Then he remembered how submarine combat worked on Earth. It was a stealth contest. If they could see you, you were vulnerable. And if you fight in a storm, the same idea applies. The Maelstrom thrives on hiding themselves in a storm of their own creation. I bet it¡¯s a standard tactic to use decoy spells or something to get your enemy looking in the wrong direction. ¡°It¡¯s a decoy,¡± he said aloud, focusing his mind as he redirected his attention to locate the enemy''s true position. He burned Focus to broaden his attention, allowing his magical senses to run through the cloud of aura spread multiple miles in every direction. He caught another spell as it was activating and his antimagic shredded the heavy-duty fire and force mana. He was burning Stamina much faster than he was gaining it, but he was winning. The enemy was losing control over the storm.
Aura Control 5 achieved!
Stella threw her magic out wide once more, seeking to dominate the whole area. She swirled the winds around to generate a bubble of calm. The waves subsided, and Nathan felt sunlight on his face. We¡¯re beating them. Stealing the storm from them. Once I find them we¡¯ll be able to flip this whole situation around. I¡¯m just on a time limit before I run out of Stamina from spreading my Aura this large. Nathan scoured the ocean for anomalies, paying close attention to ensure he wouldn¡¯t get tricked by a stealth skill that worked on his magical senses. There was nothing. Am I sure they¡¯re on the water? They could be underwater, or airborne. Surely that¡¯s within the capability of a storm mage, and it would probably throw off a bunch of ocean-based skills. Likely airborne. He looked for other abnormalities in the clouds. There were dozens of patches of calm air spread throughout the storm that circled around them. Too many to check each individually. Nathan spent Focus and cross-referenced the clear air with the nodes of mana controlling the storm, coming away with five potential options. Then he felt a pulse propagate outwards from one of those zones, spreading through the magic that held the storm together.
Congratulations, you have developed the [Alertness] utility skill into [Forewarning]. Utility skill: [Forewarning] You will see every detail, and have early warning of danger.
He struck at that spot with his antimagic, ignoring layers of stealth skills that tried to convince him there was nothing there. His aura latched onto an object absolutely buzzing with enchantments, and his mouth curved into a grin. ¡°Got you.¡± The pulse that had alerted him to the danger finished propagating through every part of the storm his aura didn¡¯t reach and it contracted like a punctured bubble. The storm fell upon the Grace of the Mists like a hammer of the heavens. He opened his eyes and looked up. They sailed in the eye of a hurricane, with a wall of fast-moving clouds in all directions. That wall buckled and gave way as he watched. The storm reached for them from all directions. ¡°Well. Shit.¡±
[Alertness] This skill will help you consciously and unconsciously notice important details, and you will be very difficult to deceive with stealth skills or magic. Especially useful for rapidly detecting concealed enemies, magical effects and triggers.
[Forewarning] You will see every detail, and have early warning of danger.
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 8 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 6 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 8
Class: End of Magic level 759 Bottomless Stamina : 27327/76900 Indomitable The Undeniable Strike of the Antimage Stamina Burn Momentum Mastery Stoneflesh Arcane Nullification Galefoot Close Quarters Mastery Boundless Aura Denial of Mysticism The Ending of Magic Aura Projection Selective Dispel The Living World
Class: Spellslayer level 536 Regenerative Focus: 2883/5460 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Tranquility 3 Inspiration 8 Impulse 3 Mystical Discernment 3 Forewarning 1 Arcane Insight 3 Effortless Dodge 10 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 9 Parkour 9 Visibility Control 5 High-tier Disguise 5 High-tier Battle Cry 2 Aura Control 5
Chapter 42: Pirates at the End Stella tried to hold back the encroaching weather with her magic, but it was a doomed endeavor. The storm crashing down upon them was the size of a mountain and it was all her magic could do to blunt the force of the gale. A solid sheet of water lashed at the Grace of the Mists, and Nathan had to hold onto the railing to avoid being swept away. The wind rose to a howl, but Khachi¡¯s voice boomed clear and certain through it. ¡°I stand as a rock in the tide. No storm will bend me, and no magic will break me.¡± A dome of light materialized around the entire ship and the wind cut out in an instant. Huge waves battered against Khachi¡¯s shield and slid off without finding purchase. It wasn¡¯t like their enemies had regained control of the storm, since Nathan had cut all of the links between the enemy ship and the rest of the storm. But the enemy mage had set the entire storm up to fall on the Grace of the Winds, and now that was playing out without their oversight. Doubtless they¡¯d had a follow-up plan to ensure the Heirs'' death, but now their magic drifted aimlessly, the spell unravelling without direct control. Nathan reeled in the extraneous parts of his aura to reduce the Stamina drain and thicken the tendrils of antimagic connecting him to the enemy ship. He started tearing at the powerful enchantments woven into the hull. The Maelstrom ship bobbed in midair like a cork before falling out of the sky. His antimagic chased it downwards, ripping apart magical sails and denying every attempt to steer the weather and soften their landing. Hah! Let¡¯s see how you deal with falling a few thousand feet. Khachi was gritting his teeth under the strain of holding back the entire storm. He looked back to Eolinne for a cue, and at her gesture he dropped his shield. They were once more exposed to the turmoil of the storm. But the raging intensity of the initial moments had passed and between Eolinne¡¯s expert piloting and Stella creating a circling shield of wind their ship wasn''t immediately crushed by the weight of the storm. Nathan spared a glance upwards to see both Aarl and Sarah still clinging onto the top of the mast. He wasn¡¯t sure how they¡¯d held on against the storm, but they¡¯d managed it. I¡¯m just not sure it¡¯ll be necessary. The enemies are going to splat right about¡­ Some kind of emergency enchantment flared deep in the enemy ship¡¯s hull and it decelerated quickly before landing heavily in the water about a mile distant. At this range it was hard to determine details, but that crash seemed eminently survivable. He glanced at his Stamina - just above 25000. He¡¯d burned nearly fifty thousand points of the resource over the last few minutes expanding his aura wide enough to combat the storm. It had worked, but it was an order of magnitude more than he¡¯d ever spent on anything before. No wonder it gave me a Rank up to my antimagic. And I can feel that it¡¯s bigger and more efficient now. But it¡¯s time to be a bit more conservative. I want to hold back enough for a full regeneration. Their enemies seemed to be coming to them regardless. The Maelstrom ship was cutting through the storm in their direction, propelled by skills and a few small physical sails that caught the gale-force winds and hurled them forwards. If they¡¯d been thrown off by the thousand-foot drop there wasn¡¯t any sign of it. ¡°Enemies approaching!¡± Nathan yelled. He enhanced the power of his voice with [High-tier Battle Cry], and he saw Sarah¡¯s face looking down on him through the curtains of rain. Then she lifted her rifle and aligned it in the direction he was pointing. Eolinne¡¯s flute rose in a furious melody, each note slicing through the storm like a blade. The Grace of the Winds surged at her command, extra sails appearing out of silvery mist to catch the winds. The sails buckled under the force but held and their ship was sent surging forwards towards the enemy. The distance between the two ships closed rapidly. Nathan shut down a half-dozen more attempts to regain control of the storm, as well as several attack spells hurled in their direction. At this range his aura didn¡¯t have fine enough control to focus in on individual mages, but the cloud of antimagic certainly prevented them from casting any large-scale spells, and every time they tried it just offset the cost for Nathan extending his Aura so far. That¡¯s something to work on. Fine control at long distances. A shot sounded above as Sarah¡¯s skills were able to penetrate the obscuring rain. Moments later a few answering projectiles were fired towards them from the enemy ship. They shouldn¡¯t have been able to fly straight through the howling winds, but the enemy builds were clearly optimized to fight in storms. ¡°Incoming!¡± Nathan yelled again as he killed the enchantments on the volley. Khachi stepped in front of Eolinne and raised his shield just in time to catch a pair of arrows that would have struck her in the chest. Up above Aarl batted away another with Jaus''s enormous club.
High-tier Battle Cry 3 achieved!
Nathan got up from his cross-legged position and started walking towards the bow of the ship. He looked over his shoulder. ¡°They¡¯re closing. I¡¯ll take out the mages. Protect Eolinne.¡± He met Khachi¡¯s eyes and then flicked his eyes to Stella. The wolfman nodded his understanding and Nathan turned to sprint over the pitching decking towards the enemy. He used [Airwalk] just as much as he touched the deck as sheets of rain pounded the ship and made the wood slippery. Stella was throwing around an enormous amount of magic to calm things down, but the simple fact was that she didn¡¯t know how to control the weather and trying to brute-force a storm system was beyond her capabilities. Though she''s having more success than I would have guessed. This is probably giving her a ton of Developments. Nathan reached the bow of the ship in time to see the shadow of a Maelstrom ship appear out of the storm ahead, closing fast. It was still too far away to see any details, but his magical senses let him pick out several sets of enchanted gear forming up on the forward deck. Probably the crew getting ready to board. Though it could be a bunch of suits of empty armor getting ready to make the jump. He shook his head. He would be able to feel any magical automata from here, and this wasn¡¯t that. This was ten fighters decked to the nines in enchanted gear preparing to assault the Grace of the Mists. Sarah¡¯s rifle cracked overhead and one of the figures fell. They got back to their feet after a moment, the magic on their helmet sturdy enough to withstand a large-caliber bullet to the nosepiece. The question is, when do I wipe all of their enchantments? As soon as possible, or at the moment they commit? And should I delete everything or leave some of their magic intact for loot? Nathan¡¯s hesitation made the decision for him as the enemy ship put on a burst of speed. With an ululating cry the enemy fighters leapt into the air to board the ship, most of them aiming straight for the bow where he was standing. The sound cut through the storm unnaturally clearly, and froze Nathan in place with a sudden bone-chilling fear. The noise was definitely a skill, or a series of skills. It reached back into his brainstem and awakened instincts that had served the ancient ancestors of humans well. It bypassed his rational thought and told him that he was a small furry mammal, and the battlecry belonged to a predator. A predator so far above him that his only options were to hide or flee. It took Nathan a half-second to shake off the effect, and it pissed him off. He leapt into the air and lashed out with his concentrated aura, stripping all but the hardiest of enchantments off of the would-be borders and the archers behind them. Two of them depended on enchantments to make the jump and the sudden lack of lift sent them tumbling into the storm-tossed waves. But in that moment Nathan became the target for every one of the elite fighters coming for him. Axes and other hurled blades tore through the rain and a trio of archers remaining on the Maelstrom ship tracked him with their arrows.
Forewarning 2 achieved!
He juked, implementing the Insight he¡¯d figured out earlier when playing clay pigeon for Sarah. It was all about convincing the enemies he¡¯d committed to a motion, then using his skills to pivot out of the way the moment they committed in turn. The storm made it easier, disguising his motions and letting him hitch a ride on the gusts of wind for sudden vector changes. Nonetheless Nathan felt pride as he dodged all of their attacks, including a half-dozen arrows and a whip still enchanted with potent force magic.
Congratulations, you have developed the [Effortless Dodge] utility skill into [Evasion]. Utility skill: [Evasion] This skill will help you move to dodge attacks easily while deceiving your foes as to your intentions.
The ships began circling each other like sharks, Eolinne¡¯s flute forming a counterplay with the gusts of wind and booming lightning of the storm. A saber-armed woman leapt off a rope she was swinging on and flew in his direction. He dodged straight down, feet thumping on the deck as she sailed overhead. Without a backwards glance she took off down the length of the ship towards where Eolinne sat. As soon as she was out of sight the dimensional wizardry attached to the ship swallowed her whole. The remaining six fighters congregated on Nathan, forming a loose cordon and pressing it in to keep him pinned. He took a few wounds in quick succession, though none were debilitating. He considered trying to break through the encirclement but opted to keep their attention focused on him, kicking out to knock somebody¡¯s leg out from under them with the sound of breaking bone. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. His allies attacked the flankers in a coordinated salvo a moment later. Another bullet from Sarah nailed one of the flyers in the head, and this time their helmet didn¡¯t save them. A quick laser-beam from Stella caught a man wielding a huge spiked shield across the side and the explosion of superheated steam blasted him clear off the ship. But it was Aarl who claimed the spotlight, falling out of the storm like a metallic statue with a greatsword in one hand and a trident in the other. A man who¡¯d been dancing along the winds spun and crossed his short-swords to block the blow, but the disintegration-edged greatsword sliced through weapons, arms and torso in a single cleaving blow. The trident¡¯s haft extended to pin the person Nathan had knocked over to the deck. The enchanted whip cracked towards Aarl with supersonic speed, pushing him backwards with blasts of force as he tried to close the distance. Nathan was engaged in a duel with a knife-wielder who moved with incredible speed. Unfortunately she seemed to rely on flicking knives at eyes and striking at vulnerable spots. Those tactics didn¡¯t work well on Nathan and he accepted a knife in his eye socket and a sliced throat to deliver a punch to the chest that caved in the woman¡¯s sternum and drove shards of bone into her heart.
Spellslayer level 540 achieved! You have killed the accomplished duelist Efne Bloodkerk in close combat!
The wounds did distract Nathan enough that the mages aboard the Maelstrom ship had a chance to act. A trio of powerful spells flew towards where Stella and Khachi protected Eolinne, and Khachi¡¯s golden shield blossomed to block them all. The storm mage reached up into the storm once more, and they called a torrent of lightning down upon the Grace of the Mists. Again Stella caught the spell in a magnetic grasp and redirected it - this time directly onto the enemy ship. Their mast exploded, sending wooden shrapnel flying in all directions as fires flickered to life and were immediately quenched by the downpour of rain. Aarl won his duel by using his free hand to hurl the invisible ax at his opponent, disguising the motion as an attempt to catch the whip in his empty hand. His opponent slammed to the deck nearby even as Sarah shot down the last boarder. Aarl descended to reclaim his ax and snatch the force whip that had survived Nathan¡¯s aura. They turned together towards the Maelstrom ship. Nathan was just about to jump into the air and counter-board when a deep booming sound thrummed through the air. It was like somebody had struck a massive drum that resonated both audibly and magically. Nathan held out a hand towards Aarl and sent his aura questing over to the other ship. He¡¯d scanned it from a distance, but hadn¡¯t really had the resolution to pick out individuals. Now he did, and he didn¡¯t find anybody on the other ship. At least no mages or people wearing enchanted armor. There was something going on in the space above the ship, a diffuse cloud of magic that didn¡¯t feel like a spell so much as mana infused into a skill. Then what¡¯s going on? What was that? The drumbeat sounded again, thoom-thum, this time accompanied by a pulse emanating from the hull of the Maelstrom ship and propagating through the water below. It attached a tether of wizardry to the Grace of the Mists, a construct that sent a tremor through the barrier between the physical world and the place where mana pools and divinity lived. Oh hell naw. I think they''re trying to summon something and direct it at us. Nathan turned his focus to unraveling the wizardry that had been attached to the Grace of the Mists. It wasn¡¯t overly complicated or built to resist tampering, but it was something new that he wanted to understand before he destroyed it. He grew momentarily confused as he picked apart the wizardry. It didn¡¯t seem designed to do anything beyond pulse occasionally like a beacon. He dismantled the wizardry with a bit of his aura, then turned his attention fully to the mystery aboard the other ship. It pulsed with magic again, and Nathan parried the second attempt to attach a beacon to the Grace of the Mists. There wasn¡¯t anything he could do about the surge of wizardry going in every other direction, unless he wanted to expand his aura again. But instead he focused on the ship and the strange cloud of magic hovering over it. It wasn¡¯t a spell, and resisted even directed attempts to disrupt it. I¡¯ve got a class skill that says that my antimagic works on anything not based in physical reality. Even though this is a skill, it¡¯s a skill based in magic. I can break that. He probed for details, first noting that there were three separate mana pools smeared across the ship. Then he saw the way that the mana was constantly swirling and eddying, never pausing. He struck with his aura, aiming to lock the mana in place with [Magical Manipulation].
Arcane Insight 4 achieved!
The mana congealed and three figures dropped to the deck, stumbling as they hit the wood at awkward angles. Sarah¡¯s rifle fired from the rigging above and one of the figures fell without a head. A quick laser blast from Stella nailed the second. The third tried to spin up a shield spell but Nathan ripped it apart in time for Sarah¡¯s second round to strike home and splash a red cloud into the storm. A clean sweep. Nathan looked back towards the aftercastle where Eolinne sat to see what their next move was. He wanted to go search the Maelstrom ship for loot, but didn''t know if that was the right choice. He''d broken the tether that had attached itself to the Grace of the Mists, but the summoning call had still gone out. But it could take hours for anything to come of it. Eolinne answered his question as her flute surged and had to hold on as the Grace of the Wind accelerated away at high speed. Aarl glanced over at him, looking clueless. ¡°Why are we running?¡± Then he shrugged and started policing the bodies and gear that had fallen to the deck. "I think the Maelstrom ship summoned something," Nathan replied, then bent to help him. They both jerked back upright as a deep roar shuddered its way through his bones. He looked around nervously for the source of the noise but couldn''t find it, even as the sound continued on and on. Then with a sound like a waterfall, a massive head rose from the water on the far side of the rapidly receding Maelstrom ship. The creature¡¯s head was fifty feet across and the entire front of it was taken up by a huge gaping lamprey mouth ringed with sharp inwards-facing teeth. The massive maw rose high into the air atop a thick, muscular neck and then struck at the other ship, burrowing into the wood like a power drill. Five more heads broke the surface all around the Maelstrom ship, diving in to join the feast.
[Effortless Dodge] This skill will help you move to dodge attacks easily.
[Evasion] This skill will help you move to dodge attacks easily while deceiving your foes as to your intentions.
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 8 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 6 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 8
Class: End of Magic level 759 Bottomless Stamina : 23925/76900 Indomitable The Undeniable Strike of the Antimage Stamina Burn Momentum Mastery Stoneflesh Arcane Nullification Galefoot Close Quarters Mastery Boundless Aura Denial of Mysticism The Ending of Magic Aura Projection Selective Dispel The Living World
Class: Spellslayer level 540 Regenerative Focus: 3124/5500 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Tranquility 3 Inspiration 8 Impulse 3 Mystical Discernment 3 Forewarning 2 Arcane Insight 4 Evasion 1 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 9 Parkour 9 Visibility Control 5 High-tier Disguise 5 High-tier Battle Cry 3 Aura Control 5
Chapter 43: The Awakened Depths Nathan watched the half-dozen huge lamprey-headed eels tear apart the Maelstrom ship with disgust. It was like watching a pile of writhing worms, but each worm was as thick as a four-lane highway and slick with rainwater cascading off pale wrinkled skin. The sounds of splintering wood carried through the storm, eerily reminiscent of snapping bone. He bounded up the stairs to the raised rear of the ship, joining Stella and Khachi next to Eolinne¡¯s command throne and noting another figure sprawled against the railing with their head caved in. They wore dark leathers and still held a pair of long daggers. Somebody who slipped past us to take a shot at Eolinne or Stella. Glad Khachi was here. ¡°What are those?¡± Nathan asked Eolinne, who was still playing a frantic tune to drive the Grace of the Winds away from the monsters behind. She took her flute away from her mouth and inhaled deeply before responding. ¡°That is a hydra eel, a monster of the deeps. Beware its blood, and do not cut off any of the heads.¡± She directed that last towards Aarl before resuming her song and driving the ship forward. Wait. That¡¯s a single monster? With some kind of healing abilities and toxic blood. That¡¯s not great. Nathan walked over to the rear of the ship and examined the monster with senses both mundane and magical. It didn¡¯t seem particularly magical to him - just huge. The giant heads battered each other over the scraps of the ship that they¡¯d consumed, growing fainter as the distance grew through the storm. We¡¯re moving pretty quick. Maybe we¡¯ll make a clean getaway? Nathan cursed himself a moment later as one of the giant heads turned to face their direction and let loose a keening howl before launching itself in pursuit. It surged through the water quickly, arching between waves as it rapidly gained on the Grace of the Mists. The other heads were still searching for scraps of wood bobbing in the water, and the giant worm chasing the Heirs pulled up short as the others yanked against it. But they turned to see the ship, and a second and then third of the hunting cries cut through the storm. Nathan glanced nervously at Stella, who was studying the hydra with a curled lip. She saw his glance and spoke over Eolinne¡¯s flute music. ¡°Endings-damned weather will interfere with my spells. Can you clear it?¡± She didn¡¯t wait for a response, lifting her hands and starting to channel water mana into the ocean underneath them. The wake of their ship grew at her command until it blocked the view of the hydra eel. ¡°I can hit that target.¡± Khachi stepped up on Nathan¡¯s other side. He set his shield against the railing and racked his hammer at his side before raising both hands upwards towards the storming sky. ¡°This storm is summoned by thieves and murderers. We have slain them in righteous battle. Let sunlight shine upon our victory.¡± His voice was serene, a statement uttered with calm certainty instead of a beseeching prayer. Divine mana surged through him and shot upwards into the sky like a spear aimed for the heavens. Nathan followed the path of the divine mana as it traveled beyond visible range. It didn¡¯t seem to be doing anything in particular, just going upwards. Then at the farthest edge of his range he felt it break through the cloud cover and blossom in the sunlight. The relatively miniscule amount of power drank in the light from above and pried apart the clouds to allow a ray of sunshine to break through and illuminate the ship. With everything I know about magic, that shouldn¡¯t have worked. It was less mana than Stella was using and wasn¡¯t as expertly wielded as what the storm mage was doing. But I already knew I didn¡¯t fully understand divine mana. It¡¯s more motivated by emotion and significance than normal cause and effect. The area illuminated by the sunlight expanded rapidly. The rain morphed from a heavy downpour into a light drizzle, and the winds calmed down to a light roar. The waves ahead were still large, but nowhere near the mountains of water they¡¯d been at the worst of the storm. They all paled beside the giant wave that Stella was dragging behind the boat. It was taller than the ship now, and large enough that the edge was starting to tilt the Grace of the Mists forward. But Stella continued to pour mana into the construct, treating it as if it was one of the lightning capacitors she¡¯d grown fond of. Nathan sent his aura outwards, attempting to get a bead on the hydra eel but getting nothing. He didn¡¯t know where it was, and that made him nervous. It could be swimming underneath Stella¡¯s wave at this very moment and he wouldn¡¯t be able to tell. He darted a look towards Eolinne. She seemed unconcerned, and he clenched his fists helplessly. There¡¯s not much I can do here. It¡¯s not a magical creature. It¡¯s just¡­ huge. Stella¡¯s wave continued to grow, and it was large enough that the Grace of the Mists was properly surfing down the leading edge now. She was pouring an enormous amount of mana into the water, but it was working. They were accelerating, and dragging the sunlight with them. Then the water halfway up the wave bulged outwards and one of the lamprey heads of the hydra eel burst forth, water cascading away from inwards-facing teeth as it keened out its hunting call. From this distance Nathan could see a ring of a half-dozen eyes spread around the rim of the mouth, each the size of a tennis ball. One of them popped in a spray of ichor as Sarah¡¯s rifle cracked. The beast flinched backwards, disappearing back into the wave. Aarl had drawn the instant-death knife and was studying the beast. His thoughts were obvious, and Nathan met his friend¡¯s eye and shook his head. He knew what his friend was thinking, but it didn¡¯t seem like the wisest course of action. Not yet, at least. We don¡¯t know if it will work on something this large. Especially something renowned for its ability to heal almost any wound. Three of the hydra¡¯s heads surged out of the water, each of them emerging from high on the wave and towering over the Heirs. They reared back as one to strike at the Grace of the Mists and Aarl tensed to jump forward. Before he could, Khachi raised his shield and banged his hammer against it. The sunlight shining down on them focused down on the reflective metal and the wave was illuminated in a stark glare like a flashbang. Khachi¡¯s magic was threaded through the spell, causing the light to scorch the pale and wrinkled skin of the hydra. Eyes steamed and all three heads jerked back into the wave, roaring in pain as they retreated from the burning light. The sound of the roar continued, the noise deeper due to being conducted through the water. It sounded like a tortured whale. Eolinne¡¯s flute blew a long and sustained note and the Grace of the Mists jerked forwards on a sudden gust of magical wind, avoiding another head that emerged from the water where they¡¯d been just a second before. Two more of the hydra¡¯s heads emerged on either side, and Nathan couldn¡¯t tell if these were the other three heads or just the same ones Khachi had blinded. The eyes were whole, but they might have simply healed. They rapidly oriented to chase the Grace of the Mists, and Nathan looked around for somebody else to have an answer. Stella was spooling up a spell using all of the water mana she¡¯d built into the wave but that much water and mana took a few seconds to change direction. The leading head would reach them first. Sarah¡¯s rifle spoke from overhead, and she must have loaded one of the explosive rounds she carried because the foremost head suddenly fountained gore as part of the central mouth burst outwards. Where the blood touched the water it erupted into steam in a series of small, violent explosions. That head jerked and writhed, tangling up the other two heads long enough for Stella to complete her spell. The wave they were riding on changed direction suddenly, the currents that had been chasing the Grace of the Mists eddying and swirling to reverse direction. The entire wave pivoted in an instant and shot away from them at high speed. The hydra eel was caught in the hydraulics and tumbled away as it was carried by the wave. Nathan caught a glimpse of a gray slug-skin central body hundreds of feet long. Sarah¡¯s rifle fired again and another splash of blood was followed by an explosion of steam. Stella sent a quick laser-blast in that direction, further obscuring their view with more steam. The wave sped off into the distance, showing little sign of growing smaller as it carried the monster away into the bulk of the storm. The Heirs watched it go, wearing concerned expressions. ¡°Huh. Is it gone?¡± ¡°Hear me, I hope so.¡± Aarl said, but he didn¡¯t put away his weapons. Stella brought her hands together and started channeling a purple fireball between them. ¡°Don¡¯t bait the castlebear.¡± She guided huge flows of mana together delicately, forming an intricate construct of fire, force and plasma. With a jolt Nathan realized that she was preparing the spell that had burned down a good chunk of Litcliff. He shot a look towards Eolinne, who returned his gaze with a sour expression but continued playing her flute. Nathan turned his attention back to Stella¡¯s spell. It had taken her several minutes to cast before, and now that Nathan was watching from up close he could see why. It was a hellishly complicated series of constructs based on the [Grand Fireball] spell Nathan had seen demonstrated in the Ascendent Academy, but then with a half-dozen flourishes of Stella¡¯s own added atop that framework. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. For one thing it used both plasma and fire mana. It also had a propulsion function that would accelerate the spell in a chosen direction. There was a steering mechanism to let Stella remotely guide the spell, and multiple layers of protective spellwork to prevent it from being simply countered. But all of it was wrapped around the core of the spell, which was an elegant twist of magic that generated fire mana when things burned. Nathan studied it in more detail, marveling at what Stella had created. He understood where most of the components came from, but what she¡¯d done with them was truly a work of genius. He probed deeper with his senses, careful to keep his antimagic away from the delicate innards of the spell. This is bordering on wizardry. It¡¯s twisting the rules of the world in a local area in favor of the magic she¡¯s trying to create. Sarah thumped to the deck nearby, still aiming down her rifle towards the distant wave. ¡°It¡¯s diving.¡± She kept her gun leveled, frowning down the barrel. ¡°It might still be chasing us.¡± The flute music cut off as Eolinne spoke, her words clipped. ¡°It is, sure as song. Wounding it seriously or leading it on a chase for a day will make it leave.¡± ¡°Have you stared this ghoul in the eye before?¡± Aarl asked without looking back, his gaze panning over the horizon. Eolinne snorted delicately. ¡°What a hard-grained saying. But yes, I was in convoy with another ship that could sing the song of the winds when a hydra eel scented the treasure we carried. It was smaller than this one, and only abandoned the chase after a day and a night of pursuit.¡± Stella smirked, though the majority of her concentration was on the reality-warping fireball she held contained between her hands. ¡°Then let¡¯s kill the problem.¡± Sarah sighed in resignation, holding up six bullets marked to indicate explosive enchantments. ¡°A big monster needs big weapons.¡± Eolinne nodded reluctantly. ¡°The beast will try to come from beneath. I will mark its approach. You must halt it before it reaches us.¡± She wrinkled her nose at Stella¡¯s spell. ¡°I wish that magic nowhere near my ship.¡± She raised her flute to her lips again and began playing, this time something that was more like a haunting dirge. Mist spread out from the base of the Grace of the Mists, staying low across the water and following in their wake as they sailed away from the violent clouds that were all that was left of the storm summoned by the Maelstrom ship. Aarl gestured in the direction the hydra eel would be approaching from. ¡°How do we get it above water? Can Khachi do it? Or am I going swimming?¡± His smile at the end made it clear that he hoped the last part was just a joke. Khachi gazed thoughtfully into the water. After a moment he shook his head. ¡°I can blind, block, and bind a monster such as this. But I cannot raise it from the depths or part the waters to reach it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s coming.¡± Sarah remarked sharply, pointing at a disturbance in the fog that roiled above the surface of the water about a half-mile away. ¡°There.¡± Stella exhaled in frustration, adding a few stabilizing touches to her spell. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. Nathan, hold this.¡± She gave the watermelon-sized ball of purple fire a push. The spell roared to life and shot upwards at an angle aimed towards nothing at all, quickly growing to the size of a horse. Then she clapped her hands together, channeling an enormous amount of mana into the water below them and towards the interruption that marked their enemy. The speed of the ship helped her out, and they left a thick trail of water mana behind them. Nathan reached out with his aura to catch the ball of flaring purple fire before it rocketed too far away. It took all of his attention to redirect it with [Magical Manipulation] without destabilizing the spell structure that maintained and contained the ravenous fire wizardry. Call it what it is. I should chat with Stella more about this spell later. If she pushes this concept further it could lead to incredible things. Terrifying things, but if it¡¯s her foothold into wizardry that¡¯s a big deal. It took him a little while to figure out how to maintain a stable holding pattern, juggling the growing fireball between four tendrils of antimagic like the world¡¯s most dangerous diabolo. He looked back down just in time to see Stella gesture like she was parting the waves. The fog cleared obligingly as a massive chasm opened up in the water, a tear in the ocean that reached down hundreds of feet to expose lightless depths. Something writhed in the darkness down there, and Nathan¡¯s enhanced eyes picked out the hydra eel at the bottom of the crevasse, heads questing upwards in surprise at the sudden invasion of its realm. Khachi¡¯s shield shone like a spotlight, illuminating the creature as he spoke an incantation. ¡°You shall not hide from your fate in the depths. Be revealed for the foul creature that you are.¡± Bands of light wrapped around the necks of the massive creature. It thrashed against the magic but was held firm for the moment. Sarah fired her rifle, the sound deafening in such close proximity to Nathan¡¯s ear. A splash of gore showed where the enchanted round detonated inside one of the hydra¡¯s heads. That head fell limp as the water around it erupted in steam from the caustic blood. Sarah¡¯s hands blurred as she reloaded the bolt-action mechanism with the enchanted cartridges. She fired again and again, blowing the brains out of each of the six heads in turn. But it wasn¡¯t dead. The main body still writhed in the grip of Khachi¡¯s magic, which was beginning to loosen. Stella was gritting her teeth against the struggle of holding back so much water. Nathan brought the ball of purple fire down directly onto the main body of the creature. The spell had grown to the size of a bus from its passage through the air and struck the hydra eel with the roar of a ravenous inferno. The heat from the sudden flare of flame reached all the way up to the Heirs, making them flinch back from the edge of the ship. With a clap of her hands Stella closed the chasm in the water, sealing the hydra eel in the depths with her purple flame for company. The Grace of the Mists sailed away, and the Heirs watched as the ocean behind them was lit from beneath with purple fire and massive bubbles broke the surface as the ocean started boiling. ¡°What do you call that spell, anyways?¡± Nathan asked, watching the bubbles pop against the surface and feeling the spell spread to encompass the hydra''s entire body and the area around it. Stella smirked, her eyes lit from within by a flickering purple light. ¡°I was thinking of calling it firestorm, but now I like the name hydrabane.¡±
End of Magic has leveled to 834! You and your party have slain a hydra eel, a true monster of the depths, and defeated the feared hunter of the Maelstrom, Wraithstorm!
Spellslayer has leveled to 564! You have contributed to killing a hydra eel and slaying Wraithstorm and his crew.
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 8 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 6 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 8
Class: End of Magic level 834 Bottomless Stamina : 24081/84400 Indomitable The Undeniable Strike of the Antimage Stamina Burn Momentum Mastery Stoneflesh Arcane Nullification Galefoot Close Quarters Mastery Boundless Aura Denial of Mysticism The Ending of Magic Aura Projection Selective Dispel The Living World
Class: Spellslayer level 564 Regenerative Focus: 3602/5740 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Tranquility 3 Inspiration 8 Impulse 3 Mystical Discernment 3 Forewarning 2 Arcane Insight 4 Evasion 1 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 9 Parkour 9 Visibility Control 5 High-tier Disguise 5 High-tier Battle Cry 3 Aura Control 5
Chapter 44: Planning a Debate Nathan looked out over the wide ocean, marveling at how calm it was given the craziness of the last few hours. The clouds behind them were gray and frothy but bore none of the threatening weight they¡¯d had before. Soft waves lapped at the hull and the only sign of the giant monster they¡¯d just defeated were some bubbles welling up from the sea behind them. ¡°By the dawn¡¯s light.¡± Aarl breathed out, clapping Stella on the shoulder. ¡°That was strong magic.¡± She grinned widely, but dipped her head towards the rest of them. ¡°I couldn¡¯t have won this battle on my own. Khachi¡¯s magic of binding is beyond me, and Sarah¡¯s class has shown her power. We couldn¡¯t have held the ship without Aarl, and Nathan¡­¡± She trailed off, gesturing vaguely in his direction. ¡°You carried the weight of this battle on your antimagic.¡± He snorted lightly. ¡°I didn¡¯t do much against the hydra eel.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°You won the fight against the Maelstrom. They would have lashed us from afar with magic and storm without you.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Eolinne broke in, finally standing from the captain''s chair she¡¯d sat in for the entire battle. ¡°Ours would have been a song of driftwood and red waters if you hadn¡¯t called them to battle.¡± She cocked her head at Nathan. ¡°How did you find the Maelstrom ship? They are invisible inside their own storms.¡± She hesitated. ¡°Unless this question has a valuable answer, of course.¡± ¡°It was in the air. Flying.¡± Nathan said, smiling wryly. ¡°The ship had enchantments that let the storm mages keep it aloft. It was also invisible and behind stealth skills.¡± He shrugged. ¡°But I¡¯ve dealt with that before.¡± Eolinne¡¯s lips parted. Nathan had never seen her at a loss for words before, but she was now. She gazed off into the distance, then her eyes refocused on him. ¡°And how far were they, for you to detect them?¡± ¡°Some distance. About three or so miles and a thousand feet in the air.¡± Nathan¡¯s response was even, and he watched for her reaction. I¡¯m trying to impress her, after all. I don¡¯t think she knows my exact abilities, though we¡¯ve mentioned antimagic. But now she knows I can force an enemy miles away to come to battle. The only response he got was a slightly raised eyebrow and an acknowledging nod. Then she clasped her hands together and addressed all of the Heirs. ¡°You have won a victory worthy of a song, if any bards should hear of it.¡± She gave a private smile, then continued. ¡°If a Maelstrom ship has failed to kill us, no others will try. The Maestro will have harsh words for Badud for sending one of his students to their death.¡± She gestured back towards the body of the ship, and the luxury accommodations within. ¡°We have much distance to travel before we reach the waters of Keihona, so let us celebrate our victory.¡± ¨C The Heirs took the next couple of weeks easy. They kept up their training but otherwise filled their time with idle conversation and Eolinne¡¯s library. Nathan told a few thinly-disguised stories from Earth, and though Eolinne looked confused at a few of them, she seemed to assume he¡¯d merely come from a far-off corner of Davrar. They ate good food, enjoyed the sun and the sea and the minimal risk of death. It was a time to relax, to set down the burdens of responsibility and constant improvement for a moment. They¡¯d been moving from battle to battle for a long time. The future would bring more battles, but it was time to step back from chasing the next Development, and enjoy life for a moment. Or else we''ll burn out. You can''t work all the time or you''ll forget what joy is like. Nathan especially tried to forget about his woes. He was on a ship, and he couldn¡¯t do much until that ship got where it was going. He did his best to unwind, to have fun with his abilities instead of being constantly focused on honing himself to the sharpest possible edge for the next life-or-death fight. And he had to admit, soaring through the air far above the ship and then falling out of the sky to dive into the ocean at near-terminal velocity was a lot of fun. He didn¡¯t even see anything that wanted to take a bite out of him. One morning, Eolinne gave them an update on their progress. ¡°We should arrive in two days, though an escort boat will arrive soon to guide us in. After your deeds, your arrival is anticipated.¡± She gave them a sharp, satisfied smile. Nathan nodded along and caught his friend¡¯s eyes meaningfully, jerking his head belowdecks. The Heirs convened in one of the larger bedrooms just a short while later. They were still relaxed and joking around, but there was an air of seriousness that hadn¡¯t been there for the last several days. They all knew it was time to talk about serious topics. Nathan got them started. ¡°Stella, can you cast [Muffle] please? I¡¯ll take care of magical eavesdropping.¡± ¡°Sure and certain,¡± she replied, casting the magic around the room. Nathan layered his aura over it, tuning it to make sure that Eolinne couldn¡¯t eavesdrop through the ship. I don¡¯t know if she can actually do it, but I would definitely feel it if she tried. ¡°Sarya Pamaris.¡± Khachi¡¯s words were low, a dissatisfied rumble. ¡°May the third Questor we meet be kinder than the first two.¡± Nathan nodded. ¡°Yeah. We should talk about how to handle that meeting. We need more of a plan than to just ask how to stop the Endings.¡± Sarah frowned, rolling a long rifle cartridge between her fingers. ¡°Eolinne said Sarya doesn¡¯t like the Endings. What else can we do?¡± Aarl spoke up. ¡°My bones say she¡¯ll set us against the Questors of Badud¡¯s grid. Do we want to do that?¡± He lifted his hands in an uncertain shrug. ¡°It¡¯s a worthy fight.¡± Khachi shook his head. ¡°But that is not the path towards our goal. Our target is the Endings. Our minimum aim must be to save Gemore from the Ending of History, or at least delay it.¡± ¡°We have a hundred years,¡± Sarah mused. ¡°Maybe we should be agents of Sarya. Gain her favor before asking for Insights around the Endings.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hide the cost of our service from a Questor," Stella replied with a grimace. "Or to serve one at all, but certainly not without mentioning our price.¡± ¡°She could tell us the only way to stop the Ending is to destroy all of Badud¡¯s works.¡± Aarl waved his hand. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t know the lie.¡± ¡°Sure and certain, we don¡¯t know enough to catch her in a lie,¡± Sarah said. ¡°Though under Khachi¡¯s truth magic we would be more certain.¡± The wolfman shook his head. ¡°She fought the gods. She knows more of divinity than I. Would she let me cast such magic on her?¡± ¡°If she wanted us to follow her, she would,¡± Aarl replied snidely. Sarah¡¯s voice grew heated. ¡°Are we a true treasure to her? She is a Questor, like Brox. I bet dragon bones to stalker teeth she¡¯s dealt with dozens, hundreds of teams of powerful Adventurers.¡± ¡°Nathan killed Badud.¡± Stella said in a calm rebuttal. ¡°But now he¡¯s back, and hiring mercenaries to sail across the oceans,¡± Sarah retorted. ¡°Killing a Questor isn¡¯t enough. They play games above our station.¡± ¡°Nathan?¡± Khachi asked, having noticed that he wasn¡¯t contributing to the conversation. ¡°Speak your thoughts.¡± Nathan blew air through pursed lips, emerging from his thoughts. He¡¯d been listening to his friend¡¯s conversation with half an ear, but most of his attention had been on an internal question. Do I tell them about my suspicions of Davrar? About how I think the Questors created Davrar itself as a setting for their game. It will probably change how we approach Sarya. If anything will make her take us seriously, that will. The Heirs were all watching him now, familiar enough with his mannerisms to know that he was about to say something important, and that it would come in due time. Stella cracked a joke. ¡°Do you have another deep secret of Davrar to share?¡± Ah, to hell with it. They deserve to know. Nathan gave a small chuckle. ¡°Yeah, I do.¡± ¡°Hear me, not again,¡± Sarah groaned. They all looked at her and she raised her hands defensively. ¡°What? At this rate Nathan will become the god, not Khachi.¡± The wolfman glared at her but didn¡¯t reply, instead turning his attention towards Nathan and cocking an eyebrow to urge him to continue. He acceded. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about this, but I think that all of Davrar is a game and the Questors are the players.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Sarah nodded. ¡°Davion called it the games of Questors. They control nations and play them off against each other, leading as champions.¡± Her tone was nonplussed, not understanding Nathan''s underlying point. ¡°It¡¯s more than that,¡± Nathan said. ¡°I think Davrar was created for the Questors to play their games. That is the purpose of Davrar. Why it exists.¡± Khachi¡¯s brows drew down in bemusement, and the rest of the Heirs looked similarly lost. Nathan did his best to explain. ¡°This world isn¡¯t something that forms naturally. A spinning cylinder, with an artificial sun? Monsters to fight and magic that cooperates with physical laws? And most of all, the system of Davrar, which encourages levels and power, and rewards satisfying Insights. It¡¯s too close to what somebody would design as a game. All of it is built for Questors, who can learn magic, fight monsters, build civilizations and scheme against each other.¡± "It is our world." Khachi spoke simply. "Why must it be artificial?" "It''s too perfect," Nathan replied. "Davrar is what somebody would design as a game. Every part of it." ¡°This - What of the Endings?¡± Stella¡¯s voice was small and a bit fearful. ¡°Game resets, or expansions. Any game will get stale if it''s the same for too long, and we know the Questors control them from what Badud said. It sounds like Davrar has changed a lot over time. Monsters, gods - I bet dungeons didn¡¯t used to be common. Maybe they were created to set up the Ending of History. Why would so many pieces of dangerous magic from so many different time periods survive this long? Why would the Edrani Empire tolerate dangerous ruins from the Kalis Conclave or the Skilias Dominon mere miles from where they built their own fortresses? It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°The Ending of Elements could have unearthed them?¡± Khachi¡¯s voice was uncertain, like he was trying the argument on for size and finding that it didn''t fit. ¡°They¡¯re matched to the terrain,¡± Aarl replied. ¡°Fortresses on hills, towns in caves. Towers atop mountains. Most dungeons have not been uncovered from where they were first built. Khachi breathed out a heavy sigh of acknowledgement and waved his acceptance of the point. ¡°What of the Seals?¡± Stella¡¯s eyes were troubled as she looked at Nathan. "What is their purpose?" Nathan gave a small shrug. ¡°Maybe defending them is an extra challenge for the Questors who want to fight more monsters.¡± He jerked his thumb upwards, indicating the sky above and the blight that was visible in the world above at night. ¡°Or if a Questor doesn¡¯t want to fight other Questors, they can fight to push back the corruption. Fighting to a Seal during a Solstice would take a team of heroes backed up by a nation, but wouldn''t entail fighting other people.¡± In other words that''s the endgame PvE content. There was another moment of silence while the Heirs chewed on Nathan¡¯s words. Then Khachi broke it. ¡°If the Questors aren¡¯t from Davrar, where is their home?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Nathan admitted. ¡°I think they¡¯re from my universe because that¡¯s the simplest explanation. But it doesn''t matter. They¡¯re not from Davrar. That¡¯s why Eolinne has never heard of somebody becoming a Questor. Questors come from somewhere else.¡± ¡°And they made Davrar,¡± Khachi said, completing the thought as an angry light sparked in his eyes, darker than anything Nathan had seen in the wolfman before. ¡°Smoke and blood. They made our world. They crafted it as one would lay an enchantment.¡± He shook his head, not in denial but in disappointment. ¡°They have complete power and they chose to make monsters and dungeons. And Endings.¡± His lips curled, exposing sharp canines. ¡°They are the greatest monsters of all.¡± ¡°Fighting them would be a dungeon for fools,¡± Stella replied uncertainly. ¡°They made Davrar. They control it. They can make the Endings happen. The very system that gives us levels. We can¡¯t fight that.¡± Sarah pursed her lips. ¡°Nathan killed Badud. We can fight them and win.¡± ¡°That was him playing the game,¡± Aarl said caustically. ¡°If we try to stop the game, then they will stop playing and use Davrar itself to destroy us. We would be helpless." Nathan tapped a finger against his lips thoughtfully. ¡°Do we need to stop the game?¡± ¡°What else could our target be?¡± Khachi replied hotly, the light in his eyes an angry red that promised bloodshed. ¡°They play the game, and we die.¡± ¡°Without the game, Davrar wouldn''t exist,¡± Nathan replied calmly. ¡°Is this world so terrible that we should try to destroy it?¡± A growl rumbled from Khachi¡¯s throat. ¡°They send the Endings upon us to avoid boredom. They create monsters because they are fun to fight, ignoring those times when the monster devours the innocent.¡± Nathan raised a hand to forestall the wolfman¡¯s tirade. ¡°They also made a magic system that can easily be used to dominate and enslave people. Davrar has problems.¡± He met the fires in his friend¡¯s eyes with an even gaze. ¡°But we can try to fix the problems or we can try to burn the whole thing down. One of those is possible, while the other leads to us fighting every single immortal Questor on Davrar.¡± ¡°But how do we change the game?¡± Sarah¡¯s gaze was far away. ¡°We don¡¯t even know the rules. How can we change them?¡± ¡°We learn. We find allies,¡± Nathan said. ¡°We¡¯re already headed towards somebody we expect to be friendly. We talk to Sarya, and get her to help us.¡± Aarl sighed out a raggedy breath. ¡°This is a prophecy of death. How do we do it? Changing Davrar is an impossible deed.¡± Khachi stood, his armor clanking and beginning to shine with a faint inner light. ¡°It is what we swore to do. This is how we stop the Endings.¡± The light in his eyes had brightened from their bloody hue to a richer gold. "This is a challenging Path, but finally, finally we see it laid out before us." There was a pause, then Sarah chuckled. ¡°A ghoul slain, but now a dragon rises in its place. Why would Sarya help us? She¡¯s a Questor who plays the game of Davrar.¡± ¡°Eolinne said that Sarya disliked the Endings,¡± Stella said, her lips pursed. Nathan nodded. ¡°We know there are a lot of Questors, and some of them will definitely want Davrar to change in one way or another. It sounds like Sarya is one of them, which means she could be sympathetic to us. We might not even need to convince the normal Questor. There might be a smaller group that oversees how Davrar works, we might just need to convince them.¡± Though they¡¯re likely to be more concerned with a bottom line than the ethical and moral stance of a game they¡¯re running. I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m kind of hoping that any society that could build Davrar is post-scarcity. ¡°Or kill them,¡± Aarl said roughly. Nathan snorted. ¡°I don¡¯t think that will work. But maybe! We just don¡¯t know enough until we talk to Sarya.¡± ¡°Should we tell her that we know Davrar is a game?¡± Sarah asked, tension clear in her tone. ¡°She might kill us for that.¡± Aarl¡¯s mouth twisted wryly. ¡°Try to kill us.¡± Nathan ignored Aarl and replied to Sarah. ¡°I think we should. It will make her treat us seriously. But I''m not sure how we should approach that conversation. I want to talk to Eolinne first and try to get more information about Sarya. This is a big decision and we need all of the information we can get. Let''s also all think about it, and try to talk about it again before we meet Sarya.¡± ¡°I will follow your light,¡± Khachi replied, pursing his lips at Nathan¡¯s words. ¡°It is only through your light that we have found this Path. Now you must lead us along it. We must learn more, and we cannot do that without revealing what we suspect. We will follow your decisions.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Nathan agreed, feeling the weight of responsibility settle onto his shoulders. ¡°Now, let¡¯s talk about how we could change Davrar while keeping it fun for the Questors.¡±
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 8 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 6 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 8
Class: End of Magic level 834 Bottomless Stamina : 84400/84400 Indomitable The Undeniable Strike of the Antimage Stamina Burn Momentum Mastery Stoneflesh Arcane Nullification Galefoot Close Quarters Mastery Boundless Aura Denial of Mysticism The Ending of Magic Aura Projection Selective Dispel The Living World
Class: Spellslayer level 564 Regenerative Focus: 5740/5740 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Tranquility 3 Inspiration 8 Impulse 3 Mystical Discernment 3 Forewarning 2 Arcane Insight 4 Evasion 1 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 9 Parkour 9 Visibility Control 5 High-tier Disguise 5 High-tier Battle Cry 3 Aura Control 5
Chapter 45: Questor Gossip After their discussion wound down, Nathan asked to have a private word with Stella. He¡¯d been putting off talking to her about wizardry, partially because he wanted to take a break from crazy magical shenanigans. He¡¯d been excited about magic his entire life, but recently it seemed like he''d been jumping from insane magic to insane magic, and he wanted a little bit of a break without manipulating the forces of reality. Which is insane. I think it''s less that I''m tired of magic and more that I don''t want to start associating figuring out magic with balancing life-or-death consequences. But the real reason was that he knew Stella would dive headfirst into wizardry the moment he gave her a hint in that direction, heedless of the fact that she had other skills she needed to work on - and needed relaxation time of her own. Not to mention that if we play around with fire wizardry on the ship then Eolinne will straight up murder us. The door closed behind the other Heirs and Stella turned towards Nathan with a curious look in her eyes. ¡°What occurs?¡± Nathan offered a hesitant smile. ¡°You asked me before about wizardry, and I said I didn¡¯t know how to help you get there.¡± Stella¡¯s interest sharpened to something nearly palpable, a faint glow kindling behind her eyes. ¡°Have you found the Insight?¡± His smile grew. ¡°No, but you did. Your hydrabane spell, the part of it that uses fire to generate more fire mana. That is wizardry.¡± Her brow scrunched up. ¡°It isn¡¯t. I understand how that magic works, and all of its functions are based in mana.¡± Nathan shook his head faintly. ¡°It¡¯s wizardry. You might not be able to sense it, but that spell touches on the core of wizardry, which is all about changing the rules of reality in a local area. In this case you¡¯re making fire burn better, and fuel its own spread more effectively.¡± Stella looked at him expectantly, then realized he wasn¡¯t going to continue. ¡°Hear me, is that it? Can you give me anything else?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Not really. I¡¯m happy to help you figure out if you can recreate the effect with other spells, but I¡¯m not entirely sure how you did it. This is your Insight, I just wanted to tell you you¡¯ve touched on the edge of it by yourself.¡± Her expression grew introspective, then morphed into a proud smile. ¡°My own Insight of fire wizardry.¡± She fell silent, thinking through the spell. ¡°A truth of fire in oxidation.¡± Her gaze snapped up to Nathan. ¡°When can we practice?¡± He winced. ¡°After we arrive in Keihona. I don¡¯t want to burn down the ship, or make Eolinne think we might.¡± Stella¡¯s eyes went to their wooden - and flammable - surroundings. ¡°Ah. But we can fly out over the ocean and practice there.¡± ¡°Only if you think you can practice without interfering with your [Fly] spell.¡± She nodded confidently. ¡°I will hit this target. Magic beyond what my parents could dream.¡± - Nathan wanted to wait a little while to talk to Eolinne, so it wouldn¡¯t be obviously linked to the Heir¡¯s private conversation. But they¡¯d be arriving in Keihona in just a couple of days, so the next morning after breakfast he found her in the library. She was reading a book while curled up in an overstuffed armchair that rocked slightly with the motion of the ship. He pulled another chair over and sat down nearby, politely waiting for her attention. It was a few minutes before she tucked a bookmark into her book and set it down on a small table. She regarded him fondly. ¡°Your patience belies your power. It is a charming melody, to be treated as an equal by somebody who has slain a Questor. But acting below your station is to dance with folly.¡± Nathan frowned at the formal speech, and the message it contained. ¡°Should I be more demanding? You¡¯re carrying us across the ocean. That¡¯s not something I could do.¡± Eolinne¡¯s dark red lips curved upwards in a smile. ¡°It is about status, and potential. I am old and wise, but there are others who can carry out my tasks. Few have the strength to shape the tune of nations as you have. Your deeds set you just below the Questors, above many of the true powers of Davrar.¡± ¡°Does that mean I need to treat everybody else like servants?¡± Nathan wrinkled his nose at the thought. She shook her head in a quick motion. ¡°It means you will deceive many about your status. Keihona is a city of pride, where people wear their achievements on their person. To bear no markings of accomplishment designates you as having no accomplishments, or being so successful that all should know your deeds. Or as being foreign and clueless, which is considered the same as having no accomplishments.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Nathan said, processing that. ¡°What do these achievements look like? Does somebody award them?¡± Eolinne¡¯s mouth quirked in amusement. ¡°If only there was such a clear conductor. An accomplished farmer may wear a patch with three sheaves of grain, to mark their contribution of three fields to the city granaries. A hunter may string the teeth of their kills around their neck. But the quickest path to mockery is to make a claim you have not earned.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to have idiots challenging me on the streets, am I?¡± His words were tinged with irritation. ¡±Keihona does not duel," she replied, rolling her eyes. "But people will be rude, shopkeepers will serve you last, and the guard will not side with you in disputes.¡± Then she chuckled. ¡°All of this noise matters little. You are Sarya¡¯s guest, and any occupant of the palace is treated with utmost respect by the people. They know why their city survives.¡± He looked up curiously. ¡°So we¡¯ll be staying in the palace? Are we going to have to wait to talk to Sarya?¡± Eolinne shrugged. ¡°The royal palace has a mighty guest wing, where Sarya¡¯s agents are welcome between missions. Many enjoy the symphony of Keihona and move into the city, but the guest quarters are ever a place to find interesting people and swap treasures and Insights. As for when you will meet Sarya - I cannot say. Such is dependent on her schedule.¡± As good an opening as any. ¡°What is she like?¡± He kept his tone the same, interested and curious. Eolinne cocked her head. ¡°I spoke of her before. She is a Questor, and fights against enemies that need fighting.¡± Nathan waved that explanation away. ¡°But as a person, what is she like? Brox was arrogant and obnoxious, and I want to know what to be prepared for.¡± And try to interpret how she¡¯s likely to react if we tell her what we suspect about Davrar. A sly smile spread across Eolinne¡¯s face. ¡°I will speak of Sarya if you first speak of Brox. I know his name, but have never met him.¡± ¡°Consider yourself lucky,¡± Nathan deadpanned. ¡°We¡¯d just freed Halsmet, which is one of the smaller cities of Giantsrest, and then he strides in like he owned the place. Flowing hair, purple eyes, and with a social skill that would arouse the dead, if you know what I mean.¡± He wiggled his eyebrows to help convey the meaning, and Eolinne covered her delighted smile with a hand. His tone shifted from wry humor to old anger. ¡°Then he followed us out on a dangerous mission. He compromised an ambush we''d laid so he could be dramatic. That directly caused the death of several slave-soldiers we''d meant to save. Then he tried to goad me into attacking a dungeon for no good reason. When I refused he got mad and left to pursue his own excitement. ¡°He¡¯s vain, likes excitement and gets annoyed when people don¡¯t immediately bow to his suggestions.¡± Nathan ran a hand through his hair and let out a brief sigh. ¡°But before the first battle against Badud he explained himself. He said that he¡¯s been doing this for a long time. Many thousands of years. Going from war to war, to be the hero that tips the tide when needed.¡± His gaze was distant as he remembered Brox¡¯s words atop the mountain. ¡°He said that he had to be that way. That if he was respectful and serious it would break him eventually. The only choices were between being an annoying fool and not coming at all. And he came to help us.¡± Though it honestly may have all been an act. But he didn''t say he''d be better, so I¡¯m not sure it matters. I might respect him more, but I''m not going to let my guard down around him. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. He looked at Eolinne again, seeing her pensive look. ¡°He fell fighting Badud after that. But before he died Brox was able to wound Badud badly enough that he had to retreat to Giantsrest. That let us win the battle and gave me time to dismantle the Ascendent Academy and become powerful enough to win the next time I fought Badud.¡± Eolinne considered that story for a moment. Then she dipped her head to Nathan in a gesture of respect. ¡°An honest song, and in respect for it I will speak of Sarya. She acts the grand queen, the confident and proud leader of a confident and proud nation.¡± She leaned a little closer, a conspiratorial smile on her lips. ¡°But in truth she is a scoundrel.¡± Her eyes drifted upwards, looking at the distant past. ¡°A few hundred years ago I was caught smuggling dimensional bags into Esebus. My ship - the Singing Squall - was placed under guard and I was put in the harbormaster¡¯s jail, before transfer to the debtor¡¯s prison. Then Sarya broke me out.¡± She smirked while remembering the past adventure. ¡°She was being chased by the guild-elite and needed a ship from the city. We lost them at a theater-brothel. Their attention passed over the two women dancing atop the table.¡± Her attention came back to Nathan, a raised eyebrow daring him to make a comment. ¡°We escaped aboard my ship, and were chased distances beyond reason. Whatever she stole was worth more than the ships sunk in pursuit.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know what it was?¡± Nathan asked. He was surprised Eolinne had agreed to carry cargo she didn¡¯t know about. Then again, it didn¡¯t sound like she¡¯d had a lot of choice in the matter. ¡°I asked, and she told me it was a secret of Kalis.¡± Eolinne shook her head in a small measure of exasperation. ¡°By the singing bell, I believe the meaning is direct and she stole a secret treasure made by the Kalis Conclave before their fall. But that wealth is not the theme of this story. I spoke to Sarya often on the journey back to Keihona.¡± Eolinne took a short breath before elaborating. ¡°She is a thief and a friend to the shadows. She is vicious to her foes and ruthless in gaining every advantage. But her spirit points true.¡± Eolinne¡¯s brows creased as she chose her words carefully. ¡°Sarya hates needless cruelty, and carries a deep fury towards the Questors of Badud¡¯s grid. She seeks to spite them, and spoke often of spreading knowledge and law to make Davrar better.¡± That¡¯s a good sign. If she wants to change Davrar to make people stronger, then she might want to change it to make it less deadly. Then Eolinne¡¯s mouth quirked. ¡°After we left Esebus, Sarya somehow stole the identity enchantment of a man who groped her and threw it into the ocean. In Esebus, that enchantment carries your wealth and proof of your caste. It is impossible to steal, but Questors do impossible things.¡± She looked over at Nathan directly. ¡°Does this quench your questions?¡± He thought for a second. ¡°I think it does. Thank you.¡± He considered striking up smalltalk but decided against it and got to his feet to leave. Eolinne gave him a small smile. ¡°A joy shared.¡± ¨C A few hours later Nathan and Stella were floating in midair a few hundred feet out from the Grace of the Mists. She was working on distilling the core of the hydrabane spell into the minimum components necessary for wizardry, while Nathan was giving feedback and snuffing out any unstable constructs. ¡°I think the part that spreads fire around is essential,¡± he said. "Fire spreads, that¡¯s what it does.¡± Stella threw her hands up. ¡°That¡¯s not the logic of mana. It¡¯s more like Khachi¡¯s prayers!¡± ¡°This is wizardry, not mana,¡± Nathan reminded her. Then his head snapped up to scan the horizon. Something magical was reaching for them, coming from the direction of the dark blob on the horizon that they¡¯d been headed towards the last few days. Scrying magic of some kind. ¡°Somebody¡¯s looking for us. Let¡¯s get back to the ship.¡± He turned on his heel and sprinted back to the Grace of the Winds, making for where Eolinne lazed in her throne. He called out as soon as he was within yelling range. ¡°Somebody¡¯s looking for us. Should I block the spell?¡± She waited for him to reach the deck before shaking her head sharply. ¡°No. These are the waters of Keihona. They will find us and a patrol ship will guide us in.¡± Her eyes hardened and swept in to take in all of the Heirs, who had gathered in response to Nathan¡¯s call. ¡°The watch in Keihona are beyond other city guards. Do not treat the law here as a gentle breeze. Bow before it or be snapped like a brittle branch.¡± Nathan blinked. ¡°Okay. We¡¯ll play nice.¡± The scrying spell latched on and soon enough they were joined by a small and maneuverable-looking boat without sails. It looked for all the world like a speedboat with an enchanted ballista mounted on the back. Magic propelled it through the water at high speed, though Nathan could tell that the enchantment wouldn¡¯t scale well to larger ships. It¡¯s probably not very stable in rough seas either. It looked like only a trio of people manned the boat, but they all moved easily even as their little craft bounced over the waves. One of them called over with a magically amplified voice. ¡°Eolinne Mistweaver of the Grace of the Winds, be welcome in the territory of Keihona by the authority of Sarya Pamaris! State your number of passengers and their status.¡± It sounded like a rote question, something the man had asked hundreds of times before. Her response was calm and businesslike. ¡°Five adventurers from a far-off continent, come on Sarya¡¯s invitation.¡± ¡°We know of your personage and items, are there any notable changes?¡± Came his reply, the words nearly blending together with his clipped tone. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Describe your passengers and their status, along with notable items.¡± Eolinne¡¯s lips quirked in a smirk before she responded. ¡°A team of True Power, led by Nathan Questorkiller. Other members are mage Stella Hydrabane, markswoman Sarah Maelstromslayer, cleric Khachi Godblessed and fighter Aarl Relicthief.¡± The Heirs glanced around at each other and at Eolinne in confusion, clearly uncertain what the names - or titles - meant. But their surprise was nothing to the reaction of the customs agents on the Keihona ship. Their heads all snapped up as one, the boredom of routine falling away in an instant to be replaced by shock. Eolinne spoke into the ensuing silence. ¡°Was my answer heard? Shall I give it again?¡± ¡°No - no!¡± came the nervous reply, the man stuttering as he tried to get back on-script. ¡°Any powerful items to declare?¡± The Heirs looked towards Eolinne, who shrugged. ¡°They wish to know if you carry an item capable of destruction or corruption beyond your own powers. Speak the truth, but the titles I have given you mean that you should only need to declare items that are truly worthy of Kalis.¡± The heirs looked around, shaking their heads. Then Aarl snapped his fingers. ¡°I¡¯ve got the blade of a Questor here.¡± He drew out the black-bladed sword they¡¯d taken from Brox, holding out for a brief moment before sliding it back into his bag. ¡°A few other weapons.¡± That¡¯s a bit of an understatement, but I don¡¯t think anything measures up to Brox¡¯s sword in sheer potency of magical effects.
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 8 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 6 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 8
Class: End of Magic level 834 Bottomless Stamina : 84400/84400 Indomitable The Undeniable Strike of the Antimage Stamina Burn Momentum Mastery Stoneflesh Arcane Nullification Galefoot Close Quarters Mastery Boundless Aura Denial of Mysticism The Ending of Magic Aura Projection Selective Dispel The Living World
Class: Spellslayer level 564 Regenerative Focus: 5740/5740 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Tranquility 3 Inspiration 8 Impulse 3 Mystical Discernment 3 Forewarning 2 Arcane Insight 4 Evasion 1 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 9 Parkour 9 Visibility Control 5 High-tier Disguise 5 High-tier Battle Cry 3 Aura Control 5
Chapter 46: A View of Civilization The sea patrol kept them busy for a little bit longer, asking some more questions around the Heirs¡¯ magical items. They didn¡¯t seem to care much about their destructive capacity but rather the danger of some kind of magical plague or anything that could self-replicate. With just a few questions they ferreted out the ax that could turn the target into an undead, but quickly clarified that it could only make a single undead at a time and the magic couldn''t spread. Then they backed off a little ways, maintaining pace a few hundred feet away from the Grace of the Mists. ¡°That didn¡¯t seem like a very serious inspection,¡± Nathan said, watching the little craft as it glided smoothly over the swells. ¡°They didn¡¯t seem worried about our skills much at all. Just our items.¡± ¡°You are with me, and summoned by Sarya herself. I have named you Questorkiller, and they do not wish to offend a guest of your status.¡± Eolinne dipped one shoulder in a shrug. ¡°They also hold a symphony of skills to detect danger before it enters the city. Keihona has masterful compositions of many paths, especially those related to defense. This city has stood through Endings. It will not fall to a curse of Quaz.¡± Khachi raised a bushy eyebrow. ¡°How many Endings?¡± ¡°That is a secret of Kalis. If the sayings are truthful, it was founded after the ending of Wrath, but that was long ago.¡± That would mean it survived three. Storm, Deicide and Elements. They stood in silence for a little while, watching the dark landmass up ahead grow more resolved. They¡¯d been sailing towards it for days without seeming to get much closer. But that was the effect of the curvature of Davrar - you could see things from very far away, and they¡¯d get clearer as you approached and there was less atmospheric distortion. Now it was close enough Nathan could pick out some mountains as little bumps on the horizon. Eolinne broke the silence. ¡°We shall arrive after the sun departs. If you wish to be well-rested, there is time to nap.¡± None of the Heirs seemed interested, so Nathan spoke for all of them. ¡°I¡¯d prefer to see Keihona. It¡¯s not every day that you get to see a city this old.¡± ¡°When will we be able to see Sarya?¡± Stella asked, fidgeting where she stood. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Eolinne admitted easily. ¡°Mayhap tonight, more likely tomorrow, possibly next week. She is a Questor.¡± She spread her hands as if that explained everything. In a sense, it did. The Heirs once again lapsed into silence, trying to pick out the city that had been their goal since they''d left Giantsrest. Nathan caught a few glimpses of reflected light from where the landmass met the water, but it was too soon to say anything for sure. A couple of hours later Eolinne clapped her hands and declared it was time for their final meal aboard the Grace of the Mists. She guided Aarl through making a very fancy dish of shredded meat and roasted veggies cooked together in little pie crusts. It looked like too much effort for the amount of reward, but Nathan was pretty sure Eolinne was just distracting them away from staring at the horizon for hours on end. Night had fallen when they came back above deck, and the city of Keihona stood out in the darkness like a glimmering jewel. From afar it looked like a welcoming torch of civilization contrasting against the soft glow of the world above. They were able to pick out more and more details as they approached, and Nathan¡¯s first thought was that it looked like a modern metropolis from Earth. Those are skyscrapers. The Heirs gasped as they got close enough to make out the towers that studded the city. The only building that tall they¡¯d seen was the Ascendent Academy, and here there were dozens of them, packed tightly against one another. Nathan squinted to make out details, spending Focus to sharpen his senses. Each of the buildings glowed with orange light eerily similar to the color of incandescent bulbs, but their profiles weren¡¯t quite right for a normal skyscraper. They were made of metal and glass, but each had a unique style. One had an art deco look that reminded Nathan of the Chrysler building. Another was built in flowing lines that made it look like flowing water. A third looked like a fat cigar. Another looked like a covenant spaceship from the Halo games. His inspection continued on to the rest of the city. Keihona seemed to be built high above the ocean, atop cliffs right up against the water. A wall was built atop those cliffs that prevented Nathan from seeing the base of the skyscrapers, but in the dark it blended into the natural rock and he wasn¡¯t sure how much was cliff and how much was wall. Underneath the city a massive cave glowed with light. Nathan watched as a sailing ship was silhouetted against its mouth, dwarfed by the massive opening. The Heirs were all transfixed by the sight, trying to understand the scale of the city. Stella spoke quietly, as if afraid of disturbing the view. ¡°Dragon¡¯s Breath.¡± Nathan was busy doing calculations. He counted the number of buildings, then estimated the surface area of the city. ¡°I count forty-seven towers. There might be more I can¡¯t see, but they¡¯re packed pretty tightly. Probably somewhere between one to three million people." About ten to thirty times more than lived in Giantsrest. A hundred times more than lived in Gemore and all of the villages. It¡¯s a metropolis all right, but it¡¯s not beyond imagination. There could be more if there¡¯s a sprawl, but I wouldn¡¯t expect a city that¡¯s survived multiple endings to have suburbs. ¡°A fine estimate,¡± Eolinne said. ¡°It is a city among cities, only challenged by the other places under the direct rule of Questors, like Esebus and Zhark.¡± ¡°Is that the port?¡± Aarl asked, pointing at the giant cavern underneath the city. ¡°There aren¡¯t any waves.¡± Eolinne gave a nod, teeth flashing in the darkness. ¡°It is. The safest on Davrar, and ruled by the strongest code of law as well. But we won¡¯t be using it.¡± She pointed to the side, towards a promontory sticking out into the ocean. ¡°That is Sarya¡¯s palace.¡± It wasn¡¯t as well lit as the rest of the city, which is why Nathan hadn¡¯t really paid it much attention until now. But the tall peninsula of land was covered with a collection of low-lying buildings that looked like spun sugar under the light from the world above. The city grew larger and larger as the Grace of the Mists approached, until the cliffs towered overhead. They were just under a thousand feet tall with the walls on top. The cavern mouth that led to the underground port was five hundred feet tall and twice as wide at the opening. It looked like the massive cavern that held the port was even larger, capable of holding a fleet. There weren¡¯t any waves. When Nathan stretched his senses into the water he noticed a similar enchantment to what he¡¯d felt in Litcliff radiating out from the city ahead. Here it was more subtle and better tuned, gently suppressing and diverting the waves in a much larger radius instead of harshly cutting them off closer to the city. They didn''t have to go through any gauntlet of rough water to transition from the deep ocean to the coast. The little patrol boat led the Grace of the Mists around the promontory that held the palace to reveal another underground harbor built into the back of the protruding cliffs. It also revealed the other side of Keihona - and showed that the whole city was built atop an island standing a few miles away from the larger landmass of the continent. An unnaturally straight and even causeway connected the city to the mainland, with no fewer than four sets of walls along its length. Well, it has survived a while. I¡¯m not surprised to see that it¡¯s so heavily defended. At just that moment they passed through an invisible and intangible barrier that surrounded the city and stretched out miles in every direction. It existed like an enchantment written into the barrier between the physical world and the metaphysical one where mana pools lived. Then it was gone, fading into the distance behind them. Nathan blinked, stretching his aura backwards to examine the construct and seeing that it curved inwards in all directions like a giant sphere that they¡¯d just entered. Well-defended in more ways than one. He couldn¡¯t tell what the wizardry did. It was certainly interfacing with reality on an extremely deep level. For all Nathan could tell it was changing some universal background constant within the bubble, but everything felt normal. The enchantments on the ship didn¡¯t seem to be behaving any differently either. Khachi noticed Nathan looking backwards with a puzzled look. The wolfman raised an eyebrow at him and tilted his head to invite an explanation. Nathan just shook his head and looked forward again. He didn¡¯t have a good enough idea what was going on to speak out loud and he wasn¡¯t about to ask that they turn around so he could examine exactly what was going on in the multi-mile wide intangible barrier. Especially since people who couldn''t feel wizardry couldn''t even detect that it was there. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. They pulled into the smaller cave-harbor and Nathan examined it carefully. It was ten times smaller than the main harbor, but still held docks and drydocks for about twenty ships. Only half of the berths were sized for the Grace of the Mists. It was quite late at night so only a few people were around, moving cargo and doing other tasks. Eolinne piloted them smoothly into the slot that their escort indicated, and the smaller ship turned around and sped off. One of the crew waved towards them, and Nathan waved back. The Grace of the Mists bumped gently into the stone pier. Eolinne flicked a finger and ropes reached out to tie themselves off against the moorings. She stood from her throne and clasped her hands formally in front of herself, then bowed over them towards the Heirs. ¡°I will carry the song of this journey for as long as I make music. You are pleasant companions and powerful allies. I hope prophecy calls for us to voyage together once again.¡± Then her mouth quivered in amusement. ¡°Though that might be soon indeed. If you listen to Sarya¡¯s plans then it is likely that I will carry you away from this city within the week.¡± Khachi slammed a gauntleted hand against his breastplate in a gesture of respect. ¡°We would be free of regret to travel with you again. May Algoa¡¯s luck ride with you.¡± The rest of the Heirs echoed the sentiment and then turned to the docks, where a trio of people waited for them. The first was probably a guard, dressed in enchanted armor complete with a face-covering helmet and a sheathed shortsword. The second was a youthful woman dressed in a sundress despite the chill wind coming off the ocean. The last was a stern-faced older woman dressed formally in something that wasn¡¯t far off from a suit. She stood at the head of the little group, gloved hands clasped together as she politely waited for them to approach. All three of them bore myriad little patches and emblems across their outfits, sown or enchanted in place. Nathan didn¡¯t have a clue how to read them, but he was pretty sure that they noted various accomplishments. Given how many each person was wearing they were being greeted by a prestigious group. He walked down the gangplank first, giving the formally-dressed woman a polite nod and waiting for her to speak. ¡°Speak your names and Paths and be sheltered in this city.¡± She spoke firmly and authoritatively. A strong mental skill reached towards the Heirs and presented a clear choice. They could tell the truth or they could lie, and the woman in front of them would know if they lied or made significant omissions. ¡°Nathan Lark. Antimage and Assassin.¡± He spoke clearly and proudly, meeting the woman¡¯s eyes and daring her to judge him. She merely blinked in surprise, then shifted her attention to Khachi. The Heirs spoke in turn. ¡°Khachi Cordavia. Cleric.¡± ¡°Stella Caxol. Mage.¡± ¡°Sarah Crusens. Markswoman.¡± ¡°Aarl Crusens. Fighter.¡± After each one the woman dipped her head infinitesimally before moving onto the next person. When they were done she gave them a light bow. ¡°Thank you for your honesty.¡± She reached into a pocket where an enchantment flashed, and withdrew five thin plates of metal, each about the size of a credit card. They were all etched with the Heirs face¡¯s and names, as well as their paths, and then a brief string of dots and dashes that looked a bit like a QR code. This really is a city of bureaucracy. ¡°These are your identification chits. Keep them on you at all times, and show them when asked by an official or shopkeeper.¡± Nathan noted the minor enchantments on the items and grimaced. Their magic wasn¡¯t very strong - it looked like some kind of preservation spell that would break if the chits were altered, as well as a divination beacon of some kind. It would be a pain in the ass to carry the chit around without stripping the magic from the enchantment. He gestured. ¡°I can¡¯t carry that. The magic will break. Antimage, remember?" The woman glowered at him with the air of a bureaucrat whose routine had been interrupted. The younger woman wrung her hands nervously and the guard sighed heavily. ¡°Can I carry it for him?¡± Aarl asked, stepping forward and reaching out a hand for the cards. The frown didn¡¯t go away but did lessen as she handed Aarl the cards. ¡°Only if you stay with him. These chits prove your lawful presence in the city. If you cannot provide it when asked you will be arrested.¡± Aarl nodded wordlessly, passing out the cards to the rest of the Heirs before storing his and Nathan¡¯s in his bag.¡± The woman wasn¡¯t done. ¡°Do you have any goods to declare?¡± The skill reached out for them again, requesting the truth. Wow. Customs? The Heirs looked confused, and Nathan sighed. ¡°She means do we have anything valuable we intend to trade with.¡± ¡°Oh. Yeah, a few things.¡± Aarl reached into his bag and pulled out a handful of gems that glowed with inner light. ¡°Primed magical gems, two dozen mithril ingots, some oricalchum, potion ingredients¡­¡± He looked up at the woman with a raised eyebrow. Her mouth pursed again. ¡°Enchantment and alchemy supplies, miscellaneous. Approximately how much by weight?¡± Aarl shrugged and opened up one of his dimensional bags to peer inside. ¡°A few hundred pounds. We looted a city.¡± That answer did not serve to soothe the woman¡¯s nerves, and she leaned forward aggressively. ¡°Do you have any soul dust, death¡¯s essence, liquid pain¡­¡± She continued to name a few dozen other ingredients that all sounded unsavory. Aarl glanced into his pouch again. ¡°No?¡± He did not sound certain. The customs agent looked positively angry. ¡°We will have to do a full check. You will¡­¡± She was interrupted by a cough from the woman in the dress and looked back. The younger woman gave her a meaningful look, then tilted her gaze upwards towards the palace above. The suited woman gave an angry sigh, then turned back to the Heirs. She spoke through gritted teeth. ¡°By invitation of her majesty, Sarya Pamaris, Questor of Keihona, you are welcome in the City beyond Endings. Break no laws during your stay.¡± She moved aside grudgingly. The other woman stepped up to fill the gap and smiled brilliantly at them. ¡°My name is Molithri. If it suits your desires, would you follow me?¡± She turned and led the Heirs down the dock, turning back to give them another grin once they¡¯d gotten out of earshot. ¡°My worthiest apologies. You must understand that the border guard are serious in their duties.¡± She turned to meet Nathan¡¯s eyes, an amused look on her face. ¡°But be confident that you are truly welcome here.¡± This felt like a true welcome, not the halfhearted one the border agent had given. Nathan returned the smile. ¡°Thank you.¡± He followed Molithri towards what looked like a magical elevator bank in the back wall of the giant cavern.
Status of Nathan Lark:
Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 8 Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 6 Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 8
Class: End of Magic level 834 Bottomless Stamina : 84400/84400 Indomitable The Undeniable Strike of the Antimage Stamina Burn Momentum Mastery Stoneflesh Arcane Nullification Galefoot Close Quarters Mastery Boundless Aura Denial of Mysticism The Ending of Magic Aura Projection Selective Dispel The Living World
Class: Spellslayer level 564 Regenerative Focus: 5740/5740 Catastrophic Blows Battle Stealth Mage Infiltration Forgettable Sneaky Blow Antimagic Stealth Magical Manipulation Lethal Index Wizard Resistance Magic Jammer Controlled Failure
Utility skills: Tranquility 3 Inspiration 8 Impulse 3 Mystical Discernment 3 Forewarning 2 Arcane Insight 4 Evasion 1 Mental Vault 5 Tutoring 9 Parkour 9 Visibility Control 5 High-tier Disguise 5 High-tier Battle Cry 3 Aura Control 5