《To Fly the Soaring Tides》


 0 - The Sleepy Islands Last Rest

    Through a golden spyglass and beyond the parted clouds, Cira laid eyes on solid land for the first time in what felt like months. That wasn¡¯t unheard of up here, but the aspiring sorcerer would go mad if she spent any longer wandering through such empty skies.


    Cira changed course to get a closer look at the island she spied on the horizon. For a time, she enjoyed drifting through these vast stretches of nothing, interacting with few and landing only on a rare whim, but the life of a hapless gull had begun to take its toll. Now that she had largely come to terms with her father¡¯s passing, Cira found herself excruciatingly bored most of the time.


    She told herself she¡¯d land at the very next island she found no matter the circumstance. It was time to finally get serious about her sorcery again. Now, Cira found herself adrift deep in the desolate reaches of the sky after a couple years of travelling without concern for direction. Luckily, lands found in these skies often hid an ingredient that could do leaps and bounds for getting her back on her feet.


    As Cira approached, she determined it would only take a few hours to walk across if that were her goal. Most of the terrain was made up of flat woodlands but there were signs that people lived here at some point. Old piles of charcoal from buildings burned long ago, a bridge fallen into the river. On the edge of the forest closest to her, there was a ruined castle of crumbling stone. Each structure gave the impression they were constructed by different builders, as if multiple eras of people abandoned this place.


    Not one to walk when she didn¡¯t have to, Cira still held the fresh wound of having just lost her skiff after trying to push her luck a few islands back. Travelling alone was more dangerous than she expected. The miniature sailboat her father built for her was perfect for getting across an island to areas she didn¡¯t have room to land in otherwise, but alas, she¡¯d need to find a new one.


    An open field showed itself not far from the ruined castle past a dense stretch of forest, and Cira brought Breeze Haven in to start descending. Compared to the little boat, this was a much more impressive invention. Her father created it long before he took her in, and Cira had called it home almost as long as she could remember.


    While nowhere near the size of the one the island she was preparing to land on, the Island of Breeze Haven still had room enough for a garden to grow food and a yard to stretch her legs. Cira flew over the treeline until she noticed another clearing in the woods much closer to the castle than she initially planned. Saving herself some distance would be a huge boon, so she slowed down to see if it could work for a landing.


    Pulling out her spyglass again to take a look, she almost tripped over herself and dropped it, ¡°No¡­ no way! It can¡¯t be¡ª¡± Cira didn¡¯t even need the spyglass to see it as she floated over. The fledgling sorcerer had seen strange beasts and frightening birds during her time in the clouds, but this one was more terrifying and imposing than any other.


    In fact, Cira was convinced her father had made these creatures up for the sake of stories and sounding impressive, but there was no other way to look at it. Laying asleep in the clearing below was a red dragon. Huge, spiny wings folded up at its back. Its head was fearsome, adorned with three sets of horns and a maw massive enough to swallow a few houses.


    Even if she wanted to, there wasn¡¯t room to land there¡ªthe beast was larger than Breeze Haven. Covering its entire body head to tail was a thick armor plating of crimson red dragon scales. Cira stumbled back and hardly caught herself on the railing. Her legs trembled and her arms grew weak as she stood there frozen in place. It took a few seconds before she could shake herself off and snap out of it.


    ¡°Dammit¡­ I have to land here though. I told myself I would!¡± She was determined not to be thwarted by something so trivial as a beast taking a nap, ¡°A real sorcerer wouldn¡¯t fly away scared¡­ At worst, I¡¯ll just sneak around it!¡±


    And so, she slowed down, held her breath, and continued to the first field she spotted to finally land. After shaking away the tension, landing was a simple matter and Cira ran back inside to get ready for an excursion. Her house wasn¡¯t large, but most of the rooms were downstairs, carved right into her portable island¡¯s interior.


    Any time Cira visited ruins, she hoped to find treasure, and today was no different. One could argue a sorcerer needed treasure more than any pirate in the sky, but she was here for something else¡ªthe treasure would only be a bonus.


    The main event today would be digging for worms, and as any budding young sorcerer should know, picking one¡¯s attire properly for each situation was essential. Despite neglecting her studies, Cira¡¯s wardrobe had continued to grow steadily as sewing was a fine companion to loneliness. Her father always said not to be reckless, so she ran downstairs for a change of clothes.


    Below ground, the interior of Breeze Haven was mostly stone carved to look like a palace, but nothing gaudy. Her father had some taste alongside his eccentricities. Narrow tables dotted the edges of the hall and held potted plants or the odd decorative relic¡ªan ornate dagger here, a shimmering goblet there.


    Cira¡¯s removed the seal on her bedchamber and turned the lights down low, so she didn¡¯t have to see the mess at her feet too clearly. She would clean her room later, but sorcery came first. From within her vast closet, Cira grabbed the new robes she crafted for just this occasion. Her golden hair rested on soft fabric the color of desert sand, which turned darker in a gradient as it flowed to her feet.


    When she put the hat on, its sandy tones brought out the vibrant green of her eyes, but she couldn¡¯t help laughing at herself in the mirror. As an amateur seamstress, she couldn¡¯t get the hat to fold over so it pointed straight up. Alas, the hat allowed her to achieve finer control over the mud she had to dig through than she could manage herself, so there was no helping that for now.


    ¡°Time to go!¡± Cira returned upstairs and skipped right out the door, but only made it as far as the garden before her spirits fell again, ¡°Just have to sneak past the dragon¡­¡±


    But don¡¯t let her tears fool you¡ªshe could have taken a wide berth to avoid it completely. Cira would argue she didn¡¯t want to walk more than she had to, but it wasn¡¯t very far to the castle anyway. The trees here weren¡¯t sparse, but their leaves didn¡¯t offer much protection from the sun. She¡¯d seen a dark cloud coming this way earlier. So far it hadn¡¯t reached her yet, but the wind had been picking up all morning.


    It didn¡¯t look like much of a storm yet, but she was better safe than sorry. It was best to wrap this trip up quickly and take off again. After fifteen minutes or so, Cira reached the first clearing. She could see it through the trees. Little specks of red between the foliage that seemed to glisten with pure fire mana.


    As her father would say and had said many times, ¡°it is always prudent to avoid an unknown threat, while it is even more prudent to avoid an overwhelming threat.¡± Now, the old man had a pair of robes for this. They even resembled the scales a little bit. Cira was convinced that wanting to look cool in his Dragonslayer Robes was part of the reason he made dragons up, but now she wasn¡¯t so sure. She hemmed them to fit her a while back, but that would leave her out of luck in the mud.


    Truthfully, Cira knew without a shadow of a doubt that if the dragon woke up, she would blast herself home with some painfully effective magic and fly away without hesitation. The problem here lay in that it was a simple matter to push one¡¯s luck with a sleeping dragon. Yes, among those fairytales were many a dragon who slept for decades or even centuries at a time.


    Naturally, Cira remembered the entirely wrong lesson from her father in the entirely wrong context: ¡°There will come a time you are met with great danger, and you have no choice but to stare it in the face. On that day, once the danger has passed and you are far beyond the clouds, you will know you are a true sorcerer.¡± This is it. Today¡¯s the day I become a true sorcerer.


    With clenched fists and bated breath, she crept up to the clearing. The dragon¡¯s sleeping form towered over her and again, her blood ran cold. It was so much worse up close. Its monstrous jaws could clamp onto Breeze Haven and whip it around like a toy. Each of its front horns stood taller than her house while a single scale was larger than her entire body. She wanted to convince herself to go touch its horn and run away, but that just felt like a joke at this point.


    The girl was far out of her depth and shook in her boots, but her eyes were unmoving. Who knew if she¡¯d ever see such a magnificent creature again. The growl of each breath the dragon took from its deep sleep was enough to shake the forest. The sun burned her eyes as it bounced off the crimson scales, but it reflected on her the color of the warmest sunset.


    In all the fairytales her father never mentioned how beautiful this terrifying creature was, so she took a few moments to admire the slumbering legend while she had the chance. Her eyes kept flitting back to its face as she watched for any movement or sign that it was awakening. Soon anxiety had crept up her spine and froze Cira in place. Suddenly, she had to exhale, and its nose twitched.


    Cira almost fell over but managed to catch herself on a tree branch without making too much noise. Before even drawing another breath, she had disappeared into the woods. Walking as fast and quietly as humanly possible, with wide eyes and arms tensed, she kept her face forward and departed. Straight into the woods.


    After trekking a considerable distance, Cira found a nice tree to kneel behind and curled up. Her breath was heavy and uneven, and she had to spend a few minutes just trying to calm her heartbeat down. This was another case of pushing her luck but so far, she could only hear its rhythmic breathing. It was asleep.


    Phew¡­ That was too close. I don¡¯t feel like a real sorcerer at all after that¡­


    She allowed herself a short break before standing up and peering suspiciously behind her. Nothing. Left and right. Nothing. The forest was quiet save for the dragon¡¯s slumber. Cira hadn¡¯t seen any signs of wildlife either. Surely, they¡¯d all left for fear of the dragon. Finally, she brought herself to carry on to the castle.


    At one point in time, it must have been tall, but now the castle was scarce more than a pile of bricks, weathered with time. She could tell it had been built with great care, but any details were sanded to nothing through millennia of winds. The walls still stood at its base, but most else was gone. Curiously, nothing but a fallen tower lay to the side.


    Cira noticed strange marks and holes dug into the stone, all over the ruined structure. She had been warned about abandoned islands before but never seen the reason why in person. As she got closer, her suspicions were confirmed. Inside the holes, littering the ground, and crawling up the walls, were hundreds if not thousands of black snakes.


    ¡°Ruin Eaters¡­¡± Cira tensed up again, ¡°I have to make this quick.¡±


    If an island was abandoned for long enough¡ªcould be decades or centuries for all she knew¡ªthese things dropped out of the sky. Her father tried to study them, but it was difficult to determine where they came from without witnessing the moment they appear.


    That aside, their nature is to fall on an island after so long and eat everything on it. Well, not everything. They return the island to its natural state before supposedly dropping off the shore into the cloudy abyss below. Once they¡¯ve appeared, however, you can¡¯t get rid of them until their job is done, even if people or other creatures move back in. They¡¯re incredibly resistant to magic as well, so killing them all would be a monumental task. It was best to step over them.


    The ruin eater devours whatever it wants, be it stone or metal, enchanted artifacts. Anything left behind. While not aggressive, they would attack if angered or suddenly awoken. After one has eaten its fill, it takes a nap, apparently for years at a time. Bit by bit, thousands of ruin eaters will devour a castle through centuries of repeating this cycle, feasting until they¡¯re full and sleeping until they¡¯re hungry.


    They were pitch black and it was hard to tell if they even had scales. It was like their bodies rejected light and you couldn¡¯t get a good look at them. You¡¯d think they were silhouettes if they didn¡¯t cast a shadow.


    Tiptoeing through the thick grass, Cira carefully stepped over the slumbering serpents while walking around the rest. The ones that were awake ate at a snail¡¯s pace, dragging themselves across stone or burrowing straight into the wall, slowly devouring whatever was before them over days or weeks at a time.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Finally, Cira made it to the front door with low expectations. Any treasure which once existed here was sure to have been eaten up by this point, but still, she entered what was left of the castle. There was no door, of course, or roof for that matter. She walked right in and past the crumbling bricks. Not a single trace of anything made of cloth or wood remained¡ªno furniture, paintings, anything.


    Pedestals carved out of large blocks lined what used to be a hall and Cira was pretty sure treasure was once placed upon them, though none remained. There were a lot of snakes inside, too. More so than outside. She hopped from one bare brick to the next, narrowly avoiding stepping on one or tripping over their tracks. By the time she got to the end of the hallway the walls had decayed to a sorry state, or perhaps the ruin eaters had only progressed that much further.


    In other words, there was less the more she looked. No indications of an underground level, as she¡¯d been checking the whole time, and by the time she found herself on the other side of this hollow shell of a castle, she had given up on treasure completely.


    The sorcerer sighed, ¡°I guess it¡¯s time for worms¡­¡±


    Bloat worms were found in old soil. Ancient soil if you will. They lay dormant for hundreds or even thousands of years, and at the end of that long rest, they were prime ingredients for mana elixirs. Cira walked around to the side of the castle where it used to meet a moat. The water had long since stagnated, yet clearly still got a trickle from the spring somewhere as it hadn¡¯t dried up.


    The best place to find bloat worms was in old, slightly moist dirt. And with the castle being the oldest structure on the island from a glance, Cira thought beneath it would be the perfect place to go worm hunting. Out in the open, they were more likely to have been ravaged by birds or anything else that wanted mana.


    She held up a staff of polished stone and a bright light the color of her robes appeared from the jewel encased at the top. After a brief wait, a long rope of mud shot out of the bare dirt before losing its shape and seeping apart. Then, a blue light appeared from a ring in her off hand and water fell over the mud, washing it away.


    ¡°Darn¡­ No hits.¡± She tried again and again, throwing mud all over the ground until¡ª ¡°I¡¯ve got one!¡±


    From the dissolving mud remained a dark brown and lumpy, engorged log of flesh. Truthfully, they shared an unfortunate likeness with something that found more use in botany than alchemy. But that didn¡¯t stop Cira as she rinsed it off and threw it in her satchel, hungry for more worms after her first catch of the day.


    Ruin eaters were slow, but if they stumbled upon Breeze Haven they¡¯d probably slither right through the barrier. Her dad was convinced they would, anyhow. The ruin eaters defied logic every time he tried to learn something about them, and he supposedly had yet to figure out how to stop them.


    That said, Cira wasn¡¯t leaving this island without a surplus of worms. With them and a couple extra steps, she¡¯d frivolously cast spells far into the foreseeable future and help strangers all across the sky. Just like Dad did¡­ I¡¯m a real sorcerer now, right¡­? Cira wasn¡¯t convinced after her pitiful dragon encounter, but she still had to sail off past the clouds before claiming the title.


    Under the beating sun, Cira took a break to wipe the sweat from her brow when saw something appear on the other side of the island. Pulling out her spyglass again, she saw it was a ship. A top of the line one at that, molded by a master artificer to be a single block of wood with metallic sails keeping it aloft. Three masts found themselves still hidden in the clouds.


    ¡°What could they be doing here? Are they thirsty¡­?¡± Judging by the river she saw under the fallen bridge, that was the direction of this island¡¯s spring. She didn¡¯t know what a wealthy merchant would be doing on such an empty island if it weren¡¯t for water. It didn¡¯t strike her as a pirate ship because anyone who could afford one like that would have no need for piracy, though the sails didn¡¯t have any symbols on them. ¡°I guess they didn¡¯t see the dragon, or they¡¯re desperate for land.¡±


    Behind this ship was the approaching stormfront. It had grown in size and become darker still. Cira didn¡¯t really need to care about the storm, but leaving before it hit would make her life easier in a variety of ways.


    Cira went back to pulling worms out of the mud, intent on filling up her bag before having to deal with the forces of nature or people. It would take them a few hours to make a beeline straight for her unless they sprinted for some reason. Cira realized her mind was wandering and that wasn¡¯t very likely to happen at all. Still, she picked up the pace and her excitement reached its peak after she pulled an especially fat worm from the mud.


    ¡°My, what fascinating creatures,¡± she said, lifting it up and staring at the levitating brown lump, ¡°To think they store mana for hundreds of years. What do they do with it all?¡±


    The bloat worm was such a great ingredient for mana elixirs because it spent most of its life sleeping below ground, just gathering mana indefinitely. However, her father warned her of the dangers related to harvesting this ingredient. In her worm-induced fervor, Cira had forgotten about it for only a brief but critical moment.


    She went to pluck the worm out of the air and put it away as she did with all the rest, but when her finger made contact, she felt a jolt run through her body. Faster than she could blink her eyes, Cira was bathed in an explosion of mana and light. Her barriers shattered like porcelain and pierced her ears as she was left writhing on the ground coughing up dust. The burns on her arms and face stung, but somehow the smell of burnt hair troubled her most.


    If one were to touch a bloat worm that¡¯s too close to waking, the superdense mana it spent centuries gathering will react with that of the unfortunate alchemist and explode violently. This was well-known to Cira, but if she hadn¡¯t activated a shield in fear of the dragon earlier, she would have been thoroughly roasted.


    After blowing the smoke away she caught her breath, touching her face, ¡°Okay, okay¡­ It¡¯s not that bad¡­ I can heal this.¡± Her breaths were painful and shallow as she wiped the blood off her fingers and onto her new robes. They were half-burned away, so treating them well was the last thing on Cira¡¯s mind. The ringing in her ears was too bad to hear anything and she found herself slumped over with her head cradled in her hands.


    Once she had a breath to spare, Cira cast a basic healing spell. The shield had taken most of the damage, so she just had surface burns. They healed over easily, and Cira was left to lament her new hairstyle. It was much shorter than it should be and a little lopsided.


    The sorcerer frowned before rinsing herself off, but she could still feel the charred bits that poked against her face. The silver lining was without her silly, obnoxiously pointed hat, she¡¯d likely be bald right now.


    ¡°Wait, the dragon!¡± She jumped up and cupped her ear, trying to hear deep into the forest. The steady sound of a resting dragon¡¯s breath couldn¡¯t be heard anymore, but it was hard to hear her own footsteps right now. Even after healing, her ears still rung. That just had to go away on its own.


    Cira didn¡¯t want to take any chances, so she tied up her worm bag and turned her back to the castle. It wasn¡¯t full but this much would last her a little while. Considering their potency varied by age, she still had millennia worth of mana the worms tirelessly cultivated for her. It was time to turn back.


    After all that noise there was still no movement from the other ship. While it was far away, they doubtless heard the explosion. With any luck, they were the only ones who heard.


    Taking a wide path around the dragon, she tiptoed back through the forest, too scared to even look that way. Before long she started jogging, then running. As her hearing cleared up, there was no flapping of wings nor fearsome roar, but if its breathing was any indication, the beast no longer slumbered.


    But she was past the insurmountable monster. In the home stretch¡ªshe could practically smell the roses from here. Cira saw the spire atop her home poke up over the treeline when the ground began to shake. The horrible grinding of stone filled the air for miles around and Cira heard cracks beneath her feet. Suddenly, the ground started to tilt.


    Distant trees could be seen starting to lean the opposite way. A fissure appeared at Cira¡¯s feet, and she dove to the side, narrowly avoiding getting swallowed up as the island came apart. All she could see through the ensuing clouds of dust were the dark pits between cracked stone below which she knew an unfathomably long fall to certain death awaited.


    ¡°What is all this?!¡± The sorcerer¡¯s staff slipped out of her hand, never to be seen again, and she clawed at the rising ground to find purchase. ¡°I have to get home¡ª¡±


    She was interrupted by a sound loud enough to drown out the miles of crumbling earth. Cira almost dropped to her death trying to protect herself from the ear-piercing roar. It was loud enough that more cracks formed by the time it was through. Intense pain wracked her ears and a warm liquid dripped onto her shoulder. Clutching onto fractured stone with the bloodied fingernails of a single hand, she scrambled to heal herself again. Being deaf was too disorienting and she¡¯d already lost her way.


    If she weren¡¯t clinging on for dear life, she¡¯d be petrified. All her muscles tensed as she tried to figure out which direction Breeze Haven lay through the clouds of dust when a powerful flap broke the air like a giant whip. Cira winced and by the time she opened her eyes, the dust was gone. She met eyes with the enraged dragon who returned her gaze with misplaced scorn as its chest puffed up.


    Cira looked behind and saw Breeze Haven as it slid towards her on an opposing piece of broken island, flattening trees as it approached. It was still far away though, and she couldn¡¯t run in these conditions. Just then she felt a sinking feeling and she slowly rose up from the stone, watching her dear home do the same. The island was falling, and Cira didn¡¯t have time to question why.


    As she heard another growl from ahead her attention was once again split. Turning back to the dragon, she saw it breathing in air while flames danced in its open maw, furious eyes trained on her.


    Cira was sweating but her survival instincts kicked in. She layered shield after shield onto her body without minding the mana spent. She only had one shot at this, or she would be cooked alive. Her home would plummet through the skies before sinking to the bottom of the sea.


    Her staff was no more, but she didn¡¯t need one for this. The sorcerer waited until the dragon just couldn¡¯t hold them in anymore and flames burst from its mouth with a brilliance not even her father could have conjured¡ªto her knowledge. If she had the time she¡¯d sit there and watch it. The flames of impending death were the most beautiful thing Cira had ever laid eyes on, with their source being a close second.


    As the heat whipped her face, she let out a burst of light from her palm. The stone beneath Cira rose up and exploded which sent her hurling into the air, beaten and bruised by the passing rocks. By the time she got the chance to spit out a mouthful of blood, the stone exploded again in a fiery blast, shooting her away from the dragon like a cannonball.


    All she could see for a split second was a column of fire that became so bright she nearly went blind, instinctively clamping her eyelids shut and flinching away.


    Her shields shattered together in an instant and a million shards of glittering light dissipated while the fringes of dragon¡¯s fire threatened to melt her skin off. The speed at which she flew snuffed out any flames and Cira hardly hung on to consciousness when she barreled through a wooden shed, peeling up grass and rolling to a stop against an apple tree.


    She was in a daze until a ripened fruit dropped on her forehead with a heavy thud, ¡°D-dammit! Up! Go up!¡± Breeze Haven was already airborne so it happily obliged. It drifted to the side, slowly leveling out, and Cira flattened against the ground when the mass of stone heaved itself up.


    The burned and battered sorcerer-to-be was in no shape to run upstairs, but she didn¡¯t need fine control to get the hell out. If she wanted to go up, Breeze Haven would rise. Reaching the nearby storm clouds would be her only salvation.


    Pain assailed her head as Cira pushed out another healing spell and she could feel herself running dangerously low on mana. If she ran out completely it would take months to return but she had to take the risk. Timidly opening her wounded eyes, she crawled over to the fence at the edge of her garden and locked eyes with the dragon. It hadn¡¯t let her out of its sight for even a second.


    The chunk of land she¡¯d just escaped was no more. Moreover, a huge hole was carved right through as if a massive beam had erased it ending just a few strides in front of where Breeze Haven had taken off from. The land¡¯s remains joined the rest of the island in plummeting through the cloudy abyss. Heat that can vaporize stone¡­ There¡¯s no fighting this thing. Not in a thousand years.


    ¡°And h-how¡­ can something so huge fly?¡± It was truly unbelievable, and she really wished it was still just a fairytale. It looked like it could slap Breeze Haven away with just one of its wings. The dragon stayed aloft with only a few lazy flaps now and again¡ªit defied all reason. But within its jaws another ball of flame had begun to form. ¡°Not again!¡±


    She had almost reached the dark clouds and could hear angels¡¯ whispers behind the distant rolling thunder. Just a little further and she¡¯d be safe. At the very least, hidden from sight. According to the fairytales, red ones didn¡¯t like water. If it were a blue or even yellow, she¡¯d just take a seat in the garden and wait for the end.


    ¡°But I still have a chance!¡± Cira shouted to the sky, only to be drowned out by the forces of nature which all converged around her.


    She dumped the last of the mana she could spare into Breeze Haven and threw it forward. The clattering of broken dishes from inside the house didn¡¯t even register as she leaned into the clouds to finally breach the dark shroud of storm. Her own island¡¯s barrier held the clouds at a distance, encapsulating her in a black sphere as she drifted deeper, the torrent of wind and distant thunder was all that could be heard up here. Escape was the only option, really. Her father was no hack, but there was no taking chances after what she just witnessed. This was not the day to test her defenses.


    Suddenly, the clouds lit up and in front of her a column of the storm simply disappeared, leaving a massive void. Her eyes shot open, and she went pale. If the dragon¡¯s aim were any better, she¡¯d have taken that directly. In a fluster, Cira did everything she could to back away. Then the sky-shattering dragon¡¯s roar broke through the storm again, and she heard the flapping of colossal wings. They buzzed around her on one side, then the other.


    Its furious cries as it tried to find the prey that got away had Cira stuck in the grass clutching her knees. Out of mana for at least a couple days, she could only let Breeze Haven float away, waiting out the dragon and hoping it lost the trail. She heard it unleash its terrible fire a few more times before the sound of wings eventually grew distant. Still, her nerves were on end and every crack of thunder made her flinch.


    Helplessly adrift again, she stayed there for a few hours and tried to calm down, shivering inside the dark clouds. She¡¯d never had such a close brush with death. That beast was enough to destroy everything in sight so long as it felt like it. If its fury was ever set on an island, they wouldn¡¯t last five minutes.


    Did the dragon break the island? I didn¡¯t hear its roar until after, though, and why would it even do that? That was an old island, and I didn¡¯t go look at the spring, so who knows. Today could have just been the day it was destined to fall.


    Cira didn¡¯t look back or even move for a while. She just sat there in the garden. Hopefully that dreadful creature was never to be seen again. She didn¡¯t think to spare a thought for whatever dismal fate that unfortunate merchant ship met. There was nothing on her mind but getting as far away as possible.


    On the ground next to what remained of Cira¡¯s shed, she noticed a brown bag¡ªher satchel. The drawstring had burned away but seeing the bounty of worms she¡¯d foraged spilled out in the grass made one more thing cross her mind.


    ¡°By the time this storm passes¡­ I can finally call myself a sorcerer.¡±

 1 - Heron Village, First Day

    Weeks of surviving on fish had the girl¡¯s stomach twisted in knots, but a lush forest thrived at this new destination. She could not, however, callously plunder it for its bounty. On the other side of this island was a fully developed and impressively built village of wood. As she approached, the gates cracked open and a small group of men wielding wooden spears walked towards her cautiously. They wore clothes of dull color with leather sewn around their vitals¡ªmore like hunters than guards.


    ¡°Hold there, traveler,¡± An older man spoke in a gruff voice through his coarse beard, ¡°I am chief of this village, Sam. What business has brought you here?¡±


    Many places Cira had been didn¡¯t see much in the way of visitors, and greeted them with suspicion, but it was only natural. She gave them a variation of the same spiel most received, ¡°I¡¯m a travelling sorcerer, looking to trade my services for food. Call me Cira.¡± I also accept treasure, just not today.


    She pinched the sides of her silken dress and performed a curtsy. Some of Cira¡¯s robes were enchanted but she chose a simple green dress today because the forest excited her so. Most of a sorcerer¡¯s image was in the hat anyhow. And as a healthy young woman, she had a smile that set others at ease.


    The men exchanged looks and breathed a collective sigh of relief, ¡°A sorcerer, I see. That explains the strange clothes and your¡­ home? We don¡¯t get many travelers around these days. I can¡¯t say there¡¯s much work for a sorcerer unless you plan to stick around after the festival.¡±


    An important part of travelling was indulging in local customs. Cira¡¯s father taught her never to let a chance celebration pass. As such events usually didn¡¯t happen often, it was a sign of good luck to stumble upon one. Allegedly. That said, Cira had her apprehensions. Luck wasn¡¯t often good or bad, it was a mixed bag.


    ¡°A festival, is it? What are you celebrating?¡± She asked, moving closer so nobody had to yell.


    ¡°The history of our people and their efforts. The past and future of this island.¡± Cira noticed the chief¡¯s companions all light up, a fire burning in their hearts when he started talking, ¡°We hold it once a generation to celebrate our way of life, the essence of change and unity. It¡¯s a time of rebirth. So those that follow may learn from our toils and bring ever greater prosperity to this island, we step down for the next generation to start over with a clean slate. It must truly be fate that you¡¯ve arrived at this time. Would you like to join us for the festival?¡±


    Cira twirled a lock of golden hair as she considered, ¡°Your culture sounds fascinating. When is the festival?¡±


    ¡°In just three days¡¯ time, at sunset.¡±


    Using everything that she¡¯d learned, the answer was obvious, ¡°I¡¯d be a fool to pass it up when I¡¯ve been so lucky with the timing. Count me in.¡± And with that it was settled. Most destinations were either boring or dangerous, but this one was shaping up to be a nice stay. Cira needed a vacation that didn¡¯t involve sitting at home among the clouds.


    They were all happy to hear it and shared their own excitement to have a guest before Sam continued, ¡°Come to think of it, we could use some help setting up. Won¡¯t be very magical work but it¡¯ll earn you some meals.¡±


    With that, Cira was just as happy and readily agreed. A signal from their chief to someone in the watchtower and the gates rolled open, knocking rhythmically as the mechanism swung along its path. She marveled at the buildings inside, each one uniquely crafted with planks or precisely shaped logs. Every structure had its own flair to it. Some had pillars at the corners with intricate designs carved into them, while others had looming towers or grand doorways. Some homes hardly looked like wood at all.


    Cira had never seen such grand displays of craftsmanship and could only imagine how many decades it must have taken to build. Everywhere she looked there were new details that somebody personally worked on. As if every inch of this village was handcrafted by an artist. Hundreds of them, from the looks of it.


    ¡°Is everything here made of wood? I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ve ever seen such a beautiful town.¡± It felt wrong calling this a mere village.


    ¡°Oh, you flatter us,¡± Sam replied, ¡°Aside from some tools we¡¯ve yet to replace for farming, cooking, and woodcraft of course, we make everything from wood. The trees in our forest grow sturdy and they grow fast. That forest you saw is only thirty years old.¡±


    Cira¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. The forest had looked like old growth when she looked down on it with her spyglass. Gentle streams nestled behind verdant canopies, hosting a rich variety of plants and wildlife. One could hear the songs of different birds from as far away as the village center.


    It was a sprawling pavilion paved entirely in wood, lined with benches and garden plots. People going about their daily business strode past smiling, exchanging pleasantries or admiring her dress.


    Many people she saw were building something or otherwise carving wood, while others did laundry by the well or shook out rugs. Suddenly Cira saw smoke nearby and the aroma of spiced meat filled the air.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re here so early, why not join us for breakfast?¡± One of the other men asked.


    ¡°Good idea,¡± Sam agreed while Cira did the same mentally, ¡°Then we can get you started with some work today. Of course, we¡¯ll feed you more later on.¡±


    Cira lived a relatively sheltered life, despite everything, and wasn¡¯t suspicious about the offer for a moment. She lit up, readily agreeing and complimenting how great it smelled from afar. She didn¡¯t have to worry about them poisoning it, of course, for these were good-natured people. It could also be said Cira was just a good judge of character, though that trait was known to vary from place to place.


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    Following the smell of impending food, they found themselves at a massive longhouse that looked like you could turn it upside down and sail away. She received a warm traveler¡¯s welcome from the village after being introduced by their chief. On one side of the hall were children and the younger folk impatiently waiting, and the rest of the tables were crammed with adults. Cira thought everyone in the village must be here.


    It was clear they had a strong sense of community, which wasn¡¯t uncommon for places like these¡ªso isolated from others. Likewise, places that received few travelers or didn¡¯t conduct much trade tended to be extremely self-reliant. This much could be seen everywhere you look in this village, along with the pride the people here took in it.


    The hall bustled with life, people laughing together or talking about their work for the day, smiles on all their faces. They seemed especially excited about the festival and getting it ready. Cira tried to listen in but it just sounded like a lot of hard work and building. She was no stranger to manual labor, but it wasn¡¯t her favorite. However, there were two very good reasons for her to overlook that spinning over a fire.


    Wild boar was something of a delicacy to Cira, who didn¡¯t have much freedom over her diet. It could often be too chewy or have a rather robust taste. But these were large, healthy boars that had likely been caught just outside the village earlier. She was inclined to believe it would be everything she had hoped for.


    And it was. Though she found it a little hearty for breakfast, Cira savored the long-awaited meal and got to know some of the villagers. Most were farmers who took care of the stretch of land between the village and the forest, but sewing and basket weaving were common occupations here too. The hunters were comprised of villagers who had spare time and experience. Of course, all of them did some manner of woodcraft.


    Everyone shared in this village, so everyone always had what they needed. Nobody went hungry. Leftovers were either scattered through the forest or used to bait the next meal.


    As they chatted the morning away and engorged themselves with a proper feast, a whistle sounded abruptly from back towards the pavilion. Then another of a slightly different tone. Suddenly a chorus of chimes resounded, and Cira looked around to find she was the only one surprised.


    ¡°Is that¡­ a song?¡± She asked.


    ¡°That means it¡¯s time for work.¡± Sam said, ¡°But you should see this! All the travelers love it.¡±


    Everybody put their plates in a pile, there were presumably people that took care of that every day, and the chief led Cira back to the village center. What before she thought was a wooden fountain with no water now spun around. Carved figures of men and women were bobbing up and down, rotating as if dancing as they all spun in a circle around a narrow spire in the center.


    ¡°What is this¡­?¡± Cira could only stare in awe, having no idea what she was looking at.


    ¡°It¡¯s our village clock.¡± Sam beamed with his chin turned up in pride, ¡°One of our greatest achievements. It sounds at the beginning of our day here and once again at the end, when we stop working. Those flutes there bob and weave in sequence to form a melody.¡±


    Sam pointed behind each wooden man where there was a hollow shaft¡ªthe flutes. They would periodically jut upward forcing air through, ¡®singing¡¯ in perfect time with the dancing statuettes. They surrounded the central spire, which earlier she noticed had carvings of the sun and moon around it. Now, they formed a moving picture of the day and night trading places through the day.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like it¡­¡± She had a vague understanding of how clocks worked. Gears turn consistently and with a specific timing to keep the mechanism running ¡®on time¡¯. Trying to imagine the genius that would have to go in to making a clock sing and dance at the same time twice a day was making Cira¡¯s head spin.


    ¡°Travelers always say that.¡± Sam was rightfully proud, and Cira didn¡¯t blame him for looking a little smug. It was just that impressive. ¡°But thank you for your kind words. This is our people¡¯s pride.¡±


    Once the melody died down, the chief offered some clothes for Cira to work in, expressing how terrible he¡¯d feel if she ruined her clothes helping them out. Hers were nothing special, just some leaf green fabric she traded fish for then stitched together. On her head there was even a pointed hat of the same green with a brim around the edge to keep the sun out of her eyes.


    Admittedly, she looked like a sorcerer rather than a carpenter, and didn¡¯t want to be rude, so she accepted the clothes with gratitude. Afterward, Sam explained that today everyone would be moving wood around the village. He left her with a new group of friendly faces who were busy sawing felled trees into pieces about as long as they were tall. She was instructed to help load carts that others would wheel off to different places around town.


    It was exhausting work, but Cira gave up on the vacation and put her back into it, rising to the challenge. It was a challenge not of will nor magical prowess, but of strength and endurance. Sweat soaked through her clothes as the sun wore on and she could feel how bad her body would ache the next day. She quickly found herself taking a break under the shade of a yet-felled tree.


    ¡°Here, drink up!¡± A girl too young to carry logs handed her a wood-carved cup of water. These girls wore bright colors with flowers in their hair and straw sunhats, running around with pitchers for everyone to take breaks regularly. The kids were more excited than all for the festival. It was a sight they wouldn¡¯t see again until they were nearing the end of their life.


    How lucky I am to stumble upon once in a lifetime events like this. Dad said these memories were the treasures he sought most up here. Though I wonder how hard he ever had to work for them.


    With the extra support, Cira was able to keep getting back up and hefting one log at a time into the cart. They weren¡¯t massive stumps, but they weren¡¯t small enough that the larger men could carry multiple either. Everyone had the same work to do, even if Cira was moving a little slower. The group she was helping didn¡¯t pay it any mind though, applauding her efforts, ¡°You sure know how to keep at it! Still, I can¡¯t believe Sam didn¡¯t make you a water girl.¡±


    Midway through the day they had a picnic of more boar with a salad this time. The villagers all continued their work with gusto while Cira was slowly losing her momentum. It was a rare clear day at this low altitude and the sun spared no mercy for the thin, young sorcerer. Her weary body, unaccustomed to a full day of rigorous work in the heat.


    She took another breather under the tree and the first water girl from that morning ran up right when the melodic chimes from across town rose up. The corner of the water girl¡¯s eyes crinkled in a smile. She laughed and clapped her hands, ¡°You made it! Great job, Miss! I wanna be pretty and strong like you too one day!¡±


    Cira found the clock¡¯s second song to be far more soothing. Its descending tune and slower tempo ushered in the time for rest.


    A much more gratifying dinner followed after Cira and her new friends migrated back to the longhouse, then she made it home as the last light of day fell beyond the distant clouds.


    Her humble cottage with its single tower was a silhouette against the dusk and the garden she¡¯d kept for so many years soaked up the last of sun¡¯s remnants to line her path in splashes of vibrant color. Wearing a strained smile, she used the last of her energy to crawl up the stairs and through the door, collapsing on the couch right inside with no hesitation.


    I¡¯m so glad I found a normal island for once, was Cira¡¯s last thought as sleep took her.

 2 - Heron Village, Following Days

    Cira hardly woke up with enough time to bathe before heading back into town for breakfast, but there was plenty left over when she arrived. Work that day was different now that all the lumber was in place. They worked together to build towers out of stacked logs throughout the village. If one connected the dots they formed two circles through the village, all ending at the clock¡¯s spire in the center of town which rose above even the longhouse and the watchtower.


    Compared to most things here, the festival towers looked like a shoddy rush job, but there was something beautiful about how all the pieces fit together to form twisting towers without any pieces connecting, each piece locking in the last. They still reflected the diligence these people took in their work, but they could be easily removed later. Cira was enjoying learning about their way of life¡ªeven if it was temporary, everything was done with care and consideration.


    ¡°How are you holding up, new girl?¡± One of yesterday¡¯s lumberjacks asked as he hoisted a log above his head and placed it on the tower.


    ¡°I¡¯m ashamed to admit, I can hardly keep up,¡± Cira replied. Her job was to hand stronger people logs, ¡°All of you villagers are amazing, seriously.¡±


    She made a mental note to start exercising more, but who¡¯s to say if it would stick. Half the point of magic was to not work as hard anyway. She could apply that logic here but thought it would be rude after they turned her down for sorcery work. Hard work was in the spirit of the festival.


    ¡°No need to be ashamed, Miss. Wood¡¯s just not heavy to us anymore, we¡¯ve all been moving it our whole lives. As you can see, all of us here in Heron Village start working when we¡¯re young.¡±


    He was referring to the attentive water girl approaching them with refreshments. What were the boys too young to carry logs doing? Snacks, of course. Now that Cira noticed, only so many snacks could go around through the workday. Some of the boys with nothing to do were moving logs, four sets of hands at a time, not getting much done but trying their best.


    The next day was spent connecting those dots with rope spanned between the towers multiple times over. The village women had spun it from a plant found in the forest into a lightweight but thick rope the pleasant color of saffron.


    ¡°What is all the rope for? Are we going to hang things from it?¡± Cira asked one of the people helping her.


    ¡°We just string it over the whole village,¡± he explained, ¡°And when it lights up on the night of the festival it¡¯s a truly incredible sight.¡±


    ¡°It lights up?¡± She was honestly surprised. This island was far less developed than most, woodworking skills aside. ¡°Is it magic?¡±


    The man chuckled, wearing a grin of fond reminiscence of the festival he saw as a boy, ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right. It sure is magical under the night sky.¡±


    She appreciated the easier workload that day as her body was on fire from the last two days of hard labor, and this time she managed to bathe before a hard-earned night¡¯s sleep in her bed. Everybody finished early and was planning to rest up before the big day.


    After breakfast the next morning, Sam suggested she take the day off, as most would be doing the same. ¡°We¡¯re very grateful for your help, Cira, and we can¡¯t tell you how much it means that you¡¯ve decided to join us. Feel free to hang out around the village or explore the island today. The celebration starts at sunset in the pavilion, and make sure to wear your nicest clothes.¡±


    He was an endearing old man overflowing with hospitality and despite the hard work, Cira really enjoyed her time in this village. There was talk of sorcery work after the festival, mainly chopping trees, so she was even considering an extended stay.


    Being cooped up in the village had her itching to explore the forest, however, so she ran home and put on her hat with the extra wide brim then packed herself some fruits to snack on. She wasn¡¯t scared of a boar, but you never know what you¡¯ll find in an unfamiliar forest. She stopped at home to pick up a wooden staff and started hiking up the charming hillock she could see from her yard.


    A menagerie of birds accompanied her, and she stopped every so often to look at the local flora, jotting down a picture in her notebook here or picking a couple flowers there. While a far cry from a botanist, Cira fancied herself a gardening enthusiast. Besides, she also fancied herself an alchemist, so studying the flowers was beneficial to her.


    Cira stumbled across a patch of mushrooms growing in the shade of what had to be the biggest tree in the forest. Its canopy was dense enough to block the sun and cast so wide that she caught a chill walking beneath it. The glossy surface of the false brimhorns caught her eye. She couldn¡¯t resist picking the light brown mushrooms as they were a somewhat rare and potent base for stabilizing a lot of tricky potions.


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    Around noon Cira started looking for a place to eat lunch and heard a rhythmic chipping, like the swinging of a pickaxe. Cira followed it to a clearing where she found a young boy hitting a rock against a boulder.


    With such a small frame, Cira was light on her feet, but she also had old habits drilled into her from childhood. She approached silently and got a look at the kid¡¯s work. He was in fact hitting one rock against another, carving an image into the stone wall.


    ¡°Is that a bird?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Bah!¡± The kid fell backwards, startled, ¡°Wh-when did you get here?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to frighten you,¡± Cira chuckled, ¡°I was just admiring your work. Do you like birds?¡±


    He looked down and spoke bashfully, ¡°Birds are alright, I guess.¡± She noticed the bird wasn¡¯t a heron, this village¡¯s namesake.


    ¡°It seems you have some talent,¡± He ostensibly did not, but it was important to encourage children to do what they enjoy. It could be said doing anything at all is a talent, but that was neither here nor there. ¡°Everybody in the village works with wood, but do you want to be sculptor?¡±


    Irritation flushed the kid¡¯s face, ¡°Wood is stupid. It doesn¡¯t last. I want to make something that will be here tomorrow, and forever.¡±


    Well, wood does rot, she thought, I like this kid. Maybe I should leave him with a gift.


    ¡°I suppose stone lasts as long as anything. I could make you something if you like.¡±


    ¡°Make me something¡­? Are you a sculptor?¡± He was skeptical.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not a sculptor, but have you ever seen magic?¡± The corners of her lips naturally turned up. She always enjoyed brightening a kid¡¯s day with a little magic show. It reminded her of when her father used to show off. He had a whole grimoire of spells to entertain a child that he built up over the years raising Cira. This would be more of a present than a show though. Earth magic was notoriously unflashy.


    ¡°Magic?!¡± There were sparkles in his eyes, ¡°That¡­ That¡¯s only in fairy tales! I saw you working with all the other grown-ups, you¡¯re just another carpenter!¡±


    She frowned, looking over her outfit. Her robes weren¡¯t extravagant or anything, but she thought she at least looked like a sorcerer at this point. She¡¯d been training for years and had a huge wardrobe of outfits painstakingly hand-sewn to fit the image of an elegant young spellcaster she had in her head. Do I need a pointier hat? They look funny when they don¡¯t fold over though, she sighed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see much woodwork in my future, I assure you. The last few days have been plenty for me.¡± The boy just cocked his head and looked at her confused.


    ¡°Really? Aren¡¯t you joining the festival?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­? I told everyone I would at least, and everybody seems really excited for it.¡±


    The boy shook his head and let out a sigh, ¡°I don¡¯t get you grownups¡­ but whatever. Can you do magic or not?¡±


    ¡°Of course! I¡¯ll even make you something that will last forever.¡± Joy welled in her heart watching that sense of wonder creep onto the kid¡¯s face.


    ¡°Will it really last forever?¡± He asked with bated breath.


    ¡°Longer than rock, I¡¯d wager. Come on, I¡¯ll show you.¡± They walked around the boulder to the center of the clearing.


    First, she checked the dirt under their feet, hoping she hadn¡¯t just lied to the boy. This was done with a detection spell she¡¯d learned years ago that pulsed through the ground to see what¡¯s down there. Just as she¡¯d hoped, there was iron, or something close enough to it. Raising her staff, a soft glow the color of sand emitted from the tip, then the ground started bulged and cracked.


    As the kid¡¯s jaw dropped to the ground, balls of raw iron burst up from clouds of dust like upside down rain. Cira could transmute it right out of the rock as is, and she gathered these iron balls before forming them together¡ªthe boy¡¯s eyes grew increasingly large in kind. She then spread them out into roughly the size of her garden table and added heat. Raw iron will last plenty long, but melting the impurities out helped by a measure of centuries, or so her father used to say.


    Once it all melted together, she formed a ring. Shaping it as she cooled it down, Cira marked eight ticks evenly around with one bearing an image of the sun, then a ninth that was an arrow. Next, she raised a fin up to a point starting from the center. After adding a sleek border and sharp lines throughout for aesthetic purposes, then a deep anchor below ground to make it truly permanent, she stood back and admired her work.


    ¡°It¡¯s so cool!¡± The kid jumped up and down, then ran over and knocked on it with his hand. ¡°No way! This thing will last forever for sure! But¡­ but what is it?¡±


    ¡°A sundial,¡± She said, quite pleased with herself. She had put a lot of thought into this gift. The boy seemed to like birds and she used to as well once upon a time. Maybe he wanted to fly too one day. And he wanted something that would last forever.


    ¡°It¡¯s a device to tell time using the sun, but it can also tell you which way to go.¡± She continued, ¡°Do you see how the point of the shadow stretches towards the sun? That means it¡¯s noon right now. At this time, the arrow here points North. It may change a little throughout the year, but you could come back tomorrow or in ten thousand years and never lose your way!¡±


    With stars in his eyes, he struggled to find words, ¡°This is the best. Thank you so much, magic lady!¡± He threw his arms around her. Well, around her legs at his height.


    Cira suppressed a groan at being called ¡®lady¡¯ and accepted the gratitude, patting him on the head. Just a few years ago, she regarded any adult she met as elderly too.


    ¡°I have another drawing that I finished already. Do you wanna see it?¡± The kid asked, excited to show off his own work. He took her around the boulder again and there was a larger carving. It was harshly chiseled using nothing but rocks, but she could tell it was another bird. One with its wingspan stretched wide, flying over the clouds.


    As Cira was about to praise the boy, she heard the bushes behind them rustle. While she didn¡¯t think anyone in the village was trouble, there was a tinge of bloodlust in the air. Faint but unmistakable to her sorcerous senses. Looking down at her hands, Cira prepared to activate one of her enchanted rings in case the situation turned.

 3 - Heron Village, Final Day

    ¡°Pita, is that you? What are you doing here? And what is all this¡­?¡± A gruff man wearing coarse, brown leather stepped into the clearing.


    ¡°I- I was just making pictures, dad.¡± The kid had turned white.


    ¡°Making pictures in stone?! You know that¡¯s forbidden. That is not the way of our people!¡± The man was furious, turning to Cira, ¡°And you! You¡¯re just an outsider, you shouldn¡¯t be encouraging his behavior!¡±


    He spent a couple minutes berating his son while Cira looked on at a loss. She didn¡¯t expect anything like this and stonework being taboo had really blindsided her. Nobody said a word. Before long the man¡¯s eyes landed on the sundial.


    ¡°And what is that? Did you do that, witch?!¡± This was a derogatory term for female spellcasters.


    ¡°It¡¯s a clock,¡± She shrugged, comparing it to the one in the village square, ¡°Nothing like your own, I admit.¡±


    ¡°A clock?¡± He looked at it confused, then decidedly didn¡¯t care, ¡°You have no right. I expect you to remove it immediately. In fact, you should probably leave when you¡¯re done.¡±


    The man¡¯s words dripped with spite and Cira was flummoxed, ¡°I-I¡¯m really sorry. I didn¡¯t mean any offense, honestly. But Sam really wanted to see me at the festival, I would at least like to say my farewells and thank him for the hospitality.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re actually coming to the festival?¡± Disbelief was thick on his voice.


    ¡°Yes, well, I wanted to see it.¡±


    His brows creased and he looked at her for a moment before shaking his head and turning around, ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ll see¡­ Pita, come on! We¡¯re going home.¡±


    The boy was on the verge of tears, but as he ran after his father he turned back to wave. He gave the sundial one last forlorn look¡ªthe gift that was supposed to last forever. Cira returned the wave with a troubled smile and watched the two disappear through the trees.


    ¡°This is why I never stay too long¡­¡± She sighed. She usually stayed more than a mere three days, but this interaction made it feel much longer.


    The man told her to remove the sundial, but she had taken extra care to ensure its permanence. She could easily remove it, but it was a gift for the boy, not him, she reasoned. One could argue it was disrespectful to the local customs, which would be taboo, but Cira saw it a little different than that. Had she followed her own homeland¡¯s traditions, she never would have met her father who took her in.


    The locals may have ambitions that clash with one another, and she just stumbled into the middle of it by mistake. So, she chose to leave the gift for this boy. First come first serve, as it were. They¡¯d have to build a furnace around it using something much stronger than wood or hire a sorcerer to melt it down. Hopefully by that time the boy would have found his way.


    Before departing, she left him two more gifts sitting on the rim of the sundial¡ªa hammer and a chisel. They too would last for ten thousand years. Well, maybe not if he put them to good use.


    Having lost her appetite and sense of adventure for the day, Cira turned in early, dragging her feet all the way home. Part of her wanted to leave then and there, but it¡¯d leave a bad taste in her mouth if she didn¡¯t say anything to Sam first. Part of her was worried he would admonish her along with everyone else. Recalling the last few days of working together and making friends, her heart grew heavy. Anxiety reared its ugly head, and she decided the best thing to do was take a nap. She wanted to apologize personally, but it could wait until later.


    Cira didn¡¯t wake until the sun was setting. The pleasant orange glow brought a smile to her face until she remembered the events earlier that day. With a pout, she walked over to her wardrobe and picked out an outfit. ¡°Nicest clothes¡± was rather arbitrary. Nice for what? Self-defense? Work? She knew, of course, that usually meant they expected you to wear fineries or otherwise formal wear, though she couldn¡¯t picture most of the village folk wearing such things.


    When in doubt of dress-code, a sorcerer just wears their favorite set, though she erred on the side of extravagance and emerged donning white robes with a smattering of gold on the edges. A pearlescent hat that had a star hanging off its point adorned her head, with a frilled brim that brought out the gold in her hair. She emerged from the front door with the semblance of a spring returning to her step, only to freeze upon realizing what she was seeing.


    She thought it was sunset, but she must have overslept. Night had already fallen, and the sky was lit not by remnants of the sun but with flame. She gasped, almost stumbling back before jumping to action. She ran down the steps, summoning an ornate staff into her hand. It was a staff that only saw use in emergencies and appeared in her hand with a wisp of light.


    As the pillar of fire grew, so did the column of smoke. It rose to the skies beyond and could be for miles around. Cira ran through old tomes in her head that she¡¯d pored over when she was younger, trying to figure out the best way to deal with the mess. She had conjured rainclouds to water fields in a desert, but putting out a fire the size of a small city? Her father could do it, she was certain, but he wasn¡¯t around anymore.


    I have to do this myself. All I can do Is try!


    Just as she started condensing clouds overhead, silhouettes emerged from the smoke and walked towards her through the yet unburned gate. More and more appeared, each held a torch and some carried clay pots with rags sticking out the top. She recognized them as rudimentary bombs.


    ¡°Traveler Cira,¡± Sam called out, ¡°I was saddened not to see you at the festival. Did you decide to leave after all?¡±


    Huh? That line of questioning didn¡¯t quite click with her yet. ¡°I think I must have overslept, but¡­ What is all this?¡± Half the village was gathered before her home with torches and bombs, while the other half formed a circle around the village, singing.


    ¡°This is the festival of the Heron,¡± Sam¡¯s smile grew broad as he spread out his arms, ¡°We burn it all down and start anew!¡±


    Cira struggled to find words, ¡°But, the village¡­ You all put so much work into it, and you¡¯re just burning it down?¡±


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    ¡°Of course. as we do every thirty years. With each generation, the village is rebuilt more robust than ever before. Then we spread out the ash, and the land on which we used to live grows into a forest taller and more full of life than it has ever been. This is the way our people have always lived.¡±


    She was floored. Cira couldn¡¯t reason how such a village was built in a mere thirty years. Every hand in the village carefully crafted it down to the smallest detail, fully intending to destroy it when this day came. The clock in the town square¡ªa marvel of craftsmanship that she¡¯d never seen before. Most of the villagers had spent years working on it, precisely carving the designs, or remaking the same part until it was just perfect.


    ¡°Are you familiar with the Heron of which our village is named?¡± He asked.


    ¡°I¡­ suppose not.¡±


    ¡°It is said the very first festival was not held on purpose. Our founders lived peacefully here for a long time, then one day the island was visited by a great beast. A flaming heron the size of our village, who burned everything down before disappearing into the night sky. Travelers in the past have called it a phoenix. Once our founders rebuilt, they discovered the village vastly improved, and the children that grew up to take their place much wiser. So, it became tradition to recreate the day the heron fell upon us for each generation by burning everything down.¡±


    ¡°Everything¡­? Even that clock? You said it took a decade to craft!¡± She was speechless, but Sam only smiled.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Everything but the clothes on our back.¡± He was wearing a thick wool coat and sturdy pants that looked like they were just tailored today. So it was nicest clothes for work after all. ¡°If we can build it once, our children can build it better. That is our way. I was honestly surprised that you would join in the festival¡­ but I thought you understood.¡±


    Looking back, the signs were all there. She literally turned the village into a pyre, strung kindling up and everything. On the second day one man made a joke about how he couldn¡¯t wait to burn the log towers down¡­ Was he not joking? I suppose not¡­


    Cira flushed red as hot coals with the magnitude of her own thoughtlessness and the embarrassment was nearly enough to stop her heart. Seeing this, Sam chuckled and continued.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, really. I understand. This way of life is not for everybody. We truly appreciate all that you¡¯ve done for us and thank you for staying with us even for a short while. We won¡¯t force you to participate, but you¡¯re welcome to stay if you¡¯d like, we really could use some help cutting trees down in the coming weeks.¡±


    Of course you could, she thought. As she recovered from the shock and half-heartedly considered the offer, a familiar face stepped in to seal the deal.


    ¡°Hang on, Chief,¡± It was the man from earlier whom she offended greatly, ¡°She said she wants to participate, right? So, let¡¯s give her a hand!¡±


    With hate in his eyes, he hurled a clay pot at her house. Cira experienced a moment of panic before the pot exploded in the air above her garden. She had forgotten because it didn¡¯t come up much, but like any other projectile it was repelled by the protective barrier her father had built around their home. Its workings were beyond her grasp, but maintaining it was simple enough. She sighed a breath of relief watching the fiery shrapnel fall harmlessly to the ground outside her yard.


    While most of the villagers¡¯ jaws had dropped, Sam alone was furious.


    ¡°That is NOT how we do things!¡± He glared at the man, ¡°I told you she does not know our ways! It is not our right to force them upon her.¡±


    ¡°But she¡ª¡±


    ¡°Must I repeat myself? She was unaware of our ways. I will hear no more of the incident this afternoon, do I make myself clear?¡± Then he turned to Cira with fear of retribution wearing on his face, ¡°Please forgive us, madam sorcerer! He does not speak for us all. We hold nothing but gratitude for you!¡±


    This was the part she hated most. Spending so much time bonding with people only to have them look at her with fear the next day. They would always adopt a stiff manner of speech and walk on eggshells around her. Cira didn¡¯t enjoy fighting, nor did she consider herself a scary person. People just feared power. Sorcerers weren¡¯t exactly rare, but they were on backwoods islands like this. She understood, but it just¡­ hurt.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sam, It¡¯s fine. No harm no foul, right?¡± While her house was fine, her feelings had been weathered. ¡°But I do think it¡¯s best if I take off.¡±


    ¡°I understand¡­¡± His tone betrayed regret and a tinge of sadness, but there was nothing to be done about that. Cira couldn¡¯t just burn her house down and start a new life on this island. Even if she could build a house, she could never replace the one her father built. Could anyone? She wondered. It was truly one of a kind. She was going to say her farewells when a young boy pushed his way through the crowd shouting.


    ¡°Wait, don¡¯t go yet!¡± Pita, the boy from earlier, ran up to her, ¡°Take me with you! Anywhere, just please, I don¡¯t want to stay here! There¡¯s nothing left!¡±


    It hurt her heart to look at the boy with tears in his eyes. His father¡¯s face flashed with surprise and then anger directed at Cira, but he did not approach or speak up¡ªprobably out of fear. Pita wasn¡¯t built for this way of life, but he was far too young to do anything about it. She was like him once, but she couldn¡¯t be like her father.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± She spoke softly, struggling to meet his eyes, ¡°I can¡¯t take you with me¡­ It¡¯s dangerous out there, and I can hardly take care of myself.¡±


    The boy¡¯s father looked as if his soul had left his body but was slowly coming back. He fell to his knees, breathing heavy and in a daze. He was certain the scary witch was going to take his boy away.


    Pita cried and pleaded, grabbing at her robes. Only Sam approached to put a hand on his shoulder, calming the boy down.


    ¡°There, there¡­¡± He turned, ¡°Cira¡­ I wish our meeting didn¡¯t have to end so tragically.¡±


    ¡°As do I,¡± She exhaled slowly then turned around towards her yard, only to look back ¡°I really did enjoy my time here, even if today wasn¡¯t quite what I expected. Thanks for everything, Sam, truly.¡±


    She made to walk up the steps, but he stopped her, ¡°If I may, madam sorcerer, you could still help us celebrate on your way out. This gate here has yet to burn, and everybody¡¯s already outside.¡±


    He was right, the gate she entered and exited the village through was standing strong.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Coming from the chief of such a village, this was a great consideration. Given her father¡¯s teachings, it would be a shame to let a festival go uncelebrated, no matter how bizarre the method seemed to her, ¡°I think I¡¯ll take you up on that.¡±


    Cira closed the little garden gate behind her and walked up to the lawn. At her whim, the ground beyond her yard began to fall away. Her house, her garden, and her yard all the way down to the mailbox all rose up from the dirt. She watched the village people buzzing with wonder get smaller and smaller as her miniature island gracefully ascended. This was her own little piece of the sky. The Island of Breeze Haven, her father called it.


    Since she already had her favorite staff in hand, she thought she¡¯d give them a show. The crystal atop this staff glowed an intense crimson. At the same time, an ominous light grew from between the village gates, and in an instant, a torrent of flames burst forth creating a whirlwind of ash. From the ashen cyclone a giant bird of conjured flame flew up and circled over the burning village before dispersing into shooting stars that fell over it all.


    Cheers could be heard from below and she watched the villagers dance around the pyre, joining hands in a circle and singing. Soon she was beyond the island¡¯s shore and out in the open sky yet again. Cira hoped her phoenix display would make this festival one to remember and disappeared into the sky above with a bittersweet feeling hanging over her. Just then, as she gazed down at the festival a breath caught in her throat.


    It looked more like a natural disaster than a bonfire to celebrate their humble village. Each of the towers they built together burned bright, and with the ropes they strung between, formed a beautiful golden pinwheel. Even from such a distance, the radiance burned up the night, casting orange clouds onto the distant horizon.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be damned,¡± Her thoughts leaked out, ¡°It sure is magical under the night sky.¡±


    Darkness returned as the clouds lost their luster and she sailed ever higher. Cira watched the island shrink into the horizon until nothing was left but a lone firefly disappearing into the shroud of night.

 4 - Seeking the Boreal Archipelago

    ¡°Don¡¯t see red tuna ¡®round these parts often. Where you comin¡¯ from?¡±


    ¡°I honestly couldn¡¯t tell you,¡± Cira shrugged, counting ten fish on the table, ¡°How much will this get me?¡±


    ¡°Aye.¡± The old man looked satisfied, hefting three large blocks wrapped in cloth onto the table. ¡°It¡¯s good fish but I can¡¯t go any higher, beef¡¯s just as hard to come by up here.¡±


    Cira didn¡¯t see enough trading posts to have a good idea of how much beef cost, but she had never seen a live cow before if that said anything. Beef was more commonplace as far as delicacies went, so you saw it around often but never for cheap or in large supply.


    This merchant seemed honest, and fish were easy to get, so she was inclined to accept the offer. He was a gentle old man in a weathered pair of overalls that seemed happy with his routine life on his little island. Cira empathized with his sentiment greatly. His was, in fact, smaller than the ostensible island Cira called home¡ªshe had to just hop over from her yard when she arrived.


    Once the old man got over his comprehension of her ¡®ship¡¯, they got down to bartering. She failed to take home any boar from her last endeavor, so this trading post came as an oasis.


    ¡°Where did you get the beef anyway?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Some hawkers brought it in from Port Gandeux. Ever been?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t say that I have. What¡¯s it like?¡±


    ¡°A city of commerce at the tip of a large, thriving island. It¡¯s the main hub in this region with ships coming and going like flies. But it is peaceful there, long as ya¡¯ don¡¯t break any laws. A sorcerer like yourself could find a lot of work I reckon.¡±


    Cira expressed interest and took a map out of her pocket. It wasn¡¯t very complete but it had everywhere she¡¯d been in the last couple months on it¡ªa little further and she¡¯d have to start a new one again.


    ¡°Oh, it won¡¯t show up on this map. A bit of a ways, it is, but not far from here you¡¯ll find a big trade route that¡¯ll lead you straight there.¡± He adjusted his glasses and inspected the map.


    As he explained, half a day due east would take her to a trade route known as the Boreal Archipelago. It ran north and south over an incredible distance, dotted with countless islands along the way. He said it would take months to travel the whole length. Further North it led high into the clouds and to the South it ended at the sea.


    ¡°An island on the sea, you say? How fascinating. I always thought Dad was joking.¡± Cira had been to many an island in her day, but none resting atop the ocean. She had heard stories but the concept was so absurd she thought them mere fairytales. Why she believed this random trader so readily was another question.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, but if you do travel the Boreal, be careful. It¡¯s fraught with pirates and thieves. I¡¯m sure you can take care of yourself, but it never hurts to be too cautious. You won¡¯t see as many pirates if you go up but go down and they¡¯ll really come out of the woodwork.¡±


    Cira marked up her map and thanked the old merchant before hopping over the fence back home. He adjusted his overalls and waved as Cira opened her front door, smiling and waving back. She felt good about that stop. She got everything she needed and more, back in twenty minutes.


    Past the living room and up a set of stairs, she climbed the single tower her home boasted to the very top. She could generally move her island around with a few strong thoughts, but here Cira could set a direction and altitude, as well as make even finer adjustments as she moved. She called it the helm spire.


    Cira now stood at the highest point on Breeze Haven, where she had a clear view in every direction as far as the eye could see. A vast cloudscape illuminated by the mid-morning sun stretched on to the horizon unobstructed. The foreground never changed but the world around her didn¡¯t know rest. This was Cira¡¯s favorite view in the world, gazing out into the endless sky. She never knew what awaited her out there, but that was the best part.


    A rope hung down from the ceiling with a heavy knot. Cira pulled it down to raise Breeze Haven just above the line of the clouds. It would be clear for a while if she went just a little further up. She gripped a wheel forged from mysterious metal and spun it due East. Once all preparations were complete, she brewed some tea and took a seat at her table in the garden, perusing some old tomes she never got around to.


    Travel time was wasted if she just lazed around all day, and she could miss her destination if she took a nap, so Cira always tried to stay occupied as she drifted along. Today¡¯s subject would be ¡®Practical Geomancy for the Modern Magician¡¯. Personally, she thought the term magician sounded pretentious but such books were usually quite thorough, if a little dry. The ones that called themselves magicians were real studious types.


    After reading this book, Cira could build a house from stone using forty percent less mana than traditional methods. While she didn¡¯t care about building houses, it gave her a few ideas for making her conjured stone more lightweight.


    Her father always said studying magic for a specific purpose was for fools, whereas a true sorcerer derived their own truth from another¡¯s spell. Cira will never know that this was his excuse for getting her to read boring books. That said, there was at least a modicum of merit to it.


    Sleep bit at her heels and she nodded off a few times, only to jump out of her seat with a start when a distant island came into view.


    ¡°Land ho!¡± She ran over to the fence and pulled out an ornate spyglass. Alas, the island looked devoid of civilization and a tad small. Moreover, it was flanked on all sides by clusters of debris stones. These were floating rocks that didn¡¯t quite make the cut as islands.


    You see, all islands have a water source, without fail. Nobody really knows what debris stones are, but her father posited they were underdeveloped islands. They would either grow or merge over millenia, and eventually a water source would appear, making it officially an island. She took the explanation with a grain of salt, but it worked for all intents and purposes.


    The key difference between the two was their ability to stay aloft. Islands just floated and weight didn¡¯t seem to matter so long as whatever rock it was made of could withstand the pressure. Debris stones, however, would plummet out of the sky if any more force than a bird landing was applied, though they¡¯re mysteriously immune to wind. She tried jumping on one as a kid and it was a harrowing experience to say the least.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Closer now, the island was indeed empty. It had some nice grass and a small stream, but that was it. She avoided getting too close but still had to swerve around some debris. Cira couldn¡¯t be sure, but this should mark the entrance to the trade route. Heading back up the spire, she changed course due North and set her altitude to raise gradually. With any luck, she¡¯d find another island within the hour.


    And without any luck she found three more islands, each emptier than the last. She took to staying at the helm because of the annoying frequency of debris, allowing her to keep a decent speed on course while safely navigating through. Finally, she spotted a larger island up ahead. It was above her, so she had to go up to get a good look.


    A few minutes later she found herself flying over a lake. The whole island was a giant bowl of water with numerous waterfalls dumping into the sky. A group of gray birds took flight and decided to follow, trailing behind and chirping tunes as she floated along.


    It was a pleasant trip and Cira was enjoying herself. There was always at least a speck on the horizon to follow to the next island, with debris clusters mainly surrounding the islands. Still, she followed the trail closely so as not to wander through the clouds and crash into something.


    Worse yet, if one lost their way to the next landmark for too long up here, they had very little hope of finding their way back. The sky was simply too vast. Any navigator could read the stars, but they couldn¡¯t be relied on at low altitudes. You¡¯d have to wait for hours sometimes to get a good look through the clouds¡ªeven then, they don¡¯t tell you to go up or down. If you can¡¯t stay on course, you better hope you can turn around with absolute precision.


    Approaching the next island, she slowed down and leisurely wove between the debris. Suddenly a percussive blast broke through from above. Startled, Cira scanned the clouds for any sign of pirates. It was the unmistakable sound of cannon fire. She noticed a spot where the clouds were disrupted, but the enemy ship must have hidden itself in the clouds. Cira planned to keep going until given another reason not to, but just then she saw a shadow growing bigger over her garden.


    ¡°What in the world¡­?¡± She peaked out the window and looked up, dropping her jaw to the ground. ¡°N-no way! Bastards!¡±


    A large debris stone was falling on a direct course with her island. Her eyes grew to the size of dinnerplates as she looked at it, quickly running out of time to react. As far as debris goes, this was the size of that trading post she stopped at. How it was yet incapable of floating on its own with such great size was a mystery to her but there was no time to think about that.


    Drawing out as much mana as possible, she poured everything into a quick strafe to the side. Hurling the wheel with reckless abandon, she tipped the island out of the way and burst forward. The cacophony of cookware and dishes falling out of their cabinets below and shattering caused her to start bubbling over with anger. The air rippled as the massive boulder blew past within mere feet of her yard, disappearing into the cloudy abyss below.


    ¡°Damn pirates¡­ You¡¯re going to regret that!¡± She waved her fist out the window at the ship as it emerged from cover, flying the notorious black flag. The ship was a large galleon with two masts and sails to catch the wind. Like all other ships aside from her own, there were canopy sails jutting out from the sides for lift¡ªthese were off limits unless Cira felt like murder today.


    She did not. Not quite¡­


    She was taught only to kill when absolutely necessary, and thus far had yet to kill another. She was responsible for defending herself, not punishing pirates. That said, she was pissed about how much time and mana she would have to waste repairing her dishes later. They wouldn¡¯t get off easy.


    In full view now, the pirates aimed their main cannon towards Breeze Haven. It was comically large and took up the whole bow, dwarfing the figurehead of an angel that adorned their ship and guided their way. With an ear-piercing boom, they fired on Cira. The impact shook the whole island, but the barrier withstood. Her father said it would take no less than dragon¡¯s fire to penetrate the shield, not that she was eager to test that. She was pretty sure she could add falling islands to that list. Nevertheless, these pirates were powerless.


    As Breeze Haven lumbered towards the enemy, Cira walked out to the garden, ignoring the sea of porcelain shards in the kitchen. She could now see people aboard the other ship, and they were notably frazzled, running around like rats. Four men loaded another cannonball, and they tried firing on her again¡ªthe best they could come up with.


    As she withdrew her staff and started pondering how best to send a warning, one man jumped off his ship and spread his arms, revealing a glider on his back. Like a clumsy bird, he swooped down trying to board. As he descended, Cira could see a crazed look on his face. He wielded two daggers stretched out to the sky with the sun at his back.


    The pirate flew close to the barrier with a vicious war cry and held both daggers up as if he were going to catch them in a sail and slide down, but he didn¡¯t think the plan through very well as he crumpled against the stalwart shield. He let out a groan as the glider on his back snapped into pieces and he too fell into the cloudy abyss.


    Now, this had happened to her before, but Cira didn¡¯t consider it murder. To avoid it she¡¯d have to rush over and pull off some quick magic to save him from his own folly¡ªnot doing so for an enemy was hardly murder, though she felt bad.


    She considered conjuring another giant phoenix to ward them off, but that spell was classified as ¡®for show¡¯. You know how you can run your hand through the tips of a flame and it won¡¯t hurt? The phoenix, or heron, she conjured the other day was similar. Contact with the ship would make it wisp away. Historically, waving magic around through the air aimlessly did not dissuade pirates, that¡¯s how we got here.


    She held her staff aloft and began conjuring a spear of stone. More like a javelin or an arrowhead really. It had three fins that twisted to a point. Stealing a few tricks from the textbook, she hollowed it out removing half the weight, then added supports inside to reinforce the point on impact. This way, it could fly forty percent further and faster than your traditional stone spear.


    Cira caught herself smiling proudly and laughed, aiming the spear at her target. Taking out a mast could cause it to fall on the canopy sails, and again she was trying to avoid murder. So, she aimed for their pride, rotated the spear, and charged it with mana.


    An explosive burst threw Cira across the yard and knocked the air out of her lungs. She was left reeling, ears ringing and gasping for air, scrambling to get a healing spell out. Little did she know, her spear had broken the sound barrier. That spell would get thrown in a pile to revisit later. Modern magicians sure are something.


    The splintering crunch of wood filled the skies for a brief moment and Cira looked back to her target. The angel adorning their bow had been erased from existence entirely, along with a few feet into their ship. The deck began to crack and their giant cannon rolled, tipping their ship over almost completely until it rolled off and straight down, never to be seen again.


    Phew, that was a close one. Hopefully there are no islands down there. The men desperately hung onto the railings. They shouted at each other, then looked over at her with disbelief.


    When they corrected themselves and evened out, confusion and fear was plain on their faces. They were only a couple hundred feet away and she could see that much clearly. Cira locked eyes with a man wearing a particularly tall hat, who gulped and stared at her, afraid to look away.


    Calmly, Cira conjured another stone spear of twice the size. She had no intention of blasting herself to oblivion again, but this spell was about sending a message. The tall-hatted man stumbled backwards and started yelling at his crew, then all the pirates fell into motion, grabbing ropes and swinging stuff around. As a sorcerer, Cira¡¯s knowledge of the intricacies of sailing was lacking, but she could tell they were trying to get away.


    Without delay, the pirate ship turned and ascended, hiding themselves back in the clouds within minutes. Cira was happy with that, and dispersed the spear. She repelled the pirates and there were no casualties. Well, there were some¡­


    After a long reluctant sigh, Cira walked back to the kitchen and shed a single tear.

 5 - Storms Above

    The rest of the afternoon was spent slowly repairing her dishes, lamenting the unreasonable quantity she owned for being a lone young girl. Using alchemy, it was a rather low-cost process because all the pieces were there, but she had to arrange them all individually before the spell would work¡ªa hurdle she had yet to overcome. Nonetheless, it was a huge hassle and Cira had hardly made any progress along the way since the trail was so treacherous.


    She couldn¡¯t stop or merchant ships would try to dock as if it were a trading post¡ªonly small ones could attempt to land, catastrophically so as per the barrier¡ªbut even at a crawl she kept having to run up the helm spire constantly to circumvent any obstacles, turning the whole thing into an incredibly irritating ordeal.


    By the time she finished the day had worn on. For a trade route it was expected to see a lot more populated islands but Cira kept coming up empty. Not that she really wanted to stop again so soon but it was never a bad idea to find a nice spot to rest before nightfall. Especially when the weather turned.


    Cira walked outside to grab a late lunch from the garden and found it to be misting. Such thin mist wasn¡¯t common so high up, meaning it was likely a sign of rain up above. If one flew recklessly through a storm they may find themselves caught in dense black clouds that stretch for miles. One of the first rules to travelling is to never fly blind.


    The usual solution was to maintain altitude or go down. Cira, however, needed to go up. Thus, she wouldn¡¯t mind stopping for the night. From her garden she cruised on over to the next island in sight. While nobody seemed to live there, a few merchants had the same idea and were docked around the shore.


    Breeze Haven wasn¡¯t large compared to many ships that sailed the skies, but the merchants had really crowded this place. Their ships were all single mast and nowhere near the size of the pirates¡¯ from earlier. They all bore the symbol of their companies on the sail, none of which Cira would recognize. Nevertheless, her vessel could land directly on the island, and she delicately floated down to an empty field.


    The island itself was hardly twice the size of the pirate ship and the merchants seemed to be having a bonfire under some makeshift cover on one end, so she hung over the rails as she descended to make sure nobody was below there. Upon landing there was a small group of confused merchants waiting.


    ¡°Huh? Who are you?¡± One man in a gray robe asked.


    ¡°Um, I¡¯m Cira¡­?¡± local greetings varied wildly and she tried not to get hung up on it, ¡°Just a travelling sorcerer, possible customer. Nice to meet you!¡±


    The man was immune to her winning smile, but the others exchanged pleasantries. The men here represented three different companies that spent their days travelling the archipelago for profit. Mil was a portly young man with a monocle and leather vest. He took one look at Cira¡¯s silken dress and his eyes lit up.


    ¡°My, a young lady like yourself would look just ravishing in a Dolmont, I say.¡± He put a hand on his monocle as if to inspect more thoroughly.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s quite alright, I make my own clothes.¡± She waved her hands and laughed nervously, but the man¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Incredible, such fineries¡­¡± He unconsciously went to grab the fabric causing Cira to jump back and yelp, startling the man. ¡°Ahh! My apologies¡ª¡±


    Another man dressed in considerably more modest clothing put a hand on his shoulder and spoke up, ¡°Come now, don¡¯t you see you¡¯re scaring her? That¡¯s bad for business. Besides, she¡¯d be far more interested in my own wares, aha!¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡± She watched them for a second, confused.


    ¡°Pay it no mind, why don¡¯t we get out of the weather? We¡¯re all set up with the others over there making dinner. Even if you aren¡¯t buyin¡¯ some company never hurts does it? Gets lonely up here.¡± He certainly had a merchant¡¯s charisma, playing the relatable common man. Seeing no reason to decline, Cira decided to follow them, accepting an apology from the large one along the way. Still, the first man in robes didn¡¯t say much.


    Someone had strung what appeared to be a spare sail up between trees to block the rain, giving them a rather large hovel to spend the evening. There was a bonfire with meat cooking over it in a pan, and another with something in a large pot.


    But there were also many tables set up with many things upon them. Some men were even scrambling to lay wares out as she walked up. Being a non-merchant at a rest stop full of merchants had turned Cira into a prize and they scrambled to be the one to take all her money.


    Unfortunately for them, that well wasn¡¯t very deep. For a moment Cira was shocked to see a random island like this exploding with life due to a storm in the way, but maybe this happened often on trade routes. Regardless she spent a few minutes perusing the area and meeting people. One table had crossbows and an earnest young woman trying to sell them, while the next was strewn with gold necklaces and rings holding vibrant gems.


    They were pretty but of little use to a sorcerer. Cira had plenty of jewelry herself, but they all summoned a shield, threw fireballs, or carried other effects. She¡¯d sooner buy a crossbow just for fun.


    There were a few different people selling clothes, but none finer than Mr. Dolmont¡¯s. She indulged him and had to admit his skills as a tailor were top-notch. Still, not quite her style. He let her go after she agreed to consider selling him a set of robes or two. She didn¡¯t much feel like it, but having money in her pocket as she delved ever-deeper towards civilization seemed wise.


    Finally she arrived at a table with various meats lined out¡ªjerky, cured sausages, dried fish and even a few cuts of fresh meat. Behind this counter was the man from earlier who claimed she¡¯d like his wares, wearing a broad smile.


    ¡°Discerning eye you¡¯ve got, merchant¡± She said.


    ¡°Please, it¡¯s just years on the Boreal.¡± He held out his hand, ¡°Call me Jonas. Cira, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± She shook his hand, ¡°I must say I¡¯m interested but low on funds. Will you take trade?¡±


    Jonas didn¡¯t falter for a moment, his years of experience hard at work, ¡°Ahh, that¡¯s no problem, always glad to trade! What do you have?¡±


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    She opened her palm and a red tuna appeared. This was one of her aforementioned rings, it held ten of anything smaller than a barrel, but not containers with other things inside. While narrow, these fish were about the max length she could store. The merchant gave an impressed nod then went to inspect the fish.


    ¡°It¡¯s like you caught him five minutes ago. You magicians sure are something. I could never store it ¡®til this storm clears but I¡¯d sure like to eat it. How many you got and what¡¯s caught your eye?¡±


    After brief clarifications of the sorcerous nature and a short conversation, they agreed to trade ten tuna for all his fresh meat¡ªlamb and beef¡ªand a few cured sausages. He called them Salah¡¯mee. How exotic, Cira thought. The man intended to share with his crew, but it still seemed like a lot of fish for just them. That much was none of Cira¡¯s concern though.


    ¡°You mentioned the storm. Do you know when it¡¯s going to let up?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Not exactly, but this storm never really leaves. It¡¯ll be clear for a few months then pack in like this for weeks on end. You never really know when it¡¯s coming or going, but it¡¯s clear most the year, else this route would fall apart. ¡®Course the fancier boats don¡¯t seem to mind, most of us have to wait it out.¡±


    Waiting wasn¡¯t hard for Cira, but indeterminate waiting was another story. She, too, could go right through the storm but it would be difficult and require constant hands-on attention, not to mention the hassle of finding the next landmark every hour or two. Without knowing where the storm stopped, it didn¡¯t seem worthwhile, ¡°So it could be a month out at worst, you think?¡±


    ¡°Worst I¡¯ve ever seen it was two and a half months. Threw the whole port into a panic, but I doubt it¡¯ll go more than a couple weeks. Still, If you¡¯re in a hurry there is a way around. Most aren¡¯t equipped to take it on the way up so it takes them just as long, but I bet your ship could manage.¡±


    ¡°The Dead Belt, it¡¯s called,¡± Jonas continued at her noncommittal shrug, ¡°Though most just call it the Noose ¡®cause it¡¯s a straight shot from the top. It¡¯s an old chain of islands. My granpap used to tell me it was part of the archipelago before the islands shifted but it¡¯s mostly abandoned by now. You¡¯ll just find dead islands, wannabe pirates and falling merchants up there now.¡±


    ¡®Dead islands¡¯ is where the name really came from. These were islands that used to be populated but have long-since been abandoned for one reason or the other. Cira really didn¡¯t like pirates, but funny enough they weren¡¯t always hostile. It really came down to how you end up meeting them. Some had interesting wares and stories. Combine that with her barrier and she didn¡¯t see them as a reason to avoid a shortcut. Neither was her lack of urgency for that matter, but her own Breeze Haven was self-sufficient, so she didn¡¯t mind passing some dead islands along the way.


    As for his comment about most ships not being equipped for the ascent, it was a straight shot up. A regular ship would have to do switchbacks constantly or sail in a massive spiral, as they couldn¡¯t sail straight up. The canopy sails just add lift from their forward momentum¡ªholding the ship up is enough strain as is. Those same ships could descend, though, hence the falling merchants.


    Most shipwrights had at least one guy with rudimentary artificing experience, otherwise ships would be a luxury for the incredibly wealthy. That said, there were ships built by master artificers that could circumvent the limitations of your average canopy sail.


    Jonas helped her mark the Dead Belt on her map and gave her some pointers, ¡°First island you¡¯ll see is called Fount Salt, you can¡¯t miss it. That¡¯ll be your last taste of civilization for a little while if you need to stop for any reason.¡±


    She pictured a pearly white island with tons of waterfalls dangling into the clouds, ¡°Sounds pretty.¡±


    ¡°Er, if you say so.¡±


    The gray robed man from earlier had a few herbs and potions set out on his table but those items didn¡¯t interest her. She could make them herself if she felt like it. The man also seemed to guess she wouldn¡¯t be interested because he didn¡¯t have half as much put out as the others. Still, she caught him looking at her more than once.


    Before long the food was done. All the merchants put their wares away, dropped their competitive yodeling, and pushed all the tables together. Pork ribs and vegetable stew were on the menu and the merchants insisted she join in. She noticed the jewelry merchant grilling a red tuna then turned to Jonas who wore a smug grin.


    Talk about a quick turnaround. She found it amusing¡ªthere was more fish at home anyhow. Amidst the lively dinner conversation, she learned that this island was called Hawkers¡¯ Pact. The reason they all seemed so tight-knit even though there were ten different rivaling companies present was because that was this island¡¯s tradition.


    Anyone who stopped here presumably had to spend the following weeks together. If there was hostility, a weeks-long stay could turn bad. In the worst cases, dangerous.


    ¡°There was a war here during my father¡¯s era,¡± The jewelry merchant wiped the ale from his mustache and continued, ¡°During one of the long storms. Two rival companies started the whole thing, but eventually half the archipelago was involved. They¡¯d just keep showing up to wait out the storm and getting caught in the battle defending themselves. It was hell, they say.¡±


    ¡°But it ended in a ceasefire, didn¡¯t it?¡± Another asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Jonas also knew the story, ¡°That¡¯s how the Gandeux Group was formed. They signed a treaty right about where this girl parked her boat and went to build the port right after.¡±


    Boat was a strong word, but otherwise Cira thought the information was neat. Such a historied island with no permanent residents. Nobody lived here but merchants did inhabit it multiple times a year. There was nothing built here because doing so would be illegal within Gandeux territory. A conglomerate of companies couldn¡¯t allow just one to build a trading post. Cira thought they could build something here together like the city but they elected to leave it empty to honor the spirit of their pact.


    The Gandeux territory was controlled by a multitude of merchants all at each other¡¯s throats, so no unreasonable laws were passed and order was well-maintained, supposedly. The people were the merchants¡¯ life blood, so if any one company didn¡¯t uphold themselves to a certain standard, they could lose influence within the group.


    To Cira¡¯s ears, it was a peaceful sky to drift around in for a while. Soon dinner was through and everybody got ready to head back to their ships. One man stopped Cira as she was saying her good evenings¡ªthe man in gray robes.


    ¡°Say, couldn¡¯t help but notice you weren¡¯t interested in my medicine. You wouldn¡¯t happen to know anything about alchemy would you?¡±


    ¡°Why, I sure do!¡± She smiled, ¡°What do you need?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m on my way down actually, unlike these folk. Set to ship out come morning. I wanted to arrive on Dolliver with more stock but they almost cleaned me out up the way. If you have some time, would you like to help me clean some herbs? Brewing too if you¡¯re skilled enough. I¡¯ll pay you in silver crowns by the batch.¡±


    Herbs had to be purified before synthesizing, or they¡¯d come out impotent or useless. Cira was no stranger to such requests, and this afforded her the chance to make some money without selling one of her dresses. She readily agreed and followed him to his ship. His crew was small but none of them seemed like the unsavory type. Especially given the pact, she didn¡¯t deem it a risk, even if the man himself seemed off to her.


    Below deck she met a few others, but they didn¡¯t know alchemy. The robed man, who introduced himself as Boras, took her to another room full of tools and brewing utensils. Leaves and roots were piled up on the tables and there was a single cauldron in the middle. He lined her out with a common ingredient called Limroot and she got to work, purifying the whole table in about twenty minutes.


    Boras looked on, impressed, ¡°You¡¯re real quick, you know that? Where¡¯d you learn?¡± She got this question a lot. Some cities supposedly had places where they train alchemists specifically to make medicine. It was a small subset of alchemy, but easily the most sought-after.


    ¡°My dad taught me everything I know.¡±


    ¡°Ah, he must have been quite skilled. I actually have another question¡­¡± he looked at her, unsure of how to approach the topic.


    ¡°Okay, what¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Your ship¡ªisland or what have you¡­¡± He narrowed his eyes and the air in the room tensed up, ¡°Just how did you get your hands on it?¡±

 6 - The Island Thief

    ¡°It was my father¡¯s.¡± Cira replied succinctly, pushing mana into her shield ring. ¡°I inherited it.¡±


    ¡°Ahh, I see¡­¡± The man seemed to relax, ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time I¡¯ve seen your ship. Even been aboard it once.¡±


    She blinked in surprise, letting the mana in her ring slip. Her father travelled his whole life, so plenty of people had seen Breeze Haven before. The people who had been aboard were far fewer. This man was a first.


    ¡°You¡­ Did you know my father?¡± She struggled to ask.


    ¡°Gazen, right? The lanky wizard with a funny accent and flashy spells? I always thought he was too old to have kids¡­ and that was some time ago.¡±


    ¡°H-He was no older than you!¡± She defended him then caught herself and flushed with embarrassment. ¡°And his accent wasn¡¯t funny¡­¡±


    The man laughed, ¡°That¡¯s ¡®cause you got a funny accent too, little miss. Besides, I think he was older than he looked, but that¡¯s another story.¡±


    Hold on, I kind of want to hear that one, she almost said, but the man grew incensed like he just remembered something.


    ¡°Wait, so how the hell did that old bastard die¡ªer, I¡¯m sorry. I mean, it¡¯s hard to imagine him dying.¡±


    Cira looked away with guilt, ¡°He shouldn¡¯t have died¡­ It wasn¡¯t¡ª"


    Boras put his hand up, ¡°Hey, I¡¯m sorry, you don¡¯t have to talk about it if you don¡¯t want. It couldn¡¯t have been easy for you.¡± The man consoled her.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay¡­ He fell to a curse.¡± She thought it was only fair to tell him if they were acquainted, ¡°How did you know my father?¡±


    At first he seemed suspicious of her, but it would be strange for him to care unless the two were close. Still, anyone who¡¯s boarded it would think a little girl attempting to steal such a vessel to be laughable.


    ¡°Old Gazen taught me everything I know too,¡± He winked, ¡°About alchemy anyway. Had to be twenty years ago by now.¡±


    ¡°Really?!¡± She jumped up in excitement. She¡¯d heard stories of past students he took but never met one, ¡°Hang on¡­ Boras, you say¡­? Boras¡­ Boras¡­ Did you used to go by Borty?¡±


    The man looked like he¡¯d seen a ghost, ¡°No, I did not go by Borty,¡± he sighed, ¡°So you¡¯ve heard of me, huh? What¡¯d the old man have to say?¡±


    Now how did it go? ¡°Boy can¡¯t tell a Limroot from a Dimnut.¡± ¡°Never leave flammable ingredients out when Borty¡¯s comes around.¡± ¡°Always stock twice as much as you think you¡¯ll need teaching Borty, but you¡¯ll save on bottles.¡± Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be Bortimer, not Boras?


    ¡°Ahh, in your thirst for knowledge he had never used up ingredients so rapidly, or something to that effect.¡± Borty had clearly taken great strides since, so she couldn¡¯t relay his words verbatim, though she questioned if she did any better than her old man.


    ¡°That bad, huh?¡± He let out a boisterous laugh, ¡°Seems you were his star pupil in the end though. I¡¯m glad he got to pass on his knowledge to someone who could take it.¡±


    A warm feeling welled up in her cheeks and she smiled despite herself. Her father had said she was his best student, but seeing how unreasonably skilled a sorcerer old man Gazen was made that hard to believe from the horse¡¯s mouth.


    Borty continued, ¡°And I don¡¯t know if I would have believed your story as readily if you hadn¡¯t put me to shame so thoroughly with the Limroot. I¡¯d only met one man who could work that fast.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯ve been to Breeze Haven, shouldn¡¯t you know not just anyone can board?¡± It required a boarding pass¡ªa mithril pendant of which Cira kept the only ones in existence in a trunk in the broom closet.


    ¡°Ah, a boarding pass, was it? Think I still have mine somewhere back home.¡± Cira made a face at his revelation, ¡°But that¡¯s not it. There¡¯s been talk up in these skies of people going around stealing islands.¡±


    ¡°What? How does that even work?¡± Islands couldn¡¯t move, usually. She was floored if someone could manage to steal one. Could there be someone like my father out there?


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t say. There haven¡¯t been any reports within Gandeux skies so it¡¯s really just rumors on the wind. Until I saw a little girl walk out of that old man¡¯s house I didn¡¯t believe it either, but now I guess I don¡¯t again. Probably all talk.¡±


    They chatted for a while, purifying all the ingredients together. That drew on into the late evening but Cira was never one to refuse the first real work she¡¯d had in months. They were on such a roll that they promptly moved on to brewing up potions. Limroot was essential in a standard tonic. It¡¯ll get you over a cold in mere hours. The rest of the ingredients left over went into hemostatic elixirs¡ªthose that didn¡¯t know healing magic relied on these for injuries. Depending on where you fly, Boras explained, they sold faster than limroot tonic.


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    It was well past midnight by the time Cira headed home with a leather bag full of coins. She¡¯d seen wood tokens, shiny rocks, and gemstones as currency, but metal was a new one. She liked their uniformity and the clinking sound they made when she jostled them around.


    Come morning the alchemist was already gone. Cira woke up with the sunrise and went over to the merchant¡¯s hovel to greet everyone. They were friendly, inviting her to breakfast and making small talk, inquiring about magic and the like.


    She enjoyed a plate of fried eggs and hashbrowns, a staple breakfast of the Gandeux skies they say. Afterwards she found the jewelry merchant and made an offer. There was one ring that caught her eye the night before. It was a simple ring carved out of a bright piece of jade. Only five silver crowns now, but she¡¯d need a few more things to enchant it later on.


    Next there was one item that had been on her mind since last night. She had no practical reason to buy one, but she had money in her pocket. A sorcerer must treat herself now and again.


    ¡°Do you have much experience using a crossbow?¡± The young woman with curly brown hair asked in a cheery voice.


    ¡°None at all, but I¡¯ve seen schematics before.¡± She¡¯d hit apples out of a tree in the garden with a slingshot when she was a kid, and this felt like the natural progression.


    But the merchant didn¡¯t mind, ¡°This one here is good for beginners. Not a lot of kick and it¡¯s easy to reload.¡±


    ¡°Which one shoots the furthest?¡±


    This time the woman chuckled, holding a crossbow up with drawstrings on pulleys and a rifle stock, ¡°That would be this one here, but it can be kind of hard to work with.¡±


    Noticing Cira still looking on with interest, the woman continued, ¡°If you¡¯re heart¡¯s set, you¡¯re welcome to try it out!¡± She took precautions to be an honest merchant, but still didn¡¯t want to lose a good sale.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll do just that.¡±


    They wandered across the island towards the shore and laid out some rocks for target practice. Showing Cira how to load a bolt on the smaller crossbow first, she handed it over to try out. With utmost concentration Cira closed one eye and took aim, utterly missing the rock.


    ¡°Wow, this is way harder than magic. But I like it. Feels good in the hand.¡±


    ¡°My, thank you!¡± The woman was flattered.


    She went on to try the next one, ¡°So I just pull this back? Reallllly hard?¡± It was a struggle, but she managed to pull a bolt back using both hands.


    Like the crack of a whip, the bolt went flying. She missed even worse this time but it dug itself into the dirt on impact.


    ¡°Impressive¡­ But how far will it go?¡±


    ¡°Further than this island is long, but feel free to shoot one off the edge if you like.¡±


    Instead of wasting a good bolt, she took aim at her humble little cottage. She pulled the trigger and it closed the distance in the blink of an eye, flying into the barrier with an audible crash before getting repelled halfway back to them, bent and rendered unusable.


    ¡°I was trying to save a bolt, but I guess that didn¡¯t work out. This thing is incredible!¡± She could make the bolts herself if she ever ran out and it could even be enchanted to make it easier to draw. On that note, she got ideas and bought the small crossbow too, setting her back another twenty silver in total. Her work ethic was not to be discounted though and she still had quite some coin left.


    Jingle jangle. What delightful money.


    With this, her business was concluded and she bid farewell to her new friends. The skies were calling Cira and she had a salty rock to find.


    The map took her a little off course and the mist had begun to dissipate while the clouds remained gray.


    She couldn¡¯t feel the wind on her face but they buffeted the barrier making for a noisy journey. To kill time, she sat in the yard conjuring targets out of stone and practiced her marksmanship, catching the same bolt with telekinesis and bringing it back every time she missed.


    Eventually she started conjuring iron bolts out of thin air, challenging herself to see if she could make each one before she needed to load another. She could make them rather quickly since they only needed to last ten seconds or so, but this got especially hard when she started loading them and drawing them back with telekinesis as well. Once a few hours had passed she had lost all sight of her goal and was missing targets faster than any crossbowman in the sky.


    Soon a little white pearl appeared on the horizon. Cira corrected course to go straight for it and went back to cruising, breaking up the monotony and returning to her geomancy studies. The need for iron got her excited about the subject again and she flipped pages until the sun started going down. Feeling something was amiss, she looked over to see the pearl about large enough to fit in her hand.


    Strange¡­ I started reading around noon. Shouldn¡¯t it be closer?


    She checked her speed again and hadn¡¯t slowed down. That meant Fount Salt had to be massive.


    So, she spent the next two days shooting targets in the morning and reading until the sun went down. Each night was spent frivolously cooking steaks before turning in early. Cira passed three or four merchants a day, all in expensive vessels with propellers and metallic canopy sails. You rarely saw such fine ships out in the rural skies Cira was used to.


    The third morning she approached the salty monolith. It was one of the biggest islands she¡¯d ever seen, and it was so round! Cira reckoned it had more mass than any island she knew by far. Just as she imagined, countless waterfalls fell off the pearly stone. Some had dug deep into the island¡¯s surface, creating large fissures and awkward shelves of salt jutting out into the air. Due to the stark white surface reflecting most of the sun¡¯s fervor, it was impossible to tell how far away it was still.


    ¡°Wait, that¡¯s really close isn¡¯t it?¡± She fired her crossbow at it and watched it hit. ¡°Wait, no no no! stoooop!¡±


    She frantically ran up the helm spire, though it made little difference for stopping. She could stop very quickly, if she felt like spending another afternoon mending dishes. To her credit though, the spire did allow her to veer off cleanly while dropping speed. Breeze Haven started tipping back as she tried to stop it. Now she could see her own shadow on the salt rapidly approaching.


    ¡°Noooo!¡± she cried, pulling back even further. She was told crashing wouldn¡¯t be the end of Breeze Haven, but the shock could destroy her whole house. She really didn¡¯t want to find out what happened when Breeze Haven turned upside down either.


    Her ship ground to a halt mere feet away from the giant island. Cira was sweating bullets as she finally stopped moving, breathing a sigh of relief. Just in time to watch her barrier gently love-tap the salt, leaving her teapot outside on the garden table to fall in the grass and shatter.


    ¡°Son of a¡­¡±


    Cira had officially arrived at the bottom of the noose.

 7 - Trouble in the Great Mines

    In case you were wondering, enchanting dishes like poor Cira¡¯s teapot with resistance to velocity was indeed possible with spatial sorcery. Why did she not take these precautions? Well, she tried once. Then, when she decided to get Breeze Haven moving again the dishes remained, smashing into the side of their cupboards until they were finely ground shards no larger than your pinky nail.


    Her sorcery wasn¡¯t quite there yet to pull off such a feat of magical convenience, but if she had to spend any more of her life repairing the same dishes, she was destined to pull her hair out.


    All the furniture was bolted down and most other things wouldn¡¯t break, though reorganizing got annoying, it always slipped her mind when she moved onto broken porcelain. That¡¯s why she¡¯d been making an effort to fly carefully until she figured it out.


    Breeze Haven leisurely ascended along the salt monument, making slight adjustments around its curvature from out in the garden. Numerous caves dotted the walls, some pouring water into the open sky. Many of them held decrepit scaffolding around the entrance or broken railways from work done in years past. As she watched the scenery go by her eyes were drawn to one flooded cave with a rope dangling out, something swaying in the wind attached at the end.


    ¡°Hm? No, it couldn¡¯t be¡­¡± Nevertheless, Cira got closer to and pulled out her spyglass. ¡°That¡¯s a person!¡±


    It was times like these she wished she hadn¡¯t lost her boat a few islands ago. That is to say, her other boat¡ªthe dinghy. Breeze Haven had a small alcove that could be accessed downstairs that fit a small personal vessel. It was sacrificed to escape some particularly scary birds. They were reptilian, really. Cira didn¡¯t know what to call them.


    Alas, she would have been exploring caves this whole time if she had it. Nothing beat a good cave to explore. More importantly, it would have helped her rescue this fellow. Instead, she had to approach with utmost care until she could yell at the guy. Depending on his situation, she could lift him over easy enough.


    ¡°Ho there! Need a hand?¡± She called out.


    ¡°Bah! Debris?! An island?! What in the blazes?¡± She had approached silently after all¡ªnot on purpose. The man was of short stature, sunburnt with dry, cracked skin. His eyes were red and unfocused. ¡°Have I found the final sky already?¡±


    ¡°Not yet, old man.¡± She affirmed he was still living, ¡°I can give you a lift, but you¡¯re not a pirate or a bad guy are you?¡±


    ¡°O-of course not! I¡¯m a miner, dammit, look at me! Please, I have a wife and child, you have to help me! I¡¯ll give you everything I have!¡±


    ¡°No need to go that far. Here.¡± The rope severed and the man floated towards Cira, screaming in terror.


    ¡°GYAHHH! Whyyy?! Wha- Oh¡­ What is this?!¡± The man slowly collected himself but still wasn¡¯t too keen on levitating over a dead drop through the entire sky.


    The man got close enough and Cira floated a boarding pass over to him, ¡°Take this.¡±


    Waving his arms around like a man who couldn¡¯t swim, he finally grabbed hold of the pendant and she brought him in, only for him to collapse on the lawn weeping with joy.


    ¡°Ground! Solid ground! Thank you! Oh, thank you! How can I ever repay you?¡± The man wiped his snot and tried to hold out his hand to shake, but Cira pretended not to notice the gesture.


    ¡°Food, money, treasure¡­ Doesn¡¯t matter which. I can¡¯t stiff you since we didn¡¯t agree on a price.¡± This was drilled into her as a kid. Never help somebody only to turn around and charge exorbitant sums. That wasn¡¯t really helping to begin with.


    ¡°Sure is kind of you miss, but I¡¯ll be sure to pay you back. Ain¡¯t nothin¡¯ free on this rock.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡±


    ¡°Never been? Ain¡¯t missin¡¯ much. Place has seen better days. ¡®Lotta folk just stay away unless they¡¯re here to pick up or drop off.¡± The man recalled his home with less than praise.


    Fount Salt, known simply by locals as ¡®the rock¡¯, was a giant floating mine. As the only populated island along the Dead Chain, it hosted a sizable town for both residents and travelers. It used to be common for merchants to go out of their way to pick up goods here before heading back up from Hawker¡¯s Pact, though even smaller companies rarely stopped on their way down anymore.


    ¡°Things sure changed when Earth Vein took over twelve years ago. City turned to shit. Nothin¡¯ good to eat. People die in the streets. There ain¡¯t much left up here but salt ¡®n¡¯ despair. Yeah, the years ain¡¯t been good on this ol¡¯ rock.¡±


    She had to agree. This sounded exactly like the type of place she¡¯d fly right past. Unfortunately for her, she had to make a delivery. Well, where there¡¯s trouble there¡¯s work.


    ¡°How¡¯d you end up on the end of that rope anyhow? Quite the compromising position.¡± Cira asked about the white elephant in the garden.


    ¡°Another mine flooded out yesterday. If you didn¡¯t find me when you did I dunno how much more I coulda taken.¡±


    ¡°Yikes. You were there for a whole day? There weren¡¯t more people in there I should have helped, were there¡­?¡±


    ¡°Not the way I came.¡± The man shuddered, ¡°Who knows how long I was slidin¡¯ through the dark down there. Won¡¯t find nothin¡¯ that way. I¡¯m sure they have search parties goin¡¯ now anyway.¡±


    ¡°Well, glad I could help. If you show me the way I can take you back home, too.¡±


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    ¡°Tch.¡± The man laughed, ¡°I would hope so. Name¡¯s Chip.¡±


    It took the rest of the day to ascend the island at their pace. Much to Chip¡¯s delight, Cira fed him some of her surplus steak and made tea. By the time they reached the top he was joking about how they could just skip the island if she wanted.


    At such high altitudes, it could often seem as if the very night sky was beneath you. Clear skies were more common this high up, but below, miles of clouds formed a blanket of darkness over the earth, while countless stars lit up the sky beyond. Cira felt as if she were among them when she was up here.


    Adding to that effect was the mining city, Uren, with a shining cluster of its own stars, was the only land in sight. When she looked up, she thought she could just barely make out the silhouette of an island. She¡¯d be passing by it soon enough. It still filled her eyes with wonder to think of how much of the sky above was still within reach.


    ¡°I thought you said it was run down,¡± Cira commented, ¡°It¡¯s lit with magic tools, isn¡¯t it¡±


    ¡°The artifacts you mean? Haven¡¯t been maintained in twelve years.¡± Artifacts were made by artificers. Different birds, different words, as they say. The mana they draw in and put out wears them down slowly, but regular maintenance was critical for tools like city lights that ran constantly for much of the day. Cira set a day aside each month to maintain the various ¡®artifacts¡¯ that made up Breeze Haven. ¡°Lot of ¡®em burned up and they keep having to space ¡®em out, or take ¡®em from people¡¯s homes. I tell ya¡¯ this place ain¡¯t got long. I been savin¡¯ to move my family up to the Port.¡±


    Chip was nothing if not a good conversation partner. He had a lot of stories that ultimately amounted to mining salt with his friends, but somehow the way he told them kept Cira entertained enough. As they got closer she could really see the decrepit aspect to this place. It was more of a tin shanty town, complete with holes in the walls and caved in roofs. There were people sleeping around a campfire just outside the walls, next to a fallen over watchtower and right on the salt.


    You know, maybe I¡¯ll just drop him off. I don¡¯t want to get roped into building stuff again.


    Soon enough they were landing outside the city next to where other ships moored, and when they walked down the steps a sight woefully commonplace was waiting just outside her gate.


    Three confused men caught their breath as she cocked her head. It was best if they spoke first so she didn¡¯t say anything rude. They wore gray overalls and thick wool undershirts, with shoddy pistols strapped to their belts. They were made from crude pipes and repurposed wood.


    Just as some guards may hold swords, Cira didn¡¯t bat an eye that these ones happened to have guns, though she did mentally prepare herself to activate a shield. Finally, the younger man in the middle spoke.


    ¡°Good evening traveler, would you be the owner of this vessel?¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah. That¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°The overseer has summoned the owner of this vessel to his quarters. Would you mind coming with us?¡±


    Ugh. Here we go again.


    She tensed up and asked them to explain why, but they didn¡¯t know. Just that the overseer wanted her help. They were elated when they heard Chip¡¯s story and agreed to escort him home to his family, leaving her with the option of denying them to their face and flying away, or seeing what this so-called overseer had to say. After hearing them talk with Chip, they seemed like decent people who didn¡¯t pose much threat, so she obliged.


    The first thing Cira noticed was the air. It was like walking into an oven without the heat. She could feel the moisture being sapped out of every pore. This can¡¯t be healthy.


    They led her through the city¡¯s gate which hung wrong on its hinge and didn¡¯t close right, and into a bustling city paved in rusted steel. Every structure was built on metal piers rising out of the salt, beneath them channels were eroded into the salt from infrequent weather.


    Chip made her promise to come find her when she had a spare moment to repay her kindness, then gave her general directions and disappeared.


    This island is massive, but won¡¯t it just dissolve away one day? She had heard they¡¯d been mining there for hundreds of years, so she didn¡¯t know how many more centuries it would take, but she knew salt dissolved in water. The signs were quite evident her whole way up and even on the surface. The question was whether they¡¯d mine all the salt before it all washed away in the rain. I guess they¡¯d have a few decades heads up at least.


    The surface was strip mined and the city built upon many different levels, with walkways and common areas with storefronts set up along them. Now inside, she could see the deteriorating quality to all the light artifacts up close. They all shone at a different brightness, while some flickered and others were shining on overdrive¡ªa sign that the tool was at the end of its life. Much of the inscription will have worn away and it can no longer operate as designed, expending its life exponentially faster.


    Still, the city buzzed with life. Most of them dressed like miners, some with white powder streaking down their overalls. The aroma of cooked meat wafted from every direction as stands lined the boardwalk. They were strewn together with sheet metal and scrap, but plenty walked the streets stopping for a bite and chatting about their day.


    Even with meager conditions and those tales of woe, many still wore smiles, their toils just a part of daily life. This seemed like another close-knit community, and a city rife with things to do and people to meet. A welcome sight after so long at sea, jumping from one Podunk isle to the next. Nothing here that can burn, either.


    The overseer awaited their arrival in a large facility with two massive silos flanking it. It had automatic doors that opened when a guard placed a card atop a stand mounted to the railing. Cira marveled at the massive ship touching down at the top of one of the silos. It was completely round and had to be hundreds of feet across.


    ¡°They call ¡®em dropships,¡± The guard noticed her starstruck gaze, ¡°All they do is go up and down the noose.¡±


    Once inside they used an artifact called an elevator to reach the top floor. Why would they convert mana into electricity to pull it up a track with turning gears? At least use a pulley, talk about dangerous. They really hired a hack to put this place together¡­ what, fifty years ago? A hundred?


    Age could explain the outdated method but that begged the question of how it hadn¡¯t fallen apart yet. It didn¡¯t look that old and strangely enough bore the best craftsmanship of any artifact she¡¯d seen in the city thus far with hardly any wear. Yes, she was using more of her detection magic to check it out in detail. Spatial magic could be used to observe your surroundings or, say, build elevators.


    This one was held by gears facing out against an open track on either side. If it dislodged, the payload would smash mercilessly into the depths below. So, if he wasn¡¯t a hack, was he just the world¡¯s most talented moron?


    ¡°Excuse me, miss¡­¡± Cira realized they were stopped, ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±


    A shiny hallway and a set of double doors later and they were inside a large office with panoramic windows looking over the whole city. Much more pleasant strings of light connected the buildings together and lit up the walkways. Cira loved the ways cities got to decide when the day truly ended.


    The rest of the room had shelves with antique mining tools on them and bookcases. Filing cabinets flanked a large desk with a plump old man sitting behind it. Now, Cira had said Chip was old, but this man was truly old. You couldn¡¯t tell where his eyes were set from the multitude of wrinkles, but somehow she could tell he was looking at her.


    The old man hacked up a lung and a half then spent a solid minute clearing his throat.


    ¡°Who the hell¡¯re you?¡±

 8 - Reluctant Messiah

    ¡°Not this again¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± The old man shouted as old men do, ¡°Did you say somethin¡¯, little girl?¡±


    ¡°You summoned me. And I¡¯m no little girl!¡± Cira rebuked.


    ¡°No, I called the owner of that fancy boat. So, who the hell¡¯re you?¡± The man was genuinely confused, leaned back in his chair, mouth hung open.


    ¡°The owner of that fancy boat,¡± She sighed, ¡°But you¡¯re probably looking for my father. He¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Shock apparent on his face, ¡°That sonofabitch is dead?! No!¡±


    His large, leathery fists slammed the desk, knocking a picture frame over, far more upset than Cira anticipated.


    ¡°Were you two close¡­?¡± There¡¯s no way it¡¯s going to happen this often, is it?


    ¡°Nope, barely knew him. Got him to do some work for me long ago. Built that there elevator, in fact. Said he was experimentin¡¯ with a new design. She¡¯s a real beaut¡¯ ain¡¯t she?¡± His smile was broad and sincere now.


    ¡°Um, sure is¡­¡± World¡¯s most talented moron isn¡¯t far off, ¡°So, what did you try to summon my father for, then?¡±


    ¡°What else? Work. But now I¡¯m screwed! I been hopin¡¯ he¡¯d drop outta the sky for years and now what am I supposed to do?! This damn rock is doomed! Friggin¡¯ Earth Vein bastards.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Cira accelerated her thought process (not really) to contemplate her next move, using all the context clues available to discern whether it was worth speaking up here. A process she would later need to fine-tune as she arrived at an answer she would quite immediately regret, ¡°I¡¯m a sorcerer¡­ Does that help?¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡± He pounded the desk and used the last of his youth to stand up in the blink of an eye, ¡°There¡¯s no way. Impossible! How old could you even be, girl?¡±


    ¡°Fifteen or twenty by now, but why does that matter? I assure you I¡¯m a sorcerer.¡±


    Seasons were scarce up here, so you either kept track of the days or stopped caring.


    ¡°But yer a girl, don¡¯t that make you a sorceress?¡±


    ¡°My father was a sorcerer, so I¡¯m a sorcerer, dammit! Do you need help or not?¡± She was full of sighs tonight.


    ¡°Ah, sorry ¡®bout that,¡± He stood from his desk, straightening out his suit and extending a hand, ¡°You can call me Pappy. I do need yer help if yer willin¡¯, but how long will you be in town?¡±


    Usually the words that precede extensive promise of work. Cira¡¯s mood upturned for but a moment and she spoke proudly, puffing out her chest, ¡°I have neither schedule nor destination.¡± Famous last words.


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± He caught Cira off guard by grabbing her hand with both of his and shaking them vigorously. This man strikes like a toad, came to mind before he continued, ¡°Where to begin is the real question. Biggest problem if ya¡¯ think about it is the food. Ain¡¯t been growin¡¯ right fer a few years now.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­ You live on an island made entirely of salt. I would imagine you¡¯d have trouble growing crops.¡±


    ¡°Guh, don¡¯t give me that look! We been growin¡¯ food here since I was born! Only the last five years or so they started goin¡¯ downhill. This year¡¯s hardly gonna make it if we¡¯re lucky.¡±


    Cira had seen plants that need very little water before, so it wasn¡¯t too far-fetched, ¡°But don¡¯t you have agricultural experts?¡±


    ¡°Psh, whatever the hell that is. We got farmers. But they can¡¯t figure it out. Never seen anything like it.¡± He motioned to a chair next to Cira, sitting back in his own seat.


    ¡°Why not just import food? I thought some big company took over the place.¡± You have miners living on and mining a giant salt rock, shipping off island size loads to sell, you supply them with food, right?


    ¡°Spend a few days ¡®round the city, kid, I think you¡¯ll understand why we don¡¯t just buy everything. Earth Vein don¡¯t supply us with nothin¡¯.¡± She didn¡¯t like the sound of these guys. To her knowledge money begets vile minds and vice versa, so these conditions didn¡¯t give her the best first impression of this Gandeux Group.


    ¡°Cira, not kid. I can¡¯t promise anything until I inspect the crops, perhaps in the morning, if you would have someone show me to it,¡± He nodded, ¡°But I¡¯m getting the impression there¡¯s more?¡±


    ¡°Right you are. Trouble down in the pits. Every few months another shaft floods out,¡± His voice fell, ¡°We keep losin¡¯ good men.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what¡¯s causing it? Why now?¡±


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°¡¯Course. Spring¡¯s been sinkin¡¯ since anyone can remember. Wears the salt right down.¡± It begged the question of how the island came to be in the first place, but who knows what the place looked like long ago. The island¡¯s water source, known commonly as the spring or more academically, the aquos, had been constantly eroding the island since conceivably forever. Currently resting about halfway down the rock.


    There had been efforts to redirect and contain its flow with canals, but they were constructed from steel and had to be kept up on and patched regularly, else they leak and spill where they shouldn¡¯t, eventually burrowing silently into staffed passageways. Of course, more resilient materials would be too expensive to use here as Pappy passionately explained, ¡°I swear those bastards pushed us outta the Archipellergo to get ready for the day them jackals bought us out.¡±


    ¡°Ahem, about the canals,¡± Cira tapped her fingers on the chair¡¯s arm, ¡°Why didn¡¯t they just redirect it to spill into the sky?¡±


    ¡°Salt nymphs,¡± he said simply. Cira cast an inquisitive look, ¡°They produce the purest salt on the rock, but they need water. These days they¡¯re almost all at the bottom. All our bangin¡¯ around pushed ¡®em down over the years.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± She hadn¡¯t seen a ¡®nymph¡¯ before but suspected it would be similar to something she had seen, ¡°Sounds like I¡¯ll have to look into that, but I might be able to help with the canals.¡±


    Salt fell under the domain of geomancy, but making salt canals wouldn¡¯t help. She¡¯d need to actually get down there to find a solution, though studying new creatures was another hobby of Cira¡¯s. The depths had her interest. ¡°Is that it?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I wish.¡± He said with a tired sigh.


    Cira tentatively asked, ¡°What¡¯s next¡­?¡±


    ¡°Salt nymphs,¡± He said simply. Cira cast an inquisitive¡ª


    ¡°Wait, what?¡±


    ¡°They been actin¡¯ wild. Migratin¡¯ with no warning fer no reason to places ain¡¯t got no water. They move around time to time when we abandon one tunnel fer the next, but it¡¯s always a trickle. It¡¯s like some o¡¯ them¡¯ve just gone mad.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t think the floods have anything to do with it?¡±


    ¡°Think I¡¯m stupid girl?¡± Pappy scoffed, ¡°We got people on the bottom levels that sweep up the prima salt. They let us around ¡®em if you don¡¯t pull anything funny but they don¡¯t like large groups. No floods down there yet, thank the clouds.¡±


    Salt nymphs were docile creatures, so it begged the question, ¡°What happens when they go mad? Do they attack the miner¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± He shook his head, ¡°If they can attack I ain¡¯t seen it. Just bein¡¯ around ¡®em you need to wear a lotta gear. Suits, masks, breathin¡¯ tank. The whole caboodle. Throw a swarm of ¡®em down the only way out in a cave full o¡¯ my guys and ya¡¯ got a big ol¡¯ funeral on yer hands.¡±


    Pappy rested his head on his hand and sighed. It was easy to tell how he got so many wrinkles after spending just five minutes talking to him. Part of Cira¡¯s stomach was starting to hurt from the casually monumental problems with which this island was afflicted, but the other part was hungry for a fresh challenge.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, this sounds like a whole lot.¡± She complained, ¡°I don¡¯t mean to offend, but how do you intend to compensate me for all this? Work like this I suppose I can only take treasure¡ªoh, or money.¡±


    Expensive work could not usually be paid in food, though she appreciated when it was complimentary. Pappy assuaged her concerns, ¡°Don¡¯t worry ¡®bout that. We got plenty o¡¯ money. Well Earth Vein does, but I can pay you with it so long¡¯s you get the work done before they come back for the monthly audit.¡±


    ¡°I only work on two conditions.¡± Cira possessed no concept of worth in these skies, so avoided the subject of values, raising a finger, ¡°One, the agreed upon pay may not be rescinded. In this case I will do what I can and leave before this ¡®audit¡¯ thing, and you will pay me for what I do complete. Is that agreeable?¡±


    ¡°Seems fair to me,¡± His lips curled up and he subtly clenched his fist, but there was one more condition to clear before all his problems were solved, ¡°What¡¯s the other?¡±


    ¡°I reserve the right to quit at any time for any reason and you will do nothing about it.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Cira startled as his hand came down on the desk, ¡°I like you, girl. You got gumption. But yer pops had a third condition, ya¡¯ know.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± She was unaware, eyeing him dubiously ¡°And what would that be?¡±


    His grin now bore teeth and he let out a chuckle, ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll tell you later, kid. Ain¡¯t nothin¡¯ free on this rock.¡±


    Another deep sigh later, ¡°Well, then, where can I find a place to lodge tonight? It was a long walk here.¡± Telekinesising herself over would technically work, but it would take hours with frequent breaks. It consumed an egregious amount of mana¡ªher ¡®pops¡¯ said she was doing it wrong.


    ¡°Oh, I ain¡¯t done yet, sit yerself back on down.¡±


    Her eyebrows raised, ¡°You¡¯ve got famine, flooding, swarms of nymphs¡­ What¡¯s next? A plague?¡±


    Pappy¡¯s expression grew dark, ¡°You guessed it¡­¡±


    ¡°Why hasn¡¯t everyone just given up on the place?¡±


    ¡°Too much salt, not enough money. Would if they could.¡±


    ¡°Right, that was insensitive. Sorry¡­ Tell me about the plague.¡± Healing a gash across the chest¡ªpossible with quick response time. Healing a severed arm, not so simple for those that don¡¯t call themself Gazen. Cira could and has dealt with disease and various illnesses, but that did not mean she could cure all diseases, which she once learned the hard way.


    Rashes, desiccation, and severe respiratory issues befell many of the residents of Fount Salt, seemingly at random. The first patient appeared four years ago and was one of the farmers¡¯ wives. ¡°Everybody wears the right gear down in the mines anyhow, the Gandeux don¡¯t let ¡®em skip out on that.¡±


    Five points for Gandeux Group. ¡°Are there no commonalities between those afflicted?¡±


    ¡°Not a one. Doesn¡¯t matter where you work or what you eat. Babies and old men die. Men and women. If you can figure it out yer a saint. Earth Vein sent a healer down last year but he was stumped. Never heard another peep about it from up the noose neither.¡±


    ¡°How is this not your biggest problem?¡±


    ¡°Even sick folk gotta eat.¡± Old man¡¯s got me there. He just shrugged, ¡°Guess it¡¯s a wash.¡±


    Cira hadn¡¯t landed on such a troublesome island in ages. Nobody wanted to be around calamities and plagues, but she couldn¡¯t just leave it alone, hassle be damned. She was raised better than that. Sorcery was a gift, not a right. Gifts were not to be coveted. Should you find yourself in a position to help the helpless and refuse, you were not worthy of that gift.


    ¡°I wanted to get some sleep, but I¡¯m going to need to see that infirmary.¡±


    ¡°What, now?¡± The befuddled overseer asked.


    ¡°Yes, now.¡± With stern tone and incredulous visage, ¡°You tell me there¡¯s a plague throughout the city and you expect me to go by some snacks at the corner and call it a night like I planned?¡±


    And here I thought I was going to be repairing light fixtures¡­

 9 - The Infirmary

    The hot, stale odor of rotting flesh assailed Cira as she entered the first floors main ward. The room was lit with a single light artifact in the center of the room, which was silent if not for the rasping, labored breaths of patients packed into the room like cards in a deck. In the dim light she could see red rashes and skin lesions sprinkled about the patients exposed skin. Many of them had a painful, dry cough.


    ¡°Is that smell from the patients?¡± Cira scrunched up her nose behind the veil of her new set of robes¡ªit purified the air she breathed yet the smell of death still reached her nose.


    ¡°No, your reverence, that¡¯s coming from the second ward.¡± The nervous doctor accompanying her replied, exacerbating the unfortunate misunderstanding that was the outfit Cira spent months crafting. The flowing white, silken quality to them. The long sleeves that hung like ribbon and gold accents, and to top it off, she had to change the most critical part of her image. Atop her head was a raised, rounded white cap with folded edges¡ªcompleting the look of something not so sorcerous.


    ¡°I keep trying to tell you, I am a sorcerer, not a priestess!¡± Incidentally, the priests from up the Boreal wore similar robes, and to make matters worse the priestesses wore veils. I¡¯d bet my shiniest rock they don¡¯t serve a legitimate medical function! ¡°I¡¯ve never even heard of these priests, but anyway¡­ Please don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re storing the dead in the second ward.¡± She fixed him with a stern glare above the veil.


    ¡°Well¡­ We have no choice.¡± The doctor fidgeted and looked down, ¡°The auditor said we can¡¯t store them outside, and we have no other place to put them. The ones here don¡¯t have family to claim them and there aren¡¯t enough people contracted to bury them, so they just pile up.¡±


    Cira stared at him with bewilderment, and he continued, ¡°But, uh, the salt keeps them from going bad¡ª¡±


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you burned them?¡± Cira asked the obvious question.


    ¡°First of all, with what?¡± Cira looked out a window at the vast landscape of salt and steel. The doctor sighed before continuing in a low voice, ¡°We used to. After they¡­ dried up. We lack the facilities and Earth Vein banned burn piles when the visitors began staying away. It¡¯s one of the things they look for during their audit. Then they built the upper level¡¯s trade deck to hide the infirmary down here and fool passing merchants.¡±


    ¡°Enough. Not another word.¡± Cira was suppressing her anger towards the incompetence at play here but had to remember it wasn¡¯t this poor doctor¡¯s fault, ¡°We¡¯ll bury them immediately. Get these guys some masks and meet me in there.¡± By these guys she meant the two guards accompanying her by order of the overseer.


    ¡°Wh-what? Where? And how? There isn¡¯t enough time in the day!¡±


    She didn¡¯t like how that boded for the quantity of corpses in the next room, ¡°How many times do I have to tell you?¡±


    With that, the sorcerer walked past all manner of the sickly. A wheezing old man, a child with lesions on her face that looked in a daze. Only some were cognizant enough to even gawk at the shining priestess in the room. Many were under blankets trying to sleep one painful breath at a time. Next, she opened a door and walked into the second ward, immediately shutting it behind her.


    This room was full of death. Literal piles of it. Though no corpses looked too thoroughly decomposed, the rank odor was enough to make Cira doubt her veil and skills as an enchantress. Of course, the robes prevented her from catching a disease, in theory anyway. They weren¡¯t just for show though, and she¡¯d never catch a cold wearing them either.


    It was the hat that increased the efficacy of her healing, otherwise she¡¯d be wearing that pearly white pointed one. Healing was never her strong suit, being a subset of holy magic. It couldn¡¯t be helped though since the design she followed to make the full set was entitled ¡®priest robes¡¯, she lamented, lacking the materials to make a replacement.


    As this room hadn¡¯t been deemed necessary to see inside of, it was completely dark save for the scare moonlight peeking in the window. ¡°How about we brighten it up a little.¡± She held up a finger and a little ball of white light appeared. She flicked it towards the ceiling as it expanded, lighting the whole room up.


    It was worse than she thought. There had to be a couple hundred bodies in there all clumped together, given no care whatsoever. Cira didn¡¯t have any particular traditions regarding death, but the sight didn¡¯t sit well with her. They were all once citizens here, hard workers likely, but here their neighbors wer forced to pile them up like trash yet to be taken out. Cira was disgusted to the core. As hard as she was trying not to care about the company responsible for it all, she couldn¡¯t help but seethe.


    The door swung open, ¡°Miss, uh, sorcerer, what are you planning to do?¡±


    Cira could feel a heavy draft coming in from the window and blowing all this death and decay right into the room full of the plague-ridden. That much could cause a plague of its own.


    ¡°Close the door, you fool!¡± The young doctor obliged with fear in his eyes, closing the door behind him and the guards. ¡°And why aren¡¯t any of you wearing a mask?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve already got it¡­¡± He coughed, ¡°But more importantly, what are you planning? We don¡¯t have enough men or time to carry them all outside the city.¡±


    Cira walked over to the window, beckoning the three over. Outside was a narrow walkway before the structure ended and beyond that was a large field. All salt for a few hundred feet until the next pathway crossed by.


    You.¡± Cira said, pointing at one of guards, ¡°I need ten more of you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, your reverence, all of our guards have strict orders for their posts.¡± The man denied Cira, which irritated her to no end.


    ¡°And just what do you all plan to do when the bodies pile up? What¡¯s there to even guard in this city? The salt isn¡¯t going anywhere. I¡¯ve been hired to investigate the plague on direct orders from the overseer, who sent you with me for assistance, so assist me! If anyone gets upset tell them where they can find me.¡± Cira didn¡¯t like being rude, but if someone¡¯s paying her to stop a plague she wasn¡¯t about to do it one room over from hundreds of corpses. ¡°Trust me, you don¡¯t want me to make them walk themselves out.¡±


    Her final comment sealed the deal and the guard ran out of the room pale in the face. The threat of necromancy really got people moving. To put it in a word, Cira found necromancy distasteful. That¡¯s not to say she couldn¡¯t do it, but it was gross, tedious, and above all she was bad at it. Cira could move five or ten of these bodies tops. The other tried to turn and leave as well, but Cira stopped him with a hand on the shoulder.


    ¡°Slow down there, pal. You¡¯re still needed here.¡± To his look of utter confusion, she pointed out the window. Guard and doctor alike looked outside trying to see what she was indicating. ¡°You two start moving the bodies to right there. If it helps, I can remove this wall. In fact¡ª"


    Cira raised her scepter aloft. This one was not her own craft, no. Her father created it. Old Gazen said it was orichalcum but looked nigh indiscernible from gold. It was about half the length of a normal staff and held a perfectly spherical crystal with two twisted streams of the metal forming a spiral cage around it.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    As that crystal orb lit up, a squared off section of the wall pushed out, separating from the building itself. The guard was sweating with his hand frozen halfway to his gun. Meanwhile the doctor shouted, ¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing to my infirmary?!¡±


    He reached out as if to stop her, but Cira deftly stepped away, ¡°Relax. I¡¯m not going to have you walk these corpses past all the patients. Besides, it will air the place out this way. I¡¯ll put it back later.¡± She lifted the wall-square up and laid it down out of the way over on the salt.


    ¡°Do you expect us to jump?¡± The frazzled doctor was grasping at straws after having all his concerns refuted so soundly. Still, watching a piece of his building get tossed out of the way at this suspicious priestess¡¯s whim was tough for the man to swallow, ¡°You can¡¯t just do whatever you want here!¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Cira answered his initial question, and ignoring the statement that followed she did the same with the railing, as it would get in the way. The scepter in her hand increased her affinity with holy magic, complementing the set nicely, but also worked as any other staff would by increasing cast efficiency.


    Cira proceeded to mold the salt into a short bridge to meet the steel walkway outside the second ward, complete with its own salty siderail to prevent anyone from taking a tumble. ¡°Here you are. You can carry them straight out and across.¡±


    The two were speechless so Cira took the opportunity to continue instructing them, ¡°Doctor, if the other one brings back an even number of guards, come find me. Otherwise, let me know when you¡¯re done.¡± With that ball rolling she could finally start with this plague business.


    ¡°Wait, what?¡± The doctor¡¯s confused voice trailed behind Cira as she returned through the door to the main ward.


    ¡°Now, where to start?¡± She didn¡¯t have any of her tools or equipment¡ªit would have been too much to carry. She started by approaching the dazed girl she saw earlier, ¡°Excuse me, do you mind if I examine you?¡±


    The girl looked up with unfocused eyes with a visible haze over them. She didn¡¯t say anything but wheezed with each breath. After a moment the girl tugged on her robe with a frail hand. Without further ado, Cira cast another spotlight to see better.


    The girl¡¯s pupils constricted, but it was noticeably slowed then she shielded her face with her hands. ¡°Sorry about that,¡± Cira dimmed the light and dulled its color. ¡°That¡¯s interesting though. Her awareness is hindered and reactions slowed, but the light hurts her eyes even through the haze.¡±


    Using spatial sight, the observation spell, she confirmed that the haze wasn¡¯t just a build up of tiny abrasions, it was some kind of film. She also discovered this girl was severely dehydrated. Conjuring a stone cup, she filled it with (conjured) water and held it up, ¡°Can you drink?¡±


    She looked at the water longingly but couldn¡¯t reach her hand high enough. Cira held the cup to her mouth and coaxed the girl to drink. She greedily lapped it up and Cira let her have her fill, as the cup filled itself with just one simple trick.


    ¡°There, you should feel a little better at least. Can you tell me your name?¡±


    ¡°It¡­ It¡¯s,¡± Her voice was coarse and Cira hurt just hearing it, ¡°It¡¯s Del.¡¯


    ¡°it¡¯s okay, you don¡¯t have to talk if it hurts. My name is Cira, and I¡¯ve been hired by the overseer to look into the plague. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯m just going to try a few spells that may help your symptoms. You can nod or shake your head.¡±


    The girl nodded, so Cira continued the exam. She was weak, but everything was working fine. She didn¡¯t have a fever, nor was her immune system acting up. Del¡¯s muscles seemed deteriorated, but otherwise healthy. As if they had been damaged but long-since healed, though she couldn¡¯t make sense of it.


    ¡°Have you ever had health issues before or been particularly weak before this?¡± Del shook her head.


    The only real discernible conditions were dehydration and malnutrition, otherwise her physiology seemed healthy but somewhat stunted. Even some of her bones were less dense than others. Some of her findings could be explained away with malnutrition, but it¡¯s not the sort of thing to happen over the span of a few weeks it supposedly took patients to become ill enough for the infirmary, or with such inconsistency across the body.


    The crystal orb glowed bright, and a small stream of light flowed onto the lesion encroaching on Del¡¯s left cheek. The festering wound closed up but didn¡¯t erase completely. Not quite a scar, what was left looked like the beginning stage of a sore, etched into the young girl¡¯s face.


    My magic shouldn¡¯t leave scars unless that¡¯s how the skin looked originally. I can even heal scars within the first year, so that still doesn¡¯t explain it. ¡°How long have you been sick, Del? Can you show me how many weeks on your hands?¡± The girl held up two fingers, then reached for the cup of water again.


    Weeks changed from sky to sky, but they were usually around the same length. And two was not very many of them no matter where you fly. Helping Del drink, Cira considered where this left her. This much confirmed that something was preventing her from healing the skin lesions completely. She tried again with a rash on Del¡¯s arm and the result was the same, leaving a faint pink mark instead.


    Unhealable wounds pointed to a curse, but none of the other signs were there. For one, cursed essence was very hard to miss. It was corrupted mana, so you¡¯d have to be blind to mana to miss it. That said, cursed essence could be hidden, though not so much once it reaches the recipient in the form of a curse. Effects may vary, but a curse is a small fragment of the mana on your soul which has been corrupted.


    On the flipside, those with zero mana capacity are immune to curses. More importantly, since there wasn¡¯t a dark wizard actively suppressing the curse sitting next to every patient, Cira could safely rule it out.


    If it wasn¡¯t a curse, Cira should theoretically be able to brute force it out with holy magic. Before, she cast ¡®Heal¡¯. That was just your basic healing spell and could be cast frivolously. This time, she raised her scepter and a golden light illuminated the entire room. What looked like a miniature sun appeared and slowly floated towards Del before disappearing into her forehead.


    One should not mistake the grandeur of ¡®Holy Restoration¡¯ with the simple lamp spell Cira used to light the room, for it can easily be discerned by its divine brilliance despite its otherwise similar appearance.


    As it disappeared into Del¡¯s head, her whole body glowed. All of her yet untended sores and wounds closed up at once, but not completely. It was more effective however, and even the spot on her face receded until it was hardly noticeable.


    Much, much better. But it still didn¡¯t do the job. And I can¡¯t possibly cast that spell on everyone here. It took a lot of mana, but that¡¯s to be expected when diagnosing a patient. Now she knew not even holy magic was completely effective.


    She still couldn¡¯t draw any conclusions from just that. All it meant was something was preventing the damage caused by the plague from healing¡ªwhether that¡¯s the plague itself remaining within Del¡¯s body or something else entirely would take a lot more troubleshooting.


    Cira moved on to trying to treat the disease directly. Normally she gets some sort of sign or indication as to what she was trying to cure in the first place, but she was more poking around in the dark until she could get around to grabbing her equipment.


    ¡°High cure.¡± She started with the lowest spell that can cure diseases while watching with spatial sight. No change in the patient¡¯s temperature or immune response. Her blood flow remained consistent and nothing particular happened in the head. She didn¡¯t know much about what went on in the head but normally when this spell takes there is a surge of something similar to lightning mana.


    Moreover, there was no response from the meager reservoir of mana inside Del¡¯s soul. Cira couldn¡¯t see it on any level like her father could, but noticing fluctuations and patterns was within her ability. It was enough to see her spell had no effect. Much like the girl¡¯s body, her soul seemed weak but stable.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll ramp it up a bit.¡± She held the scepter aloft again to perform a spell she could only cast with it in her hand, ¡°Sacred cure.¡±


    This one worked the same as the last holy spell, but the small golden sun disappeared into Del¡¯s chest, right to her heart.


    ¡°Nothing¡­ Damn.¡± The results were no different, though it could not be denied that this slew of healing spells had left the girl in a far better state than before. Cira explained that she was still trying to figure out the cause and cure, then was about to find another patient when an irate man approached from behind.


    He coughed twice before saying, ¡°Hey Priestess, why does the girl get all the healing? Shouldn¡¯t you be more worried about those of us that should actually be working instead of rotting away in here? Isn¡¯t that what they¡¯re paying your for?!¡±


    Cira sighed. I need to find a way to wrap this island up, ¡°I assure you, I don¡¯t work for whoever you think I work for.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± The man stared at her like he couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing, ¡°You¡¯re obviously a priestess of the final sky, I saw your magic just now. You¡¯re trying to say Earth Vein didn¡¯t hire you? Why are you even here then, for fun?¡±


    Cira was enjoying how glaring over her veil felt, but simmered down shortly thereafter. This man was just scared, really. Every bone in her body was trying not to direct her anger to these Earth Vein folk either. She knew it would only spell trouble, and it wasn¡¯t her mess to poke her nose in. Perhaps that magician they hired who gave up before shall receive my scorn instead.

 10 - Plague

    ¡°SORCERER.¡±


    ¡°Um, what?¡± the plagued man asked.


    ¡°You will find no priestess here. I am a sorcerer.¡± Cira answered, ¡°And there is no need to get upset. I intend to treat everybody for their symptoms today but I have yet to uncover the cause.¡±


    The man was oddly hung up on the priestess thing but Cira hastily healed and high cured him just for kicks. Holy magic didn¡¯t do much more than heal here, and sacred cure was completely ineffective, so she stuck to just the basic two and repeated the process down the line.


    Healing them individually like this was more consuming but more efficient, area heal was a high-cost luxury unless she could move the patients around. The majority were too weak for her to want to bother them that way.


    Chasing a mysterious illness could get tricky. If it were something simple, they would have figured it out by this point. A truly powerful sorcerer, Cira thought, should be able to wave their hand make the plague go away.


    Reality was never that simple though. Something was causing this plague and even if she could whisk it away with the back of her hand, it was possible they would just catch it again. There hadn¡¯t been any wildlife on the rock save for a few odd birds so Cira couldn¡¯t pin the blame on rats, though the birds deserved investigating.


    That said, it was hard to speculate when she¡¯d only seen the overseer¡¯s office and the infirmary so far. Most of this island was underground and she hoped some time in the mines would alleviate some of the questions in her mind.


    Salt nymph¡¯s for instance. Who¡¯s to say they aren¡¯t the carrier? That would be too easy though, wouldn¡¯t it? If they¡¯ve been going mad it could still hold merit. Either that or they¡¯ve got the plague themselves.


    It took about an hour to finish going around the room healing everyone, and Cira still hadn¡¯t seen the doctor again. Assuming they were all hard at work, she moved onto the second floor using an elevator that was of suspiciously similar make to the overseer¡¯s. This ones crafted far better though. The gears are much more secure than the last one. Stupid design but it won¡¯t fail anytime soon. He really was just whipping these up for practice.


    Gazen had a bad habit of referring to every job he took as sorcery practice. Cira was just glad he put a little extra care into the elevator here. Stepping into the second floor tore her from her thoughts as another waft of death punched her in the face. The entire floor had been repurposed into the third ward. The most critical patients were all here, granted it looked like they had run out of room at some point.


    Now I get why nobody was downstairs. There were more doctors up here, all tending to patients. One man was being resuscitated and another was held down having a violent seizure. A woman coughed up blood nearby that splattered onto Cira¡¯s robes.


    As she walked around started inspecting the patients in order of closest to death, another doctor ran up to her in a hurry, ¡°You there, priestess! Are you responsible for what¡¯s happening outside?¡± She was a few years older than Cira and had light hair and dry, cracked skin.


    Cira looked out the window and was quite satisfied to see a sizable group of big men moving bodies for her. Correcting everyone was starting to get annoying so she ignored the first bit, ¡°Indeed. We can¡¯t store them here. They shall be buried once they¡¯re all outside. Now, are you this head doctor I¡¯ve been hearing about?¡±


    ¡°I certainly am, so why was I not made aware of any of this?¡± The woman was upset.


    ¡°I¡¯m doing a job for the overseer. I didn¡¯t think to come find you because there were problems that needed to be addressed. I¡¯ve yet to finish my investigation of the plague but you should know I¡¯ve healed everyone downstairs for their immediate symptoms. What can you tell me about the plague? It doesn¡¯t look like any disease I¡¯ve seen and most of the patients have very little wrong with them aside from the symptoms.¡±


    ¡°Wha- You¡­ Everyone¡­?¡± She blinked a few times, baffled, before collecting her thoughts and snapping back into work mode, ¡°Right. I¡¯m Doctor Lin, but just call me Lin. We still don¡¯t know the method of transmission, or if it¡¯s even contagious. The residents here all seem to get sick at random, no matter where they live, eat, or get water.¡±


    Fount Salt had two large water reservoirs on the surface, all fed from a pump at the bottom of the rock, where the spring lay. It was an incredible distance to consider but the artifacts responsible were supposedly built centuries ago and with great foresight for the sinking spring.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to go look at them before I leave¡­ On that note, have you considered if the plague is coming from the water, or the food for that matter?¡± Cira asked.


    ¡°Of course. Many people that drink from one reservoir are still healthy, while many of the sick get water from the same place. Same goes with the food. There¡¯s no consistency between the sick and healthy in which of the four farms their food comes from. All the crops have weakened the same over the last few years, yet many eat it and remain healthy as ever.¡±


    Even the crops which reservoirs were fed from different locations were dying off at a consistent rate between them. Among all residents that receive food from each farm or water from each reservoir, it¡¯s an even spread whether they catch the plague or not.


    Everything kept pointing to these issues sharing an origin, but whenever they looked into it, the data told the opposite story. It was random to an infuriating degree. If Cira didn¡¯t know any better, she¡¯d say it was a curse.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Cira rested a hand on her chin, ¡°That is quite vexing. And you say you can¡¯t even tell if it¡¯s contagious?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Like I said, people just catch it at random, but only the residents here. No travelers or representatives from up the noose have caught it even once. The people are saying it¡¯s the curse of Fount Salt, and honestly¡­ I¡¯m a couple patients away from believing them at this point.¡±


    ¡°Do you know how curses work?¡± Cira asked.


    ¡°Er- no, I suppose not.¡± Lin replied.


    ¡°Well, this is not a curse. That much is certain.¡±


    Many of the ill have lived for months with their loved ones who never caught it. It would be pretty obvious at this point if it were transmitted by coughing, but again they couldn¡¯t find any commonalities between those that caught it. They thought certain people had an immunity until they realized the plague exclusively infected residents of the island. Unless it were a curse that would just be way too uncanny to dismiss.


    ¡°Do you think you can cure it, miss priestess?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a sorcerer, and I can¡¯t promise anything until I learn more. I need my tools, for one, but I¡¯ll be investigating the plague for at least the next few days.¡±


    Cira went around the room again healing everyone. This time it took a lot more mana as most needed high heal to get rid of their wounds, which were much more severe on this floor. She watched multiple people die before her very eyes, and some she attempted to treat were already dead. This was heartbreaking work. Not the type Cira enjoyed, but it was necessary all the same.


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    A lot of them looked like burn victims, some were bleeding from the eyes and ears, and yet more had skin so dry it had cracked like fissures in the earth, slowly leaking blood and pus. Cira finished after healing Lin, who regarded her with amazement and thanked her up and down.


    ¡°They¡¯re not cured, of course, but this buys us time. Their biggest problem right now is dehydration. I need you to get everyone to drink significantly more water for the foreseeable future.¡± Cira gave orders to the head doctor, who happily received them. Luckily, they had water on tap so this could be easily addressed now that their critical patients were reduced significantly. Some though were still in very poor condition after being restored. Just like the girl downstairs, they could only be healed to a certain point, these patients were just far worse off.


    The man who was being resuscitated when Cira entered ended up pulling through, but he had the worst cough she¡¯d seen yet. Every few breaths he would spit up blood and his eyes were stark white from the plague¡¯s haze. He didn¡¯t seem capable of hearing her and Cira got the impression his mind had deteriorated rather than him having lost his hearing. She made the attempt to explain everything, but he would still scream with each healing spell and curl up until he calmed down.


    Towards the end she met a young boy who had symptoms unlike any other she¡¯d examined. The bones in his arm looked as if they were threatening to poke out of his skin. With spatial sight Cira could tell the bones weren¡¯t just lodged out of place¡ªthey were twisting and contorting all on their own.


    The young sorcerer had seen a few strange illnesses in her days under Gazen¡¯s study, even some which caused your muscles and joints to compulsively twist in weird ways or beyond their own limits, causing substantial harm. This was entirely different, however.


    His bones were changing shape. Literally twisting their form and stretching out, they poked against the inside of his skin. Cira also saw it had moved his muscles out of the way, which shifted them into misshapen lumps all up his arm.


    No healing spell nor advanced holy magic in Cira¡¯s repertoire had any effect on this condition. Curiously, the boy was devoid of respiratory problems and told her though tears that his arm looked normal a month ago. This boy¡¯s sores had healed, but Cira regretted being unable to do anything further for him. Regrettably, she moved on and finished examining the third ward.


    Cira then explained to Lin what she had cast on everyone and detailed her findings, which didn¡¯t amount to much as of yet. The doctor was happy to have some support with the plague and grateful for all the healing she performed.


    ¡°Thank you so much! Oh, how can I ever repay you?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet, just get these people to drink. I¡¯ll be sending in more help soon.¡±


    Walking downstairs again and back through the second ward, Cira saw they were almost done. She decided to give them a hand with the last pile and telekinesis them out¡ªshe¡¯d just finished all the heavy lifting upstairs, so she had mana to spare now. Then Cira sent some spare guards to fetch the dead from upstairs. Once they finished, she went to speak to the doctor she¡¯d roped into assisting her earlier.


    ¡°Your rev-¡° The first doctor from before started, then wilted under Cira¡¯s glare, ¡°Your sorcerousness¡­ have you finished your examinations?¡±


    ¡°For now. I hope to find out more later today, but first we will bury them all now. Everyone stand back.¡±


    Cira counted thirteen soldiers and the doctor, they all took enough distance to save themselves from an explosion. Just what do you all think of me?


    Holding the scepter up, Cira manipulated the salt to form a large ditch, pushing the rest out of the way into mounds. After about ten minutes she had dug a long grave about ten feet across and fifty wide. For this next part, she would have felt terrible making the guards unceremoniously toss them in, so she wasted a bit of mana and picked everyone up with magic, setting them down in the ditch gently one by one.


    The men standing by all said a prayer for the dead, and Cira scooped the salt back in, covering the bodies. It was a somber if not cruelly swift affair, but hopefully it would help keep the plague under control. Cira followed this up by reentering the second ward and throwing holy magic around to purify it before instructing the doctor to keep everyone out of there until further notice.


    ¡°Guards.¡± Cira addressed the men.


    ¡°Yes, madam sorceress?¡± Close enough¡­


    ¡°Your new task is to head inside and help the good doctor here keep everyone hydrated. Good doctor, Lin will fill you in.¡± The sun was already rising¡ªCira had lost track of time after hours of tossing heals around. She yawned and shook the sleep away, then turned to walk away but the doctor stopped her.


    ¡°Ah, but where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I need my tools,¡± Cira needed to perform alchemy to do any more here, though it would be throwing medicine at a wall to see if it stuck instead of magic this time. ¡°I¡¯ve done all I can for now, but I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    Cira¡¯s original plan was to have the men help her carry everything across town, but she came up with a much smarter idea that would be more convenient in every way.


    ___


    Overlord Pappy sat in his office, reviewing reports from the mines. This had to be done throughout each day between the multitude of dig sites all throughout the rock to ensure they hit their monthly quotas.


    Poor Pappy could feel his wrinkles increasing with each day of this slog, but today his attention was ripped away at the sounds of panicked screams from below. He spent another year of his youth jumping out of his seat and leaning out the window.


    His citizens were racing through the streets, crying in fear and running away from¡­ something. A shadow fell, and he saw some of them glance over their shoulders before increasing their speed. Total pandemonium had befallen the city, and Pappy followed their terrified gazes until his eyes landed on the source.


    ¡°What the hell is that crazy witch doing?!¡± His grip tightened on the windowsill as he watched an island descend on his city like the world¡¯s largest debris stone, ¡°She¡¯s got even less sense than her old man!¡±


    Grumbling to his stationed guard, he hustled out the door, intent on giving the foolish young sorcerer a stern talking to.


    Meanwhile, in the lower residential district where the poorest folk live closest to the salt, a man and wife sat at the table eating breakfast. Their home was just a single room, but that much didn¡¯t bother them. So long as the kid was healthy and happy with food in their belly, that was enough for them. Today, however, the man and wife ate breakfast quietly. The mood was sullen and neither of them knew what to say.


    ¡°Do¡­ you think she¡¯ll be alright?¡± A tear rolled down the woman¡¯s blemished face. Years of living in such a poor environment had taken their toll. As of yet she had yet to catch the plague herself, but she would trade places in an instant if afforded the chance.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, honey¡­ All we can do is hope and pray.¡± The man had nearly died and upon his miraculous return, his entire world had turned on its head.


    He took his wife¡¯s hand in his, as no more words came. They sat together in somber silence, slowly picking at their food for a while until suddenly it became dark outside. The sun which rose hardly an hour ago had disappeared in an instant. Alarmed, the woman¡¯s face grew pale and she rushed to the window.


    ¡°Chip, what¡¯s happening?! I- I¡¯m scared!¡± Her voice was frantic.


    Chip, mirroring her fear, ran to the window and looked up. ¡°That- that woman is insane! She can¡¯t just do that!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Who?¡± She looked up and her eyes turned into saucers, ¡°What is that?!¡±


    ¡°Relax, hun, the sky ain¡¯t fallin¡¯. It¡¯s just that girl who saved me. Guess she convinced the overseer to let her land inside, but¡­ where is there even room for that?¡± Chip was perplexed.


    ¡°Look! Look where she¡¯s going!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± The islandette was now desending, nearing its destination, ¡°She¡¯s going to the infirmary?¡±


    ¡°Chip!¡± His wife¡¯s devastation had taken a backseat behind the glimmer in her eyes. She grabbed both of Chip¡¯s hands in hers, ¡°You said she wields magic. D-do you think she¡¯ll save our daughter?!¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± He answered honestly. ¡°But, I guarantee that geezer tried to throw her at it. She¡­ She may be trying. If we go, maybe they¡¯ll let us see our daughter.¡±


    ___


    After a hot bath and leisurely breakfast in the garden, Cira descended her stone steps feeling refreshed as possible with no sleep, but her feet slowed as she approached the gate and saw the welcome party that had accumulated.


    The people of the city had crowded the boardwalks, watching the spectacle and there was an angry mob formed up of too many guards to count, all with their guns drawn. Cira saw the young doctor from earlier with a scared and uncertain expression on his face.  Cira, you see, had changed into garb better suited for botany, or gardening specifically. Her light green dress had simple white accents and her matching hat ended in a point, comfortably folded over the way she liked it.


    As she¡¯d stabilized most of the ill in the infirmary, Cira was switching gears to the next issue on the list, in order to give her helpers time to gather the sick from around the city as she assumed a great many were still in their homes. She would dress up like a priestess only when the time came, but now it was time to visit the farms.


    As Cira tried to find the right words to diffuse the situation she¡¯d inadvertently manifested, she noticed a very exhausted and very upset old man running towards her.

 11 - Famine

    ¡°You some kinda idiot?!¡± Pappy unleased his chiding upon poor Cira.


    ¡°I already said I was sorry,¡± she refuted.


    ¡°Sorry my ass!¡± He turned to the flock of confused guards, ¡°And you morons, go calm everybody down!¡±


    Cira had caused widespread panic across the city. Committed a social faux pas, as it were. She simply thought it ridiculous to have all of her things so far away when she had so much work to do right here. The salty field next to the infirmary was calling to her. She of course landed on the side opposite the mass grave.


    As the guards scuttled away, Pappy laid into Cira for her lack of self-awareness and failure to ask for permission or so much as to let him know. His accent got thicker the angrier and further through his tirade he was, and some insults she didn¡¯t even understand.


    ¡°Wherenda hell¡¯d yer guards go?!¡± He growled.


    ¡°They¡¯re inside helping with the patients.¡± She had repurposed them.


    ¡°Wha?! Got dammit!¡± Pappy look to the only other person remaining, ¡°You, Doc, go get m¡¯damn guards!¡±


    The doctor obliged, forcing Cira to endure another rant until he returned, but it only served to stoke Pappy¡¯s anger once he saw that her guards had multiplied. Once he had thoroughly vented his thoughts, Cira managed to convince him to let her keep ten. Once you got down to it, it was hard to argue with the sorcerer he had roped into saving the city.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t go pawnin¡¯ these guys off, dammit! Anytime ya¡¯ want to do anything at all, ask this man here if it¡¯s a stupid idea. Got it?!¡± He slapped a middle-aged man with dark hair on one of his broad shoulders. The guard in question looked less than excited about the role.


    Well, I¡¯m glad he¡¯s done yelling at me. How long has it been? What a waste of half an hour. I better get out of here before he starts up again¡ª


    ¡°Pap, ya¡¯ old goon!¡± Cira¡¯s friend from the harrowing rope escape appeared, ¡°You really let this woman land here? Scared the hell outta my dear Rosey!¡±


    Guh! Betrayal!


    ¡°The hell I did, ya¡¯ friggin salt nymph bastard!¡± Pappy turned to her, getting his second wind.


    I can¡¯t let him keep going, quick! ¡°My, Chip, how good it is to see you! And who is this lovely woman?!¡± Presumably his wife, she had ashen hair and crows feet adorning her worry-etched face.


    ¡°Ah, this is me wife, Rosalie. She is lovely, ain¡¯t she?¡± He wore a proud smile, but his face had a dark cloud hanging over it.


    Rosalie timidly approached with tears in her eyes, ¡°Thank you so much for saving my Chip. I know I can never repay you¡­ But I¡¯m afraid I have to ask you another favor.¡± Her voice was shaking.


    ¡°Love, we talked about this¡­¡± Chip interjected, but his wife fell to her knees, hands clasped, and begged. Cira became very uncomfortable.


    ¡°Please, please, won¡¯t you save our daughter? We¡¯ll do anything you ask! We just can¡¯t lose her!¡± She wailed and pleaded at the sorcerer¡¯s feet. The salt beneath greedily soaked up her tears.


    Cira only wished she had something better to tell her, ¡°Sorry, I haven¡¯t discovered much about this plague yet. For now, the best I can do is treat the symptoms, but if you¡¯re daughter is inside the infirmary, I¡¯ve already treated them to a degree.¡± There were no young girls among the dead of the third ward, so she thought it a safe guess.


    ¡°Truly¡­?¡± Rosalie looked up at Cira like the angel she¡¯d been waiting for. It made her¡­ even more uncomfortable to say the least. She latched onto Cira¡¯s robes at her ankles, sobbing, ¡°Thank you¡­ Thank you so much!¡±


    Chip reeled in his wife to a degree and Cira relaxed for a moment until Pappy spoke again, ¡°Chip you sonofabitch, I was in the middle o¡¯ yellin¡¯ here. Don¡¯t interrupt me!¡±


    Chip just laughed, ¡°Hey Cira, you know they say there¡¯s as many islands in the sky as there are stars above. But put ¡®em both together and you know how many wrinkles this old geezer¡¯s got. Hah!¡±


    ¡°Wha?! Hey, you¡­ You bastard! Gyahh!¡± A vein popped in the aforementioned geezer¡¯s forehead, and he turned red. Cira legitimately feared for his heart as she failed to conceal her snickering.


    ¡°Point is,¡± Chip continued, ¡°You gotta stop getting so worked up all the time or one day you¡¯re gonna wake up dead.¡±


    He¡¯s gonna what¡ª


    ¡°I don¡¯t giv¡¯a damn! I¡¯ll finish yellin¡¯ when I¡¯m done yellin¡¯!¡±


    ¡°Pappy, sir, I don¡¯t mean to be rude,¡± Cira started, ¡°but I¡¯d very much like to get back to work so that I may one day soon go to bed. You say you just woke up, but do you realize I¡¯ve been healing your citizens since we last spoke?¡±


    ¡°Wha? That¡¯s that and this is this!¡±


    ¡°I was also thinking your elevator is far too straight. It would be much better if it did a loop before arriving at your office, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡±


    ¡°You threatenin¡¯ me girl?! Gah! You¡¯re even more insuff¡¯rable than yer old man!¡± He was breathing heavy, the trusted guard he assigned Cira patted him on the back, but he shook him off, ¡°Dammit, I¡¯m leavin! Don¡¯t cause anymore trouble! Lomp, don¡¯t let ¡®er out o¡¯ yer sight!¡±


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    And the overseer finally stomped away.


    ¡°Phew¡­ What a character.¡± She said to Chip who looked like he¡¯d just witnessed a narrowly avoided catastrophe.


    ¡°You¡­ You really just went and told him to go away.¡± He was speechless.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t really know what to say. I¡¯m not good with people like that.¡± She replied, noting the exasperation on¡ªwas it Lomp¡­? On Lomp¡¯s face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt, madam witch¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sorcerer.¡± She corrected Rosalie.


    ¡°Madam sorcerer, do you think we can see our daughter?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t let anyone into the infirmary. I still don¡¯t know how it¡¯s spread.¡±


    No exceptions when the stakes were this high. Spreading the plague further would only make this more difficult, and if they caught it later it could be on Cira for her negligence. Chip managed to talk her down, but they turned the conversation around, begging for something to do that could help.


    ¡°Well, there is one thing I could use a hand with, but it¡¯s not in the infirmary.¡±


    So, Cira gained two new tour guides to show her around. They happily agreed. It was a chance to do something useful and keep their minds occupied instead of wallowing at home. With any luck, they could help the sorcerer solve the case, they thought. Rosalie worked at one of the farms so it was perfect.


    She instructed five of the guards to resume hydration duty, and the other five to run around town spreading the word that they could get healed at the infirmary. Lomp and Lomp alone would be her guard/little helper.


    ¡°Make sure to stress that I haven¡¯t found the cure, I am only treating their symptoms until further notice,¡± She instructed. That will certainly ensure there aren¡¯t any misunderstandings.


    ¡°A moment, please.¡± Lomp cut in, ¡°Didn¡¯t Pappy say not to send these guards off anywhere?¡±


    ¡°Why else would I need ten of them? This is important work. I¡¯m certain the old man understood that much.¡± She replied matter-of-factly, ¡°He only left you here to keep an eye on me.¡±


    He sighed deeply, ¡°Fine then. So where are we off to?¡±


    ¡°The farms, of course.¡± Cira pushed her golden hair over her shoulders and skipped along after the tour guides.


    The city was not small, so walking from the center to the outer edge took about as long as Pappy spent yelling, and the sun reflected off the rough metallic surface just enough to irritate her eyes. Not to mention the heat at her ankles. Cira was getting tired of walking everywhere.


    ¡°I really miss my boat¡­¡± Her dinghy would take her all over the city. It was actually her first boat ever, hand-crafted by her doting father.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you just on it?¡± Chip asked.


    ¡°Not that one.¡±


    Along the way Rosalie explained how they hadn¡¯t changed anything in their farming techniques, yet the crops still declined. They even tried importing seeds one year and the results were the same. The first farm they arrived at was massive and raised on stilts high above the salt. The structure had a deep base that Cira imagined was full of dirt. Pipes shot in from the side carrying water from the reservoir situated atop the nearby cliff.


    After climbing the stairs Cira saw a truly pitiful sight. The fields were half-barren, and the plants that lived, she questioned if they could even bear fruit. They had discolored spots or flaky edges, while their growth was so thin she was worried they¡¯d snap in half if she looked at them wrong. It was a far cry from her garden at home.


    ¡®Hat of the Botanomancer¡¯. It increased her ability to examine plants and looked great. Spatial sight didn¡¯t do much for plants since she wasn¡¯t a real botanist. There was a big difference between botanist and gardening enthusiast, and Cira was the latter. Like most things in life, magic offered a good supplement.


    Her vision narrowed and she could see the weak flow of mana within the plant. Most plants don¡¯t have souls, but they all at least had a small amount of nature mana bound to their being. It served as their life force.


    Cira was baffled to discover all the plants had a clean bill of health. Looking at the discolorations, one would think it was suffering from a nutrient deficiency. This would show itself in the mana-stalk as they call it, by way of weakened pathways between the roots and the leaves. None of this was present.


    She should be able to see a disruption of mana in the leaves where the edges are flaking off, but again, none of this was present. Likewise, the roots were all performing as they should without obstruction or interruption. They were weak, but the size of the plant matched that.


    Many of them had strange lumps characteristic of either a disease or parasite, but she saw no abnormal fluctuations or blank spots in the mana-stalk.


    ¡°Now this is incredibly vexing¡­¡± Cira sighed.


    ¡°What have you found out?¡± Rosalie asked.


    ¡°Not a damn thing. These plants are weak and frail, but otherwise healthy. It¡¯s almost like¡­¡± Cira was lost in thought, then shook her head,


    But that can¡¯t be.¡±


    ¡°What is it? Anything at all?¡± Rosalie was almost pleading.


    Cira was unsure about this, but it wasn¡¯t unheard of for a disease to carry over to different species. She couldn¡¯t see anything with her sight but whatever ailment was plaguing the people had eluded her too.


    ¡°It¡¯s just like the patients in the infirmary. Let me try something.¡± Cira raised a knotted and burled staff in the air and a green light flowed into a stalk of corn in front of her. ¡°Restore flora.¡±


    She cast her plant healing spell and the discolorations faded, along with some of the leaves healing up, though the parts that had fallen didn¡¯t come back. She also couldn¡¯t do anything for the stringiness or wilting. The plant was doomed to be weak as it spent so much time growing in such poor shape, but the wilting surprised her. The soil was soaked and the weather wasn¡¯t that hot, yet the plants were badly wilted.


    Of course, stress can do this, but that¡¯s nothing that shouldn¡¯t have been healed away. She confirmed that excess water wasn¡¯t the issue because, you guessed it, they suffered from dehydration.


    You have water, and you¡¯re even sucking it up. So, what¡¯s the problem? It¡¯s just like the patients earlier.


    ¡°And you¡¯re all certain it has nothing to do with the water?¡± Cira asked.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be,¡± Rosalie replied, ¡°Many people drink from this reservoir who haven¡¯t been afflicted.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not convinced. Can we go look at it?¡±


    ¡°The reservoir? Sure, it¡¯s just up here.¡±


    Cira pulled a jar out of her ring and took a sample of the soil, before returning it. There were stairs leading up from the farm platform to a high up cliff. Once they were at the top, Cira saw a massive pool carved into the mountain of salt, lined with something far stronger than steel. She wasn¡¯t sure what it was.


    Chip explained the reservoirs were built centuries ago at the same time as the spring¡¯s pump. Apparently, they had spillways of the same material, but they were rendered obsolete by the sinking spring. Whoever they were could only have so much foresight I suppose. To their credit, as she walked up the stairs earlier Cira could see pillars supporting the basin in areas where the salt had eroded more than others.


    She took a sample of the water here as well. When Cira explained that she wanted to see all the farms Lomp, who already looked incredibly tired and bored was the least excited for this development. Continuing the tour, they spent the entire morning and then some walking around between the different farms and the other reservoir, taking samples and performing more tests. Cira found zero inconsistencies between the farms but took samples at each one. She would be able look at each one more thoroughly once her workshop was set up.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s about all I can do here.¡± She said, ¡°And it¡¯s just about time for lunch. Would you three like to join me? I have a couple things to do there, and I intend to go look at the spring after I¡¯m done.¡±


    She was tired, yes, but she¡¯d thank herself later for all this running around today.


    ¡°That sounds delightful.¡± Rosalie excitedly replied.


    ¡°Great, let¡¯s head back.¡± I hope they like red tuna.

 12 - Witchcraft and the Nymph Hunt

    Cira and her tour guides plus Lomp enjoyed lunch under the shade of an apple tree. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to stomach anymore fish, but her guests were grateful. She decided it was a good day to bust into the lamb she picked up at Hawker¡¯s Pact. It went well on a flatbread she baked the other day.


    Soon, Cira was dozing off in spite of her best efforts. The trio had fun laughing at her but let her rest. She awoke suddenly as the sun moved past the tree and assaulted her eyes, ¡°Gah! How long have I been asleep?!¡±


    ¡°Only an hour or so,¡± Chip replied nonchalantly.


    ¡°Dammit, why didn¡¯t you guys wake me up?¡± Cira¡¯s crankiness was only mildly subdued through half-closed eyes.


    ¡°You seemed tired.¡± Lomp shrugged.


    ¡°Meh, whatever. I need to get to back to work. Stay here for a minute.¡± She left the bewildered husband and wife plus Lomp in the garden, heading off to the infirmary. Next to the bridge of salt and a moderate distance away from the mass grave, Cira prepared to perform her second great feat of saltomancy since coming to this island. She needed a clinic.


    Stopping here to erect a clinic of salt before she visited the spring was a necessary step to take because the alchemical process she needed to perform took time to complete on its own. Time she could spend taking care of her other duties. Efficiency was key and Cira was intent on getting to bed not a minute later than necessary this evening or tomorrow.


    There were other reasons for setting up out here, but the dry environment actually worked out conveniently for what she needed to synthesize.


    ¡°Lady sorceress,¡± A guard approached her and bowed low, ¡°We¡¯re still working on getting all the infected to the infirmary but they¡¯re nearly out of room. Is the second ward safe to enter yet?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t need that room anymore. I came up with a more elegant solution. On that note, do you think you¡¯ll run out of space again?¡±


    ¡°Soon, I imagine.¡± He said frankly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll fell two stones with one bird,¡± Cira said. It was to take care of two issues at once, such as a single gull could cause two debris stones to plummet with a single swoop.


    Cira lifted a gnarled staff to the sky and it began emitting that soft, sandy glow.


    ¡°Erm, sorcerer¡­¡± Lomp interrupted her, having apparently followed her, ¡°What do you intend on doing?¡±


    Ahh, right. That¡¯s what he¡¯s here for.


    ¡°I intend to build a clinic. I need to do some alchemy and soon we¡¯ll have far too many patients to fit in the infirmary alone.¡±


    ¡°Build¡­ a clinic? How do you mean?¡±


    ¡°See that bridge?¡± She pointed at the bridge to the second ward.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± He looked stumped, ¡°I guess that¡¯s alright?¡±


    ¡°Excellent.¡± Cira again lifted her gnarled staff of enhanced botanical efficacy that she happened to have on her and began molding the ground. She pushed it over in small streams, forming a large void in the mass of salt. As the streams worked their way around the proposed site, they left layers of salt behind, making sharp corners and flowing over each other. Eventually it formed the walls that would become her clinic.


    She tried to make it around the same size as the infirmary, but couldn¡¯t trust the salt for a second story and went long, stretching it along the field of salt. Once that was done, she added a peak roof on top¡ªshe wasn¡¯t expecting snow, this just made it less likely to collapse.


    ¡°You¡¯re done?!¡± Lomp was shocked, ¡°You can just put up a building like that? How much is Pappy paying you for all this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not quite done, and it¡¯s not like I can leave it here when I¡¯m gone.¡± Cira deflected.


    The clinic took maybe twenty minutes to complete, but she had some finishing touches to make for the patients. Claiming one end of the building closest to Breeze Haven, she separated it with a wall and got to work lining the rest of the interior and exterior with a thin layer of conjured stone.


    Their dehydration was already severe, and putting patients in a giant box made of salt would turn them into jerky. This process was slow going, as she had no source material to draw from. To conjure something truly permanent was a masterful feat that required insane amounts of mana, but using a mildly copious amount instead, one could create a construct that lasted for months.


    This would only be up for a month if that, but it¡¯s always the safest bet to double that. Wouldn¡¯t want rocks falling on the patients.


    She saw furniture summoning in her future, but she was done conjuring for now. She took a small vial out of her pocket and drank it, restoring a decent chunk of lost mana. Phew, haven¡¯t had to use one of those in a while. Feels good. Not drinking potions, the first chance in a while perform so much sorcery felt good.


    With a new spring in her step, she ran home to complete this pit stop. Lomp chased frantically behind her to catch up once he realized she left, and Cira ran past a very confused husband and wife in her garden, gawking at her clinic.


    And Cira ran all the way downstairs to her alchemy workshop. In case it wasn¡¯t clear, rapidly restoring mana gives one a burst of energy and focus.


    The smell of herbs and various oils was pungent down here. Tables lined with beakers, alembics, and other crystal instruments for the various stages of creating potions and the like. The workshop was lit by a single window and two undying torches mounted to either wall.


    The low-grade elixirs she made at Hawker¡¯s pact were as simple as simple can be. Throw a pound of Limwurt and literally any alcohol with a fistful of redcaps in a pot and stir it every three minutes¡ªboom, there¡¯s your healing tonic.


    Cira could significantly improve such a potion using false brimhorn, but that would require drying them, grinding them to a powder, boiling them, then separating out the lethal toxin. That had its own uses. It was known as brimbane, and this is what Cira was really after.


    Brimbane could be used to derive a potent poison that only affected viruses and parasites, even bacterium that the body¡¯s immune system disagrees with. These three ¡®microscopic¡¯ lifeforms were some of the harder to believe tales Gazen told his daughter, but she¡¯d spent too much time seeing him combat them with absurdly specific spells to be able to deny their existence any longer.


    These, too, were beyond her, but even without comprehending them she had the fledgling ability to combat them herself. Cira was pretty sure viruses and parasites were like fairies and imps, which were large enough to see with the naked eye but quite small. Considering their similarly devious nature, it only made sense these microbes would be similar in appearance yet smaller still. Bacteria, however, was closer in relation to the common slime.


    Cira ravaged the barrels of herbs, throwing them into various baskets lined out on the table. These were her favorite inventions. She¡¯d fill them with ingredients and when she¡¯s ready, they lift up and follow her around. It was a far cry from Breeze Haven¡¯s machinations, but she was proud of them. They were perfect for the alchemist on the go.


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    Her lab was equipped far better than that Bortimer fellow, but the problem was its location. Sometimes it was nice how nobody could ever hope to access her space, but it came with its own inconveniences when she picked up a big job. Sometimes it was nice to work in the field. Especially with patients to treat, she could quickly test things or bounce ideas off the local healers. Cira could check on something fifty feet away instead of having to run home back and forth.


    This time she had the luxury of landing next to the infirmary, but it was still two flights of stairs and a brisk walk away. So, Cira got to work packing up her lab. Ten items at a time, she loaded up her equipment in the storage ring which she was yet incapable of crafting an extra of herself, and started making trips back to the clinic, passing the winded Lomp just as he finally made it to the stairs.


    Setting up her workshop wasn¡¯t difficult, as she¡¯d done it many times in the past. Tables made of salt held all of her various alchemical instruments and she was preparing to dry the false brimhorn she¡¯d luckily found on the day of the festival. The one good thing to come out of that island were these mushrooms. The food was really good too¡­


    Her salty little clinic looked like the most sterile alchemy lab she¡¯d ever worked in. The walls and every surface was pure white with all her crystalware lined out on the tables. She felt like a real doctor for a moment. None of the rustic barrels of herbs and chemical stains across the floorboards that her home¡¯s workshop boasted were present. Her beloved baskets were almost ruining the scene.


    This part was hardly alchemy. She spread the mushrooms out on a tray, taking the caps off and laying them down flat, then built an extra tall table to rest them on high up near the ceiling. The finishing touch was to open up a hole to let the sunlight shine on them. This couldn¡¯t be recommended if you wanted medicine, as it breaks down most of the compounds besides the poison. It was intended to make the next few steps easier.


    Here, the salt and sun would form a bifecta of rapid mushroom drying, speeding the process up from a week to¡­ hopefully a day or two? Once that was done, she could start the real alchemy, but this was a necessary waiting game. Perfect chance to head below ground.


    She ran home and changed her robes again to something more practical. They were woven from silk of the cerulean silkworm, embellished with frills and white accents to appear as a flowing river. The go-to for water related work. Cira regrouped with her tour guides and an exhausted guard before heading towards the main entrance to the great mine. If you just kept taking staircases down, that¡¯s where you¡¯d end up. They descended through the various levels of the city, where around two-thirds of the population was supposed to live. Above, on the highest platforms were all the shops and stands. The bustle served to create the fa?ade of a lively city as she saw last night, but below was in dire straits.


    Rusted tin shacks like jail cells were all clustered up down here, sharing walls and stacked on top of each other. It was worse the lower you go. Some peoples¡¯ walls were rusted through, and Cira could see a thin man and woman sitting at a table listlessly.


    ¡°The famine hit this place hard,¡± Chip explained, as they reached the lowest level. ¡°Used to live here until a few years back. Managed to move up a couple.¡±


    A couple levels up was hardly better but at least they all had a roof and there wasn¡¯t anyone sleeping in the path outside against the railing. The buildings were all more rusted, likely just being closer to the salt.


    ¡°Did they repair the buildings down here before those fellows from above took over?¡± It was hard to tell how old the buildings looked when the whole island was salt.


    ¡°The place didn¡¯t exist before then. The city was largely rebuilt and when Earth Vein came in and a lot of folks were shoved down here¡± Cira couldn¡¯t imagine living somewhere like this. Her home island was bad, but Fount Salt had left a considerable impression on her in very little time. It¡¯s like comparing limroot to dimnuts. Why am I even thinking about that place? The plague there was of an altogether different nature.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we hurry up?¡± Rosalie suggested, ¡°I hate coming back here. We should have taken a different way.¡±


    They continued following the staircases down until they¡¯d left the residential district behind. Cira got excited as they approached a massive tunnel. Cave exploration would make for a nice change of pace.


    The entrance was lit with artifacts and there was a constant flow of miners entering and exiting, all equipped in heavy gear and wielding pickaxes. Some looked sickly but Cira couldn¡¯t just stop them and heal them out of the blue. Hopefully they¡¯d turn up at the clinic. She¡¯d been ill before, but nothing serious since she was young owing to her dear old dad and his teachings. She couldn¡¯t imagine having to mine while sick with whatever her patients had¡ªshe could hardly get herself out of bed with a light cold.


    ¡°This is as far as I go,¡± Rosalie spoke up before turning to Chip, ¡°But you should probably check in with your supervisor, shouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Aye¡­¡± He said in a depressed tone, ¡°I wanted to push it off another day but now¡¯s as good a time as any.¡±


    Rosalie departed after they shared a heartwarming goodbye. Apparently going to the mines meant one wouldn¡¯t be home for days or weeks at worst. Fount Salt was massive. She made sure to wrestle a promise out of Cira to let her know when she could visit her daughter.


    Chip led Cira into the mine, which narrowed into a spiderweb of tunnels. If she didn¡¯t have a guide she¡¯d lose her way in an instant, but the miner knew these tunnels like the back of his hand. After a few minutes of twisting and turning, it opened up into a large chamber with a bunch of doors set into the stone.


    ¡°We call this the other noose.¡± Chip filled her in, ¡°Takes you to work, wherever you need to go.¡±


    One door opened and a small group of bearded men with pickaxes stepped out looking tired, seemingly on their way home. Recessed into the stone were a series of elevators. From what Cira could see they weren¡¯t her father¡¯s make. They were built from the same material as the reservoirs and Cira was upset to discover they resisted inspection.


    How dare you?! She shook her fists at the artificers who died hundreds of years ago after building out the island.


    ¡°How far down is the spring?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Couple hours,¡± He shrugged, ¡°Don¡¯t expect to get anywhere quickly down here.¡±


    She took that as a challenge.


    So, the monotonous elevator ride began. The interior was raw metal and it was constructed with no concern for aesthetic or dampening for sound, so they got to enjoy the sounds of metal scraping for three hours. Chip and Lomp took a nap somehow, but most of Cira¡¯s time was spent trying to look at the mechanism behind this artifact.


    By the three-hour mark, Cira was beyond frustrated. She hadn¡¯t learned a thing about how the elevators were built and all she discovered was the method they used to prevent her observation. Resist spatial sorcery, short and sweet. She¡¯d have to vandalize these relics to learn more¡ªeither disassembling them or attempting to selectively disable parts of the inscription. The latter being quite the feat when you couldn¡¯t see it, and an attempt would likely end in its complete destruction.


    They stepped out into a dark cave where people walked around wearing headlamps to see. Where the elevator let out was something of a nexus, and there was another maze of tunnels to navigate. Instead of grabbing a headlamp off the wall like Chip, Cira cast Lamplight again and a ball of light the size of her fist followed her around like a personal sun.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, little miss. We¡¯re almost there.¡± Ten hours later, that is.


    She could smell it in the air, almost like the scent of the ocean. The salt clung to the moisture in the air from the nearby spring and she could taste it. It dried her lips out and she was forced to cast Lesser Hydration on herself. A spell she¡¯d thought up towards the end of her stint in the infirmary where she creates a hyper-humid pocket of air around someone to force their skin to absorb it. In this case, she just moisturized her face, leaving her feeling like the freshest daisy in the salt mine.


    Soon, the sound of rushing water could be heard.


    ¡°What do you intend to do here?¡± Lomp was visibly worried.


    ¡°Just take a few samples. Nothing to worry about.¡± Cira skipped along to the sound of water, arriving at the spring promptly. Any given island¡¯s aquos was going to vary greatly. Heron¡¯s Island had a very subdued spring that sent gentle streams flowing through the woods, but Fount Salt was a massive island and had a massive spring to suit.


    Water violently exploded like a geyser from the center of a bowl polished into the salt and full of water. A spiral staircase led straight up far beyond the distance Cira could see, into the dark. Chip explained that they just keep building down as the spring sank. A canal was carved out just above where the water pooled to, suggesting it had found another way out.


    ¡°It sinks a few feet each year. It¡¯s a huge hassle to keep digging these canals only for them to be useless in a few months, but we have to stay ahead of it best we can.¡± All the canals led to a major spillway, but they had to submerge themselves in potent saltwater to dig them out twice a year. Grueling work that just went to waste.


    Cira approached it and pulled a couple jars out, taking two samples of the spring, one from the pool and one from catching the bursting water in the air. The room was a good hundred feet across, and walking around it, Cira found the path the water was taking to escape. It was a massive underwater river leading down into a steep underground cavern.


    ¡°Is that it?¡± Lomp asked, ¡°Can we go home now?¡±


    ¡°Sure thing,¡± Cira said before running towards the water and taking a leap, ¡°I¡¯ll see you guys topside!¡±


    ¡°Wait, what are you doing?!¡± Lomp chased after in a panic.


    ¡°I¡¯m off to see the salt nymphs!¡± The rapids took her, and she was quickly submerged, picking up speed as the tunnel grew darker and darker. She looked up and the last thing she saw before going blind was her lamplight trailing pitifully behind and Lomp entering the water behind her.


    That Fool! And just like that, Cira was forced to perform a series of miraculous feats to prevent someone from killing themselves through sheer idiocy.

 13 - Ciras Salty Slip n Slide

    What the hell is that crazy witch thinking?! I¡¯m going to die! Lomp¡¯s thoughts grew increasingly dark as the tunnel he decided to drown in at high speeds did the same. Meanwhile, a certain sorcerer was more than a little irritated.


    What the hell is that crazy moron thinking?! He¡¯s going to die!


    The river bored through the salt was massive. A lot of water moved through it. To put it in perspective, it was about the circumference of that little trading post with all the beef.


    Ever wonder why a sorcerer changes clothes so often¡ªno, let me rephrase that. Ever wonder why any sorcerer worth their salt changes clothes so often? It¡¯s because you never know when you need to take advantage of a little extra boost in abilities. It was a mark of skill as well, as only experienced sorcerers had an outfit for every occasion.


    The Cerulean Robe set would be the difference between Lomp¡¯s life and death. You see, the rock is made entirely of salt. On top of being deep underground with the oppressive earth mana, the dry environment further lowered the prevalence of water mana, even while fully submerged. Water wasn¡¯t her specialty, and she needed more power to save the truly stupid.


    The staff to this set was actually a ring. When activated it turns water into a state separate from liquid or solid, forming a staff bound to her hand that moved and flowed just like water at her whim. She stretched the staff out above her, expanding her influence over the water. Like this she could manipulate the water to compress from above, drastically increasing the pressure around her to her shield¡¯s limit and slowly pulling the water down faster.


    She had to act quick or the foolish layman would drown. Cira had another ring for that. She was good for an hour on a single charge. After that, she¡¯d just fill up her barrier with air. She was really excited to see where the salty current took her, but now she was saddled with responsibilities.


    Aquon the Staff of Springs spread out like a river delta above Cira¡¯s head, searching for the reckless guard with a myriad of watery feelers. After thirty seconds Cira started getting worried and wasted even more of her precious mana to channel Spatial Sight through the branching staff. The overload of information made her head burn as she was seeing in three dimensions, through each of what she discovered to be the twenty-six appendages of Aquon.


    Lo and behold, she found the idiot kicking and trying to swim upstream, as if he instantly regretted his decision and thought he could do anything about it. She refocused Aquon¡¯s many streams into a single tentacle and used it to grab onto the man¡¯s ankle, yanking him down to her.


    When she finally got him in her grasp, he turned to her with wide eyes and a look of relief from having been rescued from mortal peril, but the eyes that stared back were cold and withholding a young woman¡¯s potent fury. Lomp was losing consciousness at this point and experiencing a whirlwind of emotions, but Cira couldn¡¯t wait indeterminately to dole out at least a fraction of her anger.


    She headbutted him, causing blood to ripple out of his nose into the current. The look in his eyes was as if Cira was twisting a dagger into his back as the last bubble of air from his lungs escaped and his eyes rolled back.


    Cira then forced a ring onto one of his stubby little fingers and held her glare fixed on him as he opened his eyes in a panic, grasping his throat for lack of oxygen. The look of shock remained as he slowly realized he didn¡¯t have to breathe, only to freeze over again after realizing Cira¡¯s cold gaze remained. She wrapped him up in Aquon and attached it to her waist, letting it¡ªhim, Lomp¡ªtrail behind her.


    Cira crossed her arms pouting, unable to shake the irritation as she sped down the underground river. They were going way faster than the elevator ever could. Chip had mentioned getting to the salt nymph¡¯s lair would take a day and a half by elevator. There was a special one with cots to sleep in that goes straight there.


    By her estimation she could make it there in an hour or two. The thought of a return trip had not crossed Cira¡¯s mind yet, but she was busy living in the moment. After a while of letting the calming water rush by at high speeds, Lomp dragging along flailing all the way, Cira¡¯s rage had subsided. The problem was handled, it was just a high-tension situation.


    She hated having lives forced upon her. Her father said it was a sorcerer¡¯s burden, but he never mentioned how often it was due to stupidity and not a legitimate crisis.


    These were just some of the things you had to get used to up here. There¡¯s another saying. As there are as many islands as stars, there are as many idiots among those island. Truthfully, Gazen made that one up.


    An hour in, Cira recharged the ring on Lomp¡¯s finger at considerable cost, turning this journey into one dangerous for even her. Of course, there was another danger closing in. Cira passed many branches to the river where the water flowed out in different directions through the island, and with each one the tunnel she was being flushed down narrowed considerably, shrinking to about Cira¡¯s arm span in width.


    Lomp had long since passed out, being dragged along like a ragdoll, slapping against the sides. If he were conscious he could take the same pose as Cira with her legs together and arms at her side. She was falling with the current like a knife sinking blade down.


    Come to think of it, Lomp was probably getting whipped around a lot from my excess speed. Why does this have to be my responsibility? She couldn¡¯t really do anything for him at this point. What, manipulate his body with telekinesis like a puppet? Ugh. Fine.


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    It was impossible to drink another mana potion while blasting through miles of salt completely submerged in fast-moving water. Well, there was a way, but Cira was going to be livid if she had to use it.


    By the time the river¡¯s tunnel narrowed to just barely wide enough for Lomp to fit, the current had slowed down and they were moving at an angle now, sliding against the salt. In addition to her robes incapability of getting pulled up or off from the current¡ªyes, this included her hat¡ªCira¡¯s Cerulean robes granted her protection from damage caused by rushing water.


    Getting slapped with a rival spellcaster¡¯s Water Whip, scraping against the sea floor, or miles of salt-on-saltwater abrasion, could ostensibly be considered damage caused by rushing water. In tandem with her shield, she was fully protected against this little escapade. It¡¯s almost like she planned it! The same could not be said for Lomp.


    Again?! Cira cast a shield around him as well, drawing entirely from her own mana instead of a ring. Her reserves were rapidly dropping at this point, and she was getting nervous. Soon, they were hardly going down at all, seeming to have bottomed out, sliding on their back in the water¡¯s current. Lomp apparently woke up at some point and had his eyes glued open in terror, muscles tensed up and stiff as a board¡ªnot that he could move until Cira released him.


    They had reached the two-hour mark and their speed had dropped even further. Cira was really starting to sweat as the tunnel continued to narrow, without any more offshoots and no sign of air pockets. Here mana was getting dangerously low too. She was mentally kicking herself for being forced into such a reckless situation. She should have just turned around and thrown him out before they got too deep, but she just didn¡¯t have that idiot saving reflex. Cira had to make do with the situation as it developed.


    The whole thing was reckless in its own right, but by herself even if the tunnel narrowed too much to pass through, it wouldn¡¯t be the death of her so long as she saw it coming and could slow down to a stop. Then her old friend geomancy would save the day, allowing her to burrow out. It would probably take a long time, but there were supposed to be tunnels all throughout the rock like an ant colony.


    Burrowing in one direction then probing the salt rock with a combination spell of earth and spatial mana to search for voids in the rock, she could find a mine and a way out. This was the spell she used to find iron in the ground and she called it Spatial Prospecting. I guess I could do it with him in tow if I had to, but come on!


    Finally, Cira was running out of mana. She had to do the thing she really didn¡¯t want to resort to or they¡¯d both die. Reluctantly, she used Aquon to float a healing vial up into her mouth, and bit down. Blood filled her mouth mixed with elixir. Her mana shot up to just above halfway in an instant and her body reeled anxiously as she was unable to expend any energy just laying there like a stick.


    After wincing in pain and waiting until the elixir¡¯s effects had finished, she spit the glass out and healed herself. Lomp owed her a bottle.


    With another hour of mana in her, Cira double down, dumping it into Aquon to increase their speed through the water. No sooner than she had begun, the tunnel opened up. Within another minute, they fell off a waterfall over a deep chasm while the river they followed exploded behind them.


    Cira heard Lomp desperately sucking air in and using his first breath in hours to scream as they fell. Cira quickly cast another Lamplight as her other couldn¡¯t keep up and was long gone. Lining the chasm were more waterfalls just like the one behind them. Relying on Aquon again, she merged it with the waterfall and used it to carry herself and her baggage, decreasing their speed as they approached the bottom.


    Lomp didn¡¯t stop screaming the whole time, having clearly pent up a lot of it during the last few hours. Cira¡¯s Lamplight burned brighter than usual as she also had some spare energy, and it lit up the plunge pool beneath them.


    The sound of water crashing in all directions echoed around the chamber and Cira stopped them right on the surface like a platform, stretching out her legs and cracking her back. She relaxed as the tension left her body, until her face landed on Lomp who¡¯d just finished gathering his bearings.


    ¡°Are you crazy?!¡±


    ¡±Are you stupid?!¡± They shouted at each other in unison.


    Slap!


    Cira slapped him right in his dumb face, ¡°How dare you thrust your life upon me as if it is my burden to bear! A lesser sorcerer would have left you for dead! Do you have any idea how many different spells kept you from death over the last three hours?! I had to eat a glass bottle! You owe me a new one and give me my ring back!¡± She ripped it off his finger, before rinsing it and muttering, ¡°Dad made it¡­¡±


    Lomp was stunned, but eventually managed a few words, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I saw you jump in and acted without thinking.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t believe it, ¡°Are you trying to suggest you were trying to save me from drowning?!¡±


    He grew red and looked away, ¡°Y-yeah¡­ I guess so.¡±


    ¡°Idiot!¡± She sighed, ¡°Forget it¡­ Do you know where we are?¡± She looked around and saw a dock built from wood. The first she¡¯d seen on this island. It was old and rotting but still looked functional. Just a little dock to sit on and watch the waterfalls. This brought a smile to her face¡ªshe liked finding places like these.


    The sky was full of dangers and the stiff winds of fate could sweep you away faster than you could blink. Everyone either had a problem or somewhere to be, but every now and again Cira stumbled across a place that was created with tranquility in mind. That¡¯s the impression she got from this dock at the underground lake. The white noise from the waterfalls breaking the surface seemed to block out the world.


    With that thought in mind, Cira channeled more mana into her Lamplight and it grew in size, illuminating even further into the darkness past the dock. At the shore there were people standing with frightened looks on their faces, watching the spectacle that just fell from the abyss above.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it,¡± Lomp replied, ¡°I think we made it to Deep Falls. We¡¯re only a few layers up from the salt nymph¡¯s lair.¡±


    ¡°Deep Falls, huh?¡± Cira said thoughtfully, standing atop the water, ¡°Nice place.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one way to look at it¡­ but the lake wasn¡¯t this high last time I was here. I think there¡¯s more waterfalls now too.¡±


    ¡°Well, you saw how much water was spilling out of the spring. A lot of other places are surely the same.¡±


    It stood for reason. Cira was bewildered about how this island even existed anymore. The amount of water that spring created was like nothing she¡¯d ever seen, and it was the most water-soluble island she¡¯d ever set foot on at that. Some areas of the salt rock, she noticed, eroded slowly. With Spatial Prospecting the best she could tell was that some areas were just denser than others. Given the spring¡¯s few feet of drop each year, the island had to be millennia old.


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Lomp continued, ¡°But there shouldn¡¯t be flooding this far down.¡±

 14 - Insurmountable Floods

    Cira took them to the dock and cancelled all her magic for the first time in hours. She instantly slumped, feeling drained. The constant mana output had kept her from realizing how tired she really was. As they walked towards the shore the people there got nervous.


    ¡°We don¡¯t want any trouble!¡± They cried. All of them wore simple but clean clothes that looked hand sewn from some kind of coarse green fabric.


    ¡°No trouble here. Just passing through,¡± Cira casually replied.


    ¡°Actually,¡± Lump interjected like a true stick in the mud, ¡°I would like to see Umon, can you tell me where he is?¡±


    Cira was surprised to hear anger hidden behind his words, ¡°What¡¯s that about?¡±


    Lomp ignored her. Rude!


    As he stared at the salt-dwellers, one broke into a nervous sweat and spoke up, ¡°He¡¯s up ahead¡­ In the far house on the left.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your business here?¡± An irate woman with mean eyes cut in then glared at the first man who spoke.


    ¡°Just passing through.¡±


    ¡°Seems there¡¯s been some false reports coming from Deep Falls.¡± Lomp spoke at the same time, louder than her. He sure is rude when he¡¯s working. Wait¡ª


    ¡°Hang on, that¡¯s not why we¡¯re here.¡± Cira rebuked.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡± His stern look was too much for Cira and she burst into laughter, holding her sides.


    ¡°No it¡¯s not!¡± She looked up through teary eyes, ¡°You¡¯re here because you¡¯re an idiot!¡±


    His fa?ade broke and his face turned red, ¡°N-no! That¡¯s not the only reason. I mean¡ªdammit!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she agreed proudly, ¡°You¡¯re also here because I am an amazing sorcerer.¡±


    Lomp grumbled it off then headed down the path ahead of her. Cira spared one more look at the angered woman who was now thoroughly baffled and left before the she could come up with anything else to say.


    ¡°Seriously,¡± Cira caught up to him quick, ¡°What¡¯s this false report business?¡±


    As they walked further along the cavern started to light up. Dim, but as they approached a small town it was enough to see your way around. Lomp looked over at her, ¡°You should care too. They¡¯ve been sending reports to the surface saying there are no signs of flooding. Like I said, we¡¯re only a few levels above the salt nymphs. As far as Pappy and Earth Vein are aware, the flooding only reaches the old crossroads¡ªa couple hours by elevator above us.¡±


    ¡°That sounds serious.¡± She should care, ¡°Truthfully, when I accepted the job, I don¡¯t think I realized the scale. This flooding is going to be tough to fix before the next audit. I imagine there are different colonies like this that rely on water too? That complicates things.¡±


    Lomp scoffed, ¡°You speak as if you can fix the flooding.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a few ideas,¡± Cira answered with snark, though she was never sure about this part of the job. Materials would be an even bigger constraint than time. Originally, she thought she could plunder a few empty islands for stone, then so long as she got the salt nymph¡¯s water and fed the pumps, she could dump the rest off the side of the island. Even that much would be near-impossible given the sheer distance at play here. Factor in the multiple routes the water takes to each pump, plus the unknown number of reliant settlements and ecosystems, her head was starting to hurt. Perhaps this island was destined to crumble one day.


    As she followed Lomp the buildings were made of wood like the dock but the pathway was paved in stone¡ªboth had to have been brought in at some point long ago. Now that there was enough ambient light, she could see the entire ceiling was lit up with some kind of bioluminescent plant.


    ¡°What is that?¡± She pointed up.


    ¡°Salt Moss. A lot of places like this have it.¡±


    She wondered if the other places were like this one. There was a row of houses on either side of the walkway. The only sounds present were that of running water and the occasional voices of the townsfolk. None of the homes were run down or had holes like those of the surface, and instead of people sleeping in the road, there were children laughing and playing in the streams. It was a peaceful place that gave the impression of an entirely different island.


    There were admittedly a lot of streams tearing through the white ground like roots across the town. Some had even begun burrowing under peoples¡¯ houses. She noticed a hole at the bottom of one of the streams that led straight down. Another underground river flooding down to depths unknown, and the perfect fit for a child to fall down.


    Well, better close that up. Aquon didn¡¯t like performing geomancy so she used her hands. It worked in a pinch, but she¡¯d been wielding staves for so long it felt like molding clay after her arm¡¯s fallen asleep. Simple enough for something this small though. Lomp looked at her but didn¡¯t say anything and her thoughts turned back to exploring.


    ¡°So, how does the moss work?¡± She would expect it to be shriveled and dead.


    ¡°Why are you asking me? You¡¯re the alchemist.¡±


    ¡°Tch. Some guide you are.¡± She walked over to the wall and scraped some into a little pouch, noticing Lomp¡¯s judgmental glance, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Guard, not guide.¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you hurry up and guard me to the salt nymphs already?¡±


    He just rolled his eyes, ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±


    The home was like any other, single-story wooden construction with a couple windows. Lomp knocked on the door and a short, middle-aged man with long, dark hair opened the door before turning white as salt upon recognizing his visitor.


    ¡°L-Lomp?!¡± His face was distressed, ¡°What are you doing down here?!¡±


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    ¡°You know why I¡¯m here.¡± He spoke with total seriousness. His eyes twitched when Cira snickered behind him.


    Umon was buckling under the pressure, but Cira¡¯s laughter threw him off. He was at a loss for what to say.


    ¡°Why have you been lying in your reports?¡± Lomp demanded, ¡°You know that affects the whole rock! You¡¯re putting everybody that lives here in jeopardy!¡±


    Suddenly, the man flared up in anger and exploded, ¡°And what about us?! What about the people down here?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about everybody, you imbecile!¡± Lomp was really laying into him.


    ¡°Wait, I¡¯m a little lost here,¡± Cira spoke up, ¡°Your home is flooding, shouldn¡¯t you want to let someone know so they can do something about it?¡±


    ¡°So they can do something about it?!¡± The small man was letting it all out now in a venomous tone, ¡°And just who are you? Another one of Earth Vein¡¯s witches?! We don¡¯t want any more of your kind poking your nose around here!¡±


    ¡°They have witches¡­?¡± Why did nobody tell me? When she thought about it, anyone with money and no magical ability had a spellcaster or two under their employ, but the man had said witches specifically. Cira was intrigued, and remotivated to solve the plague so she could really tell them off. Bunch of hacks.


    ¡°Aquon, Water Slap!¡±


    Slap!


    ¡°Ouch! What was that for, you damn witch¡ª¡±


    Slap!


    ¡°I work for no one.¡± Cira said coldly, ¡°And I¡¯m a sorcerer.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re not with Earth Vein then what are you doing here?¡± His eyelids had receded into his skull and a red mark appeared on his cheek.


    ¡°I really wish people would stop asking me that, but now I¡¯m irritated. I¡¯ll be taking over the interrogation.¡± She held the amorphous staff of springs menacingly.


    ¡°This wasn¡¯t really an interrogation¡ª¡± Lomp tried.


    ¡°Why were you lying in the reports?!¡± Cira demanded.


    Slap!


    ¡°Blegh! Dammit!¡± Umon spit water out of his mouth, ¡°Stop this! I¡¯ve seen what kind of living awaits us up there! We¡¯d rather live out our lives in peace for as many days as we have left!¡±


    The piercing hatred in his eyes were directed entirely at Cira and his words were enough for her to second guess herself.


    ¡°What do you mean by that¡­?¡± She refrained from slapping him to let the man speak.


    ¡°Like you don¡¯t know about Silver Lake!¡± He shouted.


    Now she was truly perplexed and turned to Lomp for a lifeline. He sighed.


    ¡°Let the man go. I think there¡¯s been a misunderstanding.¡± He looked at her and Cira¡¯s eyes twitched to see mild concern, ¡°You look like shit. I think you need to get some sleep.


    True, under Cira¡¯s bright green eyes were dark bags and her countenance was sagging like a wilted flower. She realized the man in Aquon¡¯s clutches was a victim of her crankiness and released him, letting out a huff, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t throw the word witch around so carelessly, fool.¡±


    Many would kill for such a slight. Cira usually didn¡¯t care, but it was more about context to her. She hated when people jumped to conclusions, then to insult her on top of that? Perhaps she did need a nap.


    ¡°What is Silver Lake?¡± She asked.


    The Deep Falls resident looked at her dubiously, leaving Lomp to finally fill her in.


    ¡°There used to be a city just above the nymph lair around a big lake. It was nearly the size of Uren City and housed half the people on the rock. Earth Vein thought it was too much water too close to the Prima.¡±


    The prima salts made up a considerable percentage of the money pulled out of Fount Salt. She¡¯d heard it was a luxury item, but it felt like a bad time to ask what was so special about it.


    ¡°And then what happened¡­?¡± Cira beckoned.


    ¡°Earth Vein sent a couple of their witches down, drained all the water out then caved the place in before sealing it.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?!¡± A cave to fit a city even half the size of Uren would have to be massive. She was starting to think they may actually have some formidable witches. It would take either incredible prowess, or a barrel of elixir and months to accomplish. ¡°What happened to everyone that lived there?¡±


    ¡°You saw the lower district, didn¡¯t you?¡± Her jaw slackened as she stared at him.


    Chip had said people were just shoved down there when the city was rebuilt. So, all the people shoved into those rusted boxes used to live at the bottom of the mines? Thousands of them. It¡¯s downright criminal. I thought the Gandeux Skies were supposed to be well-regulated!


    Cira was blown away, ¡°Chip didn¡¯t say anything about that.¡±


    ¡°Most don¡¯t like talking about it. It was a bad time for the people of Fount Salt. Some refused to leave, and it became their tomb.¡± The conversation turned heavy in an instant and Lomp¡¯s last words hung in the air for a while.


    The other man, Umon, broke the silence, ¡°You¡¯re really not one of them?¡±


    ¡°I assure you, I¡¯m not. Sorry for slapping you.¡± She replied, releasing the man before turning to Lomp. ¡°Do you have anything left to do here? I imagine you already knew why he lied, so we may as well move on.¡±


    ¡°You need to rest first. I think that¡¯s become clear.¡±


    ¡°The man learned a valuable lesson that will surely help him if he runs into a real witch. I could go for a bite though¡­ Speaking of,¡± She looked at Umon, ¡°What do you guys eat here?¡±


    ¡°I could show you if you want. We aren¡¯t affected by the famine from above.¡± That was interesting.


    Cira allowed the man to lead them further into the cavern past all the houses. The clumps of moss were more abundant, and it became brighter as they continued further. They arrived at an open chamber littered with glowing mushrooms of all different colors.


    ¡°Mushrooms, huh? I love it.¡±


    ¡°The moss is edible as well, but the mushrooms are more palatable. You¡¯re welcome to eat as many as you like.¡± They weren¡¯t affected by the famine, but if this was all they had to eat, Cira thought it was a depressing existence in the dim cave. Though, there was something to be said about those that could find peace with very little. She admired them, in a way.


    ¡°No thank you, I could never stomach mushrooms¡­ but I will take a few if you don¡¯t mind.¡± Mushrooms were valuable ingredients and picking them on a whim had come in handy more times than she could count.


    She only had a small bag at her waist, and it was quickly filled, glowing a rainbow of colors until she tied it shut.


    ¡°Say, I didn¡¯t hear anybody coughing when we walked through town. Are you not affected by the plague either?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± He replied, ¡°It¡¯s the curse of the damn surface dwellers.¡± Now that¡¯s curious, though I doubt his sample size outside Deep Falls is very large.


    ¡°Hold on, are you serious?¡± Lomp asked.


    ¡°Why would I lie about that?¡±


    ¡°Is that not in your reports? Or did he lie about that too?¡± Cira cut in.


    ¡°No¡­ The criteria for reports are from Earth Vein directly.¡± Lomp replied, ¡°Maybe if this place were just a level or two closer to the prima they¡¯d care enough to come take a look, but they couldn¡¯t care less about the conditions so long as they hear there¡¯s no flooding.¡±


    Not a single plague victim in Deep Falls. There¡¯s something there, I know it¡­ Maybe I have been up for too long. I¡¯m off my game.


    She had been hoping for a meal, but regrettably it would have to wait again. Still, she was fascinated by the small but verdant chamber that defied logic. Mushrooms grew out of the salt like the moss and were all healthy. She cast Spatial Prospecting to see into the ground, looking at the root systems. They somehow seemed to grow deep without issue, but what the salt was doing for them was a mystery to her.


    Cira noticed a large clump of mushrooms on one end of the room and expanded her sight. What she saw surprised her. It was so far off from the impression this peaceful little town gave her. She lost her appetite and turned to Lomp, suggesting it was about time they continued on their way.


    Umon, wearing a genial smile, showed them the way and they headed back to the waterfalls and she took a sample of the water for later, leaving only one more space in her ring. Cira took one last look at the natural beauty of the depths and let out a conflicted sigh, ¡°Hey, Umon, you said a witch came poking around Deep Falls, right?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± The nervous glint in his eyes was gone as fast as it appeared, but it didn¡¯t escape Cira, ¡°No, I was just talking about Silver Lake.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorcerer, come on.¡± Lomp called out impatiently, ¡°We have a lot of ground to cover.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡±


    The two of them walked along the edge of the lake before disappearing down a passageway.


    Her guide was thoughtful for a moment before he spoke, ¡°Now that you mention it, one of those witches went missing a few years back investigating the prima mines.¡±


    Cira didn¡¯t know what to think. She didn¡¯t take Umon for that kind of man, but Spatial Sight never lied. Within that cluster of mushrooms was a human skeleton. Then that man had led her to the very same grave. Cira didn¡¯t look back as they left the peaceful little town behind.

 15 - Cira Spelunks in Search of Specters

    Cira left the questionable underground settlement behind and let her new guide do his job. For a guard, Lomp sure knew his way around the mines. She was still upset about him so selfishly ruining her cave-diving adventure, but Cira had to admit she¡¯d be lost without him. Every turn they took opened up to a new fork in the road. There was really no end to the different paths you could take.


    ¡°How long will it take to get to the bottom?¡± Cira asked to break up the monotony.


    ¡°Depends.¡± He answered, ¡°On this side of the island there¡¯s two ways to the bottom, but we have to go through the Nymphus checkpoint either way. Probably a day or two on foot.¡±


    The lowest reaches of Fount Salt consisted of two levels. The salt nymph¡¯s lair and the mining-free zone above it, where the city of Nymphus guards the only route down.


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem with a checkpoint? Don¡¯t you work directly for the overseer?¡± Nothing can stop a determined sorcerer in her path, but Cira would rather not force her way through and cause a scene. There was always sneaking in, she could walk straight through the salt, or just sink down. But none of these plans sounded fun with some guy following her around. She would stick to procedure, as is custom.


    ¡°It¡¯s not our checkpoint, it¡¯s Earth Vein¡¯s.¡± Lomp didn¡¯t sound excited to see them. ¡°They¡¯ll let me in just fine. I¡¯m not so sure about you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll work out, I¡¯m sure. But a day or two is too long. What¡¯s the other way to get there?¡±


    Lomp pursed his lips. He had hoped Cira would forget he mentioned it. ¡°The Last Step. It¡¯s a straight drop down to Nymphus¡¯ gates.¡±


    ¡°Perfect!¡± Cira was glowing. A pallid glow, ¡°I wanted to get everything done first but this mine is taking a lot longer than I thought. Let¡¯s wrap this up in a few hours so I can take a nap when we get there.¡±


    The guard cursed under his breath before moving on. After a few minutes the tunnel they were following opened and they took a sharp turn before the path started to decline.


    ¡°Tell me about the Last Step.¡± Cira urged.


    It spanned four levels and was a near straight shot down with only a couple alcoves to take a break in. One had to climb down to reach Nymphus. What¡¯s more, it held a different creature. It was rare, but they say the spirits of fallen miners dwell in the Last Step.


    ¡°It¡¯s only a shortcut for experienced climbers, we¡¯re really better off taking the path.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense. You¡¯re looking at an experienced climber.¡± Cira used to climb stuff all the time¡­ when she was a kid. It was loads of fun, and she was a full-fledged sorcerer now. A tumble or two wouldn¡¯t be the end of the world.


    She really wanted to grasp flight magic, but she knew it would take the spirit of adventure out of a lot of situations. It was likely a subconscious mental block holding her back.


    Every pathway looked the same to her, but Lomp navigated every turn without looking twice. ¡°What would you have done if I wasn¡¯t here?¡± He seemed irked about her unilateral course decision.


    ¡°Whatever I wanted to¡­?¡± She cocked her head, ¡°What kind of a question is that? I bet I would have made it all the way to the salt nymphs if you weren¡¯t around. You should really lose some width, by the way. Your form is not conducive to adventures. You already told me there¡¯s ghosts, so obviously we¡¯re going.¡±


    Ghosts, spirits, specters, what have you. Different birds, different words. It was life which lingered long after the body died. Those with a greater aura, the mana attached to one¡¯s soul, had a higher likelihood of sticking around if they held regrets or other strong emotions upon death.


    They were at that point, after all, nothing but soul, manifested. Their bodies having failed or withered away. It begged the question, why would so many random miners¡¯ souls linger here specificallly? Most people she passed on this island had below average mana. Usually ghost stories had at least a little veracity to them, and she supposed it wasn¡¯t too far from the former site of Silver Lake.


    ¡°Why would you want to see ghosts?!¡± Lomp regarded her like she was crazy.


    ¡°I wear many different hats,¡± She gave a sly grin, ¡°Among them is that of a researcher.¡±


    Lomp shook his head and grumbled some more, then they mostly continued in silence for another hour. Suddenly with the next turn the floor got steeper and steeper until they were hopping down rocks. This went on for another ten minutes from a surprisingly non-argumentative Lomp until they reached a flat shelf overlooking a deep chasm.


    ¡°Well,¡± Lomp said, ¡°Are you going to float us down there or what?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid. Floating us both down the distance you speak of would be a masterful feat. That said¡ª¡± She hesitated. A thought had occurred to her and just as swiftly been discarded. She could not yet fly herself, but she was capable of summoning something that could fly. For a limited time, of course.


    However, she didn¡¯t want Lomp clinging for dear life on and crying for the next few hours. It was back to the original plan.


    ¡°W-what?¡± Lomp asked timidly in response to Cira¡¯s glare which had gradually intensified.


    ¡°We will climb down.¡± She walked over to the edge and looked down. There was no end in sight, but the walls suggested it curved slightly the deeper one plunged. Cira¡¯s ring flashed and Aquon took the form of a wavy staff, ¡°Verdant growth: Vines!¡±


    A green light followed the path of water to the cliff edge where Cira aimed. Two little sprouts burst out of the ground and rapidly grew until they were hanging over the side of the cliff. As they grew, the vines thickened and sprouted leaves along their length.


    ¡°Quickly now!¡± Cira was already on her rope and starting to rappel down, ¡°They¡¯re already dying in this salt. We¡¯ll never make it if I have to charge them all!¡±


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    She slid down gracefully as Lomp scrambled behind her, clinging onto his vine screaming. After a hundred feet or so, she held out her Aquon hand and grew another vine out of the sheer cliff face, grabbing on right as her last one crumbled and calling out above, ¡°I¡¯m serious, I don¡¯t have the mana to keep holding your hand.¡±


    ¡°A warning would have been nice!¡±


    He quickly got the hang of it after getting enough complaints out and Cira only had to reinforce his vine a little bit here and there. A guard like him should be limber after all. Every vine got them about a Breeze Haven''s length further and they were making a decent pace of the descent. The white walls glistened in the Lamplight and every noise made echoed above and below.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t planning on going the whole way without a break are you?!¡± Lomp asked, out of breath and frantically sliding.


    ¡°Why, how far are we?¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­ about a third? It¡¯s hard to tell when we just keep dropping.¡±  He answered.


    They were making great progress after what felt like an hour. ¡°I guess we can take a break.¡± She molded the salt into a shelf and took a seat.


    ¡°Seriously?! Just like that?¡± He landed on shaky legs, slowly bending down until he could touch the salt with his hands and feet before collapsing.


    ¡°Just like that. Take these ten minutes to think about how much longer you can rest once we get there.¡± Cira herself didn¡¯t mind the chance to get a little mana back. Lomp realized that Cira would probably be out of commission for a non-insignificant number of hours when they did reach their destination. It gave him something to look forward to. The day had been somewhere between grueling and traumatizing for the poor guard-slash-guide and he longed for a break.


    After only five minutes, Lomp stood up and they continued. Another hour later, the vines started growing shorter and weaker each time Cira created them. Aquon didn¡¯t like the salt and had a pretty one-sided relationship with nature sorcery as is. It liked being near water and would lose efficacy the longer it was away from it, causing higher mana cost or weaker results.


    They ran into a split path after pressing on a little longer. ¡°Make sure to go left!¡± Lomp called from above.


    Tink.     Tink.      Tink.


    ¡°And why is that¡­?¡± Cira asked suspiciously.


    Tink.                 Tink.


    ¡°Because¡­¡± he trailed off.


    Tink.     Tink.     Tink.


    It was the unmistakable sound of a pickaxe chipping away at the salt rock. Cira led them to the right, to the origin of that sound.


    ¡°Dammit all¡­¡± Lomp lamented as he followed the trail of vines laid out for him.


    The path led to a chamber that got less and less steep now. The walls were carved into like they¡¯d been mined, unlike the sheer walls of the Last Step. Eventually the ground evened out and they were walking again.


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you want to come here? You could even camp for the night.¡± The chamber was large and the floor was flat. It seemed like it should be the natural rest stop on the way down.


    ¡°Because¡­¡±


    Tink.                Tink.


    It was louder now. Just around the corner. Cira approached silently, hugging the salty wall as Lomp was waving his arms and muttering about how crazy she was, trying and failing to persuade her to leave it alone, ¡°What are you doing?!¡± He shout-whispered.


    ¡°Wha-¡° Cira mouthed, silently, holding out her arms like ¡®what the hell?¡¯ and giving him the most aggressive ocular shushing she could muster. I¡¯m trying to be sneaky here, dammit.


    She finally made it to the corner and started leaning past to get a look. Huh, the chipping stopped. Did it leave¡ª


    As her eyes breached the corner and she finally saw into the next chamber, they grew wide. It stood there with its knees bent, swaying and holding a pickaxe loosely in its hand. It wore a thick tan jumpsuit and stood a good head under Cira, right around Chip¡¯s height. Its form was wisping and fading away in spots that constantly shifted.


    His eyes were vacant but they were staring right at her as if he saw her coming through the wall. The pickaxe in his hand clattered to the floor and he took a couple uneven steps toward her. His ghostly joints clicked as though they had only moved a single way in centuries¡ªhe couldn¡¯t remember how to walk and just shambled toward her.


    ¡°Muhhh,¡± he groaned, ¡°Muhh, mehhhh¡­¡±


    Cira backed away in a rare instance of fear. Something about its gait really creeped her out, and those vacant eyes. It¡¯s unstable form. This soul had been decaying in torment for a very long time. With each groan his voice got a little clearer as he remembered how to form words.


    ¡°Mehhhh¡­ me belovvved,¡± He managed, ¡°Fin¡¯ly, I found yeh. I-I knewww yeh was down here.¡±


    His voice was choppy and some of his words dragged. Each step he took was slow and forced, but before Cira knew it, he was right in front of her. She didn¡¯t even register the stock-still Lomp beside her.


    ¡°pllllllease stay, me lov¡¯,¡± The grainy voice sounded like static and the old spirit¡¯s accent was thick, ¡°Won¡¯t yeh ssssssstay with meeeee?


    Cira felt a chill run up her spine and she tried to back up more but couldn¡¯t.


    What is this¡­? This tightening in my chest? I can¡¯t move!


    The spectral man reached out his fading hand to Cira, ¡°Me most prrrrreshis gem. I been searching so lllllong!¡± His voice kept getting louder and by the end it shook the whole cavern.


    Cira¡¯s blood ran cold as his hand got closer, reaching for her golden hair. His forlorn groans had devolved into cries from centuries of pent up anguish. His face distorted and skewed more as her eyes couldn¡¯t look away.


    I can¡¯t let him touch me. Why can¡¯t I move?! Dammit, come on, do something! Move! She forced her jaws open ¡°A-a¡­ Aquon!¡± The Staff of Springs exploded in her hand, responding to her stress.


    ¡°Hnghh! Holy waters!¡± She pushed the words through gritted teeth, forcing a spell out got easier as the mana began to flow, ¡°Send this spirit far beyond the sky!¡±


    A flash of white blared in tandem with a rapid burst of water that filled the salt chamber with light. As the shining water passed through the spirit, his form began to piece itself back together. The faded edges came into focus and he regained his color. After a few seconds the man¡¯s expression softened.


    He looked Cira in the eyes and he said something she didn¡¯t understand at all. After that he closed his eyes, and the rest of his form became bright, fading into little motes of holy light before disappearing entirely.


    Cira just stood there for a few moments steadying her breath. Her muscles were tense when she could finally move them. She¡¯d heard of sorcery that could inflict fear but there was no sign of a spell at play. Her fear felt more like a primal instinct.


    ¡°H-how old do you think that ghost was¡­?¡± Cira asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s what you have to say?!¡± Lomp raged, ¡°You almost got us both killed! I told you not to go his way!¡±


    It was true, he did say that. She shuddered, ¡°But I¡¯ve never seen anything like that before. What was that language at the end?¡±


    He sighed, ¡°The ancient miners used to speak it sometimes for rituals or something. They say it was a ceremonial language, but even its name is lost. They were a long-lived people born with naturally high mana. It¡¯s how they built everything on the island. The reservoirs, canals, pumps, all of it. They left after finding something better to mine in more hospitable lands, but nobody knows where. Only the ones that worshipped the salt nymphs remained. The language hasn¡¯t been spoken in a long time¡­ That spirit couldn¡¯t have been here less than a thousand years.¡±


    That fear I felt was like nothing I¡¯ve ever experienced. Is that just the power of regrets strong enough to linger for millenia? I was lucky I could exorcise him with no resistance. He must have accepted it at the end...


    ¡°Do you know what he said?¡± Cira asked, her tone sullen.


    ¡°He said, ¡®Me Lov¡¯, I¡¯m on me way.¡¯¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do the accent¡­¡±


    At first Lomp struck her as a dullard, but he knew his way around deepest crannies of the mine like the back of his hand and even spoke a dead language. She was beginning to think he was more important than he let on. Or perhaps he used to be.


    ¡°I guess you also wear the hat of an exorcist,¡± her companion tried to lighten the mood.


    ¡°Not now, Lomp.¡±


    The two disheartened spelunkers returned to the original path and Cira grew more vines. They continued the descent silently until they reached Nymphus.

 16 - One of These Witches is Not Like the Other

    The Last Step had taken as long to descend as the underground river. Cira could finally see light from below, and a mere few hundred feet below there was an opening at last. They slid down the vines for the last stretch and into an open drop to the cave floor below. Cira winced as she entered the massive chamber and light assaulted her eyes.


    They dangled in the air before a shining city built of stone. On closer inspection the ground and ceiling were both covered in stone as well. Now that they were beyond the Last Step there wasn¡¯t a speck of salt in sight.


    ¡°They really didn¡¯t skimp on lights down here,¡± The edges of every building seemed engraved to produce light. Some buildings towered half as tall as Pappy¡¯s silo and stood like a beacon, limited only by the ceiling. It was daytime, but the sun shone various colors and there was no sky. It took her breath away for a moment. It was far beyond any beauty she expected to find this deep in the salt mine.


    Cira soaked the vista up in her mind as they approached the ground, making sure she¡¯d never forget it. No matter what she found or who she met in this city, this sight would at least remain.


    Cira¡¯s feet touched the ground and the vines withered away. Suddenly, she had to shield her eyes again as a spotlight blasted her retinas.


    ¡°Halt! State your business!¡± A serious sounding woman yelled from somewhere in the light.


    ¡°It¡¯s me Lomp, cut it out!¡± Cira¡¯s guide cried out desperately and the light disappeared.


    Cira turned to the source of the light with fury in her eyes and they met a small man holding a light artifact who stumbled back at her glare.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± That¡¯s not her¡­


    ¡°Are you supposed to be one of the new recruits or something?¡± Cira whipped her glare around to see a girl around her age holding a metallic staff and wearing light gray brown robes with a hat, point sticking straight up.


    ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± She answered, ¡°And just what are you supposed to be?¡±


    At the same time Lomp threw himself to his knees, ¡°M-madam witch! Please excuse my companion, we were unaware you were on the island!¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Lomp. Don¡¯t excuse me.¡± She turned to the rude witch, ¡°I am the sorcerer, Cira. Who are you?¡±


    She looked at Cira, dumbstruck, ¡°Sorcerer? Who calls themselves that anymore?¡±


    Cira squinted her eyes for a few seconds and the witch laughed, ¡°Well, whatever. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here. At least someone up there is listening to my complaints, I¡¯ve been asking for months!¡±


    Now Cira was dumbstruck, and she looked to Lomp for guidance. His face was tense, and he strained his eyebrows trying to signal for her to play along, his survival instincts winning out over duty. This witch was rude in the beginning but opened up when she mistook Cira for a colleague. It was irritating to no end but she had to admit this was a good opportunity.


    No, I¡¯m looking at this wrong. This is a great opportunity for me. Lomp ruined my initial adventure plans, but this could be a fun turn of events. She clearly needs help with something, so this could be a chance to cast some rare magic and learn about these shady Earth Vein fellows at the same time. Cira mainly intended to size up the witches.


    ¡°Well, Sorcerer Cira, we should hurry. I¡¯ll show you what I¡¯ve been working on!¡± She had silver hair and a bright smile. Cira couldn¡¯t help but have a good impression of her after she made a point to get her title right.


    Dammit, I can¡¯t let my guard down. ¡°Very well, but Lomp comes with me. He¡¯s serving as my squire.¡±


    The squire looked at Cira, baffled. She returned the same eyebrow gestures to get him to play along.


    The witch looked at him, seeming to have not recognized him like the short man with the light had. ¡°If he¡¯s your servant it should be fine. He wouldn¡¯t be here if it weren¡¯t, I suppose. You sure talk funny though, and I like it!¡± Gah! While Cira had a winning smile of her own, she was remarkably susceptible to them.


    ¡°Who¡¯d you think we were? I have to say that was quite the rough reception.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Smugglers are the only things that pop out of that hole these days. Got a few locked up right now but I was just passing by when they said they heard strange noises from above. We want to seal the passage up, but the spirits keep getting in the way. They stopped trying after Elaine went missing a few years back, but you heard about that much, right?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. I believe I did.¡± Want to know where her body is? She gave lomp a knowing glance, which confused him to no end and she realized she neglected to tell him.


    Lomp followed behind them like a flounder as the witch brought them to the city gates which was a bright artifact in the symbol of an island with only a mountain atop it. Cira thought it was probably Earth Vein¡¯s insignia.


    ¡°I¡¯m Nanri, the Titan Witch,¡± She introduced herself, ¡°Apprentice to the great Silver Witch!¡±


    Never heard of her! Cira couldn¡¯t say that, of course, ¡°My, how impressive. What¡¯s a titan do?¡±


    Nanri gave a sheepish grin, ¡°It¡¯s short for titanium¡­¡± before waving at the gate. It opened at her beckon and revealed the shining city ahead. It was truly a spectacle from the gates. The cracks between bricks in the road all glowed and there wasn¡¯t a shadow in sight.


    The people in the streets walked around either wearing clothes of fine make and important airs about them or whatever the opposite of fineries was¡ªoveralls and something coarse like wool. There was a blatant dichotomy of the citizens here between the upper class and the working class.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Not just the buildings and streets, but the sidewalks were even separated with glimmering handrails, ¡°Is it always this bright?¡± Cira asked.


    Nanri chuckled, ¡°Oh, heavens no. The lights go off at night and the ceiling lights up like stars.¡±


    Cira couldn¡¯t wait to see it, ¡°What time is it anyway?¡±


    ¡°The sun just rose outside.¡± Cira groaned inwardly at this revelation, ¡°So tell me about yourself, sorcerer. What¡¯s your specialty?¡±


    ¡°My specialty, huh¡­?¡± This was a tough question to answer. Specialties were for half-rate sorcerers, or so said Gazen. ¡°If I had to choose, I suppose I would have to say light sorcery, but I do enjoy geomancy.¡±


    Light sorcery¡ªnot to be confused with holy magic though the visuals may often seem similar. It was great as a utility but its most powerful applications seldom presented themselves.


    ¡°Two elements?¡± Nanri whistled, ¡°Now that¡¯s impressive. Looks like you¡¯ll be some help too. Who is your master?¡±


    ¡°My father taught me everything I know.¡± Specialist mages weren¡¯t uncommon, so she didn¡¯t judge the witch.


    ¡°He must have been quite skilled¡ªahh, let¡¯s turn here.¡± They were deep in the city of light. Each district they passed had a different hue, and it formed a gradient as they approached the outer wall.


    ¡°How far are we going?¡± Cira yawned.


    ¡°How thoughtless of me! You must have had a long journey.¡± Nanri¡¯s concern seemed sincere, ¡°Since we¡¯re already here, I¡¯ll show you the first project then take you to a place you can sleep if that¡¯s alright. We¡¯ll go visit the salt nymphs tomorrow.¡±


    Sleep. What a pleasant word¡­ Yeah, I¡¯m ready. Salt nymphs tomorrow, sleep today. Just perfect. I really should have figured out during the elevator ride that this would be no quick trip.


    They reached the wall of stone and Nanri opened a door. A sleek metal hallway met them, lacking the aesthetic of the city. Continuing down the hallway, their steps began to clink with a hollow sound as if there were more beneath them. Soon, the path turned inward and one wall was bare salt, covered in glowing salt moss.


    ¡°I-isn¡¯t this,¡± Lomp took his steps nervously, ¡°outside the island?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Nanri smiled, ¡°Welcome to the New Shore District. Nymphus is going to need a lot more space soon, so they¡¯re expanding. This place can house five hundred workers on a single floor!¡±


    They continued walking down the hall against the side of the island to the dull green glow of moss, passing a litany of doors that opened up into small rooms, each with a stacked set of two beds on either side of the room. Lomp peered into the cramped cells and looked between them and the witch with a pale expression.


    Can this still be considered Nymphus? It bore a striking resemblance to the lower district but with the ominous addition of edible lighting. The scope of such a project was disturbing to Cira, especially with such a witch at the head. She seemed altogether oblivious, showing this all off like she was proud of it and nothing more. It was just her work.


    Sure, miners or something would fill it up later, but she didn¡¯t see anything wrong with that. That meant she did a good job. She had an innocent look in her eyes that gave Cira the impression she had no concept of the type of living conditions she was serving to create.


    Cira asked, ¡°Won¡¯t all this just rust like the surface?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen titanium rust.¡± The witch replied, chuckling, ¡°That¡¯s why they sent me.¡±


    Dammit I knew that! What a stupid question.


    ¡°It seems like you have the building taken care of. What do you need my help for?¡±


    ¡°Expansion, of course. It¡¯s too much for little old me,¡± Nanri feigned tears, ¡°What manner of geomancy do you usually perform?¡±


    ¡°Rocks, I guess¡­ but anything really.¡± Cira tried probing for information, ¡°How soon are you trying to have this place up and running?¡±


    ¡°The first wave should be moving in early next year, but we have to finish up down below first.¡± Nanri groaned, ¡°It all depends on those damn nymphs.¡±


    They descended a staircase at the end of the very long hallway, and there was an open room with a canal coming from the wall, molded from metal. It fed a reservoir in the center of the room that was full of water. They had a room like this at the end of each staircase for the future residents to get water from.


    Each floor looked exactly the same and Cira counted ten of them. Soon they made it to the bottom floor of the structure to the last reservoir, and Nanri led them to a door at the back. Cira had seen one on every floor and been curious about them. When Nanri opened it, a blast of wind whipped Cira in the face and the long-lost warmth of sunlight touched her skin. She stepped outside and gazed out at the open sky. They stood on a large metal platform and clouds littered the sky with nothing else in sight. Behind them the platform had a staircase that crawled all the way up to the others at each floor, and a pathway in the middle that skirted the whole megalithic complex to the other side.


    ¡°Amazing¡­¡± What a remarkable amount of materials. Cira was otherwise wordless and Lomp just stood there with a sense of foreboding across his face.


    ¡°This is where they bring in all my metal.¡± Of course, Earth Vein would have loads of titanium.


    Cira recharged on sunlight and let out another big yawn, forcing Nanri to speak up, ¡°Dear, you look like you¡¯re about to fall over! Pick literally any other place on the island.¡± She laughed. ¡°I¡¯ve dragged you around long enough. Let¡¯s go find you a bed.


    They climbed the multitude of stairs and reentered the city, which burned Cira¡¯s eyes more than it had before. Nanri took them to a tall building in the middle of town that was lined with balconies on every side. When they entered the person at the desk greeted the witch like her boss.


    ¡°Lady Nanri, it¡¯s so good to see you! Whatever has brought you in today?¡± It was a young woman and she looked stressed at the unexpected encounter.


    ¡°I¡¯ll need one room for my cohort here. Make it a nice one.¡±


    ¡°M-madam witch!¡± the girl straightened up, looking at Cira, ¡°What a pleasure it is to make your acquaintance!¡±


    ¡°Sorcerer. And make it two rooms.¡± After receiving a key she said good night to the actual witch and started clomping up the hard stone steps.


    ¡°It¡¯s actually still morning!¡± The cheery witch¡¯s voice trailed behind Cira as she continued undaunted. She didn¡¯t even spare Lomp a glance.


    At last, she made it to the third floor and found the right keyhole. Inside was a sizable room with a rug covering the floor. To her left she spied a kitchen which begged investigation, but her heart was calling out to the right. A big fluffy bed with red linens sat in the center of the room with a single window. Unlike the rest of the city, this space was considerately dim, but that didn¡¯t stop the lights from charging in ceaselessly.


    Aquon didn¡¯t respond but Cira held out the same hand, ¡°Window, begone!¡± The stone casing the window grew thin and stretched out to cover the whole opening. When she closed the door, the room became as dark as a cave should be. She jumped on the bed and was asleep before making contact.


    ___


    Cira awoke some time later to the sounds of muffled screams outside. She rolled out of bed startled and right onto the cold stone floor.


    ¡°Gah,¡± She groaned, ¡°Window!¡±


    Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she watched the opening in the wall return and she reeled back from the light. Fighting the retinal torment as she adjusted to the lack of darkness, she crawled over to the window and hung her face out.


    People were running through the streets, shouting in fear and stumbling over themselves. Cira heard what sounded like the countless fluttering of wings and in her unfocused eyes she saw orbs of light flying around the city. Are those auras? No, that¡¯s not right¡­ She rubbed her eyes some more.


    ¡°They¡¯re here!¡± One woman¡¯s panicked yelp filled the street.


    Another man let out a blood curdling cry, ¡°Ruuuuun! It¡¯s a stampede!¡±

 17 - When the Salt Nymphs Strike

    Cira hopped down from the third story window and landed with a splash, startling the fleeing citizens of Nymphus. The orbs of light were increasing in number, coming out of the ground and through buildings. They seemed to ignore any obstacle. Some flew lower and Cira could finally get a good look at them, having shaken off most of the sleep.


    They had thin white wings to keep them aloft and they flew erratically without apparent aim, only stopping occasionally to look at the light artifacts adorning the buildings. They had arms and legs on stark white bodies, but their human features were dulled.


    One stopped to look at her and she saw a face that looked sculpted out of clay¡ªor salt. It had a faint expression of curiosity, but she felt that more in its beady eyes than any movement from its uncanny face. The orb of light was just a shroud of prima salt, a fine powder that clung to the air around them being lit up by the innumerable lights.


    The people running past her were all heading in the direction of the gates. She figured there was some kind of evacuation procedure but noticed some were lagging behind. They were short of breath and looked pale. One was a child with cracked lips whose eyes were turning red. Many of the same symptoms the desiccated patients from the infirmary showed and it seemed mostly the young and elderly were affected.


    ¡°Hydrate! Hydrate! Annnnd Hydrate!¡± Cira threw the spell around to any nearby that looked like they needed it and soon they had cleared the area, only a few trickling in from behind. That said, it was hardly effective given the size of the city. Cira needed a better solution. ¡°Aquon!¡±


    The Staff of Springs burst into her hand and water started to flow at her feet. This was originally going to be Breeze Haven¡¯s spring, but Gazen could never get it to work by itself indefinitely. Giving up, it turned into Cira¡¯s thirteenth birthday present. Water can be conjured when you¡¯re thirsty anyhow.


    Cira couldn¡¯t flood the streets too much or people would drown. There was an old man near her that collapsed and started sucking water out of the cracks in the pavement.


    ¡°What in the cursed clouds are you doing?!¡± Cira turned around to see Lomp pulling his hair out, ¡°You¡¯re supposed to stop the floods not cause them!¡±


    ¡°What else am I supposed to do? What even are these things?¡± She was genuinely curious.


    ¡°Salt nymphs, you dolt! Now run, before they kill us both!¡±


    Cira could even feel her skin drying past the shield. When it comes to altering the environment, magical protection didn¡¯t help much. The flooding was a temporary solution, of course, but it would help keep the humidity from hitting zero.


    ¡°They don¡¯t attack, right? They just steal any moisture around them, regardless of the source?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Apparently people don¡¯t have enough for them to go after. Even now, they¡¯re just flying around mad, so we have to get out of here before more appear!¡± The man had one foot out the city, but his muscles couldn¡¯t move from Cira¡¯s utter lack of urgency, ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    ¡°And they just ignore walls, floating through the mine without a care in the world¡­ Fascinating. I guess these guys are why I couldn¡¯t see into the elevator.¡± The salt nymphs brought a quick close to the mystery of what the old builders had against spatial sorcery. They weren¡¯t just secretive and overly-cautious, they were preventing their artifacts from the salt nymphs. ¡°Hmmm¡­ Hydro Barrier! That should do it.¡±


    It was her Hydration spell but set to shield her body for an hour give or take, in normal conditions. It wouldn¡¯t keep the nymphs out and she was mildly worried what would happen if one passed through her, but she wouldn¡¯t shrivel up just standing there.


    ¡°What are you doing?! We need to leave!¡±


    ¡°And a Hydro Barrier for you.¡± Another blue flash came from Cira¡¯s ring and a thin mist shrouded Lomp as well. ¡°Now you¡¯ll be fine, so stop complaining. People are dying. Hydration.¡±


    She cast it on a passerby trying to run away. Lomp looked at them longingly, ¡°So what do you plan to do about it? There are thousands of people in this city. Do you mean to lay this spell on them all?¡±


    Casting her spell on everyone would be exhausting and take well over an hour, then she¡¯d just have to start over again. It would be a fool¡¯s errand. ¡°I can¡¯t cast it on everyone¡­ But perhaps I could cast it on the whole city.¡±


    Lomp covered his mouth like he was in danger of giving her an even worse idea. Cira pondered for a minute as the water gently flowed out from her feet, then he chose his next words very carefully, ¡°And¡­ how will you do that?¡±


    She had one thing going for her in this endeavor. Being at the bottom of a mine in a sealed chamber¡ªthe only one outside her clinic that was lined with stone instead of salt. Anywhere else on the island there was no way it could work, but she had a shot here.


    ¡°Aquon, fifth form!¡± Of course, she could not cast the spell on the whole city. Instead, she aimed to change the city¡¯s conditions to match with a new technique, ¡°Misty spring!¡±


    The staff took on a more apt form for spellcasting, with a watery gem at the top. The hidden jewel of Aquon, which allowed her to cast again independently of her ring. From it a thin mist started to seep out, falling to the ground and clinging to the water that still flowed. The streams that crept through the streets carried it through the city. Through the shroud, the rich blue glow of water magic gleamed out from Aquon like a lighthouse in the fog.


    Lomp¡¯s shoulder¡¯s slumped, ¡°I guess really you will¡­ Is that going to be enough though¡ª¡° He clamped his mouth shut.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯ll need to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Cira!¡± Nanri ran up panting and out of breath, her skin cracked and complexion pallid. ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re alright. I didn¡¯t realize you were such a versatile witch!¡±


    Cira looked at the witch who seemed ready to crumble away and blow off into the wind. The witch was nice, but she couldn¡¯t say be sure if she liked her yet. She was at least somewhat important to Earth Vein and the projects she was in charge of were shaping up to be less than ethical, regardless of her ignorance. Still, this was a crisis situation. If it came to down it, she would fight her, so no harm in giving her a hand today. That was her excuse, though she couldn¡¯t see how she¡¯d end up fighting this witch specifically.


    ¡°Lesser Hydration. Hydro Barrier.¡± Cira threw a couple spells out to help the shriveling witch, ¡°There, that should keep you from dying. Where have you been? Evacuating the citizens?¡±


    ¡°Thanks, I feel amazing! You sure are nice to have around. I was in the New Shore District. I just came back and the whole city¡¯s in chaos. I followed the water and here you are.¡± She shrugged, ¡°I won¡¯t tell, but you can be sure the bigwigs will hear about this. Make sure to clean it up or Salina will have something to say, I¡¯m certain.¡±


    Salina sounded like an even more important member of Earth Vein. Probably a witch. They wouldn¡¯t care about all the people Cira saved. All they¡¯d hear is water near the prima. Cira didn¡¯t care about her though. She wasn¡¯t really one of their witches.


    ¡°She can say what she will. Do you at least know the status of the evacuation? Does anyone need help?¡±


    Nanri¡¯s eyes widened for a moment and her evaluation of Cira raised a little bit, she who would speak such things with no fear of this ¡®Salina¡¯, ¡°I ran into Mayor Rudo on his way to the gates not long ago. They¡¯ve been ready for this day for a long time so most should be on their way to the emergency elevators by now. How long ago did the stampede begin?¡±


    Cira looked blankly at Lomp who scoffed, ¡°Ten or fifteen minutes.¡±


    ¡°Fast response. So, we just need to focus on getting the nymphs out of here.¡± Things that ignored walls were notoriously difficult to herd, so she was hoping to rely on her colleague to achieve this.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°How are we suppose we do that?!¡± The witch blurted out.


    ¡°What do they usually do about the stampedes?¡±


    By now the salt nymphs dominated the air like an endless flock of doves. Cira could hardly see the ceiling anymore.


    ¡°Wait it out, of course. They¡¯ll have moved on by next week.¡± That was an awfully long time for Cira. The people were safe, and this city wasn¡¯t her problem, so she was well within her rights to ignore it and head down another level. She couldn¡¯t just leave like this though.


    No, she had barely begun to learn about the salt nymphs, let alone understand why they were going mad. Their stampedes were technically her job to fix, so she didn¡¯t think this needed a week.


    ¡°It never hurts to try,¡± She held out her offhand and a staff appeared from a flash of light, carved from something pearlescent and bone-like, adorned at the top with a geometrically carved crystal. In her right, water and fog continued to pour out, but in her left a golden glow appeared from the prism on top. She sent it up above the rooftops into the swarm of nymphs and in an instant raised the intensity enough to burn her own eyes, flashing between different colors too rapidly to keep track of.


    ¡°Gah!¡± Nanri reeled back and turned away, ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    The salt nymphs, Cira noticed, were interested in the light artifacts earlier. Only for an instant though. So, if she created a flashy light and made it change faster than they could lose interest, what would happen? Just as she hoped, a small group of nymphs began coalescing around it, their papery wings formed silhouettes.


    At the same time, Aquon was surging with power, splashing water off of its form as Cira pushed her control to the limit. She was concurrently casting three spells, each larger than the last. Light meshed well with most other kinds of sorcery so it wouldn¡¯t be much strain on its own, but she was already flooding the city and changing the climate.


    ¡°I call this spell Nymph Beacon.¡± Cira said seriously, ¡°I may be able to get them to leave.¡±


    She fired off one after the next, only pausing to down her last elixir, until the entire cavern was illuminated with strobing light as her beacons spread throughout the city. More and more of the nymphs rose up from the city and started fluttering around them like moths.


    ¡°Y-you can control the nymphs?!¡± Nanri was gob smacked, then she smiled and her eyes glazed over with the sparkle of a hundred beacons, ¡°Zero Stratum is going to be a breeze with you around!¡±


    Cira didn¡¯t hear the witch, for she was focused on her spells. She bobbed the lights around to keep them entertained and soon the air above the city was like a massive shining cloud of salt nymphs.


    To test the next phase of her plan she let one fall. It flashed a thousand different colors as it descended to the pavement, dragging with it a billowing flock of nymphs. It reached the ground with a puff of prima salt and kept going. Cira cancelled the spell once it was fully through both stone and salt, but the nymphs kept going. Their interest had been pointed in a direction and with any luck, once they got down to the bottom and couldn¡¯t find the beacon, they¡¯d forget all about the city up here and find somewhere else to buzz around.


    There were a few stragglers, so her spell wasn¡¯t a hundred percent effective at holding their attention, but it worked. Following this, she ordered the other beacons to fall one by one. Soon, thousands of salt nymphs were racing into the ground trying to follow the light. After a couple minutes of this, only a few stray nymphs still hung in the air. Their vaguely human bodies dangled as if they didn¡¯t really have a purpose and their wings carried them listlessly in circles.


    The nymphs left were still flying but the flapping of their wings continued relentlessly, filling the air with their. They looked strained, as if something was compelling them to continue or they were truly crazed. Their movements looked exhausted and even their ambiguous faces now seemed in pain. Maybe they really have gone mad.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s the best I can do for now,¡± Cira said, ¡°Shall we go check on the evac¡ª¡±


    ¡°Cira, your staff!¡± Nanri pointed at it like there was a big juicy bug crawling all over it.


    When Cira looked, she saw a salt nymph casually sitting on top of the liquid gem of Aquon. It looked at her and blinked¡ªthough it was more like its obsidian black eyes disappeared for a brief moment¡ªappearing to not know it was doing anything wrong.


    Is it doing anything wrong? One¡¯s not going to hurt anybody. ¡°Hey there little guy¡­ or girl¡­ Say, Nanri, do salt nymphs have genders?¡±


    ¡°How should I know?!¡± She took a couple steps away.


    ¡°I was thinking nympho for a boy, but if it¡¯s a girl, maybe¡­ Nina.¡±


    Lomp had an awkward look on his face that Cira couldn¡¯t discern, ¡°let¡¯s just say it¡¯s a girl. I think Nina sounds better.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to have to agree with your servant.¡± Nanri agreed quickly, ¡°But don¡¯t tell me you plan on keeping that thing.¡±


    ¡°Of course not. I would never enslave this creature, but she¡¯s welcome to hang out for as long as she likes.¡± They really shot that name down fast. It was so cute though¡­


    Like all the others, this small creature stood no taller than her ankles, if it were on the ground. They all had vaguely female bodies without clear enough features to really be able to determine. Their faces were all like a beautiful but poorly molded doll, but there were slight variations between individuals. They looked to her like a half-finished work. She thought if they were molded from clay, one could put them in an oven they may come out as fairies.


    They fit the description to a tee, but Gazen had introduced Cira to a real fairy once before. Their human features were perfect while their wings were intricate and transparent. They were also capable of speech. Fairies could even sling magic around that made Cira look like she was still a little girl holding a stick.


    Nina and the rest hadn¡¯t showed much cognizance though, and there was no sign of mana coming from them either. Just ambient salt, however that worked. Their appearance was very similar, what with the wings and small bodies, but Cira just got an altogether different feeling from these creatures. It was either incomplete or somehow incorrect.


    ¡°Well, Nina, what do you say?¡± It stared at her blankly, so she took the silence as an answer and cast a little spell to help her fit in.


    Now the salt nymph had a little blue hat similar to Cira¡¯s but made entirely of magical water. She raised two tiny hands and grasped the brim, which reacted as a hat instead of water because it was actually Aquon. She spent a few seconds pulling the brim down and flexing it while Cira smiled at her with innocent curiosity.


    ¡°Well, this is a boon,¡± Nanri said, ¡°No wonder they sent you if you can control the nymphs. We should head downstairs already. I can¡¯t wait to get started!¡±


    ¡°Not yet. We need to make sure all the evacuees are safe.¡± Cira swiftly denied her as water and fog once again started to flow, ¡°And I need to make sure the city returns to a safe humidity first.¡±


    Nanri looked at her inquisitively, as if puzzle pieces were falling into place, ¡°You¡¯re no new recruit¡­ You¡¯re not just any witch now, are you?¡± She sounded impressed.


    ¡°You¡¯re exactly right.¡± Cira sure wasn¡¯t a new recruit. She wasn¡¯t any witch at all, in fact. ¡°Now come, there are people in trouble and nymphs to quell.¡±


    Cira¡¯s blue lighthouse shined again, and water gurgled at her feet, lifting her off the ground and above the rooftops. She was too high to hear Nanri whisper with bated breath and starstruck eyes, ¡°Just like that¡­ The high coven is incredible.¡±


    Cira¡¯s mist spread out over and between buildings as she glided across the effulgent city on her way to the gate on a conjured wave. It caught the light of the city¡¯s artifacts and transformed into a luminous tidal wave that radiated in every direction, highlighting the trail of mist behind her and thin clouds that had started to form at the ceiling.


    Nanri and Lomp both ran, trying to keep up after realizing the water wasn¡¯t going to spill out of her wave and flood them out along with the whole of Nymphus. All the prima salts left over from the stampede¡¯s dusty exit had soaked up her gentle streams of water and turned into a muddy white paste that they had to be careful not to slip in. They watched the stray salt nymphs all wander over and start trailing behind the lofty sorcerer at a distance, their pace through the air noticeably slowing as if returning to their senses.


    Between the gate and the passage out of Nymphus Stratum there was a herd of citizens trying to escape. The emergency elevators went five levels up, but there were only so many. With thousands of people, there were thousands more drying to a crisp just waiting for their turn.


    ___


    Mayor Rudo was a surprisingly young man, and he was currently limping to the elevators with an elderly man slung over his shoulders. This old timer was half-passed out and bleeding from the nose¡ªjust one of many he¡¯d found collapsed on the ground. He knew a scant few were still stuck in the city, but there was only so much he could do before his body gave out.


    Rudo left the man at the elevator with the shortest line, where his staff directed the citizens aboard. Those assholes never mentioned we could only evacuate a hundred people at a time! They sure are real shiny though. ¡°Tch. This is just like them¡­¡± His words trailed off.


    Minutes ago, the nymphs were blotted out the city, then something strange happened with the city¡¯s lights when he found the old man. Now shining clouds hung like Nymphus had been transported to the surface and the heavens had blessed them with rain. But he knew that wasn¡¯t it.


    Rudo had caught a glance of that new witch for only a moment when she entered yesterday morning, but now she appeared again over his city riding a shimmering golden wave, shrouded in a bright mist that trailed behind her spreading out over the rooftops and into the clouds. The countless nymphs were now a mere handful, and they leisurely floated behind her like they would the nymph queen.


    The witch descended as the glistening wave she stood on broke right outside the gates. Water flowed from her hand like a spring seemingly at will, and strangely, there was a single salt nymph nestled within. Fog still billowed and dispersed into the air as she approached Rudo, who got nervous and shrank back when he noticed she was making a beeline straight for him.


    ¡°You the mayor?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Huh?¡± He was taken off guard. They hadn¡¯t met yet. ¡°How did you know?¡±


    The witch pointed at her uncharacteristically folded over hat, ¡°You may be young but you have the tallest hat. Works every time.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª?!¡± Now young Rudo was speechless before dropping to the ground with a start, ¡°Madam witch, I thank you for your gracious assistance!¡±


    When he heard nothing and looked up the witch had a face like she had just smelled something most unpleasant, ¡°Get up. What the hell is wrong with you? This is a crisis.¡±


    ¡°¡­huh?¡± Somethings not right about this witch.

 18 - Into the Nymphs Lair

    ¡°Why are there so many people here?¡± Cira asked, ¡°I thought you were evacuating.¡±


    The dumbstruck mayor stammered over his words, ¡°W-we can only evacuate so many at a time!¡± He desperately explained the situation at the elevators and his efforts to carry the weak.


    ¡°Typical Earth Vein, I guess.¡± The witch shrugged, putting Rudo at a loss for words, ¡°I got rid of most the nymphs out here but it¡¯s still too arid to bring everyone back yet.¡±


    ¡°You¡ªwhat? Wait, b-but what about their work? We need to send the second shift down or we¡¯ll miss our quota.¡±


    The man gulped as Cira stared at him with disdain, nestled in mist and pouring a river onto the ground at her feet, ¡°Does it look like I care about your salt?¡±


    Rudo froze. Is this a test¡­? I wouldn¡¯t put it past them, ¡°Umm¡­ Yes?¡±


    ¡°Wrong!¡± Slap!


    ¡°Gah! I¡¯m sorry, madam witch!¡± He fell again to his knees as Nanri and Lomp finally caught up.


    ¡°Cira, why are you abusing the mayor?¡± Nanri asked with sincere curiosity. ¡°Is it because second shift hasn¡¯t started yet?¡±


    The people yet to board an elevator and healthy enough to stand had all gathered to watch the poor mayor get reprimanded by the two witches at once. Some of them were covering their eyes or those of their children as if to shield them from the violent, but certain outcome.


    ¡°Second shift has been postponed until the climate in the cave has stabilized,¡± Cira said in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, ¡°Anyone too weak, continue to evacuate. Otherwise go help those left in the city. Mayor.¡±


    He went cold as her gaze turned to him. He was unable to discern the meaning behind her outlandish words, ¡°Yes?!¡±


    ¡°Lives are worth more than salt. I should think a mayor would know that.¡± He winced. Dammit, who is this witch?! You don¡¯t have to tell me that!


    ¡°Heal.¡± The witch¡¯s words were filled with power and all the aches and pains that accumulated over the last twenty minutes of mayhem disappeared. When she spoke again his dry skin overflowed with a soothing feeling and his eyes stopped burning. She looked at him like a fly before waving him off with a hand and continuing, ¡°Now off you go.¡±


    He ran away without another word, and she sighed, ¡°What an unsavory man. Lomp, how long was I asleep?¡±


    ¡°Er- a whole day¡­ It¡¯s morning again.¡±


    The sorcerer nodded with faint gratification, ¡°That is¡­ adequate.¡±


    ¡°Um, Cira¡­ Are you sure about this? They have very strict quotas and Salina won¡¯t be happy¡ª¡±


    ¡°My job isn¡¯t to make Salina happy. If she has something to say I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll deal with it later.¡±


    Nanri let out a bated breath, ¡°Wow¡­ Well, whatever you say, Cira!¡± She brought a hand to her forehead in a dramatic salute. Lomp had a look in his eyes like his stomach hurt and something had gotten dangerously out of hand.


    Cira conjured a large pool of stone and filled it with water. The citizens of Nymphus all swarmed, lapping it up like wild animals.


    ¡°Thank you, madam witch!¡± One man called out with reverence.


    ¡°My gratitude to Earth Vein!¡±


    ¡°It was all thanks to the Water Witch!¡± The people had started to clamor.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s the Salty Mist Witch!¡±


    ¡°Fools! Do you have eyes? She is obviously the Shimmering Nymph Queen Spring Witch!¡±


    ¡°Okay, we can leave.¡± Cira groaned, walking away. She pursed her lips and tried to avoid locking eyes with the real witch who thoroughly enjoyed the suggestions.


    They returned to the gates and entered, trudging through the salty mud that now coated the city streets. Looking up, ceaseless lights gave the impression that nothing had happened at all. The nymphs didn¡¯t cause damage as they ignored physical obstacles, so the city was fine, save for the mud at their feet. The cloud cover even made for a picturesque scene of the fantastical city skyline.


    But look down and you saw the dried up children and elderly laying on the ground, catatonic with half-closed eyes and bloody fingernails, clawing at the bricks with weak hands in a failed effort to escape the passed threat. Cira healed anyone she saw in passing and the other citizens had begun to pour in to help with the relief, carrying them back to the elevators. Cira locked eyes with Rudo slathered in salt-mud and carrying a paling child on either shoulder. She gave him a thumbs up and he flinched before picking his pace up.


    ¡°You¡¯re really something, Cira. You know I had to come up with my own nickname,¡± The Titan Witch said, ¡°And you can even heal! How¡¯d you ever learn so many types of witchcraft?¡±


    ¡°My father had a saying. ¡®The sorcerer incapable of wielding any one sorcery is yet incomplete.¡¯¡± It wasn¡¯t very fair, since he also told her there was sorcery she wasn¡¯t allowed to learn yet stowed away in the forbidden archive. Haven¡¯t thought about that in years¡­ hm.


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    ¡°Amazing¡­¡± Nanri trailed off, but Cira didn¡¯t hear her through the reminiscence. Far too young to be on her own up here, she was in denial after Gazen passed and tried opening Breeze Haven¡¯s forbidden archive looking for him. The attempt left her bereft of mana and bedridden for rest of the day.


    Nanri led the two back to the entrance of the New Shore District and they skirted along the wall for another ten minutes or so before they reached another door. She opened it up and then paused, looking at Cira and gesturing behind her, ¡°So¡­ What are you going to do about those?¡±


    Cira looked back to see a few handfuls of salt nymphs gliding back and forth in her wake, not sparing them so much as a glance. ¡°They should probably come with us, no? Don¡¯t want them bothering the good folk of Nymphus.¡±


    The witch gave the creatures an uncertain look, then shrugged, leading the way. Once they entered, the staircase was carved right into the salt and wide enough that the nymphs didn¡¯t have to cluster up, though they still kept a distance, tottering along in the air. Cira, of course, had stopped pouring water and making fog since they entered the stairwell. The city had clouds and muddy puddles now, so the climate would work itself out.


    One flight of stairs turned into two and before Cira knew it, they had been descending for an hour. Her feet were starting to get sore from the hard steps by the time they reached the next door. It opened to a large chamber full of people wearing bizarre full-body outfits. That must be their protective gear. I bet those tanks on their back are full of air.


    Most of them had heavy-duty brooms with wide heads on them strapped to their back, ¡°They call ¡®em prima sweepers.¡± Nanri noticed her looking at the workers.


    ¡°Strange¡­ Did the nymph stampede not affect them down here?¡±


    ¡°They never stampede in their own territory, though I guess that used to include the whole Nymphus stratum too. These people probably don¡¯t even know what happened.¡±


    Cira saw some of them taking their gear off and getting ready to leave for the day. They¡¯d been working through the night only to return to a disaster.


    ¡°Well, Gear up, now! No time to waste.¡± Nanri was half-inside a jumpsuit, adjusting the straps on a mask in her hands.


    Cira looked at the dull orange color and bulky material they were made from. She watched Nanri put her hat in a locker and zip it up, covering her robes before attaching the mask and pulling the suit over her head. If Cira didn¡¯t know any better, she¡¯d think the witch were setting out to explore the sky beyond.


    The workers inside were starting to take their distance as they saw a flock of nymphs enter the chamber then coalesce above the witches. One man, who nobody but Lomp knew was the supervisor, shivered in fear¡ªwanting to rebuke the witches for somehow bringing nymphs in but too scared to say anything. Lomp exchanged a pained and regretful look with him.


    ¡°No thanks. Not my style.¡± Cira refreshed her Hydro Barrier and pumped a bit more mana into Aquon.


    This whole time, nestled in the tip of Cira¡¯s staff like a lounge chair, Nina watched the large orange people she knew shed their skin and take the form of regular people. This was an interesting puzzle for the little nymph whose eyes shined with wonder¡ªa similar expression some of the workers had at seeing the new witch with a pet nymph or twenty and no need for protective gear.


    Nanri¡¯s muffled voice came through her respirator, ¡°Guess it doesn¡¯t make a difference to you, huh Cira?¡±


    Lomp had hastily donned his own suit and was ready to go. They were walking to the back of the room when an older man without his mask approached them, ¡°Excuse me, madam witch. Did you say there was a stampede? In Nymphus?!¡±


    It was a wonder that there hadn¡¯t been one before, which was to Cira a sign that something was going on down here at the lowest level.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t worry. I drove them off and the mayor is heading off relief efforts¡ª¡±


    ¡°You did what?!¡±


    Let¡¯s not do this¡­ ¡°If you¡¯re done with work for the day maybe you should go help.¡±


    The man knelt in a hurry, ¡°Yes, madam witch!¡± Cira sighed.


    ¡°You sure are popular,¡± Nanri stuck out her tongue. ¡°I¡¯m jealous!¡±


    ¡°Jealousy is unbecoming of a sorcerer, as is pride.¡± Cira said matter-of-factly, as if she were quoting someone.


    Nanri looked downtrodden. ¡°But I¡¯m¡ªI¡¯m a witch¡­¡±


    ¡°You must ask yourself. Is witch your identity¡­ or your shackles?¡± Cira tried to sound like a wise old witch and could see Lomp¡¯s exasperated gaze through the window of his mask in which only his eyes showed. Nanri, however, took it to heart and fell into deep thought as they exited the personnel chamber.


    It led into another hallway with a door at the end that wouldn¡¯t open until the first was shut. A kind of quarantine chamber to keep the air in the nymph lair from mixing with the previous room as it could turn lethal.


    ¡°And here we are!¡± Nanri¡¯s cutesy gestures in the thick jumpsuit as she opened the final door made Cira laugh.


    ¡°I kind of expected to see some Earth Vein people. What happened to the checkpoint?¡± She asked lomp but the Nanri replied instead.


    ¡°You¡¯re a witch, silly. When have you ever had to fill out entry permits? Or¡ªwait¡­ I guess sorcerers probably don¡¯t have to either, do they?¡± Cira thought about it and then nodded.


    The cave beyond was very dim, lit only with the occasional blue light artifact on the wall. Nanri explained that since they were the color of water mana, it didn¡¯t bother the nymphs for the lights to stay on constantly. Cira cast Lamplight and made it a soft blue tone following them. She was urged to just make Aquon light up, but it was more efficient to cast a light spell than discharge mana just for the pretty colors. Now that she could see better, the tunnel they walked through looked carved out a very long time ago with pickaxes, like that other place.


    Salt nymphs danced in the air without a bother, some gliding along while others listlessly spun in place with a few lazy flaps. None of them looked tired or strained like those from the stampede and only some even bothered to look Cira¡¯s way. They weren¡¯t packed in as dense either, as she counted more in her entourage than in any one place she looked. That said, they did pass a few areas where they were clumped up. They seemed to repel each other and eventually drift apart.


    The smell here was much more like the spring and was pleasant, almost like the sea when she¡¯d drop to go fishing. A gentle stream came out of the rock and poured into its channel that was slowly dug through centuries of flowing water, if not more. They followed that stream for a while listening to the peaceful trickle and quietly watching the salt nymphs.


    ¡°Cira, you brought those creatures down here to bring them home, yes?¡± Nanri asked out of the blue.


    ¡°Um, yeah¡­ Why?¡± The witch just pointed behind. Cira counted them. Then counted again. ¡°Theres¡­ more?¡±


    Soon, they reached a fork where another stream came from a different direction, and both were diverted into a canal made of a familiar metal.


    ¡°Well, no matter. You¡¯ve already done half the work!¡± Her innocent smile betrayed none of the dubious intentions behind her masters.


    The two streams flowed on either side of a hallway, which eventually became lined with the same metal, leading to a set of stairs that Cira swore she¡¯d seen before. They reached a large titanium doorway and both the canals disappeared beneath it.


    ¡°We¡¯re finally here,¡± Nanri clenched her padded fists, ¡°Ohhh, I¡¯m so excited! I didn¡¯t know what I was going to do before you showed up.¡±

 19 - Zero Stratum

    ¡°I call it Zero Stratum. The new lowest reaches of Fount Salt.¡± The Titan Witch proudly stated.


    A cavernous chamber awaited them inside the doorway. Molded to mimic the ancient pickaxe chips in the walls of the nymph lair but crafted entirely of titanium. Nanri led them down the hall where a river flowed along the side of the path, the walls lit with dim blue light. There was only one thing missing.


    ¡°No takers yet?¡± Cira asked.


    The witch pouted, ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing wrong, it looks exactly the same as the real one!¡±


    ¡°I figured they just liked salt. What do you think, Lomp?¡± He choked, having suddenly been called on.


    ¡°That¡¯s correct, as far as I know. But I can¡¯t say anyone¡¯s ever tried this.¡± He looked sick.


    Nanri led the way as they traversed the catacombs. They were truly expansive. This is an insane amount of titanium. How could they possibly go through all this without a solid plan to move the salt nymphs?


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m glad they sent you, Cira.¡± Nanri put a hand on her shoulder, ¡°I was beginning to think they didn¡¯t have a plan.¡±


    The flock of nymphs which had stopped multiplying after they entered didn¡¯t seem too interested either. Nor could Cira tell if they even noticed they were anywhere right now. They showed no signs of caring about their surroundings as they slowly fluttered about until one bumped into a wall and looked at it funny for a moment before gliding the other way.


    ¡°What do you think, Nina?¡± Cira made a showy gesture with her hand, displaying the metal cave around them, ¡°You want to live here?¡±


    Nina blinked a couple times staring at Cira until she pulled her hat down over her head.


    ¡°Yeah, they don¡¯t seem to like it here.¡± The sorcerer had no legitimate reason to care. This all looked like a slippery slope to enslaving salt nymphs, ¡°Did you enchant these walls?¡±


    ¡°I sure did,¡± Her mask bobbed as she nodded, ¡°Well, Lyren did. One-way spatial resistance. They can come in, if only they would, but they can¡¯t leave.¡± She took off her mask and sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t even need this in here¡­¡±


    Cira¡¯s opinion of her dropped considerably. There¡¯s only so much ignorance can cover for in her book. Still, she felt sorry for the young witch. She¡¯d had a sheltered upbringing which deviated drastically from her own.


    ¡°How do you feel about this work, Nanri?¡± She wanted to hear her thoughts.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I understand the question¡­ I mean, it¡¯s work.¡±


    ¡°Yeah but, the goal is to trap a bunch of nymphs down here. How does that make you feel?¡±


    The witch pondered the question, as if she had never considered it before, ¡°I don¡¯t know, I guess they¡¯re kind of like bugs, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    Cira looked at Nina, who looked at her back. She wasn¡¯t following the conversation, just staring at Cira. Are they like bugs? I guess it¡¯s hard to say. She went to bop Nina on the head and the nymph pulled her hat down again.


    ¡°¡¯The sorcerer who must rely on their power over others to get what they want is actually the weakest of them all¡­¡¯¡±


    ¡°What was that?¡± Nanri asked.


    ¡°Oh, just something my father said. Pay it no mind.


    They continued down the caves with Cira admiring the attention to detail and Lomp looking defeated, trailing behind. Meanwhile, Nanri was deep in thought. She paid very much mind to Cira¡¯s words. Everything about this new witch was so far removed from what she knew, what she learned from the great Silver Witch.


    She¡¯d seen her wield two different witchcrafts on par with a full-fledged witch. Nanri had yet to see her geomancy, but ¡®rocks, but anything really¡¯. Did she actually say that? There¡¯s no such thing as ¡®rocks¡¯. It¡¯s all something. Can she mold anything? Even silver? Or gold?! The witch¡¯s shackles¡­ Is this what she meant?


    ¡°Say, Cira. What does it mean to be a sorcerer?¡± She asked, ¡°I mean, what makes it different than a witch?¡±


    Cira stopped and put hand to her chin, her blond hair hanging down as she looked up thoughtfully, ¡°I think it¡¯s a matter of perspective really. Let¡¯s see¡­ What does being a witch mean to you?¡± Cira honestly had no idea, so to give advice she had to start there.


    ¡°Well¡­ Mother¡ªI mean master said a witch is a witch because they were born blessed with power. That¡¯s the same with you, right? We¡¯re both casting magic.¡±


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    ¡°Not so,¡± Cira wagged her finger, ¡°It¡¯s true that we¡¯re both casting magic, though as a sorcerer I wield it as sorcery. In short, sorcery is the study and responsible use of mana to produce magic. Some may be lucky enough to be born with enough mana to conjure such miracles, but it is by no means a blessing, nor does it mean you are ¡®blessed¡¯.¡±


    Lomp had removed his mask to take a breather by this point and was leaning on the wall, far past the point of caring about whatever Cira was going on about.


    Nanri wore a shocked expression like her whole world was a lie, ¡°It-it doesn¡¯t¡­?¡±


    ¡°Sorcery is a gift¡ªthe gift of knowledge. And the wisdom to know not just how, but when to use it. One could argue, in fact, that the spellcaster who wields magic without such considerations is no more than a common rogue. That you¡¯ve been ¡®blessed¡¯ with high mana reserves means only that you¡¯ve been given the privilege to learn.¡±


    ¡°Do you¡ª¡° The young witch stopped herself, unsure if she should continue, ¡°Do you think I could be a sorcerer too one day?¡±


    Cira felt awkward being asked that question from a young woman that could be either a year younger or older than her for all she knew, but to outright deny her would be a lie, ¡°Something tells me that for you, Nanri, the path to true sorcery would be a treacherous one.¡± She was deeply involved in a shady organization, not even of her own volition. She was born into it. What¡¯s more, Cira knew next to nothing about it. That made it difficult to speculate.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, how to put it¡­ Being a sorcerer is often a thankless job. Or, even if you get rewarded you pay yourself twice the price in trouble. But you¡¯ve done so because you knew it had to be done. It was the right thing to do. Lives wholly unrelated to you hang in the balance and sometimes incredible burdens are placed upon you for no apparent reason,¡± She looked at Lomp who was conveniently staring straight ahead to the opposing wall, ¡°But you are a sorcerer. You can¡¯t shy from the responsibility just because you didn¡¯t ask for it. That¡¯s the burden of your so-called ¡®blessing¡¯. If someone not so blessed needs help within your reach it falls upon your shoulders.¡±


    Cira was enjoying the chance to regurgitate her father¡¯s words that she heard so long ago. She was a truly clueless child, but Gazen ingrained a code of ethics in her from the moment he took her in. Cira would watch him work and his actions molded her into the sorcerer she was today.


    Nanri was fully engrossed. ¡°How do you know what¡¯s right¡­?¡±


    ¡°The sorcerer¡¯s code takes a lifetime to hone,¡± Cira shook her head, ¡°Meaning I¡¯m still learning. You must live with empathy for the weak, for lack of better phrasing. Follow your code and don¡¯t be swayed by another¡¯s will. Some may call you cold or thoughtless. Some may even call you a traitor. They won¡¯t understand until you¡¯re far above the clouds. Listen to yourself, not some orders from the sky. The only orders a sorcerer takes are from the heart.¡± She tapped on her chest.


    Cira attempted to make a wise Gazen quote at the end there but cringed when it didn¡¯t sound cool at all. Even Lomp made a face. Luckily, Nanri took it to heart, ¡°Incredible¡­ Just like the stampede. Being a sorcerer sure sounds intense. No wonder you¡¯re in the high coven.¡±


    In the what¡­? ¡°It¡¯s not always so serious. Most of the time I¡¯m just looking for a good meal or conversation after long months on the winds. Sorcery comes with a certain freedom to do whatever you want a vast majority of the time¡ªthe hard work comes and goes. I can¡¯t help the whole sky after all, just whoever falls in my path.¡±


    Nanri was deep in her own head, and Cira was thinking of fond memories, so Lomp finally stepped up and said something, ¡°How long are we going to wander around these caves? How far do these go anyhow?¡±


    ¡°I was hoping the little nymphs would warm up to the place, but¡­¡± Nanri looked behind and they were all still blankly hovering at a constant distance behind Cira, occasionally bouncing off the walls but pulling along all the same.


    She made it sound like trapping the nymphs was bad¡­ I need to figure out why. Perhaps the essence of sorcery lies behind that. The witch was hard at work solving the puzzle. ¡®I would never enslave this creature¡¯, she said¡­ She even gave it a name and a little hat. Are they more than bugs after all?


    ¡°I¡¯ve designed this place to be the size of the entire first stratum. It¡¯s a near-copy of the nymph¡¯s lair.¡± Lomp¡¯s eyes grew wide, and he went pale for the hundredth time that day. Cira didn¡¯t have time to worry about his anemia as there was a glint in her eyes of something shiny.


    Even the small man looks sick. Is it really so bad, what I¡¯m building? Then why has Cira come to help me? ¡°What can I do for this place if trapping them is no good?¡±


    Cira raised an eyebrow, ¡°Hmm¡­ If you can¡¯t reach the answer, it means your approach is wrong. You¡¯re building this place because Earth Vein wants the prima salts, no?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct¡­¡±


    ¡°Build it because the miner¡¯s pushed the salt nymphs down to the bottom and they¡¯re running out of room¡ª¡± Her jaw dropped and she ripped Lomp off the ground by his bulky jumpsuit, causing him to yelp. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± He cried, ¡°What¡¯s it?!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re running out of room! The nymphs!¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± He wasn¡¯t convinced, ¡°I don¡¯t know. They wander wherever they want when they¡¯re feeling fine. They¡¯re always taking our old mineshafts and what not too. You saw them up in the city, they were acting crazy until you swooped in.¡±


    ¡°Exactly! It¡¯s all coming together.¡± Cira shook him and he wondered why she was still grabbing him. ¡°They take over the mineshafts for the same reason, but before going mad. Look at these things, they don¡¯t care about anything, but they look annoyed when they bounce off these walls. Earlier in their lair, they would repel each other. If they clump up too much and can¡¯t keep from bouncing off each other, perhaps they get stressed. That¡¯s when they ¡®go mad¡¯ and the whole cluster escapes. My Staff of Springs only quelled them from this state.¡°


    The guard put a finger up to refute her, then lowered it, falling into thought. Nanri just looked at Cira with starstruck eyes, ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Cira! That¡¯s what I have to do. I have to give the salt nymphs a home! One where there can¡­ do whatever it is they do happily!¡±


    Lomp¡¯s mouth hung open as he looked at the witch in shock, then at Cira like she¡¯d just pulled off the magic trick of the century, ¡°I¡­ I think that¡¯s a great idea, oh Titan Witch.¡± For what it¡¯s worth, he was quick on the uptake.


    I can tell she¡¯s holding it back, but Cira is definitely grinning right now. Even the small man thinks it¡¯s a good idea. Could that have been the right answer?


    Unbeknownst to Cira, a strangely sorcerous seed had taken root deep within the young witch¡¯s heart.

 20 - Nest of the Nymph Queen

    The empty metal system of caverns stretched on for hours. It was a depressingly dull imitation devoid of life. Cira¡¯s nymph pack hadn¡¯t thinned out whatsoever and Nanri was beginning to lose heart.


    ¡°Was all this work pointless?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go that far. Failure is always step one and this metal¡¯s not going anywhere,¡± Cira knocked on the wall, ¡°It just needs some work.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ but I¡¯ve created a prison! They¡¯ll never want to live here.¡±


    Cira replied, ¡°So, your next step is to remove the enchantments. See? You already know where to start.¡±


    Of course, that wouldn¡¯t likely solve any problems since it was still a lifeless mold of their home. Water just wasn¡¯t enough to draw them in. They needed it but Cira didn¡¯t get the impression they were ever low on it.


    ¡°But Lyren will get mad if I touch her enchantments¡ªshe spent weeks on them! And Salina¡ª¡± Her next words caught in her throat and her brows furrowed for a moment like she was working through a problem, ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter¡­ does it? Because I know what has to be done!¡±


    Cira patted her on the shoulder, ¡°Now you¡¯re getting it!¡±


    If you watched Lomp¡¯s face over the last few hours it was like he was watching the world¡¯s slowest shipwreck. In all his years on the rock he had never had such an exhausting assignment as watching this girl. He was supposed to stop her from doing anything crazy, but did he even have what it takes? As he watched Earth Vein¡¯s witch laughing giddily beneath her praise, he realized he did not.


    ¡°But it¡¯s not enough!¡± Nanri spoke those magic words that turn Lomp¡¯s stomach into knots. Then some new ones that he found to be even more painful, ¡°How can I do better, Cira?¡±


    The sorcerer fell into thought, ¡°What do you think Nina?¡±


    The salt nymph didn¡¯t respond and Cira continued, ¡°We know they like salt and water, but you¡¯re sorely lacking in the former. That¡¯s an easy one. What else do they like?¡±


    Nanri scrunched her face for a minute then came up with a lackluster answer. ¡°Salt¡­ Just about covers it, I think. They¡¯re simple creatures¡­ I think.¡±


    ¡°The nymph quee¡ª¡± Lomp started for a moment and almost caught himself in time, ¡°Ahh, dammit.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± The witch continued, ¡°The nymph queen!¡±


    ¡°Is that a real thing?¡± Cira asked, ¡°I thought they were just making fun of me.¡±


    Nanri laughed, ¡°What a silly thing to say, of course they weren¡¯t! And they say it¡¯s real, but it¡¯s been missing from the nest for years. What about you, little man, what do you know?¡±


    ¡°I have a name!¡± He blurted out, then his stomach dropped when he saw Nanri¡¯s frown, ¡°I-I mean, yes, the nymph queen! There were a few, actually, but they disappeared not long after Silver Lake. It¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait, I have a question!¡± The witch stuck a hand up, ¡°What¡¯s Silver Lake?¡±


    Well, Lomp was in no condition to answer that one. Too taken aback that she had no idea about such a tragedy when she was making room for another just a couple floors up. She was young, but it was a huge event for the people of her current residence. So, Cira stepped in.


    ¡°Do you think Earth Vein kept it from her?¡±


    It doesn¡¯t sound like Mom, Nanri thought, to keep secrets from me. ¡°That can¡¯t be right¡­¡± She said with little confidence.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been off this rock in a very long time,¡± Lomp replied, ¡°But they kept the plague secret for almost that long. I know that much.¡±


    ¡°Plague¡­?¡± At these words both sorcerer and guard threw her an odd look.


    ¡°Do you not know what a plague is?¡± Cira asked, ¡°The sickness this island¡¯s residents are afflicted with. Aren¡¯t there victims in Nymphus?¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± A Lamplight appeared over Nanri¡¯s head, ¡°You mean surface fever. Mom said everyone that catches it gets sent up to the surface to get better.¡±


    Cira and Lomp exchanged a look of horror, ¡°Lomp¡­ How many sick have you received from Nymphus? You know, in your reports or whatever¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re told they¡¯re treated on site¡­¡±


    They both turned to the witch now. Lomp¡¯s eyes reflected a cold-blooded killer, but Cira¡¯s were sad and empathetic. She saw an indoctrinated young girl being thrown around like a tool for her magical prowess. The young witch didn¡¯t know a thing about the world around her¡ªher case was worse than Cira¡¯s. She thought if Gazen hadn¡¯t found her she may not have turned out so different.


    Meanwhile, the young witch was crumbling under the pressure like wet salt. Why are they looking at me like that? No one¡¯s ever looked at me with those eyes¡­ And is Cira¡­ disappointed? What does any of this mean?! Mother wouldn¡¯t have lied to me¡­ Right?! ¡°I don¡¯t understand! What is this plague?! Tell me about Silver Lake!¡±


    Cira grit her teeth, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you on the way. We should return. I intend to have a word with the mayor.¡± There were supposedly years of missing plague victims from Nymphus. She could skirt around their nefarious deeds all day, but if Earth Vein was culling the sick¡­ Well, Cira couldn¡¯t say what she would do about it, but her actions would that of a sorcerer to the end.


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    She needed to get to the bottom of this one, and quick. Her insides were already trying to boil over with rage.


    ¡°Got it!¡± Nanri put her mask back on and headed the group, ¡°It¡¯s fastest if we keep going this way, but it lets out in the vacant queen¡¯s nest.¡±


    ¡°Okay but take your mask off and listen. It¡¯s hard to take you seriously with that thing on. Hydro Barrier.¡±


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am!¡± Cira didn¡¯t know what her new attitude was about.


    To begin, Cira explained the plague to the young witch. There was no such thing as ¡®surface fever¡¯. She relayed the rough number of sick, number of dead. How its cause has eluded everyone all this time, but it got worse every year. How hopeless it was for the people of Fount Salt. Carefully, she explained the implications of all the people she¡¯d seen sent to the surface to ¡®get better¡¯.


    At the end, Cira described the tragedy of Silver Lake so Lomp didn¡¯t have to. By the end, Nanri was in tears, sobbing and gasping for air.


    ¡°I-I had no idea!¡± She wiped the matted silver hair out of her face with the back of a hand, ¡°Why?! Why would Mom lie to me?!¡±


    ¡°That, I can¡¯t say. There are some answers you have to find for yourself. Anything I say would be pure conjecture.¡±


    The catacombs had begun slanting up and Cira sensed they were almost back to the salt. The storytelling had taken a while what with Nanri¡¯s breakdowns and denial-based questions. Cira felt bad wringing all these tears out of her, but¡­ The girl needs help.


    Soon the tunnel turned back into the characteristic metal hallways and they reached a door. ¡°We¡¯re here¡­¡± Nanri¡¯s voice was sullen.


    ¡°Oh don¡¯t look so down.¡± Cira skipped ahead to the door, ¡°If you keep staring at your feet, you¡¯ll miss the world around you. We¡¯re at the nymph queen¡¯s nest, aren¡¯t we? You should have your eyes peeled, looking for inspiration.¡±


    The witch blinked and a little bit of light returned to her eyes, ¡°You¡¯re right! There¡¯s no witch¡¯s code for this kind of thing¡­ I bet sorcerer¡¯s have a saying though, right?¡± She looked at Cira expectantly.


    ¡°Er, yes, of course¡­¡± She wracked her brain for tangentially related quotes from her father, ¡°A wet blanket is best served¡ªno that¡¯s not right. Hmm. A sorcerer grasps only that which is within her reach, lest she grasp the sun and burn. Ah, but you must stretch your arms now and again. Yes, that will do.¡±


    ¡°Within my reach¡­¡± She seemed to have worked something out and smiled, before reaching out and trying to bop Nina like Cira does. The salt nymph pulled her hat down and disappeared into the hidden jewel of Aquon. Ninra pouted, ¡°Aww¡­¡±


    Inside the nest the air was thick, and water trickled down the walls. It was a natural cave with no sign of mining and everywhere she looked was damp. There was open air above them and they found themselves in a palatial chamber much like that of Nymphus. Cira cast another Lamplight and sent it up trying to find the ceiling.


    Hundreds¡ªno thousands of salt nymphs lit up, all their orbs of salt glowing like eyes in the dark. They all turned in unison with an unsettling synchronization of flutters to glance at the brilliant blue sun before floating off in some other direction.


    ¡°How has the nest not melted away? There¡¯s water everywhere. That can¡¯t be new.¡± Cira asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not.¡± Lomp said, ¡°This cave is crystallized prima salt, so it¡¯s not going anywhere. The queens do it somehow, but this place is very old.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised they¡¯re not mining it.¡±


    ¡°They¡­ We did. The miners that live here have for centuries. You don¡¯t find this up above anymore.¡±


    Finally, something that¡¯s not entirely Earth Vein¡¯s fault. ¡°What does a nymph queen look like? You said there were several?¡± Cira pictured a large pulsating worm that spit out half-baked fairies from one end and salt from the other.


    ¡°Just like any other salt nymph. You can only tell a queen by the behavior of the others.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating¡­ I wonder if I could crystallize prima salt¡­¡± Cira took a handful of prima salt from her pocket.


    ¡°When did you get that?!¡±


    ¡°During the stampede.¡± Her cerulean robes or the contents of their pockets were immune to water-induced wetness. She shrugged, ¡°What¡¯s it do anyway? It¡¯s not some sort of drug, is it?¡±


    ¡°Among other things, yes, it¡¯s a drug. You shouldn¡¯t touch it. Don¡¯t you see these giant body suits that even the witch is wearing?¡± His muffled voice came through the respirator.


    ¡°Point taken. Wind Shield,¡± She nervously put it back in her pocket, ¡°So explain the first part quickly but I am interested in the rest.¡±


    Primo, or preems for short, was a mana-stimulant. That burst of energy from taking a mana elixir¡ªit strictly induced that effect without adding to your mana reserves if inhaled, ingested, or absorbed topically. Taken officially by spellcasters looking to perform longer in combat, recreationally by young folk just trying to have fun, or by the wealthy looking to perform longer outside of combat.


    ¡°That would explain why I¡¯ve so thoroughly enjoyed our walk this morning. And what else?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s used in rituals, alchemy, and even cooking. Most expensive salt you¡¯ll ever shake though.¡±


    ¡°Huh. I¡¯ll have to get more. What are they all doing here if there are no queens though?¡±


    Lomp sounded somewhat wistful. ¡°Waiting, I imagine.¡±


    ¡°Nanri, I take it you have a nymph nest down below made of titanium?¡±


    The witch was put on the spot and answered nervously, ¡°Um, yes¡­ It¡¯s all titanium. I couldn¡¯t even get the trickling water right.¡±


    That is a truly absurd amount of metal¡­ ¡°I imagine that would be hard with your medium.¡± She geomanced a clump of crystalized prima from the ground. ¡°I can mold it just like salt¡­ honestly I can¡¯t tell the difference. Better take it back to the clinic¡ª¡±


    Cira paused when she saw Nina giving her a funny look, ¡°Oh¡­ sorry.¡± She put the clump back where it came from and patted it down, ¡°Guess I¡¯ll just have to make my own.¡±


    The massive cave took them a long while to traverse. A soft blue Lamplight rested against the ceiling so high up she could pinch it in her fingers. The illuminated nymphs in the air looked like falling snow. Cira committed this sight to memory as well, certain she¡¯d never see another one like it.


    ¡°Any inspiration, little witch?¡± She still couldn¡¯t tell if she was younger than her or not, but she¡¯d taken on a cutesy, scholarly side that Cira found endearing. Literally looking up at Cira for answers, which turned out to be surprisingly enjoyable.


    ¡°Yes¡­ Perhaps a little.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Cira was surprised. It was just a big empty cave made of unfamiliar rocks to her.


    ¡°You said they want space, right? Their catacombs above are all mined out. The nymphs didn¡¯t do it, surely, so I doubt they enjoy it very much. That¡¯s just where they¡¯ve ended up. I bet the ones in here are much happier. I was thinking about it all wrong from the beginning. I¡­ I really did all that work in vain didn¡¯t I?¡± She started laughing self-deprecatingly, but in the end her smile looked genuine. ¡°But that¡¯s the first step, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Sure is. Now what do you say we get out of here¡ª¡± Cira stopped as something caught her eye, ¡°What is that¡­¡±


    Far above in the dim blue glow, she noticed a flash of reflected light from one of the walls. As her eyes focused she saw something far away moving through the air, slowly descending. Strange¡­ That almost looks like my old boat. It was the lens flare of a spyglass.


    ¡°Smugglers!¡± Nanri shouted, ¡°I can¡¯t believe it! Here?!¡±

 21 - Where Smugglers Go to Die

    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± The boy was still wet behind the ears. Ain¡¯t spent enough time in the salt yet. But I only needed him to swing a pick around for a few hours. Dumb brat had no idea how much money he was about to make me, ¡°They¡¯ll have guards here for sure, I mean, it¡¯s Earth Vein we¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried about a couple guards, boy.¡± I conjured a ball of flame in my hand to make a point and the boy flinched, ¡°I¡¯ll just burn ¡®em down to the bones.¡±


    I spent good coin on this map back at Hangman¡¯s Cove on our way down and we¡¯d been followin¡¯ the tunnels all night. Once we passed a flooded mineshaft, I knew it was just around the corner.


    I snuffed out the torch as we approached, and a dim blue light stretched into the tunnel from ahead. I heard they used blue lights to see, but the nest should be off limits to even Earth Vein. ¡°Dammit, that shitbeard lied to me.¡±


    ¡°Wha-what do you mean, boss?¡± Brats already pissin¡¯ himself¡­


    ¡°We got bad intel, dumbass, get ready to fight. Unless you brought a change of shorts you better look alive.¡±


    He started quibbling so I smacked him over the head and shushed him. We were too close to be making noise. The ol¡¯ skiff floated along real slow until we finally saw the mouth of the tunnel. Open space beyond. The nest¡­ We really found it.


    When we emerged there was a blue sun in the middle of the massive cavern that lit the whole place up. I couldn¡¯t tell where it was attached to the ceiling, almost like it was floating. Must have been a new artifact from the port.


    You couldn¡¯t pay me to count all the nymphs down here. These masks were genuine, but I couldn¡¯t get our hands on the suits. I could already feel my skin getting stiff. Guess we don¡¯t have as much time as I thought¡­


    Bringing us down slow and easy, I pulled out my spyglass to get a good look. Place looked empty from up here. Everything was all wet so it all just looked shiny and blue like the damn sea. Hurt my eyes to look at.


    ¡°H-Hey boss¡­¡± The kid sounded like he¡¯d seen a ghost, ¡°You said Earth Vein works with those witches f-f-from Nightwing Isles r-right¡­?¡±


    ¡°This is no time to be askin¡¯ stupid questions, boy,¡± I cut him off cold.


    ¡°No¡­ L-look¡­¡± I followed his hand and there was a spot shimmering on the floor. I thought it was the reflections, but it got brighter as I looked.


    Gritting my teeth, I looked into the spyglass. No¡­ There¡¯s a woman down there¡ªno, two! They¡¯re both witches! One of them¡¯s casting somethin¡¯!


    ¡°Dammit¡­ Curse you, Captain Brown!¡± That bastard sent us to our grave!


    ¡°I-it¡¯s okay, right boss? You can fight ¡®em, right?¡±


    ¡°Two witches? Are you stupid or something?!¡± Of course, that¡¯s why he¡¯s so cheap.


    I turned the wheel and pulled it back as hard as I could. We needed to get out of there. If that witch got her spell off, we were as good as skeletons. The color of the spell¡­ I couldn¡¯t tell what it was. It looked dark, but light¡­ hard to see. My blood ran cold and I froze. Just what the hell are we dealing with¡­?


    ¡°Wh-why aren¡¯t you turning?!¡± The kid was hysterical, ¡°If you can¡¯t fight ¡®em. W-won¡¯t they kill us?¡±


    ¡°I-I can¡¯t! She won¡¯t goddamn move!¡± Why?! What¡¯s happening? She won¡¯t turn! My wheel ain¡¯t doin¡¯ nothing! ¡°Why?! Why are we still falling?!¡±


    I spun the wheel back and forth ¡®til it hit the limit, yanked it to me and slammed it back. Nothing was working. The kid was cryin¡¯. I had to grab on tight as we flew right for the witches uncontrollably. I kept yanking on the wheel and all of a sudden it went stiff. Refused to move.


    The she-devil wore blue robes and water poured out of her shining hand, morphing into different shapes that I couldn¡¯t make sense of then floating up above her head. The other witch looked like she was seein¡¯ fireworks for the first time. She had on a bulky orange protective suit with the mask in one hand and a metal staff in the other. I saw the pure, innocent joy in her eyes as she watched her friend clutch our lives in her invisible hand. These¡­ these monsters¡­ They look like little girls but they¡¯re demons.


    The witch pulling us in with her demon magic suddenly shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t damage the boat!¡± Then she looked to see her friend not doing anything at all and shrugged. Th-that bitch! Does she mean to dispose of us on her own and take our belongings as spoils? The boat slowed to a stop just a stone¡¯s throw away from ¡®em.


    ¡°You damn¡ª¡± I started to curse them, and a painful, dry cough stopped me. It was much worse down here. ¡°Wait¡­ why are there so many nymphs down here?¡±


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    ¡°Boss, look! Her staff!¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡± At the top of her staff was a damn nymph. I looked behind the witch and there were scores more in her wake, floating without aim. Just waiting for orders¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down! She controls the nymphs!¡±


    ¡°Sh-she controls the nymphs?!¡± The boy went pale, ¡°We-we¡¯re gonna die! We have to surrender. I surren¡ª!¡±


    I smacked him again, ¡°Dumbass, there is no surrender with witches! Take this!¡± A fireball loosed from my hand, then another. ¡°Think you can take me on by yourself? Joke¡¯s on you, witch, I gots magic too!¡±


    The fireball picked up speed and burned brighter than any torch. My fireball burns straight through pirates and beasts alike. I only needed to land one good shot. Come on, I can do this. If I just take care of her before the other one jumps in¡­


    The twin fireballs were each the size of this kid¡¯s head and shot at her like cannonballs. She hadn¡¯t even reacted. Got the jump on you, witch. Hah, I bet you¡¯re always fightin¡¯ weaklings with no magic. You¡¯re done¡ª


    The amorphous water wiggled around and then two little streams floated up like airborne rivers before effortlessly intercepting my fireballs. They fizzled out and disappeared. God dammit¡­ What is that water?


    ¡°Tch. So that¡¯s not enough for ya¡¯, huh?! Hey, dumbass, why did I buy you that crossbow?,¡± I had to smack the boy again.


    ¡°It won¡¯t shoot!¡± He cried, uselessly clicking the trigger with a nocked bolt. ¡°I¡¯m trying as hard as I can, boss! It¡­ it hurts down here!¡±


    Usless kid! ¡°Grrrrrah! How about this then?! Hellfire!¡±


    Flames exploded on the woman and furled in place. I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re a witch or not, no human can survive enough heat to melt iron. That was the beauty of this spell. Even her little friend wouldn¡¯t be able to escape the inferno as it whipped them around for ten seconds at a time. And as soon as it ran out¡­


    ¡°Hellfire! Ahahaha!!!! Burn, witches, burn!¡± I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d catch her, let alone both of them. I overestimated the witches. They speak the name Earth Vein in fear, like a cursed word ever since those damn witches joined ¡®em. Turns out they¡¯re all smoke, ¡°Hellfire! Ahahaha! Yes, scream for me as you burn!¡±


    ¡°I-Isn¡¯t that a man screaming?¡± This brat¡­ Wait. That is a man. What manner of witchcraft is this?!


    When the smoke cleared, I saw a very wet and blackened man rolling on the ground in a tattered orange protective suit, burned out and smoking. Where did he come from¡­ Was he hiding behind the witches? Did one of them transform¡­?


    ¡°Gahhh! God damn you! Why was I the only one without a shield?!¡± The burnt man roared.


    ¡°You wanted to wear the suit.¡± Came the nonchalant voice of the she-devil from within the smoke. I could see them now, completely unscathed. ¡°Tell Pappy to stop making them so flammable.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ you witch! What are you?! Hahhhh!!¡± My skin cracked as I started charging the biggest, most brilliant flame I¡¯ve ever conjured. I was already almost out of mana and this would clean me out completely. It¡¯d take months to recover. This was it. I should have known I wouldn¡¯t get out of this fight without sacrificing my body. I got an arm to spare. No other choice left. Let¡¯s do this. ¡°HYAHHHHHH!!¡±


    Slap!


    The brilliant sun in my palm, the fruit of all my hard work and training¡­ Snuffed out in an instant. My face was left dripping with water and it stung.


    ¡°Minus points for recklessness. I was almost impressed. I can tell you¡¯re pretty dumb too, that one must be the brains of the operation,¡± She looked at the kid and smiled. Wait, what¡­? ¡°Come now, boy. I accept your surrender!¡±


    The kid gasped like he¡¯d just seen an angel. I could hear him sobbing through his mask as he looked salvation in the face. ¡°Don¡¯t do it, kid! it¡¯s a trap!¡± Her smile was just a ruse, this much was obvious. Damn kid hadn¡¯t been on the Boreal long enough to know the darkness that lurked in peoples¡¯ hearts.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry boss!¡± He dove from the boat as if a fluffy cloud would catch him, limbs spread out with no regard for the rapidly approaching ground. Then¡­ he stopped. Like he¡¯d just been reborn a nymph, the boy softly floated through the air towards the witch. She knelt there with open arms and a gentle smile on her lips.


    ¡°You¡­ You demon! You won¡¯t trick me! I won¡¯t become your puppet!¡± I started charging another flame. It was all I could do, but it was useless.


    Slap!


    ¡°And you!¡± She held the crying boy in her arms, stroking his hair to¡­ comfort him? ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing bringing a kid his age down here! He doesn¡¯t even have a suit, and you nearly burned him! Tch. There, there¡­ Let¡¯s get you healed up¡­¡±


    Different colored lights flashed in her hand before the boy¡¯s cracked skin instantly healed and regained its color. A thin bubble of mist appeared around him.


    Slap!


    ¡°Do you have nothing to say for yourself? Fine then.¡± I was ripped out of the skiff and thrown at her feet in the blink of an eye. Spitting out blood, I looked up at her terrifying visage full of scorn. The last thing I saw was her reeling back a fist as it exploded with light, ¡°Sorcerer Punch!¡±


    ___


    ¡°Nanri,¡± The witch jumped at Cira¡¯s call, ¡°I need a cage for this man. Make it small and lightweight.¡±


    She clenched her fists and put on a stupid grin, ¡°I¡¯m on it!¡±


    Cira was mildly irked at first about having to take the lead on protecting Earth Vein¡¯s property, but it fell under her purview when she saw how young this idiot¡¯s accomplice was. He couldn¡¯t have been older than Cira when she received Aquon for her birthday.


    For some reason, Nanri just watched with stars in her eyes. She found it too adorable to get hung up on, thinking that may have been what she looked like following Gazen around while he worked. Never mind the fact this was a grown woman in an orange jumpsuit the size of three men. Much like her father, she found it appropriate to throw her random menial needs at the girl.


    A metallic sphere appeared in the air before Nanri and swirled out, wrapping around the smuggler in a lattice.


    ¡°This¡­ Is not what I expected.¡± Cira looked at a man encased in a form-fitted titanium mesh as thick as her arm. From afar you¡¯d think it were a casket pulled from his tomb, ¡°But it will do. Well done.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Cira!¡± Her face flushed red, and she scampered off.


    The boy looked at his old friend in his titanium maiden and cried out through broken sobs, ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Miss Witch! I didn¡¯t want to come, I swear!¡±


    ¡°I know you didn¡¯t, it¡¯s alright¡­¡± Cira calmed him down, ¡°Can you walk?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes¡­ I think so.¡± He got up, legs shaking, and wiped the snot off his face.


    Cira looked back at her smiling companion. ¡°Now then¡­¡±


    ¡°What now?¡± Nanri asked cluelessly.


    ¡°I¡¯m in the mood. Let¡¯s go fight the Mayor.¡±

 22- Lets Go Fight the Mayor?

    After searching the walls, Cira found three random tunnels and sealed them off. At the very least it would slow future smugglers down. She tied the first one in his personal prison to the bottom of the skiff and floated away. It was nothing like her old one, but Cira was glad to have a new boat. Of course, getting it out of the mines would be the tricky part. She¡¯d have to commandeer the right elevator.


    Getting back to Nymphus wasn¡¯t difficult though. The corridors were all wide enough and she only had to remove the wall at the final door, putting it back swiftly. The would-be smuggler boy had been fast asleep for whole trip back which took until the end of the day.


    ¡°It¡¯s amazing how vast this island is. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever spent this much time underground.¡± Cira couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the scale of this place.


    Unfortunately, she hadn¡¯t managed to drop the salt nymphs off in the nest. In fact, she¡¯d only gained more. With no other choice, she trailed fog behind her, letting it immerse them within. Her flock was getting out of hand, but now it was just a mysterious cloud following them.


    But as they approached the city from above, Cira had other things on her mind. Thousands of dead, unaccounted for. If everything was as it seemed, that meant Earth Vein was a blight on these skies. Not that they weren¡¯t already, but genocide would force Cira¡¯s hand, incurable plague or not. She kept her fingers crossed but couldn¡¯t help the anger from bubbling up.


    ¡°What are you going to do, Cira?¡± Nanri looked a little worried for once but hadn¡¯t put the brakes on this show yet.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet, but I won¡¯t let him feign ignorance. He will give me answers.¡± Cira¡¯s voice was cold.


    The city¡¯s lights burned bright, but all the tallest peaks had dimmed down. A sign that it would soon turn to night in Nymphus. The tallest of those peaks belonged to the mayor and Cira steered the boat straight for it. She intended to have a little chat, up close and personal.


    ¡°Where would he be?¡± Cira asked.


    ¡°His office is at the top.¡± Nanri perked up whenever she was asked a question, ¡°Right under the light!¡±


    Cira put one foot up on the bow and leaned forward, peering through the golden spyglass which never left her person. For one, she was impressed by the quality of glass his windows were made of. Most in the city had no windows, just shutters. Through them she could see a very muddy mayor sitting at his desk across from two older men wearing dark business suits.


    The mayor looked like he¡¯d had a rough morning to say the least, but overall, the rest of the city seemed alright. Men with prima brooms brushed mud out of the street and it looked like the crowd in front of the city was gone. She had to hand it to him, it could have been a real disaster if the response was even a minute slower. But that didn¡¯t mean she trusted him. Not after their conversation that morning.


    ¡°Now, sorcer- ah, Cira. Dammit, don¡¯t you jump to conclusions too fast?¡± Lomp nervously asked. He was quiet most of the trip, just trying to find a place to cut in and calm her down. ¡°The mayor¡¯s a good man, I¡¯ve known him a couple years. Not even one of the Earth Vein folk, his brother roped him into the job.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure.¡± Cira was adamant, ¡°He just wanted to send them down to work. He struck me as just the type to be complicit in something like this.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ Doesn¡¯t really sound like Rudo. You probably misunderstood him just like in Deep Falls. Remember that? Maybe you should sleep on it¡ª¡± He stopped himself just short, ¡°I mean, you¡¯re always travelling right? I know these people, that¡¯s the whole reason Pappy sent me with you, for times like this! Exactly this!¡±


    The sorcerer eyed him suspiciously as sweat poured down his face, ¡°I don¡¯t know why you haven¡¯t said anything. I took your silence to mean we were on the same page. I wish I had had time to consider this over the last six hours¡­¡±


    ¡°You just looked, uh¡­ very upset.¡± He timidly answered.


    ¡°Gah! Don¡¯t look at me like that. What, am I going to turn you to dust if you object to my will?¡± She glared at him, ¡°Jerk¡­¡±


    Cira turned forward and sulked. The fires of justice had been doused by a brief glint of fear in the guard¡¯s eyes. He may not know, but in Deep Falls it turned out the guy had it coming, and yeah, she did most of this to herself, but was it so unreasonable to think she was still just a regular girl, even if she could withstand a storm of fire and throw smugglers around with her mind? She could be, well, reasoned with.


    Nanri quietly asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I¡¯m fine. Whatever, Lomp! You¡¯ve convinced me. I won¡¯t rip his wall off¡­¡± She pouted.


    The guard breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°I¡¯m, uh, sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°Tch.¡± She continued to pout, ¡°Nanri, where¡¯s the infirmary? There is one, right?¡±


    With an irritatingly infectious smile, she replied, ¡°Right over there! Looks busy.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Cira grumbled, ¡°I¡¯m taking us down. The living take priority after all.¡±


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    It wasn¡¯t a long detour, and she brought the skiff down to the wide eyes of all the people filling the street. She hung over the side holding Aquon out as light began to converge. They pointed up and shouted in wonder, soon it had turned into a spectacle.


    ¡°Look, It¡¯s her!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s returned!¡±


    ¡°See, I told you she¡¯s real.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe she came back for us!¡±


    The attention didn¡¯t make Cira feel any better, ¡°Area Heal! Area Hydrate!¡± But it had to be done. Then the little boat ascended, steering back towards the mayor¡¯s place. She was upset about her interaction with Lomp, but she really hadn¡¯t been thinking straight. The whole situation had taken an unexpectedly personal turn.


    As usual, Cira pushed it to the back of her mind. She had a long list of miracles to pull off on this island and it was no time to dwell on the past. They had arrived closer to the mayor¡¯s doorstep. Of course, he was at the top, so she pulled the wheel back and rose, circling the building as they ascended. Finally, they reached a balcony on the backside of his office.


    ¡°Nanri, could you attach a chain to that banister? We¡¯ll moor here.¡± Her fist still stung from her Sorcerer Punch as she¡¯d been trying to save mana since the stampede, but she healed it now. Her mana was about full again anyway.


    ¡°Um, a chain?¡± Nanri was caught off guard, ¡°I-I think so.¡±


    She fiddled around with a few balls of titanium and ended up with clunky chain with loops the size of her fist. The witch slapped it over the stone banister which crumbled under the weight, ¡°Whoops!¡± She snaked it around a few more columns at the base, eventually wrapping the chain around the boat. It leaned toward the balcony as the heavy weight settled.


    Cira couldn¡¯t hold in a chuckle watching her. It¡¯s impossible to be upset with her around. Much better company than that oaf. She had completely forgotten her warning to herself and let her guard down completely. The bubbly witch made it easy.


    Suddenly a door slammed open on the balcony, and Cira saw a very dirty and irate man, ¡°What the hell¡ª It-It¡¯s you! What are you doing here?!¡±


    Cira¡¯s expression snapped back to the cold one from earlier, ¡°I have come to have a word with you, Mr. Mayor.¡± She stepped out through the conveniently destroyed banister and onto the balcony.


    ¡°W-with me?! What about¡ªer, perhaps we should head inside first!¡± His eye was twitching as he navigated the most harrowing interaction of his tenure in Nymphus. The witch looked livid, and she had snuck up from below to appear on his balcony on top of the tallest building without a word after floating around the city for half an hour in a blatant smuggler¡¯s sloop, pulling a cloud that leaked nymphs.


    Cira agreed, ¡°Indeed, perhaps we should.¡± Nanri had dismounted to quickly follow and Lomp got out, intent to prevent something out of his control from happening.


    The mayor led them in from the balcony and into his office, where two very confused men sat across from his desk.


    ¡°Who are¡ªNanri, who is this woman?!¡± One spoke.


    ¡°What do you mean? It¡¯s the new witch¡­ if you can call her that.¡± She giggled into her hand.


    The second man got up from his seat, ¡°Wha¡ªnew witch?! Who are you?!¡±


    ¡°I have come to speak with the mayor. You should leave.¡±


    Lump nudged her and whispered, ¡°Those guys are Earth Vein, shut up!¡±


    ¡°Us? Leave?¡± The first one laughed, ¡°Surely, you jest. Now tell me, witch, what is your name and whose orders have brought you here? Do you realize how much money you¡¯ve cost us with this mud?¡±


    These bastards¡­ The prima salt wouldn¡¯t have even been here if not for the stampede, and they wanted to profit from it?


    ¡°You claim to be Earth Vein representatives, yet you neither recognize me nor know my purpose. Did you ever stop to think that is for good reason?¡± Because I¡¯m not a witch and I don¡¯t work for Earth Vein, ¡°It¡¯s best for everyone involved if you two step out.¡±


    Cira¡¯s voice finished dark and mysterious. The two men looked at each other stumped and almost spoke up until they looked at Nanri. She raised her brow and gestured to the door. Yes! She¡¯s the best.


    They shot Cira a glance that she didn¡¯t mind receiving from Earth Vein, then hurriedly receded.


    ¡°Now then.¡± Cira waved her hand and the air quaked, sealing the room off for sound. Her tone would brook no lies, ¡°Mr. Mayor, I would like you to tell me where you¡¯ve been sending the plague victims.¡±


    A look of shock donned on his face and his eyes shot open, ¡°Are¡­ are you serious?!¡±


    ¡°Do I not look like I am?¡± She glared.


    ¡°O-of course. We send them all five levels up. To the Uru plague ward.¡± He answered nervously.


    ¡°See?!¡± Lomp shouted, ¡°I told you it was a misunderstanding¡­ But since when did Uru have a plague ward?¡±


    The jittering mayor looked between sorcerer, witch, and guard, before cracking under the pressure, ¡°Since¡­ since the plague hit. I wasn¡¯t supposed to say anything¡­¡±


    Hmm¡­ He was either complicit or easily taken advantage of. Guess it was the latter. Still don¡¯t like the guy.


    ¡°And nobody gets better¡­ they just go there to die and get swept under the rug.¡± Lomp was pale.


    Cira was having trouble deciding if this was any better than a culling. Even if it was incurable, they¡¯re just putting them all in one place and letting them die in secret. Withholding it from the surface. Regardless, she found out what she wanted to find out. Cira felt sick.


    ¡°I see. It¡¯s not as bad as I thought then, but it doesn¡¯t sound great. I need to go look at this place, but I guess the mayor¡¯s clear.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ clear?¡± his voice trembled, ¡°I-I¡¯m just following orders, you know. They don¡¯t tell me anything about what happens in Uru either. I¡¯m not even allowed to visit.¡±


    She thought he was walking a fine line between digging himself a hole and justifying his actions, but at this point she didn¡¯t care about him anymore. He was probably just what Lomp said¡ªsome poor schmuck that got roped into Earth Vein¡¯s chain of operations. One insignificant link of many.


    Her fury had been quelled since there was no direct culling going on, but she couldn¡¯t shake the unease she felt towards the whole situation. It was far too shady.


    ¡°Uru¡¯s just a level below the lower pump chamber,¡± Lomp said, ¡°You wanted to see that too, right? We can stop there on our way back up.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ I do need to go there.¡± Cira sighed.


    The mayor was at a loss and chose not to say any more without first being addressed¡ªhe kept glancing nervously at the occasional nymph that would pop out of the cloud ominously floating outside his window.


    Cira hoped Uru was a big enough place that the evacuees weren¡¯t anywhere near the plague, but none of it boded well. The problems just kept compounding here and she hadn¡¯t thought about the flood in what felt like days. Cira was starting to get stressed, finally coming around to the realization that she may have bit off more than she could chew.


    Nanri came close and blinded her with a bright smile then gave her a little nudge, ¡°Come on, Cira. It¡¯s getting late, and we¡¯ve had a long day. I know I¡¯m tired. Maybe you should get some sleep and we¡¯ll check on Uru first thing in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± She returned a fraction of the smile, ¡°Maybe that¡¯s a good idea. I should sleep on it.¡±

 23- Uru of the Endless Night

    Cira woke up some time later to the sound of someone knocking at the door of her lodging, ¡°Open up, it¡¯s me!¡± Is that Nanri¡­?


    After letting out a yawn, Cira rolled over and crawled across the bed. It was like floating on a cloud and Cira was tempted to throw all her samples away and store the various components that would make up the bed into her ring, but that wouldn¡¯t do. The stress of last night had worn away and she¡¯d had time to think everything over again. ¡®If the mountain appears too tall, simply take a few steps back¡¯, or something like that, right Dad?


    Knock! Knock! Knock!


    A witch was rapping at her chamber door, ¡°Come on, I have food!¡±


    And thus, the sorcerer was roused from her cloud by the sweet promise of sustenance. That infallible witchcraft. She rolled off and made Aquon clean her Cerulean Robes before putting them back on, hopping over to the front door.


    ¡°I¡¯m up already, quit it!¡± Cira opened her door to the bright and sunny Nanri, her silver hair reflecting the vibrant city lights from across the room and out the window. She held a platter of sandwiches. Cira gasped, ¡°My, how thoughtful. These look delicious.¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d be hungry. When was the last time you ate?¡± Cira thought about it briefly before greedily grabbing for one. The witch slapped her hand away and laughed, ¡°Let¡¯s at least go inside first.¡±


    Cira acquiesced and they sat out on her balcony, next to the moored skiff, ¡°What¡¯s the mayor doing with the kid? Oh, and the smuggler?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve never caught someone sneaking into the nest before and he wasn¡¯t a resident of Fount Salt, so that man will probably get shipped off straight to the top and locked away somewhere after a thorough interrogation. The mayor said he knew someone up at the port that could use a worker though, so he¡¯s sending the kid there too.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Cira was suspicious, ¡°I can¡¯t imagine Earth Vein¡¯s paying for that trip.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Mayor¡¯s paying for it right out of his pocket. Pretty nice guy once you talk to him for a while, though I think he may be scared of you.¡±


    Cira shrugged. That couldn¡¯t be helped. Light had returned to the city, and they sat there eating the plentiful sandwiches for a time. One of them ate significantly more than the other, and she looked out over the cloud that loomed above the streets. Fortunately for her, the nymphs seemed content in that cloud so long as it wasn¡¯t too far away.


    This complicated her trip to Uru, but she couldn¡¯t just shoo them away¡ªNina was liable to get upset. ¡°What¡¯s in these sandwiches, anyway? They¡¯re exactly as delicious as they looked.¡± The cheese had to be imported, but the meat tasted fresh with a satisfying texture to it.


    ¡°They call it underworm.¡± She said, taking a bite and talking with her mouth full, ¡°They have a whole farm of them on the other side of the island.¡±


    ¡°A worm?!¡± Cira¡¯s eyes went wide, also taking a bite, ¡°I never knew worms could taste so good.¡±


    One solution to the famine could be to convince everyone to eat worms all the time and change the island¡¯s chief industry to meet demand. They finished their meal and stepped out onto the boat. Nanri made the chain disappear with a clink and Cira took the wheel, ¡°Show me the to the stairs, witch!¡±


    ¡°Aye aye, sorcerer!¡± Nanri exaggerated a salute and they both laughed, floating over the effulgent underground city toward its gates.


    Taking a step or two back was a matter of perspective. An insurmountable peak looks quite manageable from the horizon. Who cared if half of Nymphus caught the plague trying to escape the stampede? That changed nothing. She¡¯d cure them all. This just meant failure wasn¡¯t an option. She was certain there¡¯d be discoveries to make once she made it back to the clinic.


    Regrettably, the floods were lowest on her priority list, because such a feat was to fight nature itself. She¡¯d still give it her best shot, but if nature won that¡¯s just life. Cira scratched Nina under the chin and giggled when the nymph turned her head up and leaned into it.


    ¡°There, you see it? Right next to the elevators.¡± Nanri pointed out a big opening in the rock face.


    ¡°Hard to miss. I¡¯ll take us right in.¡± The two slowly descended until a broad staircase showed from beyond.


    ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t we missing somebody?¡±


    Cira dispassionately replied, ¡°Lomp can fend for himself for a day, I¡¯m sure of it. I¡¯ll give him time to rest his weary heart.¡± Little did she know, her flagrant airborne departure would have the opposite effect.


    The witch put on a small frown for a moment before it bounced back, ¡°I guess it¡¯s just you and me today, then! This is going to be so much fun!¡±


    ¡°Nanri, we¡¯re visiting a plague ward. I appreciate the enthusiasm, but maybe tone it down a bit. This will probably not be fun.¡±


    Cira felt as though she¡¯d just killed a Pegasus, watching the witch¡¯s lips drop and curl down. Her voice was sullen, ¡°Sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t look so sad. We¡¯re going there to help, it¡¯s a good thing.¡± Cira tried to shoot her a grin.


    The two girls sailed over on their little boat and entered the stairwell. The passage was tall enough that they didn¡¯t have to impede any startled passersby and the nymph cloud just flattened and spread out above them on the ceiling. With Spatial Sight she noticed most of the nymphs just floated along as they had been, ignoring the ceiling entirely.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    This was another long staircase. I shouldn¡¯t expect to get anywhere quickly down here, was it Chip that said that? I¡¯d like to think I¡¯ve been rather swift aside from yesterday¡¯s hike. Travel was much easier with her new boat. If she¡¯d had it before, she would have loaded up her priest robes and probably other things too. Boats made for great pockets.


    Sadly, Cira would have to go without protection from the plague today. Meaning she¡¯d need to take some precautions of the sorcerous nature. Prismagora appeared from a flash of light into her left hand. The mysterious bone artifact which could earn Cira a spot as the High Coven¡¯s premier light witch¡ªher favorite staff. She¡¯d been asking a lot of Aquon lately and light resonated better with holy, so she decided to bring it out.


    Its elegant prism reflected in Nanri¡¯s eyes like stars and the sorcerer puffed out her chest proudly, ¡°One beyond the sky, I, Cira, demand protection from harm unseen! Be it hidden demons or cursed clouds, nothing shall reach me!¡±


    When holy magic got more complex or potent, it entailed pleading for strength from something incomprehensible. Nobody¡¯s ever flown high enough to see what it is, but they could point the constellation out if you asked on a clear night.


    Typically, the key to holy magic would be ¡®pleading¡¯ for power. However, the beauty of sorcery is in the interpretation. Magic manifests from the will, so instead of begging for power Cira demanded it to make specific requests.


    Anything from viruses to curses would no longer harm her unless she first gazed upon them, for a limited time of course. She also couldn¡¯t use her father¡¯s spells to achieve such effects because her comprehension of the things she was protecting against paled in comparison to his¡ªhence the ambiguous and open-ended nature of her incantation. She cast the same spell on Nanri and resigned to chip away at her mana throughout the day keeping the spells active. With no more elixirs she expected to be spent by the time night fell.


    ¡°Amazing. You¡¯re like a priestess too! Only thing you¡¯re missing is the veil.¡± Cira grimaced at the witch¡¯s praise, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard a prayer like that though. Your dad must have been a pious man.¡±


    Cira shrugged. A few more hours had passed, and they finally reached the end of the stairs. The opening to the next chamber was reinforced with an old archway and a dim orange glow could be seen from the other side. When it let out, they were far above another huge cavern. If people had some reason not to take the elevator, the stairs led to the top where one could encircle the entire chamber. Multiple staircases lined this upper ring and led down to the city proper.


    The girls had no reason to take the footpath and shot out over the chasm. ¡°It looks a lot like Uren at night.¡± Strings of lights dotted the pathways and ran over pathways. What appeared to be food stands and a busy marketplace took over most of the streets here. There were lots of people out walking around too. From above she could hear their shouts and laughter, arguing or chatting in the street.


    Nanri turned out to be a far better tour guide than the one she had just ditched, ¡°I¡¯ve heard it used to be a nymph queen nest long ago, but they stripped it out and built a town here.¡± It was another huge, round, empty cave, so that checked out. She wondered how they stopped the water but maybe that happened over time.


    Cira sat back and peered over the countless lights then smiled at her guide, ¡°Tell me more.¡±


    ¡°Oh, um¡­ Let me think,¡± her face scrunched up, ¡°Hmm, I heard everybody that lives here is a miner. None of those Gandeux nobles like Nymphus.¡±


    ¡°Interesting¡­¡±


    As they came closer to the ground Cira noticed a crowd gathering. Most of them wore jumpsuits or other such work attire, and a few had something strapped to their waists.


    ¡°Smugglers!¡± A man below cried out, ¡°Stop them, quick!¡±


    ¡°Are they¡ªare they stealing the nymphs?! But how?!¡± Another screamed.


    Cira looked back and made her cloud puffier, but in this open space they seemed to want to stretch out. With no other option to dispel the confusion, she moved her Lamplight out of the cloud, so it hovered above the boat as they descended toward the street, and all the panicked faces. Just for kicks she made two more Lamplights and made them spin.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s a witch! It has to be, look!¡± Cira peered over and saw people pointing at her, gasping with awe.


    ¡°It¡¯s her! I knew it. The one from Nymphus!¡±


    ¡°She controls the nymphs!¡±


    ¡°¡°Hurrah!¡±¡± The crowd shouted.


    The sorcerer pursed her lips as they finally made it to the street and landed off to the side.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay everyone, no smugglers here!¡± Nanri took charge of the situation with her usual demeanor, ¡°Just us witches!¡±


    Then a walking leather scrap of a man approached, ¡°I don¡¯t givva damn whatchu are! You turn them damn light off when ya¡¯ in Uru. And the hell ya¡¯ doin¡¯ with all them nymphs ¡®n that cloud?¡± He waddled up, a few heads shorter than most present with gray eyebrows long enough to spelunk with.


    ¡°Sorry, um, sir¡­¡± Cira started, ¡°I didn¡¯t think anyone would mind since it¡¯s morning.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what?!¡± He dramatically cupped a hand around his ear.


    ¡°Er, it¡¯s morning¡­?¡±


    He threw his arms to his hips, ¡°Ain¡¯t no such thing, got dangit! This is Uru!¡±


    Cira threw her gaze to the space Lomp used to occupy, asking his ghost for guidance. No answer came. She nudged Nanri and whispered in her ear, ¡°Do you know what this is about?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t think they took it so literally,¡± She clapped, ¡°Uru of the endless night. I¡¯ve heard some of the workers call it that downstairs.¡±


    ¡°At least one o¡¯ ya¡¯ll¡¯s got some sense!¡± The old man spat, ¡°You better turn them dang ol¡¯ lights off or there¡¯s gonna be trouble. I¡¯ll have ya¡¯ know my little brother¡¯s the overseer! One word from me and you¡¯re¡ª¡± He made a motion with his thumb across his throat and an unnecessarily drawn-out slurping noise.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, I get it¡­¡± Cira shook her head, ¡°I¡¯ll fix it right now.¡±


    Prismagora lit up to the ooh¡¯s and ah¡¯s of the surrounding city folk, then her Lamplights burst into hundreds more much smaller orbs that rose up and dispersed in no particular pattern. She¡¯d turned the transient suns into a field of stars to light the endless night. All the people in the street stared up with wonder in their eyes except for one old man who couldn¡¯t stop grumbling.


    ¡°Nngh. Fine then! Guess that¡¯ll do¡­ Damn witches. What about the nymphs, then?!¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re Pappy¡¯s older brother? I admit, I see the resemblance.¡± I didn¡¯t think someone could get older than Pappy.


    ¡°What about my brother, now?!¡± He shouted.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to do him a favor, more or less.¡±


    But he wasn¡¯t convinced, ¡°Yeah, ain¡¯t the first time I heard that. And just what would this favor be, hmm?¡±


    The old man was impossible to deal with, so Cira broke down how she¡¯d been investigating the plague and the conversation ended with her describing Pappy¡¯s appearance to confirm her claims.


    ¡°¡ªmore wrinkles than there are islands and stars put together, so can you just show me to the plague ward?¡±


    He crossed his arms, ¡°Don¡¯t wanna.¡±


    Cira¡¯s forehead came to rest firmly in her palm, and she sighed. From the air she could only see the city, which was more-or-less lively. It would make sense for the plague ward to be in a separate chamber but she didn¡¯t see any tunnels that would lead there. She looked at her companion who was equally stumped.


    ¡°Fine then, we¡¯ll do this my way.¡± She cleared her throat and shouted to the crowd, ¡°First volunteer to guide us to the plague ward gets a holy blessing! Power? Fortune? The choice is in your hands!¡±


    She regretted her decision instantly when the old man started shouting and a vein pulsed in his forehead. His face turned crimson, his mouth twitched. He clutched his chest before falling to his knees, eyes bulging.


    The crowd went wild.

 24 - The Endless Night of Uru

    ¡°Heal! Greater Heal! Sacred Heal!¡± Cira pummeled the old timer with healing spell after healing spell. If she ever had to kill a man, this was not how she wanted it to go. ¡°Extra heal! Oh, great one beyond the sky, heal this man!¡±


    Many people in the back had not noticed any of this and were fighting their way to the front for a blessing. The fervent strobing of holy light, they took to be her throwing out blessings like hot wormcakes. Nanri was panicking, holding her hands out to signify she had no idea what to do.


    Suddenly, a beautiful and bodacious young woman with dark hair emerged from the crowd, ¡°Wha-what did you do to him?! Uncle, no!¡±


    Luckily for Cira, the old man had stopped convulsing and now just lay on the ground, the red in his face slowly dissipating. She used a spell to confirm with certainty that his heart was indeed beating, ¡°I-it wasn¡¯t on purpose. I healed him!¡± She desperately waved her arms in innocence.


    The old man¡¯s eyes shot open, ¡°Delilah¡­ Is that you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me! I¡¯m here, Uncle!¡± She grabbed his hand and glared at Cira.


    ¡°Please¡­ Take these witches away from me. Quick¡ª¡± He coughed, and his voice was weak, ¡°The¡­ Take them to the plague ward¡­¡±


    The old man looked at Cira for a brief moment then yelped before passing out.


    ¡°Uncle!¡± She turned back to the dubious witches, ¡°What have you done?!¡±


    ¡°I just wanted directions¡­¡±


    Nanri¡¯s explanation was able to calm the woman down, who explained that her uncle had a bad heart, and was always getting himself worked up. ¡°It could have happened to anyone,¡± the woman said in the end.


    Cira spouted off a few more spells on the old man and his niece, Delilah, convinced some folk from the crowd to carry him home. They all knew each other here and where they lived. It was one of those places.


    Cira had to shill out a couple blessings for the ones who carried him, but it came down to asking the mysterious creature beyond the sky to grant them wealth and women respectively. Whether or not it granted such ambiguous requests, was outside of Cira¡¯s power.


    Soon the crowd had cleared up after they finished gawking, most were disappointed they missed out on a blessing. Unlike Nymphus below or Uren above, these streets were carved into the salt. The buildings were still made of steel or something similar, but they seemed to keep up on maintenance. Not a lot of rust showing. For a giant salt cave with only a single river running through the middle, Cira was surprised that the air wasn¡¯t too dry.


    Finally, the two witches were back in the air with a new guide. A striking beauty with absolutely zero resemblance to her decrepit uncle. Cira sighed and shook her head, ¡°I can¡¯t believe that guy¡­ He¡¯s worse than Pappy.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you know my dad?¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡± Cira was shocked, ¡°Not even your grandfather¡­? Your dad?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got tons of siblings across the rock. That¡¯s just how old men are, isn¡¯t it? I think he¡¯s on his fourteenth wife now.¡± She chuckled.


    ¡°¡­¡± Cira fell deep into thought.


    ¡°Dad, why do so many women recognize you? I thought we were exploring new lands.¡± He was drinking wine from an expensive goblet, I recall. Both were a gift.


    ¡°The sky is vast, Cira. Any great sorcerer knows a great many women across the¡ªwait, no they don¡¯t. Forget everything I just said and go to bed.¡±


    Cira¡¯s eyes refocused on the city, ¡°Huh¡­¡±


    Nanri nudged her, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Oh, nothing. So which way to the plague ward?¡± They¡¯d already filled Delilah in on their mission for the day as well.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to enter from above unless you can do something about that,¡± Delilah gestured at the cloud following them. ¡°And I¡¯d rather stay behind if that¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s probably for the best, but are you sure you don¡¯t want us to drop you off down below?¡±


    She refused with a smile, ¡°No, that¡¯s alright, I¡¯ve got business up the way. I appreciate the lift.¡±


    The entrance was far above in the outer ring that circled the city. Almost opposite from where they entered before. The little skiff tugged along and soon they had landed at the mouth of yet another cave. Cira thanked the girl for her time, and she gingerly stepped out of the boat.


    ¡°It was nice meeting you witches! And if you¡¯re ever back in town come find me, Cira. I can show you around!¡± She offered a warm smile before turning her back to leave.


    The sorcerer returned the smile and waved, ¡°Well she was nice. Nothing like her father.¡±


    Another twenty minutes of starlit tunnels later, they emerged over a slightly smaller cave of similar shape to Uru. That aside, it was completely different. Water still flowed from the ceiling and across the floor through a few main channels. Every structure was raised on platforms like the surface but every building looked temporary. Only a few artifacts scattered across the boardwalks provided light for everyone.


    Contrary to the infirmary above, this place was incredibly humid. Cira brought the boat down towards the closest platform where they seemed to have some sort of station set up guarding the entrance. Cira saw men with guns drawn as they descended.


    ¡°Stop! This area is off limits!¡± This man had a much nicer gun than the scrap some of Pappy¡¯s men carried.


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    ¡°Just us witches!¡± Nanri cheered.


    The guards looked at each other confused before one official looking man got up from his desk, ¡°Witches? Nanri, who is this woman?¡±


    This guy must be Earth Vein. Is this their attempt to keep a lid on it all? Keeping people out with force?


    Before Cira could come up with a reasonable line to fool him, the real witch stepped in. She put her fists on her hips and puffed her chest out, her voice doing a haughty impression, ¡°If you know not her identity nor purpose, perhaps that is for good reason!¡±


    Cira watched with a smile on her face until she realized the baffled man had turned to her, at which point her countenance turned serious and she gave him a nod.


    ¡°That¡¯s just for your own safety. I¡¯ll tell you why I¡¯m here though¡­¡± Cira said softly and winked, ¡°But only because it¡¯s you asking.¡±


    ¡°Er- okay then¡­¡± He shuffled awkwardly.


    ¡°I have come to grant relief to the plague victims while I search for the cure.¡± His eyes grew wide, but she saw him glance nervously at Nanri, ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    He fidgeted for a minute and then approached Cira, whispering to her, ¡°I was told, uh, specifically not to let Nanri enter¡­¡±


    ¡°Nonsense. You don¡¯t have to worry about that anymore,¡± Cira declared, ¡°I¡¯m here now.¡±


    He put a hand on his chest and looked thoroughly relieved, ¡°Oh thank the clouds¡­ Please, come on in then.¡± The guards all lowered their weapons and shrugged, going back to their seats.


    ¡°What was that about?¡± Nanri asked.


    She didn¡¯t want to lie, but she didn¡¯t want to be blunt either, ¡°I¡­ believe your mother was trying to protect you from surface fever.¡±


    Nanri was sharper than you¡¯d think, and it put a damper on her mood. She remembered when she tried to get admitted to the academy back home. After getting rejected she was accepted to the one in Port Gandeux, where her mother convinced her to apply, then proceeded to pass the practical exam. A year into her studies she found out she hadn¡¯t even been accepted there¡ªthe Silver Witch paid them off. It was the first academy back home that she was really accepted into.


    She was upset but after her mother¡ªher master explained the mix up and how she did everything she could to fix it once she found out, Nanri let it go.


    They left the boat out front, and Cira threw a few more stars up as they walked through the plague ward, lighting up the whole cave with a pleasant, dim glow. The buildings were all on their own platform, and some were no more than stakes and tarps tied to the railing. Each one was stuffed with patients in various stages of the plague. She noticed most of them looked free of desiccation, likely owing to the wet surroundings.


    There were a surprisingly large number of people wearing mining masks and Earth Vein symbols treating the patients. Giving them water or dressing wounds. With them and the kind man she just fooled, her anger towards Earth Vein was quelled to degrees she never thought possible. That said, the outcome for the patients didn¡¯t look any more promising than up top.


    She cast her one-two punch of, ¡°Area Heal! Area Cure!¡± to each platform they passed. Almost as if she were necromancing the dead, sickly men and women would slowly sit up, snapping out of a daze and looking over at her with unfocused eyes after every healing repetition.


    Each platform was just about the perfect size for this method, and Cira breezed through the first fifty some-odd platforms by more-or-less walking by. The plague ward was bright, and she could hear chatter in her wake of patients returning from the brink of death or their half-vegetative states.


    That¡¯s how she knew what to expect at the end. The last ten platforms had another guard stationed in front, but before Cira could say anything she heard a commotion from the front. ¡°Do you hear yelling?¡± She asked Nanri.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± She squinted, ¡°It looks like the guards are moving. This could be trouble.¡±


    Cira gasped and broke into a run, the witch hot on her tail. They ran through a frail parade of gratitude calling out to them from little shacks as they finally made it back to see that Earth Vein guy arguing with a short man drenched in sweat. The guards surrounded him with guns drawn.


    ¡°I work for the goddamn overseer!¡± He paused to catch his breath. ¡°Now, I know she¡¯s here. I see the friggin¡¯ cloud!¡±


    The two ran out into the open, Cira waving her arms around, ¡°Everybody calm down! What the hell are you doing?¡± She asked the official.


    He looked thoroughly confused ¡°We were told the overseer would never send his men here and that anyone claiming to work for him would definitely be a spy.¡±


    Now she looked over at the spy. It was a thoroughly ragged man, red in the face and wobbling like a leaf trying to catch his breath. Sweat pooled at his feet and he looked like he had just ran all the way here from Nymphus. He was Lomp, of course.


    ¡°You!¡± He pointed at the sorcerer, ¡°What is wrong with you?!¡±


    ¡°Looking at you now, Lomp, I¡¯m not so upset about yesterday. Why didn¡¯t you just wait? Should have taken the day off.¡±


    He looked at her like she was causing his brain to deteriorate, ¡°And how many more old men would you kill while I¡¯m gone? How many more would be blessed by the heavens?¡± He was right behind them since they left the balcony¡ªas much as someone on foot could be. If he had the foresight to take the elevators a lot of his stress could have been avoided, but he thought the risk of them getting sidetracked was not to be discounted.


    The runaway witches looked at each other and their hearts dropped, ¡°He¡­ He died?!¡± They both turned to Lomp for answers with shocked expressions.


    ¡°Well, uh, no¡­ he¡¯s fine. Said his knee hasn¡¯t felt better in decades¡­ But that¡¯s not the point!¡± he shouted, ¡°You can¡¯t just run off!¡±


    ¡°Some servant.¡± Nanri offhandedly said. ¡°That¡¯s what you get for hurting a lady¡¯s feelings.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡± He was dumbstruck.


    Cira was flustered, ¡°He¡ªhe did not!¡±


    But Nanri wasn¡¯t done being cheeky, ¡°Don¡¯t worry Cira, I¡¯ve got your back¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough. Oh, great one beyond the sky! Grant this fool protections quite similar to my own! Let us be off.¡± She slapped Lomp with a spell and turned her back on the cackling witch, returning to the plague ward. They headed all the way down the boardwalk again past everybody she healed, Cira in front not saying much, ¡°Did you really run all the way here?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ If I didn¡¯t take a break in Uru I¡¯d be dead. And I took the time to ask around about the plague ward, not that you seem to appreciate my help all too much.¡±


    The group was approaching the last ten platforms again. Where all the most critical patients would be. Some of them, she knew, she would be incapable of bringing back from the brink of death. Cira saw a few passageways lining the wall behind, but there were no further platforms. This was the end of the line.


    ¡°And what did you find out?¡± She asked, disregarding his snark.


    ¡°Since the plague hit, they¡¯ve taken to calling it Uru of the endless night. It¡¯s where most people below the spring go to draw their last breath now.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­ where are you going with this?¡±


    ¡°You see¡­ We thought the salt nymphs, floods, and famine were cause for a spike in missing persons over the last few years. Hmm¡­ You know why bright lights aren¡¯t allowed in Uru anymore?¡±


    Nanri was thinking about it, but Cira just shrugged, ¡°I didn¡¯t know it was new. What¡¯s that have to do with anything?¡±


    Lomp had caught his breath by now and taken on a sullen tone, ¡°It¡¯s respect for the dead and dying. The plague can¡¯t be cured so when they make it here, they know there¡¯s no hope. They¡¯re sent here to await the end in peace. When the time comes, they¡¯re given a sky burial so the night can bring them rest at the end. A glorious dawn awaits them once they reach the final sky, as it goes.¡±


    ¡°A sky burial?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, I guess the church has a presence in Uru. We¡¯re not far from the edge of the island here¡­ A few minutes through those doors,¡± He pointed to the back wall, ¡°That¡¯s why this place was designated for the plague ward.¡±


    ¡°So, the missing persons¡­¡± She trailed off.


    Lomp nodded gravely, ¡°Yeah. Our number of dead from the plague is... at the very least double what we thought. Tossed to the cloudy abyss below and forgotten.¡±

 25 - A Glorious Dawn Awaits

    Echoing coughs and pained moans wore on the trio as they entered the last stretch of the plague ward. Cira¡¯s healing combo lost efficacy as the overall condition of everyone here was much worse. If the patients outside were at twenty percent and she healed them to eighty, these on the final platforms were at most five percent being healed to twenty. They all remained close to the brink of death, even when she stopped to heal them individually.


    Just like the infirmary, something was stopping her from healing them completely, or¡­ what she feared most¡ªthat their base healthy condition had just been degraded so far on a physiological level. That would take much more than a wave of the hand to treat.


    A woman dressed like a doctor wearing Earth Vein symbols approached. ¡°You one of the new witches?¡±


    Cira looked at her for a second. She didn¡¯t seem like a witch, ¡°Ah, you must be the doctor. Is there anything you can tell me? They don¡¯t know much on the surface.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°We don¡¯t know much down here either. When people from Uru get sick, they seem to last longer sometimes but I feel like it¡¯s hit or miss. They¡¯ve been coming in a lot more the last few months from everywhere, even some of the deeper settlements.¡±


    ¡°Why would people from Uru survive longer?¡±


    The doctor threw her hands up, ¡°Not a clue. The church will tell you it¡¯s piety, but¡­¡± She gestured an arm to show off the whole plague ward, ¡°This doesn¡¯t look like piety to me. Seems everyone on this rock is doomed. The last witch couldn¡¯t figure it out either.¡±


    So, the healer was a witch. And a quitter. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about this church, but I¡¯ll have to agree with you. What do you make of it all, Lomp?¡±


    He had been paying close attention the whole time, ¡°There could be more places like Deep Falls, but it seems to be catching up with them. Maybe it¡¯s all that moss they eat.¡±


    ¡°We looked into the moss.¡± The doctor sighed, ¡°Didn¡¯t seem to be anything there. Mushrooms as well, but there¡¯s too many different kinds down here. While some will kill you if you look at them wrong, most don¡¯t appear to do anything. The cure could be hiding among them but it¡¯s impossible to tell.¡±


    Nobody could think of any more questions, so they left the doctor to her business and went to finish Cira¡¯s rounds. Nanri was oddly quiet. She looked like she was having trouble taking it all in. The sorcerer, for one, couldn¡¯t blame her. It was a lot of misery in one place.


    Between keeping their protections up and the barrage of healing, Cira was running low on mana by the time they got to the last platform. These people had festering boils on their bodies, and they could hardly manage more than to breathe. The sound they made just trying to do that was grating. Most of their eyes had that same film over them, they were stark white and leaking. There was one man in his thirties at the end who lacked many of those most advanced symptoms she¡¯d been seeing. He sat leaning against a crate.


    His complexion was clear, and his red hair still held a rich color with no patches. He could see clearly and take full, unlabored breaths. When she looked at his shoulders, one sat higher than the other. His chest had bulged out to a shocking degree, but his left ribcage had started to cave in and push out his side¡ªCira could see it fanning out against his skin. The expression on his face was one of constant pain, but the man didn¡¯t groan or complain.


    ¡°Can you hear me?¡± Cira asked.


    The man attentively looked up, ¡°Sure can. And what a sight to behold.¡± He whistled, before wincing in pain. His voice wasn¡¯t raspy, just low. He had to speak carefully.


    The sorcerer couldn¡¯t hide her grin at the defiantly positive attitude, ¡°I¡¯ve only seen symptoms like yours once before on the surface. How long have you been ill?¡±


    ¡°Funny you should ask. Just since this afternoon, ahah¡ª¡± He started laughing and broke into a fight of coughs, ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s a joke¡­ Locals love it. Hard to tell down here. Months for sure, but it¡¯s almost my time. I can feel it.¡±


    With a smile that didn¡¯t betray a hint of his hopeless fate, his lips twiched and he broke into a laugh, ¡°The angels even came to see me. Ahhahahaaa.¡± He laughed slowly until it was nothing but a wheeze.


    There was a tear in Nanri¡¯s eye when she spoke, ¡°I¡­ I wish there was something I could do for you.¡± Cira¡¯s magic hadn¡¯t done anything.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry, Miss. I¡¯ve made my peace.¡± And he meant it.


    Cira looked at him and her heart sank. Even if she found out how to stop the plague, it was uncertain if she could find a way to help him. That would put him in the position of not getting any worse. Potentially spending the rest of his life like that just because she cured him.


    ¡°You!¡± he startled her, ¡°Stop looking like that, you¡¯re saddin¡¯ up the place. You¡¯ve got nothing to feel sorry for. You¡¯ve already helped us down here plenty.¡±


    She was taken aback, ¡°But I¡­ couldn¡¯t really do anything.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± He grinned again, nodding his head up to the hundreds of Lamplights above their heads, ¡°You let us see the stars one last time before the night was through.¡±


    This had tears flowing down Nanri¡¯s cheeks, and the guard wore a tough expression. Cira felt brittle, her heart was in turmoil. This place was no more than the waiting room for a cemetery. It sickened her, but what could Earth Vein even do about it? She didn¡¯t know how the church played into this, but one could argue that the treatment here was humane as could be for the hopeless. In a twisted sense, Cira almost felt one could argue a culling to be more humane.


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    They left the plague ward quickly after that. Nobody felt like saying much. They made it back to the boat and quietly took off back to Uru.


    ¡°What do you plan to do now?¡± The witch asked.


    ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be any more delay. I need to check out the pump and get back to the surface.¡± Cira¡¯s determination was renewed. She had to take a step back again. If she got too caught up in the melancholy around her, it would take longer to do her work.


    ¡°So, you won¡¯t be sticking around for much longer then?¡± She looked a little downcast.


    ¡°Sorry, Nanri. I think Zero Stratum holds merit to help with the stampedes, but I have to prioritize the plague.¡±


    Nanri sat on the side of the boat pouting for a minute, before nodding resolutely, ¡°Okay then, it¡¯s decided. I¡¯m coming with you!¡±


    Lomp had an uneasy look to him, but Cira had her eyes on the witch. Nanri¡¯s fists were clenched and she held them close to her chest, looking over at Cira with a less than confident smile. The sorcerer found she didn¡¯t have the heart to deny her.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± She asked, ¡°You can¡¯t heal, right? And I¡¯ll be far beyond the clouds in a week or two. Won¡¯t somebody be upset that you¡¯ve neglected your duties by that time? You¡¯ve already wasted two days helping me out.¡±


    But the witch wasn¡¯t dissuaded. She hopped up like the morning sun, ¡°I¡¯m sure! I-I know what to do now, Cira. Even if I can¡¯t heal¡­ I¡­ I also think the plague is more important!¡±


    Cira liked the girl. No use denying it at this point. She didn¡¯t want to leave her with a whole heap of trouble from above when she left¡ªthat is to say, in addition to what had certainly been accrued by this point. Salina was sure to have a strong word with Nanri when all this got back to her, not to mention that mysterious Silver Witch that was supposed to be her mom. She let an infiltrator into their secret facilities, gave her tons of unwarranted information. Even told off some officials on her behalf and ended up in the plague ward.


    But the girl noticed the uncertainty playing on Cira¡¯s lips and kept going, ¡°Even if you say no, I¡¯m coming anyway. Those are my orders of the heart!¡±


    Her eyes were resolute and she held Cira¡¯s gaze. She didn¡¯t expect to have her own mediocre wisdom thrown back at her this way, and with complete seriousness. The sorcerer was given no other option but to accept her resolve. It was just a few days on the surface anyway. Before long she couldn¡¯t hold it in, and a hearty laugh bubbled up.


    ¡°¡­what?¡± Nanri turned away sheepishly and the tips of her ears flushed red.


    Cira¡¯s laughter trailed off, ¡°Oh, nothing. Spoken like an aspiring sorcerer. Just don¡¯t forget what I told you.¡±


    Lomp looked displeased, and finally spoke up when prodded, providing eyebrow gestures to imply his point, ¡°Do you really think that¡¯s wise? You remember what Pappy asked of me.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s you. I only take orders from the heart.¡± She shrugged, hiding a sly grin, ¡°Can¡¯t be helped.¡±


    And Lomp was back to his old, exasperated self. He wearily took a seat and gave her directions up a level. They flew over the speckled lights of Uru one last time and found a passageway leading to more stairs. Since the elevators were from the original inhabitants too, the stairs were truly obsolete. Only a handful of them around this area were still maintained for emergency¡¯s sake.


    Another hour later and they found themselves nearing the top. After a point all the stairs were paved with that old metal of the ancients. Lomp said it was called brinstahl. It was rare enough that if it weren¡¯t for the Gandeux Group¡¯s laws, it would have been plucked away by now. Some had already been stolen before Earth Vein took over, ironically enough. Five more points for Gandeux Group, but that¡¯s still only ten now!


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you have an accent?¡± Cira asked Lomp, ¡°You seem to know more than anyone else on this rock.¡±


    ¡°The accent can get pretty bad with descendants.¡± He shook his head, ¡°I came to Fount Salt when I was young but never picked it up.¡±


    Cira hadn¡¯t heard that word before, ¡°Descendants? Is that what Pappy is supposed to be?¡±


    He nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right. The children of salt. Their ancestors once worshipped the nymphs when the ancients left. Did you know Pappy¡¯s been overseer for a hundred years?¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± The fairy Cira met was centuries old, but wouldn¡¯t admit how many, ¡°So he can live a long time too, just like the ancient miners?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly. Most descendants hit a hundred fifty tops. Pappy¡¯s was just last year so he¡¯s up there.¡±


    His older brother must be insanely old! I¡¯m glad I¡¯ll die before I get eyebrows that long.


    The top of the staircase was supported by a massive brinstahl arch and Cira could hear running water beyond. Inside there was a massive lake, just like one of the reservoirs up top. Completely lined with metal. Cira had to cast another few lamplights to see the whole thing, it alone held more water than both on the surface. A pillar of water burst down from the ceiling, constantly filling it while the excess all got funneled towards a canal on the far end to be taken somewhere else¡ªthe pump.


    There were heavy cast walkways with railing that stretched across the entire pool, leading to all different doors along the perimeter which was lined in the same metal. Nanri climbed off the boat and over to the platform on a little conjured titanium step, ¡°This place is amazing!¡± her voice reverberate in the chamber and echoed back to them.


    ¡°Sure is.¡± Lomp wore an awkward grin, ¡°They really fought against the odds making this place livable. It¡¯s a shame how it¡¯s fallen.¡±


    It was a long path, but they made their way over to the pump at cruising speed, Nanri walking along. They¡¯d be soaked if Cira hadn¡¯t been protecting them from the violent splashing of the central waterfall.


    ¡°Hey Nanri,¡± she asked, ¡°Can you make me a container with a lid that seals?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± Happy to help, a ball of metal appeared and swiftly turned into a cylinder before landing in Cira¡¯s hand.


    She gripped the top and unscrewed it, ¡°This will do nicely.¡± She used her last sample jar in Uru. With this new one, she pulled a little water out of the pool and stored it. Placing it in a cubby of her new boat.


    They approached the canal and Nanri hopped back onto the boat. It took them into a narrow tunnel that eventually let out to another, much smaller pool. Along the bottom of the clear water, there was a shiny inlet rapidly sucking up water.


    ¡°This makes things quite simple.¡± Cira sounded satisfied, but her companions were confused. ¡°The artifact¡¯s about as simple as they come. Just an enchanted hole in the wall.¡±


    Nanri cocked her head, ¡°How¡¯s that help?¡±


    The sorcerer wore her fearless smile, ¡°This will take us straight to the surface. A glorious dawn awaits!¡±


    Lomp had to rain on her parade, ¡°I¡¯m almost sure it¡¯s night-time right now.¡±


    ¡°Impossible! It¡¯ll take hours.¡± Nanri reasoned, ¡°We¡¯ll drown. And what about the nymphs?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we just take the elevator¡­¡± Lomp was exhausted.


    ¡°It should be fine,¡± Aquon wiggled around, ¡°though I guess I¡¯m a little low on mana. Three is more than I accounted for. You should take the elevator and meet us up there, Lomp. I can¡¯t count on anyone else to deliver my boat safely.¡±


    The witch looked at the underwater artifact with curiosity, ¡°If you¡¯re saying it¡¯s safe¡­ Then it does sound fun, I can¡¯t deny that. But If mana¡¯s the problem, I wish you had told me while we were down in Nymphus. I was starting to think you couldn¡¯t run out. Earth Vein sends me potions with every metal delivery. There¡¯s probably loads of them piled up on the docks.¡±


    Cira gave her a long stare, ¡°¡­¡± and sighed.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we head back for the night?¡± Nanri suggested, ¡°You should rest anyway. What are we going to do when we get there? More work? You really should take better care of yourself¡­¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine¡­ We¡¯ll pack food this time too. And I really might steal that bed this time.¡±


    The witch returned only a bright smile, ¡°I¡¯ll help!¡±


    With sandwiches or thievery¡­? Cira wondered.

 26 - Getting Somewhere Quickly

    They stood next to the old brinstahl elevators the next day, ¡°You¡¯ll be fine, Lomp. We¡¯ll beat you there and you¡¯re carrying cargo essential to the investigation.¡±


    The odd man out had vivid memory of their trip to Deep Falls and wasn¡¯t excited to double down on the experience. Cira used this angle in combination with her eleventh sample jar stored in the boat to convince him to take the elevator. Of course, he was nervous that Pappy would reprimand him for letting the sorcerer out of his sight. This was a matter of life or death though.


    Once that was settled, Cira shuffled some more jars out of her ring to make room for various food items: loaf of bread, block of what turned out not to be cheese, one fresh worm, and an orb of some not-quite-dairy sandwich spread since containers couldn¡¯t be stored.


    Once that was settled, Cira convinced everyone to go on a detour to the New Shore District to plunder the closest dock for a few crates of mana potions. Lomp started getting really nervous at this point, so Cira cast an illusion to make them invisible. It was hard to argue at that point and he¡¯d already agreed. There were also a great many stacks of titanium building up on the docks, so someone was sure to hear about that soon.


    The elevator door closed shut, and the sound of grinding metal could be heard as the artifact started up. They¡¯d see Lomp again sometime tomorrow. Without ado, the sorcerer and her witchy companion took a different elevator back to Uru, cutting a few hours off their trip.


    One concern that was building in the back of Cira¡¯s head was the ever-growing cloud of nymphs. It was the type of thing that doesn¡¯t really impact you, so you let it get out of hand. In this way, she found herself with a swarm of a hundred nymphs.


    Nina was no help at all. The little salt nymph only got up to stretch her wings once or twice a day at most, sitting on Aquon or Cira¡¯s shoulder when it wasn¡¯t out. Every time she was asked a question, she would stare blankly or hide in her hat, but you could tell she was still looking at you because the hat was water.


    When the elevator arrived in Uru, they waited a few minutes and the nymphs eventually fluttered up through the ground. Cira didn¡¯t want to go into town for fear that they¡¯d get roped into something. The church was still a silhouette to her, but it wasn¡¯t something she felt like shedding light on today. It didn¡¯t seem they could help her with the plague.


    ¡°Are you really sure this is safe?¡± Nanri looked at the pump inlet.


    ¡°With proper precautions,¡± Cira nodded, ¡°It should be safer than my trip down.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m trusting you¡­¡± She motioned to the cloud behind Cira, ¡°But, what are you going to do about them?¡±


    She shrugged, ¡°They either follow us or they don¡¯t.¡±


    She handed Nanri her the Ring of Undrowning since it¡¯d be easier to protect herself with a spell than another. Then they stepped out onto the water with a little magic before walking across it towards the artifact.


    ¡°I should be able to stop us if need be,¡± Cira continued, ¡°But be ready to protect yourself at a moment¡¯s notice. I can¡¯t guarantee we won¡¯t encounter an obstruction or other unforeseen obstacle.¡±


    The witch looked nervous, ¡°Okay¡­ Too late to back out now. Do I need to do anything else?¡±


    Cira shook her head and walked closer, ¡°Not really. Just hang on tight!¡± She grabbed Nanri around the waist and released Surface Step. They plunged into the frigid water and sank. Once her companion was nice and secure in Aquon¡¯s grasp, Cira let the current pull them in headfirst.


    She also did Nanri the consideration of putting up a simple barrier around her to make the ride a little smoother. Instead of the rough salty tunnel from before, this was a long tube of solid brinstahl with a diameter almost two Cira¡¯s high. It was one solid piece, and she didn¡¯t see any seams as they zoomed by.


    The witch was holding on tight and hiding her face in Cira¡¯s chest for a few minutes until she got the courage to peek out. Water rushed by them, but it could hardly be felt. She was like a kid standing on the bow in a strong wind, her eyes open in wonder.


    Nina looked almost the same¡ªshe floated beside them both with her wings spread out, like she were gliding along the breeze effortlessly. Nina weaved back and forth, dipped to the side then righted herself. She looked like she was having fun.


    This brought us to our flock of nymphs. They were doing the same. All of them, gliding behind the pair at a distance as they rushed through the island in the giant metal tube of the ancients.


    The destination was clear. The surface. Cira distinctly remembered a similar sized metal hole above the reservoir. It wasn¡¯t gushing nearly as much water as the pump was sucking up, but there were two of them. Where else would it be going?


    Cira did not wonder such trivial questions as she stared forward into the current. Aquon had stretched out a fair deal ahead to detect anything that may be in the way but she wanted to stay on her toes, as any responsible sorcerer would.


    Hmm¡­ What¡¯s going on up there? It¡¯s not an obstacle, but oh¡ªShe inwardly gasped¡ªthe water¡¯s diverting!


    They were travelling at many times the speed of her new boat. Once Cira figured out what was happening, they had already entered a curve in the pipe, their barriers grinding against the brinstahl. Cira tried to put the brakes on, but it was too late, ¡°Wha¡ª¡±


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    ¡°Ahhh!!¡± Nanri screamed.


    As they flew through the dark chasm, all they could see was each other and darkness. Cira whipped her hand, and another Lamplight flew out behind them. The shiny pipe they just exited from had a big hole in the side, blasting water down into an abyss.


    Cira desperately grabbed for any water nearby, but it wasn¡¯t enough to stop their momentum. They too fell into the abyss. Aquon refused to move salt so Cira frantically called upon Prismagora who flashed into her hand, right in time to illuminate the entire chasm. She saw water rushing up from below to meet them and crashed into it, hardly afforded time to cut through for a soft entry.


    They were submerged before getting whipped back and forth by opposing currents. The witch clung on to Cira like a new set of robes as she tried to get the water under control. They were dragged against the ground until Cira finally figured out which way was up and let out a concentrated blast. Water exploded and they were thrown against a hard salt ceiling, rolling to the ground with a thud.


    Cira groaned and spit water from her mouth, ¡°Heal¡­¡± She sat up with a distinct frown on her face. She looked over Nanri who was perfectly fine, having been wrapped safely in Aquon¡¯s embrace. She still clung to Cira who tapped her on the head, and they met eyes, ¡°My bad¡­¡±


    The witch¡¯s eyes went wide and she glanced around before taking in a deep breath and laughing in Cira¡¯s ear. She detached and rolled over, holding her sides and busting up, ¡°That has to be the most fun I¡¯ve ever had! Looks like we didn¡¯t make it all the way though.¡±


    Looking around, there was a large pool with water gushing out of it. They could hardly hear each other over the sound. To their left there was a large hole under the pool dug into the salt and it went down an indeterminate length into the depths.


    ¡°Ahh,¡± Cira said, ¡°So that¡¯s what happens when you do that.¡±


    Nanri cocked her head, ¡°Do what, now?¡±


    ¡°Over there,¡± she pointed to the center of the room, ¡°We fell directly into this island¡¯s spring. Tried to send us back down to Deep Falls too.¡±


    This explained why she had such a hard time gaining control of the water back there. They were getting churned around inside until she managed to push them both to the bottom, just barely out of the current¡¯s range. That¡¯s where they found a new, far less tumultuous current that dragged them towards the Deep Falls express chute before Cira blasted them into the ceiling.


    ¡°You okay, Nina?!¡± Cira shouted with a start. She hadn¡¯t seen her since the tube. ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Her thumb-sized face poked out of hidden jewel of Aquon before she emerged and took her seat back atop it, still wearing her hat.


    ¡°We made it all the way to the spring¡­¡± Nanri spoke with bated breath, ¡°I¡¯ve never been here before.¡±


    ¡°Pretty, isn¡¯t it?¡± The other nymphs all floated down from the chasm above, spreading out around the spring chamber, dancing through the air. ¡°The nymphs seem to like it here. Maybe we should try to drop them off.¡±


    Nanri wasn¡¯t following, so Cira held up a finger to wait a moment. She walked around the pool tapping on the walls. There was a little flash with each knock. On the opposite side she paused for a moment then knocked a few more times high and low, ¡°Here should do.¡±


    And her Staff of Springs was reduced to a nymph¡¯s chair as Cira again made Prismagora appear. Light didn¡¯t go great with geomancy, but this staff wasn¡¯t so stuck up as the other. She began pulling salt out of the wall then shooting it down the hidden river. The hole turned into a tunnel that Cira walked down as she worked. All Nanri could see was a dark hallway and a stream of salt flowing out. After a minute the salt started gushing.


    She waited around in the Lamplight left behind for a short while, watching the river of salt until it calmed down. The witch timidly crept down the corridor, conjuring a little metal shield to keep the salt out of her shoes. The Lamplight didn¡¯t follow and she soon found herself in a dark hallway, stepping carefully with her left hand against the wall.


    After two or three minutes slowly poking around in the dark, Nanri almost turned back. Then, she saw a bright blue light from around a corner. She could finally see. At the end of the hallway she found the sorcerer bathed in the not-quite-golden light wearing her Cerulean Robes. Her blonde hair hung past her shoulders and she stood there looking into a large chamber with salt crumbling all around it.


    ¡°¡­What¡¯re you doing?¡± Nanri asked.


    They stood on a ledge molded from salt, overlooking a small chasm with waterfalls dotting the edges and disappearing into the darkness. Above, the salt fell away, leaving a smooth contour into an ever-expanding cavern, forming bumps or shifting directions here or there.


    ¡°Ah, there you are,¡± Cira stood there with crossed arms and turned around, the staff of light floating in front of her and glowing the color of earth magic. She spoke with passion in her voice, ¡°I found this chasm! So close to the spring, too. I thought expanding here would be perfect, but now I have to condense the salt in places to reinforce existing tunnels. It¡¯s getting rather tedious. Wanna help?¡±


    Above their heads, salt nymphs lazily fluttered around in the blue light, some poking their heads out of the wall. Nanri could swear their number increased again. She looked at the salt as it fell off the walls and converged, swept away in the current down the hall.


    ¡°C-Can I help?¡± Nanri asked timidly, ¡°How do you even know where the tunnels are?¡±


    ¡°Oh, let¡¯s see,¡± Cira thought for a moment, ¡°Are you familiar with spatial¡­ witchcraft?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± She shook her head, deflated, ¡°I can¡¯t mold much other than titanium with any control at all.¡±


    The sorcerer looked over, ¡°Interesting¡­ Are all witches like that? Even this ¡®great Silver Witch¡¯ I keep hearing about?¡±


    ¡°Mostly¡­ That¡¯s why witches are such masters of their element,¡± She looked at Cira with uncertainty, ¡°At this point I feel like you could take on Salina with that water staff of yours, though, so I don¡¯t know anymore.¡±


    Am I useless to her? Nanri¡¯s thoughts grew dark, Maybe I¡¯m no help at all¡­ Why did I even come here? Cira is such an incredible witc- sorcercer, but so kind. She doesn¡¯t treat me like her lesser just because I¡¯m weak, like those jerks at the academy. Or push me around as the council does. I didn¡¯t spend my whole life honing my witchcraft to waste my youth in some hole moving metal for Earth Vein. There has to be more than this¡­ That¡¯s why I came.


    She looked at Cira who just smirked, ¡°Perhaps I will one day.¡±


    She told me there¡¯s more than this. When I look at her that¡¯s all I see, like a distant sunrise. But, she¡¯ll be gone in a matter of days¡­ and I¡¯ll be back at the bottom building a prison for nymphs, and¡ªIs the New Shore District any better? It¡¯s the same¡­ but for people¡­ Cira spent an hour doing what I¡¯ve been here months for, and the nymphs are already appearing. She¡¯s amazing.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cira saw the despondent look in the witch¡¯s eyes and tapped her on the shoulder, ¡°Is Salina your friend?¡±


    Nanri was caught off guard and laughed into her hand. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it¡­¡± She¡¯s leaving. So, I¡¯ll just watch her while I can. I¡¯ll only grasp what¡¯s within my reach! The sun comes and goes. There¡¯s at least something I can do right now. ¡°How about we break for lunch?¡±


    She conjured titanium plates and silverware from thin air. That put a smile on Cira¡¯s face, ¡°Good idea. After lunch you can practice with salt too. I bet I could make a staff out of it for you to work with.¡± A loaf of bread appeared above her palm.

 27 - I Got Surface Fever

    Well over a hundred nymphs buzzed around the chamber Cira had created. She took advantage of any unclaimed expanse of salt that didn¡¯t run too close to their mineshafts and carved out a massive space for them to live, complete with waterfalls for hydration. Cira had half the mind to move there herself if she weren¡¯t burning with desire to see the sun again.


    ¡°I sure hope they like it,¡± She wiped the sweat from her brow, ¡°I wasn¡¯t made to be underground for this long. I live in the sky.¡±


    Nanri chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t we all?¡±


    She had been practicing making cubes from salt using a staff Cira crafted. It was nothing fancy, but it increased general geomancy better than her old titanium one. Of course, channeling through the same medium you¡¯re manipulating helps with control, hence the salt staff. Basic enchantment like that was easy and could be done by hand¡ªor more specifically with a series of conjured tools.


    ¡°How¡¯s that staff working for you?¡± Cira asked.


    Nanri¡¯s face was strained as she finished a cube, ¡°I¡¯m getting the hang of it, but everything is harder with this hanging around.¡± She gestured to a ball of titanium in the air behind her.


    For training purposes, Cira had folded the witch¡¯s titanium staff in such a way that the enchantments wouldn¡¯t break, then rolled it into a ball. It could be unfurled if one was incredibly careful, ¡°Wielding that staff again one day will mean you have passed a test.¡± Of course, Cira had no intention of turning it back into a staff herself. Additionally, holding the titanium aloft while making all her salt cubes would further increase Nanri¡¯s control¡ªnot to mention the benefits of wielding a levitating staff. In short, Cira had not so fond memories of her old darksteel staff.


    ¡°Okay then, Nina.¡± Cira plucked her up with telekinesis and floated her up to her friends before gesturing around the cave, ¡°How about it? Nice place, right?¡±


    The nymph looked none too pleased about floating through the air under Cira¡¯s control. She was baffled, and mildly offended if one could derive that from the doll-like face. Once she was free Nina only hung there in place. She looked around and then quickly grabbed for her hat with both hands to make sure it was still there. After a second, Nina floated back over to Aquon.


    ¡°Hey now, at least give it a try!¡± Cira floated her back over to her friends, ¡°I can¡¯t turn into a real smuggler.¡±


    Nina gave her the classic blank stare for a while, looking between Cira and the other nymphs. Suddenly she flew away, fluttering around through the other nymphs. On her way back she picked up speed and dove straight for the water staff. It caught Cira off guard, and she started pushing back space itself. Nina¡¯s wings flapped harder, and she picked up even more speed, pushing against the force field.


    Eventually Nina looked strained and the faint hint of determination on her face moved Cira¡¯s heart, ¡°Fine, if you feel that strongly about it¡­¡± She relinquished her control over space and the nymph bolted straight into the hidden jewel of Aquon, which was not so hidden these days. She disappeared with a plop.


    Nanri nervously asked, ¡°Is she¡­ inside that gem?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t even know you could go in there,¡± she shrugged, ¡°Makes me want to try. I guess that explains why water¡¯s so easy to conjure with it¡­ I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve never thought about that before.¡±


    ¡°You mean, there¡¯s just a bunch of water inside there?!¡± Nanri was amazed.


    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s the case. Dad sure liked secrets in the most meaningless places.¡± She said that, but it was nice making little discoveries like this from time to time. It did open up some possibilities, too. How much is there? Can I draw more in?


    ¡°I bet he had something to say about secrets, too.¡± The witch laughed.


    Cira grinned, ¡°I¡¯ll spare you the quote.¡±


    Now that the sorcery was complete, Cira made one last sandwich for the road. They had grilled the worm with a combination of conjuries and thinly sliced it. After packing the leftovers up and making the cookware disappear, they turned their backs to leave.


    Whether the nymphs would stay or share the same indignance as Nina was yet to be determined. Even though this was hours of work that could easily have been for nothing at all, Cira still engraved the words ¡®Nymph Sanctuary¡¯ into the wall in a few places. On their way out she had Nanri seal the hallway up to look like it did before.


    She was proud of herself. ¡°Like that?¡±


    ¡°Well done. And we¡¯re back down to one nymph. Today has been a smashing success so far, let¡¯s keep it going.¡±


    ¡°Right!¡± Her smile was broad, and she bounced behind the departing sorcerer, ¡°Do we have to take an elevator now?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± She lifted them up on a pedestal of water, rising above the spring, ¡°We¡¯ll just head back up the tube¡­ if that¡¯s alright with you.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Nanri dramatically pointed up, ¡°To the surface!¡±


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Cira navigated the amorphous wave at their feet up the chasm and threw a few Lamplights out until they found the pipe from which they came. Fighting against the pressurized current, she finally managed to squeeze the two of them back in. Cira also fought the urge to fix the hole on her way in. The potential to cause problems by recklessly fixing things was not to be discounted.


    Nanri held on tight, and they shot up through the powerful current. This time Cira kept a closer eye up ahead. If she saw anything weird at all it was time to stop. Fortunately for her, and possibly the people of Fount Salt, there were no more major leaks.


    Time passed quickly as they sped up the waterway towards the top. Cira expected a fork where they would split off to one reservoir or the other and when she detected it, picked a side at random. It didn¡¯t matter which way so long as they didn¡¯t get split in half. Finally, their shields ground against the walls again as they went through a final loop and were deposited with a bang.


    Water splashed high into the air and fell over the edges. The girls were shot deep into the reservoir before bobbing back up and coming to rest, standing on the surface, ¡°We made it!¡± Cira cried, stretching her arms out like a flower.


    ¡°Wowwww,¡± Nanri trailed off, staring at the sky, ¡°I feel like I haven¡¯t been outside in months. The docks just aren¡¯t the same.¡±


    ¡°Cira?!¡± A startled woman¡¯s voice drew both of their attention.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Cira turned and smiled, ¡°My, if it isn¡¯t Rosalie. How are you?¡±


    The woman gawked at her, ¡°We heard a loud crash and thought something broke, so we came running¡­¡± There were others gathered around now.


    Nanri struck a pose with her salt staff, ¡°Just us witches!¡±


    The crowd dropped to their knees. Cira gave her a side-eye, ¡°Why do people always do that?¡±


    ¡°I-I never questioned it before¡­¡± She looked conflicted, ¡°Please¡­ Stand up everybody! No need for all that.¡±


    Cira led them off the surface off the water to make the ensuing conversation less awkward. Rosalie had a very anxious look on her face when the two approached, ¡°Ahhhh, Cira, I didn¡¯t realize you were a witch¡­¡±


    The sorcerer¡¯s excuse was an easy one. She said it naturally like the truth that it was, ¡°As you well know, I wear many different hats.¡±


    Rosalie awkwardly nodded, ¡°Of course, of course¡­ Well, it¡¯s uh, good to see you again. And you¡¯re friend, uh, madam witch.¡± She gave a light bow.


    ¡°This is Nanri, the Titan Witch. She wanted to help out.¡±


    Nanri gave her a little wave, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so stiff. You¡¯re Cira¡¯s friend, right?¡±


    Rosalie managed, ¡°Oh, o-of course¡­¡±


    Cira understood her concerns. Her and her husband, and all of their neighbors, were victims of Silver Lake. Nanri hadn¡¯t done anything aside from move metal around downstairs since she¡¯d arrived at Fount Salt, but she still bore the fangs of Earth Vein for all the people here knew. Cira would bet her shiniest rock that Nanri knew some of the witches responsible for the incident, too.


    She didn¡¯t see any of that malice in Nanri¡¯s eyes. In its place she saw a yearning to see the world. Or to see whatever was outside the world she knew. It was that spark she saw, that gaze resting past the horizon, which swayed Cira to allow the girl to accompany her to the surface. She knew she wouldn¡¯t be much help except possibly with alchemy. But she was pretty sure Nanri felt the same way. So, who was she to deny her a shot?


    ¡°Well, I have a great many things to catch up on,¡± Cira said, turning to Nanri, ¡°And I could use a bath. Shall we?¡± She waved, ¡°Send my regards to Chip. I¡¯ve got a ghost story for him if he gets bored, you guys know where to find me.¡±


    They left the confused farmers to their withered corn and walked over to the edge of the platform. From it she could see Breeze Haven and a smile naturally formed. The two continued down the steps, taking a stroll down the various levels that formed Uren. After a short while of ignoring the people parting in the street to allow their passage, they ended up in front of the gate to her yard.


    ¡°Ahh, it¡¯s good to be home,¡± There was a contentment washing over Cira¡¯s body, ¡°Oh! I should check if I have any mail.¡± She skipped up to the gate and opened her mailbox.


    She had a silly grin on her face as she pulled out an envelope. Nanri was watching her, then spoke up, confused, ¡°You live here? I thought you travelled around.¡±


    Cira noticed a city guard running over from the infirmary and quickly pulled Nanri inside.


    ¡°Welcome to Island of Breeze haven!¡± Her golden hair flashed in the sun, fanning out as she did a little spin at the top of the stairs, ¡°My home travels with me.¡±


    ¡°Amazing¡­¡± Nanri walked up and smelled a rose hanging into the path, ¡°You mean to say this whole thing flies?¡± She looked to the far end past the yard, then up at Cira¡¯s house.


    ¡°Sure does. I tried to tell you, my dad was the best.¡± Cira beamed with unchecked pride. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside. I¡¯ll warm up some tea.¡± She then skipped through a front door which opened itself, pulling the witch along.


    Above ground, Breeze Haven boasted a kitchen and a parlor. Of course, upstairs was the helm spire. For now, she led Nanri into the parlor and ran away to the kitchen with a spring in her step. Cira wasn¡¯t sure what she was in such a good mood for, but she was having fun. The only people she¡¯d allowed onto her island since Gazen passed were the odd rescuee, like Chip.


    Moreover, she¡¯d never really had someone her age to talk to, especially about magic. Somebody who didn¡¯t irritate her or wouldn¡¯t become scared of her¡ªcould possibly even help her endeavors. And to invite such a person into her home¡­ She didn¡¯t understand what all this together meant, but it felt nice.


    So, following that momentum, Cira put some tea on and went right downstairs to the library. Nanri saw her disappear and awkwardly stared around the living room from the couch. The walls were a light-stained wood, and one side was all windows. Tapestries and other decorations filled the space. There was a large, unidentifiable egg on display, attached firmly to the ceiling with a thick bar. It had red spots on it¡ªnothing similar had ever come up in the textbooks.


    She stopped trying to figure it out and her eyes wandered to a sword mounted on the wall. It was easily as tall as she was, but the grip was that of a dagger, hardly large enough for a single palm. She shook her head, and her gaze landed on a softly ticking clock about as large as her torso with exposed gears.


    Is that pure orichalcum?! The witch was aghast, you¡­ you could build another Zero Stratum if you traded that for titanium. You could buy mother¡¯s estate ten times over with that clock! If she stared at it any longer, she would go mad, so she averted her eyes again.


    They landed on a beautiful painting of¡­ perhaps the shore of a lake. Where water met land. A tree leaned precariously over the edge and grass grew in the foreground. It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s blowing in the wind. She noticed a gentle wave in the grass and the tree¡¯s fronds swayed. The woman in a yellow sundress who sat against a wooden fence looked over her shoulder and waved back with a smile.


    ¡°Gyah!¡± Nanri jumped back with a shriek, turning away only to glance back sheepishly.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cira appeared in the doorway holding a tray in one hand and books in the other, ¡°Tea¡¯s ready.¡±

 28 - Mushrooms Dried Since the Dawn of Time

    ¡°Sorcerer¡¯s Compendium Volume Three: Introduction to the Healing Arts¡­¡± Nanri said, ¡°Are you sure I can have these?¡±


    Cira just laughed, pushing them back towards the witch, ¡°Of course. These are just transcriptions. Though, I¡¯ll want them back one day, so you¡¯ll have to make your own.¡±


    Sitting on the table were volumes one and two as well. The first was mostly philosophical ramblings in the form of unsubstantiated anecdotes from Gazen, but it was good for a skim every now and again. Cira used to joke making it through that tome was a difficult enough barrier of entry to sorcery.


    The second was all about finding out a starting point and how to build from it. Nanri had her titanium ¡®witchcraft¡¯ as a solid foundation, but she could do so much more with geomancy. Of course, once one got started, any responsible sorcerer needed to learn how to heal. Any later would be reckless. Hence volume three.


    The fourth was when the compendium delved into alchemy for similar reasons, but it contained a lot of formulas Gazen himself came up with¡ªincluding some dangerous compounds that she really didn¡¯t want to see for sale one day. She wasn¡¯t sure about letting those loose on a whim, whether her trust in Nanri turned out to be well-founded or not. If she met the witch again one day, perhaps they¡¯d look at it together.


    ¡°Just make sure nobody steals them.¡± Cira gave her a stern look.


    Nanri held the books close, ¡°I would never! I¡¯ll keep them locked away¡­¡± A shell of titanium formed around them.


    This made Cira laugh, ¡°Well I¡¯m going to take a bath. I can still feel the salt. Sit up here if you¡¯d like, or the garden¡¯s a good place to read if you wanted to give them a look.¡±


    The witch nervously glanced at the shoreside painting on the wall and stood up with a fragile smile, ¡°The garden sounds quite nice.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll see you in a few,¡± Cira headed over to the stairs, ¡°Help yourself to the garden for a snack while you¡¯re at it.¡± And she was gone.


    Outside, a red apple caught Nanri¡¯s eye, and she plucked it before sitting down at the table in the grass, opening the first of three volumes.


    ¡°Chapter one: How I Defeated the Sky¡­ Hm.¡± A bird chirped from inside the tree as she began trudging through the dense literature. They hadn¡¯t arrived at the surface with much time in the day and the first traces of sunset could be seen staining the clouds.


    Down the stone steps leading to the salt flat, there were again people waiting at Cira¡¯s gate. Thankfully, not a large or rowdy group. They were a duo of incredibly exhausted guards. Not that they were sweaty like Lomp gets, but they looked like they hadn¡¯t slept in days. They were sluggish and stood there with vacant eyes.


    One had his hands pressed against the barrier and lazily leaned in, ¡°What do you think this is made of?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s magic, stupid.¡± The other replied.


    While Cira was making tea, they were a lot louder, but since had resigned to waiting. It was a rare break in their new schedule. They worked their way up to being one of the overseer¡¯s personal guards, but somehow ended up a nurse for a witch or something. Absurd.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see Lomp. Do you think he¡¯s okay?¡±


    The second guard waved him off, ¡°He¡¯s Lomp. He¡¯ll be alright.¡±


    Back down in the lower chambers of Breeze Haven, Cira finished her bath and thought a change in outfit was appropriate. Aquon could hide in a ring, so she didn¡¯t need to leave him behind, but it was time to recalibrate her attire to suit the surface.


    The day had arrived to get into the nitty gritty alchemy work. She grimaced. There were only two sets of robes she had to help with this¡ªher favorite burned away in a week-long bloat worm extracting session. One option would be the Bog Witch Swamp Rags. The nature of it being a set of rags made the enchantments difficult to replicate on a solid garment, so Cira hadn¡¯t gotten around to it.


    Next would be the Toad Druid Garb. While wearing it, she looked like a toad, with the hat being the head. Its effects were incredible, and Cira would never admit that she puts it on occasionally when working with particularly unstable substances. Alone.


    ¡°This is no good.¡± She shook her head, ¡°Maybe my dad had something.¡±


    She walked down the hall and removed an unnecessarily thorough seal on his bedroom door. Inside was exactly as she remembered. Somehow nothing in here ever got jostled around. Is the room itself enchanted for that¡­? There were rare treasures on shelves or bookcases that he¡¯d received as gifts¡ªgoblets and ancient daggers, old scrolls.


    She paused, noticing there wasn¡¯t any dust built up. Cira hadn¡¯t entered the room in a couple years¡ªonly once or twice since his passing. It still held his scent, a faint air of herbs and smoke. Every time she walked in it was like he had just left the room.


    She let out a deep sigh, walking over to his closet. It was a door, and once opened it stretched back considerably. Cira was almost sure Breeze Haven didn¡¯t have enough space for this room, as it was built up against the edge, but she decided long ago not to question it.


    Many of his robes were old and worn, their colors lost to time. Some were forged rather than sewn, so she couldn¡¯t refit them to her size on the fly. More still looked like unique treasures, like a wrapped pegasus wing or man-sized flower bud. A lot of his attire needed its own stand like the Everfrost Cape, or a crystal prison to keep them from dispersing into the air or otherwise escaping.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    None of these helped Cira, but she knew what she was looking for. She¡¯d seen it many times, and it would go great with the current aesthetic she had at the clinic. There it was, haphazardly thrown into a chest among other outfits he used frequently. A habit Cira refused to pick up.


    ¡°Perfect. I can have this fixed up in a flash!¡± She skipped back to her room.


    Back up in the garden, Nanri sat in her chair with a single tear flowing down her cheek, ¡°My goodness, how moving¡­ alright, Chapter two. How the sky defeated me.¡± She paused to steady her breath.


    High above in the silo that overlooked the entire city, there was a wrinkly man standing in his office. In front of his window was a telescope, and he peered into it, ¡°How long are those two jackasses goin¡¯ to stand there?!¡±


    Pappy¡¯s one remaining guard stood next to him looking through another telescope, ¡°Uh, I¡¯m not sure, sir!¡±


    ¡°And you said you saw two go in?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, sir!¡±


    Pappy broke away to look at the man directly, ¡°And neither of ¡®em was Lomp?!¡±


    He winced, ¡°N-no sir! The sorcerer priest was with another woman.¡±


    The overseer grumbled and spat, going back to his desk. He slammed his fist down, ¡°Dammit! Go down there and figure out what¡¯s goin¡¯ on!¡±


    ¡°Yes sir!¡±


    Cira emerged from the front door twirling. Her robes, white as the clouds and just as light, fanned out as she spun. They were longer in the back but didn¡¯t drag. Her shoulders were covered by a large collar that hid most of her face from the sides, tipped with silver accents as the whole set was trimmed in the same way. Her hat was stark white with a single fold and didn¡¯t require any hemming.


    ¡°Tah dah!¡± She struck a pose.


    ¡°Cira!¡± Nanri jumped, ¡°I don¡¯t get it, but you sure look refreshed.¡±


    She wore a smug grin, ¡°Indeed. How¡¯s the reading coming along?¡±


    But her temporary companion wore a distant look, ¡°It¡¯s quite thorough. I feel like I¡¯ve been reading for a thousand years.¡±


    ¡°I know what you mean.¡± The sorcerer¡¯s smile reached her eyes, which slowly grew distant as well. She then grabbed an apple for herself and took a bite, ¡°Ready to do some alchemy?¡±


    The book slammed shut, rejoining the others in their titanium box, ¡°I am!¡± Nanri¡¯s training had increased by way of adding a second levitating metal object to her orbit. Now potential thieves had to choose between sphere or cube.


    Cira vaporized the leftover apple core with light magic and led the witch back toward the gate. They descended the stone steps until Cira locked eyes with one man with his face pressed against the barrier. She froze. But so did he. The second man wasn¡¯t paying attention at all.


    Then the third pushed his glasses up and held his gaze on Cira, ¡°Excuse me, madam sorcerer priest, I work for the overseer.¡±


    She looked at them for a brief moment before opening her mouth, ¡°Well I¡¯m a busy sorcerer, so you¡¯ll have to follow me if you have something to say.¡±


    The other man removed himself from the barrier and Cira opened the gate, stepping onto the salt and leaving with the witch in tow.


    ¡°Oh, yes, well, the overseer wanted to know who your new companion is,¡± he straightened his glasses again, ¡°And the whereabouts of Lomp.¡±


    She stopped for a moment and met his eyes, ¡°Lomp is carrying out an objective critical to the eradication of the plague. Tell Pappy he¡¯s been with me the whole time.¡± Then she turned towards the clinic and continued.


    ¡°Oh¡­ um, alright then¡­ and what of your companion?¡± He looked at Nanri and she waved back.


    ¡°Ahh. The Titan Witch.¡±


    They all fell to their knees, allowing the girls to gain a little headway. Cira realized that there was a large number of people outside the clinic now. Some on blankets or scraps of steel laid down. They were clearly ill, the ones she¡¯d ordered the guards to gather up.


    ¡°Excuse me!¡± Another guard she vaguely recognized approached running, ¡°We¡¯ve gathered all carriers of the plague in Uren. Did you, um¡­ happen to discover the cure while you were down there?¡± He looked weary and expectant. Cira found the combination suspicious.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ still working on it. Why do you ask?¡± Everybody was clear that there was no cure yet. I made sure of that.


    ¡°Well, um¡­ there¡¯s just a lot of patients, that¡¯s all.¡±


    That much Cira could tell. At this point they were at the door to the workshop she set up a few days prior. She raised her hand and drew a circle in the salt about three of her height wide, ¡°Can you group everybody up in spaces about this size?¡±


    He studied the circle, committing it to memory, ¡°Yes, we can do that. Do you think afterwards¡­ We could take a break?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± She looked at him, ¡°Do whatever you want.¡±


    Pulling the witch inside, she closed the door on the man with glasses. Luckily the last guard had thrown her an opportunity to get another ball rolling, so it was alchemy time.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize how busy you were up here¡­¡± Nanri said, ¡°I feel stupid for thinking you were here to help me with Zero Stratum.¡±


    Cira waved her off, approaching the extra tall table she crafted the other day, ¡°No use worrying about that. We¡¯ll get to it. Here, you¡¯ll want an Air Shield.¡± With the flick of a wrist, an invisible air pocket formed around Nanri.


    The staff of the day was called Conduit. About as tall as her arm was long, it was a flat ring of pale blue mithril that hovered behind Cira¡¯s head at a short distance. It did not look like a staff, nor was it to be used as a staff. It allowed Cira to manipulate mana better with her hands¡ªnot tuned to any one element. Alchemy was not usually element-based, so a focus like this was best.


    She closed the hole in the ceiling, careful not to create any wind currents, and gingerly lowered the table down to her height. It was a feat that took a couple minutes to complete. Cira laid her eyes on the project she let sit for¡­ How long was it, three days? Is today the fourth?


    ¡°What are¡ª¡± Nanri tried but was quickly shushed with a look from Cira¡¯s eyes.


    The mushrooms had turned from dark brown to the color of pale skin. Cira held her breath as she brought a hand towards the tray. Carefully, as one does, she reached a single finger out to touch one of the caps.


    Poof.


    The mushroom slowly broke apart and dispersed into the air as if it had never been solid at all. Cira¡¯s eyes went wide, but if she pulled her hand away it could create a draft. Creating the specific poison she needed took a couple steps. Currently, it could kill most things quite easily, not just viruses and the like.


    With her hand frozen in place, Sever! The legs of the table started sliding off their base, the tray with it. Cira had created a sealed space in the shape of a sphere, so everything fell over and was contained within.


    ¡°Phew¡­¡± She breathed.


    Nanri asked, ¡°What was that?¡±


    ¡°An incredibly deadly poison.¡± She shook her head, ¡°Guess I dried them out too long. I¡¯ll have to get back to that. Have you ever made a mana elixir with the autumn bark of a thunderbrook tree?¡±


    Nanri pursed her lips, ¡°Er, no¡­ I can¡¯t say that I have.¡±


    ¡°No matter. It¡¯s the orange stuff that feels like leather in those baskets. I need you to grind it into a fine paste.¡± Nanri nodded resolutely and Cira lined six sample jars out on the table before her, two full of dirt and one made of titanium. Lomp had the ones she thought probably wouldn¡¯t need. ¡°Now it¡¯s time to get to the bottom of this damn plague.¡±

 29 - The Alchemists Quandary

    After managing to isolate the toxic mushroom dust, Cira got it placed safely in her favorite crystal alembic. The conditions of Fount Salt had separated the toxin so thoroughly that this step was almost unnecessary, but collecting the condensate would bring it to a much easier state to work with and still bring the impurities down to zero.


    The poison dust and a high-grade alcohol were brought to just below boiling, to the point at which only pure brimbane evaporated, ripe for the collection. Due to the incredibly low heat, this would take a while. Cira set it up and moved on to the next task.


    ¡°How¡¯s that bark coming along?¡± She took a glance in the bowl and no chunks stuck out.


    Nanri had a bead of sweat rolling down her face, ¡°It¡¯s really tough, but it¡¯s coming along.¡±


    ¡°Good. Once that¡¯s done can you atomize the bluecaps in that void chamber?¡± Cira gestured to a reinforced crystal cube across the room.


    The witch offered a nervous frown, ¡°I¡­ know what the bluecaps are¡­¡±


    She waved her off again, ¡°Stop giving me that look, it¡¯s fine. Just finish up the bark and move the mushrooms over to that table. If you have time left over maybe crack some dimnuts open. I¡¯ll get started on these samples and come help you out.¡±


    The reservoirs were both fed from the same place. They passed the split just before getting shot out of that pipe earlier. So, she only held onto the sample from the lower pump, as it should be close enough for now to the reservoirs. Two dirt samples, each fed from a different reservoir on opposite sides of Uren just for kicks. She also had Uru¡¯s water, that of the spring. And finally, Deep Falls.


    By themselves, these weren¡¯t going to be able to tell Cira anything. Well, nothing solid yet. Turning poisons into medicine and throwing out holy magic was all just boxing the plague in from every direction, forcing the wrong answers out to leave the fewest possibilities to choose from. In this way, Cira intended to narrow it down such that she may root out the cause.


    Without the brimbane derivative, she couldn¡¯t completely rule out viruses, bacteria, or parasites. Larger parasites might still escape, but those were easier to find, not to mention the least likely culprit. She had cast holy magic that fought against all these strange, miniature creatures, but the stronger ones could be resistant without the caster having a solid comprehension and much more specific spells.


    That¡¯s where alchemy came in. The poison she was cooking up would kill ¡®em all. But it required intense healing and weeks of convalescence with a steady, healthy diet to come back from. She could only try it on one volunteer patient and hope there was an effect. Even if there wasn¡¯t though, she would learn none of Gazen¡¯s mythical demons were responsible for this plague.


    Finding that one poor volunteer would be a huge first step, but Cira did feel bad about it. Especially if it didn¡¯t work, the patient would be in a sorry state.


    Now onto the samples, Cira put them all in large, sealed boxes. Crystal, of course, so she could see through them. They were lined up on the counter, and she started with the dirt, separating its various components. Soil, especially that in which plants were grown, tended to contain all sorts of different minerals and compounds. She ended up with over thirty different piles, then another of organic compounds¡ªthose geomancy had no effect on.


    Repeating the same process on the next dirt sample, she ended up with the same result. The only difference was a couple materials and a slightly different looking pile of organic stuff. This could be compost, bug leavings, dried out bits of leaf. It didn¡¯t require looking into yet.


    ¡°What¡¯s all that?¡± Nanri appeared behind her, ¡°I finished the dimnuts.¡±


    Cira glanced over to see a heaping pile of nuts, each the size of her fist next to an even larger pile of broken shells¡ªshe had formed some sort of large, metal wedge to crack them with.


    ¡°You cracked all my dimnuts?!¡± She was astonished. That was a majority of her years-long hoard of nuts that could only be found at low altitudes in warm, humid climates.


    Nanri¡¯s jaw dropped, ¡°Was I not supposed to?! I¡¯m so sorry!¡±


    After looking at the absurd metal tool she conjured, Cira laughed it off, ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine¡­ We¡¯ll make something out of them later. This here is Uren¡¯s soil. You¡¯ve got a few different minerals and metals. See, this one is iron. then you have clays and such. This pile here is everything else. See how both samples came out nearly identical?¡±


    The witch glanced back and forth between the two studiously before nodding, ¡°I see. But what does it mean?¡±


    ¡°Not much more than I¡¯d already been told. There¡¯s no difference in soil compositions. There are a few things in here I can¡¯t identify so readily, but assuming the organic piles come back the same later, we can more-or-less rule out different farms having an effect on the plague¡¯s spread.¡±


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    ¡°More or less¡­?¡± Nanri asked.


    Cira shrugged, ¡°Well, it could be all the farms just as well as none of them. I¡¯ve confirmed consistency.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Don¡¯t plagues usually spread by coughing? Or just being around the infected?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s how it is in this case. I¡¯ve all but confirmed that there are no pathogens responsible, I mean, nothing that should be responsible for the plague transmitting in that way.¡±


    Nanri¡¯s face grew thoughtful, ¡°So what does that leave?¡±


    ¡°Well, I suppose fungus still stands, but that¡¯s low on my list of suspects. I¡¯m not quite ready to rule out parasites though. It could also be some sort of natural contaminant¡­ I¡¯ve even seen heavy metals consumed in trace amounts or absorbed through the skin destroy the body over time. This is much trickier to heal, but I can¡¯t rule those options out.¡± Cira tapped her fingers on the desk, thinking, ¡°How about we atomize those mushrooms?¡±


    A basket of blue mushrooms sat next to a thick, crystal cube. Cira opened the top and poured the basket in before closing it again. Negative pressure would keep the seal. ¡°Never seen a void chamber before?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Cira, I doubt many have. They didn¡¯t have one at the academy and I never even saw one in my mother¡¯s workshop.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t say? Well, now that your materials are inside, pour mana into this rune.¡± Aside from the ones that needed heat, most of these instruments were activated in the same way artifacts would be.


    Nanri did as instructed and a high-pitch grating filled the room, but it only lasted a moment. It felt like the air quaked, but nothing on the table shook.


    Poof.


    ¡°Where did they go?!¡± Nanri gasped.


    ¡°They¡¯re still there. This device removes all space within the chamber except for the added ingredients. They have been reduced to particles and forced to the sides. Now, do it again.¡±


    The same painful screech pierced the room followed by a tremor, then¡ª


    Bang!


    ¡°Wah!¡± Nanri fell backwards onto the floor, knocking her head against her staff-orb. She rubbed the back of her head with a pained face. Cira tried to contain the laughter but started snickering into her hand,  ¡°Cut it out! Wh-what did I do?¡±


    ¡°You did it!¡± Cira¡¯s grin still threatened to break, ¡°Heal. There you go. Now come look.¡± She leaned in and put a finger on the glass pointing at a dark blue ball floating in the middle, ¡°You added the space back. Now we have our bluecap powder condensed in the center. I guess I should retrieve it, or this could get messy.¡±


    With her finger trained on the ball, she grabbed the lid, and it came off with a pop. Cira moved her finger up and it followed. Then she held out an open jar and moved it inside. When the cork was on, she let it drop and it collapsed into a fine powder which expanded and slowly floated down to settle at the bottom, as if it were nearly lighter than air.


    ¡°I must confess,¡± Nanri said, ¡°I did not know space could be removed.¡±


    ¡°Sure it can. I use this thing all the time. How else do you atomize things?¡±


    ¡°Certainly, there¡¯s another way. Perhaps¡­ a mortar and pestle?¡±


    Cira wagged her finger, ¡°Much too crude, though it would work for most applications. You won¡¯t get as much out of it. Anyway, it¡¯s best to use demonseed oil as a base here. That¡¯s your last ingredient. Ever use a holy basin?¡±


    She continued at the witch¡¯s confused stare, ¡°You¡¯ll need to fill it with water, but it works just like a cauldron. It¡¯s that flat bowl with the loose crystal in it over there. The demonseeds are those little red ones that whisper in that stone box by the calcinator. Just roll ¡®em around in the basin for a while until they quiet down and you¡¯re ready.¡±


    Nanri¡¯s confused expression didn¡¯t alleviate, but there were gears turning in her head. Cira waved a hand and the basin filled with water, ¡°Here. I¡¯m going to look at some more samples. Let me know when the whispers stop.¡± She walked back over to her workstation.


    Four water samples sat on the table before Cira and she started with the one collected at the second pump. This process wasn¡¯t altogether different from what she did with the soil. The objective was to separate everything into its base parts. To remove the water wholly and exclusively, there was a device similar to an alembic called the arcane stillatorium. It used mana to extract water instead of heat, easily pulling the corresponding element out.


    This was deposited in a new jar, to be inspected later if need be. Some things could bind to the water at an aethereal level, but it was rare. Irritatingly, Cira had only one of these instruments. After ten minutes of impatiently watching water evaporate, she set it up on the next jar and got to work on the dry remains of her sample.


    What remained was able to be separated into less piles than the soil¡ªthis much was to be expected. All springs contained trace minerals, else the body would wither, and these islands would struggle to support life. There are often miniscule amounts of salt in spring water too, but it was off the charts on this island. It was a wonder these people still got hydrated. She saw tanks in Uru and near Uren¡¯s reservoirs for cleaning the water, but places like Deep Falls may not have such options.


    Cira was left with sixteen piles of random metals and minerals. A much smaller amount of everything else. This wouldn¡¯t tell her anything. She would have to compare it to the others. Around the time she finished the first, the second was ready and she moved down the line.


    She repeated this process with the Uru sample and the results were similar but with a few more minerals. As she continued with the water from Deep Falls, she noticed the amounts of each pile varied. Some she could tell at a glance were the same mineral, but at different levels across all the samples.


    This alone could be expected with water traveling through an island this large, but it gave her some hints for the next round of tests¡ªonce she got to inspecting all these ridiculously small piles of rock dust. Cira was on a roll now. She had a helper whipping up mana elixirs in case Lomp didn¡¯t arrive with her Earth Vein potion stash in time, all the dim nuts were cracked, and she was about to tear into the final sample straight from the spring.


    ¡°Ciraaaa!¡± She whipped around to see Nanri looking troubled in front of the holy basin, ¡°I think the whispers are getting louder!¡±


    ¡°Oh, that won¡¯t do.¡±

 30 - Uncovering the Truth

    ¡°The trick is to use your hands,¡± Cira gently rolled the demon seeds around in her hands, imbuing the water they were submerged in with more mana each knead, ¡°That¡¯s my fault for not being clear.¡±


    The girls each had their hands in the basin, pushing the seeds around or sifting them through their fingers. Nanri wore a complicated expression, ¡°What a strange form of alchemy. It¡¯s¡­ most unpleasant.¡±


    The gurgled whispers of the demonseeds eventually settled down and once the crystal in the center of the holy basin shined, they were purified. ¡°Alchemy is often unpleasant in my experience. Now you just have to squish the oil out of them. I have a void press over there unless you can conjure a tool you¡¯re more comfortable with.¡±


    Nanri said she could do that much. Making oils was common in alchemy, and the tools required were relatively simple. She could navigate her way around Cira¡¯s workshop to clean it up as that didn¡¯t take any special apparatuses.


    Cira had plenty of time to return to her samples. The spring water had finished distilling, leaving her a small clump of mixed dust, like the others. She quickly separated the varying components into neat little piles.


    ¡°Twelve¡­¡± That¡¯s how many piles there were. Some were easy, like salt or iron. The first thing that stuck out was the noticeable lack of an extras pile. This would be typical of a direct spring water source¡ªit just meant the water was at its cleanest. Next, this sample had the fewest number of trace compounds, be it metal or mineral. Also typical of spring water when compared against the same water miles down the river.


    The size of these piles was truly miniscule. You can¡¯t really get much out of water, but you can trust a sample to be consistent to the area it was pulled from. Everything was evenly dissolved. Cira laid them all out on a tray based on where they came from. First, she knocked out salt, calcium, and magnesium. These were the easy ones because she knew they¡¯d be there. Deep Falls was the next lowest with Uru close behind.


    It was hard to say how much of Deep Falls¡¯ water came straight from the spring, but it made sense that it would be the runner up.


    Uru only had a couple more, but the pump had the most. Next was a painstaking process of using geomancy to manipulate a specific material, whether or not it was present. Cira got an easy one by pulling rust particles out, but those weren¡¯t present at the spring or Deep Falls anyway.


    Aluminum, copper, lead¡­ No effect. Phosphorous, only the dirt had it, but that was expected so it told her nothing. Cira had dreamt of crafting a spell where she could wave her hand and a voice in her head would identify everything for her, but life was not so simple.


    Cira did this for nearly an hour with a book in one hand running through all the different rocks she knew about, along with pulling any superfluous stuff from the soil until she finally narrowed it down as much as she thought possible. After pulling the remaining minerals from the spring water, there was nothing left, and the other piles lowered by the same number. The pump still had three while the soil had a few more, but Uru and Deep Falls were down to two.


    Cira then eliminated the minerals only found in the soil, leaving just one present across all remaining samples.


    ¡°The question is¡­ What is this?¡± The largest amount of it came from the second pump and would fit in the eye of a needle. Cira needed to use an eyeglass to look at it. Faintly red, but that¡¯s all she could tell so far. Geomancy applied to it, so there¡¯s that. It was present in Deep Falls at such small amounts it was a wonder she detected it at all. With that done, she put the four instances in separate jars and labeled them. There was a specialized tool on Breeze Haven that could help her get a better look. It was her fifty-first item, so it got left behind.


    Since any accomplished alchemist has a ridiculous surplus of jars, she put everything else away and labeled it too. Cira realized she¡¯d need some different hats to inspect the water and organic substances, so that made three items left before she could say the samples were exhausted.


    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s time to boil some dimnuts.¡± It looked like Nanri was distilling away, so she had time to kill. She smiled at her, but the witch was focused.


    Cira brought over a cauldron that was shaped like a barrel. She specifically designed it to be the absolute largest object her ring could carry. Unceremoniously scooping the dimnuts off the table and into it, she telekinetically stole a handful of completed demonseed oil from her assistant before grabbing a bottle of regular limroot oil off the shelf.


    She poured the whole jug in then filled the rest with water, conjuring a large spoon with which to stir itself with. Boil and stir for an hour, then boil for an hour more. ¡°Well, that took five minutes¡­¡± She walked across the room, ¡°How¡¯s the oil coming along?¡±


    ¡°Almost done!¡± Nanri wore a proud grin, ¡°How¡¯s it look?¡±


    After scrutinizing it up close, ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll give it a seven out of ten. Well done.¡±


    ¡°Only a seven? I was top of my class in alchemy!¡± She sank.


    Cira smirked, ¡°Please, that¡¯s a better score than I ever got.¡± She didn¡¯t experience some alchemical awakening or anything, her father was just hyper critical and obscenely skilled. ¡°Now you¡¯re ready to make your elixir. This is done like most others, so you should be fine after we work out the portions.¡±


    The sorcerer conjured a few utensils out of titanium because it was fresh on her mind. One would hold about a handful of thunderbrook tree bark. Another was a ladle to scoop the right amount of oil out, while there was also a bucket of water.


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    ¡°Is this really all we need of the bluecaps?¡± Nanri held a long spoon with an incredibly small scoop on it. It was so little you¡¯d need to use the tip of a blade otherwise.


    ¡°It¡¯s very potent too, so make sure you scrape the excess off. Pour the bucket in last and I¡¯ll refill it for the next batch, but that should be all you need.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve got it.¡± She looked confident, ¡°What are you doing with all those dimnuts, by the way?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m making an elixir that reinforces the mind. Thought it would be useful for overnighters.¡±


    The witch leaned in and stared, ¡°Overnighters aren¡¯t healthy, you know.¡±


    Cira scoffed, ¡°Just in case!¡± She left her assistant to her task and tried finding something else to do. Her poison was still trickling away. The dimnuts had some time. It was a good chance to run home. ¡°Hey, I¡¯ll be back!¡±


    She opened the door and turned to leave when she saw the man with glasses leaning against the wall, ¡°Hey, you¡¯re still here?¡±


    He looked tired, ¡°Yes, well Pappy told me to keep an eye on the situation down here. I was just taking a break somewhere he couldn¡¯t see me.¡± He laughed nervously.


    ¡°See you¡­?¡± The man¡¯s face froze like he¡¯d let something slip, ¡°From here?¡±


    Cira stepped into the open and pulled out her spyglass. There she saw Pappy leaning into a telescope in his window. After a moment he jumped, then shifted around in a panic before hurrying back to his desk and sitting down. Then he picked up a pen and pretended to write.


    ¡°I understand now,¡± Cira said to the guard, ¡°You didn¡¯t want to tell him Lomp was with me because he already knows.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you understand, madam sorcerer, what do you think I should tell him instead?¡± Cira could see the weight lift off his shoulders.


    ¡°Tell him he¡¯s doing important work.¡± She shrugged, ¡°You¡¯re fine there too if you¡¯d rather.¡±


    The single bird¡¯s chirp and aromatic roses invited Cira to lay down in the garden for a nap, but she pressed on downstairs to retrieve the Priest Robes, Cerulian Robes, and Botanomancer¡¯s Vestments. They each followed her in their own basket. The last item for retrieval was a device her father called the compound magnifier. It was like a table-mounted spyglass to look at small things with.


    Without wasting any more time, she returned to the clinic. The guard with glasses was gone, but curiously, another was in his place. He stood there unsure if he should knock on the door, ¡°Yes? What is it?¡±


    ¡°Oh! There you are. We finished grouping everybody up for you. Am I relieved?¡± There were dark circles under his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m almost ready for them. Make sure they stick around, and you can take off when I show up.¡±


    He bowed, ¡°Thank you madam sorcerer!¡± and left.


    I Need to get those elixirs ready¡­ She opened the door and went back into the workshop. Uru had nearly cleaned Cira out of mana, and she needed more to get everybody here in one go. Her poison was almost ready for the next step, and she hoped to be able to finish it before they left.


    Nanri was on her second batch already. Cira held some up to the light to make sure it was coming together alright and moved on, satisfied. This was going to be tedious. First, she conjured a salt screen and changed into the cerulean robes before peering deeply into the extracted water samples.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­.¡± She squinted, ¡°Yep, that¡¯s water.¡±


    She should be able to see aethereal contaminants quite easily with her boosted water affinity, but there was nothing noticeable to the eye. They would stand out as if she were seeing spots on a mana stalk, to use inspecting plants as an analogy.


    Cira turned to the bubbling jewel on her shoulder, ¡°What do you think, Nina? You¡¯ve been remarkably quiet.¡± The nymph¡¯s face popped out, before receding again. ¡°Oh. Alright then.¡±


    The final step to inspecting the water would reduce it to nothing, that¡¯s why it had to come last. Still, it would be confirming what she was almost sure of at best. The arcane separator removed any sources of mana present in the sample, destroying everything else. If there¡¯s an aethereal contaminant it would be fed into a different vessel than the pure water mana. They were incredibly rare.


    And it would solve the case!


    She deleted four cups of water and was left with barely enough mana to conjure a single ice cube. Nothing else.


    And thus, the process of sorcerous deduction continued unwavering. This was a concept known by stuck-up magicians as the scientific method.


    Aethereal contaminants were the layman¡¯s curse. They¡¯re not far off from the real deal¡ªsometimes worse¡ªand discovery of one would ideally close off an island. It could be a serious matter that threatened all life, except for the blessed few without an ounce of mana in their soul. Of course, Cira had only seen a sample of one from the forbidden archive long ago, but she¡¯d also heard stories of people destroying islands to deal with them.


    She was glad she didn¡¯t solve the case here. Back to the salt screen it was, to don the Botanomancer¡¯s Vestments. Now she¡¯d finish inspecting all the extras from her samples. Bark and leaves were easy enough. There were trace amounts of skin flakes. Tons of things related to bugs. Multiple types of fecal matter. She was doing all this work with telekinesis, mind you.


    She picked it apart pretty much into nothing. The rest could be stray dust or some exotic feces of which she¡¯d never seen anything even remotely similar. Point being, nothing suspect was to be found among the organic substances collected.


    ¡°Well, finding nothing¡¯s not a bad thing¡­¡± Cira took the organic remains of her five samples which had them over to their last stop, the hallowed calcinator. Like a small oven with a vent on top, covered by a blessed crystal bell jar. She loaded the first one up, and it burned away. Then the second. And the third, fourth. When the same thing happened on her fifth and last sample, Cira knew without a shadow of a doubt that none of the organic traces had ever been a part of something afflicted with a curse.


    Had they been, the curse remnant would have risen up to be trapped within the bell jar.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief!¡± She wiped the sweat off her forehead. ¡°Now I just need to whip up that poison¡ª¡±


    Cira gasped, snapping her neck around in alarm, ¡°My dimnuts!¡± She removed the spoon and continued her work.


    There were leftover false brimhorns, and she used them for their intended purpose, making a fine paste. Stealing some more demonseed oil, she put them in a smaller cauldron. From the other table she grabbed her pure brimbane, adding the final ingredient.


    This was a small batch of medicinal poison, and the recipe was dangerous. If it worked, Earth Vein would have to contract her to stay for a while and throw money to the clouds bringing mushrooms her way. It was regrettable, and would complicate many things, but that¡¯s life.


    ¡°Nanri, it¡¯s almost time to go heal people. How are you looking?¡± She walked over to see most of the ingredients gone.


    The witch brushed a stray hand of silver hair out of her face, ¡°I think it¡¯s turning out really well. What do you think?¡±


    She looked exhausted, so Cira scooped some into a bottle and handed it to her, ¡°You tell me.¡±


    The witch smelled it first and winced. After steeling her nerves, she pinched her nose and drank it. Cira swore she could see color returning to her skin. Her whole face perked up and she started lightly bouncing in place, ¡°Wow, I feel great! Can I even hold this much mana? Why do you make them so strong? I¡¯m totally ready to go. Anytime, Cira!¡±


    ¡°Whoa there,¡± She put a hand on Nanri¡¯s shoulder, ¡°My dimnuts are still boiling. As soon as they¡¯re done, I¡¯ll pull the poison and we¡¯re off.¡±


    Nanri¡¯s robes fluttered as she jumped, throwing her fists up, ¡°Alright!¡±

 31 - The Worlds Smallest Exorcism

    Night had fallen and the moon did a fine job of illuminating Fount Salt. Cira and her assistant walked towards the crowd of patients sitting in mostly neat circles. A city guard approached¡ªthe same one as earlier, with longing in his eyes.


    ¡°Madam sorcerer¡­?¡±


    Cira held up a finger, ¡°Almost there. Just send your replacement to me on your way out.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡± He went for a bow but sagged as if all the tension left his body. She didn¡¯t think her simple instructions from the other day could have devolved so thoroughly for this man, but he¡¯d earned a break.


    She again wore the priest robes despite her own wishes, with a shining golden scepter. After applying a few protections to Nanri, she also gave her a cloth mask to wear just to keep up appearances.


    ¡°Area Heal! Area Cure! Area Hydrate!¡± Turning it into a single spell would increase the mana cost. Gazen called it the convenience fee¡ªbringing it down took refinement and practice.


    The group of patients she just healed all glowed with holy light, then all the gasping heads looked around for an explanation.


    ¡°It¡¯s her!¡±


    ¡°The saint!¡± Came one woman¡¯s broken cries, ¡°She¡¯s returned at last!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re cured!¡±


    Cira¡¯s expression was tough. It would appear the guards failed to convey her message. What was she supposed to do? Yelling out, ¡®There is no cure!¡¯ sounded like a bad idea. Appending a little ¡®yet¡¯ on the end would have no effect on the crowd, she was sure of it.


    ¡°Oh Saintess, please cure us next!¡± A man broke from his circle and fell to his knees before her. Cira froze in place, pretty much stumped.


    ¡°Everybody, please calm down!¡± The Titan Witch was bathed in the glow of her staff as a large block of metal appeared in the air. Everyone gazed in awe at the cube as it reflected the moonlight. ¡°Sorry, this is the best I could do. Is that poison the cure¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shh!¡± Cira rushed to bring a finger to her lips and spoke in a whisper, ¡°It is not. I¡¯m almost certain of it.¡±


    Some of the people had been chattering and gotten loud, ¡°It¡¯s a witch, look!¡±


    ¡°A witch is here!¡±


    ¡°Hey, shut up!¡± Another man yelled.


    They got rowdy for a minute then died down, nervously looking at the witch. Cira watched with wide eyes, and nudged Nanri along.


    Nanri gasped when she realized what that nudge meant. Delighted to be relied on, she cleared her throat, ¡°Everyone get back to your groups. The, uh, Saintess will get to everyone soon!¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Cira whispered, ¡°What the hell?!¡±


    ¡°Oh! Umm, and she is working very hard to find the cure!¡±


    Cira buried her face in her hands. No words she could conjure would help the situation, that much was clear to her.


    ¡°Was that okay?¡± Nanri¡¯s smile was so proud and sincere.


    The sorcerer¡¯s heart grew weary. To wipe that smile away would be akin to smothering a newborn nimbus seal. Cira was left one response, ¡°Yeah, you did great,¡± and a difficult smile. She moved onto the next group to heal.


    Each time, she explained that she was attempting to treat their symptoms, but the name ¡®Area Cure¡¯ wasn¡¯t doing her any favors. She bit the bolt with her satchel full of elixirs and developed a new spell which combined all three of her treatments. It wouldn¡¯t do anything about her new title, but at least she could stop shouting ¡®Cure!¡¯ among the masses.


    Cira raised her staff before the frail men, women, and children huddled together, ¡°Area Symptom Treatment!¡± A bright golden light burst out of her scepter before falling in the middle of the group.


    ¡°Area Symptom Treatment!¡± She was on a roll now, like down in Uru. So long as Cira paid the convenience fee, she¡¯d be done in no time. ¡°Area Symptom Treatment!¡±


    She¡¯d finished about half of them and downed a few potions when her new guard approached. He was a stubby man not dissimilar to Lomp but much wider in the belly. He threw a salute, ¡°Here to report, madam Saintess!¡±


    Cira sighed, ¡°Sorcerer¡­ Whatever. Tell me, there¡¯s still people in the second ward and the clinic over here, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±


    ¡°So, does that mean all these people need lodging?¡± There were hundreds, filling the field of salt and damn near in her front yard, ¡°Have they been staying out here?¡±


    ¡°Er- yes, well, since yesterday. The rest of the infirmary is packed too.¡±


    Dammit, I was gone too long. That¡¯s another thing I have to take care of before bed, ¡°What about food? I imagine some of these people at least had a little to eat at home, but the infirmary can¡¯t possibly have enough food for them.¡±


    The guard looked nervous, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ exactly as you say. Food was rationed but the last was handed out this morning. People were getting restless until you showed up.¡±


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    And the famine had fallen right back on Cira¡¯s shoulders with a shiny new time limit. Well¡­ I¡¯ve got the mana to waste¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll have to think about that one. This is going to take a while already. For now go tell Pappy to contact the underworm farms, wherever they are, and get as many worms as they can spare. Tell whoever you need to that it¡¯s a direct worm acquisition order from the Hidden Witch. That won¡¯t be fast, so tell Pappy to drop everything he¡¯s doing and get on it.¡±


    The man was stock still, ¡°You¡­ you want me to go tell him that¡­?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right. Send me your replacement on your way out. Area Symptom Treatment!¡± The two continued their rounds.


    The symptoms were all fairly minor outside, and Cira suspected the worst cases would be inside somewhere. The bitter acrimony of mushroom paste and demonseeds gnawed at the back of her throat already, and at this rate she would tasting it into next week.


    She gulped another down, cleared her throat, then kept healing. This went on for another hour before everyone outside was treated. The second ward was packed wall to wall, with a small path to step through. There would have been no way to group them up in here, so she just started blasting holy magic into the room until she was sure she¡¯d hit everywhere.


    Unfortunately, the rest of the downstairs area was the same. Cira had no idea who she healed and who she didn¡¯t, so another ten potions later they¡¯d all been healed again. She found herself catching her breath, leaning against the railing of the stairs.


    ¡°Are you sure you shouldn¡¯t call it a day?¡± Nanri¡¯s voice betrayed concern, ¡°There¡¯s no way it¡¯s healthy to drink that many of those. I can¡¯t even imagine the all the mana you¡¯re cycling through¡­ Doesn¡¯t that hurt?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t call it a day yet.¡± She yawned, ¡°The night¡¯s only just begun.¡±


    Upstairs they found the hopeless and the wretched. It was quiet save for the pained moans and rasping coughs. She could hear some had already fallen into a troubled sleep. She had to double up on the healing, but even then it hardly helped most of them.


    They were packed in here too, and each one was covered in relentless wounds. The many that couldn¡¯t manage to sleep swayed in place, staring blankly forward. A child¡¯s muffled sobs could be heard from across the room. Cira made her way around as quietly as she could, one hand healing and another in the potion satchel. It had gotten noticeably lighter by the time they were back downstairs, heading outside again.


    ¡°Almost there¡­¡± Cira paused once they got outside to feel the cool breeze, ¡°You ready?¡±


    Nanri offered a nervous laugh, ¡°Of course I¡¯m ready, I haven¡¯t done anything¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± she patted her on the back, ¡°I¡¯m more elixir than sorcerer at this point.¡±


    They made it to the clinic when frantic steps came up behind them and Cira could hear heavy breathing.


    ¡°Madam¡ª¡± he panted, trying to catch his breath, ¡°Madam Sorcerer, I was told you needed assistance.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Cira gave the man a funny look, ¡°Didn¡¯t I send you home already?¡±


    His eyes told her that he was half asleep, ¡°There¡¯s only two of us now. The others left when we finished rounding up the infected.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s what happened¡­¡± She felt sorry for the poor man, ¡°You can go back and rest, I¡¯ll get it worked out on my own.¡±


    ¡°No, if¡­ if it helps cure the plague, just tell me what you need.¡± He straightened up.


    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you dependable?¡± He probably has family among them, ¡°This one should be quick, but it will take a little explanation that you absolutely can¡¯t get wrong.¡± She gave him a stern look.


    The guard nodded seriously so she continued, ¡°I need a single patient. Preferably a healthy adult no older than about forty. There¡¯s a treatment I need to test for the plague, but it¡¯s a potent poison. I may as well just say, it¡¯s not the cure. Whoever takes it will experience great pain and be bedridden, needing a steady three meals a day without fail for a few months following this treatment or they will die. I don¡¯t know if the infirmary or Pappy can make that happen, but I need you to find me this person.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    Cira was taken aback. She didn¡¯t know if it was the bedrest he was after or if he was acting with a pure heart, ¡°Do you even have the plague?¡±


    He lifted his shirt revealing a festering lesion across his belly, ¡°Just last week. That¡¯s why I need to do what I can for them while I¡¯m still able¡­ This is perfect.¡±


    She looked at him for a second before saying anything, ¡°Well, if you¡¯re sure. But you¡¯ll really die if you don¡¯t eat three meals a day. Honestly, for half a year to be safe.¡±


    ¡°My son still remains healthy. He has a store on the upper deck, and he has the means to take care of me.¡±


    That¡¯s right, traders still come through here. Famine only applies to the poor majority. ¡°Then bring him to me. I¡¯ll be done here soon.¡± And the guard rushed off.


    The clinic was sort of a mixed bag. Some minor patients and some more severe. They were so close together many were asleep leaning against the next few people. Wounds rubbed together, everyone was in pain. It was a horrible sight.


    The boy with the twisted arms was still here, and she didn¡¯t notice any change in his condition over the last few days. Aside from him and the man in Uru, nobody else had those intense deformities. If there were more, they either died or lay dying somewhere in a hole far below her feet. She burned through another handful of elixirs and walked out the doors exhausted. Slumping against the clinic¡¯s stone wall, Cira muttered a holy spell and ripped her veil off, trying to get fresh air in her lungs.


    ¡°Cira I know I¡¯m getting annoying, but¡­¡± Nanri crouched down and looked at her with worry.


    ¡°I know, I know. I¡¯m almost done.¡± She put a hand on the witch¡¯s shoulder and stood up, dusting off her robes, ¡°I just have to build a new clinic and poison that guy then we¡¯re done¡­¡±


    She wobbled on her feet and Nanri helped steady her. There were two men waiting by the corner of the building and they approached. One was the guard and the other was a younger man with a rag wrapped around his face, wearing a clean button up and slacks.


    ¡°Are you the witch?¡± He looked Cira in the eyes.


    ¡°I guess,¡± She shook her head, ¡°So your father¡¯s agreed to undergo a treatment that will in no way cure the plague. It will be an incredibly painful, horrible experience. He will be bedridden for months and require three full meals a day for half a year, without question, or he will die.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Okay¡­¡± The man looked bewildered, ¡°Then what does it do?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the best way to explain this, so I¡¯m just going to say it. There are tiny, invisible demons inside your body¡ª¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± The young man was aghast, patting himself up and down. His father started doing the same.


    ¡°What do you mean?!¡± He asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother looking, you couldn¡¯t see them if you tried. But that¡¯s alright. Everyone¡¯s got ¡®em and they¡¯re all around you all the time. Most of them in your body are good¡­ demons. It¡¯s the bad ones I¡¯m worried about. There is a very small chance that this plague is caused by one of those tiny demons. The problem is that this treatment kills tiny demons indiscriminately. But, again, I¡¯m almost certain that this is not the case, and will not rid your father of the plague.¡±


    After looking around in paranoia then at Cira in shock, then disbelief, the young man shouted, ¡°That¡¯s absurd! What kind of witchcraft are you trying to¡ª¡±


    His dad put a hand out to stop him, ¡°That¡¯s enough, boy. I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s a witch or a saint, but she¡¯s the real deal. If there¡¯s invisible demons in my body, there¡¯s invisible demons in my body.¡±


    The son stood there with his mouth hanging open, ¡°Then why are you doing this if you¡¯re certain it won¡¯t work?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not completely certain. But I will be soon. If I¡¯m right and this does nothing, it will leave very few possibilities as to the source of the plague.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t know about this¡­¡±


    The guard scoffed, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you know, boy. I¡¯m doing this.¡± He turned to Cira, ¡°Now please, commence the exorcism.¡±

 32 - The Forbidden Archive

    ¡°Just drink this glass of water.¡± Cira handed the guard a cup made of conjured stone. It was just water, but with a drop of dark, viscous oil in it. The poison Cira slaved so hard over.


    The man watched the contents of the glass get darker, ¡°Is it¡­ holy water?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s poison. Like I said, it¡¯s going to kill all those tiny demons. Your body¡¯s going to go into shock and I¡¯m going to have to keep you alive with magic for a little while. Once you stabilize, your son will take you home and feed you. You¡¯ll experience severe pain and won¡¯t be able to move for a long time.¡±


    The man gulped before looking at his son.


    ¡°Dad, you don¡¯t have to do this¡ª¡±


    The man tipped his head back and pounded the water in an instant. ¡°Alright, so how long¡ªGyahhhhh!!¡± He keeled over on the ground, writhing in pain.


    ¡°Dad!¡±


    Cira¡¯s scepter began to shine, ¡°I call upon the powers of the one beyond to grant this man the blessing of equilibrium!¡±


    Now the guard began to glow with the same golden light as his torturous cries continued. ¡°Radiant Heart!¡± Another light appeared on his chest. ¡°Rapid Regeneration! Ceaseless Light!¡± The glow around his body intensified ¡°And while we¡¯re here, Detect Fungus!


    ¡°Okay, that should keep him awake long enough for his body to stop trying to go into shock. The blessing will keep him stable for about a week, which is why his diet is so important. Don¡¯t mess up. His body should be stable enough on its own after that time, but that¡¯s when the worst of it comes.¡±


    The young man was nervously cradling his screaming father ¡°Wh-what do I do then? Will you be here to make sure he¡¯s okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll probably be long gone, but that last spell won¡¯t stop healing him until he¡¯s all better. No matter how bad it looks, he won¡¯t die. Just make sure he doesn¡¯t fall over too hard or anything like that. It might tip the balance. He has to stay hydrated too, and again, well-fed.¡± She patted him on the arm.


    ¡°Did¡­ did it cure the plague?¡±


    ¡°Sadly, no¡­¡± That was all she could say.


    ¡°Oh¡­ I see.¡± He looked at her one more time with a conflicted expression, ¡°How long do I need to wait here?¡±


    ¡°An hour should be fine, just carry him carefully.¡± She made them a pitcher of water


    ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate¡­¡± Nanri¡¯s tone as they walked away was sad, ¡°Now what will you try?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s actually a good thing. If it was the cure, the whole island would be out of commission for months. Earth Vein would need to offer a constant supply of food and rare ingredients too. In short, I doubt they¡¯d even do it. Most importantly, this narrows down our list of suspects a lot.¡± Cira yawned.


    ¡°What did that really do?¡± Nanri asked, ¡°And what was all that about demons?¡±


    Cira thought about it for a moment, ¡°That was basically the gist of it, though there¡¯s more to it. Brimbane is incredibly potent, but the other ingredients spread it through the body at a low, even dose. While the man is fine¡ªer, maybe that¡¯s a stretch¡ªthe body is a delicate ecosystem, and I destroyed it.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ and how did that get you closer to figuring out the plague?¡±


    ¡°The body¡¯s physical state is always reflected in the aura, meaning the slightest change can be seen. Of course, while I witnessed a rather large change, it¡¯s a typical one for what he just experienced. Were there another creature affecting his physical state, I would have noticed its disappearance.¡±


    ¡°Amazing¡­¡± The witch squinted at her, ¡°if I read those books can I see auras like that too?¡±


    Cira shook her head, ¡°Volume six covers sense.¡±


    ¡°Aww¡­¡± Nanri¡¯s eyes fell, ¡°Wait, did you figure out what the plague is, then?¡±


    ¡°Fungus,¡± Cira started counting on her fingers, ¡°Large or external parasites, unknown contaminants, defective blood. These are the remaining culprits.¡±


    ¡°Blood can be defective?!¡± Nanri was shocked.


    ¡°Yes, but everyone here would have to be related and entire families don¡¯t seem to catch it together. The plague is far too sudden as well. I¡¯d rule it out if it weren¡¯t for all that stuff about the children of salt. Let¡¯s build this clinic, though. I can think better in the morning.¡±


    The two went back over to the masses and Cira started molding the salt. Nanri found a place to cut in, so she worked ahead of the sorcerer who coated the rest with stone. This building was much larger and took over an hour to erect. When it was complete, the people showered them with gratitude and praised the weary saintess. She didn¡¯t have the energy to do anything but accept it.


    The handful of doctors at the infirmary came out during all this and took over the task of getting everyone settled it. Finally, as the moon rose high, her work was done for the day. The two girls made it back to Breeze Haven and climbed the steps.


    ¡°Sorry you had to see all that,¡± Cira said, ¡°Sorcery is often unpleasant.¡±


    Nanri waved her off, ¡°Don¡¯t be. I¡¯m just glad I could help at the end.¡±


    Cira raided her stores for a midnight snack and came up with beef jerky. They stood at the window of the living room eating in the moonlight for a few minutes until Cira found a pillow and threw it on the couch, ¡°You can sleep here. I don¡¯t have a lot of bedrooms.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± She fixed her robes and laid down on the couch, ¡°See you in the morning, Cira!¡±


    As Cira yawned and trotted away, she didn¡¯t see the witch¡¯s gaze grow distant and land on a particular spot on the wall.


    Downstairs, there was something gnawing at the back of her mind. She saw what she expected from administering the poison, but something about the whole thing was off. Almost like there was a disconnect between the man¡¯s aura and his body.


    Cira¡¯s deductions turned out futile as sleep washed over her.


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    ___


    The sorcerer dreamt of dark times past. The faces of countless dead refused to leave her mind even after all these years. Her hazy memory left most of these moments where they came from, but the odd one would surface now and again like this.


    The man who would be her father stood tall in the face of strife, but she could only see his back. When he found Cira, she was weak, and before they left, he had much work to do. In these memories, Gazen was often outlined in a golden radiance that pulsed without rest.


    She had no understanding at that age, but whatever was wrong with someone would go away every time the light shined. And it never stopped, even when the sun set, and she drifted off to sleep. Then when morning came, he was still at it. The man never showed a sign of tiring.


    All this could never leave her, but it¡¯s the bits before and in between that got lost in the sea of memories, hidden away somewhere deep.


    There were people from her home that¡­ just weren¡¯t right anymore. Their legs were a little too long or their backs would start hunching. Some of their hands had grown too large, hair falling out. Maybe something was wrong with their face that you just couldn¡¯t quite place, and it got more jarring the more you looked.


    A little girl even younger than Cira approached her father. A divot pressed into her forehead like a vestigial eye socket. Three streams of tears ran down the girl¡¯s face and her cries pierced through Cira¡¯s mind, becoming louder and more shrill until they drowned out everything. The hills in the distance fell off into darkness and her surroundings faded. There was an orange glint in her father¡¯s hand before her entire body was thrown aside. Everything turned black.


    ¡°Cira.¡± Her body was being shaken, ¡°Cira, wake up.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª?!¡± She sat up in bed and took in the light, blinking herself back to reality, ¡°Nanri¡­? Why are you in my bed?¡±


    She looked concerned, ¡°You were crying¡­¡±


    Cira put a hand to her face and felt dried tears. Wiping them off, she looked at her hands confused before drying them on a blanket, ¡°That doesn¡¯t answer the question.¡±


    Nanri got flustered and went red with embarrassment, ¡°Well, you see¡­ that lady in the painting wouldn¡¯t stop staring at me¡­¡±


    Cira¡¯s brow furrowed as she thought about it for a minute, then she gave her a funny look, ¡°Nanri¡­ She¡¯s facing the other way.¡±


    The witch¡¯s expression fell. She offered her a pained frown before getting up, ¡°I see¡­¡±


    She was quiet while Cira led them to the kitchen. The sorcerer needed to be at optimal thinking capacity today. The dream was already disappearing. Gazen cured them all, oh sure, but of what condition? She never asked directly, but she¡¯d heard it a couple times.


    Two hefty Rak eggs cracked on the counter and started sizzling in the pan. In another, she sprinkled herbs on top of steak cutlets. The aroma of well-seasoned beef filled the room and Cira took it in with a smile on her face.


    ¡°Nanri, could you grab me some oranges from the garden?¡± She asked.


    Her assistant nodded, ¡°I¡¯m on it!¡±


    Cira flipped the steaks over while she waited and a few waves of the hand later, the oranges had been squeezed into two glasses.


    ¡°And it¡¯s done!¡± She held out a plate to Nanri with one fried egg and a steak on it, then handed her a glass of orange juice, ¡°Let¡¯s eat outside.¡±


    They sat at her table in the garden, listening to the single bird chirp and eating a large breakfast. She wondered if he lived on Fount Salt, or if he was a stowaway too scared to leave because of all the dry air outside the barrier. Breeze Haven¡¯s climate was quite pleasant, and Cira could still enjoy a light breeze on her face. It never became too strong inside, even in the open sky or at speed.


    ¡°What¡¯s the plan today?¡± Nanri asked before finishing her orange juice.


    Cira delicately wiped the corners of her mouth with a napkin, ¡°We¡¯re breaking into the forbidden archive.¡±


    She stared blankly at Cira, ¡°What¡¯s that? And why? It sounds dangerous.¡±


    ¡°It is, but we¡¯ll get to that. When my father found me¡­ many people from that island suffered from a condition similar to what those of Fount Salt are experiencing, two patients especially. I¡¯ve remembered what it¡¯s called¡ª¡±


    Nanri lit up, ¡°Does that mean you did it?! You can cure the plague?¡± She¡¯d leaned over the table.


    ¡°Not exactly¡­ Corporeal degradation is when one¡¯s aethereal form, their soul, is warped to such a degree it alters their body, or corporeal form. I do not know what it takes to fix, nor how to diagnose it without the medicine to treat it. I didn¡¯t notice before because my sight isn¡¯t good enough to see souls clearly, and, well, I guess I kind of forgot about it.¡±


    There was no guarantee this was what she faced, and it wouldn¡¯t even eradicate the plague, but it could allow everyone to heal. The possibility was there and couldn¡¯t be ignored.


    Nanri put a hand to her chin, ¡°So what do we do?¡±


    ¡°Break into the forbidden archive. Here, come on.¡± Cira pulled her along back into the house. Down the stairs they went into the stoney underbelly of Breeze Haven. Past her bedroom, past her father¡¯s, then around the corner. They followed a red rug down a long hall with windows on one side and even more rooms on the other with thick wooden doors. These housed the workshop, forge and other such rooms.


    At the end of the hall was a large, dark double door. It had no handles, nor did it look like a door. The center split somehow, but there was a slotted hunk of orichalcum fitted through both sides. Each half also had an intricate, multi-layered seal with another that connected them. Not a single one of these devices had activated when Cira attempted all those years ago.


    No, she knew there was a barrier in front of it that would drain her mana completely in an instant if she attempted to touch the door. Step one would be removing that. Nanri made awed noises and streched out her hand.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t!¡± Cira reached out and hardly stopped the witch in time, ¡°Fool, you almost forfeited your entire aura.¡±


    She went pale, ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry! I won¡¯t touch anything¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize, just be careful. This place isn¡¯t safe like the living room, not even I know what to expect.¡±


    Nanri went even more pale as she tried to compare two unsafe places of varying severities.


    ¡°My dad did this thing where he would enchant space with other spells. I¡¯m really bad at it, but I¡¯m almost sure that¡¯s what he did here.¡± Cira knelt down and stared at what was essentially nothing for a few minutes, ¡°I see¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see anything.¡±


    ¡°Dispel!¡± Cira reached her hand out slowly, wincing as it got closer to the door, until finally, the cold stone singed her hand in a burst of glowing white smoke. ¡°Eeyah!¡±


    Cira jumped back, shaking her hand, watching the luminous smoke rise off it with wide eyes, ¡°Heal! Great¡ªSacred Heal! Hahhhh¡­¡± She blew on her hand, trying to cool it down then caught her breath, gasping for air on the ground.


    ¡°Are you okay?!¡± Nanri knelt down, but held her hands up, fidgeting and unsure of what to do, ¡°Was that the seal? D-did it take your aura?¡±


    ¡°That old bastard¡­¡± The palm of her hand was white, ¡°My aura¡¯s fine. My pride as a sorcerer is wounded¡­ This door is made of purge stone.¡±


    Nanri tried to keep a straight face, but a laugh bubbled up and she joined Cira on the ground, ¡°You know¡­ You know Cira, you should really be more careful!¡± she slapped the floor.


    Anyone who wields magic, or has any semblance of an aura and the know-how, can consciously stop mana from flowing to a certain part of their body. If one doesn¡¯t, certain materials like purge stone will cause mana to discharge wherever one makes contact. It was an incredibly common material to craft locks with.


    ¡°This just makes me more suspicious!¡± She shook a glowing fist. Her corporeal form, for lack of a better word, needed time to calm down after such focused mana output. ¡°Was that supposed to be a prank? This is too easy!¡±


    ¡°Is it¡­?¡± Nanri asked, ¡°Are you sure I should even be going into your father¡¯s forbidden archive with you?¡±


    Cira just shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s my forbidden archive, I¡¯m pretty sure I can do what I want with it. So long as it looks safe enough once I get inside, I don¡¯t see a problem with you joining. There will be a lot of books I¡¯ll want help looking through. Just make sure you don¡¯t learn too much while we¡¯re in there, it¡¯s forbidden for good reason.¡±


    In her hand was a staff she knew she¡¯d need. Her father¡¯s geomancy staff¡ªit was solid orichalcum. Perfect for this task. Cira raised it into the air and the soft glow of sand filled the hall, ¡°Hnggghhh! Grrrrrrr! Ahhhh! GRAHHH!!¡±


    Sweat poured down the sorcerer¡¯s face and Nanri had to shield her eyes from the burning light, Cira¡¯s labored grunts got louder as her face grew red. The only sound aside from her grueling screams was the whipping of their robes in the wind her mana generated. Eventually Cira leaned the staff against a wall and slumped over, propping her hands on her knees and panting.


    The slotted chunk of orichalcum within the door had moved toward the girls enough to catch a fingernail on.


    ¡°Seriously¡­¡± Cira huffed and puffed as air returned to her lungs, ¡°Something¡¯s up,¡± then she rested her staff on the ground to lean against, and without energy to turn her head she side-eyed Nanri, ¡°This is still too easy.¡±

 33 - Bamboozled from Beyond the Grave

    ¡°In what world is manipulating orichalcum easy? Do you even realize how absurd it is to have so much in your home?¡± Nanri thought she had a grasp on how clueless the girl was, ¡°Don¡¯t you need to undo the seal first anyway? That¡¯s what those magic circles are, right?¡±


    ¡°You would think so,¡± Cira said, ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been trying to tell you. That oversized hunk of orichalcum is the key. Remove it and the seal is undone. Everything else is a ruse designed to harm you¡­ or me, I suppose.¡±


    Cira summoned a cup of water and took a break leaning up against the wall. She was already low on mana and wasn¡¯t excited about the prospect of downing more mana potions all day. She¡¯d run out before Lomp ever arrived with more.


    Nanri was shocked, ¡°Why would he do that to you?¡±


    ¡°As I said, it¡¯s forbidden for a reason.¡± Cira looked up into a corner of the ceiling, trying to stare into the past, ¡°My father once ran out of here with his eyes bleeding, straight to the workshop. He even left the door wide open for a few minutes. I¡¯m not sure I¡¯d ever seen him that scared. If I hadn¡¯t seen him running, I may have made an attempt then.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure I should go in¡­¡± the witch was losing heart.


    ¡°Believe me,¡± Cira shook her head, ¡°Whatever he saw¡­ we don¡¯t have what it takes to so much as try to comprehend it. That¡¯s our safety net.¡±


    Nanri¡¯s shoulders went stiff, ¡°I¡­ still don¡¯t know.¡±


    Standing up, Cira laughed and held out her hand, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t force you to go in. I told you I¡¯d look first, didn¡¯t I? Now come on, I don¡¯t have all week to pull a key out of a door.¡±


    She helped Nanri up then headed back the way they came. The witch followed behind, ¡°What are we going to do about the key then?¡±


    Walking down the hall, Cira pondered, ¡°I¡¯d rather not utterly destroy the door. It¡¯d be nice to seal it back up later, and it¡¯s definitely trapped. I thought we could set up an array or two, and I could probably raid my father¡¯s closet for something ridiculous to wear for this situation.¡±


    They stopped at the third door down. The seal on this door was the basic one that most doors within Breeze Haven shared, and Cira undid it quickly. Stepping inside, there were tables lining most of the room with different tools for crafting artifacts and enchanting them. On the other side of the room there was a large furnace, anvils, and just about anything one needed to make weapons, which usually got enchanted as well.


    ¡°So, you have a forge down here too¡­ Your house is amazing, Cira.¡± Nanri looked the room over.


    ¡°Thanks!¡± She unabashedly smiled, ¡°I missed being home¡­ but enough of that. Let¡¯s make this snappy.¡±


    On one of the benches were Cira¡¯s crossbows. She hadn¡¯t decided what to do with them yet but was workshopping a bolt-summoning enchantment. She pushed them both aside.


    First, she drank two more mana elixirs to top out, then straining both arms, Cira held the orichalcum staff aloft and white tablets appeared on the table one after the other, piling up. She stopped when they spilled over.


    After seeing a confused look on her assistant¡¯s face, Cira explained, ¡°Nullstone. It will only last an hour, so we¡¯ll need to make tons of these fast. Have you made arrays before?¡±


    ¡°I can make arrays to enhance my titanium spells, then some basics from the academy. I haven¡¯t used nullstone, but it conducts mana of any element, right?¡±


    Some materials just worked better with different elements, but nullstone worked fine with any. That¡¯s not what Cira was going for though, ¡°And, you can make arrays to geomance any material you want, say, orichalcum for instance. But it¡¯s impossible to work with and I¡¯m low on the real deal,¡± she said, leaning against an orichalcum staff that she could only lift with magical assistance.


    Nanri moved on, ¡°I trust you know how to engrave such a glyph?¡±


    Cira put up a finger, ¡°Not me. My father, naturally, had one. I turned it into a stamp years ago. I think it should be...¡± she rummaged through a few drawers and a cabinet before pulling out a golden stamp a little smaller than her palm. ¡°Here it is. Orichalcum of course. Check it out.¡±


    Cira slid one of the tablets over and there was a dim flash in her hand as she brought the stamp down. As it slammed, another few tablets fell off the table. When she pulled away, it revealed an intricate magic circle engraved with the color of earth mana. She handed the stamp to Nanri, ¡°Now you try. I think we can make a few hundred of these, but I have a different one to work on.¡±


    With the stamp in hand, Nanri looked at Cira with a hard to read expression.


    ¡°What¡­?¡± The humble sorcerer asked, ¡°Were you expecting some absurdly tedious and drawn-out forge trip full of new challenges and things you¡¯ve never seen before?¡±


    ¡°Quite frankly,¡± Nanri nodded, ¡°yes.¡±


    ¡°Well, not today. Forbidden knowledge awaits, so get to stampin¡¯.¡± Cira moved a couple desks over to start her own project.


    These were simple glyphs she had to make, but they still required an orichalcum needle. After digging through a stack of books, she picked one out and looked through it, swiftly finding the page she needed. It was a matter of copying what she saw with absolute precision¡ªthe difficulty came in trying to do this quickly.


    And fifty minutes later, she had completed sixteen of them, ¡°That¡¯s all the time we have. How many did you do?¡±


    The witch set the stamp down with a thud and leaned against the table, sweat dripping down her face, ¡°I¡­ I have no idea.¡± There were a few empty bottles next to the greatly diminished stack of tablets.


    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. We¡¯re using all of them. Help me throw them in these baskets.¡± She grabbed a few from across the room and they filled them to the brim. As they rose off the ground, Cira enjoyed a smug grin at her assistant complimenting her baskets and they left the forge.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°What glyphs were you making?¡± Nanri asked as they approached the sealed door.


    ¡°As you know, orichalcum is a mana insulator,¡± She let her glyphs go and they floated to their position in front of her, in a circle facing the door. ¡°These runes weaken that property. Combined with all your orichalchum specific geomancy enhancement circles, I hope to manipulate it like butter.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ Well, there are a lot of them. What¡¯s your plan with these by the way?¡±


    Cira explained her design in great detail. For the lackluster sixteen glyph array she had created, she conjured a quick metal frame to hold them in place to focus everything on the single cast. Nanri¡¯s construct was much more robust.


    ¡°Just leave my hand out!¡± Cira¡¯s muffled voice came from inside a metal cage, ¡°And a little hole for my eyes.¡±


    The glyphs were snug against her body facing inward, directing all of their effect straight into Cira. She was the center of the array. In fact, it was supporting her arm as she held the staff forward, but she still had to drop a strength enhancement to keep her wrist from breaking. She was now fully encased in a layer of nullstone glyphs wrapped in titanium.


    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Nanri asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been more sure of anything in¡­ at least a few months. Is that all of them?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all of them!¡± She sighed and stepped back.


    The hallway was instantly bathed in soft tan light, but it burned so bright, the girls had to shield their eyes. Nanri ended up on the ground and Cira reluctantly forced mana into her frail eyelids. It was times like these Spatial Sense really came in handy.


    The explosion of mana that came from her staff sent the air rippling around the room. The windows all down the hall flew open and started banging. Slowly, Cira watched the key slide out of its slot in the sealed door. A hair¡¯s breadth a time, but constant. She struggled to keep it up, but could feel her mana depleting slowly.


    ¡°I¡¯m doing it!¡± Cira cackled over the echoed sounds of rupturing mana, ¡°It¡¯s working!¡±


    Inches at a time, she watched it pull. Minutes passed and her skin became hot. Cira also felt a headache coming on. If she hadn¡¯t been in such a rush, she could have drained the dimnuts and used that potion to combat the mental strain.


    The pain was starting to get bad, and Cira wanted to take a break to try again, but she was so close. Just a few more inches and they¡¯d be in. The hall had gotten hotter, and the noise around her was overbearing. She could feel the glyphs start to break apart and knew it was time for one last push. Their effects would increase until they eventually, or rapidly in this case, turned to dust.


    The light blaring out of her father¡¯s treasured relic got somehow brighter still. She swore she could smell something burning. But it was right there. She¡¯d pulled out a ridiculous amount of the key and the door couldn¡¯t be any thicker. There was no way. This was the breaking point, and she put everything she had into it, finally getting low on mana, she had to push her limits.


    Right when it loosened up and started sliding easily, there was a bang. Before she was knocked away, Cira saw the key disappear and heard something shatter. The door slammed open then all the glyphs exploded at once before fading into light, as they were conjured. Cira sat on the ground, coughing and trying to fan the dust away.


    ¡°Cira!¡± She felt a hand on her arm, ¡°Are you alright?!¡±


    It was her assistant, trying to assist. ¡°Yeah, I think so¡­ I need mana. Quick¡­¡± She leaned on the floor in a daze.


    Nanri handed an elixir to her, and she sloppily drank it with both hands. Otherwise helpless, the witch rubbed her back to help it go down. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that worked¡­¡±


    They both gazed at the open doorway. It was a dark room beyond, and there was dust clearing against the wall opposite them. A shiver ran down Cira¡¯s spine as she remembered all her father¡¯s warnings. She would learn something she couldn¡¯t forget. Things would visit her in her sleep. She would accidentally read a curse.


    Cira stood up and slowly walked to the door, ¡°You wait here. I¡¯ll take a look.¡± Her pace slowed as she approached the threshold. Peering in, it was smaller than she expected. There were strange objects on the tables, bookcases. A few mysterious preserved creatures. After taking a deep breath, she made a single step in and looked both ways as if there¡¯d be a trap around the corner. There wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°So, what did I break¡­?¡± Feeling a little more courageous after the first step, she entered the room. The dust was just beginning to settle. There were shards of broken porcelain strewn across the ground. What in the world is this¡­? When the dust settled, she saw the key resting there. ¡°Huh?! He tricked me again!¡±


    The key seemed to be sitting on some kind of platform. Almost a depression in the ground. She looked around the room and didn¡¯t see anything else made of porcelain. There were many rare treasures, but she could hardly identify a single one. Some were shiny and some looked like glass. There was an ominous black skull twice the size of hers that she couldn¡¯t discern, then another door in the center of the wall leading somewhere.


    She went to pick up a shard off the ground and noticed it was ornately painted like some of her dishes upstairs, but in a different style. She rummaged through them and found a handle¡ªher finger fit over as it would one of her teacups.


    ¡°¡ªaaaaand that should be enough time.¡±


    ¡°Ahh!¡± Cira yelped and dropped the piece in her hand, shattering it again. She stumbled and backed up until she found the wall, jaw slack and mumbling failed words. Her eyes shot open, and lights flashed over her body. ¡°¡­Dad?¡±


    Like an apparition, the fading image of her father stood across the room. He wore flowing robes of white and gold with a wide collar¡ªthey were ones she¡¯d long since refitted. He had a dark beard that came down to his chest and ended in a slight curl. On his head was the pearlescent hat with a gold star hung from its point.


    ¡°Cira are you¡ª¡± Nanri came running into the room with concern but froze after seeing the ghost. Cira hadn¡¯t paid her any mind.


    She couldn¡¯t. Cira was fixed on it as well. He stood there resting a hand on his staff¡ªthe very same one Cira held in hers. The gentle smile he wore could be seen in his golden eyes, and he looked right at her as he would when he was listening to her.


    ¡°My, look how you¡¯ve grown!¡± he said with a wide grin, ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve missed you too, my dear. There, there¡­¡± he patted the air where her head would be if she were shorter and stood before him.


    Cira¡¯s face became stiff as she watched her father¡¯s grin slowly break, and he held his stomach with a boisterous laugh, ¡°Ahh, I¡¯m sorry for that. You have to let an old man have his fun. And I thought you¡¯d like a moment before I scold you.¡±


    She turned white and pressed further against the wall. Nanri felt like she was intruding but didn¡¯t want to leave her alone, so she inched a little closer to the door and snuck into the hall.


    Cira had caught her breath and finally realized what was happening, ¡°Dad¡­ you asshole!¡± She threw a book and his ghost wisped around before snapping back.


    ¡°Now, now, Cira, I¡¯m sorry.¡± His grin softened and his tone turned serious. His voice had a rich gravitas that filled the room, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I had to leave you so soon¡­ I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve grown up into an incredible sorcerer and I wish I were still around to witness it. The challenges you¡¯ve faced in my absence¡ªI¡¯m sure there have been many. They¡¯ve all made you much stronger and wiser, I¡¯m certain. There was¡­ so much more I wanted to teach you, but you¡¯re more than capable on your own now. So, thank you for coming here. I can rest easy knowing how far you¡¯ve come. My daughter¡­ I¡¯m very proud of you.¡±


    He wore a natural smile and his tone at the end was warm, but she could hear a hint of sadness. The staff slipped from her hands and clattered to the ground. Cira slid down the wall, gasping with tears in her eyes. She didn¡¯t even know how many years it had been since she¡¯d seen him. Four? Five? Even more? She still hadn¡¯t been ready.


    The key was rigged to shoot into the room and land on a pressure plate, activating whatever this was. She couldn¡¯t even be upset about it right now. Gazen seemed to plan for this and allowed her plenty of time to cry. After a few minutes she wiped her tears off and moved towards the center of the room, conjuring a chair to sit in.


    With uncanny timing, her father continued, ¡°Now, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here, but I am upset.¡± His face grew stern again and she hung her head as his projection wagged a finger at her, ¡°Have I not told you this place is forbidden for a reason?¡±


    ¡°I know¡­¡±


    ¡°But I knew you would attempt to break in,¡± he said, ¡°So, of course this isn¡¯t the real forbidden archive.¡±

 34 - A Sorcerer of Moderate Caliber

    In a corner of the archive sat an old writing desk with scattered papers and mysterious trinkets strewn across it. Beneath a bell jar at one edge, a spider red as a jewel frantically clawed the glass, trying to escape. It was bathed in flashing light with eight eyes focused on the apparition of a man long forgotten.


    Across the room that man scolded his daughter from beyond the grave, ¡°Do you see that skull over there? Go on, get a good look at it. Quite interesting, yes? I¡¯ll wait.¡±


    Cira had noticed it earlier¡ªit was turned facing the wall. The skull was unfamiliar to her, but aside from that she didn¡¯t notice anything else off about it. Since Dad had been so kind as to wait, she got up to go look at its face.


    ¡°Whoa there!¡± Cira froze, ¡°Sit yourself back down, Miss. Do you not think it is facing that way for a reason?¡±


    She begrudgingly sat back down. Her father was guessing her moves nine times out of ten, and it was infuriating. She leaned back and rolled her eyes, ¡°Well, go on then!¡±


    ¡°Of course, this is a teaching moment.¡± His ghostly robes flowed on the ground as he walked over to the skull and picked up a projection of it, leaving the real one where it sat. Then Gazen turned it to face her. Its eyes were black voids and as soon as hers met them she began to shiver. They went on forever. As she looked, each second felt like a thousand, her chest grew heavier. It was like the ancient ghost, but infinitely worse. A sharp pain began to pierce her head and muffled screams grated her ears restlessly from all sides.


    They started getting louder, as Cira sat there completely helpless and unable to move. Her face twitched, desperate to conjure a spell¡ªanything. Thoughts became difficult to form, and darkness crept in from her peripherals. She felt warm tears falling down her face when suddenly, Gazen turned the skull back around.


    Cira gasped for air, only just realizing she hadn¡¯t breathed once. She slumped over in the chair, heart beating through her chest. What the¡­ what the hell was that¡­ After letting out a long breath, she sat back, failing to calm down. I can¡­ I can think again¡­ Just what¡­ What in the hell is that thing?


    Looking down on her with tight lips, her father¡¯s eyebrows were raised judgingly.


    Cira¡¯s heart still raced. As she caught her breath, he just kept giving her that look. ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­ I get it. You told me so.¡± She threw up her arms.


    One minute passed, then two. He had been judging her the whole time, not moving or saying anything. After ten minutes passed, she thought that was the end of the message and she stood back up to go take a break, ¡°Is that really it¡­?¡±


    ¡°I certainly did.¡± Gazen¡¯s voice boomed. Grumbling, Cira sat back down, ¡°Terrible, isn¡¯t it? Do you know how many such items are on display in my archive. This skull here is nothing, but I doubt you cast the proper protections, nor even know what they are. You¡¯ve always been too reckless, and I know not even this is enough to dissuade you, so I have left similar treasures around this room for you to discover.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you have¡­¡± She knew there would be traps but Cira didn¡¯t expect the entire room to be an elaborate ruse and a series of tests. ¡°So, this was a waste of time¡ª¡±


    ¡°Fear not, daughter of mine.¡± Her father flashed a cheeky grin, ¡°First of all, are you truly so foolish to think you could break into the great Gazen¡¯s forbidden archive as you are now? Surely not.¡±


    Cira groaned, ¡°Get on with it!¡±


    ¡°How old are you now? Fifteen? Twenty? Any sorcerer of moderate caliber should have their own by now anyway. That¡¯s right,¡± he waved his arm around, showcasing their surroundings, ¡°Welcome to your very own forbidden archive! Of course, it is yours and you can do what you want with it.¡±


    After biting her lip in frustration for a moment, she sighed. Thinking about it, a smile grew on her face. Her father had put together this whole room as a gift for her to discover when she grew into a stronger sorcerer. She almost felt like her method of entry was cheating but had to assume at this point he expected something similar.


    ¡°Now, on to the reason you¡¯ve come,¡± Gazen cleared his throat and relaxed his shoulders, ¡°I know you wouldn¡¯t have come here unless you had a good reason. First of all, since I¡¯ve already wasted so much of your time, scrolls and tomes on curses are over there.¡± He pointed to a bookcase next to the hallway door.


    ¡°If you are not dealing with a curse, then you can find whatever you need on alchemy or spellcraft along this wall,¡± He pointed out the obvious wall of bookcases. ¡°I¡¯m sure whatever you face is quite serious but let this be a lesson to you. You must be cautious¡ªthink things through before you act. It¡¯s okay to refuse or even fail a job because it¡¯s outside your capabilities. This is natural, and it¡¯s how you grow. Don¡¯t overdo it like you always do, Cira. The one who pays the price is none other than yourself.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t always¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes, you do. Now don¡¯t interrupt me again, we¡¯re almost out of time,¡± Cira noticed his figure had faded throughout the message, ¡°Your first test, obviously, is to put a real seal on the door, but it can wait if you are in a hurry. Surely you are on some journey or other at this point, but now that I have passed there is somewhere I think you should go. Once you¡¯ve done what you have set out to do, go into my bedroom and look under my pillow. You will find a compass to lead you there.¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°Seriously¡­?¡± There¡¯s no way something like that has just been right there¡­ After all this?


    ¡°One last thing, as I suspect my time is up. I made you a present for all the birthdays I¡¯ve missed so far¡­ but I bet you broke it on your way in, didn¡¯t you?¡± Cira¡¯s eyes grew wide. That was a setup!


    He continued, ¡°Fix it when you want, but happy birthday, my dear.¡± He was beaming through his coarse beard, the crow¡¯s feet around his eyes wrinkled, ¡°Just make sure to stay safe from now on. And remember, I¡¯ll always be watching over you.¡± Her father now wore a smile that was sad to see her go, ¡°Until next time, my precious daughter.¡±


    He was practically transparent at this point, fading out, ¡°Dad, wait!¡± Cira reached out her arm. She knew he wasn¡¯t real, but just wanted a little more time, ¡°Please don¡¯t leave¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    And the room was dark again. Cira sat there trying not to cry again but eventually let it out. An old wound had reopened, for better and for worse. Frustratingly so. After a bit, she collected herself and cast Lamplight to see again.


    She stood up and let the chair disappear, making Aquon clean her face up. Cira had been a mess. After a moment she locked eyes with Nanri, ¡°You saw all that? Sheesh.¡± She shook her head and went back to the hall.


    Nanri looked troubled, ¡°Are you alright¡­? I¡¯m sorry I intruded.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m alright, that just caught me off guard¡­ And you didn¡¯t intrude, I brought you here. This is on me for not expecting as much.¡± She shrugged, ¡°It looks like this isn''t a dead end though. The bookcases should be safe, but if you¡¯d rather not enter, I understand.¡±


    The witch thought about it for a moment and then steeled her resolve, ¡°I¡¯ll help. If we find what you¡¯re looking for, we can help a lot of people, right?¡±


    Cira nodded, ¡°That¡¯s the goal.¡±


    Inside Cira¡¯s forbidden archive, the girls went to the wall of tomes. Cira picked a book off the wall, ¡°My father was surprisingly well organized, so if he had the sense to leave me something about corporeal degradation, it shouldn¡¯t be hard to find. Looks like alchemy is over here, and I believe we¡¯re searching for a potion of some manner. You look for books about souls, and if it¡¯s in a language you don¡¯t understand, ignore it for now.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± Nanri said, ¡°So is it some kind of soul disease?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly¡­ I believe in most cases it¡¯s inflicted by another.¡±


    Nanri¡¯s eyes went wide, ¡°Are you saying¡ª¡±


    Cira shook her head, ¡°No, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s happening here. None of the signs are present and it¡¯s not the same as I¡¯ve seen before.¡± The witch let out a breath of relief.


    They spent a while rummaging through the shelves, making a few piles of books to look through. There were basic study papers about the body or potential medicines that affect the ¡®corporea¡¯. It was beginning to look like a long day of reading when Nanri pulled out a stack of papers bound together with string, ¡°Hey, check this out, it¡¯s called, ¡®Twisted and Skewed: A Study of Broken Souls¡¯.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ sounds promising. Let¡¯s look at it right now.¡± A table appeared with two chairs, ¡°It¡¯s safer if we don¡¯t bring anything upstairs.¡± With it in her hands, she could tell it was written as one of his usual research papers, and flipped to the back where there would be an index. ¡°No way, it¡¯s right here!¡±


    Soul assimilation, soul cairn, soul dampening, soul degradation. Pages 42, 78, and 129. Cira flipped through the pages to the first entry, ¡°Methods of inflicting soul degradation¡­¡± Her brow furled as she looked a Nanri.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like something we want.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, it does not,¡± Cira agreed, flipping to the next one, ¡°Identifying soul degradation using lethal corporea-affecting medicines. Did that.¡± Flip flip flip, ¡°Aha! Alchemical soul remediation for use in treating corporeal degradation! This is it!¡±


    She stood up holding the book aloft. Nanri joined her, trying to read the page, ¡°You really found it?!¡±


    ¡°I think, let me see¡­ It says deliberately induced degradation has more subtle outward effects that seem almost natural, but having the corporea naturally degrade over time from exposure to an external influence takes the form of rashes, strange wounds, or lesions. In more advanced cases, impaired senses and organ failure¡ªeven mutations. This has to be it.¡±


    ¡°That sound like what we¡¯ve seen, but what¡¯s causing it?¡± Nanri asked.


    Cira held up a finger, ¡°We¡¯re closer to the truth than you think. Once we finish up here, we¡¯ll go back to the workshop.¡±


    She continued to pore over the text. The soul constantly changes throughout one¡¯s life, but like rings of a tree, its former growth is never forgotten or overwritten, just hidden ever deeper. Soul remediation is the process of reverting one¡¯s soul to its former state, using this ¡®soul memory¡¯. It can have adverse effects like reverting your personality or convictions to those you had in the past, but Cira thought that was a fair trade.


    ¡°Alright, it says just as the growth of one¡¯s soul may never be overwritten, neither can the degradation. So, there will be minor long-term effects varying from case to case, but it claims this treatment to be ninety-five percent effective. That¡­ that¡¯s really good.¡±


    Nanri¡¯s lips turned up in a hopeful smile, ¡°That¡¯s great! What do we need to do?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing¡­ Remediation tonic must be taken once a year for three doses. It was two ingredients. One, luckily, is very easy to acquire. We need a high quality mana-stimulant to agitate the corporea.¡±


    A lamplight appeared above Nanri¡¯s head, ¡°The prima salt!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Earth Vein is going to have to pitch in whether they like it or not. It¡¯s a lengthy treatment and the other ingredient is tricky to harvest. Are you familiar with Aetherium?¡± Nanri shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s the will of a soul in tangible form. When a soul¡­ remains after death, it¡¯s essentially all aura, the aethereal form as you know. It only comes to be when a soul has a strong will, and it¡¯s ordinarily intangible.¡±


    Nanri squinted her eyes, ¡°I¡¯m not sure I like where you¡¯re going with this¡­¡±


    ¡°One can force a spirit to manifest. On the positive side, this allows their soul to move on.¡± Cira shrugged.


    ¡°And the not so positive side¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s described here as being torturous agony¡ªthe peak of which a spirit can experience. It¡¯s like having your body dissolve in acid while your soul gets ripped out, someone named Yl¡¯Gad apparently claims. Their aethereal form itself is what we¡¯re converting into our materials¡­¡± Cira closed the book.


    With a frown on her face, the witch was deep in thought. ¡°Where can we even find spirits?¡±


    Cira pointed straight down, ¡°But if we¡¯re making another trip to the depths, I need to figure out this plague first. I have bad feeling that¡¯s where it will lead me.¡±

 35 - The Secret Behind the Plague

    ¡°Phew!¡± Cira wiped the sweat off her forehead and leaned against a table made of salt, ¡°I don¡¯t usually let my dimnuts sit this long. I hope it turned out alright.¡±


    After closing a tap at the bottom of the cauldron, Cira switched in another jug to fill. In her hands was a glass bottle about the size of her head. It was so thick it blocked the light. Unlike the light blue potion she¡¯d made in the past, this was much darker and behaved like molasses when she tipped it.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that just means it¡¯s potent,¡± she set it down again, ¡°There¡¯s still a clean separation in the barrel.¡±


    Nanri peered through the odd-looking crystal cauldron too, so they could see when they¡¯d drained all the oil out. The second jug was nearly full when Cira closed the tap. What remained was just mucky dimnut grime.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m going to do with all this,¡± Cira was baffled. It was basically a lifetime supply, as one dose was usually a single spoonful. ¡°And it smells terrible. I don¡¯t want to drink this¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you think it went bad?¡± Nanri asked


    ¡°No, this is exactly how it should smell, just stronger maybe.¡± She got up and walked away, ¡°But I don¡¯t want to think about ghosts right now. Let¡¯s solve the plague.¡±


    They now approached a desk where Cira had placed her compound magnifier. Next to it lay five jars that each had a tiny red speck in them.


    ¡°Okay, but what do ghosts have to do with it?¡± Nanri caught up and stood beside her.


    Cira gave her a sidelong stare, ¡°We¡¯ll need them¡­ Not that I plan to spend any more time than I have to hunting ghosts. We will be very prepared this time¡­¡±


    ¡°This time¡­?¡± Nanri couldn¡¯t be heard over the sorcerer¡¯s intense concentration.


    She stared at the largest red speck, trying to discern its nature. They gave off a faint amount of light, which was strange because it didn¡¯t correspond with any mana she knew¡ªit was more like a pale scarlet. Still, she detected a miniscule amount of mana within it. It may as well have not been there.


    Carefully, she picked it up with telekinesis and put it on a small glass sheet, before flattening it out and placing another on top. When she molded it with geomancy, it felt like clay.


    As she loaded it in the magnifier, her assistant asked, ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t the slightest clue,¡± Cira replied honestly, ¡°But this is almost definitely the source of the plague. What¡¯s more, I don¡¯t even know where I would start searching in the archive.¡±


    Nanri gasped, ¡°Wait! That¡¯s causing the plague?! You pulled that out of the water?!¡±


    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t say with certainty, but it¡¯s all that¡¯s left. I found it in the soil as well. Nobody has plague lice so we¡¯ve basically ruled out parasites and fungi just doesn¡¯t fit the bill. Bad blood doesn¡¯t check out with all these angry old men running around. If this isn¡¯t it, then the island is doomed.¡± Cira shrugged, leaning into the lens.


    All she saw was dim scarlet. Anything she¡¯d put under this lens in the past had some kind of structure to it, but this was nothing. Just the color, ever so slightly giving off light.


    ¡°What do you see?¡±


    ¡°Nothing at all.¡± Cira stood back, ¡°What a vexing mineral. Or could it be a metal?¡±


    After a moment of pondering, Nanri looked confused, ¡°And what did you expect to see¡ª¡±


    They were interrupted by a loud knock on the door. ¡°Now who could that be?¡± Cira went to find out. The girls had spent a lot of time in the archive and taken a late lunch, so the day was wearing thin. She opened the door to find a familiar face that looked surprisingly well rested. ¡°Lomp! Right on time. Come in, come in!¡±


    She beckoned him in, and they all went back to the magnifier, ¡°You seem to know everything about this island. Ever seen something like this?¡± Cira held up one of the jars.


    ¡°Uh¡­ what is all this? You know I just got back, right?¡± He let out a long sigh.


    ¡°Oh, I guess you never came in. I had to set this place up for my work, though it seems there wasn¡¯t much point. Anyway, this is what I¡¯ve determined to be the most likely source of Fount Salt¡¯s plague.¡±


    The guard¡¯s eyes shot open, and he stammered for a moment, ¡°What do you mean? Didn¡¯t you need the samples you had me carry? That¡¯s it?! Wh¡ªwhat is it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, that¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you.¡± Cira shrugged, ¡°Turns out I had enough samples, so you can just set them down over there. I¡¯ll double check my findings later.¡± Lomp awkwardly removed a backpack and set it on the table, ¡°The stuff a mystery to me, but it contains mana and gives off a little bit of light. I found it in the soil and all the water except for the spring¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡± He furrowed his brow as he took the jar, holding it closely, ¡°But that can¡¯t be¡­¡±


    Nudging him to the magnifier, ¡°Just look into this lens. It works like a spyglass.¡±


    Lomp peered in and wiggled his head around to get the view right. He stared into it silently for a few minutes, his face scrunching up all the while. Finally, he tore himself away from it and he had a crazy look in his eyes, ¡°You¡¯re saying you found this?! In¡­ in everything?!¡±


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    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the result of my research anyway.¡± She held a jar up, tipping it to roll the speck back and forth. ¡°So, what is it?¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s no way it¡¯s here¡­¡± Lomp was distraught, ¡°There¡¯s no way!¡±


    ¡°Lomp!¡± Cira gave him a light splash of water, ¡°Pull yourself together! What is it?¡±


    The look on his face was grave. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen it in a long time, but¡­ if it contains mana like you said, then it has to be¡­¡±


    The girls were on the edge of their seats, waiting for him to finish his sentence. Cira had to splash him again, ¡°Come on!¡±


    He looked up unphased, dripping wet with the same grave expression, ¡°Deritium. Really¡­ shouldn¡¯t someone like you know what this is?¡±


    The sorcerer didn¡¯t appreciate being patronized in this way, ¡°If you know what it is, shouldn¡¯t you have figured this out years ago? Just tell me about it already.¡±


    Deritium is a naturally occurring ¡®stone¡¯, as Lomp put it. While it holds mana, it¡¯s dangerous to the touch. ¡°Long ago, it was mined as a source of mana, but it caused¡­ irreparable damage to those that collected it. Have you really never heard this? They say on old islands a second spring will attempt to form, but each can only have one, so it becomes deritium.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you, Lomp. That sounds like someone made it up, but the rest checks out. Tell me more about this, ¡®irreparable damage¡¯.¡± She curled her fingers into air quotes.


    He stared deep into the ground with a look on his face like he was experiencing an unpleasant memory, ¡°People would change¡­ Their heads changed shape, mouths sealed up or grew extra teeth, arms fell off¡­¡± He shuddered.


    ¡°Enough,¡± Cira held up a hand, ¡°I think that¡¯s enough. You¡¯re describing corporeal degradation. But the symptoms are so different from now¡­ Did you say this island held deritium once before?¡±


    After taking a deep breath he nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard that term, but they found it fifty years ago. This was long before the Gandeux decided our island wasn¡¯t part of the Boreal anymore. It¡¯s always been forbidden for the danger it poses, and if an island finds some the whole port goes into a panic. They collect it in a hurry and use it to power their cities or contain the rest."


    Nanri was confused and cut in with a question, ¡°Why does everyone here have open wounds though? What you described sounds different. Except¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Cira said, ¡°I don¡¯t know if you saw the boy with the misshapen arms, but you remember the man in Uru. As for the symptoms, it seems digesting deritium instead of touching it causes a far less stable degradation, more like what the book described. Either those two got unlucky, or they somehow made contact with it.¡±


    ¡°Hang on a second!¡± Lomp waved his arms around, ¡°The man in Uru¡­ I should have realized it then! Dammit! And what boy with the misshapen arm?¡± He slammed a fist down on the table, rattling the jars.


    ¡°Relax, it could just be that the condition has progressed further.¡± Cira leaned back, ¡°They could be the first two, save for a couple scattered around the rock. I¡¯m starting to think the people of this island have been consuming deritium for a very long time. Who knows what eating plants grown with it does. It only shows effect once your soul has reached a certain tipping point, and with the variety of ways people have been coming into contact with it, it makes sense that the symptoms didn¡¯t look the same to you.¡±


    Despite her best efforts, the guard was still fuming, ¡°But, it¡¯s incurable¡­ This is known well across the Gandeux Skies.¡±


    ¡°Lomp.¡± She gave him a deadpan stare, ¡°Do you know what I am?¡±


    He looked frustrated and pushed the words out through gritted teeth, ¡°A¡­ sorcerer?¡±


    ¡°Indeed!¡± Cira pushed a handwritten page in his face, ¡°This is the cure. It¡¯s the implementation that you need to worry about.¡±


    The look of shock on his face was dazzling, ¡°So you did it?! You really did it!¡± He fell to his knees.


    ¡°Get up, don¡¯t forget there¡¯s a mysterious source of deritium infecting the island¡¯s entire water supply. Somewhere in the miles of salt under our feet¡± Cira pulled him up by the coat, ¡°Everybody will need to be cured. I¡¯ll complain about the implications of that later, but now is not the time to rest. How many people live on Fount Salt? Feel free to round up.¡±


    ¡°Uh, nearly twenty thousand if you count the whole rock. Plus or minus a few.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s a lot of aetherium¡­ Say, Lomp. Random question. How many ghosts do you think linger around the Last Step?" It wasn¡¯t time to fill him in yet, lest he put his foot down too early.


    ¡°Um¡­ A lot. Why?¡± He was blindsided out of his self-inflicted rage by the seemingly random question.


    I need a teaspoon of Aetherium for one dose. Let¡¯s say, the goal to save the island is sixty thousand teaspoons over the three years of treatment¡­ Ridiculous. That¡¯s barrels full, and hundreds of pounds. Each ghost should be good for multiple doses, but depending on how much Aetherium each one turns into, it could easily take a few thousand spirits. An absurd number and nothing I can do on my own, nor will I be able to stay to see it through.


    The gears were turning in his head and Cira couldn¡¯t let them continue yet, ¡°I need numbers, Lomp. Are we dealing with hundreds? Thousands of lost souls? Come on.¡±


    ¡°Er, it¡¯s hard to say since I¡¯ve spent my life avoiding them, but this island is very old.¡± He put a hand to his chin, ¡°I guess if you consider the Dark Stratum, which the Last Step spans¡­ I don¡¯t know. Easily hundreds. Thousands, who knows? Miners have been dying since this island came to be, I imagine.¡±


    ¡°Nobody mentioned a Dark Stratum¡­¡± Cira commented.


    ¡°It¡¯s the three levels between Deep Falls and Nymphus. It only takes up the north side of the island, but Deep Falls is technically on the same level as Uru so that¡¯s the usual path around. You can follow the river straight there so it¡¯s not a difficult choice for any regular person to make.¡± He put pointed emphasis on that last bit.


    ¡°Wait, Uru¡¯s water flows from Deep Falls?¡± Her brow creased as she fell into though, ¡°Now it all makes sense¡ª"


    She was interrupted by more knocking at the door, ¡°Ugh, who is it now?¡±


    Cira again went to the door and was met with another familiar face, ¡°Chip! Right on time. Come in, come in!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Wait a second.¡± He had Rosalie in tow wearing a beige sundress. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Not a second to waste. I still need to locate and eradicate the source of the plague, but we¡¯re working to develop a cure. You¡¯re just the man for the job.¡± She patted him on the shoulder.


    ¡°What?! Hold on, you figured it out?! There¡­ there¡¯s really a cure?!¡± Tears welled up in his eyes.


    Nanri helped Cira catch him up to speed in a reasonable fashion, and the man had a moment with his wife. Once everyone had settled, Chip collected himself and approached Cira again with an air of resolve that impressed her, ¡°What do ya¡¯ need me to do?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll get to the details shortly, but the fate of this island will be resting on yours and Lomp¡¯s shoulders for the foreseeable future. Let¡¯s go back to Breeze Haven for now so we can begin preparations.¡±


    Nanri had a smile that betrayed a hint of curiosity, and she trotted along as Cira led the group outside. After walking through the door, she looked back and forth curiously, ¡°Lomp, what have you done with my boat?¡±


    Lomp froze, and started looking nervous, ¡°Uh, well, you see¡­ I had to report to the overseer as soon as I returned, and, well¡­. Pappy had to confiscate it as evidence against the smugglers¡­¡±


    Cira¡¯s face became livid, ¡°He would dare?!¡± She turned to the silo and pulled out her spyglass. There you are, you old bastard¡­


    ¡°Change of plans, everybody. I must first collect my stolen property from a foolish old man.¡±

 36 - Those who Seek Justice and Those who Seek Redemption

    ¡°Now Cira, just take a deep breath,¡± The witch tried to comfort her.


    ¡°I will have justice.¡± Cira pointed at the old man in his window.


    With no tact, Lomp decided to join in, ¡°Can¡¯t you just make another one? You stole it in the first place.¡±


    ¡°From a criminal! And I had just grown attached!¡± Cira cried, ¡°What about all my potions?!¡±


    Lomp gulped, ¡°They should be invisible still¡­¡±


    ¡°Ugh, you¡¯re the worst! I trusted you, Lomp!¡± She glared at him.


    Meanwhile, Nanri patted her on the back, ¡°Now, now. We¡¯ll get it back, don¡¯t worry. Then we can go fix the plague.¡±


    Cira grumbled and turned away, forcing the group to follow her up the city. One look at her face and people steered clear of the witches and their party. Though, everyone else was just hurrying to keep up while listening to complaints about stairs.


    ¡°So, you must be Cira¡¯s friend!¡± Nanri introduced herself to Chip and offered a smile.


    ¡°Uh, Chip¡­¡± He tensed up, ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, er, madam witch?¡±


    ¡°Just Nanri.¡± She chuckled and caught up to Cira.


    They made their way through Uren remarkably fast until finally they arrived at the overseer¡¯s office¡ªor just below it, that is.


    ¡°Stupid elevators¡­¡± Cira had devolved into sulking at this point. It had turned into an awkward elevator ride. Even Nina looked like she was judging her. ¡°What?¡±


    Of course, the nymph just disappeared again to avoid confrontation and they all arrived at the top of the elevator. A short hallway brought them to a door that a nervous man in glasses was standing in front of. Cira looked at him, then he looked at Lomp, who shook his head apologetically. The man stepped aside, and she pushed open the door.


    ¡°Pappy, what the hell?!¡±


    He looked up at her from his desk with a baffled look on his face, ¡°You tell me! The hell¡¯s yer problem?! What do ya¡¯ think yer doin¡¯ bringing all these¡ªMadam witch!¡± He crawled up from his seat and fell to his knees as Nanri entered.


    ¡°Come on, is she really that scary?¡± Cira looked at the witch in question who jumped. ¡°Get up and tell me where my damn boat is! Do you realize how much work I¡¯ve been doing for you?¡±


    Pappy painstakingly got up by climbing his desk and growled, ¡°And what work is that?! All I see¡¯s more dyin¡¯ people!¡±


    Now Cira held her hands out in a gesture of utter incredulity, ¡°They were already there, you old idiot! Now you can see them from your window!¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯re you doin¡¯ about it?!¡± The old man demanded, ¡°I saw you playin¡¯ around in the garden with yer¡¯ little friend! Don¡¯t even get me started on the worms, who the hell is the Hidden Witch?!¡±


    ¡°You jackass¡ª!¡± Cira was about to go on a tirade until Lomp stepped in the middle.


    ¡°Both of you hold on!¡± Two glares landed squarely on him, but support came in the form of a witch.


    ¡°Cira, I think your servant is right. Everybody needs to calm down.¡±


    While some of that statement confused the overseer, he had a troubled glare he already committed to. Pappy didn¡¯t want to offend the witch, so he looked at the ground. Cira held her gaze thoughtfully and considered her words.


    In truth, she had stolen the boat in the first place. To her eyes though, it was a justified acquisition, especially if it was going to Earth Vein for no reason. They had the smugger, who didn¡¯t even steal anything. The whole matter was sorted as far as Cira was concerned.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the problem then?¡± she asked, ¡°What are they going to do with the boat?¡±


    Pappy scoffed, ¡°Impound it ¡®n destroy it, I reckon, but I don¡¯t want Earth Vein up in my ass just ¡®cause you want a free boat! It ain¡¯t even that big!¡±


    Cira sighed, ¡°Well if this cure works, Earth Vein is going to be up, in, and around your ass for the foreseeable future since I won¡¯t be sticking around. Unless you think they¡¯ll ignore the cure and let everyone die¡­?¡± She looked at him, sincerely beckoning for an answer.


    ¡°Huh?! Yer sayin¡¯ there¡¯s actually a cure?!¡± Cira buried her face in her hands and Nanri stepped in to explain the last day and a half worth of their endeavors. The wrinkled overseer sat back in his chair dumfounded, ¡°Deritium again. I¡­ I don¡¯t believe it. And yer sayin¡¯ you can cure that?¡±


    ¡°Aaaaaand,¡± Cira cut in, ¡°That¡¯s why among many other things, Uren needs worms. Can I get an update on that order?¡±


    ¡°Quit yer cryin¡¯, I told ¡®em to bring the worms. Whoever this hidden witch is, I doubt they wanna defy her.¡± He waved her off, ¡°Whaddya need for the cure? Worms?¡±


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s just for the starving patients, though you should figure out some worm farms for the surface. Come to think of it¡­ is the smuggler around or did they take him already?¡±


    ¡°No, he¡¯ll be here ¡®til the auditor comes around. Just upstairs¡­¡± He looked at her suspiciously, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Now that I¡¯ve discovered the plague¡¯s source, I have some questions for a morally questionable degenerate such as himself.¡±


    ¡°Bah, whatever. Lomp, you know where he is, go show ¡®er. Glasses, follow ¡®em and figure out what¡¯s goin¡¯ on.¡± He waved his hand to scoot everybody out.


    Cira welcomed the gesture, and let Lomp lead the way, which took them back to the elevator. It brought them up one last level. This is where various things would get prepared for Earth Vein to ship up the Noose. Including but not limited to prisoners and salt, evidently.


    They passed through storerooms with piles of salt or frustratingly untouched food stockpiles. There were a lot of Earth Vein staff moving boxes around or picking up scoops of salt with strange, specialized boats Cira had never seen before. Nanri nervously watched her inspect them, ¡°You gave up on the boat easier than I thought.¡±


    Lomp was silently waving his hands around trying to keep her from reminding the sorcerer, ¡°What, did you think I forgot? And I haven¡¯t given it up at all.¡± Cira found arguing with the old man to be pointless. She decided she was going to leave with the boat, so that was all she had to worry about, ¡°I¡¯ve already located it.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t a lie¡ªCira started casting Spatial Sense as soon as they entered the building. Nanri was surprised though, ¡°You have? Where is it?¡±


    ¡°Not far. It¡¯s near the man we¡¯ve come to speak with. On that note, Lomp, what happened to the boy? Did he ever make it out?¡±


    ¡°I heard he shipped out this morning.¡± Lomp replied, ¡°Guess Rudo made sure to expedite it.¡±


    ¡°Well, that was nice of him.¡±


    They arrived at a room and Glasses unlocked the door, letting them in. It was a dim chamber lit only by a window on the side and there was a row of cages with multiple prisoners in them. It took her a moment to zero in on the one she captured but when they locked eyes he gulped, shrinking back in his cell.


    Cira looked down at the ragged man wearing a dusty jumpsuit. They¡¯d apparently taken his clothes and thrown him in something nondescript. As she got closer, he backed up into a corner, taking nervous glances her way.


    ¡°Smuggler.¡± He winced when she addressed him and replied meekly.


    ¡°Y-yes, madam witch?¡±


    ¡°Sorcerer.¡± She got close and knelt down to eye level, ¡°I¡¯ve got some questions for you.¡±


    He looked at her with fear, ¡°What¡­. What is it?¡±


    After looking at the small collection of unsavory individuals Pappy had accumulated, she realized they didn¡¯t look far off from the smuggler before her, ¡°These guys remind me of you. Where do they like to hang out?¡±


    ¡°Wh-what?! How should I know?!¡±


    ¡°Think harder. I¡¯m looking for the smugglers¡¯ den. There must be one somewhere down there.¡±


    The man¡¯s face was troubled, and he looked around anxiously. Cira noticed a lot of the other prisoners seemed to be listening in. ¡°Who cares about those guys? They can¡¯t do anything to you from behind those bars.¡±


    ¡°But they can up there!¡± He pointed above him, ¡°We¡¯re all goin¡¯ to the same place, Witch!¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Cira looked up to ponder, ¡°I suppose that is a predicament. But a lot of people could die if you don¡¯t help me.¡±


    He looked up from behind his knees, ¡°And what¡¯s in it for me then? You gonna let me out of here?¡±


    Looking over her companions for a moment, she considered what to do about him. She couldn¡¯t just let him free, of course. Nanri looked equally stumped, and Lomp shook his head while staring at her with a disapproving face. I wasn¡¯t going to let him out just like that!


    Glasses hid behind his superior, and the other two looked out of place. Chip and Rosalie seemed uncomfortable, like they didn¡¯t really want to be there, and Cira couldn¡¯t blame them. It¡¯s not like she invited them, she just said she needed to get her boat real quick. They could have waited.


    ¡°We both know I can¡¯t just let you out. You¡¯ll just wrangle up more children to commit crimes for you.¡± He crumpled under the weight of her judgmental gaze, ¡°I¡¯ll just go ask the others. I¡¯m sure one of them will be more open to helping out.¡±


    She started walking away towards a cage that housed a large man who sat there innocently smiling at her, eager to answer any questions. He probably thought she¡¯d put a good word in on his sentence, but she hadn¡¯t thought that far, nor was she associated with those that meant to imprison him. Not really, at least.


    ¡°Wait!¡± The smuggler called out behind her, now reaching through the bars, ¡°Don¡¯t be so hasty! Can¡¯t we talk about this?!¡±


    Cira paid him no mind and kept walking, but he didn¡¯t stop, ¡°I¡¯m a changed man! I¡¯ll never do wrong again, you gotta believe me! I¡¯ll do anything you ask, just please give me a chance!¡±


    And with his truly desperate cries, Cira found herself stopped. She didn¡¯t know what fate was waiting for him, but she did think death would be a tad overkill. It seemed his crime was quite serious, and it had nothing to do with what Cira was upset about at him about¡ªthe kid. As far as she was concerned, Earth Vein wasn¡¯t punishing him for anything that mattered much, so whatever she came up with would ostensibly be a better punishment anyway.


    She turned around to face him again, ¡°You think I¡¯ll believe you that easily? You¡¯ve changed that greatly in just two days? Are you truly willing to do anything?¡±


    ¡°I swear it!¡± His face contacted the floor as he pleaded, ¡°I¡­ I knew it was wrong, okay?! I just wanted the money, but I know it was wrong! Whatever you want, I¡¯ll do it! Please, just let me out, I¡¯ll prove myself!¡±


    Cira sighed deeply, and Lomp figured it was his duty to say something, ¡°Cira, you can¡¯t just¡ª¡±


    ¡°This is actually perfect.¡± He had more skills than the average resident of Fount Salt in that he could cast magic.


    The smuggler¡¯s eyes were filled with hope, but Lomp put his foot down, ¡°You can¡¯t just let him out! Even for you, that¡¯s going too far!¡±


    Another guard that seemed to be posted there had been awkwardly avoiding the witches and chose this moment to say his piece, ¡°Um, I¡¯m going to have to agree with Mr. Lomp. This man is already registered as Earth Vein¡¯s prisoner.¡±


    Hope left the poor man¡¯s eyes, but Cira hit Lomp with an instant K.O. ¡°How many more magic users do you have on hand? How fast can you gather them? Trust me, you¡¯ll appreciate this man¡¯s help in the coming days.¡±


    ¡°With what?!¡± He was at his wit¡¯s end, ¡°If you¡¯re going to throw responsibilities at me, at least tell me what they are!¡±


    ¡°Tch.¡± Cira turned away, ¡°That¡¯s rich coming from you. I already said, the details are coming soon. I don¡¯t want to have to explain it twice.¡±


    The sorcerer cleared her throat and addressed the room, ¡°Do any of you prisoners possess the ability to wield magic or above average combat skills?¡±


    Everybody in the room began shouting, rattling at the bars. They reached out of their cells trying to convince her they were the strongest.


    ¡°Cira!¡± Lomp cried, ¡°You can¡¯t do this!¡±

 37 - Assembling the Salvation Squad

    Cira groaned, ¡°Nobody¡¯s going to care about a smuggler or two when the plague gets cured, now just let me work for once.¡±


    Chip pat Lomp on the back to make him feel better and Cira walked around the room inspecting prisoners. Too large, I need someone faster. This one here just looks like a bad guy, he¡¯ll run away for sure. This guy¡¯s way too eager¡­


    ¡°Hey, you,¡± she called out to a young woman sitting in the back of her cell, ¡°Not interested, or what?¡±


    With a mean look, she spat at her heels, ¡°I don¡¯t want to work for some witch.¡±


    ¡°But I am a sorcerer,¡± Cira rebutted, ¡°And you look just right for the job.¡±


    This whole time Cira had seen her watching attentively, but subtly. The girl had receded to the back of her cell silently when she entered and had her guard up the entire time. The look in her eyes gave the impression that she didn¡¯t have any openings.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what that means,¡± She replied, ¡°What kind of job would a witch want for a worthless thief like me? Do you mean to test your witchcraft on me? You¡¯ve already taken our home and left us to die, so what else do you want from me?!¡±


    Should¡¯ve expected that much¡­ If she used to live in Silver Lake, it would have been destroyed while she was still a child. A hatred for witches must have been deeply rooted in her.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to cure the plague, but I need able-bodied assistants to gather the ingredients.¡± Cira tried to explain in a way that appealed to her.


    The girl looked suspicious at best, but something stopped her from saying anything yet. She growled for a moment, trying to choose her words, ¡°If you can cure the plague, why isn¡¯t it done yet?¡±


    ¡°Just figured it out this morning.¡±


    The girl was still fuming with hate, but Cira saw a tear well up in her eye before she turned away, ¡°Can¡­ Can you really do it?¡±


    ¡°I can.¡± She was sure of it now. Her father¡¯s research never lied. The only thing standing between her and the plague¡¯s source was a few nooks and crannies to search.


    ¡°Fine.¡± The girl glared at Cira, ¡°But I still don¡¯t believe you. If you¡¯re lying, I¡¯ll just run away.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± Cira held up a hand and bent the bars. She was enjoying Conduit¡¯s versatility and had taken to leaving It up despite the menagerie of hidden staves on her person.


    ¡°Hey!¡± The smuggler yelled from across the hall, ¡°What about me?!¡±


    Cira did the same to his cell before speaking to the wide-eyed girl in hers, ¡°If you run away prematurely, there will be trouble.¡±, then turning back to the smuggler, ¡°You are not permitted to run.¡±


    The other prisoners started yelling and pounding on the bars. Their spit got deflected by her barrier¡ªshe¡¯d really incited them. Lomp was furious.


    ¡°You can¡¯t just do whatever you want! You¡¯re going to leave us with heaps upon heaps of trouble when you leave, have you ever thought about that?!¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Cira shrugged, ¡°That¡¯s my entire point. I¡¯ll be gone in a few days and all this weight will be resting squarely on your shoulders. Don¡¯t even try to tell me Pappy will share it, it¡¯s clear enough at this point you¡¯re the guy. I bet he¡¯s counting the days until he can sail away to the great beyond and leave you the rest. Earth Vein will be so dazzled by the time I¡¯m done with this rock they¡¯re not going to sweat the small stuff, probably.¡±


    ¡°Probably?!¡± Lomp turned red, ¡°Why would you even say that if you¡¯re trying to convince me?!¡±


    ¡°Because I am no liar,¡± The prisoners she¡¯d taken into custody had left their cells but were standing there a little rattled at this exchange. She bent their cells back in place, ¡°And aside from helping you out, the more important reason for what I¡¯m doing is because two people just isn¡¯t enough.¡±


    She wordlessly led them out the door and down a different hallway than they entered. Lomp Was first behind, but her newly enlarged group had all taken on a similarly meek confusion as they followed the irate sorcerer to somewhere nobody knew. Except for Nanri, who excitedly tagged along.


    ¡°Then tell us what it is already!¡± Lomp shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t you have everybody here?¡±


    Cira opened a door that led outside. The entire roof was a giant landing pad, and here they could see distant mountains of salt beyond the city. Of course, Cira had a destination in mind and led them straight to it.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll explain it all on our way back to Breeze Haven,¡± Cira stepped over the side and assumed her seat at the bow of her long-lost skiff. ¡°Everybody hop in. I guess you¡¯re okay too, Glasses.¡±


    She counted her group at eight including herself. It would be pushing the seat and weight limit just a little and she¡¯d have to dump some mana in to stay aloft, but that wasn¡¯t a big deal for such a short trip.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious!¡± Lomp threw his arms out in defeat.


    Nanri was already on board, sitting cross-legged with a smile behind Cira. Throughout the last couple of days, she¡¯d noticed the sorcerer was being a little harsh, but after seeing the infirmary, she realized that was just how it had to be. Cira could take her time, sure, but how many would die? A sorcerer must be decisive.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Soon everyone else had helplessly boarded, leaving Lomp to finally give in.


    ¡°Before we get into it,¡± Cira said, staring at the male prisoner, ¡°tell me where to find smugglers in Fount Salt.¡±


    The man choked, ¡°Er, I guess it doesn¡¯t matter at this point¡­ I¡¯ve had contacts in Uru, but clients pop up from time to time in Nymphus. If you¡¯re lookin¡¯ for guys like me, Uru¡¯s your place though. It¡¯s so close to the outside, there¡¯s a hundred ways in. You¡¯ll probably find ¡®em at any pub down there.¡±


    As Cira brought them up and over the edge of the building, she looked at her four confused candidates and nodded, ¡°Okay, that¡¯s good enough then. Here¡¯s the deal. The cure has two ingredients. Prima salt works for one, but the other¡­¡± She paused to look between them all again, ¡°You will have to harvest from ghosts¡­¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Lomp was the first to explode, followed by the smuggler.


    ¡°The hell you talkin¡¯ about?! What ghosts?!¡±


    Then the young thief piped up, ¡°Why can¡¯t you do it? Aren¡¯t you two witches capable enough?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just passing through. I¡¯ll be gone with the wind before you know it. My apprentice here will have her hands full quelling the nymphs and possibly more. Fount Salt needs the four of you to rise to the occasion or the people will never recover.¡±


    She didn¡¯t see the smile playing on Nanri¡¯s lips, Did she call me her apprentice just now? Does this mean I can really be a sorcerer one day?


    ¡°Hang on just a minute,¡± Chip cut in, ¡°You¡¯re tellin¡¯ me you¡¯ve been dragging us around all afternoon just to make me fight ghosts?!¡±


    Rosalie took his hand and shot him a concerned look, ¡°Honey¡­¡±


    Cira turned back from the wheel, ¡°I guess it doesn¡¯t have to be you, but I¡¯m short on reliable manpower to leave behind. I just hope there¡¯s enough ghosts to cure everybody three times.¡±


    ¡°Um, Lady Cira¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t start getting stiff with me, Rosie.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Chip¡¯s dear wife continued, ¡°Cira, what does any of this have to do with ghosts? What is the ingredient?¡±


    ¡°Aetherium. In a nutshell, they¡¯ll be exorcising ancient spirits. Good news is, the older the better, so hopefully it will all work out better than I anticipate. I guess that could go either way.¡±


    Worry struck Cira¡¯s face again, and Nanri leaned in, whispering to her, ¡°You know, your persuasion might need a little work.¡±


    Cira shot her a frown, ¡°Show me how it¡¯s done, then.¡±


    Her eyes went wide for a moment, and she lit up. Nanri was always excited for a chance to help, ¡°Okay everybody, let me put it this way!¡±


    Everybody looked at her with uncertainty, except for one girl who bored through her with hatred. Nanri gulped at the sudden pressure, ¡°The great Sorcerer Cira has decided to take a break in her journey to help the people of this island, but she can¡¯t do it all on her own! She wants the people to be able to help themselves once she¡¯s gone.¡±


    ¡°Not so great,¡± the thief said, ¡°If she¡¯s not even going to stick around to see it through.¡±


    This made Cira wince, but Nanri had something ready, ¡°The treatment will take three years. How many more out there are struggling like you?¡± She gestured to the open sky, ¡°How many more will die because you selfishly wanted to hold her here?¡±


    The girl opened her mouth, but the words died in her throat.


    ¡°Well, uh,¡± the smuggler cut in, ¡°I never lived here to begin with¡ª¡±


    ¡°And that is exactly why you¡¯ll pay for your crimes by saving this island. Who¡¯s next?¡± She realized she¡¯d won two out of four. She was on fire and locked eyes with Lomp next, ¡°At this point I doubt you¡¯re actually Cira¡¯s servant, but I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve been following her around for this whole time if you¡¯re not committed to saving your home.¡±


    Crap! Cira kept her eyes forward, seeing the colors of Breeze Haven¡¯s garden come into view. It was a pretty bad lie, but how long ago did she figure it out?! If she knows I¡¯m lying about that, what else? Why hasn¡¯t she said anything?


    ¡°I¡¯m here to make sure she doesn¡¯t cause trouble,¡± Lomp replied, ¡°Something I¡¯m woefully unqualified for, as it turns out.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve known since the beginning that she is a sorcerer. What good do the rules do if they prevent her from saving people? The overseer will doubtless take the blame to the grave, so you should seize this opportunity to finally rid Fount Salt of the plague.¡±


    Lomp¡¯s mouth hung open. Even Cira had spun around at the ruthless assessment. She got unlikely support from another corner.


    ¡°She¡¯s right ya¡¯ know,¡± Chip put a hand on Lomp¡¯s shoulder, ¡°That old bastard will take all the blame, but they can¡¯t remove him. You¡¯ll probably end up overseer when he dies too after savin¡¯ the island. You¡¯re practically runnin¡¯ the place already.¡±


    ¡°How can you say that?!¡± Lomp was baffled, ¡°And¡­ and why would I want to be overseer?!¡±


    Cira looked him in the eyes, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone more fit for the job.¡±


    He hung his head low. ¡°Fine¡­ I¡¯ll deal with it later. Just do whatever you want.¡±


    Then Lomp looked up at Chip who just shrugged.


    ¡°And you!¡± Nanri looked at him, but Cira cut in.


    ¡°Go easy on Chip, Earth Vein has really thrown his family around.¡± She turned back to the wheel and brought the skiff toward the barrier.


    ¡°Oh, okay¡­¡± Nanri thought about it for a minute and then looked troubled, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about what Earth Vein and the witches have done to you¡­ Nobody told me about it until I met Cira, but what happened was unforgivable¡­¡±


    Chip and his wife both looked conflicted, but she continued, ¡°Cira needs your help to save this island. It¡¯s probably dangerous, but she¡¯s going to prepare everything so that it will be safe. That¡¯s part of the reason she¡¯s assembled a team, I¡¯m sure. Cira¡¯s not the kind of person that would send her friend to die!¡±


    Cira was touched that she thought so highly of her. My friend, huh? Do I have any, really? Chip is just a guy I saved and he¡¯s nice, but I¡¯ll never see him again before long. I¡¯ve enjoyed spending time with Nanri, so does that make us friends? I¡¯ve been lying to her this entire time, and she probably won¡¯t be too happy once I leave. I wouldn¡¯t blame her for hating me once everything settles.


    ¡°Fine¡­¡± Chip said, squeezing his wife¡¯s hand, ¡°I wasn¡¯t really plannin¡¯ on refusing anyway.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± The thief timidly spoke up, ¡°Where are we?¡±


    They were floating in front of Breeze Haven. Cira proudly stood up and threw her arms out, ¡°Welcome to my home! I just have to run inside to get your passes.¡±


    She jumped over and ran inside, leaving the confused group for just a minute. When she came back, she threw amulets at everybody and pulled the boat in, parking on the lawn.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll be setting out in the morning,¡± Cira hopped off, ¡°so tonight will be for preparations. I¡¯ll explain everything in detail once we¡¯re inside, but first¡­ Some of you smell terrible. Nanri.¡±


    The witch jumped hearing her name, pulling her robes out and smelling them, ¡°Yes¡­?¡± She asked nervously.


    ¡°No, not you. You know where the baths are. You saw that room on the left?¡±


    She let out a breath of relief, ¡°Yes, I remember that.¡±


    ¡°Great, that¡¯s the men¡¯s bath. Show the guys where to go then take Rosalie and our little thief here to bathe. I¡¯ll be setting up.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me a little thief!¡± She was of short stature after all, and her cheeks turned red in frustration.


    ¡°You introduced yourself as a worthless thief. I think it¡¯s a step up. If you don¡¯t want me to call you that, tell me your name.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Kate, Witch.¡± She glared.


    ¡°Can¡¯t say I¡¯ve met a Katewich before, but who am I to judge?¡± The glare intensified, ¡°Just behave yourself for a little while. And this house will let me know if you take anything, so don¡¯t try it.¡±

 38 - To Empower the Living

    At the front of a large room carved into the stone of Breeze Haven there was a podium, and Cira stood before it. Behind her was a large board for writing, and ahead lay rows of desks stretching from one side of the room to the other, with only an aisle in the center. Loose scrolls sat on book cases and there were portraits of rare beasts adoring the walls.


    Growing up, the sorcerer had always felt lonely sitting in the sizable lecture hall with only her father, and thought it was unnecessary for it to take up so much space. It boasted seats enough for twenty students, so at this point in her life Cira figured the room saw more use long before her time.


    Currently seven seats were taken, only four of which were technically students. Everybody had freshened up and Cira scrounged something up for the prisoners to get out of their uniforms. Kate in a old blue dress and the smuggler wearing some of Gazen¡¯s pajamas. While they had no effects, he didn¡¯t realize the prestige of wearing the pajamas of such a legendary man. They both looked wildly uncomfortable still.


    As Cira looked through a few papers on her podium, Kate got impatient, ¡°Are you going to tell us what¡¯s going on, or what?¡± After a good bath, her hair had taken on a rich auburn color.


    ¡°Of course, sorry for the delay.¡± She straightened up the papers and looked over her students, ¡°Let¡¯s start with a show of hands. Who here has seen a spirit before? A ghost?¡±


    Lomp raised his hand looking displeased. He was the only one.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Cira asked. Everyone else just looked around and shrugged, ¡°That¡¯s alright¡­ Not a big deal, necessarily. Can anyone tell me what they are?¡±


    Nanri seemed nervous to raise her hand for some reason and seeing nobody was eager to join in, Lomp decided to help out, putting on his best haughty sorcerer impression, ¡°Life which lingers long after death¡­¡± and he continued to give a surprisingly comprehensive explanation for the room.


    ¡°Thank you, Lomp¡­ I guess. Did everybody get that?¡± Nobody looked too confused, ¡°So, ghosts exist only in the aethereal form. Aetherium is the material it becomes once the spirit¡¯s form is forced to manifest physically. This is what we need. Tonight, you will learn how to hunt ghosts and harvest this ingredient from them. Any questions before we get started?¡±


    Everybody started talking at once, until Cira shouted to raise their hands. She called on Lomp first because she could almost trust it to be a good question, ¡°You said forcing them to manifest¡­ but earlier you said exorcise them. Are you trying to make us destroy the spirits?¡± He looked pretty upset.


    ¡°Of course not. Once the process is over the soul will pass on naturally,¡± this was all true, ¡°however, they experience a few moments of absolute torment. I¡¯m not too happy about it¡­ but there¡¯s no other way to get aetherium. And without aetherium, there¡¯s no cure.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ torturing the lost souls of the ancients? I¡­ I don¡¯t know if I can do that.¡± Lomp shook his head with a troubled expression.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see a problem.¡± Chip said, with his arms crossed and a serious look, ¡°If somebody told me my daughter¡¯s great-great-great-great-great-grandchildren were gonna die and the only way to save them was to grind me up and turn me into a potion, I¡¯d say do it. I like to think my ancestors would feel the same. And they get to pass on too¡ªhow long have they waited for that?¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± The smuggler yelled, ¡°You idiots are arguing about the wrong thing!¡±


    As Cira zeroed in, her passive gaze froze the man. She waited a few seconds, ¡°Proceed.¡±


    ¡°Oh, um¡­ Okay. Aren¡¯t ghosts supposed to be really dangerous? The hell are we supposed to do against them? They kill whole crews of miners. I¡¯ve heard the stories!¡±


    Cira brought a hand to her chin and thought for a moment, ¡°Lomp, can you speak to the veracity of these rumors.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve seen it. I swear I told you about that right before the GHOST ALMOST KILLED US.¡±


    She shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t think you mentioned that specifically, but that¡¯s no matter. Look at this, I made it while you were all washing up.¡±


    A dark gray cloak appeared in thin air. Aside from a few magic circles imprinted on the collar and across the torso, it looked rather lackluster. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come on up, Smuggler? You¡¯ll be my model for this demonstration since I only have one of everything so far.¡±


    She had him slip the cloak on and spin around for the class, ¡°Now, force some mana into it. Just a little is fine.¡±


    He did as instructed, and small glyphs lit up on his collar and around the chest, then all around his waist and arms. There was a faint glow surrounding him.


    ¡°What does all this do¡­?¡± He twisted around trying to look at everything.


    ¡°When active, it will repel any spirits up to¡­ probably a night wraith, and you will be constantly protected from corporeal possession. Now, I think I saw some more hands earlier?¡± The number of hands did not decrease, ¡°Okay¡­ Kate.¡±


    ¡°Are you sending us to our deaths?¡± She glared.


    ¡°That¡¯s a no. Glasses.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± the man stammered, pushing up his glasses, ¡°The name¡¯s Montgomery, by the way. Earth Vein has forbidden entry to that area. I can trust this all means you¡¯ve cleared our entry with them, right?¡±


    Cira¡¯s face scrunched up, ¡°People are dying. A sorcerer asks for neither permission nor forgiveness. Nanri.¡±


    ¡°Ooh, I¡¯m up! How do we find them?¡± Cira smiled at her honest excitement. She was certain the witch would be scared so it was a pleasant surprise.


    ¡°An excellent question, although it¡¯s more for these four¡­¡± The next item to appear from her ring was a hat with the same gray. It was more like a cap with black band wrapped around where the brim would be. She had the smuggler put it on. ¡°Not only will it protect your mind and provide light, but if you imbue it with mana, you can follow the aethereal traces spirits leave behind. They usually last half a day or so.¡±


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    ¡°Whoa,¡± the hat lit up as he charged it, ¡°I think I see it¡­ Wait, why in here?¡± He followed the trail around the room to a desk, ¡°Why does it stop at that shiny jar?¡±


    ¡°Ignore that for now. We¡¯ll get there. Let¡¯s see, um, Rosalie, you had a question?¡±


    ¡°I did¡­¡± She looked down nervously for a moment, ¡°Can you guarantee my Chip¡¯s safety? And¡­ if he does this for you can our daughter really be cured? He can¡¯t use magic like you, how is he supposed to use these artifacts?¡±


    She couldn¡¯t stop from crying, so Cira tried her best to assuage any concerns, ¡°Of course, there will be no problem. And I¡¯ll be there for the first go to walk everyone through it. The artifacts take a small amount of mana and luckily everyone here has at least average. They¡¯ll stop hunting before they run out. As for the recipe, it came straight from my Dad so it will definitely work. No one should really take it until after I work out the flood situation and get the water cleaned up, and the food¡¯s infected too, so that should be avoided. With a few caveats, yes, your daughter can be cured.¡±


    Everybody except the ones that came from the clinic with her exploded in a ruckus, ¡°What do you mean the food¡¯s infected?!¡±


    ¡°It was the food this whole time?!¡±


    Dammit, Cira thought, ¡°Ultimately the water, but yes, the food too. Don¡¯t worry about that now, let¡¯s move on. Pants of the Untainted!¡± A pair of Lighter gray cloth pants appeared, and she urged her assistant to put them on, ¡°Like the rest of the set, they have blessed silver woven into them. They do the same as the cloak. Next up we have¡ª¡±


    ¡°Are you just going to dress us up and throw us in a cave?¡± Kate literally spat. Cira caught it with magic.


    ¡°Push your luck and the next one¡¯s returning to your face,¡± The difficult young woman shrunk back as she watched the loogy vaporize in a wisp of light. ¡°I was trying to save it for last, but fine. If you have a preferred weapon, we can talk, but Mr. Smuggler here gets the Exorcism Spear.¡±


    A shiny spear appeared, and she handed it over. He turned it over in his hands, ¡°Kind of a boring name, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have all day to come up with cool names for everything. Stab a ghost with this and he¡¯ll turn into Aetherium. What more do you want from me?¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­¡± He held it up, then flipped it into the air to test its weight, letting it clatter on the stone floor. He picked it up nervously and was at a loss when he met Cira¡¯s disapproving gaze.


    She sighed, ¡°Even though it¡¯s blessed silver I have taken measures to ensure its durability, but do try to treat them well.¡± She gestured to her other students.


    Glasses raised his hand, ¡°Are these all relics from the church?¡±


    ¡°What? No. I just made them. What do you mean?¡±


    He looked confused, ¡°But blessed silver can only be produced be a deacon of the church. Did you steal it? You couldn¡¯t possibly have made it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to tell you, Glasses. I blessed the silver. It¡¯s not difficult. I don¡¯t even know what church you¡¯re talking about. Try to stick to the topic. Now we have the Hallowed Boots!¡± Some gray leather boots appeared, ¡°These aren¡¯t that exciting, but they¡¯ll keep your shadow safe.¡±


    ¡°Is¡­ is my shadow in danger?¡± The smuggler took his own boots off to lace up his new pair.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Cira nodded, ¡°If your will weakens, a powerful spirit can steal your shadow, strengthening their aethereal form. These spirits are aptly named a shade. Your soul will deteriorate over time, though maybe the medicine we¡¯re making could help with that, but it¡¯s best not to waste. You better keep the boots on either way.¡±


    He gulped, ¡°Will do¡­¡± lacing them up extra tight.


    ¡°Now, are you ready for your first attempt?¡± Cira grabbed the jar off the desk. It was ceramic. More of an urn, really.


    ¡°Hang on, you mean you have a ghost in there?!¡± The smuggler backed away.


    ¡°Come on now, you¡¯re perfectly safe here.¡± Cira urged him to come closer.


    The man wasn¡¯t excited about it, ¡°Well¡­ if you say so.¡±


    Most of her students clamored restlessly, and the thief looked scared. Lomp stood up, ¡°Hey, so you trapped a spirit just to torture it in front of us for this demonstration?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s totally ethical, this is the spirit of a genocidal demon my father defeated long ago. Found it downstairs.¡± She opened the lid and black smoke poured out, before wisping into the air.


    An agonized face appeared in the spaces between the darkness, ¡°FINALLY I AM FREEEEEE!¡±


    All non-sorcerers backed away. Cira had to push him along or it could get out of hand, ¡°Hurry up, smuggler! If you take too long, he¡¯ll reincarnate using your flesh as sustenance. Stab him!¡± She also pushed him with telekinesis.


    ¡°Ahhh!! Why me?!¡± He craned his head back trying to get away but couldn¡¯t, approaching the increasingly ominous black cloud which had started to plume into a vaguely humanlike shape, ¡°Hah!!!!¡±


    He closed his eyes and stabbed blindly, tagging it multiple times across the chest and legs.


    ¡°GIYAAHHHHHHHH!¡± The specter¡¯s form started falling apart and each point the spear touched shined bright gold. It started breaking up from each wound and dissolved into motes of light that drifted away. ¡°DAMMMMN YOU, CHILD OF GAZEN! I WILL RETURN FOR YOUUUUUUU!¡±


    The face burned bright red before it lost its shape and disappeared, leaving the room silent, save for the smuggler¡¯s heavy breathing.


    ¡°Well,¡± Cira said, ¡°I don¡¯t know how I feel about that, but it¡¯s tomorrow¡¯s problem. The point I¡¯m trying to make, is that the creature you just saw is known as a grudge wraith.¡±


    She looked around the room and had everybody¡¯s rapt attention. They were still shaking. ¡°One of the strongest forms, and a few steps above night wraith. See how effortlessly the smuggler defeated it? He didn¡¯t even use mana.¡±


    Hiding a pained look, Chip raised his hand, ¡°I don¡¯t think most of us know what any of that means.¡±


    Even Nanri breathed a sigh of relief at not having to ask. Cira looked at her, ¡°What, they don¡¯t teach you about ghosts in your witch academy? It seems like it would be a witch thing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not allowed at the one I went to.¡± Nanri pouted.


    ¡°And what was the one we ran into down there?¡± Lomp asked, and suddenly everyone had a mixed expression of interest and foreboding.


    ¡°Wraith classifications aren¡¯t really important. My point this whole time has been that you won¡¯t see any wraiths¡ªthey would have eaten all the other spirits by now and moved onto people. But you can defend against one anyway. What we saw in the Last Step was probably just a stray spirit left undisturbed for a thousand years and kept alive by regret. The hat will protect you against him and his friends.¡±


    Lomp sighed and shook his head, ¡°I still really don¡¯t know about this¡­ We¡¯re not crazy like you, Cira. What the hell even was that thing just now?¡±


    Everyone was in agreement. Kate even spoke up, ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s no way I¡¯m fighting anything like that.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, it was an example! You guys will be way more prepared than you need to be! According to the notes, Yl¡¯Gad bore a grudge for thousands of years and toppled kingdoms. This degenerate just killed him with his eyes closed!¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± The smuggler protested, ¡°I¡¯m not a degenerate! It didn¡¯t really sound like I killed him though.¡±


    ¡°My point stands,¡± Cira disagreed, ¡°You¡¯ll see exactly what I mean when we get down there. Now can we move on? Look at all this aetherium on the floor.¡±


    There was light blue dust scattered on the stone. She whooshed it together with wind magic and collected it in a jar before continuing, ¡°I¡¯ll prepare you all bags and little scoops or something later, but we should hurry. I was really hoping to see if some of you could manage to learn a spell or two before the night is through.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna teach us magic?¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡± She squinted her eyes at him, ¡°First, let¡¯s head to the forge. I¡¯d like to get everybody geared up before we move onto training.¡±


    Before they left the room Kate stood up and delivered a wound straight to Cira¡¯s heart, ¡°You¡¯re not a very good teacher.¡±

 39 - Hands-On Experience

    ¡°What¡¯s stopping me from running away and selling all this stuff?¡± the thief asked the sorcerer.


    A block of metal suspended before Cira slammed against a blessed silver ingot, quickly forming it, but she paused to answer the girl, ¡°Nothing at all. I¡¯m going to fix this island¡¯s problems and disappear immediately. I¡¯m sure there will be other people who would be quite upset at the girl that sabotaged the cure out of greed, however. Even the smuggler¡¯s on board, look at him.¡±


    He stood on the open floor of the forge test stabbing his spear, working on his form. Lomp, surprisingly was giving him tips. He had requested a polearm as well, but one with two prongs.


    Kate sputtered and waved her arms in offense, ¡°Don¡¯t compare me to that man! Sabotage the cure? That¡¯s a bit much, don¡¯t you think? What difference does it make if one person leaves?¡±


    Cira judged her, ¡°There is a little boy in the infirmary whose bones are twisting out of his arm. Another man in Uru whose ribcage is trying to escape. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve seen the others. If you live on this island you¡¯re infected too, that¡¯s just how it is. You and everyone that lives here needs the cure once a year for three years. Do whatever you want, but wait until I leave, if you would.¡±


    The hammer struck silver upon the anvil again. Hammers were really made for hands though, so it was more of a cylinder with a flat point that she slammed into the metal repeatedly.


    Geomancy was fine for making items on the fly, but if you wanted a weapon to last, you just couldn¡¯t beat forging it. Cira was no simple blacksmith, however, for she could freely move all the materials and tools necessary at her will. What she lacked in skill she almost made up for with speed and consistency.


    One could sell her weapons in a shop, and they¡¯d fetch a decent price, but they were no masterworks. Her amateur technique would be apparent to any blacksmith. That said, any blacksmith who ever witnessed her workflow of watching stuff float around until a sword occured burned with envy.


    ¡°Tch.¡± Kate glared at her, ¡°Of course you don¡¯t care, you just want to finish your job and get as far away from this rock as possible.¡±


    ¡°What a stupid thing to say.¡± She had worked the silver down flat with a curve in it, ¡°If I didn¡¯t care, you would never have met me. The question is if you care.¡±


    Now she formed the edge which stretched all around except a handhold on the back. The thief had requested a specific ranged weapon, and Cira happily obliged. She remembered a wooden boomerang her father made her as a toy long ago, so this was something of a passion project, and she didn¡¯t appreciate getting berated by the recipient.


    While Cira started putting enchantments on the weapon, Nanri had Rosalie as a helper and was hard at work replicating the garments in everybody¡¯s sizes. She was working on all the enchantments with a grin on her face as she kept glancing at her new wand on the table. Cira couldn¡¯t spend a lot of time on her because she wasn¡¯t really part of the exorcism team but found herself wanting to appease the witch anyway. She crafted a short wand of blessed silver, and destroyed another few glyphs twisting a little orichalcum swirl around it because she thought it would look nice.


    ¡°Annnd it¡¯s done. I was going to make it prettier, but you were quite rude.¡± Steam rose off the curved blade as she grabbed it off the anvil, it was about the size of her forearm. The weapon was bare save for a hole on either side for balance and various magic circles, ¡°I present to you, the Banshee Beheading Boomerang. Don¡¯t cut yourself.¡± She handed it to the girl who took it in her hands carefully.


    ¡°And what about a sheath? I can¡¯t just carry it around all day.¡± She complained.


    ¡°My, you are greedy, aren¡¯t you?¡± Cira judged her further, ¡°Perhaps I was wrong about you¡­ You¡¯ll get your sheath later.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean¡ª¡± Cira had walked away at that point, back to the polearm duo. Chip, who had requested an axe, joined them at some point.


    She rounded them up and helped Nanri put her work in baskets then made everyone follow her back into the hall, ¡°Nanri, lead them towards the archive. I need to go change and I¡¯ll meet you there.¡±


    She was excited to wear this outfit, even if it was a tad overkill. It had been years since Cira put it on and she wanted to know if it still fit. The dress ran down to her knees and was a little tight, but not uncomfortable. Many layers of thin gray fabric were woven together as if she were wrapped in ribbons¡ªor bandages for the pessimistic. Flowing strands rose off her body and wriggled aimlessly with minds of their own. Her hat was but a black headband with two candles that never go out strapped against her head like horns.


    The Far Caller¡¯s Garb was Cira¡¯s go-to for any spooky situation. It was fun how the ribbons danced around, and the staff was a nice change of pace from the usual, though she kept it hidden for now.


    Cira approached the block of iron she¡¯d conjured as a temporary seal to her archive and stopped at the second door to the end, beckoning the others over. Here she undid another seal and stepped inside.


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief¡­¡± Nanri breathed, ¡°I thought you were showing everyone something in the archive.¡±


    This room was much larger than any other on Breeze Haven. Carved bricks formed an open floor with descending levels to the center and plenty of space to move around or cast big spells. Like the floor, the walls were covered in glowing enchantments to reinforce the structure and prevent serious injury. There were windows set high up against the ceiling through which one could see the open sky.


    ¡°What is this place¡­?¡± Kate asked.


    Nanri also looked around curiously, falling on the windows, ¡°Is that really outside?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Cira answered, ¡°but this is the training room. There a few things I want to cover and there will be a test to ensure everyone is prepared. Glasses, Rosalie, you two can just take a seat for a while.¡±


    ¡°Hang on¡­¡± Lomp said.


    ¡°What?¡± She conjured the observers a set of chairs, a table, and water.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see those windows on our way in. They¡¯re too high up, and the next door over wasn¡¯t half as far as that wall. How is there even space for this room down here?¡±


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    ¡°There isn¡¯t. My dad built it so don¡¯t ask me. He used to turn this room into different places, but it¡¯s beyond me at my level. In any case, Smuggler, I have a question for you.¡±


    She glossed over everyone¡¯s confused glances and caught him off guard, ¡°Oh, um¡­ Yes? And please, call me by my name. It¡¯s Triton.¡±


    ¡°A strong name,¡± she noted, adding to the aspects about this man that confused her. He could cast half-decent fire magic with a non-pitiful reserve of mana and for some reason still resorted to smuggling as a career, ¡°So why are you crawling around caves stealing salt?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t crawling! I¡­ I had a boat¡ª¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t really my question. At the end of our fight, you conjured a pretty nice fireball. The power wasn¡¯t half bad. My question is why in the world would you conjure it right in your face? Do you simply enjoy burning?¡±


    ¡°N-no! Of course not!¡± The man was offended, ¡°How else am I supposed to do it? That¡¯s just how fire magic is!¡±


    Cira sighed, ¡°Do you have a master or are you self-taught?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ self-taught.¡± He spoke carefully, ¡°Found a book when I was a kid.¡±


    ¡°That explains it. Your form is terrible¡ªwatch me closely. You were trying to do something like this, I believe.¡± She held out an open palm and a bright ball of flame exploded into existence. Everybody reeled back from the heat.


    They turned around again once the flash of mana had dulled and the smuggler looked offended just looking at it, ¡°Yeah, something like that, I guess. Wait, why aren¡¯t you burning?¡±


    ¡°Because I have a shield, as anyone casting dangerous magic should. If you don¡¯t know how to do that, why not just conjure it over there?¡± She held her other hand facing out towards the wall on the far side. A similar fireball appeared across the room where she pointed, ¡°You just as easily could have conjured it right above my head. Why wouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    She let it drop and a fiery blast travelled up the wall with a bright crimson flare, quickly followed by an explosive bang.


    ¡°Now that,¡± Cira explained, ¡°Would have caught me off guard.¡± She flicked the first one over there too just to pop it off.


    As the second explosion died down, the group except Nanri looked at her with great apprehension.


    ¡°You expect me to throw fireballs like that?!¡±


    ¡°Maybe one day,¡± Cira shrugged, ¡°But I only need you to focus on making that fireball further away from yourself. If you can do that by the time I come back to you, I¡¯ll give you a holy spell I crafted just for you.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± He was ecstatic, ¡°Will you really?!¡±


    ¡°A sorcerer does not lie.¡± Her attention was drawn to a raging glare that bored through her, ¡°Yes? What is it, Kate?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just like you witches to share your magic with a criminal like him.¡± She spat again, and Cira returned it whizzing past her face at speeds faster than a falcon¡¯s swoop.


    ¡°Stupid girl, I broke you out of the same jail.¡± The girl had shrunk back with wide eyes, ¡°You have the most mana out of anybody here. Do you not wield magic?¡±


    Kate was incensed at the question, ¡°Of course not! Witchcraft is a curse that brings nothing but ruin!¡±


    ¡°I said magic, didn¡¯t I? Sorcery, if you ask me. And you don¡¯t know what a curse is. It¡¯s people that bring ruin. Magic just does what the caster desires. I could teach you healing magic, for instance. Or detection spells even. A thief like you could silence your footsteps, not that I can condone that. Can you see mana?¡±


    The girl grumbled, ¡°Yeah, I can, what of it?¡±


    ¡°Perfect. You¡¯re halfway there. Just watch Tito make his fireballs for a while and I¡¯ll come back to you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want your magic, witch¡ª¡±


    ¡°Just go watch him.¡± She scooted her off, ¡°Alright, Chip. You and Lomp can just keep practicing together. You two don¡¯t seem to have enough mana to pick up any worthwhile spells, no offense.¡±


    ¡°None taken,¡± Chip brushed it off, ¡°Magic¡¯s too much for me. I¡¯m a simple man.¡± He squared off against Lomp.


    ¡°I was kind of hoping to learn some magic¡­¡± he sulked.


    ¡°Sorry pal.¡± Going back to the smuggler, she was under Kate¡¯s stink eye as she inspected his new and improved fireball, ¡°See, you¡¯re already doing it! That didn¡¯t take very long.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t very big, but it was a few feet out of arm¡¯s reach, ¡°Is this enough?¡± He beamed.


    ¡°Not at all. Ideally, distance within eyeshot should only affect your power marginally, but you¡¯ll have to work up to that I suppose. Stop thinking of it like something you¡¯re holding. Kate, are you watching the flow of mana through his body and out his palm?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± she begrudgingly replied.


    ¡°I want you to replicate that.¡± Cira spit flames out of her hand as an example, ¡°Flames are a good analog for healing because they aren¡¯t solid, liquid, or gas.¡±


    ¡°I said I don¡¯t want your witchcraft!¡±


    After an exasperating argument, Cira finally had Triton exhibiting some tact and encouraging the girl as he practiced, offering her a moment to step away. She let everyone train for a while after that. The night was young, and they had a long way to go before passing the combat test.


    Tomorrow¡¯s a big day. After I get them started, I¡¯ll have Nanri supervise while I run over to Uru and try to get a lead on the deritium. Rare and dangerous materials are often traded in secret, especially ones that hold mana, I would imagine. There¡¯s also the water samples. If Uru mainly gets water from Deep Falls, that explains why it isn¡¯t as contaminated as the second pump.


    I would have liked to get a sample from the first, but as it stands, the deritium shouldn¡¯t be too far above Uru. If the pipe wasn¡¯t leaking into the spring it would be easier to pinpoint. Damn, those worms are going to be infected, aren¡¯t they? Well, I¡¯ll worry about everyone¡¯s diet if they don¡¯t starve.


    She watched Kate pick up fire magic surprisingly quick. A few tries and she was practically at Triton¡¯s level. He had also figured out how to make a relatively weak fireball ten feet away. Cira decided now was a good time to pop back in.


    ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve more talent than you thought.¡± Cira said to her.


    The girl¡¯s mood soured, ¡°Tch. I knew I could do it already.¡±


    That checks out. She lied earlier. ¡°Ready to learn healing magic? It¡¯s useful against ghosts too.¡±


    ¡°Urgh, fine, you crazy woman!¡± Kate threw her hands up, ¡°Just don¡¯t burn me alive.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    She took her time walking the girl through the most basic of basic healing spells: Heal. It required no incantation, nor did she have to plead to the incomprehensible one. It was the same as conjuring a flame but using holy mana instead. Instead of fire you got golden light.


    Kate burned Cira¡ªor tried to¡ªand laughed about it. That earned her a slap with the unburnt arm, ¡°Focus! Holy mana is all around us. You should be able to see it if you can see mana at all. Look at this.¡± She conjured a golden orb in her hand, ¡°Do you see the color? The way it resonates much calmer than flame? It¡¯s constant, like light, but comparatively at a snail¡¯s pace.¡±


    The girl gave her an exasperated stare, ¡°Yes¡­ I see it.¡±


    ¡°Great, look up there.¡± She looked in a far-off direction toward the stars, and Kate followed. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve seen the constellation, whatever you may know it as. Can you see all the mana coming from that direction?¡±


    She groaned again, ¡°Yes, I see it! Get on with it.¡±


    ¡°Good grief, you¡¯re difficult.¡± Cira shook her head, ¡°Just cast the damn spell already.¡±


    Kate was obstinate and looked incredibly distrusting. Reluctantly, she held out her hand, ¡°Heal¡­¡±


    A soft golden light appeared in her palm and flowed over to Cira. She wasn¡¯t hurt, but it was a good demonstration. ¡°You did it!¡± she smiled.


    There was the faintest flash of a grin on the girl¡¯s face before she forced a frown, ¡°Yeah, whatever¡­ So what now, witch?¡±


    ¡°Practice with your boomerang for a while. You could probably imbue it with holy mana in an emergency, but that would really destroy the spirits and we wouldn¡¯t get any aetherium. Just get warmed up for now, you¡¯ll need to for the test.¡±


    ¡°What kind of test is it¡­?¡± She nervously asked.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see. Tito, you¡¯re up.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± He spoke absently with unsteady eyes.


    ¡°Oh, sorry. Catch.¡± Cira threw an elixir at him to restore his mana. Next, a dim purple lantern hung on a gnarled wooden haft appeared in her hand. The Far Caller¡¯s Lamp held an undying flame that exuded a ghostly light. A glyph in the center of the room lit up, then a circular platform rose out of the stone. ¡°I¡¯ve decided you¡¯re ready to take the exam, Tito.¡± She handed him a slip of paper, ¡°Your holy spell is written on this. Now, please step into the ring.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s, uh, Triton.¡± He didn¡¯t budge, but glanced at the ring, fidgeting, ¡°What¡¯s the test?


    ¡°Spectral combat.¡±

 40 - Spectral Combat

    Growing up in the slums of Porta Bora, he never had many options to begin with. Mother died young and his deadbeat dad only saw an extra set of hands. When Pops got locked up, the boy already knew the trade. Twenty years later and the man had nothing to show for it. A life of smuggling never afforded luxuries, no matter how big the score. Just surviving in the shadows long enough to make it to the next job took most of his resources.


    The royal prima was supposed to be his big score. At long last, he¡¯d finally be able to afford a real ship. Not a big one, but just enough to take on the open skies. The day had come for him to leave the Boreal behind for good. After all, why couldn¡¯t he make it as a mage? Find a city somewhere far away and settle down¡­


    These were the hopes and dreams of a man who spent his life taking from others, constantly on the run. He¡¯d learned from his Pops¡¯ example¡ªhe was better than him even. He never got caught, no matter how close it came. When the going got tough, he could always rely on his magic, at least to guarantee an escape.


    Until one day. The man thought he was home free. The salt was in the bag, so to speak. Any other day, the smuggler¡¯s well-honed scruples wouldn¡¯t have let him anywhere near that glowing chamber, but he got cocky. Before even realizing it, he had fallen within the grasp of a spellcaster greater than any he¡¯d ever faced.


    It wasn¡¯t even a fight and he¡¯d been kicking himself ever since he got thrown in a cell. It had him wondering if dear old dad did something so similarly stupid all those years ago. Earth Vein was sure to offer him labor or death if he made it to port, and he wasn¡¯t keen on either.


    Now the very same witch who defeated him so effortlessly offered him a third path. The smuggler couldn¡¯t let a chance at freedom slip by. She had to be high up enough that the job she was offering would pardon his crimes¡ªelse, how could she have just gone and broken him out of jail against the overseer¡¯s wishes?


    This was a once in a lifetime opportunity to correct his mistakes. He could be a better man than his father ever was. With each passing moment, he grew increasingly unsure he made the right choice. His stomach turned in knots and the very phrase ¡®spectral combat¡¯. Does she mean fighting ghosts? Why can¡¯t she just say that?


    This is the tale of a man born and bred to steal trying to make something more out of his life. Does he have what it takes to pass the test and become an exorcist?


    This is a tale of redemption.


    This is spectral combat.


    ¡°Are you sure this is a holy spell¡­? Triton asked as he nervously read the slip of paper he¡¯d received.


    ¡°A sorcerer does not lie, now get in position.¡± The dim purple flame of the lantern she wielded began to flicker, ¡°We¡¯re going to start with a lesser shade. Let me know when you¡¯re ready.¡±


    A frown formed on his face as he looked at her from atop the platform. He wasn¡¯t ready and shook in his boots just remembering the ghost of Yl¡¯Gad. It won¡¯t be like that¡­ surely it won¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯m as ready as I¡¯m gonna get. Just do it¡­¡± He bent his knees and held the spear forward.


    Despite her training instructions, the others watched as she performed this underwhelming spell, ¡°Come forth, lesser shade!¡± When summoning, the mana corresponds to the creature summoned. A black ball of light that defied the senses descended on the ring opposite Triton. He scooted back a few feet, looking moderately regretful.


    The black stretched out until forming a vaguely humanoid figure. The edges weren¡¯t well defined and wisped away. Once its head formed it reached out for the smuggler and slunk towards him, gliding across the ground.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let it get near you. Your shadow will only make it stronger and it¡¯s hard to take back.¡± They were protected but it¡¯s no use training for the best-case scenario.


    ¡°What the hell is this thing?!¡± Triton¡¯s stance fell and he backed up until the edge of the platform. When he threw a fireball, it passed right through the shade. It responded to the light with a scream and receded, growing smaller. ¡°Hah, I got him!¡±


    The smuggler advanced, getting his spear ready again, when the shade regained its size as the fire sizzled out. He froze, now much closer to the looming shade.


    ¡°Have you forgotten the artifacts you¡¯re wearing?¡± Cira instructed.


    ¡°Oh!¡± His eyes went wide and the glyphs across his cloak lit up. The shade hissed and shrunk back. Its form seemed agitated as it backed away, ¡°Yeah, get out of here!¡± Triton stomped towards it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let it escape, fool!¡±


    ¡°Huh?! What do I do?!¡± He held the spear up as if to throw it.


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    ¡°Don¡¯t throw it, you idiot, Kate is over there! Use the spell I made you. This is exactly what it¡¯s for!¡±


    ¡°But¡­ There¡¯s no way that¡¯s a spell! You made it up to mess with me!¡±


    The shade had almost made it to the edge, where it could recede into a shadow below, ¡°I assure you it¡¯s a spell, now use it!¡±


    The man quickly pulled a paper out of his pocket and looked between it and Cira, sweating bullets. If I fail, she¡¯ll send me back to prison! I have to use the spell.


    ¡°Oh, great and incomprehensible one, grant this pitiful soul¡¯s flame the power to entrap this spirit!¡± With a bright flash, golden flames appeared around the shade in a circle. The light and holy power caused its size to rapidly decrease as its screeches rang through the training hall. ¡°Holy crap, it¡¯s working!¡±


    ¡°Of course, it is.¡± Cira chastised him, ¡°Now¡¯s your chance!¡±


    ¡°Gah!¡± He stumbled forward, ¡°So much mana¡­ Dammit. Die, ghost!¡±


    Triton managed to pick himself back up and unsteadily charge the shade. It continued to cry and shrink down in the holy flame, not even noticing his approach.


    ¡°Hyahhhhh!!¡± Triton stabbed it three times before almost falling over and catching himself on his spear. He watched the shade dissolve into light and then slumped to the ground, breathing hard. ¡°I did it¡­ I passed the test!¡±


    He actually looked really happy for himself when he looked over at Cira. It warmed her heart seeing how excited he was to advance in his new career, but it pained her heart to speak these next words, ¡°You have passed stage one of the test. Next up will be your standard phantom¡ª¡±


    ¡°Just wait a second,¡± Lomp said, ¡°Where are you summoning all these spirits from?¡±


    ¡°The target is pulled from a random location in the world.¡± She explained, ¡°Summoning magic can often be quite unethical depending on the target. One could summon a sorcerer, for instance, if they knew how, and I may or may not appear.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this plenty unethical already?¡± Lomp looked uneasy.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to torture spirits either, but they get to pass on. And the living get to live.¡± She turned back to the ring, ¡°You ready for round two up there?¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± He panted, ¡°Can¡¯t I take a break?¡±


    ¡°That should be fine¡­ Lomp, why don¡¯t you head up there? You seem to be done training.¡±


    ¡°Me?!¡±


    ¡°Come on down, Tito. We¡¯ll get you some more mana.¡± She made some stairs and beckoned him over.


    The weary smuggler stepped down and took a conjured seat. His eyes glazed over when Cira handed him an elixir. She managed to get Lomp in the ring for his first test. Nervous, but not shaking, he readied the Spectral Bident. After seeing him all uptight in his guard uniform for the past few days, she thought he looked funny in a dark cloak and holding a weapon. His eyes had a sharp focus to them.


    ¡°Come forth!¡± Another shade appeared, just like the last. Cira saw his legs shivering now, but the cloak immediately lit up. As soon as the shade started to turn, he advanced.


    ¡°Hyah!¡± With one clean thrust, Lomp pierced it twice from an impressive distance. The shade cried before quickly evaporating into light.


    Cira started clapping, ¡°Well done, Lomp! Seems like you could do that a few times before running out of mana, but it almost looked like you didn¡¯t need it. Remember, in the cave, you¡¯ll be able to use the prongs trap them against the wall.¡±


    ¡°What good is that if a single touch defeats them?¡± Lomp looked at her with an incredulous stare.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Lomp, you¡¯re the one that wanted the bident. I thought it was a nice feature.¡± She saw Chip sitting nervously with his wife, ¡°How about it? Your weapon is a little closer range, but you looked like you¡¯ve used one before when I saw your training.¡±


    ¡°Guess it¡¯s my turn, Love.¡± He let go of Rosalie¡¯s hand and stood up, ¡°So I just gotta hit one of those ghosts? I think I can manage that.¡±


    Cira took his seat next to the worried woman he left behind, ¡°How are you holding up? Sorry to throw this all on the guy.¡±


    ¡°I trust him¡­ And he says I should trust you¡­ so I can¡¯t complain. Our daughter will be cured, and so will everyone else.¡± Tears fell down her face and dripped into her lap, ¡°I don¡¯t know how I can ever thank you.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything, but I know Chip won¡¯t be working for a while, so I wanted to give you this. It should be worth a little money.¡± She reached a hand into her sleeve and pulled out a pale blue bullion.


    Rosalie¡¯s jaw dropped and she started pushing Cira¡¯s hand away, ¡°I can¡¯t accept that! Are you insane?! Is that mithril?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem, I¡¯ve got a few ingots left in the forge. Good material comes and goes.¡± Cira pushed it back into her hands, ¡°Three years is a long time. If there¡¯s any left over, just use it for whatever you want.¡±


    Chip was posing expectantly in the ring, so Cira brought her lantern up again and called forth a third shade.


    The miner preemptively ran up while it was still forming and brought his axe down with a loud battle cry. It instantly puffed away into sparkling dust and he looked back at her with a smile, ¡°See that?¡±


    Cira sighed, ¡°That¡¯s technically cheating, but I¡¯ll pass you for strategy. Come on down. That just leaves you, boomerang girl.¡±


    ¡°What about me?!¡± Nanri whined.


    ¡°Oh, we¡¯ll get you after. I¡¯m sure the spirit won¡¯t stand a chance¡±


    ¡°Cira¡­¡± Rosalie said, crying next to her, ¡°Why are you doing all this for us?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just part of the job.¡± She stood up to let the ecstatic Chip regain his seat, then walked over to the ring to watch Kate¡¯s trial.


    The girl was ready by the time the shade finished manifesting. She let it creep toward her for a stride before a silver flash left her hand. The boomerang whipped through the air in a path through the ghost¡¯s neck before returning in a matter of seconds. From the proximity of the wound, this shade didn¡¯t even have time to scream before it turned into dust and light.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready for the next one.¡± Kate lips were curled in a smug grin.


    ¡°If you¡¯re so ready, why don¡¯t you pick up all that aetherium for me?¡± She conjured a broom and dustpan in front of the girl, who stared at her with a blank look.


    ¡°If you have so much of it, why don¡¯t you make the cure already?!¡± She shouted.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I already mention this?¡± Cira said, ¡°There¡¯s no point taking the medicine until I rid this island of deritium and clean the water.¡±


    Lomp got a thoughtful look in his eye, ¡°Does this mean you figured out what to do about the floods?¡±


    ¡°One step at a time, Lomp. One step at a time.¡± She looked back at the girl with silver hair who stood next to the platform, patiently waiting for her turn to come. Kate tried to stay obstinate but suffered under the witch¡¯s earnest gaze. She awkwardly swept the aetherium up and left the stage in silence. ¡°Get up there, Nanri. Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got.¡±

 41 - The Last Descent

    Nanri made short work of the shade. It was blasted to oblivion with a single ray of light before turning into a cloud of dust. Cira wasn¡¯t sure of letting her participate, but a little competition got everybody fired up. After obliterating the ghost she went and sat with the spectators, removing a book from a titanium cube and opening it to a bookmark.


    The thief jumped back on stage for round two.


    ¡°Be careful. Specters are fast and they¡¯ll mess with your mind.¡± Cira explained, ¡°Just keep that hat on and you¡¯ll have nothing to worry about.¡±


    ¡°I move around when I fight.¡± She argued, ¡°How am I supposed to make sure it doesn¡¯t fall off?¡±


    Cira was no slouch with a needle and thread, ¡°You think a hat I crafted would fall off your head so easily? Come forth, frail specter!¡±


    This time there was a white light. Like pure mana, or light mana, death also shared the color. Specters weren¡¯t associated with any element, per se. They were spirits that refused to die. Not often due to strong emotion, so they tended to be weak and not very intelligent.


    While partly transparent, they looked as if someone threw a sheet over an invisible man. There was no face, and it stretched out on both sides like arms held it up. Kate threw her boomerang and it dodged, ducking under the blade almost faster than the eye could see. Laundry in a hurricane would have looked similar as it flew towards the thief.


    She caught the boomerang and rolled away, coming out of it with another throw. This time it connected, and the specter disappeared. Kate stood up and caught the blade again, relaxing her shoulders. Right then, it appeared flying at her as if time had reversed.


    ¡°What?!¡± She dove out of the way and the glyphs on her cloak lit up. When the specter shied away, Kate siezed that moment to let her boomerang loose again. It hit the ghost, but this time it didn¡¯t disappear. Instead, it began dissolving into light.


    Cira clapped, ¡°Close one! Now come on down and let someone else give it a go.¡±


    The crowd looked less than excited after watching their next challenger. Shades weren¡¯t fast at all, just really creepy.


    ¡°What happens if the specter gets us?¡± Lomp asked absently.


    ¡°It¡¯ll nibble on your soul, taking all your willpower away.¡±


    Nobody liked that answer. Kate was nonplussed though, and she hadn¡¯t gotten off the stage yet.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need a break, give me the last trial!¡± She readied her boomerang again.


    Her words irritated Cira to no end, ¡°How do you know there¡¯s only three?¡±


    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t like to waste time¡ª¡±


    ¡°Come forth, night wraith!¡±


    The brightest flash yet burst in the center of the ring and the air in the room grew heavy with death. Those waiting for their turn felt a chill creep up their spine. That white light gave birth to a thick black smoke not unlike Yl¡¯Gad earlier. The platform grew dark until one could hardly see the nervous Kate shaking in her boots and stepping back with a tear in her eye.


    A face formed and started cackling in multiple overlapping voices, while many others screamed and cried. Finally, they all unified into one overbearing voice that shook the entire training room.


    ¡°CHILD OF GAZENNNNNNN! YOU FOOOOOOOOL!¡± The wraith kept growing until it looked down on her menacingly from the ceiling, completely ignoring the thief. The white light of death burned bright in its eyes and the pressure in the room increased. She could see her guests all straining not to fall to the floor. The massive wraith was bringing night upon the room until all that could be seen were its eyes and outstretched hand with the power of death gathering before it.


    ¡°Oh shi¡ª¡° Cira pulled Prismagora out of nothing just as a pillar of death mana erupted from Yl¡¯gad¡¯s palm. The explosion of light blinded everyone, sent her companions to the ground shielding their eyes. Without any time to spare, the death beam split on contact with Cira¡¯s golden barrier, and Kate could be seen pressed up against the back of her own little bubble.


    The sorcerer shot towards the wraith, leaving behind nothing but a column of stone and a cloud of dust. It cried in pain as smoke sizzled off while Cira flew through the air, becoming brighter as she approached.


    ¡°Holy Lance!¡± A golden spear flew out of her staff and pierced the pitch-black wraith, leaving behind a shining wound. She didn¡¯t let up as she started falling, ¡°Holy Lance! Holy Lance!¡±


    She landed softly on the ground in front of Kate and Lamplights started floating off her like bubbles. They spun around until there were hundreds surrounding the interloper. Its shrill cries increased in volume and number as it melted into the ground, with countless voices that nearly shattered her ears from up close.


    ¡°You would reincarnate as a night wraith to come for me?!¡± Cira threw another lance as its face burned with fury and started glaring at her from the ground. It was like the wraith had deflated and was stuck in a puddle of shadows. ¡°Begone, foolish wraith! Incomprehensible one, I offer this pitiful demon to you!¡±


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    The chorus of screams got louder and more distorted as the puddle shined, then the wraith started wisping away into motes of golden light. Before long, the room was silent again.


    ¡°Phew¡­¡± Cira let out a long breath and cracked her back. ¡°Didn¡¯t see that coming.¡±


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?!¡± Kate flared up.


    ¡°Yeah, I thought you said we weren¡¯t going to see any wraiths!¡±


    ¡°My Chip can¡¯t fight those things!¡± Rosalie hung to him for dear life.


    Cira sighed, ¡°Dammit¡­¡±


    Her students devolved into an argument, and they all pointed their dissatisfaction to her. Nanri tried to help, and they disregarded even her.


    ¡°Look guys,¡± Cira said, ¡°You won¡¯t have to face any wraiths, and there probably won¡¯t be shades or specters either. That¡¯s the whole point, the Last Step will be like a walk in the park compared to the Trials of Spectral Combat!¡±


    Kate piped up again, ¡°So you¡¯re saying this training is useless?!¡±


    ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m overpreparing you.¡±


    Even Lomp was upset, ¡°Cira, are you sure this test is really necessary?¡±


    They all looked at him like the savior. Cira had to think about it for a minute. Realistically, there was nothing stopping Yl¡¯Gad from coming back¡ªthe spell she used to banish him was flimsy at best, and who knew if that being would feel like hanging onto him. Continuing the tests could turn into a huge hassle and put her guests at unnecessary risk.


    ¡°Fine then.¡± Cira acquiesced, ¡°You all pass the test. You should be able to keep a level head down there at least.¡±


    They all cheered. Tears of relief formed in Rosalie¡¯s eye. Chip pat Lomp on the back and told him, ¡°Great job.¡±


    Her team was assembled. Each of them had gear they were comfortable with and were all warmed up with their weapon of choice. They even had a fledgling healer and an offensive mage. The big question remained. Were they ready to subjugate ghosts?


    They¡¯ve seen more terrors tonight than they¡¯ll likely see in the next three years. Unless I want to spend all night teaching them magic, this is about as ready as they¡¯ll ever get.


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re all officially exorcists now. Congratulations.¡± She wasn¡¯t particularly enthused.


    ¡°Yay!¡± Nanri jumped up and clicked her heels. The others looked at her with either exhaustion or contempt.


    ¡°We¡¯ll leave at dawn.¡± Cira decided, ¡°If any of you aside from these two prisoners have somewhere to be or something to do, I suggest you take care of it promptly. The trip will be one way and there will be a lot of work to be done before you get a chance to come back up.¡±


    She led them back upstairs and she offered them dinner before calling it a night. It¡¯d been a while since she had tuna, so it was plentiful. Most of them were grateful except Kate, but the smell brought her around and she ended up reluctantly scarfing it down like she hadn¡¯t eaten in days.


    She saw Rosalie and Chip off, telling the latter not to be late. The guard with glasses also elected to go home but said he would be joining them. Cira could imagine he went straight to Pappy when he left, but his report wouldn¡¯t trouble her. Same with Lomp¡ªhe hadn¡¯t been home in days. Evidently there was no family though, he just missed his bed.


    ¡°What are we supposed to do?¡± Triton asked.


    Cira opened a chest next to the couch and pulled out a few blankets, ¡°You two can sleep here in the living room with Nanri, but the training room is open too if you prefer a cold stone floor. I¡¯ll wake you up in the morning so don¡¯t worry about that.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± Nanri¡¯s voice shook, and she caught Cira as she had a foot down the stairs, ¡°Can I¡­ can I sleep in your room again?¡±


    She thought about it for a minute, ¡°I guess that¡¯s alright¡­ Afraid of the big scary smuggler? He¡¯s turning his life around, you know.¡±


    The witch was troubled. She couldn¡¯t say the actual reason or Cira would think she was crazy, ¡°Um, yeah that¡¯s it. I couldn¡¯t possibly sleep near this¡­ this brute.¡± Lying in this way put a pained expression on her face.


    ¡°Hey!¡± he called from the couch.


    Kate also had something to say from the adjacent couch, ¡°And what makes you think I want to?¡±


    ¡°Smuggler.¡± Cira voice was cold, ¡°Don¡¯t give me reason to deliver judgement upon you. There¡¯s a curse with your name on it downstairs.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± Anxious sweat formed on his forehead, having stepped into a trap unwittingly.


    ¡°Come on, Nanri.¡± She pulled her down the stairs and down the hall, stopping at her bedroom door and undoing a seal, ¡°I have to take care of something in the forge real quick, but go ahead. I¡¯ll be in shortly.¡±


    Cira left the curious witch in her room and went to take care of a few last-minute preparations.


    ___


    The sorcerer sat in the garden drinking her morning tea and the sun was just beginning to poke up behind the distant clouds below. Last night turned into a lot of work but she was satisfied. In her hand was the letter she received in the mail the other day. It would have made good reading material, but the wax seal was unfamiliar to her. As Cira considered opening it, she heard footsteps and saw Lomp walked up the stairs with Glasses in tow.


    ¡°You know Pappy¡¯s down there.¡± Lomp said, ¡°He¡¯s pretty upset.¡±


    Cira sipped her tea, ¡°I better let him work it out himself then. Any sign of Chip?¡±


    Nanri leaned over the railing, ¡°There he is!¡± She waved, receiving an awkward reaction from the couple.


    They said their goodbyes and shortly after, Chip came walking up the stairs.


    Triton and Kate stood against the railing looking bored and tired. The latter had a burn on her hand that she was trying to hide. Cira gave her a questioning look, ¡°Try to take something, did ya?¡±


    ¡°I did not!¡± She looked away sheepishly, ¡°I was just trying to turn a picture around.¡±


    Cira snicked before standing up, ¡°Sure¡­ Anyway, it looks like everyone¡¯s here. Are you all ready?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Lomp said in his usual contradictory tone, ¡°we still have to ride an elevator for thirty hours¡­ You¡¯re not planning on going the same way as last time, are you?¡±


    ¡°Lomp, you will never catch me spending thirty hours on an elevator,¡± She walked over to the edge of the grass and her orichalcum staff popped out. Once it lit, a tall border rose out of the salt around her home. This was to save her spot, so-to-speak.


    ¡°Gah! What the hell?!¡± A familiar old man¡¯s cry came from below. Cira peered over and saw Pappy splayed on the ground. ¡°Damn you, sorcerer! Get down here! I ain¡¯t even started yellin¡¯ at ya¡¯!¡±


    Cira leaned back from the railing now, putting her staff away. As she sat back in her chair, there was a rumbling beneath their feet. Soon, their surroundings lowered around them, and Breeze Haven left the ground.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Triton fell to all fours, wobbling around with a scared look on his face like a dog. Even Nanri clutched the table and yelped. Chip alone was pointing and laughing at everyone else.


    ¡°We will be taking the scenic route,¡± Cira said, ¡°Now would anybody like breakfast?¡±

 42 - Cira Becomes a Smuggler

    The scenic route turned out to be much faster and around noon they had made it almost to the base of Fount Salt. It surprised Cira to see how well hidden Nanri¡¯s megaliths were. The way the eroded shelves of salt jutted out with a sparse curtain of waterfalls made it so the New Shore District could only be seen from up close.


    As Breeze Haven approached the massive titanium structure, everyone had gathered in the yard to marvel at it.


    ¡°Typical Earth Vein¡­¡± Triton muttered. Then he noticed Cira glance at him with a grin, ¡°I mean, uh¡­ What a marvelous structure!¡±


    ¡°Good save, Tito,¡± Cira squinted her eyes at him, ¡°I almost had to throw you off.¡±


    ¡°Eh?!¡± He stepped back a few feet until bumping into someone. He turned his neck and was face to face with the Titan Witch smiling like she was the day he first saw her.


    ¡°Cira¡¯s just kidding.¡± She chuckled and gave him a nudge.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Cira gave him an assured nod, ¡°you¡¯re critical to this stage of the plan.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± He wasn¡¯t convinced.


    The docks were built to receive large orders of metal on a daily basis, so they were able to get close enough for Cira to conjure a short dock and everybody made it over. She had everybody wait a moment then ran downstairs to the mooring bay. Once she was inside the door, she placed her hand on a glyph inscribed on the wall and channeled mana into it.


    A hole on the opposite side opened up, giving Cira a view of the New Shore District from just below the upper dock. In the daylight she could see her skiff docked up against a platform with its shiny new magic circles. This was one of the things Cira stayed up late to work on, as it was also an integral part of the plan now, unfortunately. She had already loaded it up with everything she¡¯d need to finish out her contract with Pappy, assuming everything went well.


    She rose above the railing to rejoin her companions, ¡°Hop in if you want. Should fit through most doors.¡±


    Nanri happily obliged taking her usual seat behind her, then the rest felt like they had to, or they¡¯d be left behind. The witch looked back at Breeze Haven, ¡°You¡¯re not just going to leave it there, right? We¡¯ve been missing the times when cargo ships come to drop off materials, but they¡¯ll see it if it¡¯s here for long.¡±


    ¡°Of course not. Breeze Haven, return!¡± The island began slowly floating away, ¡°We¡¯ll be taking a different way back.¡±


    ¡°No way, it can do that?!¡± Nanri was amazed.


    Lomp, not so much, ¡°Is that going back to Uren? What if it hits another ship on its way in?!¡±


    Cira cocked her head, ¡°Why would it do that?¡±


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s all this metal for?¡± Kate cut in, refusing to be impressed.


    It had been nearly a week since Nanri moved any Titanium, and it had really built up. Generally, they would load it as low as possible to expand down, but there were only so many docks. Cira was also looking at Nanri who seemed hesitant to answer.


    She looked down and shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t know anymore¡­¡±


    However, soon they were within the walls of the New Shore District. Any good will Cira had built with Kate probably went straight out the window as they passed the endless hallway of prison cells. The faint glow of luminescent moss lit her face, and one could see her taking no effort to hide the disgust. The builder noticeably hung her head in shame.


    Cira wanted to say something, but no words came. There was no denying what she built, and it wasn¡¯t possible to justify her ignorance, no matter how much she¡¯d reflected. The sorcerer was never one to lie to make someone feel better, so the only thing she could think of was to take Nanri¡¯s hand as a comforting gesture. Wait, this is weird thing to do, isn¡¯t it? She¡¯s not my daughter.


    The witch looked up and gave her a troubled smile, which Cira reflected before awkwardly letting go and returning to steer the boat.


    Triton got bored of looking around with wide eyes and started messing with the sail, ¡°Seriously, what the hell have you done to my boat? What is this sail even made of?¡±


    ¡°Let go of that!¡± Cira shot him a glare, ¡°I bet you would like to know what it¡¯s made of.¡±


    ¡°Oh, come on, I¡¯m a changed man! Look at me!¡± he held up his spear, letting the sleeves of his cloak hang down. Admittedly, the four of them looked like the founding members of a strange cult.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Perhaps I should have spent more time on aesthetics.¡±


    Soon they had made it to the last door and Cira molded it open just enough to slip through, revealing the busy city lights.


    ¡°Holy crap!¡± Triton stood up, ¡°We¡¯re in Nymphus!¡±


    His prison buddy also couldn¡¯t contain her wonder as she stared up at thousands of dreamy light artifacts, ¡°I¡¯ve never been here before¡­¡± The bustle of the city could be heard, and they saw people pass by down through an alleyway, illuminated by the pavement¡¯s glow. The door behind them was on the furthest side of the city against the cavern¡¯s wall.


    Cira took them towards the street, following a particular scent that could not be ignored. Nay, once a sorcerer decides her path, she must not waver. This is how it was, and how it always will be.


    ¡°Where are we going? I thought we needed prima salt.¡± Nanri asked.


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    Turning back, Cira replied with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s a good time to stop for lunch.¡±


    It hadn¡¯t been nearly as long as the elevator would have taken, but nobody objected. They took the boat down the road as it had plenty of room. People cleared the path as they did in Uren, but it was for much different reason than fear of witches. Many of them had tears in their eyes or bowed, expressing their gratitude to the ¡®Holy Spring Witch¡¯ or the ¡®Salty Saint Witch¡¯.


    Her fruitless endeavors in Uru had spread, which frustrated her to no end. Nobody was cured and then she left. Then combined with those that witnessed the stampede, she found a simple trip down the street to be incredibly uncomfortable.


    ¡°Wow, you sure are popular here, Witch.¡± Kate said sardonically.


    Cira just rolled her eyes, but Nanri lit up, ¡°You should have seen her! There was a stampede, and she saved the whole city! Not a single person died! She even made all the nymphs go away!¡±


    ¡°Not all of them¡­¡± Cira muttered, looking over at the gem on her shoulder. Nina stared back then fluttered out onto the bow.


    ¡°The hell?!¡± Chip shouted. ¡°You have a pet nymph?!¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t seen her yet? Nina is my friend.¡± She smiled at the nymph. Hey, I do have a friend! I can¡¯t take her away from the salt though¡­ Her smile fell temporarily until they arrived at a food stand in the center of town.


    Unbeknownst to Cira, this establishment was famous across the Gandeux skies. Their storefront was one of the biggest in town and stood right behind the stall. On top of the sparkling building there was a bright, flashing worm. Salt was easy to buy from afar, but this was where open-minded nobles from all down the Boreal went to get Mephisto¡¯s World Famous Wormwich.


    The ones her and Nanri made just couldn¡¯t compare, so she pulled the skiff right up to his stall.


    ¡°Oh, Saintess, it¡¯s an honor to serve you my wormwiches! They¡¯re on the house.¡± While dressed much nicer, this old man didn¡¯t look far off from Pappy, but his accent was clear. Still, this man had a glint in his eye like he¡¯d toiled a century just for the opportunity to give his wormwiches to Cira.


    ¡°Sir, please allow me to pay,¡± she held up a hand, ¡°I intend to purchase a lot.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t hear it.¡± He said in a surprisingly stern tone, ¡°if it weren¡¯t for you, I¡¯d have died in the street.¡±


    In the end, she only asked for fourteen sandwiches. Two for everyone sounded fair to her. Don¡¯t be fooled¡ªthat¡¯s a lot of food, not that the proprietor minded. She secretly hoped she¡¯d end up with a few halves at the end. The old man yelled back to the restaurant and hardly ten minutes later, Cira had a huge platter of food.


    She thanked the man profusely and on their way out, she used magic to sneak a mithril doubloon onto his table for him to notice next time he looked down.


    One of her side pouches today was full of goodies from Breeze Haven¡¯s treasury, for the plan required treasure at a couple points to ensure success.


    They rose above the city and her passengers were once again dazzled. Cira, too, still enjoyed it. Descending from the Last Step before, she was certain her view of Nymphus would sour, but of all places on the rock, it wasn¡¯t bad. She took a bite of her current favorite reason, but the bed she¡¯d slept in was better than Breeze Haven¡¯s. Cira tried not to think about it, but she knew it would keep her awake at night as she eventually made it back to the Boreal.


    This city was also where she met Nanri, who turned into a surprisingly pleasant companion. She was one of Earth Vein¡¯s dreaded witches, but she had a kind heart and was eager to learn. Cira could brag about her father to her. They had even gotten to do magic and make potions together, broken into the forbidden archive together.


    But it was so much fun¡­ She couldn¡¯t help but think that. I really hope she forgives me if we meet again one day.


    They made it outside the city and Cira brought them. She got out, pulling the orichalcum staff out of her ring. She tapped it on the ground a couple of times with a focused look before walking away to repeat the process in a few different spots.


    ¡°Uhhh,¡± Triton looked at her, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Watch and learn, smuggler.¡± The boat started drifting towards her accompanied by five confused faces. She put one leg up to step onto it, reclaiming her seat at the miniature helm. The pale blue ring of Conduit floated above Cira to help her let go of the Orichalcum and have it hover to the side. ¡°How long did you spend crawling around in that cave?¡±


    ¡°Two days¡­ and I wasn¡¯t crawling¡ª!¡± They felt a tremor and Triton grabbed onto the boat with a start.


    A circle formed in the paved stone beneath them before gradually lowering. At the same time a wall raised around the hole for safety. Wouldn¡¯t want anyone to get curious.


    There was a small commotion, but Cira sat there with a smug grin. This continued for about twenty minutes until they were well into darkness. She had to cast Lamplight to see, ¡°Okay, I admit. This is taking longer than I expected.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s all this salt going, anyway?¡± Lomp asked, ¡°You¡¯re not dumping it off the bottom of the island, are you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s condensing to the sides,¡± Cira clacked her staff against it, and sharp sound like metal on metal echoed.


    ¡°And you¡¯re going to fix it when you¡¯re done, right?¡±


    She only offered him a sidelong stare before the grinding abruptly stopped, plunging them into a darkness so deep her Lamplight couldn¡¯t reach. So, to remedy the situation she conjured her signature blue sun.


    The entire chamber burst with blue light, revealing thousands of nymphs.


    ¡°God dammit, Witch, are you serious?!¡± Triton had a foot up on the side and his hands planted firmly on his head in disbelief.


    ¡°Heh.¡± Cira brought the skiff down a path it once travelled to the bottom of the nymph queen¡¯s nest. ¡°My, look at all this prima salt. I¡¯ve got just the thing.¡±


    A nondescript, regular looking wooden barrel appeared on the ground. The lid magically popped off and spun around on the ground like a coin before falling.


    Most looked at her with exasperation. Then the wind picked up and a ball of mana formed above the barrel. The sound of dust blowing around got louder as more accumulated. Soon, the gale had become violent storm twisting around them. They were within a cyclone of salt that ripped through the air, drowning out the confused voices. Nymphs started blowing in and looked like they were having fun riding it like a current.


    Once the white veil had encompassed them completely, it all started flowing into the barrel, like it was being sucked down a drain. Cira had to be careful to push the nymphs away, but this only took a few minutes until the wind died down. Cira waved her hand and the lid plopped back onto the barrel. She lifted it up and set it down right in the center of the skiff.


    ¡°Sadly, I can¡¯t put it back in the ring.¡± She lamented.


    ¡°Are you crazy?!¡± Lomp cried.


    ¡°Oh, she¡¯s definitely insane.¡± Kate agreed.


    ¡°No, I mean, you can¡¯t just take all that! Earth Vein is going to be pissed!¡± He was pulling his hair out, ¡°You¡¯re no better than a smuggler!¡±


    ¡°I disagree on all counts.¡± Cira stated, ¡°Isn¡¯t this place off limits? They¡¯ll never know, then everyone will be saved. It¡¯s a win, win. Now let¡¯s get back.¡±


    They were still on the paved Nymphus circle, so she brought the whole thing back up, extinguishing the blue sun and slowly rising back into the darkness. Nobody else seemed to notice the chorus of little wings flapping in their wake.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it¡­¡± Triton slumped back, ¡°How much does that even hold? We shouldn¡¯t be able to fly with all that.¡±


    ¡°As much mana as I can put out in one sitting and it¡¯s as heavy as an empty barrel,¡± she took a bottle out of her pocket and drank it, ¡°I don¡¯t know if goes by weight or volume though.¡±


    ¡°I thought you were a witch¡­?¡± Kate looked at her with frustrated confusion, ¡°And you¡¯re stealing from Earth Vein?¡±


    Nanri held a finger up and cut in with her usual cheery tone, ¡°But she¡¯s not just any witch!¡±


    In the dim light, Cira didn¡¯t notice that Nanri¡¯s smile was somewhat conflicted this time, ¡°Now who¡¯s ready to hunt ghosts?¡± Her gaze was on the darkness above.

 43 - The Last Step

    From the salty depths they rose until the pavement of Nymphus was restored to its original state. It wasn¡¯t far from there to the hole in the ceiling and Cira had her head craned up looking at it.


    ¡°What¡¯s your plan now?¡± Lomp asked. ¡°We don¡¯t exactly have climbing gear for when you leave.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably best if I just turn the whole thing into a staircase, right?¡± The orichalcum staff floated in front of her and salt burst through the stone bricks, then bubbled into a towering spiral staircase around them. As it grew, Cira made the skiff rise.


    The staircase was made of high-density salt compacted to the limit Cira could muster. It had railing of course so nobody would plummet to their death. A staircase also fell down from the top and when the two met, continued up, molding steps into the walls of the Last Step.


    ¡°You can¡¯t possibly mean to do this the entire way up.¡± Glasses doubted her.


    ¡°Of course. How else will they get to the ghosts?¡± They passed a few different tunnels along the walls and Cira marked each one with a little pillar or formed a bridge to the ones that could be walked into. They were easier to spot from below, as some were tucked behind rocks. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to stay behind, though? You have zero protection against the spirits.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± His face said that it was not fine, ¡°I have to keep an eye on you if Lomp is going to be busy.¡±


    The trip was going swell. Lomp estimated they were about half-way to the top, and there were a great many passages to hopefully find ghosts in. Cira was snacking on extra sandwiches as geomancing a ten-mile staircase was taxing work. She had everything going for her in terms of mana efficiency, with the salt surrounding them and the best staff in the sky for this application. Still, she had burned through a few handfuls of Earth Vein¡¯s potions on her way.


    Chip kept the crew in somewhat lively conversation, and nobody was taking the situation too seriously. This continued for a while until Cira heard something she¡¯d been waiting for.


    Tink.     Tink.      Tink.


    Lomp immediately went pale and was met only with Cira¡¯s cheeky grin. The glyphs on Triton¡¯s hat were glowing, and his head was on a swivel with an uneasy look. It took a while for the others to catch on, but Chip was the first to say anything, ¡°Is somebody really mining this far down?¡±


    ¡°Sure is,¡± Cira replied casually, ¡°should we go see if he needs a lift?¡±


    He thought about it for a moment, ¡°That¡¯s reasonable, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Chip,¡± the ever-discouraging Lomp spoke from under his ashen cloak, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her. It¡¯s a ghost.¡±


    She sighed, ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? It¡¯s not the first one anybody¡¯s ever seen.¡±


    The ghostly pickaxe got louder as Cira brought them around an alcove, revealing the entrance to a passageway. It was too small, so she made a ledge and set the boat down. After dismounting she paused for a moment to look at her nervous passengers.


    ¡°I trust you¡¯re all ready?¡± They looked apprehensive at best. Even Kate couldn¡¯t manage her usual glare. After staring at them for a minute or two, Triton cracked under the pressure and got out.


    ¡°Come on guys, don¡¯t make me do this by myself¡­¡±


    ¡°You all are stronger as a team anyway.¡± Cira lent him a hand, but they were still slow to exit the boat. She held her lantern out menacingly, ¡°I¡¯ll summon one right here.¡±


    Finally, they all got out, huddling behind the frightened spearman. Last of all was Glasses, who found himself at the back of the crowd. Cira was starting to wish she¡¯d left him against his wishes, and decided she would let him get good and spooked before wasting any mana on him.


    Cira led the way with her lantern and entered the tunnel. The pickaxe swings were intermittent but continued still. The air was musty yet dry and colder than anywhere outside. She felt the faintly wafting death mana as she approached and turned around. They could sense it too, except for Glasses it seemed. He was just as stiff though.


    She made sure it was still mining and put up a quick sound barrier, ¡°I believe our first catch is just around the corner. Now, who wants to take point on this one?¡± She was met with blank stares, save for the eager Nanri holding her silver wand. She started walking up, but Cira held out a hand to stop her, ¡°Sorry, I know you¡¯re capable enough. You can help out once they¡¯re settled in.¡±


    The witch looked a little bummed out but nodded and stepped aside. Cira looked between her four exorcists back and forth until one broke. Triton stepped forward with shaky legs, holding his spear up, ¡°I¡¯ll do it. Lomp and Chip, you should get behind me. Boomerang girl, stay in the back.¡±


    Boomerang girl was offended, ¡°I¡¯m Kate, you oaf. And why should I be in the back? I¡¯m not scared or anything¡­¡±


    Triton laughed, ¡°It¡¯s because you have a ranged weapon, but thanks for letting us know.¡±


    As the girl turned red, seeing them get along brough a smile to Cira¡¯s face. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ll make an alright leader, now let¡¯s see it.¡± She scooted him along and shushed everyone before dropping the barrier.


    Triton unsteadily crept forward into the dark tunnel, leaving her behind. She gestured the others along and they timidly followed, lighting the way with a glyph embroidered on each of their hats. After nudging Glasses and Nanri along, she followed the group from behind.


    They travelled for a few minutes until reaching a turn and Triton stopped in his tracks.


    ¡°What is it¡ª¡± Kate asked, only to be violently shushed by the others. She bumped into them, then scoffed, ¡°Whatever, how bad can it be?¡±


    Her voice was unsteady, but she was putting on an act for some reason. All the same, Cira was glad to see someone taking initiative. She walked past Triton then froze, her eyes shooting open.


    What¡¯s the problem? I know the enchantments are good. It¡¯s just fear, but produced organically instead of magically. She should be fine. Cira did her research.


    ¡°Wh-what¡¯s wrong with that thing?!¡± Kate cried.


    ¡°WHYYYYYYY?!¡± A ghoulish voice echoed through the tunnel, ¡°WHAT DO YOU WAAAAANT?!¡±


    The two in front slunk back, but Cira could hear something being dragged across the ground coming closer.


    ¡°Why is it moving like that¡­? How?¡± Kate¡¯s voice shook.


    Hmm, guess I¡¯ll give it a look. Cira stepped closer as the others shied away.


    ¡°WHY ARE YOU HEEEEERE?!¡± The voice boomed.


    ¡°Stay away!¡± Triton at least had his weapon ready. He frantically started shouting his holy spell, ¡°¡­grant this pitiful one power¡ªwait dammit!¡± He got it right after a couple tries by the time Cira made it to the front. Holy flames formed around the spirit who looked about the same as the last one, just dragging a pickaxe behind in a faded and tattered orange jumpsuit. A broken headlamp hung loosely around its neck. The black band Cira wore on her head protected her from any mental effects and she was able to observe it closely this time.


    She couldn¡¯t classify it as any manner of aberrant spirit, this one and the last were just strays. Their form was comprised of their last memories, and any movement they made otherwise was unfamiliar to them and didn¡¯t look natural. Ghostly half-bent legs shambled in place within the encircling holy flame as it almost seemed to drag its hunched torso along, neck bent to the side. The spirit stared at her with deep confusion and an anger that could never be quelled.


    ¡°WHYYYYYY?!¡± It roared.


    ¡°Hyah!¡± Kate took a step forward and unleashed her boomerang. It made a clean arch right through the spirit¡¯s neck.


    ¡°AHHHHHH!!!¡± It cried in agony before dissolving into light.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± Triton said, ¡°That was pretty easy.¡±


    ¡°I told you.¡± Cira said, pulling a pouch from her waist and throwing it at him, ¡°I made one of these for each of you last night. I figured you needed a better way to collect the aetherium than just a broom and dustpan. Just open it up facing the ghost¡¯s remains.¡± He did as instructed and the glittering blue dust floated into the satchel like the salt in the barrel earlier. ¡°They were really hard to make, so I hope you appreciate them. They¡¯ll hold about a barrel¡¯s worth a piece, but they use a little of the aetherium¡¯s mana to operate. I figured the time you save should more than make up for that though.¡±


    ¡°Was that really it?¡± Chip asked.


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    ¡°That was kind of depressing¡­¡± Lomp agreed.


    ¡°And this is why we¡¯ve prepared.¡± Cira¡¯s smug grin outshined her lantern. ¡°Now it will be better if you can operate in groups of two. Personally, I think Kate and Triton have good synergy with their abilities, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to split the magic up. Maybe Kate and Lomp so each team can retain a polearm as well? I¡¯ll let you four decide though.¡±


    The room ahead of them had two passageways on the far side. Cira¡¯s headband allowed her to see the blatant spectral trail and it seemed Triton had activated his own hat. A frown formed on his face, but he was thinking about the problem at hand, ¡°As much as I¡¯d like to trap ghosts from afar and watch this girl cut their heads off all day, I have to agree about splitting the magic up. If the other team¡¯s lives depended on escaping, that could mean the difference.¡±


    ¡°A fair point,¡± She agreed.


    ¡°The wife¡¯ll be mad if I¡¯m on the girl¡¯s team.¡± Chip added.


    Kate looked disgusted, ¡°Excuse you?! And just what do you think would happen if we were on a team?!¡±


    ¡°Angry wife.¡± He shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s enough for me.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s decided. Kate, you¡¯ll be on this absolute gentleman¡¯s team,¡± He motioned to Lomp, ¡°and Chip will be with Triton. Nanri, take those two down the left and make sure nothing gets out of hand. I¡¯ll take Lomp and the girl. Glasses, choose wisely.¡±


    The odd man out had only quivered in the hallway, not even setting eyes on the ghost.


    Nanri was glad to be relied on again with a seemingly important task. They agreed to meet at the boat in four hours. Cira distributed the aetherium pouches and led her team down the hall. Kate didn¡¯t have much to say to Lomp and vice versa. Lomp ended up assuming one of the many roles he¡¯d taken on from days prior, the tour guide, ¡°This tunnel might be leading us into the Dark Stratum.¡±


    Cira replied ponderously, ¡°If the spirits stay around this area, there must be something drawing them in or keeping them here¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you getting at?¡± The guide was suspicious.


    ¡°Just thinking out loud. Maybe don¡¯t venture too deep into this place in your future endeavors, if possible. If there¡¯s a well of death mana or something similar, even you should be able to feel it from a mile away. Nothing to worry much about.¡±


    Before long they heard something scraping along the salt. They stopped for a moment, and it got louder. Her two exorcists stood with their breath held, but for their credit, they fell into a formation. Glasses just hid behind Cira.


    The narrow hall would be difficult to use a throwing weapon in, but Lomp stood between the thief and any threat.


    Soon the sound had reached just up the bend. They waited until they could see it approaching. Just like the other, this spirit dragged a pickaxe. It groaned with each step and hadn¡¯t noticed them yet. All of a sudden Cira was startled by a piercing screech from behind.


    ¡°AHHHHHH!!¡± It was glasses losing his mind. He cradled his head and fell to the ground in a fetal position.


    ¡°Quiet!¡± Lomp chided. The ghost looked right at them and stopped. After a few more seconds, it just groaned and continued walking toward them. The muscles in Lomp¡¯s arms tensed up and he readied the spear. Kate looked like she was going to try an overhand swing if the time came, but the narrow hallway wasn¡¯t working in her favor.


    The ghost got closer still until it was a mere ten feet away. It didn¡¯t pay them any further mind, but kept getting closer, just following the path. Its groans were exhausted and listless. It was just out of arms reach when Lomp took one step, thrusting his bident out.


    ¡°Hyah!¡± The wound burst with light.


    ¡°GIYAHHHHHHH!!¡± The spirit experienced a moment of torment before Lomp collected its remains.


    ¡°Cira¡­ this is much easier than you let on.¡± The man didn¡¯t look like he was enjoying the experience by any means.


    ¡°I kept trying to tell you, I was overpreparing you for a reason. I¡¯ll have a better idea soon, but you¡¯ll have to hunt thousands of spirits over the next few years.¡±


    ¡°Thousands?!¡± Kate said, ¡°Is that even possible?¡±


    Lomp¡¯s face creased into a frown, ¡°I really hope there¡¯s enough¡­¡±


    ¡°Before we keep going, I need to come up with a solution for this fool.¡± She looked disapprovingly at the crumpled emissary of the overseer. He hyperventilated on the ground, curled up. With a sigh, Cira pulled a small bottle full of dark liquid out of one of her pouches and shook the man, ¡°Hey! Drink this.¡±


    After coaxing it down his throat, he gagged and tried spitting it out, but eventually started to calm down, ¡°Wha¡­ what was that?¡±


    ¡°Dimnut Mind Tincture. But sit tight while I make you a more permanent solution.¡±


    Summoning a Lamplight to better see, she called on her father¡¯s staff again to conjure a workbench and began molding an object out of salt. The others watched curiously as she formed a hollow cone with an open bottom and sharp point. She was crafting a hat. For the most important step, she pulled an orichalcum needle out of her pocket.


    Kate looked at her aghast, ¡°How much damn orichalcum do you have, Witch?! First the clock and the staff, do you just carry that around in your pocket?¡±


    ¡°My father left most of it for me,¡± Cira shrugged, ¡°And besides, there¡¯s no better material for an artificing needle. It will never wear down and the nature of orichalcum means it won¡¯t be stained with mana over the years. A bit tricky to enchant without another orichalcum needle, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°Whatever, I don¡¯t care about that!¡± Kate cut her off, ¡°If your dad¡¯s so rich, why isn¡¯t he here helping you out, huh? I bet he¡¯s just more Gandeux trash isn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    Lomp frantically clamped a hand over her mouth, ¡°You idiot!¡± He turned only to wither in the path of Cira¡¯s cold glare. While a little slow, even Kate could connect the dots as she received the full fury behind Cira¡¯s eyes. She gulped and stumbled back.


    Nobody had ever insulted Gazen to her face before. Sure, this girl was off the mark, but Cira was livid. She wanted to berate her, scream her head off, but that wouldn¡¯t do. She was hiding her identity, so it was a perfectly fair assumption to make. But Cira found her feelings wounded, like the girl had stabbed her in the heart. Not being able to do anything made the frustration build up and she wanted to cry.


    Glasses shrunk back while the two looked increasingly fearful, Lomp going so far as to shield the girl, which only made her feel worse. Cira sighed, ¡°Both of you go away for a minute.¡±


    They obliged and timidly backed up before scuttling around a corner. Continuing work on the hat, she finished the inscribing the glyphs and started the finishing touches, ¡°Assholes¡­ is it so unreasonable that I can be pissed without turning someone to ash?¡± She handed it to Mr. Glasses.


    ¡°Er- no, that seems pretty reasonable,¡± He warily took the hat, ¡°Why does it say ¡®Dunce¡¯ on it?¡±


    ¡°I was in a much better mood and thought it was funny.¡± She replied matter-of-factly. ¡°It will protect your mind, ward off ghosts if you can muster the mana, and in a pinch the point has the same effect as their weapons. It will never fall off unless you take it off.¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­¡± He looked at it with great uncertainty, ¡°thanks¡­?¡±


    They caught up with the other two and continued down the path quietly for a few minutes. Kate awkwardly looked up to Cira, ¡°I¡¯m, uh¡­ sorry about your dad¡­¡± Presumably Lomp had filled her in to some degree.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know.¡± The sorcerer waved her off.


    They kept going like this for another hour, finding a few more ghosts along the way. They were all dragging a pickaxe or wandering around in the same mining gear. No anomalies, just a bunch of sullen strays. Lomp slowly brought the mood back around with fun facts about the Dark Stratum as they delved closer to it.


    Not even the ancients liked to tread there, but their rituals sometimes involved guiding spirits. The lowest of the three levels used to be one of their cities until dark stratum took it over. This brought Cira back into the conversation as all sorts of ominous possibilities came to mind with those words and she couldn¡¯t take on any more work, ¡°What about the nymphs?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll rarely see them anywhere near the Dark Stratum. They seem to avoid spirits, maybe they can sense them.¡±


    ¡°Insteresting¡­ Nina?¡± There was no response from the watery sapphire on her shoulder. ¡°I guess she¡¯s been hidden this whole time.¡±


    Eventually their path let out into a larger cavern where Cira could see spectral traces all around, ¡°This is perfect. Kate, you have more mana, so why don¡¯t you try to track our next one down?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± She looked at Cira blankly before following her gaze to the hat on her head. ¡°Oh¡­ Oh! Right.¡±


    There were tracks all over the walls and throughout the room. ¡°They¡¯ll be brighter the more recent they are.¡±


    ¡°This is the Dark Stratum¡­¡± Lomp said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t sense anything weird nearby. We¡¯ll just find a few more then start heading back.¡±


    There were torn down walkways here and remnants of something built out of the salt. Nothing she recognized as the ancients¡¯ design. Unless this was before they discovered brinstahl, it must have belonged to an even older civilization.


    Kate led them over a broken bridge then down some rocks. Since they split paths, Cira had been leaving a conjured wire behind so they wouldn¡¯t lose their way, but they had travelled quite some distance. She figured they passed a couple but wanted to let the girl try.


    ¡°Hey Lomp, who built this place?¡± Cira asked.


    ¡°Beats me.¡± He shrugged.


    Finally, Kate found their next catch. This was the first one of the day that wasn¡¯t dressed in miner¡¯s clothes. More like a village garb, just plain cloth dress. She sat in a chair and looked off into a dark chasm.


    The spirit didn¡¯t bat an eye as the group approached. Lomp was apprehensive about taking this one out, ¡°Do we really have to¡ª"


    A boomerang sliced through the absent woman¡¯s neck and her body disappeared into a cloud of dust.


    ¡°Look at all that!¡± Cira cried, ¡°That¡¯s half as much as old Yl¡¯Gad gave me. You guys might want to come down here more often. Just avoid the middle layer.¡± She added as offhandedly as she could.


    They collected it and kept hunting ghosts. Most were in a similar state, but if not for their aetherium, Cira could tell they were older just by how listless they all were. Most of them didn¡¯t have a clue, and the ones that noticed them seemed to welcome the end.


    After a point she led the group back. Cira figured she got the timing well enough because they only had to wait on Nanri¡¯s team for five minutes.


    ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late!¡± She said when she saw them.


    ¡°You¡¯re right on time. How¡¯d it go?¡± She leaned back in her seat to hear the report.


    ¡°No problems. These two were both pretty capable on their own once they got used to it.¡±


    Triton wore a proud smile, but Chip looked bashful, ¡°It¡¯s not like we had to do much¡­ Half the time they just stood there and took it. I really started to feel bad for ¡®em at the end.¡±


    Cira got the boat moving, ascending while building the staircase again, ¡°I feel bad too, but there¡¯s no other way¡­¡±


    It took them another hour to reach the top. Cira set the skiff down on the true last step, where her and Lomp rappelled down from.


    ¡°So¡­¡± Cira was visibly upset, but nobody could place their finger on why this time. ¡°This boat wards off spirits now¡­¡±


    ¡°And?¡± Lomp asked.


    She shot him a glare, ¡°And I figured you¡¯d never get enough aetherium if you had to walk up and down stairs every day¡­¡±


    ¡°And¡­?¡± Lomp asked.


    Her glare intensified, but Triton stepped in, voice dripping with excitement ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re leaving us my boat?!¡±


    ¡°I am saying,¡± Cira¡¯s voice grew stern, ¡°That I am leaving you my boat at great personal cost because that is what must be done for the cure to be successful.¡±


    He spent a few moments melting under her glare until Nanri threw him a lifeline, ¡°My, and she even spent so much time working on it. You should really thank her.¡± Triton awkwardly followed directions and Cira grunted, looking away. Nanri turned to her, ¡°If you¡¯re leaving the boat here, what¡¯s your next move?¡±


    ¡°I have some investigations to do in Uru. Could you supervise them for another few hours? Once they¡¯re worn out for the day, meet me there and we¡¯ll get to work on the first batch.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Nanri was a little disappointed to split up again, but she nodded, ¡°You can count on me! We¡¯ll see you in a few hours, then.¡± She gave her a sincere enough smile.


    Now it¡¯s time to move onto the real last step: Finding the deritium.


    ¡°Ah, just a moment!¡± The last man scuttled out of the boat, ¡°I¡¯ll come with you!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Glasses.¡± Her orbiting orichalcum glowed, ¡°Can¡¯t have you obstructing my investigation.¡±


    A wall of salt rose from the ground, separating Cira from the others.

 44 - Undercover Swashbuckling

    Finding the river to Uru wasn¡¯t a difficult task, but Cira was regretting giving up her boat for the greater good. After the excruciating boredom settled, she ended up enhancing herself with magic and running the rest of the way there. It still took a couple hours and Cira was exhausted. By her estimate the artificial stars of Nymphus hadn¡¯t yet risen, but Uru looked the same as always.


    She looked down on the endless night from above and contemplated the best way to get down. The stairs were not an option, she¡¯d already come too far. That said, she couldn¡¯t find too extravagant a solution. If a giant salt ramp appeared, the citizens may panic as they did when she moved Breeze Haven to Uren. Standing out was not in the cards for her today. Not yet at least.


    In fact, she¡¯d prepared an outfit for this occasion, as any sorcerer of moderate caliber would. This time she wouldn¡¯t look like a sorcerer at all. While she didn¡¯t like wrinkling her clothes, she had a few outfits stuffed into her bag of holding¡ªthis worked like the barrel but was much smaller.


    She threw up a salt screen in case any nosy ghosts wanted a show, then changed out of the haunted robes and into a pair of tight, dark pants with tall leather boots and a white blouse. Of course, she had multiple leather belts with plenty of buckles, including a leather corset. She wore a flowing red sash around her waist and over it all was a thick coat. On her head was a tall, black hat with a wide, tattered brim that folded in the middle¡ªone that the owner of a pirate ship might wear. For added effect she put a skull and crossbones on the front.


    How would a strapping young pirate lady get down there? She would have a glider on her back, or rappel down with a grappling hook. That¡¯s it.


    Cira had to hide Conduit and her father¡¯s staff, but Aquon could stay on her hand. She moved the hidden jewel inside her coat so Nina was out of sight. With just a little bit of mana, she conjured a saber at her side to complete the image. Then, a hook in her hand with a rope-like cable that shot out the backside.


    ¡°Here we go!¡± Staying in character, she jumped off the cliff and spun around, tossing her grapple at the edge as she fell. It hooked on easily because she used geomancy to cheat, but no one would know unless she told them. Cira deftly rappelled down as the rope just kept extending, following one of the many staircases down.


    On her way she noticed somebody far below that seemed to be going down the stairs. Getting closer, she noticed it to be a woman with dark hair who looked up with confusion. She slowed until she was parallel and looked her in the eyes, ¡°¡¯Ello, love!¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ Cira?¡± The woman had long eye lashes and blinked them in confusion. She had a face like a painting, ¡°Is that you? What are you doing? And what even was that?¡±


    Cira shrugged, which was a full body gesture when one¡¯s hanging from the wall and didn¡¯t quite get the message across, ¡°A pirate said it to me once. I¡¯m not sure what it means.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see¡­¡± Delilah masked her confusion quickly, ¡°So are you a pirate now¡­? What brings you to Uru?¡±


    ¡°No, no, still a sorcerer. I have to mingle with degenerates to find what I¡¯m searching for, but there was one other thing I came here to find.¡±


    ¡°Oh? And what would that be?¡± Her expression was just a little uneasy.


    ¡°You, of course!¡± Cira smiled.


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Her long eyelashes fluttered again, and she started to look embarrassed.


    ¡°Want to show me around town like you promised?¡±


    ___


    I wonder whatever happened to that witch¡­ Delilah absently wondered as she made her way back home. It¡¯s a shame I¡¯ll probably never see her again.


    She sighed. Daydreams were one thing, but she knew the woman was far above her. A lofty witch who probably just saw her as part of the rabble. She was a peerless beauty who had the air that she could do anything. Delilah was just your average small-town girl from the depths. Her fate was to wander around the caves until she was withered and brittle.


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    It was unclear what she wanted from the witch, but it was hard not to be restless after seeing such a distant star shining so bright through the endless night she¡¯d known for years. She looked down to the bag at her waist and let out another sigh. It bulged, stuffed full of herbs.


    Today was good¡ªI found more than I usually do in a week. So why doesn¡¯t that make me happy like it used to? I would skip home whistling a tune and rush in the door to show Father how well I¡¯d done. How many more hundreds of times will I have days like this?


    It helped the people of Uru. A lot of people actually relied on Delilah¡¯s work, as they did her mother¡¯s¡ªa woman who spent well over a hundred years picking herbs in the catacombs and turning them into medicine. She died with a smile on her face. Can I? I feel more useless by the day as plague victims pile up. Even if this passes, won¡¯t that just make me more useless? I help the people of Uru avoid the common cold. What a pitiful purpose.


    Delilah was walking home to bring one more mere day out of countless more to a close. Tomorrow she¡¯d awaken and head right back up the stairs to do it again. She was going to let out another sigh when a strange noise from above caught her attention, then a few pebbles of salt fell beside her. As she looked up something was sliding down the sheer cliff face.


    That¡¯s a person¡­ Dark colors with red. Is that a saber?! Pirates! I have to warn Father! Delilah started panicking and was about to run when she saw the pirate slow down. She was being targeted, and running wouldn¡¯t help. She started shaking as the pirate stopped to face her.


    ¡°¡¯Ello, Love!¡±


    No way¡­ She couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. It¡¯s her. But why? ¡°Um¡­ Cira?¡±


    The witch was dressed like a pirate, boldly wearing a hat that made her look like some captain from up the Noose. It made no sense to Delilah. She wracked her brain but couldn¡¯t think of a reason the witch would dress up like that and appear sliding down the walls of Uru.


    ¡°I have to mingle with degenerates to find what I¡¯m searching for, but there was one other thing I came here to find.¡± The witch had a playful smile on her lips. Just the other day she had spoken of looking for a cure and healed everyone in Uru before disappearing just as quickly.


    Even with her explanation I don¡¯t get it. But it makes sense that she¡¯s here to accomplish something so far over my head. She¡¯s off curing the plague and saving the island. I couldn¡¯t help her find what she¡¯s looking for if I tried, but I am curious. ¡°Oh? And what would that be?¡± She just wanted a little taste of excitement before returning to her boring eternity.


    ¡°You, of course!¡± The witch smiled at her, and it was so dazzling it nearly threw Delilah off her feet. Her piercing green eyes held none of the hopelessness and despair she¡¯d grown accustomed to in Uru. ¡°Want to show me around town like you promised?¡±


    The dreary girl was dumbstruck, ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re looking for me?¡±


    ¡°You told me to come find you, didn¡¯t you?¡± Cira said these words like it was the most natural thing in the world.


    ¡°Oh,¡± She managed, ¡°I suppose I did say that. I was just heading down.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great, come on!¡± The witch raised her palm up and Delilah felt her feet lift off the ground. She managed a yelp before feeling an arm wrap around her and hold on tight. ¡°And down we go!¡±


    ¡°Ahhh!¡± Delilah screamed for a couple hundred feet, her hair blowing straight up. In the midst of their plummeting, she looked over and saw the witch¡¯s golden hair that shimmered like dawn¡¯s light, denying all reason and resting perfectly on her shoulders, as if she¡¯d just visited the salon before jumping off a cliff. Her beauty was out of place nestled in the grungy pirate garb, but her smile was too radiant to complain. Delilah thought she looked lovely.


    ¡°And we¡¯re down!¡± Laughed Cira, ¡°Sorry, I had to. You looked so dreadfully bored when I found you.¡±


    Delilah caught her breath and couldn¡¯t help from joining her in a laugh. Her face was lifted up in a natural smile and she¡¯d gone red. From all the excitement, that must be it.


    ¡°So¡­¡± She nervously asked, ¡°What do you need little ol¡¯ me for?¡±


    ¡°No need to rush,¡± Cira waved her off, ¡°We can talk once we¡¯ve found a place to drink. All this salt has made me quite thirsty, yargh!¡± She made a hook with her finger and leaned into it.


    This made the homely Uru herbalist chuckle bashfully, ¡°I¡¯m not so sure you¡¯re going to fool anyone like that. Do you mind if I stop at home to change first? I¡¯ve got to get out of these clothes.¡± She picked at her shirt. It stuck to her arm with sweat, and she frowned.


    She doesn¡¯t seem to have noticed how disgusting I am right now. I bet she¡¯s immune to it. This is a stroke of luck.


    ¡°I understand you likely don¡¯t have an ensemble such as my own,¡± Cira looked back at her with thoughts in the clouds, ¡°but do you have something that may fit the part? I think I¡¯m pulling off the elegant yet intimidating pirate girl well, but a charming young smuggler would do fine.¡±


    I don¡¯t understand how I¡¯m supposed to help, Delilah grinned despite herself and stifled a giddy laugh, but she dropped out of the sky and said she was looking for me of all people.


    ¡°I think I can throw something together.¡± Delilah¡¯s cheeks felt hot, and she followed the witch attentively.


    Hey, I clean up alright. Maybe I can be the one to dazzle her this time. I still have my old uniform from when I was a barmaid. It¡¯s a little small on me now, but I bet I still look good in it.


    And so, the two set off into Uru to enjoy an evening with intentions that weren¡¯t so aligned. The Hidden Witch¡¯s mind was pure, intent on saving the masses and having a little fun along the way. Meanwhile, an exotic and untouchable bird had just flown into Delilah¡¯s roost and her heart was set on strutting her feathers while she had the chance.

 45 - The Final Piece of the Puzzle

    The dingy back alleys of Uru spanned the outskirts bathed in shadows. Two girls walked through the seedy fringes of the city, one undaunted, and one relatively daunted. They passed people in rags curled up right on the salt and demure women hanging off their stoop, trying to lure anyone with money in their pocket.


    Out here the streets reeked of salt, smoke, and piss. Protecting against it with magic was not something a pirate would do. They would bask in it, boldly wading through as if they¡¯d spent their whole lives shrouded in it.


    So, Cira did the same. Unlike her companion who wasn¡¯t half as committed, her nose didn¡¯t even scrunch up. She walked through the alley with an air of importance about her. Delilah on the other hand looked uncomfortable and scared, wearing a dark skirt and a tight white blouse with leather buckles that hardly contained their bounty. She was nervously looking around, but only Cira noticed the men tailing them from behind.


    ¡°You sure know you¡¯re way around, Delilah.¡±


    ¡°Ah, well I just know places to avoid, really.¡± She managed to keep a steady face and gave her a smile. Delilah had made the witch-turned-pirate wait outside while she ¡®changed¡¯. In truth, it took longer than she meant but she managed to wash the day off and put on some makeup.


    Between nervous expressions, Delilah kept glancing down then up at Cira whose brazen yet aimless gaze was on a swivel. I know I¡¯m just a plain woman from Uru, but she hasn¡¯t even looked at my chest once. If anything, I know they look great in this shirt.


    ¡°Something smells¡­¡± Cira said in a gruff voice as she turned to her smuggling wench. ¡°It smells like trouble.¡±


    A clearly drunk man called out from behind them, ¡°Ey, where¡¯re you ladies goin¡¯ on a fine night like this?¡±


    Cira stopped and turned to look down on two deplorable miscreants with her neck craned, ¡°And what would two degenerates like you want with an illustrious swashbuckler such as myself?¡±


    ¡°The hell¡¯d she just say?¡±


    ¡°Ey!¡± The other man looked at her with one enraged eye and another lazy one hanging off to the side, ¡°You got an attitude! I don¡¯t like it!¡±


    Delilah shook like a leaf, but Cira put a hand on her shoulder and flashed a grin, ¡°And what do you intend to do about it?¡± Though her words did nothing to make the girl feel better.


    The men shared a conniving chortle before turning back to the girls, ¡°Why don¡¯t you just come with us, and I¡¯ll show ya¡¯. Ya¡¯ know, before we have any trouble.¡± Their laughter was raspy and drawn out.


    ¡°My, you two have clearly had your fair share to drink, but I haven¡¯t had a drop. You can¡¯t possibly expect us to go with you before our night has even begun.¡± She feigned concern as she fluttered her eyelashes at Delilah and her gaze lingered a little longer than she meant. I think that shirt might be a little small on her¡­ She cleared her throat and turned her flutters back to their assailants, ¡°Ahem.¡±


    They looked at each other like they¡¯d hatched the most brilliant plan, ¡°Why don¡¯t we take you girlies to get some drink, then?¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d never ask!¡± Cira embellished, ¡°but you can¡¯t take one such as I just anywhere. I have¡­¡± She pretended to look around suspiciously then leaned in close as if to whisper a secret, ¡°a rather large bounty¡­¡± And she threw them a wink for good measure.


    As she bent towards them, the two men¡¯s eyes were stuck on a particular bounty, and if they had looked just a few inches up they would have seen the world¡¯s least convincing act of seduction. Alas, men like these always had their eyes on the prize.


    Cira was getting tired of their grunting laughter but let them run their course as any good pirate would. They looked at her like a shiny doubloon, ¡°I think I know just the place to take ya¡¯.¡±


    Delilah tried to express concern, ¡°Are you sure about this Cir¡ª"


    She put a finger up to stop her, ¡°Before we go, I should introduce myself.¡± Faster than the drunkards could blink, Cira pulled the saber from its scabbard with a satisfying shing and pointed it to the sky, ¡°I am Cirina Dreadheart, bearer of the cursed blade Tide Quencher, and I hail from Leviathan Isle!¡±


    ¡°Shut the hell up!¡± An irate shout came from a window somewhere above them and Cira¡¯s eye twitched.


    Her companion had to hide a grin, that hat with the skull really is over top. Is she just doing this for fun?


    ¡°Leviathin Isle?!¡±


    Superfluous shining emblems on Cira¡¯s conjured blade glimmered on their faces. ¡°No way!¡±


    The men were flabbergasted from their stupor and Cira basked in it with a toothy grin. She had reflexively brought a leg up only to realize she couldn¡¯t conjure something to rest it on, but luckily that didn¡¯t seem to retract from her otherwise flawless introduction.


    ¡°How big¡¯s your bounty?¡± One asked.


    ¡°Aha, that¡¯s the best part,¡± she put the saber away, ¡°It¡¯s so high they can¡¯t even count it. Now why don¡¯t you help this salty bird quench her thirst?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, of course,¡± he stammered under her bewitching gaze, ¡°I mean, yeah, I know just the place. Just follow us, ladies.¡±


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    Cira winked at Delilah and pulled her along.


    Delilah herself was lost in though, I feel like we¡¯re walking straight into danger. These guys obviously have ill intentions. Is she trying to infiltrate Uru¡¯s smuggling ring? To what end? I thought she was curing the plague. Don¡¯t tell me she brought me along just because she wanted to see me? And this is how witches have fun¡­?


    They followed the two unsuspecting drunks through the dark alleys to the leering gazes of the street urchins that lingered out this late. Their escorts boasted about many things that ultimately amounted to stealing salt and robbing people. Cira wasn¡¯t impressed by their exploits or their tact, as they had approached the girls to commit a similar crime.


    Soon they reached an even darker part of town, and a muffled fiddle could be heard from somewhere afar. A scent much more inviting than piss wafted to Cira¡¯s nose and she knew her guides had served their purpose.


    ¡°Sleep.¡± At Cira¡¯s voice, the men dropped.


    ¡°What¡ª¡± Delilah looked over in shock, ¡°Did you do that?¡±


    ¡°I certainly did, now what say you we grab a drink?¡± She locked arms with Delilah and followed the aroma around a corner where they found a staircase leading below a decrepit old building. At the bottom there was a door and when Cira knocked, a slit opened up to reveal a set of mean looking eyes.


    ¡°Password?¡± The voice was grizzled and carried the sharp bite of strong liquor.


    Cira spit as she spoke to stay in character, ¡°Pah! Cirina Dreadheart knows no passwords. I destroy doors, not open them, so let me in fast. I have a thirst that knows no boundaries.¡±


    The impish barmaid at her side shrunk back in case the doorman was trouble, but she couldn¡¯t take her eyes of Cira.


    The slider snapped shut and the door flew open. The doorman was twice her size with a chest like a barrel. He wore a striped shirt and tattered shorts. The look in his eyes was like he waited here for the arrival of people to stab. He looked her up and down without relenting the angry expression. Then checked out Delilah too before stopping on the sword at Cira¡¯s waist.


    ¡°What¡¯s two pretty girls like you doin¡¯ all alone in a place like this?¡± Certainly, he was a bigger badder smuggler-adjacent person than little Cirina would ever be. Or is he¡­?


    ¡°Already told you, didn¡¯t I?¡± Cira glared, ¡°Just scored big down in the queen¡¯s nest. Looking for a place to lay low and drink.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± The hulking doorman leaned in, ¡°And just how¡¯d ya hear about this place?¡±


    A sorcerer does not lie. Now, this was really just something Gazen said when he pulled the wool over his daughter¡¯s eyes. She knew this well, and while she tried to stick to the truth, she lied regularly when the occasion called for it. Sometimes she felt bad, like with Nanri, but the truth would come to light soon enough.


    Here, Cira decided honesty was the best policy, ¡°Two fine gentlemen were kind enough to show us the way. If you listen close, you can hear them snoring from here.¡± She cupped a hand around her ear and turned it toward the stairs.


    The doorman, taken aback, did the same. After making a funny look, he closed the door behind him and listened closer, ¡°I¡¯ll be damned.¡± Thankfully one of them snored like a bear and it echoed through the alley. He opened the door back up, ¡°Don¡¯t believe your story, but I guess you gals can take care o¡¯ yourself. Go on then. Don¡¯t make trouble or you¡¯ll see me again.¡±


    He beckoned them in with a less than welcoming expression. Cira concluded that his face was just like that. She led Delilah by the arm into the dim watering hole filled with odors of the night. There were ragged flags and rope hung on the wall. ¡®Milty¡¯s Tavern¡¯ was burned onto a piece of driftwood and hung above the bar. The inside was built with wood for the nice rustic look, and there were decades of stains on the tables and floor. All eyes fell on them as they entered, and the surroundings got noticeably quieter.


    Cira tipped her hat and bequeathed unto them a radiant smile, before resting her free hand on the pommel of her blade and taking Delilah to the darkest part of the establishment with the least patrons. When they sat down in the hard wooden seats, her coat snagged on a splintered edge. She thought it was a nice touch.


    After looking at Delilah, the girl got nervous but held her gaze. Cira glanced around for a moment and spoke quietly, ¡°Now, we should get to business quickly before we get accosted by those unsavory ruffians. The reason I wanted to find you.¡±


    This is it. The reason she¡¯s taken me to some hidden bar on the backside of town. What she wants with me¡­ She looked up at Cira timidly, ¡°That¡¯s right, you said you were¡­ looking for me?¡± She tried to push her chest together.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Cira laced her fingers, resting her chin on them, ¡°You¡¯re an alchemist, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Is¡­ is that it? ¡°Do you mean an herbalist? I make medicines¡­¡±


    Of course, it is. Born an herbalist, die an herbalist. That¡¯s all there is for me. Why did I even bother getting my hopes up? It¡¯s not like she was going to whisk me away to some distant sky, far away from here. I knew she wouldn¡¯t¡­ What am I even trying to do?


    Looking down at the laughably small blouse and skirt she wore a decade ago, her face fell into a frown. She was no old lady, but she wasn¡¯t as young as she used to be. Her blood kept her appearance youthful, but the days of wistful hopes and dreams had left Delilah behind long ago. She felt ridiculous trying to gussy up to a bright, young witch so far out of reach.


    A heavy wave of shame hit her, and Delilah thought she would cry until she felt two hands wrap around hers.


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± She watched Cira¡¯s eyes fill with hope and a natural smile burn through her scurvy fa?ade.


    ¡°It¡­ it is?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it is!¡± Cira looked around and noticed she¡¯d drawn attention, so hushed her voice down, ¡°I can cure the plague, and I even have people gathering ingredients as we speak. The one thing I¡¯m missing is someone to actually make it.¡±


    ¡°You need me to make¡­ the cure?¡± Delilah was baffled, ¡°I- I don¡¯t know if I can do that.¡±


    ¡°Sure, you can.¡± She was briefly dazzled by Cira¡¯s bright expression to such a degree she almost believed her, ¡°The day I met you, you smelled terrible. An alchemist doesn¡¯t smell like that unless they do an excellent job in the purification stage. I can tell you take great care in your work.¡±


    Is this how she compliments people? The look in Cira¡¯s eyes said that indeed it was. ¡°But¡­ to cure the plague? That¡¯s too much. There¡¯s no way I can do something like that.¡±


    ¡°Says who? I have an eye for talent, you know.¡± She leaned in, ¡°I¡¯ll even been there to walk you through it. Besides, I am of the belief that you can do whatever you want. The only thing that should stop you is wanting something else more¡­ or basic morals, of course.¡±


    Is that how it is¡­? Whatever I want, huh? That smile on her face looks just like Mother¡¯s used to. It was one she was familiar with, and her most striking memory of it was seeing her mother¡¯s face after Uru was finally rid of the worm flu. The relief and pride of saving lives. But why does she look like that? She doesn¡¯t live here, she¡¯s just a witch with a job. Why should she care about this island?


    ¡°Here¡¯s a round from the folks on the end.¡± A girl with blonde hair like Cira¡¯s approached the table pointing out a group near the door. She was dressed shockingly similar to Delilah and held two mugs of what looked and smelled like cheap ale.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a little young to be working somewhere like this?¡± Cira asked.


    ¡°Mom owns the place.¡± She set the glasses down like they were heavy. ¡°And I¡¯d be careful catchin¡¯ the attention of any men here.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the tip,¡± Cira flipped a silver crown into the girl¡¯s hand, ¡°You can tell ¡®em these drinks will hardly cover gazing at us from afar.¡±

 46 - The First Sip

    The girl looked at them with uncertainty. ¡°Do you really want me to tell them that?¡±


    Cira quickly backpedaled, ¡°No, you can forget it. I¡¯d hate to cause you any trouble.¡±


    ¡°Quite considerate for a pirate, aren¡¯t you?¡± She raised an eyebrow at her, ¡°No one will touch me here. It¡¯s you I¡¯m worried about.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Her benefactors from the far table were just the type she was looking for. Bandanas and torn vests. Dirty stubble marred their faces, and one man even had a peg leg. ¡°Then please relay my message.¡±


    Cira held up her drink as the real barmaid walked away, ¡°Cheers!¡±


    Grabbing hers as well, Delilah held it up, ¡°What are we toasting?¡±


    ¡°Saving Fount Salt, I suppose. Are you with me?¡± She was too earnest. Delilah had toiled her whole life learning how to make medicine, so how could she turn her down? If nothing else, this was what she did it all for. Who knew what the future held. If she helped lift Uru¡¯s hopeless night, could she know what it felt to smile like her mother did? If not, well maybe she could leave this island and spread her wings.


    Delilah started to feel giddy inside. Despite her attempts to seduce a brick wall, her life didn¡¯t feel so bleak anymore. There was something to look forward to, a cold drink before her, and something nice to look at. She chuckled and clinked it against Cira¡¯s, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m in! What do I have to do?¡±


    The scurvy sorcerer took a gulp, ¡°The materials should be here in a few hours. For now, we drink!¡±


    And the two made short work of their first round. The ale was bitter and bland all at the same time. The watery beverage slid down Cira¡¯s throat like a contaminated spring and the pungent aftertaste made her nostrils flare up with each exhale.


    This was what Cirina Dreadheart lived for.


    ¡°Do you drink often?¡± Delilah asked with a playful grin, ¡°You sure know how to.¡±


    ¡°First time,¡± she chucked, taking the last sip, and spilling some down her corset, ¡°I thought it was a fine occasion.¡±


    ¡°So, I know what¡¯s brought you to me now, but why are we here?¡± She looked around at the rugged men spilling their drinks and having merry laughter. The fiddler they heard from down the street had started up again complimented by an old one-eyed man on the flute. They sang of salt and treasure. Some of the grimy patrons swung their mugs around to the tune or sang along belligerently.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this place great?¡± Delilah didn¡¯t understand the twinkle in her eye, but the witch¡¯s words were impassioned if a little slurred, ¡°I mean, I¡¯m sure they¡¯re all bad guys, but look at how lively it is here. It¡¯s like we¡¯re on another island. A seedy den of criminals. Just what I wanted. I¡¯ve never heard music like this either and I feel like we¡¯re the only ones that don¡¯t know the words. That man¡¯s dancing with just one leg! How do you think he lost it?¡±


    The girls squinted at him, and Delilah gave her best shot at solving the mystery, ¡°It must have been blown clean off by cannon fire, no?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure. That¡¯s way too clean a shot.¡± Cira brought a hand to her chin, ¡°I bet it was eaten by a nimbus shark.¡±


    The girls laughed as they kept trying and Cira grabbed for her empty glass with a frown. She was thinking of all it would take to conjure ale when Deliliah nudged her arm, ¡°Um, Cir¡­ina?¡± Robes of Inebriation? The Ale Bearer¡¯s raiment? Eh, I¡¯ll think of it later. Like all great sorceries, it starts with a problem that needs solved and a new set of robes.


    ¡°What is it, Delilah?¡± She liked the way that name rolled off the tongue, like a rare flower. ¡°Delilah¡­ Dee-lie-luh.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?¡± The girl looked uneasy, ¡°Look over there.¡±


    The peg legged man had been one of her benefactors, and she just realized the two of them were scrutinizing him rather intently for a few minutes while the rest of his table was eyeing them. ¡°Looks like they aren¡¯t too upset¡­ And what do you know? Right on time. My, how long has it been, little miss?¡±


    Cira gave the approaching girl a dumb grin and received a suspicious squint in return, ¡°Maybe ten minutes? They got another message for you.¡± She clacked down two fresh mugs and swiped the empties with a look of irritation on her face, ¡°with this much, they¡¯re gonna need a little change back.¡±


    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t they bold?¡± Cira squinted her eyes at them. One still danced, but there were three still seated. They looked back at her appraisingly, as much as they could with their unsteady, leering gazes from afar. It was clear they¡¯d been here drinking for some time. When do they start in the city where it¡¯s always night? ¡°You tell them it takes more than a pittance to plunder Cirina Dreadheart of Leviathin Isle¡¯s treasure.¡± She put a protective hand on her pouch full of treasure. Surely this is what they¡¯re after.


    The girl scoffed, ¡°I¡¯m not your messen¡ª¡±


    ¡°And that any fool who thinks two sips can quench my thirst isn¡¯t worth the salt beneath my boots.¡± She noted for once there was wood beneath them. It was cozy. The girl let out a groan and rolled her eyes, turning around. Cira then turned to her drinking buddy and snorted, ¡°pirates are so funny. Do they really use young girls to send messages across the room?¡±


    Delilah had a hand clamped to her mouth, stifling a laugh with tears in her eyes, for she was the only one who noticed the bar maiden wince and briefly stop in her tracks. ¡°No, Cira. I¡¯m pretty sure they don¡¯t. They just tried to send beer.¡±


    She gleefully had some more, ¡°Who knew it could be so fun to drink such a terrible¡ªer, I mean, this swill doesn¡¯t taste half bad once you start drinking it. I keep forgetting to ask for food though¡­¡± She stared wistfully at the barmaid from afar. It looked like she was busy relaying the message. This time they looked a little offended and cast her a heated look.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Cira drank half her glass and leaned back with slurred laughter, dragging her eyes toward Delilah, ¡°Looks like¡­hic¡­we gotta catch.¡±


    She was alarmed, ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡±


    Cira¡¯s eyes were half-closed and she wore a sly grin, ¡°They¡¯re gonna lead me to the treasure.¡±


    She was giggling to herself and sipping down ale like a cat with warm milk. Red faced and absolutely worry free. Delilah thought that she looked awfully young, carelessly swaying around in her seat with a childish grin plastered on her face like that. It started to concern her, ¡°Maybe you shouldn¡¯t drink so much if it¡¯s your first time¡­ How old are you anyway?¡±


    ¡°Pshhh,¡± Cira polished off her second glass. ¡°I am a sorcerer. I am restricted not by age but by wisdom¡­hic¡­I mean pirate.¡± She looked around hurriedly and not at all subtly to see if anyone heard her slipup. Breathing a sigh of relief, she straightened up in her seat.


    Delilah chuckled nervously and had a small sip of her own, ¡°I just mean, maybe it isn¡¯t wise to drink too much. You have important business to take care of, right?¡±


    ¡°Aye.¡± Cira winked, ¡°That I do.¡±


    She turned to see three angry pirates walking towards them. Delilah followed her gaze and gulped. ¡°You have a plan¡­?¡±


    ¡°Aye,¡± she winked again, ¡°That I do.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± The man standing in front looked like their leader. He had a blade on one side and a cheap pistol on the other, both strapped to his belt. Nothing but a torn vest on his chest and a leather hat on his head. Cira thought of all the brutes in this establishment, he didn¡¯t look so filthy. His muscles were on display and he had a strong jawline with a well-kempt mustache. ¡°Who the hell do you think you are?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you asked,¡± Cira stood up which caused the baffled men to step back. She put her leg up on a chair and pulled out her curved saber to point at some non-existent destination, ¡°I am Cirina Dreadheart of Leviathan Isle, bearer of the cursed blade Tide Quencher!¡±


    The three saw nothing, but they heard the shing! and felt a ripple of wind. When it brushed past their face, they instinctively stumbled back.


    ¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± The little bar maiden¡¯s blonde hair danced angrily as she stomped up, ¡°No weapons inside!¡±


    With a dignified expression, Cira sheathed the weapon and returned to her seat, ¡°My mistake. While I have you here, could I order some food? Anything will do and two of them. These gentlemen will pay.¡±


    The girl pursed her lips and nodded before walking away.


    One man had regained his wherewithal, ¡°Are you really from Leviathin Isle? In the Dread Skies?¡±


    ¡°The one and only.¡± She gave them an exaggerated smile. Not often did her lies work out so well.


    ¡°As if we¡¯ll believe that,¡± The first man gave her a skeptical look, ¡°I¡¯ve known men from Leviathin Isle. A little girl like you could never escape alive.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve never met a girl like me, I say.¡± She winked, ¡°Gandeux¡¯s not ready for me.¡±


    ¡°Is that right? You?¡± He looked her up and down, spending more time on one spot than any other, ¡°I bet you stole that sword and cozied up to some captain to make it here. You couldn¡¯t touch the prima if you tried.¡±


    Cira pulled a fine crystalline powder from her pocket and held it in her palm before blowing it at the three men¡¯s faces, ¡°Straight from the queen¡¯s nest.¡±


    ¡°Pah!¡± They spat dust from their mouths, waving the cloud away.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    ¡°Damn wench¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± The girl came storming up again, ¡°No prima inside!¡± She was livid, ¡°One more and you¡¯re out of here. I mean it!¡±


    The girl got frustrated and left when all she could get out of Cira was a silly grin. It was just too endearing to see the young girl working so hard.


    ¡°Hey, you better hope her mom don¡¯t come out.¡± The third man wore a striped shirt with stains and his voice was higher than she expected.


    ¡°Should have asked for another¡­¡± She stared at her glass wistfully.


    Cira¡¯s father didn¡¯t drink often, but it happened from time to time. He said it was only good in moderation and she wasn¡¯t allowed to have any until she grew up. I have my own forbidden archive now. Of course, I can drink!


    ¡°There¡¯s no way you were in the queen¡¯s nest, they got it under tight guard. I heard they got two witches down here right now.¡± The leader loudly scooted a seat over and sat in it. His friends followed suit.


    ¡°Tch.¡± Cira looked at them like they were stupid, ¡°We ate witches for breakfast back on Leviathan Isle.¡±


    The man in the middle with no shirt at all spoke up, ¡°I don¡¯t know, that sounds pretty far-fetched.¡±


    But his captain wasn¡¯t done, ¡°Hold on¡­ If all that¡¯s true, how¡¯d you get down there?¡±


    ¡°I simply went down. Can¡¯t tell you more than that for free. My thirst isn¡¯t even quenched, yet you want more¡­ How about this?¡± She wiggled a finger around in her coat until she felt something grab on. When she pulled it out there was a salt nymph attached. She sat her down on the table. ¡°This is Nina.¡±


    Of course, Nina had a little cutlass at her waist and a fresh new hat to match Cira¡¯s. Evidently, she wasn¡¯t too fond of how she could still see through the middle when she pulled the brim down. She receded to Cira¡¯s shoulder and spread strands of her hair to peer at them suspiciously.


    ¡°No way, she¡¯s smugglin¡¯ nymphs!¡±


    ¡°How does she do it? Does she control the nymphs?!¡± Shirtless had left his jaw behind as well.


    Even the captain couldn¡¯t deny this feat, but he was hesitant to speak, grumbling, ¡°Okay¡­ I don¡¯t know about the queen¡¯s nest, but maybe you aren¡¯t all talk.¡±


    Their steadfast waitress returned again with platters of food, ¡°Two worm calamari comin¡¯ through¡ª¡± Her eyes froze as she entered a staring contest with Nina. She set the plates down and sighed, rolling her eyes toward Cira. When she was about to open her mouth, the leader unwittingly cut her off.


    ¡°Can we get another round over here, Peaches?¡±


    The girl groaned, ¡°Comin¡¯ right up¡­¡± she turned to walk away when Cira stopped her.


    ¡°Just a moment! Is your name really Peaches?!¡± The girl reluctantly nodded with a stiff expression while Cira melted into a bright smile, ¡°My, that¡¯s just too adorable!¡±


    Peaches looked truly pained as she immediately turned away. Cira¡¯s mood didn¡¯t change as her gaze shifted to the worm calamari. ¡°What is this, baby worms all fried up?¡± It was a bowl full of spindly little fried treats. She took a bite, and the crunchy texture sent a shiver up her spine. The sweet and savory worm was such a rich flavor that melted in her mouth. Without even noticing, she had devolved into a state of drunkenly laughing to herself, shoveling in mouthfuls of calamari at a time.


    ¡°Actually, they slice it up like a potato¡­¡± Delilah¡¯s words seemed lost on her, and she didn¡¯t know what to do. She awkwardly ate a couple from her own plate. It was a common and cheap dish that you could get anywhere in Uru.


    ¡°Your friend¡¯s an odd one, you know that?¡± Delilah¡¯s blood froze. Cira had confidently spoken with the men and somewhat disarmed them¡ªthe way she carried herself made her feel safe. Looking at Cira now, she would be out of commission at least until she was done eating, and the impending third round was troubling. Delilah hadn¡¯t even finished her second. Now that one of the men had turned his attention to her, she felt completely helpless. ¡°What¡¯s your story, Missy?¡±


    ¡°Mreh!¡± Cira said something with her mouth full, drawing their attention. She made them wait while she finished the bite before continuing, ¡°Better not get any ideas, boys. She¡¯s with me.¡± She casually put a hand on the pommel of her blade.


    ¡°Whoa there, no need to get violent,¡± The leader said, ¡°Just trying to make conversation. Name¡¯s Tawny. Captain James Tawny.¡±


    He offered a hand and Cira almost frowned before remembering that pirates were always dirty. I must shake his hand as if I am even dirtier!


    She took his hand with a bear grip and yanked his arm around, ¡°As you well know I am Cirina Dreadheart of Leviathan Isle, and this is my smuggling sidekick, Lorelai¡­ Jones.¡±

 47 - Drinking with Delilah Gets Out of Hand

    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure,¡± he tipped his hat to Delilah just before another round arrived. With a charming smile he must have spent years honing, urging the girls to clink their glasses. Delilah brought her second beer against theirs while nervously staring at her third.


    Cira¡¯s pace had begun to slow, but she was far from done. Her tummy felt tingly and warm¡ªit was a novel sensation that she found no reason not to indulge in. The sensation spread to her arms and legs which moved just a little bit later than she asked them too. This was not a good state to be in for a sorcerer with serious business or potential combatants before them, but Cira was sure she could respond to a threat quick enough.


    Wait, using magic right now might be dangerous. I have to test it, right? But how?


    Peering around the room at all the drunks, nobody looked like they¡¯d notice anything, but they were all grouped up. There was but one man eating soup by himself and watching the musicians. A candle flickered in the center of his table, one of the few sources of light. I¡¯ll blow the candle out, simple as that.


    She slyly put a hand in her coat to hide the light from the spell and conjured a faint puff of air from afar.


    The candle blew out effortlessly as a cloth napkin flew off the table. A rippling tidal wave of soup spilled onto the man¡¯s chest and into his lap as his pained yelps drew the attention of every patron and Peaches.


    ¡°Gahh! Hot hot hot! What the hell is going on?!¡± He kicked his chair back and hopped around trying to shake the boiling soup off.


    The muscles in Cira¡¯s face clenched and she turned back to her meal, picking up a single worm fry and eating it. That was a fluke, these things happen. Just needs a little calibration, is all.


    ¡°Whoa, what happened to that guy?¡± James laughed.


    After one look at Cira, Delilah was mirroring her expression. It wasn¡¯t hard to put two and two together with what she knew about her.


    Cira crumbled under the pressure with a nervous laugh. ¡°I heard they have lots of ghost not far from here¡­ hundreds¡­ thousands even¡­¡± She had their attention, ¡°Do you think they get out sometimes?¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, they definitely do,¡± the striped shirt man called himself Tom, ¡°I¡¯ve seen it.¡±


    ¡°A ghost didn¡¯t take your gold!¡± The third shouted loud enough for the room to hear, ¡°How many time we been over this?¡±


    James just rolled his eyes. Behind them all a disgruntled young waitress cleaned up the mess and couldn¡¯t keep from suspiciously glancing at Cira. She just kept her eyes forward and finished her meal. Sorry¡­


    ¡°So, you from Leviathin Isle too, Lorelai Jones?¡± It turned out this one was named Shirtless Joe. He had a bald head and a single gold earring.


    She winced, but Joe¡¯s face showed a disarming lack of wherewithal¡ªhe was just enjoying the night and some ale. She drank some more in kind, I¡¯ll trust Cira! ¡°Oh no, not me. I¡¯m just a poor village girl from¡­ Skippers Point!¡± She realized a bit late that she knew very few islands by name.


    Delilah looked across the table to see the sorcerer wearing a playful expression. All four seemed to expect her to continue. She gave Cira a smirk, ¡°The day I met Cirina Dreadheart, she nearly killed my Pa!¡±


    Their new friends all looked at Cira aghast, ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°So cold.¡±


    Cira waved her arms around, ¡°Hey, it wasn¡¯t on purpose. And I helped him out afterwards!¡±


    ¡°Next thing I know,¡± Delilah feigned pouting, ¡°She snatched me away.¡±


    ¡°Damn, Cirina.¡± James looked at her, ¡°You¡¯re pretty ruthless.¡±


    The others shook their heads and looked at Delilah with sad eyes.


    ¡°Oh please,¡± Cira brushed it off with a belligerent gesture, ¡°she¡¯s exaggerating. And what about you three? Are you three ¡®sposed to be pirates or are you in Uru lookin¡¯ for lost pets?¡±


    ¡°Pfffffffft.¡± James really drew it out, and Cirina Dreadheart lacked the defenses the sorcerer Cira had against spittle and other such conversational byproduct. ¡°You know we¡¯re here for the same thing everyone else is. But no one¡¯s got the balls to go for the royal prima. If you were so close, why didn¡¯t you take it?¡±


    ¡°Fool. I guess pirates out here have no decency.¡± She shook her head, befuddling the man, ¡°Do you think I lack in wealth such that I would need to plunder the last home these little ones have?¡± She turned her head and gave Nina a little boop.


    Their mugs tipped continuously as they talked about all kinds of things Cira would surely forget by morning. But she was having a great time. Delilah had seemed to loosen up as well. The men here mainly smuggled plain old salt, but every now and again would make a run for the prima.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe all the tunnels out of here. Any number of ways to go straight to the nymph¡¯s lair, and you¡¯d be surprised at what you can find up there.¡± James jerked his head toward the miles of salt above them.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I would¡­¡± Or would I?


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    ¡°Heh heh,¡± Tom slapped his captain on the arm, ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell ¡®em about the dragon you found.¡±


    ¡°A dragon?!¡± Cira¡¯s attention was drawn. ¡°No way! The one I saw was way too big to fit in some tunnel!¡±


    James seethed while his two men held their sides from splitting with laughter, slapping their knees and howling. ¡°Must¡¯ve been a baby, right? Go on, Cap¡¯n, tell ¡®em about the dragon!¡±


    He couldn¡¯t take Cira¡¯s exuberant gaze any longer, ¡°Turns out it wasn¡¯t a dragon¡­¡± Her spirits fell instantly. ¡°It was¡­ um¡ª¡±


    ¡°It was friggin¡¯ mushroom!¡± Shirtless Joe¡¯s face was red, and he could hardly breathe.


    Cira was almost too disappointed to laugh, but she couldn¡¯t stop herself either. He ran back to town and through the whole of Uru into a panic only for the search party to find a weirdly shaped mushroom. James sulked as everybody had their fun with this story. His stony face gave the impression he¡¯d heard it a thousand times.


    They continued drunkenly bantering until Cira polished off her fourth glass. The fiddler¡¯s new tune was upbeat and fast, and a newcomer had arrived¡ªhe had a large string instrument propped against him that made deep tones as he strummed. She found herself tapping her foot and moving her shoulders with the beat.


    ¡°Hey Lori,¡± Cira¡¯s words dragged, ¡°you wanna dance?¡±


    A smile crept onto the girl¡¯s face, ¡°I¡¯d love to!¡±


    Standing up from her chair was not as easy a feat as she remembered, but Cira had never failed a test of agility in her life. Once risen, she offered a hand to Delilah and they skipped away towards the thumping music.


    ¡°Uhh.¡± James shared a look with his crew. ¡°We should probably go too, right?¡±


    ¡°Man, I hate dancin¡¯.¡± Joe pounded his ale, and it ran down his beer belly. ¡°But if Jimbo can do it, I can do it!¡±


    Tom followed suit and the three tried to catch up, but the girls were already dancing. Their feet responded to the rhythm as they tapped along. Cira¡¯s goal was to copy those around her and figure it out along the way. They did something of a jig then spun around each other, sometimes holding their arms at their hips and other times swinging them to the sides. There was no apparent order to it, but Cira found it to be the most fun she¡¯d had in ages.


    With the party of five, the dance floor had grown sizable. She smiled at their pirate pals as they awkwardly shuffled their feet around by the edge. Only James seemed to have any semblance of moves, but he wasn¡¯t too eager to jump in.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could dance!¡± Delilah¡¯s face was warm as she twirled with her partner. ¡°You¡¯re lighter on your feet than I thought you¡¯d be after drinking so much.¡±


    Cira chuckled, ¡°I can do many things, my dear Lorelai.¡± She didn¡¯t notice the blush through Delilah¡¯s already flushed cheeks when she grabbed her hand to pull her in and spin her around.


    ¡°Never seen you girls in ¡®ere before,¡± the missing benefactor with one leg approached with unrivaled footwork, tapping up with a toothy grin, ¡°Why don¡¯ts we all dance for a little while?¡±


    Finally! Cira¡¯s red cheeks puffed up as her smile grew. This one actually talks like a pirate! I wish they all did. ¡°I thought you¡¯d never ask! Your friends don¡¯t seem to share your agility. The name¡¯s Cirina Dreadheart!¡±


    ¡°¡¯At¡¯s a weird way o¡¯ puttin¡¯ it, but I¡¯ll be hornswaggled if it ain¡¯t the truth. I like you. Friends call me Jimbo sticks.¡± As an introduction he performed a short tap dance and held his arms out, yar-har-harghing.


    Cira clapped, ¡°Why do they call you that?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s easy,¡± Without skipping a beat, he pulled his peg leg off and held his stump towards the girls revealing a short knife that glinted to a fine point, ¡°¡¯Cause I¡¯ll stick ya¡¯!¡± He reeled his head back and laughed boisterously.


    With eyes sparkling, Cira gasped, ¡°Amazing!¡±


    Then the door to the outside slammed open. When the fiddler skipped a beat, most heads inside turned to see the man who entered. He fit the bill for generic, dirty pirate captain. Like James if he let himself go and grew a beard. The ill-fitted brown coat and patched pants fit his nasty eyes.


    ¡°That seems rude.¡± Cira said, ¡°why isn¡¯t the doorman doing anything?¡±


    ¡°Captain Don of the Black Scourge pirates¡­¡± Jimbo spoke quietly, ¡°He¡¯s always trouble. They can¡¯t risk rilin¡¯ him for just this much.¡±


    ¡°Do they really call themselves that? So uninspired¡ª¡± her voice trailed off as she noticed something unfortunate. Captain Don was making a beeline right for her with his eyes locked on. She sighed, ¡°Here we go¡­ Stay behind me, Lori.¡±


    He had three men in tow covered in dirt. One was bald and had blood on his shirt. The emboldened captain walked right up to Cira and didn¡¯t even say a word, just looked her up and down, taking his time on her chest and smirking, ¡°Looks like I found me new crewmate. How ¡®bout it, little girl? I¡¯ll show ya¡¯ a real pirate.¡±


    She scoffed as aggressively as she could, ¡°I¡¯m no little girl, fool. And there is no pirate realer than I, Cirina Dreadheart!¡± She imbued her words with high-velocity pirate spittle.


    A vein popped on his forehead, ¡°What¡¯d you just call me?!¡± He went to grab Cira by the scalp, and she deftly dodged, slapping his hand away as the sound rang out across the now silent tavern. Dammit, I¡¯m too drunk but I can¡¯t heal it away or everyone will notice. She had meant to grab his wrist and twist it around his back.


    ¡°Damn, wench!¡± In her impaired state she didn¡¯t realize Delilah was left wide open, ¡°Guess I¡¯ll just take your friend then!¡±


    This time he tried to grab her blouse as if to rip the buttons open. Cira¡¯s unsuspecting sidekick froze up in a panic. Right before his grimy fingers reached her¡ª


    Shing!


    The pommel of Cira¡¯s saber crushed into the man¡¯s chin. Blood and teeth flew into the air while the surrounding patrons gasped, oohed, and aahed. She could hear their hushed chatters behind her.


    ¡°Bitch!¡± Don spit out more blood, ¡°Okay, that¡¯s it!¡±


    Shing.


    Remembering the rule, Cira sheathed her blade again while Don pulled out his own, his followers doing the same. The doorman walked towards them with clenched fists and a hard expression. She prepared for a fight and steadied her stance with fists drawn, facing the incoming blades.


    ¡°Alright, enough!¡± An angry woman¡¯s shrill cry silenced everyone again. Even Don¡¯s crew was shaken. ¡°The hell do you idiots think you¡¯re doing in my home?!¡±


    Cira¡¯s eyes went wide as she slowly turned her head. It was a woman with hair the same color as her and Peaches. She was probably in her thirties, but it was hard to tell from the years of stress wearing on her face. Cira liked the skull and crossbones on her apron.


    She stomped up to the raging captain and the girl who bashed his face, ¡°Put your weapons away or I¡¯m fighting! Now.¡± Her voice was cold.


    Cira looked at Don with a smirk.


    ¡°Who started it?¡± The woman¡¯s brow was furrowed in anger, and she looked between the two culprits.


    ¡°Look what she did to my face!¡± Don whined through a busted lip¡ªthere was a little piece dangling off where he bit it.


    Crossing her arms, Cira gave him a condescending look, ¡°And you tried to kidnap us. You¡¯re lucky you still have hands.¡±


    ¡°God damm¡ª¡± Don started but the woman of the house wasn¡¯t having it.


    ¡°I¡¯m not here to argue, now put it away, Don!¡± She gave him a practiced glare. ¡°You know as well as anybody else the only fight allowed here is a drinkin¡¯ fight, so take it outside or figure it out!¡±


    He put his sword away and looked at Cira with a compromising thirst for violence in his eyes. He growled, ¡°Which is it then, little girl?¡±


    Cira returned his gaze with contempt, ¡°I hope you¡¯re ready to drown.¡±

 48 - A Whirlwind Bout Between Two Real Pirates

    ¡°Just sayin¡¯, I think you made the wrong choice, Miss.¡± Peaches set a couple glasses down and ran back to the kitchen.


    There was a table in the center of the tavern, and everybody stood around it with drinks in their hands watching the spectacle. In Milty¡¯s Tavern, when there was a heated drinking bout it always turned into an event. The mood in the room had changed from drastic the moment Cira accepted. Now everybody cheered and the band had switched to upbeat songs about ale and women.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get started,¡± Milty turned to the aggressor, ¡°What¡¯s your terms, Don?¡±


    ¡°Easy.¡± Flecks fell out of his beard as his face twisted into a deranged smile, ¡°I win, this girl and her friend join my crew.¡±


    ¡°And who even are you?¡± She turned to Cira.


    ¡°The one and only Cirina Dreadheart!¡± She raised one foot up to a nearby chair and pointed since she couldn¡¯t draw her saber. After a few drunken ¡®yeah!¡¯s from the surroundings, she removed her foot, ¡°When I win, I¡¯m taking everything on his person from boots to hat.¡±


    With an eyebrow raised, Milty nodded, mildly impressed, ¡°You won¡¯t even leave the man his chonies?¡±


    ¡°They will burn for my amusement.¡±


    Don opened his mouth to retort but was cut off by the cheering crowd.


    ¡°Cocky brat,¡± he spat on the floor, ¡°Nobody¡¯s ever beat me at drinkin¡¯. You don¡¯t know who you¡¯re messing with.¡±


    Don started chugging his first drink and Cira picked her own up in no particular hurry, ¡°I could say the same.¡±


    As the crowd shouted words of slurred encouragement to the combatants, one glass hit the table, then another. The first round was actually Cira¡¯s fifth, but she had a trick up her sleeve.


    ¡°Cira¡­¡± Delilah quietly spoke from her side, ¡°Are you okay? You¡¯ve already had a lot.¡±


    ¡°Not to worry, my dear Lorelai.¡± As she slurred her words, she shoved a hand into her coat to hide the flash of holy light before bartering with the great one, Extra Minor Cure Poison! She didn¡¯t want to stop having a good time, just play it safe. Cira picked another off the table and pounded it, already reaching for another, ¡°A little slow there, Don.¡±


    Peaches constantly shuttled overflowing mugs of ale to the table. It was clearly wearing her out, but she kept going. It reminded Cira of the water girls from Heron Village.


    ¡°Shut, up wench, we¡¯ll see how you feel in ten minutes.¡± He finished his second and grabbed for another. It had turned into a speed round. For some reason James and his crew were in her corner with Delilah, apart from the crowd.


    ¡°Cirina! Cirina!¡± Jimbo swung his glass around and started a chant. With the help of their crew, the whole tavern joined in.


    Don¡¯s face grew increasingly red as Cira slammed her fifth cup of the competition onto the table stained by years of alcohol abuse. The onlookers were unphased when he splashed the residual beer from the bottom of his empty mug on them. ¡°All yous shutup! Yer only cheerin¡¯ her on ¡®cause yer jealous she¡¯s mine!¡±


    He wasn¡¯t handling it half as well as Cira. His words melted together and held no weight. One hand had a firm grip on the table, but he still swayed like a tethered kite. Cira didn¡¯t waste the chance to loudly poke fun at him, ¡°Don¡¯t be ashamed there, Donny. You wouldn¡¯t be the first to think he could best me! I¡¯ll give you one last chance to walk away if you¡¯d like.¡± She feigned concern and gestured to the door.


    ¡°Gah!¡± He was breathing heavily after the last glass. Sweat started to bead on his forehead and the color had left his face. With the countenance of a dying man, he tried to psych himself up with a belligerent war cry and started on his next. Bringing it down a few seconds later, still holding the handle, he hunched over grunting. By the time he looked up, Cira was already slamming another down.


    ¡°You¡¯re still behind.¡± Cira continued unwavering. How many have I even had tonight? With a satisfied exhale, she handed another empty to Peaches.


    She had gone from worried to amazed to scared. Her wide eyes paused for a moment as she took the glass. As Don tried reaching for another, Cira kept taunting him, ¡°How many will that make? Six? For someone who¡¯s never lost a drinking fight, you sure can¡¯t drink very much.¡±


    She received a resounding cheer from everyone else, but Peaches looked at her like some kind of monster. These mugs she brought weren¡¯t small and each contestant had well-cleared a gallon by this point. Most folk couldn¡¯t even drink water this fast. While Cira wasn¡¯t experiencing the same level of inebriation, she couldn¡¯t escape the bloating. Her tummy was less than satisfied with its treatment tonight.


    Milty was having fun, but the bemused look on her face was closer to that of watching children squabble. Don had had enough of the ridicule and one more guttural cry brought yet another drink to his mouth. He took his time to guzzle it down while Cira watched patiently.


    ¡°Hahhh!¡± It hit the table and he shouted the bitterness from his throat. ¡°Yuh damn wench¡­¡± his breath was strained, ¡°Yer¡­ Yer mine, ya¡¯ hear me?¡±


    His words were hardly comprehendible at this point. Each exhale sounded like he was grunting in pain and his shirt was drenched in sweat, clinging to his body. Cira almost started to feel bad for him, ¡°This is not a good look for you, Don.¡± His eyes glazed over as she watched her polish off another. She was unstoppable.


    ¡°The score is Nine-seven in Cirina¡¯s favor,¡± Milty called out, ¡°I don¡¯t see you winning this one, Don. You should throw in the towel before you embarrass yourself.¡±


    ¡°Wha?!¡± His jowls flopped as he snapped his head up in disbelief, ¡°You¡ªyou think I¡¯m gonna give up? She¡¯s mine, dammit!¡±


    ¡°BOOOOOO!¡± The crowd grew increasingly upset.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Cira crossed her arms and spoke with a jibing tone, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you to catch up.¡±


    Picking up another glass, Don choked as it approached his face and almost lost his grip. The man was in a world of his own, letting out careful, labored breaths. He would sway to and fro, and each time looked like he would follow through straight to the floor. Finally, after working himself up, he made an attempt. Nearly gagging after barely making any headway, he had to pull away.


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    What followed was a brief moment of dry-heaving while the entire tavern held their breaths with rapt attention. His retching echoed through the hall like a yak in heat, reflected on the increasingly revolted faces of the onlookers, Cira, and Peaches alike. After groaning against the table for a moment his eyes snapped up toward Cira with fury and he brought the ale in for one last push.


    Peaches frowned and started walking away. Cira looked to see a mop at the end of her path and agreed that his fate was sealed. Apparently, it had been since the moment he walked in the door. This was just the type of destiny that awaited men like Captain Don.


    He¡¯d managed the miraculous feat of drinking half of his seventh mug before an explosive gurgling sent ale and bile arching through the air. This was just another test of agility for Cira, and she dodged out of the way. James and an unfortunate group of spectators found themselves right in the splash zone and were far too impaired to do anything about it.


    As the crowd devolved Cira watched on reviled as he threw the glass to the ground, spilling ale scattering broken glass before washing it away with more vomit.


    ¡°And, that¡¯s game! Cirina Dreadheart is the winner!¡± Milty brought the battle to a close and had to shout over the excitement. Even the men lathered in Don¡¯s effort were jumping and applauding. The band started up with a victorious fanfare and Jimbo circled Cira with a tippy tapping jig. Milty yelled just a little louder, ¡°Peaches, get the¡ª¡±


    ¡°I got it¡­¡± the ever-diligent barmaiden walked up disheartened with a hazardous looking mop. If I weren¡¯t a pirate right now, I¡¯d clean it up for you¡­ Sorry again, Peaches.


    She started wiping away, but paused when Don made a repeat contribution. Then he wiped his mouth and looked at Cira who activated one hundred percent of her brain to interpret his words, ¡°You ain¡¯t won yet, wench¡­ If I ain¡¯t take you then I¡¯ll¡­hic¡­just take this girl!¡± He grabbed peaches by the hair and made to drag her off. As if coordinated, his three lackeys pulled their blades and turned to the approaching doorman.


    While he looked ready to plow through them, Cira was livid. She reproached herself for being so slow as to let him touch her, only just realizing the folly of drinking copious amounts of alcohol in a serious situation. The sorcerer had let her guard down, and she would reflect on it not later, but tomorrow.


    Shing!


    Tide Quencher¡¯s blade pressed against his neck and drew a drop of blood as the deep blue fake glyphs bathed Don in the overbearing pressure of Aquon¡¯s mana. Watery tentacles like that of an octopus grew from the hilt reaching for his neck, ¡°Release her if you value your life¡ª¡±


    Cira heard a thump and looked down.


    ¡°Nobody messes with peaches!¡± Jimbo had his leg-knife embedded in Don¡¯s ribs, and he released the damsel who crumpled to the ground.


    Tchk. ¡°You dare lay a hand on my daughter?!¡± At the end of Milty¡¯s hand was a kitchen knife and only half the blade was visible.


    Cira¡¯s eyes went wide, and she was dead in her tracks when a massive hand closed around Don¡¯s neck from behind. It was the doorman. Behind him were three men pathetically splayed on the ground with twisted legs and blood soaking their clothes. ¡°You¡¯re comin¡¯ with me.¡± He lifted his arm as if he were holding a small glass of ale and turned around to walk out the door.


    ¡°Yeahhh!!!!¡± The ruckus of the crowd exploded, and the mob swarmed the three lackeys to remove them as well.


    Cira stood there frozen. Aquon¡¯s tentacles sheepishly receded, and she awkwardly put her blade away. ¡°Are you alright, Peaches? Er, Pirate Heal¡­¡± A shining liquid like the gods¡¯ own finest ale appeared above the young girl and spilled over her head.


    ¡°Hey what the hell?¡± She tried wiping it off, but started to glow as the liquid evaporated into golden light. ¡°What¡­ was that?¡±


    ¡°Pirate magic.¡±


    ¡°Peaches!¡± Her mother approached hastily, shoving a bloodied knife into the hands of a random frightened patron, ¡°Are you okay?!¡± The glow was still dissipating, ¡°Is that magic¡­?¡±


    She had turned to Cira for an answer, still looking distraught, ¡°Pirate magic.¡±


    ¡°She healed me, Mom¡­ I¡¯m okay.¡± She still rubbed her head like it hurt.


    ¡°You¡­ are you a wi¡ª¡±


    ¡°Cirina Dreadheart is a pirate. Down to the bones.¡± Cira tapped a fist to her head for a nice knock.


    She wasn¡¯t convinced but didn¡¯t press, ¡°¡­right. Well thank you for jumping in so fast¡­ Some blade you got, but I won¡¯t ask. I can¡¯t believe that bastard would try¡­,¡± She shook her head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me, this is practically my fault anyway. I¡¯m sorry for the trouble.¡± She didn¡¯t think she deserved gratitude by any stretch of the imagination. By then the door man had returned and stood attentively behind Peaches looking intimidating.


    ¡°Can¡¯t say you¡¯re wrong there¡­¡± Milty had a weak laugh, ¡°but in the end it¡¯s that idiot Don¡¯s fault. He had this comin¡¯, it was only a matter of time. You just got caught up in it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy but Mom¡¯s right. I saw the whole thing¡­¡± Peaches looked up at her like she was trying to hold something unpleasant down, ¡°Thanks for saving me¡­ And you too, Jimbo.¡±


    ¡°Anytime, little miss.¡± He snapped and shot her finger guns, ¡°that¡¯s why they call me Jimbo Sticks.¡±


    After the ejection of fools, the atmosphere had grown sullen. If there was one thing that could move the pirates of Uru, it was seeing tears in Peaches¡¯ eyes. There was only one way to save the day, ¡°Milty. How about I buy a round for the house?¡± She held out a closed hand and Milty suspiciously placed her palm beneath it. Milty felt a cold round object drop and brought it in close before opening her hand just a little to take a quick glance. Her eyes shot open, and she shoved her fist into the pocket of her apron.


    She blinked a couple times and coughed to clear her throat, ¡°You¡­ are you serious?¡±


    It was just a doubloon¡­ ¡°Cirina Dreadheart is always serious. I think everyone here has earned it. Just buy Peaches something nice while you¡¯re at it.¡±


    She sputtered, ¡°S-something nice?!¡±


    ¡°What is it, Mom?¡± The girl innocently asked.


    ¡°Just a doubloon.¡± Cira answered. She felt a hand on her arm and looked over to see a very worried Delilah.


    ¡°Are you alright¡­ Cirina?¡±


    ¡°Just peachy.¡± She grinned. ¡°Sorry to worry you.¡±


    Milty ceremoniously announced Cirina¡¯s gift for the people and they all cheered, crowding the girls. Cira felt her feet lift off the ground, ¡°Hey¡ªwhat are you doing?! Put me down!¡±


    They threw her up and caught her, only to repeat the process, chanting, ¡°Cirina! Cirina!¡± the whole time. Her words didn¡¯t reach them, but once the door man set down the first keg, she was finally set down next to Delilah who found endless amusement watching Cira get thrown around.


    ¡°Come with me, Cirina. You too Jimbo.¡± Milty called them out, ¡°I got somethin¡¯ special for you two to drink. Least I could do.¡±


    James and his other three friends looked defeated. Being the first ones to approach the new girls and buy all those drinks, only to be forgotten about and left behind for Jimbo Sticks. This always happens! He lamented, Damn you, Jimbo!


    Milty made the two heroes and Delilah wait at the bar while she went in the back. When she came back there were three swirling glasses that looked, well, like the god¡¯s own finest ale. Cira took one sip and savored it, setting down her drink to let it stew. One taste was all she needed to know that this wasn¡¯t meant to be drank quickly. Besides, she had information to seek while Milty was still around.


    She spoke in a low voice to make sure she wasn¡¯t overheard, ¡°Hey Milty, you see and hear a lot of things around here, I bet.¡±


    ¡°¡­sure¡­¡± She squinted suspiciously, ¡°What are you driving at? Don¡¯t beat around the bush.¡±


    Jimbo too, looked at her curiously, so she continued, ¡°Right. You see, I¡¯ve come to Uru looking for a very particular treasure¡­ It¡¯s likely not known by name, but it¡¯s nothing so easy to find as royal prima.¡±


    ¡°Tch.¡± Jimbo clicked his tongue, ¡°Yer somethin¡¯ else, Cirina.¡±


    Milty had a hand on her chin, thinking deep. ¡°Hmmm¡­ I¡¯d call that beating around the bush, but there ain¡¯t much here aside from salt. Jimbo, didn¡¯t you say you heard Don talking about some hidden bounty up above? Seemed really secretive about it.¡±


    Jimbo¡¯s face fell and his expression went tight, ¡°Cirina¡­ You don¡¯t want Don¡¯s treasure. Believe me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯s treasure?¡± Of course a degenerate like him would be involved somehow.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s Don¡¯s now. Said some islanders had him smuggling something new out, but that was the last he spoke of it. Probably took ¡®em out and claimed it for himself. Talk around town says the treasure¡¯s cursed. Lotta his men ended up in the plague ward.¡±


    The answer was under my nose the entire time¡­ Some of those jerks I healed know exactly where the deritium is. Somehow I doubt they know what it is though.


    ¡°Sounds like that¡¯s my treasure, Jimbo.¡± She enjoyed another sip of her golden ale. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you well if you help me find it.¡±

 49 - Cirina Dreadhearts Maiden Voyage

    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡± Jimbo also lifted his glass.


    ¡°A curse¡­?¡± Delilah was troubled, ¡°are you sure it¡¯s okay?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no curse.¡± Cira answered. ¡°But I have to find it.¡±


    Jimbo and Milty both gave her the most suspicious look yet, the latter speaking up, ¡°Sounds like you already know what it is.¡±


    Cira savored the fine ale and pondered the best way to approach this. She didn¡¯t need to tell them much and decided it would be best to tell them as little as possible, ¡°It¡¯s somethin¡¯ bad, but you won¡¯t have to worry about it in a few days.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re impressive, I¡¯ll give ya¡¯ that. But¡­¡± He looked uncertain, ¡°Don¡¯s been pulling it out for years and he¡¯s got a¡ªat least he had a full crew. You¡¯ll get yerself caught, killed, or worse.¡±


    ¡°Have some faith, Jimbo. You¡¯ve never met a pirate like me. I¡¯m paying good mithril too¡ª¡± Delilah hurriedly shushed her.


    ¡°You can¡¯t go saying that so loud,¡± she admonished Cira, glancing around, ¡°Not in places like this.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Milty shouted in offense, ¡°I mean, I have to agree with the girl. You don¡¯t have a lot of sense, Cirina.¡±


    Jimbo was frozen with a smile on his face and spoke quietly, ¡°Is¡­ is that so? Mithril, you say?¡±


    With a smirk, Cira jingled one of the bags at her waist.


    He got serious for a few minutes, contemplating. The three enjoyed their ale to give time to think while Milty wiped off the counter then made to head back, ¡°Well I¡¯ve got work to do. Don¡¯t get in too much trouble, now. And whatever you do, make sure ya¡¯ don¡¯t bring it here.¡± She disappeared into the kitchen.


    ¡°Well, Jimbo?¡± Cira turned to him, ¡°you know where the treasure is?¡±


    He shook his head, ¡°Lots o¡¯ tunnels lead out of Uru. Some go up, some go down, to the side. You get the idea. It¡¯s in one of ¡®em, I¡¯m sure. Should be above, but that¡¯s all I got.¡± The shrug of his shoulders seemed sincere enough.


    ¡°So how do we find it? I don¡¯t have days to wander the tunnels. I need to find it this evening.¡±


    He thought about it for a few seconds, ¡°We can ask Baum Chetner.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡± Cira could only offer a blank stare.


    ¡°One o¡¯ Don¡¯s old guys. Quit last year, but he won¡¯t say why.¡±


    ¡°Perfect.¡± She laced her fingers, ¡°Take me to him.¡±


    ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t know where he is.¡± Jimbo drank some more, ¡°He¡¯s here every day, though. Can¡¯t believe he missed all this. Usually here by now, that¡¯s for sure. Best I can say is wait.¡±


    I don¡¯t know how much more liquid I can consume before I burst¡­ but I guess there¡¯s nothing to be done about it. She raised her glass and offered a cheers to her companions, ¡°Guess we¡¯re drinkin¡¯.¡±


    Quelling all the effects of such an endeavor required further study and some experimental spellcrafting. For now, she just wanted to relax until the man in question arrived. Lamenting the reappropriation of her newest vessel, Cira managed to get some sympathy sharing the tale of how she lost her first one.


    ¡°Holy smokes!¡± Jimbo exclaimed, ¡°Were they all dragons?!¡±


    ¡°No, no¡­¡± Cira chuckled, ¡°Dragons are much larger and more fearsome. Hell, nearly the size of Uru. No idea what these were. Maybe a distant relative to drakes. They ran around on two legs and were agile in the air. Covered in feathers, but I swear they were rept¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hold on just a minute!¡± Mr. Sticks¡¯ jaw was hung open and he slapped the bar counter, ¡°You sayin¡¯ you seen a real dragon?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t recommend it, Jimbo. It¡¯s the only thing in the sky that can sink my ship. Not lookin¡¯ forward to the day these cruel skies make me fight one.¡± She shook her head, shuddering at the memory of the red dragon disappearing from sight through the storm. The wings flapping around her for hours, hunting for her. An insatiable hunger that only fresh sorcerer could quell. Even after all this time had passed, she still sometimes woke up with a start when she heard loud noises in the night.


    ¡°Got a mighty fine ship, do ya¡¯?¡± He looked up thoughtfully as if trying to imagine it, using her as a reference, ¡°I¡¯d love to see it one day, but you gotta tell me more about the dragon. I thought they were made up!¡±


    ¡°So did I!¡± She regaled them with the story of the sleepy island, ¡°It all started because I needed some worms¡­¡±


    It was difficult to alter the details to be more pirate-themed, but by the end nearby Patrons and Milty ended up listening in, Peaches pretending not to while wiping a nearby table for ten minutes straight. Even James and the boys wandered back around. She had attracted another unwarranted crowd, but telling the story was too much fun. This was the first time she had the chance to complain about the dragon¡¯s misplaced fury. For what it¡¯s worth, she¡¯d captured all their hearts tonight. Not one face showed a hint of doubt.


    One man jumped in and said he saw a dragon once and then a litany of drunks took turns telling their own tall tales. Cira was having fun listening to them¡ªsome even sounded real, but others were far too embellished. With the going mood, she couldn¡¯t help but enjoy the obvious lies too.


    Eventually their conversation devolved into stories of strange beasts seen on the open sky, and Lorelai got to share the tale of Skipper¡¯s Point¡¯s elusive cave spider. The details were strangely vivid and at a couple points Cira thought she was nervously replacing details. Skipper¡¯s Point¡¯s main export was pepper¡­ But oh, they had caves. And in them lived a monstrous spider that would creep around snatching up kids and sometimes full-grown men¡ªthose pepper farmers that had to go into the caves for reasons unimportant to the telling of this tale.


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    Cira could empathize and felt her skin crawl. If there was one thing she had a particular distaste for, it was spiders. And that was when she was a kid. Cira and had no idea they could get bigger than your hand. One day, she watched Gazen destroy a spider the size of small island, fangs as tall as Breeze Haven¡¯s spire. On that day she also learned fire was a girl¡¯s best friend.


    The door creaked opened as Cira was busy spacing out and two familiar men fell into view.


    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s him!¡± Jimbo called out, ¡°Hey, Chets, get your ass over here!¡±


    Luckily the man was eager to earn a mithril doubloon, but Chetner was confused to hear his name. He seemed to recognize Cira and walked over.


    ¡°Hey, what did you do?¡± He sounded upset.


    ¡°You boys fell asleep right in the street. Us girls couldn¡¯t lift you two strong men.¡± She feigned innocence, glancing at Delilah who was already backing her up. ¡°We¡¯re so glad you made it, though!¡±


    In truth, she thought these men were quite unsavory on the pirate spectrum, but not so bad as Don.


    Jimbo had a funny look on his face, ¡°Huh, you already knew the guy?¡±


    ¡°He showed me the way before him and his buddy decided to take a short rest. I Had no idea he was the man I came here to see.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?¡± The man replied dumbly, a spark of degeneracy returning to his dull eyes, ¡°you were looking for me?¡±


    ¡°Indeed¡­ but maybe we shouldn¡¯t speak here.¡± She exaggeratedly looked around. There was still a crowd, though they¡¯d mostly dispersed after story time ended.


    ¡°Hold on, I came here to drink and I¡¯m gonna drink, damn it!¡± His friend nodded resolutely while his lazy eye stayed trained on Cira.


    She then looked at Jimbo who shrugged, ¡°I know a place we can go. You do too, don¡¯t ya, Chet? I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t mind drinkin¡¯ on the go if it¡¯s on Cirina¡¯s coin.¡±


    The two mulled it over among themselves for a moment before Baum spoke, ¡°Yeah, I guess that¡¯s alright, long¡¯s it don¡¯t run out.¡±


    And another man was bought. Cira was in the home stretch, ¡°Hey Milty, how much for a barrel?¡±


    She blinked for a moment, ¡°Uh, we don¡¯t sell barrels¡­ Five gold crowns, I guess?¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see¡­ I hope I have enough small change.¡± She rummaged around in the sack ol¡¯ Borty gave her for some good, honest alchemy work. She pulled five gold coins out, leaving one and some silver, ¡°These are them, right?¡±


    ¡°Er- yeah¡­ These are them.¡± She took the coins with a weird look on her face.


    ¡°Hah!¡± Jimbo slapped his knee, ¡°You¡¯re a riot! Ain¡¯t never spent money before?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve more experience with shiny rocks and gemstones.¡±


    ¡°Pfffft!¡± Jimbo spit all over her and she channeled her inner pirate to withstand it, shielding the open top of her ale rather than her face.


    Milty came back with the door man heaving a barrel from the kitchen. He was apparently the go-to heavy lifter around the tavern. The crowd stepped back as he hefted it down in front of Cira, ¡°How ya gonna carry it?¡±


    She got a mischievous glint in her eye that did not escape Delilah. ¡°You all want to see some pirate magic?¡±


    They all cheered and the crowd closed in. Cira took one step forward and struck a pose, holding her palms to the ceiling and wiggling her fingers, groaning as if to gather power. As her volume increased, the golden liquid rose from the barrel before converging into a perfect barrel-shaped mass of ale.


    ¡°Beer, beer, disappear!¡± And it did as commanded, disappearing secretly into her ring.


    ¡°YEAHHHH!!!¡± The onlookers went wild chugging their own beers to make them disappear as well and letting out belligerent cries. She didn¡¯t know how she elicited such a chain reaction, but it was a beautiful thing to witness.


    They finished their glasses of Milty¡¯s reserve and said goodbyes over the next few minutes while the excitement died down before making their way out the door. Everyone was sad to see her go and said they couldn¡¯t wait to see her tomorrow.


    Sorry fellas, I won¡¯t be comin¡¯ back.


    Baum and his man led the way while the trio followed. Of course, James and the boys tagged along¡ªthey hadn¡¯t said much but at least they were trying still. There were four more men that Cira did not recognize. The clever ones that snuck out as if they were part of the gang. Cira decided that was amusing enough to let slide and if they wanted to join in on the fun that was alright. She only needed a day of secrecy anyway, so a few stragglers wasn¡¯t anything to worry about. They could help with a different phase of the plan anyway.


    Soon they ended up at a sheer salt cliff face. There was a passageway hidden behind a depression in the wall. ¡°The Overlook?¡± Baum looked at Jimbo.


    ¡°The Overlook.¡± Jimbo nodded back.


    Cira was starting to regret asking for so much secrecy after they followed a winding uphill path through the salt, lit only by Cira¡¯s glowing blade and a torch Jimbo produced from somewhere. Her calves were really starting to feel the burn when she saw a dim light. They reached an opening in the side of the cliff where you could see Uru in all its dim, twinkling glory.


    Cira wasted no time in conjuring glasses for everyone, though the four extras got small ones more like teacups. Everyone was equally excited with they filled with ale from thin air. Baum and his friend happily imbibed, letting out a satisfied sigh, ¡°Alright¡­ So, you were lookin¡¯ for me?¡± He gave her what he probably thought was a real slick look with his eyes.


    ¡°Indeed. I¡¯m taking Don¡¯s treasure, and you¡¯re going to lead me to it.


    Baum Chetner went pale.


    Knowing Nanri, she would have encouraged my little exorcists to keep going. Her earnest smile is nothing to be trifled with. Still, it¡¯s around sunset on the outside by now, give or take. If they¡¯re still going it won¡¯t be for more than a few hours and that boat will get here in two tops. It wasn¡¯t the worst thing in the world if they had to wait, but Cira wanted to keep this show on the road. It was all about efficiency.


    Jimbo snapped in Baum¡¯s face, trying to bring him out of his frozen state, ¡°Better hurry up there, Chets. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a long walk.¡±


    Cira laughed, ¡°I was never one to walk when I didn¡¯t have to. It¡¯s time for some more pirate magic. Everyone, avert your eyes.¡± They were confused but folded when she pressured, allowing Delilah to watch if she wanted.


    A chunk of orichalcum big enough to give any pirate a thousand years of wet dreams appeared out of thin air. In an effort to hide it quickly, an absurd blast of earthen light flooded the Overlook, likely turning it into a beacon for all of Uru. The pirates all screamed, and Delilah shielded her eyes.


    Soon, a large oblong shape was formed from the salt. The two ends became points, and the inside was hollowed out. Cutting off the top and further shaping it, her creation was beginning to look like a pristine white pirate ship, just scaled down.


    She hid her father¡¯s staff inside because control would be easier with it out. Breeze Haven used a similar principle, in fact, though this boat would operate mostly off her own mana.


    ¡°Alright, gang. I call her the Salty Songstress, now who¡¯s ready for her maiden voyage?¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± James and the boys were blown away and the extras from Milty¡¯s were so plastered they could only stand there with their jaws on the floor.


    ¡°No way¡­¡±


    Cira stood at the helm and looked at everyone else expectantly. It seated ten, just right for their party¡ªrather Cirina Dreadheart¡¯s crew consisted of eight men, Delilah, and herself. Aside from Delilah and Jimbo, they were still hesitant to hop on, perhaps still processing what they saw.


    ¡°Come, men!¡± Cira pulled out her saber, putting a foot on the bow and pointing forward down the dark tunnel, ¡°Onward, to treasure!¡±


    Even the sail was made of salt. She had woven it into a kind of cloth using a technique similar to chainmail. Complete with ropes and a not-so-black flag. It was a miniature pirate ship, as detailed as she could remember them looking. Once they fell out of their daze, her crew loved it. Even Jimbo was excited, ¡°This night just keeps gettin¡¯ better. You gotta teach me pirate magic! I ain¡¯t takin¡¯ no for an answer.¡±


    Delilah was already on board with Jimbo¡¯s group quick to follow.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Baum said like a true stick in the salt, ¡°I haven¡¯t agreed yet.¡±

 50 - Thar She Blows

    As Baum Chetner baked under Cira¡¯s gaze, he turned to run, but she held him in place with her saber held aloft¡ªsecretly Aquon was working overtime, ¡°None can escape my pirate magic.¡± He turned to look at her with terror in his eyes, ¡°but fear not. I¡¯ll pay you well and you can just go buy a house up at Port or something.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t get it! Don will hunt me down, there¡¯s no escaping the Black Scourge!¡± He cried.


    ¡°With a name like that you should be embarrassed to be scared of them. He¡¯ll never know, so just hop on and drink some ale.¡±


    She figured waving her sword around pretty much made the pirate magic speak for itself, so she refilled his glass beckoned him on.


    He looked down, baffled, and took a drink, ¡°But¡­ but I don¡¯t wanna go back there! The treasure¡¯s cursed I tell ya¡¯!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not cursed, and it¡¯ll be gone tomorrow.¡± She flicked a mithril doubloon at him. Baum stared at it as his eyes grew wide and his mouth slowly gaped open, ¡°feel better?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± He looked up with a bright smile and unsteady eyes, ¡°Yes I do.¡±


    ¡°Great, now everybody get on board!¡±


    They did as instructed and Cira made the Salty Songstress drag along like a slug through the tunnels. It was actually part of the ground, just constantly molding itself forward. She made sure everyone¡¯s glasses were full, shared a smile with Delilah, then turned her attention to the man of the hour.


    ¡°Baum,¡± he shuddered, ¡°You know the way, right? Why don¡¯t you take the helm?¡±


    ¡°Um, what? I don¡¯t know if I can¡­¡± He shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know any pirate magic.¡±


    ¡°For one, magic is in the heart of each and every pirate,¡± she stood up and urged him to the seat, ¡°but you won¡¯t need it. Just take the wheel. There¡¯s even a spot right here to place your drink.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ alright then I guess.¡± He awkwardly walked past Cira and placed his beer in the cup holder with a short nod. ¡°More ships should have these.¡±


    Cira sat in the back and shared another round with her crew. Jimbo was in the middle of telling a story about his last prima run. There were very small tunnels in the ceiling of the nymph catacombs, and apparently landing safely from a high drop with a peg leg was quite the task. You had to literally crawl for more than a full day to get there from Nymphus. Then dragging a sack of salt back with a rope tied to his peg took even longer.


    ¡°Damn sweepers boxed us in, I thought we was done for.¡± Cira noticed his glass was empty and miraculously filled it again, ¡°we had to¡ªah thanks¡ªwe had find another way out! Boy I tell you, me peg was achin¡¯ for weeks. Almost had to stick ¡®em.¡±


    ¡°¡¯Least you played it safe,¡± Shirtless Joe slapped him on the shoulder, ¡°More than I can say for Triton, the poor bastard. We ain¡¯t never seein¡¯ him again.¡±


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± James turned to Cira suspiciously, ¡°you were in the Queen¡¯s nest weren¡¯t you? See anybody down there?¡±


    Cira leaned back against the railing, nursing half a glass. As she finished her long drink, she let out a satisfied, ¡°Ahhhhhh. Triton, I know him well. Dark hair, scar on his lip. Had a kid with him.¡±


    ¡°No way! She¡¯s gotta be tellin¡¯ the truth, that¡¯s him!¡± Shirtless Joe was blown away, but Cira sat there with a smug look.


    James too was honestly surprised, ¡°Man¡­ you weren¡¯t lyin¡¯¡­ You¡¯re something else, Cirina, that¡¯s for sure. But I guess he really made it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Captain Dreadheart to you.¡± Delilah wagged her finger at him, and it sent Cira into a fit.


    ¡°Pfffft! That¡¯s right, you hear me!¡± Cira mimicked the finger wag.


    ¡°What the hell happened to Triton though?!¡± Jimbo exclaimed.


    ¡°Relax, he¡¯s just fine, but we ran into trouble¡­¡± She got a sinister grin on her face and proceeded to tell the tale of when smuggler, pirate, and witch clashed. Cira stood by her morales that only a true degenerate would deface the queen¡¯s nest, while the freelance smuggler wanted to plunder its royal prima. Their argument devolved into combat, as they oft do¡ªeveryone nodded¡ªthen a patrolling witch stumbled upon them.


    ¡°Impossible!¡± Nothing got past Jimbo, ¡°The queen¡¯s nest is off limits!¡±


    ¡°Not all witches play by the rules.¡± She replied in a cool voice and drank from the bottomless ale. Well, with a full crew they were burning through it, but it would last until everyone except Cira died of acute alcohol poisoning. The ale was bottomless for all intents and purposes.


    Salty tunnels passed them by, lit by eyes and open mouth of the angel adorning the bow of the Salty Songstress. Baum chipped into the conversation with a joke now and again but had no complaints as his glass also refilled itself. Nina had taken to dancing through the air out in front of them at some point.


    Cira was certain they were following her as she left the Queen¡¯s Nest most recently, but the nymphs were mysteriously missing from her adventure until this point. She figured the Last Step warded them off, but it appeared they were secretly following her, hiding in the miles of salt until choosing this moment to join Nina in her festivities. They kept accumulating the further Cira¡¯s ship plowed down the tunnels. Twirling through the air, or just gliding along beside them, following ahead and behind. They were surrounded.


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    Cira thought the silent movement of the ship and flapping wings was too monotonous and took a poll of who could play an instrument. In Cira¡¯s travels, she¡¯d seen many instruments. Different skies often ended up with similar ones to each other under different names, but she was able to work out most of them. Baum¡¯s friend could play the fiddle, Shirtless Joe requested a flute, and not wanting to feel left out, James asked for a drum.


    After a short struggle with Jimbo, Cira determined that the oingo slapper was an accordion. In the greatest feat of pirate magic yet, Cira called upon her nature sorcery and geomancy to conjure a band¡¯s worth of instruments. Blocks of wood turned into a flute and fiddle, a tight wire for the strings. Making the bow was especially difficult as they were usually made with fine beast hair, but Cira found a decent substitute in conjured plant fiber.


    They started a shanty, or at least tried. All their instruments were out of tune and the fiddle cried like a banshee. James alone was jamming on his little drum, but still the others tried. They completed one full song before returning to their drinks, and Jimbo put down his wailing accordion, ¡°These sound like shit, Cap¡¯n.¡±


    ¡°Aye. That they do.¡±


    They returned to tall tales and shit-shooting while Cira worked on the instruments. All the while, she decided to decrease their travel time. By this point they were zipping through the tunnels at an outright dangerous speed, but luckily the turns weren¡¯t very sharp. Sometimes they¡¯d go up, or down for a little bit, but mostly up.


    It was not often that Cira could approach her goals with so little effort, so she sat back and enjoyed it. The merry crew kept twisting and turning through the dark on their miniature white pirate ship, shrouded in salt nymphs and drinking from glasses that never emptied, singing and playing increasingly less-shitty instruments, telling stories in between. This must have gone on for hours.


    These men would likely wake up tomorrow and remember this all as some strange fever dream. Two of Cira¡¯s nameless stragglers had already drank enough to pass out through all the ruckus and Baum had figured out the throttle at some point. He slowed them down and Cira looked over.


    ¡°We¡¯re getting close, keep it down¡­ See that tunnel on the left way down there?¡± They were in something of a nexus and looking down on a large open chamber, ¡°The Black Scourge¡¯s hideout is right inside. That¡¯s where you¡¯ll find the treasure. Can I go now?¡±


    ¡°I never leave a crewmate behind. It ain¡¯t a short walk back to town, so strap in.¡± Cira was slurring her words and fully in character now. Pushing Baum, who steered the ship, aside, she put a foot up on the bow and struck her signature pose.


    From the point of her saber, sparks flew. Instead of sizzling out, they got larger and arced all the way towards the tunnel he pointed out. Scattering around the ground and exploding, They left bright red flares behind.


    ¡°Onward!¡± Cira cried, ¡°It¡¯s a siege!¡±


    ___


    The dank cavern called home by the Black Scourge was carved out of the salt, illuminated by a dull red glow. A river inlet used for bathing fell from the ceiling and Don was busy licking his wounds. He had only been back for five minutes, but his crew immediately grouped around him with concern.


    There were no healers among the Black Scourge, so the best one could do was clean their wounds. Now, Don sat under the stream as three scantily dressed women gently rinsed him off with a sponge. Saltwater wasn¡¯t half bad as a disinfectant, but it sure wasn¡¯t healthy to rub into your skin every day. These conditions helped pirates on the rock look extra skeevy with cracked skin and rough complexions.


    ¡°Oh, Don, I can¡¯t believe they all ganged up on you.¡± The first sponge maiden was truly broken up about it.


    ¡°Poor Donny!¡± the next wept.


    ¡°Who was it, Don? Who started it?¡± The third was frail but her attitude made it sound like she wanted to do something about it¡ªstill hardly clothed, mind you, dual-wielding sponges with practiced hands.


    ¡°Oh, you shoulda seen the other guy.¡± He shook his head with a smug, but pained, grin, ¡°Nobody gonna see him no more. Gave him a dirt nap, I did. He¡¯s sleepin¡¯ with the underworms now¡ª¡±


    Bang! B-Bang! Pop! Bang!


    ¡°What the hell?!¡± Don stood up abruptly from his stool, sending the frail maiden spinning to the ground. Lights flashed from the hall and blasts shook the cavern like they were under explosive cannon fire. ¡°Are we under attack?! But how?!¡±


    His men were all standing around already, now drawing their blades. Don didn¡¯t care if his maiden¡¯s bathed him in their presence because he knew he had utter dominance over everyone here. Hell, he was the biggest baddest pirate on Fount Salt. This was something he said mentally to reaffirm himself.


    ¡°Cap, whadda we do?!¡± Juan, his reliable first mate, came running up.


    ¡°Friggin¡¯ go out there and look, what else?! Tell everyone to prepare for battle!¡± his sponge maidens all huddled against the wall, curling up to cover themselves.


    The blasts got louder, and Don swore he could hear sadistic cackling above the deafening blasts. It was a dreadful chorus of laughter, and the chaos only grew as it approached. Juan made it to the entrance of the hideout and shouted, drawing his sword, only to be tossed aside like a sack of underworms.


    Don couldn¡¯t register his maidens¡¯ cries as his eyes flew open at the sight of a miniature ivory pirate ship flying right through his front door with a full crew, blades in one hand and ale in the other. They were shouting devilish war cries and waving swords around, save for two inexplicably sleeping at the back and a girl shrouded within a shining bubble. No, the ship was salt, and the ground broke like waves as it plowed into his hideout. The attention to detail of something he¡¯d yet to comprehend was astounding.


    The figurehead on the bow was an angel like any other, but its eyes and mouth were wide open. a piercing light shot from all three orifices like some damned soul cursed to be exorcised for all eternity. Don shuddered as he slowly brought his face up to see someone he was not happy to see.


    The pristine model ship slowed down as one figure stepped forward. With a foot on the bow and a radiant, yet twisted, smile, she pointed a glimmering blade straight at Don and cackled, ¡°No one escapes a bargain with Cirina Dreadheart!¡±


    ¡°Wh¡­what?!¡± He was understandably flabbergasted, ¡°There¡¯s no way you¡¯re here!¡±


    ¡°Don¡­?¡± His maidens were quite curious.


    ¡°Who is she?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± The frail one stood up with her arms at her hips, looking furious.


    ¡°Don, you scallywag!¡± Cira growled, ¡°Clothe yourself so that we may duel!¡±


    He yelled at his maidens and they dried him off, much to Cira¡¯s disgust, then brought his clothes.


    ¡°What do you want?!¡± He snarled back, feigning dignity.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Cira looked to the elephant seal in the room¡ªor in this case, the giant glowing rock. Water poured down it from the ceiling, splitting off into multiple streams where it bored through the salt, spreading in every conceivable direction through the island.


    Not all employed by Don could call themselves crew to the Black Scourge. He had miners from the settlements around Uru that he¡¯d blackmailed or ransomed his way into working for him. They swung pickaxes at the shining scarlet monument tirelessly.


    None of the miners were right. They hobbled or hunched over, going through great struggle to bring the pickaxe up each time. No gloves, no masks. These were workers with a time limit. Expendable and easily replaced.


    ¡°The more I see, the worse it gets, Don. This is not looking good for you.¡±

 51 - The Deritium Raid, Part One

    Cira took a step off the front of the Salty Songstress before landing on the ground silently, holding her blade at the ready.


    ¡°You think you can take out Big Don, you dumb wench?!¡± The man that approached yelling had scratches along his arms and legs. The bruising on his face stopped one of his eyes from looking at her, ¡°You¡¯ll have to take me out first!¡±


    He jumped at her with a rusty sword, snarling through busted lips. Cira lazily held her own up and his went right through it¡ªno, that was just an optical illusion. Cira¡¯s cheater blade rent the pirate¡¯s in two on contact, separating the two halves with zero resistance.


    As his eyes bulged out of his head further than the bruising made them, she sidestepped. His sharpened stub approached Cira¡¯s soft underbelly and she kneed him in the gut. The poor first mate was first down. More pirates started flooding out from the myriad of doorways and the miners tending the deritium all dispersed. Cira lost count as more pirates amassed. She reckoned there were over a hundred.


    Half that at best were ready to fight. Many stumbled around still trying to figure out how to put their shorts on, still drunk and half asleep. Gaggles of hardly clothed women also dispersed from various doorways, but Cira noticed a particular three who looked very upset with her.


    The men onboard had left the ship at this point, save for the two sleepers and a concerned looking Delilah with a crossbow, coated in her own personal barrier. Another, liquid barrier formed around the Salty Songstress like perpetually crashing waves to keep it safe and on theme. Cirina¡¯s crew all had their swords drawn, but only Jimbo brought his glass. Cira clanked hers against it and they shared a drink.


    ¡°Sure is a lotta them.¡± Jimbo laughed, ¡°Ya gonna show us some more o¡¯ that pirate magic, right?¡±


    ¡°In due time.¡± The first of the Black Scourge reached their group, brandishing knives, swords, and crossbows. Cira split a bolt in two and parried the next with her beer before kicking another guy down. He rolled across the ground taking everyone behind him out, causing the pirate army to pause. They didn¡¯t expect such power from the girl, and didn¡¯t know what to make of the radiant water that splashed when she kicked. ¡°Now! Chaaaarge!¡±


    Cira raised her saber high above her head and ran into crowd with a battle cry. This struck fear into the opposition¡¯s hearts and some of their defenses dropped. When her blade made contact with the first man¡¯s face, he was sent flying through the crowd. She had conjured blades with similar effects and distributed them among her crew.


    Again, Cira didn¡¯t like murder. She would beat the crap out of a hundred guys, but killing was in poor taste. Of all men, those who let deritium taint this island weren¡¯t high on her list of people to spare though, so realistically she couldn¡¯t do anything if Jimbo tried to stick someone.


    Given the sheer number of people guarding Cira¡¯s treasure, unless she wanted to utterly overwhelm them with large-scale magic, it wasn¡¯t worth breaking her back to prevent a random pirate from losing his life. They knew what they signed up for in joining the Black Scourge.


    Besides, it worked out better this way. Were Cira to single-handedly decimate the Black Scourge, leaving all alive to tell the horrifying tale, it would create irritating rumors or pervasive issues for her. Ripples that would certainly catch up with the sorcerer sooner or later. And whenever possible, it was good practice to have the locals help take care of their own problem.


    James and his pals were huddled in the back on defense, and not many made it that far. It was a slow trickle of pirates as they kept getting blasted away with each swing. Baum and his buddy were taking up the rear and fending off most of the stragglers, while Jimbo was getting overwhelmed, not far behind Cira.


    ¡°Gyaah!!!¡± He had his blade locked with another when a second pirate jumped at him from the side, bringing his cutlass down on Jimbo¡¯s neck. ¡°Nooo!!!!¡±


    Dink.


    Like slapping a kitchen knife against a block of steel, the blade deflected off Jimbo¡¯s neck with a flash of light. This was Cira¡¯s secret protection for her crew. His eyes went wide as he stared into his would-be killer¡¯s eyes who made the same expression.


    ¡°You bastards!¡± His peg flew off with a kick and he stuck the man bearing down on him, who went limp and slid to the ground. ¡°Hahhh!¡± Jimbo swung around, slicing the second man¡¯s hand open with his peg knife, making the sword clatter to the ground. With immaculate balance, he gave a guttural shout and slammed the glass he still held into the man¡¯s face.


    It shattered in an explosion of blood and ale as he fell to the ground. Jimbo stood on one leg and flexed his arms out, screaming to the unseen sky. Pieces of glass flew into the air again and clinked against the jagged handle in his hand before becoming an unbroken cup which promptly refilled.


    ¡°Now, that¡¯s what I¡¯m talkin¡¯ about!¡± Jimbo refueled, reequipped his peg, and fell right back into the fray.


    Cira hadn¡¯t strayed too far from the ship once their enemy¡¯s number had increased to a point, but Baum was starting to get a little too much action. He and his friend had fallen back with James and the extras, holding everyone off. The five-plus of them were accustomed to combat but weren¡¯t masters by any means. They¡¯d have long been wiped out if it weren¡¯t for the infallible glinting of swords against their barriers.


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    Their guide wasn¡¯t too keen on being pit against the entire crew he used to run with either, and Cira told him to wait in the boat, but apparently this seemed to him like a situation he wouldn¡¯t survive if he didn¡¯t draw his blade.


    ¡°Hold on, is that Chetner?!¡± One pirate snarled.


    Once one man recognized him it was over, ¡°It is him. Hey everyone, old Baum is one of ¡®em!¡±


    ¡°Goddamn, Chets, it was you!¡±


    ¡°No, you fools!¡± Cira stuck her blade deep into the salt and a tidal wave washed her closest opponents away with a powerful ebb, ¡°It was I! Cirina Dreadheart!¡±


    Now she had a clear view of Don again. He stood in the back shaking like a leaf, one woman trying to push a sword into his hands. He froze when they locked eyes.


    ¡°You bitch!¡± A flash of sandy light Cira was familiar with grew from a man¡¯s fist as it flew towards her. Had he not snarled before attacking it may have caught her off guard. She reinforced her barrier with earth mana and waited for the blow to come. ¡°Think you¡¯re tough¡ª¡±


    The fist was aimed right for her face, but Cira¡¯s eyes were locked on the man¡¯s disapprovingly as jagged rock exploded from his fist on impact, blasting back from her barrier. The blinding mana flooded the room for an instant and revealed a man encased in the reflected stone from his own attack. It fizzled out into light and the would-be mage was left groaning on the ground, coated in bruises and cuts.


    ¡°I was wondering when I would find the geomancer.¡± Cira let the ale in her hand float back into orbit then snapped her fingers. An effulgence of the same hue grew from the Salty Songstress as the staff hidden within activated. Salt rose up from each doorway, sealing everyone inside. ¡°Now give up and offer your full cooperation. I can promise your treatment will be better than if you don¡¯t.¡±


    That wasn¡¯t much of a promise to go on, but the wayward mage gawked, head swiveling around the room. Every single door was sealed up in an instant, from a simple snap of her fingers. This new pirate was more terrifying than she was beautiful, which rang shrill alarm bells in his head. He shivered, cowering up at her from the ground.


    This man was but a smuggler who stumbled upon a spell book once. Not an uncommon story among thieves, but he seemed to be worse off than Triton. His magic consisted of concentrating earth mana to his fists and discharging it on impact. It was the equivalent of packing gloves with explosive shrapnel. Cira thought only a child could stumble upon such a thoughtless technique. Luckily, the stone was conjured, or he would have had to rely on Cira to get him out of his self-imposed prison.


    Unfortunately, this sequence gave the pirates a chance to rally. Cira could see Don banging his head on a sealed door with his worried maidens at his side. Others had evidently woken up too, increasing the number of enemies between them even further. Now that they felt trapped, they fell in on Cira and her crew.


    Fending a couple off, she rushed the quivering mage, ¡°Make a choice, I don¡¯t have time to dawdle.¡±


    He hastily crawled to his knees and slammed his face to the salt, ¡°Please don¡¯t kill me! I¡¯ll help you, I swear! You¡¯re the captain now!¡±


    ¡°Good man.¡± Chains formed, snaking around the mage before lifting him off the ground. He cried and pleaded while floating off towards the Salty Songstress, growing quieter after noticing that he was behind a barrier. Still bound, he proceeded to nervously watch the rest of the fight.


    Cira and Jimbo in front didn¡¯t have much trouble fending off assailants even if they were taking some blows here and there. Baum and the others were struggling to keep up though, and it was only getting worse, while the two extras had been dogpiled at this point. Cira couldn¡¯t see them, but the sound of her barriers was still firing off, so she didn¡¯t feel the need to waste time there yet.


    After a few minutes the numbers finally thinned when another man woke up from his sheets laid on the salt. There were still a good few strewn about and it was funny watching their friends trip over them trying to hold Cira off, but there was one in particular she kept her eye on.


    He had to be as big as Milty¡¯s doorman, taller even. His face was dirty, covered with stubble, and his striped pants were tattered. Looking around in a daze for a moment, he finally rested his eyes on something. Grabbing it in one massive hand, he held the jug up to his mouth, spilling a dark liquor down his bare chest. Blinking a couple times as if he were seeing the world clearly for the first time, his eyes fell on something else. He got up slowly with a pained grunt and stood at nearly the height of two men, now holding a massive wooden maul in one hand.


    There is no reason for that man to be so large. Is that just from deritium exposure? He didn¡¯t look malformed like the miners, and Cira didn¡¯t like the implications there. She was busy mulling it over in her head when Jimbo kicked a guy in front of her, ¡°This is no time to have yer head in the clouds. Here, hold this,¡± He chucked his beer at her, ¡°I¡¯ll hold him off for now, just think of a way to finish him!¡±


    He bashed a man into rolling out a path through the crowd before running through, swinging his sword left and right to fend off anyone that got too close.


    ¡°Wait¡­ seriously?¡± Cira was left dumbstruck. Clearly, she hadn¡¯t made enough of an impression on Jimbo, but decided to let his valor play out for a time. He got close to the giant and pulled his peg off. Then, ripping half the peg away with his teeth to reveal another knife, he jumped to avoid an attack.


    The giant¡¯s muscles bulged as the wooden maul came rippling through the air. Its target was nimble enough to hop right over it. After plunging his leg-knife into its waist-high calves, he stabbed into his side with the other. With a harsh yank, Jimbo pulled himself up and re-stabbed into its ribs. The lumbering man yowled and tried ripping away at him with a free hand, but he couldn¡¯t use the maul like that.


    Each time he would grab, Jimbo swung himself around just barely avoiding it and getting another two stabs it. Jimbo sure is a good guy to have on my team¡­ Even Cira was a little concerned at such a ruthless display, but she had her own pirates to fend off, lest her defenders get overrun.


    There wasn¡¯t really much at stake on her end, but it wasn¡¯t a good look if her whole crew was at the bottom of a pile of angry pirates. Turning around with a roundhouse kick, she sent three flying. This quickly dispersed the immediate crowd and she managed to regroup with James and the boys, taking a moment to free her nameless goons from their dogpile.


    ¡°How¡¯s it going back here?¡±


    ¡°¡¯The hell do you think it is?!¡± Baum cried, ¡°I can¡¯t even count how many times I¡¯ve died. Yer damn pirate magic ain¡¯t right, why haven¡¯t you just taken care of them all already?!¡±


    ¡°I told you this is a siege, not an extermination.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste your breath, Baum.¡± James was exhausted, and the others looked the same. She considered healing them when Jimbo¡¯s frantic cries cut in.


    ¡°Dreadhearrrrrrrt!¡± He was wrapped around the maul, holding on for dear life. The giant swung it around like there was a bug stuck on the end. ¡°Hurry!!!!¡±

 51.5 - Sixty Days After the Festival

    After leaving Heron Village behind, Cira spent weeks travelling the empty sky. That trading post was like finding a lighthouse after years lost at sea, punctuating a long and desolate journey for the young sorcerer. Fount Salt wasn¡¯t what she had in mind when she decided to meander back into civilization, but beggars couldn¡¯t be choosers up here.


    Some folk didn¡¯t have the agency to flutter about the winds at their leisure, however. Months on the soaring tides took a great deal of preparation, and none but the most seasoned sailors found themselves in the dead skies. These regions required skill, provisions, and a hardy crew. If one navigated their course a fraction of a degree off on a trip through a month or two of empty sky, they were doomed to never reach their destination, often thrown deep into a distant frontiers they¡¯d never heard of with no idea how to get back.


    While all these rules applied to Cira, she didn¡¯t have to care about them. She could live out her whole life on Breeze Haven and never land, but that would be a bleak existence to say the least. This was what she got a glimpse of in her quest to wallow across the world in her father¡¯s passing and is the reason she so quickly latched on to tales of the Boreal. A busy trade route was sure to be a great place to start living her life again.


    This was the simple beauty to be found in the life of a sorcerer. Or perhaps Cira had it easy, but she was always on the move. Cira could tune herself out of the world for a time then drop out of the sky on a whim for a fresh breath of life. Heron Village was bizarre, but it wasn¡¯t the worst she¡¯d ever seen. Most of the people there were very nice and hospitable. But even now the island was becoming a distant memory in the back of her mind. The sorcerer had long-since moved on to toil in someone else¡¯s lives and surely disappear into the sky just as quickly.


    Again, not all had such freedom. More importantly, not all craved it. Far behind Cira lay the island of Heron Village. Just as Sam had claimed, the regrowth over their burned little town was truly impressive. While still saplings, trees broke through the ashes spread across the last generation¡¯s land. Wildlife which was driven out of the forest from their reconstruction efforts had now found new hovels in which to sire their young, and plentiful food to eat among the rich foliage.


    A spry, yellow bird flew over the new growth and across a simple wooden fence line, turning villagers¡¯ heads with its pleasant song. There was a group of men breathing heavy with hammers in their hands, laying planks down then staking them to the dirt. These formed pathways between simple wooden homes that everyone on the island lived in. Within the first couple weeks the longhouse was built for everyone to eat in and bunk together, but it took them weeks to finish all the individual homes.


    None of them had the personal flair common among Heron Village¡¯s craftspeople, but they were all sturdily built and unfinished. In the coming years each family would work on their own home during their spare time to make them unique and more comfortable until the day eventually came to pass the village anew onto their children.


    All these homes encircled a plaza in the center. The village clock traditionally wasn¡¯t built until the rest of the village was in a complete state¡ªusually after the first year. So, there was no wooden construction in the center of their town yet.


    Sam leaned against a post thinking about how this generation would build it. Of course, the decision would ultimately come down to the new chief being elected next month, but the elders¡¯ opinions was always been regarded with weight since he could remember. He was almost excited to be one, even if it meant turning over his life¡¯s work.


    He had witnessed the festival once when he was young, but his second was the one that would stick with him to his death bed. Through the many years he¡¯d lived in Heron Village, never was there a visitor quite like her.


    The girl who called herself Cira was not the first spellcaster he¡¯d met, but none of them left much of an impression. The air around this one felt different, like she lived in a world far above any he would ever know. The sight of her own personal island ascending against the bright flare of their burning village until it was no more than a twinkling star left him strangely somber.


    She had arrived looking for nothing past a few meals to eat and despite her frail body, worked as hard as any villager without complaint. Sam wanted to make her a water girl at first, but she insisted that she wanted to get a good workout in ¡°for once¡±. The thought made Sam chuckle. She was easygoing enough to let them off when the man tried to burn her home even after the misunderstanding was laid bare, but Sam could tell her feelings were hurt when the situation turned.


    He thought she seemed like a normal girl for the first few days. Even at the end, he was sure one was buried down there somewhere, but her departure reminded him they were indeed residents of different worlds. The heron she conjured was burned into his eyes and it was surely a festival that would be told of for generations to come.


    Sam was hardly the only one affected by her visit either. The village women had taken to wearing whites and leafy green colors on their dresses. It appeared they¡¯d taken more of an interest in fashion, and many of them were competing to make the smoothest fabric or most vibrant dyes, taking greater care in their sunhats as well.


    The traveler was practically all the young ones would talk about these days too. Their imaginary games involved sorcery now and some tried to imitate the way she spoke in exaggerated, haughty impressions. It was endearing to see the kids so lively. Even though most of them only saw the heron¡¯s flight and didn¡¯t even witness her casting it, their minds were stuck in the clouds ever since.


    Magic held no place in Heron Village¡¯s history, so what some children may think to be a fairy tale, others had never even heard of. It was something they¡¯d never conceived. Some were still having trouble understanding that it wasn¡¯t actually the Heron, but that was an issue for another day.


    The young ones were blown away when they heard it was all Cira¡¯s doing. Whether she conjured them a show or commanded the mighty Heron to make an appearance, the excitement still hadn¡¯t died down.


    After finding the present she left in the woods, most of the adults were happy rather than upset. When they learned it was a clock, they unanimously agreed to build the village around it. Their own mechanical clock would be built around that.


    Of course, the children loved it and took to playing around it nearly every day. The villagers took pride in their isolation, but they were starting to see that influence from the outside wasn¡¯t all bad, even if it challenged their ways. This next generation was inspired and worked tirelessly every day. This even led to the groundbreaking appearance of Heron Village¡¯s first ever mage.


    ¡°Sam, look!¡± The girl twirled a stick around proudly and a little splash of water fell to the ground. ¡°I¡¯m just like Cira!¡±


    Sam laughed and ruffled her hair. It was the young water girl that helped Cira not die of dehydration. ¡°That¡¯s great, dear. Maybe a couple more years, but you¡¯re getting close.¡±


    She giggled and ran off with her friends who also wielded sticks, though they couldn¡¯t cast any magic. Sam was just happy to see them grow, but he didn¡¯t know why the first girl could and the others couldn¡¯t. Hell, he didn¡¯t even know where to begin to answer that question.


    You see, Cira had quite the impact on her. Magic was simply the caster¡¯s will manifested through great desire, and occasionally other means. There were also factors like one¡¯s aura. The water girl had very little mana to speak of, but it¡¯s not like that was set in stone the day she was born. More importantly, the sorcerer had praised her and told her she could do anything she wanted. Such a person was a reliable source in her mind, and believing such words was conducive to sorcery.


    The positive feelings she got from bringing water to the countless smiling faces in fact carried over when she wanted nothing more than to conjure a glass of water. I¡¯m gonna be just like her one day. I¡¯ll bring a smile to everyone¡¯s faces, but there¡¯s only one way I know how to do that¡­ This exceedingly childish line of thinking was exactly what led to her conjuring water for the first time.


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    Exceedingly childish thoughts had their place in sorcery, make no mistake. This girl would grow up to grasp her dreams with her own two hands one day.


    As Sam watched them scamper off, it came time to call in the workers for the day. Until their clock was completed, this was done by ringing a bell. The farmers and seamstresses all flocked to the longhouse, followed shortly by the hunters with a fresh elk. Sam regretted not being able to share this delicacy with Cira, but they only hunted them once a year, lest they die out.


    Much like the residences, the longhouse was yet incomplete. Mostly bare bones with exposed framing, but it was enough for the village to share a meal in and even sealed in case the weather turned. The villagers laughed and unwound, savored the meal, and braced themselves for another productive day tomorrow. Everyone was content.


    After dinner they all went to their respective homes and went to bed as the sun set. This was just another quiet and peaceful evening in Heron Village. They changed a little over the years, and with each generation, but they found a simple comfort in their routine. Everyone wanted to see how the village would turn out this time around.


    Over the next few hours, the moon rose over the sleepy villagers resting in their beds. Nobody had any business after dark, so everyone was inside. But this actually wasn¡¯t true, on most nights.


    Far across the new growth on the opposite side of the island, somewhere distant where noise wouldn¡¯t carry, there was a young boy working on his craft.


    Tink. Tink. Tink.


    Chipping away at a stone, Pita had gotten better. He was crushed when his dad told that lady to destroy the gift she left, and wept tears of joy when he discovered she ignored him ten-fold. When he went to look for it the morning after the festival, there were two more gifts sitting on the sundial¡ªa hammer and chisel.


    Using these, he¡¯d made great strides in improving his skills. Slamming two rocks together for so long caused all his potential to build up and Pita took to the tools quickly. He still carved drawings of birds, and they looked much nicer, but he drew other things now too. Sometimes he¡¯d carve an image of a ship, or try his hand at Cira herself, though he usually scratched over those ones by morning. These were things he drew for fun, though the kid had ambitions now. There was nothing on his mind more often than leaving this island, but he knew the road ahead was long and difficult.


    So, Pita finally gave in and started working hard with his woodcraft during the day, but unless told otherwise, he only tried to build one thing¡ªboats. They were really just reminiscent of the shape and would never float on water, though he did try it in the spring¡¯s pond. It sank and washed away quickly off the shore¡¯s edge.


    Despite all his peers and the adults pointing out how impossible it would be, that he¡¯d never make them fly, he still kept at it. It was the only way to achieve his dream. He didn¡¯t know the first thing about how to make them fly, so it was a lot of trial and error. Something a kid wasn¡¯t all that great with in the first place.


    There wasn¡¯t much at his disposal, but he was unwittingly on his way to stumbling into a craft far more impressive than simple stone-carving.


    She said magic just does what she wants, right? He wished he had a chance to ask her more questions, but he remembered the woman offhandedly saying something along those lines. So, it should do what I want too!


    He had a vast pile of rocks that he¡¯d chiseled little doodles into. Some of them were words like ¡®fly¡¯ or ¡®move¡¯, and others were little squiggles to represent wind. He tried all sorts of different things, but nothing worked. He had no concept of artificing, but he saw a pirate ship once. Its sails had really cool patterns on them, so he figured it had something to do with magic.


    Somehow, he was right on the money. Still, a worthless pile of rocks were the fruits of his effort. Tonight was drawing especially long as each time he made a new rock he felt a fuzzy tingling throughout his hand. He didn¡¯t know what it was, but it drove him to keep trying. Again, and again.


    Making one last attempt, he carefully chiseled some wavy lines on another stone, putting his full concentration into making them look nice and even. When he set it down a loud crackle made him jump and there was a brief spark on top of the rock. If he blinked, he would have missed it, but the flash of light was unmistakable. He held his palms open, looking at them. A weird feeling pricked his hands like he¡¯d fallen asleep on them, and he suddenly felt tired.


    ¡°I¡­ I did it! I think I really did it! Magic!¡± He jumped up and hopped around, spinning in circles and cheering to himself. Usually, he tried to keep quiet as an extra precaution in case he got caught, but it was the last thing on his mind. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it!¡±


    He fell back on the ground, laughing in a giddy fit. This lasted a few minutes as he kept glancing back at the rock and smiling. While the spark was indeed mana, it was the spark of a failed glyph. This still was an achievement in that he channeled mana through a rock without evening using a needle, but it was far from artificing.


    Even if he knew all that, it wouldn¡¯t bother him. This was a monumental achievement wrought by nothing but his own effort. All those nights sneaking off through the woods meant something now. He didn¡¯t know how, but he was certain he could do it again. Eventually, he would do it better, too.


    ¡°Huh¡­? That¡¯s weird.¡± He stared up at the sky from his back and saw the rosey colors of sunrise approaching, ¡°No way! I was out way too late. Dad¡¯s gonna kill me!¡±


    He jumped up to rush home. His father would be livid if he found out he was sneaking off at night, and it could spell trouble for achieving his dreams. It wasn¡¯t long until made it to the top of the hill and froze, slowly sinking down, ¡°No¡­ Not again¡­¡±


    Pita¡¯s soul was crushed as he took in the vista before him. The sky was lit not by the rising sun, but by flames. They rose from the village and even the farms. He noticed they had even begun to spread through the incipient forest. He hadn¡¯t heard anything, concentrating on his work, but the fire could not be denied.


    ¡°There¡¯s not supposed to be another festival!¡± Pita cried from down on his knees, ¡°Why¡­? Why is this happening?!¡±


    Through his tears he looked around and his eyes fell on a ship much like the one from his carvings. Atop its single mast there was a black flag with a skull. Pita¡¯s stomach dropped and his eyes flitted between it and the burning village. He had already lost everything, and now it was being taken away again so soon. And for what¡­? What is it for?


    ___


    To the experienced pirate on an average day, their ship smelled of nothing but the freshest mountain air. Such a man has spent decades breathing piss and sweat, it was practically half their body weight at this point, so they didn¡¯t notice it. As the sun rose over the distant clouds on this particular morning, Kieran enjoyed the brusque aroma of smoke.


    ¡°Do you smell that?¡± He waved a hand into his face, brushing the odor closer, ¡°Fresh greenery has such a sweet scent, dontchya think?¡±


    ¡°Aye,¡± a man wearing an eyepatch and torn vest nodded, ¡°but it¡¯d smell sweeter if we got somethin¡¯ out of it. Could¡¯ve at least picked up some women.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t worth the trouble, mate.¡± The first man shook his head and tsked, ¡°Those folk know their way around a spear. I woulda lost good men. ¡®Least one. I bet it woulda been you, too.¡± He let out a boisterous laugh and slapped him on the shoulder with a wink. ¡°Just enjoy the next island twice as much.¡±


    His laughter died down as the two men at the helm looked down at the distant island behind them. They tried offering a fair deal of only taking two women and all their gold but were immediately met with aggression. Kieren decided it was a wash and he was better off torchin¡¯ the place than bothering¡ªthey practically got it ready for him what with all those stacks of lumber.


    A few incendiary blasts later and they went about their merry way. Soon the far away flames wouldn¡¯t even be visible on the horizon and the nameless island would go down on his long list of places where nothing of note occurred.


    ¡°I¡¯ll drink to that.¡± His first mate held up his glass. ¡°We¡¯ll have to ask for four¡ª¡±


    ¡°Cap!¡± A harsh looking young woman burst out of the hatch below deck looking pissed. She dragged a child behind her by the hair, ¡°We got a goddamn stowaway! Stupid kid was tryin¡¯ to hide behind the stairs, ya gotta turn around!¡±


    ¡°Aye, we don¡¯t want that, do we?¡± Kieren spun the ship¡¯s wheel with gusto and started yelling orders to his crew when the boy wriggled out of his captor¡¯s clutches. He threw himself on the ground at Kieran¡¯s feet.


    ¡°No! Y-you owe me! You¡­ You burned it all down AGAIN! You owe me!!!¡± The kid¡¯s face was red, enraged and pleading through tears.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s what this is, eh? Boy wants revenge! I only burned it down the one time though.¡± Kieran had a good laugh then focused on the kid, ¡°If you¡¯ve come to settle a blood debt, just say the word. I¡¯ll toss ya right off, Kiddo.¡±


    ¡°No, I said you owe me, you stupid pirate! Take me away from that horrible place¡ª¡± His words were broken up through heavy sobs, ¡°You have to! Please¡­ I¡ªI don¡¯t ever want to go back!¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Kieran had frozen mid-drink, ¡°You seriously expect me to take you somewhere? I¡¯m already at a loss wastin¡¯ all them munitions¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t take me back, please! I¡¯m begging you¡­¡± The boy was now a blubbering mess, crumpled over Kieran¡¯s boots, tears puddling on the deck, ¡°I don¡¯t care what you do with me, just don¡¯t turn around.¡±


    Kieran, his first mate, and the deckhand all looked at each other. They shrugged one after the next, ending with Kieran. ¡°Well, whatever. It¡¯s less trouble this way, but I¡¯ll toss ya¡¯ right off if you¡¯re useless or we run out of food. Don¡¯t forget that.¡±


    Some still had to fight or beg for freedom, clawing at it with bloodied fingernails. Young Pita had friends in Heron Village and a good relationship with his mother. Truth is, without even the chance to check on them before stowing himself aboard, he was worried sick. In his soul there was an intense hatred for these pirates, and he felt it with every fiber of his being, each beat of his heart, but he was at least wise enough to know there wasn¡¯t a damn thing he could do about it. Like a flea hopping on a gull¡¯s wing, only one thing was certain: He would end up far from home.


    For some, that was enough.

 52 - The Deritium Raid, Part Two

    As Cirina and her crew watched Jimbo get thrown around helplessly on the end of a tree-like wooden maul, the other pirates were emboldened. They would get thrown away only to crawl back twice as mad. The way their disorganized ranks kept rising and falling, only to rise again was not dissimilar to fighting a necromancer.


    There was no such sorcery at play¡ªthis much Cira knew. But fending off an army by slapping the shit out of them could only get one so far. By the time they were good and beaten up, their friends had recovered enough to rejoin the fight, creating an endless cycle of half-dead drunks slowly engulfing Cirina¡¯s crew. Was this the true nature of the Black Scourge?


    This left Cira with little choice. She¡¯d been holding her own just fine, but even with her help it was beginning to be too much for James and the boys. Jimbo¡¯s mortal cry echoed from one side of the chamber to the next as he was swung to and fro. Reluctant to let go, he still knew it would take but one slap against the ground to find the end of ol¡¯ Jimbo.


    Cira knew this too, but she also knew she had to make an example here or the battle would never end. It was time for the Black Scourge to understand who they stood against. Drawing the attention of most everyone in the cave, the Salty Songstress started moving, grinding through the salt. Delilah was alarmed and could be seen shrinking back inside her bubble, holding her crossbow out timidly.


    A large barrel had formed on the side of the hull and by the time it hollowed out and anyone realized what it was, a loud bang shook every pirate in their boots. When a white object flashed through the air, it was already too late. A cloud of salt seeped from the barrel like gun smoke while the heavy salt projectile hit the giant square in its chest. The cracking of bones could be heard as it groaned, stumbling back.


    It dropped the maul which shook the room as it hit the ground. Jimbo ended up splayed on the ground, but avoided being crushed. He rolled over and got up with shock painted on his face, scanning the room before his eyes met with the giant¡¯s again. Standing back up, it towered over Jimbo like he was a small woodland critter.


    Unbridled rage filled its eyes, stoking a war cry before getting mercilessly cut off¡ª


    Bang!


    Another salt cannonball smashed into the giant¡¯s shoulder. His arm went limp and he groaned, finally tumbling to the floor. The crash was loud enough to rattle every pirate in the room, friend or foe. Not a single person could move. Jimbo scuttled his way back over and offered his thanks before pulling his drink back out of her airspace.


    Now the Black Scourge Pirates were meek, losing the will to fight. The room was almost silent except for the extra jangly chains Cira conjured to wrap around the giant. A couple quick cannonballs to their biggest guy had once again struck fear back where it belonged¡ªthe hearts of her enemies. Most of them fighting James and the others had begun to slowly back away. As the battlefield seemed to shift, Cira was able to track down her target again. He was pressed against a wall with his eyes glued open, trying to shrink behind one of his girls.


    ¡°I won¡¯t say this again, Don. I¡¯m only going easy on your men because this can still be settled if we cross blades.¡± She pointed her blade to him again with a cold look, ¡°It¡¯s up to you.¡±


    The Black Scourge Pirates were discouraged and many of them couldn¡¯t get back up anymore. Still, some found courage and threw themselves fruitlessly at Cira¡¯s crew who had become increasingly confident. Anyone who approached was quickly repelled by the swashbuckling clump of drunks. When Cira looked back she met worried eyes with Delilah. Her crossbow was knocked and ready but hadn¡¯t been fired off yet.


    It was mainly for self-defense and was the real deal. If anyone could bust through her barrier to attack Delilah, she was more than welcome to shoot them in the face. Rather than fear for her own life however, she watched Cira with concern throughout the whole battle.


    Even the most dedicated pirates started to slow down as they took notice of Cira¡¯s challenge. If the captains of two crews agreed to a duel, it was expected for the fighting to cease until a winner was declared. Alternatively, Don could deny the challenge, and assuming at least one side was aggressive, the battle would continue.


    ¡°Just who the hell do you think you are?!¡± An irate woman with a scrawny, exposed chest approached Cira holding a sponge in one hand. ¡°Do you even know who Don is?¡±


    Cira looked down at her with confusion, ¡°More importantly, who are you? Put some clothes on if you want to fight¡ª¡±


    Splat!


    A wet sponge squelched against Cira¡¯s face, triggering a bright light and instant explosion of mist.


    ¡°Even without my Pirate Barrier, I don¡¯t know what you hoped to accom¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± She spat and Cira sidestepped it, ¡°You¡¯re not so tough!¡±


    ¡°Tougher than your captain if he won¡¯t agree to this duel.¡± The sponge maiden puffed up but couldn¡¯t say anything further after that. The other two topless ones didn¡¯t have half the spirit and huddled behind Don, trying to push him onward with encouraging words.


    ¡°Come on Don, you can do it!¡±


    ¡°We all believe in you, Donny!¡±


    ¡°Grrrrah! Fine, then!¡± He took a few steps forward, pulling the scabbard off his sword and throwing it to the ground, ¡°Men, stand down! Yer captain¡¯s been challenged¡­¡±


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    Cira wasn¡¯t sure where he found the gusto after watching that battle, but he walked toward her semi-menacingly with his freshly cleaned beard and black eye. She had to admit, his stature was imposing, but that was all he had going for him. She hadn¡¯t noticed after comparing him to Milty¡¯s doorman, so it didn¡¯t have much impact here either. He was also limping and holding his side from the stab wounds.


    His men had all gathered around, an audience of more than a hundred bruised pirates, and even Juan picked himself up to spectate intently.


    ¡°You can do it, Donny!¡± His maidens had utmost faith for some reason, even after witnessing the effortless siege. Half of Don¡¯s men lay bruised and bloodied, staining the salt with the sweet juices of combat, the whole chamber lit in the overbearing scarlet light of Cira¡¯s treasure. It stretched up a whole wall and was easily the size of Cira¡¯s house. Not Breeze haven, just the house.


    Its effulgence pulsed with a dull, eerie hint of mana. It glinted off Don¡¯s blade as he held it in front of Cira, voice quivering, ¡°A-alright, you¡¯re goin¡¯ down!¡±


    Don began with a quick jab which Cira parried. She let go of her glass again and let it float behind her before countering with a fist to his face. He yelped and stumbled back, spitting out a tooth.


    ¡°That was a fluke!¡± A woman cried.


    Cira cleaved at him from the left and knocked his blade away. She¡¯d removed all the fun effects from her own to make it a fair fight, so the meager resistance came as a surprise, ¡°This isn¡¯t all you¡¯ve got, is it?¡±


    She looked at him with disappointment as he scrambled to pick it up off the ground. His men all gasped, shouting words of disbelief at their captain being so swiftly disarmed. ¡°You bitch¡­¡± Don growled, running at her low with his blade held back. Cira took his assault casually and when his blade swung up, she simply turned her own a little to deflect it.


    I¡¯m not even a swordsman! She couldn¡¯t say that, I even took on handicaps for him, so why is this man so weak? She¡¯d trained lightly with a sword over the years, but it was infrequent, and she never took it seriously. Her father always said a novice could beat the world¡¯s greatest swordsman if they were fast enough. Of course, there were some nuances to that, but Cira found no amount of wisdom, skill, nor speed to be necessary here.


    In truth, it was a huge letdown. Cirina staged a grand raid for her maiden voyage, and a hundred pirates hardly posed a threat to a handful of random drunks she found at the bar. They may have had enhanced weapons and shields, but they¡¯d also had their weight in ale. This Don guy was a joke. It was a wonder he ever got to be captain. Cira just slumped her shoulders and sighed.


    With a scoff, Don furrowed his brow, ¡°The hell¡¯s that look for?¡±


    ¡°I find you to be monumentally disappointing.¡± With a single step she closed the ten or so feet between them and delivered an open palm to the solar plexus, remembering that old merchant¡¯s words from the trading post.


    Only wannabe pirates to be found along the Noose, huh? Jimbo Sticks isn¡¯t bad, but this one¡¯s just pathetic. From Cira¡¯s palm an explosion of water sent Don flying right past his sponge maidens and into the hard salt wall, leaving a trail of blood as he slid to the floor.


    Aaaand Spatial Sense. Aaaaand he¡¯s alive. Cira turned to the topless women with a scowl and they shrunk back, then she shared her gaze with the fifty some-odd mostly conscious pirates of the Black Scourge. They all dropped their weapons and scattered like rats toward the different passages, banging on their sealed openings. Some were about to dive in and start swimming down the deritium river.


    ¡°STOP!¡± Cira threw her voice with wind magic. They froze, many tumbling over.


    In the short silence that followed, Jimbo raised his ale, followed by the rest of her crew, and cheered, ¡°Cirina Dreadheart wins! All your lives belong to her, so don¡¯t even think about runnin¡¯!¡±


    A little harsher than Cira would have put it, ¡°So I won,¡± she spoke to the one-legged man next to her, ¡°Do they give me all their treasure or something?¡±


    ¡°Pah!¡± He slapped her on the shoulder, ¡°It¡¯s already yours! Your new crew¡ªyer lookin¡¯ at em. I think Don¡¯s got a ship out past the worm farms, too.¡±


    ¡°Interesting¡­¡± She put a hand to her chin and pondered while scores of men watched with baited breath. A flick of the saber brought Don¡¯s hat off the ground. It floated over to them before landing on Jimbo¡¯s head. ¡°Consider it yours, along with all these scoundrels. I only need them once.¡±


    A ship too large to land inside Breeze Haven was useless to her. But a friend with a big boat could be useful in the future.


    Don¡¯s pirates had mixed expressions that were mostly outrage, but a few seemed happy about the turnover. A distinct few were disappointed that it wouldn¡¯t be the illustrious Captain Dreadheart, but she ignored them all equally.


    ¡°Wha-¡° his eyes glazed over with confusion, ¡°You can¡¯t mean¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± James approached, with the rest of her founding crewmates in tow, ¡°Why¡¯s he get it, I¡¯m his captain!¡±


    ¡°I hate to say it, James, but this man is twice the pirate you¡¯ll ever be.¡± He deflated, ¡°some men are just cut from a less soiled cloth.¡±


    ¡°Wait, are you callin¡¯ me¡ª¡± Jimbo started.


    ¡°Just become part of his fleet,¡± Cira innocently suggested. That¡¯s a solid pirate suggestion. Good job, Cira. Jimbo¡¯s in my fleet, while James is in his. It¡¯s just fleets all the way down. She smiled to herself.


    James wore a complicated expression, whereas Shirtless Joe pat his back, ¡°Ya can¡¯t beat the tides, James. Just go with the flow.¡± The words weren¡¯t exactly comforting.


    ¡°Cirina!¡± Delilah ran up distressed and grab a hand in both of hers, ¡°Are you alright?!¡±


    She looked at all the places Cira was slashed or stabbed. Despite the bright flash of each impact hitting her barrier, it seemed Delilah wouldn¡¯t be satisfied until she checked.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Lorelai, don¡¯t you worry.¡± She pat her on the head, which elicited an awkward reaction.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever leave me like that again¡­ Surely I could have been more help than those two?¡± The girl pointed at Cira¡¯s nameless goons, but her voice was stern, ¡°Why are you so reckless?!¡±


    ¡°I feel like I¡¯m hearing that a lot lately¡­¡± It seemed the scolding would end there after Cira received a pointed look.


    ¡°So, is this it?¡± Delilah¡¯s eyes sparkled scarlet, ¡°Is this really causing¡ª¡±


    Cira hushed her with a finger to the lip, glancing around, ¡°Shhhh¡­. I¡¯ll get to everything later.¡±


    The other men quibbled over Don¡¯s legacy, but Cira had her prize. Now that she¡¯d seen the deritium with her very own eyes, everything was in place. There was a lot riding on this, but she was able to breathe a heavy sigh of relief. A real one for the first time in days. The sorcerer knew all of her plans were now possible.


    Cira was smiling and plucked her drink from the air to celebrate when a wet slap hit her face. Frozen with her mug raised high, she turned her head in shock to see that fiery woman with the thin arms and flat chest. She prepared to launch into a tirade, ¡°Y-you bitch!¡±


    Putting a palm to her cheek, Cira¡¯s face folded into the universal ¡®who the fu¡ª'' gesture. It didn¡¯t hurt, but she could feel it, such was the nature of a true sorcerer¡¯s barrier. Her eyes pierced the girl¡¯s soul, and she took a half-step back.


    ¡°You¡­ you can¡¯t just waltz in here and! And¡­¡± the sponge maiden''s words trailed off as Cira¡¯s shimmering green eyes bored ever deeper.

 53 - To the Victor Go the Spoils

    Slap!


    The sponge maiden looked at Delilah in shock, a red handprint forming on her face. She almost started wailing like a child, but Delilah didn¡¯t give her the chance, ¡°You harlot! Are you trying to incur my captain¡¯s wrath?¡±


    Tears welled in her eyes as she held the growing bruise on her face, ¡°I don¡¯t care who it is! I¡¯ll take out anyone that hurts Donny!¡± She went for a right hook this time and Cira caught it.


    ¡°What was so great about him?¡± She asked nonchalantly, ¡°That guy sucked.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± She looked between Cira and her wounded¡­ employer? ¡°You killed him?!¡±


    ¡°Oh no, he¡¯s still alive,¡± She showed her palms like she was innocent of something, ¡°I guess he still sucks. Do you three work for him or something? I don¡¯t really get what¡¯s going on here. Are you perhaps women of the night? Did I crash some sort of pirate stage performance?¡±


    She couldn¡¯t comprehend what she saw upon entry. The man was stabbed multiple times and beat up to all hell, but he somehow lived and made it back home in time to welcome Cira completely naked with three similarly clothed women bathing him. It could have made a little more sense to her if there weren¡¯t a hundred of his lackeys all hanging out in the same room.


    Delilah was just as confused but gawked at Cira¡¯s increasingly terrible string of guesses.


    ¡°What?!¡± The women were infuriated, ¡°You¡¯re way off base, Lady! We don¡¯t work for him, we¡¯re Don¡¯s sponge maidens!¡±


    She said the words proudly with her hands on her hips, proclaiming it as if it proved something profound. Cira noticed the other two now walked over wearing smug grins.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, and don¡¯t you¡ª¡± The most well-endowed one tried to give Cira sass but continuing was not yet possible.


    ¡°No, no, no¡­ Back up.¡± Cira held up a finger to silence them, ¡°What the hell is a sponge maiden? Jimbo, is that a thing?¡±


    ¡°It was a Don thing,¡± Jimbo shook his head, ¡°He had¡­ proclivities.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to pretend to know what that means but I think I understand enough.¡± She turned to the three with sympathetic eyes, ¡°You poor girls¡­ ¡°


    ¡°Hey!¡± The first one spoke again, ¡°There is no greater honor than bathing the strongest pirate captain on the rock!¡±


    Cira¡¯s eyes went wide as she looked around her group with fear and confusion, landing on her go-to pirate encyclopedia with one leg, ¡°Does.. does this mean they¡¯re my sponge maidens now?! I don¡¯t know if I need all that. When I bathe, I usually just use magic¡ªcough cough¡ªI mean pirate magic¡­ once every two years.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll never be your sponge maidens!" A soggy yellow sponge came flying at Cira and she sliced it clean in two, drawing and re-sheathing her blade within the blink of an eye. The girls all stumbled back at the display.


    ¡°Your captain was weak and if you keep trying to fight, I¡¯ll just knock you out and turn you over to the mayor for money.¡± They all went silent at that. Cira raised her brows and looked between the three, ¡°Okay? Okay. Now, what to do with you¡­?¡±


    First order of business, Cira wove them shirts out of salt using the technique for her sail earlier and molded them onto each girl, which was a frightening experience for them, ¡°Alright, the three of you are clearly lacking in career opportunities¡­ I think I may have some use for you.¡±


    They looked between their new salty shirts and the disgruntled pirate lady with absolute confusion. This was the type of moment Cira liked to take advantage of to shift gears, and decided it was time to address the trapped masses who had been waiting to hear their fate.


    ¡°I am Captain Cirina Dreadheart!¡± The name struck fear into them, but her crew all cheered, ¡°The Black Scourge Pirates are no more. Captain Don is no more. His treasure belongs to me¡ª¡± She trailed off as their clamoring blew up with all the uncertainty in the air. She had just glossed over disbanding their crew after all, and made it sound like she killed their captain.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Making herself louder when she was already throwing her voice with a spell was simple, ¡°I was just explaining¡ªno nevermind¡­¡± That¡¯s pirates I guess¡­ Half of them are drunker than I am. Man¡­ Cirina sure gets things done fast. ¡°Jimbo is your new captain. You are all members of the Dreadheart Fleet. Now gather ¡®round! I only need one thing from all of you.¡±


    Finishing her drink and returning it to orbit for a refill, Cira raised a stage from the salt for herself to lord down on them from. While she was at it, a table, chairs, and refreshments for her crew down below.


    Cira waited for all the conscious pirates to come back over and made sure they were quiet before clearing her throat, ¡°Ahem. I would like anybody in this chamber to raise their hand if you know what my treasure is.¡± She pointed at the enormous glowing deritium wall.


    She looked around for a while and most of them were paying attention but looked confused or a little scared at not knowing the answer. She didn¡¯t mean to threaten them, but that sentiment would come in handy for the next step. It seemed not a single person here knew about deritium, though she didn¡¯t see any miners. Either way, this at best saved her a minor inconvenience. Nothing could stop her at this point.


    She looked at one of the tougher looking guys that got scared earlier while speaking to the crowd, ¡°Now, who knows about where this stuff this red stuff is going?¡±


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    She tried to look over them menacingly with a hand on her blade. Eventually one man cracked, ¡°It¡¯s Juan! He knows everything!¡±


    ¡°You bastard!¡± A bruised-up man she vaguely recognized shouted at the snitch.


    Cira looked at him and squinted her eyes appraisingly, ¡°You must be Juan¡ª¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t tell you a damn thing, ya¡¯ damn gutter wench!¡± He spat towards her, and she watched it fall on one of his friends among the crowd far beneath her.


    ¡°Rude. Go take a seat over there.¡± Overlooking the cave, she waved her sword from one side to the other, plucking Juan up before placing him in a chair that formed beneath him. The arms and legs changed shape to bind him in place. It sent the former Black Scourge into a short panic before Cira blasted one of those firecracker spells from earlier into the ceiling to get everyone¡¯s attention.


    It did not take long for all eyes to fall on her again, ¡°Everybody in this room is infected by the plague.¡± This only caused further panic and people started to scuttle around, so another bang brought them back. ¡°Fools. Everyone on this island is infected. It is not wise to interrupt your captain.¡±


    They shuddered but ultimately came to an agreement, nodding among themselves. Did I stumble upon a pirate rule? Works for me.


    ¡°Listen closely! In the coming weeks a cure will appear in Uru and Uren. The full treatment takes three years. Decide for yourselves if you want to stay on this island to be cured or leave, but Earth Vein will be crawling all over Fount Salt within the week. From now until the end of tomorrow, you all will spread this news. When I give the signal, it will be impossible to miss no matter where you are. When that time comes, regroup with Jimbo in Uru for further orders.¡±


    She looked over everyone to make sure her words had sunk in with at least some of them, lowering the seal on each door, ¡°Now go! Awaken or carry your friends. Run to the furthest reaches of these tunnels and tell everyone this news! Off you go!¡±


    She pelted the ceiling with repeated Firecrackers, and they scampered off in a panic. Cira figured they wouldn¡¯t be too organized in this task, but these men were likely fleeing to any one of many secret crevices where criminals lived, and the news would naturally spread. To places perhaps even Lomp didn¡¯t know about.


    There was no doubt in her mind that most outlaws would simply leave the island if they possessed the means, especially if they hadn¡¯t shown any symptoms, but she would like to give as many people as possible the opportunity to reach the cure. Even if they were pieces of trash like Don or Baum. It may have been a little early to tell, but Triton seemed like a promising reason to feel this way. Cira liked to hope most people could change if given the chance.


    That said, Don¡¯s outlook wasn¡¯t great. As his old crew all dispersed from the room, Cira lowered her stage back into the ground. She then noticed the sponge maidens had taken to cleaning Don¡¯s unconscious body, weeping with concern.


    ¡°Heal.¡± Cira¡¯s voice was cold. She watched the girls¡¯ faces light up as his wounds all miraculously closed. Color returned to his face and his eyes shot open. She walked toward him and the three could feel the anger radiating off her, backing away after just one look at her face. ¡°Don.¡±


    He shivered, slowly turning his head to meet her gaze, ¡°¡­Yes?¡± The once-large pirate cowered before her, and this time the maidens said nothing.


    ¡°Tell me. What is this?¡± The tip of her blade pointed to the deritium, and the glint in her eye brooked no lies or hesitation.


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know! I swear!¡± He started crawling backwards through a puddle of blood and saltwater, ¡°Juan handles everything! I don¡¯t have a clue what it is!¡±


    ¡°Pathetic¡­¡± She turned her fury to Juan, dragging him back over through the air. ¡°Tell me, Juan. What is¡ª¡±


    ¡°I told you I ain¡¯t tellin¡¯ you nothin¡¯!¡± He spat right in her face, and she caught it, sending it back into his shoulder with a powerful bang. He yelped and nearly tripped backwards as blood started to pour down his arm then looked between her and the wound with crazy eyes..


    ¡°I already know what it is. I¡¯m asking if you know.¡± A ball of water started to form at Tide Quencher¡¯s tip.


    Nina even popped out to dance around it as the blue light grew in size¡ªCira only just realizing there was a distinct lack of nymphs since the raid began. Maybe I spooked ¡®em with my magic, or they steer clear of the deritium¡­ The mana reflected in beads of sweat falling down Juan¡¯s face. Finally, he cracked, ¡°It¡¯s glowstone, okay! Free mana that people pay a killing for. Any pirate¡¯s dream! Is that what you wanna hear? What¡¯s the big deal?!¡±


    Slap!


    The ball of water stretched out and whipped him in the face. ¡°Idiot!¡±


    Slap! Slap! Slap, slap, slapslap!


    She got Don and Juan good a few times before scowling into their very soul, wagging her blade at the glowing calamity, ¡°Deritium. Ever heard of it?¡± she continued after seeing their blank, frightened faces, ¡°It¡¯s causing the plague, you morons! Do you see how the water falls over it from above?! Straight to the pump, then up to the surface to trickle down. Spreading the plague across every single person on this island!¡± Their faces paled as she approached them, now shouting in their faces. Gears slowly turned in their heads and the sponge maidens were in disbelief.


    ¡°I¡ªI just stole the treasure! It¡¯s always been here!¡± Don tried to defend himself.


    ¡°Look at this!¡± She kept pointing at it aggressively, ¡°You can feel it from here! You idiots set up camp right next to it. It¡¯s a wonder you¡¯re not all dead. Your saving grace is that you¡¯re so stupid you didn¡¯t even know what you were doing, but then you went and poked holes in the ceiling. Are those just to bathe with? Do you think it looks cool? There is a limit to how much ignorance can spare you.¡±


    ¡°And what were we supposed to do, huh?!¡± Juan shouted.


    ¡°We¡¯ve established that you¡¯re stupid, but come on. This is the most obvious threat to life that I¡¯ve ever seen. It¡¯s like discovering a poisoned well or an old-lady strangler. I know you¡¯re pirates, but who doesn¡¯t report that to someone who can take care of it? People like you are the worst type. Any pirate who sails the skies should at least have a single shred of decency in them, yet you¡¯re content to live in this death-chamber at everyone¡¯s detriment, getting bathed in saltwater by these women who look like they haven¡¯t eaten in a week.¡± Cira had gotten so worked up she forgot she wasn¡¯t actually a pirate. The men crumbled beneath her harsh words, but the Dreadheart crew seemed almost inspired.


    Cira sighed. This didn¡¯t go how she expected at all. When she heard Don was hoarding the deritium to smuggle it away, she expected something far more sinister and, well, challenging. Reality was often harsher than one would expect. Fount Salt¡¯s plague was the product of nothing more than incompetence and greed. The recurring theme was starting to wear Cira down and the Dead Belt felt more inviting by the day.


    Empty skies weren¡¯t something Cira wanted to return to, but a long stretch of dead islands before returning to the Boreal sounded like a post-due vacation.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough. Sleep.¡± The two men fell, and everybody gawked when the Salty Songstress lit up again. Metal prisons formed around the men, not unlike the one Triton once slept in. Including the giant, this made three such prisoners. ¡°My business here is done for now. Let¡¯s return to Uru.¡±


    The Salty Songstress seemed to hear her words and swung around as chains grew from the personal prisons and attached themselves to the stern.

 54 - Return to Uru

    Cira had to elongate the Salty Songstress to make it more comfortable for everyone¡ªexcept for her, that is. Three young women in white shirts seemed intent on glaring at her the entire trip back to Uru.


    ¡°Are you really just gonna drag them like that?!¡± They would ask.


    ¡°Naturally,¡± Cira would reply.


    The third metal prison for the big guy used around ten times the amount of metal as the others and dragging him along made for quite the noticeable increase in mana cost. The smuggling geomancer stared at them from where he sat with the sleeping goons, thanking his scruples for sparing him a similar fate. One small misstep and he could have been dead or dragged for miles. His captor was even kind enough to share her ale with him, albeit in a rather small cup.


    ¡°So, tell me,¡± He shuddered when her voice was aimed at him, ¡°What¡¯s a mage like you doin¡¯ running with a guy like Don? Your technique is laughable, but surely you have better prospects than that guy.¡±


    The sponge maidens had grown weary of speaking up every single time she insulted Don.


    ¡°I¡­ I was a smuggler first.¡± He replied meekly, ¡°I found the book among some things I¡­ found¡ª¡±


    Cira waved him off, ¡°So you stole a spell book. Could¡¯ve guessed as much. No need to mince words, your punishment is already set in stone.¡±


    The man gulped, ¡°My¡­ my punishment? What are you gonna do to me?¡±


    ¡°First,¡± she held up a finger, ¡°You will forfeit all the information you have on Don¡¯s operations. Assuming that goes well, you will join the ranks of my exorcists.¡±


    ¡°Exorcists¡­?¡± While Geosmuggler was struggling to comprehend, it was Delilah who spoke with a curious tone. The man sputtered before finally getting some words out.


    ¡°What do you mean exorcists?!¡± His strangely sober eyes were wild, ¡°You¡¯re telling me to be one?!¡±


    ¡°All will be clear in time. What¡¯s your name by the way? If you don¡¯t tell me, I¡¯ll likely come up with a rather poor one.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ It¡¯s Lant¡­¡± trying to shirk her attention, he slowly drank from his extra-small glass.


    ¡°Okay, Lant. The only thing I really care about is where those red rocks were going. Since you¡¯re the resident geomancer, you must know something, right?¡±


    ¡°No, not really¡­¡± He paused as a stray nymph fluttered around his face before disappearing into the wall. Once they started on their way back to Uru, the nymphs had basically resumed their previous routine of lazily following the ship. He continued after noticing Cira was expecting more out of him, ¡°I just dug holes and fought people, that¡¯s all. Don didn¡¯t let anybody useful near the stuff¡ª¡± he choked after seeing the look on her face¡ªshe did not like that, ¡°I mean¡­ You really should talk to Juan, I¡¯m just a grunt.¡±


    Watching him shrug, Cira sighed deeply, ¡°So be it.¡± She lifted his cage up and floated it around, making it hover just in front of the bow, illuminated by the angel¡¯s light. The area around the head slowly receded to show a sleeping pirate, quite wounded. ¡°Juan! Juan, wake up!¡± She jiggled the cage around.


    ¡°Huh?!¡± There was panic is his eyes as soon as he opened them, ¡°What the hell¡¯s going on¡­ You?! Why can¡¯t I move?!¡±


    He jerked around to no avail, grunting and shouting obscenities, before ultimately looking down at Cira with unbridled rage. She took offense to that, ¡°You want to know a secret, Juan?¡±


    ¡°What? They hell you tryin¡¯ to say, wench?¡± He spat, and it whizzed past his own face with such force it dented the wall behind him.


    ¡°Believe it or not, for one such as I, repairing lost limbs is an impossible feat,¡± Everybody looked at her, especially Juan, with apprehension, ¡°But a finger or two, no problem.¡±


    ¡°Wh¡ªwhat are you trying to say?¡± Juan timidly demanded.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying Don sold you out with his first breath. How many fingers will you lose before you feel like talking? Five¡­? Fifty?¡±


    ¡°Damn, Cap¡¯n,¡± Jimbo looked impressed, ¡°You¡¯re cold blooded.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t!¡± One of the sponge maidens shrunk back, and them plus half her crew held a look of horror. Of course, the sponge maiden was right. Torture was in poor taste. But the implication of torture was a cunning interrogation tactic. Ethical for use only on real bad guys.


    ¡°Cira¡ªCirina, you can¡¯t do that!¡± Delilah now looked up at her with scared eyes.


    ¡°I can,¡± She replied coolly, then looked to the sponge maiden, ¡°and I would.¡± Cira then took a sip of her ale and savored it. Nina landed on the brim of her hat and gazed up at Juan.


    Juan went through a rollercoaster of emotions as they twisted and turned through the tunnels, retracing their path with him now leading the way. He was defiant in the beginning, but with each passing moment the rugged defense broke down. Eventually he started cursing to himself and getting angry, ¡°You¡¯re right! That bastard did sell me out, didn¡¯t he? What the hell was that about, Don?!¡±


    He shouted back behind them, but of course there was no response, ¡°In any other situation I¡¯d pull him up and let you ask him, but I¡¯m not a fan of Don. He¡¯ll have to stay back there.¡±


    ¡°Juan, no!¡± Cira was really regretted bringing Don¡¯s maidens aboard.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do it! What about your bond?¡± Another cut in.


    ¡°What about it?!¡± Juan snarled, ¡°He¡¯s the one that told her I knew allllll about it! Maybe he wanted me to tell her. Huh?! How ¡®bout it, Don?! Say something if you don¡¯t want me to tell her!¡±


    He glared angrily behind the boat. Cira cupped her hand and leaned back towards the tow-behind prisoners. ¡°I don¡¯t hear anything. I suppose that¡¯s Don¡¯s answer. Now then¡­¡± she gave Juan a serious look.


    ¡°¡°Noo-¡±¡± the chorus began, but Cira cut them off with the kind of glare that said, ¡®I will put you in a cage and drag you too¡¯.


    ¡°What do you want to know¡­?¡± Juan finally asked.


    This finally put a grin on the sorcerer¡¯s face, ¡°Tell me where the deritium is going. That¡¯s all I want to know.¡±


    With the girls glaring at him, he reluctantly answered, ¡°It all goes to Hangman¡¯s Cove¡­ There¡¯s more Black Scourge up there. We¡¯re working with Captain Brown to ship it who knows where.¡±


    ¡°How could you?!¡± The feisty maiden was in tears.


    ¡°That¡¯s everything we worked for¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡± Cira threw her voice with wind magic and startled everyone on the boat, ¡°Another word about it and you three and you¡¯re going back there.¡± She jerked her head towards Don and the big one.


    Finally, at long last, they shut up. What in the world was I thinking, bringing them along?


    My fleet is larger than I ever imagined. Wherever this Hangman¡¯s Cove place is. I know their supply is cut off, and there¡¯s no way I can track down all the deritium that¡¯s been sent out. I think I¡¯ll have to concede that my role in the matter will end with Fount Salt.


    ¡°What about us, though?¡± At the pitch of the voice Cira jerked her head over with a scowl, but it was one of the sponge maidens she had hardly heard yet. A nervous girl with ashen blonde hair and a curvy figure.


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    Looking up at Juan, she closed the metal around his head again, ¡°That will be all. See you in Uru.¡± And despite his protests, he rejoined the others.


    She then reeled in the irritation for a moment and continued speaking with the girl, ¡°While your position within the Black Scourge is confusing to me, your prospects are a little better than these hooligans,¡± she nodded her head back at the ones being loudly towed behind the Salty Songstress. ¡°You could become exorcists as well, or perhaps even Lorelai¡¯s assistants.¡±


    Delilah spit the beer from her mouth, ¡°Pfffff, me?! Wait, really? Them?¡± She smacked her lips like rolling the thought around gave her an unpleasant taste. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°There will be much work in the coming days, sorry to say. Besides, their mana¡¯s not the worst, so why not them?¡±


    ¡°Assistants for what?¡± The frail one with the attitude now gave Cira the stink eye.


    ¡°All in due time.¡± She squinted at her, ¡°There¡¯s no use getting into it now, but if you¡¯d rather join Don at whichever prison he ends up in, I suppose now would be the time to speak up.¡±


    The three looked at her, frustrated. They didn¡¯t want to be locked away, but their futures were uncertain. It was only natural they would be nervous with how little information Cira offered.


    Aside from the interrogation, her crew had returned to their usual state of merriment while nobody had to sit at the helm for the return trip. The Salty Songstress was capable of retracing a path it¡¯s already taken with a word. In a sense, the Salty Songstress was the very cutting edge of sorcery and an egregious waste of mana.


    This feature was convenient though, as the sorcerer didn¡¯t really know where the deritium was or where they were going. But she could return to it on her ship. There were no worries on Cira¡¯s mind as they approached Uru. Fount Salt posed a real challenge and she almost had to heed her father¡¯s advice. However, Cira didn¡¯t like giving up. She¡¯d put in a lot of work over the last few days and the people here were almost self-sufficient.


    Once she bore witness to the first batch of soul-remediation elixir, they were home free. The plague itself was as good as cured, but everything else would require Cira¡¯s specially sorcerous touch. Soon the time to act would come. It was exciting and she was happy that everything would work out, but there were some who wouldn¡¯t be so happy with her. She wouldn¡¯t even have the chance for a proper goodbye. If there was one worry dragging her down, it was this.


    This was the part of the job she dreaded most this time around. Cirina Dreadheart was good at turning ale into satisfaction, but little Cira was secretly hiding inside trying to stave off the impending future. Except for the captors, spirits seemed high. Everyone talked and laughed, singing victory until finally making it back to the Overlook at some god-awful hour of the night which never lifts.


    ¡°What¡¯re we stopping here for?¡± Jimbo asked.


    ¡°Yeah, ain¡¯t you had enough?¡± Baum added, ¡°Can I go yet?¡±


    ¡°This is just where she took us, boys. If you want to walk back to Uru, go ahead, but Jimbo¡¯s your captain now. Don¡¯t look at me¡ª¡± Cira trailed off as her eyes caught something far off in the distance, moving through the dark above the city. ¡°Aha.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve found my boat.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Jimbo was confused like the others, staring off into the darkness. Only Delilah could imagine what she meant but couldn¡¯t see anything either.


    Cira held Tide Quencher aloft one last time and a strange light that defied the eyes shimmered from it. After a few minutes of drinking and being confused, her crew could see something come into view. Slowly, but surely, it turned out to be a small skiff. Jimbo thought it looked familiar, but far too fancy to be the one his acquaintance owned.


    ¡°I get ya,¡± he said, ¡°Can never have too many boats, can ya¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Seriously, Cirina?¡± James was aghast, ¡°What¡¯s that even going to do for you? The entire Black Scourge wasn¡¯t enough to call it a night?¡±


    Many of her crew were in disbelief at her insatiable desire to plunder, but eventually came around as their glasses filled. Soon the underside of the unsuspecting vessel grew closer, and they could see shining glyphs flickering around the sides with panicked shouts flowing down on them from above. Cira kept bringing it down until the frightened passengers could finally see into the cave opening to meet eyes with the pirates who would steal their vessel.


    ¡°Ello, love!¡± Cira unleashed her canned pirate line.


    Her eyes met with Nanri¡¯s, full of fear and confusion, the latter of which only intensified after inspecting her outfit and doing double-takes to Cira¡¯s face. Kate was shriveled up in the back with Glasses, but to her credit had her boomerang ready. Lomp, Chip, and Triton all wore similar expressions that flittered between baffled and taking personal offense. They held their blessed silver at the ready, though they shivered at the thought of fighting something that wasn¡¯t dead.


    Before anyone could say anything further, Jimbo stepped forward and let his beer float into the air, drawing his blade. He put a hand on the fake pirate¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Sorry, kiddos. Yer boat¡¯s property o¡¯ Cirina Dreadheart now.¡±


    ¡°Cir¡­ Cirina? What?¡± Nanri was struggling to process the scene when an unlikely hero saved the day.


    ¡°Holy shit!¡± Shirtless Joe stood up and shouted, ¡°Is that you, Triton?!¡±


    ¡°Well god damn!¡± Triton lowered his spear, ¡°I guess Cira roped you idiots into somethin¡¯ too.¡±


    ¡°Cira¡­? That a nickname?¡± Jimbo asked to the wind.


    ¡°Cira why are you dressed like a pirate?!¡± Lomp had turned red, ¡°And with a large group of pirates?! Inside a miniature pirate ship?! What the hell is this?!¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Nanri cut in softly, ¡°I am also confused¡­¡±


    ¡°You already know all these dudes?¡± it had even spread to Jimbo.


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain this as succinctly as possible,¡± Cira cleared her throat and blew a strand of hair out of her face, ¡°I, Cirina Dreadheart, just usurped and dissolved the Black Scourge pirates, seized their deritium operation, and sent a hundred pirates through the island urging people to swarm Uru for the cure. Most of these fellows here are my founding crew¡ª¡±


    She had to pause as they cheered, ale held high. ¡°Crew, this would be my exorcists and the Titan Witch¡ª¡±


    ¡°The goddamn what?!¡± James, Jimbo, Baum¡ªany pirate in sight dove out or tried hiding. The sponge maidens shrank and curled up. She grinned at the two men who¡¯d slept through it all. Cirina Dreadheart would never forget their contribution.


    ¡°Oh no, it¡¯s okay!¡± Nanri nervously waved her hands, forming a pained smile on her face, ¡°I¡¯m a friend!¡±


    They timidly turned around and gawked, glancing between her and Cira. Jimbo tipped his ale back and calmed down, ¡°Just who are you, really?¡± His eyes were dumbstruck.


    Meanwhile, Lomp rolled his and groaned, putting his hands out in front of him and doing an overly pompous impression, ¡°Some call her the Hidden Witch. OOoooOOoooo.¡± Clearly trying to make fun of her, but the crew took it seriously.


    ¡°Holy crap! It makes so much sense now.¡±


    ¡°No wonder she can use pirate magic¡­¡± Shirtless Joe found his own truth.


    The goons started fidgeting like they were ready to escape and everyone was on edge, not sure what to believe.


    ¡°Hang on,¡± Jimbo seemed to have just remembered something, ¡°If you¡¯re a witch and a pirate, why do you have a team of exorcists? You takin¡¯ over the Dark Stratum? You some kinda dark sorcerer?¡±


    That made her chuckle. Just one word off, ¡°Close, but not quite. We¡¯re turning ghosts into the cure, but that¡¯s all I can say about it. But it seems we¡¯ll be parting ways. It¡¯s high time I get to the plague ward. I¡¯ll give you guys a ride back down first, of course.¡± The Salty Songstress lurched towards the edge and over as her passengers screamed.


    It died down as they realized they were smoothly being lowered down the cliffside, but then there was a small moment of silence as the three prisoners fell from the cliff and swung from the bottom like pendulums. Everybody winced like they expected them to clash together, but Cira was such a kind soul, she made sure they never collided.


    The exorcists hurriedly followed, eventually floating side by side with them for the descent. Nanri leaned over when they got close and spoke to the pirate captain, ¡°A-are you drinking alcohol? Where does it keep coming from?¡±


    ¡°I certainly am,¡± Cira smirked, ¡°I¡¯m conjuring it with pirate magic. Would you like some? You must be parched after all day in those salty tunnels.¡±


    ¡°Now that you mention it¡­¡± the uncertainty in Nanri¡¯s bright blue eyes was beginning to disperse as she met Cira¡¯s half-hearted banter. Nanri was at least mostly certain there was no such thing as pirate magic. ¡°Maybe I have been in the tunnels too long¡­ I¡¯ve never tried alcohol though. Does it taste good?¡±


    ¡°Well, this here is ale,¡± Cira took a sip, ¡°and not a particularly good one, from my understanding. What it lacks in taste it makes up for¡­ eventually. Not a bad refreshment.¡±


    She conjured a small teacup for Nanri and filled it. The Witch took a couple shallow sips and her face scrunched up, ¡°Nope, it¡¯s not for me. Pteh. Pteh¡± She made a silly noise each time she tried to spit the bitterness off her tongue. Cira laughed as she took the teacup away before drinking it herself.


    With an oddly competitive glint in her eyes, Delilah scooted a little closer to Cira, turning her attention to Nanri, ¡°Oh yeah¡­ Well, I spend a lot of time in tunnels almost every day.¡±


    Nanri gasped with a hand covering her mouth in an honest gesture of concern, ¡°Oh no¡­ By yourself?! Are there ghosts in them?¡±


    ¡°Uh, well¡­ No.¡± Delilah shrunk back.


    With a sigh, Nanri¡¯s hand lowered until it rested softly over her chest, ¡°My, that¡¯s such a relief!¡± Her worried eyes were so sincere that Delilah could only cry on the inside.


    Finally, they made it to the bottom and slunk closer to the outskirts of Uru. Cira stood up on the bow and addressed her men, ¡°Well, this has been a fine voyage. Thanks for helping me find the treasure, and best of luck to you in your ventures. Remember, this island won¡¯t be safe before long, so decide what you want to do for yourself by then.¡±


    ¡°About that,¡± Jimbo spoke, ¡°You said somethin¡¯ about givin¡¯ everyone orders, but what are they, and what¡¯s the signal?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to miss the signal, trust me. And the orders are for you to decide, assuming even half of those guys come back. If we meet again up there, perhaps I¡¯ll have something else for ya¡¯. Lant and the sponge maidens, you stay with me. Everybody else,¡± She made a salute to her men, ¡°May the winds and weather be in your favor.¡±


    They didn¡¯t completely get it, but they knew it was time to go. Her crew would not soon forget their adventure with Cirina Dreadheart. Whether or not they would ever realize the fleet they were inducted into didn¡¯t exist was a tale for another time.


    ¡°So, who are they?¡± Lomp asked, pointing to the confused prisoners.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t decided yet, but at least one more exorcist. Also, we have here our alchemist.¡± Cira made a showy gesture with her hands to display Delilah, who blushed at the attention.


    ¡°Oh, yay!¡± Nanri clapped and showed a broad smile, ¡°Welcome to the team!¡±

 55 - Setting Up Shop in the Plague Ward

    As usual, citizens stepped aside as Cira¡¯s skiff made it through the streets of Uru. It was a little cramped, but she put the Salty Songstress away for now. The mana it took to keep out was not insignificant. Now, Nanri was busy meeting their new guests while Triton went over their report from the Last Step that day.


    Cira listened to him while shoving wormwiches into her mouth hand over fist. Mephisto had a secondary food stand in the streets not far from Uru¡¯s center, and of course it never closed. Once Cira found this out she had to make a stop. This time the owner wasn¡¯t present since he lived in a different city beneath their feet, so she had to pay, but it didn¡¯t hurt her much. It was a small price for such a feast.


    While the sandwiches were distributed to everyone, none shared such a voracious hunger. The exorcists had eaten not long prior, as they were waiting on Cira for a couple hours before getting plucked out of the air. She was only half-heartedly listening to Triton¡¯s report, ¡°Sounds like there wasn¡¯t any trouble, but just give me a number.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± He replied.


    ¡°The ghosts. How many did you kill?¡±


    ¡°Oh, uhh¡­¡± Triton started counting on his fingers, but Nanri was quicker.


    ¡°About forty since you left, give or take. There were some groups, and a few disappeared through the walls so I¡¯m not sure if we got them or not.¡±


    ¡°Not bad¡­¡± Cira finished chewing, ¡°Hopefully we have plenty of aetherium to get started.¡±


    ¡°Do you think we can get everyone in the plague ward?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s doubtful¡­ For the trial run we should try to cure the last platform with the worst patients. After that, there shouldn¡¯t be any handed out for a few days¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey, you!¡± Cira was taken aback as a man in white robes came running up to the side of the boat, ¡°It¡¯s you isn¡¯t it! The saint!¡±


    She looked behind her and around, ¡°No, no saint here.¡± She hoped her pirate getup would dissuade the man.


    ¡°Please, wait!¡± He ran behind as the skiff didn¡¯t slow down, ¡°I¡¯m a priest of the final sky! The High Priest of Fount Salt!¡±


    Now Cira slowed for a moment and turned around, ¡°Is that right? And you¡¯ve come to offer me something in my efforts to cure the plague, I imagine?¡±


    ¡°What? Uh,¡± he looked uneasy, ¡°I don¡¯t have anything like that¡­ Wait, no! Come back!¡±


    The skiff had already begun rising from the ground, leaving the pious man pleading in the dust. He grew into a distant speck indiscernible in the dark of night.


    Of course, before they were able to conduct their business, they had some prisoners to drop off. They were attached to the underside of the boat like Triton was a few days ago. He kept looking at the big guy who was so heavy he tipped the whole skiff back.


    ¡°Can¡¯t believe you took out Don¡­¡± he was impressed.


    ¡°He really wasn¡¯t much. Hell, you could have taken him out with a single spell. How did he ever get so big?¡± She paid no attention to the glaring sponge maidens.


    ¡°Get enough people and steal the right things, I guess anybody could do it.¡± Triton quietly lamented his decades of poverty, ¡°How¡¯d you end up with James¡¯ crew anyhow?¡±


    ¡°Ahem,¡± Cira gave him a sly grin, ¡°I think you mean my crew. Found them at Milty¡¯s and offered them money.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ That makes sense.¡± He nodded in understanding, drinking his own ale.


    Delilah directed Cira to the jailhouse and brought them down. There was a small commotion with the guards but after they recognized the Overseer¡¯s daughter, they let up, carrying the prisoners into their cell. Apparently, Don had a bounty on his head, and as a city riddled with pirates, they were prepared to pay.


    ¡°This is hardly enough for a barrel of ale¡­¡± Cira shook her head. ¡°That guy was a disappointment all around.¡±


    Juan was wanted in silver, but the big one was like a ghost. Nobody had any clue who he was and there was no bounty placed on his head. She had to carry him in herself, making sure they wrapped him up with excessive chains for when he awoke.


    Getting back in the boat she finally returned the sponge maidens¡¯ glare, ¡°Last chance. Stay with Don or work for me.¡±


    They shared a look of defeat and held their silence. Eventually the sorcerous pirate nodded and redirected course to the plague ward. Losing the prisoners was as if a great weight had literally been lifted and they rose above the city lit by Cira¡¯s field of stars, nymphs lazily fluttering through the dark behind them, riding a thin cloud.


    The three girls sat in the back looking upset. Something was still bothering them, and the frail, spirited one put it to words, ¡°Tell us the truth¡­¡±


    Cira raised an eyebrow at her, ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°How many times have you been with Don?¡± While Cira was taken aback with an absolute lack of understanding, everyone else in the boat exploded. Even Triton held his hands on his face.


    ¡°No way! With Black Scourge Don?!¡± He looked at Cira in disbelief. Nanri held a hand on her heart with bated breath. Only Delilah was snickering at the blatant misunderstanding.


    ¡°With him? Like in general? Well, I suppose there was earlier when I first saw him at the tavern, but I don¡¯t think he enjoyed the encounter¡ª¡±


    The sponge maidens gasped and looked at each other distraught, lips quivering. One began to shed tears. Kate had only caught a glimpse of the oaf but quietly looked at Cira with disgust. Lomp and Chip merely rolled their eyes as any words from Cira¡¯s mouth were likely to be under the wrong pretense to begin with. Nanri just looked terribly worried.


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    Delilah couldn¡¯t control herself anymore and started busting up, leaving Cira to frown in confusion, ¡°What¡­? Did I say something wrong? I only told the truth.¡±


    ¡°Nooooo!¡± The curvaceous sponge maiden broke down, and the other two comforted her while sneaking furious glances at Cira. She could only sigh.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know what that¡¯s about, but we¡¯re here.¡± They poked through the hole in the wall leading to the dark plague ward. There was much less light in this next chamber, but it started to brighten up as Cira entered close to the ceiling. They descended to the first platform which held a larger number of Earth Vein representatives than last time.


    They all gawked with their necks craned back, but the one in charge recognized the boat and calmed everybody down. Once they landed, he held back the confused corporate guards, Cira stood up and dusted off her shoulder before stepping out.


    ¡°P-p-p-pirates?!¡± One younger Earth Vein fellow couldn¡¯t control himself anymore and started panicking, sending some of the others into a fluster.


    ¡°Relax, you idiots!¡± The first man said, ¡°I just explained this to you!¡± He then turned to Cira and gave her a light bow, ¡°Madam witch, please forgive my subordinates. They are still green and have yet to understand a witch¡¯s actions are beyond their comprehension.¡±


    ¡°No offense taken¡ª¡± Cira tried to calm the situation down but was cut off by a shrill voice from her boat.


    ¡°So, you really are a witch?! You¡ªyou bitch!¡±


    ¡°Silence, sponge maiden.¡± She wagged her finger and an opaque dome appeared over the three, cutting off all sound. Lant looked at them and gulped. After a long sigh, she returned to the Earth Vein liaison whose sweat had begun to soak through his clothes, ¡°Don¡¯t mind the prisoners. We¡¯re here for a trial run of the cure. I¡¯ll need a place to set up shop. Perhaps there¡­¡±


    The orichalcum staff magically appeared again and a metallic platform rose up behind the checkpoint. I¡¯ll replace it soon enough. Doesn¡¯t have to last long. She nodded in satisfaction at her quick handiwork then looked back at the man. His eyes were shot open, trying to tear his eyes away from her staff, but he held his composure better than most.


    ¡°Ah, of course¡­ of course¡­¡± But he was still nervous and now his cohorts looked like they were holding back questions, ¡°Does¡­ does this mean you¡¯ve found the cure?!¡±


    ¡°Indeed. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡± Nanri had stepped off, but Cira¡¯s passengers floated over to the new platform before landing again. ¡°We need to¡ª¡±


    Everyone present at the checkpoint started cheering¡ªeven the new Earth Vein recruits were shedding tears of joy. There were a few Uru guards there as well that fell to their knees and wept. Earth Vein or not, everyone present felt the same way about it.


    ¡°Er, as I was saying,¡± Cira continued when she could, ¡°The first run is a test. I mean, it¡¯ll work, but the masses can¡¯t be treated until as late as next week.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s incredible¡­ So soon!¡± The liaison had his fists clenched, ¡°Truly incredible¡­ I can¡¯t imagine the sorry state these skies would be in if it weren¡¯t for you witches.¡±


    It made her uncomfortable seeing stars in the eyes of a man as old as her father, give or take, and his gratitude was aimed incorrectly, but she would have gained nothing from crushing the old man¡¯s spirit. ¡°Sure, sure¡­ Well, anyway, I better get started.¡±


    She awkwardly separated herself from the devoted crowd and slunk over the fence before jumping over to her new workshop.


    With the first yawn of the night, Cira conjured a table to slump against, ¡°What time is it anyway?¡±


    Nanri slid up next to her, ¡°It¡¯s almost dawn by now. You should really get some sleep.¡± When Cira looked up, she saw the witch¡¯s trademark look of concern.


    ¡°Maybe once I get Delilah started, but now I have to make all kinds of things for the new exorcists¡­¡± She looked over at the fresh pile of work she¡¯d accumulated again with weary eyes. Nina fluttered over and sat on the table, looking around with her.


    ¡°Let me help you,¡± Nanri pat her on the shoulder, ¡°Just tell me what I need to do.¡±


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± Cira looked over and saw a mildly pouting Delilah, ¡°I can help too¡­¡±


    Having such eager assistants put a smile on her face which was immediately broken up by a yawn, ¡°Aaaaand indeed you shall.¡±


    She plopped a transcribed page onto the table, holding the recipe for soul remediation elixir on it. ¡°Okay, we¡¯re scaling it up so one batch makes a hundred doses. What¡¯s¡­ What¡¯s a hundred teaspoons, again?¡±


    Stroking a beard that didn¡¯t exist, she pondered it for a few moments, ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right, I prepared for this.¡± A bucket appeared out of thin air, that her helpers could only assume was a hundred teaspoons. Next, one of half the size, ¡°This other one is for the prima salt.¡±


    ¡°W-we¡¯re using prima?¡± Delilah asked.


    ¡°Of course. I guess this is a good time to get our materials ready. Exorcists!¡± She grabbed their attention and extended the platform on two ends with a concave floor. ¡°Put all of your aetherium on the left. It should pour out if you open your bags and shake them around.¡±


    They looked at each other awkwardly then grabbed their bags and walked over. Meanwhile, a lid popped off the barrel which sat in her skiff, unleashing a torrent of prima salt. Cira put a little distance herself and the checkpoint so she could ignore the commotion from across the way and finished piling all the prima salt up. It ended up filling a pile almost as tall as she was and easily twice that in width.


    Luckily, the steadfast leader calmed all the Earth Vein folk down across the way, but her party was just as surprised. ¡°The hell is that?!¡± Triton shouted, ¡°That¡¯s way more than it looked like! I could¡­ I could live like a noble until the day I die with this much! Er, I mean¡­ We can save so many people¡­ Hurray!¡± After a pointed glare from Cira, he changed his tune.


    ¡°Now then. Go ahead and get our materials, Delilah.¡± She instructed.


    ¡°Oh, of course!¡± She grabbed the biggest bucket and scurried over to the aetherium pile. It wasn¡¯t much to speak of, so Cira made a little scoop appear before it. She imagined what was left wouldn¡¯t fill up more than one more full bucket, but it was a start. Cira watched Delilah meticulously scrape the excess off with the backside of the scoop then trot over and gently set the bucket back down on the table. Next, the girl took the other and easily filled it with prima salt from the mound, using the same tool to scrape the top.


    She placed it on the table with a satisfied look, ¡°Okay, what¡¯s next?¡±


    ¡°And what can I do?¡± Nanri looked up with pleading eyes.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ You see those three?¡± She lifted the dome of silence, letting their complaints roll over her, ¡°I made their shirts out of salt. See if you can replicate that so we can make more exorcists gear. I also thought plate-mail would work for one of them.¡± She yawned and held her hand up. Salt flowed up from below and formed scale-like plates that meshed together like chainmail, but of course, made of highly condensed salt. ¡°The mage would be a good fit for heavy armor. He¡¯s an exorcist for sure, but see if the girls would rather help Delilah here instead.¡±


    ¡°Are they¡­ all your prisoners?¡± Nanri asked timidly.


    ¡°Eh, more or less. I don¡¯t get the girls¡¯ whole deal, but they were part of Don¡¯s crew. I guess they¡¯re more like Kate at this point, but it¡¯d be nice if they stuck around. If we can get one of them to join the exorcist team it would free Lomp up to do more of his Lomp work and Delilah will surely appreciate a couple pairs of hands.¡±


    The man in question, Chip, Triton, Kate and Glasses had taken a load off in the boat. They let Cira do her thing since they knew they couldn¡¯t help with alchemy, not that they wanted to. Their work from earlier was plenty for one day as far as they were concerned, and they were left questioning why they weren¡¯t delivered to somewhere they could sleep¡ªshort answer, it escaped Cira¡¯s mind completely.


    But Lomp couldn¡¯t help overhearing something, ¡°What the hell is Lomp work supposed to be?¡±


    ¡°You would know best.¡± She replied, ¡°But don¡¯t interrupt me. I¡¯m trying to work.¡±


    Nanri began ingratiating herself with the prisoners and inspecting their clothes, allowing Cira to return to Delilah. ¡°You only need two instruments fort this recipe. The cauldron could be anything, but I¡¯ll have to make your alembic out of blessed silver.¡± A massive hunk of silver crashed onto the table.


    ¡°Oh, great and holy one¡­¡± Cira yawned again, ¡°this silver¡­ bless it. Uh, please.¡±


    Try as she might, Cira had precious little time left in the waking world.

 56 - A Witchs Determination

    Aetherium bubbled away in a rather large and shiny alembic placed upon the table. It had a round base, as most do, and a spout that let the condensate trickle out into another vessel. After forcing a ghost to manifest, it left behind soul residue and aether, or mana. Any impurities could throw off the efficacy of the medicine, or so Cira explained.


    The aetherium dust melted into a goopy substance before slowly evaporating, leaving behind an even muckier black tar. Luckily, this could be melted off to clean the instrument afterward, or the opaque vessel would be a nightmare to maintain. Delilah sat on a custom conjured stool Cira made for her before unceremoniously passing out, sprawled out over the plank seats that ran across her (exorcists¡¯) boat after she coaxed them away from it with the promise of drink.


    It did not look like a comfortable position. Her legs were leaned over or propped against the side, and most of her weight was supported by her hip and the back of her head on the stern. Still, the look on her face would give the impression she was back on her bed in the Nymphus suite. The ridiculous skull and crossbones hat she wore had fallen off at a point and her golden hair spilled into it.


    This left Delilah to gaze impatiently at the hourglass set before her. The red sands fell slowly into the bottom half, and there was literally nothing else to do while she waited. This recipe was as simple as Cira claimed once the ingredients were gathered.


    The exorcists were sprawled about on the cold metal platform. Wrapped in their baggy gray cloaks, they took this chance to sleep as well. Before Cira turned in, she had put the last of her barrel of ale in a big bowl for them and conjured cups. They happily drank it as reward for a hard day¡¯s work. Kate had to wait all of twenty seconds before ignoring Cira¡¯s parting words of, ¡°You¡¯re not old enough though, Kate. Here¡¯s some water.¡± She had of course conjured an unwieldy jug of water for the girl.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s got a witch and a pirate working together?¡± Nanri¡¯s concentration was pulled away from her fabric conjuration by the oldest of Don¡¯s women. She placed her at around that charming woman Rosalie¡¯s age and she had chestnut colored hair.


    ¡°My, what makes you think she¡¯s a pirate?¡± Nanri asked, innocently stumped.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± The ashen blonde one that seemed to dislike Cira cut in, ¡°She busted into our hideout callin¡¯ herself Captain Dreadheart, ridin¡¯ a goddamn pirate ship! She took Don¡¯s treasure, took everything from him! Her crew¡¯s over a hundred strong in Uru alone. I mean¡­ Look at her!¡±


    She dramatically extended her arm towards Cira, displaying her in all her scurvy glory. Empty glasses lay strewn about the ground and along the sides of her skiff, saber still in hand, hanging over the edge. The tie on her corset had come undone and slid around awkwardly, exposing her belly. Her snores were a vicious riptide.


    ¡°She¡­ she did all that, huh?¡± Nanri gazed at her with something between amazement and concern.


    ¡°Damn right she did, so what the hell is she doing with a witch? You tryin¡¯ to tell me she is a witch?!¡± The feisty one wasn¡¯t having it.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not so sure about that anymore¡­¡± Nanri was no idiot. It wasn¡¯t hard to figure out after the first day, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say anything. Her upbringing didn¡¯t afford a lot of freedom, and her family made her the subject of ridicule and bullying. Her peers knew exactly who her prestigious mother and father were and wasted no chance to push her down to make themselves look better.


    While Cira was undoubtedly hiding her identy, Nanri somehow couldn¡¯t recall her actually lying to her face. Well, she did tell that guard she was the Hidden Witch once. In short, Nanri had fooled herself on the first day, but Cira had been refreshingly forthright and friendly otherwise. The witches she usually surrounded herself with were secretive and always competed with each other. Peers were enemies, and she was also all her collective peers¡¯ enemy. That¡¯s just how it had always been. She never knew any different.


    Meanwhile, the sorcerer was kind, and sharing knowledge put a smile on her face. She did it happily, as if she was glad to have Nanri around as a receptacle. It wasn¡¯t exactly how the young witch wanted to view herself, but she liked to think Cira was having fun as well. For the first time in her life, it felt like the troubled witch had made a friend.


    ¡°Then what the hell is she?¡± The angry one, Jules, derailed Nanri¡¯s thoughts this time, trying to continue her argument.


    ¡°Well¡­ She is a sorcerer. That much is certain.¡± The look on the girls¡¯ faces said it didn¡¯t help them understand, ¡°More importantly, have you given your roles any thought? I¡¯ve almost got the salt linen figured out.¡±


    ¡°Our roles¡­?¡± The oldest one, Patricia, looked at the witch curiously.


    ¡°Yes, are you three not up to speed yet¡ªor, you four?¡± She looked at the sponge maidens and Lant, who all shrunk in confusion. ¡°I see¡­ Perhaps this will help you understand. All of Cira¡¯s efforts are in curing the plague.¡± She pointed at the slumbering Cirina Dreadheart, ¡°We are making the cure as we speak, and exorcists are required to gather an essential ingredient¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hold on!¡± Lant shouted, ¡°You¡¯re seriously curing it? Like, the whole plague?!¡±


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    ¡°Er, yes, we¡¯re curing the whole plague. Everybody that¡¯s drank the water or eaten the food on this island in¡­ at least the last five years has it, including you.¡±


    Their mouths gaped open as they listened. It was something they¡¯d more or less heard before as Cira berated Don, but they were somehow more receptive to it now. Jules still had something to say though, ¡°So what the hell does that have to do with Don?!¡±


    ¡°From my understanding, he had the bad luck of possessing the substance causing the plague. I¡¯m sure it wasn¡¯t personal.¡±


    They understandably weren¡¯t satisfied with that answer. Before Cira sent Don flying, all who witnessed though she seemed rather offended. There wasn¡¯t anything they could do about it though. They didn¡¯t want to push their luck even further speaking with a bona fied witch, who was clearly close with the young woman in question.


    ¡°So, what will it be?¡± Nanri looked over them inquisitively, ¡°It appears Cira already deemed you an exorcist, but we need one of you girls to join as well.¡±


    Cira had said it would be nice to have one more, and they all heard her, but Nanri didn¡¯t want to leave it so open ended.


    ¡°Wh-what does an exorcist do¡­?¡± The third sponge maiden was short and timid, if a little top-heavy, with long dark hair. This one introduced herself to Nanri as Sarah.


    ¡°You get to dress up like those guys,¡± She pointed at the snoring cloaks, ¡°and Cira will forge you a blessed weapon to fight ghosts with. Oh, most of them just stand there though, so it¡¯s not too dangerous or anything. Our team of four didn¡¯t encounter a single problem and two more will make it a breeze.¡±


    They looked at her with blank eyes, ¡°Fight ghosts¡­?¡± Sarah shivered at the mere thought. So did Lant, but his fate was sealed.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. They die in just one hit.¡±


    ¡°They¡­ They die?¡± Jules was thrown for a loop, ¡°But aren¡¯t they dead?¡±


    ¡°Ahh, right. That¡¯s the important part. You¡¯ll really be helping their souls pass on, leaving just our ingredients behind.¡±


    The three looked at each other and Sarah wasn¡¯t the only one scared at the prospect. Their faces fell into frowns and shared a teary look of fear. Jules however, just looked annoyed, ¡°I¡¯ll do it¡­ These two aren¡¯t cut out for it.¡±


    Patricia and Sarah each took one of her hands with tears in their eyes, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right! Don¡¯t do this, Jules¡­¡±


    ¡°The witch says one of us has to, and I don¡¯t mind fightin¡¯¡± She shook their hands off, ¡°I¡¯ll be just fine.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Nanri¡¯s bright smile nearly broke Uru¡¯s law, ¡°What weapons do you plan to ask for? I¡¯ll make your armor around that.¡±


    ¡°Gauntlets for me. I fight with my fists.¡± Lant timidly, yet proudly stated.


    ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯d want to get that close myself,¡± Nanri said thoughtfully, ¡°but close quarters it is. I¡¯ll try Cira¡¯s trick and make you something heavier.¡± She turned her earnest eyes to Jules.


    She squinted at the witch for a moment with uncertainty, ¡°A crossbow, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡± She nodded astutely and returned to her work. She still had the staff of salt Cira made her in the Nymph Sanctuary and was getting the hang of the making fabric out of salt. It was essentially chainmail, but with near-imperceptibly small links. It was incredibly tedious for her too. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was anywhere near as strong, and it wasn¡¯t half as smooth as the original articles, but it was almost the same thing.


    She spent the next few hours diligently crafting a light rogue-like armor for Jules. It was all white and clung tight to her body with scale-like plates covering her chest and vitals. The hat was the same style as the others though. But white. For Lant, she made a suit of armor with the same platemail but over the entire body, this time with a half-helmet.


    Enchanting turned out to be a monotonous task with the borrowed needle she used. Cira had casually pulled it out of her pocket earlier and tossed it at the witch, making her almost dive to keep it from falling down to the salt¡ªa stick of orichalcum that could buy a mansion up at Port if one ignored the absurd enchantments.


    It was so easy she found her thoughts drifting off again.


    I¡¯ll do it¡­ I¡¯ll definitely ask her tomorrow. If I don¡¯t, I¡¯ll be trapped in Earth Vein¡¯s machine until I¡¯m as old as Mother. Dragging me along would only cause Cira trouble¡­ but I have to follow my heart! Cira herself would admonish me if I didn¡¯t¡­


    Her mother¡¯s disappointed face was well-etched into her mind, and it came to the forefront as she had these thoughts. Her father, of course, an Earth Vein royal, would have a heart attack. It could even affect relations between them and the Nightwing Isles as a whole. Nanri would be branded an outlaw over the entirety of the Gandeux and Mystic Skies put together, maybe further¡ªthe high coven could even make efforts for her capture. ¡®Something tells me that for you, Nanri, the path to true sorcery would be a treacherous one.¡¯ Cira¡¯s will certainly prove true¡­


    That¡¯s not my problem, though. I never asked for this. To study abroad, to come here of all places. Nobody ever cared what I wanted to do. Not a single time. But Cira said I shouldn¡¯t listen to any of them. That I should only strive to do what I truly want to, deep in my heart.


    So how can I not ask to join her on her travels? Even if she rejects me¡­ Even if it turns out I¡¯ve been a fool this whole time, I¡¯ll never forgive myself if I don¡¯t try. Nanri clenched her fists, having made up her mind.


    The enchantments on what would become the two new exorcist¡¯s armor were now complete. She imagined Cira would do something to them with blessed silver when she awoke, so she let out a yawn and stood up to stretch her legs. Looking across the way at the litany of Earth Vein employees, she noticed they were the only ones left awake aside from her. The sun had likely risen outside and everyone in Cira¡¯s wake was worn out.


    Walking over to Delilah, she noticed the hourglass before her still had a great deal of time left. The girl, however, had fallen asleep with her face planted on the table. Judging by when it started¡­ there must be half a day left in there.


    Nanri looked around a couple times, wearily dragging her eyes between all those who¡¯d long-since began their slumber. Nine, ten¡­ eleven, twelve¡­ Wait, I forgot to ask Cira who those two were. They fell asleep so quickly.


    It was generally ill-advised to let alchemical processes stew overnight, especially distillation or anything that involved heat. Minute changes in environment or even an anomaly within the ingredient could make things go awry. Somehow, the witch didn¡¯t think Cira would bother caring about such a thing though.


    After another powerful yawn crept its way out, Nanri knew sleep was calling to her as well. Taking the scrap salt-linen she crafted earlier, she threw them over herself as a blanket and leaned against the outside of their skiff, just outside of Cira¡¯s reach in case she waved that sword around in her sleep. They were just far away enough from the rest of the plague ward to where only the trickling of water could be heard.


    With the wooden hull against her back, Nanri drifted away with the rest.

 57 - Rough Morning

    As her body began to shake, she felt a mild irritation coming on. The first shreds of consciousness could only focus on the throbbing pain in her head. Cira¡¯s eyes shot open with a start and struggled to focus on the face before her. Silver hair hung down into view.


    ¡°Nanri¡­? What¡¯s going on¡­¡± It took a while to rub the sleep out of her eyes, then she took stock of her surroundings. There was a sword in her hand and glass mugs strewn around it. With a groan, Cira made all her ridiculous conjurations of the night before disappear into motes of light.


    ¡°Hey, what the hell?¡± Triton held his arms out looking upset. There was a dark stain of something having spilled across his cloak and over his crotch.


    ¡°My bad. Urghh¡­¡± She climbed out of the boat like a wounded crab and Nanri offered an arm for support, which she gladly took. ¡°How long was I out?¡±


    ¡°Quite some time.¡± The witch replied, ¡°The aetherium is almost done distilling.¡±


    ¡°Oh no!¡± Cira whipped her head around nervously, taking a much more thorough stock of her surroundings. The other exorcists were either sitting around bored or asleep. Her four prisoners looked at her with irritation or confusion, though there were two interesting looking salt garments next to them. There was still some time left in the hourglass and Cira realized all was well. The aetherium trickle had nearly filled a jar with a substance that looked like liquid mithril. ¡°I guess nothing has gone wrong in my absence¡­ Well done, Nanri.¡±


    While the witch didn¡¯t feel like she was due much credit, the praise made her feel better and it showed on her face, ¡°Everyone has already gotten rest, and I finished the new exorcists¡¯ gear, but I can¡¯t work with blessed silver. I did try it¡­¡± Little tendrils had formed on the block of silver where she tried to pull it away.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll have to weave it in¡­ but I feel terrible right now.¡± With a hand on her stomach, Cira swayed uneasily, ¡°We should send someone to get breakfast.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nearly sundown¡­ but I agree. We need to figure out lodging for the exorcists and alchemists as well.¡±


    Cira slapped her forehead, ¡°I completely forgot!¡± With an uncomfortable grunt, the orichalcum staff appeared before her while Conduit¡¯s disk materialized behind her back. The Staff of Springs formed a narrow river that snaked around her. The sorcerer¡¯s eyes were still a little unsteady, but the more the merrier when it came to staves to stave off the mental strain.


    Cira¡¯s first order of business was turning her head and leaning into Aquon¡¯s river, slurping it out of the air with reckless abandon. No one knew what to make of this and waited for her next move. Next, Pillars of salt rose up, filling the void between them and the cave wall before forming a platform. The outlines of a structure appeared and three houses started forming, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the exorcists later. Now who is our best errand boy?¡±


    She peered across the startled group she¡¯d gathered. They all watched the houses appear with wide eyes and gulped when they met Cira¡¯s. ¡°Triton.¡± She called.


    ¡°Y-yes?!¡± He nervously shouted and it made Cira wince.


    ¡°Sheesh, not so loud,¡± Her eyes were scrunched up and she gestured with her hand to lower it down, ¡°Triton, I¡¯m sending you to get breakfast for everyone. Take the boat.¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh¡­ okay. It¡¯s night, but I haven¡¯t eaten since yesterday.¡± He stood up, brushing off his cloak.


    ¡°How do you guys even know? I thought it was always night.¡± Cira wasn¡¯t in the mood for word games.


    ¡°The lights are ever-so-slightly dimmer after sunset.¡± He replied, and everyone nodded. Cira exasperatedly sighed in response. ¡°Oh wait, I don¡¯t have any money though.¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course¡­¡± Cira pulled a coin purse from her waist and jingled around in it, ¡°I only have one gold left. Do you think they have change for mithril?¡±


    They either gawked or gave disgusted expressions, and it irritated Cira to no end as she just wanted a simple answer. The feisty woman she vaguely remembered decided to express her distaste, ¡°Are you really that dense? Have you never paid for a meal in your life? Or anything?! Where did that fancy sword even go?¡±


    ¡°The sword never existed in the first place,¡± which was a fact that blindsided the girl, leaving her without words, ¡°and I¡¯m in no mood for your attitude. I wasn¡¯t even speaking to you.¡± Her weary eyes fell on Triton.


    ¡°Right¡­ A gold crown is more than plenty. Should I use the rest to bring back some, er, refreshments?¡± He let out a nervous laugh.


    ¡°Of course not, you all still have a full day of work ahead of you.¡± She retorted.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°But¡­ but it¡¯s night-time.¡±


    ¡°Ughh, fine¡­¡± Working late is one thing but I can¡¯t make everyone nocturnal. There needs to be some order to this. ¡°I guess you get the day off then, but just bring the change back. I don¡¯t want to see any ale for a while.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ okay.¡± He looked mildly downcast as he slid into the boat and tugged away through the darkness.


    ¡°I need to get out of these clothes¡­¡± A round shroud of conjured metal rose from the platform at Cira¡¯s words, encircling her. The others looked on with something less than interest, though they were trying to figure out what they were looking at. They heard her call for the mighty Staff of Springs, ¡°Azure Maelstrom!¡± to bathe herself with. After a few minutes of her shuffling around behind the veil, grunting and breathing heavy, they heard a loud knock, ¡°Ow! dammit¡­¡± Cira had banged her head on the wall.


    Soon the enclosure dispersed to reveal the sorcerer having shed her pirate skin. She wore flowing robes of white and gold, made of a silk so fine it defied the eyes. It was the most incredible piece Nanri had seen her wear yet and looked almost ceremonial, but it also seemed familiar to her. Then she noticed the wide collar that fell over her shoulders and the same hat her father¡¯s projection from the archive wore, with a gold star hung from its tip. The genuine article was a bright white but seemed to shimmer depending on where you looked at it from.


    The sorcerer¡¯s face was tired, and she stumbled over to the witch, continuing to rehydrate from her wayward stream all the while. After pulling her face away, she spent a few seconds looking around, ¡°I guess I can get started on their weapons while we wait for breakfast.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll watch, then. Just let me know if there¡¯s anything I can do.¡± Nanri looked up at her with a troubled smile and Cira took it in stride. It was hard to tell if there was something on her mind or if she was just hungry as well.


    ¡°Right. I just need to make a forge first¡­¡± They walked over to the prisoner group and pointed at the geomancer. ¡°Kay¡­ Your name is Lando or something, right?¡±


    ¡°Um, it¡¯s actually Lant¡­ Madam Witch¡­¡±


    Cira waved her hand around like she was swatting a fly, ¡°Enough of that. I¡¯ve no time for formalities, just pay attention and try to take this seriously. What kind of weapon do you want? Anything you¡¯re used to?¡±


    ¡°Gauntlets. I fight with my fists.¡± He stated proudly.


    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡± Cira put a hand to her chin, remembering those scant few seconds spent fighting this one, ¡°Everything you know about magic is wrong. You can¡¯t just blast rocks out of your fists¡­ May as well be punching purge stone. Like, seriously? What is wrong with wrong you? Triton will have to¡ªah, dammit, I shouldn¡¯t have sent him. You¡¯ll learn the basics from him when he gets back, assuming he hasn¡¯t regressed. But I¡¯m vetoing the fists. Try again.¡±


    His face was hung open in a dramatic frown and he helplessly floundered. This man spent his whole life honing his Art of the Stone Fist, only for this young girl who effortlessly reflected it to tell him it was all useless. As Lant shrunk, he grew uncomfortable to see a spark flutter into her eye.


    ¡°Oh! How about a pair of hammers? Or spiked bucklers? I saw a pirate swingin¡¯ some around once, but it gave me tons of ideas. Your earth should work well with them if you can improve your form.¡± He didn¡¯t know what to make of the rambling girl, but he tried his best.


    ¡°That sounds alright, I guess¡­ But what does improve my form mean? I¡¯ve been practicin¡¯ my whole life.¡±


    ¡°Like I said, Triton will help you out. Maybe I¡¯ll give you a pointer or two after I¡¯ve woken up. Now you.¡± She looked to the other new exorcist, ¡°I¡¯ve been calling you Sponge Maiden Three in my head, but it¡¯s a little wordy.¡±


    She let out an offended scoff and peered up at Cira, taken aback, ¡°It¡¯s Jules! And Something tells me you¡¯re not Cirina Dreadheart, are you?¡± She even had the nerve to take a pompous attitude.


    ¡°Sure I am.¡± She crossed her arms, ¡°Now choose your weapon, it¡¯s getting late.¡±


    Jules gave her an incredulous look before answering, ¡°A crossbow.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± She looked up ponderously and got a grin on her face, ¡°A fine choice¡­ Ammunition will be an issue, but I¡¯ve already been trying to solve that one¡­ Alright¡± She plopped a fist into her palm, ¡°I¡¯ve got it. Time to make the forge.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to just make one? Right here?¡± Nanri asked.


    ¡°Naturally.¡± The orichalcum responded and her alchemy platform extended. From it rose a furnace that ended in a chimney. Next, an anvil and a workbench, along with various hand tools modified to be used without hands. It was basic as far as smithies go, but it would do just fine for Cira¡¯s needs. She didn¡¯t notice the inquisitive Earth Vein staff peering over from across the way when she squatted down to start enchanting it. All she needed was heat, just a lot of it.


    ¡°Wow, you sure move fast¡­¡± Nanri observed. The rest of the group didn¡¯t have much to say when structures just kept manifesting. Enchantments on the furnace only took around half an hour, then it activated with a bright crimson flash. Once that faded, the surrounding area was lit up as if by a piercing red flame.


    Cira stood up, feeling the heat against her body and nodding in satisfaction, ¡°Alright, so what¡¯s taking Triton so long? He better not have run off¡­¡± She noticed the Earth Vein head Official waving from across the way and zeroed in, cocking her head to the side.


    ¡°Uh, excuse me, Madam Witch¡­¡± He looked like he was in a pinch as he called out, the flames reflecting on his face from afar, ¡°I don¡¯t mean to offend, but could I ask what it is you¡¯re building over there?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ forgot about them.¡± She gave Nanri a tired look, ¡°I better go talk to him.¡±


    She jumped an impressive distance, only to gracefully glide to the ground next to the shaken man. She gave him a lazy curtsy and greeted him, ¡°Sorry, I was going to come talk to you last night, but I forgot.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s no problem¡­¡± He awkwardly replied. She had actually arrived at the very beginning of his shift that morning, ¡°Those are, er, quite magnificent robes you have there, Madam Witch, and your staves leave me speechless. Your mastery truly precedes you.¡± Then the man bowed, followed by all his little ducklings.


    ¡°Save me the formalities¡­ but thanks.¡± She tried to hide a grin¡ªCira loved getting compliments in her dad¡¯s repurposed robes. ¡°In any case, why are there so many of you now? Is something happening?¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course. We¡¯ve received word from above that the Astral Witch is on her way. We¡¯ve been busy preparing for her arrival, but they said she¡¯s very eager to greet you.¡±

 58 - Finishing Touches

    ¡°The Astral Witch you say¡­¡± Cira nodded thoughtfully, ¡°It¡¯s about time.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve been expecting her.¡± He sighed in relief, ¡°That¡¯s great, of course you have.¡±


    ¡°Indeed...¡± She knew once word of a smuggler in the queen¡¯s nest made its way up, it would only be a matter of time for higher authorities to arrive. That¡¯s what her gut told her. Cira did not, however, expect it to happen so soon. Still, she planned for this.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± the guard continued, ¡°About over there though¡­¡±


    ¡°Right. I¡¯ve built a forge to equip my exorcists. It¡¯s only temporary though. Everything else you see is for production of the cure, while those houses are for my alchemists to live in. That much will be permanent¡­ish.¡±


    ¡°Oh, a forge. Of course¡­¡± He struggled to figure out why a forge or exorcists would be necessary, coming up short, ¡°How soon will the cure be ready?¡±


    She noticed all the representatives and guards gathered with rapt attention, ¡°The first batch, maybe an hour or two. I¡¯ll cure the final platform first, as their conditions are the worst. After that it will take a few days, but people will probably start flocking here from all over the island. You¡¯ll need to get ready for that too.¡±


    He saluted, ¡°Ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll be sure we¡¯re ready.¡±


    She chuckled, then jumped back over to where Nanri stood. It appeared the worst of Earth Vein was yet still far above her.


    ¡°What did he say?¡± Nanri asked.


    ¡°The Astral Witch is on her way.¡±


    ¡°What?! Really?¡± It came as a surprise to her colleague.


    ¡°That¡¯s what he said. It was bound to happen after we turned Triton in. Shame, after I went and broke him out anyway.¡± A sorcerer always sees ten steps ahead¡­ I¡¯ll get there some day.


    Cira started pulling silver off her block and getting it nice and hot. Meanwhile, Nanri looked overly troubled. She didn¡¯t know what to say to the witch. It was her who would be left with the hassle after all. Cira never expected her to become such a large part of her efforts here, but now she was at a loss in how to handle the fallout.


    Gah, this is why I¡¯m not supposed to get too close¡­ Nanri is sure to be in a heap of trouble. But¡­ She¡¯s the one that wanted to tag along. Should I have refused her before we even went to the surface? Dammit, I can¡¯t even think.


    She looked over and saw a sight for sore eyes. Her skiff was descending from the Uru passage and approaching them now, Triton¡¯s weary face coming into view. Cira instantly brightened up, leaving her silver to warm up for a while and conjuring a picnic table for everyone to gather around.


    ¡°Man, your witchcraft sure is convenient.¡± Kate offhandedly said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me ¡®Man¡¯¡­ And it¡¯s sorcery, damn you.¡±


    Triton landed and put two large boxes down. Tearing them open, Cira pulled out stacks of neatly packaged little pies.


    ¡°What are these¡­?¡± The sorcerer¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t recognize them, but her nose could not be deceived.


    ¡°Worm pies.¡± Triton said, ¡°They gave me fifty for a gold crown. Thought you¡¯d go for that.¡±


    ¡°Right you are.¡± Cira¡¯s lips turned up in a dauntless smile. Picking one up with her hands, she bit right into it, ignoring the searing hot sensation on her lips and reveling in the tender, juicy meat within. She hadn¡¯t noticed or done so on purpose, but she made quite a lot of noise eating this meal. When she finally reached for another pie, she noticed everyone was watching her with appalled expressions. ¡°What? Eat the damn food. There¡¯s plenty.¡± To help her out, Nanri conjured place settings and silverware for everyone.


    This got them to start digging in and the pies slowly disappeared. Well, they started to make a dent in them. ¡°Oh, I should wake up Delilah.¡± Cira remembered, walking over to give her a gentle shake. There was a small puddle of drool beneath her face.


    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s going¡ªoh! Cira! Oh no!¡± She jumped up from her seat and glanced between Cira, the alembic, and the hourglass in a panic.


    Cira chuckled and placed a hand on her shoulder, ¡°It¡¯s alright, everyone fell asleep. The timer still has a few minutes, so grab some food while we wait.¡±


    Delilah glanced back at the timer and let out a heavy breath, then over at the conspicuous picnic table and back at Cira. She couldn¡¯t help but pause for a moment and look her up and down, ¡°My, you¡¯ve really freshened up. Those robes are very pretty on you¡ª¡± She blushed, stopping herself from going any further. Her restraint was lacking in the moments after just waking up.


    ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± Cira got a giddy grin on her face. Though it was about the robes, it made Delilah feel a little better. ¡°We¡¯ve got worm pies over there, but I need to forge some weapons.¡±


    Delilah blinked, just noticing the waves of heat and intrusive fiery glow, in addition to all the new structures strewn about. Cira sure works fast¡­ she thought.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Telekinetically nabbing a few more pies, Cira rested them on the edge of her furnace to keep warm and pulled out the silver. Splitting most of it off, she left the rest for when she moved onto the crossbow. The bucklers came together in short order, as they were just round and pointy hunks of metal, but Jules¡¯ weapon would be much more intricate.


    ¡°Cira, it¡¯s done!¡± Delilah came running over, ¡°The hourglass ran out. What do we do now?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ It should cool for a few hours so we can begin our recipe at expected conditions. Put a lid on the jar and move it. You should be able to leave the alembic lit and tip it over to clean any residue out.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on it!¡± She looked determined as she ran back over to the alchemy station. This let Cira put her focus into making the crossbow. She meticulously spent a couple hours on it, tearing through pies and guzzling water like a whale. She had to play around with the mechanisms a few times to make adjustments, then came the enchantments of course. In the end, she was happy with how it turned out.


    ¡°Amazing¡­¡± Nanri said, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen one of these made, but they don¡¯t all look like this, right?¡±


    ¡°This little guy is one of a kind.¡± She smirked, holding it up in her hand. It bore two triggers and a wide, open rail to for the bolt. Each end of the bow where wires attached was curved back for extra tension. There were glyphs all along it and down the body for reinforcement and various other things.


    After the two admired it for a moment, they carried the weaponry back over to the picnic table where everyone was still gathered. Cira distributed the weapons accordingly and began explaining the shields first.


    ¡°Alright, both of these can become stone great shields if you can figure out how to actually channel mana, but they repel spirits in either form. Their points will banish spirits and convert their remains into aetherium as well. Any questions?¡±


    ¡°Whoa¡­¡± He picked one up, making faces in his reflection, ¡°Is this whole thing blessed silver? I bet it¡¯s worth a ton.¡±


    While his voice trailed off, Cira¡¯s glare magnified upon him, ¡°I could also, you know, ship you up the Noose. I have literally no idea what they¡¯ll do to you up there. Your choice.¡±


    His face stretched back as a potential future Cira was completely unaware of flashed through his mind, ¡°No, no questions¡­¡±


    ¡°Good. Now, you.¡± When her eyes met Jules¡¯, the girl shrunk back for a second, before trying to play it off as adjusting herself to sit up straight.


    ¡°Yeah, neat crossbow¡­ Where are the bolts though?¡±


    ¡°Eheheh, give it here,¡± She didn¡¯t understand why this witch-pirate had such a playful smile on her face, but held the crossbow out all the same. It lifted from her hands and into Cira¡¯s. ¡°This doesn¡¯t take bolts.¡±


    She pulled one trigger and the wire slid back. A golden light coalesced along the rail before hardening into a narrow crystal. Aiming up, she pulled the next trigger and it turned into a beam, shooting into the ceiling faster than one could see with the sound of broken glass.


    ¡°Here, you try.¡± She tossed it back to Jules, whose hands covered her ears. Everyone else either did that or blocked their eyes. ¡°So, I¡¯ll put a cover on it, the sounds not that bad though.¡±


    They all shook their heads and an exasperated Lomp spoke up for the first time that day, ¡°You know, you really have no idea how ridiculous that weapon is. How is she supposed to fire that? If she possesses that much mana, shouldn¡¯t you be teaching her magic?¡±


    For a brief moment, Jules thought she was gifted in the aura department, but a sorcerer rarely lies, ¡°Her mana is paltry. Didn¡¯t you notice how the bolt was glorious and golden? It¡¯s all from the big guy.¡± She pointed up in its general direction, ¡°There¡¯s just no reason not to use it here, it¡¯s always around and you¡¯re fighting ghosts. You see, I put an array along the rail to condense it into a crystal. Of course, due to the nature of mana crystals, this array here,¡± She pointed at another small string of glyphs where the tip of the bolt formed, ¡°allows me to enchant it with Forced Corporealization¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait, stop!¡± The girl waved her arms, ¡°I don¡¯t know what any of that means, but¡­ my aura is weak. I already knew that a long time ago. And you¡¯re with the church¡­?¡±


    Cira pouted. She had at least one happy listener, no Delilah was listening too. She put a lot of work into this crossbow and wanted to show it off, but in the essence of urgency, she acquiesced, ¡°Fine¡­ I¡¯m not with the church, this is just how you deal with ghosts. Why does everyone keep asking that? There¡¯s literally holy mana everywhere all the time. Only a fool doesn¡¯t use it. It¡¯s free! Your stupid Captain should have used it instead of some stupid rock.¡±


    She was actually silenced by a sudden scolding when someone she nearly forgot about cut in, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s not that simple! You can¡¯t just use it.¡± It was Glasses, tearing his hair out.


    Cira let out a groan and rolled her eyes to the block of holy material on the table. A little noodle of silver worked its way over to the table before weaving into itself. It snaked around until eventually approaching Glasses, who backed away to no avail. It wrapped around his neck and then a solid disc half the size of his palm grew from the bottom like a fruit.


    ¡°Wha¡ªwhat are you doing?!¡±


    ¡°Consider this a gift from me to you.¡± she glanced at the enchanted dunce hat next to him on the table, ¡°I don¡¯t understand what your hangup on holy mana is, but this is the Medallion of Divine Exploitation. You will notice the cameo of a sleeping cherub. If you touch your hand to it and say, ¡®Pretty please¡¯, it will shine with a brilliant golden light, assuaging any future concerns you may have on the matter. Go on, try it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous! I¡¯m not doing that!¡± he pushed his glasses up nervously. ¡°W-why am I the only one who¡¯s punishments are made to amuse you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not laughing.¡± Cira laced her fingers together atop the table and held her gaze.


    ¡°Here, I¡¯ll do it.¡± Chip reached over, ¡°Pretty please¡ª Gahh!¡±


    Everyone but Cira protected their eyes from its brilliance.


    ¡°Dammit, what¡¯s with this thing?¡± Glasses struggled to get it over his head, ¡°You made it too small. I can¡¯t get it off!¡±


    Cira then opened the palm of her hand where another piece of blessed silver lay, ¡°Lant. Take this.¡± She tossed it over and he caught it, ¡°Once you have grown your magical prowess, your first trial will be to put this clasp on his holy relic.¡±


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± He saluted and held his head down, glancing over to the bejeweled civil servant, ¡°Sorry, guy, it might be a while.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ you can¡¯t be serious.¡± Was Glasses¡¯ only response.


    ¡°I have grown tired of being questioned over meaningless matters.¡± Cira switched targets, ¡°Jules.¡±


    She jumped, ¡°Yes?!¡±


    ¡°One trigger pulls it back and forms the bolt. The next fires it, but you only have five seconds to let it loose before the crystal dissipates. Give it a try so I know you know how it works.¡±


    ¡°¡­yes ma¡¯am¡­¡± She aimed it at the ceiling like Cira had and pulled one trigger, watching the bolt form. Her eyes scrunched and she turned away. Jules pulled the next trigger and yelped, ¡°Ahh!! Oh¡­ I didn¡¯t even feel that.¡± Turning it over in her hand, she inspected it, ¡°This is actually quite nice¡­¡±


    ¡°Excellent. Looks like that¡¯s in order.¡± She scanned her fellows until landing on Delilah next, ¡°You ready to finish that cure? I know I am.¡±

 59 - The First Batch

    ¡°Now, first you must pour in your aetherium and bring it to a low boil.¡± Cira watched the studious Delilah carefully pick up a jar of light blue jelly and slop it into the perfectly clear cauldron.


    She looked briefly impressed to see nothing stick to the jar and held it up to the light. There were a good few seconds spent staring blanking into the glyph, ¡°Um, Cira¡­ I don¡¯t have much mana. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be able to use this for long, and I thought ¡®alchemy¡¯ recipes took a lot of mana too.¡±


    Cira pondered for a moment, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that¡­ Maybe half or so do. Depends on what you want. I mean, it would be counterintuitive if you needed your own mana to restore mana, wouldn¡¯t it? As for the cauldron, you will find it activates and stays alit using ambient mana alone. Same as most of mine at home. It¡¯s much simpler this way.¡±


    Nanri was on the other side of her and gasped in sudden realization, speaking under her breath, ¡°So that¡¯s what it was¡­¡±


    ¡°I better get you an enchanted spoon though. I always forget something¡­¡± Cira squinted and looked around as if grazing her line of sight for materials was a reflex. Shortly thereafter, a dollop of silver found its way to the forge corner. ¡°Go ahead and get started. When it comes to a boil pour the prima salt in and flip that hourglass. Stir constantly until your spoon is prepared, it won¡¯t take long.¡±


    ¡°¡­alright then.¡± Delilah paused for a moment then nodded, returning to the cauldron as Cira walked away. She stared at her open hands with a blank look as if they were missing something.


    Watching her, Nanri giggled and conjured a titanium stick for her to stir with, ¡°You can borrow this in the meantime.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ thanks.¡± Delilah didn¡¯t know how to react to her bright smile, so quietly proceeded to stir instead.


    For an amateur blacksmith, spoons were easy money. Cira could pump them out all day, regardless of demand. They had to be long, and they had to be strong. Three spoons found their way into existence upon the anvil, and swiftly passed quality check under the sorcerer¡¯s discerning eye. Next step of course, was enchanting them, for which she could return to the lab, a few paces over.


    ¡°Why are there so many?¡± Delilah asked, unsure of what emotion to feel at her newfound surplus of shiny spoons.


    ¡°Ideally, you three will be able to each run a batch concurrently.¡± Cira explained, using one spoon as a pointer to wave around, ¡°That said, the main bottleneck will be daily aetherium supply. If you were to do one batch each per day, you would finish quite earlier than my three-year projection, but you never know how it will go. In fact, they should be over here.¡± Cira turned her head towards the picnic table of bored companions, ¡°Alchemaidens! Come forth.¡±


    All three turned their heads, but the two she was talking to got up and walked over. ¡°We have names you know.¡±


    ¡°I am yet unaware of them.¡± Cira replied factually.


    ¡°Oh, this one¡¯s Sarah,¡± Nanri popped up between them with a hand over their shoulders that made the pair incredibly uncomfortable, ¡°And this one¡¯s Patricia.¡±


    ¡°Very well. Though I won¡¯t need to know them for long, no offense.¡± She set the spoon down. ¡°I won¡¯t explain everything again, but just listen to Delilah. She¡¯ll walk you through your first batches tomorrow. Why don¡¯t one of you stir for now?¡±


    ¡°I can do it.¡± Patricia stepped up and nodded resolutely and Cira appreciated them finally relenting a little. Perhaps separating the pack was a good idea.


    ¡°Good initiative. Delilah, make sure she doesn¡¯t splash it around too much or it¡¯ll coat the edges and burn.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡± Delilah stepped back to let the new girl give it a try.


    During this time Cira pulled out her trusty world-class treasure of a needle and enchanted the spoons. The key to drawing in ambient mana was etching an array into the object¡ªthe formation of which varied based on its shape. The medium was convenient as it could just use holy mana, and many patterns worked, but Cira was partial to a series of magic circles in rings down the length for this application.


    Stirring itself was actually much simpler. An elementary spatial sorcery can be transcribed as a glyph to twist the spoon around. Of course, she made her standard activation glyphs and reinforcement runes were placed in points of high stress. This spoon was built to last.


    Nanri watched each step intently. Her eyebrows would raise, she¡¯d let out a breath, or give a thoughtful, ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Depending on the glyph.


    ¡°And that¡¯s that.¡± Cira dusted off her hands as the spoon found its way to the cauldron. She gave Nanri a look and the temporary one faded away.


    Patricia gasped, backing away, ¡°What did I do?!¡±


    This elicited a chuckle from all the other girls, including Sarah. Though she stopped herself and covered her mouth with a hand. Cira picked up another spoon, ¡°You¡¯re just fine. That¡¯s the replacement. Go ahead and touch it.¡±


    ¡°Just touch it? Okay¡ªAhh!¡± As soon as her finger made contact it started spinning in the cauldron. ¡°Does¡­ does it just keep going?


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    ¡°Naturally. To turn it off, touch it again, but you shouldn¡¯t ever need to. When the batch is done just pull it out. It will only work inside the cauldron.¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­¡± Sarah gazed endearingly at the automated spoon, ¡°That¡¯s amazing.¡±


    ¡°Sure is. Now all of you watch closely. The hourglass is set to one hour, but if our potion is not translucent by the time it runs out, we have a problem.¡±


    When Cira assigns work, she often overestimates the amount of effort required. In other words, she overstaffs. This couldn¡¯t always be true, however, like with that one guard whose simple job of notifying the citizenry to gather at the infirmary turned into head nurse, chief patient-wrangler, then eventual poison tester, but Cira valued wiggle room. She didn¡¯t mind paying three people to watch a bowl of muck change colors if it meant the cure would be crafted with care. In a way, this was a test. Could they keep their attention on it for the remainder of an hour?


    This also begged the question, why would they need to? What could possibly go wrong for the inexperienced alchemists in her absence over the next few years? With simple, low mana recipes like this, the worst that could happen is loss of ingredients or burnt sludge caked onto the inside of the apparatus, making for a difficult cleaning. The truth of the matter is that she way oversold the alchemist role here, something they would come to learn in the coming days.


    Of course, this brings us back to Cira¡¯s habit of gathering more labor than necessary. Nanri peered over to the picnic table, where two others had finally woken up. Ripped pants and shorts. One wore a vest over stripes and the other, a plain cotton shirt. Both looked mangier and dirtier than anyone else present. Their first actions in the waking world were to creep over to the table and peer into the boxes of worm pies, grabbing a couple themselves. Triton and the others all looked at them funny, then back at Cira.


    Nanri said the thing on everybody¡¯s mind, ¡°Hey Cira, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask¡­ Who are those two?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see they¡¯ve finally come to.¡± She noticed them eating a late breakfast, ¡°Those are my nameless goons.¡± She let Jimbo hang onto the other two who stayed awake for the adventure.


    ¡°Your¡­ what?¡± Her head tilted to the side, glancing between them sloppily eating with their hands and a faintly grinning sorcerer. ¡°What will they be doing?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t decided yet. Figured it would be good to have some extra hands around. What do you think?¡± She noticed the alchemaidens stealing glances and pointed at the cauldron, ¡°Pay attention! This is important.¡±


    ¡°Yes Ma¡¯am¡­¡± Sarah turned forward and gazed into the cauldron with full concentration.


    Nanri had a hand to her chin, ¡°They should probably be exorcists, right?¡±


    ¡°Good call. I think you¡¯re right, but¡­ there will be a couple more roles popping up that I won¡¯t have time to fill personally.¡± She handed her a spoon and the orichalcum needle. ¡°Figure out what they want to wield and get them suited, but do you mind finishing these spoons for me first? I still need to make two more of everything else for the alchemists.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Nanri smiled, confident she¡¯d watched closely enough, ¡°Leave it to me.¡±


    The blessed alembics took a little time, as they needed to be identical in every way to each other. In reality, they didn¡¯t, but Cira was a stickler for consistency in the process. Of course, those most careful had the capacity to be most reckless, but that¡¯s an alchemical adventure for another day.


    These operated with simple glyphs as well and could be enchanted with a conjured needle. Once she finished that, it was time to craft the cauldrons. Solid crystal which nothing sticks to. Really, the perfect material for any apparatus unless it called for a specific one like the alembics. These were but another feat of sorcery.


    Ordinarily, conjurations were impermanent by nature. This was not true for stabilized mana crystal, however. Creating them took a great deal of mana to begin with, or she would have done such a thing with the crossbow¡ªnot saying she won¡¯t with her own later. The key difference was stability. A low-power array could easily crystallize mana, but it would disperse quickly.


    As an aside, this is the only known material form of mana aside from spirits, but stabilizing mana in crystal form was essentially the same process the crossbow did but much slower. Cira took time meticulously adding mana to her construct, allowing its structure to form in a natural fashion. Like this, it¡¯s much denser as well, hence the proportionally steep mana cost.


    Two didn¡¯t take much though, and Cira had them ready to go before long. A quick glance at the hourglass and she joined Nanri to meet her goons for the first time, ¡°How are you two feeling? Missed out on quite the night, you did.¡±


    ¡°Oh hey, it¡¯s Captain Dreadheart.¡± One lazily looked up to her.


    They other seemed to be rather chipper, ¡°Hey there, Captain! What¡¯d we miss?¡±


    I am confident these ones were asleep before I said I was anybody on this island¡¯s captain. Hardly half an hour after I crafted the Salty Songstress. Is this part of their routine? They just linger in the background, as if they were always there? She tried thinking about it from different angles and couldn¡¯t think of a reason to be upset about it. ¡°After you fell asleep, we took down the Black Scourge, allowing Jimbo Sticks to become their new captain. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll change the name soon, though.


    ¡°Haha, right¡­ Good one Cap.¡± This man had dark stubble on his face and a mohawk that hadn¡¯t been kept up on, with the hair around it long grown back.


    The lazy one stopped mid-bite, ¡°Wait, really? We missed that much?¡±


    ¡°You sure did. Now you¡¯re exorcists, too. How about that?¡± She patted him on the back, ¡°Did you two choose your weapons yet? I¡¯d like to use up the last of this silver.¡±


    Nanri took charge on this one, patting the chipper one on his shoulder, ¡°Charlie wants a cutlass and,¡± She switched to the other, ¡°Frank wants a big hammer.¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess they¡¯re not my nameless goons anymore. But hmm¡­ I may not have enough for the hammer. How about a morning star?¡± Cira suggested.


    ¡°Too hard¡­¡± His face was gaunt and sunken. He wasn¡¯t dark-skinned but somehow his skin tone was just a few shades darker like meat left out overnight. Not a healthy man. ¡°Can you do a mace?¡±


    ¡°Sure can. I¡¯ll get right on it. Keep up the good work, Nanri.¡± And she returned to the forge, leaving just enough silver to weave into everyone¡¯s armor later.


    Nanri¡¯s expression brightened up, ¡°O-okay! Thanks, Cira¡­ I will!¡±


    She had only just begun shaping her first ball of blessed silver, when Delilah excitedly called out, ¡°Cira! I think it¡¯s done, come look!¡±


    ¡°Oh! Be right there.¡± She rested her various floating objects and got up, ¡°Hey, Nanri. On second thought, take a break. Come look!¡±


    Talk of the completed cure had quickly drawn everyone¡¯s attention. No matter their background¡ªexorcists, alchemists, overseer¡¯s lackey¡ªthey all gazed at the translucent, glittering green liquid with wonder in their eyes. Delilah especially had such a proud look on her face, but her heart stopped at Cira¡¯s next words.


    ¡°Shit.¡± She raised the cauldron into the air, holding it up in the scarce light, ¡°It¡¯s not orange.¡±

 60 - Those Who Await Salvation

    Cira¡¯s spectators and assistants alike all watched the thin green liquid slosh around in its cauldron, then back at Cira¡¯s disappointed frown wearing mixed expressions.


    ¡°Was it supposed to be orange?¡± Nanri asked with worry creeping onto her face.


    Delilah started to jitter and looked like she would cry, ¡°Did¡­ did I mess up the recipe?¡±


    ¡°No, no¡­ You didn¡¯t mess anything up.¡± Cira shook her head.


    ¡°Then what?!¡± Kate suddenly shouted. Her auburn hair was disheveled, ¡°After all this, you still don¡¯t have the cure? Is that what you¡¯re saying?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid,¡± Cira admonished the misguided exorcist, filling a small jar from the cauldron, ¡°Of course this is the cure. The color only means my father could cure everyone without torturing lost souls¡­¡± Remembering her dream, it wasn¡¯t uncommon for Gazen to pull any given potion out of his sleeve, so there was no way to know the nature of what he used, ¡°And it would work with a single dose¡­ So why wouldn¡¯t he leave me that one?¡±


    As she crossed her arms and fell into frustrated thought, half of them stared at her dumbstruck, but Nanri encouraged her, ¡°Don¡¯t look at it like that. I mean, it¡¯s the cure! If there¡¯s another recipe hidden away in a deeper forbidden archive, wouldn¡¯t you think it¡¯s for a good reason?¡±


    Cira pursed her lips and looked to Nanri at a loss. The sorcerer was defeated with that logic. After rolling her eyes and letting out a groan, Cira perked up, ¡°You¡¯re right. For all I know, it calls for the flesh of a seraph or dragon tears. Nothing that can be so easily sourced, I¡¯m sure.¡± She seemed to have worked it out and nodded to herself.


    ¡°What in the god damn makes a Dragon cry? Who the hell could source that?!¡± Triton, the world-weary smuggler, was outraged, ¡°And what even is a seraph?¡±


    ¡°My Dad could do it¡­¡± Cira grumbled back, ¡°And a seraph is like an angel that can take human form.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Triton didn¡¯t know what to be confused about, but Chip helped him out.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what angels look like already?¡± He took everything she said with a grain of salt but couldn¡¯t help asking.


    Lazy Frank felt he was qualified to step into the conversation, ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re little people with wings.¡±


    ¡°Not so.¡± Cira wagged her finger. ¡°You¡¯re describing a seraph.¡±


    ¡°Then what the hell do they look like?¡± Triton was getting frustrated now.


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult to explain, but I don¡¯t recommend you go trying to find out.¡± She hoisted a pouch onto the table, drawing everyone¡¯s attention, ¡°We¡¯re getting off track. All you exorcists go away, I don¡¯t need everyone.¡± She shooed them off and returned to her alchemists, ¡°There¡¯s jars and whatever utensils you need in this bag of holding. Once the cauldron gets low enough, you should be able to pour the last of it out.¡±


    ¡°Hey Cira, I don¡¯t mean to interrupt,¡± She turned an inquisitive gaze to her old companion Lomp, who jerked his head across the way, ¡°But you¡¯re gathering another crowd over there.¡±


    Cira eyed the gaggle of Earth Vein and friends across the short and shallow chasm which separated them with irritation. It appeared there was yet another matter that had to be attended to before she could administer the cure. ¡°I don¡¯t know why this wasn¡¯t the first thing I did.¡± Walls rose around the entire platform, blocking them off on every side before eventually butting into the alchemists¡¯ quarters. The windows had shutters on them that could be opened and above there was no roof to allow for ventilation and the ability to see.


    ¡°Wh-what the hell?!¡± Jules cried, finally unable to hold it back anymore, ¡°How can you just¡­ do that? What are you?!¡±


    ¡°I am Cira,¡± she crossed her arms, ¡°a very busy sorcerer.¡±


    A line ran up the wall, then carved out a door before forming a knob. Cira twisted the lock and leaned against the door. Is that really all I need to do here? I¡¯ll make pouches for the new exorcists before bed, and I think the alchemists are all set up now. Looks like the time¡¯s finally¡ªshe yelped as her thoughts were bombarded by a firm knock on the door which reverberated up her spine. As she peeled herself away and began to groan, Nanri came rushing over.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll get it!¡± She flashed Cira a smile and started on the door, leaving her to back away impressed and swiftly quelled. Nanri opened the door with the same bright look, ¡°Yes? Can I help you?¡±


    ¡°Uh, yes well, some of our staff at the moment are interns from Port Gandeux,¡± Cira recognized this borderline nervous voice, ¡°and, well, if it¡¯s alright, I thought it would be nice for them to see how witches work up close. They¡¯re¡­ finding it hard to contain their excitement.¡±


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    ¡°Hmmmm¡­¡± Nanri drew it out for a moment, before turning to Cira behind the door and whispering, ¡°Hey Cira, what do you think?¡±


    A grin formed on Cira¡¯s face as she failed to stifle a laugh, walking out from behind the doorway to a surprised Earth Vein Official, ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a half bad idea. If you¡¯re going to continue being stationed here it would be convenient to see us administer the first batch and what comes after. Besides, it never hurts to show off in front of some impressionable youths.¡± Her sudden appearance and immediate acceptance paired with the genuine smile on her face gave the poor man whiplash. ¡°Just don¡¯t bring too many and hurry up, we¡¯re about to leave.¡±


    ¡°Uhh, yes Ma¡¯am!¡± He saluted and sprinted back across the bridge which now connected Cira¡¯s facility to the enemy.


    ¡°Wait for him here Nanri, we¡¯ll leave when they return.¡±


    ¡°Yes Ma¡¯am!¡± She mimicked the salute and managed to hold a straight face for two whole seconds.


    When Cira returned to the alchemy station, she found them to be pouring out the last drops of green potion into a third jar. It took two of them to hoist it back onto its stand and by the time they finished, their last visitors had arrived. Nanri led them over to Cira who scrutinized them thoroughly.


    Aside from their chaperone, they were younger than she expected. The six teenagers looked like nothing out of the ordinary. They had curious looks to them, almost starstruck. Their clothes were the same dark orange and gray as Earth Vein¡¯s, but more simple button downs and loose-fitting pants. There was one girl among them. She wore a blouse of the same colors with thick glasses resting on her fair face. She held a notepad, pen at the ready. The exorcists all stared at them with disgust or confused looks, making them noticeably uncomfortable.


    Unfortunately, one of these guests was not like the other, nor did he belong to Earth Vein. There was a black sheep among their flock¡ªor in this case, a white one, clad in pristine robes with fresh creases like he just put them on and wearing a faux-gilded headdress. She recognized him well as a person to avoid. As the disdain grew on her face apparent, his smile grew more strained.


    ¡°Mr. Official, what is the meaning of this?¡± She stared him down.


    ¡°I¡¯m, so sorry¡­¡± He bowed, looking thoroughly troubled, ¡°He insisted that I allow him to join.¡±


    ¡°Please excuse my imposition, Lady Saintess!¡± The high priest of Fount Salt threw himself to his knees before her. ¡°I only wanted a brief moment to witness the esteemed one bring salvation to this island with my very eyes¡­¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t get off the ground, I¡¯ll throw you out.¡± He sprang up at her cold voice with a start, and timidly apologized. The recruits all looked at her with great apprehension and she sighed, turning back to the priest. ¡°You will not call me Saintess, nor the esteemed one. In fact, do not speak. You have come to witness, so that is all you may do.¡±


    A toothy smile grew on his face, and he nodded exuberantly. She had no choice but to move on.


    ¡°Alright, I have a brief list of rules before we begin.¡± Cira spoke clearly and looked between them to make sure she had everyone¡¯s attention then began counting on her fingers, ¡°Follow behind us at all times. No stupid questions. Don¡¯t be too loud. No bothering me or anybody involved in my work. If anyone breaks one of these rules they will be ejected from the tour without delay. Is this agreeable?¡±


    They nodded meekly and shared a look. One seemed scared to meet her or Nanri¡¯s eyes, and Cira couldn¡¯t discern what the girl was writing. If it mattered, she¡¯d check, but it did not.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Cira continued, pacing towards the opposite end of the small complex. As a new door grew in the wall, she had her alchemists prepare the medicine and bring it over. They would all be going straight to the final platform. She took a jar in hand and gave the interns a brief rundown, ¡°The plague afflicting this island is otherwise known as corporeal degradation¡ªan illness of the soul, if you will. What I have here is known as soul remediation elixir, or soul remedy.¡± She held it up to the light and let them get the oohs and aahs out of their systems, ¡°Everybody on this island, including you, is infected and will need this treatment for three years¡ª¡±


    ¡°Seriously?!¡± One of the kids shouted, a muddy-haired boy with a rough tone.


    ¡°There¡¯s our first.¡± Cira pointed at him and dragged her finger up. His feet lifted off the ground and he was thrown into the air before hurling back to the checkpoint. Softly, but not too softly. His friends were there to help him stick the landing. ¡°Can¡¯t have outbursts like that in front of the patients.¡±


    Meanwhile the others and even her own companions held their breaths, the sudden shock frozen on their faces. The girl called out, sputtering, ¡°P-please continue.¡± and bowed.


    Cira nodded, ¡°Where was I¡­ Ah, yes. One spoon drop, once per year. We¡¯re only curing the worst patients right now, but let¡¯s go.¡±


    She pulled the door open, and a bridge assembled itself ahead of her. Even the alchemists looked on with wonder, but Nanri had a smug grin for some reason. This bridge took them all the way to the back of the cave. A couple minutes later it turned and led them the rest of the way to the final platform. The guard posted there didn¡¯t know what to make of it but figured it was above his paygrade and got some distance.


    ¡°It¡¯s her!¡± Cries from the patients came to meet her.


    ¡°The saint has returned to us!¡±


    ¡°Tell us saint, have you come with the cure at last?¡± a withered woman called to her from the ground.


    Cira felt a tinge of relief and let a smile creep onto her face¡ªthe ill calling her a saint was dismissible. She took the liberty of adding some more stars to the false sky, brightening up the night while she was at it, ¡°Turns out I have, this time.¡±


    A rough count gave her about eighty patients. It had increased since she was last here. Mere days ago. She gave her alchemists quick instructions, and they got their utensils ready. Seeing everyone on death¡¯s door hadn¡¯t left any room for complaint, even from the former sponge maidens.


    They each had a measuring spoon and a jar and Cira led them to the back, starting with the man in Uru closest do death. She had to give a quick explanation to her assistants and spectators before greeting him. His physical condition hadn¡¯t worsened visibly, but he seemed much lower on energy. It was silent as everyone gave him time to cough out a lung before smiling at Cira and her gang of ladies, ¡°You angels just keep multiplyin¡¯. Go on ¡®n¡¯ take me then. I¡¯m ready.¡±


    While an actual angel was no comparison for a lady, a light chuckle was the least Cira could offer him, ¡°In that case I''ve got bad news for you. I come bearing the cure.¡±

 61 - Let the Salvation Begin

    ¡°Ohhh, don¡¯t go getting my hopes up, girl.¡± He had a complicated expression with doubt mixed in. Here the crimson haired man had resigned to his fate, but suddenly he was told there was no need. ¡°You really found the cure? Truthfully?¡±


    ¡°A sorcerer does not lie. You will be the first recipient.¡± Cira instructed Delilah to get the ball rolling.


    Each of the alchemists had their own jar and little measuring spoons with a beaker point on one side. As these utensils were also made of mana crystal, there was no need to worry about drips or inaccurate dosing from liquid left behind. He leaned his head back as asked and she poured the soul remedy in his mouth. After gulping it down, his eyes went wide.


    ¡°Whoa¡­ I feel kind of funny.¡± He gazed around as if he were seeing many things anew, then turned back to Cira with an uneasy look, ¡°You sure this is okay to drink? My¡­ my insides don¡¯t feel right.¡±


    ¡°I am, but did they feel right before? It appears your aura is already responding. You don¡¯t have much, but it¡¯s working towards repairing your body. That funny feeling is likely your bones moving around at a glacial pace.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ You mean it worked?! I¡¯m really going to get better!¡± He tried jumping up, but a standby nurse stopped him. The man settled into another fit of coughs, ¡°How long until I¡¯m healthy again?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll need another treatment in a year, then one more after the next. That said, we can see how much progress we¡¯ve made. Let¡¯s try¡­ Greater Heal.¡±


    A golden light enveloped the man and before everybody¡¯s starlit eyes, the massive protrusion in his side started receding and his chest sunk back into the rest of his torso. His teeth were clenched, and he grunted in pain as his body parts slowly worked towards their natural position.


    ¡°We¡­ we really did it!¡± Nanri grabbed Cira by the hands and hopped in excitement, ¡°Cira!¡±


    ¡°Hey hey, I know, but we¡¯ve just started¡ª¡± She winced as a group of excited kids started cheering as well. While she couldn¡¯t blame them, it was inappropriate, so she reprimanded them, ¡°This is no spectacle.¡± Noisy chatter could be heard now from the rest of the plague ward, the word ¡®cure¡¯ being thrown around quite a bit. She sighed, ¡°Do it again and you¡¯re out of here.¡±


    The priest was adhering to his rule without issue, which Cira did appreciate, but the five remaining recruits all shut up and straightened their backs. The girl was the only one who held her composure and was writing down notes the whole time still. Cira liked the studious types.


    Unfortunately, the man¡¯s condition did not completely recede. While his shoulders and chest seemed perfectly normal now, his ribs couldn¡¯t quite make it all the way. The color had returned to his face though, and despite the nurse¡¯s best efforts, he made his way to his feet. He hopped around, did a little dance, and threw his arm over Cira.


    ¡°How will I ever repay you? You really are an angel.¡± His unkempt red hair flowed into her face, and she blew it away making spitting noises, pushing him away as gently as possible.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t die until you¡¯re healthy again. That¡¯s enough for me.¡± With the first test complete, she turned the others loose on the rest of the critical patients. ¡°Nanri, come with me. We¡¯ll wrap this test up nice and tidy. I guess you kids should come too.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay.¡± She quickly followed Cira behind, who was pacing back towards the cure factory, Earth Vein timidly in tow.


    ¡°This first dose will be meaningless if they continue to consume the food and water here. I need to set up a temporary supply.¡± She looked over the yet-to-be-filled chasm.


    ¡°And how do we do that?¡± The witch wondered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have you work on the water. Build a large, round tank, say, right here.¡± She wanted it closer to the final platform rather than her workshop. ¡°A couple stories tall should work, maybe one wide. I¡¯ll come back later to dump more mana into it, so it doesn¡¯t have to last long for now.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡± It seemed Nanri had figured out a trick, because the titanium sphere she used to use to cast magic lit up, firing up a spell. While she worked on that, Cira started on food supply.


    This was cheating, because it used ingredients from home, but there was no use getting upset about it. Just like they had in Uren, she conjured a deep platform with plenty of space to hold dirt. Essentially forming one side and extruding it from the bend in her bridge to the backside of the workshop.


    This process didn¡¯t take long at all. She had been free handing everything, but decided it¡¯d be faster if she broke out the orichalcum. Once it lit, dirt started pouring in to fill the basin from various points in the air above. This was another process that would take time, so she left her staff to its work and went to check on Nanri. As she turned, she met the wide-eyed faces of Earth Vein.


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    ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re incredible.¡± The girl spoke with bated breath. Even her hand had paused, and she spoke timidly. ¡°Can I¡­ Can I ask a question?¡±


    ¡°Sure, I guess.¡± The sorcerer replied.


    ¡°I know the Titan Witch¡­ but who are you?¡± with starstruck eyes, her pen trembled.


    A grin crept onto Cira¡¯s face. The endearingly curious gaze the girl wore warmed her heart. ¡°My name is Cira,¡± She leaned in close, ¡°But some call me the Hidden Witch.¡±


    The girl gasped, jotting it down with an ecstatic look on her face. Hmm, I should give these kids something to bring back. Something to roll around in their heads for a while as they work their way up the corporate ladder. She had to think about it for a minute and then continued, ¡°Why do you kids work for Earth Vein? What drives you?¡±


    One of the boys spoke up first, as if it were a pop quiz, ¡°To bring prosperity to the Empire, of course.¡±


    Not¡­ the Gandeux? Or Earth Vein? What in the world is the Empire?


    ¡°Oh, oh!¡± The next boy tried, somehow looking excited, ¡°Bringing wealth to Earth Vein!¡±


    This wasn¡¯t a satisfactory answer either, and it showed. She turned her gaze to the girl, her last hope, and listened to her answer, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s to bring wealth to everyone in the Gandeux Sky!¡±


    Not quite¡­ but better. I need to be careful with this one, ¡°Wrong. You¡¯re all wrong.¡±


    They¡¯re faces wilted, hopes shattered, and the Official started sweating, having heard some decent answers himself, ¡°Um¡­ Madam Witch, I think maybe the students could use a little clarification.¡±


    ¡°Of course. It needed to sink in first.¡± She held the girl¡¯s gaze, ¡°You¡¯re not doing so bad, but still way off. None of what anybody just said is a good enough reason. How is¡­ the Empire going to reach prosperity if you think like that? That¡¯s not motivation¡­ You¡¯ll burn out before you ever make something meaningful out of your life.¡±


    The boy sputtered, failing to form words. The look on his face was deciding whether to question his own beliefs or reality itself. Cira moved on quickly, ¡°And you. Earth Vein doesn¡¯t need wealth! Where did you get that kind of stupid idea? If there¡¯s one thing they have, it¡¯s that. Try again.¡±


    Like a seal in a spotlight, the boy was frozen solid with wide eyes. He eventually managed another answer, ¡°M-my life¡­?¡±


    ¡°No, you dullard!¡± Cira scoffed, throwing her hands out in disbelief, ¡°You¡¯re going the wrong way! Good grief¡­ Girl.¡±


    She straightened up upon being addressed, ¡°Y-yes, Madam Witch?!¡±


    ¡°I like you.¡± The girl flinched, ¡°You¡¯re a real studious type, and you¡¯re not as foolish as these ones. You¡¯ll go far one day, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Um¡­ Thank you!¡± She blushed, hiding behind a notepad.


    ¡°But you¡¯re still wrong.¡± And then she deflated, ¡°You¡¯re on the right track though. Wealth does bring prosperity, and that¡¯s all well and good, but you¡¯re thinking too big. You¡¯re not nearly selfish enough.¡±


    ¡°Wh¡­what do you mean?¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes were on Cira.


    ¡°You must only work to better yourself and your station, never mind the voice from above or what someone else needs. Especially not what they want. And looking at you now, there¡¯s nothing you can do for anyone.¡± The girl choked, now looking up at Cira meekly, ¡°If there are other things you care about, that only means you have a good head on your shoulders, but altruism is a luxury of the capable.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying¡­ we should just keep our heads down until we¡¯re strong enough to help the people we want to help? Since Earth Vein has the wealth, they¡¯re already capable, so they¡¯ll just take care of it in the meantime.¡± At the girl¡¯s words they all nodded at each other.


    Cira planted her face in one of her palms, shaking her head, ¡°Wrong again¡­ Way off.¡± The girl¡¯s pen wagged as she frantically scratched something out, ¡°Maybe I¡¯m not explaining this well enough. You¡¯re not some cog in a machine that magically rains wealth down on the people. If anything, that machine is a vortex of it. And if you focus only on others, you will wither away long before you can help anybody when it really matters. Naturally this puts the onus on you to get yourself there with your own effort, but your challenge will be to not lose heart until you¡¯ve learned to spread your wings, else you will have lost the qualifications to take anyone under them.¡±


    ¡°So¡­¡± The girl was scrawling down on her paper again, ¡°So what do I do¡­?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s easy. You¡¯re already halfway there. Prosperity comes in many forms, and wealth is just one of them. I¡¯m certain you will bring one or both to many some day. Just make sure to follow your heart along the way, no one else¡¯s. And remember this conversation when you get there. I hope your conviction won¡¯t have changed by that point.¡±


    The girl looked at her with awe, ¡°It¡­ it definitely won¡¯t! I swear it!¡± She clenched her fist as she gazed up at Cira.


    ¡°Good girl¡­¡± She gave her pats on the head and earned some giggles. So easy. Then she turned to the boy from earlier, ¡°And you!¡±


    He shrunk back, ¡°Y-yes?!¡±


    ¡°I ask you again. What is it that Earth Vein needs?¡± He seemed to be cracking under the pressure. Then turned red, and glanced around as if backup would come for him. It was futile.


    ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t know! Please tell me¡­¡± He hung his head.


    After a sigh, Cira relented, spinning the answer before putting a hand on her best student¡¯s shoulder, ¡°They need more people like this girl.¡±


    She blushed and tried to hide her face again. It elicited a grin from Cira, and she made her way back to Nanri. Her dirt was about half full and the recruits followed her like ducklings, leaving the Official to stand there with a strained expression. He¡¯d never heard such strange words from a witch before.


    ¡°Hey Nanri,¡± Cira stood next to her, ¡°How are you doing over here?¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± She shined, ¡°Any day now and I can probably turn this orb back into a staff. I think that armor I made really helped my control. I should be done here in just a couple minutes.¡±


    The two chatted about nothing in particular while they finished their work. It was nice having a moment of downtime with the Witch. She enjoyed having her around for this adventure. Recalling how long it had been since she found someone she could have a conversation with, she hoped it wouldn¡¯t take so long next time.


    She pulled away with a bittersweet feeling hanging over her as the dirt finished pouring into her new structure. She took a smaller pouch off her waist and started pouring the contents into her hand.


    ¡°What are those?¡± Nanri asked.


    Holding her palm up with a small pile of black pebbles, Cira explained, ¡°These are a very rare and precious seed. It will take me years replenish from just one, but I don¡¯t have time to dally on this problem.¡±

 62 - The Sorcerers Resolve

    The seeds flew from her hand and separated in the air before finding their way to their own places in the soil along the lengthy seedbed. Then Aquon¡¯s river broke away from the sorcerer and expanded, following each seed¡¯s path. Each stream started to shimmer with the colors of water and nature mana. Before a thin stem sprouted from each indent in the dirt and grew rapidly, spitting out branches and leaves until they were each as tall as a person.


    Deep purple fruits started to form on each branch like little cherries, before rapidly outgrowing that size. They ended up looking like some kind of dark squash, weighing their branches down until it seemed they would break. Just before reaching that point, they popped off the branches, becoming a swarm as they flew back towards the sorcerer.


    ¡°Looks like I overdid it a little, but they keep well.¡± She plucked two out of the air, allowing the rest to pile beside the baffled Official and his recruits. Watching the streams all converge and work their way over to fill Nanri¡¯s tank, Cira handed a fruit to the witch and bit into her own, ¡°They¡¯re called Moonberry plums. Contrary to the name, they don¡¯t even need moonlight, just water and good soil. A little tougher than most fruit, but I find their texture to pair well with the sweetness. Feel free to grab one, you guys.¡± The others gladly took the chance to try the mysterious fruit.


    Nanri timidly plucked a bite out of her own and her eyes perked up, speaking with her mouth full. ¡°Wow, these are amazing.¡± Everyone seemed to share her opinion, including the alchemists who had just returned.


    ¡°H-how did you do that?¡± The girl with glasses asked, hand trembling with the urge to write down the answer. The priest silently stood next to her with an uncomfortable reverence.


    ¡°I just grew some fruit.¡± Cira answered, ¡°That¡¯s what it really comes down to.¡±


    The alchemists had a small amount of the cure left over that they poured into one jar and handed back to Cira. No issues were encountered, and everybody on the final platform got a dose. Most, Delilah said, seemed to have a light return to their eyes. Even now their chatter could be heard from afar.


    ¡°Now I can finish explaining,¡± Everyone turned to her, ¡°Only the people on that platform have begun treatment. Of course, I¡¯ve yet to do anything about the water and food, so if they were to resume their diet, it could nullify this dose. So,¡± She looked between Delilah and the Earth Vein Official, ¡°This will be in your hands, but you¡¯re welcome to rope in volunteers. I¡¯ll leave Lomp with money to pay them once the plague is eradicated. Now, until further notice the patients that received treatment today can consume nothing but these plums and water from this tank.¡±


    She pointed at the tank with water gushing into it. A few taps formed around the side and a thin spillway on stilts appeared, working its way toward the plum orchard. ¡°It may sound strange, but these fruits contain everything needed in one¡¯s daily diet. Aside from that, they¡¯ll die off in five or ten years, but you¡¯ll get fruit every month or so. I guess this much should get them by a few days though,¡± The plums were stacked as high as her prima salt, ¡°but do what you want with them once the rest of the island is fixed. You¡¯ll know when.¡±


    She let out a yawn now. It was truly getting late, and her mana was almost empty. Nanri put a hand on her shoulder, ¡°It¡¯s awful late, Cira. How much left do we still need to get done tonight?¡±


    ¡°Not much¡­ I¡¯ll finish with the exorcists in the morning. I just want to heal our patients and then we¡¯ll head back and turn in early.¡± Fighting another yawn, she pulled an elixir out of her pocket and regained some mana. As her eyes seemed to jolt awake, all her staves re-emerged and lit up, ¡°Greater Chain Heal.¡±


    Their light converged in a flash of golden light that turned into a spark, arcing across the chasm to the closest patient on the final platform, then to each one down the line with little sparks of holy lightning. With a groan, Cira held her head, ¡°Ahh, that did it. Tours over, folks. It¡¯s time for bed.¡±


    She let Nanri support her as they made their way back to the workshop. Much to Cira¡¯s relief, Delilah started leading her alchemists and even the Official in distributing plums and water. The high priest wordlessly offered his help with dignity, grabbing a few handfuls and heading back toward the patients. Cira would have been mildly impressed if she saw it.


    Once back inside, her exorcists were all standing at the window looking over the orchard with plenty of questions, but one look at the worn-out sorcerer held them back for a moment. They collectively and silently agreed it would be wiser to ask Nanri when they had the chance.


    As her final move, surrounded in extravagant staves and a mystic river, she conjured twelve beds out of wood, straw, and coarse wool, as these were easy and low cost. Sticks grew out of the metal platform and wove themselves together, before they all became covered in straw and wrapped in the rough fabric. Then another layer of it fell onto each bed as a blanket before Cira claimed the closest one. Yawning, she quietly crawled into it and her breathing immediately relaxed into a soft purr, her legs stretching out. She was asleep.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Nanri was still for a moment, then clenched her fists, ¡°I will ask her tomorrow¡­¡±


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    While finding the courage was one thing she struggled with, she couldn¡¯t afford to let that drag her down. Just finding the right time to talk to her was hard enough. Nanri had a chance today and she blew it, not wanting anyone from Earth Vein to overhear. They were always so busy, and it didn¡¯t help that Cira was awake today for five or six hours at most, either.


    She followed the sorcerer¡¯s example and crawled into the next bed over, trying to get a head start to wake up early.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Triton stood there blankly, ¡°What?¡±


    ___


    Her alchemists got back a few hours later, and by then everyone else was asleep. Despite the fact that the sorcerer had claimed the three homes were theirs, there were no beds to be found in them. Instead, there were the right number of free beds strewn around the alchemy equipment. Nonetheless, they turned in as well.


    By the time Cira awoke, the plague ward was quiet. She could hear the gentle, steady breaths of the witch next to her and activated a wind spell to silence herself. If anyone woke up, they would see her in the dim starlight, but everyone was sound asleep. She crept across the workshop until reaching Lomp and violently shook him, ¡°Wake up!¡±


    ¡°Gah!¡± He flailed his arms like he was trying to shake something off, ¡°What¡¯s happening?! Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°Pshh¡­ I knew you would make a lot of noise. Good thing I prepared for that.¡±


    After she finished speaking, he looked around and the world seemed eerily still. Not even the trickling of water below could be heard. ¡°What are you doing¡­?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s the big day, Lomp. It¡¯s irritating that you¡¯re the only one I get to say goodbye to, but here.¡± She shoved a ring into his hand, ¡°This contains a mithril ingot to¡ª¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± He tried and failed to shove it back into Cira¡¯s hand, ¡°What the hell for?!¡±


    ¡°Would you not interrupt me?¡± Her emerald eyes lacked any sign of the exhaustion from earlier. She was alert and as serious as Lomp had ever seen her. He straightened up and listened, ¡°The ingot is to keep Fount Salt from falling to famine while it recovers over the next couple years. Of course, there¡¯s a bullion in there for you personally, then one for Delilah as well and another to keep everyone involved in the cure fed during this time. A doubloon for each other exorcist and alchemist, then ten more so you can hire help, only to be distributed once the plague is eradicated. You understand so far?¡±


    ¡°I understand¡­ So, this means you¡¯re finally leaving?¡± She nodded, ¡°The deritium, the floods¡­ you figured everything out, but you don¡¯t want anyone to know. That¡¯s how it is, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Again, Cira nodded, ¡°That¡¯s how it is. The Astral Witch, whoever that is, is on her way. If we meet it will undoubtedly spell trouble this island does not want.¡±


    Lomp gulped, ¡°Yeah¡­ That one is famous, and old. From the rumors, I don¡¯t know if even you could take her. A seasoned witch is not to be trifled with in her element.¡±


    Cira was curious, but depending on what this one specialized in, she would want to see her magic. Astral magic was rare, but it could just be her name. Astral generally referred to stars which could mean a few things if she thought about it, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in a large-scale magic battle, and it would only complicate things. I need to leave before she arrives, which means you need to be ready to take up my work, in authority at least.¡±


    He only sighed, ¡°I already figured it would happen like this. With all these exorcists I¡¯ll have plenty of time for my Lomp work.¡± He gave her a pointed glare, which only made her chuckle, ¡°I already have access to the census, and I¡¯ll organize with all the leaders around the island to make sure everyone gets access to the cure. I¡¯ll need to spend time in Uren to figure out how to turn any of this ancient treasure into money but by the time I¡¯ve established a food supply line, everything else should be running smoothly.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a good man, Lomp. I wish I had time to think of a more creative treasure to gift you.¡± He glanced over at the sleeping man with a silver medallion.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be just fine. I think mithril is more than enough.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then there¡¯s one more task I need you to do personally.¡± He focused back in and nodded, ¡°Tomorrow you will be in the Last Steps again, but the following morning, or at the signal, I need you to go to Uren. Spread all that happened here through the city and send a slew of messengers to Port with the same news. Don¡¯t leave anything out, well, except for my identity. Feel free to call me whatever you want aside from Cira, maybe mix it up a bit.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­ What¡ªI mean, why?¡± Lomp was baffled.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know enough about Earth Vein, but I imagine they won¡¯t take kindly to everything I¡¯ve set up. I¡¯m banking on having spread enough roots here to make them hesitate when they arrive. Ideally, they wouldn¡¯t dare stop the cure, after all. In the worst case, they want the workers, right? By the time whoever¡¯s above them figures it out, hopefully the Gandeux will know all about the deritium hidden in Fount Salt. I¡¯ve been led to believe they would care. What do you think?¡±


    He thought about it intently for a moment, ¡°It¡¯s true some of them are corrupt, but when the public has their eye on them, they can¡¯t do anything fishy. While most don¡¯t know about or understand it, deritium is still treated as a national emergency. And in the very same location, a cure that no one has ever heard of appears¡­ They won¡¯t let Earth Vein take a single breath by themselves once they hear. It¡¯s a good plan¡­ if we make it in time. Can you really resolve everything tomorrow? What will you do with the deritium, take it with you? Is that why you¡¯re in such a hurry?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to destroy it. There won¡¯t be any left for the Gandeux to find, but they don¡¯t need to know that right away.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ guess asking how is useless¡­¡± He leaned back on his bed, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay with just leaving this recipe here? Isn¡¯t it some advanced stuff your father kept hidden for a reason? Earth Vein is sure to take it as their own, not to mention their prima salt we¡¯re supposed to use up over the next few years. And isn¡¯t it dangerous?¡±


    ¡°If deritium is so well-known in these skies, I think it¡¯s good that a cure should exist.¡± Cira reasoned, ¡°Hopefully it won¡¯t fall into the wrong hands, but in theory it could regress someone¡¯s soul and eventually body to a child-like state. Perhaps further. If Earth Vein takes it, the worst they¡¯d do is monopolize it, I hope. So long as you guys can get through the plague first. There¡¯s only so much I can do though.¡±


    ¡°I get it¡­ That¡¯s about all you can do without moving here yourself. Is there anything else?¡± Lomp looked at her with tired eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s all.¡± Cira offered a weak grin, ¡°See you in the morning.¡±

 63 - Cira Dies

    Once Cira was awake, she found it difficult to fall back asleep. With nothing to go by but fake stars of her own creation, there was really no way to tell how much time passed as she rolled around in her uncomfortable imaginary-wool blanket.


    The glorified bundle of straw beneath her didn¡¯t offer much comfort either. In the night with her weary bones, these things didn¡¯t matter, but this morning all the minor irritations of her half-assed bedding scratched at her mind and soul without rest. Lacking any recourse, Cira got out of bed.


    Her body had already entered last-day mode and shirked away any remaining shreds of sleep from her mind. She was sharp, and ready for anything. The list of things she forgot to do was already growing and she set out to finish them before morning really came.


    Like the estranged spirit of an ill-prepared artisan, Cira coasted through the workshop within a veil of silence. Her light steps didn¡¯t even make the metal beneath them vibrate as she glided first over to her newly inducted exorcists one by one while they slept, weaving blessed silver into each remaining piece of armor which rested at the foots of their beds. This was the equivalent of physical protection against ghosts, which wasn¡¯t entirely necessary all things considered, but the first group¡¯s outfits all had it.


    This didn¡¯t disrupt the enchantments and only took a few minutes per piece. Between four new exorcists, each with multiple pieces of armor, this did take some time though. Anyone else would say her pace was impressive enough. With that done she went over to warm up by the furnace, taking in hand a worm pie she expertly placed there to heat upon waking.


    Cira didn¡¯t know how long underworm was good for, but it tasted fine to her. Next step was to make not two, but four aetherium pouches. The first four were made of void gazelle hide, a creature with high spatial affinity. She obviously brought more because she expected to need it, but each additional square cut out wounded her heart exponentially. The only one she ever saw was hunted by Gazen to produce the scrap which she found the remnants of in her hand. On the plus side, she¡¯d have enough left over from the edge to make a cute ribbon.


    The sorcerer had to stop herself from coming up with names to call her ribbon that sounded somewhat useful and refocus on the task. Storage rings were outside of Cira¡¯s power at this time and she was fresh out of extras to hand out. But pouches were much more feasible. Pouches which sucked in a specific ingredient, however, were tedious. By the fourth one she was cruising right along, and it had easily been a few hours since she woke up, yet no one stirred.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Prismagora, show me the sky.¡± She looked up and a round window opened in the air, revealing real stars and the earliest signs of dawn. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Soon, very soon. All eight exorcists are equipped, and the original group will train the new ones. I forgot to give Lant any pointers in magic, but he should be fine with Triton, though I forgot to check his progress too. The alchemists seem able, all their equipment is ready, and Delilah stepped up to the task of seeing over the patients and directing the help. I¡¯ll have to make sure she¡¯s careful when that Astral lady appears, but she gives me confidence that they will do just fine.


    Sitting down next to the fire, she thought they could use some light around here in the wee hours of the evening and set out to make a few lamps from the surrounding salt while finishing breakfast in silence. Her mind was deep in thought, trying to think of what could go wrong after she leaves, and what could be done about it.


    Lomp¡¯s been given all the various treasures to distribute in my stead. The only real issue is a steady prima supply. My barrel-full will last them for a good while, but somehow, I doubt an elevator from the plague ward to the nymph lair would sit well with Earth Vein, on top of the blatant unwarranted utilization of their resources. Delilah and the others can rely on smugglers, but this will all fall apart if they instantly confiscate what I¡¯ve gathered already. I¡¯m not sure how to stop them from doing that, except¡­


    Cira let out a deep and heavy sigh. There was one way to prevent this, in a sense. Conditional sorcery wasn¡¯t really magic at all, though it did use mana. Her whole life she knew it to be forbidden, but by whom? Her father, for one. She questioned if there was some higher authority that forbade it, but quickly realized that wouldn¡¯t mean much to her.


    Forbidden sorceries existed for a reason though¡ªthey¡¯d have to, else they wouldn¡¯t exist. As far as those went, this one would be overwhelmingly mundane. The problem lay in its nature. Those knowledgeable enough would know it for what it is, and what it is was not a part of herself Cira wanted to leave on this island for all to see.


    Unfortunately, that was part of the job. If she couldn¡¯t figure out another way, yet had one that would work, she pretty much had to do it.


    So, an old looking staff Cira would rather not talk about appeared from nothing in her hand, an ordinary, nondescript magic circle grew around each material pile. The runes were as simple as runes come¡ªsimpler even. Incomprehensibly so. From a time long forgotten by man and lamented by the gods¡ªallegedly. The ring pulsed with a dim gray light, as if only absorbing the light around it and not giving off any of its own.


    There was a deep crease in Cira¡¯s forehead as she frowned at her handiwork. It made her skin crawl to have relied on such sorcery, but she reasoned that bandage had already been ripped off. She placed similar circles and glyphs on all her apparatuses and equipment, then the entire platform and everything else she¡¯d constructed here.


    As far as the prima salt and aetherium went, it could not be removed from their respective circles without being destined to become part of the cure. Addionally, everything within her facility and itself could not be removed or destroyed until the plague was eradicated (mana-permanence notwithstanding). Historically speaking, this may have been the most mundane use of such reviled sorcery.


    It also wasn¡¯t foolproof. Someone could flood the cave or fill it with gas. Destroy the ground beneath it, even. Worse yet, they could harm her assistants. All the same, she refused to use this sorcery on them, otherwise she could protect them in the same way.


    Shivering, she dismissed the staff and sat on the edge of her bed. She used Aquon to wash her hands off and laid back down for a while, hoping to catch a quick nap after all.


    ___


    When next she awoke everyone seemed to be getting ready for the day at Nanri and Delilah¡¯s instruction.


    The former saw her rise and came over with a bright and sunny greeting, ¡°Good morning. Hope you don¡¯t mind that I let you sleep in. Lomp¡¯s team will leave any minute now and Delilah already started distilling the next batch of aetherium. What else do we need to do to start handing the cure out to everyone?¡±


    ¡°No, it was probably for the best.¡± Cira yawned and got up, stretching her arms, ¡°Thanks for getting everyone started. The main obstacle is getting rid of the deritium and cleaning up the water. I have a few more investigations today, but I¡¯d like you to go with the exorcists and make sure nothing happens to the newbies.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Okay¡­¡± Nanri clearly deflated, though she tried to hide it. She made a face Cira was pained to see. ¡°Tonight, after everyone¡¯s done¡­ Maybe you and I could go into town and get something to eat?¡±


    What wounded Cira even further was not being able to show the turmoil on her face. This was by far the worst kind of goodbye¡ªthe kind that stung and would only fester as time dragged on. She wanted nothing more than to wholeheartedly agree, but in the end only managed a smile, ¡°If it¡¯s not too late, that sounds lovely.¡±


    For once the witch¡¯s sunny countenance had the opposite effect, and Cira felt a sharp pain in her chest to see her smile, ¡°Okay, great! We¡¯ll do our best today, so I¡¯ll see you later.¡± She waved and skipped along to the exorcists and boarded. Their boat was cramped again, but at least Cira enhanced its ability to carry. Watching them all float away tugged at Cira¡¯s heartstrings and she knew she would miss this island, despite everything.


    The now group of ten made their way up the wall of salt until breaking through to Uru proper. They had already eaten so the plan was to head straight over the city towards the Last Step. As they hovered above the dim smattering of lights called Uru, Lomp made a request, ¡°Can you guys actually drop me off down there? I have some Lomp work to take care of, so I¡¯ll catch up with you later.¡± No one really questioned that, so they took him down to the city.


    But back down in the workshop, the sorcerer bid her time, taking a few minutes to chat with Delilah to make sure she had everything she needed before parting ways. ¡°Alright, I better get going then. Make sure to keep on top of everything here.¡±


    The alchemists were all seated at the table watching the hourglass slowly fall. Delilah risked looking away to reassure Cira, ¡°I think we¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ll see you later!¡± She smiled at the departing sorcerer and returned to her diligent work.


    Once the exorcists had a short lead on her, Cira headed back across to the Earth Vein checkpoint to give the Official her farewells too, ¡°Tell me, are you dedicated to seeing this cure through?¡±


    He was shocked at the sudden demand for a statement of resolve, but managed to gather himself quickly and salute, ¡°Yes, Madam Witch! Until all are cured, I will not leave this post.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± She gave him a pat on the arm, ¡°I hope you remember those words. Anyway, I¡¯ve got some errands to run.¡±


    She took a leisurely stroll to the cavern wall. There were no followers today, so she kept going, paving a passage straight through and sealing it behind her. It was only about a hundred feet until she broke through the salt and made it to Uru.


    ¡°Salty Songstress, come forth!¡± This was utilized as a summon but was really an intricate multi-layered sorcery at this point. The spellcrafting equivalent of an array. Perhaps the first ever real pirate magic spell? Who¡¯s to say. Cira climbed aboard and took her seat at the helm. ¡°Return.¡±


    Her dutiful ship crept through the ground, picking up speed as salty waves crashed to the sides. It didn¡¯t take long until she was back in the dark tunnels, twisting and turning, she rose through the island. There was nothing to do for this leg of the journey but wait. Indeterminately¡­ she groaned. As Cira sped deeper into the salt, she noticed nymphs popping out again, as if they¡¯d been waiting for her to leave town to come hang out.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    This trip, however, turned out to be just over three hours and most of them seemed to hide again as they approached her destination. Sober as she was, Cira estimated them to be about half-way to the spring¡ªnot the longest elevator ride, but not one she wanted to take.


    She leaned back in her chair, resting her arms behind her head. The scarlet glimmer eventually found its way onto Cira¡¯s skin. She could see it through her eyelids and feel it in her soul. Cira had returned to the deritium chamber. As she opened her eyes, she saw a small handful of startled pirates lingering around.


    ¡°The hell are you idiots doing here?!¡± She boomed, blasting fire at the ceiling. They all scattered, ¡°Find Jimbo Sticks and heed his will!¡±


    Now it was just her and the rock. Cira dismissed the Salty Songstress now, its purpose served. Just two staves would do the heavy lifting here¡ªConduit and the orichalcum one¡ªbut Prismagora was good at directing aether, so she summoned that too. Next, Aquon was always around for support, but would do little more than protect her mind against this mysterious stone¡¯s power for now. Cerulean rivers snaked around her body as the other three staves hovered around her in a circle.


    All four lit with an unseen brilliance as the deritium slowly started pulling away from the wall. Cira¡¯s head began to throb, and a small orb of dark liquid appeared, finding its way to her lips. It relieved the pain quickly, but she knew this was just the beginning.


    The deritium seemed to flare up with power as she used the mana within it for everything. She hadn¡¯t seen this phenomenon, as the small flecks she tested in the workshop burned up upon use, but there wasn¡¯t any noticeable diminishing of the stone before her yet. Simply moving it around shouldn¡¯t cost much if it held as much as she surmised.


    And thus, Cira committed a crime known to be most forbidden across the Gandeux Skies, and even some of those which surrounded it. Just getting near the stuff without being a high-ranked government official was equivocated to terrorism, let alone utilizing it for its mana, not that she knew all that. Lives were more important in her book. Hey, I should write one now that I¡¯m all grown up. ¡°The ¡®Definitive¡¯ Sorcerer¡¯s Compendium¡±, I¡¯ll call it.


    Forbidden as it was, channeling the deritium¡¯s mana was not difficult. Similar to using a plain old mana stone, but on a much larger scale. This thing was truly monstrous. Calling it a boulder didn¡¯t really do it justice, it was practically part of the cave. As it peeled away and slowly started converging into a ball, the strain only increased on Cira. The pain gnawing at her had yet to return in force, but she could tell it was getting rougher on her body, mind, and aura all at once.


    Some quick thinking and she cast an array of glyphs forged of light to reinforce her body from aethereal strain¡ªthe same thing her dimnut tonic did, as well as the white-gold set of robes she wore. This helped alleviate most of the strain and she was able to continue with no more struggle than turning the Last Step into the Last Fifty Thousand Steps.


    Like this she spent a couple hours fully reforming the deritium as it fell off the wall, molding it into a perfect sphere. ¡°I should be able to levitate it like a staff, right¡­?¡± And so, the deritium mega sphere took flight. It had lost some height in this shape but would still nearly reach her spire¡¯s peak back at home. It towered over her like a dwarf star. The ominous scarlet sun of death entered Cira¡¯s orbit as her fifth staff, though it was really more of a mana bank.


    It didn¡¯t feel nice to be so close to it, but surprisingly, there was no damage to her soul occurring. So long as she didn¡¯t touch it, she would be fine¡ªtheoretically. She did indeed test this by touching her samples with a bare finger in the workshop for twenty minutes. It was a hard to describe, uncomfortable feeling. Like an acupuncture needle that she couldn¡¯t see piercing right through her body and aura, then stuck in her soul.


    That much was in the name of sorcerous deduction, but she already had to take the cure herself anyway. This was only a mild irritant. She could use the opportunity to try and find a way to treat corporeal degradation with sorcery alone¡ªno alchemy required.


    My father himself used that unknown orange elixir, so that may be difficult, but I would certainly surpass him if I¡ªHold on, no! Shut up, Cira. Stop stalling.


    She slapped her cheeks, ¡°Dammit¡­ Time to go.¡± Wait¡­ Can¡¯t I just levitate myself like a staff¡­?


    Cira gasped, ¡°No! Wait¡­¡± She looked down as her feet effortlessly lifted from the ground, ¡°I can! It was really this easy the whole time?! Dammit¡­¡±


    Cira slid to her knees as the distance between them and the salt increased, moaning in lament of times past, ¡°Gone forever are the days of footbound adventures¡­¡± The magic of transit would ever be tainted with absolute obsolescence. Cut off her legs, she¡¯ll outrun you. This was her life now.


    With a sigh, she stood back up, if you can call it that, and continued to float towards the deritium while trying to comfort herself, ¡°You¡¯re a big girl, Cira¡­ Travelling on foot is for babies, and you¡¯ve long since left your nest.¡± Looking over the staves orbiting her, she really stopped stalling, ¡°Okay, everyone. Rise.¡±


    In the lonely skies she picked up the habit of talking to not only herself, but her staves. Aquon could be moody sometimes, but that was probably her projecting and interfering with her own will. She cherished her inanimate objects, though, and that always pushed her sorcery through to the next level. When sorcerer and tool were one, it was as if it were an extension of her own body.


    In this case, all her staves and the deritium were, in a sense. Dad look, I have two auras! she joked. The salt easily yielded, moving out of her path. A massive hole opened up, mainly to allow the deritium through. Spatial Sense was in overdrive as she plotted her ascension, slowly weaving around active tunnels and closing the salt back up as she passed by.


    This only took another hour before she reached her destination. Water started gushing in from above, washing over an invisible sphere large enough to cover her entire menagerie of sorcerous objects. Once she was above ground, she closed it up and looked around.


    The water of the spring chamber was lit up with glimmering scarlet like ocean waves at sunset, adding vibrant hues as it competed with the spring¡¯s natural blue. All was well here except for an unwelcome guest she spotted from miles below. Someone she was very unhappy to see.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing here?!¡± Cira demanded.


    ¡°Me?!¡± Lomp¡¯s face had long since turned red and this was the most genuinely angry Cira had ever seen him, ¡°What are you doing here?! I¡¯m here because I knew you were going to do something batshit insane.¡±


    ¡°And what do you intend to do about it?¡± Her face was a benign challenge, ¡°This is set in motion, and nothing can stop it. If I set this rock down and leave it for the Gandeux to retrieve, your island is still doomed to fall. I have neither the right nor the leeway to stop here, Lomp. I need you to understand that.¡±


    ¡°What right are you talking about?¡± He stepped up to her, despite his powerlessness, ¡°This is OUR island. You¡¯re just a traveler, so you¡¯ll be gone before it matters, but WE have to live with the fallout, not you! IF we survive it in the first place. Even if the rest of the island is tainted, this spring is all we have! I¡­ I can¡¯t let you play around with it! It¡¯s too great a risk!¡±


    With shaking arms, he held the blessed bident against her, a challenge in kind. ¡°Okay, NOW you¡¯re pissing me off.¡± Cira flew down closer to his level, ¡°Playing around?! Have you not seen enough? What further miracles must I pull off before your eyes than the ones your overseer has tasked me with? Shall I put this rock down and stick around to fight that witch? You¡¯ll get the privilege to witness how landscapes are altered and cities are destroyed. Just go back to Uru before you become collateral damage. Your spear will never reach me.¡±


    The Staff of Springs burst with cerulean light and raging rivers snaked through the air, filling the chamber from all sides and around the spring. She floated towards her target in the center of the chamber and its own mana started resonating bright blue in turn.


    She continued channeling mana from the deritium, through Aquon¡¯s many rivers with the spring merely in between, cycling it. This took intense concentration but that was broken by a sharp noise from behind. An impact on her barrier.


    ¡°What are you doing, dammit?!¡± Lomp was stabbing at her, failing to even come within ten yards. There were burns on his skin wherever it wasn¡¯t covered, and she could see his teeth clenched in pain, ¡°I won¡¯t let you bring this island down!¡±


    ¡°If I don¡¯t do this, your island is destined to fall one day.¡± The blaring light was all around her. Lomp could hardly hold her gaze, but nowhere else was easy to look at either. There was a piercing cerulean light radiating from her eyes, wisping away like the remnants of a spell. A chill ran up Lomp¡¯s back and he inhaled sharply. For a moment he was frozen stiff. This wasn¡¯t like back in Nymphus when Lomp thought she could lash out in irrational anger, this was much deeper than that.


    It was primal fear, like staring down a cave spider¡ªno, worse than that. Not staring into the eyes of a natural predator but standing at the feet of a being that could crush you with its very presence, without noticing or doing anything particular. Lomp watched a dark orb the size of his fist appear before her, and she¡­ drank it. When she turned to him again, the eyes that stared back didn¡¯t have the playful spark they always held but he thought they suited the way he felt in this moment much better. Her eyes were cold, and she looked down on him with a domineering indifference. Like she was above him in every way.


    It''s not just ¡®like¡¯ that¡­ She¡¯s only looking at me, nothing more. This is just¡­ how it is. Is this what she meant by ¡®collateral damage¡¯? If I remain here, she wouldn¡¯t even have to do anything. I¡¯ll simply die. How can she¡­ be in the middle of that?


    ¡°What are you?¡± The word¡¯s fell from Lomp¡¯s mouth before he cold stop them and he bitterly regretted it as a brief frown flashed across Cira¡¯s face, vanishing just as swiftly to leave her devoid of any apparent emotion.


    ¡°I told you to go, Lomp. I will not be delayed any further.¡± Her unconcerned eyes turned away from the man who banged on the barrier with useless fists. Cira¡¯s mind was clear. Enhanced with what should be considered an overdose of elixir, she was only able to muster one meager thought for herself. Sorry, Dad.


    ¡°Aquon, I call upon thee.¡± The mystic river flooding the air and the glint in her eyes burst cerulean, ¡°Forbidden Formation: Spring Sense.¡±


    Brilliant blue lit up the tunnel like flash bangs, bright enough to burn your eyes out of your skull then flickering heedlessly. Lomp watched in horror as Cira¡¯s dauntless face twisted in torment. She fell to her knees with her head cradled in her hands as blood started to pour from her nose as the ground beneath them trembled. Her heart-wrenching cries could be heard over the rushing water and rippling mana, and as her neck craned back to scream, Lomp could see streaks of blood coming from her eyes and running down the sides of her neck.


    Soon, the mana in the spring chamber became too great. Wounds formed and instantly worsened on Lomp¡¯s arms, legs, and face as blood slowly rose to the surface. It was a searing pain like a hundred hot coals and his knees grew weak before starting to falter.


    Dammit, I have to get out of here, but¡­ but¡­ Oh, who am I kidding? I can¡¯t stop this. My only hope was to talk Cira down, and look at her now¡­


    Lacking the burns and various wounds across her skin like Lomp in the churning torrent of mana, he could still tell the great pain she was in. A pool of blood had formed beneath her which agitated as the tremors befalling Fount Salt only grew in intensity. She was supported by one shaky arm, panting heavily. Her screams had turned raspy whenever she had breath to spare. He watched her for a minute while the blisters grew across his body and the pain became unbearable.


    She¡¯ll get it under control, right? She has to! ¡°Come on, Cira! Dammit, don¡¯t die on me now! After all this?!¡± What the hell was she even trying to do?!


    He watched the sorcerer struggle to keep her eyes open, gasping for air through mouthfuls of blood, before finally sliding to the ground, clawing at it with frail bursts of dwindling cognizance. There she lay, still in a puddle of her own blood on the edge of the spring¡¯s pool. Lomp tried to get closer despite it all, but the barrier still repelled him. He couldn¡¯t even see her chest heaving with each breath anymore.


    The salt nymph she befriended appeared from somewhere fluttering over in a panic before landing on Cira¡¯s head. She slapped the Sorcerer on her cheek and tried jumping around or banging her fists. Nothing elicited anything that could be mistaken as a sign of life from Cira¡¯s unresponsive body.


    Lomp hadn¡¯t ever seen a nymph show emotion before, but this one was very clearly trying to save her friend in a fit of desperation. Her weak arms couldn¡¯t do anything, and she lacked a voice of her own. Lomp watched the futile struggle from his own position of powerlessness with a heavy heart.


    ¡°Dammit! Grahh!¡± He kicked the ground, shambling away to the next passageway to escape. ¡°Goddamit, Cira! Why?! Just what the hell were you trying to prove?!¡±


    She was impossible to deal with, and the last person he¡¯d hire for anything, but she deserved better than to die trying to help an island that had nothing to do with her. Fount Salt, of all places. With regret welling in his heart, he pushed his way back down the rumbling staircase. Tears threatened to well up in his eyes, were the anger which shaped his face not holding them back. Dammit, Cira, this is the signal, isn¡¯t it?


    She¡¯d been planning this catastrophe right under his nose the whole time, just to go and die. He could only hope Fount Salt would survive her madness.

 64 - Cira Is Dead

    An uneasy feeling had settled over the group as the night wore on. Since around midday near constant tremors assailed Fount Salt. Some felt close, and others far away, but a few nearly shook them off their feet. It was near-relentless. Nanri made the call to cut their day short, bringing the large group of exorcists back much earlier than intended. Navigating the Last Step with the passing quakes was simply too dangerous. Still, they got more aetherium than the first day by noon, but that was hardly anyone¡¯s concern at the moment.


    Nanri fastened everything down with conjurations as soon as she stepped out of the skiff, draining a large portion of her own mana. When they had returned, the alchemists were desperately holding the various apparatuses down with the help of frantic Earth Vein workers.


    They were quickly dismissed, as the batch could finish safely now, more or less. With plenty of time on the hourglass, this left everyone to wait in uncomfortable silence, save for the occasional attempt at small talk. They could only wonder as to cause of the island¡¯s violent shaking.


    What concerned everyone as evening approached was that neither Lomp nor Cira had returned.


    ¡°They were up to somethin¡¯, weren¡¯t they?¡± Triton asked Nanri.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± The witch sulked, feeling her chest tighten up as she tried to push her worries down, ¡°She didn¡¯t tell me anything. I was sure she would be back by now.¡±


    ¡°What could she possibly be doing at a time like this?¡± As Chip steadied himself on the table with a nervous grip, a little salt pebble fell on his shoulder. He frowned deeply as he looked up at the ceiling, ¡°I can see Lomp getting stuck somewhere, but not her.¡±


    ¡°She¡­ she said she had some investigations to do today.¡± Nanri added, lacking her usual confidence, ¡°Maybe these tremors are connected.¡±


    ¡°Guys.¡± Triton grabbed everyone¡¯s attention and he looked at them like the stupidest people he¡¯d ever met, ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious that crazy woman is the cause of these tremors?¡±


    Nanri¡¯s face trembled as she tried to maintain her denial, ¡°That¡­ that can¡¯t be so.¡±


    ¡°I agree with Triton.¡± The bespectacled man said with an attitude, holding up his medallion.


    ¡°I mean, it has to be her, right?¡± Jules wasted no time to get snooty about it, crossing her arms and nodding with her fellow maidens.


    Basically everyone agreed, and the sinking feeling in Nanri¡¯s heart told her the truth of the matter. Cira had intentionally peeled herself away from everyone to do¡­ something. And now the entire island was shaking, with her nowhere to be found. ¡°What happened to Lomp then?¡±


    ¡°Maybe he died.¡± Triton shrugged.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Nanri¡¯s fragile expression didn¡¯t hold the authority it usually would, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t say that¡­¡±


    Truthfully, everyone had begun to worry about that as well.


    During this time, of course, Earth Vein across the way was in a panic. The Official had taken the initiative to come help in the beginning before returning to whatever their work entailed¡ªsome manner of disaster-relief. Delilah had offered to help with patients, but he said he had plenty of hands and the cure was more important, for all the work it took.


    As the evening grew, Nanri periodically went to ask him for updates, and the entire island was in a similar state as far as his ears reached, which wasn¡¯t a great distance in these conditions. In the last couple hours, bits of salt had begun to fall. Damage was minimal so far with no reported major injuries, but it did force emergency procedures into effect here in Uru and down in Nymphus where everyone was required to huddle inside the safest structures until further notice. It was widespread crisis.


    Why would Cira do this? I¡­ I don¡¯t understand! Nanri wracked her brain for the answer but came up empty. This was a disaster no matter how she looked at it. She could only imagine everyone on the island in every city or settlement was in a similar state. If this gets any worse the ceiling will start to fall down. Everything she built here would be crushed¡ªall the patients. She wouldn¡¯t want that, would she? There¡¯s no way this was all a ruse¡­ right? I just¡­ there¡¯s no way I can believe that.


    Chip broke the silence which fell again, ¡°Should we even be here? I figured she was our ticket out, but¡­ this doesn¡¯t look good.¡± Although silence was a strong word with the constant rumbling.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way she would cause this island to fall apart. It will stop soon, I¡¯m certain of it.¡± She tried to be confident in her words, her fist clenched tight against her chest, but her face still shook.


    ¡°Of course you¡¯d believe in your witch buddy,¡± Kate spat, ¡°I say we take that boat and get the hell out of here while we have the chance.¡±


    All of the former prisoners agreed in a chorus and even started getting up. Nanri didn¡¯t know what to do¡ªshe couldn¡¯t let everything here fall apart. If everyone disappeared, then the plague would continue to ravage Fount Salt until the end of days. Kate led the way to the skiff, pulling a mildly reluctant Triton along so he could fly them away.


    The alchemists watched Nanri, concerned and unsure of what to do. Delilah especially felt unwilling to depart from the cure, continuing to watch the hourglass carefully. At this point she felt it was draining slower with the constant shaking. Someone had to attend to it, and now Jules was trying to pull her friends away to escape.


    Nanri had to do something. It was her responsibility to keep it together. To grab everyone¡¯s attention she fired off a flash of earth mana, clattering her staff on the ground, ¡°Everyone stop!¡±


    She wasn¡¯t timid this time and her voice carried weight. Everyone turned with a shiver at the stern call of the Titan Witch. Her eyes were determined, and they allowed no protest, so she continued, ¡°We can¡¯t just abandon the cure. This island needs¡ª¡±


    Her commanding speech was cut short by a loud banging on the door, ¡°Tch. Who would knock like that¡­?¡± With the irritation of having worked herself up to be so abruptly interrupted, Nanri figured it had to be the Official with important news. She walked over to the relentless pounding and swung the door open, ¡°Lomp?! My heavens, what happened to you?!¡±


    She quickly offered an arm for the wounded man who nearly collapsed into it. He was covered in burns all over his body, eyes bloodshot and weak. Half his hair was charred away and even the fringes of his cloak had begun to fray.


    ¡°Lomp?! What the hell?!¡± Chip ran up, followed by everyone, but a fierce glare from Nanri made them part. Some of the girls helped get him onto a bed. His gaze was unsteady, and he had a bad limp in one leg. With a sharp twist, one of his arms was clearly broken. Just laying down made him wince in pain.


    ¡°Everybody, get back!¡± Nanri shouted, silencing the demanding crowd who bit at Lomp¡¯s heels, ¡°Delilah, Cira said you work at the clinic in Uru. Can you help?¡±


    ¡°Maybe a little¡­ We need to make him a splint¡­ or two, before he gets any worse. can you do that with your magic?¡± She instructed Nanri to conjure a few flat rods that would do and cut up a blanket to wrap them around Lomp¡¯s arm and leg.


    The man himself clenched his teeth, straining not to scream through the pain as they doctored him up. Finally through the worst of it, he breathing was heavy, eyes locked on the ceiling.


    ¡°So?!¡± Triton budged in, ¡°Where the hell is that witch? You two get in a fight?¡±


    Lomp looked to him, and his expression fell. With a complicated expression, he struggled to sit upright with his good arm and looked between everyone. The words caught in his throat for a moment as he looked into Nanri¡¯s worry stricken eyes.


    ¡°Cira is¡­ she¡¯s dead¡­¡±


    The witch gasped, hiding her broken expression in her hand. ¡°No¡­ there¡¯s no way. I¡­ I refuse to believe that!¡± Despite her words, the color had drained from Nanri¡¯s face and tears began to well up.


    ¡°I watched it happen with my own eyes.¡± Lomp held his arms out best he could, ¡°Look at me. This is just from being near her, and trying to get closer. I didn¡¯t want to believe it either, but¡­ I saw her last breath. I stayed as long as I could¡­¡±


    Nanri was speechless, tears unabashedly trailing down her face as she stared at Lomp in disbelief. Delilah was not far off, ¡°Cira, no¡­ Why did you have to do this?! You could have just flown away!¡± The humble medicine woman had only just met the sorcerer, but she didn¡¯t want to say goodbye already. They had hardly gotten a chance to speak since that night in Uru. It was too sudden, and she felt a knot grow in her throat.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Quit crying, you idiots.¡± Jules threw harsh words at everyone, ¡°What did she even do?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what she was trying to do,¡± Lomp took a deep breath and laid back in bed, ¡°but she¡­ she took the deritium. All of it. Whatever that water thing she has is, she used it to fill the whole room with so much mana it burned my damn skin off¡­ I can hardly see shit anymore. She did¡­ something to the spring, but I think it failed. That¡¯s when all this started. Blood came out of every hole in her face, and she collapsed¡­ I¡­ I watched her stop breathing¡­¡± Lomp shivered, trying to shut his eyes to hide from the image, but it only became clearer. Hanging his head low, he spoke to Nanri, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Nanri was aghast, her mouth hung open and the tears had momentarily dried up. She sputtered, but any words failed to form. Delilah watched her expression crumble and offered a hand before the two started crying together.


    This time Triton banged his fist on the table, startling everyone. ¡°I don¡¯t buy it for a second.¡±


    ¡°What?! I¡ª¡± a fit of coughs caused the worked up Lomp to calm down, ¡°Dammit¡­ I¡¯m telling the truth. Why do you think I¡¯m lying?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure you told the truth.¡± Triton retorted, ¡°But she ain¡¯t dead. I don¡¯t buy it. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s busy pulling something incomprehensible out of her ass as we speak. And that crazy witch ain¡¯t allowed to die in this shithole after kicking my ass like that.¡±


    There was a tinge of hope in his voice, but no one commented on it. Scum as he was raised, Triton could recognize what a favor she¡¯d really done for him, even if it was a bit rough around the edges. He really didn¡¯t like getting his ass kicked like that, but it wouldn¡¯t sit well with him if she really died.


    ¡°We¡¯ll probably never know either way.¡± Lomp shared.


    Nanri¡¯s voice shook. ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°She said she had to leave before that new witch shows up¡­¡± Lomp watched the light in her eyes dull and she shrunk into a state he didn¡¯t know existed. He had met a few witches in his time, and even without Cira¡¯s influence this one was a little different. It really made him feel bad for her, and with the grievous wounds coating his body, he stopped caring, ¡°Since it¡¯s come to this, Nanri¡­¡±


    She looked at him with a frightened look, like a child who lost her family¡ªor whose family left her behind. It was unexpected, but he noticed Cira get uncomfortably close to the witch since they met. Seeing her now, he felt she was owed the truth. ¡°Cira was¡ªisn¡¯t really a witch. Pappy convinced her to fix all of Fount Salt¡¯s problems and she thoughtlessly agreed. When we arrived in Nymphus we weren¡¯t expecting run into a real one¡­¡±


    She stopped him with a wave of the hand, wiping her tears away with the other, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Lomp¡­ I¡¯m not that stupid. I figured it out a few days ago.¡±


    His eyes shot open, and he froze for a moment, ¡°Why¡­ why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡±


    ¡°Look around you, Lomp¡­¡± Her voice was weak, and she motioned to the alembic firing away then out the window to the dying masses. As she continued her voice started breaking up, ¡°I just wanted to help¡­ How could I not? I don¡¯t want my purpose to be putting people and little creatures in cages¡­ Or to spend my life in a cave. I wanted to¡­ I know it¡¯s selfish, but I just thought she could take me away from all this!¡±


    Nanri buried her face in her hands and sobbed, her silver hair was unkempt and folded over her arms. A teary-eyed Delilah trying to comfort her, rubbing her back. Suddenly an unlikely supporter said the words she needed to hear most. Triton gave her a hard pat on the back and she looked up at him with a miserable expression, tears caked to her face in salt and a devastated frown hung open. ¡°She¡¯ll be real disappointed if you look like that when¡­goddammit¡­when you see her! won¡¯t she?!¡±


    Nanri¡¯s sobs abruptly cut off and she stared at him trying to process his words. The island trembled above and all around them making it hard to think. He¡¯s¡­ he¡¯s right, isn¡¯t he? I¡¯m a mess. Like I am now, I could never join her, I¡¯m already weak enough. If she saw me right now, I would be so ashamed.


    Nanri¡¯s heart was beginning to turn ever so slightly when one of the goons shouted out, ¡°Hey! Isn¡¯t it getting louder?!¡±


    It was true¡ªthey couldn¡¯t hear each other without shouting anymore. Before it was all above them and now the shaking surrounded them, growing to an unbearable degree. Everyone on the platform had to hold onto something and they could hear the cries of tumbling Earth Vein workers across the way. Fortunately, the cave didn¡¯t collapse on them, but they were beginning to get pelted with pebbles. Dusted salt fell on their heads in sparse clouds.


    Lomp gripped the edges of his bed feebly as he stared up at the ceiling. Salt nymphs started pouring in through the solid rock. Starting one at a time before becoming a steady surge.


    ¡°Guys look!¡± Kate hung onto a windowsill with her legs shaking. She pointed out to the ground beneath them where countless streams ran through the plague ward. ¡°It¡¯s a stampede!¡±


    Chip pointed straight up and shrank down in fear, ¡°A-at a time like this?! They¡¯re coming from above, too!¡±


    ¡°We¡ªwe gotta get out of here!¡± Even Kate was frantic at the sight, having only heard the stories as they didn¡¯t occur until long after she left Silver Lake.


    ¡°Dammit!¡± Lomp cursed, ¡°Now she¡¯s even causing stampedes?! Is it like this everywhere?!¡±


    ¡°She¡­ She wouldn¡¯t do that!¡± Nanri¡¯s defense was weak, but she knew it was true in her heart.


    ¡°If she even has a say in it.¡± He shot her a cold glare without thinking and shrunk. ¡°God dammit, Cira¡­ Now we have to leav¡ªoh no¡­¡± The words quickly faded as he stared up in horror.


    Lomp and everyone¡¯s eyes quickly receded into their skulls as every water inlet in Uru¡¯s plague ward from the walls to the ceiling started gushing with water. With it came the blinding cerulean radiance that had already caused so much harm. Heavy drops of water started splashing down and Delilah scrambled to shield the alchemy tools.


    Shaken out of her stupor, Nanri quickly sealed the tables up and used nearly the last of her mana to put a roof on the walls around them, but still, everyone was already drenched and half-blind from the light. They peered through the shutters in shock as a maelstrom struck the walls and flooded the grounds below them. Hundreds of nymphs had joined the storm and either enjoyed the ride, followed the effulgent waves down the island, or retraced their path back up any given river. There was no sense to any of this.


    Nanri started to get worried about how the City of Uru would be taking this, but before her eyes all the shining droplets found their way into the now rushing streams which peeled up from the ground, forming an amorphous river delta in the air which whimsically spiraled around in countless directions, pulling all the excess water from the chamber towards it, marked by shining blue light. Each and every stream retained its path¡ªthough they were aloft, they still fed into the island as they did before.


    Everyone was speechless, including the witch, as they watched this spectacle. It wasn¡¯t until a good ten minutes later that the radiance of the mana started dying down, weaker now from above as it seemed to pass through. The Violent storm turned into heavy rain, then a soft drizzle. By the time they opened the shutters and looked at the scene, the floating delta had started settling back onto the ground, each stream and river nearing their prior gentle gaits.


    Finally, all was calm. As if nothing had happened at all, except for two key details. They were sopping wet and all water coming into the chamber now shined with that pure cerulean brilliance, though much more subdued. Aside from that, the waterways showed no signs of having exploded with years-worth of rampant flooding.


    They didn¡¯t even have time to notice the tremors had died down again, slightly, but a frantic knocking at their door interrupted everyone¡¯s awe-stricken gazes. Nanri ran over and answered it. The Official looked at her with weary, terrified eyes, ¡°Please tell me you know what¡¯s going on!¡±


    She looked at him and clenched her fists, ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly¡­ but I think Cira is trying to fix the floods.¡±


    Emotions flashed through his face like a revolving lantern. He was shocked, awed, horrified, baffled entirely. ¡°She¡­ I¡­ but how?! No, that¡¯s not important¡­ I know not the way of witches. All of our patients are soaked, and we need to get them dried off, fast. There¡¯s no way to get aid from Uru. I¡¯m still waiting for news but it¡¯s already a mess. Can you help with your magic?¡± His eyes were pleading.


    Nanri¡¯s pale blue eyes returned his plea with regret. She barely just learned to work with salt, let alone fire. Then an idea sprang into her head, ¡°Triton! You can help with your fire, right?¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding?!¡± He stumbled back, ¡°There¡¯s no way! I¡¯ll shrivel up before I get a handful of them done.¡±


    ¡°Just use holy mana!¡± Nanri argued, ¡°I think Cira settled the debate on that.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡± He was baffled, ¡°With what spell?! I¡¯m not the kind of insane wizard who can just pull holy magic out of their ass like a certain someone.¡± Triton glowered at the ceiling.


    ¡°Magic doesn¡¯t come from there. It comes from the heart. You need to be certain. Just make a spell up¡ªthe one we need. Cira does it all the time.¡± Nanri conjured a plaque in her hand, ¡°In fact, I¡¯ll do it for you¡­ ¡®Oh holy one¡¯,¡± The letters formed as she spoke, ¡°¡¯won¡¯t you please dry this person off in Cira¡¯s stead? For my aura is far too meager¡¯. And this should do.¡±


    ¡°What is wrong with you people?¡± He ripped it out of her hand.


    Walking over to the boat, she rummaged through a pile of pouches Cira left there. She took one and handed another to Triton, ¡°We still have some mana potions left. They¡¯re Earth Vein grade so they¡¯ll work just fine on regular people, but I¡¯m hoping that spell will do most the work.¡± She gave Glasses a pointed look.


    Delilah¡¯s uncertain voice came from the witch¡¯s other side, ¡°Wh-what should we do?¡±


    ¡°You should keep an eye on the aetherium, have Sarah and Patricia follow Triton in case he needs help.¡± She looked at the exorcists and their tagalong, ¡°All of you should spread out among the patients and see if anybody needs help, then ask Captain Renit if he needs anything when you¡¯re done.¡± That was Earth Vein¡¯s Official. ¡°If anything¡­ Cira-y happens, come back immediately. Understood?¡±


    ¡°Hang on.¡± Glasses raised his hand to not be overlooked, ¡°I¡¯m leaving. Quakes or not, I need to report to all this to the Overseer.¡±


    Nobody had qualms with that, and let the man scurry off on a harrowing ascent. Pappy would surely appreciate his service.


    While some of them were collectively upset at Cira, they were all experiencing the same disaster. Nobody else offered protest to Nanri¡¯s orders and went off as directed.


    ¡°What will you do?¡± Delilah asked.


    The titanium cube which floated around with her staff for a few days had actually seen some use. Nanri studied whenever she caught a break or late at night. Now, she opened it up and withdrew the third volume of the Sorcerer¡¯s Compendium. ¡°I¡¯m going to try to get Lomp back on his feet.¡±


    I need to keep my head on straight. This is no time to be falling apart. If Cira¡¯s working hard up there, then it¡¯s my job to do damage control. I can¡¯t help outside the plague ward¡­ but I¡¯ll do what I can here. I can¡¯t let Cira down. I just know she¡¯s counting on me.


    Nanri had regained her heart, determined to make a difference. The pyre of her spirit was lit anew, though it would trouble her to know that of the one she held dear now dwindled like a lone candle in the highest winds.

 65 - The Woeful Sorcerer

    In this world of darkness there was nothing but pain. Dull, constant, thrashing pain. Neither time nor space existed in this place, no. Nothing could be perceived. Nothing except for pain¡ªraw and pure. This was a realm of indefinite torment, though its purpose was not known. There were no memories nor foresight in this moment, however long it lasted. Not a single thought could be formed but that of agony.


    The world shook, threatening to shatter as a rhythmic pounding assaulted ceaselessly, its origin, indeterminable. Soon the banging came into focus and its percussive blasts grew louder, reverberating through this place and her very soul before echoing off to eternity. The overbearing cadence grew louder still the closer it came, as if the distance between them was both infinite and nonexistent.


    As it approached it felt like it was always there.


    Bang! Bang!


    Bang! Bang!


    Finally, there was a crack that split the whole world in two. The darkness, the pain¡­ It all receded above or below to make way for the dawn that never should have come. Light poured in, washing everything away to the furthest depths of her mind.


    Now entering the world of cerulean radiance, the first thing that could be recognized was a little white doll with skin like unbaked clay and an unfinished face. Two black pearls held a look of fear and concern while frail fists swung desperately.


    ¡°N¡­ Nina¡­?¡± The little salt nymph was pounding on Cira¡¯s forehead with dire abandon, and her beady eyes jolted at the voice, arms slowing to a pause. Cira tried to take a deep breath, and something caught in her throat, making her choke and jerk forward as she coughed out a cloud of white powder. Nina took to the air and Cira felt her arms stick to the ground as she tried to roll over to inspect herself. ¡°Gah, what is all this?¡± She brushed the powder off her face and chest, realizing she was smearing blood everywhere now as well.


    ¡°Is this prima salt¡­?¡± She looked at Nina with wide eyes before noticing the hundreds more of her friends clustering above them in the air and swarming the spring chamber.


    Looking at herself now, it was like it had been snowing while she slept. Cira was completely coated in a thick layer of salt and every inch of exposed skin felt jittery and warm. Were it not for the throbbing pain which stabbed the back of her mind, she would think nothing was wrong. ¡°Urghh¡­ Greater heal.¡±


    She let those meager effects set in and reinstated her array, downing more dimnut tonic. The pain hardly subsided, but it dulled the edge a little. Strangely, she didn¡¯t feel the intense mental strain she expected, but there didn¡¯t seem to be much else she could do for the intense headache. She stood up and put a finger out for Nina to sit on.


    This prima salt is no joke. If I weren¡¯t coated in the stuff, I would probably be dead.


    ¡°Did you and your friends save me?¡± Nina just stared back at her, none of the worry Cira though she saw marred her face any longer. ¡°Well thanks.¡±


    That rush from taking a mana potion occurs from the sudden rush of energy attaching to your soul, the rush is simply reflected in the corporea. So, the prima salt kept her body in a constant agitated state as if the soul were gaining energy, despite the body actually dying. It was a precarious needle to thread between life and death, and Cira gulped thinking about how close it actually was. Her body held out just long enough to recover to a conscious state.


    Was it on purpose though? Cira gave the little nymph a compassionate boop on the head, pushing the conjured hat down over her adorable little unformed face. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re smarter than I give you credit for, Nina.¡±


    The other nymphs had begun to disperse, lazily floating around the spring chamber now. Cira noticed her tangled cluster of rivers still took up most of the negative space in this chamber. Washing everything out, it reflected the vibrant blue off every surface. Water covered the ground and shimmered in the light.


    Cira could feel it now. The Staff of Springs worked its way down Fount Salt steadily, through every single nook and cranny the water found from when it gushed out of the spring itself all the way down to the bottom. There were tens of thousands of paths, some absurdly huge rivers and spillways, and others as thin as a hair. Most of them cut off and were easily disregarded, but still, a great number made it all the way down. Often, they would converge only to split off later somewhere completely different. Some even spiraled around the island without reason.


    None of this would generally be possible for Cira, or even her father, using standard methods. As Aquon¡¯s watery embrace gradually enveloped Fount Salt, it was in effect becoming larger. Monumentally so. As this continued, it offset the aethereal strain the sorcerer took on directly by taking over most of the processing work, as of course the spring knows its constraints.


    No, the Staff of Springs wasn¡¯t sentient. But it was a spring, artificial and finite or not. Depending on the sorcerer¡¯s beck and call, it took on many forms. The form it took today, ¡®Spring Sense¡¯, forced it to (temporarily) take over a spring, the existing spring becoming an extension of it. Previously only tested on incredibly small islands, and it was not a good time for our young sorcerer.


    As the spring assimilated into Aquon, so too did the Staff of Springs into its wielder. As when Lomp jumped in behind her days ago, she felt as if she gained tens of thousands of fleeting limbs. Every path the water took was known intimately to Cira, and she could hardly comprehend what she was perceiving. It came in flashes, and she struggled not to focus on too much at once or her head flared up again. There was a balancing act at play.


    The other day she felt a searing pain in her head, but Aquon was small when it found Lomp. So very, very small, she now realized.


    Nina had taken to sitting on her shoulder again, as the shining jewel she usual resided in had grown to the size of three men and hung above the spring like a beacon. Many nymphs could be seen circling it with slow flapping wings.


    Aquon had indeed progressed a great deal while she slept. It had long since hit the pump and found its way to the top, now nearly meeting her again from above. The amount that made it back down made Cira concerned about their current infrastructure¡¯s longevity.


    Soon, every drop of water on the island would be under Cira¡¯s influence though. She waited. Patiently. Messing around with her array in the meantime, she managed to fine tune it to make this all a little easier on herself. She was able to take steady, even breaths to calm her mind, hopefully bringing the pain down with it.


    Hours passed. It was impossible to say how many, as Cira sat next to the spring with her eyes closed, slowly expanding through the islands. There was no way to describe how she felt. With every passing second hundreds of threads opened up in her mind, only to cut off or disappear into another. For a time, she had nearly forgotten she was a small human sorcerer rather than an endless network of waterways.


    Her miniscule self came back to the forefront of her consciousness as the moment she¡¯d been waiting for arrived. Excess water was allowed to spill off into the sky, leaving shrouds of mana clinging to the bottom of the island or anywhere a stream exited. Meanwhile above, the water had finished finding its way back long ago.


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    The rumbling that shook the whole island rapidly grew to a climax before abruptly falling off. All the island¡¯s water burst with increasing light as the dull whirring of mana echoed through everything, everyone, and likely miles away in the sky. That died down as quickly as it started, leaving the water with its prior, much more subdued cerulean shimmer.


    All was now still on the island of Fount Salt, but Cira still had no idea what was happening, nor what happened while she was out. Spring Sense was only the first step.


    With Cira¡¯s dominion now established, her body was one with the spring and countless rivers alike. But her domain was not yet complete. This was the part that scared her the most, but with Aquon¡¯s inconceivable conquest and an utterly clear mind, there was no hesitation.


    ¡°Spatial Sight.¡± Her calm words echoed across the still chamber, laced with power. Just as her trip down to Deep Falls, it was cast from each appendage that was a part of Aquon. Next there was a shift, almost like the whole world jerked one foot to the left and back within the blink of an eye. Contrary to expectations, there was no pain.


    The Staff of Springs gladly took on the load, using mana that was already in place along its entire length, without anything routing through Cira except for the limited information she desired.


    Cira could now see everything. What once was a pearl on the horizon turned out to be a blemished stone turned over and harshly polished in the tides of time since an age she couldn¡¯t conceive of. It didn¡¯t look pretty at all, especially under the night sky. Just an aimless lump. Still, the scale was baffling to her, even as she stood now. She guessed the Last Step to be nearly ten miles deep, so that made the island four or five times that from top to bottom, half that around.


    It really put into perspective how truly massive the sky was. If she didn¡¯t know any better, Cira would say it was endless. For a moment she was struck with awe, and then terror at her own being. Looking at Fount Salt now felt no different than looking inside her own ribcage with the same spell. A chill ran up her spine, and she was grateful for it. It kept her grounded. She realized her feet were still touching the ground.


    A few deep breaths, and she pulled her eyes back up. ¡°No time to dawdle, Cira¡­ I need to check on everything.¡±


    She trained her focus to the top, and her gaze fell down on the city of Uren. The lower levels had taken a lot of damage, many of the tin shanties having fallen over. She noticed a lot of wounded, those that weren¡¯t were either hidden inside or panicking in the streets.


    ¡°Shit¡­ This is a disaster.¡± She frantically scoured the surface for signs that she may have killed someone. In the slums there were many trapped under stacks of metal, and some stabbed through with rebar, bleeding out. ¡°Shit, shit, shit! What have I done?!¡±


    Without thinking, she started flipping sheets of steel over and putting them back together, pulling bodies out of the rubble as they shined with a golden light. The water from each reservoir lit up as she desperately tried to reverse the ruin she brought upon the city.


    To her great relief, no one had died. There were more than she cared to admit that would have if she let it go much longer, but Cira couldn¡¯t rest yet. There were many, many more places where people lived, and all of them were underground. She could only hope this old island stood strong.


    Before finding out for herself, she took a quick glance around. The infirmary had even more people than before, but it seemed they were regaining order since the island stopped shaking. There were spilled barrels of underworm strewn about the salt. Slowly curing, she was sure. Either way, they were getting it under control up here.


    Looking towards the silos, she didn¡¯t see any suspicious ships, meaning the Astral Witch had yet to land. The last thing she wanted to see was Pappy. He was in his office all alone, hiding under his desk and shivering. As sound waves travelled through space, she could perceive his words. He grumbled nervously between heavy breaths, ¡°Never shoulda asked that crazy goddamn girl for help¡­ So much worse than her dad.¡±


    There was much to attend to inside the island, but one process that would take a great deal of time. To get that started she shifted her gaze to the very bottom. Zero Stratum and the New Shore District.


    At her whim the megaliths began to melt. Months of Nanri¡¯s soul-crushing labor and millions of tons of pure titanium collapsed in on itself slowly like a ruined souffle. Reduced to naught but raw material in the hands of the sorcerer.


    Much of it dripped away and condensed, forming innumerable orbs of raw metal. She pushed some aside for the reconstruction of Zero Stratum and pushed the rest away so it could float up to Uren or anywhere else along the way.


    With the remainder of the melting structures, she pushed it up the river. Up all of them, really.


    As many different paths as the water took, she couldn¡¯t possibly retain them all. There were a few main exits where it fell into the clouds, but what concerned Cira more was how many places water needed to get to. Uru, Nymphus, and Uren were the main cities, but it seemed there was another one where she guessed the worm farms were, not much smaller than the others. It was built like a taller Uru but with no evident light laws.


    Aside from this, she was still busy trying to count the myriad of settlements. Some were smaller than deep falls, while another seemed to span an abandoned river across the entire width of the island. Most of these places looked like they had just experienced a flood and she found even more injured.


    Whatever happened to them didn¡¯t seem to last for long, but the now small creek which spanned an easy twenty miles had people washed from one side of the settlement to the other. It looked like a pilgrimage of bloodied villagers climbing back up the various rocks and ledges. Cira spent a few minutes here. She couldn¡¯t give them a lift, but she healed them all. They were frantic for a moment, grabbing onto the walls or each other in case they got swept away again, then were thrown for a loop as their creek¡¯s luster briefly switched from cerulean to gold and back again.


    There were over two hundred settlements, between random villages and smugglers¡¯ dens, then counting a couple hermits she noticed. Without caring what their deal was, she plotted out her path. A vast majority of the waterways could be bypassed and would get abandoned, while titanium slowly crept up the island, lining those she decided to keep and continuing to push material further and further up.


    Now that her sorcery had begun, she could turn her attention to somewhere she¡¯d been dreading to look. To her surprise, Nymphus didn¡¯t look that bad. She saw the mayor huddled up with all his citizens in some big building with an Earth Vein insignia on it. Still, she scanned the crowd for wounded and found a few, knocking a team of healers off their feet as random people among them started glowing without notice.


    Next was Uru. This city didn¡¯t fare as well. Many of the buildings relied on their light weight and weren¡¯t constructed with tremors in mind. She found a lot more wounded, but Earth Vein had a large presence here, seemingly working with the church. They had tents set up for the wounded and others removed debris. Again, she healed all she saw.


    ¡°God damn, I¡¯m nothing but a hack.¡± Cira was kicking herself, ¡°I should have listened to Dad.¡±


    She was going to check on her minions but spun around when she remembered something important. With a tough expression, scarlet light bathed her face. ¡°I¡¯m already down half¡­¡±


    A great deal of deritium had already been expended. When she focused, she could see it dissipating ever so slowly, but constantly. At this rate she had six hours left if she was lucky. It was a tossup whether that would be enough to finish the rivers, but there was so much else she wanted to do.


    ¡°But what is this feeling¡­ It¡¯s like it¡¯s everywhere.¡± The deritium had an ominous pervasiveness that you could feel in every fiber of your being, and Cira certainly felt it in front of her. But her being was great, and she felt it everywhere. It was inside her body. There were multiple subtle pricks she couldn¡¯t quite pin down.


    ¡°No¡­ While I was sleeping?!¡± She patted her chest up and down and realized that¡¯s not what she was feeling. ¡°Impossible¡­ there¡¯s more?¡±


    Pulling her focus back out to the entire island she focused on one thing, and one thing only. That dreadful scarlet sensation. It felt like a hole in her lung. Then more appeared as she searched. Little smoldering holes in her otherwise beautiful, immaculate, and monolithic form. ¡°Four¡­ Five¡­ No¡­ There¡¯s six more?!¡±


    Indeed, the deritium was no small issue for Fount Salt. With a total of seven more stones like the one she harvested and consumed to begin her slew of miracles. Now that she was attuned to the feeling, she could tell it had soaked deep into the salt wherever water ran. The most uncomfortable sensation was feeling it in the water. Like cancer of the bones which she could see in three dimensions as if touching it with her hand like I blind man would, but in incomprehensible definition. It was the most tumultuous feat of sensory absurdity that Cira ever had the displeasure of experiencing.


    ¡°This deritium is a bigger problem than I thought¡­¡±

 66 - Island Girl

    While constant tremors assailed the island, Nanri¡¯s face dripped with sweat as golden droplets in the mana¡¯s light. Her forehead creased in deep concentration and her teeth were clenched from the strain. ¡°How does she do this so fast? This is way harder than it looks.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m feeling better now, that¡¯s probably enough.¡± Lomp tried to lean up, but Nanri pushed him back onto the bed.


    ¡°I¡¯m almost done, just hold still!¡± She had been at it for some time, after spending just as long poring through the book and trying to get it to activate in the first place. ¡°It even says it¡¯s the easiest healing spell there is, so what¡¯s the deal?¡±


    The deal was that the process greatly depended on one¡¯s comprehension and mental image. This was something Nanri would have known if she had read the entire book in which Heal is the only spell taught aside from Lesser Cure, which only worked for weak poisons and minor illness. Alas, she was still stuck in volume one.


    To her credit, Cira spent a month on this book before she cast her first Heal, but Nanri didn¡¯t have that kind of time. While Lomp was indeed healing, it was a slow and grueling process. She had a pile of empty bottles filling up an empty potion crate next to her and she was completely worn out. What was happening here was simple. Holy mana pulled all the weight in the absence of the caster¡¯s comprehension, leaving her to purge exponentially egregious amounts of her own mana to keep the spell active.


    This trick did not work on complex spells, which is why it was great for beginners. To follow in Cira¡¯s footsteps, the next course in her curriculum would be to watch the healing occur with Spatial Sight, but Nanri didn¡¯t have that luxury either.


    But as we know, time heals all wounds, and Lomp was back to his sprightly self in another ten minutes or so. He got up and stretched out his legs, poking his limbs where they had broken to test them out, ¡°Thanks, I feel great. A little slower than Cira, maybe¡­ but I thought priests spent years trying to do that.¡±


    Nanri was a little embarrassed, but after thinking about it he was probably right about the last part. ¡°I¡¯ve got a long way to go, but¡ª¡± The quakes grew in intensity again, rattling the platform and sending spoons clattering to the ground. Lomp clutched the side of his bed, but Nanri was thrown out of her chair.


    The shaking was almost as bad as before and the two got ready for another flood, closing the shutters and reinforcing anything that needed it. Soon it shook to such a degree she was certain the island was about to fall apart. As it reached its climax it was so violent it started slamming her against the bedposts on the ground and she hurriedly formed a metal dome in hopes it would protect them from miles of falling salt.


    As soon as it formed, the tremors stopped. It happened in an instant, and all was still, save for the settling dust. The trickle of water which still held its eerie cerulean glow could be heard for the first time since morning and the two looked at each other, confused.


    Nanri was still planted on the floor, and she looked around with wide eyes, ¡°What do you think that means? I can still feel the mana from whatever she did¡­ Maybe she¡¯s okay after all.¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± Lomp reached out a hand to help her stand. ¡°At this point I wouldn¡¯t doubt it.¡±


    The witch went to grab his hand and he hoisted her up, only to stumble back with a frightened yelp and lose his grip when the ring on his hand began to shine. Nanri plopped back down on the cold metal with her rear and a simple wooden box fell into her lap. It wasn¡¯t ornate, but it was clearly decorative. Hand-carved, she thought.


    A row of unrecognizable glyphs lined the front and back before wrapping over the top. What¡¯s more, carved into the lid was a name as if it were a magic inscription. It read, ¡°Nanri¡±.


    ¡°Lomp¡­?¡± She looked up at the befuddled man who gazed into his palm in shock. ¡°What is that ring?¡±


    He looked uneasy and then sighed, ¡°Cira gave it to me¡­ She woke me up in the middle of the night and told me she was leaving. Gave me plenty of mithril to pay everyone, but didn¡¯t say a word about something for you. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t tell you sooner.¡±


    She was doing well since her smuggler pep talk, but now looked crestfallen again, trying to hold it back, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I know it¡¯s not your fault. I just¡­ at least wanted to say goodbye.¡± She looked off into the distance at nowhere in particular.


    ¡°Well, that must be what she left you.¡± Lomp motioned to the box in her lap, ¡°I guess she set it to pop out when the ring touches you¡­ Pretty terrible plan. Why would I touch a witch? Er, no offense.¡±


    Nanri was caught off guard and grinned, ¡°No offense taken¡­ I agree it¡¯s a rather unreliable way to get something to me, but it worked¡­ right?¡± There¡¯s no way she foresaw this. It had to be dumb luck. What if I never got this box? She found herself dreading a future already averted.


    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, she left dusty old coins for everyone else and a thousand years of Lomp work for me.¡±


    That got a chuckle out of the witch, and she looked at the box curiously before picking it up in her hands. The glyphs all lit up in unison and the lid suddenly popped open. She wasn¡¯t ready to look, but the magical contraption forced her to.


    As Nanri peered in, a sparkle caught her eye. Reaching for it, she pulled out a thin mithril chain which held a dark silver pendant. Encased within the silver was a gorgeous sapphire like she had never seen. It was clear like the purest lake and seemed to swirl from the center like a budding flower.


    Lomp whistled, ¡°See, look at that? No wonder she didn¡¯t have time to make me a ¡®more creative treasure¡¯. I bet it does something too.¡±


    Nanri flipped it around in her palm. Hiding a grin, she tried to read the glyphs on the back, but they were indiscernible to her eye. Artifacts were often non-elemental and had a wide range of effects, so it would take a little studying to figure out. Nonetheless, the witch slung it over her head and let it rest around her neck, turning the gem over with a faint smile. She glanced inside the box and noticed there was something else in there. A piece of paper rested at the bottom, and she picked it up, unfolding it with a nervous expression.


    Dear Nanri,


    I¡¯m sorry for everything. I hope we meet again one day.


    Regretfully,


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Cira


    She folded the letter back up and leaned against a bedpost behind her with a long sigh. Quickly deflating, she still turned the gem over as it shimmered in the light. A heavy pout weighed down her fragile smile. It¡¯s beautiful, but¡­ why does this letter have to be so short? If you¡¯re so full of regret, then why must you leave?


    Nanri sighed. That¡¯s not fair. I¡¯m sure she has her reasons. I just¡­ don¡¯t understand them.


    ¡°What does it say?¡± Lomp asked in a gentle voice.


    After a long breath, she offered a troubled smile, ¡°She¡¯s leaving.¡±


    What is she sorry for? All the lies? She could have told me the truth¡­ but I get why she didn¡¯t. I can¡¯t blame her. I don¡¯t even have the slightest clue what she¡¯s doing to this island. Maybe I¡¯m not ready to join her after all.


    Standing up, Nanri walked over to check on Delilah and the hourglass. It would finish at some time in the night. Most of the others had returned by now, either in bed or close to it. A very weary Triton was slung over the shoulders of both goons, caked in sweat and followed by the alchemaidens as they slowly walked down the bridge.


    ¡°How did it go?¡± Nanri asked Triton once they entered the workshop.


    ¡°It sure did¡­¡± Was all he managed before sprawling over the closest bed without thought. It was Cira¡¯s, but she didn¡¯t think the sorcerer would be coming back for it.


    She gave the goons an inquisitive look and Lazy Frank gave her a thumbs up.


    ¡°What now, then?¡± Kate asked, ¡°If the witch or whatever you want to call her up and died, we may as well leave, right?¡±


    Cira would be disappointed if this all fell apart while she¡¯s up there taking care of what she needs to¡ªsomething only she can do. I won¡¯t let that happen.


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Nanri¡¯s harsh reprimand quickly silenced her, ¡°There¡¯s no way she¡¯s dead, just look at the water. And the tremors have already stopped so I¡¯m sure she¡¯s hard at work. You all need to get ready for a big day. I want to see all three of these cauldrons running after tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I can feel ¡®em.¡± Triton laid on his back with his eyes closed as his mutterings drew everyone¡¯s attention.


    Chip nodded, ¡°Yeah, if you focus, I think you can feel it under us.¡± There was a faint rumble beneath their feet, barely noticeable like a running stream far below the salt.


    ¡°What even happened earlier? That was crazy, right?¡± A hyped up and oblivious Charlie asked, and everyone threw him the same pointed look.


    ¡°As I was saying, we should turn in for the evening.¡± She looked over everybody in line, ¡°This is already our third day and there¡¯s barely any soul remedy to show for it. Tomorrow will be a long day in the Last Step and there are plenty of you now. Delilah, when that timer runs out, you should be able to let the aetherium distillate rest overnight and start brewing in the morning.¡±


    If she¡¯s still here, I¡¯ll look for her in the morning, but I need a good night¡¯s sleep and to get these guys back to work. A full day of tremors was enough to rattle anyone. Her body and mind were shaken up and she needed rest. Everyone¡¯s faces said they felt the same. Even if I can¡¯t find her. Even if I fail to reach her.


    Nanri now wore a determined smile. I promise, when I see you I¡¯ll be a much stronger sorcerer than I am now, Cira.


    ___


    ¡°Nina, I¡¯m hungry.¡± The little salt nymph offered nothing but a blank stare, ¡°If this goes on any longer, I¡¯ll have to eat salt.¡±


    For a moment she contemplated conjuring a pot and growing her last Moonberry plum seed into fruit to eat immediately, but the seeds regained from that endeavor would be of diminishing quality. She wasn¡¯t ready to part with her last seed as they were one of her favorite childhood snacks.


    The salt nymph never offered no replies but talking to her helped Cira stay in the moment. If she let her mind slip, her focus would split in a thousand different directions as Aquon retained dominion over the island. Each time she let her focus split too many ways, the pain grew exponentially and the sight before her own eyes grew less significant. Hell, a couple times Cira forgot that she wasn¡¯t the island. The countless waterways were not only her bones, but her veins and her eyes as well. So, what was the salt between and around them if not her flesh? Her meaty body, merely a vessel for the mind.


    The Staff of Springs, incredible as it was, could not carry all the burden. By nature of the technique, Cira was forced to assume a great deal as a bottomless sea of information threatened to break the dam of her mind. Pulling just enough through to see the outside of the island without the miles of everything in between or focusing on a particular area at will was like pulling teeth.


    Were it not for her father¡¯s prized robes, the constantly growing array, and hourly handfuls of mind tonic, she would be dead a hundred times over. It was a dull ache at the back of her mind, and she was certain she would feel it for some time to come, but in her many eyes this was a small price to pay for absolute agency over Fount Salt.


    Ahh, yes. The six new pockets of deritium, you ask? One had a crew a scraggly miners around it, but no pirates in sight. She scared them off with spontaneous explosions. The rest were clear, completely cut off from human access but still passing water over them. She claimed them as reservoirs. Storehouses of mana, ranging in size from the Salty Songstress to the former Don¡¯s treasure. One was double the size of the original and somehow the only one not leeching into the rivers, completely encased in salt.


    Her original plan was to pull them towards her, but quickly realized it was pointless¡ªcounter-productive in fact. Her own frail human frame made no difference at this scale, and she was shackled by her meager human paradigms about how things worked. The deritium wasn¡¯t fifteen miles away, it was nestled between her ribs like pulsating tumors just waiting to be burned up. In fact, she found all her sorcery to be more effective when she used mana close to where it needed to be, as she always had a myriad of limbs within reach.


    Cira had never felt like such a powerful sorcerer as she did in this moment, nor such a monstrosity. She reckoned she could have taken her dad on, but that was debatable. Wisdom triumphs over power every time, and Gazen had both. However, in this moment, Cira held a great deal of power. In her left hand she scared off miners a few miles below Uren, and in the right, she healed flood victims in Deep Falls. To look between the two was to roll her eyes from one side to the other.


    More island than girl at this point, she realized she was more salt than water, and the body of her birth paled in comparison to both in succession by several orders of magnitude. Liquid metal trickled up her veins, creeping its way through hundreds of different chosen paths. So many veins dried up and filled in with salt, while others only grew stronger. There was so much salt. It was everywhere, but suddenly, Cira felt so terribly misshapen. It started to itch. But her hands and arms were flowing rivers so it could not be scratched.


    But what is this feeling? My skin is so¡­ rough. So worn. What happened here? Why do I feel this way? Is this erosion? From centuries of weather? No, millennia, to be sure. But why me? How long have I been¡ª


    ¡°Nina!¡± At Cira¡¯s abrupt shout, the nymph fell off her head and fluttered back around in surprise. Cira looked down and noticed bloody scratches on her arms and slowly retracted her grip, letting her arms hang to the side and steadying her breath, ¡°Phew¡­ Almost lost myself there.¡±


    That nagging feeling was the harsh exterior of Fount Salt. Deep ravines and crevices were carved into her skin. Thousands of them. Shelves jutted out into nothing, crumbling in the winds. It wouldn¡¯t stop drawing her attention and she found herself having to hold back from trying to scratch herself more. ¡°Okay, this is more than I signed up for, but it¡¯s going to drive me insane.¡±


    Slowly, the outer face of the island started to melt back into itself, very gradually smoothing over at a nigh imperceptible pace. This was an excruciatingly slow process as the island had a ridiculous amount of surface area, and it added some more pain to her diet, but it couldn¡¯t be ignored now that she was beginning to settle into her current form. She felt more sensitive to the island itself than when she awoke, and less so to herself.


    Excess mounds of salt and the shelves that hung precariously all dripped away and formed massive orbs which hovered at the ready. By the time she was done, Fount Salt would really become that pearl on the horizon.


    In her mission to bring holy light to the hundreds left injured inside the island and envelop her chosen rivers in a time-resistant shell all while trying to get rid of that horrible itch, Cira didn¡¯t notice an ominous ship floating down from Uren. Its sails bore the sheen of mithril lining and there was an Earth Vein insignia painted on the hull.

 67 - Snakes in the Garden

    Reshaping oneself was an arduous task. Doing so required a great deal of concentration, but to concentrate too deeply, oneself may be forever lost. She was already thinking many times over, much more than previously considered possible. If her single line of individual consciousness paused for even a moment, she feared she would be incapable of starting it back up again. This was not yet proven fact, but to prevent this Cira had her reliable friend Nina dance around on top of her head, flitting her wings about from the perch. It kept Cira present and being present afforded her much time to think.


    By now she had finished healing all of the injured she could find. That long creek-side settlement had received the worst of it, but they had apparently been assisted by a mage in her stead. A nameless spellcaster dressed in rags lived there, and he could manipulate the water to pluck victims from it into safety. She realized this man was probably the only reason she wouldn¡¯t end the day as a mass murderer.


    ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it like you always do, Cira.¡± Gazen¡¯s voice crept into her head, ¡°The one who pays the price is none other than yourself.¡±


    Well, he was wrong this time. And when Dad¡¯s wrong, it¡¯s overwhelmingly so. Was he underestimating me? The destruction she wrought could not be denied. As a testament to how this island survived so long in the first place, it didn¡¯t fall apart, but there was debris everywhere. Whenever she stopped to heal, she had to repair the caves, surrounding walls and sometimes buildings.


    Far, far too reckless, but what else could I do? Pappy was an idiot to think something anything short of this could fix the flooding. But¡­ maybe I should have turned down the job. Nobody would have been hurt, I wouldn¡¯t have had to deceive Nanri, and I¡¯d be far away by now.


    The shock of waking up and having brought doom to Fount Salt with her very own hands had kept her preoccupied. For a while she frantically searched the island for dead but miraculously found none. She could only show gratitude to the hardy salt beneath her feet and whatever laws of this world kept the islands afloat. Perhaps there is another which holds them together, else they¡¯d collapse under their own weight. Still, her heart beat relentlessly like a war drum and she couldn¡¯t calm her nerves. She walked a fine line between salvation and genocide today; it was sheer luck that Cira came out on top.


    That fact was not lost on the reckless young sorcerer. Her hands trembled as she tried to push it down for later. She knew she screwed up on an unprecedented scale, but this was hardly the time to wallow in it.


    By now her commandeered titanium had crawled its way past Uru. Countless rivers were abandoned and by now a series of main waterways had begun to form, each splitting off to wherever water was needed with a few points of convergence. Uru was one such point. The people there were still reeling from whatever disaster she caused and then the rain of holy light that struck the city. The disaster miraculously cleaned itself up as the people healed in uncertain panic.


    But I did all of this. This entire disaster is my fault. If I see one more person praising me¡­ Uru was particularly bad because that¡¯s where the high priest resided. Cira had overheard him saying some nonsensical things as she stopped to heal Uru earlier. She tried not to look too closely as her metal overtook the city, but this place took a personal touch.


    She didn¡¯t want to ruin the natural beauty of the former queen¡¯s nest. The way the water trickled down from the ceiling was indeed difficult to copy as Nanri claimed. Cira had to take extra care to replicate the texture of the bare salt and cheated by making it just for show while most of the water bypassed the chamber entirely before coming back in at the bottom to retain the rivers which already flowed beneath the city. By the time she was done with it, it looked closer to the active queen¡¯s nest than it did before.


    Cira¡¯s reconstruction was well on its way to the spring, but her mind was still down in Uru. She had watched them earlier, not long after she awoke on the floor in a pool of blood. Seeing Nanri¡¯s determined efforts to heal Lomp put a smile on her face. Cira remembered how long she spent reading it herself and the look on Nanri¡¯s face when she told her the books were a present. Seeing her gifts set to good use made a tinge of pride well up in Cira¡¯s chest. It was bittersweet.


    The sorcerer didn¡¯t want to say goodbye, and the thin silver lining she clung to was that she didn¡¯t have to say goodbye in the end. Not really¡ªshe hid from doing it directly. Cira was never any good at writing letters either, but she poured her heart into the necklace in hopes the gift would soften the blow of her betrayal.


    It¡¯s a pittance at best, Cira thought after watching her open the box, but if it can help keep you safe, that¡¯s enough for me.


    It wasn¡¯t until the witch made it to the bottom and unfolded her letter that Cira¡¯s heart grew heavy again. ¡°I at least wanted to say goodbye,¡± the witch had said. And it wasn¡¯t until then Cira realized she wasn¡¯t very satisfied with how things turned out this time at all. She began to think she could have handled things in a hundred different ways and been better off.


    A sorcerer does not lie. I know I told her that. And it¡¯s pretty clear that rat¡¯s out of the bag now. It makes me wonder if any of the lies were necessary in the first place. She was certain they weren¡¯t, but then she couldn¡¯t help wondering if they would have become friends had she denied being a witch from the get-go. Would we have fought? Would we have simply gone about our separate business?


    Cira let out a long groan. ¡°This is getting me nowhere¡­ I can wallow once I¡¯m beyond the clouds.¡± She reinstated her dimnut copium and tried returning to her tasks at hand. The rivers didn¡¯t require a lot of attention, but smoothing the islands surface did. Hundreds of balls of raw material floated around it now. While the titanium continued to rise, the salt fell¡ªmost of it would be needed below.


    While Fount Salt was getting a much-needed makeover, Cira had also begun work on what would become the new Zero Stratum. She plucked the nymph off her head and held her in her palms. ¡°Any requests, Nina? I¡¯m building your forever home.¡±


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    In perhaps a great feat of intelligence, Nina pulled down the brim of her hat and hid behind her knees facing away from Cira.


    ¡°I¡¯ll never understand you, Nina¡­¡± Cira wistfully returned her focus below the island. She left a gargantuan blob of metal down there for this. It was unclear to her at this point if Nanri would be able to stick around to work on the project, so she wanted to get it started at the very least.


    I¡¯ve learned the nymphs like large, open spaces with plenty of room to lazily spread their wings. Water is needed, of course, but they seemed to enjoy the waterfalls over in the sanctuary. Maybe I could add a few water features. Some light artifacts should help the effect. I could even build them a fake spring! They didn¡¯t seem averse to titanium, necessarily, but they don¡¯t seem to like their home being built out of it.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it!¡± Nina stopped hiding and looked over her shoulder. ¡°Good thing I studied up on practical geomancy.¡±


    The book she offhandedly read for fun before arriving at this island would be a great help here. To begin her first attempt, she started working off the current real queen¡¯s nest. She spun out long lattices of dense titanium which dug into the surrounding solid island and formed a frame against it. Soon the lattices swung down and formed hollow pillars, boxing in an area about half the size of the nest. Spheres of salt found their way in, seeping throughout the woven frame and lining the inside with a thick layer.


    Aside from its oddly uniform shape, it looked nigh indistinguishable from the queen¡¯s nest it grew off, just another bulge in the island¡¯s exterior. Still more orbs of salt flew in and seemingly straight through, shaping the terrain inside to be a little less boring and hardening anything inside as much as possible to resist centuries of moisture.


    A few waterfalls came in from above, lit from behind with cerulean light artifacts. They all split into a menagerie of little creeks or rivers. Whether or not they would enjoy them, she made some stylized faux-wooden (titanium) bridges and trees. A waterwheel for good measure, with a light that spun around. Some rivers stood on precarious stilts and flew through the air, secretly supported in great deal by titanium and only plated with hardened salt.


    Of course, on top of all the titanium in case it ever eroded, all the rivers in this place were lined with the most hardened salt she could muster. So much so that it strained her mind, and she felt a draw on the deritium. Checking it with a glance, the one in her orbit was hardly taller than she was.


    Now that I¡¯m getting used to it, I can feel it everywhere. It¡¯s seeping into the salt, and still flowing through the waters as if I never plucked it away. I can¡¯t stop it from leaching in, but¡­ Why don¡¯t I use it?


    It was everywhere, so she quickly started to take advantage of it for her continued ascent up the island. Cira wanted to have some close by later and she was attuned with this piece, but she worried what would happen if that were to be exhausted before she finished her work here.


    She could pull more from elsewhere ahead of time, but all her peripheral deritium deposits were pumping their mana to the outside to fund her beautification efforts and letting Aquon sap off them to aid her vertical conquest.


    In Zero Stratum, the first section was nearing completion, and she began on the next. Using these techniques, she could make truly massive structures using about half of each material, even leaving a little air channel in the middle. It was just large enough for the nymphs to fly through and she thought it might be fun.


    The decorations and amusement installations varied, but she plopped down a few more of similar make about once an hour, by her estimate. Soon it was almost like a nest of honeycombs with the real queen¡¯s nest protected inside. Take that, smugglers! Protecting the queen¡¯s nest was an accidental bonus, but she thought it was a nice touch. Soon there were nine honeycombs set up, totaling a great deal more space than the original nest alone.


    Many of the rivers that used to fall from the queen¡¯s nest connected into her newly crafted chambers and she took the liberty of widening each opening so the nymphs could just wander in. There were so many of these rivers that snaked throughout the entire complex from the island above, that they worked as added supports. All the titanium on the island was a solid piece, more or less. I wonder what modern magicians think of load-bearing rivers.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve outdone myself, Nina. You should go check it out,¡± She tried encouraging her with a nudge, ¡°Go on, I think you¡¯ll really like it down there.¡±


    The nymph emerged from her hat like a hermit crab would and stood up, looking Cira in the eyes and crossing her arms.


    ¡°A-are you serious?¡± Cira was at a loss, ¡°You haven¡¯t even seen it, and you don¡¯t like it?¡±


    It was the grumpiest face she thought Nina had ever made, and before she could get another word in, the nymph fluttered off through the wall.


    ¡°Geez, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± That didn¡¯t feel great for the sorcerer. A frown formed on her face, and she let her endless gaze wander, ¡°Why do I keep pushing my friends away? I just wanted to help¡­¡±


    As she drifted through the island, the sound of countless wings made her snap back to reality, ¡°Huh? Nina?¡± The nymph was fluttering before her, still crossing her arms but with a mildly different expression, ¡°Why do you look so smug?¡±


    Behind her there was a mass migration of her fellow nymphs, seeming to flow out from the sanctuary, above, and below. Even the spring chamber¡¯s population had thinned considerably. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    To find this out she followed them as they floated through her monolithic and salty body with Spatial Sight. There were groups of nymphs all flowing down the island, as if coordinated. It wasn¡¯t fast, and it would take a while to get there, but they each had their own path, with a single nymph at the front.


    ¡°No way, are those all queens?!¡± She turned to her lone conversation partner who held the same smug pose without falter. There¡¯s nine of them¡­ Did this little scamp have a hand in this? Cira eyed her suspiciously, but the nymph held strong. Lomp had said there were a few, but nine seemed like a lot¡ªostensibly ten. ¡°Were they already queens, or did you make them queens? What in the world does that make you then, huh?¡±


    Nina spryly twisted around and hid in her hat. ¡°You¡¯re kidding¡­¡± With a sigh, Cira turned her attention back to the island. She considered making another of row nests above the last, when something caught her attention. It felt like a mosquito pricking her bum, ¡°Yowch! What creature dare?¡±


    That¡¯s where the New Shores District was¡­ When did that ship get there? It¡¯s got an awful large Earth Vein insignia¡­ Should I take the mithril from their sail? No, that would surely cause issues¡­ ¡°Tch. I guess this means the witch has come. But what bit me?¡±


    The ship had a large hull crafted with red-stained wood and only a single low-profile mast that did most of the work. The canopy sails which held it aloft were sleek and almost shaped like wings. Definitely a pretentious vessel, Cira thought. She looked past it and noticed a hole blasted into the salt with black char marring the edges.


    There was no activity on deck, but as she peered into the hole and followed the trail of mana she found two women dressed in robes approaching Nymphus with a commanding gait. How crass. They would bust straight through the wall to infiltrate my island?

 68 - The Astral Witch Cometh

    There was a loud clattering against the floor and the flimsy bed frame shook beneath her, ¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing at a time like this, Whelp?¡± Nanri jolted awake and met a pair of electrifying golden eyes that she recognized to great dismay. She wore pristine white robes and a pointed hat to match. As her narrow face fell into a deeper frown, her brows furrowed. This witch¡¯s gaze held an indignant fury, ¡°Well? Do you intend to say nothing?¡±


    Nanri blinked the sleep out of her eyes and cleared her throat, sliding out of bed. She stood up, still in her robes from the night prior, and looked at the woman who rudely awoke her. Old as the bat was, she looked as young as Kate. She had been dreading seeing her former history of witchcraft instructor again, but upon waking she found it absent from her well of worries, ¡°It¡¯s been a while, hasn¡¯t it Estelle? I see you are much the same.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± The ornery little witch approached her and puffed up, ¡°You don¡¯t get to talk to me like that, and you¡¯re missing the ¡®Madam¡¯. Now that we¡¯re beyond your education, you will call me none other than Lady Astral Witch, is that understood?¡±


    This witch had many stories about her floating around these skies¡ªmany of them tragedies. She taught history because she experienced it, but she was now a revered inquisitor for the mighty Earth Vein. This woman would surely make trouble for Cira if they met¡­ She must have been in such a hurry because she knew it would become a fight. I need to make sure they don¡¯t tear down all our efforts here.


    ¡°You¡¯ve awoken me at my bedside after a very long day, I don¡¯t intend to indulge you.¡± Nanri decided to stand her ground, but this one could vaporize her if she decided to.


    ¡°Are you being serious right now?!¡± This infuriated the new witch, ¡°Do you even understand how much shit you¡¯re in? You will explain everything, immediately. Starting with The New Shores District and whatever the hell is happening at Zero Stratum.¡±


    ¡°Th-the New Shores District?¡± This caught the Titan Witch off guard. She was genuinely confused, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Estelle scoffed, pacing over to the nearest window, ¡°Is that supposed to be a joke? Do you mean to say you haven¡¯t the slightest clue what¡¯s going on?¡± The older witch kept glancing between her and the expanse outside with incredulous shock.


    Nanri cautiously stepped over to the window. She knew the water was glowing already, despite not understanding how, but didn¡¯t know anything about the lower stratums. She peered out the window and an uneasy expression grew on her face. The rivers shimmered as she remembered and it reflected off the sides of the river like the lighted pathways of Nymphus. Wherever the water touched had been coated with titanium and lined with a flared edge to isolate it from the salt entirely.


    ¡°Well? Get talking¡ª¡± The Astral Witch¡¯s voice seethed with anger, but as she looked at Nanri, she was stopped in her tracks, ¡°What in the blazes are you wearing that stupid smile on your face for?! Are you completely disconnected from reality?!¡± She snapped in Nanri¡¯s face.


    ¡°This¡­ this means¡­¡± The young witch looked down at her superior with joy and relief unabashedly plastered on her face. It was the very portrait of Nanri¡¯s sunniest smile. ¡°She¡¯s alive! She has to be if she¡¯s done all this!¡±


    Estelle¡¯s jaw hung open and she gave Nanri a vicious scowl, but before she could get any words out, there was a shirtless man standing at one of the windows and his abrupt shout bounced around the workshop , ¡°Holy crap! I knew she was alive! Lomp, you gotta come check this out! Wait, where did Lomp go¡ª¡±


    ¡°Silence!¡± The Astral Witch yelled really loud, for she could not cast wind magic. Still, it startled Triton¡¯s soul out of his body, his body visibly turning the shade of salt as he perpetually gasped, looking between Nanri and the new witch in shock. ¡°Nanri, just who are these people?¡± Her voice was curt, and she did not share their joy.


    She waved her hand over two frightened groups, ¡°Our team of exorcists and alchemists respectively. They are instrumental in producing the cure, which is what you see happening here.¡±


    ¡°And do you intend to tell me who didn¡¯t die?¡± Her nails clacked on the crystal set atop her staff.


    All the cure crew¡¯s blood ran cold, and they looked as far away from this new witch as possible. This was, of course, Nanri¡¯s question to answer. And a sorcerer never lies, ¡°That would be the Hidden Witch.¡± There was a pleasant grin on her face.


    She swore she could see a blood vessel pop in her old mentor¡¯s forehead, ¡°And you thought it would be alright to allow this ¡®Hidden Witch¡¯¡± She made quotes with her fingers, ¡°to melt down all of Earth Vein¡¯s metal that we paid you to expand the island with?!¡±


    Now, it had not been more than two or three minutes since waking up. Triton was the first of the others to brave getting out of bed, oblivious as he was, and upon the outburst, they had all shrunk to the far wall. Still, Nanri had not connected events with what she saw before her. Looking closer into the river, she inspected the newly reinforced canals with greater scrutiny.


    It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s all titanium. Cira is lining all the islands rivers with it¡­? That¡¯s insane. And she got it from¡­ Down below? She was still riding the high of finding out she was alive, but her expression froze when she finally made the realization. ¡°Do¡­ you mean to say the New Shores District is gone?¡± Nanri¡¯s voice now faltered. ¡°And Zero Stratum?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re finally realizing what you¡¯ve gone and done, is that it?¡± At Nanri¡¯s broken expression, Estelle chuckled, ¡°I don¡¯t even know where to begin with how much you¡¯re clearly implicated in, but yes, the New Shores District is gone, since you¡¯re apparently oblivious. And we had reports of nineteen missed shipments! They ran out of room at the dock yesterday, so I¡¯m going to need you to wrack that tiny little brain of yours and explain to me how THE ENTIRE COMPLEX IS GONE! There¡¯s god damn giant balls of it flying around!¡±


    Nanri shrunk back as her teacher¡¯s tirade continued. She had been yelled at like that by her before, but there were too many things on her mind to think in the face of it. Did she just earn my trust to use up all of my titanium? Was that really it? That¡­ That couldn¡¯t be. What about the letter? She¡­ regrets it? Her teacher was livid, Nanri was too lost in thought to hear her. She¡­ must have known that I would be here when the Estelle arrived. She didn¡¯t just leave me here to stick me with all the blame¡­ did she? Nanri felt her heart crumbling, but the Astral Witch wouldn¡¯t give her a moment to think, clattering her staff on the ground and letting out a blinding flash.


    ¡°Are you even listening to me?!¡± There was light behind her eyes and even the group in the back could feel the mana radiating from her. While the others were still huddled up trying to remove themselves from the situation, they were visibly unsettled to see Nanri getting belittled so harshly. To them, she was like a step down from Cira, who stood above this new witch in their mind after experiencing yesterday¡¯s maelstrom.


    Panic was setting in though, as this one was undoubtedly strong, and of the worst class of witch known across the skies, and actively furious right in front of them. Their faith in Nanri lowered, and they watched the smaller witch snap in her face again, ¡°Hello?! Are you seriously crying?!¡±


    Nanri blinked a couple of times and wiped her eyes, ¡°Shut up¡ª¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Her mana flared as she intimidated her former student.


    ¡°I said shut up!¡± Nanri stood tall though, pushing her own mana out. It was weaker than her teacher, but it was a habit of witch¡¯s pride, ¡°Are you daft? Has all that light made you go blind? Obviously Cira repurposed the New Shores District and Zero Stratum to fix the flooding on this island permanently.¡± The cerulean shimmered off her platinum hair, hiding the frays of a serious lack in recent beauty regimen.


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡± The Astral Witch¡¯s mouth hung open, ¡°That¡¯s the most absurd thing I¡¯ve ever heard. Where is this ¡®Cira the Hidden Witch¡¯ then, hmm? I¡¯d very much like to pay this omnipotent witch a visit Or, oh! Is the Hidden Witch Invisible?!¡± She was right in Nanri¡¯s face, who noticed the spittle somehow didn¡¯t reach her.


    ¡°Perhaps to ignorant eyes,¡± the young witch quipped. Her teacher¡¯s face contorted, and she took a deep breath to launch into another tirade, but Nanri didn¡¯t give her the chance, ¡°She¡¯s curing the plague! Stopping the floods, the stampedes, and¡­ and I know there was another one!¡±


    ¡°Oh, she totally mentioned famine!¡± Triton said from the back.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Chip clamped a hand over his mouth.


    ¡°All of you lessers, silence!¡± The Astral Witch¡¯s voice was pretty loud again as she shouted to Cira¡¯s dear assistants. Light grew behind her as the ambient mana felt heavier.


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    They all gulped and went silent, but a rude former sponge maiden couldn¡¯t keep all of her sass inside, ¡°Why don¡¯t you just throw one of those silent domes over us then?¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡± The Astral Witch was speechless, ¡°What in the blazes is that?!¡±


    Her anger was starting to flare up in their direction as Chip smacked Triton and avoided eye contact with her. Nanri had to step in before it got out of hand. ¡°That¡¯s right, the famine too! She¡¯s fixing every problem on this island for you, so what¡¯s the issue?¡±


    The issue is that she completely blindsided me¡­ and left without a word. We were supposed to have a nice dinner in Uru¡­ And maybe I¡¯d be on my way off this island¡­ Nanri shook the thoughts out of her head as the other witch recovered from the shellshock of such insolence.


    ¡°The issue!¡± Estelle¡¯s face was red with fury, and she growled with each word, ¡°Is the sheer amount of Earth Vein¡¯s money you simply gave away! And how much they won¡¯t make as we recover from this absolute disaster! I know you¡¯re an idiot, but you do know there is no Hidden Witch who hails from the Nightwing Isles, yes? That you¡¯ve been fooled?¡±


    Nanri was fooled, yes. She thought she had Cira figured out. The lies she knew of were one thing. They hurt her to a degree, but she thought she had come to an understanding. With Cira¡¯s position and goals, she had to hide her identity. But alas, the sorcerer had been planning to sweep all her work out from under her and escape into the sky.


    Her chest tightened as her mind roiled, a brewing storm of doubt and anxiety. She felt sad, and abandoned down here in this cave. ¡°Regretfully, Cira¡± She¡­ really betrayed me, didn¡¯t she? To save the island, she pulled the wool over my eyes. But¡­ If she had just talked to me first.


    Nanri thought of that morning when they had a late breakfast on the balcony talking about nothing and simply flew away on a whim. Cira was often like that, so prone to following whims, but no matter which way the wind blew, she always stayed on course. She remembered later that day when they got to the plague ward, and a smirk grew on her face, finally finding the answer for her former mentor.


    ¡°If you have not heard of the Hidden Witch,¡± Nanri leaned in, with a low, serious tone, ¡°Perhaps it is for good reason.¡±


    ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± Chip could be seen near-strangling Triton and struggling to choose between a thumbs up and a nervous wave with his other hand. Cira would have laughed with the poor ol¡¯ smuggler, Nanri was certain.


    ¡°You must be joking.¡± Estelle struggled to find the humor here.


    ¡°Hey Stella, she might be right.¡± A dull and quiet voice startled Nanri out of her skin as she jolted and looked at the girl next to her.


    ¡°L-Lyren?!¡± She gazed at the little witch in shock. She wore faint purple robes that wisped to the ground like willows. She had a distant look and dark bags under her eyes, marring an otherwise rather soft face. ¡°When did you get here?!¡±


    ¡°I was always here¡­¡± Her tone droned on mostly the same pitch. She hid her face behind a deep charcoal colored mane of hair, ¡°You just couldn¡¯t see me.¡±


    ¡°I see you haven¡¯t changed either.¡± Nanri clicked her tongue. Lyren the Dimension Witch was a reclusive girl who didn¡¯t often stick her nose in other people¡¯s affairs. For what it¡¯s worth, she never went out of her way to bother Nanri, or anyone for that matter. When they crossed it was strictly business¡ªthat seemed to be how Lyren liked it with everybody if she could help it.


    ¡°Whatever are you talking about, little Lyren?¡± The Astral Witch fluttered her eyelashes and leaned closer in an undeniable show of perplexed irritation.


    ¡°Uh¡­ You know¡­¡± She looked over both shoulders and made her voice even quieter, ¡°The Unseen¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut your mouth!¡± Estelle demanded, ¡°Right this instant. You know you¡¯re never supposed to speak those words. It¡¯s just a fairy tale.¡± She was fuming.


    ¡°Oh, come on¡­¡± Lyren shrunk back as her mentor¡¯s gaze growing slightly translucent as she nervously shivered, ¡°We all know they exist, or you elders wouldn¡¯t be so weird about it¡ª¡±


    ¡°I said shut up!¡± Her staff clacked with another blinding light. ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­¡± She muttered while everyone recovered.


    As Nanri was able to see again, Estelle continued in a rage, ¡°And who was it that gave authorization to pull up all that prima salt? Is that what you¡¯ve been doing all week instead of building worker housing?¡± She walked over to the massive prima hoard and picked some up with her hand. Her neck snapped back to Nanri, and she could tell there was an incredible lecture coming on. Estelle could no longer control the lights flashing as her temper reached a breaking point. Then as she stomped back over to Nanri, the salt wisped away right out of her hand, ¡°Wha.. What is this?¡± Her voice went cold as she glared at Nanri.


    ¡°It¡¯s that big magic circle¡­¡± Lyren answered, pointing her eyes to the dull glyphs surrounding the salt.


    ¡°Well remove it, then!¡± Estelle gave her an incredulous look, ¡°That¡¯s half the reason I took you on as my assistant. What even are these? Some elementary null spell?¡±


    ¡°Nope¡­¡± Lyren¡¯s dark hair swished around as she shook her head, ¡°I can¡¯t remove them. Already tried¡­ You should get away from them too.¡±


    While slightly offended, the Astral Witch still heeded the warning, ¡°And whyever is that? I don¡¯t have time for your riddles, Lyren. Tell me what they are.¡±


    ¡°Curses¡­¡± She was taken aback, but so was Nanri, to a great degree. Curses¡­? Why does Cira know how to place curses? I don¡¯t remember seeing her look into them in the forbidden archive. That¡¯s where they¡¯d be right? I remember the bookshelf vividly. So why curses? She said it was for protection.


    ¡°Impossible, we¡¯re dealing with a curse witch?¡± Their mentor seemed to be sizing her up, ¡°That makes it easy, in fact. If we kill the caster, they¡¯ll be dismissed. And she must be in a frail state with this much missing.¡± She scanned the workshop trying to count all the gray glyphs, quickly realizing the number was too great. Removing herself from the prima salt circle didn¡¯t help much, but there were no apparent effects.


    The corrupted piece of one¡¯s aura which forms a ¡®curse¡¯ could not be removed from one¡¯s soul. Even if expended or laid on another, it never leaves. However, we¡¯re talking about cursed people. Objects and areas bore curses in entirely different fashions, but each one placed was still a piece of one¡¯s soul. It would return upon dispersal, likewise the caster dying would hasten that outcome.


    ¡°Nope¡­¡± Lyren shook her head again, poking her upper body out from nothing and evidently leaning with her elbows on thin air, ¡°You¡¯re thinking of a standard soul-bound contract curse.¡±


    Nanri and her mentor both stared at the timid witch, causing her to grow more translucent still. ¡°Go on¡­¡± Estelle urged.


    ¡°While the same would be true for an affliction-type curse, those are for people¡­¡± When her mentor¡¯s glare intensified, she nervously finished her explanation, ¡°I think these curses are entirely different. Much older¡­ I think they might be primordial curses¡­¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡± Estelle was shocked, but quickly realized and gained her composure. ¡°I mean, are you certain? How is that possible? Primal script is lost. Why can¡¯t we just kill her?¡±


    Nanri shook at the nonchalant mention of her friend¡¯s assassination, as if it were a matter of course.


    Lyren answered the question, ¡°It is lost¡­ Only first era demons should know it, and they¡¯re extinct. Even if we kill her now, she might just turn into a lich and appear in the middle of these glyphs.¡±


    ¡°Cira¡­¡± Nanri muttered, ¡°A lich¡­?¡±


    ¡°Well, no matter.¡± Estelle¡¯s staff started blaring light, ¡°It¡¯s not my job to play with curses, nor deal with impudent little girls. We¡¯ll kill the lessers then hunt down our stray witch. If we have to hunt a lich afterwards, then so be it. Go ahead and restrain Nanri.¡±


    As she barked orders, the Dimension Witch was nowhere to be seen. But her soft voice could still be heard, ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s safe to touch her... What if she''s cursed too? ¡±


    As mana coalesced at the tip of Estelle¡¯s staff, the exorcists and alchemists all hugged each other and bid their farewells to the world. More than one of them were seeing flashbacks of Silver Lake¡ªthis witch was much more inline with what they knew. Five minutes around her and they were staring death in the face, ruing the cruel circumstances of their births.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you!¡± Nanri stepped between the Astral Witch and the ones she¡¯d come to know over the last few days. Some she¡¯d hardly known for a full day, but they had all come together to make a difference here, more or less willingly. They were important to everything her and Cira worked on together, and they were important to her. Earth mana blazed behind Nanri as the metal sphere in the air behind her lit up like one of the sorcerer¡¯s Lamplights. Her voice was clear and confident, but her hands trembled. It was no secret that she would lose in a fight, but she had to stand her ground. ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to hurt them.¡±


    ¡°Pah!¡± Estelle spit in a very unladylike gesture of disdain, ¡°You think you can stand against me?! You really are a traitor, aren¡¯t you? In fact, I think all you¡¯ve helped do here could be considered high treason. Imagine how disappointed your father will be.¡± Her words were sharp and laced with poison. She knew deeply about Nanri¡¯s personal life and what would really cut into her.


    Nanri¡¯s heart raced as her own mana struggled to compete against the dominating light converging at her opponent¡¯s hand, ¡°I don¡¯t care! If doing what¡¯s right is treason, then I will never yield to you. Coming to this island was a mistake in the first place. I never should have let Mother send me here, but no matter what, I will not let you destroy what we have built.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± Estelle¡¯s dispassionate voice made Nanri¡¯s blood run cold. ¡°Then you are in my way.¡±


    The gem atop her staff flashed and a focused beam of light blasted out of it aimed at Nanri, rippling the air as it rapidly burned any in its path. The incipient fragments of a titanium shield was forming, but it wouldn¡¯t make it in time¡ªlight was simply too fast to beat. Nanri had stood in her path without thinking too far ahead, but in that instant, she had to wonder if she would even serve as a shield. Concentrated light like that could go straight through the island, let alone a frail witch who¡¯s too slow to conjure a shield.


    In this split instant, Nanri¡¯s eyes were beginning to shoot open and she only trembled once or twice when the ear-piercing chirp brought an imminent ray of light before her eyes. The world seemed to slow down as she started to register her final moment and everything around her was blanched in pure white.


    I¡¯m sorry Cira¡­ I let you down, didn¡¯t I?


    She waited for death to come, but the raging light lost its intensity. She blinked in confusion and saw it all condensing above her head, then the light started to wisp around almost like Cira¡¯s water staff did. It formed a spiraling stream of light before finding its way into the sapphire pendant hung from Nanri¡¯s neck. With a final burst of light and a dying chirp, the Astral Witch¡¯s attack was gone, and the blue gem had gained new luster.


    With her face frozen in shock, Nanri took the pendant in her hand. There was a mixture of awe and gratitude in her eyes, with relief creeping around somewhere. Nanri went through a flurry of emotions, but looking into this sapphire, she felt a weight lift from off her heart.


    ¡°I think I get it now, Cira¡­¡± Nanri rolled it over in her hand, sparkling in the light, ¡°You didn¡¯t want to leave me like you did. You thought you had to¡­¡± She let the pendant swing to a rest and left one last muttering before returning to the threat at hand, ¡°You stupid sorcerer¡­¡±

 69 - The Ubiquitous One

    ¡°Little Nanri¡­¡± The Astral Witch¡¯s voice was frigid and Uru¡¯s plague ward had already begun lighting back up with her mana. ¡°What have you done?¡±


    Is this lady serious? She saw it with her own eyes. Cira watched from her springside abode as the witches approached and began accosting Nanri. The sorcerer¡¯s apprentice had stood tall against someone much stronger than her. Cira gathered her to be some kind of superior that she had a history with but could not tell more. Your intermediate light spell was obviously absorbed into the beautiful necklace hung from my charming assistant¡¯s neck.


    But oh, how I don¡¯t deserve Nanri. If she weren¡¯t there everything could have fallen apart, or my workers may have been hurt. I never would have asked her to face off against other witches though. I really thought this new one would take longer and arrive alone. Earth Vein must have some kind of outpost not long up the Noose.


    Nanri held her head high but looked just as confused. ¡°Your guess is as good as mine. This was just a gift.¡± But she couldn¡¯t hide a slight smirk.


    While her mentor flared in rage, Cira watched a girl materialize out of thin air, showing only her upper body. With dark hair and a wispy demeanor, this girl reached for Nanri¡¯s pendant, ¡°No way, where¡¯d you get a celestial orchid¡ª¡± Nanri slapped her hand away.


    ¡°No touching! I just told you it was a gift. I don¡¯t even know what that is.¡± She looked at her acquaintance with scorn.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it right back¡­¡± The girl looked truly disappointed as she became slightly less visible. To Cira¡¯s eyes this witch was endlessly fun to watch. She gathered it was the Lyren she heard about who enchanted Zero Stratum before, and she was no slouch with spatial sorcery. ¡°I just want to look at it¡­¡±


    She wasn¡¯t actually teleporting or ¡®appearing out of thin air¡¯. The timid little witch was using something called Phase Shift. A few different kinds, actually. The dimension we live in is complex, and it seemed when this girl got nervous, she would react by Phase Shifting in such a way to allow increasing amounts of light through the space she occupied.


    One could also Phase Shift to remove themselves from the physical realm entirely. Cira¡¯s favorite part about this is that Lyren had figured out how to do this in partial so she could inch her way into the material realm at her own pace, never letting too much out. This of course blocked light as well, hence how only half her body could be seen, but she still got nervous and became translucent with the other half.


    This amused Cira to no end because this type of Phase Shifting still left you subject to aethereal influence, meaning it was useless when facing off against a wielder of magic. There were other techniques for that, but this girl showed no sign of using them. She merely manipulated reality to suit her anxious tendencies.


    There was a certain beauty in that which struck a chord in Cira¡¯s heart, and she swore to practice her Phase Shifting when she had the time.


    ¡°This is hardly the time, Lyren.¡± Nanri¡¯s exasperated voice had a familiar tone to it, almost like she was talking to an old friend. ¡°Now tell me what a Celestial Orchid is. I thought this was a sapphire.¡±


    ¡°You¡ªyou stupid girl!¡± Estelle shouted again, ¡°You would wear such a treasure and mistake it for a common mineral?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s super duper rare¡­¡± Lyren continued, ¡°It blooms in accordance with the stars and grows higher than anyone can fly.¡±


    Nanri looked at her funny, ¡°Then how do they find them? And do you mean to say this is a flower?¡± She tapped her fingernail on it¡ªhard as stone. The exact same transparency and gleam of a precious gem.


    ¡°Who knows¡­ It¡¯s an orchid, like I said.¡± Lyren leaned out so far, she was balancing on the rim of her Phase Shift trying to get a good look. ¡°It¡¯s not something people just give away. Especially not enchanted.¡± She squinted at Nanri dubiously.


    She wore a proud grin, ¡°Maybe Cira is just that impressive.¡±


    Dad gave it to me on a brooch when I was a kid¡­ Maybe I should have asked where he got it. Cira only used it for the pendant because it conducted mana better than anything she¡¯d ever seen. It was perfect. Good thing I don¡¯t care about money. She continued observing the witches.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of this.¡± The Astral Witch stomped up holding her staff back, and Nanri winced as she swung it with all her strength. ¡°Hyahh! guh¡ªwhat¡­?¡±


    Fool, did you think it merely absorbed magic?! Her staff glanced off an invisible force surrounding Nanri powered by her own spell, and the face it conjured was one you could only get by thoroughly baffling someone whose lived for centuries. Cira had been troubled, and likely would be again later, but watching Nanri act so cool while this other witch kept making herself look stupid was the best show she could ask for. There was no doubt she was powerful, but she was also rude.


    ¡°H-how are you doing that?!¡± She raged, ¡°You¡¯re nothing but a whelp to grind beneath my boot!¡± Her staff started firing off beams of light at Nanri to no avail. They kept absorbing into her necklace which grew brighter with each attack. It slurped up the mana faster than she could form the next one. How can anything conduct mana that fast? Did I overdo it again?


    She was interested to see how much it held, or if Nanri would do anything with it. However, her mood was quickly soured as the apparently old witch continued laying into Nanri, ¡°You¡¯ve always been talentless, dragging at your parents¡¯ heels!¡± Light grew in her eyes as she tried forming a mana crystal to throw at Nanri. ¡°You¡¯re useless, and now you¡¯ve found someone strong who¡¯s willing to let you leech off her, is that it?¡±


    Estelle¡¯s eyes were vicious, scrounging for ways to get under Nanri skin as her attacks repeatedly failed to reach and her mana crystals mysteriously failed to materialize. Cira did not like her tone one bit. The witch she had come to known had been blatantly indoctrinated and fed lies, only to get shoved in a cave at her mother¡¯s whim. Yet she still had a good enough heart to see through the lies when they were thrown in front of her, and the unyielding resolve to make things right.


    Nanri hungered for knowledge. Not just for sorcery, but for the world and how she should live in it. It was clear, the way Nanri looked like a bird let out of a cage as she followed her around over the last few days. She wanted more and hadn¡¯t stopped for a moment in striving for it as she did her best to help Cira. Watching her stand off against this other witch with confidence she hadn¡¯t yet displayed made Cira smile. She has a path ahead of her now. I can see it in her eyes.


    But the Astral Witch was pissing her off. This entire time Cira had been avoiding interfering, only watching in case she absolutely had to step in. Cira did not want to be the omniscient hand of absolution throughout Fount Salt. For one, starting a fight could destroy the plague ward and/or Uru. For two, she did not want to cause even more trouble for Nanri.


    She could not, however, find it in her heart to keep listening to this hag spout off at her ostensible friend. The rivers¡¯ radiance grew as all her focus went into it, blaring through the windows a bright blinding cerulean directly into Estelle¡¯s eyes.


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    ¡°Ahh, what in the¡ª¡± Splash! Slap! ¡°Gah, bitch¡ªwhat is this?!¡± She snarled, soaking wet in Nanri¡¯s face. The light around her burned bright as the weight bore down on Nanri, then suddenly, everything was blue again. The witch¡¯s light was snuffed out and her face froze mid insult while she processed that fact.


    Of course, Cira couldn¡¯t leave the ol¡¯ gal sopping wet like that. She lent her a hand by throwing small clumps of salt at her to help absorb the moisture as it puffed out on contact. She was quickly coated in a fine layer of salt. Her eye twitched as she worked up a growl.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this?!¡± She yelled super loud, Cira noted, yet still she directed her anger at Nanri as if she had done it herself, though it didn¡¯t help that she was snickering and trying to hide it. Meanwhile, Estelle¡¯s frustration grew as she seethed when a boisterous laugh came from the back of the room. My man, Triton.


    ¡°See! I told you guys, hah! Guess that settles that.¡± He dusted his hands of as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Well, I guess I didn¡¯t plan to let him get hurt, but now I feel like he¡¯s using me.


    ¡°Such insolence!¡± Estelle flared up in a pillar of light, burning off the salt and water and leaving her robes. Cira cut it off a mere second before she was done, just to irritate her. ¡°I demand to know the meaning of this, Nanri!¡± She pointed her staff and let loose of a beam of light at Triton. Nanri wasn¡¯t in the way this time and it flashed past her faster than she could see anyway. Triton had only just registered death by the time the beam had already been stopped. It hung there in front of his face and slowly floated away.


    Higher and higher it climbed as it burned continuously brighter. Cira pumped it full of so much mana it was like a radiant sun. It reflected off the Astral Witch¡¯s face as she stood there in shock, waving her staff around trying to control it. She couldn¡¯t, of course, because it was Cira¡¯s now. Neither could she conjure any other light and she stood there stammering as she could do nothing but watch the massive sun rise, assuming its place at the top of the chamber and bringing an early dawn to the plague ward.


    ¡°Nanri, I will have your¡ª¡± Estelle was out of ideas and couldn¡¯t contain her rage, but Lyren manifested in front of her.


    ¡°Hey, stop. Maybe it¡¯s not such a good idea to fight her¡­¡± The witch skidded to a stop before colliding with her apprentice, an incredulous scowl plastered on her formerly fair face. ¡°¡­She stopped your light magic¡­ She sets primal curses¡­ I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on with the river, but¡­ You might want to calm down¡­¡± She faded as she made her proclamation.


    ¡°Wha¡ªget back here! You mean to say all of this was the Hidden Witch?!¡± She stretched out her mildly salty arms in show, ¡°Tch. To stop my witchcraft. How is that possible, hmm? How is any of this possible?!¡±


    Nanri watched the two argue in front of her with pursed lips, apparently unsure of what to do. Lyren continued her cryptic explanation after working up the courage, ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed¡­? Ever since we passed Uren we¡¯ve been inside of some manner of active spatial witchcraft. I think¡­ I think she¡¯s watching us now. She feels really mad¡­¡± She quickly disappeared. I can still see you, little witch.


    She¡¯s good though¡­ Anyone could sense the stupid amounts of mana I¡¯m flooding this island with, I thought, but to feel my gaze? Perhaps it¡¯s another ability she honed in her quest to disappear. Cira didn¡¯t get a bad feeling from Lyren. She didn¡¯t seem too eager to even help Estelle past stopping her from various things. Nor did she seem to hold any ill will towards Nanri, even after she¡¯d supposedly committed treason.


    ¡°You¡¯re speaking nonsense, Lyren.¡± Estelle scoffed, ¡°You¡¯re saying as we speak, she¡¯s off somewhere casting a spell over this entire island?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ pretty much. Gotta be.¡± She shrunk.


    ¡°I mean, that¡¯s what I¡¯ve been trying to say this whole time.¡± Nanri shrugged.


    ¡°How dare you?!¡± The now powerless Astral Witch demanded, ¡°Whenever did you become so vile, Nanri? You were always so meek, so worthless. So, what makes you think you can treat one such as I like this?!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Nanri¡­¡± Lyren poked just her head out, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were so cool.¡±


    ¡°You idiot! You think treason is cool?!¡± The Astral Witch did not like that.


    ¡°Estelle, enough of this. My exorcists need to get to work, and you clearly won¡¯t find Cira here.¡± Nanri looked down at her now with a diminutive glare.


    ¡°Youuuuu bitch.¡± She growled, ¡°I will destroy your alchemists.¡±


    She raised her staff again as Cira rolled her eyes, but Lyren popped out again, ¡°Hey, I mean¡­ You shouldn¡¯t do that. What if she cursed them too?¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ªUrghh¡­ unbelievable!¡± She threw out her hand in defeat, ¡°What the hell is this witch?! Nanri¡­ Where is she?¡± Her cold glare turned again to the young witch.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, the spring probably.¡± She shrugged, ¡°That¡¯s where I was going to look.¡±


    Estelle grumbled for a while and finally managed to form words, ¡°Lyren¡­ we will find this Hidden Witch and kill her. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Oh, great!¡± Nanri beamed under the Uru sun, excitement clear on her voice. ¡°I¡¯ll come with you. And, um¡­¡± She nervously looked up, ¡°Cira¡­ if you¡¯re listening. I owe you a slap in the face and you¡¯re going to take it when I see you.¡±


    ¡°Gahh!!¡± Cira cried, startling Nina off her head again, ¡°Dammit¡­ She¡¯s pissed. That checks out¡­¡±


    The Astral Witch again pulled another haughty attitude out of somewhere not even Cira could see and spit venom at Nanri, ¡°Then you will watch your friend die.¡±


    Nanri¡¯s smile did not falter. Ohoho¡­ Cira thought, a smirk sliding onto her face, So, it¡¯s a good old fashioned witch hunt, is it?


    Cira started working on her checklist. She manifested some homes on the upper ring of Uru, where it led to the Last Step. This would become the exorcists¡¯ home and hopefully they would find them as they were fully furnished.


    She watched Nanri send off the exorcists and walk away with the other two witches, then repeated the process with the alchemists¡¯ homes. They had beds made of the best wool she could conjure, which they could replace later if they felt like it. The houses were also fixed with light artifacts, a full kitchen, and running water connected to a river behind the plague ward. Everything had enough mana to last ten years, but the structures themselves got a little extra so anyone could clear out before they collapsed.


    This display startled the alchemists, and they went to investigate, but she left them. There was one more thing she had to do before leaving the plague ward and began spying on the Earth Vein Official. He was trying not to look nosy as the witches argued, but now was calming down his ducklings. He stopped in his tracks as a beam of light appeared before him and an object started materializing in the air.


    It grew to about a foot wide and it was made of salt. The Official nervously plucked it out of the air while sharing his shock with the others near him. Once he touched it, heat wafted into his face as letters were burned onto thin slate.


    REMEMBER YOUR PROMISE


    ¡°What¡­¡± His eyes bulged as the plaque turned to dust in his hands, looking around him then up at the ceiling with an expression like he was questioning his entire life.


    Cira¡¯s focus returned now to Zero Stratum. It was now complete with sixteen total chambers surrounding the original queen¡¯s nest, and Nina had even sent another group of queens down.


    ¡°Seriously, what are you, Nina?¡± She looked at her large friend with a smug grin but offered no reply.


    The first waves of nymphs had almost made it to the bottom so that solved the stampede issue. They had plenty of room to live now. Whether or not Earth Vein exploited that was yet to be seen, but all they were really doing was sweeping up the prima salt. She didn¡¯t see that as a big issue and couldn¡¯t do anything about it except not rebuild Zero Stratum. The choice was obvious.


    Meanwhile, her veins were quite full of titanium and most of her chosen pathways had surpassed the spring. Now she converted the chamber she stood in to be resistant to the elements. Personally, she liked the charm of the pristine salt cave with soft blues reflecting off it, but it would not last.


    The spring chamber got a full casing of metal, of course. It would never move again, nor would any of its water escape the pathways she meticulously crafted for it. The only entrances to the spring now were above her up staircases, and there was a spillway that led into the sky in case something caused it to overflow. This island was watertight now, she only had to work above the spring to make water naturally trickle from Uren, but the city itself was going to take a special touch. She would hit it on her way out.


    To get the water up there, she had to reimagine the infrastructure left behind millennia ago. Of course, the ancients had their time, but it would be too much work fixing their megalithic artifacts with all the missing material. Instead, leaving the elevators, she reclaimed all the rest of the brinstahl, using it inside to line the spring chamber. She thought it was a nice way to pay homage to them while destroying something they spent centuries building in seconds. There was a great deal left over, but she decided to save it for a nice little present she wanted to leave the island.


    With most of her important affairs in order, her rough exterior had smoothed over a great deal as well, and Cira was starting to feel much more comfortable again. Less of a monstrosity and more of a¡­ regular island.


    This doesn¡¯t look like a pearl at all¡­ It just looks like an egg. And it¡¯s upside down.

 70 - The Sorcerers Gauntlet and the Witches Shackles

    There were far too many witches en route for Cira to feel comfortable. Like ants crawling up her leg, she could feel their auras traveling up the elevator. That damned Dimension Witch was good, too. After wasting most of the day in hours of sluggish ascension, Estelle ordered her to speed the elevator up by pushing on it with a small gravity field. Cira even watched her check inside the artifact to make sure she wasn¡¯t damaging it.


    ¡°Nina, what do I do? I don¡¯t want to have to slow them down constantly and trapping them would just force larger and larger spells.¡± Cancelling them wasn¡¯t free after all, that Astral Witch was the real deal. Nina fluttered her wings lightly as she sat on Cira¡¯s palm. She had learned to mimic the gesture Cira makes when she¡¯s thinking. Still, as the nymph rested her chin in one hand, her gaze was just as blank and focused into Cira¡¯s eyes.


    She wanted to see Nanri again¡­ but she knew it was a bad idea. It would only get the witch in more trouble. The best thing I can do for her is finish my work and get the hell out of here before I make things worse. I think I¡¯ve done enough harm today¡­


    There were the rivers, beautification efforts, finishing touches on Zero Stratum¡ªall sorts of things that were drawing her attention in multiple directions, literally. Despite this, Cira couldn¡¯t stop herself from scouring random, dead tunnels throughout the island. To think nobody died after seeing the aftermath had Cira floored. She couldn¡¯t believe it and was in denial, frantically searching every nook and cranny and coming up empty every time.


    She had come close to directly killing people a few times and didn¡¯t think it would be too big a deal when the day came, but the idea of inadvertently killing the very cave dwellers she wanted to save from miles away made a pit rise in her stomach. She felt her anxiety growing with each empty tunnel she searched.


    Did I skip someone over here¡­? Was I not looking hard enough? I can¡¯t possibly start over¡­ Not now. These witches are too fast. ¡°Ahhhhh, Nina! Tell me what to do!¡±


    The startled nymph fluttered away and back down in a predatory swoop, zeroing in on Cira¡¯s face.


    peh.


    A tiny cloud of salt burst on Cira¡¯s cheek as Nina slapped her with all her miniscule might.


    ¡°Wha¡­¡± Cira placed a hand on her cheek. It did not hurt, but there was a little handprint in prima salt. ¡°What are you trying to say? Am I doing something wrong? Have I angered you?¡±


    The nymph only hovered there with her arms crossed, somehow judgmentally looking down on the powerful sorcerer from above. Finally, after Cira failed to grasp her intent, Nina gave up and her glare seemed to intensify. She dove straight into the ground and through.


    ¡°Dammit¡­ I did it again.¡± Cira lamented her friend¡¯s confusing exit, momentarily stunned. ¡°What did I do though?¡±


    She sighed, ¡°I guess I better do something about the witches.¡± Even though Nanri was clearly in some manner of trouble, all three traveled together. The elevator ride that ensued was awkward silence marred with intermittent bickering. Lyren wasn¡¯t present for most of the journey, in a sense, but they were rapidly approaching. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll stop them the couple levels down, let¡¯s see¡­¡±


    Cira scanned the area below her for the right kind of caves to fit her idea. She only needed a little more time, so she plotted a path to slow them down¡ªan obvious path up right out of the elevator that would still take at least an hour on foot, normally. If she were to stop them completely, there was no doubt in her mind that the Astral Witch would keep fighting it, and she didn¡¯t want to see if it could get out of hand.


    After the temporary birth of Fount Cira, she realized fighting her would be a monumentally easy task though. Beating up a really important witch, however, would blow up in Nanri¡¯s face. There was also the off chance of Lyren jumping in if it really came to that, which was some she didn¡¯t want to fight. Not that it would be hard either, but spatial wielders could be quite slippery, and it could even end in Nanri getting hurt if she wasn¡¯t careful. It would be nice if she could avoid turning her against Nanri in the first place, as she seemed alright.


    This all left Cira with very little options except to guide their path in a straight shot to her¡ªbut with a specially sorcerous touch. There would, of course, be one wall at the beginning. More of a door, really, for some. Beyond that there were four switchbacks which eventually led to the spring, and Cira prepared various obstacles throughout its length to slow their pace.


    Okay, before they arrive, how much time do I need¡­? She tried to stop searching down endless tunnels. By now it was pointless even to her eyes. She had to face the fact that she miraculously didn¡¯t murder anybody. The damage looked really bad, but the flood must not have lasted long.


    My salted egg on the horizon is pretty much perfect at this point¡ªI just need to finish Uren, and my materials should be there in say¡­ One hour. I could speed it up, but it will take me that long to get there. I can¡¯t leave until my rivers are complete.


    Fount Salt¡¯s waterways were truly a work of art at this point. One solid piece of titanium that spanned for miles, bringing water down the island in eight columns. Each one branched off on its own, spiraling through the salt through hundreds of settlements, all the cities, random places she found nymphs hanging out. There were six hermits living throughout the island by her count, and all of them were scraggly old men.


    Why are there so many old men in these skies? She shoved the thought down and gauged how many more rivers she had to line. While Nanri¡¯s structures were among the largest she¡¯d ever laid eyes on, she clearly hadn¡¯t read ¡°Practical Geomancy for the Modern Magician¡±. It was all solid. Ridiculous, how much metal this ambiguous Earth Vein got their hands on and thinking of how much time and effort Nanri put into it¡ªhow many crates of mana potions she had to guzzle down¡ªmade Cira feel sick.


    She felt terrible to snatch it all away and disappear, but she was also reviled to see the conditions they had forced her into. Would they make her do it again? She was biting her nails thinking about what was in Nanri¡¯s future.


    ¡°Dammit, alright¡­ the rivers should reach Uren in two hours¡­ If I can just stall them for that long, I¡¯ll be on my way. I better get their water hooked back up too.¡±


    Uren had been out of water all day, ever since she decided that the brinstahl metal of the ancients would be repurposed. Yes, there was panic, and yes, the giant hovering orbs of water above where each reservoir used to be as adding to that. She even gave them the courtesy of flying a river through town, but no one had gone to get water from it.


    Now, the pumps built by the ancients were no joke. Cira had half the mind to steal them and replace them with her own so she could study them, but quite frankly, she didn¡¯t know if she could. The amount of water they had to shove up, say, twenty or thirty miles in a near vertical straight shot, was absurd. Maybe if she had weeks and far better material than brinstahl, but there was no denying their mastery over enchantments. Likely a large group worked on them together.


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    This whole time she had been stretching her practical geomancy to the absolute limit to rebuild their water infrastructure. To make such a massive pipe that could support it, she spread the titanium as thin as possible into a hollow lattice while also filling in gaps to support it from the outside with salt. It would be entirely encased with no way to access it without mining straight into it. Brinstahl was much harder and there was now a surplus, so she lined the outside with it in case somebody didn¡¯t know where it was and swung a pickaxe through it. This also saved titanium for the copious other places it was needed.


    That¡¯s basically it, right? Am I really almost done? There¡¯s not¡­ a single thing I¡¯m forgetting? While she pondered, she decided to reward that cave dwelling mage who unwittingly protected her virtues. Their village was constructed much like Deep Falls. It looked very old, and she wondered where the wood came from. There were two communal areas on either end, but in the center is where people gathered.


    The mage was examining everyone in case the flood and her healing magic had any adverse effects with the help of an apparent medicine woman. Evidently, they had never heard of holy mana or its glorious golden nature, isolated as they were. If moss and mushrooms are the only thing you eat your entire life, do they still taste good every day?


    A pillar grew from the salt, rising to just a little above the mage¡¯s head. Everyone froze, looking up at him for guidance. He only stumbled back, stammering as the same glow as the river carved lines and circles into it, forming a series of complex glyphs from top to bottom.


    ¡°Impossible!¡± The mage exclaimed as his eyes shot open. Cira left him to examine it on his own and returned to the old woman running amuck downstairs.


    If the mage could decipher her obelisk, he would gain great control over water and the ability to turn it into ice or mist, or at least the proper way to. Perhaps he would need to protect the village one day, hopefully not become its overlord.


    Downstairs we had the Astral Witch approaching the gate, leading Nanri and an invisible Lyren.


    ¡°What the blazes is this supposed to be?!¡± Estelle scowled at the dubious salt wall, carved to look like a wooden door strapped shut with iron bars.


    ¡°¡¯Beyond here lies the Trials of the Mad Witch¡­¡¯¡± Lyren read the wall out loud from her pocket in space.


    Nanri stared at the wall aghast, ¡°Those incapable of passing these gates are unworthy. Really, Cira?¡±


    Sorry¡­ This was not a trial for Nanri, and she would find it quite easy.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll just destroy¡ª¡± The Astral Witch began charging an attack when a blinding light appeared on the door, focused on a single point. Just like the mage¡¯s gift, the spark burned a glyph on the gate before their eyes. Unlike his obelisk, this was an enchantment, and it nullified light mana with an equal cost on Cira¡¯s end, compliments of their local deritum vein. ¡°Damn witch!¡±


    She let loose her ray of light regardless, and it disappeared.


    ¡°Hey, Stella¡ª¡±


    ¡°I told you not to call me that!¡±


    ¡°Sorry¡­¡± Lyren¡¯s voice shrunk down, ¡°I think that enchantment nullifies light mana.¡±


    ¡°Obviously!¡± The Astral Witch was furious, and Nanri skillfully placed some floating titanium to hide her grin.


    ¡°Hang on, let me see if I can get through it.¡± Lyren appeared with partial transparency and walked towards the gate. Then, she disappeared again, straight through the salt. Nanri and Estelle looked at each other for a few moments as a vein pulsed in the old witch¡¯s head.


    ¡°Grrr¡­ Who is this witch?!¡± She charged up her staff again with reckless abandon, washing out the tunnel and blinding Nanri in the process. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill her! Radiant Spear of the Sunkissed Peak!¡±


    A massive column of light appeared above her staff and launched at the wall faster than even Cira could see. She felt a noticable drain on one of her eight auras, and the hallway practically exploded. She watched the mana stored in Nanri¡¯s necklace double just from the backlash. Then the light was gone.


    ¡°Are you serious?!¡± The Astral Witch was reduced to a stomping fit, banging her staff on the wall.


    Watching this, Nanri chuckled, ¡°Estelle, Cira said her specialty was light. You might have a hard time on this. Let me get that for you.¡±


    Her staff-orb glowed above her head and the gate disappeared, melting into the salt. Nanri stepped through with a smug grin.


    ¡°Oh what, are you the Salt Witch now?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­. The Salty Sorcerer¡­¡± Nanri pondered, ¡°I think that name is already taken.¡±


    Hey!


    Lyren was waiting on the other side watching the two argue quietly. As they approached Nanri asked Estelle, ¡°Are you sure you should join us? It could be dangerous beyond this point for one who could not enter of their own strength.¡±


    She ground her teeth, ¡°You¡¯re really digging yourself a hole here, Whelp.¡±


    In that moment, clumps of salt all rose down the hallway, pulsating and protruding until they formed the shape of men and beasts. There were a couple wolves, some birds, a few fairy tale creatures like goblins for fun. They all burned, lighting up the path as enchantments appeared on their bodies.


    Naturally, they were all immune to light and light mana, and while this next concept may be difficult, half of them were immune to space. However, all of them were weak to¡ªyou guessed it¡ªtitanium. This was a carefully, and hastily, crafted mob of salt golems.


    The witches fell into a short panic as the small army charged them. A row of men with salt shields brought up the rear while wolves and pristine white jungle cats bounded down the hall quickly closing the distance with rats scurrying along in their wake. Estelle uselessly fired off light arrows, and Lyren wasted no time in pissing Cira off with some spatial area bombs, decimating all except the ones she couldn¡¯t. Cira took solace in the fact that it frustrated the witch when she didn¡¯t immediately know why she failed to finish some off. Meanwhile, Nanri was just shooting darts.


    Her first kill was pelted up and down, but she realized they quickly crumbled apart and toned it down, spreading her attacks among the mass of beasts with a slightly confused look on her face. A wolf was able to make it to them and tried pouncing, but was quickly deflected by an angled shield of titanium. In pure accident, it crumbled away pelting Estelle with more salt.


    ¡°Would you watch what you¡¯re doing?!¡± She cried. ¡°Amateur!¡±


    Nanri noticed there were more golems almost constantly replacing the last, but they were focused on one side of the hall. Soon she had carved a path and started to gain some distance from her peers as the ornery one shouted to wait up. Nanri did not, however, now gaining almost fifty feet on them while the horde bogged them down. Enemies only came from the front, and made no effort to turn around as Nanri passed the rest of the surging beasts.


    These golems were all weak and as an added bonus to amuse Cira as she watched the slowpokes trail behind, they would turn to dust on contact with skin¡ªweapon and all. The entertainment was in watching them take the golems down effortlessly in a panic just trying to keep up. Of course, they weren¡¯t helpless because Lyren was smart, twirling rods of salt she ripped out of the wall in pockets of space. They rotated at such speeds they clobbered any golem in their path, though she had to keep making new ones.


    Estelle was also surprisingly adept with her staff, but that must come with age. Cira thought a spar would be fun, but it was not the time. The witch¡¯s face was contorted in rage and if Cira didn¡¯t know any better, she would say she had a severe sunburn.


    Nanri kept a steady head though, she seemed determined to make it ahead of the pack, while her pace was still encumbered. She couldn¡¯t exactly put herself in a dome or she would be unable to see the way forward, so it was a tricky balancing act of rotating shields and darts. Cira was quite impressed actually. Her control was astronomically higher than it was the day she first saw her use magic.


    Now, Cira wasn¡¯t just putting the tiny humans through a fun little maze to get her rocks off. She was in denial, but if she ended up seeing Nanri again before she left it wouldn¡¯t be the worst thing in the world. She was scared to face her¡ªthat¡¯s what it boiled down to. If the witch made it in time, well, that was beyond Cira¡¯s power.


    An hour and a half until I make my ascent¡­ I¡¯m going to have way too much deritium left over. Unfortunately, it had to move as well. She started squeezing them out like splinters so they could meet her in Uren.


    ¡°Nina?!¡± Cira sputtered, ¡°What the hell are you doing down there?!¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Nanri watched the salt nymph slowly flutter down from the ceiling, ¡°Is that you, Nina?¡±


    No, it¡¯s the other salt nymph with a wizard¡¯s hat. She wasn¡¯t hard to distinguish.


    She watched Nina float through the golems and shields only to lightly bop the Titan Witch on the nose, leaving a salty handprint.


    ¡°What? ¡­why?¡± Nanri could hardly spare a moment to think as she fended off golems, advancing around the first bend at last.


    Nina took her place on the witch¡¯s hat, sitting on its brim, and crossed her arms. Her eyes stared judgmentally at Cira through a mile of salt.

 71 - Star-Crossed and Spring Bound

    ¡°Do you like Nanri more?¡± Nina couldn¡¯t hear Cira¡¯s question from such a distance, but she would never have gotten a reply anyway. ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­¡±


    Cira grumbled, letting the witches advance through her gauntlet at their own paces. Fortunately, Estelle slowed her assistant down by a great deal, but Lyren was pulling out all kinds of spatial cheats that made the master of this lair frown. She¡¯s not playing fair¡­ I need to get creative.


    Cira knew all her tricks but had to admit the girl was adept at them. Especially in the face of her lackadaisical prowess, the sorcerer didn¡¯t have the heart to trap her in a space prison.


    She had to line the walls, ceiling, and floor behind them with anti-space enchantments, stopping her apparent ultimate move of moving inside the salt then displacing herself into a high-speed kick to shatter the golems. This also made her draw projectiles exclusively from the path ahead. She played the obvious card of conjuring an invisible bridge in front of them, which Cira cut into square sections before adding time limits to each tile.


    She had a good laugh at the witch¡¯s befuddlement of her own magic not being dispelled, but altered to mimic a children¡¯s game. She had an even bigger laugh when Lyren started floating. It had devolved into a gauntlet solely to make the Astral Witch¡¯s life as hard as possible. She desperately jumped from one square to the next as the time limit seemingly varied with each tile.


    Cira added a couple surprise squares with a zero second time limit and watched the witch fall through, smacking her chin on the way down and having to crawl back up with overgrown salt rats nipping at her heels. Lyren annoyingly cleared most of path, but Cira thought her gauntlet was really shaping up. She even noticed at a point Lyren seemed to be enjoying herself too, wearing a thin smile as she floated above carpet bombing the tunnel, smashing golems with gravity or salt, which also floated around in the form of thirty or so swords. You¡¯re alright, I guess. But you¡­


    ¡°You brought this on yourself, Astral Witch.¡± Cira pouted and looked away, throwing a glance at Nina atop her new perch. ¡°What¡¯s the deal? Are you saying¡­ I was really terrible to Nanri? I already know that.¡±


    She sighed, watching the Titan Witch tear through her gauntlet wearing a fearless smile. She had already surpassed the third switchback and the bears, wolves, and miniature dragons all quickly fell before her. At this point she had begun disassembling them and it made Cira proud. Although, she was on easy mode, so a whole floor above the other witches was reasonable.


    She would pick up pace if Cira wasn¡¯t careful. If I throw any more obstacles her way, though¡­ I¡¯d feel really bad.


    ¡°Nina, do you truly have such deep thoughts? There¡¯s no way you know what I¡¯ve done, right?¡± The nymph hadn¡¯t stopped staring at her the whole time, turning her head with each bend the Titan Witch surpassed. ¡°Did you realize I was upset, and thought Nanri could fix it?¡±


    The whims of a salt nymph were beyond Cira, as they had been since Nina first appeared atop her staff. She watched Nanri wave prima salt out of her face and sneeze, then returned her own glare to the little nymph before making a wind barrier around the witch¡¯s brim. Such a thoughtless nymph.


    ¡°Okay, where am I?¡± Her rivers were nearing completion. They would be ready to push into Uren any minute now, not that they would yet. The world¡¯s largest pipe had finished construction as well, but she had yet to activate the pump artifacts again. That would wait for her arrival and finishing touches.


    Likewise, there was a lot of material waiting for Cira on the surface. The remainder of everything from below after finishing Zero Stratum and squeezing out any excess from her efforts in the rivers. A ring of countless spheres formed from salt, titanium, and brinstahl dotted the edge just below the surface of Fount Salt like blocks of silver waiting to be placed on her anvil.


    By now the extra deritium had also begun making its way to the surface. All six were rounded off and she surrounded each one in a barrier of golden light to hide its nature. Unless we¡¯re talking about the element itself, all light held within mana is static, bound to the mana. Thus, she couldn¡¯t just block the light with titanium, instead masking it with pervasive holy mana, dimmed to be no brighter than moonlight so as not to cause not to wake everyone up.


    Cira took a moment to watch her exorcists hard at work, hoping the witch¡¯s trouble them no further. Delilah was also finishing two batches of soul remedy, leaving them with aetherium until evening came. Hang on, where did Lomp¡ªoh¡­ She had given him a special mission. Let me just speed up that elevator for you.


    ¡°H-hey, what¡¯s going on?!¡± He hung onto the rail with a panicked look as the elevator reached astronomical speeds. Not enough to throw him to the ground, but Cira needed to expedite his mission. How far away is Port Gandeux anyway? There must be ways for them to get messages there quickly. If Earth Vein has outposts, I¡¯m sure the rest of them do. Sounds like Lomp work to me. ¡°Cira, I know this is you! Stop this at once.¡±


    ¡°Get your head in the game, Lomp! The witches are already here!¡± Cira threw her voice into the elevator as she did with the pirates, just not so loud.


    ¡°Bah!¡± He stumbled to his ass this time, ¡°Cira, what the hell?! You could do that the whole time?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s basic wind sorcery. And sorry for earlier¡­¡± The disembodied voice spoke to Lomp, ¡°but you need to get your ass in gear. Nanri and the witches have already surpassed you in their ascent, quickly approaching yours truly.¡±


    ¡°What?! Nanri¡¯s helping the witches? And wait¡­ how?¡±


    ¡°The same way I¡¯ve sped you up. And no, she¡¯s not¡­ I don¡¯t have time to explain. I¡¯ll be increasing your speed now. I need you to get the messages out within the hour¡ª¡±


    ¡°With what?!¡± Lomp raged, ¡°solid mithril?! I need time, at least a couple hours. It¡¯s the middle of the night!¡±


    ¡°No can do. The carriers of those messages need to be well out of sight after one hour. Use my reward money from Pappy, I¡¯ll take you straight to him.¡±


    ¡°What?! No¡ªdon¡¯t do that!¡± He slid further onto to the floor as the momentum increased by several degrees. His skin was starting to stretch while his jowls flapped until Cira put a barrier around him to negate the inertial forces bearing down the dependable agent of hope. Spatial sorcery was good for these times.


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    Meanwhile as she rolled her eyes, they landed on a floating witch clad in purple. She was like a guardian angel, clearing her mentor¡¯s way from above with her spatial tomfoolery that Cira had given up on. Instead, as they passed the second bend the sorcerer added magic circles inside rings of light that would follow set paths. Either straight down the hall, in spirals, or somewhat erratically. They approached the witches at a consistent speed, mainly hanging near the ceiling to make Lyren¡¯s flight more hazardouse. If went through one it would increase her spatial drag, slowing the witch down for a few seconds, but she sprinkled in a couple Phase Locks too.


    ¡°What is this gods forsaken place?!¡± Estelle cried, swinging her staff through a salty jungle cat before stabbing the end into a frog as it hopped through a broken tile. Cira was loathe to admit it, but this witch was seriously badass. She didn¡¯t even look tired, and her attacks were constant, flowing from one to the next as if her staff¡¯s course had been plotted ahead of time in tandem with her tireless feet as she danced across the tiles, never using them for more than taking the next step.


    She had to pick up more slack as the Dimension Witch fluttered around the oncoming rings like a salt nymph, weaving between them with an almost lazy grace. The resemblance was uncanny. She looked back at her mentor with a big smile on her face, ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it¡¯s really fun, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Fun?!¡± Estelle was pelted in the chest by a white sparrow when her outrage split her attention for a moment, ¡°Have you gone as mad as that whelp?!¡± Splash! ¡°Ah! Wha¡­ That bitch!¡±


    ¡°Hey Nina,¡± Cira heard a certain other witch¡¯s voice which was far more pleasant to the ears, ¡°Are we almost there?¡±


    Two whole floors above the others, the real nymph hovered before Nanri¡¯s face as there were no more dangers before them, and pointed the way in reply. The golems had begun crumbling upon creation at this point and eventually Cira gave up. Letting out a heavy sigh, she conjured some salt behind her and slumped against it. ¡°What am I doing?¡± Clenching a fist, she watched Nanri close in on the last turn. ¡°I¡¯m only going make things worse, so why don¡¯t I stop her? Why¡­¡±


    Cira was not one to act irrationally. Even her whims were backed by a split second of hard calculations and thorough afterthought. Thus, she rarely felt that she was doing the wrong thing. Since she last woke up in the plague ward, that had all been turned on its head. Then, from the moment she awoke in the spring chamber, she had never been more confident that she took a wrong turn or two somewhere.


    Alas, Cira was in far too deep in this moment. Now she was playing a constant game of ¡®don¡¯t let everything fall apart¡¯. It wasn¡¯t a fun game, and Cira was in the home stretch, yet her heart still wavered. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to make the rational decision. There was no point in seeing Nanri when she was on her way out. She knew that. She wanted desperately not to make matters worse, but deep-down Cira knew that was an excuse.


    While she was bitter with regret over how they left things, Cira knew she couldn¡¯t make things worse for Nanri. That was denial in the works telling her that things weren¡¯t already as bad as they could get for the witch. There wasn¡¯t a single thing she could do about it. No¡­ no there wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Cira¡­¡± Her father¡¯s weary words rang through her head. She could still feel his frail hand against her cheek as he wiped away the tears. ¡°You still have so much life within you. After I¡¯m gone you will meet all kinds of people across the distant skies, I promise you. You¡¯ve always shined brighter than even the pathfinder¡¯s star¡­ One day, I know, you¡¯ll make a friend. And you won¡¯t have to feel alone anymore.¡±


    Gazen was bedridden for months at this time, and this moment was one of his final days. For what felt like an eternity, Cira had to forage and hunt, plot their course, and even take on jobs all by herself, while he lay dying. She hated that he didn¡¯t allow her to stay home all the time as his own time steadily ran out, but that was his way of getting Cira ready for the world, even if she was a little young to be on her own.


    ¡°Dad¡­¡± Cira focused back into the spring chamber and found herself reaching out into empty air, grasping at nothing. ¡°Why now¡­ I can¡¯t just up and replace him. That¡¯s impossible¡­¡± How many years have I been alone though¡­?


    Sliding down the salt, she rested on the ground and sulked. I know that¡¯s not what it would be. But¡­ I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m ready for my home to change again. What if I forget the little time I had with him, like I¡¯ve forgotten the land of my birth? I don¡¯t want that. I don¡¯t want to forget about my dad¡­


    Besides, if Nanri came with me, wouldn¡¯t it just make her life even more difficult? She¡¯s a witch, from a whole land of witches. From what she says, I doubt they would take kindly to her disappearing into the sky. They would search for her, surely. Then what? Back to the empty skies to chance upon the next trade route?


    Cira shook her head, frustrated at the onslaught of anxieties building up. If the witch joined her, they would need to fly far away from the Boreal. It would be a fresh new adventure to distant lands. Part of it was exciting, but there were so many problems with that fantasy in her head. She would be asking Nanri to throw away her entire life¡ªwhatever remained of it¡ªand run away.


    Would Nanri even want to come with me? Somebody like me¡­


    She was shrouded in glimmering streams while the spring had become a cerulean sun. The chamber was so dense with mana that Cira could feel the strain on her body as she burned like her own sun from the aura out. Her head had started to feel like a dagger was lodged in it after hours of neglecting the dimnut tonic¡ªshe did not like the way it made her feel as her gaze shifted throughout the island, dispassionately performing great feats of sorcery with a tempered mind in a hundred places at once.


    Even she would be scared of me now. I know it. And I¡­ I don¡¯t want to see her make that face.


    At the very bottom of Cira¡¯s heart, she had finally grasped the root of her worries. The reason she left such a pitiful letter. The reason she wanted to leave as fast as she did. The reason she didn¡¯t want to face Nanri. She was scared. Plain and simple. Scared the witch would shun and reject her.


    Cira felt ridiculous as countless titanium coated rivers finally met the surface of Fount Salt. Thousands of salt nymphs began flooding their new homes down below. Lomp flew over the Uren skyline in an elevator while the high priest held a sermon in her honor down in Uru. An infamous witch struggled helplessly in her grasp, yet Cira was terrified to see her friend who she lied to and stole from.


    It was a pitiful position for a sorcerer to be in, and even more pitiful that she put herself there with a series of carefully placed steps.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s ready¡­¡± There was nothing stopping her from going to Uren herself now. It was all in order. Her orbit¡¯s deritium was a ball slightly smaller than she stood and there was plenty more to make a great escape. Her head pounded and she held out a hand to Aquon¡¯s jewel. ¡°Alright, pal. Time to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Cira?¡± she froze, eyes forward. The gentle fluttering of wings could be heard, and she became hyper-focused on the lingering taste of blood in her mouth. ¡°Cira, my gods¡­¡±


    No¡­ Don¡¯t say it. Please don¡¯t come any closer.


    Cira saw a shimmer of silver out of the corner of her eye as footsteps approached, then a hand touched her cheek, ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    She timidly looked to the side and saw Nanri with teary eyes which sparkled in the violent light of her mana. When Cira couldn¡¯t muster any words, the witch¡¯s face creased in concern, ¡°What¡­ happened to your eyes?¡±


    They still burned with the pure cerulean of the spring, trailing motes of light¡ªthe mana neither her body nor aura could contain. Cira saw Nanri squint her eyes from the strain and quickly turned away to shield her from it, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Was all she could manage.


    Nanri didn¡¯t say anything for a long while, at least it felt that way. ¡°Look at me.¡± Cira slowly opened her eyes and paused. When the witch put a hand on her shoulder, she meekly looked over. Nanri lightly slapped her on the cheek. It hurt no worse than Nina¡¯s, but with it, Cira was defeated.


    "Why would you take all this on by yourself?" There was no fear in her visage, and she didn¡¯t look at Cira like some kind of island devouring abomination. Her eyes were sad. Beyond worry. But her lips curved up in a grin ever so slight as she looked into Cira¡¯s blinding gaze. Squinting from the pain, Nanri threw her arms around the frightened girl in a warm embrace. ¡°You¡¯re such a stupid sorcerer¡­¡±


    ¡°I know¡­¡±

 72 - The Last Ascent

    ¡°I thought I knew what your father meant when he said you always overdo it.¡± Nanri looked over with a grin.


    They sat along the edge of the spring while Cira softened the blinding lights and conjured enough silence to speak, ¡°No, you did¡­ It¡¯s usually not this bad.¡± Cira struggled to meet her eyes with guilt weighing her own down.


    The witch chuckled, ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think I need to tell you how lucky you are. Still¡­ I can¡¯t believe you managed to do all this.¡± She panned around the spring chamber where her own metal reflected the shining blue mana. Nanri had never felt ambient mana packed so densely and she could feel the pressure against the barrier Cira conjured her. Her feats across the island spoke for itself and Nanri was floored when Cira told her everything she did.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry¡­¡± Cira replied meekly, ¡°I was planning to use the New Shores District from the moment I saw it¡­ and Zero Stratum. I know you slaved away to build them for¡­ I don¡¯t even know how long¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh, will you shut up?¡± Nanri quipped, ¡°You act lofty, but you don¡¯t have to disappear into the clouds for me to understand what¡¯s going through your head. I know you¡¯re not thoughtless in your actions or cold to the world. You didn¡¯t betray my trust because you wanted to.¡±


    Cira was instantly silenced. She had said those words to Nanri for her to ponder after she left, and now they were being thrown in her face. For a moment she was distracted by Nina fluttering far away with the same judgmental pose. ¡°If I were stronger, I could have figured out a better way¡­¡± Cira slumped back.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re plenty strong, Cira. No need to waste time there.¡± Nanri¡¯s smile brightened her mood a little. ¡°But I wish you had told me¡­¡±


    ¡°I wanted to¡­¡± Cira paused, listening to the white noise of the Spring and watching the water ripple, ¡°but if you had tried to stop me, I may very well have been helpless. The island would be out of luck.¡±


    Nanri raised her eyebrows and leaned in, ¡°I think that¡¯s a bit of an exaggeration¡­ But I get it. I am an Earth Vein witch after all, and if you told me right away, I would surely have stood against you.¡±


    ¡°Me and Lomp sort of panicked trying to smooth it over¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, that reminds me!¡± she clapped, ¡°Lomp was gone by the time we woke up, do you know anything about that?¡±


    ¡°Ahh, yes. let¡¯s see¡­¡± Cira¡¯s eyes rolled up and to the side like she was spacing out, ¡°Oh, good. He¡¯s already sending people off. I better put that elevator back.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­ what?¡± Nanri blinked.


    ¡°I sent him to the surface to send messages up the Noose about the deritium and cure. Hopefully to the ears of the Gandeux. What do you think?¡± Cira pursed her lips, waiting for an expert opinion.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± the witch pondered as Nina plopped down on her hat. ¡°There¡¯s a lighthouse at the top of the Noose. They could reach there in a few days depending on the ship, and they have artifacts to send messages straight to Port. How many did you have him send, and to whom specifically?¡±


    ¡°Just the Gandeux Group. I told him to send as many as possible and to mix up the messages a bit.¡±


    This brought another grin to the witch¡¯s face, and she laughed. ¡°That¡¯s sure to get their attention. The group has its own regulatory council, and I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they arrived by the end of the week. But they¡¯ll certainly put a halt on any independent operations once they hear deritium and Fount Salt in the same sentence twenty times in a day, assuming it¡¯s as infamous as Lomp claims.¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s some good news.¡± Cira smiled.


    But Nanri fell into thought, ¡°That only leaves two problems below until that time comes.¡±


    Cira tossed a chunk of salt into the pool, ¡°So you know those two witches?¡±


    With a sudden mood change, Nanri nodded gravely, ¡°Lyren was an old classmate of mine. We¡¯re the same age, but she always stuck to herself. She wasn¡¯t bad. Madam Estelle, though¡­¡± Nanri grumbled, ¡°She was the worst! History of witchcraft is supposed to be fun, but she spent half the class shouting. Ugh¡­ You really riled up a bad one, Cira. Do you know what an inquisitor is?¡±


    When she shook her head, Nanri rolled her eyes, ¡°An inquisitor is one of Earth Vein¡¯s highest witches, just below the adjutant. They are sent out to investigate problems that Earth Vein wants to disappear.¡±


    ¡°How did they get here so fast?¡± This was the one thing that puzzled Cira. Unless they were just on their way for a stroll, they had to have been nearby and heard somehow.


    ¡°The lighthouse. They were climbing the Boreal and cut through the storm when they got word from above.¡± Nanri answered with a chuckle, ¡°I¡¯ll need to make sure Triton doesn¡¯t have it too easy for a while.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s mostly my fault,¡± Cira acquiesced, ¡°I should have kept him around just in case. I sure hope that kid¡¯s alright¡­¡±


    ¡°Lomp said he¡¯s fine, so I¡¯m sure it¡¯s alright. He said he knew the mayor for years.¡± Nanri nodded thoughtfully. ¡°Still¡­ I thought Estelle was the strongest witch behind the adjutant herself, but¡­ I don¡¯t think she could even touch you. Not now at least.¡±


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°I had a little help from the deritium and my Staves¡­¡± Cira looked down, tilting her eyes up to the witch, ¡°Are you not¡­ scared of me?


    ¡°Cira¡­¡± Nanri returned her gaze, looking slightly hurt, ¡°Of course not¡­ I could never be scared of you. You¡¯re doing everything you can to help this island. I¡­ I just wish I had half your strength. I could carry the sorcerer¡¯s burden too¡­¡±


    The girls went quiet and watched cerulean light glimmer across the water. Through the white noise they could hear the occasional fluttering of wings from Nina¡¯s friends that remained. Cira couldn¡¯t help a smile from creeping onto her face though. Her worries were gone. Nanri had forgiven her and wasn¡¯t scared in the least, nor did she think Cira was a monster.


    The witch had so thoroughly dissected her thoughts when she entered the room and didn¡¯t harbor any ill will. Only heartfelt concern. Her first words were to ask if Cira was okay, and she was sincere.


    Since her father passed, Cira had been asked that question only a handful of times. But most didn¡¯t actually care¡ªthey cared if their job was completed. Nanri was different. Her expression brightened when Cira finally assured her that she was, in fact, alright¡ªeven if it was a lie. They were able to steal another few moments to chat by the spring like it was still that carefree morning in Uru.


    ¡°Nanri, are we friends?¡± Cira spoke softly but her words caught the witch off guard.


    ¡°What kind of a question is that?¡± Nanri smiled as she looked warmly into Cira¡¯s eyes, ¡°Of course we are.¡±


    Her sunny expression blinded the young sorcerer and her own paled in comparison, before quickly turning into a frown.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Nanri asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re almost here¡­¡± She glanced through the salt to see them just down the hall.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you stop them?¡± Nanri followed her gaze but didn¡¯t see anything.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already been slowing them down¡­ but the more upset she gets, the bigger problem it will be when I leave.¡±


    ¡°Yes, she will be quite troublesome¡­¡± Nanri stood up, offering a hand to help her friend off the ground. ¡°You should get out of here before they show up.¡±


    ¡°Nanri¡­¡± I shouldn¡¯t. I know it¡¯s wrong. She can¡¯t throw her whole life away just to fly around aimlessly with me. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll be okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tougher than I look, you know.¡± Nanri flexed her thin arms, covered in robes. Her delicate face wore a troubled smile now, ¡°You¡¯re supposed to have a little faith in your friends, you know.¡±


    What¡¯s left for her? Is either path right? I just¡­ don¡¯t want her to get hurt. But is that it? Or am I scared I¡¯ll hurt myself? She sounds so resolved. She¡¯ll turn me down for sure¡­


    ¡°I know I¡¯ve gotten you in a lot of trouble¡­¡± She looked over at the witch timidly, pushing each word out deliberately, ¡°Do you¡­ Do you want to com¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop.¡± Nanri took one of Cira¡¯s hands in hers, ¡°Please don¡¯t say it¡­ if you do, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll follow you¡­ And if I follow you now, I¡¯ll never be able to stand beside you. I could have left you in Uru, kept my head down in Zero Stratum, and the worst I¡¯d get is a slap on the wrist. I helped you because I wanted to, so I won¡¯t run away from it. You are leaving to prevent more problems from arising, so I will stay to achieve the same purpose. If I leave so suddenly, it¡¯s certain to cause waves back home. People could get hurt or lose their livelihood. And I will see this cure through until Earth Vein¡¯s hands are tied. I won¡¯t let Estelle put a stop to it, no matter what.¡±


    ¡°Nanri, I¡­¡± I have no argument. The Astral Witch is liable to vaporize my workers the moment I disappear out of spite alone, plague and curses be damned. But¡­ Nanri is right. She¡¯s the only one who can do it at this point, and everything I¡¯ve done for the plague would be wasted if she left.


    If I stay and see it through, they¡¯ll think I¡¯m taking over the island, then if I leave as soon as they arrive, there will be a pursuit followed by a large-scale battle to be certain. One with opponent¡¯s I won¡¯t be able to scare off with tricks. One against opponents backed by a thousand more.


    All that¡¯s assuming I can stay awake and alive for that long. I can¡¯t stop Aquon and wait on the surface or I¡¯ll be incapacitated by the time Estelle finds me or even until Earth Vein follows up. I¡¯ll be on a time limit as soon as I leave the spring.


    Even then¡­ if I snatched Nanri away, it would only cause her trouble after all. I didn¡¯t get the impression she liked the people back home, but she doesn¡¯t want anyone to get hurt by her carelessness. I can¡¯t hold a candle to her.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Cira.¡± Nanri¡¯s grip tightened, and her blue eyes softened, ¡°I have my own path before me now, and I have you to thank for that. My heart won¡¯t waver. You can rest assured that the next time we meet I¡¯ll be a much stronger sorcerer. Just promise me when that day comes, we can go on an adventures together.¡± Now she wore a pure, resolute smile that saw far past the horizon. ¡°And count on me until then, okay?¡±


    Cira¡¯s chest hurt as her hand lay in Nanri¡¯s. Parting was never supposed to be this hard. She would just move onto the next island and her worries would blow away on the winds. She could tell this feeling in her heart was of a different nature. It was heavy, like stone. The hands around her own felt so fleeting and she found herself clutching on, reluctant to let go.


    ¡°After everything¡­¡± Cira¡¯s voice trembled as she looked at Nanri¡¯s face veiled in shimmering silver, ¡°You would still¡­¡±


    Nanri threw her arms around Cira in a hug, ¡°We¡¯ll meet again, Cira. That¡¯s my promise in return. Now come on.¡± She separated and held out her pinky finger.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Cira was confused.


    ¡°It¡¯s how you make a promise. It¡¯s a practice that far predates witches, just hold out your pinky.¡± Cira complied and the witch wrapped hers around it and smiled, ¡°Now it¡¯s a promise.¡±


    Cira held out her hand, turning it over as if expecting to see some form of mana flowing through it. Nanri giggled as she watched her try to figure it out, ¡°Come on now, Cira. You better go. Even I can feel them now.¡±


    They were almost to the entrance, and Cira could see them getting closer. She really was out of time but afforded them one last spatial impedance to make her escape.


    ¡°Alright, Nanri.¡± Cira returned her smile to the best of her abilities, ¡°Until we meet again up there. Stay safe.¡±


    They looked at each other for a moment, but Cira was the one that had to make a move. Begrudgingly, she turned away and began channeling mana into the Staff of Springs. ¡°Aquon, it¡¯s time to head up the river.¡±


    She took a few steps out into the water before ascending to meet the cerulean gem. It flashed as it separated from the spring, cutting off most of her feeling and sight through the island, leaving her with a strange and monolithic empty sensation. Like a phantom limb her small mind couldn¡¯t tell the extents of.


    Spring Sense and Spatial Sight were still active, but the information they garnered was increasingly vague with further distance from the spring. It also sent a jolt of pain through her head when it shifted, and she winced, trying to hide it while still in view.


    Soon her and the brilliant jewel of the same size floated up into the hole bored from millennia of the spring¡¯s fall. She turned around and gazed at Nanri one last time as her rivers receded with her. She wore the same expression Cira thought of whenever she heard her name¡ªthe picturesque sunny smile she had grown accustomed to, without a trace of doubt.


    Perhaps by the time we meet again, I''ll have found some of your strength as well.

 73 - She Who Emerges

    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    A man laid in his bed and jolted awake. Jumping to his feet, he covered his ears, shouting obscenities at the door, ¡°Do you know what goddamn time it is?!¡±


    He swung open the door and saw a man of short stature, frazzled and wearing a torn guard¡¯s uniform of Uren with a patch signifying he worked directly for the overseer. After a glance at the panicked man, he tensed up.


    ¡°Are you Samson Redding?!¡± The guard demanded.


    ¡°Uhh¡­ yes?¡± Samson started sweating as his nerves shook. The day of earthquakes was like a bad omen, and then the water disappeared by morning. It now loomed over the city and invaded it with twisted rivers through the air and at everyone¡¯s doorstep, threatening to fall and flood everybody¡¯s home at any moment. Nobody in town had gotten much sleep with the constant dull glow from countless streams and the relentless noise. Samson realized it was still dark when this stranger woke him up and he could still hear the rushing water. ¡°What is this about?¡±


    ¡°This is an emergency. I need you to send a message up the Boreal immediately, and I¡¯ll pay you ten gold crowns.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Samson made that much in half a year if he was lucky. Whatever the overseer needed, it must have been serious. ¡°What¡¯s the message?¡±


    ¡°Do you have a pen? This is important.¡± The man gestured to his lower body.


    Samson¡¯s eyes widened and he shut the door, quickly throwing on a robe to cover up. ¡°Dammit.¡± He grabbed a pen off the counter and shuffled around his desk for a notepad. Eventually he found it and ran back to the door before swinging it open again. Somehow the world was brighter like daybreak, but it was still all blue. He shielded his eyes and looked at the man again, eagerly awaiting the small fortune he was sure to make.


    The overseer¡¯s guard had turned the other way, also shielding his eyes. After following his line of sight, Samson saw a strange pit open up in the salt down by the infirmary and right next to that house that had appeared from the sky. The pit shined ever brighter like a beacon and the guard started running away, ¡°Shit, shit, shit! No! Why here?! Goddammit, Cira!¡±


    ¡°No wait!¡± Samson stumbled out the door, ¡°What¡¯s the message?!¡±


    ___


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Del¡­¡± Rosalie stroked her daughter¡¯s head and held her close, trying to keep her calm while watching a pit of burning light open up across the salt, replacing the night with an eerie cerulean twilight. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine, I promise.¡±


    Everyone at the infirmary was in a panic. They had run out of food again that day, but everyone was still rattled about the tremors. Some said the island would fall, or that it had already begun down below¡ªthe final stage of Fount Salt¡¯s curse.


    ¡°Is¡­ is Dad okay?¡± Del sobbed into her mother¡¯s chest, constantly teetering between fear and worry. Her father had stopped by a few nights prior saying he would be going away for a few years to save the whole island. Now everyone¡¯s hysteria had chipped away at the young girl, putting ideas in her head of certain doom.


    ¡°Listen to me, Delia. Your father¡¯s a hero.¡± Rosalie assured her with a strong tone, ¡°Of course he¡¯s alright. And I¡¯m sure she¡¯s protecting him¡­¡±


    There had been a few jealous thoughts lingering around her mind over the last few days, no matter how irrational she thought they were. A stunningly beautiful young woman, who¡¯s ridiculously strong and summons ghosts, swooped in to save his life miraculously one day, only to call on him to bring below the surface for a few years until she¡¯d even see him again.


    But Rosalie trusted her, not only because she seemed earnest and kind, but because she was so far above them that there was no way Chip had entered her gaze. It took a lot more than good humor to woo a woman like that, she was sure.


    Those concerns had completely gone out the window when the tremors started, of course. Rosalie had been with her daughter since the moment the group left Uren, but it was a hard day for everybody until the island abruptly went still.


    Suddenly everyone around them gasped and their chattering got louder, pointing out at the horizon. This was starting to scare Del, and she looked up, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s happening? Is it morning already?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± She answered as her eyes opened wide. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be.¡±


    It was hardly past midnight, yet Fount Salt¡¯s horizon had begun to shine from beneath with the golden light of dawn. What worried Rosalie was that it came from all around, as if the sun were rising from every side of Fount Salt, getting brighter by the second and pushing back the night sky.


    There were those around them that started praying, speaking reverently to the sky, ¡°It¡¯s the new dawn! It¡¯s finally come for us!¡±


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°M-mommy¡­¡± Del shrunk back for protection, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    She pointed at the radiant pit across the salt and Rosalie saw a massive diamond emerge from it, raging with the same light as Uren¡¯s water which once again came to life, as if responding to it. The diamond was like staring into a lighthouse and she struggled to block it out. Then the reservoirs and rivers which had coagulated above them and branched throughout the city all aimlessly dripped upwards, converging to form a ring around the shining jewel to blanket the sky above Uren far beyond its bounds.


    Beneath the jewel trailed a stout river that fell straight into the still widening pit, which now bore the same light as the surrounding dawn. She and her daughter both stared at the events unfolding in awe, having forgotten their fear for a brief moment as a massive golden ball ascended from below ground, bathing the whole city in unmistakable holy light.


    Could there really be a new dawn? I never believed in all that¡­ She held her daughter closer, trying to shield her from the light as a fledgling star rose to the sky and above the airborne lake, sending transient rays of glittering blue and gold across the island¡¯s surface. In that moment the horizon burned as another sun rose. A breath caught in Rosalie¡¯s throat, and she slowly swiveled around, counting on her fingers as a chill ran up her spine.


    Six suns rose around Fount Salt with a seventh in the center, bringing forth the brightest day its residents had ever seen¡ªwith them at the center bathed in sunbeams like the lights of Nymphus. Each time one passed over they could feel the mana envelop them. The golden light soothed the body and soul, but there was only intense pressure whenever the cerulean rays crossed them. Rosalie shuddered as each beam fell over them, clutching Del tight.


    Gone was any trace of night and even the distant stars twinkled through a shroud of eminent daylight. The sky wasn¡¯t blue but washed over with brilliant a gold haze like the first moments of sunrise, stained only from beneath by Uren¡¯s relentless cerulean veil.


    Rosalie¡¯s jaw dropped as a moment of silence fell over the infirmary grounds. Everyone held a light in their eyes like they were watching a prophecy come to life, no matter how pious they found themselves five minutes prior, but Rosalie couldn¡¯t look away from the seventh sun. Beneath it, she thought she saw something very small, hardly visible in the sun¡¯s flare and through the swirling lake in the sky. It almost looked like the silhouette of a person, but it was too far away and too bright to make out.


    ¡°It couldn¡¯t be¡­¡± she muttered under her breath.


    ___


    Well, that sure was an inconvenient place to pop out. So much for a subtle escape. I guess it doesn¡¯t matter at this point if anyone saw me. Cira was in a foul mood, and in her hands was the culmination of all the good she was trying to do here. It was no time to lose heart or get moody. It was time to act.


    She really did reject me though. Just like I expected¡­ Though it wasn¡¯t at all like she expected, she was just being bitter. Nanri better keep her promise.


    Spring Sense was greatly dampened and her sight over the island was getting blurry. She could hardly focus once she got close to Uru and beyond. Cira had watched Nanri for a few minutes as the witches confronted her, but she brushed them off and began her descent, likely headed back to the plague ward. Cira left her alone before long because it felt like she was invading her privacy, and that¡¯s when she arrived in Uren where there was a mass of plague victims all staring up at her reverently from a few hundred yards away.


    She doubted they could see her now, drowned out in the spectacle and surrounded by shimmering waters, but it didn¡¯t bother her anymore. She also knew the Astral witch was flying far below in pursuit, trailed by her assistant who seemed to have latched on with a spatial tether, literally being dragged.


    Cira had employed an illusion, taking advantage of her element and a little inertial trickery to make it seem like they were traveling rapidly as trails of light passed by, but they were going about the average elevator¡¯s speed. Lyren took a nap, but she was confident the girl had caught on. Whether she didn¡¯t want to fight Cira, or simply didn¡¯t care, it worked for her.


    ¡°Now, what will I do with you, Uren?¡± Cira¡¯s orbs of material were making their way over from the shore as her suns got brighter still to mask the increasing draw on her deritium. She already had a plan, but she was frustrated, ¡°Whoever planned this city in the first place sucked. It¡¯s not modular at all. There was like four chapters about that!¡±


    To begin, she started shaping Uren¡¯s sister city. ¡°To hell with Earth Vein.¡± She clenched her fists, looking for someone to blame for the emotions she half-heartedly suppressed. Cira¡¯s plans changed to such a miniscule degree that she couldn¡¯t fathom the ripples a simple sign would end up causing.


    The first step was to mold the salt. By her measure¡ªwhatever that¡¯s worth¡ªshe was a master of practical geomancy and a legendary artisan of the salt by this point. The ground bubbled up next to Uren, forming walls of much sturdier make while orbs of salt the size of houses fell from the sky. They bulged and contorted until fanning out and forming blocks of homes, spread as thin as possible and hardened to create walls with sturdy honeycomb structures on the inside.


    The salt kept falling, building upwards on impact and creating new districts¡ªa marketplace, a common area, neatly arranged blocks of residences with clear paths to get around town and rivers effortlessly winding through it with well-placed bridges. No more than two stories tall except in commercial and state intended zones. Cira put more than a little thought into it.


    In the center she left a sizable space wide-open and began constructing what would become the surface¡¯s new agricultural district while deconstructing Uren¡¯s. This was more brinstahl, but she wasn¡¯t ready to take it earlier. Now she lifted the soil up in the air and formed it all together into a clump that cast a huge shadow over the city. Next, she burned off all deritium within through the process of floating it over, completely cleaning the dirt.


    ¡°I get that they were probably trying to simulate the surface of a fertile island, but¡­ There was just so much wasted soil.¡± The ancients tended to think extravagantly and made all their farms cubes of soil. What most food crops needed was a few feet at most. Luckily for Cira, their lack of insight resulted in plenty of support to keep it high off the salt.


    This ancient metal made its way up into the sky as well. Next on Cira¡¯s list: The forecast this morning called for heavy rains upon the new city.

 74 - Beyond the Sunlit Clouds

    Metal fell from the sky like a thousand heavy debris stones, glittering in the holy light. Each drop hit the ground and surged outward, coating the buildings and streets in continuous rainfall¡ªcompletely covering the new city and sealing away the hardened salt beneath.


    Cira lined the rivers running through town and took the chance to add a little artistic flare to the architecture with this final layer that would stand against the elements. It wouldn¡¯t be depressing like the lower districts, nor would it be extravagant like Nymphus. Uru was a little bare-bones for her tastes too and she didn¡¯t want to make it look like faux-wood or some freaky sorcerer¡¯s laboratory.


    Brinstahl was darker than steel and didn¡¯t have quite the sheen, so Cira didn¡¯t need to worry about it blinding people from underneath as sometimes happened in Uren. From her observations it resisted heat rather well, too. The streets and walkways were paved with wide, dark planks of formed metal with a texture to make sure it wasn¡¯t slippery. They locked together and surrounded the buildings, crossing the rivers to form numerous bridges.


    Her goal with the architecture here was to not make it look like one solid piece of metal. The railings and rooftops of the city all had a sharp, squared off look with gentle curves and round edges. There were a lot of thin, overlapping sheets that formed together to almost look like an old temple, but sleek and modern. To withstand against corrosion for hopefully a few millennia, Cira sent deep anchors into the ground like the ancients had done with the reservoirs before, but beneath the entire city.


    This all took the better part of an hour along with filling out the rest of the residential zones, but in the end, it could house more than Uren comfortably. The agricultural district stretched halfway into Uren, looming over the city between where most of the buildings were and ending above the entrance to the mines. It had staircases down from multiple points and a platform along the length with some more buildings for whatever farmers needed them for.


    Now spreading out the clean dirt again, their farm sprawled across both cities and had over ten times the growing space of their original four farms. Cira partitioned them into ten different plots just in case they needed to separate crops for whatever reason.


    ¡°Okay, everyone¡¯s cowering in their homes.¡± Cira observed from far above, ¡°Perfect.¡±


    That meant they were safe and not many people would get mixed up. To reconstruct Uren would be a delicate process. She didn¡¯t plan on enlarging anyone¡¯s home and the residents of the lower districts could move towns¡ªCira was certain Lomp would get the message. She even left him an office in the new city which towered above the skyline.


    Her plans for Uren were more functional. She had to make way for rivers and replace the most rusted areas with leftover titanium. This was her lowest material, of course, as it ran throughout the entire island, but from her time as Fount Cira, she also managed to scavenge some scrap. Most of it was garbage and quickly destroyed, but some of it was the same alloy Earth Vein seemed to have built Uren¡¯s upper merchant¡¯s deck with.


    Now she took any unrustable piece of Uren and hollowed it out with her practical geomancing prowess, retrieving roughly forty percent of the base materials and reallocating them to replace the shoddy steel and tin. Her substitute metals slowly melted into the existing structures in place, replacing any old material she wanted to get rid of which dripped up into the sky and disappeared into light to make way for the new. Anything half-decent, she vaporized the rust off of and stacked into neat little ingots on Pappy¡¯s balcony, taking the time to delicately burn reinforcement glyphs into it.


    Before long Uren would be rust free like its far more beautiful sister city, but here she built a plain old reservoir nestled between a couple hilltops on the outskirts. It was larger than their last two put together, and she spent a while meticulously hooking it back up to each and every pipe or aqueduct in the city. This was grueling work, but her Spatial Sight was still strong up here.


    During this time Cira also worked tirelessly on the new city¡¯s waterways and piping. ¡°I hope Uren doesn¡¯t fall apart¡­ This place is so much nicer.¡± It had running water like her alchemists¡¯ and exorcists¡¯ homes down below, with light glyphs engraved directly into the structures with longevity in mind and little depressions to push in the wall to activate them. Likewise, lamp posts rose from the streets but were also one piece with the street, the city, and its foundation. So, nobody could think to move them. They would activate when it becomes dark and had extra controls in Lomp¡¯s office.


    It was shaping up to be the perfect ghost town, and she could see Lomp firmly gripping his head on the walls of Uren, nearly jumping out of his skin while winds whipped his face.


    ¡°He must be filled with anticipation to fill his new city.¡± Cira gave him a wry grin that he would never see. ¡°Lomp work where Lomp is due, right?¡±


    Many of the stilted structures of Uren would now have to split apart from each other, as she¡¯d be running water between them. Why? Because everyone in Uren had horribly dry skin and pallid complexions. Not to mention, the place was depressing. It needed a little spice of life. This was done slowly with each platform, literally stretching them out with extra materials or sliding them apart from each other.


    This got difficult when there were pipes in the way, of which Uren had some for communal and industrial use, but Cira took her time and reformatted the city a little more to her liking. There were also planters prepared in the streets now, but the people would have to find dirt and flowers to make use of them¡ªhopefully not fill them with trash or use them as streetside latrines.


    I wonder where Nina¡¯s gone. Back to Zero Stratum? I can¡¯t even see it anymore¡­ Cira stared at the large open space she cleared inside the new city. Once she built it out, water would again flow to the surface again. The brunt of her work would be done. She gazed listlessly at Breeze Haven and noticed something unsavory appear on the surface.


    ¡°Astral Witch¡­¡± Cira glared at her with a fierce look in her eyes. This witch was the thorn in her side. A total loose cannon. She couldn¡¯t stop her below, lest the witch explode as soon as soon as Cira turned to the clouds, causing leaks in her intricate system of rivers or storm down to Uru giving Nanri trouble.


    She would have days to wreak havoc while Cira turned a blind eye. She was trying to think of a reasonable way to avoid it, but there was a sinking feeling that the issue would have to be addressed.


    For now, she stood next to Breeze Haven gawking at the city around her bathed in morning daylight and shimmering cerulean as brinstahl fell from the sky a city away. It drew the witch¡¯s attention, but she didn¡¯t do anything yet, only observing with a furrowed brow.


    Piling the ancient metal into the city center, Cira didn¡¯t think brinstahl was pretty enough to make the cut for its imminent namesake, so she mixed in the last few orbs of titanium. The gargantuan lump of metal momentarily glowed white hot, bubbling and distorting the air before swirling around like a typhoon.


    It bathed the city in even more light, because why not? If she could create an alloy at room temperature, she would. Unfortunately, this completely depleted the resource. She didn¡¯t even have enough to make a titanium belt buckle. This resulted in a brinstahl alloy that was many shades brighter and a few times shinier when it cooled down, so she was satisfied.


    The new metal piled into the city center to form a towering mound before flaring out in three tiers and a hundred feet across. It sat in the middle of a large, misshapen basin lined with more of the same silver brinstahl. There were dips, valleys, and a couple islands sprinkled about to emulate a lakebed.


    Once the third tier of the fountain was complete, she carved simple designs in it with lines to match the city¡¯s style and scallops for the water to fall down placed around each tier¡¯s rim with the same curved, squared off look that the skyline had if you look across the rooftops. A pillar stretched up from the center like a budding sprout before she was rudely interrupted.


    A flash of light assailed Cira as she hovered high above the cities before fizzling out against her barrier. Turning her gaze downward, she saw Estelle and a very nervous Lyren. Ignoring them, Cira finished designing her new structure and finally let the dams burst.


    Water shot up from the top of the fountain to form a thin curtain that sprinkled onto the highest level before filling it and slowly trickling down. At the same time, Uren¡¯s reservoir started filling up and the rivers filled from a few different locations among the spiderwebbing network of channels. Among her waterways on the surface, there were various wells where it rose up from below, fed by the pump artifacts¡ªboth of which had been moved to the renovated spring chamber, because why wouldn¡¯t they be there?


    This saved her a ton of material along the way while building the surface¡¯s supply, but they were far too powerful with that little distance to cover. That problem was solved by supplying the island between the spring and Uren with spillways just below the surface fed from the same pipe.


    Defending against another few irritating rays of light, Cira watched the water finally fall over the lowest tier of her fountain and start filling the basin. The rays of light got more frequent, and she could see the witch¡¯s face contorting in anger.


    Now Aquon¡¯s ring of water had begun to fall like rain, topping off the reservoirs, all the rivers, and filling the fountain¡¯s lake which stretched for half a mile in each direction, surrounded by indents in the ground ready for Lomp to fill with dirt, grass, and maybe some trees. It would be a park for everyone in the city to enjoy. Lights flashed against her face without relent as she added the finishing touch. The cherry on top of the cake¡ªthe mustard on her salted egg, if you will.


    A few paces in from the shore, a short embankment of brinstahl rose from the ground with solid letters raised across its width: ¡°SILVER LAKE¡±


    And a pathway straight to it paved in golden mana led to the lower districts of Uren, where all the displaced residents from below lived. She couldn¡¯t offer them their former lakeside cave at the bottom of Fount Salt, but she could offer them a spot under the sun and a new city molded from their island¡¯s history.


    The water¡¯s pure blue effulgence was even visible in the daylight and there were nymphs popping out of the fountain, bobbing around the waters until spilling into the next tier¡ªsometimes flying up to do it again. Is this a game to you? I didn¡¯t know you guys liked the outside world.


    Enough of that. Cira shook her head, looking away. I need to hurry this up. Let¡¯s see¡­ The farms still need seeds. She planned for this. There was a tin sitting on her garden table that she left out the morning they descended to the New Shores District. About the size of a breadbox. It held nothing so extravagant as Moonberry plums, but within it lay the answer to one of Fount Salt¡¯s remaining problems.


    Of course, the underworms were healthy now. Well, relatively. Some still had physical conditions, but any trace of deritium stored within their bodies had been expended for one sorcery or another. Every little itch she felt from the spring chamber had been thoroughly burned up. As far as eating them now goes, one could compare it to butchering a pig with a bum leg. Kind of weird if you think about it, but it¡¯s basically the same thing.


    The worms had nothing to do with Cira¡¯s tin of secrets, naturally. The lid popped open and thousands of little yellow seeds flew into the air like a swarm. They clacked around gently, but in such great numbers, it was like migrating locusts. They all found their way to the farm, stretching out along its length and finding their own places to dig in, just like down below.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Aquon let out a light rain and each drop burst with a little tinge of mana the color of grass in spring upon hitting the soil. Soon sprouts grew up before growing into tall stalks, immediately bearing their first crop.


    ¡°Sorry, guys.¡± Cira felt the need to apologize, ¡°It¡¯s all corn.¡±


    I was never going to plant that anyway. It¡¯s time to face reality. A girl doesn¡¯t need that much corn.


    ¡°Hm¡­ did she give up? That doesn¡¯t sound like her.¡± Estelle hadn¡¯t attacked Cira in a couple minutes, leading her to wonder what she was up to. She found her casually walking across the salt towards the infirmary.


    She approached and held her staff aloft, burning with the pure light of her mana as droves of helpless plague victims out front of the clinic cowered in terror. The people said their prayers and held their children tight, preparing for the end. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t¡­¡± Cira growled as she witnessed the Astral Witch wield magic against the innocent with a smile on her face.


    With no clouds in the sky, thunder roared.


    A bolt of golden lightning fell from the heavens and scorched the salt in front of the plague ward without a moment to spare as a raging spear of light threatened to blot out the whole of Uren. The flock cried as if their life were ending, many of them blinded from the clashing mana, but when it died down, they saw another figure had appeared between them and the murderous witch.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Saintess!¡± They cried.


    ¡°She¡¯s come to save us again!¡± Mothers held their daughters with reverent smiles of relief and their faces stained with tears, while strangers embraced each other and wept.


    ¡°Praise be the saint who will show us the new dawn!¡±


    Ugh¡­ What a pain. I¡¯ll be hearing about this again.


    ¡°So, you¡¯ve finally shown yourself, coward.¡± Estelle spat while her doe-eyed assistant stood stock still. Everything behind Cira was shielded from the cataclysmic waves of pressurized mana, while Estelle and Lyren were feeling the full weight of all the mana in Fount Salt and the six suns which condensed into a ring far above Cira like a celestial halo¡ªa crown far too large to wear on her head, topped with a seventh sun at high noon above a brilliant blue gem.


    Cira¡¯s orbit was in full force as the mithril disk at her back, orichalcum on the left and a radiant prism which outshined Estelle ten-fold to the right all settled around her. The Staff of Springs wove itself in an intricate, snaking river behind her back, protecting the infirmary and everyone outside it.


    Each of her four actual staves burned with the searing heat of pure mana. They were the end of the line of all which existed on the island and the suns above. An outlet that had been building up, waiting to burst. The pressure bore down on anywhere within a hundred yards that wasn¡¯t directly under Cira¡¯s protection as cracks could be heard beneath the witch¡¯s feet and pebbles of salt inexplicably separated from the ground. Lyren was gripping onto the edge of a Phase Shift while Estelle¡¯s face was visibly strained just to keep herself standing up straight, as if she were being crushed by the gravity of seven suns.


    ¡°How unfortunate,¡± Cira looked at her with cold eyes. ¡°I was hoping I wouldn¡¯t have to tend to you personally¡­¡± The sorcerer¡¯s eyes burned bright as she took slow steps toward the witches, each pace cracking the salt at her feet. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re truly an idiot or you look your age, but you¡¯ve crossed the line.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what did you just say?!¡± Estelle struggled to keep her composure as the pressure only increased. She was at the bottom of a deep sea. Never in her long life had a creature made her endure such aethereal force¡ªit was unnatural. Even the deepest chamber of Nightwing Isle¡¯s aether well wasn¡¯t enough to compare. ¡°Just what the hell are you?!¡±


    Cira frowned, ¡°Next time we meet, maybe we can have a proper fight, but that doesn¡¯t seem to be possible today.¡± She could already see the edges of her consciousness going dark. Fount Salt flickered in and out, yet she couldn¡¯t stop seeing it overlayed hundreds of times over. She talked big, but it was hard telling if there were two or four witches in front of her.


    ¡°What the hell are you babbling about?¡± The witch probably noticed Cira¡¯s unsteady gait and somehow grasped a leg to stand on in her mind. ¡°Do you even know what you¡¯ve done? Calling yourself the ¡®Hidden Witch¡¯ and whatever the hell you did to the silver-headed Whelp.¡± Her face twisted at the end¡ªa blatant display of scorn.


    ¡°You would do well not to speak of Nanri.¡± The Astral Witch had a talent for getting under people¡¯s skin. Saying the words that would upset them most. This must have served her well over centuries of lording herself over others, but it was a habit that she did without thinking of the consequences. It was second nature.


    The salt flashed like ivory as a thin string of light appeared between Prismagora and Estelle. If anyone blinked, they would have missed it because it was gone just as quick. Faster than anyone, even the recipient, could see, Cira had unleased a ray of light straight into the Astral Witch¡¯s left kneecap. It shattered her barrier in another splash of light. Her kneecap was also shattered which made the witch crumble to the ground, trying to hold herself up with just one. It did more than that, burning a hole in the salt behind her too, but it was just small enough to leave her leg intact.


    ¡°You¡­ you bitch.¡± She snarled, trying to sneak glances at her mangled knee and not let the shock show on her face. ¡°How are you doing this?! I¡¯m the goddamn Astral Witch, do you hear me?! None surpass my prowess in the light!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re pathetic.¡± Cira stole the light wrapping around the witch and used it to shatter the still-forming barrier, speaking on the wind above her complaints. ¡°Weak-minded and woefully nearsighted. I¡¯ve solved every problem on this island so the people here can live healthy and happy lives, yet you would destroy it out of spite.


    ¡°You don¡¯t even spare a thought to think how all I¡¯ve done will benefit your masters. Your workforce will double, death rates will plummet. You can stop dumping people into the sky in Uru. Mountains of prima. But no, you only wish to destroy. You¡¯ve followed me all the way up here and even tried to massacre the innocent just to draw my attention. You¡¯re no better than a child throwing a tantrum, but far more dangerous¡­¡±


    She watched Lyren¡¯s face twist in pain as the pressure became too great and held out a palm, raising it. Suddenly the young witch was able to stand up, blinking in confusion and looking at Cira with great apprehension. She was jittering and tried to hide behind her own robes, unable to go even the least bit transparent.


    ¡°Just who do you think you are?¡± Estelle was hunched over the ground, panting and bleeding profusely, but her eyes were somehow trained on Cira like a predator. ¡°Earth Vein owns this island. You can¡¯t just do what you want with it. We will find you no matter where you try to escape to!¡±


    ¡°If this Adjutant I heard about is only a step above you, then I¡¯m sure I could take her on a good day. I don¡¯t act out of fear, and I deliver justice where justice is due.¡± She closed the distance as they were helpless to stop her or even move on their own. The two witches were completely locked in place and at Cira¡¯s mercy. The suns circled above them now, forming a focal point of golden light like the heavens came down to mark the accused.


    ¡°Idiot!¡± Estelle spat up blood with burns forming on her face like Lomp had at the spring. Her hair started to char, ¡°Do you even know who the Adjutant is?!¡±


    ¡°Of course not, but if she can¡¯t keep you in line then she deserves a slap or two.¡± Rushing water and shattering earth brought the unbearable mana down on her and she was nearly kissing the salt. ¡°Just know that you¡¯ve left me no choice here.¡±


    The air whipped around as mana rippled. Cira¡¯s robes waved violently as her weary eyes bore down on the witch. Lyren fell to her knees and clasped her hands together, ¡°Please, don¡¯t kill me, Lady Hidden Witch!¡± There were tears falling down her face.


    ¡°Get up.¡± Cira ordered, ¡°You won¡¯t be harmed, but complicity will only protect you from blame for so long. Remember that. And you still have a job to do.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± She looked like she was about to cry. ¡°I¡­ I do?¡±


    ¡°Go on, kill me then!¡± Estelle had a crazed look in her eyes, like a wounded beast. ¡°Just get it over with, but just know¡ª¡±


    Cira kicked her in the face, scattering teeth and blood across the salt. ¡°Your fate won¡¯t be so simple. You will know what it means to be a mere whelp.¡±


    Holding out her hand, the blanched mana light around Conduit and in Cira¡¯s eyes flickered. A wisping gray light which nothing reflected fell from it slowly like dense smoke. It crawled across the ground, roiling and turning over as the witches¡¯ eyes went wide. Lyren shuddered and Estelle tried to back away to no avail.


    ¡°What¡­ What the blazes is that?!¡± She cried, teeth chattering. The smoke had an altogether different pressure from the ocean of mana. Instead, it pulled¡ªat your body, your mind, your aura. It induced the feeling one stood at the edge of a bottomless abyss, stepping closer as the smoke unfolded. Soon it enveloped Estelle alone as she writhed on the ground pleading, ¡°No! Don¡¯t let it touch me! Gyahhh!!¡±


    Her cries were drowned out as the smoke unfurled around her, slowly thinning while pure mana burned off above her, dispersing into the sky. This continued until the smoke became a light haze and revealed the frail and bloodied Astral Witch on the ground gasping for air. Bloody claw marks dissolved into the salt before her as she stared at Cira with pure hate. ¡°What¡­ what did you do¡­? Something¡­ feels wrong.¡± Her eyes had a glint of desperation and her chest heaved frantically with each breath.


    ¡°I have replaced your aura with a fragment of my own.¡± Cira looked down on her like a bug beneath her boot. ¡°Naturally, it will only heed my call. There is only one way to regain your aura without my assistance, and somehow, I doubt you will figure it out anytime soon. Now I think it¡¯s time you take a long-deserved nap.¡±


    The realization was dawning on Estelle¡¯s face in the form of terror and disbelief, ¡°You¡ªyou bitch! I¡¯ll kill y¡ª" With another kick across the face and no mana to protect herself, she was sprawled out on the ground at Lyren¡¯s feet, who reeled back at Cira¡¯s gaze, reflexively going transparent again then stumbling in surprise when it worked.


    ¡°Your job.¡± Cira said curtly.


    ¡°Y-yes?! What is it?!¡± Lyren was distraught.


    ¡°Take this pitiful woman and fly away. Feel free to report whatever you want. I don¡¯t care.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Okay, uh, I can do that!¡± She started grabbing at Estelle, unable to even lift her upper body off the ground. ¡°I¡¯ll just, uh, take the elevator.¡± She started slowly dragging her away.


    Cira let out a long sigh, ¡°You can use your magic now¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh, right!¡± Lyren fidgeted nervously, undecided over whether to put her mentor down, eventually lifting her off the ground with a spell. ¡°It will take me a while, but I¡¯ll be gone tomorrow, I swear it!¡±


    Her eyes betrayed the fact that she still thought she walked a razor¡¯s edge. ¡°Hold on¡­¡± Cira stopped her and the orichalcum staff lit up. ¡°Salty Songstress, come forth and return these witches to their boat!¡±


    A pirate ship made of salt rose from the ground as the witch backed up uneasily.


    ¡°Get on.¡± Lyren complied, floating herself and Estelle up and timidly finding a seat.


    ¡°Uh, okay¡­ what now¡ªwhoa!¡± The boat started moving as pristine waves splashed around it, sending them off into one of the many sunrises.


    ¡°Hey, one last thing!¡± Cira shouted.


    ¡°Wh-what is it?!¡±


    ¡°Make sure you¡¯re nice to Nanri next time you see her!¡±


    The Dimension Witch made a frightened face as she nodded desperately and vanished beyond the salt.


    Finally, Cira was able to let out a long, heavy breath. All the stress and tension was in the past now. On one hand, that wasn¡¯t entirely true. There was still a sore spot in her heart that stung every time she stopped moving. Cira felt emptier than she should after finishing such a massive job. There was no sense of accomplishment or happy faces to grow smaller as she disappeared. Just an undeniable sense of loss and doubt.


    It had come to Cira¡¯s attention that the foundations she built through her years travelling empty skies were flawed. She had built a shell around herself. Cira was a separate entity from the rest of the world, and her heart was closed off. Somebody saw a light through the keyhole and wormed their way in, and now Cira was skybound again with a bleeding tear in her chest, lonelier than ever. No father, no friends, just Breeze Haven and the unchanging sky.


    There was a horizon to chase that never got any closer, and it was in Cira¡¯s nature to reach for it. The time had come. Fount Salt took a lot from the melancholy sorcerer, and she left pieces of herself behind. But just like the shape of one¡¯s soul, the heart never forgets. In turn, each heart it touched, and every wound left on it would form the foundation of the sorcerer Cira will one day become. That was Gazen¡¯s wish, anyway.


    She spared a glance behind her to the plague victims of Uren. They gazed at her with awe, crying tears of joy and whispering words of hope to their loved ones. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but Cira knew they would bounce back. One day Fount Salt would no longer be a dying land swept under the Boreal¡¯s rug, and these people would thrive like their ancestors once did.


    Now it was truly out of her hands. Cira rose above the city, fixing the broken surface and taking her suns with her, gliding away back to Breeze Haven. In the heat of the confrontation, Cira had sent orders for it to rise, so now it was before her as she gave Fount Salt one last look from above.


    This vista was bittersweet, and her heart churned again. While part of her didn¡¯t want to leave, this wasn¡¯t where she belonged. The people would prosper, and there was no place for her here. There was nothing for her here. Not one thing.


    Well¡­ Cira caught one last grainy sight of the silver-haired witch who sat against the elevator wall sleeping peacefully before she finally turned to the sky.


    The deritium needed to be destroyed and it was time for Cira¡¯s grand exit. It had been purged throughout the island. Whether the salt, worms, or water held trace amounts, it had all been burned up. Meaning the only deritum left now orbited Cira as she ascended, but her suns would all stay. In fact, she needed far more.


    ¡°Prismagora, burn it all away.¡± The crystalline ornament on top flared to life at her voice, ¡°Symphony of Dawn¡¯s Light.¡±


    Thousands of Lamplights appeared above the surface of Fount Salt¡ªcountless. Doubling the cost, they all burned with the same golden radiance she¡¯d bathed the city in, completely washing out the sky. They would shine until the deritium no longer existed, and then all would be well on this island.


    ¡°Until we meet again¡­¡± Cira¡¯s blazing eyes grew soft now as she gazed wistfully somewhere far below, finally feeling grass crunch beneath her feet for the first time in days. She looked around to take stock of her alchemy instruments from the clinic. They had found their way home and were strewn across the yard.


    ¡°I¡¯m home¡­ Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± Breeze Haven hummed at her command from the garden and fell into motion as she tilted up to find the center of the Noose. ¡°Spring Sense. Dispel.¡±


    When the river trailing behind her cut off, the last thing she heard was her staves thump against the grass before her consciousness finally gave out and the world of light turned black.

 75 - Book One Epilogue - Bright Horizons

    Now devoid of greater powers and shining waters, the City of Uren was left alone as Breeze Haven took off into the real sunrise, hidden behind so many others. Alas, Cira was asleep at the helm, adrift again, her home destined to land wherever it may.


    In her wake, there was a pristine egg on the horizon, just like she dreamed. Unlike her dream, the sun didn¡¯t set on Fount Salt for seven long days. Only then did the veil of day lift and the island knew darkness again.


    On the eighth morning when a single sun rose, a ship descended from above. With a rounded shape and painted red hull, it was topped with a banner bearing an insignia of three links in a chain¡ªthe symbol of the Gandeux Group. Surrounded by a round canopy sail that could tilt around as it rose or fell, this ship was specifically designed to traverse the Noose quickly.


    ¡°Man, Earth Vein really turned this place around when they took over.¡± Brindle gazed down at the twin cities, one visibly more impressive than the other with a massive fountain beset within the calm waters of a sprawling lake which led to rivers which spiderwebbed throughout the city. While the fountain looked almost like silver, everything else seemed to be crafted from the same metal. ¡°No way, is that all ancient brinstahl?!¡±


    Hale squinted his eyes as he inspected the peculiar city, ¡°I was here three months ago¡­ I don¡¯t recall Earth Vein erecting any such city, nor rebuilding Uren. It would have certainly reached my desk.¡±


    ¡°Whoa¡­¡± The mage pulled his hood down, letting it rest on his shoulders to get a better look as they got closer. ¡°Is that what were here to investigate? Honestly, even that shithole looks kind of nice now.¡±


    Hale let out a long sigh as he looked out the window, shaking his head, ¡°I agree, but I¡¯m not so sure it was by Earth Vein¡¯s hand¡­ All we know is there were forty-two reports within three days saying there was deritium in Fount Salt. Then the reports haven¡¯t stopped about a saint of some kind. They¡¯re saying crazy things like she made the sun rise and dropped a city from the sky like rain. Islands move at her will.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s obviously bullshit. But forty-two?! Why so many?¡± It was outright bizarre. One would do the trick, and somebody would be mandated to check the veracity if an assessment hasn¡¯t been done within two decades¡ªFount Salt had no such study on record, of course, having been pushed out of the Boreal long before the Deritium Concordat was ratified.


    ¡°They said it caused the plague¡­¡± was Hale¡¯s only reply.


    Brindle¡¯s eyes shot open, ¡°It can do that?! I heard about the plague years ago!¡±


    Hale Pursed his lips, nodding with frustration, ¡°The reports also said there was a cure¡­ for the effects of deritium.¡±


    The mage¡¯s jaw was on the floor, ¡°Bullshit! You can¡¯t fix a broken soul! H-how?!¡±


    Hale offered a deadpan expression, ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯re here to investigate. Earth Vein¡¯s lips were sealed, swearing they hadn¡¯t heard a thing since their audit a few weeks ago. So, we shall begin with the Overseer. My great-grandfather said he was a good man, so he should be forthright enough.¡±


    The ship slowed to a stop as it contacted the landing pad atop Uren¡¯s silo. Once they got out there was already a crowd of guards waiting, wearing the overseer¡¯s seal. Before them was the oldest man Hale had ever seen, as many wrinkles as there were stars in the sky. He wore the overseer¡¯s badge and bowed when they made eye contact.


    ¡°Greetings, Sir Regulator!¡± The old man was stiff, as if reading from a script and suppressing his accent.


    ¡°Please, call me Hale.¡± Brindle stood behind him with an unfriendly look on his face.


    ¡°Right, Regulator Hale, sir¡­¡± beads of sweat pooled atop his wrinkles, ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure?¡±


    Hale looked at him for a brief moment, ¡°Is¡­ that a serious question? Are you not the Overseer?¡±


    ¡°Uh, ah, yes! I mean, you musta heard about the deritium¡­¡± His face paled.


    ¡°Indeed¡­ and the incident with the Saint.¡± Hale scrutinized him closely. Why is he nervous? Something strange seems to be going on, but what could the Overseer of all people be hiding? ¡°There is also a number of other matters. Namely, the cure. Shall we speak in your office?¡±


    The Overseer laughed nervously, ¡°Uh, well, you see¡­ All that stuff, is¡­ a little outside muh purview. You¡¯re probably going to want to talk to the Underseer. He handles everythin¡¯, you know, down there. And out there.¡± He urged to the world beyond his rooftop.


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Something is definitely off on this island¡­ ¡°And where do I find this ¡®Underseer¡¯?¡±


    The former¡¯s face lit up slightly, ¡°Oh, ya can¡¯t miss ¡®im! He¡¯s in that big shiny buildin¡¯ with his name on it.¡± He pointed to the opposite city where one building stood above the rest, ending in a pointed spire.


    Hale didn¡¯t move or say anything. He stood there for a moment, waiting for the Overseer to follow up before leaning in inquisitively, ¡°Oh, of course! Uh, Geronimo, take him there!¡±


    A man wearing an extravagant medallion pushed his glasses up and muttered, ¡°That¡¯s not my name¡­ Er, Regulator Hale, right this way!¡±


    Hale and Brindle looked at each other for a moment, unsure of what to make of the peculiar behavior, but ultimately Hale had been promised there was a man with answers. It was simpler to see if someone could be more help than the old man. Perhaps he¡¯s getting up there in the years. I heard they get old on this island. Maybe my Great-Grandfather caught him in his youth, and he¡¯s gone senile.


    They let the other man lead them to an elevator and Brindle just couldn¡¯t help but ask, stroking the rough stubble on his chin, ¡°Hey, what¡¯s with your necklace? Is that a church relic or something?¡±


    ¡°Believe it or not,¡± The bespectacled man turned with an unamused tone, ¡°Just because it¡¯s blessed silver doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s from the church.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Brindle and Hale shared a look before following him again.


    At least an hour later, they found themselves walking through the new city with the sun at their backs. The air wasn¡¯t as dry as it was in Uren, which had already improved from memory, but there was a change to the infrastructure there as well¡ªnamely the monolithic farm they installed. Many rivers standing on stilts could be followed back to the new city and lowered or crossed over as they made their way to the other side of town.


    Down the roads paved in brinstahl and around the buildings made of the same, they eventually reached the shores of a lake, formed to look natural but clearly bordered in another hard metal. The fountain was the second highest structure in the city, just below their destination, and there was a lot of open space and indents in the ground surrounding it, like it would be filled with dirt to become a park one day.


    ¡°Not a lot of people here.¡± Hale commented.


    Geronimo shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s too new. The Underseer hasn¡¯t sorted everything out yet.¡± As they passed the park there was a sign growing from the ground about waist high and almost thirty feet long with large, bolded letters embossed onto it.


    ¡°Silver Lake.¡± Brindle read, ¡°That the name of the city?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Geronimo replied awkwardly. ¡°Just the lake.¡±


    ¡°Hold on.¡± Hale paused, gazing over the waters for a brief moment. ¡°Like the Silver Lake that collapsed over a decade ago?¡±


    ¡°Huh. Now that you mention it, I remember something like that.¡± Brindle agreed, ¡°Nice of Earth Vein to rebuild it for them.¡±


    Their guide silently took them to the foot of the tallest building in the city which had another sign on the front with large print: ¡°LOMP¡±.


    ¡°The hell is that supposed to mean?¡± Brindle muttered.


    The guide led them inside, where there was an open lobby with a noticeable lack of staff. At the back of the room, he touched a symbol on the wall, and it split open like a door, blinding them with pure white light.


    ¡°What is this?!¡± Hale shielded his eyes.


    ¡°Magic! Get back!¡± The scepter in Brindle¡¯s hand started to pulse until they peered into the elevator and saw a litany of shining glyphs. ¡°What in the world¡­? Burned right into the brinstahl? You, what is this?¡±


    Geronimo choked, ¡°It¡¯s, uh, the elevator, sir.¡±


    ¡°Who the hell built this thing?¡±


    He was starting to sweat, ¡°I believe, uh, everything will make at least a little more sense once you¡¯ve spoken to the Underseer.¡±


    ¡°I would hope so.¡± Hale shot him a suspicious glare then stepped into the elevator, followed by the other two.


    The doors closed behind them, and the magic circles hummed quietly, gently pulsating in brightness.


    ¡°Is this thing going to start anytime soon?¡± Brindle was getting impatient. The guide hadn¡¯t said or pressed anything for a few minutes since entering the elevator and he was starting to feel like they were being twisted around.


    ¡°Aaaaaand, we¡¯re here.¡± The door split open, and Geronimo stepped out to lead the way, leaving the mage with shock.


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡± He followed behind with an uneasy look growing on his face.


    The short hallway echoed with each step, assembled with different textured plates of the same metal, and formed to match the city¡¯s architecture. A few glassless windows lit the hall as they approached a door with raised letters, as if it had molded with them on it. ¡°The Underseer¡±.


    Their guide opened the door slowly and walked in.


    ¡°What the hell do you want?!¡± Through the doorway, he could see a very tired man with disheveled hair and a torn guard¡¯s uniform standing at a desk covered in papers and surrounded with boxes, ¡°Does it look like I have time for Pappy¡¯s shit?!¡±


    Geronimo loudly cleared his throat and clapped as Hale walked in, ¡°Underseer, sir. I have brought Regulator Hale with me today.¡±


    ¡°Holy shit!, I mean fu¡ªgod dammit¡­¡± He fell into a deep bow, ¡°It¡¯s a great honor to receive you, Regulator, sir! I have been eagerly awaiting your Arrival.¡±


    Suppressing a groan, Hale waved his hand, ¡°Please, enough pleasantries. I trust you know why I¡¯m here.¡±


    With a tough face, the Underseer nodded and sat down behind his desk. ¡°Of course. Please, take a seat. Ask me anything you like, and I¡¯ll answer if it is within my power.¡±


    Now letting out a breath of relief, Hale took him up on the offer, sitting down across while Brindle stood. He looked at the Underseer carefully before addressing him with a grin, ¡°I was worried you¡¯d send me off too for a moment. Please, call me Hale.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure, Regulator Hale.¡± He offered a hand over the desk, and they shook. ¡°My name is Lomp.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s you. The pleasures mine, Mr. Lomp.¡± Hale leaned back in his chair and mulled over his words. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s start with the messages. When we investigated them, they were all signed with fake names or those belonging to the deceased. Interestingly, the only one we could seem to track down came from none other than a ¡°Lomp of Fount Salt¡±. Am I correct to assume that¡¯s you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± He nodded firmly.


    ¡°Great. Am I correct to assume you¡¯re responsible for the other forty-one messages addressed to ¡®the Gandeux¡¯?¡±


    ¡°No, sir.¡± He shook his head resolutely, not giving any tells of a lie, ¡°It seems once the truth got out there was quite the panic.¡±


    ¡°And the truth, being¡­¡± Hale let it hang in the air for a moment, ¡°That the cause of Fount Salt¡¯s plague was deritium all along?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Lomp answered truthfully.


    ¡°And I trust you have evidence of this and the location of the deritium?¡± The regulator was rightfully suspicious.


    ¡°You see, about that¡­¡± Oh gods, here we go again. Hale was already tired of this island. ¡°As far as evidence goes, I mean, the cure is curing it¡­ But the, uh, Saint destroyed all the deritium.¡±


    ¡°¡°She what?!¡±¡± Brindle and Hale both shouted in unison.


    ¡°Um, yeah¡­ It¡¯s all gone.¡± Lomp shrunk back.


    ¡°That¡¯s madness¡­¡± Hale said, scrunching up his face, ¡°One report said there was a Captain Dreadheart who seized the deritium from the Black Scourge Pirates. Are you familiar with this individual as well?¡±


    ¡°Er, yes¡­ Took ¡®em out in a day, I heard.¡± Lomp replied awkwardly.


    ¡°Right¡­¡± He pulled out a notepad and starting writing something down, ¡°we received word the outlaw Captain Don is on his way to Port now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Guess they got him in Uru.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve gathered that much¡­ Moving on,¡± Hale flipped through a few pages, ¡°These stories of the Saint are a little far-fetched, I¡¯m sure you understand. There¡¯s no way someone could do anything like what the reports say, but if anything happened on such a scale, there had to be more people involved.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Lomp looked at them blankly.


    ¡°I¡¯m having trouble finding out where the pirate woman fits in, but it¡¯s become clear from the reports that the Saint had help from someone going by ¡®the Hidden Witch¡¯. Despite the name, she didn¡¯t keep a very low profile, being heavily active in Uru and possibly Nymphus. It seems you spent some time down there.¡±


    The Underseer tapped his desk, looking out the window, ¡°She helped a lot in the plague ward¡­¡± he said carefully.


    ¡°Great,¡± Hale jotted something else down and flipped the page. ¡°It looks like you¡¯ll be a great help in the coming days. Let¡¯s see here¡­ Witch and pirate aside, let¡¯s get back to the Saint. Am I right to believe she¡¯s the one who spread this alleged cure?¡±


    The Underseer snorted, then coughed loudly and cleared his throat, ¡°Yeah, I think so¡­ She healed a lot of people down there.¡±


    ¡°Excellent.¡± His pen swiveled around before pausing to return Lomp¡¯s gaze. ¡°Do you have any of the cure left? I¡¯d like to see it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ all down below so far.¡± He replied.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll head down there to take a look soon and pick this up again. First though, there are a few other things here¡­¡± He flipped through the pages of his notebook again, ¡°Right, there¡¯s also talk of a young sorceress named Petunia Cloudsworth,¡± the Underseer¡¯s eyes were open wide, focusing intently on Regulator Hale as he spoke, ¡°There was definite mention of a ¡®sorcerer¡¯ though. Petunia seems to be backed by another man far more powerful than herself who works in the shadows. For the purpose of this investigation, we¡¯re calling him ¡®Merlin X¡¯. Oh? Mr. Lomp, are you alright? You look like you¡¯re having trouble breathing.¡±


    The regulator got up from his chair with a grave look on his face, ¡°You, with the glasses! Get this man some water!¡± As commanded, their guide left in a hurry.


    Eventually Mr. Lomp let out heavy, wheezing exhales. It took him a few moments to catch his breath, face planted on the desk. ¡°I am so sorry about that, Regulator Hale. Sometimes the salt gets to me this time of year.¡± Lomp fanned his face as it returned to its original color.


    ¡°Right¡­ Er, so can you tell me anything about this mysterious pair of sorcerers? Or anything important about the other individuals involved?¡± When Mr. Lomp looked like he didn¡¯t know what to say, Hale pressed, ¡°Did the Saint say where she attained the recipe for the cure per chance?¡±


    ¡°Tch.¡± Lomp clicked his tongue, absent-mindedly holding his hands out in an impression, ¡°It came from the forbidden archive.¡±


    Brindle¡¯s eyes shot open, and he nudged Hale, who nodded in understanding. ¡°Mr. Lomp, let me ask you something¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    ¡°Did you meet this Petunia Cloudsworth character, or perhaps her associate?¡± His pen was ready to absorb the truth.


    ¡°Er, no¡­ I mean, I never met Merlin X.¡± He said with a straight face.


    ¡°So, you met Petunia then? Great. Tell me, was this elusive sorceress the one who claimed the recipe came from ¡®the Archive¡¯?¡± He was hanging onto the edge of his seat.


    ¡°Yup. That¡¯s exactly right.¡± Lomp replied.


    Brindle leaned in and the two had a short discussion in whispers before his pen started moving. ¡°Okay, I think I¡¯m starting to get an idea of what¡¯s going on here. The biggest remaining mystery is how the Saint ended up with Captain Dreadheart¡¯s deritium. Do you know how the two are involved, Mr. Lomp?


    ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t say that I do.¡± He replied meekly.


    ¡°I see.¡± Hale leaned onto the desk, ¡°They say the pirate came here from Leviathan Isle, but she hasn¡¯t made any ripples in the nearby skies. If she flew straight here to take out the Black Scourge pirates for their deritium, I have reason to believe she was working with either the Saint or the Hidden Witch. Did you hear anything of the pirate before the incident occurred, or even meet her by chance?¡±


    Lomp scrunched his face up, deep in thought. ¡°One night¡­ We were flying back from a long day in the Last step, and our boat was plucked out straight of the air.¡± His face was overly troubled, and he spoke softly, ¡°when we stopped there was a gang of pirates¡­ One of them shouted, ¡®Yargh! Yer boats property o¡¯ Captain Dreadheart now!¡¯¡± The Underseer winced, looking into Hale¡¯s eyes which betrayed none of his swirling thoughts.


    ¡°No, way, just like that?!¡± Brindle asked.


    ¡°Hold on. What were you doing in the Last Step?¡± Hale interjected. ¡°That place is supposed to be off limits.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡± Lomp tapped his desk for a few moments, staring up at the ceiling with a frustrated look. ¡°The Saint. She, uh, kind of made me kill ghosts for a while.¡±


    ¡°You killed ghosts?!¡± The mage was blown away, ¡°What does that even mean?!¡±


    ¡°BrindIe.¡± His superior quieted him down, ¡°We¡¯ll circle back to ghosts¡­ I see you must have been in Uru at the right time when most of this was going down.¡± Hale clicked his pen in thought. ¡°I almost have too many questions to ask you¡­ We¡¯ll be working together closely throughout this investigation to be certain, Mr. Lomp.¡± He flipped through more pages restlessly. ¡°This must mean you saw the Saint up close. Our descriptions of her vary wildly, can you tell me what she looks like?¡±


    ¡°Hard to get a good look at her past all the light.¡± Mr. Lomp shrugged.


    Brindle nodded in the back, while Hale¡¯s pen was restless, ¡°I understand. Let¡¯s get back on track. What happened once the pirates seized your vessel?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± The Underseer¡¯s eyes went wide, surely recalling the attack. He then paused for a moment. Whether it was for dramatic effect or a reflection of the trauma he suffered at the hand of pirates, the regulator could not tell. ¡°Um, we were late getting back¡­ so the Saint came looking for us¡­? Yeah, and then she bought the boat from Captain Dreadheart and repurposed it to hunt ghosts. That¡¯s what happened. It¡¯s almost like a blur now¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡­ what?¡± Brindle squinted at him.


    Hale¡¯s pen had also stopped, ¡°You¡¯re telling me your boat was stolen, so the saint bought it and didn¡¯t return it to you?¡±


    Lomp choked, ¡°It¡¯s all for the good of the island. I¡¯m far too busy to be flying around anyway.¡± Then he nodded with a clear show of resolve.


    ¡°Right¡­ Because you¡¯re the ¡®Underseer¡¯ of¡­ everything outside of Uren? Including a city that appeared from thin air.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­. The, uh, saint built it on her way out.¡±


    Hale looked at his notepad with increasing uncertainty, eventually lowering it to lean back with a sigh. ¡°What a frightening individual¡­ Did you witness it with your own eyes?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± His answer was quick, ¡°I was down below.¡±


    ¡°Of course¡­ With the cure. Could you take us there now?¡± Hale asked.


    The Underseer got an uneasy look on his face, glancing between the piles on his desk and Regulator Hale, ¡°I really don¡¯t have time, but I think that would be best¡­ It¡¯s a long ride down, though. Do you have everything you need?¡±


    Clicking his pen and putting it away, Hale sighed again, ¡°It will be faster if we take the dropship. We¡¯ll enter through Nymphus.¡±


    And roughly an hour later under the beating sun, the regulator and his mage enforcer, accompanied by Fount Salt¡¯s Underseer, descended through the sky. As they sped down the island, Hale couldn¡¯t help but notice that it looked nothing like the Fount Salt he visited only months prior.


    ¡°Say, Mr. Lomp¡­¡± He wasn¡¯t sure how to phrase the question, ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but notice Fount Salt is exceptionally smooth. Almost like a pearl¡­ No, more like an egg.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah, of course¡­¡± Lomp shook his held and held his palms out, ¡°I guess the saint thought it wasn¡¯t pretty enough¡­? Maybe she just needed the salt. I don¡¯t know anymore¡­¡± He sighed and slumped over.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ saying she altered the island¡¯s exterior?¡± Hale was aghast, ¡°Is it all like this?!¡±


    Lomp nodded gravely, ¡°It¡¯s beyond me. I¡¯m a simple man.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no¡­ just hang on a minute.¡± Brindle couldn¡¯t let it go just yet, ¡°Last I checked Fount Salt is damn near forty miles tall, half that at its widest. The hell do you mean she just smoothed it right over?! Do you know what kind of mana that takes?! A team of top-class mages couldn¡¯t do it if they tried!¡±


    Meanwhile the Underseer only shook his head, ¡°My aura is incredibly feeble¡­ I don¡¯t even know where to begin fathoming it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I noticed it was pretty weak¡­ Sorry that was rude.¡± The mage backpedaled, muttering to himself, ¡°I gotta meet this lady.¡±


    Hale snorted, ¡°I keep saying ladies will be the death of you. Something tells me you should steer clear from any of these.¡±


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to agree with the Regulator on this one.¡± Mr. Lomp added. Both the others looked at him expectantly as if waiting for him to divulge further before his face grew nervous, ¡°Um, I think it will make more sense once we get to Uru.¡±


    But first they had to go through Nymphus. They made it there in only a few hours, arriving at a hidden alcove reserved for people like Hale. He had the Underseer swear an oath of secrecy using a spell known by people like Brindle.


    Once that was done, they exited the ship and entered a railcar which took them through a sealed passage in the wall and straight to the gates of Nymphus. The bright city lights welcomed them, but Hale got uneasy to see a huge crowd in front of the gates, ¡°Mr. Lomp¡­? Do you know what¡¯s going on?¡±


    He walked towards it with a groan, ¡°It¡¯s probably the High Priest at it again¡­¡± the only way to reach the gate seemed to be walking through the masses.


    They mostly wore miner¡¯s gear or that of a prima sweep, but Hale recognized more than a few nobles transferred here from their families at the top of the Boreal. ¡°That¡¯s convenient. I was hoping to speak to the High Priest. Perhaps he will know more about the Saint.¡±


    Clearing the path and wading through them until they saw a scrawny man in robes of the Final Sky. He was coming up in the years but still full of vigor from the looks of it. The priest stood on a crate in front of a huge mound of dirty white sludge. This was to the side of the path which entered Nymphus, but the hundreds of people gathered took over the whole area.


    They could hear his impassioned sermon clearly from this distance, ¡°¡ªshe has shown us the light of the new dawn for seven full days! Now on the morn of the eighth, it is up to me and you! All of us must hold the light in our hearts and show the new dawn to the world. Let them know our lost¡ª¡± The High Priest froze when he saw a very important man he¡¯d met once or twice. Clearing his throat, he addressed the people gathered, ¡°Ahem, apologies, my devout brothers and sisters¡­ Let¡¯s all break here for lunch.¡±


    Disappointed groans and protests could be heard, but the crowd all started moving after a moment. Hundreds of them spread throughout Nymphus Stratum¡¯s paved field outside the city, nearly filling up the chamber and setting up countless picnics on the bare stone.


    ¡°Lomp!¡± Hale shouted in surprise from something so absurd it was a reflex. The Underseer jumped in his skin, rapidly spinning around.


    ¡°Y-yes?!¡± His face was pale.


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to startle you¡­ but since when is there a staircase to the Last Step?!¡± he leaned in, trying to peer higher, ¡°How far up does it go?¡±


    ¡°Er, well¡­ All the way. It goes as high as Uru. There¡¯s a passage that leads straight to it.¡±


    ¡°Why?!¡± Brindle clasped his head with frustration plain on his face.


    ¡°How to explain this¡­ We had to kill ghosts to make the cure¡ª¡±


    ¡°Regulator Hale!¡± The High Priest approached, ¡°How glorious it is to see you on this prophesized day! It must be ordained by the Lord of Skies Afar that we should meet in the new dawn¡¯s Light.¡±


    ¡°Um, perhaps so?¡± He coughed, clearing his throat while he thought of a follow up, ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Tarrel. It¡¯s been a few years, hasn¡¯t it? I was hoping to ask you about the Saint, but I am interested in what you just said¡­ I¡¯ve heard of the new dawn many times. Are you saying it¡¯s come?¡±


    Mother used to love telling me those stories¡­ The New Dawn was to mark the beginning of the Last Day¡­ These people love their riddles. Mankind will thrive in the light only to suffer under the darkest night which follows. Hale couldn¡¯t remember how the story ended. Why did she tell me that story?


    The High Priest lit up at the regulator¡¯s line of questions, ¡°Of course! I imagine Mr. Lomp has told you everything he could, so allow me to fill you in on what it all means!¡± He wore a toothy grin and chuckled to himself, ¡°Oh, where to begin¡­?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s start with the Saint¡­¡± Hale urged on.


    Tarrel looked at him with a smile and lightly shook his head, ¡°My brother in the light, it is all connected. Are you familiar with the prophecy of the new dawn?¡±


    Hale shrugged, ¡°Vaguely¡­ you have a few of those prophecies if I¡¯m not mistaken. Why do you think this one¡¯s come true?¡±


    ¡°If you were here, you would know it to be fact, just like everyone on this island has experienced the new dawn with their bodies and souls¡­ At first, I am ashamed to admit, even I had my doubts when word came of a saint appearing atop a wave of golden light to turn the nymphs around as they robbed the citizens of Nymphus of their life¡­


    Standing in place, Brindle felt a chill run up his spine and shuddered, ¡°Does she¡­ control the nymphs?¡±


    Tarrel only offered him a playful grin, ¡°¡­but then I watched her cure the plague with my own eyes¡­ A man destined for the sky beyond, his bones twisted, trying to stab right out through his gut¡ªI watched the deepest stages of the plague reverse in seconds. She¡­ She even empowered us to do it on our own!¡± His eyes had started to water, and he gazed up wistfully, ¡°That was only the beginning¡­¡± he shook his head.


    Both Hale and Brindle had their jaws on the floor, the latter with much more suspicion. That sure sounds like a deritium mutation. Could it really be?


    Seeing their rapt attention, Tarrel continued, ¡°As it was written, blue and gold will usher in the New Dawn, and the sun will not set for seven days. It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s exactly like the prophecy! Don¡¯t you see?!¡±


    ¡°Wait, what do you mean the sun didn¡¯t set for seven days?!¡± Hale thought that impossible, but the High Priest claimed everybody living on the island could vouch for him. He glanced at Lomp who nodded with a severe degree of frustration.


    The mage was eager to poke holes in it though, ¡°That¡¯s impossible! How do you even know if you live in a cave?! And what¡¯s the blue about?¡±


    Mr. Lomp looked up at him wearily, ¡°The rivers lit up for a while¡­ You¡¯ll see in Uru.¡±


    His face scrunched up in concern, but before the regulator could say anything, Tarrel continued, ¡°Indeed, and holy light knows no boundaries. The New Dawn was seen by all, through and through. Moving on, it was just as foretold. The sun did not set for seven days, not even in the deepest cave. Honestly, you should have shown up earlier,¡± he said with a wry grin.


    ¡°And how does the Saint fit into all this?¡± Hale was nearing his wits end trying to wrap his head around everything he heard.


    That¡¯s when the High Priest got a smirk, ¡°You¡¯ve seen the outside, yes? How the island has been reformed?¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah¡­ It¡¯s completely smooth now?¡±


    ¡°¡¯Blue and white shall be the new dawn, and from the egg of the saint shall the Lost Lamb be reborn to our lowly skies, celebrated by the skies afar and even the sun, which will not know rest for seven days.¡¯ This is the prophecy we have waited our whole lives for and have witnessed with our own eyes. There is no one else who can show us the brightest day and light our path through the darkest night. The Saint of Seven Suns is the very same lost lamb we have yearned for all this time! She has finally come to deliver us to the final sky!¡±


    That¡¯s right¡­ Mother said someone saved the day in the end. That¡¯s where the whole final sky part came in. Where are they getting these prophecies? I still don¡¯t understand what the final sky is supposed to even be¡­ it sounds like dying.


    At these times it was easier to transcribe words than try to take notes, and when Hale finished, he looked back up at Tarrel, ¡°You must have seen a lot of the Saint. Is she from¡­ a different church?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no¡­¡± he snickered, ¡°She was sent here personally by the Lord of Skies Afar. But yes. I, er, spoke with her numerous times during her visit. She was quite busy though, so it was often brief.¡±


    Brindle noticed the Underseer give him a sidelong stare.


    ¡°Okay, Tarrel. I think I¡¯m going to have to come back to you. There seems to be a lot to investigate down here and I want to get a good grasp on it before the day is through.¡± He gazed at the mysterious pile of goop behind the priest, and gave Brindle an exhausted look, ¡°We¡¯re going to be here all week¡­¡±


    ¡°At least.¡± The mage agreed.


    ___


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Lomp cut in to rush the conversation along before his veins popped out of his forehead like Pappy¡¯s brother. ¡°Why don¡¯t we head up to Uru?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s,¡± Hale agreed, ¡°It seems there¡¯s still a lot to cover.¡±


    Tarrel seemed disappointed but bid them farewell for now. Following this, Lomp ushered them to the closest elevator for a straight shot to Uru without the need to enter Nymphus.


    ¡°I know the religion¡¯s been getting bigger.¡± Brindle commented with a shrug, ¡°but that sure was a crowd.¡±


    ¡°High Priest was talking this day up since the Saint left.¡± Couldn¡¯t you have made it last just one more day? ¡°I can¡¯t believe it came true¡­¡±


    If I ever see Cira again, she¡¯s going to owe me so big¡­ I can¡¯t believe she engraved my goddamn name on the tallest building in town! As if I wouldn¡¯t get the message! I was on the fence about the whole Final Sky thing¡­ but after meeting the chosen one I know it¡¯s bullshit for sure. Gods, I can¡¯t believe this shit. Now I¡¯m chauffeuring a blasted regulator around. How many times have I had to lie just to cover my own ass?! You just had to stop for sandwiches with the pirates, didn¡¯t you?! I deserve a whole island of mithril!


    ¡°Mr. Lomp, are you okay?¡± Hale broke up the monotonous elevator ride, ¡°You¡¯ve seemed upset about something for a while now¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­ I haven¡¯t gotten much sleep lately.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± He wrote something down, ¡°I¡¯ll have to meet with you another day to get a better idea of the whole Overseer, Underseer arrangement.¡±


    Lomp dragged his gaze up to the man, ¡°Another day is fine¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t even need to send messengers if she was going to reform the island like a ball of clay and blast it with light for a goddamn week! She¡¯s lucky she didn¡¯t vaporize all the ghosts we need. Now the regulators are looking for her six times over! Gah, I need to save this for the office. Can¡¯t let it show on my face.


    Their elevator led above Uru, and they were able to descend directly into the plague ward. Hale and Brindle were momentarily shocked when they gazed upon the bright sun that rested on the ceiling. ¡°What the hell is that?!¡± Brindle was outraged.


    Lomp just sighed, shaking his head as they climbed down the stairs towards Earth Vein¡¯s checkpoint, ¡°You know about the endless night, right¡­?¡± They nodded, ¡°She ended it.¡±


    ¡°Why is it still burning? I haven¡¯t felt this much mana in ages.¡± Brindle tried to look away.


    ¡°No, what¡¯s happened to the rivers?¡± Hale interrupted as they reached ground level. ¡°And what is that facility?¡±


    Lomp stopped, leaning against the railing. God dammit, I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m the one that has to do this. ¡°Wait up for a minute, guys.¡± Damn you, Cira. He took a deep breath and just went for it, ¡°There were many problems when the Saint first arrived¡­. Floods, famine, plague¡­ The nymphs going mad¡­¡± He cleared his throat, ¡°And you see, the Saint had to destroy the deritium somehow¡­ so she¡­ may have completely rebuilt Fount Salt¡¯s waterways with titanium. Cough cough, and rebuilt Zero Stratum¡­¡±


    The pair looked at Lomp with shock and disbelief plain on their faces. I may have said something I shouldn¡¯t have¡­


    ¡°She what?!¡± Brindle raged, ¡°You mean she used the deritium?!¡±


    He and Hale shared a grave look before the regulator spoke, ¡°Did nobody try to stop her?¡±


    ¡°I did!¡± Lomp shouted in their faces, ¡°Erk, sorry¡­ my damn skin nearly burned off trying to get near her and my arm and leg were broken.¡±


    ¡°Damn.¡± Brindle said. ¡°You look alright now. Did she heal you?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ even though she healed everyone else.¡± He said bitterly, ¡°The Titan Witch healed me¡­ which I am grateful for.¡±


    The mage squinted his eyes, ¡°The Titan Witch, huh? Heard she was one of the weakest, but I didn¡¯t know she could heal. I was hoping to talk to her too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get the chance.¡±


    ¡°Just a moment, Mr. Lomp,¡± Hale had his notepad ready, ¡°You mentioned Zero Stratum. What is that? I¡¯ve never heard the name before.¡±


    Urghh, Damn sorcerer¡­ Lomp gulped, ¡°it¡¯s difficult to explain¡­¡± A sudden lifeline came in the form of Captain Renit of Earth Vein.


    ¡°Regulator Hale. It¡¯s a pleasure to see you.¡± The Official bowed, flanked by two teens in Earth Vein uniform.


    ¡°And you¡­¡± He eyed him suspiciously, ¡°What¡¯s it been, ten years? I admit, I don¡¯t recall Uru having a plague ward. I¡¯d like to speak with you about this extensively before heading back up.¡±


    ¡°O-of course! Of course, whatever you wish.¡± He straightened up his back and held respectful eye contact with the regulator. ¡°I¡¯m simply posted here until the plague is completely eradicated. And please excuse these two, they¡¯re still excited after meeting the Hidden Witch.¡±


    ¡°Oh? She is one person I¡¯m looking to inquire about.¡± He looked between the two, a young man with a meek constitution and a girl who startled him by copying his pose, notepad in hand. ¡°You, what was your impression of this ¡®Hidden Witch¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Oh, she¡¯s amazing!¡± The girl was practically jumping, ¡°She helped so many people! We saw her build the whole workshop over there and all those farms that don¡¯t need any light with a snap of her finger!¡±


    Seriously? Lomp looked at her with exasperation, is there any need to embellish it?


    Hale now looked over at the deep platform which brimmed with soil, ¡°What in the world are those?¡±


    ¡°Moonberry plums!¡± She practically sang, ¡°They¡¯re so delicious, you¡¯ve got to try one! It was incredible, the whole farm appeared from nothing, and dirt fell out of the air to fill it. Fruits grew before our very eyes! I¡¯ve never seen anything so magical!¡±


    ¡°Wait, what? I find this all hard to believe,¡± Brindle was always the downer, ¡°How can a whole farm with plants just appear out of thin air?!¡±


    ¡°Oh, she had the seeds already.¡± The girl corrected as if that explained everything to the wielder of magic. ¡°I think she said it would disappear in five years¡­¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± He was close to ripping his hair out.


    ¡°The storm was really scary¡­¡± The lanky boy jumped in, ¡°but then the rivers started flying! It was so cool¡­¡±


    ¡°Flying Rivers? A storm? What, are you even saying, boy?!¡± Brindle¡¯s face went red as the kid shied away. ¡°We¡¯re in a cave!¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡± Hale stopped him with a look, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize there was a flood so recently. Renit, we have much to speak about. Stay close.¡± He turned again to Lomp, ¡°How about that cure?¡±


    ___


    ¡°Oh, we haven¡¯t had company in days.¡± Nanri jumped out of the chair with a spring in her step, running to the door, ¡°I¡¯ll get it!¡±


    ¡°Knock yourself out.¡± Delilah stared into a jar of green liquid, half-asleep.


    ¡°Oh, Delilah, it¡¯s Lomp!¡± The alchemist turned to look with mild interest. ¡°How are you? And you must be¡­ oh! Sir regulator, it¡¯s an honor.¡± She lightly bowed only her head, but that was when Delilah looked away. A regulator was technically above Nanri, but witches held a similarly high rank and with the magic came esteem, so she wasn¡¯t expected to act overly stiff like most were.


    ¡°Funny, that¡¯s just what the Underseer said.¡± The regulator and his mage walked into the workshop gazing with fascination.


    ¡°Did the Hidden Witch build all this?¡± Brindle asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Nanri answered with a smile.


    Sure took them long enough¡­ I wonder where Cira is now. Have you found another island to help? Or are you taking a vacation? I sure hope you¡¯re well, wherever you are.


    ¡°Is this all blessed silver?¡± The mage inspected each instrument with scrutiny, ¡°Why are there spoons stirring themselves? Don¡¯t most people just enchant the cauldron?¡±


    This brought a grin to Nanri¡¯s face, and she chuckled, ¡°Apparently, the shape of the spoon is critical.¡± I¡¯m sure Volume Four covers it in great detail.


    ¡°Hale¡­ I don¡¯t like the looks of these magic circles.¡± Brindle was snooping around the workshop and pointed out the various gray glyphs strewn about, seemingly everywhere. Then he looked at Nanri with a serious glint in his eye, ¡°Are these curses?¡±


    Drats. Guess there¡¯s no hiding it. ¡°Indeed. The Hidden Witch placed these here to prevent anyone from sabotaging the cure.¡±


    Both men paled, which she thought was funny. It was the same reaction she had when she first heard the word curse come up. To think Cira could even lay curses. Primordial curses at that. I still don¡¯t even know what those are, but if she can cast them, doesn¡¯t that mean she¡¯s cursed too? I still don¡¯t know enough. I¡¯ll have to try to research curses if I¡¯m afforded the chance¡­


    Nanri knew her friend was raised by an incredible wielder of magic, and underneath that she had a mysterious past she didn¡¯t feel comfortable talking about, so something ridiculous like ¡®primordial curses¡¯ was just about what the aspiring sorcerer expected at this point. Nanri knew curses to be evil all her life, but Cira placed them to help people.


    Am I cursed? She almost giggled to herself, if so, I hope it¡¯s a good curse. She clutched the pendant at her neck while the two men stared at her with steadily retained shock.


    ¡°What do you mean? What happens if someone sabotages the cure?¡± Brindle asked.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be done, from my understanding. Go ahead and try to take some salt from that pile.¡± Nanri pointed at the prima salt and grinned, ¡°It¡¯s safe, I swear on the Saint of the Seven Suns.¡± I bet she would just love that nickname.


    He nervously approached the prima salt, stopping once inside the circle and doing some kind of inspection, ¡°I just¡­ grab it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Nanri nodded, ¡°And try to walk away.¡±


    He shrugged, easily scooping some salt out of the pile, and walking away. He made it one stride before the salt slipped out of his hand and wisped into the air, settling back down onto the pile.


    ¡°What the hell?!¡± He stared at his hands in disbelief, now outside the circle, ¡°That¡¯s a curse? I didn¡¯t even feel anything.¡±


    Nanri shrugged in turn, ¡°I don¡¯t believe the curse affects you directly, per se. I think she said if you want to take any salt it has to become part of the cure.¡±


    ¡°How the hell does that work?¡± He kept trying to grab the salt to no avail and from different angles, activating spells to try and get a read on it but that was impossible. There was no mana moving or activating when he tried. It just couldn¡¯t be done.


    ¡°Beats me. You can¡¯t break or steal anything either.¡± Nanri put a hand on her chin with genuine curiosity, ¡°Try taking some but go put it in that bowl next to the alembic.¡±


    ¡°What? But I can¡¯t.¡± Brindle gave her an exhausted look like she missed his entire struggle.


    She tossed him a little bucket to scoop with, ¡°Use this, but put it in that bowl right away.¡± Nanri watched him with an amused look.


    ¡°Uh, alright then¡­¡± the mage returned to the salt and filled the bucket. He took one step away, then two as his eyes bulged out of his head. As he approached the alchemy table with a bucket full of salt, he made troubled faces and uncomfortable noises, ¡°This¡­ this doesn¡¯t make any sense!¡±


    ¡°But it works¡­¡± Nanri countered.


    Hale and the mage stared at each other uneasily. Finally, the regulator spoke, ¡°You¡¯re aware curses are outlawed, no matter the intent, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Nanri replied astutely, ¡°I didn¡¯t even know the Hidden Witch existed until a couple days ago.¡±


    ¡°Interesting¡­ Tell me, Lady Titan Witch, did you see the Hidden Witch working with the Saint at any point?¡±


    Do the Gandeux¡­ Think they¡¯re different people?


    Nanri¡¯s face was stretched thin. When she gave Lomp a look, he stepped in to clarify the misunderstanding, ¡°I believe Nan¡ªLady Titan Witch was there when Captain Dreadheart sold my boat to the Saint. That was not long before the Hidden Witch set up this workshop at her request.¡± He stared blankly into Nanri¡¯s eyes.


    Lomp¡­ what have you done? No, this is definitely Cira¡¯s doing. This¡­ isn¡¯t bad though, right? Earth Vein will follow up with me long before I see the Gandeux again. Suppressing a smile, Nanri continued, ¡°Right, I was there that night. What would you like to know about the Hidden Witch? You must understand I don¡¯t know much, even if it is more than most. It is said that if you do not know her name, it is for good reason.¡±


    Hale lit up, putting pen to paper, ¡°I was going to ask why I haven¡¯t heard of her, but¡­ Is she an inquisitor?¡±


    ¡°No, I believe she¡¯s far above the inquisitors.¡± Nanri replied nonchalantly. She was the other day at least.


    The mage¡¯s brow furrowed, ¡°What? Far above? Like above the adjutant?¡± He glanced at Hale, then back to Nanri, ¡°Is she an independent from one of Nightwing Isles other factions? Why would she be here then?¡±


    ¡°That much I can¡¯t say. All I know is she came from the sky,¡± Nanri gazed up wistfully, ¡°She was here because people needed help.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ at the Saint¡¯s beck and call¡­¡± When the mage spoke, Hale nudged him and told him to keep quiet.


    ¡°While we¡¯re on the subject¡­ I¡¯d like to ask you some questions about an internal matter.¡± Hale glanced over at the table to see a woman sleeping there before looking over the present company. ¡°I must remind you I am a Regulator of the Gandeux Group. I am not affiliated with Earth Vein, nor will they know we spoke.¡±


    It sounds like Earth Vein is in the hotseat now. I have no reason not to see what this man has to say anyway. ¡°I understand. What are your questions pertaining to?¡±


    His voice got quieter as he took the seat next to Nanri, ¡°Director Yohl maintains that they haven¡¯t a clue what¡¯s been going on here since their last audit, and we¡¯re getting much the same from anyone we speak to down the ladder.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Sounds like the Director.


    ¡°But we have an informant who has confirmed that Earth Vein received some kind of message just over a week ago and sent an inquisitor here. Just when the ¡®Saint incident¡¯ occurred. The timing is uncanny¡­¡± He looked into her eyes to see if she knew anything about it, and her eyes weren¡¯t hiding it.


    ¡°And?¡± She asked.


    Hale blinked a few times in surprise, ¡°So, it¡¯s true¡­ Did you know the Astral Witch and her assistant were seen at the Dead Belt¡¯s lighthouse just three days ago?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± That far already? I wondered what happened to them when they never returned. I hope Cira didn¡¯t go overboard again. ¡°What do you mean?¡± The surprise was plain on her face.


    ¡°The girl was pretty shaken up, but¡­¡± Brindle¡¯s face went white as a sheet as Hale explained it, ¡°the Astral Witch¡¯s leg was damn near blown off, seemingly with her own magic¡­ The report from the clinic said her aura was unresponsive.¡±


    ¡°Her aura?!¡± How is that even possible? There¡¯s no way she would carelessly expend all her mana. She¡¯s been alive way too long for that. ¡°Did she deplete it?¡±


    The mage gave her a grave look and shook his head, ¡°No¡­ they said it was ¡®present but unresponsive¡¯.¡±


    The two wielders of magic shared an uncomfortable moment. How do you even do that, Cira? It shouldn¡¯t be possible to lock somebody¡¯s aura. Unless¡­ Is it a curse?


    ¡°We want to know what caused her conflict with the Saint. We¡¯ve gotten reports that a witch tried to unleash light magic on the plague victims of Uren, only to be protected by none other than the Saint,¡± Hale gave her a troubled look, ¡°I¡¯m sure you can understand why we¡¯re taking these reports seriously.¡±


    Nanri¡¯s eyes went wide. That explains how she earned Cira¡¯s wrath. ¡°Of course. The conflict likely started because the Astral Witch tried to sabotage the cure.¡±


    Both of their eyes went wide as the regulator looked around the workshop and back to Nanri, ¡°Why would she do that?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s always been like that.¡± Nanri brushed it off.


    He was stumped, staring at his notepad in deep thought, ¡°Thank you for sharing this with us, Lady Titan Witch. I have many more questions I¡¯d like to ask you about this subject, and I¡¯m sure more will come up later. Would you mind travelling with us to Uren for the duration of our stay here? We won¡¯t be returning until this evening, but¡ª¡±


    Nanri cut him off, ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ll be staying here in Uru.¡± Even if the danger¡¯s passed, I won¡¯t be distracted until they rip me away¡ªand that¡¯s only a matter of time.


    ¡°Right, sorry¡­ I should have known you¡¯re quite busy with all this. I¡¯ll ask you a few more questions while I have you here though, if that¡¯s alright.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± She smiled, ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re also looking for a sorcerer.¡± Nanri paled, ¡°And it¡¯s said he¡¯s travelling with a young sorceress.


    Wait, what? ¡°Did you¡­ happen to catch their names?¡± Lomp pointedly looked away. Act natural, Nanri¡­ don¡¯t laugh. She grabbed her teacup off the table.


    ¡°Petunia Cloudsworth.¡± He replied in a gruff voice as Nanri¡¯s face remained solid like titanium mid-sip, ¡°And we¡¯re calling the sorcerer ¡®Merlin X¡¯ for now. He seems to work in the shadows, and I¡¯m starting to believe he too had a hand in some of these ¡®miracles of the Saint¡ª¡±


    ¡°Pfft!¡± Nanri spat her tea all over the regulator, ¡°Merlin X?!¡± Dammit, no!


    Hale jumped out of his seat as the scalding liquid seeped through his clothes.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡± She shot up to help him but couldn¡¯t really. Luckily, his protector had the power to dry him off, ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know what came over me. Must be all the salt in the air, please pardon me.¡±


    Nanri offered her sincerest doe-eyes but was actually quite troubled and embarrassed. I can¡¯t believe I just spat on the regulator! Wars have started from this exact faux pas!


    ¡°Please, it¡¯s no trouble,¡± Hale smirked, ¡°I take this to mean you know of our Merlin X? Frankly, these miracles are too much for one person.¡±


    With a serious look on her face, Nanri spoke low, ¡°Only legends¡­ Never by name. It¡¯s¡­ fitting.¡±


    The two were visibly excited at this revelation¡ªthe first lead on this mysterious figure. Brindle was the one who spoke first, ¡°What have you heard? We haven¡¯t been able to find anything!¡± Hale gave him a harder nudge this time. ¡°Sorry, my filter¡¯s off. She¡¯s too cute.¡±


    Nanri squinted her eyes at him judgmentally, ¡°He slayed a dragon in single combat¡­ He can brew the most potent poison in the world. He even summons demons just to kill them. Not someone to take lightly, from my understanding.¡±


    ¡°So, you must know of the Order of the Lost Archive who gave Petunia the recipe for the cure, yes?¡± Hale pestered.


    Good heavens, Lomp! Now he at least wore guilt on his face. How did you let this get so out of hand?! What would Cira do in this situation? Hmm¡­ A sorcerer does not lie, except sometimes. I learned that too.


    ¡°Only legends¡­¡± Nanri replied quietly.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Hale jotted some things down, ¡°Did you meet Petunia herself?¡±


    Silver swayed as she shook her head, ¡°I only caught a glimpse of her striking blue hair in Nymphus, but it was too dark to follow her¡­¡± Nanri sighed, ¡°I wondered where it came from. To think it was the Lost Archive¡­¡±


    This time Brindle nudged the regulator and Nanri waved her hands out, ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell anyone.¡±


    They both looked uneasy. Silence hung for a moment until Hale broke it, ¡°Right, well I¡¯ll be in and out all week with more questions. Where is this cure I¡¯ve heard about?¡±


    ¡°Right there.¡± Nanri pointed to the jar of green liquid and there was a girl with dark hair pretending to wake up next to it, looking around in confusion.


    Brindle cautiously approached it and picked the jar up, ¡°Please be careful¡­¡± Delilah timidly said from her seat.


    ¡°Of course, I will. I¡¯m a mage enforcer.¡± He replied matter-of-factly rather than sounding smug, holding it up to the light. ¡°What¡¯s in this¡­?¡±


    ¡°Prima salt and Aetherium.¡± She answered, assuming he would know the latter. ¡°The recipe¡¯s right there.¡±


    ¡°Aetherium?!¡± He shuddered, picking a slip of paper off the table and reading it, ¡°And why would they just leave the recipe on the table?¡±


    Nanri jumped in to help Delilah out, ¡°We¡¯re out right now, but the exorcists should be back in a few hours with more. The¡­ Hidden Witch and the Saint worked together to forge holy relics to harvest it directly. And I believe they thought it would benefit these skies to have the cure floating around.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s absurd!¡± He turned the liquid over in his hands, trying to discern its secrets. ¡°She even makes holy relics¡­? To think she would even be so magnanimous to leave such a valuable recipe for the public.¡±


    ¡°Brindle.¡± Hale cut in.


    ¡°Right, sorry¡­¡± the enforcer straightened up and kept his mouth shut.


    ¡°This is getting convoluted,¡± Pacing a few feet away, the regulator crossed his arms, ¡°There was deritium, was there not, Titan Witch? Is there any left?¡±


    She thought about it for a moment, ¡°Oh yeah, that¡¯s right. There should be one jar left on the table next to that barrel of spoons.¡± She pointed to one end where he found the sample.


    When Hale picked it up, his eyes squinted while Brindle mirrored the action. He wiggled the jar around and tried cupping his hand around it. ¡°No way¡­¡±


    ¡°What? Let me see!¡± Brindle took the jar and did the same thing, ¡°That¡¯s totally deritium! Did this really cause the plague?¡±


    This time Delilah answered, walking over to take the cure back, ¡°It did indeed. Go ask the ones who have received treatment so far. You¡¯ll find them at the end of the orchard.¡±


    ¡°Only some have received it? The plague hasn¡¯t really been cured yet then¡­¡± Hale gazed over the plague ward through a window.


    Delilah explained from her seat at the hourglass, ¡°There¡¯s too many people, and we can only kill ghosts so fast¡ª¡±


    Brindle rudely cut her off though, ¡°Hold on, you people keep saying you¡¯re ¡®killing ghosts¡¯. What does that even mean?¡±


    With a hand paused on its way up, Hale decided not to stop him because he was curious too. Now Delilah was sweating under both of their gazes, ¡°Well, we¡¯re letting them pass on, really¡­ And turning them into aetherium in the process.¡±


    ¡°¡­how?!¡± the mage continued, startling Delilah.


    ¡°Simmer down, Brindle.¡± And was swiftly reprimanded by his superior.


    ¡°Sorry¡­ but how are you people doing that? Do you have the church helping you?¡± He was struggling to wrap his head around it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how the holy relics work.¡± Delilah shook her head, trying to rid herself of the attention, ¡°They just work. You¡¯ll meet the exorcists if you stick around, but if you confiscate any of their equipment everyone on Fount Salt will die.¡±


    The men from Gandeux were each taken aback by this, and even Nanri thought it was a little much. Cira sure made a good pick for our alchemist. She¡¯s just as passionate about this cure¡ªNot even I would be that blunt to a regulator¡¯s face. Nanri cleared her throat, ¡°Ahem, I think what our head alchemist means to say is that their work is just as delicate as it is crucial, and we would like to help with your investigation in a way that does not hinder their progress.¡±


    ¡°Right, of course,¡± Hale gave a genial reply, trying to ease the tension, ¡°As representatives of the Gandeux, it is our responsibility to assist anyone affected by deritium exposure. If a cure exists, we couldn¡¯t possibly stop its production without the capacity to take over the role ourselves. If anything, you should expect aid in the coming weeks. Even if we find and implicate our persons of interest for any of the crimes committed here, the cure must continue so long as I can confirm its authenticity. I¡¯d also like your help verifying the medicine¡¯s effects. That should help.¡±


    Delilah thought about it for only a moment, ¡°No more will be going out for a couple weeks if you¡¯re around that long.¡±


    Hale paused for a moment, looking defeated. ¡°I might just have to be. I any case, it¡¯s a good time to take our leave, but I¡¯ll be back to meet the exorcists. Come, Mr. Lomp. You can tell me about them on the way and I¡¯d like you to explain these metal rivers to me again. And did you say they lit up?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡­¡± The Underseer tottered off after them. ¡°I¡¯ll explain everything.¡±


    Underseer, huh? Lomp¡¯s making big strides. I¡¯ll have to go see Cira¡¯s city before they take me away. She watched them disappear past the plum trees and looked over at Delilah, ¡°That was strange, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It sure was.¡± She agreed.


    A cube floated to the table and opened up, letting Nanri grab book from it. Volume Two of ¡®the Sorcerer¡¯s Compendium¡¯.


    I need to make sure I finish these books first, too. If I see Cira again and I¡¯m not a powerful sorcerer, I¡¯ll never live it down. Mother is sure to encourage harsh treatment when she arrives, but they can¡¯t hold me forever. I have a couple weeks until then at most. I better put it to use.


    She turned to her bookmark halfway through the second volume, entitled ¡°The Incipient Sorcerer¡¯s Guide¡±. It recommended considering a second element while you master your first, and as a self-proclaimed master of titanium, Nanri was giddy at the possibilities. She didn¡¯t realize she was far from mastering geomancy, but still felt like she was standing in the orchard looking for the choicest plum to pick. Nanri would only grasp what was within her reach, one step at a time¡ªgazing forward and above, never back.

 76 - Book Two Prologue - Missing Pieces

    Everything was dark again and the shrill whirring stirred her consciousness just enough to feel the aching pain. A familiar feeling, much like the rhythmic tapping from above which helped rattle the irresponsible sorcerer from her slumber.


    So heavy¡­ With great effort, Cira managed to pull her eyelids open but everything was blurry, and the light of day burned progressively worse as she was slowly pulled back into reality. ¡°Nina¡­? Cut it out.¡± Cira tried swatting her away, but it was like lifting stone and the pattering continued.


    ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Her stomach roared and days of hunger pangs suddenly woke up, turning her gut into a flaming void. ¡°Ninaaaa. Go get me an apple.¡±


    Just speaking left the sorcerer winded and she eased back into the grass. All of a sudden, her mouth felt intensely dry like their were forty miles of salt in there. The nymph was coming into focus, trying to get her attention about something. Nina¡¯s head was no longer adorned with a sorcerer¡¯s hat and her featureless face was as frantic as it had ever been.


    ¡°What is it?¡± She groaned trying to sit up to look, but her legs were even heavier than the rest of her body. Just scraping one elbow into the dirt to push herself up had her teeth clenched. She had to catch her breath to even think about her next move. ¡°Why am I so weak¡­? And that noise¡­¡±


    It was like a siren, whirring on and on, grating against her weary mind. Breeze Haven¡¯s in trouble. But why? What¡¯s even happening? Why can¡¯t I do anything?


    Fount Salt¡­ I¡¯m never doing that again, that''s for sure. I don¡¯t like being an island. But why am I so weak? Is it the hunger? ¡°Ninaaaa¡ª" Cira¡¯s blood ran cold¡ªrather she realized it already was. All her muscles were stiff like rigor mortis was already setting in. She couldn¡¯t even feel her right leg, and now she knew why.


    ¡°H-holy shit!¡± She stammered, trying to blink it away and struggling to process the horrible sight before her eyes. One of Cira¡¯s favorite staves, the orichalcum one left by her father, was dug into the grass beneath its massive weight, straight over her lower leg as if it wasn¡¯t there at all and pinning her down, ¡°Gah! Ahhh, ahhhhhh what do I do?!¡±


    A sudden rush of adrenaline allowed her to shoot up and she helplessly pulled at the staff. It didn¡¯t budge. ¡°What the hell?! Move! Grrr Enhance Strength! Dammit¡­ No!¡± The sorcerer stared at her hands in disbelief as there wasn¡¯t the faintest hint of mana going through them. She felt inward and noticed her soul was in great pain. No matter how much she tried to stir the mana within herself, there was no chance. There wasn¡¯t any there in the first place. Cira¡¯s aura was gone without a trace.


    ¡°I overdid it¡­¡± Cira bit her lip as the full extent of the pain she didn¡¯t notice hit her like a three-mast galleon to the face. ¡°Is this it for me? I would have stayed longer if I knew Found Salt would be my last job¡­¡±


    The pain was intense, but it was strangely dull. She was on death¡¯s door, and no matter how much she yanked or pushed, the staff wouldn¡¯t budge. Even the light end of the handle was too much. Hundreds of pounds of orichalcum cared not for Cira¡¯s frail arms. She thought back to the Astral Witch.  I bet she¡¯s absolutely ripped after all those centuries. Would that old lady find herself in this situation? God dammit, I hate how badass she was. Why¡¯d she have to be evil and mean?


    ¡°Gah, screw the Astral Bitch!¡± Cira clenched her fists, swearing to a strict exorcise routine when she got out of this, ¡°There has to be something I can do. Hmm, where are you Aquon? Come forth!¡±


    She held out her hand and there was no response in her ring. Theoretically if she burned out her aura, a staff like Aquon could still perform sorceries for her with its own residual mana. ¡°Oh, Staff of Springs?! Come the hell forth!¡± Sadly, being upset about it didn¡¯t help the staff respond.


    Cira looked to the side, and she saw Prismagora laying in the grass. A stroke of luck that she forgot to put it away and the staff still existed in material form. Just like Cira, it had been spent, without the chance to recharge before its connection to the deritium was broken by Cira¡¯s unwarranted nap.


    I shouldn¡¯t have used my aura at all¡­ What¡¯s the deal? It was definitely full when Cira left. And she cut off all sorceries from herself before cancelling Spring Sense, so it was truly odd.


    ¡°At least it didn¡¯t take my kneecap. I would have thought it was poetic justice or something.¡± She was mainly happy that she would still have a knee after she figured out a prosthetic, though it did little to make her feel better, ¡°There¡¯s definitely no saving that though¡­¡±


    From what was visible, her ankle and foot were nearly black, bent up at a frightening angle. Her right shoe was nowhere to be seen. On top of that, the bottom of her robes were probably mashed into her bones. She couldn¡¯t do anything about it or look away. It was disgusting but also horrifying to realize that half of her leg was well and truly gone. Cira¡¯s breathing became heavy, and she clenched her fists until her palms almost bled. She started hyperventilated as reality set in.


    ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t grow it back with magic¡­ Even if I had my aura.¡± She was in denial of what she had to do. Do I dig myself out first? There¡¯s no point if I have to cut my leg off anyway. I could be in serious danger if I waste too much energy before I eat anything. I¡¯m alive on Breeze Haven¡¯s good wishes alone. ¡°God dammit¡­ Nina, what do I do?!¡±


    She only fluttered above the blackened leg looking at Cira with sad eyes. ¡°Okay, Prismagora, you¡¯ve got enough, right?¡± Her hand was shaking as it pressed against the ground.


    ¡°Lost gods¡­ How am I still alive?¡± From the looks of it, her staff had at least collected a week''s worth of daylight, and if it weren¡¯t for Breeze Haven¡¯s domain barely keeping her alive, she would have definitely been dead from any number of complications that should arise from having her leg crushed for a week.


    It was not wise to tap into her home¡¯s mana well with the sirens blaring and her aura depleted. There was no way of knowing when it would reform as it hadn¡¯t happened in years, but within her staff there unfortunately wasn¡¯t enough to get by until it did. Still, it was enough for a single act of sorcery. Cira bit her lip, digging into the grass as she was about to send the order, ¡°Wait, I better think about this for a second¡­ I should get a tourniquet ahead of time since I know it¡¯s coming off.¡±


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    She shook, trying to discharge the intense pain she was feeling somehow as it wracked her body. Cira couldn¡¯t access her ring and scavenge the last drops of her dimnut elixir to quell it either, but she could at least dig into her bag of holding. Let¡¯s see here¡­ great. Just great.


    Deciding against ripping apart her clothes, Cira wrapped her last ribbon of void gazelle hide around her leg just below the knee and tied it off as tight as she possibly could. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was enough, so she bit down on the end and ripped her face away, screaming through her teeth.


    She lurched to the side, heaving. ¡°At least¡­ I can still feel that¡­¡± Cira allowed herself a moment to breathe before returning her attention to the dreadful staff of light in all its convenient glory, not excited for what followed.


    ¡°Prismagora¡­¡± Now Cira clenched her fists again, breathy heavily, ¡°Shearing Light¡ª! Grrrahhhhhh!!¡± Her teeth nearly shattered as they ground together and she pounded her fists into the ground, letting out a guttural cry. She clawed into the grass, ripping it up as every nerve in her body seemed to burn with pain like someone was pressing brands into her flesh with each heartbeat.


    She screamed until her voice started to crack, collapsed on her back and staring at the sky with wide eyes. Nina came over and hugged her face, but Cira didn¡¯t notice until she started coughing on the prima salt, rolling over.


    ¡°That was¡­ the worst¡­ Holy¡­ shit¡­¡± Cira had never felt such intense pain as severing her own limb. The last shreds of light she could muster burned hotter than any flame. Any wounds she¡¯d ever suffered in the past were bolstered with magic and quickly healed, so she was not at all ready for this level of pain.


    Cira scooted away from the staff as her pristine robes tore, now stained with blood on the frayed edges. Then she stared at the rest of her decapitated ankle, and at her stump as her heart beat relentlessly in her chest. ¡°I seriously lost my leg¡­ Some of it at least. That counts right? I only have one foot!¡±


    The pain told her that it did count and she fought to stay conscious, but the empty aches coming from her stomach wouldn''t allow her to pass out. Food¡­ I need to get to the garden. It was a primal pull¡ªthe need for sustenance. Cira started getting up and immediately mashed her stump into the grass, again screaming through clenched teeth and collapsing on her chest. Already¡­?


    Cira clawed her way over to Prismagora. Empty¡­ Dammit. That was the last of her mana. The pale mithril ring she crawled past held none, as it was only a conduit. Aquon had melted into a cerulean goop, lacking any of its luster or jewel-like beauty. They better be happy down there. This sucks.


    ¡°And won¡¯t that gods damned alarm shut up?!¡± Cira scrunched her face and tried to hide in her shoulder, unable to cover her ears as she crawled.


    Finally, she managed to hoist her weight onto the staff as a crutch and get her other foot planted firmly. ¡°Whoa¡­ We are not quite standing upright¡­¡± Breeze haven was tilting ever so slightly as she regained her balance. She still swayed, but it was enough to move.


    I feel so light¡­ it¡¯s not just my stomach. She looked down at her missing leg and shuddered. Strangely, she still felt very small. Even smaller now. Cira¡¯s mind was reeling from her time spent controlling Fount Salt. She felt like she was sent adrift as a mere freckle in the sky, but the immediate phantom pain of her leg was drowning those feelings out. That¡¯s probably not a bad thing, but I would still prefer a leg.


    The closest fruits were a rare species of pomegranate called the ¡®pomegranite¡¯. It was famous for its incredibly supple juices which were contained within a shell as hard as stone that Cira would ordinarily geomance apart.


    Each step felt like somebody was smacking her with a hammer directly on the skeleton and her jaw had gone sore from mashing her teeth together. As her breathing grew more labored, she limped her way past the pomegranites to the apple tree, feverishly grabbing one and ripping into it with her teeth.


    ¡°Aghhh so good¡­¡± The natural sugars assaulted her taste buds like electricity, and she was momentarily stunned before voraciously munching around its circumference, paying no mind to the unladylike noises she was making. She tossed it on the ground and grabbed another while warmth slowly returned to her belly. It rumbled and she winced as the pain intensified, but she could feel it working.


    ¡°Shut upppppp!¡± She yelled at the siren and finished another, wiping the apple mush from her face.


    Cira grabbed a third apple off the tree and took her first breath of life, the whirring in the background was really starting to pierce her ears and cause physical pain. ¡°Is Breeze Haven running low? What terrible timing. Hold on¡­ Why though? That shouldn¡¯t¡ª¡± The apple fell from her hand as she finally looked up at the solid stone Breeze Haven was continuously grinding into at half speed, bearing into a nook in the cracked rock face at the same angle she left it, held off by only a thin margin by her barrier.


    ¡°That¡¯s not good.¡± She couldn¡¯t tell if Breeze Haven had been at it all week or if she drifted somewhere far away from the Boreal before crashing into an island. ¡°That¡¯s not good at all.¡±


    The shrill alarm had finally achieved it¡¯s intended purpose, and Cira realized this was something that had to be addressed immediately. Somehow, the barrier had held out, but it could give out any minute or days from now. Ironically, Cira needed mana to check how much mana it had left. ¡°Gods, I hate this! Give me mana, holy one!¡± She shook her fist at the sky.


    There was no response, of course. One needed an aura of any size to call upon holy mana, and sadly, Cira was but a mere whelp at present. The shrill alarm never ceased, growing quieter for only a moment at a time before continuing. What a waste of mana! Am I not supposed to notice crashing into a freaking island? For the record, she did not notice.


    Where even am I? I hope I¡¯m not too far from the Boreal. I really don¡¯t want to get lost and have to start mapping the world over again. Who knows when I¡¯ll find familiar skies again. There¡¯s still a witch that has to find me¡­ All she could see was cracked stone, and the open sky. Cira would have to venture out to learn more.


    Nina buzzed over and took a perch on Cira¡¯s shoulder again and she had to fan the salt away, gently lifting her off, ¡°Sorry, girl. You¡¯ll have to float around for a while. Wait a second¡­ Why are you even here?¡±


    She¡¯s a salt nymph¡­ I haven¡¯t seen her since I left the spring, and we¡¯re definitely not on Fount Salt anymore. Nina only offered her signature blank stare in return as she landed on a branch. What¡¯s that noise? I keep hearing that¡­


    There was something else she could hear between the sirens, almost like shouting. Wait, that is shouting. ¡°Huh?¡±


    She looked up and to the side to see people hanging off the cliffs on ropes, banging on her barrier, ¡°Hey! Are you okay?!¡± Cira now stared at them blankly.


    ¡°Pirates¡­?¡± There were three of them, with a larger group above gazing down in curiosity or shock. ¡°Damn you! Are you here to take my treasure?!¡±


    Cira looked at her litany of mastercraft alchemy instruments and various staves strewn all over her yard, then back at them with a hateful glare as they dangled. She could see spots in Breeze Haven¡¯s barrier growing discolored too¡ªa sign it was growing weaker. Dammit.


    ¡°What?! No way! I¡¯m trying to help you!¡± A man with an eyepatch flipped up on his forehead shouted back.


    Then, another scurvy looking one shouted as well, ¡°I¡¯m here for your treasure, alright!¡± At least he''s honest...?


    ¡°You son of a bitch!¡± Cira couldn¡¯t do anything except give him angry eyes. Can I even trust the first guy? I really could use a hand climbing the helm spire though. She looked to the third, ¡°What about you?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m lookin¡¯ for a new sponge maiden!¡± He looked like a smaller Don with a lazy eye, but one of them was leering insatiably.


    He will certainly regret those words.

 77 -A Promise Kept

    She turned again to the first man dangling from the cliff, ¡°What about you? Are you a liar?¡±


    ¡°Of course not! I, uh, I mean.¡± He started to look nervous, ¡°I¡¯m a nice guy! Promise!¡±


    I can¡¯t trust any of these men¡­ I don¡¯t have a leg to stand on over here. Literally. They could probably beat me up with no problem, especially with those numbers.


    Cira was about to turn around when a young man with dirty blonde hair jumped right off the cliff, ¡°I¡¯ll help youuuuu¡ª¡± Dink! He slammed against the barrier and started sliding down, ¡°Wha¡ªNoooo! Let me in!!!¡±


    Are you kidding me right now? ¡°That¡¯s not how it works, you idiot!¡± She watched him slide down screaming until he became wedged against the island. This idiot¡¯s going to get ground up if Breeze Haven slips even an inch¡­ Then all of a sudden, I¡¯m a murderer. This guy better be half as helpful as Lomp if he¡¯s going to be pulling stunts like this.


    ¡°Who the hell are you?!¡± Cira pressed her staff a little further into the ground and leaned against it, ¡°You just want my treasures!¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t!¡± He cried with his face pressed against an invisible force field, ¡°I always help a beautiful lady in need!¡±


    She squinted at him hard for a moment. One of those types, huh? He looked like a penniless pirate who didn¡¯t even know how to bathe. Theoretically he could be searching for a sponge maiden to show him how, but the young pirate didn¡¯t look at her leeringly or even glance at the orichalcum staff on the lawn which pinned her former leg down.


    ¡°Please, let me in!¡± He was getting desperate now, ¡°I think it¡¯s starting to crush my foot!¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ Fine!¡± Cira lifted up her frayed dress and pulled off a knife strapped to what remained of her leg, ¡°I¡¯m going to stab you if you¡¯re lying. I¡¯m quick, too, despite how I look.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to help! I¡ªgrrraahhh, please! I promise!¡± If Cira didn¡¯t do it soon there would be two cripples or worse.


    Why are lives always thrown at me? I was happy limping up the stairs with my staff, even if I knew it would suck, and now I have to save a life. I¡¯m in no condition to be helping people right now¡­


    ¡°Hey, idiot!¡± Cira shouted, ¡°Catch!¡±


    He¡¯s lucky I keep a boarding pass in my pocket¡ª ¡°Gah!¡± It hit him in the face and bounced back down to the lawn. Cira hobbled her way over to it grumbling while the pirate was starting to squeal. ¡°I¡¯m working on it, you baby! Think before you act next time!¡±


    After gnashing her teeth and nearly tearing up from the pain, she managed to retrieve the pendant artifact from the grass and threw it at him again, much closer this time, and the young man managed to catch it above his head as it passed through the barrier before he instantly falling through it. Oh, I didn¡¯t think about this part¡­ What was his original plan?


    He screamed the whole way down as if Cira was already stabbing him, but she rolled out of the way onto the ground right before he fell face first into the grass. The next few minutes were silent but for her groaning and writhing in pain. Then Cira watched the man¡¯s unmoving body carefully as she caught her breath. She was really starting to worry after a few moments until she watched his leg twitch, and he started coughing before finally picking himself up.


    ¡°Hey.¡± Cira called to him from the ground when he noticed her, ¡°You saw what I did to my leg, right?¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah¡­ Your courage is inspiring¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do the same to your head if you try anything.¡± She held her crutch menacingly as best she could from her helpless position in the grass.


    He only laughed, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± And gave her a wink. Cira stared at him with great suspicion as he approached, ¡°Now come on, up ya¡¯ go!¡±


    ¡°Hey! The hell do you think you¡¯re doing¡ª¡± Cira protested as he picked her up like a child only to plop her back down on one foot and sling an arm around her under the shoulders.


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± He asked as she looked at him in incredulous shock while her frail arms did nothing to shove him away, ¡°Or would you rather me carry you like a princess?¡±


    That shut her up and she pursed her lips, frustrated and at a loss. This is what help looks like¡­ Just accept it and be glad you don¡¯t have to stab anyone¡­ or be stabbed.


    ¡°So, what do you think?¡± The man continued, looking at her now from far too close with eyes almost as pale as mithril. They clashed against his dirty face and cheap ale wafted on his breath. ¡°We can have them toss them a rope down.¡±


    ¡°Grrr¡­.¡± She didn¡¯t like him, but he didn¡¯t seem dangerous. Besides, she had a little knife, ¡°Forget the rope¡­ I need help climbing this tower.¡± She gestured her head up to the massively inconvenient helm spire.


    ¡°Right-o, just leave it to me!¡± He supported her as she limped over to the front door. ¡°Just saying¡­ You can drop that staff if you want. We all watched it go dark when you cut your leg off. And some pirates can see mana, you know.¡± He winked again and nodded at her, heavily implying that it was obvious she was devoid of it.


    ¡°Guh, you bastard¡­¡± Cira threw Prismagora down in the grass none too pleased about it. She at least felt safer holding it, but she couldn¡¯t even swing it with her arm over him. Her knife hand felt more and more useless as her only means of defense.


    ¡°Name¡¯s Skipper!¡± He put on a toothy grin to try to ease the tension and Cira groaned.


    ¡°From Skipper¡¯s Point?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Uh, no¡­ Never heard of it.¡± He seemed friendly enough and didn¡¯t make any dubious faces as they made their way to the door. That was usually the tell, and Cira was a good judge of character. This man was a degenerate, but he was nice to women for what it¡¯s worth. ¡°Whoa, cool, it opened on its own!¡±


    He helped Cira hobble through the door as she managed to dodge his incessant questions until they made it to the staircase. She was trying to put on a tough face, but each step had her wincing in pain. It didn¡¯t help her mood that Skipper was trying to encourage her, ¡°Come on, just a little more to go! We¡¯re almost there.¡±


    ¡°Will you shut up? I¡¯m not some damsel.¡± It was beginning to irritate her.


    ¡°I watched you cut off your leg like five minutes ago. If you were an old man, I¡¯d already be carrying you. You ladies can be so stubborn.¡±


    ¡°Whatever¡­¡± Cira went quiet until they reached the top, breaking free and putting her weight on the wheel. ¡°Okay¡­ Let¡¯s get you properly moored.¡±


    ¡°What is all this¡­?¡± The young pirate was looking at the various instruments with wonder.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure most of these are relatively common controls¡­¡± Hasn¡¯t he ever been on a ship? He sure looks like a pirate. Cira was now eye level with the curious onlookers up on their cliff, albeit at a pretty weird angle from Breeze Haven¡¯s canter. ¡°Hey! If any of you don¡¯t want to get crushed, get the hell out of the way!¡± She pulled a page from the Astral Witch¡¯s grimoire and yelled really loud since she didn¡¯t have any mana.


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    This helm felt much better to stand at than the little boat¡¯s captain¡¯s chair. The wheel felt better in her hands, though the refreshing chill of orichalcum gave her mixed feelings. She watched them pull the ropes up and a few of them backed away but they didn¡¯t take the warning seriously.


    Cira placed her left hand on an orb and the rock cracked as pieces started crumbling off. Breeze Haven slowly started floating backwards and away from the island while righting itself.


    ¡°Whoaaa what the hell?!¡± She found a little joy in watching Skipper fall to all fours to stay balanced.


    ¡°What did you expect?¡± The comforting feel of Breeze Haven¡¯s mana tingled against her hand. It felt responded to her will so she could hold herself up against the heavy wheel without worrying about falling over and sliding down it as the whole ship spun out of control. Now Cira turned her home to the side to be parallel with the shoreline and the other pirates could be seen scattering through the trees as the hovering island got closer and closer.


    ¡°Hey, stop!¡± Skipper was on his knees, clutching the windowsill, ¡°You¡¯re going to hit the trees!¡±


    Cira took no heed to his warnings. Breeze Haven had a few trees left in it, she was certain of that much. The pirates could be heard screaming in the forest as the first tree cracked, then it was followed by many more. Scores of trees were uprooted and crushed, then flattened under the mass of mass of rock that was Cira¡¯s home. Neither Skipper¡¯s protests nor the pirates fleeing below could be heard over the chorus of splintering and stone dragging across stone. She reckoned it could be heard from far over the distant hills which buildings could be seen poking over the top of.


    Soon the destruction had died down and the only sound heard were of wildlife leaving the area. ¡°I knew you had it in you, girl.¡± Cira patted the windowsill. ¡°Now rest up for a while.¡±


    Unless some high-level mages attack in the next week or so, the barrier should be back to normal in no time. I just hope there aren¡¯t any sleeping dragons on this island.


    ¡°What the hell was that?!¡± Skipper looked at her with a mixture of fear and awe.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t stop looking at me like that, I¡¯ll really have to stab you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my bad¡­¡± He looked away, ¡°So, uh, we should get you to a doctor.¡±


    ¡°You have those?¡± She couldn¡¯t imagine it was a very impressive one, but it was a pleasant surprise.


    ¡°Of course, we do. You know how many pirates get sick?¡± He stood up now, checking his footing carefully.


    ¡°It¡¯s not going anywhere. We¡¯re on solid ground now¡­ Well, and trees.¡± She was still leaning against the wheel and her stomach roared like an awakened dragon. She frowned, looking at him awkwardly. ¡°¡­Do you know how to cook?¡±


    After a second of staring at her blankly, Skipper busted up with a boisterous laugh, ¡°Sure I can. For the price of a meal.¡±


    ¡°Done deal¡­ Now help me back down.¡± She wasn¡¯t happy about the arrangement, but it worked for now. Somehow going down hurt even more but they made it to the kitchen. The pirate stared at all the artifacts in wonder, trying to touch everything as she slapped his hand away then pointed a few things out herself. ¡°Would you quit it? The food is in this cupboard, and you¡¯ll find pots and pans to the left of the oven. Make me a lot of anything but fish, and don¡¯t cook everything. I¡¯m going to go take a bath.¡±


    She started pulling herself away, but he started walking too, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help you get there at least.¡±


    Cira stopped and squinted at him aggressively, ¡°I¡¯m fine from here, so back off. And if you steal anything, I¡¯ll know.¡± She pushed herself away and hopped over to the door, grabbing one of her common wood staves next to it.


    It was a decent crutch and Skipper watched her painstakingly scuttle to the stairs looking mildly offended. She nearly fell down the stairs multiple times, but ten minutes later she was at the baths. What followed was the most painful bathing experience of her life. Cira even threw up a few times trying to clean her stump.


    In her frail state, her emotions were difficult to keep in check, and she figured nobody could see her cry in the bath. She never thought she¡¯d be faced with losing a leg, and each time she thought she realized the full gravity of it, she was slapped in the face with it again. Just sitting on the edge of the bath shot pain through her severed nerves so she found herself slumped against the cold stone wall pouring buckets of water over herself.


    Even though it seemed thoroughly cauterized from the light, she was worried it would open up if she sat in the bath. The tourniquet didn¡¯t seem to be needed, but she still put it back on after she cleaned up to be safe.


    ¡°Okay, what clothes do I have in here¡­?¡± Cira dug through her bag of holding and found there to be only fineries of the sorcerous nature. They would surely paint a target on her back if she wore them and mingled with the pirates. She¡¯d be robbed and naked again by sundown. Can¡¯t have that¡­ I guess this is on theme at least¡­?


    Even Cirina Dreadheart¡¯s clothes were enchanted, but they were minor protective glyphs that worked passively. They were all hidden and it still looked nondescript enough to pass, so it was really perfect for the occasion. I¡¯ll leave the hat here though. That will draw attention¡­


    Hatless in a cruel world, Cira emerged from the baths and went straight to the forge. All doors in Breeze Haven were locked behind a seal, but luckily her artificing needle doubled as a key. Inside, she cut off one pant leg and tied it up. The Dreadheart coat was heavy and made it hard to maneuver her crutch around, so she cut the sleeves off before approaching her workbenches with a sigh.


    ¡°I really wish I had enchanted these crossbows¡­¡± Cira had at least made harnesses for them. The big one was slung over her back, whether or not she thought she could draw it while using a crutch, and the small one at her waist. Each only came with ten bolts, and a few of each were missing by this point, but she carried this limited lifeline of ammunition regardless.


    There was a crate next to the door as well full of random weapons she made for fun over the years. Most of what she crafted required just a little mana, as those that didn¡¯t were limited in their effectiveness, but there were some passive artifacts in here. She emptied all the robes from her bag of holding and piled in various small weapons. Knives that lit on fire when you threw them, or a needle that spreads ice. Other similar throwing weapons too, then there was a necklace that offered a weak barrier¡ªa few of those actually. One ring let her intercept magic and use it as her own, but the cost grew exponentially with the amount of mana controlled, so it worked best against amateur mages. Anything too big and it would fizzle out immediately, which wasn¡¯t bad as a spell-cancel but it wore on the ring in proportion.


    ¡°Gods, I¡¯m not sure if losing my aura or leg was worse at this point.¡± Everything she gathered to defend herself was so limited and unreliable. ¡°This is the worst.¡±


    Without her aura, growing a new ankle and foot was indeed outside her power. However, she had an entire forbidden archive she couldn¡¯t even access until she could move a giant block of metal out of the way. Then, she couldn¡¯t even attempt to figure out how to grow a limb until her aura came back.


    She pounded her fist against the hard stone wall and it hurt, ¡°Dammit!¡±


    After another few minutes of hobbling back upstairs, her stomach was starting to turn as the pleasant aroma of seasoned steak wafted down. Skipper was just pulling them off the stove when she rounded the corner. He took one look at her a shrugged, ¡°Are you a pirate?¡±


    Cirina didn¡¯t feel like coming out today though, ¡°Ugh, is the food ready?¡±


    ¡°It sure is. Have a seat!¡± She reluctantly obliged and he set a bunch of food down in front of her. Her complaints drifted away as she finally picked up a fork and started cutting away at the slab of meat.


    He had made a lot, and she ate all of it. Her stomach was like a bottomless pit, and it wouldn¡¯t stop until her third full steak was done. Even then, it rumbled, but she leaned back to let it digest. This process had cut her off from the world, but when she returned, Skipper was eating his with a grin on his face, hiding his laughter.


    ¡°What?¡± Cira asked him suspiciously, ¡°I was going to compliment your cooking until I looked at you.¡±


    ¡°Bah!¡± He slapped his knee, ¡°So it¡¯s good. Thanks!¡±


    To his overt smile, Cira could only turn away, ¡°Whatever¡­ So, where¡¯s this doctor? I should probably get looked at.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you should.¡± He agreed and stood up, ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll take you back to town. And don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll keep you safe.¡± His signature wink made her less inclined to take his offer, but Cira eventually let him help her up and back out of the house.


    ¡°Okay, there¡¯s stairs just past that gate.¡± She guided him across the lawn and as they descended the stone steps her least favorite sight in the world was waiting for her, but pirate themed. ¡°So, you¡¯re all still here?¡±


    Cira¡¯s voice was cold, but only a few of them looked malicious. She recognized them and was glad they were present.


    ¡°Of course, we are!¡± A woman that reminded her of Milty who Cira hadn¡¯t yet seen shouted, ¡°After what we just saw?!¡±


    ¡°And what about you?¡± Cira glared at one of the others, ¡°Are you still in search of a sponge maiden?¡±


    He got a spark in his eye for a moment, before balling up his fist and looking at Skipper, ¡°I am actually, now that you mention¡ª¡± click. ¡°GYAHHH!!¡±


    Everyone jumped back and started screaming as he fell to the ground pouring blood with a bolt stuck through his knee.


    ¡°Not interested.¡±

 78 - Reunion at Hangmans Cove

    ¡°A little harsh, don¡¯t you think?¡± Skipper asked as the party limped back to town. Two others carried the man who Cira shot while the rest kept their distance and tried not to look at her wrong.


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡¯ think so.¡± Cira was firm on this point, ¡°He was about to beat you up and take me himself. Now I¡¯m safe for the time being.¡±


    ¡°You bitch¡­¡± The man growled. His face was clearly scrunched up in pain with each step and he was very upset.


    ¡°And what about later, idiot?¡± Skipper continued, ¡°He runs with a real bad crew, and they just came under a new Captain who¡¯s ten times tougher. I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t be happy when he hears about this.¡±


    Grass and various weeds crunched beneath their feet and the forest was still devoid of wildlife from Cira¡¯s entrance, but birds could be heard from afar. Cira was quite disappointed that this island turned out to be a hilly one, but at least there weren¡¯t any dangerous beasts¡ªas far as she could tell, at least.


    ¡°And when that man approaches me, I¡¯ll shoot him too.¡± Cira was indignant. On one hand, it was a little harsh after having experienced the loss of a leg herself, but it wasn¡¯t hard to reason he must have crimes that went unpunished somewhere along the line.


    ¡°I noticed you¡¯re running low. Want to venture a guess whether there are more of them than you got bolts?¡± Now he was even patronizing her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got more than bolts¡­ Worry about yourself.¡± Her words didn¡¯t hold much weight while being held up.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to!¡± He shook his head and focused on the path ahead which had started to look like more of a beaten path, ¡°Just simmer down, will you? We¡¯re almost there.¡±


    The woman from earlier approached looking uneasy, but it was clear she had something to say too.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Cira asked.


    ¡°Uh, sorry if this is rude, but¡­ How did you end up here? Was that your ship?¡± It seemed everyone had burning questions.


    ¡°Unless you¡¯re trying to kidnap me and make me bathe you, you don¡¯t have to act so scared¡± Cira didn¡¯t have to try to look unthreatening right now, but anyone would be rattled after seeing a man get shot in the knee. Especially when that man was still groaning in pain and dripping blood next to her, ¡°That¡¯s my home. I fell asleep at the wheel, so to speak.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ fell asleep?¡± She was understandably confused, ¡°Then how¡¯d you run out of magic¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey! Come on¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Someone from the back said, ¡°We all already know.¡±


    ¡°Dammit¡­¡± Cira¡¯s cover was blown, ¡°Well if you must know, the last thing I did was beat up and curse a witch.¡±


    ¡°You what?!¡± This turned all the pirate¡¯s heads and the caravan stopped for a moment.


    ¡°A curse?!¡±


    ¡°On a witch?! Seriously?!¡± The woman was amazed and slightly suspicious at the same time.


    ¡°No wayyyyyy.¡± The man she shot doubted her too, but this was the common opinion.


    Skipper was deep in thought for a moment, having seen the inside of this adrift sorcerer¡¯s home. Cira had noticed he didn¡¯t have any burns on his hands, but that wasn¡¯t to say he hadn¡¯t taken a stroll around the living room and seen all her various treasures. It seemed reasonable enough.


    ¡°What was the witch¡¯s name?¡± He asked sincerely.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how famous they¡¯re supposed to be, but they call her the Astral Witch.¡± Cira shrugged with her hands. ¡°She was surprisingly susceptible to light though.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit!¡± her latest victim still doubted her¡ªeven more so now. ¡°Ain¡¯t no way a little thing like you took on the Astral Witch.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t buy it.¡±


    ¡°It does sound kind of far-fetched¡­¡± The one woman wasn¡¯t on her side either.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what any of you believe.¡± Cira rebutted, ¡°And she was smaller than me. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be the talk of the Boreal soon¡ªwait¡­ where the hell are we, and what¡¯s up with the weather?¡± Ever since they stepped off Breeze Haven they were within a veil of thin white clouds.


    Skipper chuckled at her belated concerns, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re still on the Boreal. You know that storm that never leaves?¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re in it. It¡¯s called Lost Cloud Island. It¡¯s where you¡¯ll find people that don¡¯t want to be found.¡± He looked all across the horizon¡ªor where it should be. It was all white anywhere you looked. Now he was laughing and each breath he took hurt Cira¡¯s weary body, ¡°To think you fell asleep and crashed into it! The Gandeux have spent decades looking for this place, you know¡±


    ¡°Crazy¡­¡± She wasn¡¯t all too surprised in the grand scheme of things, ¡°Just my luck. I find it hard to believe they can¡¯t find it though. Don¡¯t they have mages that can see through the fog?¡±


    He was still laughing, ¡°They have mages that go missing, too. You¡¯re lucky the king¡¯s out on a personal mission, or he¡¯d be on your ass too. You¡¯ll still probably have to deal with his crew.¡±


    ¡°What¡­? What use does an island like this have with a king? I thought you were all pirates.¡± Isn¡¯t the whole idea to do whatever you want all the time? I used to think pirates weren¡¯t far off from a sorcerer aside from morals, but I¡¯m not so sure after my last job.


    ¡°People are better at geting things done when they band together. The pirates got something they all want, that¡¯s why they gather here. It¡¯s only natural someone would be in charge, though there were a lot of battles in the past, the king always survived. I mean, my grandad said so anyway.¡± Skipper looked to be somewhere in his early twenties.


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    The forest was finally clearing up and there were signposts marking the path. Cira could see a sharpened wooden wall above the treeline now, ¡°Why here? I thought it¡¯s where people go to disappear.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what it ended up as, eventually. The first guy that became king gave up on his big search on this island. The trail disappeared without a trace, and they had to settle down, hoping one of us idiots would be able to pick it up instead.¡±


    ¡°Find what though? Is there some hidden treasure on this island?¡±


    ¡°Oh no¡­ What everyone wants to find is an island itself. The whole thing''s a treasure. Heaven, the Promised Land, Shangri-La, Eden¡­ Everyone calls it something different.¡± The rest of the group was nodding along, ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be the pirates¡¯ paradise.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but what¡¯s so special about it?¡± Cira still didn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°It¡¯s the only island in the sky with two springs.¡± He answered with a smug grin.


    Now it was her time to doubt, ¡°Bullshit! That¡¯s impossible!¡± Could there be more deritium somewhere? I really hope not¡­ It¡¯s not my secret to find anyway.


    ¡°I shit you not, young lady¡­. What¡¯s your name anyhow?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Cira.¡±


    ¡°Right. Well, that¡¯s how the legends go, Cira.¡± Everybody looked up as their destination came into view with tall wooden gates on the edge of a cliff and pirates posted guard. ¡°They say the whole island¡¯s made of gold and the second spring spews nothing but ice cold ale, finer than any other in the sky.¡±


    I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ve ever heard a less believable story. ¡°You all truly believe that?¡±


    ¡°Of course, we do! There has to be another clue hidden on this island, it¡¯s just that no one has ever found it yet.¡±


    ¡°Stop right there!¡± A man approached wearing rags and holding a flintlock pistol, ¡°Where the hell did this lady come from?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, she¡¯s with me¡ª¡± Skipper tried but was quickly cut off.


    ¡°No one gives a shit about you. I¡¯m asking where she came from.¡± More guards had noticed the holdup and started approaching, while there was also a crowd gathering from just inside the gates¡ªall pirates of course, and some that may have just looked the part by living here.


    Surprisingly, the woman spoke up in her aid, ¡°She just washed up ashore and she¡¯s wounded. We need to get her to a doctor.¡±


    The gathering guards looked her up and down before the first one spoke straight to her, ¡°You don¡¯t just wash up on these shores. Now where did you come from?¡±


    Cira felt a groan coming on and Skipper tried again, ¡°Seriously, she did! You heard that big boom earlier this week, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Now the guard looked between them and Cira with disbelief, ¡°You¡¯re telling me she crashed her ship into the island and survived? Then what happened to him?¡± Now he pointed to the guy with an iron bolt stuck in his knee. It wasn¡¯t difficult to guess where it came from.


    ¡°He had it coming.¡± Cira gave him a serious answer.


    ¡°He probably did,¡± The guard only shrugged, ¡°But that still leaves us with you¡­ Not just anyone can enter Captain Wick¡¯s Pirate Kingdom. It ain¡¯t free, you know.¡± Does he seriously make his crew call it that? I¡¯ll have to remember to laugh at him when he returns.


    That said¡­ I really didn¡¯t want to have to do this the hard way. I don¡¯t have much of the hard way left in me. Let¡¯s just hope they take mithril¡­ I really should have restocked my treasure pouch.


    ¡°Do you have change¡ª¡± She was going to barter with the man when someone cut her off from the gate.


    ¡°Oh, will ya cut it out with that pirate kingdom crap?¡± Why do I feel like I vaguely remember that voice? ¡°You have any idea how dumb that sounds? Any other crew is embarrassed just hearin'' it. If someone crashed their boat, I say they deserve to come in, now just who do we have¡ª¡± Cira stared blankly into his eyes as he returned a similar expression, ¡°¡­Captain?¡±


    ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t Jimbo Sticks!¡± Cira¡¯s hopeless situation now had a twinkle of light, and she smiled at the familiar face, ¡°You¡¯re a sight for sore eyes.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I get that a lot.¡± He returned the smile, ¡°And we match now. How cool!¡±


    Seeing the two¡¯s reunion gave the guards pause and they stepped back to watch, but now Cira had a distinct frown as she stared regretfully at her missing piece, ¡°Yeah¡­ I miss it already.¡±


    ¡°Ohh, don¡¯t be like that! It''s a good place to keep a knife.¡± He glanced at her crossbows then at the wounded pirate, ¡°And what the hell did you do to Gerald?¡±


    ¡°Uhh, captain?¡± The apparent Gerald asked, ¡°Do you know this crazy woman?¡±


    In a moment of surprise, Cira¡¯s eyes shot open, ¡°I shot him! He¡¯s not one of your guys, is he?!¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± He laughed, slapping Skipper on the shoulder in her place, ¡°Not anymore! The hell did he do though?¡±


    His full support brought her mood back around, ¡°The bastard tried to make me a sponge maiden.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?!¡± Jimbo whipped his peg off and stabbed the man in his side without delay, ¡°You son of a bitch! Do you even know who this is?!¡± The two supporting Gerald jumped away in fear and he crumbled to the ground again.


    ¡°Holy shit.¡± Skipper looked on in horror. "You know Captain Sticks?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± Cira said with a troubled smile.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Boss! I didn¡¯t know she was your friend!¡± He was bleeding again now, but not profusely.


    ¡°My friend? Are you an idiot!¡± He was fuming, ¡°This is the head captain! Used to be yours too, dumbass!¡±


    ¡°Wait, what¡­?¡± Skipper stared at her in shock.


    ¡°Th-that can¡¯t be!¡± The woman from earlier and everyone else had the same look. Meanwhile, Cira basked in it with an arrogant grin. ¡°The one who took over Fount Salt with ten men and a barrel of ale?! F-from Leviathan Isle?!¡°


    "The pirate who drank Don under the table then single handedly took down his crew?!"


    "You talkin'' about about the lady who sleeps with or burns witches at the toss of a coin?!"


    "Jimbo, what the hell have you been telling these people?¡° He wore a cheeky grin and turned away trying to act innocent.


    "More importantly, the hell did you do down there?" His argument was a strong one, "I stayed for show but I couldn''t get any damn sleep! Had to get the hell outta there before I dropped dead."


    "I''ll have to fill you in later..." Cira looked around to the confused crowd of pirates. "and elsewhere."


    "Wait..." The woman now looked like she''d believed every story she heard about the illustrious Captain Dreadheat. "Does this mean¡­ She wasn¡¯t lying about the curses?¡±


    ¡°The head captain¡­?¡± Gerald looked up in a daze, groaning on the ground and staring at Cira in horror, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m so sorry! I didn¡¯t know!¡±


    ¡°Too late for that, jackass.¡± Putting his peg back on, Jimbo stomped on Gerald with his actual foot. ¡°This woman kills witches and turns pirates to dust. You¡¯re lucky you caught her on a good day. And you¡­ Skipper, was it?¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah¡­ that¡¯s right.¡± He looked just as scared staring into Jimbo¡¯s incensed gaze.


    ¡°Well done.¡± He nodded.


    Cira watched Skipper¡¯s face light up, ¡°Really? I-I mean, thanks! Does this mean I can join your crew?!¡±


    Jimbo¡¯s serious expression broke up in an instant and he laughed, ¡°Sure, why not? Just keep doing what you¡¯re doing for now. Dreadheart, come on. Let¡¯s get you a new leg.¡±


    ¡°If only¡­¡± Jimbo slipped the guards a few coins and they let it go without another word as a couple of them dragged Gerald inside leaving a trail of blood as he disappeared groaning.


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna have to tell me what happened to your leg, ya know.¡± He kept the conversation going as Skipper awkwardly acted as a crutch.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to tell me yours too,¡± Cira laughed, ¡°But I don¡¯t want to think about it anymore. I¡¯ve been asleep for a week, but somehow I¡¯m so tired¡­¡±


    Cira yawned as they breached the tall wooden gate and entered the large city built into the cliffside. It looked unbelievably delicate like a children¡¯s model and Cira was amazed the buildings held on. There were wooden shanties and huts with palm fronds for roofs connected by precarious catwalks and staircases between them, somehow all fixed into the sheer cliff face. Everywhere she looked there were pirates either walking around or hanging over the cloudy abyss with a jug in their hand.


    Jimbo led the way from the front as Cira gazed around taking in the sights. It stretched from one point then curved inward and flared out into another to form a bay. Her guide smiled too see the sincere wonder on her face, ¡°It ain¡¯t much, but I¡¯m glad you like it. Welcome to Hangman¡¯s Cove.¡±

 79 - Cirina Dreadhearts Wooden Leg

    Boards creaked underfoot as they entered Hangman¡¯s Cove and Cira didn¡¯t have the agency to tiptoe nervously. Skipper practically dragged her along at Jimbo¡¯s pace, whose nimbleness continued to surprise Cira. Maybe my outlook¡¯s not so bad. I¡¯m glad I ran into him.


    It was difficult to tell where the sun was, but the whole island was illuminated by the fairly consistent veil of thin clouds that encompassed it. The shroud seemed to cover Hangman¡¯s Cove in a bright shade of moonlight, making for a strange day.


    ¡°So, what did it?¡± First Fleet Captain Sticks asked, ¡°Did the witch take your leg? I wish I could have seen the main event, but we were too deep.¡±


    ¡°No, the witch was laughably easy to deal with, though I was cheating. It¡¯s hard to say how an even fight would turn out, but she couldn¡¯t touch me.¡± Cira got a disgusted look on her face, ¡°I¡¯d hardly call it the main event. I only had to stop her when she tried to turn the infirmary and all of Uren¡¯s plague victims to dust.¡±


    ¡°Geez,¡± he shook his head, ¡°I never liked witches¡­ No offense, I think. Witch pirates are probably a whole different thing, huh?¡±


    ¡°None taken. I¡¯m no witch¡­ My friend is though.¡± This put a little smile on her face for a moment. I totally have a friend now. All I had to do was lie and steal from her. Am I a pirate after all? ¡°I cut my own leg off. Took a nap after beating the witch up and woke up with my leg crushed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s no fun¡­¡± He grabbed a bottle out of a man¡¯s hand as they passed him.


    ¡°Cap¡¯n.¡± The man nodded.


    After holding it up to Cira she shook her head and he continued, ¡°Anyway,¡± and took a long drink before throwing it off into the clouds to disappear in the mist, ¡°I heard if you punch a nimbus shark in the nose they¡¯ll fly away. Well, I tripped.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Cira laughed in the exaggeratedly hurt Jimbo¡¯s face, ¡°I knew it was a shark!¡±


    ¡°Tch. An¡¯ I knew you lost yours in the most boring way possible.¡±


    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t¡­¡± Cira mumbled. It¡¯s not much worse than tripping into a shark. Boring¡¯s not the word, but that sure is a hell of a stumble. She was quiet for a minute as they climbed a set of stairs, biting her lip and trying not to let the pain leak out optically in front of these manly men.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re almost there.¡± Jimbo reassured her at the top of the steps, which lead them to a slightly wider level with a lot more people walking around. Everyone up here looked the part of either a pirate or simple smugger, and there were even kids running around in similar rags. Evidently, they didn¡¯t care much for tailors around these parts, but she did appreciate the atmosphere. The entire city was like a foggy morning at the docks.


    ¡°You said the five minutes ago.¡± The withered sorcerer groaned.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a very long time, Dreadheart.¡± They passed suspicious looking hawkers and open-air taverns on the way and people gave her weird looks as they passed, but it might have been because Jimbo led them through town like he was chatting with an old friend.


    ¡°People keep looking at you here, are you supposed to be famous or something?¡± Cira thought it was strange that everyone seemed to recognize Jimbo.


    ¡°Seriously?¡± He was dumbstruck, ¡°It couldn¡¯t possibly be the recent rumor of a pirate-punchin¡¯, witch-smiting saint handin¡¯ over the Black Scourge to me on a silver platter. Only for me to appear carrying a wounded young girl who matches the description exactly. You didn¡¯t even bother to change. Some of these guys were in your glowy red chamber, ya know.¡±


    ¡°Damn. I guess I could have seen that coming. Word sure travels fast with pirates.¡± Cira shook her head. At least it¡¯s only the pirates who know all my identities are one in the same. I hope Lomp did his part and everything¡¯s working out alright in Uru.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Skipper sounded nervous when he spoke, apparently from Jimbo¡¯s presence, or possibly Cira¡¯s. ¡°It didn¡¯t help when you single handedly took down Ripley and his crew.¡± Jimbo rolled his eyes, but Cira was curious to hear the rest and urged the young man to continue. ¡°Had to be forty men. They were real close to Uncle Don¡ª¡±


    ¡°Pfft!¡± Cira spit on his shoes. Accidentally. ¡°What did you just say?! Is he talking about the same Don?¡±


    Cira stared at Jimbo in disbelief. He nodded with a hard to read expression, ¡°Aye, that¡¯s his uncle. He¡¯s not a bad kid though.¡± Patting Skipper on the arm with a toothy grin, he chuckled, ¡°The guy you shot was his son.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Cira¡¯s jaw fell open and she clung to the flimsy railing, holding a finger up to stop her crutch, ¡°You¡¯re shitting me, Jimbo.¡±


    ¡°The apple don¡¯t fall far from the tree. Boy was on his last legs anyway.¡± He pounded a fist into his palm, ¡°Tried to stand up to me when we got back with the news and begged on his knees the moment the peg came off. He even had the nerve to use my name around town to get his willie¡¯s worth the same night. Good riddance if you ask me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with your local pirate lingo, but all this talking is making my head hurts.¡± Cira didn¡¯t remember the backlash from losing her aura to be this bad the first time, but she had significantly less mana then. Walking from Breeze Haven to here took a little less than an hour, but it had really taken it all out of her. Holding her eyes open was arduous as climbing the stairs. ¡°You¡¯ll need to tell me about your battle later¡­¡±


    Her knife had been put away before entering the city, and she held her head in her free hand. Jimbo looked a little worried and peered into her face, ¡°You¡¯re lookin¡¯ pretty pale too. Hey Skips, carry the girl, would ya?¡±


    ¡°Put me down,¡± Cira¡¯s voice was a little weaker, and her arms had no strength behind them as he scooped her up effortlessly, ¡°It¡¯s not that bad¡­ wait, it might be.¡±


    Suddenly Cira looked around and it almost seemed like she was in a dream. Details had become hazier, and everything seemed quite vibrant in the mist¡¯s light.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jimbo asked, ¡°If you know something it might help to say it before you pass out. You ain¡¯t lookin¡¯ so hot.¡±


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    ¡°I¡¯m tougher than I look. Give me some credit,¡± She pursed her lips, then explained quietly, ¡°This was the other thing I was worried about¡­ Inside my ship¡¯s barrier, I was being slowly healed. Though it was weak, it kept me alive while my leg rotted. I¡¯m likely very low on blood, for one. I¡¯m sure all the pressure on my leg for so long wasn¡¯t good either. My fingers are cold, but my remaining ankle feels stiff.¡±


    ¡°Sounds pretty bad, Cap¡¯n.¡± Jimbo looked up ahead, ¡°It¡¯s that shack on the far end right before the stairs.¡±


    Thank goodness he said before. They had wrapped around the cove and almost reached the other point by now. There were a few levels of walkways and shanties above them, but some had stairs wrapped around them with different paths offset. It was hard to say how many levels the city had, but it was nerve-wracking to be carried through in the arms of the nephew to the man she destroyed in every way but fatally. Without a shred of malice, he could slip and they¡¯d both fall to their deaths.


    It made all that meat churn as her stomach fervently tried to digest it. ¡°Hey, walk gentler or I¡¯ll throw up on your shoes.¡± How did this get so bad so quick?


    ¡°Easy now, we¡¯re actually there this time.¡± Jimbo pounded on the thin plank walls before swinging the unhinged door open, ¡°Larry, wake the hell up! Got a priority patient for ya.¡±


    She was shuffled through the doorway and saw a corpulent man with no shirt and gray bushels growing from his chest. ¡°Hehh?!¡± He rolled out of bed and deflated with a groan as he hit the ground. ¡°Jimbo, got dammit! I told you not to wake me up so early! What do you need now?!¡± His voice had that rich tone to it that old men sometimes got, and bottles scattered across the ground as he got up.


    ¡°This is the doctor?¡± Cira looked at him with apparent disappointment.


    ¡°The hell does that make you?¡± He turned his grump to Cira, ¡°A girl with one leg and a shit attitude?¡±


    ¡°Point taken¡­¡± Cira quickly quieted. He got me there. I shouldn¡¯t judge the man by his looks. I just hope he doesn¡¯t drink on the job¡­ Who was Cira kidding? Of course, he does.


    ¡°The old drunkard¡¯s better¡¯n he looks,¡± Jimbo said, offering him a hand to stand up, ¡°We had a big party after Ripley went down. Nobody liked Don¡¯s racket, and the stories from below had everybody goin¡¯ wild before I even showed up. It only died down last night.¡±


    ¡°Well?¡± Larry got up and found a pair of glasses on the table. His stench was overbearing, but Cira gave him the benefit of the doubt. He squinted his eyes and inspected her closely, paying extra attention to her stump, then moving onto the remaining limbs. ¡°Yep, you should be dead. Jimbo, who in the nine skies is the lady?¡±


    ¡°Tell anyone and I¡¯ll stick ya,¡± He waved his peg around, ¡°It¡¯s the one I was tellin¡¯ you about. Kicked the Astral Witch¡¯s ass then crashed into Lost Cloud. A right swashbuckler, she is.¡±


    His eyes widened and he stared at her in shock, ¡°Bullshit! You? All that crazy stuff I been hearin¡¯?¡± He was doing double takes between Cira and Jimbo, who only shrugged, ¡°Did she do that to your leg? Looks like it was done with light magic.¡±


    Okay, he might be better than he looks. ¡°No, I did it to myself, but you¡¯re right¡­¡± Cira blinked a few times trying to stay present. She found that she was still winded after being carried the rest of the way. Words were difficult to push out and she felt they were beginning to slur, ¡°I was pinned under an orichalcum rod for a week and kept alive within an aethereal based healing domain. Does that mean anything to you?¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± He focused on her left wrist, ¡°That explains the swelling and impaired circulation. Looks like you cut an ulcer in half, but you damn near lost the whole leg. I would have cut it off above the knee personally.¡±


    Cira¡¯s gaze was unsteady as she swayed, ¡°I didn¡¯t know¡­ if I could get through the femur¡­¡±


    He watched her nodding out and glared at Skipper, ¡°Boy, take that girl into the back. Let¡¯s get her on a bed.¡±


    Cira wanted to protest but found herself being carried away and set upon a cloud. It only felt that way, but it was just as good as Nymphus to her in this moment. It became even harder to fight off the fatigue.


    ¡°Your stump looks infected despite the burns. Another few days and you¡¯d have been past saving. Where¡¯d you even get a barrier like that? If it was holy it would have healed that too.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I know.¡± Cira weakly waved him off, ¡°There are advantages, but I can¡¯t remember them.¡±


    When her head fell back into the pillow, she knew it was over. With the last dregs of energy, she took a pouch from her belt and handed it to Jimbo, ¡°Keep this safe for me, alright? It ain¡¯t much, but you can use it if you need to.¡±


    ¡°I can do that, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll need to¡ª¡± He unstrung the lace and froze upon seeing the mithril inside, ¡°use it for anything¡­¡±


    ¡°And you trust this guy?¡± Cira couldn¡¯t help her suspicious stare at the surprisingly knowledgeable old man nursing a bottle that appeared while she wasn¡¯t looking.


    ¡°This man performed my birth, and he patched my leg up. You can have your beauty rest, princess. I¡¯ll be checkin¡¯ up on ya too.¡± He kicked Skipper on his ass, ¡°Come on now. You earned a drink.¡±


    As Cira welcomed slumber, Larry held out his palms and a golden healing light flowed into her. ¡°Now, maybe if you weren¡¯t so irresponsible you could do this yourself.¡±


    I don¡¯t want to hear that from him. ¡°How dare you be so astute¡­¡± She mumbled as she drifted off.


    ___


    Cira opened her eyes slowly and found herself in a remarkably clean room that was nothing like what she remembered from being carried in the door. The surfaces were dusted and she saw a cabinet full of medicines. The same pale daylight came through the window and illuminated a pile of open books on the table. I guess I didn¡¯t get a good look at the back. This guy might be a real doctor.


    ¡°Holy shit, she¡¯s up!¡± Jimbo¡¯s voice came from one corner and Cira turned, blinking the sleep away.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s you guys.¡± Along with him was James. ¡°I remember you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m more surprised than offended.¡± He retorted, ¡°Glad to see you¡¯re up. I thought you¡¯d disappear into the sky after what you pulled, but I guess even the best of us hit a debris stone now and again.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Lost Cloud¡¯s a little better than that.¡± Jimbo defended his home island. ¡°Not a bad place to land for someone in her position.¡±


    ¡°Better than Fount Salt, but true enough¡­¡± Cira agreed, taking in a breath of fresh, humid air. ¡°I feel much better now.¡±


    ¡°Glad to hear it. While you were sleepin¡¯, I got ya a little gift.¡± He picked up a hand-carved wooden peg leg with void gazelle straps, ¡°Ol¡¯ Larry measured your stump and it should fit just right. I¡¯ve been through quite a few of my own. Don¡¯t know what the hell that tourniquet was, but I couldn¡¯t find a better leather.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help a smile from growing as she took it in her hands. It was smooth to the touch and carved from a vibrant red wood, which looked nice with the now clean black leather. So, this is what it¡¯s like to have friends. I¡¯m on a roll. ¡°How long was I out, though?¡±


    His face fell into an uneasy frown, ¡°A little over three weeks¡­¡±


    ¡°Damn.¡± She scanned the room and fell on Larry¡¯s flushed face. He now wore a white cotton shirt, but it had various wet spots across his belly, ¡°Why, though?¡±


    ¡°You were in a coma. I thought you were a goner.¡± He looked at her leg, ¡°I was able to keep your knee, but I had to trim ya¡¯ up a little bit. There was a nasty blood clot down there, and from what you said it was stewing for a while. I think you had a stroke around the time you walked through my door.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not good.¡± She stared at her palms, flexing them and then stretching out her legs, pausing for only a moment on her even shorter leg. ¡°I feel fine, but everything still looks kind of funny. Really bright.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your other problem¡­¡± Now Larry looked like he was about break news to a terminal patient.


    ¡°Girl.¡± Cira shook as a deep woman¡¯s voice came from her other side. Her eyes were sharp like a hawk¡¯s, beset in a face tanned by decades in the sun, and her hair was tied straight up. Wearing colorful garb made up of many strips of fabric sewn together, she didn¡¯t fit the pirate image in any way, ¡°You are in a worse state than you think.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± She couldn¡¯t figure out who this woman was supposed to be. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You have a deep fracture within your soul.¡± Her serious tone gave Cira the impression she was knowledgeable on the subject, ¡°Your aura will never return. Any mana it draws in to reform instead seeps directly into your soul. You have a year at best until you burn away.¡±

 80 - The Girl with the Broken Soul

    ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­¡± Cira took the news in stride. Was her soul fractured? That much she believed. Would her aura ever reform? That was up for debate. ¡°Surely there¡¯s a way to fix it.¡±


    ¡°Not without reforging your soul.¡± The soul-studied woman replied, ¡°It is a lost art of my people. I am sorry, but there is no hope.¡±


    The room went quiet, and she saw her pirates wearing long faces, ¡°You guys sure give up quick.¡±


    This started Jimbo, ¡°What do you mean? Kuja knows what she¡¯s talking about¡­¡±


    James leaned in and his expression softened, ¡°C-Cirina¡­ I know it¡¯s hard, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even start with that!¡± Kuja reeled back as Cira shouted at her crew, ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a book on it in the archive. My father was quite knowledgeable on the subject.¡±


    I doubt soul remedy would work. I could revert it to an earlier state, but the cracks would still remain. Shit¡­


    ¡°You claim to know my people¡¯s lost secrets?¡± The woman looked at her with unfounded doubt.


    ¡°Are you talking about that creepy cult?¡± Jimbo asked, ¡°I don¡¯t think we have them on this island.¡±


    ¡°No, the archive is on my ship. You know any geomancers? We should get started right away.¡± The sorcerer insisted.


    Now Kuja was looking at her with a sad expression, like consoling a child who doesn¡¯t understand death, ¡°Poor girl¡­ If it is as you say, have Mr. Sticks bring you to me, but I wish you the best. Now, I must take my leave.¡± She got up and gave Larry a short bow before walking back out the door.


    ¡°Well, this sucks.¡± Cira said to the silent room. ¡°I¡¯m serious about the archive, though.¡±


    Jimbo shook his head and found a bottle somewhere, ¡°You got the right attitude, at least. But if you¡¯re that sure of it, you have time to rest. Don¡¯t need you fallin¡¯ off the edge.¡±


    ¡°But I want to go hooooome.¡± Cira whined.


    ¡°Too bad.¡± Larry said curtly, ¡°You were just in a coma for three weeks. That said, you should get some exercise. If nothing worsens today, you can try to walk around town later.¡±


    She gave him a half-hearted glare before sighing, ¡°Fine¡­ I¡¯ll rest.¡± As obstinate as she was, her father¡¯s spirit would frown if she didn¡¯t listen to the man treating her.


    ¡°Good girl.¡± He rummaged through his pocket and shoved a small glass into her hand. Cira accepted it but was stunned in confusion as he filled it up with a liquor that reeked of spices. ¡°You earned this.¡±


    ¡°What is it¡­? She stared into the honeyed brown liquid, ¡°Are you sure I should be drinking?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s restin¡¯ juice, now drink up.¡± She pursed her lips, but Jimbo only laughed.


    ¡°That¡¯s our queue. I¡¯ll go look for a rock mage.¡± Jimbo waved as he walked through the door, ¡°We¡¯ll see you tonight.¡±


    ¡°Alright then¡­ Thanks for the help, Doc.¡± She tipped her head back and nearly choked on the fiery liquor, ¡°A bit much, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    The doctor laughed in her face and refilled the glass, ¡°Have another. I¡¯m goin¡¯ to bed. Wake me up if you start dyin¡¯.¡±


    She was left alone in the room with nothing to do and nowhere to go.


    ___


    Cira was the most bored she had ever been by the time sunset came around, but it was a nice change of pace. She accepted the boredom and let herself have a day off, trying not to think about the matter of her soul when she couldn¡¯t help it.


    The sunset hour stained Lost Cloud¡¯s veil a brilliant orange blush and Cira had the perfect view of it through a window. She eventually drank the second cup of resting juice earlier, but it didn¡¯t do much, nor was she in the mood to drink. Her crossbows had made it to the corner of the room at some point and she played with the idea of target practice, but without mana that was strictly an outdoors activity.


    She also had to keep waking Larry up for water, and he eventually just brought her a giant pitcher with a ladle. Since she could conjure water equivalent to that of a spring whenever she usually wanted, she picked up the habit of drinking water constantly. ¡®A hydrated body makes a healthy mind, and a healthy mind makes a happy sorcerer.¡¯ My dad had the weirdest quotes.


    ¡°Knock knock, princess.¡± Jimbo walked through the curtain separating rooms, ¡°I hope you¡¯re in the mood to drink.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Cira wouldn¡¯t be under any obligation to drink a lot, assuming nobody challenged her to a duel, so she couldn¡¯t say she was averse to another night with the crew. ¡°Help me put on my leg, I guess.¡±


    Cira picked it up off a side table and Jimbo slapped it away, ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid. You¡¯re still healing. Ol¡¯ Larry has a crutch for ya, and we got Skips the Boy on standby.¡±


    ¡°Tch¡­ fine then¡­¡± she put the peg back down, ¡°I can¡¯t really drink that much though. I sobered myself up with magic to beat Don.¡±


    ¡°Pffff, that¡¯s the best thing I heard all day! I wouldn¡¯t talk about it in town though. Or you¡¯ll have ¡®em lined up.¡±


    Larry walked in with a shoddy loaner crutch and handed it to Cira. She accepted it with reluctant gratitude and hobbled off the bed, following Jimbo out to the dock.


    ¡°It¡¯s the captain!¡±


    ¡°Yeahhhh!¡± They cheered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be damned!¡±


    Shirtless Joe and the rest of their group caused a commotion when they saw her, and even her old friend Baum was there with the latter two goons from Milty¡¯s.


    ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t my cartographer,¡± she gave Baum a nod, ¡°I guess the whole crew¡¯s here tonight.¡±


    ¡°Damn right. It¡¯s time you fess up about Fount Salt.¡± Jimbo chuckled.


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    ¡°Geez, that¡¯s what this is about, huh?¡± For once, she didn¡¯t mind the attention. They were all friendly faces waiting to hear her tales. ¡°We¡¯ll have to grab a barrel so I can tell you without so many prying ears. I¡¯m picturing something like Milty¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll like this one. It¡¯s called the Flyin¡¯ Dutchess. The little lass bought it from Milty when she moved down the Noose.¡±


    ¡°Tally ho, then, Jimbo, lead the way.¡± Cira beckoned him on, and they all moved down the docks. It was a wholly different atmosphere at night. The clouds didn¡¯t let the moon through so easily, and it was quite dark with countless lanterns hung on the railing around the entire bay, top to bottom. It was reminiscent of the sight from above Uru, but the lights were much warmer and there was laughter in the air.


    The people here seemed to flip a switch at nightfall. When they walked through during the day they got droves of weird looks, but now people walked up to Jimbo slapping him on the shoulder and greeting him like their cousin.


    ¡°You know, now that you¡¯re up and about, you won¡¯t really be able to hide your identity. People have been talkin¡¯ the last few weeks.¡± Jimbo explained quietly, ¡°Hope you¡¯re ready for that.¡±


    ¡°It was bound to happen. My agility has surely taken a hit, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯d do too bad in a fight. I¡¯d rather not find out today though¡­¡±


    Jimbo laughed again, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, nobody should mess with us. Your crew¡¯s gotten a little bigger since you slept. You¡¯re captain to the Far Shore Pirates now too, by the way. I don¡¯t really like the guys, but they love you.¡±


    ¡°I doubt I would enjoy it if you explained, so I¡¯ll let the truth come naturally.¡± It felt good to get her muscles moving again. They felt unbelievably stiff, and she only just realized it. The light burn in her muscles made her feel alive again.


    After a fulfilling and arduous trip to the lowest dock, they found themselves in front of a weathered wooden sign that read, ¡°The Flying Dutchess.¡±


    Walking through the door, Cira realized it was a single wall and inside was a stepped cliff ledge. On each level there were tables full of slurring pirates and barrels strewn about. A handful of young barmaidens bounced between them handing out drinks and food. Cira followed Jimbo to a table not far from the edge where they could see the last dredges of sunset disappearing along the cloudy horizon.


    ¡°What a view¡­¡± Cira said, ¡°Uru seems like a downgrade.¡±


    James shrugged his hands, ¡°It¡¯s safer to raise a kid there, which should tell you a lot about Lost Cloud.¡±


    ¡°You guys are so harsh,¡± Jimbo complained, ¡°I was raised here, and I turned out great.¡±


    Two girls around Peaches¡¯ age appeared with hands full of bubbling mugs of golden ale. The smell wafted much like she remembered and Cirina groaned in her sleep. Just a glass or two should be fine. Even the doctor recommends it. Look at me now, Dad! I¡¯m being responsible.


    ¡°¡°Ooooooh¡±¡± The girls squealed in unison when they set Cira¡¯s drink down.


    ¡°Is this your new girl, Jimbo?¡± The one with red pigtails tied up looked at her with doughy eyes.


    ¡°You even have opposite legs!¡± Then the other barmaiden with pink pigtails clasped her hands together and giggled at Cira.


    ¡°That¡¯s so cuuuute!¡± The two looked at each other, lost in their fantasy world.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, girls.¡± Jimbo scolded, ¡°This woman used to eat troublemakers like you on Leviathin Isle.¡±


    ¡°I did not!¡± Cira protested but received unwarranted support from a certain shirtless corner.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, she only eats witches.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Joe¡­¡± Cira took her first drink of the night and set it back down on the table. ¡°What do you have to eat around here?¡±


    The pink one giggled into her hand, ¡°We have red tuna and sliced eel, but tonight we¡¯re serving roast lamb, fresh off a merchant ship from Dolliver.¡±


    ¡°You guys get merchants here?¡± It sounded bizarre for a hidden island.


    Jimbo stepped in to enlighten her, ¡°Yeah, you¡¯ll see them hit the docks full of pirates and a fresh haul pretty much every day.¡±


    It¡¯s stolen, because of course it is. Pirates. Right. ¡°I think I¡¯ll take the lamb. I have plenty of fish at home. No underworm up here I guess.¡± She sighed, taking another sip.


    ¡°No, they only have upperworm here.¡± Baum commented with a straight face.


    ¡°Really?¡± Cira got excited for a brief moment until he busted up and Jimbo looked at her with grin.


    ¡°He¡¯s messin¡¯ with you.¡±


    The girls giggle and scurried off, ¡°We¡¯ll be right back!¡±


    When they did, the meat was tender and melted in her mouth. It was roasted with herbs and thinly sliced, served with potatoes on the side. She inhaled it with reckless abandon and ordered another when their next round came out. Evidently here, the ale just arrived intermittently.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re not callin¡¯ yourselves the Black Scourge anymore, are you?¡± Cira leaned back holding her belly in.


    ¡°¡¯Course not.¡± Jimbo spat to the side, ¡°We¡¯re the Stick Brigade now. First fleet of the Dreadheart Armada.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± She gazed wistfully off the torchlit hillside, ¡°Is it an armada now?¡±


    ¡°Well, we can¡¯t call it the first fleet of the Dreadheart fleet. It don¡¯t make any sense. I think that¡¯s how it works.¡±


    Cira squinted at him, ¡°I guess you¡¯re right.¡± And she took another drink, now looking over the cliff''s edge. There was a line of torches so nobody fell off, but their table was shockingly close. It wasn¡¯t unrealistic in her mind for a drunkard to stumble ten feet laterally¡ªshe¡¯d even seen it once or twice. The wounded sorcerer would just fall flat on her face though.


    ¡°They don¡¯t teach ya that stuff on Leviathin Isle?¡± He quipped.


    ¡°Never been.¡± Cira shrugged.


    ¡°Huh?¡± They all looked at her funny.


    ¡°I¡¯ve a confession to make¡­¡± Cira set her glass down, ¡°I was never a real pirate. Just some sorcerer who took a job too big for her britches.¡±


    ¡°Impossible! You¡¯re not a pirate?!¡± Shirtless Joe was flabbergasted, along with James and the goons.


    ¡°You¡­ You were lying to us this whole time?¡± James was legitimately offended.


    Cira could only hold out her hands in defeat, ¡°Sorry boys. I¡¯ve recently learned lying to friends is bad.¡±


    ¡°Psshhh, I¡¯m real touched, Dreadheart.¡± Jimbo gave her an exaggerated look and placed a hand over his heart, ¡°You basically told us that when we got back to Uru. Am I the only one who remembers that?¡± He looked around to blank stares around the table, ¡°Seriously¡­? What¡¯d they call you the Hidden Witch? I think I like Saint of the Seven Suns better.¡±


    ¡°The hell did you just call me?!¡± Cira¡¯s jaw dropped.


    ¡°You ain¡¯t heard that one yet?¡± He slapped the table and laughed, ¡°Oh boy¡­ The legends speak of a salty saint, bringer of light and one who controls the nymphs.¡±


    ¡°The whole city watched me curse a witch, and they still call me a saint?¡± Unbelievable.


    ¡°Like¡­ a real curse?¡± Jimbo asked cautiously.


    ¡°Is there any other kind?¡±


    ¡°How should I know?¡± He took another swig, ¡°What¡¯s important is that you¡¯re a pirate now. No two ways to look at it, Cap¡¯n.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ When you put it like that¡­¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s your little friend anyway? She was watching you sleep for a couple days then she disappeared.¡±


    ¡°Good question¡­¡± Cira cast Spatial Sight¡ªwait, no she didn¡¯t. ¡°Dammit¡­ Ninaaaaaaa! Are you around, girl?¡±


    The cliffside was loud so nobody thought much of her wailing. Cira started to pout for a few minutes until a tiny head poked up from the ground. She timidly looked around before floating up behind Cira and resting on her shoulder.


    Cira turned her head, ¡°Exploring the island?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I see, I see.¡± Cira replied. ¡°Hope you¡¯re having fun.¡±


    ¡°Whoa¡­¡± Baum looked at her with wide eyes, ¡°It really is a nymph. I thought that part was just me drinkin¡¯ too much.¡±


    ¡°Ain¡¯t she a cutey?¡± Cira held out a finger and the nymph hopped over to sit down.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know they left Fount Salt.¡± Jimbo noted.


    ¡°Me neither. I guess she wanted to move onto brighter pastures. I couldn¡¯t have made it out of there without her, really.¡± Cira pet her on the head with one finger, ¡°Sorry you don¡¯t get a hat for a little while. No¡­ maybe I¡¯ll make you a real one.¡±


    James cut in now, ¡°So when are you going to tell us what the hell happened down there?¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Cira sighed, ¡°We should probably see if they sell barrels.¡±


    ¡°And right on time.¡± Jimbo declared, ¡°There¡¯s Boy Skipper now.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Cira looked over to see the familiar young pirate with another in tow. A middle-aged fellow with dark stubble and a thin frame. He wore leather armor that looked tailored to fit and didn¡¯t carry the air of a drunkard about him. ¡°Who¡¯s that guy?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t remember Skips?!¡±


    ¡°No, the other guy.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Taking another drink, Jimbo chuckled, ¡°That¡¯s your rock mage.¡±


    She looked at him appraisingly for a moment only to realize she didn¡¯t have the power to size him up whatsoever, ¡°I hope he¡¯s a metal mage too.¡±


    Jimbo works fast. I¡¯m glad I made him my second in command of the imaginary armada. It should be much easier to break into the archive with all that orichalcum out of the way, too.

 81 - Just Trying to Go Home

    The rock mage approached a little uncomfortable under Cira¡¯s scrutinous gaze. He even paused for a moment until Skipper reassured him.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re the rock mage, huh?¡± Cira eyed him carefully as he stood there shifting awkwardly.


    ¡°Erm, yeah. Friends call me Rocky.¡± He held out a hand, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure¡­?¡±


    Cira shook his hand without easing up on the stare down, ¡°You a metal mage, too?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I guess so.¡± He blinked and there was a round of silence.


    Eventually it was Baum who broke the silence after polishing of his glass, ¡°How is this guy going to help you fix your soul again?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not.¡± Cira shook her head and savored the fried potato sides they brought out. ¡°The secrets to fixing my soul are sealed behind a solid titanium block. I need him to melt it, or something. Whatever gets me through it.¡±


    ¡°Titanium, huh?¡± Rocky started pondering but eventually withered under everyone¡¯s disapproving glare, ¡°It¡¯s tricky, but I¡¯m sure it will work out.¡±


    Cira shrugged, finishing her glass too, ¡°What can ya do? Someone go buy a keg quick. I sense the wind turning.¡±


    Jimbo nodded at James, who in turn nodded at Goon Three. That man got up and walked over to the kitchen while everyone else finished up their drinks. Cira placed Nina back on her perch and stood up to stretch her leg. Leaning on the crutch, she could flex the leg under her weight without worrying about falling over.


    Can¡¯t believe I lost my leg. Three whole weeks ago¡­ It still doesn¡¯t feel real. She could still feel it trying to step or with a stiffness yearning to be exercised. She hadn¡¯t used that ankle in a month, and it felt like it¡ªwhether or not it was still attached. It was a constant, dull ache. One silver lining was that she probably slept through the worst of the pain, but there was nothing like feeling pain on a part of your body that no longer existed.


    She had trouble complaining, as it was still hard at work kicking out the remnants of Fount Salt from her nervous system, so in a way it balanced out.


    ¡°You ain¡¯t leavin¡¯ already, are ya?¡± Cira was propped against the table and twisting herself around to crack her back when a gruff pirate interrupted her with those leering eyes she recognized from Uru.


    ¡°I most certainly am.¡± He wore a striped bandana and ripped pants while crumbs littered his chest hair. His stench was like he had just discovered a place in the world with even cheaper ale and drank it dry before arriving, but also sour. Cira¡¯s face scrunched up in intense displeasure, ¡°Would you mind leaving? I am very busy at this hour.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be like that, girl. The night¡¯s young, and only I can show ya where it can take ya.¡± His grin made Cira even more squeamish.


    ¡°Somehow, I doubt that, but¡­ Perhaps I¡¯ll give you a chance.¡± His eyes lit up. ¡°That sword at your waist. If you can bend it in half before my eyes, I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    Her crew started snickering like a good joke was being told. Jimbo laughed and stood up, getting closer to the only man who could help Cira on this night. ¡°Want me to stick ¡®im?¡±


    ¡°No, I think he¡¯s going to give it a try.¡± She watched him closely as he pulled the sword from his waist and looked at it intently. Holding it in both hands he flexed it, and there was a slight bend. Cutlasses were usually thin and broad, making them simple to bend just a little. Maybe someone like Milty¡¯s doorman could pull off the feat, but a normal person could not bend a sword in half through regular means.


    Cira would get it stuck between boards in the table and pry it over or something, but the pirate that stood before her was a man among men. There were two men behind him from the table he sat at leering at her as well and nodding their heads with absolute faith, ¡°You got it, boss! I just knew our luck was gonna turn around.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you got that right.¡± Jimbo eyed them from a table over and they were startled to be overheard.


    ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea¡­?¡± James asked her, a little worried, ¡°What if he does it? I mean, he can only try to with his bare hands for so long¡­ You got a lot of witnesses for this bet.¡±


    ¡°SHHHH!¡± Cira shushed him with a finger over her lips, ¡°Let the man figure it out. I never said how far I¡¯d go with him or to where. Could be just over there.¡± She pointed to the bar counter with a line of drinks poured.


    ¡°That¡¯s a little flimsy, but¡­ You¡¯re the captain.¡± He raised his drink up and got to work. Cira sighed as she saw goon three bear hugging a barrel like his back was going to snap with a dainty woman in tow.


    Meanwhile Cira¡¯s newest problem stood there waving his sword up and down flat in the air so it wiggled and made that funny noise, ¡°I can do this, I just gotta¡ª¡± As if timing it with the bendy flex of his sword, he slid both hands onto the blade and started ripping his hands down like he was snapping a fallen branch.


    Suddenly the sword clattered to the ground as he froze with an ¡°Oh shit!¡± expression carved into his face like an ancient statue. A light trickle and one plop¡ªtwo, three..


    Plop, plop, plop¡­


    Cira, Jimbo, Nameless Stinky Pirate, then every patron and worker in the establishment looked on in horror as finger stubs rolled to a stop in a thin puddle of blood on the stone floor.


    ¡°GYAHHHH!!¡± He fell back on his ass, staring at his palms in disbelief, more sober now than he¡¯d ever been in his life. The man looked at Cira now in shock, ¡°Why¡ªwhy would you make me do that?!¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry! Holy shit¡­ Why?!¡± Cira¡¯s jaw also on the floor as she pulled her feet onto the table to escape the blood¡¯s path, ¡°Why would you do it like that?!¡±


    ¡°Pops!¡± One of the men from the same table, who looked roughly the same age, came up crying and cradled him, while the other started picking up fingers and shoving them in his pockets in a panic. This one stared at Cira with rage.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°You! You did this to Pops!¡±


    Cira was still in shock, looking around the Flying Dutchess at everyone¡¯s fear-stricken faces. James shook his head disapprovingly, while Jimbo held a similar expression, but let out a laugh as he approached the third man.


    ¡°Listen¡­ Pops did this to himself.¡± He put a hand on his shoulder and nodded understandingly.


    I mean¡­ I do kind of feel bad. How could I expect him to be that stupid? I can¡¯t possibly live my life tiptoeing around idiots, can I? Yeesh, what a way to wake up. I should stop debilitating people. It¡¯s getting tough to watch.


    ¡°You, sonofabitch, Jimbo, who the hell does this wench think she is¡ª¡± Smack!


    ¡°You know as well as Pops you shouldn¡¯ta messed with her.¡± He shook his head, ¡°If she didn¡¯t make the bet, he woulda earned a good stickin¡¯. Better this way. Take ¡®im up to Larry¡¯n he should put ¡®em back on. I¡¯d say you got ten minutes for best effect, just make sure ya don¡¯t got any holes in your pockets.¡±


    He stood dumbfounded and stuttering at Jimbo¡¯s declaration, but time was ticking, no matter how mad he was, ¡°You¡­ you bastards! This isn¡¯t over!¡± With a hand tightly clutching each pocket, he ran to the exit, ¡°Hurry up and grab Pops! We gotta go!¡±


    The other one struggled under his weight, but slung Pops over his shoulder, leaving a trail of blood through presumably the entirety of Hangman¡¯s Cove. Once the man had grasped the blade with both hands, that debacle had lasted maybe fifteen seconds, and now they were gone.


    After the patrons had finished watching them disappear, they turned, horrified, to Cira in unison. She could only throw her hands up and shake her head, feeling many of the same emotions. Without any recourse, Cira helplessly turned to Jimbo, ¡°I mean, I feel bad, but what the hell was that? How could I expect him to be so incredibly stupid?¡±


    ¡°Pops isn¡¯t just dumb.¡± Baum added from the back. Everyone nodded, but Cira looked on in confusion until James enlightened her.


    ¡°There isn¡¯t much you¡¯ll find up here that¡¯s more dangerous than a drunk idiot.¡±


    ¡°Ahh¡­¡± Cira nodded as well. ¡°Maybe I should avoid engaging fools altogether¡­ at least until I can heal again.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a good idea.¡± James nodded along.


    ¡°Is it now? Perhaps you should go on home, then.¡± As she glared at him, the people started to whisper, and a couple even got up to leave. The atmosphere was ruined. ¡°Rock mage, this is you first job. Clean up all the blood.¡±


    ¡°What?! But I¡¯m a rock mage! I don¡¯t work with blood!¡± He stared at her outlandishly, which she returned right back.


    ¡°The blood is on the rocks. Just sort of scoop it away, you know? Looks porous too, so don¡¯t let any in.¡±


    ¡°Wha- are you being serious right now?¡± He was aghast, doing double takes between her and the blood stain from the door to the cliff.


    Meanwhile Cira shrunk back in honest shock, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m serious. This is not a big ask. Just pour it off the cliff. It¡¯s fine if there¡¯s a little stain left, I guess. Maybe shift it down and replace it with clean stone or something.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ I guess that would work.¡± Rocky had a hand on his chin, ¡°Okay I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±


    He had started working on it right then and there, and Cira hated to be the kind of boss that just pesters someone, but she had to say something, ¡°Er, start at the door¡­ Unless you plan to do it twice.¡±


    Hangman¡¯s Cove could deal with their own bloodstain. Cira would only clean the one inside the tavern, because it wasn¡¯t a bad place aside from the emotional trauma of watching a man leave with only thumbs. Yeah, that was pretty bad¡­ Why did that have to happen?


    ¡°Um, excuse me please, Miss¡­¡± When Cira turned there was a meek looking young woman in her mid-twenties. Clearly a woman who has made her living with labor, yet the first decade of adulthood has still been kind to her. She had fair skin and a timid expression hidden behind pale red bangs. ¡°This gentleman said you would, er, pay for this barrel of ale.¡±


    ¡°Good gods, set that thing down!¡± Cira cried as she watched the man still holding the full barrel hoist it down and collapse into a chair breathing heavily, ¡°What is wrong with you people?¡± She was forced to bury her head in her hands for a moment and collect herself before addressing the woman, ¡°Are you the owner of this establishment?¡±


    Jimbo had pointed her out earlier so Cira knew she would say, ¡°Yes¡­ That¡¯s me. The flying dutchess!¡± She splayed out her hands and did a pose in some grand and sing-songy introduction, but her voice lacked confidence and it showed on her face too. She ended it with awkward laughter, holding the pose just a few seconds too long.


    You know¡­ That¡¯s not funny. But it¡¯s the kind of thing to which anyone with a drink in their hand would surely offer a chortle or a brief but enthusiastic, ¡®yeah!¡¯ to. I have to hand it to her for trying to lighten the mood, though. She¡¯s probably done that hundreds of times to drunk patrons that were half paying attention and got a wonderful reception. But not tonight.


    The woman¡¯s face fell as utter silence surrounded them. Nothing but the breeze beyond the veil of mist and a mouse¡¯s squeak on the dock above them. The pose naturally crumbled and she looked at Cira like she was about to cry.


    Oh no, what do I do now? Just smile, Cira! And she offered the best smile she could while still looking sincere, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for all the trouble¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, believe it or not, this happens all the time, thought not quite like this I have to say¡­¡± She laughed nervously and watched the blood trickle away to the cliff, ¡°Most don¡¯t offer to clean up, so thank you.¡±


    ¡°It was the least I could do, this was partially my fault after all.¡± Cira could only tell the full, unadulterated truth to this woman. No way was she one to shirk responsibility. It was only right to take ownership of one¡¯s mistakes¡ªthat was always her philosophy.


    ¡°Actually,¡± James piped up again from the back, ¡°I¡¯d wager it was entirely your fault, Dreadheart.¡±


    ¡°Whatever, James¡­ You¡¯re just mad I gave Jimbo the hat.¡±


    ¡°Pffft!¡± Jimbo slapped him on the shoulder, ¡°She got ya there!¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI am not!¡± Whether there was any truth to his denial was impossible to say. James¡¯ misgivings were lost on Cira. She couldn¡¯t even say that she believed he was mad about it. It just felt like the right thing to say.


    ¡°D¡ªdid you say Dreadheart?!¡± The woman went pale as a sheet, ¡°Oh, please, this barrel is free!¡±


    She went to turn away, but Cira grabbed her arm, causing her to shriek, ¡°Will you cut that out? I¡¯m paying for this damn beer. Why is everyone always like that?¡±


    She was petrified for a moment before speaking, ¡°You just have a, uh, reputation¡­.¡±


    ¡°For being cheap? I know that¡¯s not true. Jimbo, give her a coin from that pouch I gave you. One of the little round ones.¡±


    ¡°Aye aye, cap¡¯n.¡± He saluted and dug around in his coat before flicking a coin toward the unsuspecting barkeep.


    ¡°Huh?¡± It bounced off her chest and she caught it in her hand. After her eyes bulged, she shoved the coin deep into her shirt and returned the brightest smile she could back to Cira, ¡°Th-thank you so much! I hope to see you again soon, Captain Dreadheart!¡±


    ¡°And I, you.¡± For some reason, Cira gave the poor woman a snap and a finger gun before turning away as her crew hoisted up the barrel and made for the exit. In case that wasn¡¯t awkward enough for you, lady, I¡¯ll be here all week.


    It took two goons and Skipper to carry the keg safely and Rocky came running up behind them, making a rush job of the last few feet. ¡°Hey, wait for me!¡± Not having been paid a single crown yet, he was not planning to lose them.


    They had to step around the blood trail for much of the trip until they took a turn that led back outside the city. The walk was hard, but she had a break sitting at the tavern for a while. The exercise was needed to get her strength back though, so Cira was happy to stay moving.


    "Were you really just going to stab him, Jimbo?" Cira wondered, "Seems a tad harsh, well, not that he ended up much better."


    ¡°''Course. That''s how you gotta be up here. Those idiots heard all the stories and you saw how fast the messed with you. Anyway, where we goin¡¯ exactly?¡± Jimbo asked the natural question as the woman with a crutch led the way.


    ¡°Back to the ship.¡± Cira wore a wide grin as she looked back, ¡°Home, sweet home.¡±

 82 - The God of Liars

    The supposed royal guard gave them funny looks when their group showed up to the gate hauling a barrel between four men but had no real reason to stop them. Thus began Cira¡¯s challenge of hobbling over rough terrain in the dark. Her armpit was getting sore from the crutch, and she grew exhausted over the long walk.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t know pirate magic?¡± Jimbo was the only one with a torch, ¡°Where do you keep pulling a torch from?


    ¡°From me pocket. Always comes in handy.¡± He held it a little higher to help the group, ¡°When are you going to teach me pirate magic anyway?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say, but pirate magic isn¡¯t real.¡± Gotta come clean some day, ¡°That was all sorcery.¡±


    ¡°Then teach me that! It¡¯s perfect, since you¡¯re all busted up right now. I can just blast everyone for ya, until we patch up your soul or whatever.¡± He held out a palm threateningly and made explosion sound effects.


    ¡°Well¡­ It¡¯s a little more nuanced than indiscriminately blasting people, but that¡¯s not a bad idea. If I remember, your mana was a little above average so you won¡¯t be able to pull off much, but we can increase that. Yeah¡­ It could work.¡± She had no illusions that he would protect her with magic¡ªthat kind of power does not come quickly¡ªbut it could be fun to teach someone magic. ¡°I¡¯ve never taken a formal student before, and you will have to read a great deal. You can read, right?¡±


    ¡°Tch, of course I can! I look like some kinda dullard to you?¡± He gave her a pretty dumb look trying to prove his point, exposing his missing tooth.


    ¡°I think I speak for the armada,¡± James jumped in, ¡°with a resounding yes.¡± Then he shot Cira a reassuring nod.


    Jimbo pretended to trace a tear down his face, ¡°I can read just fine, now teach me a spell!¡±


    ¡°Hold your horses. You still have to read the first volume to prove your resolve first.¡± Now he looked genuinely disappointed, ¡°But¡­ I suppose I could dig out a spell for you later. Think about what element you want to start with and be prepared to tell me why.¡±


    ¡°Copy that, Captain!¡± He ran up ahead taking the light with him, dramatically grasping his chin in deep thought.


    ¡°Dammit¡­ Rocky, you have any light spells?¡± Cira asked the one person capable of casting.


    ¡°No¡­ Why would I?¡± She could hardly see his appalled face in the moonlight.


    ¡°To see in the dark? I don¡¯t know. Conjure up some lumenite or something.¡±


    ¡°What is that¡­?¡±


    Cira could only sigh, ¡°I can¡¯t believe I forgot to pack a light.¡±


    The walk felt longer in the dark of night, and Cira was well past winded by the time they made it close to home. Jimbo tried to make Skipper carry her, but she could see her spire poking up above the forest. This lit a flame of determination in her heart, and she was able to make it the rest of the way.


    ¡°That¡¯s hardly a ship, Dreadheart.¡± Jimbo and her crew gazed up at the mass of stone with wonder, and Shirtless Joe tried going for the gate only to tumble backward.


    ¡°Oops, I need to get you all your passes. Wait here for a minute.¡± She had one from the other day that she reclaimed from Skipper, but the rest were inside. Cira painstakingly climbed the stairs and went straight for the door in hopes to get off her feet as soon as possible.


    Ten minutes later, she had a line of pirates marching up her steps. Is this really a good idea¡­? All her treasure was still strewn around the lawn.


    ¡°Yikes, this place is a mess.¡± James commented, ¡°What the hell happened?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have the chance to clean up¡ª¡± Cira tried to explain but was cut off by Baum shrieking.


    ¡°Is that your freakin¡¯ leg?!¡± He pointed at a blackened and decomposing lump on the grass with bugs crawling all over it. It kind of smelled now that she looked at it.


    Cira¡¯s stomach instantly turned to knots when she took it in and had to spin around to keep her dinner down. ¡°Gods, I forgot about that¡­¡±


    ¡°How?!¡± His jaw hung open in disbelief.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! A lot¡¯s been going on. Get off my back.¡± Cira pouted, but everywhere she looked was crystalware dug into the dirt. There was not only cleanup but serious landscaping to take care of when she got better. ¡°Man, this sucks¡­¡±


    Jimbo started laughing, ¡°Is that damn thing solid orichalcum?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ What about it?¡± She looked at him dubiously.


    ¡°I doubt I could even lift that, but I think I understand why you pay people in ancient rocks now. Imagine if that thing landed on your chest.¡± Cira shuddered and grew pale at the idea.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, the lawn is sliced right up. You sure cut the hell off outta your leg.¡± He patted her on the shoulder like it was supposed to make her feel better, ¡°Want the guys to clean up while we bust into this haunted library o¡¯ yours?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a forbidden archive!¡± She puffed up for a second before quickly deflating, ¡°Can they do that, though? I didn¡¯t expect to make anyone aside from this guy work tonight.¡± With a thumb pointed over the shoulder, she meant Rocky.


    ¡°Does Larry need to check your head out or somethin¡¯?¡± Jimbo squinted his eyes, ¡°You¡¯re their captain. They¡¯ll shine your shoes if you tell ¡®em to.¡±


    ¡°Well, we don¡¯t have to go that far, but maybe you¡¯re right.¡± Cira looked up and thought about it for a few seconds, ¡°Round ¡®em up, I guess. I¡¯ll lead the way to the workshop.¡±


    Everyone picked up a random apparatus from the grass and followed Cira¡¯s lead. She stuck a random wooden staff in the door to keep it open and passed by the kitchen, ¡°Skipper, you¡¯re on cooking duty again. Make plenty of whatever you want, but be sure to remember so you can buy more in town tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Aye aye, Captain!¡± He gently sat down the spare cauldron and gave her a serious salute before running into the kitchen.


    I guess it is that easy. The stairs were the hardest part again and everybody was uncomfortably lined up above her in a traffic jam, inadvertently putting the pressure on her to hurry up. The workshop was just around the corner, and she slammed the backside of her orichalcum needle against it, huffing and puffing. ¡°Okay¡­ Everything scattered across my lawn goes in here. Don¡¯t move my staves, and if you see a strange ball of blue jelly, don¡¯t touch it. Everyone understand?¡±


    They all nodded and gave their salutes, roughly half of them eager to be put to task.


    I hope Aquon¡¯s doing okay. I¡¯ll have to put the little guy in a bowl of water.


    ¡°What about me?¡± Rocky asked.


    ¡°Your work is at the end of the hall.¡± Cira¡¯s crutch tapped along as they rounded the corner.


    ¡°Geez, how big is this place?¡± There were eclectic paintings and tasteful statuettes that lined her hallway. The red carpet was vibrant even in the dim light and Jimbo marveled at all the decorations as the walked down it. ¡°What even are all these rooms? Did you build this place yourself?¡±


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°One question at a time! My soul can¡¯t take all that.¡± A little frazzled, she somehow hadn¡¯t prepared herself for question time and tried to calm him down, ¡°My father built this place¡ªthe Island of Breeze Haven¡ªand left it to me when he passed.¡±


    ¡°You got your own damn island, and it just flies around places? I think I¡¯m starting to see why you¡¯re so senseless sometimes. I mean, you made me pay a ten silver tab with mithril, and what was with that comically large hat with the skull painted on it back in Uru?¡±


    ¡°It served its purpose. I worked hard on that hat¡­¡± She glared at him, ¡°Why are you always so critical?¡±


    It was deflected with another laugh, ¡°That¡¯s practically my job as second in command. Can¡¯t have you bumblin¡¯ around like a fool unless the situation calls for it.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough¡­¡± They approached an ominous silver wall where the hallway ended. Almost polished enough to see their reflections in. ¡°Here it is Rocky. I need to get past this door. Can you do it?¡±


    ¡°¡­how thick is it?¡± He tapped his knuckles against it and there was a dull, solid knock.


    ¡°About the same as it is wide. There won¡¯t be any enchantments though.¡±


    ¡°Well, I would hope not¡­¡± he looked frustrated and like he wanted to back out before giving a long sigh, I can do it¡­ But it will take time. Do you have any mana potions?¡±


    ¡°In fact, I do. You¡¯ll find a light brown satchel full of them somewhere in the garden. They¡¯re the bottles with an Earth Vein insignia on them.¡±


    ¡°Nice.¡± Jimbo commented.


    ¡°So, how long? There should be more than enough potions to keep you going, and if it helps I can lend you my forge to make an array.¡±


    ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t know how to do all that¡­¡± The look on his face was that it went right over his head. ¡°But if you got the potions, I can get it done in two or three hours. Uh, maybe we can discuss payment¡­?¡±


    ¡°Probably a mithril doubloon or something¡ªpretty standard.¡± Cira shrugged, inspecting the block of titanium in fond reminiscence.


    ¡°In what sky is that ¡®pretty standard¡¯?¡± Despite the great fortune coming his way, he couldn¡¯t help but gawk over it.


    Jimbo slapped him on the shoulder, ¡°My guess is whichever sky you find this island in.¡±


    ¡°Right you are.¡± She affirmed it with a thumbs up, ¡°Well, boys. I haven¡¯t bathed in three weeks, so I¡¯ll be back.


    ¡°That ain¡¯t too long up here, Dreadheart.¡±


    ¡°You know nothing of these skies, Jimbo.¡± She turned away and headed to the baths that had been calling her name.


    ___


    Cira''s stump was healed over enough that she could take a proper bath this time, but it burned like smearing salt in a wound. This was a permissible tradeoff in her mind and the exhaustion helped ease the pain along with the mineral rich waters that poured from the wall when she turned a knob. She took the opportunity to wash her Dreadheart ensemble in the sink and it let out a thick, black grime.


    ¡°Goodness¡­ pirates sure are filthy.¡±


    The late evening was not the time to pick out a new outfit, so she pushed the sewing off and put her dark leathers and loose corset back on before exiting the bath. Cira made a quick stop at the library then went to go check on Rocky. He hadn¡¯t made any visible progress, so she left him alone.


    The workshop door was open and it was a mess, but all her tools were in there and even a few random pouches she forgot the contents of.


    Upstairs the smell of a feast was gathering, and she liked what she saw on the stove. Skipper made a display of grilling up something of everything she had at once¡ªlamb, beef, pork, various fish¡ªin separate pans of course. She was excited for second-dinner, but the meals from the Flying Dutchess would tide her over.


    Outside, the lawn was now clean of magical apparatuses, and she saw everyone gathered on the narrow edge of the lawn around her garden table which held a barrel of ale. Cira didn¡¯t feel like drinking any more, but it was nice to see everyone laughing and having fun under the single torch stuck into her lawn. Before heading back over to them, she scooped poor Aquon into a bowl of water. There was a dark spot in the grass where it absorbed any moisture it could, but that wasn¡¯t enough to reform the gem or even see that cerulean glow.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be alright, Aquon.¡± She poked the gelatinous blob which jiggled in its bowl, ¡°You did a great job back there.¡±


    It was sad seeing her mighty Staff of Springs reduced to this, but time would bring it back around. Prismagora now shined with a dull luster from all that comatose time it spent in the sun, but she¡¯d leave it in the grass for emergencies. After putting Aquon inside somewhere the sun wouldn¡¯t hit it, she walked over to her crew and threw a book down on the table.


    ¡°Here you go, Jimbo. If you can make it all the way through this book and still tell me you want to be my student, I¡¯ll teach you magic.¡± I¡¯m finally offloading all those copies Dad had me make. ¡°It¡¯s a transcription so I¡¯ll want it back.¡±


    ¡°Holy crap¡­ That¡¯s a big book.¡± He picked it up and read the cover, ¡°The Sorcerer¡¯s Com-pen-dium¡­ Volume One.¡± Thumbing through the pages, his eyes went wide, ¡°This¡¯ll be a doozy¡­¡±


    ¡°The choice is yours, Jimbo.¡± Cira offered her best serious tone, ¡°to walk the path of sorcery is no easy task. There is no shame in backing down.¡±


    ¡°Sheesh, when you put it like that¡­¡± He groaned, starting the first page, ¡°who the heck is this Gazen guy, anyway?¡±


    That earned a chuckle and she tuned into the other pirates¡¯ belligerent conversation for a while. Evidently Skipper had helped them to the dishes while she was cleaning up, too. Ordinarily it would irritate Cira, but there was something amusing about watching these rugged men fill up her ornate, floral teacups straight from the keg.


    ¡°I gotta admit,¡± James slurred, ¡°This is some place ya got. We should drink here all the time!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that one¡­¡± It¡¯s nice having friends over, but pirate parties every night would get old fast.


    For the responsible one, James really liked to indulge when he could. There was no approaching danger, and the barrier could be seen shimmering faintly against the night sky. Stars just barely poked through the ever-present veil of mist up above. Everyone was letting loose, with the exception of Cira who was content to sit in her chair wrapped up in some spare robes and watch the fun.


    All of a sudden Cira was being shaken awake and her eyes felt heavy as she pried them opened, ¡°No way¡­ How long was I out?¡±


    ¡°I dunno, but Rocky got through. He¡¯s saying some¡­ weird stuff.¡± Jimbo''s face was uneasy, ¡°Maybe you should go take a look.¡±


    ¡°Shit! He didn¡¯t go inside did he?!¡± She jumped up in a moment of presumed clarity and fell flat on her face, having trusted a foot that wasn¡¯t there.


    Cira sulked in shame as Jimbo helped her up, laughing ¡°I think he¡¯s in there now, I don¡¯t know. Kept goin¡¯ on about some sealed god that swore to grant him power. He¡¯s totally on one.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± She picked up the pace, digging into the grass with her crutch on the way to the front door, ¡°I have no idea what that could even be. We need to hurry!¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Jimbo broke off ahead, ¡°I love this place!¡±


    ¡°Wait, don¡¯t touch anything!¡± Cira called ahead to him as he left to get the jump on Rocky.


    This is bad¡­ Even that crazy demon skull didn¡¯t say anything coherent. There¡¯s no way Dad has a god sealed up. Maybe in his archive, but even that¡¯s a stretch. She shook her head violently. Nope. Definitely no gods. So, something is not only speaking to my mage telepathically, but lying to him? What evil nonsense have you left me this time, Father?


    Cira finally made it to the hallway and heard rabid screams coming from the end. Quickening her pace, she nearly slipped on the pile of titanium pebbles on the ground and found Jimbo, James, and Baum holding down a frantic Rocky. His bloodied hand clawed at the brick, trying to grab for something in the corner that she couldn¡¯t discern.


    ¡°What the hell is this?!¡±


    ¡°GOD HAS MADE A PROMISE TO ME!¡± Rocky shrieked, ¡°HE WILL GRANT ME POWER IF I FREE HIM. I WAS SOOOO CLOOOOSE!¡±


    He started banging his head on the ground and a goon had to wrap his arms around it to keep him from smashing it open.


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to it, Rocky!¡± The goon sounded desperate, like he was trying to convince himself too, ¡°It¡¯s not real! It¡¯s just not!¡±


    ¡°There is no god in this room, you fool! What are you hearing?!¡± His snarled cries said he wasn¡¯t paying attention to her whatsoever now.


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me you don¡¯t hear that?!¡± Jimbo¡¯s eyes held a terror Cira hadn¡¯t yet seen.


    ¡°What?! I don¡¯t hear anything!¡± Cira was dumbfounded, ¡°What is it saying?¡±


    ¡°That it¡¯s god, and all we have to do is free it and we¡¯ll gain umatched power. I gotta admit¡­¡± His face was drenched in sweat, ¡°The way he says it, I kinda wanna give it a try.¡± Jimbo nervously glanced at a table in the corner.


    ¡°Well, well, well¡­¡± Cira paced over to the table and glared at the blatantly evil thing sitting there. It was trapped under a bell jar precariously close to the edge, and she took the liberty of scooting it over. The crimson jeweled spider clanked against the glass as its eight eyes reflected the edge growing further and further away. ¡°What, you don¡¯t want to talk to me? Worried I won¡¯t fall for your charade? Don¡¯t try to play dumb with me.¡±


    On one hand she felt ridiculous reprimanding a spider, but she had to hold firm. There was no other living creature in this room aside from the pirates, unless it snuck in sometime after the door was unsealed¡ªnot likely.


    She stared into its eyes intently and started to feel a little bit of fear. She¡¯d never seen a spider quite like this, and wasn¡¯t too fond of the regular kinds either. It was just smaller than her palm, but with a carapace like jagged rubies and eyes that burned with the pure white light of death.


    It evidently crumbled under her gaze, and she felt a click of static in her mind, ¡°Oh wise wielder of magic¡­ I beseech thee, free me from this prison! I am known as the exalted god of spiders, and I will grant you divine powers unmatched through all the skies¡ª¡±


    ¡°If that isn¡¯t the biggest load of bullshit I¡¯ve ever heard¡­¡± Cira tapped on the glass, ¡°You¡¯re some kind of evil death spider, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I-I swear it to be true! The one and only god of spiders stands before you on his myriad legs!¡± The voice was certainly godly enough, like a silky old man. The tone needed work though, and he was clearly nervous.


    ¡°Eight.¡± Cira corrected.


    ¡°I¡­ beg your pardon?¡± The spider god replied.


    ¡°Eight legs. I counted.¡± She squinted at him suspiciously, trying to gauge the micro expressions in his exoskeleton.


    ¡°Right¡­ What I mean to say is the one and only true god of spiders has appeared before you on his eight sacred legs!¡± They all clacked against the table in a showy tap dance, ¡°Power beyond imagination lies at your fingertips, young chosen one. Will you grasp it?¡±

 83 - How to Fix a Soul

    ¡°Tell you what, spider god.¡± Cira squinted her eyes at all of his, ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop whatever mind thing you¡¯re doing to my buddy over there and I¡¯ll consider your offer.¡±


    Behind Cira, her crew were all flopped on the ground with panic stricken, weary faces. Rocky had been reduced to snarling as blood mixed with saliva dripped from his mouth onto the hard stone.


    Within her mind a velvety voice spoke, ¡°My chosen one, I would never tamper with the mind of another¡ª¡±


    ¡°Gods, what the hell was that?!¡± Rocky¡¯s gurgled screams came coherently from the floor, ¡°Jimbo, the shit did you get me into¡­?¡±


    His voice trembled as he spat up blood to clear his throat, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t ask me.¡± Jimbo only deflected to Cira. The poor mage looked up at her in horror.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me! You¡¯re the one that went in.¡± She returned her focus to the spider, ¡°You would never, huh? You¡¯re not coming off very trustworthy.¡±


    ¡°B-but I promise! I have only the best of intentions,¡± The spider desperately tried to convince her, ¡°Anything you desire will be yours¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop.¡± Cira flicked the glass and looked at it with great irritation, ¡°Do you know why I sealed this room back up?¡±


    ¡°¡­why is that, Chosen One?¡±


    ¡°Because I DON¡¯T HAVE TIME FOR YOU.¡± Tap, tap, tap, tap, ¡°You think I didn¡¯t see the glaringly malicious spider sitting on the table desperately trying to escape its crystal prison?¡±


    ¡°B-but I¡ª¡±


    ¡°No. Let me tell you how this is going to go.¡± Tap, tap tap! ¡°Jimbo, take everybody out of here.¡±


    ¡°Hey, hold the hell on!¡± Rocky was barely regaining his wherewithal at this point and beginning to get upset, ¡°I didn¡¯t sign up for this shit! The hell even is that demon spider and why does it talk?! You better¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯ll pay you more. I was sorry, but I really need you to shut up and leave before you get yourself killed again.¡± Cira was not amused and did not want to deal with nonsense of this magnitude, but alas, such was the life of a sorcerer, capable or not.


    Ten minutes later the archive was empty again, save for Jimbo and Cira. Next to the bell jar was a crystal cube used primarily in alchemy. Today, it would be used in a far more barbaric manner.


    ¡°Are you watching, god? I found this spider in my dad¡¯s closet.¡± Cira lifted the lid and plopped a spider into the chamber from out of the glass she caught it in. ¡°This is the void chamber.¡±


    Its eight eyes watched the other spider run around helplessly inside the translucent cube, ¡°Wh-what are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°Jimbo, this is your first lesson.¡± He was startled to be called on and waited for instructions. ¡°Touch this rune and put just a little bit of mana into it.¡±


    ¡°Uh, okay¡­ Like this?¡± He did as told, and the glyph lit up briefly before there was a jarring screech and the whole world seemed to tilt for a moment. ¡°Whoa¡ªthe hell?!¡±


    ¡°Wh-where did it go?¡± The spider god asked.


    ¡°Jimbo, if you would,¡± She urged him, ¡°Do it again.¡±


    The screech sounded in reverse like nails on a chalkboard and the world shifted back to its normal place. ¡°What is this thing?!¡± Jimbo was still half-asleep in the wee hours and spiraling with worry.


    ¡°Do you see this small, dark orb, spider god?¡± She glared at him.


    ¡°I do¡­¡±


    ¡°This removes all the space inside this chamber, leaving nothing but the base particles of your eight-legged nephew. Now,¡± Cira popped the lid off, and the ball puffed out into a cloud of dust and slowly settled against the bottom, then she withdrew a small black knife from her pocket, ¡°I¡¯m going to put you in there.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes! Please, chosen one, transfer me from this dreaded jar into that mighty vessel, and I shall grant you a fraction of¡ª¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Cira started sawing into the table with her knife, ¡°I call this the space knife. It can cut through just about anything. You¡¯ll be going in there as is. Jimbo, do you mind holding the table while I get this little guy off of here?¡± She gave him a delirious smile, really wishing she could be fast asleep in bed right now.


    ¡°Uh, sure¡­¡± His eyes shook and there was a glint of fear before he put his hands under the table, ¡°Just don¡¯t cut my fingers off, heh¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, come on, Jimbo,¡± She leered at him as he looked away, ¡°I don¡¯t even have mana. Don¡¯t start looking like you¡¯re scared of me, too.¡±


    ¡°Pah!¡± He spat with an unexpected laugh, ¡°¡¯Course I¡¯m scared of you, Cap¡¯n. I don¡¯t think I could trust you otherwise. Who else would deal with the evil mind spiders?¡±


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± Her sawing slowed down for just a moment as she was caught off guard, ¡°Is that how it works with pirates?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess, but will you hurry it up?!¡± Jimbo was not in the mood for small talk, evidently. Cira focused back on the spider, tapping feverishly at the edge.


    ¡°Hey¡­ we can talk about this, Chosen One!¡± His fa?ade had begun to fall.


    ¡°Oh, we¡¯re gonna talk about it.¡± Cira reassured him as she finally freed a square of table away and had Jimbo carefully set it in the void chamber, ¡°Don¡¯t drop it now.¡± she added with a snicker.


    Finally, Cira put the lid back on and glared right into its eyes. The jeweled spider had shrunk against the back wall now, hiding behind his legs. ¡°Okay spider god, whatever you are, I¡¯m sure you can survive with just your soul, but I¡¯m sure it wouldn¡¯t be pleasant, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Its eyes stared back at her with their dull glow, ¡°¡­It would not¡­¡±


    ¡°Good. We¡¯ve established the basis of this conversation.¡± Cira leaned back in her chair now, ¡°One blatant lie and he turns it on. One half-truth and I leave you in this box covered by a blanket for the next ten years. Are these terms agreeable?¡±


    The spider only looked at her silently for a few moments before drooping its head.


    ¡°Good, let¡¯s continue.¡± Crossing her legs, Cira took a long, audible sip of water. ¡°Why has my father locked you up in a crystal prison?¡±


    ¡°Murmur, murmur, murmur¡­¡± The spider god replied.


    With a hand cupped to her ear, ¡°What was that?!¡±


    ¡°Because of the mind thing! Gah, you¡¯re worse than that old bastard!¡± His voice now dripped with fury, ¡°Do you know how long I¡¯ve been sitting on that table?!¡±


    ¡°I see even the accent was a ruse. I¡¯m disappointed in you.¡± Cira gave him a disapproving shake of the head, ¡°Of course it¡¯s because of the mind thing. You hurt a man who helped me out, you know.¡±


    ¡°And what of it?! What else do you want from me?¡± He wasn¡¯t even trying anymore.


    ¡°What are you really?¡± She thought he was really pretty if nothing else, which was more than she could say about most spiders.


    ¡°A crimson soulweaver¡­ That old man captured me because he thought my powers to alter the soul were far too dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Bulllllllllllllllllll¡ª¡± Cira really dragged it out, silencing the spider, ¡°¡ªshiiiiiiit! You just heard us talking about reforging my soul and want me to pick the jar up. Jimbo¡ª¡±


    ¡°No! Please don¡¯t, I¡¯m telling the truth this time!¡± The spider frantically clawed at the glass, somehow looking very concerned in his eight eyes. ¡°Your soul is quite damaged, yes. It is plain to see in all of my eyes. Why do you think I chose today to speak to you?¡±


    ¡°Because you wanted one of my idiots to lift the jar up, obviously. No chance. Jimbo, push the thing¡ª¡±


    ¡°NOOO!! I promise! Reforging your soul is simply not enough! You¡¯ll never be healed if you destroy me now.¡± The clacking on glass grew desperate as Jimbo¡¯s hand froze right above the rune.


    ¡°Are you sure? What if he¡¯s telling the truth?¡±


    Cira groaned deeply and buried her face in her hands. Meanwhile, the spider still defended his corporeal form as if it were his very life at stake, ¡°It¡¯s the truth! Mana has already burned away at the deep wounds in your soul. You¡¯ll be dead sooner than you think, foolish girl. I watched your soul break from inside my prison, just as I watch your friends rest in the grass, in the kitchen, the training hall, right this very moment. No soul on this island escapes my gaze. I saw your tarnished soul first step foot here all those years ago¡ª¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ve decided. I¡¯ll destroy you thoroughly in ten years. Look forward to it.¡± Cira threw a thick blanket she prepared over the void chamber and turned on her heel, fuming and with clenched fists as she slammed a crutch into the ground to escape to the bookcases behind her.


    ¡°You need another soul¡ªa powerful One! To mend the cracks which grow with every breath you take! It is the only¡ª¡±


    ¡°Will you shut up?!¡± Cira craned her neck around to look at him even though he was covered up. Her face had gone red, and she was livid, ¡°Surely, you have the wisdom to do that much before I change my mind.¡±


    Cira seethed as she leaned there on her crutch, furiously reading the titles from her bookcase. Silence followed, as the spider did not wish for her wrath, and even Jimbo just stood there awkwardly.


    ¡°Do you, uh¡­ need a hand¡ª¡±


    ¡°Holy shit!¡± Cira pulled a torn leather-bound book from a low shelf on the left, ¡°Look how fast we could have been done here if it wasn¡¯t for that stupid spider.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡± Jimbo was taken aback, ¡°You found it, just like that?¡±


    ¡°¡¯Reform and Reforge: How to Fix a Soul¡¯. Dad even had it alphabetized.¡± The excitement made her forget the irritating arachnid for a moment and a smile grew on her face trying to picture her dad crawling around to reorganize the bottom shelves.


    ¡°Dang, he musta been the real deal.¡± Jimbo whistled, ¡°Does that mean we can get out of here now? I don¡¯t like the way the back of that skull is looking at me.¡±


    Cira glanced at the pitch black, giant demon skull in the corner, ¡°I know what you mean. I¡¯ll read this upstairs, so wake Skipper up. I completely missed second dinner.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on it!¡± He made an exhausted salute and ran out the door.


    Cira followed but briefly turned to the covered void chamber, ¡°Spider. I would like to sleep soundly. If you lure anybody into your web, we¡¯re going to have some serious trust issues.¡±


    She was satisfied with the silence that followed and after a quick glance at the broken tea set on the ground she still needed to fix, left the archive behind with a heavy book in her arms.


    I can¡¯t believe that damn spider¡­ My father left it there for a reason, though. It would be reckless to simply destroy it. But I don¡¯t need to talk to the damn thing. I¡¯ll read this book and figure out my soul problem first, then if I remember, deal with the spider.


    Before heading upstairs, she stopped by her father¡¯s room and dragged a couple coat racks down the hall to put in front of the archive as a makeshift barrier. Normally they should each hold multiple robes, but Gaze liked to leave his sets laying about. It wasn¡¯t much and the coat racks wouldn¡¯t stop anyone, but they would have to do for tonight.


    ¡°That was fast.¡± Cira saw Skipper in the kitchen still cooking at the stove as if he had never left.


    ¡°I guess he expected this.¡± Jimbo shrugged, ¡°He was asleep right there on the floor.¡±


    ¡°A promising recruit.¡± At her praise, Skipper smiled with bags under his eyes, ¡°Oh, and have Rocky seal the archive back up when you can. Watch him to make sure nobody goes in either,¡± She nodded in Jimbo¡¯s direction and sat down at the table to dig into the book, doing the traditional ¡®skim the whole thing then read the important sounding parts first¡¯ method she had adopted in recent years.


    Sleep called her name again, but Cira was too engrossed in the book to care yet. There was much she didn¡¯t know about souls, and it was starting to seem like there was hope after all. She really wasn¡¯t sure at first, employing one of her other traditional methods: fake it ¡®til you make it. But it all worked out, as it often did when she kept moving forward. That¡¯s not to say she got to the hard part yet, but it was a start.


    ¡°You find anything?¡± Jimbo asked as she cleaned off a second plate of pork chops and mashed potatoes.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve discovered one potential issue.¡± Cira looked up from the book and yawned, ¡°It appears we will need access to a specialized facility known as a ¡®soul forge¡¯.¡±

 84 - No Rest for the Weak

    Cira peeled her face off the aged paper and saw its ink discolored from her drool, ¡°Damn¡­ I fell asleep.¡± Her left hand felt cold, and she looked at it in a panic only to see it buried in a glob of mashed potatoes from the night prior.


    ¡°Ughh, I have so much to do, and I didn¡¯t even get to sleep in my own bed.¡± She was still trying to wake up, so started the day off by washing the potatoes off her hand and setting a kettle on the stove. Her cups were mysteriously absent, so she had to pour her tea into a bowl before walking out to the garden and taking a seat.


    There was a mild throbbing in her head that she attributed to dehydration, and she tried to conjure a glass of water on the side, but that didn¡¯t turn out so well. Deciding not to get up again yet, she sipped hot tea from her bowl while grumbling into the mist. Beyond Breeze Haven¡¯s barrier was the same white veil that always surrounded the island. Cira tried to avoid looking at her mess of a yard, but there was really nothing interesting out there.


    Inside, her grass was cut up and torn with various gashes and damage wherever she looked. Where did the burns come from¡­? There were three spots of charred grass which she didn¡¯t recall. And I can¡¯t do a damn thing about it¡­ Stupid Earth Vein, why couldn¡¯t you fix your own island?


    The tea had begun to revitalize her, and she looked around the yard to take a headcount. Shirtless Joe was actually sitting at the table with her, but fast asleep. Baum and the goons were asleep in her orchard next to a pile of apple cores and bloodied pomegranite shells¡ªthose poor fools.


    No sign of the rest, but they must have fallen asleep inside. She had to walk around Skipper to make her tea earlier, but the others would turn up.


    For now, she focused on getting herself ready for the day. Waking up, in other words, and preparing to get off her ass, which was quite sore along with her only foot, and somehow, the remainder of her right leg. She got far too much exercise since waking up from her coma and nearly felt incapacitated all over again.


    ¡°I guess now¡¯s as a good a time as any to read that letter.¡± Cira rarely got mail, and the letter she received on Fount Salt was the first in almost a year. The letter prior was junk trying to sell her alchemical ingredients. She couldn¡¯t discount the convenience of having it delivered, but the prices were ridiculous. Cira wasn¡¯t familiar with the currency, but the numbers were all very large.


    Now she pulled out the letter from a few weeks before. Cira wanted to read it that morning before they left Uren to start on the cure, but the seal was new to her and held enough mana to discern its legitimacy. The insignia on the wax seal was that of a simplistic flame. She decided it would be best to wait until she wasn¡¯t in the middle of a job to read its contents.


    To the master of Breeze Haven,


    The decennial Convergence of Sorcerers approaches, and your presence is demanded. Absence without justifiable reason will result in a sorcerous audit and possible imprisonment pending investigation. In half a year¡¯s time, a council warden shall arrive to escort you to Horizon¡¯s End.


    With regards,


    Alden Withers, Arch-Sorcerer of the Council


    ¡°Good grief¡­¡± Cira folded the letter back up, ¡°I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t open that earlier.¡±


    Can I just not go? That definitely sounds like something my dad would do. Surely this was meant for him, no? Breeze Haven¡¯s master was indeed Cira, but whoever addressed the letter must have had her old man in mind. Unfortunately, it was far too vague to consider herself completely off the hook. Whatever the hell a council warden was, one would show up at her doorstep. How they would find it was a mystery to her, but she was inclined to believe the words clearly stated.


    ¡°If I¡¯ve ever seen a problem for future Cira, this is it.¡± The letter found its way back into her pocket and she lapped up the rest of her bowl of tea. ¡°At least I¡¯ve got plenty of time.¡±


    She had half of her entire life to deal with it, given her terminal diagnosis of one year to live. No, I guess I received the letter a month ago, so less that that. Before anything happened on Fount Salt, too. At least I know it¡¯s not about that.


    Cira hobbled back inside to put her bowl back in the sink and ran into Jimbo kicking Skipper on the ground, ¡°Hey, you ain¡¯t dead, right? Oh¡ªmornin¡¯ Cap.¡±


    ¡°He should be alive. I checked on my way out.¡± Cira put her bowl in the sink and replaced it with a glass she found, filling it to the brim with water and taking another seat at the dining table. ¡°Does your leg always hurt when you walk around on that peg, or does it get better?¡±


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°You¡¯re still on crutches and you¡¯re already complainin¡¯?¡± He gave Cira an exasperated look and sat down across from her. The first volume he was tasked to read was sitting in front of him open to what looked like a few chapters in.


    ¡°Of course, I am. I¡¯ve been slacking around for a whole month now and there¡¯s been pretty much nothing but setbacks.¡± Shaking her head, Cira started to pore over the book on reforging souls again. ¡°I¡¯m way too weak to be this lazy.¡±


    ¡°Are you being serious right now?¡± Jimbo slapped the back cover of the book and flipped it closed on her hand, ¡°You were in a coma until yesterday morning. Take a day off¡ªat least one. You got a crew to do all the thinkin¡¯ and workin¡¯ now, so use it.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ It would be nice if everyone could clean up¡­¡± Cira noticed the spilled ale on her kitchen floor and dirty pots and pans everywhere. A trail of blankets led to the living room, and she didn¡¯t feel like investigating yet. She couldn¡¯t put a finger on it, but seeing her home in such a state made her feel anxious.


    ¡°Skips, got dammit!¡± Jimbo kicked him into a roll and the young man woke up coughing.


    ¡°Guhh, what¡¯s the deal?!¡± He looked up from the ground in utter betrayal.


    ¡°Wake up the others and start cleanin¡¯!¡± He glared at Skipper who shrunk into the floor before eventually letting out a loud yawn and climbing to his feet.


    ¡°You could have just woken me up the regular way. Man, my head¡­¡± He held his head with one hand and gathered dishes around the sink with the other.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Cira observed with mixed feelings, ¡°Regardless, I need to get through this book and, I don¡¯t know, make a soul forge or something? It¡¯s hard to even understand half of this.¡±


    Cira¡¯s fingers ran through her hair in frustration. The text was dense and full of principles she only had a vague understanding of. She knew the soul was the core of one¡¯s being, and that everything ever experienced had an effect on it. Past that, she knew some things were bad for it, like fractures or degradation.


    At points she thought she was on track, then it was suddenly difficult to tell if she was reading instructions on how to fix or destroy a soul. It spoke of absolute deconstruction and the melting points of soul memory. For one who could barely even see the soul if she squinted as hard as she could with all her aura, Cira was beginning to think she was in over her head. This is a job I can¡¯t turn down though.


    ¡°James is good with books, but¡­ It might be a little out of his wheelhouse. You should talk to Kuja. Her folk all but died out, but she¡¯s all about souls and stuff.¡± Jimbo shrugged, as if her plight were a simple matter.


    ¡°That lady from before¡­ What was up with her? I didn¡¯t take her for a pirate.¡± Not that it mattered to Cira. She had her pride, but would gratefully accept a helping hand on this matter.


    ¡°The ones who lived here before. People these days call ¡®em the spirit-sworn, but they had some other language they spoke. Kuja¡¯s probably the last one alive who knows it.¡± Jimbo pulled a crumpled ball of paper from his pocket and unwrinkled it to reveal a weathered map, pointing to a coastline south of what was clearly Hangman¡¯s Cove, ¡°We¡¯re right about here, and it sounded like Kuja left town for now. We can probably find her back home, up by these cliffs.¡±


    He pointed at the opposite side of the map, clear past the cove. It seemed the island was mostly covered in forest but had a few lakes throughout it and one section of plains. The end where they would find Kuja was mountainous and there wasn¡¯t much green.


    ¡°What are these skull marks?¡± Cira noticed a few such markings on the map.


    ¡°Places to avoid. This one¡¯s quicksand¡­ Over here we got a three-armed troll, and nimbus sharks nest in the caves just over these hills. There¡¯s an evil tree on the northern peninsula, and let¡¯s see¡­ I guess I forgot a few of ¡®em, but I try to steer clear.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ Some of those might be worth checking out later, but that¡¯s not important right now.¡± Cira dramatically flipped the pages in her book, ¡°Do you think Kuja would be able to make any sense of this?¡±


    ¡°If anyone can, I bet it¡¯s her. She said to find her if you found anything, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°I guess she did¡­¡± If I had a soul forge in front of me, I bet this would be easier to understand. Setting up an aethereal furnace is simple enough with someone to serve as my aura, but it¡¯s described so strangely here. Almost like a cauldron. But then I don¡¯t get where the soul crucible fits in. Either way, I fail to see how melting my soul down is supposed to help my situation and it sounds incredibly painful. And how does that turn into an unbroken soul? Perhaps I should have expected this, but I would like to understand how any of it works before up and destroying my soul. ¡°Fine¡­ we should speak with her then, but it would probably wise to look around first.¡±


    Cira opened the cupboard where all of her food was stored in a stasis and found a half dozen eggs and a single link of sausage. Closing it with a sigh, she resigned to wait at least a few hours before taking flight. ¡°Did Rocky seal the archive back up?¡±


    ¡°Not yet¡­ I kind of felt bad askin¡¯ the guy. He was pretty shook up.¡± Jimbo got up as Cira began to walk away.


    ¡°Where did he sleep? I feel like I should have seen him by now.¡± In the living room, she only found Skipper cleaning up around a slumbering James on the too-short couch, snoring like a riptide with his head hanging over the side and his mouth wide open.


    ¡°Should be downstairs somewhere.¡± The sound of his peg leg and her crutch should be enough to wake anyone up, Cira thought.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get everybody moving and try to set sail by noon.¡± Despite her stiff muscles and sore foot, Cira was starting to get used to walking around on the crutch. ¡°We should send Skipper to grab my crossbows and wooden leg while he¡¯s picking up groceries.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Jimbo looked a little nervous, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure Larry was expectin¡¯ to see you back. You should be restin¡¯ right now after all. Under his watchful eye, you know, in case another staircase does you in.¡±


    The stairs weren¡¯t innocent in her mind, but Cira still protested. ¡°That¡¯s not what happened! Don¡¯t make me get the shoe polish.¡±

 85 - Getting Ready for Work

    While Cira got the most out of her meager food stores, her crew worked hard to clean Breeze Haven up from its month of neglect and night of debauchery. She wasn¡¯t upset to have missed most of it, and having someone to clean up in her leg¡¯s absence was a real blessing.


    Cira watched one of them expertly remove a stain from the ceiling with a damp rag, ¡°You know, I didn¡¯t expect pirates to know how to clean up after themselves, but they¡¯re not doing a half bad job.¡±


    ¡°These ain¡¯t just any pirates, Dreadheart.¡± Jimbo tried to look smug as he wiped a windowsill with his hand to reveal not a speck of dust, ¡°You could say they learned a lot after we took Don¡¯s hideout over. The man lived in a pile of trash and piss, don¡¯t get me started on his boat. Took us days just to toss it all off the side so we could leave that heap o¡¯ salt.¡±


    ¡°Now that you mention it¡­ His hideout in the deritium chamber was rather barebones,¡± It was people sleeping on the ground and barrels everywhere, with the odd hole in the ceiling for water to flow down.


    ¡°You just beat him up, stole his rock, and left. I¡¯m sure its still a dump if you went any further back.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± I think I incinerated all the trash, didn¡¯t I? I hope nobody was coming back for that stuff. ¡°Nevermind that, where the hell is Rocky?¡±


    They had paced Breeze Haven back and forth twice over and there still wasn¡¯t any sign of the frightened mage. The archive was silent when she poked her head in, and the workshop didn¡¯t have anywhere to hide.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t that creepy spider say something about a training hall? Either that or he left in the night.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re right.¡± Can it really see everything on Breeze Haven? That makes me very uncomfortable... ¡°That¡¯s the only door that doesn¡¯t lock on its own.¡±


    They went back down the hall and pushed open the door to broad training room lit by the late morning light from the windows above. At the very far wall a man could be seen sleeping huddled into a corner. It was a wonder he found this place, but in his panic he probably opened the first door that let him and simply ran inside.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised he didn¡¯t leave, honestly.¡± The two walked down the tiered stone floor and back up the other side to reach him.


    ¡°You promised him quite the payday.¡± Cira convinced Jimbo to only nudge him awake, ¡°Now get the hell up and do your job!¡±


    He nudged him with a foot and the man woke up screaming. Pushing his feet into the ground, Rocky tried to back further into the corner and started to gather mana in his hands, ¡°Stay the hell away!¡±


    His eyes weren¡¯t quite coherent, and it was clear he had no idea where he was, but rocks formed in front of each of his palms. Even if he was a novice mage in her eyes, one shot could injure Cira or worse depending on where it hit. Seeing the crazed look on his face and spit flying from his snarling face, she had no choice but to jump out of the way as he sent them flying. They clattered against the floor behind her and broke apart before dissipating.


    The impact put a lot of pressure on her stump and Cira bit her lip from pain, trying to rub her thigh to make it sting less. ¡°You idiot!¡± She could hear the rocks pelting off jimbo followed by a hard smack before Rocky joined her on the floor. ¡°There goes your bonus pay.¡±


    She watched a wad of spit land on Rocky¡¯s forehead as his eyes went wide in realization of the world around him. ¡°J-Jimbo¡­? Where am I?¡±


    ¡°The same hole you crawled into, moron!¡± He gave him a kick to the gut, ¡°You almost hit the captain!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not my fault!¡± Rocky noticed the wounded sorcerer wincing in pain not far away and glared, ¡°I¡¯m not the one with a sealed god in my basement!¡±


    ¡°He isn¡¯t a god and that¡¯s not a basement!¡± The brash claim left Cira appalled ¡°I told you to open a door, not enter it! Talk about unprofessional.¡±


    ¡°You think I give a damn about professionalism?! What even happened to me in there?¡± He turned red with anger and shivered from the memories.


    ¡°Your aura and soul are weak.¡± The answer was given factually as if offered to a child, ¡°The eight-legged bastard probably tried to take over your mind completely, or maybe bend your soul to his whim, but realized he didn¡¯t have enough power¡ªat least not while trapped within the bell jar. That¡¯s the type of spell that hurts both parties when it fails.¡±


    ¡°The¡­ the hell kind of spider casts magic like that?! And why is it stronger than me?¡± Rocky went through the fear all over again and Jimbo as well looked pretty uncomfortable.


    ¡°I intend to study it once my soul stops burning away, now could you seal that room up for me again¡ª¡±


    ¡°I ain¡¯t goin¡¯ near that damn thing!¡± They had both stood up off the ground and he backed away nervously.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be needing your help, Rocky¡­¡± She stared at him with an inquisitive gaze, trying to pick the right thread to pull to hold his attention. It¡¯s obviously money, right? ¡°I can offer you one coin now and another before I leave Lost Cloud. How¡¯s that sound?¡±


    ¡°¡­both mithril?¡± The tone in his voice was cautious but very enticed.


    ¡°Of course. Jimbo, toss him one.¡± At her command, he opened the pouch and pulled out a pale blue coin before flicking it over to the rock mage. ¡°Someone like you should be able to check if its real, right?¡±


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°Right¡­ Of course, I can do that.¡± He squinted hard at the coin and nodded thoughtfully before shoving it into his pocket. ¡°Checks out.¡±


    After suppressing a grin, she waved everybody on, ¡°Great, let¡¯s get this show on the road. I¡¯m tired of getting nothing done. Go work on that door and meet us upstairs.¡±


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re not going to watch to make sure nothing happens¡­?¡± There was a spark of fear growing in his eyes now.


    ¡°I came to an agreement with the spider so he shouldn¡¯t bother you. You¡¯ll be fine, probably.¡±


    ¡°Probably?! B-but what if I¡¯m not?¡±


    ¡°Captain says you¡¯ll be fine,¡± Jimbo gave him a cold look, ¡°So you¡¯ll be fine. Faster you get it done, the faster you can walk away.¡±


    Rocky wasn¡¯t too happy about it, but they left him at the hall and went back upstairs. Her house was now spotless, and nothing was out of place. She got some more tea now that there were cups to put it in and went out to the garden to catch some fresh air.


    Her crew had stumbled upon the shed at some point and even started filling in holes or patting down the gashes in her lawn. The grass would grow back naturally and she might have smooth over some bumps with magic later on, but she felt more at peace with one less thing to do.


    Evidently Skipper¡¯s rallying call wasn¡¯t that strong, though, as James and Shirtless Joe were hitting their swords together against a misty backdrop by the fence. The metal clanged with each vicious strike and Cira almost couldn¡¯t tell if they were serious or not. ¡°I would think they¡¯d be more careful. They can¡¯t just heal themselves after each cut.¡±


    ¡°Pfft, you¡¯ve been livin¡¯ a life of luxury, haven¡¯t you?¡± With an expression like he was looking at a strange beast, Jimbo chided Cira, ¡°Most folk can¡¯t do that, you know? Larry ain¡¯t cheap, but we fight each other all the time. No one gets hurt enough for it to matter. You¡¯ll have to join us when you get used to the wooden leg.¡±


    ¡°I need a sword, come to think of it.¡± Cira had a hand on her chin in thought. Many of my swords are too large to be wielded without magic, or far too flashy. Among all these pirates, I¡¯d stick out like a sore thumb with my ruby claymore or adamantine gladius. ¡°I have some inside, but They¡¯re not really on-theme, you know what I mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ guess so? What happened to your cursed blade? Thirst Quencher, was it?¡±


    ¡°It was Tide Quencher, for your information, and I made it up on the spot. Conjured the whole thing.¡± Cira could only shrug.


    ¡°Some more of your pirate magic then, eh? Well, you don¡¯t want to look stupid around Hangman¡¯s Cove, that¡¯s for sure. People¡¯ll mess with ya.¡± They watched James deflect an overhead blow and kick Joe¡¯s leg aside before quickly bringing a blade to his neck. ¡°We got swords back at the hideout. You should probably show your face around there while were in town, and we can get you whatever you need.¡±


    ¡°Ahh, yes. I forgot about that¡­¡± The deritium went all the way up the chain¡­ to here. I may not be capable but I am obligated to follow up on it. ¡°There wasn¡¯t any deritium left when you arrived, was there?¡±


    ¡°Nope¡­ I tried lookin¡¯ into it. ¡®Glowstone¡¯, they called it. The shipments never lasted much more than a day once they made their way up here. Not even Don knew who the buyer was¡ªyou usually don¡¯t in this business¡ªbut there were a couple regulars who smuggled it to and fro. I already beat up the one¡¯s still around and turned up nothin¡¯, but the quartermaster can tell you more.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I guess we¡¯ll stop by there today. What else do we need to do?¡± I think that¡¯s all the important stuff, but there was something else I¡¯m forgetting¡ª¡°Ah, yes. Did you decide what kind of magic you want to learn?¡±


    ¡°I think so¡­¡± The look on Jimbo¡¯s face said he was torn. It was clearly something he thought a lot about, which was good to see. It¡¯s not like his decision today would change anything in the long run. The second volume even advocated to consider trying out a few before settling on a primary school of sorcery. Still, he hesitated as if it were an incredibly important decision. ¡°Lightning magic.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Lightning sorcery is powerful, but difficult to control. Versatile and fast. An excellent choice.¡± Cira too wanted to harness the power of lightning early on in her path, but Gazen vetoed it because her reasoning lacked merit. ¡®It goes BOOM and it''s crazy fast! Lightning is the COOLEST, Dad!¡¯ It sure saved me when I had to get between a witch and the infirmary in an instant, so it has its utility. ¡°Why lightning, Jimbo?¡±


    ¡°I thought a lot about this, and it will really make up for my speed. I¡¯m quick, but I ain¡¯t as quick as I was on two legs. I can zap people from afar and mosey on over to give ¡®em the stick. I think I can use it to give me leg knife a little extra oomph, too. Besides, lightning¡¯s cool as shit, ain¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Aye, that it is.¡± His reasoning was admittedly far above her own as a child. ¡°There¡¯s just one problem.¡±


    He frowned like he had somehow given the wrong answer, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°How much do you know about lightning? Namely, how it works?¡± A grin crept onto her face to see his in a fluster.


    ¡°Not much¡­ Is it, like, holy power? Angry gods, or somethin¡¯?¡±


    She chuckled at his ignorance, although she had made some great crossover spells. ¡°No, it¡¯s a completely natural phenomenon. They don¡¯t teach you about the weather here?¡±


    ¡°We only ever hear thunder through the cloud. I¡¯ve only seen lightning when I¡¯m away, usually tryin¡¯ to climb the Boreal.¡±


    I suppose if you never saw lightning until you left your home and it was in a storm that never leaves, one may think its nature dubious. ¡°You know what clouds are, right?¡±


    ¡°Course I do! Water ¡®n¡¯ stuff.¡±


    ¡°Well, just water, for all intents and purposes. Water vapor specifically. Think of it like this mist.¡± She gestured to Lost Cloud¡¯s veil.


    ¡°I already do, Jackass. I¡¯m not that dumb.¡± With a mildly embarrassed grunt, he turned away, ¡°What`s that got to do with it?¡±


    ¡°When the clouds become denser¡ªaccumulating more water¡ªthey grow darker and become storm clouds. When they rub against each other in the wind, they generate static electricity. That¡¯s lightning¡­¡±


    She thought it was an easy to follow one, but he looked helpless, ¡°You''re tellin¡¯ me lightning is water?¡±


    ¡°No, no, no¡­¡± To tell him he couldn¡¯t pick lightning would be a lie, so she picked her words carefully, ¡°Without an understanding of what you¡¯re trying to produce, it will never happen. The best thing to do when you lack comprehension is to reproduce the phenomenon yourself.¡±


    ¡°But how do I do that¡­ if I can¡¯t in the first place?¡± To the layman it may sound like an impossible dilemma, but it would be a learning process.


    ¡°Your first step will be to produce the clouds. We¡¯ll start there.¡± Cira had found her way to a chair but got up now to find some paper and stretch out her leg. The others had just about run out of stuff to do and Skipper approached them now.


    ¡°Hey, Cap! We¡¯re all finished up over here.¡± There was sweat streaked down his face in dirt and his breathing was labored, ¡°When we headin¡¯ into town?¡±


    ¡°I just have to write this spell down and go check on Rocky. I¡¯m hoping to make this a quick trip, too, so we can meet Kuja by sundown. Do you have your shopping list?¡± He damn well better, she thought, because her pantry was cleaned out overnight.


    ¡°I do, but um¡­ I don¡¯t got any money¡­¡± His voice was timid, like he was asking for some great favor.


    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ Jimbo, can you cover it? I can¡¯t get in the treasury without my aura so the only money I have is the mithril in your pocket.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing,¡± He tossed a bag of presumably silver and gold crowns into the young pirate¡¯s hand, ¡°Don¡¯t disappoint me, Skips, or I¡¯ll have to stick ya.¡±

 86 - A Little Lesson in Sorcery

    ¡°Aaaaand here¡¯s your spell.¡± Cira handed Jimbo a napkin and rested her ink quill back in its place on the shelf. ¡°Master this and we can talk about making some clouds. Be careful not to break your aura though or I¡¯ll be gone before it comes back.¡±


    ¡°Geez, not too worried about dyin¡¯, are ya? I figured a broken soul was a bigger deal.¡± He took the napkin and started squinting at the words.


    ¡°I am and it is, but no use in complaining. I have to think positive and keep the ball rolling, Jimbo. Eventually I¡¯ll trip and fall right into the solution, as it goes. Anyway, work on memorizing the incantation today.¡± Cira snatched a couple apples from a tree and tossed one to her student. Taking a big bite, she continued while she chewed, ¡°Have you cast any kind of spell before or channeled your mana?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve used my mana to turn on lamps and cookin¡¯ pots. No spells though.¡± The rest of the crew were waiting on the quick lesson to finish and peeking over Jimbo¡¯s shoulder to see the spell. ¡°What do these words do anyway? Didn¡¯t you just wave your sword around? That¡¯s the kind of sorcery I want to learn.¡±


    Cira got a good laugh out of that, ¡°Of course it is. Have you forgotten the sword didn¡¯t even exist? It was all for show. Most the time I only wave my hand around or hold my staff so I don¡¯t look awkward when I cast.¡±


    ¡°¡­Wait, what do you mean? Are you saying you could just stand there with a mean glare and, like, split a ship in two with a lightning bolt?¡± His eyes were glazed over with wonder.


    ¡°Yeah, pretty much, provided I actually had mana,¡± She shrugged, tossing an apple core off the edge, ¡°Now, as far as incantations go, they help beginners grasp the concept of a spell and enforce your will. Usually dropping the words will come naturally, but there is a balance. Eventually, you¡¯ll find at least calling out the spell¡¯s name takes away some of the mental strain. I still recite them with basic spells when I¡¯m feeling lazy or think they sound cool, and you won¡¯t have to worry about complex spells for a long time. Are you following me?¡±


    ¡°I think so¡­¡± There were gears turning in his head and he scrunched his face up, ¡°First of all, it seems we¡¯re working off my complete lack of understanding in all this¡­ And these words are supposed to help with that and make up the gap?¡±


    With a grin, Cira nodded approvingly, ¡°A better answer than I expected. When casting elementary spells, incantations can indeed pull most of the weight. Words hold power, but we¡¯ll get to that. Conversely, committing the words to memory and speaking them will improve your mental image of the effect you wish to produce. Once you actually start casting, the latter will make more sense to you and the nature of the phenomenon won¡¯t be so hard to grasp.¡±


    ¡°The nature of the¡­ lightning?¡± Jimbo was seemingly on board so far, but there seemed to be a hangup, ¡°It¡¯s magic, isn¡¯t it? Why do I need to understand anything?¡±


    ¡°Mist for now¡ªwater¡ªbut let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves. You pose an excellent question. Let¡¯s see if our spectators know why you have to understand ¡®anything¡¯.¡± Cira raised her brow and scanned over the pirates¡¯ blank stares, trying to put them to use. ¡°Rocky, you¡¯re not allowed to answer.¡±


    Sadly, his face looked as blank as the others.


    ¡°Oh, I know!¡± Goon Three, is it? I should really get their names, but I kind of feel bad asking this late in the game. They¡¯re practical core crew at this point though, I guess. Did they really shadow their way up the ladder that fast? ¡°Magic¡¯s all about power over nature.¡±


    ¡°Um, no¡­¡± Although dispelling storms or quenching wildfires is thrilling. Cira didn¡¯t expect the answer right away, and called on the only face that didn¡¯t look away. ¡°James, do you know?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just recreating whatever it is using mana instead of its natural source, right?¡± He had at some point helped himself to Cira¡¯s orchard, pulling an orange out of his pocket.


    ¡°Correct you are.¡± A nice, simple explanation. Jimbo¡¯s face said he understood completely¡ªwhy he needed to understand anything at all to cast magic. ¡°Alternatively, if you aren¡¯t conjuring it, you¡¯re manipulating the natural state of any given element¡ªpotentially against the influence of other elements. Which brings us back to Jimbo¡¯s spell. Why don¡¯t you read it aloud for the class?¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see here.¡± His back straightened as he shuffled in his chair and held the wrinkled napkin in front of him, ¡°¡¯Nary wind nor storm claim this mist. Veil of the Lost Cloud, gather before me, Looming Shroud!¡¯ You even put the exclamation¡­ Do I have to yell this?¡±


    ¡°It helps, but that¡¯s not important. After reading that, what do you think it¡¯s supposed to do?¡± She watched him read it over a couple times before he gave his answer with a look of uncertainty.


    ¡°It¡­ kinda sounds like I¡¯m callin¡¯ dibs on the mist¡­?¡± He saw Cira nodding to urge him along and continued, ¡°And like, I¡¯m just pulling it in until it¡¯s all around me?¡±


    ¡°Exactly! I bet you¡¯re already imagining it, aren¡¯t you?¡± She smiled at her student¡¯s first step. ¡°As I mentioned earlier, words hold power. Especially names. This also goes doubly so if the words mean something to the caster. Hence, why I snuck ¡®Lost Cloud¡¯ into the invocation.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I say Lost Cloud all the time though. Same with those other words. Why are they so special when you write them down on a napkin?¡± It was a fair question.


    ¡°Phrasing and sequence have a part to play, but it¡¯s all about intent¡ªyour will. Rarely will a word do something for or to you unless you want it. We won¡¯t be covering invasive language, but generally speaking, spells are comprised of three operations. The call¡ªthat bit at the beginning¡ªis what grants you authority over an element, meager as it may be. It should assert your will and displace the influence of other elements over the subject. Calling dibs on the mist, as it were. Next, we have the invocation, which is usually two parts. Here is where you command the subject, mist, and state your will. Lastly, the spell¡¯s name is also known as the trigger. When you drop the incantations one day, it has a better name, but I don¡¯t want to confuse you. Are you still with me?¡± Cira snapped in front of his face.


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    ¡°Uhhhh¡­¡± Sweat dripped down his forehead with glazed eyes but to his credit he had been paying close attention the whole time, ¡°I couldn¡¯t recite it back to you, but I think I pretty much got it. Ya got the call, the incantation, and the trigger!¡±


    James pat him on the shoulder from behind, ¡°I wrote it down for ya, sub-Captain¡±


    ¡°Thanks, former captain.¡± Jimbo put a hand on James¡¯ and gave him a shit-eating grin.


    He was proud of himself and nearly aced it, but Cira still had to correct him, ¡°An incantation is the verbal activation phrase for a given sorcery. Invocation is only one part in the middle. The meat of a spell if you will.¡±


    ¡°Right, slip of the tongue¡­ So, I can basically just say these words and magic happens?¡± The excitement in his eyes was starting to come back.


    ¡°Not so.¡± Cira wagged her finger, ¡°You said the best you¡¯ve ever managed is turning on a light. Until you can channel mana outside your body without an artifact to suck it up, you won¡¯t be able to even attempt to cast a spell.¡±


    ¡°And you can teach me how to do that, right?¡±


    ¡°You can only teach yourself.¡± She let it hang in the air for a moment while his frown broadened, ¡°But I have an artifact that can help.¡±


    She tossed him a small, rounded cube of a metallic seafoam green. He caught it and the weight almost dragged him off his peg leg before he got a firm grip, ¡°What the hell is this thing?!¡±


    The rest of her crew¡¯s eyes were glimmering like a crow¡¯s at the shiny object and Shirtless Joe leaned in with surprising scrutiny, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an alloy my dad made. What¡¯d he call it, again? Titanite, I think. Huh¡­¡± Why¡¯d he call it that? I admit, it has a nice ring to it. Quite pretty, too. ¡°It¡¯s about forty percent adamantine and sixty percent orichalcum.¡±


    ¡°Guh!¡± Standing still, Jimbo almost fumbled the artifact before it settled in his hands again, ¡°Why am I holding something like this?! You know how much this is worth?¡±


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve gathered recently, a lot. People sure love their shiny rocks.¡± She held her hands out like that was all she had to offer, ¡°You¡¯re holding it because a novice like you doesn¡¯t know how to cast a spell. I presume you can¡¯t see mana either, can you?¡±


    He looked away sheepishly at the accusation, ¡°No¡­ I can¡¯t. Can you still teach me sorcery?¡±


    ¡°Not to worry, my friend,¡± Cira put on a sly grin as she pulled another artifact out of her pouch, ¡°I have come prepared. Wear these goggles for a few days without taking them off and that should fix your poor vision.¡±


    He looked between it and the titanite cube in his hands a couple times before shoving it into a pocket and spreading out his legs so his shorts didn¡¯t fall down. Then he took the goggles from Cira and inspected them with trepidation. ¡°These are¡­ also pretty heavy. Why¡­? What is this made of?¡±


    Turning the thick wooden-framed goggles over in his hand, he seemed genuinely baffled. The frame was heavy and rounded in shape, and when he put them over his head, the thick contoured lens gave him bug-eyes.


    ¡°The lenses are mana crystals grown over a long period then copiously enchanted, and the frame is fresh spring growth from a low-altitude spirit tree. One sees mana by using their own to visualize it, which becomes subconscious once you get used to it¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait, no it doesn¡¯t!¡± Rocky protested with offense clear on his face.


    ¡°Yes, it does. Don¡¯t poison my student with your lies.¡± She shot him a glare and he backed own, ¡°As we can all see, our rock mage is yet an amateur, but I¡¯m sure his potential Is great. Moving on. Since you can¡¯t see mana at all, Jimbo, these goggles will use your mana to do it for you. It will be faint at first, but you¡¯ll get a feel for it once you figure out how to increase the effect. Hopefully, you¡¯ll be able to do it with your own eyes before too long, at which point you¡¯ll be able to make the goggles stop. If you take the goggles off at any time, however, it could cause an unpredictable backlash. Those are your eyes now, as far as your mind and soul are concerned.¡±


    ¡°Whatever the hell that is supposed to mean, I sure wish you told me that before I put them on!¡± Cira couldn¡¯t help but giggle at the angry expression he made with his giant, glassy eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one that put them on in such a hurry. You get points for taking initiative though.¡± She tried to sound teacherly, ¡°Well done.¡±


    ¡°Oh, whatever. What¡¯s the damn cube do?¡± It seemed class was wearing on him now.


    ¡°Due to its composition, the artifact both conducts and resists mana. Once per hour, try to channel mana through it. If it starts glowing, you¡¯re ready to cast a spell. If it doesn¡¯t¡­ Well, you¡¯re not. Go ahead and give it a try now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m totally ready now, just watch! Hnggh!¡± He grunted, huffed, and puffed, grasping the cube tightly in both hands while nothing happened. His face had turned red from the strain until he finally gave up, winded and probably low on mana. ¡°What gives?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not ready.¡± Cira dusted off her hands and turned toward the house, ¡°And that settles that. Try to see mana through those goggles and make sure to memorize that incantation. Think about it thoroughly and imagine exactly what you want to make happen. I think it¡¯s high time we head back to town.¡±


    ¡°Good, I think I learned enough for one day. But just you wait, I¡¯ll light this thing up.¡± There was determination on his face which Cira was glad to see. It would have been a shame to scare him off after the first lesson.


    ¡°Okay, so I don¡¯t want to walk that far again¡­ Do you guys know any clearings close to town I can bring this thing down in? I don¡¯t want to draw too much attention by parking in the middle of the city again.¡±


    ¡°James should know one.¡± He nudged the man in question. ¡°Don¡¯t ya?¡±


    James let out a deep sigh, ¡°Sure, of course I do¡­ I¡¯m still having trouble believing it moves, but are you sure it¡¯s a good idea to bring this thing any closer?¡±


    ¡°Are there any mages here that could oppose a dragon in combat?¡± Cira asked the natural question.


    ¡°Um,¡± James thought about it briefly, ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°Then no one should be able to get in. Some people may notice it, but the tradeoff is worth it if you ask me.¡± I should have kept that damn boat¡­


    She left the others to dally in the yard while Jimbo and James followed her up the spire, gawking at the panoramic view and sparkling controls. ¡°Whoa, it¡¯s just like a real ship in here¡­ but fancier.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Now Cira wore a smug grin. She pulled the rope for lift and put her hands on the cold metal wheel to steer. ¡°Off we go!¡±


    ¡°Holy shit!¡± James grabbed onto Jimbo and they both fell right over.


    ¡°God damn, Dreadheart! A warning woulda been nice!¡±


    ¡°You knew what was happening. I even pulled the rope.¡± She pointed at it coming out of the ceiling.


    ¡°It¡¯s usually not this damn rough!¡±


    ¡°Look though¡­¡± James stared out into the forest as the faint crunching of trees sounded below from relieving the weight of an island off them. ¡°We¡¯re really going up.¡±


    ¡°Damn right we are!¡± Cira feigned offense, ¡°Now which way do I go?¡±


    ¡°Uhh, guys?¡± Jimbo pointed in a direction and Cira animatedly spun the wheel.


    ¡°That way it is! Onward, to¡ªoh¡­¡± She now looked at the end of Jimbo¡¯s line of sight and saw a full mob of heavily armored pirates wearing black and gold painted gear. They looked up at Breeze Haven menacingly as the first volley of arrows hit the barrier like a hundred misguided birds.


    ¡°That¡¯s Captain Wick¡¯s kill crew.¡± James¡¯ eyes were wide as he looked down in horror. ¡°You sure this barrier will hold up?¡±


    ¡°I am¡­ but flying away from this problem doesn¡¯t really work, does it?¡± It¡¯s always something. Can¡¯t a girl just go fix her damn soul already?¡±

 87 - Flying Away From Your Problems

    ¡°Why would you even ask if you¡¯re just gonna do it anyway?!¡± James pulled his hair out and tried to keep his face from showing out of the spire¡¯s open sides. They were high enough up that Cira did think anyone could discern their faces anyway.


    ¡°While they won¡¯t disappear, delaying our problems should be a simple matter.¡± Cira watched the small army of a hundred or so color coordinated pirates disappear beneath Breeze Haven as it continued unwavering through the sky.


    ¡°Then why are we still heading to town? Shouldn¡¯t we go straight to Kuja¡¯s at this point?¡± His logic was sound, but it was a compromise.


    ¡°We still have things to do in town. You bastards ate all my food, and I can¡¯t keep walking around on this crutch forever.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a day!¡± Jimbo was quick to judge when she complained about her leg, ¡°I was on crutches for months. You¡¯ll just mess yourself up if you try to put the wooden leg on now. I been there.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait a little longer¡­ I still want to get all my things. Besides, what¡¯s not healed about it? It hurts, but hasn¡¯t Larry been working on it for a few weeks?¡± Cira pulled her leg up and poked the stump, wincing.


    ¡°Sure, it took you longer to whoop Don¡¯s ass than to heal him, but Larry ain¡¯t as crazy as you. These things take time even with a healer.¡±


    ¡°More importantly, how the hell do you expect to deal with the friggin¡¯ Royal Pirates, and then everyone in their little pirate palace that sent the hit squad after us?¡± James shoved Jimbo back and spoke over them both. ¡°Going into town and then taking off again? Are you planning to fight them? Does this thing have weapons?!¡±


    As he nervously looked around Cira couldn¡¯t help but snicker. ¡°I will deal with the ¡®Royal Pirates¡¯ by laughing at them from afar. Breeze Haven does indeed have weapons, but I don¡¯t intend to use them. They are best saved for emergencies. While I would love to see this pirate palace, it won¡¯t be necessary for most of the options before us. You guys know best around here though, so I¡¯ll defer to your wisdom.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± James looked at her like she was speaking nonsense, ¡°Isn¡¯t it clear we don¡¯t know what the hell to do?!¡±


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Jimbo put up a hand to calm James¡¯ tirade, ¡°Do you mean you already got some ideas for us to pick from? Let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ¡°Precisely. I¡¯ll be omitting the violent ones unless you really don¡¯t like the first choices though.¡± Cira turned her head and watched the army follow behind as fast as they could, gradually getting further away. ¡°To navigate this situation we can be cunning, efficient, political, or have a little fun with it.¡±


    Jimbo whistled aloud, ¡°Four whole ways that aren¡¯t violent, huh? I¡¯m impressed.¡±


    ¡°I think political is out,¡± James answered, ¡°Tell us cunning and efficient.¡±


    ¡°Alright, to take the cunning route we would land and sneak into the woods. This would require us to incapacitate¡­ eight of them in secret and take their armor as our own. I have artifacts in the forge that can assist in stealth, and then we infiltrate the kill crew and lead them astray¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop, we¡¯re not doing that. Next one.¡± James¡¯ look was one of exasperation, but Jimbo thought it was a pretty good idea.


    ¡°Phew, I didn¡¯t want to do that one either. It would turn into a whole thing.¡± Cira¡¯s golden hair bounced in the sun as she shook her head, ¡°No, no, I infiltrated on Fount Salt. Nothing underhanded today, which brings us to the most efficient path before us. We fly straight to Larry¡¯s and toss a rope down, then fly away. It might make going to the hideout difficult if it¡¯s actually supposed to be hidden, though.¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± Jimbo added, ¡°That would get Wick crawlin¡¯ up our asses for sure. Wait, what was your plan if we wanted to get political?¡±


    ¡°Well, an honest to goodness usurpation would also be a hassle. To do so in a nonviolent fashion could be done with an overwhelming display of power if I had my aura, but I don¡¯t like doing those kinds of things when I can avoid it. Otherwise, this would take infiltration of some manner. Staging I coup, perhaps¡­ Let¡¯s steer clear of politics. You said I was a pirate now or something, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Aye, that I did.¡± Jimbo grinned.


    ¡°Hardly.¡± There was a grimace on James¡¯ face now and his tone was harsh, ¡°I don¡¯t want to ask you this, but your first three choices suck. How do we have a little fun with this?¡±


    Jimbo¡¯s eyes held a hopeful glint now, and he seemed to feed off of James¡¯ exasperation. They made quite a pair and Cira smiled at them, ¡°We find that clearing you talked about and land there, then run into town really quick. You locals must know a way in aside from the big gates, right?¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah, I guess. Where are you going with this?¡± They weren¡¯t yet convinced.


    ¡°Yeah, that just sounds sneaky.¡± Jimbo commented. ¡°Where¡¯s the fun?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a little game of cat and mouse. We¡¯ll be gone before they arrive and start uselessly attacking my barrier while we get all our business done in town. By the time they catch on, we¡¯ll be on our way back, maybe run past a couple guys, then fly away. We dive down past the shore and pass under the island to go meet Kuja on the other side. We¡¯ll give ¡®em the slip and vanish into the mist.¡±


    ¡°Ooh, I like the sound of that.¡± She at least had one sub-captain on board so far. ¡°Quick, simple, and we still get to make a fool of the black and gold.¡±


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    James, however, was still unsure, ¡°How many people are we bringing into town? This place will be under fire the moment they find it.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t like the idea of leaving people behind while I¡¯m not here, but we really don¡¯t need the whole gang. The barrier will hold up just fine, though.¡± Now she squinted at James with a cold glare, ¡°If I leave you here can you make sure the rest don¡¯t do anything stupid or touch anything, or try to get into the archive?¡±


    ¡°You want me to stay?!¡± He was baffled but Cira¡¯s expression hadn¡¯t changed. ¡°Of course, you do¡­ You really trust this barrier, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s never failed. The dragon missed, but I¡¯m pretty it would have gone straight through. I don¡¯t know where to pinpoint the cutoff, but I doubt that Astral Bitch could do it.¡±


    ¡°Hah! You never told us that story, Dreadheart.¡±


    Cira appreciated the lack of worries that phased Jimbo¡ªit made her a lot more comfortable in her helpless state. ¡°And what of the one-legged man who single-handedly defeated a crew of forty pirates?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ll need another barrel sooner or later.¡± He shrugged.


    ¡°This is not the time. I still find it hard to believe that your barrier is that strong,¡± James said, ¡°but you really defeated that witch, didn¡¯t you? Whatever. There¡¯s still a huge problem with all of your plans. None of them solve anything! We¡¯re just running away.¡±


    ¡°I told you before that delaying our problems was a simple matter. We¡¯ll fly away and fix my soul real quick, hopefully, and then I¡¯ll be much more relaxed.¡± Cira put a hand over her chest as if she could feel the mana burning her soul away, ¡°It will be easier to find a solution then. We can always brute force a peace treaty or something.¡±


    ¡°God dammit¡­ Why did we ever sign up to be your crew?¡± James lamented his self-wrought fate, ¡°I guess we really don¡¯t have a choice but to run for now, then. The whole armada combined doesn¡¯t have enough men to take on Captain Wick, and they¡¯re much better armed than us. The bastards¡­¡±


    ¡°Why are they after us, anyway? I thought this island was quite charming, but now I¡¯m irritated and mildly offended. Is this an act of war?¡± The kill crew was long gone through the trees as Hangman¡¯s Cove came into view ahead. ¡°I really don¡¯t have time for something like that. Everything is a million times harder without my aura and leg.¡±


    ¡°Pffft!¡± Jimbo slapped her on the shoulder and laughed in an uproar, ¡°When shit like that comes outta your mouth is why you¡¯re my captain. You¡¯re crumblin¡¯ apart from the soul out, and an act of war from the pirate king is a mild irritation. With one leg and no mana, it¡¯s spider gods in the evening and pirate armies in the morning, but that¡¯s all just a big hassle, isn¡¯t it? I feel like I¡¯ll never see crazier shit than when you¡¯re around, but I¡¯m also like, invincible. You¡¯re somethin¡¯ else, that¡¯s for sure.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, I guess? Fount Cira was nuts enough if you ask me¡­¡± She shuddered as the 99.99% of her missing body pulsed in salty solemnity.


    ¡°Fount what now? What happened down there¡ª¡±


    ¡°No more small talk.¡± James cut him off and pointed inland ¡°Turn about fifteen degrees here and the forest stops briefly before we reach the hills.¡±


    ¡°Great, let¡¯s start bringing her down.¡± Cira extended her spyglass and saw the spot James must have been referring to before she took Breeze Haven down for a soft landing. After it settled, they descended the staircase and met the rest of her crew in the yard again.


    They looked nervous and impatient, but it was Rocky who spoke up, ¡°Evil gods is one thing, but I didn¡¯t sign up to go up against Captain Wick!¡±


    ¡°The former sounds worse in my opinion, but you¡¯re in luck. You¡¯ll be staying here with James and the others. Just keep away from the fence and they won¡¯t be able to see you. If you hear them climbing trees just go wait in the training hall downstairs.¡± He didn¡¯t like that answer, but Cira had already moved on, ¡°Jimbo, Joe, Skipper, you¡¯re with me and we¡¯re leaving immediately.¡±


    She hobbled away to the gate as Jimbo followed, pulling a confused Joe along with an attentive young recruit, ¡°Wait, we¡¯re not fightin¡¯ that army are we? What is that even about?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to know that myself, but it¡¯s not worth my time right now.¡± Cira pushed open the gate to the stairs, ¡°James, don¡¯t disappoint me, now. We¡¯ll be back within a few hours.¡±


    ¡°If you screw up, I might really have to stick ya¡¯!¡± Jimbo added with a huge grin as he hopped down the staircase after Cira.


    They made it back into the woods for a short hike before the ground started to incline and get rockier, poking at Cira¡¯s one foot holding all her weight. Despite her pride, she was glad for Jimbo¡¯s next order. ¡°Skips, carry the Captain, it¡¯s about to get steep.¡±


    ¡°If you slip, I¡¯ll be very disappointed.¡± Cira glared at him from up close as he picked her up. He winced and looked straight uphill taking heavy, firm steps.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you bring me?¡± Her shirtless compatriot Joe asked.


    ¡°Never hurts to have idle hands around. You never know when we¡¯ll run into trouble and Skipper¡¯s going to the market. Jimbo and I would have had two legs between us otherwise and I don¡¯t like those numbers.¡±


    He only shrugged as they made their way up towards the high walls of the Cove. As they ascended, Cira heard the familiar sound of frail impacts against Breeze Haven¡¯s barrier and looked through the trees to see faint glints of light as they were repelled. It wasn¡¯t long until the sounds of gunpowder popped off through the trees, but the bullets were deflected as easily as the arrows. Cira Was waiting for them to step it up, but they may as well have been throwing rocks, ¡°Looks like they made it. Is that really all they have?¡±


    ¡°These are pirates, not wizards.¡± Jimbo replied, ¡°Wick¡¯s got a few, but he keeps them close. Really, he should be back any day now. Could be the reason we¡¯re being chased, but if that were the case one of his mages would definitely have been in the kill crew. I didn¡¯t see any magic comin¡¯ our way earlier.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to get to the bottom of it, but that will have to wait. Let¡¯s hurry.¡± She sent a blank stare into Skipper¡¯s eyes while her body hung limp in his arms.


    ¡°I¡¯m doing my best!¡± Sweat dripped down his forehead and he had to wipe it on his shoulder as he princess carried Cira.


    This is kind of degrading¡­ Wasn¡¯t I supposed to be able to fly around like a banshee after my legs got cut off? I renounced foot travel and was left with only one foot to rely on. What cruel irony.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there, so everyone shut up.¡± Just as he said, there was a shoddy wooden fence line just up the hill. She could hear pirates howling and boards creaking already. Hangman¡¯s Cove was just on the other side.


    ¡°Skipper, this is important. Listen up.¡± Cira said in a hushed voice, hardly audible over the distant gunfire, ¡°Don¡¯t just replace the food you cooked. Make sure to buy plenty extra, maybe some local specialties if there are any. Variety is the spice of life, they say¡ªthough I have plenty of spices so don¡¯t waste any money on them.¡±


    ¡°Perfect,¡± Jimbo said, ¡°Try to meet back here in an hour. If we don¡¯t see you in two either there¡¯s trouble or ya took off with me coin. I hope neither happens.¡±


    ¡°S-sure thing, Captains! You can count on me.¡± He set Cira down gently as they stood in front of a poorly patched hole in the fence.


    ¡°Joe, you¡¯re with us.¡± He ripped a thin sheet of wood off to reveal a hole in the splintered fence large enough for even the most corpulent of pirates to squeeze through. ¡°Take the lead and keep a lookout. We¡¯re probably the two highest profile cripples on the island right now.¡±

 88 - To Kill or Let Die

    Through the broken fence there was a back alley which skirted the upper levels of Hangman¡¯s Cove. Skipper split off immediately and made his way further down, but Cira and her two pirate pals made their way to Larry¡¯s down a path between the buildings and the forested hilltops. Heavy leaves from the hanging foliage brushed against them as they walked down the springy boardwalk. They could hear the tension in the ropes holding it together creak with each step.


    ¡°Do you think Skipper will be alright by himself?¡± Cira couldn¡¯t help but wonder.


    ¡°Bah, he¡¯ll be fine.¡± Jimbo waved her off, ¡°Not like we¡¯re gonna go join him. Just have some faith.¡±


    ¡°I take it he¡¯s been a reliable errand boy while I slept?¡± Some of the flowers growing to their side were beginning to look familiar. Six broad petals as blue as the sky which none could see from the Lost Cloud. Cira spent a good while the day prior staring at them through a window from her bed of convalescence.


    ¡°A tad more than errands. He¡¯s a good well-rounder. I swear my belly¡¯s gotten bigger since he joined too¡ªthe boy sure can cook.¡± Jimbo nodded thoughtfully, ¡°Great job pickin¡¯ him up.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t leave me much choice,¡± she admitted, ¡°It was between accepting his help or watching him be ground to a pulp by my barrier.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say you made the right choice.¡± Joe added from the front. ¡°The kid patched up the holes in my socks the other day.¡±


    ¡°Well, that was nice of him.¡± His tactic may not be too far off from the goons, but much more proactive. Through a series of favors, he¡¯s gained the crew¡¯s trust pretty quickly. I guess it isn¡¯t too hard when you prove yourself reliable. Cira was the least reliable person she knew at the moment, and it was an uncomfortable, foreign feeling that weighed on her nerves. ¡°We¡¯re almost there, right?¡±


    ¡°Just a few houses down.¡± Jimbo replied with a snide laugh, ¡°You ain¡¯t getting scared now that you¡¯re back on the ground, are ya?¡±


    Cira caught herself stealing nervous glances toward the main boardwalk in the spaces between each house they passed, ¡°Tch. Scared of what?¡± One should always stay vigilant¡­ That¡¯s just common sense.


    ¡°You can hang onto my sword if you want.¡± He wore a shit-eating grin as he held his cutlass out to Cira.


    ¡°Oh, piss off.¡± She smacked it away as they arrived at a vaguely familiar run-down shack. Cira never went out back, but she could tell it was Larry¡¯s and slowed down.


    ¡°Well don¡¯t just stand around.¡± Jimbo briskly walked past and threw open the door, ¡°We¡¯re back!¡±


    Cira could hear a surprised man gasp right inside the door and the extensive clattering of bottles from the front room. As she entered, she saw someone that took a few moments to recognize, and when she did, tried her best to offer a smile, ¡°Heyyyyy, Pops. How are the fingers?¡±


    He pushed himself into the corner against the headboard and started screaming with the fear of god in his eyes, ¡°You stay away from me with your mind tricks, witch!¡±


    Slap!


    ¡°The Captain don¡¯t like repeatin¡¯ herself.¡± Jimbo scolded him while his face was still reeled back from the unexpected open-palm smack, ¡°She¡¯s not a witch and you cut your own fingers off, dumbass. Now, calm down. We ain¡¯t here for you.¡±


    I can¡¯t say he¡¯s wrong, but¡­ No, I guess you just have to be harsh around here. What if he went around town saying I control people¡¯s minds? I don¡¯t even control the nymphs. Cira had been looking around but hadn¡¯t seen Nina since their trip to the Flying Dutchess.


    ¡°Ain¡¯t no way I¡¯d cut my own fingers off unless she made me do it!¡± Pops looked at her like some kind of swamp creature.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you hadn¡¯t done it before with the way you drink,¡± Jimbo shrugged, ¡°Now accept it or I¡¯ll have to beat you up. You already got ¡®em back anyway, so what¡¯s it matter?¡±


    ¡°Damn you, Sticks¡­¡± There was an intense stare down for a moment until the ceaseless clattering of glass reached a crescendo and the door to the front room swung open.


    ¡°None o¡¯ that in my house, got dammit!¡± Larry had dark bags under his eyes and matted chest hair that looked sticky from dried liquor, ¡°What the hell is that on your face, boy?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re training goggles,¡± Jimbo retorted, taking great offense, ¡°What¡¯s you¡¯re damn problem?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you just what my problem is!¡± Larry¡¯s unfocused eyes suddenly trained on Cira and started twitching, ¡°YOU!¡±


    When Larry roared, she shrunk back instinctively. Oh, now I¡¯ve done it. ¡°I¡­ lost track of time?¡±


    ¡°Not only did you bail on the treatment I so kindly offered,¡± He held up a first finger and his tone was cold, but his face contorted in rage when the second went up, ¡°but then you went and cut Pops¡¯ fingers off?!¡±


    ¡°I-I did not¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then you give me this bullshit?!¡± He counted a third finger and leaned in as his face turned red and Cira lacked the defensive artifacts to protect against his spittle, ¡°Only thing you lost track of is your got damn manners! Or is that broken soul turnin¡¯ your head into mush?¡±


    Shirtless joe stayed out of the way, but Jimbo still had his newest signature grin on as Larry laid into his captain. He didn¡¯t exactly tell me when I needed to be back. Is it really that big of a deal? Cira was going to swallow her pride and apologize when Larry cut her off, ¡°I ain¡¯t done! Now you¡¯ve gone and made an enemy of Captain Wick!¡±


    ¡°Hold on a minute,¡± Jimbo stopped him by stealing the bottle from his hands, ¡°We don¡¯t know anything about that last bit. Care to fill us in?¡±


    Larry looked at the trio like the clueless idiots they were when Cira noticed Pops trying to remove himself from the situation. After a few seconds, the doctor shook his head with a long sigh, ¡°I figured it was bullshit, but that don¡¯t matter much, does it? Talk around town is you told Gerald you was tryin¡¯ to kill Wick soon as he makes it back to the Cove. The damn kid¡¯s a hero. Even took an arrow to the knee tryin¡¯ to stop you.¡±


    ¡°Pfft.¡± Jimbo¡¯s face scrunched up, ¡°I always knew he was rat. Didn¡¯t expect it to bite my ass so soon, though.¡±


    ¡°And he ain¡¯t the only one in town!¡± Larry swiped his bottle back and took a messy drink, ¡°That means I don¡¯t wanna see your faces ¡®til you get that figured, now get your shit and get the hell out before those black and gold chumps come back.¡±


    I guess I should have expected as much. It wouldn¡¯t be good to cause him undue trouble. Larry has helped me out a great deal, after all. Cira was momentarily taken aback at the harsh words. Even though they made perfect sense, she still didn¡¯t feel good getting yelled at and kicked out.


    ¡°Fine then.¡± Jimbo turned up his nose at the doctor and threw a couple coins at him, ¡°I guess I¡¯ll pay you in gold then.¡±


    ¡°That ain¡¯t even your mithril, boy, and it ain¡¯t worth the trouble! I brought you into this world and I can take you right out¡ª¡± Larry flipped his bottle up and was about to smash it on a desk when Cira ran between the two. Jimbo¡¯s face was twisted in a snarl with one hand on his peg leg but became frozen in time when Cira rushed in.


    ¡°Both of you, relax! We¡¯re leaving right now.¡± She couldn¡¯t do much on her crutch, but it stopped Larry from making a shank, ¡°If you have to stab each other, wait until I can heal you.¡±


    Larry mainly took a little more talking down, but Cira got her crossbows back and already felt more comfortable having them holstered. The peg leg fit nicely through a superfluous loop on her belt for now, and then they were ready to go.


    ¡°Word of advice,¡± Larry spoke as they were halfway out the door, ¡°You should steer clear o¡¯ the hideout. Gerald obviously sold you out.¡±


    ¡°Shit!¡± Jimbo¡¯s eyes went wide and turned to Joe. ¡°We gotta help the guys!¡±


    ¡°Too bad ya got that damsel with ya.¡± Larry chided, ¡°May as well just hand her over on a platter if you head down there now.¡±


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    Jimbo looked at Cira and there was pain in his eyes. He clenched his fist, and the turmoil was evident as Cira looked at him in confusion, ¡°What the hell is that face for? Let¡¯s go already.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? It¡¯ll be a fight. I don¡¯t know if I can keep ya safe in all that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to doubt you took down forty men all by yourself.¡± Cira feigned a strike with her crutch to his open chest and it hit its mark, ¡°I¡¯m not as helpless as I look. Aren¡¯t they supposed to be my crew, anyway?¡±


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re that sure, I guess I shouldn¡¯t doubt you.¡± Jimbo came to an understanding, but Cira felt like she was bluffing. I don¡¯t doubt I can hold my own¡­ but how many guys are we talking about here? I forgot, if I get my hands on a sword, I won¡¯t have any tricks to rely on. Will I be able to stay alive without killing anyone? While my crew kills people all around me?


    Nobody died during the deritium raid, unless they got dragged off by their friends before Cira could notice and heal them, but tangling with these pirates was walking a fine line. She always knew pirates were a mixed bag, but the constant among them all was an inclination for violence. That was simply a consequence of their way of life. Pirates never die of old age, they say.


    Cira¡¯s ruination today was of her own making this time around. Normally there was someone else to blame for good reason, but this was another one of her delicately placed pitfalls. Once upon a barrel of ale, she had gotten a little carried away and declared herself captain of a whole fleet. Why she didn¡¯t turn over the whole gig when she put the hat on Jimbo¡¯s head was a mystery to even her. She was having fun and making great progress in her work. That¡¯s just how it turned out.


    Is this why people say you have to be careful with alcohol? While most drunkards wouldn¡¯t accidentally become a pirate captain, Pops¡¯ lost fingers were a great example of how drinking could get out of hand. Whether or not she¡¯s met any of them, or if they¡¯ve even seen her face, she made herself responsible for at least a hundred lives that night, only for it to continue to snowball in her absence.


    ¡°Skipper might be in trouble if it¡¯s this big of a deal.¡± Cira thought out loud, ¡°We should send Joe to fill him in.¡±


    ¡°Now you want to go fight with one less man?¡± Even Jimbo was alarmed at this point. ¡°Besides, everyone knows Shirtless Joe.¡±


    ¡°Then have him put a shirt on and go fetch our cook.¡± She ran over the plan in her head then turned to Joe, ¡°And when you find him, bring him to the hideout. Here, have him put the food in this.¡± Cira dumped a bunch of jewelry out of one pouch into a coat pocket before handing it to Joe, ¡°This should hold everything, and don¡¯t let it get stolen.¡±


    He took the bag in both hands like it was a bar of gold before stuffing it into a pocket, ¡°I got it. We¡¯ll come help as fast as we can, but I don¡¯t have a shirt.¡±


    ¡°Make sure you don¡¯t stuff the bag in your pocket after its full¡­¡± Cira now turned back to Larry, ¡°Hey do you have a shirt we can borrow?¡±


    ¡°If I do, will you get the hell out?!¡±


    Larry produced a striped shirt three sized too large for the already heavyset Joe. Somehow with a shirt on his stubble looked more refined, his brown eyes held a sharper gaze, and he looked stout rather than borderline overweight. He was like a totally different person.


    They were quickly swept out the back door by an angry doctor and the group split again. ¡°How far is the hideout?¡±


    ¡°Not far, but at least ten minutes.¡± Jimbo led her further down the back alley they entered from, ¡°Up here there¡¯s a cave that¡¯ll take us right to it.¡±


    They were passing a peak on the hills to the left after which the cove sharply curved back around to its other point and Jimbo stopped, turning to an inconspicuous wooden wall against the hillside that stretched on until the next staircase. He tugged on a rope that looked like it was holding two sections of wall together and one side slid back to reveal a dim passageway.


    ¡°Wow, nice hidden door. I didn¡¯t even see it.¡± The world was full of wonder without Spatial Sight. Cira looked around to see if there were any passersby then took a last glance over her shoulder before proceeding. When she turned to follow Jimbo, he was entering the cavern with a lit torch in one hand. Cira rolled her eyes and quickly caught up.


    When she made it through, Jimbo closed the wall back up behind them. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be any monsters down here, but it does happen. Keep quiet and follow close.¡±


    She nodded and they continued into the dark tunnel. Cira took this opportunity to pull a few rings out of her pocket and put them on. One just cast light and was fueled by the dark mana it enveloped¡ªso it was weaker with Jimbo¡¯s torch out, but it was nice to have. She wore six passive shield rings, though a pirate with a big hammer could probably shatter them all at once. It was better to have something rather than nothing when it came to barriers though. If she got close enough for a punch, another ring would sap her opponent¡¯s mana and use it to repel them, giving her fist a heavier impact.


    ¡°You goin¡¯ to a ball?¡± Jimbo chuckled, ¡°Couldn¡¯t hurt to have brought one o¡¯ your fancy swords. I¡¯d say keeping a low profile is out the window.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me for not expecting to fend off a royal subjugation at the hands of a traitor on my first trip to the hideout. The plan here was specifically not to fight.¡± Cira sighed, but there was nothing to be done about it at this point. ¡°I¡¯m also not having any fun.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the plan¡¯s shot.¡± He agreed.


    The dark cavern was otherwise quiet, and they were going up instead of down most of the way. Cira was grateful that this wasn¡¯t the beginning of another underground adventure and was about to ask how much further before Jimbo held a finger to his lips, ¡°Shhhh. This bend lets out right above our spot.¡±


    After putting his torch out, Cira hid her own light. Jimbo walked slower to make less noise and Cira tried her best to follow suit, pulling the small crossbow off her belt and struggling to get a bolt knocked. I really didn¡¯t think this through. There¡¯s no way I can reload this if I¡¯m surrounded with blades.


    Daylight faded in ahead as they passed the bend and the two crouched down. Approaching the mouth of the cave, there were lush ferns and other dense bushes hiding the opening from the outside. They crept through it with Jimbo taking the lead and Cira got a first look at her hideout.


    Cira could tell they were on the backside of that peak she saw from town, and they were a little higher coming out of the cave. Below the land opened up into a deep chasm straight to the cloudy abyss and wrapped around to form a smaller cove with two points. There were a few different levels built out just like Hangman¡¯s Cove and multiple docks with three clearly royal ships that dwarfed the one she assumed was Jimbo¡¯s.


    The sound of gunfire startled Cira and she locked onto its source to see a pirate in black and gold armor wielding a musket. He flipped it up to reload the next round when Cira followed his line of fire and saw another pirate on the ground, crying in pain and desperately clutching a bleeding hole in his chest.


    Similar anguished screams filled the cove and echoed back to them on their overlook in the trees. Jimbo¡¯s face was contorted in rage and Cira could feel her heart beating faster. While the black and gold advanced with guns and arrows, bullets bounced off their armor. All of the pained cries came from those wearing the ragged stripes of the Stick Brigade.


    No, those are Dreadheart pirates dying down there. I made sure of that. The amount of armored pirates swarming her hideout had to be the same as the kill squad they had just ditched. Well past a hundred of them with presumably more on the ships. Meanwhile the others who she assumed were all her men fought in a disorganized fashion with no real formation and groups running in and out of various openings in the cliffside seemingly at random. After looking for a few moments Cira didn¡¯t see a single wounded ¡®Royal Pirate¡¯, yet the others were picked off like helpless children.


    While the slaughter raged on, each ship already had a line of men hauling chests and handfuls of treasure back aboard as if the whole operation was a simple, systematic process. She gnashed her teeth together in frustration, ¡°What the hell is this, a culling?¡± Her fingernails, which hadn¡¯t been trimmed since before her coma, now drew blood from her palms as her fist squeezed shut.


    I was so worried about ending someone¡¯s life, but how many¡ªof my crew¡ªwill I have watch die today? How many men did my drunken whim already bring to their fate¡¯s end? The number of people saved on Fount Salt beats it by several orders of magnitude, but¡­ That¡¯s not a fair comparison, is it? Even if I hadn¡¯t called myself their captain, I still dragged them into this by taking Don out.


    All for what? To save some time searching for the deritium on my own? So that I didn¡¯t have to stay long enough to fight the witch. Who I fought and cursed anyway¡­ Because she would have torn everything down otherwise. There¡¯s just no winning here. I can¡¯t keep acting like a child. I need to take responsibility and clean this up once and for all.


    ¡°That¡¯s how Wick does things when it comes to treason. Kill first, take everything, and ask questions later.¡± He pulled his sword out of the sheath and tried to keep his voice low as he growled, ¡°We have to get down there.¡±


    They were maybe twenty feet above the main stage where the fight was taking place, positioned behind a grouping of buildings made of thick wooden logs. There were palms hanging down and partially obscuring their view, but the battle had taken on sides with the chasm between them. Cira and Jimbo hid in the center where Wick¡¯s men would have to push through, but there were staircases and other paths to get around.


    ¡°Hang on.¡± Cira held him back, ¡°We¡¯ll just get shot if we jump down like this.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t come all this way to do nothing¡ª¡± Cira smacked him to cut that misunderstanding short.


    ¡°Damn right we didn¡¯t. Let¡¯s be smart about this, though. There¡¯s a team of riflemen trying to flank that guy on the ballistae.¡± Cira pulled a glittering orb of polished stone from her remaining pouch of forged weapons, ¡°We¡¯ll take them down so their guns drop behind that barricade for our guys.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if six rifles will make much difference, but how do you plan to do that?¡± Jimbo didn¡¯t see it happening, but he almost knew better than to doubt Cira at this point.


    ¡°How¡¯s your throwing arm?¡± She placed the stone in Jimbo¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Not bad, I guess.¡± Turning it over, he held it carefully like something precious, ¡°What is this? I-I think I can see the mana inside it. That¡¯s death, right?¡±


    ¡°Just light¡ªone day telling the difference will be simple. It¡¯s still a bomb though, more or less.¡± She shrugged and put away her crossbow to pull the larger one off her back, ¡°Now help me get this thing loaded.¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­ okay.¡± With a difficult look on his face, Jimbo very carefully set the white stone down in the grass and helped her pull the wire back and knock a bolt. The larger crossbow had a rifle stock and shot heavy projectiles that were just a size down from harpoons.


    ¡°The bomb activates on impact. Throw it at those riflemen¡¯s feet when they reach that broken crate by the barricade and be ready to help me reload.¡± Cira leaned against a rock and held the crossbow¡¯s stock against her shoulder, putting the crosshair in her sight. There were three men that were clearly the captains of their respective ships wearing black hats with gold feathers pinned to them.


    If I don¡¯t take them out, all the lives I''ve put under my charge will be extinguished. This is no time to hesitate.

 89 - A Different Kind of Raid

    ¡°Get ready.¡± Jimbo gulped as his arm reeled back to throw the mysterious artifact. As soon as it left his hand there was a click from beside him, and the heavy mechanism in Cira¡¯s hand kachunked.


    ¡°Jimbo.¡± Screams ensued from the royal gunmen¡¯s side as a feathered hat hit the floor along with one of their captains, a thick steel bolt stuck halfway through his collar. Blood poured from his wound as the surrounding armored men dropped their guns and scrambled to apply emergency aid. ¡°Quickly.¡±


    Cira held her crossbow out and he loaded up another heavy bolt at her command, ¡°Holy shit, you got the¡ª¡± Jimbo was cut off by a shattering impact as the cove was bathed in light from the direction he threw the bomb in and recoiled to shield his eyes, ¡°Gah, what the¡ª¡±


    Click. ¡°Another!¡± Cira had no time to dally as screams erupted from further down the cove again. Another man dropped, this time impaled clean through the hip. He cried out in pain as he hit the ground, demanding those around him help.


    The explosion of light receded slowly back toward its origin and the advancing frontliners still stood with their muskets against their shoulders, but visibly dazed.


    ¡°God damn, Dreadheart.¡± The ranks behind the front line fell into disarray as two of three captains were down. Many swarmed to protect the last as he barked orders to find the sniper. There was a new group of gunmen forming at his command with their barrels turned to the patch of foliage Cira and Jimbo hid within.


    The one with steel through his hip fired a pistol, screaming into the cliffside while he bled out on the wood planks. His bullets pinged off the rocks to Cira¡¯s left and right with scary accuracy and Jimbo complained, ¡°Why not kill him at this point? The bastard just gave us away.¡±


    ¡°Three of their captains,¡± click, ¡°Require serious medical attention. If they¡¯re playing at royalty, I''m sure they¡¯ll care to do something about that. A great deal of their manpower is wasted while their chain of command has been dissolved.¡±


    About ten seconds passed since the bomb went off and the veil of light had dwindled to a point and faded away, revealing six legless men on the boardwalk, half of them were still conscious and writhed on the ground while Cira¡¯s crew ran up and scooped their rifles off the ground. She winced when one of them turned the gun around and stabbed a bayonet right through the black and gold armor.


    Dammit¡­ I knew it would come to this. Who¡¯s to say those captains will even survive the wounds I personally inflicted anyway? And how many of my men are already dead?


    The Stick Brigade was dumbfounded by their sudden sorcerous support, but as soon as they could see again and stopped panicking, they took advantage of the situation, a few of them stopping to look at the deep horizontal cuts in the surrounding rocks and gash in their barricade.


    ¡°At a point, ya know,¡± Jimbo said, ¡°After you make enough cripples, I think it¡¯s worse than killin'' ¡®em outright.¡±


    The royal gunner¡¯s legs were all severed at the knee and cauterized from the light, so the ones who weren¡¯t conscious to resist were spared the bayonet and ignored. Of course, their armor was valuable, so Cira had no way of knowing their fates once they were dragged behind the barricade.


    Cira couldn¡¯t look away, but she also couldn¡¯t keep staring and turned to Jimbo with a scowl, ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me that. This is not what I wanted to do when I woke up this¡ª¡± A bullet whizzed past her face and embedded itself into a tree trunk beside her.


    ¡°We gotta go,¡± Jimbo turned serious again and pulled her through the thicket. Her crutch almost slipped out of her hand as she hopped behind him on her left foot, practically throwing the crossbow over her shoulder. ¡°We can get to the armory from the roof.¡±


    Cira liked the sound of that but couldn¡¯t expect it to be anything like her own. ¡°Let go, you fool, I¡¯m gonna fall!¡± She yanked her hand away and managed to keep most of her speed as she slipped and started sliding down the hill with the crutch as a makeshift rutter¡ªit was all she could do not to fall on her ass. Bullets whizzed past them and took out plants or scattered pebbles into the air while they made the short dash to the nearby building. The terrain was steep and rocky as Cira regained her footing and they passed a short switchback to the end.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to jump. Get ready.¡± Jimbo pushed a hanging branch out of the way and bounded off the ledge, rolling over his side onto the wooden rooftop below. ¡°Come on!¡±


    Good grief. Cira shook her head with a sigh and took a leap of faith, tossing her crutch in mid-air and trying to roll off her good foot once she hit, only to hurtle into the hard roof anyway. ¡°Urgh¡­ cursed clouds, I haven¡¯t felt this much pain since the other day.¡± Cira wheezed on her back while Jimbo hastily pulled her up.


    ¡°No time to cry, we¡¯re moving.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not crying!¡± She huffed, puffed, and hobbled back up with her crutch. There was a square hatch opened up that led to the room below and he practically pushed her down it, ¡°Hey, what the hell?¡±


    She managed to keep from falling on her face, but it was another tumble into the armory. Jimbo hopped down right after her and closed the hatch on his way. Looking around, there were swords on their racks and guns piled up in the corner. ¡°Didn¡¯t even give ¡®em time to make it here.¡± Jimbo shook his head at the senseless invasion. They had likely started firing from the air and immediately threw the hideout into a panic.


    ¡°You have a good way out of here, right?¡± They could hear bullets hitting the walls outside and after only a few seconds the clanging of swords started against the door.


    ¡°Course I do, now grab what you need. I¡¯ll throw some bundles together for the guys.¡±


    Cira looked first to the swords. They all looked much the same, but the ones she picked up had minor variations in weight. None were worth much money or had any effects, but of the few with sharp edges she picked the one that felt the most like Tide Quencher in her hand. It was a cutlass this time, and she thought its broad blade fit the Dreadheart theme a little better than the saber she settled on before. It even had a curly hand guard that looped over her fingers.


    ¡°Okay, then¡­ How about guns?¡± Cira saw a slingshot as well with spiked balls next to it in a bowl, but that would be impossible to operate with a crutch. No, slingshots weren¡¯t the right choice¡ªshe had been enjoying her upgrade to crossbows. Guns were a foreign object to her, though. She had a basic understanding of how they worked but hadn¡¯t even seen schematics for one before.


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    From her knowledge, the most rudimentary ones were the biggest pain to operate. She had seen Wick¡¯s men outside pouring powder down the barrel and packing it down, and while the flintlock pistols seemed marginally easier to deal with, the whole process was unwieldy. Cira looked around disheartened as she saw only guns of similar make.


    ¡°Hey, they make guns that hold multiple shots, right?¡± Cira asked in between the loud blasts and clanging from outside, ¡°You got any of those?¡±


    ¡°Like a revolver or something?¡± He shook his head and Cira frowned, ¡°Not unless you want a flare gun. Repeatin'' weapons are easy enough to steal but keepin¡¯ the ammo on hand is tough. You don¡¯t see ¡®em much around here.¡±


    I guess pirates aren¡¯t much for industry then. Checks out. ¡°Fine, then. Help me load like six of these.¡±


    ¡°Seriously¡ªah, course you are. Gimme a sec.¡± He used his arm to shovel a pile of pistols off a table and into a burlap sack with an embroidered potato on it. There were a few similar sacks full of weapons by this point and Jimbo spent a minute or so getting Cira locked and loaded. She holstered them all under her coat, two layers of three on her right side to be grabbed by her free hand. They were neither comfortable nor inconspicuous, but they would come in handy. Next, Cira got her new sword situated on her waist.


    ¡°What¡¯s your plan to get out of here?¡± The sounds coming from the door were like the men of Heron Village felling a tree. Eventually their blades would chop right through and reach them.


    ¡°The door¡¯s rigged to blow.¡± He said with a smug grin like it was some brilliant plan, ¡°We¡¯ll run over to our guys under cover of the smoke.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your plan?!¡± She stared at him aghast.


    ¡°You got a better one?¡± There were heavy footsteps on the roof now and more clattering of swords from the hatch above them. ¡°I¡¯m all ears.¡±


    Without a better idea this time, Cira bit her lip in frustration, ¡°Let¡¯s get on with it then.¡±


    Jimbo weighed himself down with sacks full of guns slung over his shoulders and carefully approached the door to grabb a spool of twine and unwound it across the floor. Holding the end in his hand, he lit a match and set it alight before resting it back on the floor. They were trapped like rats as the sounds of slashing swords got louder still. They heard the door splinter and a bullet whizzed past them into the back wall. A small beam of daylight shot through the room as the fuse burned across the floor at a snail¡¯s pace.


    There were only a few more feet until it reached the door and Jimbo turned back and covered himself, ¡°You might want to look out. And be ready to run for it.¡±


    Cira hid inside her coat, only peeking out a little bit to watch the fuse make the final stretch to where it disappeared into the door. Are there explosives inside the door? Was this Jimbo¡¯s genius idea or Don¡¯s from long ago¡­?


    ¡°Shit!¡± Jimbo was alarmed and turned to the door with wide eyes, ¡°Why isn¡¯t it¡ªGyahh!!¡±


    As soon as he doubted the rigged door it went off, probably burning his eyes if not sending shrapnel into them while Cira untucked herself safely from her coat, ¡°You idiot!¡±


    Even I know to be cautious with explosives. Cira pulled Jimbo into the black smoke of fresh flames hopping on one foot until he gained his bearings. She was blinded by the shroud of smoke and nearly tripped pushing her crutch into what she assumed to be a wounded person in the doorway.


    ¡°Hurry!¡± Jimbo pulled ahead and dragged her in the right direction.


    ¡°Fire!¡± Cira heard a shout from the royals'' side and a volley of gunfire went off. Some hit the armory they escaped while others shot right past her. She heard Jimbo grunt, almost losing sight of him before they began to reach the edge of the smoke.


    ¡°Those bastards got our captains! Don¡¯t let them get away! Fire!¡± Another command came right before more shots went off and Cira felt a searing pain in her arm, causing her to stumble to her knees which was a whole ¡®nother pain she didn¡¯t have time for.


    ¡±Shit!¡± She looked down and saw blood begin to pour, but it was more like a slash along her bicep. It only grazed me. I can tough it out for a few minutes. The amount of blood coming out was a concern, as it had become far more precious to Cira as of late, but she¡¯d seen worse. ¡°Who the hell is shouting orders over there?¡±


    She took a pistol in her free hand and tried to look back as they scuttled away but the smoke hadn¡¯t fully cleared yet. All she saw were the shrouded barrels of the enemies¡¯ guns and their steadily marching feet. Cira and Jimbo were closer to the barricade now and rifles sounded off again as bullets flew right over their heads. This time from the other direction.


    Support had finally come for them, ¡°Cap¡¯n, we¡¯ve got your backs!¡± Cira looked up and was surprised to see another familiar face. Was his name Tom? I was wondering where the last man was. He drank with them at Milty¡¯s and readily joined the deritium raid. It was the last member of James¡¯ crew.


    Two unfamiliar pirates emerged from behind the barricade with rifles trained behind them, ¡°Hurry up, we got you!¡± A man in stripes waved them on and pulled Jimbo in when they got close, ¡°Shit, the captain¡¯s been shot!¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not¡­¡± Cira was going to assure them it was no big deal but trailed off when she realized they weren¡¯t talking about her at all. As they ripped the bags of weapons off Jimbo and sat him down, her eyes went wide and she watched a thick trail of blood soak through his shirt, leading from his chest. ¡°J-Jimbo! Shit, shit, shit!¡±


    Cira rushed to put pressure on the wound, pulling some fabric from her severed sleeves out of a coat pocket and pressing it down. Wait. How is it any different if Jimbo dies? Many lifeless bodies of pirates who claimed the Dreadheart banner laid around her. The docks were stained with their blood, and she could see it pouring through the cracks only to disappear into the clouds.


    I¡¯ve basically killed them all with my own two hands, haven¡¯t I? What right do I have to get upset about one in particular? Just because we¡¯ve had some fun and he¡¯s helped me out a lot. Does it make me a terrible person to care more about his life than the piles of bodies around me? I just¡­ don¡¯t want him to die. Is that so wrong?


    Jimbo looked up with a truly frightened expression and spoke softly to her, ¡°that face you''re makin'' is kinda freakin¡¯ me out.¡± Cira¡¯s eye twitched. ¡°I¡¯m real flattered that you care ¡®bout me so much, but I got strong bones. Bounced right off.¡± He winked and gave her a shit-eating grin as blood soaked the fabric, continuing to pour right through the floor.


    Cira scoffed and reeled back, gaining her composure, ¡°Don¡¯t give me that shit, you moron! If you¡¯re so damn tough, why don¡¯t you burn it shut?¡± While her cheeks flushed in embarrassment, she reached into a pouch at her waist and pulled out a knife with a small crimson jewel beset in its pommel before handing it to Jimbo. ¡°Here you go, prick. Only needs a little mana.¡±


    Aside from Tom laughing, they all looked at her like she was crazy. The one that pulled him in earlier spoke up, ¡°Hey, Captain. Who¡¯s this broad?¡±


    ¡°Watch your mouth, idiots.¡± He readied the knife and Cira watched it start to glow then removed the rag, tossing it away. Blood gurgled from the wound until Jimbo pressed the blade firmly into his skin. He winced as his skin sizzled and the burnt odor that filled the air was less than pleasant. ¡°This here¡¯s Captain Dreadheart. The two of us came to bail you boys out.¡±


    Cira took the knife from him while it was still hot and pressed the other side into her graze wound. The others all blinked at her in disbelief, starting with the first man in stripes, ¡°Seriously¡­? Her?¡±


    Another younger man piped up behind him, ¡°I expected her to be way bigger.¡± Cira eyed him with confusion until a third with dark hair spoke up.


    ¡°I¡¯d say she¡¯s plenty big if you know what I¡ª¡± Smack!


    ¡°I said watch your mouths! This is no time for games.¡± Jimbo¡¯s scolding was cut short as another volley of bullets pounded their barricade, ¡°We need to turn this around. How about a few words from the captain?¡±


    He turned to her and so did any other pirate within earshot. The barricade led to an enclosure and now she could see at least forty or fifty pirates that were scrambling to figure out what to do with nothing but a sword at their waist when they stopped to hear her speak.


    Jimbo sneered while Cira could only sigh at all of their awe-stricken faces.


    ¡°I-it¡¯s her!¡±


    ¡°The scourge of Uru!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll never forget that face as long as I live!¡±


    Oh, please do¡­ Cira lamented.


    Evidently many had either heard of her exploits or witnessed them with their own eyes down in the deritium chamber. Now Cira held their rapt attention and there was nothing she could do about it. What am I even supposed to say? The odds aren''t exactly in our favor here.


    ¡°Men.¡± They all shuddered at the illustrious pirate¡¯s cold tone, hanging on her next words. ¡°We¡¯ve lost too many already. Grab some weapons and don¡¯t let me catch any of you dying today.¡±

 90 - Turning the Tide

    ¡°You heard ¡®er!¡± Jimbo¡¯s shout spurred the men into action, ¡°If any o¡¯ you idiots die, I¡¯ll kill you myself!¡±


    He had the most clever look on his face as everyone rushed the weapons, pulling pistols and makeshift rifles out of the sacks¡ªsome didn¡¯t look safe to use. Cira turned to the chuckling co-captain and nudged her head toward the barricade. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go see why they¡¯re being so quiet, smarty pants?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure they¡¯re comin¡¯.¡± Wick¡¯s men had been firing nonstop between their volleys with intermediate arrows making arcs into the floor around her crew as they scrambled around to avoid them. Now armed, some of them had climbed to the top of the barricade where the ballista was fixed. They had run out of the ridiculously large javelins in fired and positioned themselves to start sniping the royals away. Jimbo poked his head out from the side of the barricade and his hat was blown off instantly.


    ¡°Amateur.¡± Cira caught it out of the air as Jimbo stumbled back, noticing the bullet hole through both sides before putting it on her own head.


    ¡°How the hell would you do it?¡± He pat his head with a deep frown. ¡°They have us pinned down.¡±


    ¡°Well, I probably wouldn¡¯t. That wasn¡¯t a very smart move, after all.¡± Cira put a hand to her chin and thought about the best way out of this situation. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of dead men out there, but is this everybody?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think so. Tom, get over here!¡± The man was up on the barricade and pulled the trigger when he heard Jimbo¡¯s order right as a bullet whizzed past his face. There was a pained scream from the other side of the cove and Tom quickly ducked down and approached Jimbo to see what he wanted. ¡°You¡¯ve been keeping an eye on the place. This don¡¯t look like everyone.¡±


    ¡°Daniel¡¯s got thirty men with him on a treasure hunt with the Far Shore Pirates. That¡¯s what James left his ship for yesterday.¡± Tom finished powdering his musket and packed another round down the barrel. ¡°Took our good guns too. We¡¯d be dead if you two hadn¡¯t showed up, but what are we supposed to do now?¡±


    He looked at Cira expectantly, and she sighed, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s good or bad luck that some of our guys aren¡¯t with us for this slaughter. I¡¯ve got a couple ideas, but I don¡¯t want to be too destructive. Do any of those caves lead back behind Wick¡¯s crew?¡±


    ¡°Hold on, if you got a way to solve this quickly with excessive violence, let me hear it.¡± Jimbo squinted his eyes at her, ¡°I don¡¯t want any more of my men dyin¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Our men, Jimbo. We could sever the docks and burn their side down, but I want their boats.¡± Cira could see their masts above the barricade. They were fine vessels and would make excellent additions to her fleet. ¡°We need to get our men out of here before they realize Wicks men back in town raid failed. I¡¯m sure they have plenty of reinforcements waiting for word¡ªhopefully the kill crew is still wasting their time trying to get into Breeze Haven.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we take my ship? It will fit everyone here.¡± It was one dock down and Cira was surprised they hadn¡¯t torched it already. They must have been trying to maximize what they could steal. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m wrong, but your ship looks slow. It doesn¡¯t have a lot of weapons on it either. What the hell did Don do with all that money?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still on the ship¡­ Yeah, it¡¯s slow.¡± Jimbo made a frustrated face, ¡°I knew I shoulda moved it¡­ Dammit.¡±


    ¡°It still looks slow, but don¡¯t worry, the plan¡¯s better this way.¡± She vaguely reassured him. Just like idle hands, it¡¯s great to have spare tools around. When she didn¡¯t think about it, there was nothing wrong with that comparison. In this context, the royal battleship would become a tool to help them escape on the other two and Jimbo¡¯s. I better not get ahead of myself. ¡°Now we don¡¯t have all day. Can we get behind them or not¡ª¡±


    ¡°C-Captains!¡± A scrawny young pirate lad with curly chin hairs approached them, and Cira noticed there were a great many idle hands holding guns behind him. Only a handful could safely peek out from the barricade and the others were understandably frightened to go out in the open. ¡°What do we do?!¡±


    Cira intensified her glare towards Jimbo and Tom, the latter answering, ¡°We can, but it¡¯s not a short path. Five or ten minutes. They¡¯d figure out something¡¯s up unless we leave behind enough people to keep them back somehow. That¡¯s our biggest problem.¡±


    ¡°So, we need a ruse¡­ I need to get a look at them really quick, hold on.¡± There was a ledge that let her crouch down just below the top of the barricade and Cira crept onto it. Their bullets had started to come erratically, and she couldn¡¯t hear any orders from the other side from this far. With a pistol at the ready, she set her new hat to the side and peaked through a notch in the wall, lining up the sights.


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    I¡¯m going to be the proud owner of so many guns after this. Why do they have so many? A sorcerer doesn¡¯t need all that. A majority of them had rifles or heavy muskets, but behind the front line there were nine groups of archers and pistol wielders taking potshots at cracks and bindings in the barricade. It held strong as there was another layer on her side, but it wouldn¡¯t hold up forever. Meanwhile, her crew was making headway when they poked their heads up a couple seconds at a time. There were casualties on the royals¡¯ side now too and some of their line was getting thinned out, but when someone fell, another from the back would replace them and pick up their rifle.


    A leaf rustled in Cira¡¯s peripheral, and she noticed movement up on the hillside. Two stealthy pirates made their way over to them slowly but surely. Bastards. No wonder they weren¡¯t advancing. Just who¡¯s giving these orders? Or are they all acting alone now?


    When it doubt, Cira could always look for the tallest hat. None wore those of a captain, but she did notice six men wearing red caps among the crowd, evenly spaced from each other. If only I had all six of my bullets in a single gun.


    Cira was getting nervous with her face partially exposed for so long and tried to aim fast. It looked similar to a crossbow from her end, but she wasn¡¯t sure she could hit her mark. Regardless, she knocked her pistol¡¯s barrel on the barricade¡¯s notch and aimed for the closest one, slowly letting out her breath. When she squeezed the trigger there was an ear-piercing bang and it tried to kick back on her much harder than she expected. Cira had aimed for the man¡¯s hip to incapacitate him, but when it jerked up, she watched the bullet hit him square in the chest and her eyes jolted open as she watched blood shoot out.


    No way¡­ Did I just¡ª


    From the puncture¡¯s location it looked like it barely missed his heart, but it was a wound as grievous as any. She watched the captains she shot get prompt first aid and wrapped in bandages before being carried to the ship, but it was hard to picture this one surviving with how much blood was pouring out. It escaped like a fountain as he fell to his knees, growing visibly paler by the second.


    Her own face paled in kind as the man slumped to the ground and a bullet missed her face by an inch, splintering the barricade and sending wood flying. Her hands shook and she felt nails dig into her palm as she remained frozen in place.


    He¡¯s really dying. I killed him. I extinguished a life with my own two hands. With¡­ this. Cira turned the gun over in her hand with a disgusted look on her face. What a dreadful instrument. I can¡¯t imagine if it held multiple shots. Those without magic don¡¯t stand a chance¡ª


    She felt herself fall backwards right in time to see a bullet trail through the space where her head was. Cira was dazed as she hit the ground, supported by a few pirates holding her up. Her wide eyes turned to Jimbo and she shouted in her face, ¡°The shit are you doing?! Tryin¡¯ to get yourself killed or what?¡±


    ¡°I-I just¡­¡± Cira fumbled her words and Jimbo shook her around.


    ¡°You got a plan or not?!¡± His face was red, and it was clear he was angry with her.


    Wallow later, you¡¯re great at that. Snap out of it, Cira¡ªNo. Cira¡¯s taking a nap. It¡¯s Captain Dreadheart¡¯s day. Not that she could really conjure a split personality at will to take care of the hard work for her, but it helped her focus on the task at hand. She shook her head and brushed the hair out of her face before looking over everyone with a hardened gaze.


    ¡°Fifteen of you stay here to hold them down. I have some artifacts that should help. Everyone else follows me and Jimbo.¡± Cira pulled a knife from her waist and flipped it around in her hand, ¡°Those who stay, try to keep the pressure on them. Focus on the guys in red hats when you can, and don¡¯t forget to keep an eye on the hills.¡±


    She threw her knife into the trees, and it started crackling as it tore through the air with erratic bursts of light. The blade found its home in the ribs of one of the sneaky pirates and the crackles got louder in a bright flash. A bolt of lightning arced from him to his partner and back again, popping like firecrackers as it singed the leaves around them. The light died out and the two men rolled down the hill to settle on the dock with their bodies contorted.


    ¡°Holy shit!¡± Tom watched them fall nervously, ¡°I didn¡¯t even see them!¡±


    ¡°Right. Be careful. Sorry, but I¡¯m leaving you in charge here.¡± She poured the remaining pouch at her waist onto the ground and a barrel¡¯s worth of weapons fell out. Mostly knives or short swords, but there were a couple hatchets in the mix or other such small weapons. She picked through the pile and threw a few of the more dangerous ones back into a pouch¡ªThere was another bomb-type artifact, but it would destroy the dock so it probably wouldn¡¯t see use today. ¡°Hang onto the swords, but everything else works when you throw it. Most of them shouldn¡¯t need any mana at all. I¡¯d like to recover them, so please don¡¯t throw them off the edge, but I understand accidents happen. Only throw them if any of Wick¡¯s men make it past the armory or they¡¯ll probably just throw them right back. Also, those gray orbs are smoke bombs. Throw them into the crowd once you see us hitting them from the other side. You got this, Tom?¡±


    He gulped, looking between her and the weapons, then nodded resolutely, ¡°You can count on me. We¡¯ll pinch the bastards.¡±


    ¡°Damn right, we will. Now I better leave them with a gift to tide them over.¡± Cira lobbed another polished stone over the barricade, and it flashed black and white through the air. A few seconds after it left her line of sight, she heard the sound like a single loud bang of a ceremonial drum followed by more panicked cries of the wannabe royals.


    ¡°What in the world was that¡­?¡± Jimbo asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s not important. Let¡¯s go.¡± She nudged him along as he was the one who knew the way.


    ¡°Alright, boys, you heard the captain. Follow me!¡± The enclosure leading back from the barricade met the wall and there was a cave opening just next to it and the two hurriedly entered the dark tunnel with the remainder of their crew following behind. Everyone had heavy hearts for those who were lost today and steeled their resolve to see this fight through to the end.

 91 - The Light at the End of the Tunnel

    It wasn¡¯t long until they reached an old wooden door and Jimbo opened it with a bulky key from his pocket. Beyond it was a large torchlit room, and to Cira¡¯s surprise, a great many cowering women and children.


    ¡°The hell is this?¡± Cira nudged him with a pointed glare, ¡°Why are there children here?¡±


    ¡°People have kids, what do you want from me?¡± As he shrugged, a young woman who looked like she was trying to impersonate Cirina Dreadheart approached with tight pants and a corset under her heavy coat.


    ¡°Captain, you¡¯re back!¡± The blonde pirate girl gasped when she saw Jimbo¡¯s bloodstained shirt and gently rested her hand on his side, ¡°You¡¯re hurt!¡±


    There were tears welling up in her eyes as she looked up at him with worry, and Cira couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s got strong bones. Bounced right off.¡±


    Her expression froze before turning sour as she locked eyes with Cira. ¡°A-and just who do you think you are? Is it your fault my Jimbo got hurt?!¡±


    ¡°Ohoho, your Jimbo?¡± the man in question did not appreciate his own shit-eating grin being turned against him.


    ¡°You¡¯re too clueless to be giving me that look,¡± Jimbo shook his head, ¡°Sorry, Tawny, we¡¯re kind of in a rush.¡±


    The girl noticed the rest of the crew packed in behind them and let them through the doorway, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Wick¡¯s men are trying to push us, so we¡¯re sneakin¡¯ around behind ¡®em.¡± Tawny followed them as they continued to the next door.


    ¡°T-take me with you! I can help. Please, if they break through, it won¡¯t matter how many are protecting the kids!¡±


    Ahh, so that¡¯s what¡¯s going on. These aren¡¯t housewives and damsels, they¡¯re just more pirates. Well, some of them, at least¡­ There were a few women in the back wearing sundresses and cradling their frantic sons and daughters who she couldn¡¯t imagine in a fight judging mostly by the fear in their eyes. It reminded her of the citizens of Uren cowering before Estelle.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± Jimbo said sternly, ¡°You¡ª¡±


    ¡°You know my magic will be useful! I can do it, Jimmy, I swear!¡± Her eyes were pleading, and she kept her fists clenched tight.


    Jimmy, huh? They must really be close. ¡°And she even casts magic, huh? How delightful. I say bring her.¡±


    ¡°Fine, whatever. There¡¯s no time for this.¡± He finished fumbling with a keychain and got the next door opened up before hurrying through. The line of pirates started moving again and they all delved further into the island through a winding tunnel.


    Unlike Fount Salt¡¯s ridiculous network of caves that one could at minimum fly a small boat through, this one was just wide enough to fit two people side by side. Cira could touch the ceiling if she wanted and noticed the dark stone that made up Lost Cloud didn¡¯t reflect anywhere near as much light, making the tunnel ahead truly dark even in the face of a torch and nifty light-up ring.


    ¡°I never thought I¡¯d miss Fount Salt,¡± Cira complained, running her hand along the damp wall, ¡°but this cave is depressing.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Tawny cut in from behind with a snide tone in her voice, but not looking at Cira at all, ¡°Are you going to tell me who this hag is? And just why are you listening to her?¡±


    ¡°Oh, come on,¡± Cira retorted before Jimbo got the chance, ¡°You¡¯ve clearly never met a true hag if you think I¡¯m one. Suppose I were, it¡¯s clear that we¡¯re not in a swamp right now. I would be far outside the range of my glamour and the malignant claw-hands and hunched back would be on full display. My entire body would sag, covered in festering boils, and honestly¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what a swamp hag would say,¡± Jimbo held up a hand to stop her, ¡°Nobody knows what you¡¯re talking about. Just look, you¡¯re scarin¡¯ her.¡±


    Tawny shrunk back a little when Cira looked at her and bumped into the guys walking behind her, ¡°I-I¡¯m not scared! I don¡¯t even know what a hag is! Wh-who the hell are you, woman?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s our questionably illustrious captain.¡± Jimbo deadpanned.


    ¡°What?! Impossible¡± She got bumped into again and pushed forward, causing a small commotion, ¡°Wh-why do you look like me? Are you trying to get close to my Jimmy?¡±


    How could I possibly know what she looks like? Am I being accused of bleaching my hair? Cira ran a concerned hand through the silky golden locks that hung past her shoulders, ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°Calm yourself, Tawny. I assure you this is the one and only Captain Dreadheart. Witch-burnin, island-breakin¡¯ Dreadheart.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help but mention those claims are embellished,¡± Jimbo judgmentally side eyed her, and she felt the need to add, ¡°Marginally¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s just no way!¡± Tawny really wouldn¡¯t let it go and was fraught with distress over it, ¡°She doesn¡¯t have a trace of mana.¡±


    ¡°Discerning eyes,¡± Cira gave credit where credit was due, ¡°Maybe you can help Jimbo with his vision problem.¡±


    He watched the question form on Tawny¡¯s face and cut her off, ¡°They¡¯re trainin¡¯ goggles. And the captain¡¯s got a busted soul from burnin¡¯ witches too hard.¡± He gave himself a good laugh with that one.


    ¡°I don¡¯t buy it.¡± Tawny replied curtly, ¡°She¡¯s probably some invalid from the outskirts trying to pull your leg, Jimmy.¡±


    He sighed deeply as they met a fork in the path. Cira wondered what lay to the right deeper into the island, but the left clearly wrapped around the cove in a wide berth. Jimbo led them to the left and gave Tawny a serious look, ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯d love to hear your theories, but there¡¯s a better time and place. Trust me, I think she responds the worst to mild irritations. There¡¯s just too many dead men out there to be arguing¡ª¡± Jimbo watched her eyes widen and hesitated, ¡°Er, sorry¡­ You were inside the whole time.¡±


    Tears welled up in Tawny¡¯s eyes again and she clenched her fists, ¡°How bad is it¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s bad. We¡¯ll know just how bad after we clean up this mess. Are you two ready?¡±


    Cira nodded, ¡°Of course. Are we almost there?¡±


    Tawny also nodding while she dried her tears, but her expression looked like she was about walk the plank. Jimbo gave her a reassuring smile, ¡°It¡¯ll be just fine, I promise. We got it all worked out.¡± Suddenly their attention was all drawn to the sound of footsteps ahead rapidly approaching, ¡°Hold! Who goes there?!¡±


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    He held a pistol out and Cira did the same, followed by the clacks of a few more weapons from behind them. It sounded like multiple people running desperately. Soon shouts could be heard, ¡°Captainnnnn!¡±


    Skipper and Joe appeared from down the dark tunnel panting heavily. They slowed down and hunched over to catch their breath. Joe got up first with a confused look on his face, ¡°Is everyone evacuating? We came as fast as we could.¡±


    ¡°Nope, we¡¯re turnin¡¯ it around. Now get your asses moving.¡± He pulled the two back up the rest of the way and nudged them forward, ¡°What the hell happened to you guys?¡±


    Their clothes were torn to shreds and both had bruises on their faces and arms. Skipper looked up at them helplessly, ¡°Wick¡¯s minister put a bounty on us. The whole town went nuts.¡±


    ¡°Skipper¡¯s is as high as yours, Jimbo, since everybody saw him carryin¡¯ the captain in.¡± Jimbo really pushed them along now and shouted to the men behind to keep moving again. Joe stumbled forward before continuing, ¡°Still, not as high as the captain¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°How high are we talking¡­?¡± Cirina finally has a bounty, huh? For a crime she didn¡¯t commit. How drab.


    ¡°A thousand gold crowns for you, half that for these two.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound very high¡ª¡±


    ¡°It is.¡± Jimbo cut in with a nervous glint in his eye, ¡°Now everyone shut up, we¡¯re almost there.¡±


    There was still the noise of trailing pirates and their march, but there was nothing that could be done about it aside from slowing the pace as light began to bleed into the cave from up ahead. Cira did her best to quiet the clacking of her crutch and pulled a pistol back out from under her coat before cocking the hammer back with her thumb.


    At the end of the tunnel trees and dense brush came into view just like when they first arrived at the hideout. The pirates had slowed to a crawl as they got closer, and the sounds of battle echoed into the cave. Bullets and cries of the wounded washed over them, and Jimbo held a hand up before talking quietly, ¡°We need to get everyone out of the cave as quietly as possible. Pass it down.¡±


    Tawny passed it to the row behind her and so on. After a couple minutes of pirate whispers, Jimbo signaled with his hands and crept past the hanging leaves. Cira followed him closely and saw a small patch of trees in front of them with a wooden building on the left. He seemed to be aiming for that.


    At the edge of the trees, she could see black and gold backs and watched the smoke rising out of their guns¡¯ barrels. From the looks of it, they were still mostly grouped up on this side. A bright flame burst down by the armory and one of the groups trying to advance was swiftly dropped.


    Trying her best to sneak, Cira could still hear the footsteps behind her, only getting louder as more men had to pass through the brush. It¡¯s only a matter of time until they see us. This won¡¯t work. It will be another slaughter.


    Reaching into her pocket, she grabbed a couple extra smoke bombs she held onto and lobbed them across the way, half-heartedly aiming for Wick¡¯s battleships. Just as she¡¯d hoped, they landed among a crowd of royal pirates and threw them into a panic. Their screams would muffle her crews movement until they could safely get behind some real cover.


    Cira and Jimbo were now behind the building and keeping an eye around the corner while the others made their way. It was maybe fifty feet to the mouth of the cave, but they were still exiting and crossing the brush at a snail¡¯s pace. Cira tried waving them on so they could take advantage of the precious few moments she bought.


    With another key, Jimbo quietly opened the backdoor to the building, ushering her inside. The men all filed in as so soon as they made it to cover, and once they were all inside, Jimbo locked the door again.


    ¡°Okay, we made it. Luckily, this is right where we want to be in a crisis.¡± He opened a cupboard and grabbed a glass jug from it, taking a few hearty gulps and offering it around.


    ¡°Hey, what the hell.¡± Cirina took it in her hands and responded in kind, nearly choking as the clear liquid burned her throat. A true swashbuckler wouldn¡¯t cough. Hold it in. After a harsh groan left her throat, ¡°Man, that hit the spot.¡± She lied. ¡°You can¡¯t possibly have led us here for this though.¡±


    ¡°Course not, I was just thirsty. Let¡¯s go upstairs. Tawny, Scrims, Jebedia and Wombus, come with us. Everybody else, get ready to attack on my signal!¡±


    They all had started passing bottles around too and dutifully corked them on his order while whispering a collective, ¡°Aye, aye, Captain!¡±


    Cira¡¯s face quickly twisted into a smile as they reached the top of the stairs where three large cannons sat in front of closed wooden shutters. The three named goons started rolling cannonballs across the floor and loading them up. ¡°Interesting. I suppose if you spend enough time at the tavern, you would want it to be well guarded.¡±


    ¡°You get it.¡± Jimbo agreed, pulling a box from behind the bar. ¡°Tawny, once those cannons go of, get ready.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± She was sweating and Cira could see the nervous look in her eyes.


    ¡°What kind of magic do you cast anyway?¡± The illustrious captain was a sorcerer at heart and couldn¡¯t help but inquire.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing special¡­ Just a little fire and wind.¡± Tawny seemed to want to deprecate herself for some reason.


    ¡°They compliment each other well.¡± She admitted, ¡°So, when are we doing this?¡±


    The goon trio had finished loading their cannons and were anxiously waiting to open the shutters.


    ¡°Looks like now. Go on, boys!¡± They threw the shutters open and lit the fuses on the cannons. Cira could hear Wick¡¯s men shouting from below, having noticed the windows, but before they got a chance to do anything the whole tavern rumbled with cannon blasts. When they fired, the recoil pushed them back into the room and the three had to wheel them back into place.


    Cira could hear the splintering of the docks and devasted cries of all the pirates in their line of fire. Following the cannons, there was ceaseless gunfire from the room below which hardly drowned out the war cries of her impassioned crew. Cira watched scores of men fall to the ground and gush blood, refusing to look away.


    I¡¯ve come this far. No going back, really. It¡¯s us or them. Cira got close to a window and peeked out it, stealing a shot at one of the red hatted men. Few remained, using others as meat shields, but the sorcerer had the high ground and could let loose a bullet straight to her target.


    She did a better job handing the kick, and it buried itself in his shoulder. After holstering the pistol, she drew another loaded one. Cira backed away for a moment to let another volley of cannonballs go off before taking aim again. Fireballs shot out of the window next to her, accelerated by wind and engulfing small groups of men at once. It wasn¡¯t enough to burn them alive, but their clothes were charred, and the victims were reduced to writhing on the ground with melted skin.


    Their enemies produced wooden shields from somewhere and stood up to reinforce the new front line, but with so many bullets flying at them they splintered away with each passing second. With their attention now turned, Cira saw a few throwing knives from across the barricade as Tom must have ordered them to kick it up a notch.


    Crackling ice formed in spires before dissipating while thin twisters crept across the dock, throwing men out of the way like dolls. Cira saw Tom lead a small group in a sprint to the armory. They hid behind it and took potshots into the crowd from much closer.


    We¡¯re really doing this. We can actually turn this around. From all the dead and injured accumulating on the royals¡¯ side, more yet ran down ramps from their ships. It seemed there was no end to them, but they had lost any leverage they had over the fight. If it came down to a battle of attrition, they would win swiftly as the supply of royals dried up.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡­¡± Tawny lost her breath for a moment. ¡°We¡¯re gonna make it.¡±


    ¡°Damn right we are!¡± Jimbo shouted as he picked a man off one of the ramps with a rife rested on the window sill. ¡°Take this ya bastards!¡±


    He grabbed what could only be a black powder bomb out of the crate he found earlier and tossed one out the window after lighting it.


    It was for good cause, but Cira still complaind, ¡°So much for not destroying the hideout¡ª¡± Only to be cut off as the mist surrounding Lost Cloud lit up like the sun was exploding. Soon it became blinding, and she could hear a shrill whirring as the clouds seemed to drift outward from a point.


    Cira¡¯s eyes went wide as a massive beam of golden light broke through the clouds and in the blink of an eye pierced all three of Wick¡¯s battleships clean through and burned a hole in the island, setting trees ablaze.


    ¡°My ships! M-my plan!¡± As Cira gawked at the incredible display of mysterious power. The royals¡¯ ships had begun to plummet, trailing thick, black smoke through their descent. The canopy sails still did their best but couldn¡¯t overcome the damage done. Within a minute the imposing battleships had all broken apart disappeared into the cloudy abyss below.


    What is it now¡­? A third faction? More enemies?! They had just started making progress, and now a whole new problem fell out of the skey.


    Cira¡¯s stomach dropped when she saw a sail drift through the clouds and into view. As it emerged, it bore two masts and the sails had a golden sun painted on each of them. The hull was crafted with a fine, rosy wood that glistened beautifully in the sun. There was a large cannon on the bow which still held a dim flickering light at the end of the barrel.


    ¡°Jimbo. I want that ship.¡±

 92 - The Mage and the Whelp

    ¡°That one?!¡± Jimbo looked at her like the world¡¯s biggest idiot, ¡°You¡¯re saying you want that ship?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­? It¡¯s a nice boat. What¡¯s your deal?¡± Normally I would expect unfounded support from his corner. Is he saying that ship¡¯s out of our league? ¡°I want it.¡±


    ¡°Boy, do I have good news for you.¡± Contrary to his nay-saying, the shit-eating grin was back in full force. ¡°That there¡¯s the Far Shore¡¯s flagship.¡±


    Cira gasped, ¡°Are you saying¡ª¡± She covered her mouth with a hand in shock.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± He casually tossed another bomb out the window. ¡°That ship¡¯s been under your command since the second week of your coma.¡±


    Now wearing an unabashed smile, Cira got jittery with excitement, ¡°What a pleasant surprise. I can¡¯t wait to look at the cannon. Do you think they¡¯ll shoot it again?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think it can fire up again so fast, but I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be happy to give you the tour.¡± The three royal vessels were long gone¡ªthe only trace of them which remained was trailing smoke that rose from the clouds, growing thinner by the second as the prevailing mist drowned it out. ¡°I¡¯m sure if you focus on the task at hand, you¡¯ll get to see it much sooner.¡±


    Even thought the Far Shore''s ship still loomed in the distance, it had destroyed the royals'' morale. Their offense was on it''s last legs and they no longer stood with the confidence they did when black and gold blotted out the docks. Now the prevelant color here was crimson.


    ¡°Right, my bad.¡± It¡¯s hard not to get excited. I¡¯ve done nothing but lose, lately. I deserve a nice boat, dammit. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re almost there. How¡¯s your negligible flesh wound doing, by the way?¡±


    Tawny judgmentally glowered her way, but Cira had her eyes on the battle below. The cannons went off every minute or two until they ran out of ammo, but her crew didn¡¯t give Wick¡¯s any time to put up a meaningful defense, shooting from across the small cove and from the tavern¡¯s first floor behind their line. At first the royals tried aiming for Cira and the goons in the upstairs windows, but each man who gave such an order inexplicable fell to the ground in a pool of blood. Eventually the opposition had taken to cover instead.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little light-headed, but I¡¯ve been shot worse in my day.¡± He patted a hand over his chest wound and tossed another bomb into the crowd.


    Their attention was drawn by Tawny who was breathing heavily by the window, charging another high-speed fireball. ¡°Come to think of it, have you been trying to activate the Sorcerer¡¯s Cube? It¡¯s been a couple hours.¡±


    ¡°Aw, hell.¡± Jimbo tried to wipe the sweat from his brow and smacked the goggles into his face. Grumbling, he pulled the cube from his pocket and strained himself trying to make it light up. ¡°Dammit¡­ At least I¡¯m starting to see mana now¡ªI think. That¡¯s a good sign, right?¡±


    ¡°Sure is. You¡¯ll be casting magic in a few days, I¡¯m certain.¡± Not that it will be very impressive, but progress is progress. Cira watched Tawny nearly collapse on the ground, only to shake herself off and start charging another fireball. Her pained groans were starting to distract Cira.


    The sorcerer gently nudged her with the end of her crutch, ¡°Tawny, is it? Stop casting before you hurt yourself. I don¡¯t need my aura to be able to tell you¡¯re about to lose yours.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just¡­ a no-good lesser from the outskirts¡­¡± Her words came between labored breaths. Lesser¡­ I think Estelle used that word. It must be a common term in these skies for those not ¡®blessed¡¯ with mana. ¡°Why should I listen to a whelp like you¡ª¡±


    Tawny¡¯s spiteful words were cut short to the sound of Cira¡¯s crutch splintering as it broke over her head. ¡°Congratulations, little girl. You have officially pissed me off.¡±


    ¡°Y-you bitch!¡± Jimbo was frozen in shell shock as the girl started conjuring a fireball. He jumped to stop her when Cira shot him a glare that turned him right back into a statue. ''Twas a sorcery only a scornful woman could conjure. ¡°I¡¯ll expose you here and now for the snake you really are!¡±


    The goons hid behind Jimbo as the events unfolded. The fireball grew larger than any Tawny had conjured before and a torrent of wind churned it around, rippling the air in the room as Cira¡¯s irritation grew into full-blown anger. The scowl she wore deepened with each second and the girl somehow wore an arrogant grin.


    I really misjudged this one. What a shame. Tawny threw her hand out in the same motion that she let loose her attacks on the royal pirates¡ªbut nothing happened. The fireball continued to hover in front of her, even growing in size. ¡°Wh-what¡¯s going on¡ª¡± Panic crept into her face as something completely unprecedented was happening. She had lost all control over her spell.


    ¡°Foolish girl. I intended to give you the benefit of the doubt because Jimbo seems fond of you, but you wasted more mana attacking me than you¡¯ve spent the whole time fending off our invaders.¡± Without a trace of shame, Cira hopped closer to her on one leg as the girl began to shrink down, ¡°Do you not see all the men that died while you hid in the cave? This is my first day here, but surely you recognize them. Do you truly have the luxury to quibble like a child in this moment?!¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡± The girl¡¯s face had started to grow pale and sweat poured down her face. ¡°What have you done?!¡±


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°You see I¡¯m quite lacking in mana at the moment,¡± One of the rings she wore held a dull glimmer as she commandeered the amateur mage¡¯s spell, ¡°And robbing you of such pitiful sorcery is a trivial matter. Conveniently, you just kept charging the spell so I could hold the pathway open. Since you have proven to be most irresponsible with it, I will be reappropriating your mana.¡±


    Why do people always have to push me? I don¡¯t like being the bad guy. It¡¯s the girl¡¯s own fault for talking like that unsavory witch. Is whelp a common insult up here too?


    As the girl sunk into the floor, her fireball grew hotter, yet smaller as Cira condensed it. The wind only accelerated as she began to suck the girl¡¯s aura dry. Jimbo ran up frantically and tried to talk her down, ¡°Hold on, Dreadheart! Just calm down, she doesn¡¯t know any better!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s no excuse.¡± Her voice was cold as she continued to rip mana out of the girl. What were you acting all tired for when you have this much? Why weren¡¯t you fighting?! ¡°With this much mana she could have saved many lives before we showed up, or even turned the battle around herself.¡± Jimbo wore a troubled face as he looked between her and the girl barely holding herself off the ground. I guess I should at least leave her aura intact. I don¡¯t want to set a precedent. Cira moved the fireball outside by way of incinerating part of the wall as it had grown too large to fit out the window.


    As it slowly descended, the wind spun around and flared out, forming a twister which caught flame and transformed into a brilliant cyclone. She held it above the dock, but its surface still turned to charcoal as the inferno crept towards the remaining crowd of royal pirates. Some fell to their knees while others started running only to realize they had no escape route.


    Just as Cira¡¯s Lamplight Ring could feed off the darkness, other artifacts could power themselves by consuming an element for its mana. This effect could also be achieved by a sorcerer of at least moderate caliber when casting (or controlling) a spell. In this way, Cira¡¯s burning cyclone continued to grow. Before it even reached them, Wick¡¯s men were thrown to the side with only minor burns, but the psychological effect was not to be discounted.


    The ring on her finger started to burn as well, glowing like molten metal, and she knew she would need to wrap this up swiftly. Cira made the inferno float out over the edge and start fanning out before spitting masses of fireballs aimlessly outwards, crashing into the hillside and in between groups of frantic pirates. As she watched the ostensibly harmless chaos she wrought ensue, the spell stealing ring on her finger cracked and went dim.


    Embers rained from a cloud of thick smoke and Cira cast a cold glare at Tawny who cowered on the ground, just fighting to stay conscious. She shrunk back as Cira got closer, ¡°Yet instead of using your strength to help the crew navigate a crisis, you tried to unleash half of your mana at me. You¡¯re lucky I left you your aura.


    ¡°How¡­¡± Tawny¡¯s voice was weak as she spoke to Cira from below, ¡°How did you do that? With my mana¡­?¡±


    Cira ignored the girl and pulled the wooden leg out of her beltloop before leaning back against a table and strapping it to her stump. She gave it a few test steps and it hurt much worse than she imagined. Jimbo winced as she turned to him and noticed something sticking out of his pocket.


    ¡°Give me that.¡± She pulled out a bottle and took a drink before walking to the freshly enlarged window.


    ¡°Hey, I need that¡ª¡± Jimbo started to complain, but Cira quickly cut him off.


    ¡°Let¡¯s be done with this.¡± Then she jumped off the ledge onto the docks below.


    It wasn¡¯t a very tall second story, and she managed to roll into it with her good leg. When she got up, she dusted her shoulders off and approached the now cowering royals. They were scattered now, and any semblance of resistance was gone with the wind. At this point her crew nearly outnumbered them¡ªthere couldn¡¯t be more than fifty of left.


    Meanwhile, the large ship with the golden suns had made its way into the cove and begun their descent through the black smoke that engulfed the cove. A few more swigs of fiery spirits and Cira stashed the bottle away in her pocket, pulling out two pistols and firing them into the air.


    As the battle quelled in the wake of her firestorm, the gunfire drew everyone in the hideout¡¯s attention, and she threw the spent guns on the ground. Trying to get used to walking with her new leg, she pulled out another gun and drew her cutlass. These legs are no real substitute. It was expected, but this sure does suck. Each step was like being stabbed and she realized that it would have been wiser to hang onto her crutch for a little while longer.


    Oh, I better put this one on. As the Ring of Effulgence slipped onto her finger, her entire body started to glow with the light of emerging mana. The royals all stared at her like she was powering up to turn the slaughter around and she had to hide a grin.


    This ring was the best for bluffing¡ªit just gathered light around her. Admittedly, it made her look similar to when Estelle was about to unleash one of her spells directly into Nanri¡¯s pendant, so any fight left in the invaders quickly drifted away.


    Now hardly a stone-throw away from the first group of scrambling men with torn black and gold armor, Cira looked at them with contempt. ¡°All of you, stop scurrying around!¡± She shot one in the foot, throwing the pistol on the ground to draw another from her coat.


    ¡°Please spare us!¡± One burly fellow with brown hair and blood all over his clothes threw himself on the ground, followed by ten or so pirates surrounding him.


    Really? Just like that? They killed so many¡­ Would they have stopped if we surrendered? Still, I can¡¯t exactly cull them.


    With a frustrated sigh, Cira sheathed her sword and crossed her arms, looking over the royal pirates with even greater contempt. Much to her displeasure, more pirates fell to their knees, some even bowing.


    ¡°We swear allegiance to Captain Dreadheart!¡± The yelping started to pile up among the sparse crowd.


    ¡°Please, I-I¡¯ll fight for ya!¡± Another middle-aged pirate with an eyepatch approached only to throw himself at her feet, ¡°I¡¯ve got a kid back home! Please, you gotta spare me!¡±


    ¡°And what of the men you killed?¡± Cira¡¯s eyes grazed over the carnage of the last half hour. There was the sound of rain, but it was only blood as it trickled between the boards beneath their feet all along the docks. It brought Cira a little relief to see the dead royals outnumbered her men by a great deal now, but that respite quickly soured. ¡°How many men did you make me kill? I don¡¯t even know the answer to that. Why should I spare you?¡±


    Cira held her pistol to his head and cocked the hammer back when she felt a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Cool it, Captain.¡± She turned to see Jimbo with a faint glint of concern in his eye, ¡°Somethin¡¯ tells me you don¡¯t really want to execute the guy. We won.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Maybe you¡¯re right.¡± What am I doing¡­? How many men have I killed? I should be reducing that number, not adding to it. I bet a lot of them had families too. There are children who won¡¯t see their father for dinner tonight because their lives were stolen¡­ by me.


    Cira shuddered as the reality of what she had done started to set in. She slowly lowered her gun and looked down at the man sniveling on his knees. ¡°Your fate doesn¡¯t belong to me.¡±

 93 - String of Fate

    Thirty-nine men and four women sat bound in ropes on the remaining docks of Dreadheart Cove. Blood and burns marred their bodies as Jimbo looked over them with a deep frown. From the armory to where Wick¡¯s crew landed was half-burned down and they dragged everyone back toward the barricade before it started to collapse.


    Cira¡¯s newest battleship was docked next to them and took up most of the view while Jimbo deliberated with his immediate crew. ¡°Gah, I wish James was here. He¡¯s much better at this stuff.¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s any way I can help, Captains, just let me know.¡± A young man just a few years older than Cira by her estimate stood with them. He had descended from the flagship alone as when they finally got close enough to help again, the battle was over. The young Captain of the Far Shore pirates had light blue hair the color of the morning sky or breaking waves, while his face was soft with delicate features¡ªnothing like the rugged pirates Cira had come to know.


    ¡°Reverend Shores, was it?¡± Cira inspected him with scrutiny. There must have been a reason Jimbo said he didn¡¯t like them, and I think I might understand.


    ¡°Please, just Shores to you, Lady Saint.¡± His smile froze as he saw a less than welcoming expression on Cira¡¯s face.


    ¡°I¡¯m no saint and you will not refer to me as such.¡± As her gaze bore into him, he started to wither.


    ¡°M-my apologies, er, Captain!¡± Now he too had fallen to his knees, ¡°I only wish to swear my eternal allegiance to the blessed one, foretold of in the scripture!¡±


    She let out a long sigh, ¡°Great¡­ I don¡¯t have time to ask what that¡¯s about.¡± With her arms crossed, Cira paced around and grumbled for a few seconds, ¡°I¡¯ve got it. You and all your men start clearing out this base. Put anything you can call treasure on Jimbo¡¯s ship and everything else on yours. Prepare to weigh anchor on my word.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain!¡± He saluted and ran off toward his ship again. Meanwhile the thirty or forty pirates that went on a treasure hunt with them filed off and started to help with disaster relief¡ªmainly moving bodies and tending to the wounded.


    The atmosphere across the hideout was heavy. It was a victory in that they weren¡¯t annihilated, but about a third of the Stick Brigade was confirmed dead, while a few handfuls more would live with their injuries for the rest of their life. Some were in such a state where they may never walk or wield a blade again.


    Any of Wick¡¯s men confirmed dead were stripped and tossed into the clouds. Cira watched the Far Shore in their tan-schemed and surprisingly well-kempt pirate rags hoofing any salvageable pieces of their black and gold painted armor while tossing the rest off the edge.


    ¡°We need to get out of here.¡± Cira interrupted Jimbo¡¯s conversation with Tom and the rest, ¡°With this much smoke, I bet the whole island¡¯s coming.¡±


    The fires had died out, but a thick pillar of black smoke still loomed overhead. It stained the veil of mist above them and slowly spread out on the breeze.


    ¡°What do you plan on doing with them?¡± She pressed.


    ¡°P-please don¡¯t kill us!¡± They were all stricken with fear, but one man¡¯s cry broke the floodgates and they all started to plead for their lives. ¡°We never wanted to work for Wick!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know him like we know him!¡± Another tried to convince them, ¡°He¡¯s crazy! If we didn¡¯t come, we¡¯d be dead!¡±


    ¡°He ain¡¯t even back yet!¡± Jimbo rebutted.


    ¡°He got back yesterday.¡± The pirate broke down, sobbing as he begged. ¡°Y-you know me, Jimbo! We went to school together! I don¡¯t wanna die for a bastard like that!¡±


    I always thought of pirates as nomadic, but when they gather on an island like this, I guess it makes sense that childhood friends could end up on enemy crews. I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t grow up on the Noose.


    ¡°The fact remains,¡± Jimbo¡¯s expression was difficult to read, but it was clear he was troubled. ¡°You killed a lot of my friends. Some assholes too, but they were all my men.¡±


    Easily a hundred of Wick¡¯s crew had perished during this raid, many of them likely this man¡¯s friend, but the aggressor didn¡¯t have the luxury to complain about that. The sniveling man had no recourse.


    ¡°You know, I used to work for Captain Wick,¡± Joe had lost Larry¡¯s shirt at some point during the last minutes of battle and looked at Cira, who was trying her best to stay out of the deliberations. ¡°Until Jimbo kicked my ass. You may be new here, but not many choose to work for Wick. He stashed me mom ¡®n¡¯ little sister away somewhere and made me to go out on hits like this.¡±


    Good to know. The guy is worse than Don. Still, how do you deal with that? When a captain sends an order, it¡¯s still the ones in front of us who pull the trigger. The ones with our crew¡¯s blood quite literally on their hands.


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    When Cira didn¡¯t reply, Joe continued his tale, ¡°He spotted me the coin to send ¡®em up to Porta Bora and helped me get ¡®em back.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying he should give everyone a chance?¡± Cira didn¡¯t expect this angle from the crew. She herself was pissed, but she also didn¡¯t expect the opposition to be the product of such tyranny.


    ¡°Hell no.¡± Joe laughed, ¡°Some of these guys are real pieces o¡¯ shit.¡±


    ¡°How do you tell them apart?¡± Either way, we can¡¯t possibly break out fifty wives and children from wherever some skeevy pirate king keeps them. How would that even work?


    ¡°That¡¯s the hard part.¡± Jimbo shook his head and groaned. ¡°I can¡¯t just dump everyone off the side. That¡¯s what Wick¡¯d do.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know how I feel about mass sky burials.¡± Cira shuddered to think how impossibly far one would have to fall before dying that way.


    ¡°Come to think of it¡­¡± Jimbo squinted his eyes and peered at her suspiciously, ¡°You were actin¡¯ pretty weird that whole fight. What was up with that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I seen it to.¡± Skipper thought to add, ¡°Somethin¡¯ in her eyes.¡±


    ¡°Tch. Nobody asked you, Skipper.¡± Cira tried to look away, but she was flanked by pirates on either side, ¡°I had never taken a life before today.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?!¡± With shock plain on his face, Jimbo startled her with his questions, ¡°With all that power?!¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Not since before my father found me¡ªI think¡­¡± Wait, what was that? Did that really happen? The dark slate that was usually her memories of that time rippled like the surface of a moonlit sea. At times, she recalled those twisted faces Gazen plucked her from, but rarely in detail.


    The sun never rose in those lands until he arrived, and now in the back of her mind, streams of moonlight illuminated the faces of those that never lived to see it. The weak, the failed, the rejected¡­ all met their death eventually, wherever they lay. Often in the street or swept to the gutters if they were in the way. Some made it home, but others couldn¡¯t make it up the steps.


    Why¡­ why am I seeing this? This didn¡¯t happen¡­ But this is my home¡ªmy homeland. At least it used to be. Could this be¡­ that day? The faces were clear in her mind now. They were men and women from town, children she knew by name. All of them withered or deformed. All of them were still. Unmoving as the cold breeze tickled Cira¡¯s skin. She remembered it was cold out this evening, but she didn¡¯t feel uncomfortable.


    There¡¯s no way I¡­ I didn¡¯t do¡ª


    ¡°Such small hands could never do this.¡± It was the first time she ever heard her father¡¯s voice. It was firm but his tone was soft. Cira stared into his bright golden irises, entranced by a gaze that seemed to see right through her. The man seemed so different from everyone else on the island. So different from her¡ª


    Cira shook the thoughts out of her head before loudly continuing to her crew, ¡°I¡¯d rather not reminisce.¡±


    The past doesn¡¯t matter. No one¡¯s fate belongs to me.


    ¡°Whoa.¡± Jimbo looked at her and raised an eyebrow, ¡°Touchy subject.¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡± Cira quickly steered the conversation in another direction, ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask. What¡¯s this ¡®Porta Bora¡¯ place I keep hearing about?¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s what people down the Boreal call ¡®Port Gandeux¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I like that better.¡± Cira sounded it out, ¡°It rolls off the tongue. How do you even pronounce Gandeux anyway?¡±


    ¡°I think it depends on where you¡¯re from. Those nobles up there really make a show of it, though. As you can see, I just call it Gondo. Don¡¯t know what that ¡®x¡¯ is supposed to do.¡±


    ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s silent either way¡­¡± Cira decided to walk away for a little to clear her head. ¡°Figure out what to do with these guys and get ready to leave.¡±


    With muddled thoughts, she took a stroll along the dock as boards creaked beneath her and stood against the charred edge. She knew there were things she didn¡¯t want to see hidden away somewhere, but why now? Is it because my soul is burning up that these memories resurface? It¡¯s not like it changes anything. I just need to figure out the soul forge and all will be well.


    Something nagged her about all this. She had read of those who lost their lives to a broken soul in the past and it wasn¡¯t unheard of for the aethereal damage to cause adverse effects within the mind, but it was not typical of the early stages of soul immolation. This meant one of two things. Either the studies she read weren¡¯t very thorough¡ªwhich would be difficult to achieve with such a rare ailment¡ªor she was much further along than she thought.


    Didn¡¯t that spider say something like that? That I¡¯ll die much sooner than I think. She didn¡¯t want to believe the evil creature in her archive¡¯s words, but every good liar used the truth as a tool. The big question was what the spider wanted¡ªpast freedom, that is. It would be counterintuitive to help Cira when she was devoid of mana. Her broken soul was basically a once in a lifetime chance for the imprisoned spider.


    What really worried her if its words were true was what came next¡ªthat she would need a powerful soul to mend her own. Just as you wouldn¡¯t want someone to spit in your mouth, you wouldn¡¯t want to slop a piece of someone¡¯s soul onto your own. The very thought of it made her skin crawl.


    Depending on how powerful a soul she needed, it could become quite difficult to acquire even after she got over the moral quandary of removing a soul from the cycle by her own hand. Doing so was basically super-murder, so she hoped it didn¡¯t end up being some rare, majestic creature, though she certainly would not want to taint her soul with that of a vile beast. There was no winning that one.


    ¡°This is all Pappy¡¯s fault.¡± She grumbled, ¡°And Earth Vein¡¯s.¡±


    Twenty minutes later the hideout was totally cleaned out and Jimbo¡¯s ship ascended from the lower levels. Slowly, she noted, from the deck of her new flagship which as of a few weeks ago bore the name ¡°Wings of the Saint.¡±


    Cira didn¡¯t like the name, but it didn¡¯t matter because it would only host her until they reached Breeze Haven. All of the royal pirates from before were loaded up as prisoners below deck as this was the largest vessel of two.


    It was decided nobody had time for prisoners yet, and according to Jimbo, there was a fair chance any hostages could be let go if the one they were meant to be leverage for was thought dead. It was as simple as saving money that would be spent feeding unnecessary mouths.


    For now, she watched the smoldering hideout from above. Cira looked down on the destruction and crimson-stained wooden docks. It was the aftermath of a battle that never should have happened and many lives that shouldn¡¯t have been were wrapped up in it.


    You will be seeing me, Captain Wick. But it will not be today.

 94 - A Breezy Getaway

    ¡°Incredible!¡± Cira¡¯s legs hung out of the end of the cannon¡¯s barrel as her voice echoed from inside. ¡°There¡¯s barely a trace of any wear. No wonder they went with a traditional cannon design when it¡¯s not even a cannon¡­ The entire barrel forms an array to contain and direct the mana to a point.¡±


    With the Lamplight Ring to see, she inspected the spiraling glyphs up close, running her finger along them. It was still warm, and she could feel the heat against her back like a sunny day.


    ¡°It¡¯s the smallest gift I could offer you!¡± Captain Shores shouted from outside, ¡°I¡¯m glad to see it bring you joy!¡±


    While this was likely just his cannon and not intended in any way as a gift for Cira, it wasn¡¯t like she was going to unbolt it and take it home with her. Unless¡­ No, Cira thought she would replicate it to a degree at some point, but she appreciated the gesture all the same.


    ¡°Who made this thing?¡± Cira popped out of the cannon and stood herself up. ¡°It¡¯s the real deal.¡±


    ¡°I took it from some paladins.¡± His expression was uneasy, ¡°I¡¯ve prayed to the Lord of Skies Afar, but I do not know if he has forgiven me.¡±


    ¡°Allow me to personally forgive you.¡± I can at least do this much in my capacity as not a saint, right? ¡°The paladins have great resources.¡± Whoever they are, I¡¯m certain of it. ¡°If this cannon were not present today, more lives may have been lost.¡±


    Cira wasn¡¯t being impartial here. In fact, more lives were lost because they won the battle if you counted the royals too. Those captains she expertly wounded went down with their ships along with any of their injured, and their forces were quickly thinned out in the ensuing panic.


    Still, her heart was in turmoil, especially after those memories reared their head but there was only so much she could do. Cira tried to imagine what her father would do and came up blank. Surely the mighty Gazen wouldn¡¯t let his friends die, but he wouldn¡¯t commit injustice to do so. Nor would he turn a blind eye to those that that, as Joe would put it, were ¡®real pieces o¡¯ shit¡¯.


    If I had mana, I could send bad guys to the Sorcerous Gaol of Kyrnsbad Rift, but I think that¡¯s more reserved for crimes of the sorcerous nature. What happens if I abuse that spell again¡­?


    She found it hard to believe that her father had never killed someone before, as he had notably dodged the question in the past. Even though he instructed Cira never to take a life unless she had to, he must have known this day would come. I had to¡­ right?


    Captain Reverand Shores grinned with glee at the unilateral forgiveness and unexpected praise, ¡°Then it must have been fate that we came when we did.¡±


    ¡°What about the treasure hunt?¡± That does sound important, to a degree.


    ¡°It¡¯s still underway.¡± He grinned at the chance to surprise her again, ¡°The Far Shore¡¯s got more boats than this one. I just came back as soon I heard you woke up from one of the guys James sent us. I knew there would be trouble.¡±


    ¡°Ordinarily I may be offended at the implication, but well done.¡± His smile made her uncomfortable, so she walked away and looked out over the island. They were high up and just passed Hangman¡¯s cove. Jimbo was flying directly above them and captaining the treasure barge as they crawled through the mist.


    Incidentally, Wick must have expected a great deal of smoke. The palace was pointed out to her, but she could only see its peak behind the hills it was nestled within. It was just over the ridge from town and their abandoned hideout, a little further inland.


    They seemed to be high up enough that no one noticed them, though it was nerve-wracking to hide in plain sight like this with only the mist to obfuscate them. Cira was hardly the only one watching, but there were no signs of movement yet. No more ships ascended to follow up on the raid or chase after them. Captain Wick couldn¡¯t have fathomed ever losing, so they likely had plenty of time to escape.


    ¡°Thar she blows.¡± Cira spied Breeze Haven through her golden spyglass and returned it to her pocket. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to try this.¡±


    It would be nice to get off her legs for a while¡ªnamely the wooden one. Cira fiddled with a flimsy wooden glider and tried to get it strapped to her back. It felt brittle, but the light weight would help her stay aloft.


    ¡°You sure about this, Captain?¡± Shores approached with concern dripping from his voice, ¡°We got a few rafts that¡¯ll take you down no problem.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been more sure of anything,¡± Cira slipped some goggles down over her head and spread out the glider¡¯s wings before she stepped up onto the railing, ¡°in at least a few weeks.¡±


    With a leap of faith, Cira plummeted. The glider struggled to pick up wind as she tried to turn up from a straight nosedive. Her speed increased exponentially until she finally managed to pull up in a slight arc. The ground approached rapidly as she finally started to catch wind. Her eyes were peeled open as the winds whipped the sweat right off her face, but by the time she was comfortably aloft, her mouth had formed a broad smile. She felt just like a bird as she flew in a circle around her intended target, slowing herself down as she got ever closer to the ground.


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    With a flick of her body, the glider arched, and she bobbed up. Her momentum nearly stopped until she stalled and had to keep gliding, but that was how she planned to land when the time came to make an entrance.


    Cira circled Breeze Haven like a nimbus shark, ready to pounce from above. Soon she could see the faces of the kill crew who still helplessly pelted her barrier¡ªit was a wonder they hadn¡¯t run out of ammo by this point, though there were many who tirelessly attacked the barrier with their swords.


    From what she could see nobody was outside in the yard, so she sped up for the final descent just as the royal pirates started to point and shout at her. She made one final dip upwards and passed through the barrier.


    Up high in the air, it seemed as if her momentum had stopped, but Cira was actually travelling with great speed. She knew this now as she flew clear across the garden and would have entirely missed Breeze Haven if it weren¡¯t for her trusty wooden shed to catch her fall.


    ¡°Ahhhhh¡­¡± Cira groaned after she came to an abrupt stop. ¡°That hurts so much worse without magic. Piece of crap rings¡­ Can¡¯t stop a bullet or soften my landing.¡±


    She took a moment to rest, buried in splintered wood as gardening tools poked into her backside. It wasn¡¯t comfortable, but coming to a stop from high speeds was surprisingly exhausting, despite how little time it often took. She needed a moment to catch her breath.


    ¡°Wh-who goes there?!¡± Cira heard a familiar voice¡ªthe reliable second fleet¡¯s Captain James.


    With an awkward smile, Cira pushed herself out of the rubble and offered a wave, ¡°Just me, guys¡­ No need to be alarmed.¡±


    ¡°Wh¡ªthe hell happened?!¡± The glider was reduced to woodchips so there was no way of discerning the nature of her appearance.


    I¡¯m so glad nobody was watching that. Cira pointed straight up, ¡°We gotta go.¡±


    He followed and saw the Far Shore¡¯s flagship directly overhead. Even at that height, it was hard to miss. Even the palace must have noticed by now unless they were utterly incompetent.


    James¡¯ eyes went wide, ¡°What did you do?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not what I did, asshole. Well, maybe it is to a degree, but Wick attacked the hideout. One thing led to another and, we have a war to deal with at a later point in time.¡±


    Cira took off running inside, ordering a goon to bring snacks from the garden as she climbed the stairs of her helm spire. At the top she realized there was no time to waste as a ship finally peaked over the hills bearing the black and gold sails everyone eagerly waited for. James, of course, rushed to keep up and hammered her with questions.


    ¡°Why though?! Why did any of this happen?¡± He was justifiable perplexed.


    ¡°That Gerald guy that I shot told everyone we were trying to kill Captain Wick and I guess he got scared,¡± she shrugged, putting her hand on the orichalcum wheel. ¡°A lot of our men died today, James¡­ I owe you an apology.¡±


    ¡°For what¡­?¡± He gave her a dumb look as Breeze Haven gently rose from the ground. ¡°Even if you¡¯re the idiot that got us into this mess, it¡¯s obviously Wick¡¯s doing. This is no new thing for us here on Lost Cloud¡ªwhy do you think I tried to move the gang to Uru?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ That¡¯s also my bad.¡± Am I actually the worst? I do have a habit of completely uprooting people¡¯s lives for the greater good and apt compensation. Usually, they¡¯re at least locals and don¡¯t get driven out, though.


    ¡°Oooh, woe is me,¡± James pulled a fat coin purse from his pocket, and it jingled as he wiped fake tears with it. ¡°I was poor as hell in Uru. Everyone¡¯s welcome to walk away at their own discretion. Pirates up here are always chasin¡¯ promise. Money, power, women, whatever they want. They know the risks, and whoever died today, did so expecting it. Besides, half of our guys were Don¡¯s anyway.¡±


    He may have been putting on a front, but Cira could tell the news troubled him. ¡°Well, I intend to have a very stern word with Captain Wick once my soul is restored. For now¡­¡±


    As she turned the helm, Breeze Have rocked towards the shore, hovering in place as her flagship and treasure barge slowly descended. This was a dangerous game because if she forced the kill crew on the ground to keep chasing her across the island, they would be in ridiculously good shape when they arrived. It was unbelievable how adamantly they nipped at her heels as Breeze Haven took off and followed without skipping a beat. Even now, some stray bullets reached her barrier.


    What drives them? This is either the depths of loyalty or blackmail. Either way, that was not Cira¡¯s concern as of yet. Nothing would be her concern anymore if she kept getting blown off course. There was no matter as pressing as a broken soul, so she hardened her heart for the time being.


    Captain Shores passed her first and fell below the island and she waved as the ship disappeared from view. Following that was Jimbo at the helm of a stout vessel she hadn¡¯t yet boarded, and she waved at him too. The ship was like a box of chocolates kept in the cupboard. Eventually, reaching within would be a pleasant surprise, but neglecting it for a short while made it all somewhat sweeter.


    The way they talk about it, I probably shouldn¡¯t expect any mithril. A ship full of gold would be so drab, though. Surely, there¡¯s some quality materials on board. One could also compare it to one of her baskets in the forge.


    With the flagship leading the way and Jimbo¡¯s basket o¡¯ gold in the middle, Cira fell below the shore as well to trail the caravan. The royals were out of luck as they disappeared into the mist, and hopefully they would think they escaped into the southern skies.


    ¡°Which way to Kuja¡¯s?¡± It took a few minutes to breach the underside of the island, but now they sailed through its shadow beneath bulging columns of stone and between jagged points that hung into the clouds.


    ¡°North by Northeast,¡± James leaned against the open sill with his back and turned into the breeze before pulling out a studded flask from inside his coat. ¡°What a day¡­¡±


    She watched him take a few hearty swigs and let out a deep breath. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were one to drink while the sun was up.¡±


    ¡°Depends on the day.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Want some?¡±


    ¡°Maybe later¡­ I¡¯m still sobering up from the fight.¡± She noticed James kept glancing at the wheel but looked away when she met his eyes. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Do you think¡­¡± his voice was strangely nervous¡ªit was out of character. ¡°I could take the wheel for a while?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Cira squinted her eyes suspiciously. No one but my Father and I have steered this ship. Perhaps before he found me, but none since he passed for certain. ¡°I don¡¯t necessarily see an issue with it. I¡¯m due for a bath anyway.¡± She stepped away and motioned for him to take over. ¡°If you crash, though, my perception of you will be forever tarnished.¡±

 95 - The Soul Ladys Abode

    Islands up here came in all shapes and sizes. Often, one would find misshapen masses of rock like Fount Salt, but the ones most typically colonized were more like wide, flat disks. Heron Village sat upon one, but they weren¡¯t usually so round or, well, flat. Islands like Lost Cloud were covered in steep hills and riddled with peninsulas or other strange landforms.


    The underside of Lost Cloud, however, followed a consistent plane. For the most part. There was probably a few hundred feet of rock between Cira and the surface she fled just moments ago, and jagged spikes poked down into the sky. They (her dad) say these formations will eventually fill out over millennia as an island matures, but that suggested multiple stages of an island¡¯s life and then it became a whole thing.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen the Lost Cloud like this.¡± James gazed up at its rough underbelly from Breeze Haven¡¯s Peak. ¡°It¡¯s too damn dark to risk. Just as easy to fly around.¡±


    Indeed, they were within a great shadow. A few miles of earth blotted the sun out with little effort. While the veil of clouds grew somewhat thinner directly beneath the island, it was quite dark. With miles of open sky beneath and around them, though, Cira could see light in the distance through the fog, like they were inside a dark, misty bubble.


    Naturally, Breeze Haven had lights in the form of her barrier. Cira could become the Lamplight. The large, oblong shield encasing her entire home had a few tricks that could be activated by touching a passive glyph on the console to the left of the helm. Now, would she use them here?


    It would be unwise to become a beacon for Captain Wick who surely pursued her¡ªhis lackeys, at least. ¡°I think it¡¯s rather pleasant.¡± Cira leaned out the window and felt the breeze on her face, ¡°Very quiet.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and I can¡¯t see shit. When are you gonna take over?¡± James had been nervously steering Breeze Haven for a couple hours at this point. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you let me in the first place.¡±


    ¡°I thought it couldn¡¯t hurt to kill two stones with one bird.¡± She felt as refreshed as one could be after a gruesome battle like that, though washing blood the blood of her victims from her hair was a tumultuous experience. ¡°I¡¯m just glad you didn¡¯t crash. That wouldn¡¯t have been a fun bath.¡±


    Cira nudged him out of the way to reclaim the wheel and they drifted through the shadows for a short while until it was bright enough to see the flagship again. Before they had been following a torch, and light of day revealed that Jimbo was way off course behind them.


    ¡°Uh oh.¡± James peered across to the treasure barge, ¡°that¡¯s exactly how it happened the first time.¡±


    Turns out, the reason they avoid travelling beneath Lost Cloud and the reason Jimbo lost his leg were one in the same. The poor bastard drifted too far westward and wound up in the middle of nimbus shark territory.


    ¡°Should we help him?¡± As the distance between them closed, it became increasingly apparent that a school of sharks had claimed him as a meal. ¡°This would be much easier with magic.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna keep saying that until you have your magic back, aren¡¯t you?¡± Cira¡¯s expression did not change in the least as James tried to give her a deadpan stare, ¡°You said this thing has weapons, right?¡±


    ¡°More like¡­ artillery?¡± I have various weapons in the forge. Will it really come down to a melee? Something she wanted to avoid could be seen on Jimbo¡¯s ship as he and his skeleton crew stood with their backs to each other, having a good old fashioned sword fight against the encroaching sharks. They were in a frenzy, closing in on all sides and lunging from above. It seemed the crew was actively avoiding gunfire in case Wick yet followed, so they at least had that much faith in themselves. ¡°I¡¯m not confident I can hit only the sharks. Not without my mana, anyway¡­ I¡¯d hate to put a big hole in ol¡¯ Jimbo¡ªor burn the ship down for that matter.¡±


    ¡°Well, that looks pretty bad. Doesn¡¯t seem like Shores¡¯ noticed either.¡± As he said, the flagship moved steadily into the mist. ¡°We gotta do something.¡±


    ¡°Now there¡¯s an idea¡­¡± Breeze Haven had many tricks, but she wasn¡¯t sure if it would work. ¡°You know what the nimbus sharks¡¯ natural predator is?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ really strong people?¡±


    A fair answer. But, ¡°Not even close. Ever notice how nimbus sharks migrate away or hide from harsh weather? Rather, if you see them doing so, it is very likely that you will find that storm home to a stromrak, or many. A rather fearsome species of bird with a beak about as tall as you or I.¡±


    ¡°Uh, huh¡­¡± James stroked his stubble and looked at the ten-foot-long sharks as they swarmed the treasure-laden vessel. ¡°So, there are things like that.¡±


    ¡°The stromrak possesses an inherent affinity to lightning and can move indiscernibly through the storm. Have you ever heard thunder with no lightning? Or seen the clouds light up but produce no sound?¡±


    James wasn¡¯t very enthused about the knowledge. ¡°Maybe¡­ I guess.¡±


    ¡°Stromrak.¡± She dusted off her hands, ¡°And that¡¯s that.¡±


    James¡¯ expression gradually fell apart as he mulled over their brief conversation, ¡°That¡¯s WHAT? What do we do about Jimbo?!¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Cira peered to her side and looked over the barrier control glyphs, having to read them to remember which did which. ¡°I think I can pretend to be one.¡±


    James was pulling out his hair, ¡°One what?!¡±


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    ¡°Stromrak. If we ever catch one, I make a mean Strom-stromboli.¡± Cira¡¯s direct answer only seemed to confuse him further, so she proceeded to put a finger on the glyph of her choosing. Instead of light as she wanted to do earlier, this one would convert some of Breeze Haven¡¯s mana into that of the lightning element and flood the barrier with it to disperse into the open sky.


    As long as Cira had lived here, this was the first time she found a practical use for the ability. The yellow glyph lit up in response and she could feel a faint hum beneath her feet. Slowly the barrier around them became much more visible with the mana¡¯s electric glow. Eventually, small arcs formed across the bubble and started to push back even the island¡¯s shadow.


    Finally, the crackling barrier shout small bolts of electricity out into the open sky before quickly dispersing. The sounds of a thousand little arcs popping off was almost overwhelming and Cira¡¯s hair started to stand up. She almost felt tingly¡ªit was a strange sensation, but she could only imagine that was what the sharks were feeling.


    None of the lightning made it anywhere near the sharks, simply fizzling out, but that wasn¡¯t her goal. Cira just wanted to fill the air with electricity, and ideally, lightning mana. It didn¡¯t take long for the sharks to grow erratic, flapping their tail fins around and going for quick lunges. Some of them swam up and only circled Jimbo cautiously.


    ¡°This¡­ doesn¡¯t feel safe.¡± James complained beside her as he held his hands up, scared to touch anything.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a baby. We have to get closer, fast. They¡¯re taking this as their last chance to grab a snack before running away.¡± Cira spun the wheel a little and fell inward to speed up.


    ¡°How fast does this thing go, anyhow?¡± His face told her he hoped she would show him.


    ¡°Depends on how you look at it. Without dumping mana into Breeze Haven¡¯s dynamo, I can build up speed for a couple days and get a few hundred knots.¡± They were so close Cira could throw a rock and hit Jimbo square in the forehead.


    Instead, she pressed on the glyph extra hard in hopes that Breeze Haven would increase the lightning¡¯s intensity. I¡¯m so glad she got to sit for a few weeks. Without entering a coma, her ship wouldn¡¯t have had any time to regain its mana. It¡¯s the little things¡­


    Some of the sharks swam up and disappeared into the forest of rocky spires which hung down from the island, but the more frenzied ones still snapped at Jimbo and friends. There was a handful of dead sharks upon their deck, but the bigger ones took the wounds and merely repositioned. As their blood leaked from each gash, it spread out and floated away as if they were underwater.


    Lightning trailed off the barrier and came dangerously close to hitting a few of them before blinking out of existence with a pop. Now she could even see her goons¡¯ hair standing up on the deck of the treasure barge and the last of the sharks finally wriggled away in fear. They took one last look back at inconceivable mass of lightning before shooting off into the mist like darts.


    Cira let out a deep breath and carefully took her finger off the glyph. ¡°Okay¡­ That went pretty well, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    James brushed his hair down with a hand as it kept trying to stand up, ¡°It worked. I¡¯ll say that much.¡±


    Locking eyes with the crew below, Cira cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, ¡°Havin¡¯ trouble down there, Jimbo?¡±


    He only waved her off in annoyance and she whipped the wheel back around. ¡°Crisis averted. Good thing we caught it before that got out of control.¡± Now she sailed toward the light and managed to catch a glimpse of the ¡®Saint¡¯s Wings¡¯ before it disappeared into the white shroud.


    ¡°Shores knows where he¡¯s going, right?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but ask the dependable pirate next to her.


    ¡°Everybody knows Kuja¡¯s.¡±


    Everybody, huh? ¡°You don¡¯t think it will be the first place they look for us?¡±


    ¡°If they fell for our ruse, we might have bought a couple days, but they¡¯ll come lookin¡¯.¡± James confirmed her worries, then squinted his eyes, ¡°How you gonna deal with that one, Captain?¡±


    ¡°One step at a time, James, but we do need to reduce our number of ships.¡± The good Reverand had pulled the flagship around the bend and approached the low, grassy shore and Cira decided to hover a little higher to get a better look. Not far inland, the land grew into a steep cliff that broke up into mountainous terrain. The bright mist which enveloped the island shone on her skin as they rose and eventually Jimbo could be seen tugging along behind them.


    Good thing nimbus sharks aren¡¯t smarter. The sails are still in good shape. Naturally, they only had an interest in meat¡ªnot so much for tactics. This went over well, but realistically, a swarm of sharks could become a huge problem. There were tales of sharks following a crew of days, picking off any who dared to try to go above deck to steer or adjust the sails. Of course, other stories existed where the whole crew became a quick snack before anyone knew what happened.


    They really were a dangerous beast, and Cira did not envy those who had to face them in melee combat.


    On another note, she was glad the third crew was just fine, and they finally breached the surface, rising above the shore. Cira inspected the mountainous terrain in search of a place to land when there was movement from a nearby plateau.


    ¡°That¡¯s her.¡± James said. ¡°Looks like she¡¯s mad.¡±


    There was a hovel carved right into the top and it was easy to imagine it leading underground. Now Kuja could be seen in her vibrant multi-colored dress standing dumbstruck with her jaw hung open on the edge of the cliff.


    The Far Shore stayed low to the ground, evidently in effort to avoid their mast becoming the highest point on the island in case their pursuers were further along than she though. A real thoughtful fellow, that Reverand Shores.


    Kuja¡¯s expression shifted from anger, to fear, to awe, then all the way to fury as Cira came in for a landing. That was just how long it took for the woman to see her face as Breeze Haven finally settled. Waiting for her this time at the bottom of the stairs was a very irate spirit-sworn woman.


    ¡°Wh-what is all this?!¡± She had already turned red by the time Cira found her, ¡°I demand you explain yourself, broken child!¡±


    ¡°Ouch.¡± Isn¡¯t that a little harsh? ¡°You told me to come if I found out anything about the soul forge.¡±


    ¡°The¡­ soul forge?¡± She was confused but the keywords were all there and she looked Cira up and down in disbelief. ¡°You mean you have discovered the method to reforge your soul? Already¡­?¡±


    ¡°I found it labeled under Arrrrr!¡± Cira made a pretend hook hand with her finger and dragged out her best pirate argh. If Dad didn¡¯t alphabetize my archive for this very moment, then what was it for? Cira realized that her joke fell flat as Kuja¡¯s eyes flicked back and forth like she had no comprehension of what she was looking at. All Cira could offer was a nervous laugh, so she whipped a book out and placed it in the woman¡¯s trembling hands. ¡°From what I gather, we need to melt me down, I just don¡¯t understand how it¡¯s supposed to all go back together. I think I get it up until I¡¯m molten aether, but it lost me at essence propagation. The materials needed for the soul thresher alone¡ª¡±


    ¡°Child, stop! Please, just slow down for a moment.¡± Kuja¡¯s expression froze as she flipped through the pages with unsteady hands and eventually tears started to form in her eyes. She closed the book and carefully read the cover. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t believe my eyes. This is really it. I thought it was forever lost to time. Please, child, tell me¡­ Who is this ¡®Gaww-zin¡¯ who wrote this book?¡±


    Cira jumped on the opportunity to put on a smug grin and proudly puff out her chest, ¡°Heh heh.¡±

 96 - Necropolis of Archaeum

    Cira¡¯s treasure barge moored against the grassy shore and three captains convened once again. Kuja sat against the least mossy side of a rock, ardently reading Gazen¡¯s research papers. She had nothing to do with the Dreadheart Armada¡¯s internal affairs anyway.


    Their fearless leader had deliberated on how to deal with the crew on the way over here and it was ready to shed some weight, ¡°To begin, tell me about this treasure hunt.¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± Normally she¡¯d expect some weird prayer or something, but the one known as Shores saluted. Is Reverand his name? I was certain it was a Final Sky thing. ¡°It¡¯s off island. A little place called the Green Pit. You¡¯ll find it just a few leagues up before you leave the storm.¡±


    ¡°Well, I won¡¯t be the one finding it.¡± Cira instantly regretted patting him on the shoulder as he gazed at her hand reverently, ¡°We need to get the treasure barge asomewhere else, so off island is perfect. How many men do you have stationed there?¡±


    ¡°We set up a base there for now, so all of them, except the ones on their way to Porta Bora.¡± He didn¡¯t continue until Cira raised her brow expectantly, ¡°Oh, um¡­ They¡¯re more like Jimbo¡¯s, but I have five more ships under my command. Maybe four or five hundred guys¡­? It¡¯s hard to keep track these days.¡±


    ¡°That is¡­ a lot of guys.¡± Why did I become a leader again? Ah, that¡¯s right. It¡¯s because I¡¯m a reckless fool.


    ¡°Oh, they¡¯re not all guys. We got women too.¡± He shrugged, ¡°A few kids. You know how it goes.¡±


    ¡°Of course¡­¡± She inwardly groaned. ¡°Any mages? What about holy magic? You¡¯re some of those Final Sky people, right?¡±


    ¡°We¡­ are indeed.¡± Shores was hung up on the phrasing and looked at her curiously, ¡°No mages that would impress you, Captain, but we have a few among the primary elements and a handful of, well, we still call them paladins.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then¡­ You will lead the treasure barge back to this Green Pit you mentioned. If you can spare any mages, send them back with a small crew of anyone else you can spare that¡¯s good at fighting beasts.¡± She thought her plan was sound, but Shores looked devastated.


    ¡°B-but I wish to serve you, Lady S¡ªCaptain!¡± He almost made the slip, ¡°Please, I¡¯m strong! I can be your sword!¡±


    ¡°Ah, well, no need to get worked up about it¡­¡± He seemed like a good guy but made her really uncomfortable. It was the saint thing. ¡°I just figured you were busy with the treasure hunt or something. Come back if you like, but keep in mind Wick will be crawling around these hills when you return.¡±


    ¡°Aye, aye!¡± He jumped up with a dauntless smile on his face, ¡°I promise I will return by morning!¡±


    With a spring in his step, Shores ran back to the ship and started shouting orders in the name of his beloved captain.


    ¡°What about me, Lady Captain?¡± Jimbo asked dryly.


    ¡°More talk like that and I¡¯ll have to stick you.¡± Cira jabbed at him with her peg leg, and he parried it with his own. Soon the clacking of wood sounded across the shore like two training swords as they each hopped around the thin grass.


    ¡°Can you idiots stay on track for even a moment?¡± James stepped between them and broke up the wooden leg-fight that had ensued. ¡°Or are you waiting for Kuja to finish that book?¡±


    ¡°Right. Well, Jimbo. You¡¯re a real wiley one, so you should either stay here or return in case that spider wasn¡¯t lying.¡± He looked uncertain, but Cira already moved on, ¡°The rest of the guys from last night may as well stay, but we need to get everyone from the hideout up to Green Pit. James, I think you¡¯ll be helpful in the presumed soul hunt so you should stay too.¡±


    Now he and Jimbo shared the same ominous look, ¡°What the hell¡¯s a soul hunt?¡±


    ¡°And why would I be able to help you with it?¡±


    ¡°All in time, my friends.¡± Cira walked away while they stood dumbfounded for a few moments before James gave up and left to rally Shirtless Joe and the others. The book wasn¡¯t entirely on the subject of reforging, but Kuja deigned to read it from the front. There was a lot of good stuff about the soul¡¯s composition in there. ¡°Are you understanding all of that?¡±


    Kuja looked up from the book with a grin on her face. She was coming on in the years but wore a childlike smile. ¡°Some of the words are strange, but I can figure out most of it. This¡­ this is really incredible. I doubt even my ancestor¡¯s understanding was this complete. The depths of the Archaean people¡¯s knowledge must have paled in comparison to this man.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he was pretty great.¡± They shared a smile about it, which was nice. ¡°So, you can help me, right? Setting up the soul forge is our biggest hurdle.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I can try.¡± The woman¡¯s eyes softened, and she clenched the book tight against her chest. ¡°It¡¯s the least I can do after you¡¯ve shared this with me.¡±


    ¡°No sweat. Now where do you think I can moor my ship?¡± Cira pointed a thumb over her shoulder.


    ¡°You mean¡­ That island?¡± Kuja still struggled to process it. ¡°It should be fine right there.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Now Cira started to look uneasy as she broke the news, ¡°Captain Wick is sort of hunting us down¡­¡±


    Kuja¡¯s eyes went wide, ¡°You stupid girl! Did you not wake up yesterday?!¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, it¡¯s entirely my fault. I don¡¯t want to bring you trouble, so I¡¯d like to put it somewhere they won¡¯t see from the air.¡± Breeze Haven was not easily hidden. While many ships were larger than it, hers was quite wide as well. Cira needed a sizable chunk of land to set it down on.


    Surprisingly, Kuja only sighed, ¡°There is one place¡­ but that is where the shadows dwell. I have not been there in years, so it may be more dangerous than I remember.¡±


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    ¡°Shadows shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± Shades aren¡¯t very dangerous, but there is such a thing as the shadow wraith. That¡¯s assuming we¡¯re going the spirit route. She could also mean stray shadows. ¡°Can you take me there?¡±


    James had finished sorting out the crew, and it seemed the pair of goons would be sent up the Noose along with Tom to take charge of everyone. Cira thought it curious that she hadn¡¯t seen the mage Tawny since the battle, but the easy guess would be she was out cold.


    Cira handed Kuja pendant and she cautiously put it around her neck after a little convincing. Without it she¡¯d never be allowed within Breeze Haven¡¯s barrier. The repeated stairs were really starting to wear on Cira and she regretted battling Jimbo with her bad leg. It took a while to reach the top as Kuja kept gawking at everything. Unlike most passengers, she at least got a warning that they were about to lift off.


    After calming down, the Archaean woman guided Cira up to the mountain peak and beyond. It formed a ridge with the rest of the land in a ring and a depression in the center, entirely enclosed. Cira couldn¡¯t tell how deep it went because the entire bowl was blanketed in a dark shroud, almost like the fog turned black in that area and clung to the land¡ªor that it couldn¡¯t escape the mountains which imprisoned it.


    ¡°What in the world is that?¡± Cira had no way of inspecting it without her aura, but a few things came to mind. ¡°Some kind of dark mana well?¡±


    Even without an aura, the mana would be palpable once they got close enough. Kuja just chuckled, ¡°My people call it Shadow Spring, but ask Wick and he¡¯ll tell you it¡¯s the Valley of Curses.¡±


    ¡°What an idiot.¡± Cira scrunched up her face, ¡°It¡¯s neither a valley nor cursed.¡±


    A valley would imply it were open on both sides, which this was not, or the darkness would constantly spill out, surely to dissipate under the misty sky by day. Does it overflow at night? I¡¯ll have to see.


    ¡°So, you can tell that much?¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah. It¡¯s basic geography.¡± Cira replied bluntly. ¡°I couldn¡¯t ask for a better place to land.¡±


    Kuja looked at her funny for a few moments as they broke through the sea of darkness and were enveloped in shadows. Breeze Haven¡¯s barrier held it back just like the mist, but inside they were completely blind.


    ¡°Do you¡­ not have torches?¡± Came Kuja¡¯s nervous voice.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do you one better.¡± I¡¯ve been waiting for this. But wait. Oh, no!


    Cira couldn¡¯t see the glyphs on the console to her side, and they wouldn¡¯t light up until she touched them. A massive oversight that she would lambast her father for if she could, but now wasn¡¯t the time to dwell.


    ¡°I think it was¡­ this one?¡± Cira knew where they were at least and bravely reached out her palm. Two glyphs lit up¡ªher trusty cerulean and bright crimson. ¡°Uh oh¡ªCover your ears!¡±


    They could see again, but the world was bathed in red. Rather, they flew through the dark in a crimson bubble as flames surged outwards into the darkness. A hissing noise filled the air until it became a piercing screech when suddenly there was a flash of white for only a brief moment as the deafening explosion shook the whole island before everything went black again.


    Cira was on the ground huddling inside her coat and groaned as her ears rang, ¡°That was my bad. Sorry, Kuja¡­¡±


    ¡°What was that?!¡± Her panicked shout came from right next to Cira, but again, they could not see.


    ¡°An incredible waste of mana.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± In perfect darkness, Cira could feel that her answer was not sufficient as Kuja¡¯s glare surely bore into her.


    I may have caused a steam explosion.¡± That¡¯s an interesting one. I never thought of conjuring two types of mana into the same space to force a reaction. This requires further research. ¡°On accident.¡±


    ¡°Can you¡­ please not do that again?¡± The poor woman was on the adventure of a lifetime¡ªit had only been five or ten minutes since they took off.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    Cira caught a glimpse of where the glyph she wanted sat, and after reorienting herself on the reliable orichalcum wheel, she reached out and a simple white glyph lit up. She let out a sigh of relief as Kuja came into view. She was crouching on the ground and looked up at Cira with a troubled frown before her gaze wandered to the spectacle outside the window.


    They stood at the very top of Breeze Haven, so the shadows hung ten feet above their heads. Looking out, light blanched the darkness as if they were navigating a fog in the dead of night. It was worse than when they traveled beneath the island.


    ¡°If we can see this well¡­ There should be a summit within the shadows to the west.¡± Kuja noticed the compass and pointed Cira in the right direction. ¡°This way we can return to the village without climbing.¡±


    Did I really look like I was ready to climb a mountain? In retrospect, she should have realized by the terrain that this dark hole in the earth would be a long walk to, well, anywhere, so she welcomed a better solution.


    There was no danger of Wick seeing them from above, as they could not see the sky through the darkness as far as Breeze Haven reached. The summit Kuja mentioned came into view after just a couple minutes and Cira slowed down to pull out her spyglass. She could not see far and everything was through a dense, black shroud, but buildings apparently surrounded a flat mountain top, ruined by time.


    ¡°Did this place used to be inhabited?¡± Did the wraiths eat them?


    ¡°No, no¡­¡± Kuja shook her head and gazed into the darkness wistfully. ¡°This place is known as Archaeum. It is where my people rest, and it is where I shall one day rest.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see.¡± So those are mausoleums I¡¯m seeing. And more stairs. Always love those. The summit ran into the side of one of the taller mountains and there were two large stone doorways which led to its interior. ¡°Are you sure I can land here?¡±


    ¡°Just land in the open.¡±


    Hm? That¡¯s strange. Now I feel a great deal of mana. Cira started to get goosebumps and her body tingled under its weight. She couldn¡¯t discern its source, but it felt like they were getting closer as Cira brought Breeze Haven in to land. Streams of darkness less affected by the light now swirled around its barrier like fish, trailing along its surface before disappearing into the darkness again.


    ¡°Those are not shades¡­¡± Cira knew now that they were the source of mana she felt. Each and every one was bursting with it.


    ¡°Those are my ancestors.¡± Kuja replied softly.


    ¡°They just¡­ You¡¯re willing to just let your soul linger here until it fades away?¡± She almost felt stupid saying that, as these spirits looked far from withered.


    ¡°We return to the mana. It is said our souls rest in the Shadow Spring until one day being reborn among the Archaeans, but those days will never come now.¡± Her voice was sullen, so Cira decided not to press for information. Though she planned to ask about it, this was hardly the place.


    They descended the spire and found Cira¡¯s crew pushing themselves against the lawn with their eyelids fully receded, staring up at the barrier in horror. Jimbo looked at her with a tough expression, ¡°Why are we in the Valley of Curses, Captain?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s neither a valley nor cursed.¡± She wagged her finger, ¡°It¡¯s just dark.¡±


    ¡°And what was that explosion?!¡± James fumed, ¡°And¡ªand ghosts?!¡±


    ¡°Relax. This is a good time to break for lunch. You got food, right Skipper?¡±


    ¡°O-of course, Captain!¡± He stood up and handed Cira the pouch from earlier, which she did not accept.


    ¡°I trust you bought plenty, so whip something up for everyone. There are herbs in the garden if you want to get fancy.¡± She looked at Kuja who stood next to her in the yard, ¡°Tea? We can go over some basics while we rest.¡±


    With how quickly Kuja appeared when they arrived from below, she probably wasn¡¯t doing anything special, but Cira and her crew could use a breather. Once the tea was brewed, they sat at the garden table against a veil of shadows. Cira sipped on her tea and found her bookmark in the book from earlier. ¡°Okay, so I¡¯d like to go over some of the equipment we¡¯ll need.¡±


    ¡°First¡­¡± Kuja wore the same face as when they first met. Like she was going to say Cira had even less time to live. ¡°Are you aware that your soul bears a terrible curse?¡±


    Cira clasped both hands over her chest as if to cover up her soul and stared at Kuja askance. ¡°I¡¯ve always been cursed.¡±

 97 - Lost Arts in Dark Places

    ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡± There was a look of uncertainty on Kuja¡¯s face. ¡°We¡¯re you born cursed?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing like that.¡± Something started bubbling up in the back of Cira¡¯s mind and she fought to push it down. ¡°I don¡¯t remember the details.¡±


    ¡°Is that part of the curse?¡± The way this woman seemed to stare straight into the soul was incredibly uncomfortable. At least the spider took care to be subtle. ¡°Or perhaps trauma?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ Probably the latter? I always suspected my dad did something too.¡± He would always say things like, ¡®You¡¯ll remember when you¡¯re older, Cira. I¡¯m certain of it¡¯. ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯m champing at the bit to reminisce, though.¡±


    ¡°If we manage to reforge your soul, be prepared to remember everything. Your memories are stored within your physical body, even if they are locked away, but their remnants exist within the soul as well. Those within your soul which have burned off will come to the forefront of your mind as your essence synchronizes.¡±


    ¡°Ah, as ¡®corporea and aetherea become one¡¯, the memories will return¡­ This will not be a pleasant procedure, will it?¡± Cira thought it was an honest question, but it was apparently a very, very stupid one.


    ¡°Is that a serious question, child?¡± She didn¡¯t even bother to answer, just looked at her aghast.


    ¡°No, not really¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, Cap¡¯n, I hate to interrupt,¡± Skipper had returned with the rest of her crew holding plates. Lunch today was some kind of bird and rock crab on the side, splayed open like it would be at an upscale restaurant.


    ¡°My word, Skipper.¡± Cira wasted no time in snapping one of the crab¡¯s legs off and slurping the meat out, ¡°You¡¯ve really outdone yourself this time. We¡¯ll get back to this soon, Kuja.¡±


    Cira dug in and got about halfway through her meal when a glass was set down before her. For a brief moment she was excited to see the golden beverage bubbling froth over the rim, until she realized hers was the last. All of the others¡¯ ales had already been placed, and some were nearly half empty.


    She wasn¡¯t upset that she was last in line, no. Nothing so trivial. ¡°Did you waste my money on booze? Didn¡¯t I tell you to buy as much food as possible?¡±


    Skipper shrunk down and stammered when Jimbo raised his glass, ¡°I say he made a good call. It¡¯s been a damn long day.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s nervous eyes turned to Cira. I wasn¡¯t really mad¡­ ¡°Aye. That it was.¡± She raised her own glass. Isn¡¯t it only about noon right now?


    Precious ale spilled as their glasses clinked together, but not one eye shed a tear¡ªfor the ale that is. The soul issue was briefly tabled as they decompressed over a glass and some good food. Even Kuja joined them. She knew some of the dead since they were children, as she did half of Cira¡¯s crew apparently.


    ¡°How are we going to get, well¡­ anywhere?¡± Jimbo couldn¡¯t help but ask as he gazed into the abyss which encompassed Breeze Haven. ¡°And those¡­ ghosts? I haven¡¯t felt mana like that since you beat up Don in that weird red cave. And I can see it now. There¡¯s¡­ a lot.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Kuja¡¯s ancestors have been getting saturated in pure darkness for likely centuries. Touch one and you¡¯ll probably turn into a shadow. Unlike something with corporeal form, these spirits have no soul to contain their mana within. Or in other words, we¡¯re back to ghosts. They¡¯re basically nothing but soul¡ªthe aethereal form.¡±


    ¡°You are quite learned.¡± Kuja seemed genuinely impressed. ¡°You must take after your father.¡±


    That might be the best compliment I¡¯ve ever received. ¡°If you were wondering, such spirits are classified as revenants, but I have never seen them take on the dark element.¡±


    ¡°But how do we get past them?!¡± James cried.


    ¡°They will not approach if we carry light.¡± Kuja didn¡¯t seem worried whatsoever, which was comforting. Revenants weren¡¯t often peaceful and even Cira felt nervous with so many powerful spirits flying around. Without her aura all she could feel was the overbearing mana as it weighed down on her. If they bore strong regrets or grudges, it didn¡¯t seem to affect anyone.


    Since they were done with their meal, Cira had the guys clean up and went to fetch her favorite lamp. This would be an incredibly thematic opportunity to wield the Far Caller¡¯s Lantern, but that would instead draw the spirits closer.


    No, Cira¡¯s favorite lamp went by the name of Prismagora. ¡°You got enough in you, right?¡± The staff¡¯s gem gave off a dim white glow. As long as it didn¡¯t run out while they were in the dark, everything would be fine. It was sitting in the sun for weeks, after all.


    Jimbo had his torch out and Cira was able to scrounge a couple more off the walls of the training hall to hand out, then she led them down the stairs. Spirits whooshed around like a stiff breeze and seemed to follow them at a distance, coalescing above them. Muffled whispers came and went, but nothing coherent.


    At the bottom of the stairs, Cira¡¯s staff provided enough light to see the path ahead and the gate creaked as she gingerly opened it and stepped through. The revenants loosely followed and all maintained their distance as they wisped around her like there were still a barrier holding them back.


    ¡°Come on, now.¡± The crew hadn¡¯t moved and if they didn¡¯t soon, her and Kuja would leave them behind. ¡°These are nothing like the ghosts of Fount Salt. You don¡¯t have to stare at your feet.¡±


    It didn¡¯t cross her mind how unlikely it was that anyone present had visited the Last Step.


    ¡°Why is it always like this when we follow you?¡± Jimbo asked, ¡°I¡¯ve lived on this island almost my whole life and I had no idea Kuja¡¯s folks were just flyin¡¯ around over here.¡±


    ¡°I thought you liked seeing crazy shit. You should be having the time of your life right now. Just hurry up, would you?¡± After seeing the spirits hold themselves at a distance with no sign of hostility, they eventually crept outside to join her and Kuja. She was down two goons from earlier, and evidently Baum had been shipped off to Green Pit as well.


    Shadows loomed and everyone could feel their weight. Even Prismagora¡¯s light felt incredibly small under the oppressive sea of darkness. Cira was at the front and the torches got progressively dimmer, but she noticed one man almost straggling into the darkness, ¡°Why are you so scared, Rocky? Aren¡¯t you a mage?¡±


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    Come to think of it, he has been really quiet since last night. They took a slow pace as her crew was nervous, but it didn¡¯t take long before Breeze Haven was out of sight. Cira left the lights on so it would be easier to find later. Consuming all the dark mana settled in this depression of the land would leave her home with a surplus of power to sustain, but its light still could not penetrate more than a few paces through the dense shadows.


    Now there was nothing but Cira¡¯s staff and a few flickering torches to light the weathered bricks beneath their feet. Everything else was black.


    ¡°What does my being a mage have to do with it? A-are you sure some of us can¡¯t turn back?¡± To Rocky¡¯s credit, he was in the back and almost fully enveloped in the darkness. Even though it could not be seen, her home was right there, so it was still a reasonable question.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have Skipper buy all that food just so you can sit in my house and eat it.¡± That was out of the question. ¡°Besides, I¡¯ll be needing your services soon enough.¡±


    ¡°For what?! I didn¡¯t sign up for this sh¡ª¡±


    ¡°Silence!¡± Kuja whipped around and gave Rocky the death stare, ¡°This is where my ancestors rest. It is bad enough that we are disturbing them so.¡±


    I¡¯m just glad the light doesn¡¯t hurt them. It¡¯s not holy, but the spirits are pretty much pure dark mana. It may hurt them if they got too close, but Kuja wouldn¡¯t have brought us here if she thought that were a risk.


    They continued on in silence and stepped carefully over the broken pavement. Every so often they passed grave markers like carved stone obelisks and towering mausoleums which threatened to crumble away with a few more storms. The sullen woman stopped in front of one and gazed at it for a few brief moments before continuing on.


    ¡°Here. This will lead back to the village.¡± They stood before a tall archway that led to a dark tunnel, but as they got closer their light seemed to travel down a long hallway. It was as if the hall was completely sealed off from the surrounding dark mana when Cira noticed glyphs carved into the stones which formed the arch. Kuja saw her inspecting them, ¡°This was constructed long before my time, child. I would not be surprised if you knew more about it than I.¡±


    ¡°The runes are simple, but surprisingly robust. I could teach them to you after we get my soul figured out if you like.¡± The arch forms an array and a sort of barrier that allows all mana but dark to enter. An interesting approach and one I probably wouldn¡¯t take, but these have stood in constant use for centuries with hardly any wear to show for it. ¡°Do you maintain this artifact?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know where to begin.¡± Kuja admitted. ¡°The artisans have long since passed.¡±


    Once inside the hall everybody relaxed. It was a huge relief to her crew that they arrived without incident. Despite the frightening levels of mana, Cira hadn¡¯t once gotten the impression the dark revenants willed harm upon her. She watched them linger just past the doorway before fading into the rest of the shadows.


    ¡°I may need your help finding my way back¡­¡± Cira could dump enough light into this basin to flush out the mana well once she got her aura back, but Kuja¡¯s ancestors would suffer for it.


    The woman only chuckled, ¡°I will guide you, child.¡±


    Cira wasn¡¯t happy about the walk, but she couldn¡¯t ask for a better place to hide Breeze Haven while everything blew over. All of the Dreadheart pirates were either within sight or off island. There were no extraneous responsibilities liable to fall apart behind her back and she could finally focus on the task at hand. It still took around an hour to get to their destination, but Cira grew more delighted with each moment they didn¡¯t descend deeper into the earth.


    Prismagora had started to dim, so Cira let it rest. After just a few more minutes of travelling by torch, daylight funneled in and beyond was the mist she¡¯d come to know. Another depression formed between a ring of mountains, though much smaller than Archaeum and with plenty of light. Built along the mountainside was a village in much the same vein as Hangman¡¯s Cove.


    A pathway circled all the way around and structures hung precariously from the cliffs, but everything looked constructed with a lot more care than the pirates could apparently manage. With not a shanty in sight, most buildings were huts built with uniform logs and thatch, while two rope bridges formed a cross over the chasm with a suspended platform in the center. Below that the mist grew so dense it may as well have been a mana well. It was impossible to tell how far the bottom lay, but this village seemed to continue beyond the veil.


    ¡°A beautiful home you have.¡± Cira observed, peering into the dense fog below.


    ¡°Beautiful, yes.¡± Kuja¡¯s gaze was somewhat distant. ¡°This place used to be so full of life, too¡­¡±


    Leaving the dark but lively necropolis behind to find a whole village with a single resident at the end of the tunnel was strangely disquieting. Wind whistled as it swirled down the mountain and a cool breeze fell over them. Nothing here was in disrepair but it gave off the feeling of an abandoned town or historical site. As if she could feel Cira deliberating over whether to ask, Kuja quickly turned again and led them along the stilted boardwalk.


    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, we¡¯re heading towards the shore where we found you.¡± If this connected all the way back, that would be a boon. Her returning crew would come straight to them¡ªby morning, if her new fleet¡¯s captain could be relied on.


    ¡°It is just on the other side of this ridge.¡± Kuja didn¡¯t seem like she wanted to spend more time here than necessary, ¡°Within is where I reside. We will spend the evening carefully reviewing the book.¡±


    That would explain the plateau-hovel she came out of, and Cira couldn¡¯t blame her for not wanting to live in the desolate village. In a way, she knew what it was like after years alone on Breeze Haven, but her own situation was admittedly different.


    There was another archway like the one that led to Archaeum, but this one at least had a door. It was much smaller, too. When Kuja opened it, the faint scent of herbs wafted out. It was almost nostalgic. ¡°Are you an alchemist?¡± Cira asked.


    ¡°In the village, everyone learned their way around medicine as a child.¡± Kuja rolled right through an unexpectedly touchy subject. ¡°There are many herbs in these mountains and the surrounding forest.¡±


    The interior was lit by artifacts on the ceiling and carved out to look much more like a home than any other cavern she¡¯d seen on this island. They followed Kuja up a set of stairs and saw windows with a familiar mountaintop beyond it. The path had officially come full circle.


    ¡°Jimbo, make everyone some tea.¡± Kuja commanded Cira¡¯s subordinate like it was second nature then gasped and looked at her, ¡°Oh! I apologize. I should not order your guys around.¡±


    ¡°No, by all means.¡± Cira waved her off, ¡°I¡¯m quite parched after that walk.¡±


    They seemed to be in something of a common area with doorways on either side and a table in the middle. Kuja urged everyone to sit, and Cira followed suit, finding a spot next to her. After plopping the book down and opening it to her bookmark, Cira prepared to enter another spiel, ¡°Now, I think we should start with the components of the soul forge. If there¡¯s anything we need that¡¯s reasonably accessible, I¡¯d like to have a list ready by morning¡ª¡±


    ¡°About that¡­¡± Kuja pointed to a sketch of the aethereal furnace they needed. ¡°To the Archaeans, this device is known as the incipient vessel.¡±


    Cira¡¯s eyes grew wide, ¡°Do you mean to say¡ª¡±


    ¡°Indeed. I told you it was a lost art of my people, not that my village was destroyed.¡± Kuja tapped her fingers on the table in thought, ¡°I believe our aethereal furnace is already accounted for, though I must admit this design is quite thorough.¡±


    ¡°You have a soul forge?!¡± Cira slapped her hands down and leaned forward, startling the old spirit-sworn before sitting back. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Calm yourself, child¡­¡± Kuja let out a long sigh. ¡°We do not have a soul forge as you know it. While our Cairn of Spirit is meant to reforge the soul, it does not work in entirely the same way. There are a few devices here I do not recognize even from the description, and I don¡¯t understand this concept of ¡®Essence Propagation¡¯. I suspect my people¡¯s knowledge lacked depth to a degree, and parts of the Cairn performs tasks that have been split up in Gazen¡¯s method.¡±


    ¡°Great, I was really hoping for your help on that part.¡± She received a tired squint from the woman, ¡°Where is your¡­ Cairn of Spirit location?¡±


    ¡°Beneath the lowest level of Archaeum, of course.¡±


    ¡°Count me out.¡± Rocky rudely cut in, ¡°I¡¯m here to move rocks, not fight ghosts.¡±


    What was his name¡­ Lant? He was a much more reliable geomancer than this fellow. All of my exorcists would scoff at this man.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t the spirits we need to worry about below.¡± Kuja¡¯s ominous voice put serious faces on everyone present, including Jimbo as he set Cira¡¯s tea down. ¡°There are beasts on this island attuned to the darkness. They moved from the basin into Archaeum proper many years ago, following the fall of my people. It is not somewhere we may access easily."

 98 - Brass Tacks and Almanacs

    Despite not wanting to offend Kuja, there was something that Cira was just dying to know, ¡°Why did your people need to reforge souls, anyway? Did they¡­ break their souls often?


    ¡°None that I have seen. Honestly, I would like to know how you managed it, but we did not need to reforge our souls.¡± Kuja shook her head, ¡°We chose to. For power and longevity, if you would believe it.¡±


    But that doesn¡¯t make any sense. ¡°Then how did they¡ª¡± Cira clamped her mouth shut and nervously looked at Kuja.


    ¡°It is alright, child. You may as well know since you¡¯ve already met them. We did not reforge our souls to fix them, but to improve upon them. Grasping for ever greater heights of power.¡± The old woman¡¯s face fell into a distant frown, ¡°Naturally, the body reflected these changes. Nothing noticeable at a glance, but our bodies were indeed far from those of our birth. Even now, it is difficult to call myself human. As for how they died¡­ The moment Captain Cloud and his crew settled down and started colonizing our Island of Acher, everyone fell deathly ill.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ you survived?¡± Cira instantly regretted saying that as the puzzle pieces fell together in her head.


    ¡°I did. This all happened when I was a young woman, not much older than yourself. It was my duty to manage relations with the settlement which existed before Hangman¡¯s Cove. Some small trading post for travelling merchants. Because I alone dealt with the outside world, I was somewhat resistant to illness. The same could not be said for the rest of the Archaean people.¡± As her voice went quiet, Cira couldn¡¯t hide her shock. ¡°Indeed, child. It was I who brought death upon them, and it¡¯s no one¡¯s fault but my own that my people are extinct. I am far beyond the age to change that¡­¡±


    Everyone was stock still, engrossed in her woeful tale. Cira caught Jimbo counting on his fingers and muttering, ¡°Three hundred years¡­?¡±


    This poor woman¡­ She unwittingly brought a disease home and it killed literally everyone but her. She¡¯s been living with this guilt for so long. Even though it¡¯s obviously not her fault, it would be impossible not to feel that way after living in this empty husk for centuries. Is there¡­ anything I can say here?


    ¡°Kuja, are you familiar with soul remediation?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± She was snapped out of her wallowing and looked at Cira quizzically, ¡°I have not heard of this concept.¡±


    Some of her crew recognized the term and gave her the same expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s the process of reverting one¡¯s soul to a previous state. In theory, one could keep doing it and retain their youth indefinitely.¡± Kuja looked at her in shock. ¡°But in practice, there is a limit to how many times it can be done. If performed in excess the soul will stagnate, and its natural state may skew.¡±


    From one perspective this could look like it resulted in the condition it was trying to prevent, but soul stagnation was something far more serious. It could not be remediated or undone. A one way ticket.


    ¡°Soul stagnation leads to loss of mental faculties,¡± Cira continued, ¡°loss of willpower, and overall decreased agency over one¡¯s body and mind. Of course, severe corporeal degradation as well.¡±


    ¡°O-okay¡­¡± Kuja was at least confused into a better mood, ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡±


    Cira¡¯s foray into the archive back on Fount Salt taught her many new things about the soul, but it supplemented some things she¡¯d picked up over the years quite nicely, too.


    ¡°Because there is an inverse condition known as Essence Volatility. It has similar symptoms, but the patient retains some twisted semblance of their will. Their entire being is driven by base instinct, increasingly so as the condition progresses. I can¡¯t speak to repeatedly reforging one¡¯s soul, but my father warned me against making reckless alterations for this very reason.¡± Cira had gone this far, but now she was really unsure about her idea, ¡°If your people had the chance to continue this practice, I suspect you may have bore witness to a fate far worse than death.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ my ancestors were all fools.¡± Kuja was despondent as she gazed out the window.


    Cira waved her hands in defense. ¡°No¡ªI didn¡¯t mean it like that!¡±


    ¡°I know, child. I know¡­¡± She placed a hand over Cira¡¯s. ¡°You don¡¯t need to feel sorry for this old woman. I came to terms with the death of my people a very long time ago, but I appreciate you telling me this. It is a small comfort that they may have been spared a life such as you describe.¡±


    When Cira didn¡¯t have anything to say, the woman continued, ¡°And for a moment I thought you were going to offer me youth.¡± She chuckled, ¡°Moving on, you must be aware that attempting to reforge your soul while it bears that curse will be no simple feat.¡±


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t change things much,¡± Cira disagreed, ¡°So long as we can avoid rekindling the axon, we shouldn¡¯t see any issues.¡±


    ¡°The¡­ axon?¡± Kuja looked at her funny and stopped thumbing through the book.


    ¡°You may know it as the root.¡± Curses often began within or attached to the aura, which made some marginally easier to deal with if they were caught early enough. Not this one though. Cira¡¯s was placed directly on the soul. Regardless, the initial spot in which the curse is laid is known as the origin, or seed. Once a curse¡¯s roots reach the soul proper, however, it becomes near impossible to lift. ¡°You could say my curse is long-since rootbound. We shouldn¡¯t see any activity.¡±


    ¡°Essence propagation.¡± Kuja turned the book to Cira and pointed out a passage, ¡°¡¯As the soul reforms, it will experience a lifetime of regrowth until corporea and aetherea have balanced to a present state.¡¯ It sounds to me like your curse will return to seed and grow again within your soul as we reforge it. Without the device referred to as a ¡®soul thresher¡¯, we may not have any choice but to let this occur unregulated.¡±


    Cira scrutinized the text with a furrowed brow. I see¡­ I guess when I think about it like that, the soul thresher must separate the components of my soul so that when I reforge them, everything goes back together right. But were the Archaeans really doing this without one? It sounds really important.


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    ¡°I fear we may not be able to pull this off without turning you into some kind of inert soup. Or something else entirely, for that matter¡­ Unless we get our hands on a soul thresher.¡± Kuja continued, ¡°but if we go that far, we need to construct an essence loom.¡±


    The device in question was described as a tall cylindrical vessel made of mana crystal and enchanted mithril wire. From the sketch, Cira could only imagine that this was the object she would wake up inside once everything was said and done.


    ¡°You said the Cairn of Spirit has one device that does all that?¡± Cira asked.


    ¡°The Cairn is comprised of only three pieces. You go from the incipient vessel to the emulsifier, then finally the forge of rebirth. I believe the forge handles the tasks of both the thresher and the loom, but without the wisdom of my ancestors, all I can say is it receives mana to activate.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be the first time Cira saw wisdom passed down verbally disappear overnight, and she reckoned it wouldn¡¯t be the last, ¡°Like this, there is no way of knowing if we can stop your curse from taking precedence once your soul reforms. I admit I do not recognize a curse of this nature, but I can tell it is more insidious than any I¡¯ve ever seen. Is there¡­ any more you can tell me about it?¡±


    ¡°Well for one, I suspect you¡¯re better off not looking at it,¡± Cira pursed her lips. ¡°Are you familiar with¡­ primordial curses?¡±


    Cira jolted at the sound of a teacup shattering as it fell from Kuja¡¯s hand, ¡°Ch-child¡­ That can¡¯t be. H-how?!¡±


    Everyone always reacts like that. Cira let out a long sigh, ¡°It was placed on me by my¡ªno¡­ that can¡¯t be right.¡± Why would I think that? There¡¯s no way Dad did it. That would have been akin to killing himself with curses.


    There was a heavy presence¡ªmuch larger than me or any other. it felt¡­ so familiar, yet so malicious. Not unlike this stain on my soul. Still. Just who was that? It can¡¯t have been my father.


    Countless malformed faces flashed through her mind again like a revolving lantern¡ªpale and twisted, overflowing with maggots. Faces she knew well, and some that stung like needles in her heart to recall. After a few moments of this she felt a cold hand on hers and gasped. ¡°Oh¡­¡± It was Kuja with a worried look on her face and Cira realized she had broken into a cold sweat. Her heart raced faster than she could count.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay if you cannot remember. There is no need to strain yourself.¡± There was something motherly about Kuja¡¯s expression and the way she spoke, which further baffled Cira as she didn¡¯t think she knew what that looked like. Did I used to have a mother? I¡¯ve heard most do. So, what happened to her? Faces of the dead flashed through her mind again and Cira shook her head before she had a chance to remember anything else. ¡°Let¡¯s just focus on what we need to gather for now. We won¡¯t be reforging anything tonight.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Cira leaned back and tried to steady her hands. ¡°So, if we can get by with only two additional artifacts, what do we need? I¡¯m locked out of the treasury until my aura reforms, so we¡¯ll have to scrounge whatever materials we need from the forge¡ªand possibly Jimbo¡¯s pocket.¡±


    ¡°Treasury¡­? Forge?¡± Kuja had no idea what she was talking about.


    ¡°The hardest part will be producing the mana crystal. I don¡¯t think I can manage that. Even enchanting will be difficult for me as I am now.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s clear we need mithril. That alone may prove impossible to find here on Acher¡ªI mean Lost Cloud¡ªunless you steal it from Wick¡¯s treasury. Is that what you meant?¡±


    Cira got a huge grin on her face, ¡°Ohoho, while that sounds like a brilliant way to spend a day, I meant my own treasury. It is sealed in such a way that I can¡¯t access it without my own aura, and I refuse to curse the door. Likewise, I have some materials or other around my forge. Worst case we might be able to find some weapons to melt down around the house.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ I see?¡± The old woman started looking through the book again, ¡°For one, I think you should avoid cursing anything for a while. You only have so much soul¡­ Let¡¯s just make a list for now. The rest, we will figure out tomorrow.¡±


    They spent a few hours studying the soul reforging process and planning out how to build the two artifacts they needed. Long since having tuned out the crew, they had evidently retired to sparring downstairs as their swords clattered together. It was a little annoying, but that noise also fell into the background before long. Cira was actually having fun, as she probably learned more this evening than she had in years.


    It was remarkable the way Kuja was able to parse the dense text. She was familiar with souls, but many things in the book were new to her as well. Just her background allowed her to tear through the book while learning just as much as Cira was.


    Maybe she really is three hundred years old¡­


    ¡°Hey, look at this!¡± Cira was startled out of focus and snapped herself around to see Jimbo in the doorway with a glowing cube in his hand. ¡°I did it!¡±


    Cira looked at him in a daze for a moment and blinked a few times. ¡°So, you did¡­ How¡¯s your sight?¡±


    ¡°I can see Rocky downstairs!¡± He was really excited about that, ¡°I bet I could even shoot people through walls now!¡±


    Cira squinted her eyes at him, ¡°Have you finished Volume One of the Sorcerer¡¯s Compendium?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ No.¡± He replied sheepishly, ¡°Can¡¯t I cast a spell now though?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not certain you¡¯re ready.¡± Cira crossed her arms and deliberated for a moment, ¡°Finish that book and get back to me.¡±


    Jimbo was mildly dejected when he turned around to head back downstairs and Cira stopped him, ¡°Oh, leave all the mithril in your pocket, and send Rocky up here.¡±


    ¡°Um, here you go.¡± He tossed the pouch onto the table¡ªit looked a little light. ¡°I¡¯ll finish that book by morning. Just you watch!¡±


    And he was gone. Cira poured the pouch onto the table and there were three pale blue coins and a few small nuggets. Most she had either spent or ordered Jimbo to spend. Aside from that, Cira shoved the gemstones and deep green adamantine pebbles back inside.


    ¡°Y-you¡­ you were just having the boy hang onto all this?¡± Kuja was stupefied, ¡°Do you have any idea what this is worth?¡±


    ¡°Vaguely.¡± Cira admitted, ¡°But I find far more value in them today as materials. Wouldn¡¯t you agree? There¡¯s no way of telling how far this mithril will go until we turn it into wire though.¡±


    Now Kuja chuckled, having the mage earlier, ¡°And you think that novice can pull off such a feat?¡±


    ¡°H-hey,¡± Rocky stood in the doorway and paused when both sets of eyes fell onto him, ¡°Jimbo said you¡­ needed something?¡±


    ¡°Come. Sit.¡± Cira waved him on, ¡°I need you to first meld this mithril together, then spin a single wire out of it. This thickness is what we require.¡±


    Cira held up a thin steel wire that was kept inside the book for just this situation.


    ¡°That¡¯s really thin¡­ Can¡¯t it be a little thicker?¡± Cira¡¯s gaze intensified, ¡°Er, I mean I¡¯ve never molded mithril before. It may not be so simple.¡±


    ¡°Mithril¡¯s easy,¡± She assured him, ¡°It practically sucks up mana faster than you can dish it out.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the problem!¡± The mage threw his hands up in frustration and just to be sure, Cira turned to Kuja. She also offered a curious expression, so Cira gave the guy the benefit of the doubt. ¡°Just do your best for now. We probably don¡¯t have enough mithril here anyway.¡±


    The day had worn thin and there was still no sign of their pursuers investigating this side of the island. Moonlight trickled into the window and Cira found herself struggling to keep her eyes open. The two had already made a decent list of materials and nothing more could be done until they had a chance to see what they were missing.


    ¡°Ah, there¡¯s something I forgot.¡± Cira said, ¡°I don¡¯t see it anywhere in this book, but I think I need another soul to supplant onto my own for this to work.¡±


    Kuja looked at her aghast, ¡°Whatever would make you think that?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see. How do I put this?¡± There really was no other way to put it. ¡°A strangely knowledgeable spider told me so.¡±

 99 - Last Minute Errands

    After a brief and exhausting discussion involving a red spider, Cira was shown a place to rest and everyone retired for the evening. It wasn''t long until they were all awoken while it was still dark by a loud banging on the door. While Cira and her crew hid, Kuja went to open the door and found none other than Reverand Shores.


    ¡°I¡¯ve returned!¡± Cira heard him proclaim from downstairs.


    ¡°Will you shut up?¡± Kuja complained, ¡°Do you have any idea what time it is?¡±


    When Cira emerged yawning with a disheveled head of hair, Shores¡¯ expression dropped, ¡°I-I''m so sorry! Did I wake you, Captain?!¡±


    ¡°Of course you did. It¡¯s better to get an early start on the day, but will you quiet the hell down?¡± She held a hand on her head like it was in pain. ¡°We need to go look at the forge so I can send you shopping.¡±


    In her half-woken state, Cira didn¡¯t notice his smile diminish at her words. It likely wouldn¡¯t be shopping, but he would be the guy to gather what materials they lacked¡ªunless he had the wisdom to bring a small group of trusted men for odd jobs. Such an act would be the obvious course for Cira, so she didn¡¯t think to mention it.


    ¡°What¡¯s all the noise about?¡± Jimbo¡¯s face was pallid and there were dark bags under his eyes. Cira noticed a book in his hands and almost felt a tinge of pride. ¡°Some people are trying to read down here.¡±


    ¡°While I commend your efforts,¡± Cira praised, ¡°it¡¯s time for work. Do you have a running inventory of everything within my treasure barge?¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about¡­ my ship?¡± Jimbo was left dumbfounded as his tired brain slowly worked through it. ¡°I got an idea off the top of my head, I guess. Mostly gold and silver, but there are some things I haven¡¯t figured out yet. Artifacts and such, but nothing crazy like the stuff lying around your house.¡±


    ¡°Any mithril?¡±


    ¡°No mithril¡­ Or orichalcum for that matter. Whatever that green stuff you had in that coin purse¡ªI don¡¯t got that either.¡±


    ¡°Well, I still kind of wish we had kept it with us¡­¡± Cira lamented, but for all she knew their ship could have been crawling with shadow beasts by now if they left it in Archaeum. ¡°We¡¯ll cross that bridge when we get to it. You brought mages, right?¡±


    When she looked at Shores he nodded vigorously, ¡°I certainly did! They remain on the ship, awaiting your orders.¡±


    ¡°Good. Does it have room for all of us as well?¡± She didn¡¯t want to walk to Breeze Haven and back.


    ¡°It will be tight, but there should be room. When will we depart?¡±


    ¡°Before dawn breaks. Jimbo, rally the boys and find some torches.¡± Kuja looked a little uncertain and really tired. ¡°Oh, I should be fine scrounging materials up around the house. You don¡¯t need to come with us.¡±


    ¡°No need, child. I wish to see more of your home.¡± She wore a faint smile and seemed to be waking up, ¡°Jimbo, would you be a dear and¡ªoh¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get it.¡± Cira returned her smile and went to make tea in Jimbo¡¯s stead.


    Her whole crew was half asleep and by the time everyone was ready, Rocky was still passed out with his drool pooled up on a thin sheet of mithril. They decided it would be fine to leave him be so he could keep trying when he woke up and Cira made a mental note to bring back a stash of potions for him.


    When they stepped outside there was a small ship hovering above with a rope ladder hung down. It was something of a schooner with short masts and extra wide canopy sails. Painted all black, it blended in with the night. Are they really going to make Kuja climb this thing?


    She looked to the woman who seemed to be waiting for it, ¡°I¡¯m not so weary, child.¡±


    ¡°Noted.¡± With that addressed, Cira looked over her crew, ¡°Skipper, Joe? You guys ready?¡±


    They were the last two out of the house and the latter yawned with a thumbs up in response.


    Shores ascended first, followed by James and the boys then Cira. Jimbo convinced Kuja to let him help, so he went up first and threw a rope down to tie around herself just in case. The old woman had surprisingly little difficulty climbing up though, and scolded Jimbo to respect his elders once she made it to the top.


    ¡°So where are we going?¡± Shores asked.


    ¡°Kuja, could you show him the way? I¡¯d like to look over my images while we ship off.¡±


    It was still dark and the dense morning mist made it difficult for moonlight to reach them. Once Jimbo had some torches lit and they started moving, Cira took stock of everybody on deck.


    There were ten in total¡ªfour of which were clearly versed in holy magic. They wore silver and looked at her with reverence. ¡°You five. What elements do you practice?¡±


    There was one more, but Cira recognized her. It was quite the surprise to see she wanted to join, but that would be dealt with later.


    ¡°I cast fire, oh Lady Saint!¡± Cira groaned inwardly, but the next called out before she could correct him.


    ¡°My brother and I both cast water magic.¡± They took a knee when they approached.


    There was another geomancer which was a blessing, because it was only then that she realized she would need one to reach the archive again. After that was a dual-caster who wielded both water and lightning.


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    ¡°Impressive¡­ No wind, though?¡± He looked downcast when she said that, though she didn¡¯t mean it any particular way. ¡°Still, you should help Jimbo out in the coming days.¡±


    ¡°I promise I shall. By your will, Lady Saint!¡±


    Okay, I have to say something. Now that the five mages had all kneeled before her, the ¡®paladins¡¯ got jealous and followed suit. She noticed a glint in one girl¡¯s eyes who was upset at being forced to worship¡ªeven if that wasn¡¯t what was happening at all.


    ¡°All of you, on your feet!¡± Her recruits shot up and looked at her with those blissful expressions. ¡°I am no saint, and you shall not refer to me as such. Is that understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lady S¡ª¡± Smack! One of the paladin¡¯s knocked the geomancer on the head.


    ¡°What did she just say?¡± Then he turned to her and offered a light bow, ¡°My life, by your will, oh Captain.¡±


    That doesn¡¯t sound much better, but it¡¯s an improvement. ¡°And you, Tawny¡­¡± Cira finally gave the young mage her attention. ¡°I did not expect to see you here.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ My actions yesterday were disgraceful.¡± It was clear she really didn¡¯t want to apologize to Cira in particular, but at least her words seemed sincere. ¡°I never should have responded like that in the midst of battle. I have no excuse.¡± The last bit she spoke through gritted teeth.


    ¡°I am upset that you wasted so much mana on me when you could have been helping the crew,¡± She acquiesced, ¡°but I doubt you could have put it to full use regardless. You are still very much an amateur. Are you aware of the other reason I¡¯m upset?¡±


    When Tawny returned a blank stare, Cira was starting to get irritated again. Noticing this, Jimbo decided it was a good time to cut in, ¡°Captain, let me handle this. I was just reading about it¡­ Chapter Nine: The Sorcerer¡¯s Burden.¡±


    She was taken aback¡ªthat was exactly the source material she intended to loosely quote, so she gestured for him to continue.


    ¡°You¡¯re as weak as they come, Tawny.¡± The girl deflated at hearing those words from one she cared so much about. ¡°Even if you meet someone with no magic, you can¡¯t disparage someone just because they¡¯re weaker than you.¡±


    ¡°¡¯Disparage¡¯¡­ Impressive, Jimbo.¡± Cira commented.


    ¡°Thanks. I learned it this morning.¡± He turned back to Tawny trying to hide a dumb grin. ¡°Now do you know why our captain here is pissed?¡±


    ¡°Are you saying¡­ I should have just hit her instead of using magic?¡± To be fair, it wasn¡¯t a bad guess.


    Cira let out a long sigh, ¡°Let me put it this way. How would you feel if the moment my aura reformed, I deigned to drop this island from the sky by turning it to molten lava just because a bunch of lessers like you live on it, hmm? Going another route, I could have cursed you for your impertinence, were I such a sorcerer.¡± Melting an island would require a great deal of time and ridiculous quantities of mana, but if Cira truly set her heart on it, she didn¡¯t think it would be impossible.


    Her eyes went wide, ¡°The¡­ the whole island?¡± Then she looked at Jimbo in horror, ¡°curses¡­?¡±


    Of course, he had nothing to say. His expression was one of distress as if he could see his home melting away already.


    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a ¡®lesser¡¯.¡± Cira continued, ¡°Even those born without an aura can attain one through proper effort, and with the right guidance Jimbo here will surpass you in a matter of months.¡±


    The girl was at a loss with nothing further to say. She looked like she was being scolded by her parents as her head hung down. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°Why did you come back anyway? I can¡¯t imagine my well-being motivated you. You realize these mages have gathered here to fight mysterious creatures for me, right?¡±


    ¡°The sooner you¡¯re better¡­¡± The girl trailed off, ¡°the sooner you leave, right?¡±


    ¡°Pfffff¡ª¡± Cira tried to stop herself from laughing but the degree of offense etched onto the Far Shore¡¯s faces was too much. Even Reverand himself whipped his head around with a look of shock which only intensified when he saw how hard Cira was busting up. She held her sides and eventually got her breathing under control after just a couple minutes, ¡°Phew¡­ That was good. Maybe you¡¯re not so bad after all, Tawny.¡±


    Now the girl was mortified¡ªthat was the last reaction she expected, and she had no idea whether to take it for face value or not. Before she got a chance, Cira walked back over to the edge and gazed out over the black sea.


    Shores was scared to enter once they reached Archaeum¡¯s shroud, calling it the cursed valley and complaining left and right. Eventually Jimbo told him to stop being a baby and they descended again.


    Admittedly, it was much scarier this time. Their torches didn¡¯t give off half as much light as Breeze Haven, and Prismagora was back at Kuja¡¯s stuck in the dirt to soak up sunlight whenever that decided to arrive.


    It was no longer possible to see one side of the ship from the other and each torch only lit a few feet around. Cira found herself subconsciously gripping the railings as revenants swam around them through the shadows just out of sight¡ªaround the hull and all across the deck. She could hear them and their faint whispers.


    I sure hope Kuja can get us back to Breeze Haven like this. There was a very real possibility of crashing the ship. She had no idea how they were navigating in total darkness and everyone on deck was audibly pissing themselves.


    Cira had never heard so many grown men cry. She almost went to find the helm herself so she could at least see death coming ahead of time when a spot of light appeared in the darkness.


    Relieved to see a familiar sight, she heard Kuja directing Shores to land next to Breeze Haven¡¯s shining barrier.


    ¡°What the hell is that?!¡± All the unacquainted members of the Far Shore had their jaws on the floor as the light only grew larger. Before long they could see a lush garden beyond the shroud and Cira took the liberty of sliding down the rope ladder again.


    ¡°Everybody meet me out front!¡± Cira shouted as she descended.


    Oh boy, it sure is dark down here¡­ she didn¡¯t have a torch with her and while she could see her home and the ship above, she was standing on the desolate peak of the necropolis, swallowed in darkness. Cira wasted no time in clinging to the edge of her barrier and when she turned around a small group of revenants floated there, staring into her eyes unmoving. The mana in their gaze bore down on her with an indescribable pressure.


    ¡±Come on, guys¡­ I¡¯m just a travelling sorcerer. Nothing to see here.¡± She slowly crept her way over to the gate and breathed a sigh of relief once she was finally on the other side of it. ¡°Well, that was nerve-wracking¡­¡±


    They still didn¡¯t feel hostile to her, but being weak sure changed her perspective on things.


    Cira ran inside and filled a bag with boarding passes. It was a hassle, but the security was top-notch. No one could enter without, and those wearing one who felt malice would be either marked or ejected depending on the severity. Of course, if she had her mana, she could register someone as a guest after they entered wearing a pendant, but there was no use getting upset about it.


    This was far beyond the number of guests she felt comfortable hosting, but Breeze Haven sure was lively if nothing else. James and Jimbo worked together to wrangle everyone together on the lawn and Shores busted out some ale to quell their desire to explore. He and his crew evidently never travelled without a barrel or three on board, even on stealth missions, so it was interesting to watch them lower one after another down on a rope.


    ¡°Hang on, guys.¡± Cira protested, ¡°We¡¯re not going to be here that long.¡±


    ¡°Then two¡¯s plenty!¡± Jimbo called up the way, ¡°Pull it up and get down here!¡±


    Cira left him with a pendant for when the last man made it to the gate, then went downstairs to assess her stores with Kuja.


    ¡°Before we start working down the list,¡± Kuja asked, ¡°Do you mind if I meet the spider you mentioned?¡±


    ¡°I suppose that would be best. He may have some insight.¡± She wasn¡¯t sure if it was a good idea to bring such dangerous variable into the mix, but it was a better choice than if she got ahead of herself and botched the reforging process.

 100 - The Cursed Commandments

    ¡°I can¡¯t stress this enough.¡± Cira said as she took the first step into her archive. ¡°Don¡¯t touch anything and try not to look any anything unnecessary either.¡±


    Cira¡¯s new geomancer was like having two Rockys in her pocket. While that¡¯s how it felt, he claimed to work exclusively with metal and was a blacksmith. He was not present.


    ¡°What is this place¡­?¡± Kuja asked.


    Cira beamed with pride, ¡°My forbidden archive!¡± She led the woman over to the desk with a hole cut out of it and stood before a covered void chamber. ¡°Alright, Kuja. I don¡¯t know how to explain this, but just make sure you keep a strong hold on your mind when I pull this blanket off.¡±


    She stood there with wide eyes, ¡°I-is it really that serious?¡±


    Cira nodded and allowed a few seconds before uncovering the creature, ¡°Behold! The self-proclaimed crimson soulweaver.¡±


    ¡°Th-that¡¯s terrifying¡­¡± Kuja stared at it quietly for a moment, ¡°but I think it¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense!¡± Cira turned around and the spider was indeed curled up like a dead spider would be and completely lacking in luster.


    ¡°This being hosts no soul.¡± Her keen eyes stared deeply into it, ¡°There can be no mistaking it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t even start this shit with me!¡± Cira knocked on the glass, ¡°Kuja, see this glyph here? Place your hand upon it and channel a little mana in.¡±


    ¡°This one?¡± Kuja reached for the glyph, ¡°Okay¡ª¡±


    ¡°STOP! Okay, I give up!¡± A voice penetrated both their minds in a panic.


    ¡°Ahh!¡± Kuja shrieked and stumbled back, frantically looking around to find the voice. ¡°Wh-what is that?!¡±


    ¡°This little bastard right here.¡± Cira pointed at the spider who stood on all eight legs now.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it¡­ There was nothing in there! So how¡­?¡± She looked into the spider¡¯s eyes with a dumbfounded expression. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a soul in all my years. What¡ªno¡­ why do you possess this creature?¡±


    She looked at Cira in horror, but the girl could only shrug, ¡°You¡¯re asking the wrong sorcerer.¡±


    ¡°Has it been ten years already?¡± The spider interrupted, ¡°I take it you¡¯ve come to destroy me?¡±


    ¡°Oh, very funny.¡± It had barely been a full day. ¡°I need answers. Call it a trust exercise.¡±


    ¡°I will consider it after I hear the question.¡±


    Why does it have to be so difficult? Does the spider have better things to do? ¡°Tell me why I need another soul to fix my own.¡±


    ¡°Foolish girl. You already know the answer¡ªyou¡¯ve just forgotten it.¡± When Cira crossed her arms, he decided it wasn¡¯t worth letting that hang in the air, ¡°I believe this will be far from the first time a soul has become part of your own. Either you find a big one or get ready for a culling. There¡¯s simply not enough left for ambient aether to make up the difference¡ªby a wide margin.¡±


    ¡°Hold on¡­¡± Cira grew pale. Consuming souls didn¡¯t strike her as something so easily to forget, ¡°What do you mean it wouldn¡¯t be the first time?¡±


    ¡°I mean to say I¡¯ve never seen such vile patchwork. Whoever did it is a disgrace to the craft.¡±


    ¡°I was wondering¡­¡± Kuja started, ¡°I thought that was just damage from whatever you did to break it in the first place. So¡­ All these little fragments¡ªeach and every thread¡­ Once belonged to another?¡±


    Cira turned away and hid inside her coat, feeling a little embarrassed, ¡°Would you stop looking at me like that? It¡¯s incredibly uncomfortable. Spider, some of it¡¯s my own soul, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s all your own soul.¡± He replied, ¡°But to answer your question, you aren¡¯t some manner of aether golem or homunculus. Someone just did a lot of work before the old man found you. To what end is beyond even my myriad eyes.¡±


    ¡°Eight.¡± I counted. There was a brief silence before Cira let out a sigh, ¡°I don¡¯t like that at all, but it doesn¡¯t really help me right now. How big of a soul are we talking?¡±


    ¡°How does one measure souls?¡± It riddled, ¡°You need not one only soaked in mana, but it must be steeped in a great destiny. If this woman was younger, a couple of her would suffice, but you must look elsewhere.¡±


    ¡°What does that even mean?¡± Destiny was a concept she neither appreciated nor believed in.


    ¡°Naturally the very fact that you are seeking it shall alter your prey¡¯s determined fate drastically, but you should seek a being on which many lives hinge.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ Perhaps Captain Wick?¡± Kuja suggested, ¡°His disappearance would cause many ripples.¡±


    ¡°The image I have of him in my head is very weak,¡± Cira had not met him yet but knew that he kept mages with him for protection. ¡°I don¡¯t think he will do. Also, my entire goal was to not assassinate someone and slap their soul onto my own. I¡¯m iffy about most beasts as is.


    ¡°Matter of fact,¡± The spider continued, ¡°The perfect match exists closer than you think.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ are you going to tell me where?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do you one better. I¡¯ll guide you straight to it.¡±


    ¡°Out of the question.¡± Cira gestured to Kuja, ¡°Go on, activate the glyph.¡±


    ¡°NO, PLEASE! You have nothing to lose! I-I can help you!¡± The spider pleaded.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I have a lot to lose. You¡¯re dangerous.¡± She paced around for a moment, somewhat baffled, ¡°Why would you think I would even consider letting you out?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t stay trapped in this prison any longer! It wasn¡¯t bad until you and that girl so rudely woke me up.¡± Cira squinted her eyes at him when she realized he was talking about when Nanri helped her break into the archive at first. At this expression, he got nervous again, ¡°I¡¯ll do everything I can to help, a-and you can even curse me! Please, just don¡¯t put the blanket back on me!¡± He was practically screaming at her, but he sounded at least mildly sincere.


    ¡°Now there¡¯s an idea¡­¡± I really didn¡¯t want to curse anything ever again, but¡­ I can. Easily. ¡°You should know exactly what kind of curse I¡¯m going to put on you. Do you seriously want that?¡±


    ¡°I just want to see the outside world again¡­ It¡¯s been so, so long.¡± There was definitely a tinge of sadness in his voice, but even bad guys can feel sad. ¡°Lay whatever curse you wish. I just want to be free.¡±


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    The very nature of the curse that would allow him freedom is sort of the opposite of freedom¡­ Is there an ulterior motive?


    One this was clear: Cira had greatly underestimated this spider¡¯s desire for freedom. ¡°Okay, I really don¡¯t want to. But¡­ Kuja, you might want to leave the room.¡±


    ¡°Child, I¡­ don¡¯t think this is a good idea.¡± She was fraught with concern as she looked at Cira. ¡°If you expend too much of your soul¡­ Only curse will be left.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a terrible idea, but you¡¯d be surprised¡ªIt really doesn¡¯t take much. You won¡¯t see me turning hollow,¡± Such a being whose soul is completely overtaken was academically known as a curseborne lich. ¡°I should have plenty for a little curse or two.¡±


    ¡°No, you should be careful,¡± the spider said, ¡°Your soul is torn and frayed. Each fragment will be affected independently. Be wise with your conditions.¡±


    That is what you would want, isn¡¯t it? Could that be the scheme? He wants to find a loophole in my curse and escape, or even kill me. For all I know he could take over my body. ¡°Conditions, hmm? You sure have luxurious dreams for a spider. Kuja, I¡¯m doing this.¡±


    The woman had a determined glint in her weary eyes, ¡°I-if I can¡¯t dissuade you¡­ Then I will stay.¡±


    A short staring contest ensued, and Cira lost, ¡°Fine, at least go stand by the door or something.¡±


    No harm would come to Kuja unless Cira willed it, but she still didn¡¯t like people seeing her do this or being too close. Outside of the incident in Uren, Gazen was the only other who had witnessed it. Just once before he forbade it for life. Sorry, Dad. Maybe I¡¯m taking shortcuts again, but everything will be fine once my soul is reforged.


    ¡°Okay, here we go¡­¡± Cira held out her hand and the room suddenly pressurized. As if reality began to stain gray, a dull wooden staff appeared from nothing. It was less impressive than the ones she kept with the umbrellas next to the front door. No gem adorned it and the unpolished wood used was marred with knots and frayed burls. ¡°Spider, do you have a name?¡±


    Cira spoke evenly with a serious tone and looked into its many eyes. ¡°I do not.¡± It replied without a hint of jest.


    ¡°You are hereby named Legs McClensky.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡± The spider was still reeling from his sudden naming when Cira rolled right into her curse.


    ¡°Henceforth, you shall never act against my will. You shall not bear ill will toward me nor anyone else. You shall never act without my express permission, nor shall you tell a lie.¡± Gray wisped from her staff toward the trembling spider as it backed up.


    ¡°H-hang on¡­¡± The smoke like streams continued unimpeded by the void chamber or the bell jar and found their way to the spider before fully enveloping it, ¡°Wait! Just W¡ª¡±


    This process took a few seconds before it cleared to reveal the spider twitching on its back. ¡°This was your idea.¡± Cira noted.


    ¡°I-I¡­ didn¡¯t know it would be this bad.¡± Legs¡¯ voice was weak and came to her like static. ¡°Just let me out already¡­¡±


    Cira dispelled her staff and Kuja crept back over with wide eyes, ¡°That truly was something¡­ I¡¯ve never seen somethings so¡­ so¡­ I don¡¯t even know how to describe that. So vile, yet I sensed no malice. I don¡¯t understand¡ª¡± she quieted down as Cira side-eyed her. ¡°What happens if it disobeys the orders you just gave it?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Cira blinked in confusion. ¡°It can¡¯t. That¡¯s the whole point. Not until I dispel it personally.¡±


    Without an ounce of trepidation, Cira lifted the lid on the void chamber and pulled the bell jar off. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to inspect this¡­¡± No glyphs. It¡¯s glass, not mana crystal¡­ Is this just a jar?


    ¡°Wait, just like that?!¡± Kuja jumped back, ¡°That¡­ that thing is dangerous. I¡¯ve never heard of a curse that works like that! Can even primordial curses do that?¡±


    The most prevalent curses were hardly more than an affliction shared by two parties¡ªone unwilling victim and the caster. The victim usually got it much worse. While the caster may roll around in bed and wake up a couple times through the night in a cold sweat, the curse¡¯s recipient would be awake through the night huddled in a corner with inexplicable terror hanging over their head.


    Another example could see the caster lose money gambling while their victim in a merchant ship happens to stumble upon a flight of wyverns on their way home. Bad luck was trickier, but standard curses worked in a somewhat reciprocal manner.


    There were also substitutions where the victim may become spontaneously paralyzed, and the caster¡¯s first-born child comes out deformed years later. The list goes on, but it was never wise to dwell on the intricacies of curses.


    ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯ve seen anyone else cast them,¡± that I can recall, ¡°but I¡¯ve always thought mine are of an especially disgusting nature.¡±


    She turned to the spider who cowered in its invisible prison. Free from its shackles after who knows how long, yet it didn¡¯t move a muscle. ¡°May I move?¡± For the spider was shackled more thoroughly than ever.


    ¡°Ah, yes. You are free to trot around and such, just don¡¯t go too far.¡±


    ¡°How far is too far?¡± It asked timidly.


    ¡°However far I deem it, which will likely vary throughout the day, now come on.¡± Cira put her open palm next to it and heard Kuja gasp behind her. ¡°I think I¡¯ll call you Mac.¡±


    Slowly, he placed one leg on her hand. It felt pretty sharp but not enough to break skin¡ªthough she thought it could if he tried. Soon the cowardly spider god clambered onto her palm and Cira brought it up to the light.


    ¡°Looks like you lost a little color. What happened?¡± Instead of bright crimson like a perfect ruby there were faint streams running through him that turned darker as he glimmered.


    ¡°You are seeing my soul.¡± It replied, ¡°You have stained it considerably with this¡­ this filth.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be rude.¡± Does that make him a mana crystal or something? What a neat find. Thanks, Dad. ¡°Now tell me what your real goals were and currently are. You can¡¯t lie to me now, and no lying by omission.¡±


    ¡°My goal was always to take over that old bastard¡¯s body, consume his soul for my own.¡± It explained without a hint of hesitation, ¡°Urgh, then when he captured me only to go and die, you naturally became my target¡­¡±


    ¡°Mmhm. Mhmm.¡± Cira nodded, ¡°I would be upset if it weren¡¯t exactly as I thought. Continue.¡±


    ¡°My goal now is¡­ It is¡­¡± The spider paused and his voice sounded pained, ¡°Grrrrrahhhh!! My goal is to help you reforge your soul and become your friend until I can convince you to lift the curse so I may consume your soul amicably one day.¡±


    ¡°Now that¡¯s more like it. Looks like I¡¯ve got some time before I have to care about that.¡± She turned to Kuja again, ¡°Come on, we¡¯re burning daylight.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ªyou trust that thing?¡± She was dumbstruck.


    ¡°Of course not, but I don¡¯t have to.¡± Cira plopped the spider down on her shoulder and led the woman out of the room.


    Outside there was a terrified geomancer sweating bullets who nearly fainted out the window upon locking eyes with the spider. ¡°C-Captain!¡±


    ¡°At ease, Rictor.¡± She helped pull him back in. ¡°Go ahead and close this off then head upstairs.¡±


    This guy is way better than Rocky and he hasn¡¯t asked for a single crown. I¡¯ll have to make sure to reward him later.


    ¡°Are we looking for materials now?¡± Kuja asked as they approached the stairs back up to the house.


    ¡°First things first.¡± She picked the spider up off her shoulder and hid it in her coat, ¡°I need to play a prank on my crew.¡±


    The crew in question was gathered in the garden around a barrel and didn¡¯t even see her coming. She crept up behind them and it seemed Tawny was the only one to notice her sly grin. The soft grass muffled the sounds of her wooden leg, and she achieved maximum stealth.


    ¡°YOU CAN HEAR ME, RIGHT?!¡± Cira said mentally.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mac replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need to yell.¡±


    ¡°Okay, just crawl all over this guy when I set you down.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Ahoy there, mateys.¡± Cira said very smoothly as she pulled the world¡¯s least conspicuous spider from inside her coat. ¡°Where¡¯s my glass?¡±


    She gave Jimbo a pat on the shoulder to hide the feeling of eight little legs creeping around to his other side and he ended up ordering James to get Cira a glass¡ªjust as planned¡ªthen she took a seat nearby to watch, lacing her fingers together as an ale made its way before her.


    ¡°Sure took you long enough,¡± Jimbo commented, ¡°Find everything you¡ª¡±


    His eyes froze as he noticed the fist-sized gemlike spider resting on his lapel and staring straight into his soul.


    ¡°It¡¯s the demon god!¡± Both her goons sounded the alarms and started running away, followed by a chorus of chairs getting knocked over backwards. James sputtered with his jaw on the floor and Jimbo let out a girlish squeal.


    ¡°Eeeeyah!¡± He desperately slapped it away and fell on his ass, trying to scoot back and failing as the grass yielded to his peg leg. ¡°Wh-why are you laughing?!¡± He frantically tried to free himself and eventually rolled over, clawing away until he could find his footing. A couple of her men had hopped clear over the fence to brave the shadows instead of whatever the hell this thing was. A questionable choice at best.


    Within seconds Cira was alone with a barrel of ale and a shiny red spider sat next to her on the grass. For a moment, he struggled to right himself like a turtle stuck on its shell. Next thing she knew, Kuja approached from behind with her face folded in a disapproving frown.


    ¡°Can we get started now?¡± Her arms were crossed, and hints of exasperation flitted through her eyes.


    ¡°And you should make it quick.¡± When Mac added this comment, Cira scoffed. ¡°There are a great many souls in your way. Reaching the one you seek will not be achieved quickly¡ªmeanwhile, you decay with each passing moment.¡±


    ¡°That sounds reasonable enough¡­¡± When everybody gets back, I¡¯ll have them get ready to depart. ¡°I¡¯m excited to see what these shadow beasts are like.¡±


    Kuja gave her one last tired look, ¡°You should not be.¡±

 100.5 - Spectral Combat 2: Salty Boogaloo

    An explosion of flavor burst in just one bite; the texture was soft and tender. With each successive mastication, the mellow flavors of egg further blended with the rich and savory worm in ways Kate had never conceived. ¡°I have to hand it to her. If she never came around, we¡¯d never get to eat these.¡±


    As if to make a toast with Triton, who sat across the table with his own, Kate held up one of Mephisto¡¯s World Famous Saint-Egg Omelets. Now, as a local Kate understood that he merely wanted to capitalize on Fount Salt¡¯s new nickname¡ªThe Egg of the Saint¡ªbut she always got a good laugh when she heard tourists from up the Boreal scrambling to get theirs, forming huge lines every morning.


    Triton also got a good laugh out of it, ¡°Those idiots. It¡¯s not like she laid the eggs. What do they think the connection is?¡±


    There were dots which led to Mephisto¡¯s spike in sales, but he let the people connect them on their own. While his new dish was named after the legendary saint, he renamed his legacy ¡®Mephisto¡¯s World Famous Saint¡¯s Choice Wormwich¡¯.


    ¡°I¡¯m just glad he changed it from the Hidden Wormwich.¡± Kate¡¯s omelet was no more and she sighed, ¡°We better get everybody some. They said the egg was cold by the time we got back yesterday.¡±


    ¡°That bastard Mephisto was supposed to sell me some eggs to make at home. Guess they got too popular.¡± A hop, skip, and a few clouds up the Boreal was where the old man had sourced them. Some ¡®stromrak¡¯ farm, whatever the hell that is. Triton cleared his throat and got up to do a few stretches, ¡°Well, we better get moving. Big day today.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, don¡¯t tell me about it.¡± Kate rolled her eyes and found a seat in the spooky skiff the illustrious saint and such had left them.


    ¡°Oh, it won¡¯t be too bad. It¡¯s been a while since we saw Lomp.¡± The Underseer was very busy lately taking over the role of Overseer from Pappy. The Gandeux regulator they sent was evidently unimpressed by their meeting, but when his final report on the ¡®Fount Saint¡¯ incident hit Port, the wrinkly descendant was the natural recipient of the blame.


    ¡°It¡¯s not Lomp I¡¯m worried about.¡± Kate shook her head, ¡°Will you just hurry it up? Could have bought me another too, ya know.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, sorry,¡± Triton stuffed the remainder of his last omelet in his mouth and started ascending. Uru had been brighter since its law was lifted and there seemed to be more money flowing through the city. Some tourists had even made efforts to move there for whatever god-awful reason.


    Nymphus saw a small spike as well, but the streets of Uru were already extending out towards the side opposite the Dark Stratum using rust-proof materials under the direct oversight of the Ganduex. It was becoming a lively city and the pirate population slowly dissipated by the day.


    Even with the twinkling lights below, the entire chamber was lit from above as the golden sun Cira left behind still burned strong well over a month later¡ªso much so that it was uncomfortably bright inside the plague ward. Rather than the ones she left to burn up the deritium, this one was paid for up front. The Saint, Hidden Witch, and Merlin X could join forces and still have no idea when it would dissipate.


    These days, the flocking masses called it Uru of the Eternal Dawn due to no small effort from High Priest Tarrel. Between travelers who witnessed seven days of holy light, Mephisto¡¯s branding, the High Priest¡¯s rhetoric, and whatever logistical wizardry Lomp was managing on the surface, Fount Salt was seeing the most traffic it¡¯s had in centuries. People wanted to live there if you can believe that.


    Of course, under the ubiquitous eyes of the Ganduex, conditions steadily improved. This could also be attributed to the influx of capital from a certain man in Uren, but there were no more hungry mouths on the island. Everyone worked with hope in their hearts and renewed vigor for the mines.


    Atop Uru was where the exorcists¡¯ estates were carved right into the cliffside. For some reason, Cira left them each an entire manor. That made eight massive homes which loomed over the city¡ªthe man named Glasses didn¡¯t make the cut, but Lomp¡¯s remained empty.


    Luckily, Cira had the good sense to form a wall around them, because these days there were crowds of tourists that wanted to catch a glimpse of the men and women at the frontline against the plague¡ªdeemed by the Gandeux to be ¡®Spiritual Warriors¡¯, as the public seemed to like that.


    Triton brought them down low and went to land in Chip¡¯s yard where the others had gathered when a frantic young woman¡¯s shouts came from below, ¡°Lomp, please let me bear your children!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not even here!¡± Triton shouted back, waving his fist as they disappeared behind the wall. ¡°Can you believe that?¡±


    Put a little mithril in the man¡¯s pocket and all of a sudden women will crawl for miles through a series of caves just to reach him. Ridiculous. Triton couldn¡¯t help but feel bitter. Lomp didn¡¯t even have time to help them in Last Step these days.


    ¡°Ehh, he earned it.¡± Chip replied as they landed in the yard. ¡°He¡¯s the one that had to follow Cira around the whole time.¡±


    ¡°Oh, she wasn¡¯t that bad¡­¡± Rosalie quipped.


    And their daughter Delia readily agreed, ¡°She was really nice!¡±


    It didn¡¯t take long for Chip to realize there was no reason he couldn¡¯t move his family down below. They didn¡¯t have to worry about money anymore as Lomp provided all, and he¡¯d even caught wind that there was mithril waiting for him once the plague was eradicated. Combine all that with the hunk Cira gave Rosalie and they hatched plans to move up the Boreal once this was all over to live a comfortable life somewhere far less salty.


    ¡°Nice is not the word I would use,¡± Triton remembered getting punched into oblivion in the queen¡¯s nest, ¡°But I guess she was alright.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. I still don¡¯t like her.¡± Jules the former sponge maiden didn¡¯t like it when Cira came up, but at least she took her job seriously. ¡°Let¡¯s get a move on already.¡±


    Everyone ravaged the boat for sandwiches and had their fill before loading up for the day to set off for the Last Step. Rosalie waved them all goodbye and promised to have supper ready when they returned.


    The pristine tunnels of salt took them along a trickling river that glistened as their light reflected off the metal lining beneath. From their estates it didn¡¯t take long to reach the precipice at the top and they settled to wait for their guests.


    ¡°How long are they gonna make us sit around?¡± Triton complained aloud. ¡°We actually have to keep up with Delilah now.¡±


    Naturally, people lined up in Uru faster than they could put out the cure, but they did finally reach a point where they were bringing in aetherium as fast as three cauldrons could refine it. That said, it was a constant game of staying just far enough ahead to not fall behind.


    Chip kicked a rock off the edge and watched it disappear, ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be fine with the extra hands we¡¯re getting. I just hope they don¡¯t try to send us a boss.¡±


    Nothing could disrupt their workflow more than sending in someone unrelated from above to assume command. It was bad enough watching everyone they sent try and fail to decipher the relics Cira left. They had no choice but to give up on replacing the exorcists with their own agents.


    ¡°That does sound like something they would do¡­¡± Triton agreed. ¡°But I¡¯ve had enough of crazy mages from the sky for a while.¡±


    ¡°I just hope they don¡¯t send in another witch!¡± Kate complained.


    ¡°Hey, Nanri was nice. They should have just left her if that was their plan.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure we won¡¯t be seeing her again.¡± She shook her head, ¡°You know exactly the kind of witch they would want down here.¡±


    The group all quieted down for a moment. They didn¡¯t realize until she left, but Nanri really kept the mood up in the Last Step. It was such dreary, monotonous work now. Nobody watched her leave, but rumor had it the Silver Witch came for her. Everyone shared a similar thought in that moment, sure is a shame they took her.


    It was Triton who spoke up first, ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s gonna be another crazy evil old lady like that Astral W¡ª¡±


    ¡°AHEM!¡± A very upset throat cleared behind them and the exorcists whipped around to see Lomp entering with two people standing behind him with mixed expressions. ¡°Allow me to introduce our newest members. Peugolo the enforcer and the Holiest Witch.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s faces dropped as they looked over their guests. One was a towering hulk of a man with bulging muscles and a bald head. He wore scarce more than silver gauntlets, while the other had on ghastly white robes that shimmered like moonlight.


    ¡°The holiest¡­?¡± Triton asked as he observed the young woman¡¯s delicate face veiled in hair as white as salt. She wore a genial smile that spread to her eyes after noticing him and it made his skin crawl for some reason.


    The enforcer on the other hand was hardly clothed. His shorts, sandals, and gauntlets must have been blessed silver and they all held a faint holy glow. He noticed Triton¡¯s gaze and approached with mountainous steps before holding out his hand. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet the Saint¡¯s chosen champions at last.¡±


    This guy might not be so bad¡­ minus the saint thing, Triton thought before shaking the man¡¯s giant hand. ¡°Triton. The pleasure¡¯s all mine. You look like you could rip a ghost in half.¡±


    ¡°HAHAHA, Indeed!¡± Peugolo¡¯s boisterous laugh nearly startled Triton off the cliff, ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be the first time I¡¯ve done it.¡±


    ¡°You have experience fighting spirits then?¡± Chip chimed in.


    ¡°Of course! I used to be a paladin and holy light flows through my veins.¡± It seemed like an exaggeration, but Triton didn¡¯t get hung up on it as the man proceeded to send a flurry of fists into the air to show off. ¡°It is my duty to act upon the Lost Lamb¡¯s will so that she may one day find her way home.¡±


    Half the exorcists rolled their eyes. This was one of the nicknames they understood the least, but it was a dead giveaway that someone was devoted to the Final Sky. No one present except surely Peugolo had any idea how Cira compared to newborn livestock or the willpower to sit through one of the High Priest¡¯s sermons to find out.


    I have a feeling this devotion of his is why he was sent here. That must have been seriously annoying up top.


    ¡°So, you used to be with the church, huh?¡± Despite the morally questionable act of covert sky burials, most of the Final Sky were at least kind. At the core of their teachings was the onus to help your fellow man, and unlike Earth Vein, they didn¡¯t see those without magic as beneath them. There were far too many ¡®lessers¡¯ in the church for that to take root. Triton looked over at the witch now, who still had the same friendly smile on. ¡°Are you with them too, Lady Holiest Witch?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. Not me.¡± She giggled into her hand.


    ¡°But you use holy magic¡­?¡± Come to think of it, Cira was pretty adamant that she had no clue what the Final Sky was. I thought she was just crazy, but maybe I¡¯ve been thinking about holy all wrong.


    ¡°Vercephus is far more vast and older than anyone can imagine¡­¡± She gazed off wistfully with distant eyes and a soft grin. ¡°It has always been, and always will be.¡±


    Something about her words seemed to irk Peugolo, but the man held his tongue. It sounded like riddles to Triton, so he continued, ¡°Vercephus¡­ That¡¯s what they call that cluster of stars up there, right? Sometimes it¡¯s a rabbit, or a man wrestling a snake.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± The witch looked amused, ¡°Have you never seen it, young Triton? Each set of eyes behold Vercephus in their own way.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s gotta be too far away or something. I just see a blur.¡± A lot of sailors along the Boreal ignored all stars but the Pathfinder. Maps were infinitely more important as they travelled up or down the archipelago.


    ¡°You will see it one day, if you truly want to.¡± Her expression remained bright and cheerful, but it just felt suspicious, even if there was no ill intent behind it. That¡¯s just how her smile looked. ¡°The light of Vercephus reaches all, and all are welcome to its grace.¡±


    Jules wasn¡¯t feeling very conversational and tried to move things along, ¡°Can we go now?¡±


    ¡°Almost.¡± Lomp replied, ¡°We¡¯re expecting another boat. He should be right behind us.¡± Everyone was curious as the Underseer stepped out into the hallway. ¡°Ah, there he is.¡±


    A couple minutes later a boat not unlike their own entered through the passageway steered by a man with thick spectacles and an even thicker silver chain around his neck. The new boat certainly had enchantments, but they weren¡¯t as complex, and the materials were clearly inferior. I think I¡¯ll stay on my boat, thank you very much, Triton thought.


    After another round of introductions for the tardy one, they descended at last. Lomp took over the wheel from Glasses and led the way, with about half the team in his boat to distribute the weight. Peugolo and the Holiest Witch wanted to ride in the saint¡¯s boat, so it was a little uncomfortable all around. Their first stop wasn¡¯t far, though¡ªin fact, Lomp stopped at the very first cave they stumbled across.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we go down further?¡± Triton asked from the helm of the saint¡¯s vessel, ¡°Most of these ones are pretty much cleared out. Only strays that wandered in recently will be here and it will take ages to find them.¡±


    ¡°Well, we should probably start slow, right? At least until they¡¯ve seen the whole process.¡± Lomp replied rationally as he landed and stepped onto the salt.


    He had a point. If they encountered a group and anything unexpected happened, they could lose out on precious aetherium. ¡°Hey, how are these guys supposed to help if they don¡¯t have any of the, er, saint¡¯s relics?¡±


    ¡°These guys?¡± Triton heard a soft, velvety voice and spun around nervously to notice the witch staring at him with a playful smile.


    ¡°We¡¯re here for support.¡± Peugolo answered with a wink, ¡°You just keep carrying out her will in your own way, friend.¡±


    ¡°And observation.¡± The witch added with another wink, ¡°but please don¡¯t pay it any mind.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Triton was at a loss. ¡°I¡¯ll try not to.¡±


    They spent a good twenty minutes hiking through the sparkling white caves until Lant at the front held up a hand, buckler attached and all. ¡°I think there¡¯s something up ahead¡­ Everyone get ready.¡±


    They all took on battle stances with Lomp and Triton behind him holding their spears followed by Chip and the goons. Jules and Kate got ready to attack from a distance while their guests stood in the back to watch.


    They were fully stacked up and ready to take on a wraith or a horde of specters. Suspense loomed over the group as they crept down the hall and even the enforcer and witch seemed nervous to venture into the unknown. Footsteps and bated breath were all that could be heard as they used their relics to get closer to the spirit. It was moving toward them as well, so they stopped right before rounding a corner.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    Lomp looked over everyone and nodded to assure them, ¡°Alright guys, here we go.¡±


    A few seconds later a transparent miner with no arms plodded into the hall from afar. Each step was heavy and took a few seconds at a time. They could almost feel the centuries of phantom pain from its tormented groans as it clambered ever closer.


    A trigger clicked and the rustling of wind from Kate¡¯s boomerang sounded the start of battle. Lant lunged forward with his buckler to stab with its spike and the two spearman both pounced as well.


    ¡°HYAHHH!¡± The others all raised their weapons and let out a battle cry as they charged it.


    The crossbow bolt was first, but then the boomerang sliced through its neck. All at the same time, three punctures from the spear and bident riddled its chest while a silver hammer came down from above. The spirit shrieked for the smallest perceivable fraction of a second before exploding into a cloud of blue dust.


    ¡°Was¡­ that it?¡± The witch asked.


    ¡°Hoho! I see you are truly seasoned warriors.¡± Peugolo slapped Kate on the shoulder and she nearly fell over.


    ¡°It¡¯s just the relics.¡± Triton countered, ¡°Not us.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense.¡± He disagreed, ¡°It¡¯s clear you work well as a team. You could take on far more powerful spirits, or even heretics.¡±


    ¡°Well, here¡¯s hoping we don¡¯t have to.¡± Let¡¯s just ignore that last part¡­ A few of them held out their aethereum pouches and it all floated into the air before being neatly stored away.


    ¡°Marvelous¡­¡± Triton yelped in surprised as the Holiest Witch¡¯s golden eyes were right over his shoulder, scrutinizing the pouch in his hand. ¡°Is that void gazelle?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ I think she said something like that.¡± There were stars in her eyes that urged him to continue, but he found himself trying to shrink away, ¡°Er, maybe she said her dad hunted it? The Hidden Witch, I mean.¡±


    ¡°My, my¡­ You don¡¯t suppose I could inspect it, do you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I really couldn¡¯t tell you.¡± Triton held it out, ¡°Some people can¡¯t touch our stuff because of some weird spell.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard about the curses¡­¡± She tried to grab it and it slipped right out of her fingers, ¡°How fascinating¡­ I can¡¯t even imagine it in my hand. I should very much like to meet this Hidden Witch.¡±


    ¡°Well, they don¡¯t call her hidden for no reason.¡± Triton quipped, but hearing the witch giggle at his joke was unexpectedly discomforting.


    Unfortunately, they had a lot of time to talk as it took twice as long to find the next spirit. Another lackluster battle ensued, and it was clear to their guests now the level of difficulty they should expect. Peugolo tried to convince Lomp to let him hold the next one down, but he wasn¡¯t having it. They continued in the same formation and by the two-hour mark, they had only encountered three more.


    ¡°Is it always like this?¡± The witch asked as she let pale blue dust fall through the cracks in her fingers.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Triton gave Lomp a pointed stare, ¡°We¡¯re taking it slow.¡±


    ¡°W-well we had to show them how we do things around here.¡± He rebutted. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it would be this bad.


    ¡°I tried to tell you. You haven¡¯t been down here in weeks.¡±


    Lomp groaned before deferring right back to him for advice, ¡°Okay then, where should we go?¡± Everyone now looked to Triton for answers.


    ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t know¡­ down further? We¡¯ve had pretty good luck with caves in the middle layer, we just don¡¯t go too far in.¡± He looked around and his peers either nodded or shrugged.


    ¡°We can¡¯t go to the middle layer. Remember?¡± Lomp tapped on his forehead.


    The witch was curious though, ¡°Whyever is that?¡±


    ¡°The, uh¡­ Saint told us not to.¡± Triton explained, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t say why though.¡±


    Peugolo joined in now, ¡°We should heed her words.¡±


    ¡°So long as we stay on the Last Step side, I think we¡¯re in the clear.¡± We should be safe enough, right? It¡¯s not like we¡¯ve run into any of the crazier ghosts she summoned yet.


    After a bit of deliberation among cranky exorcists, it was decided they would go down a layer and play it by ear. Nobody wanted to experience more danger than their daily routine typically called for, but running out of aethereum was a very real possibility now.


    ¡°How close are we to having five thousand doses for the surface?¡± Lomp asked the others. It would cover the bulk of Uren and get them started, but they would need at least triple that to distribute the cure among everyone, including the new city of Silver Lake.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t kill you to come look sometime.¡± Kate replied with moderate snark, ¡°If our pace doesn¡¯t slow down, Delilah says we should have the first shipment ready within two weeks.¡±


    ¡°I would love to see this cure.¡± The witch said, ¡°I take it you¡¯ve already begun distributing it down here?¡±


    ¡°Just started last week.¡± Chip added ¡°Probably should have waited a little, though. Captain Renit in the plague ward is practically our doorman now. Everyone under the spring is lining up.¡±


    ¡°You should see all the people trying to leave the surface to rush Uru.¡± Lomp chided, ¡°You¡¯re welcome for stopping them, by the way.¡±


    When they returned to the Last Step it was eerily quiet. This was not far from the norm¡ªit was just a passively spooky place to be. Peugolo felt no fear though and was ready to see some action. His muscles were bursting with anticipation.


    Contrary to his excitement, the witch enjoyed the scenery, ¡°It must have taken a great deal of time to carve out this staircase.¡±


    ¡°Ehh, maybe an hour?¡± Triton off-handedly replied, ¡°She kind of half-assed it. A few caves are completely blocked by stairs now.¡±


    ¡°Just an hour?¡± There was surprise on her face, but she looked more amused than anything, ¡°So it¡¯s true she¡¯s proficient in many schools of witchcraft.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one way to put it, uh, Lady Holiest Witch.¡± Her title made it awkward to address her formally, but it only made her laugh.


    ¡°Please, no need to be so stiff,¡± She chuckled and gave him a playful nudge, ¡°My friends call me Kryzelagog-Zazelgoth.¡±


    ¡°Um. Right¡­¡± Did I hear her correctly, ¡°Kris¡­ something?¡±


    ¡°That will do.¡± Triton withered under her genial gaze. Outwardly this witch was as friendly as Nanri, but something about her made his blood run cold. What scared him most was that he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it.


    ¡°Guys¡­¡± Jules¡¯ voice cut in as they descended the salty chasm, ¡°I think we¡¯ve got a hit.¡±


    The other exorcists followed her line of sight and the glyphs on their hats started to glow as they all nodded in understanding. It was a strange sight to outsiders, but the aethereal traces led them to a small opening and they pulled the boats up next to it.


    ¡°It should be fine,¡± Lomp said as he tried to peer down the passageway, ¡°We¡¯re still in the upper layer.¡±


    Triton saw what everyone else was seeing too. It wasn¡¯t uncommon to find signs of multiple spirits, but a group of them this close to the Last Step was cause for concern. Normally this only means one thing. ¡°I say we check it out.¡± But if I mention it, Lomp will turn us around. Gotta get that aetherium.


    ¡°Well, of course we¡¯re going.¡± Kate likely knew the answer too because she was in the Last Step every day. Lomp had actually only spent two or three days working with them after becoming the Underseer, so he had no way of knowing that groups of spirits almost never wandered into the stairwell unless they had come straight from the Dark Stratum¡¯s central layer.


    ¡°I¡¯ll lead the way this time.¡± Peugolo nearly capsized them as he jumped out and the witch was slowly launched into the air on the boat¡¯s upswing. She landed very gracefully next to the holy pugilist and adjusted her robes.


    The two recruits couldn¡¯t be more different but they both laughed while the exorcists in the first boat shouted and hung onto the edges for dear life. To his credit, Peugolo at least offered one tree-trunk of an arm out to steady them.


    ¡°Now hang on a minute, big guy.¡± Triton clawed his way up to the ledge and helped Lomp up, ¡°We found a few shades the other day not far from here. You need to be careful.¡±


    ¡°Pah! To think a shadow could ever bring me harm.¡± He slapped one of his biceps and laughed, ¡°Have I not mentioned that holy light flows through my veins?¡±


    ¡°Oh, will you stop saying that?¡± It seemed the big man was the only thing that didn¡¯t amuse Kris, ¡°That doesn¡¯t even make sense.¡±


    ¡°Ahem!¡± Jules loudly cleared her throat, tip-toeing the line of directly telling a witch to shut up, ¡°They must be close now.¡±


    When she readied her crossbow, the others followed suit and Peugolo once again found himself at the front of the line.


    ¡°What do you plan to do?¡± Chip asked, ¡°You guys can¡¯t harvest aetherium, can you?¡±


    In response, Kris suppressed another laugh, ¡°Of course not. Do you understand how ridiculous that question is?¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t.¡± He admitted.


    ¡°The very notion of forcing a spirit into corporealization is absurd. I had only seen a single sample from an ancient spirit that had long since crystallized and turned to dust. To think you¡¯re producing it so lavishly down here.


    Triton shared Chip¡¯s sentiment on this one, ¡°I don¡¯t think any of us had even heard of the stuff until I had to fight that demon.¡± He shook his head and shuddered, ¡°Man, what the f¡ª¡±


    ¡°A demon?¡± The witch¡¯s ears couldn¡¯t help but perk up. ¡°This is the first I¡¯ve heard of a demon appearing on Fount Salt¡­ What in the world was that blasted Hale doing here anyway?¡±


    Hale had extensively questioned them about the horde of tiny demons trying to take over people¡¯s bodies, but after an excruciating trip up and down the island he realized they were referring to pathogens. Disgruntled as he was, there was no more reference to demons past that point.


    ¡°Hey watch yourself, Earth Vein.¡± Peugolo¡¯s cold eyes peered right over the whole group to reach the witch. ¡°The Council weren¡¯t the ones letting deritium get smuggled out from under their noses.¡±


    They still never found a trace of deritum¡ªexcept a single shipment sold by one Captain Don of the Black Scourge on its way up the Boreal. I bet he¡¯s having the time of his life up there. Triton almost envied anyone who didn¡¯t have to sit in the middle of a stare down like this though.


    Kris¡¯s face somehow reached new levels of friendliness, yet the glint in her eyes looked like her next trick was to make Peugolo disappear. Why is no one saying anything? Come on Lomp, you coward! This shouldn¡¯t fall on me!


    ¡°Heyyyyy, we¡¯re all friends here, right?¡± Triton nervously glanced between the two who thankfully seemed to relax.


    Peugolo slapped him on the shoulder, ¡°Aha, of course! Of course we are. We are all friends in the New Dawn¡¯s light.¡± He gave a pointed glance to the witch who rolled her eyes. With the smile plastered on her face it was actually an adorable expression if it weren¡¯t for the seething disdain behind her gaze.


    Is it a difference of beliefs? Why are they so at odds?


    ¡°Hey, I have a question.¡± The usually quiet Frank asked. He was the dopey second goon who wielded a debatably holy hammer. Great job, Frank! We need something to break up the tension. ¡°What happened to Nanri? She was really nice.¡±


    Lomp practically choked on his tongue and the others spun around to look at Frank aghast. Everyone wanted to know, but actually asking the next witch they saw about it was not in the plans. One never knew how a witch would react to, well, anything.


    ¡°Ah, the Titan Witch.¡± Her expression didn¡¯t waver, but her distant look seemed almost like she was reminiscing. ¡°No need to worry about her. She¡¯s been recalled by none other than the high coven. I¡¯m sure she will have many great prospects in the future.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good.¡± Frank was satisfied with that answer.


    ¡°A friend of the Saint¡¯s is a friend of mine.¡± Peugolo boldly stated. ¡°I wish her well.¡±


    Meanwhile, the spicy sponge maiden was about to blow a fuse. ¡°Is it going to be like this every day?!¡±


    ¡°Shh!¡± Kate interrupted as she readied her boomerang. ¡°They¡¯re here.¡±


    They had been walking for ten minutes or so, but time sure flies by when you¡¯re bickering instead of working. The tunnels down here winded back and forth, so it was difficult to tell if they faced towards the Last Step or the Dark Stratum at this point. The light from their hats glistened off the surrounding salt crystals and somehow their new recruits just passively glowed.


    Like this, they waited for the approaching spirits. Their ghostly groans echoed down the hall now and if it weren¡¯t just another Tuesday, they may have been severely rattled by the sounds. This only meant they were regular strays approaching them.


    ¡°You¡¯re up, big guy.¡± Triton spoke quietly, ¡°Let¡¯s see what you can do.¡±


    ¡°Gaze upon these blessed muscles and you will see the light.¡± Peugolo deemed to leave him with another riddle and took up a sprinter¡¯s stance with one hand on the ground, ready to launch.


    Wait, he never said what he was gonna do¡ª


    When the first spirit poked its head around the corner, Triton was blinded as the cavern was briefly bathed in golden light. It caused him to recoil instinctively and when he looked forward again the salt where Peugolo stood had shattered. Triton¡¯s eyes shot open as the dust cleared to reveal him on the other side of the hall with two strays in a bear hug.


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡± How did he get behind them?! In his shock, Triton forgot for a moment that they had no physical form, but regardless it was an incredible feat. Wait, then how is he grabbing them?


    ¡°Quickly!¡± Peugolo roared, muscles glistening with holy light as he spun rapidly. At the apex of his twirl, the man released both stray spirits and they flew down the hallway more like stray arrows. ¡°I¡¯ve got more comin¡¯ up!¡±


    ¡°Hey, what the hell?!¡± Chip shouted, but Kate¡¯s blade already spun over his head on a straight path home. Peugolo¡¯s throw had the spirits barreling in with a slight rotation and the Banshee Beheading Boomerang chopped through them like a windmill. The entire group was sandblasted with aetherium and caught completely off guard.


    ¡°My eyes!¡± The leader of the pack fell to the ground. It was Lomp. ¡°Dammit, Peugolo!¡±


    ¡°Hey, cut it out¡ª¡± Triton tried to shout.


    ¡°Another!¡± He must not have heard their pleas and launched another two spirits down the hall.


    Jules scrambled to hit one, completely blowing her first shot and nearly missing her second. Lant hid behind his shields on the last wave, but this time he was ready as both bucklers pulsed with mana and burst with jagged rocks. Stone cracked as it grew from each shield toward the ground until it formed an earthen barricade to save everyone¡¯s eyes.


    After the aetherium from Jules¡¯ kill pelted the shield like a fleeting sandstorm, Triton popped out from it and went to spear the second spirit, only to see it held in place within a bubble of holy light. His stomach dropped when he found Peugolo in a similar bubble.


    ¡°Huh?!¡± He looked at the Holiest Witch and she held a glowing scepter aloft with a satisfied grin on her face.


    ¡°Are you impressed?¡± Her smile broadened, ¡°That large dullard is reckless, and the stars know none of you can stop him.¡±


    The exorcists were stock still and stared at her in disbelief.


    ¡°Wow, look at that!¡± Charlie the first goon picked his time to speak up, ¡°You¡¯re almost as cool as the Captain!¡±


    ¡°Let me down you damn witch!¡± There was a conflicted expression that ended in anger as Peugolo floated through the air enveloped in holy mana, ¡°You would dare assault an enforcer?!¡±


    ¡°You may as well have been assaulting our dear Underseer.¡± She quipped, ¡°You really should be more careful.¡±


    Lomp was still coughing on the ground with his hands over his eyes as he moaned like the ghosts they hunted. Seeing this, Peugolo¡¯s expression tightened up, ¡°Mr. Underseer! What happened?!¡±


    He was released from the witch¡¯s holy clutches and surprisingly helpless in the face of the exorcists¡¯ complaints. They were all finely dusted in blue powder from head to toe and more than a little irate. The man somehow shrunk under the pressure of one furious sponge maiden a fraction of his size.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be more careful!¡± He bowed forgiveness to the most affected man whose eyes were red and bleeding. ¡°I swear it on the Saint!¡±


    ¡°Here. This will help.¡± Kris held out a scepter of holy light and a healing spell flowed out before spreading over the group. Their wounds healed up perfectly like nothing had happened at all and they each took out their aetherium pouches to pull it out of their clothing and off their skin.


    Peugolo was pretty mad at her for imprisoning him in his own element, but he was clearly at fault here and had no recourse. ¡°I¡¯ll just bring them to you next time¡­¡±


    ¡°Speaking of¡­¡± Kate drew everyone¡¯s attention back down the hallways and there were five more strays floating before them in shimmering golden bubbles.


    They made short work of these spirits and quickly collected the dust before moving on. That wasn¡¯t a bad yield, but it was time to carry on. Not even Kate could discount the convenience of having the witch around, so nobody had complaints about the path they chose.


    There were more strays over the next hour, but they came in pairs at most. Some were listless and offered very little to their stores, so they kept pressing on through the same tunnel. Eventually the passage opened up and they reached a chamber large enough that they couldn¡¯t see the other side with just their passive light. Beyond that it was pure black.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like this¡­¡± Triton said.


    Kris replied with a smile, ¡°Here are those shades you mentioned.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what?! Where?!¡± He spun around frantically trying to find them, ¡°Do you see them?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Shall I capture them for you again?¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± Peugolo strode toward the shadows and shined progressively brighter with each step, ¡°I will collect them.¡±


    They started hissing somewhere Triton couldn¡¯t see and he figured the holy light was burning them away. There was a short scream then he saw Peugolo launch again. The sound of stone cracking came from the other side of the room and then he returned. Triton just stood there blinking at the spectacle. How is he that fast? That can¡¯t just be muscle, can it?¡±


    Peugolo had a shade in each hand and they each shriveled up in the light like a dark and ghostly worm of sorts. It was a sad sight, but the exorcists sent their souls on to the next life in short order. Peugolo repeated this process a few more times, launching to and fro at the island¡¯s expense and leaving cracks scattered across the room.


    ¡°Is that all of them?¡± Jules asked after point-blank executing the last one with her crossbow.


    ¡°Seems so.¡± Peugolo nodded. There were wisps of golden light floating around wherever he had landed, so the whole chamber was rather well lit now.


    ¡°All the shades, at least.¡± Kris added with a playful chuckle.


    Triton looked at her nervously, ¡°Wh-what do you mean¡­?¡± What¡¯s with this chick? I really can¡¯t figure her out. ¡°What are you picking up on?¡±


    He looked around, as did the others, and there were only the faintest aethereal traces left. Nothing pointed to there being another spirit nearby.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m trying to figure out¡­¡± She scanned the room ponderously, clearly having fun from the look in her eyes. ¡°It should arrive¡­ from that passageway.¡±


    The one she pointed to very clearly led below and looked like an abandoned waterway. Even Lomp was privy to what was happening now¡ªthere was no mistaking that they were dangerously close to the layer which shan¡¯t be spelunked. But everyone was on edge as the witch claimed a threat no one else could notice was approaching.


    ¡°Maybe we¡­ should go?¡± Triton asked aloud and Lomp readily agreed with him before the witch cut him off.


    ¡°Too late,¡± She mused, ¡°It is already here.¡±


    They all gasped as the temperature in the room dropped before a small white spirit appeared from the hall. It was bulbous and floated along like a bloated nymph¡ªin place of a shroud of prima salt, however, it seemed to exude the essence of death. Pure, white mana that ran a chill down Triton¡¯s spine¡ªnearly giving him flashbacks. Spectral combat¡­? He was frozen in place.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Kris said, ¡°None of you get close that thing or you will die¡ª¡±


    As if to mock her, Peugolo took it upon himself to get this threat under control and launched off with increased vigor and a battle cry as the salt beneath him shattered. He was gone in a flash, but this time the ground kept cracking. Soon a fissure ran clear through the entire floor and when they heard the sound of Peugolo landing on the other side, it split apart from the impact.


    ¡°Y-you bastard!¡± Triton slipped as the ground beneath him became uneven and he watched his fellow exorcists meet a similar fate. The cracks continued to grow outward from the spot their pugilist stood just moments ago and started to cave in.


    The goons started saying their prayers, fully resigned to death, and everyone else cried in panic as the salt at their feet swallowed them up. As tough as Jules tried to be, even she was reduced to screaming in terror as the salt fell apart and she plummeted into the increasingly dark chasm.


    ¡°Whyyyyy¡ª¡± Triton couldn¡¯t help but curse his ill fortune for having to work with such a powerful idiot, and he too resigned to his fate. The abyss came swiftly from below and there was no option left but to accept it.

 101 - Lights Out

    While her crew drank off the trauma of their second encounter with a greater being, Cira raided the house with the help of the Archaean Kuja, who was scarce more than a personable basket-holder for this stage of the process. Mac was just along for the ride, but they had made steady progress.


    Rictor the geomancer was tasked with running everything they found upstairs and Joe had joined in at some point. They were currently in the alchemy workshop with all the cupboards open and frivolous junk strewn about the floor.


    ¡°The treasures found in your forge were remarkable,¡± Kuja said with a scrunched-up face as she set a strange looking mushroom back down on the table, ¡°but what do you hope to find in here?¡±


    ¡°I know It''s in here somewhere!¡± Cira cried as her legs hung out of a cabinet. A plethora of spoons scattered across the floor as she dug ever deeper into the recesses of things she hadn¡¯t touched in years. ¡°I distinctly remember hiding it so I wouldn¡¯t do something stupid with it.¡±


    Her father was never the best at keeping track of his great many things, so while he surely did his best to put anything Cira shouldn¡¯t mess with in his archive before he passed, a few choice items had already fallen through the cracks.


    Was stealing wrong? Yes, of course. Was it really stealing if it was her dad¡¯s, and it never left the house? Debatable, but yes. In practice however, the line grew progressively thin as dust collected on especially pretty rocks.


    ¡°Tell me, which of these absurd materials are you going to check off the list next?¡± The woman had seemingly aged¡­ an indeterminate number of years upon compiling the list and for some reason, she grew increasingly concerned with each item they checked off. ¡°You could buy out half the Gandeux with just this much. You said there was a treasury?¡±


    While she¡¯s obviously exaggerating, I get her point. My dad sure left me a lot of weird stuff, but it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t burn through it. Cira would never melt down something sentimental, but Gazen knew what would become of his materials. That¡¯s what they were for after all. Maybe it¡¯s a good thing that I¡¯m a pirate now. I need to bring some treasure of my own home.


    ¡°Aha!¡± Cira hopped out of the cupboard with a huge smile on her face holding a large translucent stone that glimmered the color of rose petals. ¡°I told you I had it!¡±


    ¡°And that is¡­?¡± Kuja held a notepad in one hand and a pen in the other¡ªthis was something of an inert artificing needle for mundane purposes.


    ¡°Lavendite. From a naturally occurring vein, I¡¯m told.¡± Cira held it like a baby, or perhaps a particularly large radish from the garden. ¡°This was the one I was really worried about sending shores to find anyway.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t know what it is¡­ You made it sound dangerous.¡± The stone wasn¡¯t see-through quite like glass was. It was more difficult to discern its form and the edges didn¡¯t stand out much. It looked more like an aether-hewn image when one spent too long staring at it. So, Kuja was understandably looking at it with caution. Perceiving such a thing was a novel experience for the long-lived woman.


    ¡°So, surely your people knew that there are other ways to ¡®enhance¡¯ the soul, as it were.¡±


    She stared at her blankly, ¡°Th-there are¡­? Ways that are safe?¡±


    ¡°Of course, though the effects are limited, and you are greatly restrained by that ¡®essence volatility¡¯ I mentioned before. Meaning it can be done in small measure and infrequently, but it is possible.¡± Cira held the stone up to the light and admired it, but it was as heavy as it was beautiful, so she set it down, ¡°Lavendite is one such material that can be used to modify your soul. In the past I used it to increase my aura, under Dad¡¯s supervision of course.¡±


    ¡°Something like that¡­ Can be done so simply?¡± Now Kuja marveled at the otherworldly rock on the table, ¡°Was everything my ancestors did so foolish?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t look at it like that. To this day I have never seen more of this stuff. Maybe there¡¯s some stashed deeper in the archive, but either way it¡¯s nothing that would impress your ancestors, I¡¯m sure. Most of my aura was accumulated through training and to the best of my knowledge, my lifespan is normal.¡±


    ¡°Pff¡ª¡± Mac suppressed a laugh in her mind, ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s just a very odd thing to hear from someone whose lifespan is counted in weeks.¡±


    ¡°You were doing great as the silent shoulder spider.¡± I don¡¯t like the sound of that at all. What¡¯s the deal? ¡°I didn¡¯t think I had a whole year, but half that sounded reasonable. What do you mean weeks?¡±


    ¡°If anyone told you that you had a year left to live, they were an amateur at best.¡± Kuja¡¯s expression fell¡ªevidently, he was in her mind as well.


    ¡°No need to be rude.¡± Cira defended her, ¡°Not everyone is made of soul crystal with eight eyes that are also made of soul crystal.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me? What is ¡®soul crystal¡¯? What are you going on about?¡± The crystalline soul spider said.


    ¡°That¡¯s not important.¡± The lavendite fit nicely in one of her baskets and she lifted it off the table. ¡°We should go upstairs and get someone out on the winds as quickly as possible.¡±


    Joe and Rictor stared nervously at the pile of treasure on the floor, but Cira pressed on to the front door. As soon as it opened, the drunken ruckus quieted down and her crew stared timidly at the approaching sorcerer¡ªmore specifically at her shoulder.


    ¡°Okay, guys, I¡¯m sorry about the prank.¡± She apologized again.


    ¡°Hardly a prank!¡± Jimbo was still upset, ¡°Why you got that damn thing on your shoulder now like it¡¯s some pet?! Wasn¡¯t it sealed away for a reason?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I got him cursed up all nice and tidy.¡± Cira¡¯s smile didn¡¯t win them over, so she tried a thumbs up to no avail. ¡°It¡¯s fine. He basically is my pet now, for all intents and purposes. More importantly, he will aid us in our quest¡ªwhich we will get to in a moment. I need the captains and James to come inside.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still a captain, you know.¡± James got up, less than enthused, ¡°Got a ship and everything.¡±


    It took a little coaxing, but they eventually came closer and Cira forced a round of introductions. They all stood on Cira¡¯s opposite side still, but at least they weren¡¯t running.


    ¡°So, uh, Mac is it?¡± Jimbo asked nervously, ¡°You don¡¯t actually want to eat our souls?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do.¡± He replied casually as they all froze in place, ¡°I just can¡¯t. Worst case, I have to wait until this girl dies. Could be any day, really, but I have time.¡±


    ¡°Stop scaring them,¡± Cira scolded him then turned back to the crew, ¡°And hurry up, he literally can¡¯t do anything to you.¡±


    From her shoulder, the spider thought she wasn¡¯t being fair, ¡°What, was I supposed to lie to them? Oh wait¡ªI can¡¯t.¡± A sudden gust of wind left him to scuttle around and regain his footing as Cira blew on her shoulder.


    When she led everyone to the living room, their jaws dropped. ¡°What in the nine skies is this?!¡± James had already started pulling out his hair, ¡°No, actually what even is half of this?¡±


    ¡°Materials that we do have for the partial soul forge.¡±


    ¡°You call this materials¡­?¡± Jimbo was practically drooling.


    ¡°Are you insatiable? Didn¡¯t you recently acquire a boat full of treasure in the last month?¡± Is it just a pirate¡¯s instinct? Maybe he should sell some and see how he feels. ¡°Luckily, I found plenty of mithril, but the adamantine is really cutting it close. I¡¯ll have to melt down that cube of yours for the titanite so toss it in. I found most of the gems, though it will take the last of my skyhaze opal. Let¡¯s see¡­ This really pretty one is called lavendite.¡±


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°So¡­ what are we supposed to do with all this?¡± Jimbo asked.


    ¡°Nothing. There are materials I yet require. Shores, you were pretty big-time before you joined up, right? Think you can help me out?¡± She handed him a curated list with five items on it.


    ¡°Um, I don¡¯t know if big-time is how I would put it, but¡­ I have blessed silver aplenty, and Rinspar should be easy enough to buy at any decent sized town with a smithy.¡± He looked at her uneasy for a moment, ¡°The stellar quartz¡­ A fence I work with occasionally down past Dolliver showed me a piece once. If we can find it, it will be crazy expensive. Is this something you can¡¯t do without?¡±


    One could say it¡¯s the most important part of the artifact, ¡°Sadly, it¡¯s the only pure-mana attuned gem that can interfere with the soul unless we seek out crystallized death mana and refine it. That would be impossible without my aura.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ I think I get it.¡± He cleared his throat and returned to the list, ¡°The, uh, white gold is going to be a problem, though.¡±


    Not to be confused with gold which is slightly lighter in shade, white gold is much stronger and boasts a shimmering white like pearl. They only call it gold because its mana conduction qualities are identical. Cira urged him to continue.


    ¡°Well, we could try to break into a paladins'' armory and hope they have some¡­ but it¡¯s likely to be bloody and I¡­ somewhat doubt our success. I really don¡¯t want to slight the Lord Afar any more than I already have, either.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so nervous. It sounds like a bad idea. Isn¡¯t there any other way to get it? It¡¯s not very rare.¡± If I recall, it¡¯s commonly used in artifact machinery.


    ¡°It¡¯s rare up here. between the church and Earth Vein¡ª¡±


    ¡°Say no more.¡± Cira cut him off, ¡°If we have to choose between robbing the church or Earth Vein, the choice is obvious.¡±


    ¡°I know you slapped them around a bit,¡± Jimbo commented, ¡°but anywhere Earth Vein¡¯s got valuables, they got witches. Are you ready to take one on? ¡®Cause we sure as hell ain¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­¡± Shores laced his fingers together and let out a sigh, ¡°I know for a fact Captain Wick has some. That cold bastard attacked the Oleander cathedral¡ªtossed everyone off and stripped it clean.¡±


    ¡°No way, that was him?!¡± The news apparently shocked Jimbo, ¡°I always wondered what happened.¡±


    Cira was lost though, and it showed on her face. ¡°Is that a Final Sky place or something? Do they use a lot of machines¡­?¡±


    He was at a loss for a moment, ¡°What? No. Well, the Oleander was a Final Sky cathedral everyone passed on their way up the Boreal. Now it¡¯s just a burned up rock. The church uses white gold as armor though.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I guess works alright with holy. There are better options though¡­¡± Cira couldn¡¯t help but ponder the flaws in their methods from a far-removed perspective.


    ¡°It looks really nice.¡± He shrugged.


    Can¡¯t argue with that. ¡°Okay, so we have to rob Wick¡¯s treasury after all. That¡¯s annoying.¡±


    They looked at her aghast, but regret of having ever gotten involved with this was swirling behind James¡¯ eyes, ¡°Annoying? How about suicidal?!¡±


    ¡°No way. We just have to not get caught.¡± Stealing is wrong, but when you do it, it must be done right. ¡°I haven¡¯t had a good heist in ages.¡±


    ¡°A heist?! You think it will be that simple?¡± James was about to blow steam out of his ears, and even Shores found doubt in his heart for this plan, regardless of if it was his beloved saint who came up with it. The uncertainty on his face was pointed to Cira for answers.


    ¡°Not just any heist¡­ The perfect heist.¡± Some may consider perfect to be full marks, meaning the objective was completed to one hundred percent. But no, the perfect heist is one where you find something you never knew you needed but can¡¯t live without. Well, to define a perfect heist one should also consider getting away clean and unnoticed with the item they were looking for, but that was a requirement to call it a heist in the first place as far as Cira was concerned. ¡°We can come up with the plan later. If stellar quartz is the problem, I take it to mean you should have no trouble finding the vestigial nectar? That¡¯s a surprise.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ What is that?¡±


    Cira sighed. I had a bad feeling about this one¡­ ¡°Damn. I knew it. Go ask any of your mages if they have heard of it.¡±


    He nodded and ran outside while everyone else waiting while her crew still nervously glanced at the pile of treasure on the floor. When he returned, his face already gave it away, ¡°They have not¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, that could be a serious problem.¡± According to her studies, vestigial nectar needed to sit in the bottom of the essence loom like a small basin¡ªit kept the mithril wires coated. She could actually go hunting for this ingredient somewhere up the Dead Belt if she wanted, but there was no way of knowing how long it would take.


    On many old islands, inhabited or not, a plant known as the first flower would sprout. This supposedly happened after millennia and only if the soil was right, but it could happen anywhere in the sky according to Gazen. When sprouted, this flower seemed to grow on its own regardless of sun or total darkness¡ªhot or cold didn¡¯t matter. It just grew, and was never recorded to spread naturally as others flowers might. Its nectar seems to serve no purpose real purpose throughout its life cycle; hence, vestigial.


    The book denoted its purpose as allowing the enchanted mithril to pass through one¡¯s essence without disrupting its reformation. All in all, a pretty critical component. Her crew didn¡¯t quite understand, but the importance got through. Cira proceeded to frown at her next thought, ¡°I hate to say it, but I have a lead on where to find some.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Jimbo had hardly caught up to speed, ¡°It sounds rare. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen one before even after you described it.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember that freakishly large man we fought in the deritium chamber?¡± One book led to another and she learned that vestigial nectar had more than one strangely niche application. While it possessed the ability to interact with one¡¯s essence¡ªwhich was just the body and soul in synergy¡ªwithout disturbing it, that came with some serious implications.


    One could also use it to numb the effects certain changes upon the soul. Theoretically this could compliment lavendite nicely with a little alchemical trial and error, but it could also be used to make changes to the corporea without fragmenting the soul.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ How could I forget?¡± Jimbo was like a spider monkey scaling a golem to fight that guy.


    ¡°I have reason to believe vestigial nectar was used to modify his body. Likely by whoever was buying the deritium.¡± Cira had a bad feeling that this problem wouldn¡¯t escape her, but she didn¡¯t expect to have to rely on it. ¡°You guys have had a lot of time around Don¡¯s crew. Have you been able to figure out who the buyer was?¡±


    ¡°Shit, Tom would know anything if it turned up.¡± Jimbo said.


    Fortunately, there was someone that could be relied on in their midst¡ªJames, ¡°I had him keep me in the loop. We have no idea who was buying it¡­ but we do know where they were meeting. Same time every month. If they haven¡¯t heard the news about Don, they¡¯ll probably show up."


    ¡°And how likely is that?¡±


    ¡°Fifty-fifty¡­ Someone brought a newspaper in a couple weeks back and there was no mention of ¡®deritium¡¯. It talked about Don¡¯s fall, but they say the Black Scourge was taken over, not destroyed. If that red stuff was something they really want, I¡¯d say our chances aren¡¯t too bad that they at least come looking around.¡±


    ¡°Perfect.¡± I love when a plan comes together. ¡°So, we¡¯ll beat them up and force information out of them. Find out who the buyers really are, rob them and leave, then come back with my aura to destroy them, assuming it''s as bad as I surmise.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s real simple when you say it like that. But¡­ That¡¯s all we got.¡± He shook his head, ¡°They should arrive in three days.¡±


    ¡°Great timing.¡± Cira dusted her hands off, ¡°That takes care of our materials then. Shores, can I trust you to gather the first three items? We¡¯ll all work on the last two together.¡±


    ¡°I wished to serve you more directly¡­¡± he clenched his fist, ¡°but I will see this done swiftly so I may return to you.¡±


    ¡°One could argue I¡¯ve entrusted you with my entire life.¡± Cira gave him an assured nod and he began to tremble, ¡°Godspeed, Reverand. I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    I really am. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t place so much trust in people I met the day before? I knew Jimbo for a day overall, and he was my lifeline when I washed up here. When in doubt, she always went with her gut.


    Shores had already run out the door and Cira heard the gate to her garden open within seconds. ¡°Now then, I want to check out that Necropolis. We need to get a gauge on the obstacles before us.¡±


    Cira had everybody gear up for their first day of potential battle while she went downstairs to do the same. She had already plucked a few choice side weapons for the day, but she was still a sorcerer. Just as Prismagora could collect light from the sun, she knew her father had a staff that worked the same with shadows.


    He never used it because it was, well, not very useful. He could do the same with his hand. It had none of the bells and whistles that the light staff did, and its output was considerably lackluster in comparison. Cira had never seen it used in the vicinity of a dark mana well, however. Any magic was better than no magic at the end of the day.


    There it is¡­ I knew he wouldn¡¯t get rid of it. In the back of his closet there was an all-black staff resting against a stand. It looked more like a ruin eater than any kind of wood or metal in that it was such a pure, dark black. The core focus at the top was a sleek onyx cut like a diamond.


    ¡°Oh, and I even get to wear the robes?¡± Cira didn¡¯t feel like taking the time to sew anything, but this set of robes could easily be repurposed as a tapestry. All Cira had to do was wrap it around herself a few times and she was a certified dark sorcerer. It took a couple tries to get the folds just right so it draped down over her shoulders and mostly looked like an outfit, but she was satisfied with how it turned out and returned upstairs.


    ¡°Geez, some pirate.¡± Jimbo gave her a funny look.


    ¡°Dark Beam!¡± A ray of darkness about the size of her pinky finger shot out from the onyx and one of the buttons on his coat pocket crumbled to dust.


    ¡°What the hell?!¡± He dusted it off and flapped his pocket uselessly, ¡°Prank James next time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to. Now are you all ready?¡±


    Her paladins kneeled in response, and the others cheered enthusiastically. Well, Tawny didn''t, but she had already shuffled her way over to Jimbo to make sure his button was okay. The revenants watched closely as she led the larger group out of the garden and down the steps.


    From this point on, they would be fully encased in darkness with Kuja as their guide and only lifeline. Cira was restless with anticipation and the nerves of embarking on a truly dangerous adventure started to bubble up as she took her first step into the shadows.

 102 - The Hunt Begins

    Lit only by torches, the party carried on blind to their surroundings. Kuja seemed to have an idea of where they were going and had turned away from the cavern that led them to the village. Cira walked right behind her, and the darkness grew noticeably thinner centered around the gem atop her staff, allowing the torches¡¯ light to reach further.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on with that staff?¡± Jimbo asked, ¡°It¡¯s creeping me out as more than the ghosts at this point.¡±


    Cira noticed that she had acquired a posse of revenants trailing her like a flock of seagulls, or perhaps balloons tied to a long string. Their attention was not quite on her though¡ªthey seemed entranced by the brilliant onyx which ravenously swallowed up the shadows.


    That¡¯s fair. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve held it so it¡¯s all new to me, but I can at least say it¡¯s gathering dark mana.¡±


    While they could see a little better than they would otherwise, the staff barely revealed the edge of the path they walked down. As neither light nor darkness really had weight, or substance for that matter, the mana itself slowly filtered out from around them like smoke or a dust cloud, thus allowing marginally better sight.


    Her team of mages were still hardly visible and looked like their own souls had already left their bodies. Cira felt bad for subjecting them to such a frightening experience, but they¡¯d be stronger for it.


    ¡°So, you can use it to kill all the shadow beasts?¡± Jimbo was visibly relieved.


    ¡°Doubtful.¡± Maybe one or two, but I can¡¯t rely on it. ¡°Think about it. If we¡¯re fighting creatures stained through with dark mana, I would need to use a great deal of the same to overpower them. It¡¯s simply not sustainable.¡±


    ¡°Oh, damn¡­ We¡¯re really gonna have to fight stuff then.¡± Even though there was nothing to see, he glanced over his shoulder nervously.


    ¡°Why do you think I gathered mages?¡± They were a ramshackle crew at best, but together Cira was certain they could accomplish great things. Though, seeing the fear etched onto their faces was mildly disheartening. ¡°And we even have this spider now. Surely, he can fight for me.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± The voice entered her mind, ¡°I was trapped under a jar. Have you mistaken me for something strong?¡±


    ¡°But what about your mind attacks? Just use those.¡±


    ¡°I could do that, of course¡­ But it¡¯s more limited than I led you to believe, and it expends my soul at an upsetting pace. Oh! I know. I can just consume all the souls in our path. Most of them are weak and would take countless millennia to be reborn as a human, so no reason to feel bad about it.¡±


    ¡°Can that¡­ really happen?¡± I guess it makes sense, but why so long? I wonder what dictates the circumstance of one¡¯s next life. ¡°I don¡¯t like the way you broached the topic is such a roundabout manner. What are you really up to?¡±


    ¡°Urghhhh, if I dilute my soul enough, I may be able to dampen the effects of the curse.¡± Mac spoke like trying to hold it in hurt.


    ¡°Of course¡­ I somehow doubt that, but I¡¯ll keep you on reserve just in case. Beyond the ethical implications, my father told me that bad things happen when too many souls are removed from the cycle, so I¡¯m somewhat hesitant to turn you loose. In fact, can you tell me more about that?¡± Why not ask the expert?


    ¡°Damn you, girl¡­¡± he grumbled for a moment in frustration, ¡°An aethereal vortex of sorts would form and start breaking down everybody¡¯s soul but my own for at least a short while, depending on the quantity and value of souls removed.¡±


    ¡°Goodness¡­ No wonder my dad locked you up. Why do you exist?¡± Such a threat felt just a smidge outside the realm of a sorcerer of moderate caliber.


    ¡°Do you think I exist because I wanted to¡ª¡± The spider¡¯s retort was cut off by the jarring sound wheezing laughter through the shadows.


    ¡°Is someone¡­ laughing?¡± It made Cira feel uneasy. Something wasn¡¯t right about it, aside from the fact that there was a supposed group of hecklers elsewhere on the mountaintop.


    ¡°The outlanders called the hyenas,¡± Kuja supplied, ¡°that¡¯s what they used to be, at least. If we linger here too long, they may give us trouble. We should hurry.¡±


    They had actually slowed down again. Her pirates shamefully quivered in their boots upon hearing the strange calls from the dark. Whatever they were seemed to move around, cackling at them from all sides. Only when the paladins started charging holy light did Cira decide to step in.


    ¡°Relax, it¡¯s just wild dogs!¡± She shouted to the group, ¡°Just hurry up so we can get out of the open!¡±


    Her immediate crew was marginally less frightened, having walked through it once before, and took it upon themselves to wrangle the others.


    ¡°How are you not scared?¡± Tawny asked as Jimbo shuffled back, ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be some powerful witch or something from what I gather, but you¡¯re powerless now.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s exciting to explore a place that hasn¡¯t been seen in hundreds of years, isn¡¯t it?¡± As one who travelled the sky, Cira practically lived for exploring strange places. The stranger the better. ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s much to see here, and I¡¯ve been meaning to work on my prowess in physical combat anyway. This is a fine opportunity. I may be nervous, but if I don¡¯t get this job done, I will actually die. No better motivation than that.¡±


    ¡°A job, huh?¡± she wasn¡¯t convinced, ¡°Still, you don¡¯t seem to be very worried.¡±


    A sorcerer¡¯s worries were best kept hidden away¡ªthey stood in the way of progress. In turn, a sorcerer¡¯s lifestyle often allowed plenty of time to reflect in solitude for weeks at a time, somewhere high in the clouds.


    That wasn¡¯t to say Cira didn¡¯t have doubts. Anything could go wrong in Archaeum, or meeting with the deritium buyers, or even breaking into Wick¡¯s treasury. She could waste all day troubling herself over it, but historically things worked out when she threw herself at something wholeheartedly.


    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Kuja said as a dim staircase came into view. Broken stone pillars flanked it on either side, but they had fallen over long ago. Their guide wasted no time descending, ¡°Within the peak is where we gathered to hold funeral rites. There are many passageways for beasts to hide in, so be cautious.¡±


    She started whispering so Cira shushed her crew, and they followed in silence. At the bottom of the stairs, they could hear the scurrying of little feet far out of sight, which caused a commotion as her pirates gasped and shouted in fear. This of course induced an even greater reaction and whatever was in the room before fled for dear life.


    ¡°Rats¡­?¡± Cira didn¡¯t think it sounded too big, ¡°Or bugs?¡±


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    ¡°Both, I imagine. It¡¯s whatever eats them that we have to worry about.¡±


    Cira tried to push the shadows back with her staff and it helped to a degree, but the cost was enough to outweigh what she passively gathered. A slight tinge of pain surfaced in the back of her mind like an itch. Much more could become a serious strain. The darkness was unnaturally dense by several orders of magnitude down here, and she likened it to holding herself in an air bubble at the bottom of a deep sea.


    Her first glimpse of the shadow beasts was indeed a rat. Its fat body would make for good lunch if she were short on food, but in her experience, mana made small game quite bitter. It scurried off almost waddling and left behind black footprints that disappeared after a few seconds.


    ¡°Oh shit, what is that?!¡± She heard one of the pirates cry out and all of a sudden mana started flying through the air and panicked shouts filled the cave to the vibrant flashes of light.


    ¡°What?!¡± I didn¡¯t notice anything, what the hell happened?! Cira turned to the object of their wrath and saw¡­ a little black rat, sliced open and smushed into the charred stone floor, leaking a thick, murky blood. See? Never trust small game so soaked in mana. ¡°Are you idiots serious?¡±


    Cira couldn¡¯t believe a little rat no larger than her arm got them in such a fuss.


    ¡°Did you see the thing?¡± James shouted, sword still drawn, ¡°Rats aren¡¯t supposed to be that big!¡±


    ¡°It was running away. Save your energy for when you actually need it. That¡¯s an order.¡± She glanced over her crew to sink the message in.


    Kuja was frightened at first¡ªfrom their outburst¡ªbut held similar feelings as Cira on the matter. She looked disappointed but not surprised.


    They were in a large open chamber now and the occasional carved pillar seemed to support the hollowed-out mountain peak. Looking closely, Cira could see little bugs crawling on them that seemed to pay them no mind. Much too small to make any noises and unphased by the previous ¡®battle¡¯.


    After the short explosion of mana, the area had fallen silent. Eerily so. Perhaps it was best to make an entrance in this way. Cira knew how effective a display of superior power could be, and that went doubly so in the animal kingdom. Unexpectedly, the first leg of their journey was a breeze. It was still dark and spooky, but the tension had begun to dissolve after no incidents for the next hour.


    ¡°You can see down there, right Mac?¡± Cira wiggled her shoulder to get his attention. Not that he was doing anything, but he almost seemed like a statue most of the time.


    ¡°I was trying to.¡± His attitude did not know rest, however, ¡°It takes time to see over distances When I am fully conscious, my sight is meager. I can see a few levels down at most.¡±


    ¡°That sounds pretty good.¡± Cira could not see a single soul clearly even if someone rubbed it in her face, so half a mile or so was remarkable by her measure. ¡°Wait, how did you know about the ¡®perfect match¡¯? Were you able to see the bottom after just a day or two? Or¡­¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t your precious salt rock. It¡¯s not very far down.¡± Noting that Cira wasn¡¯t satisfied with that answer, he groaned, ¡°I could see the bottom faintly before you came to free me. Your new soul is just above that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not one of Kuja¡¯s ancestors, is it? I didn¡¯t think I needed to say that.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not. This one is a soul untainted by curses or even the darkness.¡± Somehow, he sounded scholarly, so Cira listened without complaint, ¡°This soul has a strong will and great ambition. It will surely be a great threat to, I dare say, the entire island one day if left unchecked.¡±


    ¡°Whoa.¡± Something like that lives down there? ¡°Did you hear that Kuja?¡±


    ¡°It would not surprise me if something like that lurked below,¡± Her voice had taken on a sullen tone, ¡°There were many great beasts on this island before Hangman¡¯s Cove existed. It would not surprise me if some found sanctuary here.¡±


    The torchlight finally reached a wall and more bugs scuttled off once they came near. Some centipedes and strange beetles avoided light like the revenants, who had taken to trailing behind the group at a distance. It actually helped her crew speed up as they kept catching glimpses of their near-shapeless forms while they wove through the shadows.


    Revenants didn¡¯t have faces¡ªthey only vaguely resembled the human form but had no arms or legs, just fading out towards the bottom. The head-area was where most of their mana was concentrated, so when they stared at you it was difficult not to feel. She had to be thankful to them as they had already reached the first floor¡¯s end.


    Kuja had led them along the wall for a short while and arrived at a doorway. More specifically, another staircase down.


    ¡°You know, I was really trying not to go underground for a while.¡± More complaints came to mind, but she held them back.


    ¡°Many lived here to conduct ceremonies and other rituals. During this time, they would also collect mana to be used in the reforging of their souls.¡± She was definitely reliving a tumultuous time in her life by the expression on her face. ¡°Their living quarters are on the next floor down. Last time I came here, that¡¯s where I started running into real beasts. By the following floor, I had to return.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that makes sense.¡± All the conditions are pretty much perfect for it to end up like this.


    ¡°It does¡­?¡± But Kuja stared at her blankly.


    ¡°Well, the further down we go down, the mana will only grow in density. Especially in this enclosed space where it¡¯s even harder for light to reach. Naturally, the weaker ones who still need frequent access to water¡ªor weak prey¡ªwill end up at the top. Is there a river at the bottom or something, too? Or¡­ an entrance?¡± That wouldn¡¯t have been a bad question to ask this morning.


    ¡°Is¡­ that how it all works? I suppose that does make sense,¡± The woman took a few moments to think it over, ¡°There is a lake at the bottom and a small stream in this next level. That¡¯s part of the reason homes were built here.¡±


    ¡°Oh? And what¡¯s the next level after this?¡± As she stepped into the next floor, more feet scurried away. This time, they didn¡¯t seem so panicked or small. Cira swore she could feel hungry eyes watching her from the darkness.


    ¡°The first tomb lies below.¡± She whispered, ¡°Now hush, child.¡±


    They walked quieter now and took a right turn at a fork in the path. This took them past rows of polished stone doors, weathered with time. Cira heard footsteps approach from behind and with quick glance, it turned out to be one of her paladins. He spoke quietly and brandished his blade, ¡°I sense danger. Allow me to protect you, my Lady.¡±


    Three more paladins awkwardly shuffled themselves to the front, trying to silently jump on the bandwagon. Cira let out a sigh, but then something else caught her ear. A faint clicking in the distance, straight ahead down a wide hallway with a tall ceiling. Whatever hid beyond the shroud could surely see them, as they were quite literally a flame in the darkness.


    What is that clicking? And what else am I hearing? Is that¡­ chewing?


    Her eyes shot open, and she turned to Kuja who nodded gravely. They slowed and Cira nudged the closest paladin, ¡°It¡¯s your time to shine.¡±


    ¡°Heh. Gladly.¡± His sword lit up with holy light, further strengthened by the others. As the hallway brightened, Cira watched pride bubble up in their eyes and the smirks they wore disappeared in the very next instant.


    At the edge of the light was the source of their newfound fear. Rats just like the one from above laid strewn across the floor, eviscerated and gutted. Gnawing on pieces of their bodies was a set of mandibles like onyx large enough to cut her in half at the waist. She instinctively shuddered and there was a chorus of gasps behind her.


    It was almost like an ant but with one less segment and its many legs were low to the ground like it just crawled around. Half of its weight had to be in its mandibles, and the large, round eyes hadn¡¯t left its prey¡ªseemingly unconcerned by their presence, at least until it ran out of food.


    What to do about this? It looks tough.


    Her paladins shook in place, but one stepped forward with trembling hands on his sword. He was a young man with short, ashen hair and dull brown eyes. Cira would never forget his bravery.


    ¡°I-I¡¯ll protect you, Lady Saint!¡± Maybe I should stop him.


    The insect certainly took notice now that there was a glowing man charging straight for it and let off its meal to prepare for a fight. The way it backed up a couple steps and proceeded to watch the paladin approach gave Cira an uneasy feeling.


    ¡°Hyahh!¡± He threw his golden blade down for a straight cleave over the head. His aim was to bisect it right down the middle, but it glanced off with a metallic ping. ¡°Impossible! How?!¡±


    Cira¡¯s heart dropped as she watched it lunge, but thankfully her champion dodged in time. It had made a short hop and gone right for the artery in his thigh¡ªit wanted a quick and bloody kill.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got you now!¡± He stabbed his sword trying to pierce it through the eye and the bug whipped its head up and caught the blade. After tugging to pull his weapon free, he found it getting yanked on with ridiculous force, ¡°You bastard! Let go of my sword!¡±


    Almost in response, the bug twisted around and pulled it right out of his hands. When it clattered on the ground somewhere through the darkness, the dumbfounded look on the paladin¡¯s face was one of utter shock, ¡°Oh no¡­ Noooooo! Lady Saint, w-what do I do?!¡± Tears formed in his eyes as he looked back for guidance.


    ¡°Get back, you dolt! What else?¡± Looks like we need a different approach.

 103 - Where Fiends Dwell

    A loud hiss let everyone just how upset the insect really was, and Cira knew its next move would be to charge. ¡°Tawny, quick, use fire! And you too, cook the bastard!¡± She shouted at both mages capable of pyromancy.


    Tawny was quicker on the draw and flames swirled around the bug¡¯s feet before engulfing it. Its enraged hissing intimidated the group, but the other mage stopped it in its tracks by lobbing fireballs. They weren¡¯t too heavy, though she thought he could almost give Triton a run for his money. Each one burst with an explosion of cinders and forced the bug to stumble back.


    Meanwhile Cira watched its pitch-black shell begin to glow with the heat. Almost there¡­ Just a few more seconds¡­


    ¡°Okay, now blast it with water!¡± She ordered the brothers into the fray and two streams of water gushed forth, snuffing out the flames and sizzling as steam encompassed the insect. Its mandibles clicked together furiously then there was a loud crack.


    ¡°Oh shit, it worked!¡± Jimbo waved the steam out of his face and paced over to the bug. It lay on the ground now, an oozing sack of meat resting on shattered pieces of its shell. ¡°How¡¯d you do that?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think it would work on a bug, really.¡± Cira admired her secondhand handiwork for a moment. The pitiful bug still writhed about slightly as it leaked various fluids on the ground, but each twitch worked fast to expend the last dregs of life it held.


    ¡°Lord above¡­¡± Her paladins¡¯ glow began to simmer down, ¡°What a way to go.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hurry.¡± Kuja urged them along, ¡°We¡¯ve almost reached the dormitories. The bugs will come and go but be ready to fight once this hallway lets out.¡±


    ¡°More of these things?¡± Cira pointed at the deflated lump of flesh which had stopped moving.


    ¡°Possibly, but the main domiciles are infested by some manner of fiend.¡± She kept her ears peeled and looked restless. ¡°They are weak but make up for it with numbers.¡±


    She went on to explain that the doors they passed entering the floor were for permanent residents. There were more homes further in for those that only stayed to gather mana and moved back to the village once their soul was reforged.


    If she had come down here before, Cira figured the woman had at least some magical prowess. She had half the mind to ask to see it but didn¡¯t want to put any strain on her old bones. Kuja would surely show off when danger came close enough.


    Looking behind, her crew¡¯s spirits were up. The atmosphere was, well, dark¡ªbut if one counted the rat, they were two for two. Even the fearsome bisection beetle fell in short order when half of them didn¡¯t have to do anything.


    ¡°Water mages,¡± Cira got their attention, ¡°Can you make ice?¡±


    She wasn¡¯t sure if ice would work better or not. Sure, it was colder and would in theory cause a more rapid drop in temperature, but water got everywhere. There was no stopping it from pouring into every little nook and cranny. Maybe ice water is what I¡¯m looking for. Why pick one?


    ¡°My name is Eros, and sadly I can only produce water, Lady Saint¡­¡± He hung his head in dejection and Cira realized every single one of Reverand Shores¡¯ ringers had forgotten her one and only rule. ¡°But my brother Lero can form ice.¡±


    ¡°Do you need some ice?¡± Lero and his brother both had long, black hair and their eyes were almost cerulean like the mana they wielded. A much richer blue. Nanri¡¯s were more akin to mithril¡ªa little more pleasant on the eyes.


    Cira¡¯s thoughts were interrupted as Lero held out a handful of ice cubes. ¡°Um¡­ Rictor, make me a cup.¡±


    ¡°Here.¡± He conjured one and handed it over swiftly, and without complaint, ¡°It will only last ten minutes or so.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Her gratitude was extended to both of them as ice clinked into the iron mug. Her eyes then landed on Eros for a moment until he got the message and topped it off with water. Cira took a nice long drink as everybody watched her curiously. It was not only chilled and refreshing, but also the first water she¡¯d drank all morning. She let out a satisfied, ¡°Ahhh¡­ Perfect. You two work together and make the coldest, fastest water you can if we have to crack another bug. That¡¯s your mission for the day but be careful not to splash anyone when you do it.¡±


    ¡°Th-thank you, Lady Saint!¡± The two looked at each other with clenched fists.


    ¡°She¡¯s given us a mission, brother.¡± Then he looked at Cira with indiscernible emotion on his face, ¡°I promise we will not fail you!¡±


    ¡°Stop calling me a saint or your missions will only get harder.¡± Unnoticed by the sorcerer, a determined glint flared up in the mage¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Exalted Captain,¡± A paladin approached hiding a grin, ¡°may we have a mission? We will complete any task, no matter the difficulty.¡±


    ¡°You know what? Yeah. Everybody give me a second.¡± They all stopped and watched her pull a small notepad out of a pouch hung from the ribbon which held her robes together. She spent three or four seconds scribbling on it and ripped the page out. ¡°This is a spell that will help us out a lot. You should have little trouble picking it up.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, what are these letters¡­?¡± The first one took it in his hand and stared at it mystified, ¡°And why can I read them?¡±


    ¡°Lamplight.¡± The next paladin leaned over his shoulder. When he read it out loud, wisps of pure light started coalescing. They swirled in the air and tried to form the spell, but the caster was having trouble bringing it together. ¡°N-no way! What do I do?¡±


    ¡°Just pretend it¡¯s holy mana. You¡¯re not pulling them inward so as to smash them together, you need them to find a rhythm as they rotate around the center. Each mote should form a patterntogether, and you¡¯ll notice they naturally into place.¡±


    This was an operation that happened instantaneously when Cira did it. After all, it was one of her most developed spells. The profound simplicity and absurd levels of refinement put into this sorcery were not to be understated, exhibited by the paladin casting it unwittingly.


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    The balls of light left trails as they rotated around the center and eventually, he got them spaced out just right. They got brighter as the formation was locked in and increased in speed while light started to fill out the middle with each passing rotation.


    ¡°I did it!¡± He beamed a wide smile at Cira as the light reflected on everyone¡¯s faces, pushing the shadows even further down the hall. His eyes were transfixed on the conjuration with awe, ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡­ Do I get a new mission now?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. Master this one first. You should be able to change its size and position at will. Even send it down the hallway and back. Until you can do that, I won¡¯t give you another spell, but this isn¡¯t the time for games. Just keep it aloft.


    ¡°Hey, let me try!¡± The third paladin pushed his way in.


    ¡°No.¡± Cira shut him down. ¡°One of you at a time. Don¡¯t forget where we are.¡±


    ¡°I was wondering when you would finish.¡± Kuja said tiredly as they started walking again, ¡°Though I must admit, this is quite helpful.¡±


    They were past all the doors by now and someone long ago had carved alcoves into the walls surrounding them. Large stone vases that came up to Cira¡¯s hip sat nestled in every few feet. Now covered in dust, she wondered what flowers they once held.


    ¡°Prepare yourself, everyone.¡± Kuja reiterated, ¡°They will know we have come if they aren¡¯t watching us already.¡±


    An eerie silence fell over the group and their brief moment of peace was over. Everyone¡¯s footsteps got instinctively quieter, and they slowed down as the end of the hall came into view. The white Lamplight illuminated the floor beyond, but their surroundings seemed to be an open expanse of shadows.


    Taking careful strides, they made it past the threshold, and it was like they were outside again. Nothing but black all around them and the hard stone under their feet. She heard rats and more bugs scamper away, but there was something else. Cira was sure of it.


    It¡¯s like whatever¡¯s in there is silencing their footsteps too, they¡¯re just doing a better job of it. Her skin crawled as she put a face to the fiends in her mind. She imagined them like humans but much more vicious and bearing horns like some kind of devil. What am I getting us into? There¡¯s already more than one of them.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± Cira whispered in Tawny¡¯s ear, who nervously clung onto Jimbo¡¯s sleeve. ¡°I need a fastball, two o¡¯clock.¡±


    She also pointed because it wasn¡¯t clear if the young mage knew how clocks worked¡ªthey had just never talked about it.


    Tawny quickly extended her palm and a fireball hurled through the shadows, burning them up as it found its target.


    ¡°GYEHH¡ª¡± A shrill cry was cut of in an instant as the creature producing its head was burnt to a crisp. Ash wisped into the air as it fell to its knees and eventually slumped over.


    In response, more of them shrieked from the dark and their frantic footsteps could be heard encircling them.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d be so short.¡± Cira wasn¡¯t one to jump straight to cranial incineration, though she couldn¡¯t argue the efficacy.


    ¡°We have to move!¡± Kuja startled everyone back into motion, ¡°This is their home now. We will never see the end of them if we don¡¯t leave this floor.¡±


    That was enough to spur them on as the fiends behind them were got louder. They passed over the first one¡¯s corpse and Cira tried to identify it from the neck down.


    Dexterous hands ended in sharp claws, and their bodies were lean, about the same height as the ancient flowerpots. For some reason it wore clothes too, but they were closer to weathered rags wrapped around its body which seemed to serve little purpose. If it weren¡¯t for claws with presumable rat blood caked under the fingernails, she may have mistaken it for a lost child. It can¡¯t be those, can it? Here?


    As much as it frustrated her, Cira drew the image of Estelle in her mind and positioned her hands on the black staff in the same way. They pressed onward quickly but couldn¡¯t go too fast with such low visibility. Even the Lamplight only bought them another ten feet or so.


    The mages in the back started shouting and she heard more fiends¡¯ death screams from behind them. Meanwhile, two more came from the front and squinted their eyes like the light burned them. It was honestly more of a surprise that they could see at all, but maybe they needed a few millennia to adapt.


    Kuja reflexively held out her palm and a thin black beam trailed out from it. Just like the one Cira used to disintegrate Jimbo¡¯s button, but this one pierced right through the beast¡¯s chest.


    As one lost strength in its legs and the other continued to charge with a sharpened rock held above its head, Cira finally got a good look. Long, pointed noses hung down from their face and they had wide ears that stuck out to the side. Their eyes slanted inward for an almost perpetual anger etched into their faces, but Cira wondered if that¡¯s how she looked to them.


    ¡°It¡¯s really them. They¡¯re goblins!¡± These were something of a mythological creature for Cira. She had seen some strange beasts in her travels, but these were the kind found in story books that her father would read to her before bed long ago. Well, not exactly the same kind. Their skin was darker than night and the same color as her onyx. They almost looked like some kind of spirit with only their dirty yellow eyes and jagged teeth shining in against the oppressive backdrop of shadows.


    ¡°Focus!¡± The old woman didn¡¯t have to tell Cira. The sorcerer flicked the staff around to her side and twirled it forward with her hands while making a lunge for the woeful shadow goblin. Her staff came down whistling and impacted right on its collarbone. With surprisingly little resistance, she tore right through it to the cracking of bones and unsettling squelch of rent flesh.


    The goblin followed her onyx helplessly to the ground and flopped apart into two lifeless halves. ¡°They really are weak¡­¡± She shook her head and pulled her eyes away from the viscera.


    ¡°But their death throes will attract the rest.¡± Kuja replied as two buildings came into view. Unlike the hallway earlier, the doors on this one were spaced as close together as possible and there were stairs that led up to the next floor just above their heads with even more rooms. These were bare bones living spaces even smaller than those in the New Shores District, and half the doors were wide open. The shutters over the windows were no more than broken hinges but she couldn¡¯t see inside.


    When they passed the first, there was another such structure on either side, and they were cut off by another small group of goblins. This time one threw a rock at Cira and one of her paladins deflected it with his sword.


    ¡°You vile creature, die!¡± He charged up and stabbed it through the chest when the next one over tried to stab at his ankles from behind. Luckily Kuja shot it through and yelled at him to get back.


    ¡°Why are there so many of them?!¡± Jimbo cried out as he sent a head flying through the air. Each set of buildings they passed would come with a new ambush from the alley on both sides and Cira could hear the doors behind them bang around and slap open, despite there being no wind down here.


    Multicolored flashes of light came from behind as the mages constantly held them back. Water surged into the pathway and lightning crackled. Rictor threw metal balls at them not dissimilar to a musket round but a fair deal slower. The goblins squawked as each one pelted them, sometimes crippling them or opening someone else up for a finisher. Even her founding crew had their blades drawn and constantly moving to hold them off from all around as dismembered goblins piled up in their wake.


    ¡°And some o¡¯ this!¡± Cira spun her hands past each other and the butt end of her staff rose up through a goblin¡¯s chin. Teeth and black blood were thrown into the air as she let the staff follow through, spinning it around her side and to bring it back around in wide arc, ¡°And don¡¯t think I¡¯ve forgotten about you.¡±


    Its neck folded to the side as an audible snap was drowned out by sparks of holy light white her paladins cut through the beasts effortlessly.


    ¡°How much further?!¡± James called out from behind them, his face splattered in what looked like tar.


    ¡°We are¡­¡± Kuja was jogging beside Cira and spoke between breaths, ¡°Getting closer¡­ Just a little further.¡±


    Cira trusted her words and gained a little distance to try and take some of the load off. The staff was getting heavy in her hands, but she couldn¡¯t stop yet. It became easier as she found ways to let the momentum carry the staff to where she wanted it, but fighting this way was like an intricate dance. Combine it with the mob of goblins biting at their heels, and Cira too was almost out of breath.

 104 - Unwarranted Parlay

    Another skull shattered beneath the black onyx and Cira was afforded one more step forward. Their pace had slowed to a crawl while goblins funneled in and trickled out from the shadows. Luckily for the members of the expeditionary force, these beasts really didn¡¯t like the light. Cira wondered if they would be better at dodging if they didn¡¯t have to squint the whole time.


    ¡°Get back, you fiends!¡± A slash of holy light flew past her face and another goblin fell apart mid-swing. Cira nodded to her earnest defender and sought the next target ahead.


    Two of her paladins had fallen back to help James and the boys, while one was on dedicated healing duty. In fact, if he were incapacitated, they would lose most of their light as well. Even with their numbers and relentless onslaught, most goblins died before getting the chance to harm Cira¡¯s crew and most wounds inflicted didn¡¯t go very deep.


    They could be dangerous with their makeshift stone knives, but sometimes those broke apart on contact. No matter how one looked at it though, the crew would be in real trouble if they didn¡¯t reach the end soon. Trying to get somewhere while fighting a battle of attrition was a recipe for disaster.


    So, while they exhausted themselves trying to reach the end of this hellish gauntlet, liminal dormitories continued to flank them on either side. Sometimes an ambush would wait for them in plain sight, either in the middle of the road or hanging off the balconies, yet other times they would strike from alleyways as they passed or gathered in the back to keep the mages weighed down. The whole group was near-constantly pelted by rocks from above without being able to see their source.


    One thing I can be grateful for is that my dad seemed to have at least made up the goblin shamans. Alas, in the tales Cira remembered, there were many goblins who could wield magic. Supposedly they had some kind of hierarchy, but her fairytales didn¡¯t care to delve into it. They were curated for children, after all, or that was Gazen¡¯s excuse.


    ¡°A ten-year-old girl has no use for the intricacies of goblin politics!¡± he would argue. Sure, Dad. A reasonable excuse when taken at face value.


    Kuja took out the occasional goblin still, but it was clear how winded she was. Even as they pushed through the horde a few steps at a time between short, decisive battles, she struggled to keep up. It didn¡¯t help that they had to tread over corpses which never ceased.


    One of the pouches at Cira¡¯s waist was a bag of holding with supplies and she handed a mana elixir to Kuja. The weary woman thanked her and gulped it in one go. When she brought the bottle down, there was a bitter look on her face, and she smacked her lips. ¡°Sorry I can¡¯t offer you any water.¡± Cira apologized and uppercut a goblin with her staff.


    Her leg was getting quite sore through all this movement. Not the full leg¡ªthe place where her stub met the wooden one was shooting pain up her body with each swing. She felt it like fire in her spine and winced with this most recent attack.


    Suddenly a warm, soothing light encompassed her. Cira glowed soft gold for a few seconds, and she felt the pain alleviate slightly. It was clear her paladin wasn¡¯t an expert with intricate wounds, but she thanked him all the same. It wouldn¡¯t be fair to expect him to have the same healing prowess as Doctor Larry or herself for that matter.


    ¡°Anything for you, oh Venerated Captain.¡± I like these paladins better when they don¡¯t talk.


    ¡°Here.¡± Cira tossed him a potion. ¡°Only use it when you¡¯re almost out.¡±


    ¡°I thank you¡­¡± He held it like a cherished treasure, ¡°I will use it wisely.¡±


    Cira found Jimbo hopping around on one leg and stabbing goblins left and right, but due to the nature of his fighting style he was the most common recipient for healing. I¡¯ll have to fast track him to Volume Three. Still, right behind him were James and Shirtless Joe. Cira thought it outright foolish to not wear a shirt in this situation as dark viscera kept splattering across his chest, but it wasn¡¯t her place to intercede in a pirate¡¯s way of life.


    ¡°Are we almost out of this?!¡± James¡¯ blade was coated in black blood and his swings were hindered by the weight. Between strikes he took a moment to breathe as sweat dripped to the ground.


    ¡°We need only cross the pavilion to reach the stairwell,¡± Kuja gave a winded reply, ¡°They won¡¯t leave their territory.¡±


    ¡°They goddamn better not!¡± He slashed through another and kicked it to the side.


    Just as Kuja said, they seemed to finally be reaching the end of the living quarters. The road widened and empty planters lined the walkway. They finally passed the last building and plunged into the empty darkness yet again. Strangely, the attacks stopped at the same time.


    Now they walked through an open brick courtyard unimpeded. There were no buildings or walls within sight¡ªnothing in their way whatsoever. Their surroundings had grown eerily silent to match.


    ¡°Something¡¯s not right¡­¡± Cira tried pushing the sea of dark mana back a little further, but it didn¡¯t do much. She reasoned it was almost twice as dense as the plateau above. ¡°We need more light. Marko, give me back that spell I wrote down.¡±


    His eyes fell as she tore it from his hand and shoved it into Tawny¡¯s, ¡°I think you can pull this off. I need it big and bright. Don¡¯t let me down.¡± She also handed her an elixir.


    ¡°W-what?! But I have no experience with light magic!¡± The girl was flustered at having been put on the spot with an apparent great responsibility. Her eyes widened as she read the glyphs over, a glint of comprehension flickered in her eyes.


    ¡°You can figure it out as you go, now quit dallying. Focus everything on this.¡±


    In her fluster, the girl looked at Jimbo who nodded back. Tawny nervously held out her palm and incanted, ¡°L-Lamplight!¡± A vortex of light swirled over her hand, and she flinched, almost stumbling back. ¡°How¡­ how do I make it bigger?¡±


    ¡°Worry about that after it¡¯s formed,¡± Cira kept her eyes and ears peeled but there was no sign of movement anywhere. Even more troubling was that not even rats and bugs seemed to exist in this place. ¡°For now, just do exactly as you saw earlier.¡±


    It took her a few seconds to catch on, but having seen it once, Tawny was a fast learner. ¡°I think I¡¯ve got it!¡± She was elated at her success and wore a wide smile that quickly dropped when she noticed Cira¡¯s amused grin.


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    ¡°Now think of it like forming a fireball, but don¡¯t try to condense it. If you aren¡¯t careful, the spell will fall apart. However, if you channel mana in and let it gradually expand while focusing on the structure, you should be fine.¡±


    Tawny replied with a frustrated nod and her Lamplight slowly started to grow. Slowly but surely, the darkness was pushed back. As light inched its way outward though, everyone froze in place.


    Countless sets of eyes surrounded them on either side, forming a path. The horde was waiting for something and just stared at them with disdain. As the light touched them and got brighter, they recoiled to brace against it. A commotion started and they snickered among themseles, but none made a move to attack.


    I don¡¯t like this¡­ ¡°Everyone, shields up!¡± All Cira could do was hold the shadows back and hope not to be caught unawares, but two of her paladins worked together to make a barrier after hearing the urgency in her voice. The brothers supplemented water around the base where it grew thin, and Rictor spun around frantically trying to decide where to erect an iron shield.


    A few seconds after Cira¡¯s warning, the holy shield crackled from a heavy impact. Weakened, but still standing, another ball of shadows missed and flew right through the low curtain of water. It burst on the ground and darkness seeped out like smoke, only to be absorbed into the onyx after a few seconds.


    By the time Rictor threw up a shield, there was another dark orb coming in from the sides. The paladins strained to keep their spell up against the attack and Jimbo tried to slash each one away before they could hit to no avail.


    Tawny threw fireballs to snuff the enemy¡¯s spells out before they could make it and the other fire mage had a wall of flame spinning above his head. It was like a blooming flower that could be moved around like a shield and dissipated any shadow that touched it. Unfortunately for him, a ball of darkness came in from the other side and slipped between their defenses.


    ¡°Gyahh!¡± He fell to the ground screaming as his skin sizzled. The clothes on his back started to dissolve into dust and blow away.


    ¡°Marko, quick!¡± Cira shouted her healer into action who quickly got to work. Holy magic did wonders for wounds dealt directly by dark mana, but such wounds were tricky. It would take time to fully heal him. Darkness practically disintegrated flesh if in high enough concentration, which it evidently was.


    Damn you, Dad. You lied to me again. Alas, goblin shamans were real. The only problem was the shroud of shadows around them. There was a crowd of goblins on either side of them, and behind now, but no trace of the shamans could be seen. Cira was pretty sure she located a few based on the path of their spell though.


    She considered rousing her newest companion Mac for assistance, but it felt far too early. If they couldn¡¯t deal with the first real challenge, they had no business delving deeper. It was unsettling how they seem to have been led into a trap, though.


    To Cira, it suggested a level of intelligence that she didn¡¯t expect. Cutting up rags and wearing them or sharpening rocks was one thing, but tactics? She didn¡¯t want to think it was a human that led them, but at the same time, that wasn¡¯t the impression she got at all. It was just another ambush when she thought about it. The primary concern in Cira¡¯s mind now was the many grunts they spent the last hour trudging through.


    Why are they just watching us instead of attacking? What¡¯s more, why have they formed a path? She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that they were about to walk into an even more thorough trap, but Kuja insisted this was the way they had to go. Either way, I have to do something or we could be overtaken.


    The golden barrier overhead flickered and bore deep cracks. It wouldn¡¯t last another minute, meanwhile water had proved useless. Kuja still deflected any attacks that came too close to breaching their defenses, but she looked like she wanted to collapse.


    Her mages were all locked down on keeping the dark orbs out, and some still got through. When they went to fast Cira couldn¡¯t absorb them in time and her mages were wounded for it each time. They couldn¡¯t stack up to the revenants, but each ball¡¯s density was tangible when it broke through. Marko was on double duty as dark wisps seeped through the fractured barrier and burned her crew¡¯s hands and faces. Anyone without magic was practically useless here, and the increasing amounts of darkness coming at them almost rendered Cira useless too.


    Alright, I know Prismagora could do this easily. And I know how it would, too. Let¡¯s just go for it. From their short time pinned down, Cira deduced that most of the shamans were stationary and attacked from a slightly higher angle. She took that to mean they were on some sort of stand, held above the crowd. In a sense, that made it easier. It would purge her onyx of anything gained thus far, but it could get them out of this pinch.


    It was difficult to describe as dark mana gives off no light, but the onyx seemed radiant as Cira began to channel her will. Of course, with no aura to naturally give shape to her will, it took a great deal of concentration. Her head felt like it was full of hot coals and her knuckles turned white as her grip tightened.


    It took a few moments before Cira was confident in her aim, and she couldn¡¯t get them all, but it was a start. Wincing through the pain, she raised the staff high into the air and incanted a makeshift spell which she formed words for on the spot, ¡°Symphony of¡­ Scintillating Shadows!¡± It was a shameless mashup of two separate light sorceries, but without the key component of light.


    The brilliant onyx shined brighter than any mass of darkness hard any right to and beams of pure black shot out at all angles then disappeared into the dark. The next thing they heard was a series of heavy thuds like sacks of produce falling on the floor before the goblins erupted in rage. At least that¡¯s how it sounded to Cira¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Holy shit, did you just¡ª¡± Jimbo almost got worked up in excitement, but Cira quickly shut him up.


    ¡°Shut up.¡± She said, simply. ¡°Why don¡¯t they approach?¡±


    They were near frenzy. The goblins jumped up and down and chattered furiously, throwing death glances their way, and practically foaming at the mouth. Many screamed, others cried, yet not even a single rock was thrown.


    ¡°The stairs are right there¡­¡± Kuja said, ¡°but I have a bad feeling about this.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Me too.¡±


    Almost on queue, the goblins quieted down and directly ahead, the crew was startled by a heavy footfall which further silenced everyone in the room. Cira nervously watched the curtain of darkness, but nothing emerged. Then there was another mountainous step. She could feel it in the ground beneath her feet and her whole body tensed up as if aware of the coming threat.


    It wasn¡¯t until the third step that it finally showed itself. One musclebound leg the color of onyx landed on the ground followed by an imposing figure that wore nothing but a blood-soaked loin cloth. Its abdomen seemed chiseled from stone and as it proudly strode into the light, it put Shirtless Joe¡¯s malleable form to shame.


    This creature was evidently not bothered by the light, and it bore the same eyes slanted in eternal rage as its smaller brethren. A pointed nose hung from its unblemished face and for all intents and purposes, its features were the same as the goblins¡ªjust more refined.


    Imposing, however, may have been a stretch. While it towered over the horde, it was still about a head shorter than Cira. There was no way to argue with a beast whose muscles were on display though. It possessed a level of physical strength Cira couldn¡¯t hope to match, but this much didn¡¯t dissuade her. Strength was never her forte, and it was something she would never achieve if she avoided opponents stronger than her.


    ¡°Stay back, my Lady.¡± The paladins were hardly trying at this point, ¡°We will protect you.¡±


    The proud goblin champion caused tremors as it strode closer, somehow looking down on Cira from below. While it was clear this beast thought itself superior, it couldn¡¯t seem to shed the blind rage they all shared. What motivated the goblins was beyond her, though it was likely hunger. Cira and her crew were no different from a passing herd of overgrown bugs in their eyes, but they¡¯d spent some time shredding them up just to get to the exit. A little anger on their end wasn¡¯t outside of reason.


    ¡°Look at it. That beast is here to fight me.¡± Cira held the paladins back and stepped forward under the predatory eyes of the goblins¡¯ leader. The dark staff was lighter in her hands than most, and she spun it around to fall into stance. ¡°Nobody interfere. Your captain¡¯s been challenged.¡±

 105 - A Bitter End

    ¡°Are you insane?! That thing could rip you apart!¡± From the row behind, Jimbo admonished her like the idiot she was. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure he plans to. Look, he doesn¡¯t even have a weapon.¡±


    The alpha goblin cracked its knuckles into one palm and looked at Cira like a bug about to be squashed¡ªor ripped apart. That¡¯s probably the first step to eating someone, isn¡¯t it? It definitely was.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, boys.¡± She flashed them a confident grin, ¡°I¡¯m sure you will find this gentleman to be a fair employer in the event I should lose this duel.¡±


    Then she turned her back to them and approached her opponent. The two squared off and sized each other up.


    ¡°You better not lose, stupid child.¡± Kuja lambasted her one last time before things got serious.


    Taking this moment of rapport as an opportunity, the goblin lunged forward with a quick jab to the gut, which Cira deftly sidestepped. I admit, he is fast. This is really a job for two legs rather than one.


    ¡°Coward!¡± The onyx swung back to her left as the butt end sliced through the air on a path to the goblin¡¯s collar. A quick snap of the neck would end the fight quickly, but the staff found only air.


    ¡°GYEHH!!¡± In response to Cira¡¯s name-calling, it only offered a guttural cry. The goblin¡¯s furious shriek was deafening from this close, and it brought one leg up to deliver a kick into Cira¡¯s ribs. She quickly slammed her staff into the ground before throwing her leg out to prop it in place¡ªbut there was only a wooden peg.


    Shit! ¡°Gah, stupid legs!¡± This is going to hurt¡ª


    Cira¡¯s gripped tightened around the staff and she groaned in pain as the goblin¡¯s leg came at her like a fallen mast, but she had to stay focused. The goblin was also in pain after kicking the staff at full force. It must have expected the ominous stick to break easily, but what couldn¡¯t be seen across its dark exterior were all the reinforcement glyphs that served to protect it from snapping.


    As an aside, artificers hated the dark element. The glyphs were black, of course, and so too were the best materials. It was impossible to see what one was doing. Would the goblin even know what glyphs are? It seems smarter than the rest, but maybe I¡¯m giving it too much credit.


    While the goblin reeled back and yowled from the sweltering bruise on his shin, Cira knew this was her chance. Despite the pain which engulfed her injured leg, Cira leaned into it so she could bring the onyx down decisively.


    At the last second, the goblin seemed to flex all his muscles and pivot a hair¡¯s breadth out of the way. He chose to take the black gem to the shoulder instead of the forehead and lost his footing in the process. Cira was honestly surprised because the staff didn¡¯t travel far enough to hit as hard as she wanted. The sorcerer was yet frail.


    Still, the goblin winced while his arm hung limp for a just brief moment. After a second, his foot finally touched the ground from the kick Cira rejected with a slam and he let out an impassioned cry. The strained voice carried all the anger and bloodlust she¡¯d come to know since entering this floor of Archaeum and within moments, the crowd surrounding them joined in as if to cheer in support. The smaller goblins snarled and shook their fists in the air, glaring daggers at Cira and her crew.


    Her opponent hit his fists together and threw one more primal shout in her face and it is honestly intimidating. Cira had stood before many beasts and despite this one¡¯s human-like stature, it stood before her a giant. The goblin seemed to snap his arm back and flexed undaunted.


    ¡°Hey screw that guy!¡± Skipper had been timid and silent for most of the descent, but it seemed the goblins¡¯ cheers had left him incensed, ¡°Kick his ass!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, whoop the little bastard!¡± The rest of the crew all started to cheer her on in an attempt to¡­ Well, perhaps they were just excited. It¡¯s difficult to say, but Jimbo and some of the more dedicated pirates began to flip the goblins off and insult their mothers.


    ¡°I¡¯ll piss on this heretics grave!¡± Her paladin defender spat in the challenger¡¯s direction.


    This whole sequence was a staring contest between Cira and her adversary. She had pushed all unnecessary thoughts from her head and paid the smallest amount of attention possible to her crew¡¯s charming words of encouragement¡ªand good thing too as her opponent waited for an opening and tried to catch her distracted.


    Why is he being cautious now? Maybe I should go after all. As soon as her mind was made up, Cira swung wide and cleaved through with the top of her staff. A broad hit to his body would suffice if afforded the chance, but the goblin was quicker than that. It backstepped just a couple inches to clear the onyx, but luckily, her first strike was a feint.


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    Cira had already begun to twirl the staff back around and launched the haft right into his side, but to her surprise, he just took it. The goblin didn¡¯t stumble back or even seem pained. Contrary to the first hit, this felt more like hitting a barrier than muscle. With the amount of untamed dark mana spilling out of him to the point where even she could feel it, she should have known. If only I had my damn aura¡ª


    ¡°Guh!¡± The air evacuated her lungs as a blunt force barreled through her stomach like it were made of flan. Cira was pushed back before she even knew what happened and pain shot throughout her abdomen. Alarm bells started going off and she didn¡¯t even have time to consider them before a heavy fist plowed into her face. The terrible left hook sent her to the ground and stars drifted in from the darkness while her consciousness flickered.


    Don¡¯t pass out, that¡¯s as good as death here. Cira grit her teeth and pushed off the ground. She ignored the sensation of warmth flowing from the place where she hit her head on the way down and desperately pulled the dark staff up in front of her. Cira¡¯s green eyes wavered as they slowly came into focus, the goblin was already moving to stomp her out.


    To really seal the deal, he hopped into the air and positioned to slam down on her head with both clawed feet. A ruthless and effective attack¡ªCira realized to be squashed like a bug would be a sorry way to go. Not five seconds ago she was on her feet and on the offensive. I really am weak. One blow is all it took, and I knocked senseless. It didn¡¯t help that her opponent responded to her feint by taking a hit he knew he could withstand. It was something that only came with extensive combat experience.


    The goblin¡¯s murderous leap gave her just enough space to fit the staff and she propped it into the ground again. He reached the apex of his jump and fell straight onto the onyx. It caught him right in the stomach and Cira felt almost none of the resistance she expected. Its wretched blood and spit fell over Cira like rain as it writhed atop the staff, and she had to bear it, straining her arms with all her might.


    Oh? I see what¡¯s happening now. Cira didn¡¯t want him to roll right off and onto her, so she tilted the staff to the side and rode out his momentum until he slammed into the ground with a grunt. Her body ached all over, but there was no way out of this problem except straight through. With fists clenched in frustration, she crawled up to her feet again. Well, you know. On the second stride, Cira¡¯s real foot flew seamlessly into the goblin¡¯s face.


    Teeth scattered in trails of dark blood and Cira¡¯s onyx battered him again, this time in the chest. She felt a crunch and he wheezed beneath the staff, a wild glint in his eyes¡ªthat of a wounded animal backed into a corner. ¡°Don¡¯t like this onyx, is that it?¡± As a stone enchanted to absorb dark mana, it reaped the goblin¡¯s defenses and voraciously tore into his aura with each impact.


    While Cira had mixed feelings, her supporters were riled up with this development, ¡°Yeah, get him! Don¡¯t let up!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s got him on the ropes now!¡±


    ¡°Rip his stupid head off!¡±


    Her opponent was splayed on the floor and fought to gulp down air through raspy breaths. While it clawed at the ground to push itself up, it seemed delirious. The goblin¡¯s eyes spun and couldn¡¯t seem to focus on Cira while it growled through each gurgled breath.


    ¡°Come on, kill the bastard!¡± Jimbo shouted. ¡°What are you waiting for?¡±


    ¡°This sucks.¡± I got the shit kicked out of me and now I¡¯m cheating my way to victory. This wasn¡¯t a test of strength at all. It wasn¡¯t skill which allowed me to surpass him, but gods damned sorcery again. While she had a serious handicap against a foe that outmatched her physically several times over, it could be argued that a little bit of sorcery was fair game, but she didn¡¯t feel accomplished at all. ¡°I have to, now.¡±


    She could see it in the beast¡¯s eyes. This one yearned only to quench his thirst for blood, quite literally. Nothing short of incapacitation would stop it from fighting her until one of them was dead. Even if she cut off his legs, the goblin would claw its way back, gnawing at her feet¡ªnot that she considered that option. It was unclear if the rest would jump in once this was over, but only one thing could be done now.


    The onyx fell one last time and a loud crack cut off his final pained garbles. The once overbearing goblin twitched for a moment then went completely still. Then the ruckus from the horde turned sharply. Gasps and frightened screams rang out among the crowd. They all looked at Cira with scorn, yet none of them broke away from the crowd.


    ¡°Lady Saint!¡± This guy¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll heal you now!¡±


    She didn¡¯t have the energy to complain and focused on catching her breath. To stay on her feet was a battle in its own rite. That fight took everything she had, and Cira couldn¡¯t remember the last time she had felt that much physical pain. Not counting recoil from larger sorceries, this one may take the cake. The goblin¡¯s blows had an unreasonable amount of weight behind them and hit like a freight ship.


    How long did the fight even last? Twenty seconds? Thirty at most? I thought I was ready to trade blows to some degree, but I don¡¯t know if I could have taken another and stayed conscious. Just what was going on with that goblin? There were surely books that could answer that question, but the thought slipped her mind as the throbbing in her head began to slow.


    She started to glow a saintly gold and noticed all four of her paladins worked together to heal her. Most of the crew seemed in a daze and one loud noise away from charging the goblins when Kuja approached with concern in her eyes, ¡°Child, are you alright?¡±


    Cira still had to deal with the matter at hand herself though. She only replied with a brief nod and broke through the healers to stare down the goblin masses. They fell quiet as her eyes grazed over them. With one sleeve, she wiped the blood off her face and let them watch her busted lip and black eye heal in seconds as she lit up like a holy beacon.


    ¡°Well?!¡± Cira held her arms out in challenge and the goblin horde was silenced. They all looked away to avoid her gaze and withered under her cold eyes. She glared at them for a minute while their old boss bled at her feet before deciding that none would approach. ¡°Go on then! Get the hell out of my sight!¡±

 106 - Those Whom Time Weathered

    Cira shouted at the goblins and waved them away. After a couple aggressive steps in different directions, they began to scatter. Like flipping a switch, once one ran, they all flew into a panic. Their frantic screams echoed through the necropolis as goblins tripped on each other and stumbled over just attempting to run away. She let them flee, of course, and it wasn¡¯t long before their cries faded into the shadows. Only Cira¡¯s crew and the dead remained now.


    ¡°Well, shit.¡± Jimbo¡¯s arms were on his hips as the crew looked down at the bloodied goblin corpse on the ground. ¡°I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t have to fight him.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Joe agreed, ¡°Thanks, Cap¡¯n.¡±


    ¡°Man, you really showed him.¡± Even Skipper joined in, ¡°You¡¯re tougher than you look, Captain!¡±


    ¡°Wrong.¡± Cira¡¯s counter left him blindsided, ¡°I¡¯m weak, I got my ass kicked, and I cheated. That fight was pathetic. You need to get your eyes checked.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I even got some goggles for ya.¡± Jimbo chided. Cira only just noticed their absence on his face.


    Skipper¡¯s expression dropped and he was about to say something when James cut in, ¡°So, are we heading back now?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Cira recoiled at the truly absurd question, ¡°Kuja said it gets worse on the next floor. How can we possibly leave before assessing the threat?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± the woman in question spoke up, ¡°There were significantly less goblins the last time I came here so it¡¯s difficult to say this was any better than what I went through. I didn¡¯t even know they could cast magic.¡±


    ¡°Pfft. Don¡¯t get me started.¡± Those shamans had some serious firepower. If we hadn¡¯t been slowed down for so long passing the dormitories, I wouldn¡¯t have collected enough darkness to take them out and they would have broken through.


    ¡°You¡¯re literally covered in blood and just got your lights knocked out. We need to go.¡± James looked at her aghast and did a double-take to the goblin on the ground, ¡°His biceps are as big as my head, and you took a punch to the face! How are you even standing? Why do you think the next floor will be any better?¡±


    ¡°I told you.¡± She gave him a sidelong stare, ¡°We¡¯re only taking a look.¡±


    Growing irritated, Kuja loudly cleared her throat, ¡°Ahem! If we are going, we should continue while the path is clear.¡±


    ¡°Gladly.¡± There was a line of paladins waiting to compliment Cira, but now they looked uncertain. She didn¡¯t give them time to think about it and strode onward through the pavilion.


    Kuja caught up and they reached the stairwell after walking for hardly another minute. The distant wails of defeated goblins still lingered, but nothing moved in their immediate vicinity. It was as quiet as it was dark and not even the crew dared speak. They timidly peered into the dark until the moment they reached the stairs.


    This was also when Kuja cut through the tension¡ªby scolding Cira, ¡°Now, why would you do something so stupid? Your crew could have taken him down together, you wouldn¡¯t have had to put your life on the line! Everything we¡¯re doing would become pointless if you died.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that reckless¡­ I had confidence in myself. And a whole team behind me¡ªno, I almost got beat to death by a goblin. ¡°Think about it. If I hadn¡¯t accepted his challenge, we would still be waist-deep in goblins. I didn¡¯t expect them to run away, personally, but I still think I made the right decision.¡±


    Cira stood by that, but she didn¡¯t feel great about the fight. She proved nothing to herself but the litany of shortcomings she¡¯d grown into over the years and her utter weakness. The gulf between her and a mere goblin was vast. If nothing else, it was something she would beat herself up over after she got a good bath in.


    As they descended the stairs, Cira was still out of breath. Despite the healing, her severed leg still drove pain up her body like knives. Each step pushed her further past her limit in every way. I really need to exercise more. Was Estelle as toned as that goblin? I doubt she¡¯d have agreed if I asked to see beneath her robes, though. I wonder if Nanri has even seen her abs. Would that come up in¡­ history of witchcraft? While her mind wandered, she realized Kuja was talking.


    ¡°¡­so long as they do not attack us on the way back.¡± There¡¯s that¡­ I hope they don¡¯t. ¡°This next floor is not to be taken lightly. I don¡¯t want to hear any of your chatter, understand? Stay alert.¡±


    She addressed Cira¡¯s crew without concern, and they all nervously nodded before turning to their Captain for guidance. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me. Take heed of Kuja¡¯s wisdom in this place.¡± On that note, Cira turned to her for guidance. ¡°What should we expect down here?¡±


    ¡°The first tomb is where the earliest generations rest.¡± She shook her head and continued with a sullen tone, ¡°It is said we understood very little about the soul in the beginning. The spirits here I suspect to be much closer to the revenants you described, but they should still recognize the mark my soul bears. I do not believe they will attack unless provoked.¡±


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    This seems like the kind of situation where it¡¯s unwise to ignore the word ¡®shouldn¡¯t¡¯. ¡°What mark? Does your soul possess a quality ours lack? Something to do with yours being reforged?¡± It was a given that they didn¡¯t want to fight her ancestors.


    Kuja prepared for a long-winded explanation when a voice cut into everyone¡¯s minds, ¡°Allow me. This ¡®mark¡¯ on her soul is something I believe your father referred to as a ¡®sigil¡¯. It is what you placed on my soul the moment you gave me such a ridiculous name as ¡®Legs¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Mr. McKlensky, there¡¯s no need to be rude.¡± Cira peered down to her shoulder as the spider stretched its legs. Evidently having slept through the whole fight somewhere in her robes, ¡°I remember Dad mentioning sigils when I showed him my curses all those years ago, but he forbade me from researching anything relevant. So, is it like a name stuck to the soul?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly. A title or a name can form a sigil, as long as it holds bearing on the marked being¡¯s existence.¡± The mages shuddered in fear as existential knowledge that was far beyond them was beamed straight into their minds, ¡°One¡¯s origin can often be found in the form of a sigil, in which case Kuja would bear the same one as many of the spirits in this mountain.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡± That sounds like the kind of thing I would try to ignore, but I¡¯m curious now. It sounds like Dad was hiding something from me. ¡°Why did nobody tell me this before?¡±


    Kuja made an uneasy expression and Cira creased her brow at the spider until he continued, ¡°You didn¡¯t ask. And before you do, the damage to your soul makes it quite difficult to decipher the sigils. It¡¯s best if you learn to read them on your own anyway.¡±


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Cira didn¡¯t like being predicted, ¡°Just go back to sleep if that¡¯s all you want to do with your freedom. Kuja, it¡¯s not the revenants we need to worry about below, is it?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, not.¡± The woman hesitated for a moment and collected herself, ¡°I wish I could tell you what I encountered, but I just have no idea. Hopefully, they¡¯re long gone.¡±


    ¡°Luck is a lady who shines upon me with spite. Can you describe them?¡± Cira¡¯s only goal was to identify the threat. If that much were accomplished, she would be satisfied to call it a day. ¡°Physical features and ways it attacked perhaps?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I was just walking among the spirits, wondering why the tomb was so calm. I thought it devoid of life until I had made it a good ways in. Suddenly, it was like an army of beasts all fell on me in perfect harmony. Sharp claws and vicious fangs¡ªlong beaks and cloven hooves seemed to form from the shadows themselves.¡± Kuja shuddered as she recalled that day long ago, the whole crew had stopped on the stairs and paid rapt attention, ¡°Not once did I get a good look at them, but their attacks came without relent, and always a different beast.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ sure sounds like trouble.¡± Cira put a hand to her chin and thought deeply for a moment, ¡°Are you sure they weren¡¯t the manifestation of some spell?¡±


    Cira could, for instance, create beasts with a simple conjuration of darkness.


    ¡°I¡¯m certain. I only saw their extremities while they came for my life, but it was as if their souls spread throughout their entire form. I still don¡¯t know what to make of it.¡±


    ¡°How fascinating¡­ I¡¯m sure you can see them, Mac.¡± She nudged the spider with her finger, ¡°Care to weigh in?¡±


    That son of a bitch is already asleep. ¡°Well, it looks like we¡¯re here. Any last tips?¡± Cira asked.


    ¡°Just be ready for a lengthy retreat¡­ If we make it halfway to the next stairwell, we may have to run for a while to return here.¡± Kuja cautiously took a step onto the next floor. Just like above, it was paved with ancient brick, but Cira immediately noticed a change in scenery.


    Flanking the door on both sides were caskets made of polished stone and carved into an ornate design. Just outside the range of their dwindling Lamplight, Cira saw square niches cut into the walls with skeletal remains laid to rest, long decayed. They were stacked six high and continued far into the abyss¡ªpresumably forever.


    That was the feeling Cira got. It was a strangely solemn dread. As soon as she entered, the weight of the hidden revenants bore down on her. She could feel the pressure of the intense mana¡ªstronger than those on the surface even¡ªbut there was something else mixed in. A similar feeling to that first stray she haphazardly approached in the Last Step, except there was a deep sadness which overshadowed the regret.


    One revenant emerged from the shroud ahead and stared at them blankly. All but her and Kuja reeled back in fear, and Cira stared into its black eyes curiously. She could feel the countless years of anguish this spirit endured, but somehow it just felt so somber.


    Are you mourning your people, just like Kuja? It must be hard having the ability to witness and comprehend such tragedy only to be utterly powerless, swept along by the tides of time. Instead of ancestors, you watched your children die.


    Even more depressingly, this revenant wasn¡¯t nearly as stable¡ªor perhaps it was just that much older. It seemed to shiver, and its movements were unnatural, even as it just floated there. The spirit¡¯s eyes held not a hint of the alert gaze the ones they met up top had. They seemed dull and near lifeless, as if the spirit was forcing itself not to disperse. It existed merely to wait for something, longing for it. But what do you wish to see, spirit? The return of the Archaean people? If I could help with that, I would¡­


    To Cira¡¯s knowledge, most souls were liable to decay after around the thousand-year mark. Sometimes they got lucky and passed on through this process, but too often did their will bind them. If they wanted to stay, that desire would be one of the last things to wither away until their essence had fully returned to the aether, never to be reincarnated again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to linger here longer than necessary.¡± It would do them no good to bother the spirits in their rest, nor throw Kuja into danger before their eyes. ¡°I say we draw these beasts in quickly and escape.¡±


    ¡°Of course¡­¡± She heard James complain from the back.


    ¡°How are we supposed to do that? It sounds like another bad idea.¡± Kuja grumbled and looked behind them, ¡°What if they follow us?¡±


    ¡°They would already be upstairs unless they had a reason not to be,¡± It made sense when she thought about it, ¡°Perhaps only the mana here and below is dense enough to support them.¡±


    Kuja¡¯s eyes went wide, ¡°Do you¡­ do you think you figured out what they are?¡±


    ¡°They could be a few things. I have seen groups of beasts across many species form herds before, but your attack didn¡¯t really sound like that. It¡¯s hard to say until I lay eyes on them.¡± Cira watched the faded revenant silently disappear into the darkness, ¡°As for luring the beasts, I¡¯m almost positive they¡¯re hungry for mana. We just need to offer it to them on a platter.¡±

 107 - Tactical Retreat

    Not only Kuja, but James as well looked at her with a disappointed frown. The latter said, ¡°You have the worst ideas of all time, you know that, Captain?¡±


    ¡°I have to agree with James this time,¡± Kuja added, ¡°We¡¯ll only rile the spirits.¡±


    Her mages had huddled up together and held their weapons at the ready, facing outward in a circle and shivering in their boots. ¡°Pure mana shouldn¡¯t hurt them, but they will avoid it as the very foundation of a revenant is the element of which they¡¯re comprised. I believe the beasts we seek will reject all elemental mana but dark, however, they should be eager to guzzle up pure mana to their aura¡¯s content. It¡¯s exceedingly rare for creatures of the corporeal realm to dislike aether.¡±


    ¡°No matter how smart you make it sound,¡± Jimbo said abruptly, ¡°It still sounds like a pretty dumb plan. We¡¯re sitting between goblins and a mysterious beast army right now. You know I¡¯d be the first to agree to your stupid ideas, but I think there¡¯s a saying about pissin¡¯ on a hornet¡¯s nest.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the goblins will trouble us again today, and I don¡¯t have it in me to run through another horde.¡± My poor legs would give out. ¡°Until we can identify them and make preparations, it would be exceedingly stupid to venture far from the stairs.¡±


    ¡°I agree with My Lady Saint,¡± Her defender nodded joyously, ¡°Let¡¯s bring them to us.¡±


    ¡°Indeed!¡± ¡°I stand with the Saint!¡± ¡°By her will!¡± They all agreed apparently.


    These guys are getting out of control.


    ¡°Dammit,¡± Jimbo cursed, ¡°Now it sounds smart to me. I¡¯m tired of runnin¡¯ too.¡±


    ¡°On second thought¡­¡± With a nervous glance, Kuja agreed, ¡°I¡¯m too old to keep running. If it¡¯s only gotten worse down here like the goblins, we¡¯d never make it out.¡±


    She still didn¡¯t like the idea, but Cira smoothed it over. The rest of her mages could go either way and just didn¡¯t really like the idea of being in the depths of Archaeum in general. It was dark and scary¡ªmortally dangerous. There was nothing for them here, well, except helping their captain. That¡¯s what kept them there at least.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just get it over with.¡± Tawny abruptly cut into the conversation, ¡°I don¡¯t like you, but somehow I believe it when you say we¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s pretty much the Dreadheart experience.¡± One of her closest confidants chimed in.


    ¡°Wow. Harsh, James.¡± She glared at him, taking mild offense, ¡°I thought we had become friends. I might just have to ship you off to Green Pit.¡±


    ¡°Please do!¡± He threw his hands up in frustration.


    ¡°Mages!¡± Cira shouted, startling her nearby pirate pals, ¡°It will be a couple minutes, but get ready to channel mana on my word. Now, let¡¯s see¡­ Tawny.¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡± She winced when Cira called her name, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Let me borrow your hand.¡± Cira pulled her artificing needle from somewhere in her robes and handed it to the baffled girl. She gasped and instantly threw her other hand out to help hold it up.


    ¡°What is this?! Orichalcum?¡± She almost looked offended as she did double takes between it and Cira, ¡°What am I supposed to do with this?¡±


    ¡°As I said, I need to borrow your hand.¡± Cira did as much and dragged her a few paces forward. The girl was too deep in shock to do anything about it.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± She tried to pull away, but Cira¡¯s grip was surprisingly solid.


    ¡°You are going to engrave a basic mana trap into the ground. This will serve as a beacon to lure the hidden beasts.¡± Her crew and even Kuja looked uncertain, but everyone was committed at this point. Tawny reluctantly knelt down and Cira drew glyphs into the bare stone using a proxy arm and aura. ¡°Pay attention. You will need to know some of these glyphs when it comes time to grow a mana crystal.¡±


    ¡°A what¡­?¡± She had no idea what Cira was talking about, but she still watched the glyphs with interest, ¡°How much mana is this going to take? Seems like a lot.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re almost done.¡± Cira had the primary circles drawn and placed the last runes within them before the whole thing lit up a pure white. It was large enough to sit inside, though she wouldn¡¯t recommend it. ¡°Here.¡±


    Cira handed Tawny another elixir then passed out a round for all her mages before instructing them on what to do, ¡°You can all see this circle, right? This is an enchantment that only allows mana in one way, and it only accepts it in pure form. All you have to do is start dumping your auras in. Any Questions?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I have one.¡± The water mage Eros asked, ¡°Why do these potions have Earth Vein emblems on them?¡±


    ¡°I stole them from a witch.¡± It wasn¡¯t exactly the truth, ¡°Does anyone have questions about the plan?¡±


    When silence echoed back, she set them loose. Mana flowed from them like gentle streams and slowly began to fill the circle. Most could channel from a few feet away, but the medium Rictor was used to was rather physical. He had to place a hand on the ground next to the circle, as did one of the paladins who was more accustomed to enhancements. Another¡¯s mana was lightly stained with holy, but the trace glimmer wouldn¡¯t make it into the trap.


    First the glyphs brightened until a small pillar of light started to grow. As it continued, sweat poured down their faces and Cira could feel the mana piling up. It wasn¡¯t as dense as a revenant, but it was pure and pierced the shadows effortlessly.


    Rictor started breathing heavy, and downed his elixir, followed shortly by the fire mage. They didn¡¯t have a whole lot of stamina it seemed. When the mana grew to just over Cira¡¯s head, her mages were all exhausted. Well into the reserves the potion granted them, they kept going with determination in their eyes.


    ¡°Hey, I think that¡¯s enough.¡± James said, ¡°They still need to be able to run away, don¡¯t they?¡±


    Cira looked at the radiant white column and crossed her arms. There was no movement from ahead, but it allowed her to see a bit further. She saw nothing but caskets and grave markers while the crypt was deathly silent.


    ¡°That will have to do. Well done, everybody.¡± They cut off their mana with great relief and half of them slumped to the ground. ¡°Now we wait.¡±


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    There were no more revenants in sight and the group waited in silence. They took this chance to hydrate and catch their breath, but to Cira¡¯s surprise, they didn¡¯t have to wait long. Just a few minutes later it felt like a wave of mana was rapidly approaching them. Overbearing like the spirits that lurked here but vast like the tide.


    ¡°Get up.¡± Kuja cut their break short, ¡°They¡¯re coming.¡±


    Cira waited to hear hooves beat against the ground or snarling maws in the darkness, but there was nothing. Just the pressure that flooded the tomb and the sound of her own heartbeat. Soon the abyss grew darker, and their lights started to dwindle. Even the pure mana the gathered was obscured in shadows as their enemy silently approached.


    Now I¡¯m really lost. They should have bodies unless they¡¯re some kind of spirit. I feel many sets of hungry eyes on me, but not a trace of the beholders.


    It was unnerving; with each passing second Cira felt the beasts¡¯ presence close in on them like a noose around her neck. The torches were snuffed out and a short round of panic ran through the crew. Even Cira felt her blood run cold. Finally, the shadows started to coalesce around her mana trap and bulge out like roiling clouds. Tendrils grew and slowly took shape while everyone watched in horror.


    Pointed appendages started to form out of the darkness. One, two¡­ three¡­ They kept coming and slowly reached for the untainted mana like it was a tasty sweet.


    ¡°Hell no!¡± Cira held out her onyx and let out a powerful blast¡ªall she could muster until it was spent once again. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of spiders!¡±


    She wasn¡¯t sure if it was wise to fight this creature with dark mana, but smiting large arachnids was a primal reflex. Her Dad always said to kill the ones larger than her hand, but Cira drew the line far before that at about the size of her pinky nail. Anything past that and the punishment grew exponentially, so for the shadow spider whose legs were each longer than her own, execution was the only viable option.


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± The legs wisped away as if they never existed at all and swirled around into a barbed tail already in motion. Cira had to duck to spare her neck and a quick reaction from her paladins likely saved everyone else¡¯s. ¡°Bullshit!¡±


    There was never a spider at all, and the tail had already turned into countless sharp claws that tore into the holy barrier like tissue paper. ¡°Throw some magic at them, and start backing up!¡± Cira knew they had to leave, but still had no idea what they were facing.


    ¡°Gyahh!¡± Joe yowled and she heard swords whizz through the air. When she looked, One of Joe¡¯s arms poured blood and whatever sliced him had already dispersed.


    ¡°They don¡¯t give a shit about swords!¡± Jimbo shouted as his uselessly passed through a pair of talons. He rolled to side and Cira watched a long, reptilian snout form behind his back. It was large enough to swallow her whole and she was about to scream at him to run when a fireball whisked right through it.


    Its form fell apart in an instant as the shadows broke down and tendrils of dark dissipated back from whence they came like precipitation. Cira was only able to steal a little bit out of spite, but it was a drop in the bucket bearing down on them.


    Suddenly a thin beam trailed by her face, and she saw Kuja¡¯s pointed expression saying to pay attention. Cira whipped around in time to see a blade like arm cleave into her. It came within inches of her neck by the time she brought her staff around and it clinked against the onyx before quickly recoiling.


    Of course, it would work on them too. She could brawl it out and take them all on herself¡ªor die trying. Meanwhile, her mages¡¯ wounds were starting to build up. Cira saw the blood puddled on the ground and soaking through their clothes.


    Water magic was once again useless, as was Rictor¡¯s earth. The lightning mage was throwing bolts out left and right like booming thunder, but the shadows reformed just as fast. Even though the stairs were in sight just moments ago, they were now getting pushed in from all sides.


    ¡°We have to go!¡± James cried out and almost took a hoof to the face. Skipper pulled him out of the way at the last moment and they huddled closer to the paladins.


    ¡°I know we do! Tawny and Gil, focus your flames on a barrier with the paladins. Full retreat!¡± She swatted away what shadows she could with her staff and started running. The two fire mages formed a shield of swirling flames that blanketed the holy barrier, and everyone steadily retreated. Claws tore and slashed through the barrier, causing the occasional crack, but the fire was able to soften the blow and reform wherever the beasts struck. With the two shields combined, the darkness mostly dispersed before it seeped in.


    It wasn¡¯t perfect, but it afforded them a brief reprieve. After a few paces they could see the stairwell again and the swordsmen were first followed by Rictor and the water mages. Lightning bolts consistently passed through the barrier from her stalwart mage next to the doorway and Cira noticed something.


    While the electricity seemed to pass through them, it differently struck their form before arcing out and into the darkness beyond. It wasn¡¯t something to think of in the moment, but having a little offense on their side was comforting in lieu of the three ineffective mages and useless swordsmen.


    ¡°Keep it up!¡± One paladin was at the end of his rope. His legs buckled and Cira worried his knees might fail, but the barrier only got brighter as he squeezed more mana out.


    ¡°You¡¯re almost there!¡± James yelled from behind, trying to light a torch using the barrier, ¡°Come on!¡±


    They pushed both Kuja and Cira through the doorway first and the barrier closed in around the wall when a massive beak stabbed into it three times in quick succession before fading away. A crack formed and like the sound of broken glass, the golden light shattered.


    ¡°Gah!!¡± The limping paladin stumbled back and Cira pulled him into the stairway before a lunging talon grabbed him.


    The relentless shadows furled through the veil of flames and creeped in through the cracks. It also forced their combined conjuration to dwindle, and it was clear her fire mages were about to pass out. The formless beasts kept clawing their way in, reaching for the last two with increasing strength.


    Just as Tawny was about to be impaled on something¡¯s horn, Jimbo yanked her by the collar and pulled her up the steps. Everyone sprinted up while the two mages desperately threw fire down the way until their spells quickly started to flicker out.


    ¡°Stop casting!¡± Cira shouted, ¡°Go any further and you¡¯ll expend your aura.¡±


    ¡°But they¡¯re¡ª¡± Tawny started.


    ¡°They¡¯re not following us. Look.¡± Everyone was exhausted and trying to run for their life, but they slowed at Cira¡¯s words. ¡°We don¡¯t have to rush, but I do think we should keep moving until we¡¯re back to Breeze Haven. We¡¯ll take a break now to heal, though.¡±


    She handed her paladins another round of elixirs, leaving just two in her pouch. They got to healing and she watched everyone¡¯s wounds reverse, leaving only blood. There was a great deal of it. The water mages took a lot of cuts to the arms and one¡¯s wrist looked crushed. That last wound remained and would take a few hours for someone like her paladins to heal. So long as all the pieces were there, it could be done simply enough.


    Rictor and the lightning mage both had weird stab wounds on their legs and the a couple of the others were helping them walk until the healing light enveloped them. Worst of all were Tawny and Gil¡¯s wounds. The latter was much less agile, and found himself at the end of half the beasts down there from the look of it. If those two weren¡¯t here, she reckoned, everyone¡¯s wounds would have been much more severe.


    They didn¡¯t shy from the Lamplight, but Cira was curious to see how they¡¯d react to a light attack. They really didn¡¯t seem to like fire though. Today the flames were weak and few, but that could be something to explore. Lightning would work for offense but was harder to scale up. On the other hand, the beasts¡¯ reaction to it may have been the clue she needed to identify them.


    ¡°Well, that was a wash.¡± James chided with a facetious tone, ¡°Are you glad we took a look?¡±


    ¡°I am, actually. It was very insightful.¡± Cira responded, trying to hang onto her train of thought.


    ¡°Oh? Did you figure them out?¡± Kuja was on the edge of her seat.


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s just one thing bothering me.¡± She turned it over in her head but it didn¡¯t make any sense, ¡°Why was Rictor so useless against them?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, My Lady! I¡¯ll do better next time¡ª¡± He was about to fall on the floor groveling when Cira cut him off.


    ¡°No, not like that.¡± She was still patching her ideas together, ¡°They have physical form. I confirmed as much. So, Rictor should have been able to hurt them. It¡¯s as if they can become shadows at will.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not trying to go back down there are you¡­¡± James¡¯ weary voice came from below as he slumped against the stairs.


    ¡°No, no. We¡¯re going back to Breeze Haven for the night, and tomorrow will be a rest day.¡± Indeed, there would be a period of rest tomorrow.


    ¡°Oh, thank the gods!¡± Skipper practically melted into the steps along with half the mages and Jimbo pulled out a flask.


    ¡°I¡¯ll drink to that.¡±

 108 - Eve of Unrest

    A silent pavilion awaited them at the top of the stairs. Cira¡¯s whole crew was on edge, and nearly bereft of mana as they nervously looked over their shoulders. Her paladins valiantly formed a circle around her even as their golden light flickered.


    ¡°Be on your toes.¡± Jimbo addressed everyone, ¡°They could attack at any moment.¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t think we need to worry about that.¡± There was a reason Cira hadn¡¯t said anything as they passed the dormitories. All the doors were closed up and there was no sound to be heard, not even a rat. In place of all the bodies they left earlier were only bloodstains. In some places the goblin corpses were half pulled into an alley and seemingly dropped in a hurry.


    For better or worse, they had struck fear into the goblins¡¯ hearts.


    ¡°The girl is right.¡± Kuja backed her up and the crew let out a collective sigh of relief, ¡°They may trouble us next time, but today they mourn the dead.¡±


    ¡°Well, that doesn¡¯t make me feel any better.¡± It set everyone else at ease, but now Cira felt like she had trampled on some woodland critters. She found it hard to believe they were a peaceful people, but even if it was the warrior she disgraced that led them into battle, they certainly would have eaten her flesh if afforded the opportunity. It sounds like Kuja may know a thing or two about goblins.


    They exited the living quarters with no trouble, even stopping for a peaceful water break in the middle in case they ran into more bugs. It made sense that they didn¡¯t, though. They were surely one of the goblins¡¯ primary food sources.


    Did their leader hoard all the nutrients, and that¡¯s why he was so much taller and musclebound? What bothered her was why the smaller ones were so frail. It didn¡¯t make any sense for a single specimen to have such drastically different physiology.


    The mysteries of goblinhood would have to wait, however, because they arrived at Breeze Haven safely after an uneventful hike, and Cira was grateful. Her newest mortal enemy, stairs, had kicked her ass the whole way.


    ¡°That sucked.¡± Jimbo said the moment their expedition could be considered over¡ªas soon as he passed the gate to Cira¡¯s garden. ¡°Can we drink yet?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to think you have a problem.¡± Isn¡¯t it a hassle to drink all the time? Maybe my life is just too much of a hassle. ¡°And don¡¯t you have a book to finish, or have you decided sorcery is too much for you?¡±


    ¡°W-what?! Of course not. I can drink and read at the same time. Been doin¡¯ it for years¡­¡± His words trailed off as Cira squinted in a progressively disapproving manner, ¡°Right¡­ maybe I¡¯ll drink later.¡±


    As far as drinking went, Jimbo was a trained professional. The man himself would and has argued he was twice as good at anything with a few glasses in him, but academics were another matter entirely. Cira knew drinking was inconducive to learning and impaired one¡¯s ability to retain information. It was her dad¡¯s reasoning for only drinking on rare occasion, and it was something Cira had experienced herself when she woke up in the plague ward.


    ¡°Lady Saint!¡± Her lightning mage threw himself to his knees before her, ¡°Please teach me. I¡­ I want to be stronger!¡±


    Looking down at him, Cira let out a long sigh, ¡°I was already planning on it. You¡¯re all far too weak, no offense, now get off the ground.¡±


    He missed the last part, but the rest of her mages seemed to overhear and surrounded her like a flock of gulls. ¡°You¡¯ll teach all of us?¡± the fire mage asked.


    ¡°Do you hear that, Brother?¡± Lero was exhausted and perked up at the news. Cira hadn¡¯t thought about it, but since there were no more bug encounters, they failed their mission for the day. ¡°The Saint will take us as her apprentices!¡±


    ¡°Make no mistake.¡± Cira clarified with a stern tone. ¡°If you prove unreceptive to the path of sorcery, I will kick you out with no hesitation. I will also expect you to read the Compendium when Jimbo finishes; perhaps aloud in a group to save time. Lastly, and most importantly, the next person to call me Saint or kneel is on the next boat to Green Pit.¡±


    ¡°O-of course, Captain!¡± Her paladins were quick to take a stiff pose and salute, as if they were so innocent.


    The lightning mage turned out to be the least irritating. He seemed a little reserved and hadn¡¯t called her a saint since the first day. A young man closer to Skipper¡¯s age with light hair and an unkempt mustache. ¡°Do we start day after tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Cira was taken off guard, ¡°Of course not. I just need to take a bath, and I expect to see all of you in the training hall when I¡¯m done.¡±


    ___


    There was nothing relaxing about this bath. In fact, she felt more tired after she was done. Everything still hurt and Cira just wished she could heal it all away. Not only that, but the bed waiting for her at the end of this long day wasn¡¯t even as comfortable as that of the suite in Nymphus.


    Evidently Skipper anticipated her sorry state and had dinner ready in the training hall¡ªmashed potatoes and boar. She thought it looked like quite a hearty dinner but couldn¡¯t help wondering if it was to take her mind off the table, chairs, and barrel of ale they had set up in her absence.


    ¡°If you drunks can¡¯t learn anything, it¡¯s on you now.¡± She would kick them out if she had to but was too tired to care beyond that. Her lesson today would be short and swift. When she looked over her new students though, she counted a few too many heads. ¡°James, what are you guys doing here? And Kuja?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to listen in.¡± Kuja replied.


    James gave her a shrug, ¡°What? We can¡¯t learn magic too?¡± Skipper sat next to him with the training goggles on his face.


    ¡°Well, if you can, you can, I guess.¡± She returned the shrug and set a stack of books on the table before addressing her crew. ¡°I am much too tired, so we will only be covering one subject tonight. It is a very important one, though. All of your auras are on the small side, save for Tawny, and even hers doesn¡¯t stack up to the average witch.¡±


    Considering Estelle¡¯s was a few orders of magnitude greater than her sidekick Lyren¡¯s who was about the same level as Nanri, Tawny hardly had any mana at all.


    ¡°Uh, hang on a minute.¡± Joe respectfully raised a hand, ¡°Do I even have an aura?¡±


    ¡°If I recall, your aura is a little smaller than Jimbos, but I haven¡¯t seen Skipper¡¯s.¡± She looked at him with scrutiny for a moment before turning to Kuja, ¡°Could you help me out?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s about the same.¡± She replied, ¡°Until today I haven¡¯t used much magic in easily a cent¡ªa few decades¡ªcan I increase my aura too?¡±


    ¡°That should make no difference in theory. You¡¯ve proven you can still cast, so it doesn¡¯t seem you¡¯ve lost the ability, but did you perhaps used to conjure faster?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ did.¡± She answered nervously for some reason. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°Thought so.¡± Cira whipped her gaze around to settle on Tawny, ¡°This brings me to you. While Kuja here has merely gotten rusty, you¡¯re just plain bad at it.¡±


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    ¡°W-what did you say?!¡± The girl was offended at first, but begrudgingly let it go. Like it or not, she had learned that Cira was an authority on the subject. With no aura of her own, she had plundered Tawny¡¯s to prove a point. ¡°Bad at what? Magic?¡±


    ¡°In a sense.¡± There was a large tome on top of the stack, bound in green leather. Cira dropped it in front of Tawny and its weight shook the table. ¡°Your aura is¡­ respectable for your level of skill. You have great potential, but you are absolutely terrible at mana induction. Now can anyone tell me what this is?¡±


    When she was met with the expected blank stares, Cira continued, ¡°It is the ability to transfer mana from your aura into the environment. It appears you tire after hardly scraping half of your stores, and your control is paltry, owing to the fact that you treat fire and wind the same from what I gather.¡±


    ¡°I-what? How else am I supposed to do it? They both work the same.¡± It wasn¡¯t an unreasonable way to think. Neither were solid, and flames were often seen blowing in the wind or wisping upward as they do. One could also feel the draft created by a flame and come to the same conclusion.


    ¡°And you will never progress as long as you think that. There is a certain order of operations among the elements. A chain of predation if you will. Just as light consumes darkness, fire consumes wind¡ªbetter known as air.¡± It was known as wind sorcery for the sake of brevity. ¡°They are not comparable by any means, and the only reason they act the same in your hands, is because you have probably thought as much for many years.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ how do I change that?¡±


    Cira tapped on the book in front of her. ¡°You¡¯ll have to read this for now when you find time, and of course, you are welcome to as well, Kuja.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± She replied with trepidation as she gazed upon the heavy book, ¡°Okay then.¡±


    ¡°Is that it?¡± Jimbo asked. ¡°I was ready to learn another spell.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t even learned your first one yet. There will be no new spells tonight.¡± Her students all looked a little crestfallen with that. ¡°I¡¯ve only mentioned mana induction because it is fundamental to all other aspects of sorcery. Master induction and it will help you extract mana from the environment more efficiently as well.¡±


    ¡°Is that how we make our auras bigger?¡± Eros asked earnestly.


    ¡°It will help, but not exactly. There are two primary ways to increase one¡¯s aura without external catalysts. The easiest and most reliable method is done every time you cast.¡± She was surprised to see the shocked looks on everyone¡¯s faces. This was the most basic of the basics. ¡°Your aura is like a muscle in some ways. Though it is marginal, each time you tap into your aura, it¡¯s capacity increases. The rate of expansion is higher the closer you are to empty, and as well when you expend a great deal of it at once. If channeled constantly, the rate at which your aura expands will increase continuously.¡±


    Maybe not James and the boys, but all the mages¡¯ expressions sunk at her last words that she let hang in the air. Those who could cast knew what that meant. Still the fire mage Gil held onto hope in his heart, ¡°So¡­ are we going to drink a bunch of potions and cast large spells?¡±


    ¡°I hardly have a crate left, so that won¡¯t do. Besides, recovering mana naturally is best for such training.¡± Now all the mages looked at each other and frowned. They knew from experience that the longer one kept a spell activated, the greater strain they had to endure. A few minutes was fine, but an hour or more left one winded. Many hours was enough to get someone ready for bed and beyond that, it wasn¡¯t uncommon to be completely bereft of strength and mental faculties if your aura didn¡¯t break first.


    ¡°It is best, of course, to combine methods,¡± Cira continued, ¡°Since we haven¡¯t covered the deceptive concept of affinities yet, you will cast a spell with your own element, or both if you have them.¡± There were only two dual casters present, three if she counted ice as different from water, so she gave them a pointed glance, ¡°No using Lamplight, though. That spell in its base form consumes less mana than the average person regenerates. In any case, you must hold the spell of your choosing until the sun rises, and if your aura isn¡¯t skirting on empty by that time, you fail. Any questions?¡±


    They all stared at her blankly until James spoke up, ¡°Yeah, I got one. You know the sun hasn¡¯t even gone down yet, right? It¡¯s like four o¡¯clock in the afternoon.¡± He closed a silver pocket watch and put it away.


    ¡°Perfect.¡± She smiled, ¡°Given the size of everyone¡¯s aura, I hope to see progress by the time I awaken. Of course, you four can¡¯t participate.¡± James, Joe, Jimbo, and Skipper couldn¡¯t cast. ¡°And you don¡¯t have to, Kuja. But these three, I expect to watch my paladins closely. Holy magic is going to be your fastest starting point into mana induction so don¡¯t be scared to hold their hands while they cast.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ you want us to hold their hands?¡± Jimbo asked with a dumbstruck look on his face, ¡°Like, all night?¡±


    ¡°You may obviously take bathroom breaks.¡± I¡¯m not that strict. ¡°And you should find time to finish that book so the others may begin. I¡¯ll bring you Volume Two tomorrow and we¡¯ll see if we can get you to cast something.¡±


    ¡°Hold on a second.¡± Rictor said, counting on his hands, ¡°You¡¯re saying we have to cast for the next¡­ fourteen or fifteen hours? Do we at least get potions for that?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I will afford you one each.¡± She started pulling them from a freshly restocked pouch. ¡°Think of it as a second chance. You will need to control your mana output so as not run out overnight, while also trying to pull as much from the atmosphere as possible to sustain. Luckily for you, this training hall is somewhat rich in mana so hopefully you can manage. Only drink these potions if your aura is about to break.¡±


    They took them in hand and looked up at her nervously, not at all excited about what came next. James turned to her with exasperation, ¡°And while we¡¯re down here ¡®training¡¯, you¡¯ll be doing what? Sleeping?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. You all will become stronger while I regain my strength. Is it not the wisest course of action? Do not forget our experience down below.¡±


    Kuja chuckled, ¡°She¡¯s a growing girl, you know. She needs her beauty sleep.¡±


    Cira tried not to turn red, ¡°W-what do you mean by that? I am not a child.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult not to be a child before me.¡± Her eyes were tired, and she held a playful grin. ¡°By the way, what is the second way to increase our aura?¡±


    ¡°Ah, that will come later but maybe you can do it. You need simply continue to gather mana after your aura is full. Not so much that it burst,¡± This was the second way to break one¡¯s aura, and Cira potentially did so uncontrollably on Fount Salt. Anyone who tried to gather mana when they were full innately knew it wasn¡¯t healthy. ¡°Just enough to give you a mild headache, and of course, without stopping.¡±


    ¡°I may consider it¡­¡± She wasn¡¯t thrilled.


    ¡°One more question before I retire. Why do none of you carry a staff? Is that common around here?¡±


    ¡°I used to have one,¡± Kuja said, ¡°but it rotted away after I left it in the village.¡±


    ¡°Staffs are damn expensive, too.¡± There was a bitter expression on Gil¡¯s face, perhaps reliving a not-so-fond memory, ¡°And if one shows up on Lost Cloud, it belongs to Captain Wick.¡±


    Cira knew the man was greedy, and that he took from the people of Lost Cloud, but this was altogether new information for her. ¡°That might just be crossing a line¡­ How many mages does he have again?¡±


    To steal another sorcerer¡¯s staff was a grave offense, at least that¡¯s what her father said. Beyond the entry level sorts the average mage could buy from an artificer, staves were highly personalized as the caster usually carved their own glyphs or created the entire artifact. Cira learned sorcery using her father¡¯s, but still found herself modifying the odd rune or otherwise reworking any equipment she scavenged.


    ¡°A handful or two at most.¡± Jimbo replied, ¡°Not enough to even try and justify it. I¡¯d wager my crowns that he¡¯s got a locked room somewhere filled to the brim with all the weapons he stole.¡±


    Cira was allowed to do what she wanted because Gazen left her everything, and none of the pirates around these parts were likely ¡®sorcerers¡¯ per se, but something about rounding up all the staves and hoarding them didn¡¯t sit right with her. She would be pissed if someone stole even one from her collection and couldn¡¯t help but sympathize with any mage who had their own snatched away.


    ¡°Then we need only add that to the heist list. Now then. spells up, everyone.¡± She watched their magic flare to life. Her paladins enveloped their swords in holy light, Tawny wrapped a ball of flame in wind and Cedric held an orb of water as electricity arced across its surface. Next to him were the brothers, one of which added ice to his water. Curiously, Kuja conjured a wisp of pure white¡ªCira expected the dark element, but it made sense that her people were more versed in untainted aether¡ªthat was the soul¡¯s composition after all.


    Last, her gaze fell on Rictor, whose hands started overflowing with iron nuggets. He looked nervous as they began to hit the floor, and everyone turned to him with a glare. Cira stifled a laugh and offered some advice, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve practiced making your conjurations last longer, but have you ever tried the other way around?¡±


    There was a big difference between not putting enough mana in for a spell and making the duration shorter. Any element would instantly disperse upon failing a spell, but even then traces of it lingered. Likewise, conjured elements naturally dispersed at different rates.


    Light dispersed imperceptibly fast, but rock or especially metal, being quite permanent in their natural state, took much longer once fully manifested. Seconds, sure, but enough for each piece of iron to clunk against the ground. This fact was the origin of Rictor¡¯s uneasy expression.


    ¡°Is that possible?¡±


    ¡°Of course it is. Just try to work on it by morning.¡± Cira made one last address to the crew with a yawn, ¡°Goodnight, everyone. Remember we have a big day tomorrow, so work hard.¡±


    ¡°I thought tomorrow was a rest day!¡± James cried.


    ¡°It is.¡± She reasoned, ¡°But once you wake up, we have a big day ahead of us.¡±

 109 - Day of Rest

    After a nice, long rest, Cira opened the door to the training hall¡ª


    ¡°Oh thank, the gods!¡± The stream of iron falling from Rictor¡¯s hand stopped and he slumped to the floor.


    ¡°Aghh, finally!!¡± The brothers held each other and wept as they too fell to the ground.


    ¡°Lords afar, mercy at last!¡± Her paladins did the same.


    ¡°GRAHHHH!!!¡±


    Ten mages laid on the hard stone floor in various stages of unconsciousness while Cira watched the spectacle come to a still with wide eyes. ¡°Er, I take it they made it through¡­?¡±


    Kuja blinked with a similar expression, looking up from the book she held with one hand. The light trailing above her other died out at that moment and she let out a big yawn. ¡°Indeed, Child, though I think this may have been a little harsh.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, these guys had a pretty bad time.¡± James got up from his chair with bags under his eyes, ¡°I don¡¯t feel like I learned a whole lot either.¡±


    ¡°I-I did!¡± Skipper¡¯s bug eyes filled the goggles that took up half his face, and his delirious smile did more than put everyone on edge. He still held a paladin¡¯s hand as he lay on the floor, but the sword they both clutched still glowed with holy light.


    ¡°Well done!¡± Cira offered him a little clap of the hands, ¡°You¡¯ve already surpassed Jimbo! Speaking of¡­¡±


    She gave him a pointed glance and his arms were crossed proudly, ¡°I finished the book. I really finished it! Can I cast the spell now?¡±


    ¡°Give it a try!¡± Excitement was in the air and a second student was on the cusp of a major breakthrough. It was a great thing to see first thing in the morning.


    ¡°Nary wind nor storm¡ª¡± Thud!


    His face hit the table. ¡°Darn, I thought he had it.¡± Cira wasn¡¯t disappointed. It wasn¡¯t a particularly high-cost spell, so that meant he channeled mana at least somewhat throughout the night. Moreover, he channeled enough into the spell to pass out. It was a valiant effort.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m off to bed.¡± James left to presumably find a place on the couch. Joe already snored next to Jimbo while Skipper was busy chasing the high that was magic, staring into the golden light rapturously.


    ¡°You try to get some rest too, Skipper.¡± Cira didn¡¯t want an unsupervised novice to break his aura on accident.


    ¡°And me, Captain?¡± Kuja jokingly asked. She looked like she was just a few winks away from sleep.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I walk you home? I¡¯m due for some sunlight.¡±


    ___


    Cira bid Kuja goodbye at the village so she could rest and struck out on her own adventure. She had far too much energy to sit around and wait for her crew to awaken, so she inquired about the local flora. Kuja gave her directions to a nearby grove just a little ways down the mountain where an offshoot of the spring came out of the ground to form a creek.


    There was plenty of tree cover and it was only a twenty-minute hike or so. That was, however, the estimate for someone that didn¡¯t lose a leg a few weeks prior. Kuja warned her it was rocky and to be wary of any approaching ships or she may not make it back in time. In the event Wick¡¯s men came for her, she planned to just head back through the tunnel to Breeze Haven before they saw her.


    So, this was a carefree stroll through the jungle as Cira came to terms with her impartial form. Her paladins had healed her to the best of their ability, but any pain that stemmed from the leg was ever-present. In fact, she realized she shouldn¡¯t be walking right now but just really wanted a change in scenery. A breath of fresh air.


    The birds here were colorful and chirped soft melodies, though there was the occasional shrill call that rang through the trees and briefly silenced the others. The odd rodent would scamper through nearby brush, but she didn¡¯t catch sight of anything bigger.


    With a woven basket in one hand and Prismagora in the other, kept her eyes peeled. This side of the mountain was supposed to be safe, though she wasn¡¯t keen to walk around with nothing but a sword and some throwable artifacts if it could be helped.


    Cira thought she was going to run into trouble or at the very least have to fight something off, but was able to spend the entire morning leisurely picking herbs and even took some time to dip her toes in the creek before heading back. Her basket was full of mushrooms and various flowers when she left the bounds of nature in a good mood. What awaited her at Kuja¡¯s abode wasn¡¯t going to put a damper on it, either.


    ¡°Where have you been?!¡± Rocky whisper-yelled at her, ¡°I¡¯ve been workin¡¯ on your damn mithril this whole time!¡±


    He tossed a spool of wire at her, and she let it bounce off and fall to the floor, unwilling to drop her staff or the herbs. After carefully setting them down she picked it up and inspected it. ¡°Where¡¯s the sample I gave you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a match.¡± He handed her the short piece of steel wire, ¡°I made sure of it.¡±


    The spool of blue metal sat in one palm while she held the steel wire in her other hand, looking back and forth between the two. After a few minutes she nodded, ¡°Nice job. This will do. When I return to Breeze Haven you will come with me. I can get you and Rictor started.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Who¡¯s that? Are you going to tell me where you¡¯ve been? Kuja just went straight to sleep.¡± He was irritated to say the least. The man had honestly slipped her mind as she trounced around the grove picking herbs.


    ¡°We started pushing through to reach the soul forge, or Cairn of Spirit, what have you.¡± Cira thought their progress wasn¡¯t bad. Halfway, according to Kuja. There were only two more tombs then their goal was below. Sadly, she didn¡¯t know what dwelled that deep. ¡°Then we stayed on Breeze Haven last night.¡±


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    ¡°Oh¡­¡± He recalled them talking about the difficult path ahead to reach that place Kuja was talking about, ¡°I¡¯m glad you left me then. You ain¡¯t paying me to fight.¡±


    ¡°You better get back to work then.¡± Cira eyed the spool of wire. ¡°Melt it down and do it again.¡±


    From her understanding, the two mithril coins he signed up for was a moderate fortune, and it paid for his education. It was only natural he should practice when the chance arose. He protested, but Cira made a strong argument about honing one¡¯s craft if they take pride in it.


    Cira left him to practice his mithril and started perusing the reforging tome again. If she wanted to get started on putting some parts together that night, she would need to have a clear plan in mind. Otherwise, it would cut into her crew¡¯s training.


    With her stroll in the forest and some time to read, it was a pleasant day. Nothing like the one that came before. It was nice to relax every now and again, but when Kuja stirred, it was time to move.


    By the time they reached Breeze Haven again it was early evening and Cira set her herbs down in the workshop before sending Kuja to grab everyone. Rocky looked sorely out of his depth as he took in the contents of the forge and was quickly led to one of the benches Cira set up that morning. It held three mithril ingots, some coins, and misshapen chunks.


    ¡°Y-you can¡¯t be serious. You need all this turned into wire?¡± The displeasure on his face was blatant, ¡°At least I know you¡¯re good for the money at this point, I guess.¡±


    Many men would put themselves through worse situations than being bossed around by an injured sorcerer for a little bit of mithril, but she didn¡¯t like him complaining so much. Cira had proven she was good for the money many times over, she thought. The more he mentioned it, the less likely he was to receive a bonus from the treasury on the day of Cira¡¯s rebirth.


    ¡°I need two solid pieces at fifty feet, but you¡¯ll have help¡ª¡± The door opened right as she was explaining, ¡°And there they are.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Rocky¡¯s back!¡± Joe walked up and slapped him on the back. ¡°We missed you yesterday.¡±


    ¡°So, what¡¯s on the list?¡± Jimbo asked. ¡°Do I get to cast my spell again?¡±


    ¡°To cast it again would imply you have cast it once already.¡± With a wag of the finger, he was shot down. ¡°Let me get everyone started first.¡±


    ¡°Is this a forge?¡± Meanwhile, a tired Rictor yawned as he looked around with wonder. ¡°Do we get to use it?¡±


    That put a grin on Cira¡¯s face as she replied, ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you so eager. We are indeed going to be using the forge today, now does anyone else have experience smithing, or perhaps artificing?¡±


    To her surprise, four hands shot up. Gil turned out to be an apprentice blacksmith, while Tawny had actually enchanted basic runes in the past. A hobby she quickly abandoned once her needle broke. A similar story with Eros, who also found little use in making paltry artifacts.


    Last was the paladin who took over casting Lamplight yesterday when Marko got tired. He introduced himself as Ike and was moderately versed in basic glyphs, but strictly of the holy element. Of course, he left his needle back on Green Pit. Somebody told him he would only be fighting.


    Yeah, that¡¯s my fault.


    ¡°Rictor. Any experience with mithril?¡± He nervously shook his head, ¡°No matter. Work with Rocky and he¡¯ll tell you what we need.¡±


    He was beckoned over to the spooling station and Cira turned her attention to Gil, ¡°While he¡¯s working on that, I¡¯m going to have you begin on the frame for the soul thresher.¡±


    ¡°Whoa. The hell is that?¡± He responded with a baffled wince, ¡°Sounds intense.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it will be.¡± Having pieces of her soul separated from the corporeal soup sounded a tad more than intense, but who was she to split hairs before she gave it a whirl herself. ¡°The frame itself is the least important part, in a sense, so we can make it out of almost anything as long as its sturdy enough. You will be using this convenient block of titanium.¡±


    It was good metal. Why wouldn¡¯t she have some? With a gesture of the hand, Cira led him to his own bench next to the furnace. There was a single slip of paper next to the materials and he picked it up with discerning eyes, ¡°Is this it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Take your time to study it and I¡¯ll come back shortly.¡±


    ¡°It looks pretty complex¡­ but I¡¯ll take a look.¡± His brows were creased as he inspected the schematics and Cira turned back to the others.


    ¡°Okay, I just need to get you three some loaners. They¡¯re not as versatile as my own, but should do just fine for most purposes.¡± Eros, Tawny and Ike shared a look of mutual confusion as Cira dug into a drawer.


    After a brief moment, she produced two pale blue needles and one carved from an opalescent gemstone before handing them to her wide-eyed students.


    ¡°Seriously?¡± Tawny gawked, ¡°Is everything you own made of treasure?¡±


    ¡°Treasure is only valuable because of its uses.¡± She countered, ¡°Now, what kind of glyphs can you create?¡±


    They stood before another station set up with stone slates. These weren¡¯t conjured, just plain old stone about the size of their palms. It wasn¡¯t infinite, but she had enough to get them started.


    ¡°All I ever used glyphs for was to make a fire to cook over.¡± Tawny¡¯s experience was rather practical. Being able to turn a rock into a camping stove would be a useful skill for any pirate. ¡°But I guess I can make fires of a few different sizes.¡±


    She already knew the paladin¡¯s experience with elementary holy glyphs¡ªthe kind that warded incredibly weak spirits away or healed light cuts if you rub the right rune on you for an hour. Next it was Eros¡¯ turn, ¡°I can make a cooking flame as well, and a simple lamp artifact. I made a cup that filled itself with water once, but couldn¡¯t get it to stop before it crumbled away. Aside from that, I¡¯ve managed a gentle breeze.¡±


    ¡°Not bad¡­ Just about expected.¡± Next, she slid a tablet across the table. While technically an artifact, it contained a single glyph. ¡°Go on. One of you activate it.¡±


    Ike did the honors and placed his hand on the stone. When he channeled mana into it, big surprise, it gave off light. ¡°It¡¯s like your Lamplight.¡± He smiled.


    ¡°Not really, it¡¯s just a regular light glyph. One of the simpler ones. I want¡­ hmmm¡­ Let¡¯s say twenty perfect duplicates from each of you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ not too bad.¡± Eros shrugged and the other two nodded faintly.


    ¡°Okay, thirty from each of you.¡± They glared at Eros as he clamped his mouth shut, ¡°And tomorrow I will be adding a layer of complexity.¡±


    They were, after all, working towards something that would come to great use. Kuja didn¡¯t know too much about glyphs or forging, so she was content to hang around. She claimed it was enough just being around such a lively bunch. Evidently, it got lonely on this side of the island.


    ¡°Hey, uh, Captain.¡± It was Gil, timidly approaching. ¡°There might be a couple of problems¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Cira cast him a curious glance. ¡°What might they be?¡±


    ¡°Well first of all¡­ I couldn¡¯t even find a hammer. No tongs... No tools really.¡± Come to think of it, all my tools are more specialized for artificing. When I forge, I just move metal around and hit it against each other. He seemed nervous to list his complaints, but Cira urged him on. ¡°And even then, that¡¯s a big block of metal. I can melt some off the side, but¡­ then it¡¯s just on the table.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I guess Rocky¡¯s alone after all.¡± She eyed the two geomancers, ¡°Go tell Rictor to work with you. He should help solve all your problems.¡±


    ¡°So?!¡± Jimbo shouted, ¡°You ready to see this?¡±


    ¡°If you pass out again, you can¡¯t help us plan the heist.¡± James and the boys stood there and awaited imminent orders, though Jimbo was clearly bummed for Cira to shoot him down so swiftly. ¡°More importantly, we need to discuss our meeting with the deritium buyers tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± James pursed his lips, ¡°I was hoping you would forget.¡±


    ¡°You know I¡¯ll just burn away into nothing if we don¡¯t get our hands on that vestigial nectar, right? Is that what you want?¡± Cira put on airs of offense.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little torn about it, to be honest.¡±

 110 - Hell Doth Rain Upon the Middleman

    For this operation, Cira had to limit her crew. Kuja would be staying behind as she was too old to be ambushing strangers from the sky. Jimbo wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer, and James came along because he seemed like the kind of guy to be good at negotiations.


    That only left five slots for her strike team because Kuja¡¯s skiff was too small to fit any more than that. There was no way someone of her age would walk all the way across the island every time she went into town. It was nothing special¡ªjust about the same as what Cira commandeered from that dastardly criminal in the queen¡¯s nest.


    Hey, where the hell is Nina? It had been days since she last popped up, and Cira thought it would be strange for her to join in escaping Fount Salt only to find a new home here. Something¡¯s up with her¡­ but it¡¯s not like I can do anything about it.


    She wondered where the little nymph had buzzed off to, but it wasn¡¯t the time to ponder. Currently they looked down on the verdant lands of Lost Cloud and made their way to a crook in the Koran River, according to Jimbo¡¯s map. It was the largest waterway that flowed from the spring and where they were headed was on the tail end near where it fell off over the nimbus shark nests.


    The fog made it difficult to keep an eye out for pursuers on the horizon, but it was clearer than most mornings. Wick had to come looking sooner or later, the only problem was once they were close enough to Cira to see, she would also be in plain sight.


    Pirates notwithstanding, this side of the island in general was not somewhere people wanted to be. Even without the sharks, this part of the jungle was home to large, striped cats and poisonous snakes. If Cira knew anything about tromping around in nature, it was to avoid large cats. It couldn¡¯t be helped if they ran into one though. They each held a pistol on their waist in case of such an eventuality.


    Her paladin defender¡¯s name turned out to be Oliver, and he was the only one of four holy men to join on this excursion. Then she left Rictor and Gil to keep working with Rocky on the thresher¡¯s frame and brought the remaining four mages.


    James brought them down to the supposed meeting location and the boat descended past a tree with massive fronds which shaded a small lakelet or pool where the river bent around a stone outcrop. There was a pack of knee-high canines of some sort that scattered as they heard the crew¡¯s approach and then a brief commotion among the birds, but the spot was otherwise peaceful.


    As per the plan, it would only be James and Jimbo waiting by the boat. The others encircled the area and hid in the trees or nestled within the vines equipped with random magic weapons Cira had distributed to them. They were all throwables, though she was tempted to equip everyone with shining swords. Only the paladin would really know what to do with one, though, and they would otherwise make her two stereotypical pirates look far too conspicuous.


    There were a lot of artifacts on the boat and Cira placed them into arrays where she thought they would do best before having Tawny charge them with mana.


    ¡°You sure all this is okay?¡± James asked, ¡°What if it¡¯s just a middleman? He¡¯s probably just the first in a chain¡ªwe don¡¯t even know if this stuff is staying in the Gandeux Skies.¡±


    ¡°Fair point,¡± Cira admitted, ¡°but your negative attitude won¡¯t get us any closer to that nectar.¡±


    The only thing to do was wait. Cira found herself a perch in the crook of a tree behind some bunched up vines and couldn¡¯t even see the others. She didn¡¯t watch them hide specifically so she could gauge how good they were at it. None wanted to disappoint the Saint, so they were very well hidden.


    The agreed upon meeting time was high noon¡ªthat¡¯s what Tom discovered in the note he found in Juan¡¯s footlocker. That time, of course, came and went, but they couldn¡¯t give up. They waited there in the foliage for at least another hour before Cira started to get uncomfortable.


    I hope we didn¡¯t miss this one. I might really have to scour the Dead Belt if I can¡¯t find somewhere to source it¡­ Dammit, why do souls have to be so complicated? Couldn¡¯t I just become an island for a day and be on my merry way? The more she thought about it, the less reasonable it sounded. Cira¡¯s corporeal form was so vaguely defined while her consciousness drifted across miles with less effort than rolling her eyes.


    Cira was stuck in the tunnels of her mind for an indeterminate amount of time and returned to reality when the dappled light passing through the canopy briefly dimmed like a lamp¡¯s flicker. Something had passed by overhead.


    It couldn¡¯t be seen from where she sat even if she leaned out, but Cira thought she heard wind brush against a sail. The plan was to stick it out until sunset if nobody showed, but judging by the sun there was plenty of day left.


    This could be Wick¡¯s men, of course. They were halfway across the island with a glorified dinghy, so that would certainly spell trouble. Cira¡¯s negotiators looked up and by the expressions on their faces, it wasn¡¯t a hit squad. James scrutinized whatever he saw and after a few seconds, gave a subtle nod in Cira¡¯s direction. The plan was a go.


    With bated breath, Cira readied a crossbow at her side loaded with a bolt she walked Eros through enchanting that morning. It was her job to signal the start of the ambush and her mages were instructed on which traps to activate when. They wouldn¡¯t leave these guys a single escape route. Cira just had to aim and wait.


    Watching the beams of light hitting the pond below, the boat circled around slowly a few times. Surely, they would notice the people waiting were completely different, but it descended eventually. When the branches rustled, a wooden hull broke through the canopy. At least twice as long as the one they rode in on and a bit wider.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    As the boat came lower, Cira saw the entire back end of it was enclosed for cargo. They would need to be careful about anybody popping out to attack, but there was one man on the bow leaned back against the cabin and holding onto something like reins. They were a bit more rigid, but some smaller vessels were piloted this way. Usually not for travel between islands though.


    There weren¡¯t even railings to his sides, he just sat on the front. This would be as simple as simple could be. Now they were fully beneath the fronds and closing in on James and Jimbo, whose hands fidgeted on their blades, ready to fight at a moment¡¯s notice. The man waved down below with a troubled smile as he slowly descended, and Jimbo returned just about the same gesture.


    Something caught the sun around his collar and glinted in the light. Artifacts¡­ This man is either a mage or protected by one. He didn¡¯t strike her as one at a glance. Cira placed him in his forties, but he had the weathered face of a merchant. His body lacked muscle and he wore simple woven clothes. That¡¯s more or less exactly how she could expect an incognito mage to look though with the artifacts under his shirt.


    Cira chose this moment to let loose her arrow and watched the man¡¯s eyes widen at the mechanical sound of the trigger. Before he could turn to see its source, the projectile had already found a home in the hull with a loud knock, just under the bow.


    With a sharp crackle, ice jutted out and buried the bolt. The man quickly fell into a panic, ¡°Wha¡ªan ambush?!¡± He desperately pulled down on the reins to escape back into the sky, but the boat didn¡¯t respond how he wanted it to. Each time the jarring sound of splintering ice rang out, it doubled in size. The crystals compounded on themselves with each passing second.


    It didn¡¯t take long before the weight began to pull down the smuggler¡¯s vessel as its nose almost pointed straight toward the lake and the man¡¯s attempts to flee only served to add spin. He was seconds away from capsizing it as he slid over to the edge, uncontrollably grasping for something to hold onto in vain.


    ¡°Tawny!¡± Cira uttered her next command and a ball of rippling wind shot out from a shrubbery on the water¡¯s edge. Like a cannonball, it flew through the clearing and percussed the air as it slammed into the falling smuggler. He too became a cannonball as the distance between him and the boat grew greater at an alarming pace while his screams became increasingly distant.


    The girl¡¯s aim wasn¡¯t bad, and he skidded to a stop along the shore where multiple arrays were hidden in the tall grass. As per the plan, Oliver kicked it off by sending a stream of holy mana into the first array, which lit up a slightly different color.


    Metallic cables sprung out of the ground and wove themselves together to form a net that wrapped around the poor smuggler. ¡°Gyehh!!! ¨CThe hell is this?!¡± He cried as the net tightened around him and Cedric began the next phase of the plan.


    There was a single crack of thunder and a single bolt of lightning lit up the clearing. Countless more flashed in a circle and all arced towards the center, relentlessly zapping the imprisoned man. ¡°Gahhhhh!!!¡± His wails were quickly smothered by thunder as smoke poured from his body.


    ¡°What is that shit?!¡± James demanded answers as he gawked at the cluster of electricity that ruthlessly embroiled their target. He was practically yelling over static.


    ¡°Hurry, get the boat!¡± Cira shouted as she met eyes with James. It would be a dead giveaway to this man¡¯s employers if his boat were destroyed and he ended up stranded on Lost Cloud. It would probably be necessary to use it in their plans, too, depending on how this developed.


    Tawny started to melt the ice and James squatted with his hands locked together. Jimbo stepped up and James launched him into the air, arms flailing. ¡°Shiiiiiiit!¡± As the boat lost weight it nearly rose out of his grasp, but he managed to just grab the side with one hand. Jimbo yelled frantically as it caused the boat to tip and he squealed as his foot passed through Tawny¡¯s flame. With one final push, he swung himself over the edge and sprawled out flat so he wouldn¡¯t slide off.


    ¡°Goddammit, this boat sucks!¡± Jimbo channeled his inner crab and scrambled his way onto his ass so he could finally take the reins.


    Meanwhile, the lightning crackled one last time¡ªthat was Tawny¡¯s next signal. Her flames activated another array and pillars of fire spiraled out of the ground into a blazing lattice. He was trapped in a dome of hellfire and it flashed crimson every few seconds with an explosive blast.


    James opened the back of the boat the moment it was within reach with a pistol drawn, ¡°It¡¯s clear!¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have long until his bindings disperse!¡± Cira hopped down from her branch and the other mages all left their hiding spots to make a run for the prisoner.


    He was still encased in roiling flames, but the crew was only afforded a brief window before both arrays ran their course. If they made a mistake here, their assailant¡¯s chains would crumble, and he could potentially cast a deadly spell in that split second. Their whole plan would be ruined.


    When the inferno faded out, it revealed a charred man letting out raspy groans with each breath, weakly writhing on the ground. Metallic dust rose off his collar and around his wrists from the burnt-up artifacts and Cira took one look before she ordered, ¡°Tie him up and heal him!¡± Oliver was quick on the case with a length of enchanted rope.


    Cira pulled a shimmering dagger from her pouch in case the man merely feigned injury when all of a sudden, the space around them rippled. Her crew seemed to hesitate, and she was about to ask why they stopped when a wave of mana pulsed through her body.


    ¡°That will be quite enough of that.¡± The voice of a dignified man came from over Cira¡¯s shoulder and her muscles froze in place. No, my foot is still in the air. We¡¯ve been locked in place with spatial sorcery¡­ ¡°Do you aim to torture the poor merchant?¡±


    The presumed smuggler they trapped was enshrouded with holy light and Cira watched his burns heal rapidly while he remained unconscious. Then a glittering light caught her eye as sharp blades materialized all around her. Now she was the one in a cage, and not a particularly pleasant one.


    Her crew could only watch with wide eyes as Cira¡¯s aethereal iron maiden formed, unable to make even a peep or wag a finger in her defense.


    ¡°What luck.¡± Cira said as she turned around and crossed her arms, appraising the man before her. One of the rings on her hand started to burn and threatened to crack from just this much, ¡°I take it you¡¯re here for the deritium?¡±


    He was a decade or so older than Cira, but youthful for that age. Dark and purple robes hung loose on his body and his eyes were a bright amber. She noticed his beard was rather well-kempt.


    When Cira turned around and assumed her scrutinous pose, his brows creased warily, ¡°That¡¯s a surprise. You can still move under my domain¡­ and you seem to know a great deal more than Don.¡±


    ¡°You call this a domain?¡± Cira scrunched up her face with exaggerated disgust, ¡°Just who are you? I don¡¯t take you for a pirate.¡±


    ¡°I will be the one asking questions here.¡± He pulled a small wand from his sleeve and wagged it around until one of the floating blades found its way to Cira¡¯s throat. He looked her up and down with confusion which shortly turned into amusement. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, this is the fearsome Captain Dreadheart I keep hearing about? A little girl with no aura?¡±

 111 - Negotiations Ensue

    Regrettably, Cira had little experience in true negotiations. Her persuasiveness was tragically skewed to her advantage by overwhelming power in most situations. If someone was really strong and against her for some reason, conversation was usually skipped for violence. So, in effect, she only had experience negotiating with those who held at least a mild degree of fear towards her.


    This was why Cira brought her top man. The brainiest of the bunch and a person who had no business being a pirate in the first place. This would come to be James¡¯ proudest moment as a fleet captain of the Dreadheart Armada.


    Alas, he was frozen in space with a hand in his pocket, surely reaching for a weapon. Looking at Cira and the new mage in shock and frustration. Somehow despite the paralysis, his eyes seemed to get wider and wider while Cira peered into them expectantly. ¡°Right¡­¡± This stupid space mage has everyone locked down.


    Cira held her pompous pose but if she actually moved, the ring severing her from the mage¡¯s control would likely shatter. They did not expect to be ambushed themselves, and there wasn¡¯t a whole lot Cira could do, but she did come moderately prepared.


    First and foremost, with knowledge. Cira¡¯s father alleged that he had a hundred stratagems for negotiations and overall conversational tactics, though she was only old enough to learn a few before he passed. To determine which one to use, Cira had already assessed the situation.


    It was clear at a glance who had the upper hand here. She and her crew were immobilized while hundreds of knives threatened to plunge through Cira at a moment¡¯s notice. She suspected this man wouldn¡¯t need to utter a single word to make that happen.


    For what it¡¯s worth, he patiently waited for Cira to speak with a grin of slight amusement. It was difficult to see his thoughts past that, so the first thing she had to do was ¡®wiggle the fox¡¯s tail¡¯. In Gazen¡¯s terms this was to determine her opponent¡¯s honor, and the degree of respect she should expect to receive.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you give my guys a rest with this domain, and we can negotiate.¡± Cira felt the pressure of being one wrong move away from a pincushion, but it was important not to be timid here, for this stratagem was to see if your opponent was willing to speak on equal footing.


    As Cira suspected, the man¡¯s brow raised in shock. He looked downright offended, ¡°You must be joking. I can kill you and all your men in a single thought. In fact, I will kill them one by one, starting with that unsightly vagrant who seems to have lost his shirt.¡± As Cira¡¯s eyes squinted with distrust, the mage¡¯s face broke into a sneer, ¡°Unless, of course, you tell me where you¡¯ve hidden the deritium.¡±


    With that, Cira had gained valuable information in confirming this man as the buyer¡ªand she could move straight into the follow-up stratagem.


    With a sound like the blast of a musket, the ground broke and plume of dust rose into the air. Faster than the mage could blink, a spear of stone tore through the dust and clean through his chest. ¡°Gahh!! You¡ªyou bitch!¡± The mage cried in pain as he glanced between Cira and the spear which protruded from his ribs and held him like a bug collector¡¯s specimen. While he ground his teeth in pain, he was both baffled and infuriated. ¡°H-how?!¡±


    Holy light immediately formed around his wounds where the spear entered and exited, but it didn¡¯t seem to do much for the pain. Cira wondered if it hurt as bad as cutting her leg off.


    ¡°Does the how really matter? The point is, I can kill you just as fast as you can kill me now.¡±


    This last stratagem was to ¡®show the wolf his reflection¡¯.


    ¡°Hardly! I¡¯ll just¡ª¡± This was a two-part trick, but the key was on Cira¡¯s finger. She spent a few sleepless nights forging it around the time she first started reading about geomancy. ¡°If I can¡¯t destroy the ring, I¡¯ll just break all your little rocks!¡± He snarled.


    Cira couldn¡¯t be surprised that she¡¯d been found out, and all the rings on her fingers weren¡¯t exactly inconspicuous. Without an aura, her Ring of Practical Geomancy only worked within one of the arrays she placed earlier¡ªthe one in which they both stood. ¡°Do you really think you can do that faster than I can turn that spear into a barrel?¡±


    With a column of stone inside his Chest, the holy mana could never hope to close is wound. Still, blood soaked through his clothes. The eyes that once held amusement were now like a cornered wolf¡¯s. ¡°What are you after?¡±


    ¡°How fitting.¡± Her father sucked at naming things, but this stratagem was aptly named. Cira chuckled, much to the mage¡¯s irritation. ¡°Are you ready to negotiate, now?¡±


    ¡°Fool! I would sooner die than tell you anyth¡ªGyahh!!!!¡± He breathes became shallow and tensed up, letting a glint of terror flash over his eyes for a brief moment as he glared at Cira.


    ¡°If you wish to die, that can be arranged.¡± Cira branched another little tendril of rock off the spear into the backside of his ribcage. Once he stopped screaming, Cira reiterated her opening statement, ¡°Or, you can quit acting like a spoiled child and release my men.¡±


    ¡°Hot damn!¡± Jimbo shouted, ¡°She friggin¡¯ got him!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t expect that at all.¡± James nodded.


    Her paladin¡¯s reverent cheer came next, ¡°My Lady will always prevail¡ª¡±


    ¡°Will you idiots shut up?!¡± Cira commanded without taking her eyes off the mage.


    He was something more than irritated and coughed up blood, ¡°And? If you don¡¯t remove this spear, I will die in minutes. You wanted to negotiate, right? Well, now¡¯s your chance!¡± The mage tried to throw his arms out in a challenging gesture, but the movement made him shudder in immobile pain.


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    ¡°You¡¯ve proven you aren¡¯t willing to converse like civilized people, so I don¡¯t feel like it.¡± This last phase was simple, and Cira proceeded to ¡®cast the moon¡¯s shadow over the mountain¡¯. ¡°I¡¯ll let you live if you tell me everything I need to know.¡± Or in other words, unreasonable demands via overwhelming leverage.


    ¡°Youuuuu bitch!¡± He spat blood onto Cira¡¯s shoes, ¡°You may as well just kill me now¡ªYAHHH!!¡±


    The spear through his torso started to gently twist until Cira felt a collar of blades around her neck. ¡°This farce has gone on long enough,¡± The chain tightened as a woman¡¯s nonchalant voice called out from behind. ¡°and the day grows thin. Why don¡¯t we all lower our weapons?¡±


    This was but another situation that could be easily surmounted with another stratagem. ¡®Next time I¡¯ll teach you what to do when casting the moon¡¯s shadow over the mountain doesn¡¯t work. Now go to bed, Cira.¡¯ Dang it¡­


    She was on her own. Her knowledge of conversational stratagems was far too meager to navigate this situation with tact, but the woman¡¯s proposal didn¡¯t sound unfair. It was more or less exactly what she meant to achieve in the beginning.


    The spear crumbled, as did the blades that formed Cira¡¯s collar and all the rest which hung in the air. The first mage collapsed in a bloody heap on the ground and entered a cocoon healing light. Turning around, the newcomer looked like a young woman, but didn¡¯t carry herself like one. Dark red hair hung over a silken set of extravagant robes. They were woven with gold and silver while inlaid with various gems. This mage held a wooden staff beset with a colorless crystal and had an air about her of superiority. Given that, she strangely didn¡¯t seem concerned about anything.


    ¡°You seem more reasonable than this one.¡± Cira pointed back with her thumb to the groaning man on the floor.


    ¡°I strive to be, but I think it would be advantageous for both parties if we don¡¯t test the limits of how reasonable I can be,¡± The edges around her dark eyes creased as she smiled, ¡°Now, do you mind telling me what you¡¯ve gone through all this trouble for, dear?¡±


    ¡°Kill¡­¡± A weakened voice came from the ground, ¡°Kill that bitch!¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡± The woman shot him a glare before letting out a sigh. ¡°You had the good sense to leave the merchant vessel intact and were willing to torture my friend here for information. I¡¯m getting the impression you want something from us.¡±


    It didn¡¯t take a genius to follow those clues, but it appeared negotiations were open. Cira used her ring to conjure a stone table and two chairs before taking a seat. ¡°Who even are you people?¡±


    ¡°I am Eliza of the Third Order,¡± The woman answered with zero hesitation, ¡°And he is my partner for this assignment, Kristof. A trainee, really. Now, who are you?¡±


    Cira motioned to take a seat and the woman gave her an uncertain look, ¡°After what you did to poor Kristof, you want me to sit in a chair you conjured?¡±


    ¡°Chairs aren¡¯t for fighting.¡± She conjured two cups and gestured for Eros to fill hers. ¡°If you¡¯re thirsty, I can offer water or cheap ale. It must have been a long journey.¡±


    Eliza laughed lightly, ¡°Was it a long journey? It¡¯s hard to say.¡± Well, I shouldn¡¯t expect to get information out of her that easily. The look in her eyes was like she had found an amusing way to kill ten minutes, and she pulled a chair out to join Cira at the table. ¡°Just water is fine, I suppose.¡±


    Some people had eyes that seemed to look right through you, and Eliza was one of them. After just five seconds of sitting across from her, Cira felt the woman¡¯s appraising gaze had completely analyzed her and instantly knew she was outmatched in a battle of wits, among other battles. Eros nervously filled her cup and stepped away to rejoin the rest of the crew in cowering silently.


    I have a feeling James won¡¯t be much help here.


    This new mage had been forthcoming so far and regardless of her questionable motives, seemed willing to talk. Unfortunately, Cira now felt obligated to be forthcoming, as if the fox hadn¡¯t gotten so ornery from a single wiggle of the tail. It didn¡¯t help that the woman before her was so difficult to read.


    ¡°Call me Cira.¡± She eyed the woman suspiciously. ¡°And I¡¯ve never heard of a third order.¡±


    Kristof had evidently healed to completion and picked himself off the ground a few feet away from Cira¡¯s conjuration, ¡°Don¡¯t tell her anything! She only wants to take from us. Just look what that girl did to Sal!¡±


    ¡°He has a point, you know.¡± Eliza looked toward the crispy smuggler, ¡°He¡¯s just an innocent merchant we hired to see if anyone would show, what with how you swept Black Scourge Don out of the way. We knew something was wrong when the notorious Jimbo Sticks appeared instead of that Juan fellow, and none of you were hidden all too well either.¡±


    ¡°That son of a bitch¡­¡± Juan knew much more than he was letting on¡ªCira went too easy on him. When she checked if her crew had the same thought, she noticed Jimbo shook like a leaf as Eliza waved at him. ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate you trying to take the moral high ground here. You¡¯re the ones who brought a random merchant into this.¡±


    ¡°And he would be turned to ash a hundred times over if it weren¡¯t for the protective charms I so kindly gifted him. Those were not cheap you know.¡± Eliza placed a hand over her mouth and stifled a laugh. Is she just messing with me? ¡°I must know though. How did you, a girl with no aura, move within Kristof¡¯s domain? What¡¯s more, you grew a spear out of the ground and impaled him with it undetected. A simple ring and array should not allow you to do that.¡±


    She sounded genuinely curious, and it wasn¡¯t something that would put Cira at detriment to share. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call that a domain, personally. The entire point of a domain is to assert authority over a wide area, not flood it with the type of mana you want to use. Obviously, the girl with no aura is going to use it. From there, is it not natural to commandeer the unclaimed space to hide my attack? I mean, half the purpose of a spatial domain is to see everything within it. I¡¯d say he failed every test there is when it comes to conjuring a domain.¡±


    Cira may have looked cool as she stood before the man with her arms crossed smugly when the spear rose from the ground behind and skewered him, but she actually allowed her body to be frozen within the ¡®domain¡¯ again so her ring wouldn¡¯t crack. This continued until he dispelled his grasp over the whole crew.


    ¡°A-are you serious?!¡± Kristof was infuriated, ¡°Just who the hell do you think you are¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Eliza slapped the table and pointed at him, ¡°I couldn¡¯t have said it better myself! The boy still has much to learn¡­ He is quite young. But so are you, which is curious.¡±


    ¡°Are you¡­ not?¡± The woman¡¯s brow raised, and she fluttered her eyelashes. Whoops. ¡°I mean, age has nothing to do with poor technique. I can¡¯t speak to whatever teaching methods they employ in your club, though.¡±


    ¡°Club?! The¡ªthe insolence! I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re letting this girl run her mouth.¡± Kristof turned to Cira, ¡°You dare insult the pinnacle of all wisdom?¡±


    Cira was drinking water and nearly shot it out her nose, ¡°Pfff! If you don¡¯t want me insulting things, someone is going to have to give me more information. I don¡¯t know any pinnacles.¡±


    A playful grin danced on Eliza¡¯s lips, ¡°Have you ever considered joining a group of other like-minded mages, to plunge further into the depths of the sky¡¯s great mysteries among those most capable? Our resources are the culmination of mankind¡¯s knowledge, and only the most elite are accepted into our ranks¡ªsave for those like young Kristof here who were born into the position. After what I¡¯ve seen today, I think you have the talent for it.¡±

 112 - A Rotten Plum

    Cira had been invited to join some mages¡¯ club or other a few times over the years. Sometimes they had truly enticing benefits as the woman before her now offered, so she considered it briefly in a fanciful daydream. Cira certainly liked knowledge and rare ingredients, but everything between her and those desires was sure to prove a hassle¡ªsuch was the nature of being a member of anything. It reminded her of a similar hassle that appeared recently.


    ¡°Good grief. Don¡¯t tell me it was that dubious council buying up all the deritium! I already got your letter; not interested.¡± Cira crossed her arms and recalled the summons she received in the mail.


    ¡°I¡­ beg your pardon? I am an arbiter of the Third Order of the Lost Archive.¡± Eliza winced and seemed to make some kind of connection. ¡°Wait, do you have an affiliation with the Sorcerous Council?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what it is.¡± Exasperation was thick in Cira¡¯s voice. ¡°And I am certainly not affiliated with anything.¡± Needless to say, she did not look forward to the convergence.


    ¡°I see¡­?¡± Eliza seemed a little thrown off, which could ostensibly be taken as a win. ¡°Well, at the order we can help you regain your aura overnight. I can even grow your leg anew before I leave here today. With plenty of other members to help you develop your talents, we have endless libraries of tomes for you to learn any manner of magic you could think of.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± She had to admit that last part interested her to a degree. ¡°And what¡¯s in it for you?¡±


    ¡°Nothing but knowledge, of course.¡± Eliza smiled with seemingly earnest eyes, ¡°It is how the archive grows and how it has come to amass such a great deal of wisdom.¡±


    It can¡¯t possibly be the pinnacle of wisdom if they need me to add to it. I like the idea of a huge library, but I don¡¯t know how I feel about all this. In truth, it sounded like a lot of secret sharing and even more bookwork. Cira transcribed so many tomes as a child, she feared she¡¯d grow up with fingers permanently clutching an invisible pen.


    ¡°You can¡¯t seriously be thinking of recruiting this witch?¡± Kristof was in disbelief. Not a witch, thank you. ¡°She can¡¯t even hang onto her aura, and I¡¯m the novice here?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Cira waved him off, ¡°I¡¯m not looking for a membership card. I only need one thing from you, and I¡¯m willing to pay fair market price.¡±


    ¡°Interesting¡­¡± Eliza¡¯s fingers tapped together as she considered Cira¡¯s words, ¡°You realize we need something from you as well. It is the entire reason we¡¯re here, after all.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± It was always going to come back to this. ¡°You want the deritium.¡±


    It was completely gone, burned away, but it was nice to know that wasn¡¯t public information or even available to these shady folks yet.


    ¡°Naturally,¡± Eliza smiled, ¡°But I¡¯m curious what it is that you would challenge us to acquire.¡±


    ¡°Just a few pints of vestigial nectar.¡± Cira¡¯s gaze trailed off into the distant sky, ¡°Though I would be interested in purchasing other rare ingredients.¡±


    The mage¡¯s genial expression remained, ¡°And what makes you think we have this ingredient you speak of? We are not an organization of merchants, nor a black market outlet, if that¡¯s what you thought.¡±


    ¡°You sent that freakishly large man down to help Don¡¯s crew out, right? I¡¯d bet my shiniest rock you guys made him, too.¡± It was really a long shot. There were probably many ways to do something like that which didn¡¯t include vestigial nectar to mitigate the damage to one¡¯s soul, especially for the people who claimed to possess the culmination of mankind¡¯s knowledge.


    A smirk grew on Eliza¡¯s face, ¡°My, what a fascinating deduction. You would fit right in at the Archive. Please do consider my offer¡­¡± She tapped on the table for a few seconds in deliberation when Kristof seemed to grow irate.


    ¡°Eliza, there¡¯s no way this outsider has anything to contribute to the Archive. I mean, just look at her!¡± It was unclear whether he meant her aura, leg, or anything else for that matter. ¡°Where did she even come from?¡±


    ¡°If you keep interrupting, I will put you to sleep myself.¡± Eliza gave her trainee a cold glare before turning back to Cira with an innocent smile. ¡°He does pose a good question though. I hadn¡¯t heard of you before the Fount Salt debacle. Where are you from?¡±


    After thinking about it, Cira realized she didn¡¯t have a great answer for that and shrugged, ¡°The sky, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Well, I suppose you don¡¯t have to answer. Forgive me for asking such a personal question.¡± Kristof quietly seethed behind Eliza as she spoke, ¡°Suppose I can bring you some vestigial nectar. We are still going to need to talk about the deritium.¡±


    She laced her fingers together and put the onus back on Cira. ¡°Let¡¯s. What does the Lost Archive need with such a substance? I didn¡¯t find deritium to be particularly plentiful in knowledge.¡±


    ¡°Will you tell me what you need vestigial nectar for?¡± Eliza gave her a pointed glance.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± It wouldn¡¯t do to overshare here, so Cira intended to remain silent.


    Then Eliza¡¯s face twisted into a sullen grin, ¡°It couldn¡¯t be, that you¡¯ve gone and shattered your soul, have you?¡± She had a knowing look in her eyes.


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    Damn this woman. Has she known the whole time? She really is toying with me. When Cira didn¡¯t reply for a few seconds, Eliza continued, ¡°Such a shame¡­ I had half the mind to take you as my apprentice.¡± She pouted for a moment as her ¡®trainee¡¯ in the back turned red in the face with wide eyes. ¡°You will surely live a short life, but if you join the Order, we have ways to extend it by a few decades. You won¡¯t have to turn yourself into a monster or whatever you plan to do.¡±


    Cira¡¯s heart almost skipped a beat as she tried not to let the shock show on her face. Eliza represented a powerful organization with presumably many powerful mages, and they didn¡¯t know how to fix a broken soul. This meeting just became incredibly dangerous¡ªif they found out Cira had the knowledge and the means fix broken souls, the Third Order could become a huge threat.


    How is that possible? Souls are abstract, sure, but there are many who study them. At least, I thought there were. On second thought, the Gandeux Skies were apparently defenseless against corporeal degradation. Are souls considered the unseen depths of wisdom these people wish to plunder? With deritium on hand¡­ to what end?


    ¡°My Lady,¡± Her paladin took a lull in the conversation to cut in, ¡°Maybe that¡¯s not such a bad idea¡ª¡±


    Smack!


    Cira could hear James shut him up from where she sat. Oliver will be training extra late tonight¡­ Dammit. ¡°I have my pride as a sorcerer. I wouldn¡¯t join a mysterious organization merely to solve my own problem when I haven¡¯t exhausted all potential solutions. I¡¯m sure I can manage a decade or two.¡±


    ¡°Have it your way.¡± Eliza threw her hands out like she was giving up. ¡°My offer will stand, but I suppose it all hinges on what you¡¯ve done with the deritium. Of course, we are willing to pay at the same rate we offered Don. No, I¡¯ll round it up to an even three hundred gold crowns per ton.¡±


    No wonder Jimbo is so rich, but I have to admit it sounds a little low, all things considered. Were they ripping Don off because he¡¯s an idiot?


    The negotiations were reaching a climax, and it was time to ¡®hide the rotten plum beneath the broadest leaf¡¯, ¡°Money is no concern to me at the moment¡­ If you bring me three pints of vestigial nectar within the week, I will tell you exactly what I did with the deritium.¡± This was one of Cira¡¯s original stratagems.


    Eliza squinted her eyes and leaned in for a moment. Her gaze palpably read every micro expression on Cira¡¯s face and all she could do was stare right back.


    ¡°Very well. I will return here in exactly one week with the ingredients you¡¯ve requested¡­¡± The woman had suddenly turned into a hawk and Cira felt one step away from becoming her prey. ¡°But if you renege on your end of the bargain, know that you will make an enemy quite impossible to escape from.¡±


    Incidentally, this woman receiving deritium was irrelevant to the agreement they just made. Cira¡¯s debt would be paid when she told Eliza what she did with it. ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem. And if possible, come bearing a ledger of other ingredients or materials you may be able to source.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Mac hid within her coat pocket and bore the role of observer for these negotiations. ¡°I would say this woman is a mage on par with that witch you dislike so much. Perhaps even stronger.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not happy about it.¡± Cira replied, ¡°But I really need that nectar. Their ire is a bridge I will cross when I come to it.¡±


    ¡°We are not merchants, as I¡¯ve mentioned. But that is not to say we don¡¯t have resources. Perhaps we will speak of this topic again if all goes well in a week¡¯s time.¡± The mage peered into Cira for a few more grueling seconds before letting the tension drop with a sigh. ¡°I suppose I will see you in one week, Cira.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± They both stood up and Cira dispelled the table and chairs. ¡°May the winds and weather be in your favor, Eliza.¡±


    The mysterious mage returned a warm smile before promptly disappearing. Kristof looked at Cira with frustration before loading the unconscious merchant into the boat¡¯s cargo hold and taking the reins himself,


    ¡°I still don¡¯t like this.¡± He spat, ¡°I¡¯ll be here in a week to kill you when you prove to be a snake.¡±


    ¡°And I will still be here in a week to make you look stupid if that is what you desire.¡± Cira waved as he ascended through the canopy glaring down at her.


    After waiting a few minutes for him to fly away, the crew rejoined her with apprehensive eyes¡ªlooks of disbelief. James seemed at a loss trying to figure out what to say when he practically exploded, ¡°Are you insane or just an idiot?! That¡¯s the goddamn Third Order¡ª¡± Cira held up a finger and glared at him.


    ¡°Not a word until we return.¡± She grazed over the rest of the crew who shrunk back. ¡°Collect the remaining glyphs and get on the boat.¡±


    Cira and her team paced around picking up rocks before silently climbing aboard the wooden skiff and made their way back to Kuja¡¯s in short order. It was nerve wracking to watch the misty horizon for signs of Wick making an appearance¡ªthat was the last thing they needed. Cira didn¡¯t really think about that problem in regards to returning for the meeting, but she would figure it out by then.


    Instead of landing at Kuja¡¯s, they descended directly into the darkness. That would be where everyone else waited¡ªon Breeze Haven. Finding her home, however, took a great deal of time. She got lost once, blind under the mere torchlight, and had to resurface to try again. Two hours later, her second attempt was a success, and they breached the shining barrier.


    ¡°Are you serious?!¡± James immediately shouted, ¡°I cannot believe you¡ª¡±


    ¡°See?!¡± His voice was overpowered as Jimbo proudly grinned at him, ¡°Gettin¡¯ lost ain¡¯t so hard. Everyone does it now and again.¡±


    James sank. With an exasperated sigh, he buried his face in his hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m just glad there aren¡¯t sharks out there.¡± Cira replied, ¡°But let¡¯s get inside and regroup before you start yelling.¡±


    Some of the others had come outside and watched them from the grass. Kuja approached with concern when they set down, ¡°How did everything go? You were gone a while.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Good and bad news I guess?¡± She shrugged and motioned everyone inside.


    ¡°Hardly.¡± James added.


    ¡°Skipper, whip us up some snacks.¡± Cira took a seat at the dining room table. There were only three more chairs, and the room was crowded with the entire current crew reunited. ¡°I¡¯d really rather do this downstairs, but I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    ¡°Snacks!¡± Skipper shouted as he started pulling pans out, ¡°Comin¡¯ right up!¡±


    What happened today wasn¡¯t necessarily something everyone needed to know, but there was no reason to exclude them.


    ¡°So?¡± James continued, ¡°What kind of an idiot works with the Third Order?¡±


    ¡°As many times as you say that, it still means nothing to me. Are they truly so notorious?¡± Cira happily took a sip from the Ale that was set in front of her.


    ¡°Child¡­ What sort of trouble have you brought my way?¡± Kuja had a grave look in her eyes.


    Cira recounted the events of that afternoon as the woman grew increasingly concerned, but the best was saved for last, ¡°I¡¯m worried that these people may take interest if they realize we have a way to reforge the soul.¡±


    Kuja let out a frustrated groan, ¡°Of course¡­ I told you it was a lost art, didn¡¯t I? Well, this shouldn¡¯t be any trouble if they aim to uphold the deal, yes? You have that deritium somewhere downstairs I imagine?¡±


    Cira pursed her lips and remained silent.


    ¡°You still got some,¡± James cut in, ¡°Right?!¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡± She threw her hands out in defeat, ¡°I burned it all up! That stuff is a blight on these skies, and I think I put it to damn good use.¡±

 113 - From Distant Shores, a Bounty

    Cira¡¯s crew looked at her with troubled expressions, and Kuja had a disapproving frown etched into her face, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t make promises you have no intention of keeping, Child.¡±


    Cira even explained the clever wordplay and they simply didn¡¯t care. ¡°Well, what was I supposed to do? I don¡¯t think honesty would have gotten me my ingredients here.¡± It wasn¡¯t like she enjoyed being dishonest to people¡ªespecially strong people. Cira just didn¡¯t see a way to avoid it this time.


    ¡°You could have looked elsewhere,¡± James suggested, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it could be foraged on the Dead Belt?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. It¡¯s impossible to know without looking. Meanwhile, a certain chance to acquire a key ingredient will have slipped away forever.¡± They could spend all the time she had left searching¡ªshe didn¡¯t want to run out the clock like that.


    ¡°Well, it goes without saying none of us can help you fight her or her friend.¡± Jimbo said, ¡°Even I¡¯ve heard of the Third Order though. People disappear from the streets of Porta Bora just for mentioning their name.¡±


    ¡°I thought they were made up¡­¡± Joe shivered, ¡°What do they look like?¡±


    ¡°Uh. Like mages, I guess. They¡¯re people, Joe.¡± There were evidently stories that they were an organization comprised of monsters and unimaginable beasts, ¡°No one knows what they do or why¡­ But even the Gandeux are scared of ¡®em.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what they say, at least.¡± James added. ¡°But frankly, I doubt they¡¯ll give a shit about your phrasing. That woman was stronger than any mage Wick¡¯s got by far. None of us would even stand a chance against the guy that was crying about being a novice. If they really bring what you asked for, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re walking away without giving them what they want.¡±


    To do exactly that would take a great deal of effort and planning. There was no guarantee Eliza wouldn¡¯t return with a group, and there was no telling how she would react when Cira broke the news. It would only make sense to assume they would react poorly, so Cira had to plan for the worst.


    ¡°I heard their name once,¡± Kuja gazed through a window into the shadows, ¡°A very long time ago. A regular from Old Acher¡¯s trading post said he was paid an exorbitant sum to transport something on their behalf. He never returned.¡±


    So, they¡¯ve been around for potentially centuries. Surely there¡¯s a method to get that old in that big old library aside from reforging the soul like Kuja had. And how many Orders are there? Given there are at least three, I have to assume any given one would have many people like Eliza.


    ¡°Huh.¡± Jimbo put a hand to his chin, ¡°Probably ¡®cause he blabbed.¡±


    Kuja glared at him until a hero named Skipper saved the day, ¡°Fried underworm chips comin¡¯ in!¡±


    ¡°I beg your pardon?!¡± Cira observed the glistening snacks with delight and popped one in before settling into her chair with a smile on her face, ¡°I thought they didn¡¯t have underworm up here.¡±


    ¡°Just came in¡ª" Skipper was pleased with himself but James quickly pushed him out of the circle to glare at Cira.


    ¡°Will you at least try to take this seriously for once?¡± He didn¡¯t have his usual angry edge this time and sounded cold. ¡°You have a lot of people putting their lives on the line to help you out.¡±


    Cira took a long sip of her ale to wash down the chips, ¡°A fact I have not forgotten. It will likely be Mac and myself meeting them in a week. I do not have deritium, but I do have something they want in the form of my vast knowledge. Worst case, if negotiations break down, I intend to prepare a great many artifacts to at the very least make my case.¡±


    ¡°Again,¡± Kuja stated, ¡°Your plans are short-sighted. What happens if they bring more mages and overpower you still? Or render your artifacts moot? They are certainly preparing for the eventuality that you have fooled them.¡±


    ¡°What if they come here¡­?¡± Tawny asked, ¡°A mage like that lady could just bust right in, I bet.¡±


    ¡°Unless there is a dragon lurking in this darkness,¡± Cira replied, ¡°Breeze Haven is quite impenetrable beneath the mana well. As for if they overpower me, that¡¯s why I¡¯m going to follow my Dad¡¯s example and just prepare more artifacts.¡±


    The number of people foolishly throwing themselves into danger for her could not be discounted, and only an idiot would throw their powerless friends at a seasoned mage. She had enough danger to expose them to down below and their training had hardly begun.


    James and Kuja peered at each other, then back to her as if to admonish a child, only to lose their chance.


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    ¡°There¡¯s one more problem you¡¯re forgetting,¡± the paladin Oliver cleared his throat and worked up the courage to jump in. Cira cast him an inquisitive look as he spoke, ¡°If you think a few mages is enough to shake my faith, you¡¯ve got another thing comin¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah!¡± Ike nervously, but loudly agreed, ¡°We¡¯ll stand by you until the end!¡±


    ¡°Not a chance we¡¯re letting you face them alone,¡± Marko clenched his fists and all four paladins stood before her with resolve.


    Cira was baffled to silence for a brief moment while she mulled them over, but that only gave the brothers Eros and Lero a chance to hop on the bandwagon.


    ¡°¡°You can count us in!¡±¡± They nodded in firm determination.


    ¡°Y-yeah, me too¡ª¡± She had to cut Gil off, as the rest of Shores¡¯ crew were practically waiting in line to declare their resolve.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, I get it¡­¡± Cira raised her hands in defeat. ¡°I appreciate all of your support, but I do not intend to throw anyone to certain death. A single week isn¡¯t nearly enough to bring any of you to a level which could defend against either of them. You would be fodder before those mages. That Kristof fellow could crush your hearts with a passing thought¡ª"


    ¡°So?¡± Oliver fired back, ¡°Just make our training harder! Feed us weird plants we¡¯ve never heard of! We can take it. We will protect you.¡±


    Cira let out a long sigh and for once thought she may be on a similarly exasperated wavelength as James. That end of the crew decided to stay out of this one, though. This was a matter of reverence.


    ¡°Look.¡± Cira gathered the flock¡¯s attention, ¡°I keep trying to tell you I¡¯m not a Saint, nor do I know a damn thing about the Final Sky. To hold faith in me enough to risk your life for the sake of it because of some prophecy I¡¯ve also never heard of is the height of foolishness.¡±


    ¡°It is only natural the lost lamb should know nothing of the stars.¡± With that retort, Oliver looked satisfied, and the rest nodded back at him.


    ¡°Okay. First of all, I¡¯m adding ¡®lost lamb¡¯ to the list of banned nicknames. That¡¯s a ticket to Green Pit from here out. Secondly, I know some things about the stars, but I know that¡¯s not what you meant, so we¡¯ll leave that there¡­¡± I should really find out about this prophecy so I can destroy it. ¡°And if you had let me finish before, there are very important things that need to be done here. I was hoping not to fight anyone on our home turf, but this certainly changes our schedule.¡±


    Oliver and the other mages shrunk down, and Cira took a glance at Tawny, a member of the Stick Brigade, who made a refreshing expression of disgust. The girl shook her head vehemently, making her utter lack of desire to protect Cira known. The young mage was starting to grow on her.


    ¡°And how¡¯s that?¡± James tapped on the table, ¡°Way I see it, you brought a whole lot of trouble down on the entire Lost Cloud. Our schedule is already packed with all your soul nonsense, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ We may need to prepare the soul thresher within the week to take down below as soon as all the materials are together, but it may be easier to create the essence loom on site. This means the heist will need to happen in the next few days and there¡¯s a boatload of artifacts I need to craft to prepare for the upcoming exchange.¡±


    Cira¡¯s father used to tell stories of his youth when he relied exclusively on artifacts. He learned the arts of artificing young and even tried to abandon sorcery for a time when he flew away on the rock she now called home. If Dad can make a whole freaking island fly itself away, surely I can fend off a group of mages with no aura. It will just take a little innovative thinking.


    ¡°Either way,¡± Oliver jumped back in, ¡°We won¡¯t accept such easy training as the other night anymore. What are we, children?¡±


    ¡°Good grief¡­ We¡¯ll see, won¡¯t we?¡± She shook her head and looked back toward James, ¡°Good news is, we should be able to melt me down sometime next week.¡±


    ¡°How are you this confident? It makes no sense to me. I watched a goblin kick your ass.¡± James still wasn¡¯t sold, but she didn¡¯t blame him. Nobody of her or the crew¡¯s strength should ever dream of facing off against mages that may as well be on another plane of existence to them.


    ¡°A week may not be enough to turn everyone into proper sorcerers, but it is a great deal of time to spend in the forge in preparation of a few hostile mages. Even if they bring friends, that first guy may as well be useless before me with this much time to prepare.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t craft shit without using someone else¡¯s hand!¡± James¡¯ argument was a strong one, to be fair, but it was far from insurmountable.


    ¡°That¡¯s actually something I hope to remedy tonight¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shh!¡± Kuja hushed everyone with a serious glint in her eyes and looked out the window. ¡°Someone is here.¡±


    Cira casually finished her ale while everyone¡¯s eyes went wide. The mages who had joined Cira earlier all white as a sheet as they followed Kuja¡¯s line of sight. If there was one thing in her life Cira had utmost confidence in, it was Breeze Haven. As the master of the house, she set her glass down and got up. Cira then made for the front door to take a look.


    It was not dark within the barrier, but beyond was a sea of black. With her meager senses, Cira couldn¡¯t detect a thing. It would certainly complicate things if Eliza came knocking on her door, but she had no reason to. Their terms were already set.


    Kuja came out and peered suspiciously out into the darkness, and Cira was starting to get nervous when she saw an orange glow beyond the shroud. Once it flickered, she realized it was the light of a flame.


    A black sail entered Breeze Haven¡¯s light carrying a pitch-black ship with a single torch fixed to its bow. An exhausted man with light blue hair stood behind the ship¡¯s wheel looking down at them with relief, ¡°I made it back! I thought I¡¯d be lost in there forever!¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡± Jimbo stood beside James on the grass and they put their guns away with a sigh. ¡°I thought it was gonna be that scary lady.¡±


    Reverand Shores had returned with a huge smile on his face and Cira directed him to the gate where he moored his ship again and rejoined the crew.


    ¡°So?¡± Cira asked him anxiously after he climbed the steps, not bothering to go back inside before hearing the news, ¡°How did it go?¡±


    ¡°I got it!¡± With a hefty pouch in one hand, he beamed at Cira, ¡°I got it all! Even that weird nectar stuff you wanted.¡±

 114 - Forge Dwelling Whelp

    Cira held a jar of shimmering red liquid tightly in her hand. Turning it over, it slowly seeped down towards the lid. The consistency is good, and the color is exactly as I remember. Just translucent enough to let a little light through and a vibrant ruby red. Like Mac before he lost his luster.


    ¡°Yep. This is vestigial nectar.¡± Cira sighed inwardly as Kuja and James both glared at her. ¡°How could I have expected this?¡±


    Picking up on some of the tension, Reverand Shores nervously spoke up, ¡°Why does everyone look so upset with the Captain?¡±


    ¡°This idiot,¡± James exclaimed, ¡°promised the Third Order something she doesn¡¯t even have for the nectar you just brought.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Shores went deathly pale and there was fear in his eyes when he turned to Cira, ¡°You did what?!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s done is done.¡± Cira said curtly, ¡°More is better, anyway. We don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ll be in the loom, and I¡¯d have to thin this much out anyway in order to have enough. No harm will come to anyone so long as they are within Breeze Haven¡¯s barrier and once my soul is repaired, I will personally make sure they don¡¯t bother this island.


    ¡°So, what,¡± Jimbo asked, ¡°We have a week to do everything and then it¡¯s a mad rush to that soul cairn place? How are you going to stop them from following us after you rob them before their very eyes?¡±


    ¡°I bet she plans on killin ¡®em.¡± Joe nodded assuredly, ¡°Worked with Wick¡¯s guys.¡±


    Good grief¡­ ¡°What do these guys even do? All I have to go on is that they sent an unnaturally large man to help Don keep the deritium secure. I don¡¯t even know if I can argue they were complicit in his way of doing business, but it begs the question of why they didn¡¯t just take it for themselves or send mages? I still don¡¯t know what they¡¯re really doing with the deritium. The Gandeux power cities with it, so are these Third Order folk even bad guys?¡±


    ¡°Do the Gandeux really do that?¡± James was taken aback, ¡°I guess it makes sense if it¡¯s got enough mana to turn Fount Salt into an egg.¡±


    Cira rolled her eyes at the lack of useful information he had to offer, and Shores picked up the slack.


    ¡°My father told me about them from back in his paladin days¡­ The Church clashed with them a few times. Wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they still do.¡± His gaze grew somewhat distant as he reached into his memories, ¡°Anything that happens in the Gandeux or surrounding skies that has to do with spirits or the supernatural catches the Final Sky¡¯s attention¡ªit¡¯s their job to deal with it.¡±


    The ¡®supernatural¡¯ was a loose term for the as of yet unexplained. The Church evidently assumed the role of those who explain it. ¡°And¡­?¡± So, they investigate any mysterious problems within their purview. But I don¡¯t care about the Church.


    ¡°The Third order apparently has similar interests, and my father encountered their mages twice. Once they just disappeared but next time it happened, the whole crew woke up on the next day on the deck of their ship. Nobody knows what they want, but they¡¯re dangerous.¡±


    Cira kept hearing that nobody knew their intentions, but that much seemed clear as any day outside the Lost Cloud. ¡°Well, they want knowledge. That much is obvious. The first time they probably finished learning what they set out for. The second time around, your father and his crew must have interrupted them either studying something or perhaps performing an experiment. What¡¯s curious is that your father lived to tell the tale. How did he know it was the Third Order?¡±


    ¡°Their commander said never to mention the encounter, and my father wouldn¡¯t shut up until he knew why. Kind of forced his hand, I guess.¡± Shores chuckled fondly as he recalled the story, ¡°He died when his liver gave out, before you ask. Nothing fishy there.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to hear that¡­ but, I don¡¯t get the impression the Third Order kills when they have nothing to gain. Though it would be a concern if they do it for something as menial as mentioning their name. They didn¡¯t even tell me to keep quiet. Does anybody have a credible story of something bad the Third Order has done?¡±


    She looked over her clueless mages, then her pirate pals, and eventually Kuja. They all wore blank faces, shrugged, or shook their heads. Cira landed once again on jaded James, and her glare intensified multiple times over the span of a few seconds.


    ¡°Well? Anything?¡± At this point I have to assume they¡¯re doing some kind of human experiments with deritium, but was that giant in Uru a victim? He wasn¡¯t a mage, but he sure looked like an eager pirate. As the only piece of evidence, it¡¯s shaky at best.


    ¡°They¡¯re a secret organization.¡± James argued, ¡°Why would anyone know about the things they¡¯ve done?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t much be secret at that point.¡± Jimbo agreed.


    Sure, it made sense, but that wasn¡¯t what Cira wanted to hear, ¡°One way or the other, I can conclude they want knowledge and don¡¯t like dealing with more trouble than they need to. At the very least, Eliza matches that notion. Until I discover a good reason not to, I would like to maintain amicable relations with them. Hopefully they will realize that killing me won¡¯t bring the deritium back.¡±


    ¡°You¡ªyou can¡¯t seriously be thinking about joining them?!¡± Shores cradled his head in his hands as he looked at Cira with shock and something close to betrayal.


    ¡°Of course I won¡¯t join them.¡± While the benefits they offered were tempting, Cira wasn¡¯t fond of committing her allegiance any which way¡ªit was more like a weathervane. ¡°But I do wish to see their library and stock up on rare ingredients. I¡¯m practically obligated to investigate them when my aura returns at this point, so I may as well make a trip of it.¡±


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    ¡°I think you are getting a little ahead of yourself, Child.¡± Kuja stopped her.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± James agreed, ¡°Are you forgetting that we¡¯re talking about your plans to double-cross them in a week?¡±


    ¡°I will do no such thing.¡± This was a hill Cira would die on, ¡°If they don¡¯t like what I did with the deritium, that¡¯s their own fault for not being specific with the terms. They¡¯re supposed to be the wise ones. Whether this sways them or not, I need to return to the forge before I can plan any further ahead. There is no longer time to waste.¡±


    ___


    Downstairs, Cira let out a sigh as she placed her staff upon the workbench. The onyx which reflected no light somehow seemed to glimmer. She had just moved it out of her father¡¯s collection and into her own the other day, so this was a bittersweet moment.


    ¡°It pains me to do this, but we will be turning this staff into a needle.¡± She gave it one last wistful look. Oh, the things I never got to darken¡­ With another onyx, she could rebuild it, but it wouldn¡¯t be the same. It would just be a new staff.


    This was not something of which any blueprint existed, nor was it something her father had ever created. Any good artificing needle absorbed a little mana to offset the cost to the craftsman, but relying on such a function would greatly limit the efficacy, efficiency, and/or longevity of the resulting artifact.


    One could always make ridiculous arrays or implement catalysts to make up for this, but that came with its own host of limitations. Without an aura to imbue Cira¡¯s will into the mana which forms a glyph, she would never be able to produce such complex artifacts as she used to.


    However, Cira had a staff that was excellent at picking up her will and applying it to its own stored mana. Just like Aquon or Prismagora. In practice, these staves could either enhance her own conjuration or allow Cira to cast smaller spells without interrupting her mana regeneration. She could also cast light spells for less in low-light environments with Prismagora in her hand, for example.


    These were all incredibly handy features when she had an aura, but such staves could in a sense be considered her auxiliary auras. Similar to how the seven suns of Fount Salt carried out her every whim. The hard part was getting mana into them in the first place. The dark staff was relatively slow even beneath the mana well, Prismagora could only recharge during the day, Aquon was a blue lump of jelly resting in a punch bowl.


    ¡°Is that possible¡­?¡± Ike asked, ¡°The needle will be pretty big. Who¡¯s gonna use it?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡± The entire point was to get Cira back in the game. The staff could manifest her will¡ªif only it could carve glyphs too. This was her aim. ¡°The artifacts I need are a little too complicated to walk you through in a week when we already have far too much to do. The only way this goes well is if I can create them myself¡ªwith free mana.¡±


    She slid a paper that she had just finished sketching on across the table and Tawny picked it up with concern, ¡°Are these¡­ supposed to not be complicated? You expect us to carve these glyphs into this staff?


    The plans included a few rather detailed magic circles and some of the more difficult runes Cira knew. ¡°You will also need to remove a few, but unfortunately, I can¡¯t make this any simpler. The arrays need to be large enough to never reach capacity, and staves are specifically made to never conduct mana down their haft. Along with converting dark mana back into pure aether, this will be a high-level artifact. You will practically be professionals when you¡¯re done with it.¡±


    Ike stepped in front of Tawny with a determined flare in his eyes, ¡°Then of course we¡¯ll do it. This girl¡¯s just scared of a little challenge.¡± While his confidence was only a fa?ade, it didn¡¯t falter when Tawny rebuked him.


    After a couple minutes, Cira left them to mark up some practice slates to get started and took the opportunity to reconvene with her council of captains. Shores had laid the rest of his materials out on the table, and the other two gazed at them in wonder.


    Cira picked up a dark crystal that held a myriad of twinkling stars within it and took a moment to admire the raw gem¡¯s natural beauty as it sat comfortably in her hands. ¡°Well done, Shores. It¡¯s a good size, and definitely genuine.¡±


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re sure, right?¡± There was a nervous tinge to his voice, ¡°It¡¯s darker than the one I remember.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because it lacks mana, which is fine for our purposes. I thought you said it would be expensive, though. I certainly didn¡¯t expect you to bring it back on the first trip.¡±


    Perhaps this was simply the severity of his desire to serve the Saint directly. The man did good work, it could not be argued. Cira almost forgot the thing about him that bothered her.


    ¡°You see, my contact is a man of good faith.¡± Shores twirled his mustache as a grin grew on his lips, ¡°Once I told him who needed it and expressed the urgency, he handed it right over! But it was¡ªis expensive. And he wanted to meet you¡­ Uhh, you see¡­¡±


    Cira made a displeased face, ¡°You didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°H-he can help! He wanted to help!¡± While Reverand desperately made his case, James shook his head disapprovingly. ¡°He¡¯s an artificer, I swear!¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s, he waitin¡¯ on the boat?¡± Jimbo posed a great question. Did he leave him in the dark with all the revenants?


    ¡°No, of course not¡ªI left him on the other side of the mountain. I wouldn¡¯t bring him here without express permission from the Saintess herself¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ohhh!¡± Joe called out from the back.


    ¡°Yup.¡± Jimbo agreed with a laugh, ¡°Back to Green Pit with ya¡¯.¡±


    Shores¡¯ was mortified, looking between the two and then fearfully at Cira, ¡°P-please don¡¯t send me back! I wish only to serve you in my fullest capacity, my Lady Saint!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s another one. Once you get to Green Pit, just keep on goin¡¯!¡± Jimbo sneered and even got a chuckle out of James this time.


    The man was devastated with his jaw hung slack, and Cira admittedly got a laugh out of the whole thing too, but she couldn¡¯t go that far. ¡°Okay, I know what I said, but he wasn¡¯t here. It¡¯s only fair he gets a pass after the stellar work he¡¯s done here.¡± Nobody thought her pun was clever, but Shores melted in relief, gazing up at her reverently once again. ¡°From here out don¡¯t bring anybody on without approval, but are you trying to tell me he¡¯s just waiting in the wilderness for you to pick him up?¡±


    ¡°Er, as I said¡­¡± Shores shifted awkwardly under her gaze, ¡°He is a man of great faith.¡±


    Cira felt her lungs would collapse if she had to sigh any more today, ¡°Well, go on then! Collect him.¡± What else was there to say in this situation? Unless he turned out to be a blatantly powerful mage, there should be no issue allowing him to help. She didn¡¯t like the whole faith thing, but it sure came in handy from time to time. Not to mention the benefits of having a legitimate artificer around, he was worth trying out.


    Shores hurriedly ran off again, straight out of the forge and his footsteps grew distant once he rounded the hall.


    ¡°That guy¡¯s somethin¡¯ else.¡± Jimbo said after the silence hung for a few minutes. ¡°Is the rest of your stuff good?¡±


    ¡°Seem fine to me.¡± It was disappointing at first because she thought he acquired white gold as well, but apparently the heist was already a given. Cira picked up a jar of gray powder¡ªrinspar was a common, soft ore that smiths ground into a powder which helped metal components bond.


    Blessed silver was the easiest one on the list, but she used all of hers up back in Uru. Thankfully, Shores brought a bag full of mismatched holy relics she intended to melt down. In perfect Gazen fashion, the blessed silver would serve to harvest all that juicy mana that was just lying around.


    ¡°Now that we¡¯re back on track.¡± Cira continued, ¡°How do you guys feel about breaking into Wick¡¯s treasury tomorrow?¡±

 115 - Cira Becomes a Cat Burglar

    Shadows swirled like a vortex from the sky and funneled into the onyx as it pulsed with mana. Shining runes lit up along the haft and flared to life with each stroke as Cira dragged it across the ground like a giant paint brush. The end of her staff opposite the gem now ended in a fine mithril point and would glide over the stone effortlessly.


    ¡°This might be my new favorite needle,¡± Unlike her others, this one had all the components of a staff too, so layering glyphs was no harder than imagining them. ¡°At this rate, I may as well have my aura back.¡±


    She had been at it for hours and there was a pleased grin on her face as another stone disc rose from the ground and put itself into a pile of like artifacts.


    ¡°Do those all explode too?¡± The creak of her gate opening drew Cira¡¯s attention and Jimbo walked up with James and Kuja in tow.


    ¡°Not these ones,¡± she replied, ¡°These glyphs will form an array to reinforce my control over an area and mitigate my opponents¡¯, but in truth they¡¯re more of a relay.¡±


    Her plans would include turning certain key landforms across the island into artifacts, as bigger was better when it came to spatial arrays, no matter how small the focal point.


    ¡°Child, are you poking holes in my mountain?¡± Kuja shot her a glare.


    ¡°Very shallow holes. I promise I¡¯ll fix them.¡± The graveyard began in front of Breeze Haven, so Cira walked around the side until she found where the cliff fell off. Or it could just be a five-foot drop¡ªit was unclear through all the darkness. Either way, she spent most of the morning near the edge of the mountain top carving artifacts out of the raw stone.


    ¡°I am going to hold you to that.¡± Kuja¡¯s eyes narrowed for a second and then relaxed, ¡°Everything is going well, I take it?¡±


    ¡°Better than well,¡± Cira rested against her new toy as she would any staff. ¡°I¡¯ll need to properly express my gratitude; those guys really cooked the stew on this one. Seriously, check this out.¡±


    Cira waved the needle¡¯s point through the air to form a simple rune and before everyone¡¯s eyes it left a trail of vibrant crimson. With a flash, it disappeared and left behind a small fireball that burned bright but slowly dwindled as it hung in the air.


    ¡°Nice!¡± Jimbo was excited and rubbed his hands together¡ªhe was antsy to cast his own spell but worried he would pass out and miss the heist. ¡°I¡¯ll show those guys. I¡¯m gonna be the strongest pirate sorcerer of them all.¡±


    A conversation Cira was not privy to had evidently occurred, but her father once said competition fostered success. Not that I ever had any classmates¡­ What the hell, Dad?


    ¡°It¡¯s not perfect¡­ I still have to do this to throw it.¡± Cira left new brushstrokes in the air and when they flared up, the fireball was sent hurling into the darkness, never to be seen again. It was difficult determining her effective range in these conditions, but the power was scalable if she had the time and mana. Using it in combat outside the dark sea would prove troublesome, though.


    The night before, Cira had scrounged through the gems she didn¡¯t need for her soul issues and pieced together a decent string of catalysts to both absorb and store more mana. Then to bring it all together, fixed them to the needle with the last bit of adamantine she could muster¡ªit had excellent mana retention qualities and was often used to bond catalysts. Now she¡¯d be cleaned out once the soul thresher was complete.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m impressed.¡± Kuja shrugged before staring off into the distance, ¡°I think Captain Shores has returned.¡±


    ¡°Took him long enough.¡± Jimbo said.


    Cira had the materials she wanted and was in no rush to meet the new guy, so it had nearly slipped her mind. Nonetheless, they waited for a black ship to emerge from the darkness and descend before them.


    Shores looked relieved to have found his destination again, but the other passenger timidly approached the ramp. He was significantly older than any of the crew, and if Cira didn¡¯t know any better, she would place him above Kuja¡¯s age. His hair was so gray it was almost white, and he unfolded a pair of glasses to put on his face before finding the handrail.


    When he took the first step down the ramp, he met eyes with Cira and a breath caught in his chest. He gasped and placed a hand over his heart before his eyes softened.


    Come on, how does he know it¡¯s me?


    ¡°M-my Lady Saint!¡± Once he reached the ground, he seemed to be in great pain as he attempted to kneel with his weary bones. She heard a crack in his knee and the old man suppressed a groan.


    Seriously, why would they think I want them to break themselves to show me their faith, or whatever this is? Is the Lord of Skies Afar so cruel? Cira hooked the end of her staff under the geriatric merchant¡¯s armpit and pulled him back to his feet, ¡°That¡¯s enough of that. Please don¡¯t kneel.¡±


    His eyes went wide, and he bowed his head, ¡°I see Reverend didn¡¯t exaggerate your benevolence.¡±


    Like grief, exasperation had many stages. Anger came and went, but Cira found herself somewhere between denial and acceptance. In other words, she awkwardly laughed and headed for the stairs, ¡°By the way, what time is it anyway?¡± She glanced at James and thew him the subject stick.


    ¡°Almost two.¡± His watch snapped closed, ¡°Your guys downstairs said they finished that frame and wanted you to look it over.¡±


    ¡°Ahh, wonderful.¡± Their timing couldn¡¯t have been better, and Cira led everyone back inside to take a break from full body artificing. Her muscles burned like she spent all morning mopping the mountainside.


    ¡°And your name is?¡± James looked at the newcomer suspiciously.


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    ¡°Ah, my apologies!¡± He straightened up his vest and bowed his head to Cira again, ¡°Please call me Yotan. I bear no family name. Just a simple merchant.¡±


    ¡°A merchant of stolen goods, from what I gather.¡± Cira added. Yotan gasped in worry for a moment, and she chuckled, ¡°How much do I owe you for the stellar quartz?¡±


    They had reached the garden and he struggled not to gawk at his surroundings, ¡°Please, j-just pay me whatever you wish, Lady Saint.¡± And he bowed yet again.


    ¡°Hm¡­¡± Cira couldn¡¯t help but grin, ¡°A fine response. I will pay you once my aura returns then, but easy on the Saint stuff. My name is Cira.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I heard you tell that mage lady the same earlier,¡± Jimbo said, ¡°Is that like a nickname for Cirina?¡±


    ¡°Well, no¡­ It¡¯s short for Cirrus actually, because my dad was an eccentric or something. Didn¡¯t I tell you I made everything up before? For all intents and purposes, my name is Cira.¡±


    She dauntlessly led them into the house with her eyes ahead and heard Yotan stumble over his words behind her, ¡°Um, Lady Cira, I have heard about your affliction¡­¡±


    On one hand, Shores was being perhaps a little too open about some things, but he managed to get the ingredients on loan and in hand within a matter of days. ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± She replied.


    ¡°You see, I am a craftsman as well as a merchant!¡± His old and not-so-silvery voice was getting worked up, ¡°I want to help! Please, anything to serve the¡ªer, well anything to help!¡±


    ¡°I appreciate your support,¡± Cira gave Skipper a beckoning glance as she passed the kitchen¡ªit was around lunchtime. ¡°We have a great many artifacts to craft in the next few days.¡±


    Inside the forge her artificers in training were hard at work trying to copy some defensive glyphs onto a pile of slates she made Rocky conjure that morning. They would last just over a week before dispersing¡ªjust long enough to come in handy for the exchange. Everyone was exhausted after finishing the new needle the night prior, so Cira decided to offer them a break on training for a day which they refused.


    Cira ended up having to let them spend the night in the training hall and said to hold their spells as long as they felt like before going to bed. She was eager to wake up early and try out her new creation and hadn¡¯t eaten more than what her hands could hold from the orchard in passing as the sun probably rose somewhere above.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you start helping them?¡± Cira pointed Yotan to the others and had him work on the same artifacts. She would compare his glyphs against those of her students when the time came to see what he could really do.


    The old man was, of course, ever so grateful for the task, allowing Cira to inspect the main attraction. Rocky and his new partner Rictor gazed at the workbench with uncertainty in their eyes. Before them was a truly strange looking object. Like an oblong basket about as long as Cira could spread her arms and maybe half as wide.


    While the bottom was more of a sealed basin, it was open at the top and segmented points like ribs rose up from a central spine almost forming a cage, but each point branched out like a blooming flower.


    ¡°The proportions are all right and the spacing should do fine,¡± Cira scrutinized their work, even measuring it in a couple places, ¡°This is perfect. We can start building the rest immediately.¡±


    The essence loom was what took all the catalysts. No other artifact she had ever made called for so many in its base design, and she had to substitute a couple here or there. The soul thresher function was to unleash a barrage of various mana waves into her melted essence and naturally separate it, breaking down the components into independent and unbound particles which could only be put back together as the essence loom wove it back into her corporeal soup.


    It wouldn¡¯t be done in an afternoon, but Cira spent the next few hours helping them make progress. They needed to fasten a catalyst onto each point and a whole array of them down the center where her soup would go.


    At one point, she had the artificers switch over to flame artifacts and checked up on Yotan¡¯s work. He was quite skilled, and Cira thought his only rival in technique would turn out to be Tawny, though she had no doubt the man¡¯s knowledge of glyphs was far greater.


    This wound down as evening approached and it was time to pull away her strike team again. The roster was chosen to keep things moving in the forge, so her members were the same with the addition of Joe, much to everyone left behind¡¯s disappointment. There was a small dispute among the paladins, and after a heated game of rock, paper, scissors, Oliver was switched out for Marko.


    They rose just above the shroud and sat on the roiling darkness below to wait for the sun to set, and once it fell beyond Lost Clouds horizon, they set sail for the palace. This time, they took advantage of Shores¡¯ stealth ship¡ªhe was along for the operation too, but would be staying on the ship for a hasty retreat once the heist was complete¡ªmuch to his own disappointment.


    With Captain Shores at the wheel and Cira lounging in back, they traveled slowly on the wind, letting the moon rise and scanning the forest for any onlookers on their way.


    Soon they approached a lush mountain that Cira recognized as the backside of Hangman¡¯s Cove. If they headed toward the coast, they would find a burned down hideout potentially crawling with the enemy, but there was no palace in sight.


    ¡°Where is it?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Shhhh.¡± James held up a hand, ¡°Sound carries up here. The palace is just over those hills.¡±


    She didn¡¯t think her voice would carry that far but didn¡¯t feel like complaining. Shores continued to bring them down and a hill was hidden in the shadow of the mountain. Cira saw a white spire poke up above the treeline and started mentally preparing to infiltrate it.


    They spent a few hours planning it the night before and now it was time to put that into action. As they reached the crest of the hill, the castle was in full view. It bore three towers each interconnected and supported with buttresses all round. A watch tower stood before each point and Cira could see archers in them below.


    ¡°That third tower¡­¡± Joe, who worked for Wick once upon a time, guided them this evening, ¡°See the balcony to the side of where that staircase ends? Just above that should take us to the right floor.¡±


    The watch towers were remarkably low, but Cira worried someone inside the palace would see them. The moon didn¡¯t shine so bright through the fog tonight, but a boat flying up to the palace was a boat flying up to the palace. This was partially remedied with a few enchantments from her shadow needle, but the effect was nothing like if she tried it through standard sorcery.


    Light was obscured in a wide area around the ship, but anyone looking right at it would notice something was wrong. Shores¡¯ heavy breath could be heard as he brought the ship in closer, his eyes flitting around to each window and between the watch towers.


    Somewhere on the other side, possibly in the courtyard, loud and festive voices could be heard. Cira took that to mean Wick¡¯s crew was mostly busy drinking. The palace was sizable so she couldn¡¯t expect everyone to be occupied, but she doubted the communal imbibement was a special occurrence.


    Shores was careful not to go too far over as to be in sight of the rest of the compound, but he was able to skirt around the balcony in case someone was in that room and brought them around to the spot Joe pointed out.


    ¡°Can you really get us in though?¡± He whispered.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Cira gave them a smirk and painted a design onto the wall with her staff. It resembled a door but comprised of runes and various magic circles. When she drew the last line, it lit up briefly and there was the sound of grinding stone before it started to swing open.


    ¡°Hey, what the hell¡ª¡± Cira was already drawing her next glyph as light from the room poured out, revealing a baffled and very drunk pirate. Cira¡¯s airborne enchantment came to life and a thin stream of light like a blade of grass shot through the room like a dart.


    It stuck in his arm and burst as he looked on in horror and fell to the ground. Within seconds he was snoring.


    ¡°Very nice.¡± The door finished opening as the unassuming pirate settled unmoving on the wooden floor. Cira put one leg up in the palace and looked back to issue orders to Captain Shores, ¡°If we don¡¯t return in ten minutes, we¡¯re already dead.¡±

 116 - Serendipitous Bounty

    The door sealed behind them, and Cira found herself in a small storeroom with spices and produce on the shelves, and crates full of produce on the floor. As Joe supplied earlier, this seemed to be a pantry. Beyond was a kitchen which may or may not be staffed and then a room where the guards stationed here would rest. Cira plucked a plum from a basket and took a bite. It was no Moonberry plum, but it was tender and sweet¡ªperfectly ripe.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± James whispered.


    In response, she held up one finger, ¡°Shhhh.¡±


    Without Spatial Sight there was no way to see beyond the door, so Oliver took point with his sword drawn and opened it a crack. After a second, he swung it open and glanced both ways before turning around with a nod.


    Cira didn¡¯t feel very stealthy on a peg leg, but everyone concealed their steps best they could. Noise wouldn¡¯t travel through stone to the floor below, but it could carry outside of the kitchen. Inside there was a center island with a few stacked bowls on the edge. Clean cook surfaces lined the wall with an unlit range in the center and aside from a few cooking utensils, everything seemed to be put away.


    After a few more bites, Cira set the uneaten half plum on the counter and walked up to the door. With her ear up against it, she heard a set of footsteps, not approaching but seeming to walk across the room. If there were others inside, they were probably sitting.


    According to Joe, there should be a mage stationed on this floor at all times, and from back in his day, at least ten guards. Simply barging in would be foolhardy, of course. There was a reason they planned this out. It would not be possible to get in and out without leaving a trace given they had multiple things to steal with guards between them, but their goal was to be on the way home by the time a commotion was roused.


    Cira reached into her bag of goodies and retrieved a ball a little larger than a plum beset with a gorgeous veridian gemstone. This time she cracked the door herself and tossed the artifact inside.


    ¡°What in the god damn¡ª¡± A voice from inside abruptly went silent and Cira pushed her way into the room with her staff at the ready. There were two rows of bed against the left side of the room with ten or so guards slumbering away, and Cira focused on the one man who was already running for her at the door. Three others across the room sat up from a table and their half-eaten meals when they noticed what was happening. Their faces twisted in anger and shock, but no sound came from their mouths. As they shot up and drew their weapons, their footsteps were silent and so were their scabbards.


    The wind artifact had rolled away somewhere out of sight, but its job was complete. As their voices failed, they shared a look of horror before snapping out of it when people kept funneling in behind Cira. The four men were all dressed in black and gold leather while suits of heavy armor rested on their stands against the wall.


    One pirate hurriedly went to stir the others in their beds and Jimbo whipped out a pistol without skipping a beat. A puff of smoke rose from the barrel and Cira saw the man drop to the ground. At this point, she¡¯d reached the first pirate¡ªa scraggly man who resembled Joe to a degree. He wouldn¡¯t be so agile, so Cira swung the onyx around and bashed it into his shin. He tried and failed to slash at her but didn¡¯t have the reach. The look on his face was that of pain as he fell into the ground trying to take weight off the leg. He lurched to the side landed on the floor with a silent thud that reverberated through Cira¡¯s wooden leg.


    As two more approached, she didn¡¯t have time to waste and knocked the scraggly one again over the head before continuing. While poising her staff to receive their attack, Jimbo overtook her and went flying at the next guy with a kick followed quickly with a stab before he faced off the last man with his cutlass drawn.


    Cira took a glance back and saw her mages reduced to beating the sleeping guards and tying them up. Jimbo silently clashed with the remaining pirate that came in with a heavy slash. It glinted off Jimbo¡¯s blade who went for a kick only for the man to swipe at his ankles with a knife. Jimbo quickly backstepped and his attacker took it as a chance to move it, lunging at him with the point of his sword.


    Jimbo barely dodged and fear flashed through his eyes as the man just kept swinging. Each time it was deflected, he would come right back around with the knife. It was like a beautiful dance of blades as Cira watched the two go at it. Jimbo was fast and had a certain experience from the many fights he¡¯d surely partaken in, but it was clear his opponent was formally trained.


    When Jimbo parried a strike, it looked like he was swatting the blade away, but the other man would gently turn his wrist and twirl into a riposte. With either the dagger or his sword constantly cocked back, his string of attacks was relentless. Jimbo was clearly on his back foot and only made one feeble blow for every three or four he had to deflect.


    With each trading of blades, Jimbo got more exhausted. Sweat beaded up on his face and flew away as he avoided each slash. It wasn¡¯t looking good, but Cira trusted her first mate. He would turn it around like he did in Uru, or against that Ripley fellow she forgot to ask about. Of all people, she could trust in Jimbo.


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    The other man leaped forward and brought down a powerful strike. Jimbo braced to block and was pushed back as his sword flew from his hands. A dagger was already en route for his throat and Cira¡¯s eyes went wide just as a gust of wind slammed the man into the ground. It startled her for only a moment before Tawny rushed in and started beating the man to a silent pulp.


    Jimbo turned and looked Cira right in the eyes with the most baffled expression. He threw his arms out and shook his head looking offended.


    Whoops, was I supposed to help? I thought he had it. He¡¯s the one that jumped in front of me.


    With an opponent that skilled, it was hard to say if she could have done any better herself. Of course, both of them would have prevailed together, but she thought he was having a moment. That¡¯s just how it felt when he came flying in.


    Tawny rose from the ground with bloody knuckles and glared at her before helping Jimbo up. Well shit, my bad.


    She felt a tap on her shoulder, and it was Marko. He jerked his head to the side and Cira followed it to see a bed with a long trunk next to it. There was a man bound to the bed frame and gagged, glaring up at her with a mixture of disdain and fear.


    Cira returned him a smile as she realized what Oliver was trying to tell her. This man was the mage. He was a little older than her and had dark hair with a mustache, one black eye.


    Cira¡¯s smile did not make him feel any better, but before reaping her bounty, she would remedy his mood. There were nine others in beds, most of which were out cold, but all showed signs of a beating. One by one, she drew the rune from before and stuck them with a sleep-dart. This was a pure-mana based sorcery that affected one¡¯s corporeal form, forcing their mind to sleep.


    Depending on the duration, it affected their memory as well. For instance, at the efficacy level Cira was casting, they would sleep for at least a day and forget roughly five minutes leading up to their slumber. Soon they were all asleep and Cira took the liberty of peeking inside the mage¡¯s belongings.


    Just as she hoped, Cira found a polished wooden staff bearing a bright green crystal at the top. It sat on a set of fine robes woven with similar colored fabric and darker undertones. If Wick had any artificers, she imagined the mages robes would all be black and gold, but he was apparently too cheap for that.


    Cira picked the staff up and twirled it around in her hand a few times to test the weight, then gave it a couple practice swings. It was heavier than the one she carried, but she would need her quill for the remainder of this heist. With the help of her big, strong paladin, they dragged the whole footlocker over towards the pantry door.


    Was she committing the same crime as Wick by stealing the mage¡¯s staff? Perhaps. There was no way of knowing. If it really belonged to him, he could petition for it back once she was done bamboozling Jimbo into taking the throne.


    The man in question yelled something at her, but she couldn¡¯t hear. They all knew the artifact would stay in effect for at least an hour. With everybody incapacitated though, Cira brought her crew to the next door. It was on the opposite wall they came from and would lead to a stairwell.


    At this time of night there shouldn¡¯t be much foot traffic, but Marko still opened it himself. After checking both ways then up and down, he nodded again, and the crew continued.


    A spiral staircase rose up carved from the same white stone as the palace, but the steps were blackened from years or even decades of not being swept. Cira could see a door down below, but sound hadn¡¯t returned yet, so they quickly pushed through.


    The next wooden door was locked. Their party of thieves didn¡¯t include a locksmith, per se, but Cira quickly painted a rune on the doorknob and all the metal components were sucked out into an orb. She handed the iron ball to Eros since he hadn¡¯t done anything yet and he took it with a look of uncertainty.


    When the door swung open, a stiff breeze carried the pungent order of exotic herbs, and it assaulted her unwitting nose. She cringed and took a step back before shaking it off. Unlike the torchlit hallway, this next room was dim. The soft flicker of candlelight cast hues of pink and purple onto the walls. The candles were set on tables lining the hall and placed behind screens of colored paper for ambiance. Each one had a stick of incense pointed straight up in its holder.


    Cira didn¡¯t recognize the scent as anything medicinal, but it made her head feel foggy after breathing it in for just a few seconds. Strangely though, the aroma started to grow on her as she advanced into the ill-lit room.


    It appeared as some kind of foyer, with decorations on either side and a grandiose door at the end with curtains pulled to the side. Cira coughed on the smoke and realized they¡¯d exited the range of her wind artifact. With cautious steps, they approached the door when Marko and Lero each took one side of it.


    As slow as they could go, they each swung their half of the door, but it still ground against the stone beneath. The two winced as they couldn¡¯t do anything about it and as soon as it was open enough for Joe to fit through, Cira had them stop.


    This was a suite where Wick slept occasionally, or after a celebration apparently. The room not often used led straight to the main treasury. It was so close, Cira could almost taste it.


    Cira stepped through the doorway and felt a faint breeze on her face. There was an open window across the room with silk curtains softly blowing. An ornate bedframe sat in the middle of the room with posts and curtains to surround it¡ªthey were slightly transparent and partially drawn. Exotic flowers sat in vases atop decorated tables which sat against the wall, and Cira noticed an empty cart that his minions must use to wheel food in for him.


    There was nothing that obviously looked like a door, but many pieces of furniture and cabinets were built into the wall. Cira scanned the room, looking over all the gaudy paintings and random curios Wick had acquired or stolen over the years when she took a few more steps into the center of the room for a better look.


    ¡°I thought you were going to make me wait all night¡ª¡± Cira craned her neck around to the source of the voice and found a rather curvaceous young woman scantily dressed in striking lingerie. The woman¡¯s eyes went wide as they both froze, staring at each other in shock.

 117 - Portrait of a King

    Her skin was an unblemished olive tone and bore none of the filth Cira had come to expect in such a den of pirates. Green lace wrapped her waist and strung down to her thighs where they ended in tight bands, while her top in fact hid nothing. The fabric could be used as a desert veil to keep the sand out of one¡¯s eyes without impairing sight.


    While it looked ornamental and quite well-made, Cira just couldn¡¯t figure out what practical use it had. Even as undergarments, they looked uncomfortable and bordering on insufficient. Raising her gaze to the girl wearing them, she looked just as confused. Her eyes were a bright hazel, framed by wavy golden hair that sparkled in the candlelight and softly swayed in the breeze.


    The scene was strangely beautiful, and Cira likened it to a painting. While the girl¡¯s trepidatious expression threw the mood for a spin, it almost portrayed an unseen slice of this girl¡¯s life. A moment not often seen¡ªa moment intruded upon. One lost in the toils of her day were it not for this moment encapsulated in time. I must have caught her getting ready for bed. Hence the surprise on her face and lack of clothes.


    ¡°W-who are you?¡± Confusion turned into fear as Cira started drawing runes in the air, ¡°Wait, no! Please wait!¡±


    It¡¯s best to take care of this quickly. She¡¯s already in bed, after all.


    ¡°Who the hell is¡ª¡± Jimbo walked closer and froze in place, ¡°Ohhh, boy.¡±


    James crossed his arms and looked at the unexpected guest, ¡°Huh.¡±


    ¡°Who are you people?¡± Each new arrival caused the fear in her eyes to grow.


    ¡°I think I recognize her¡­¡± James narrowed his eyes and leaned in, ¡°Yeah, this is definitely Wick¡¯s mistress.¡±


    So¡­ his wife or something? She doesn¡¯t look like a sponge maiden.


    ¡°Only as long as he¡¯s paying me!¡± The cowering girl cried. ¡°I-I don¡¯t care about that¡­ that bastard!¡±


    Some wife you got here, Wick. Cira had paused her enchantments during this exchange, and she heard Tawny smack Jimbo before pulling him away. Joe stood there staring at her in shock and Cira noticed this young woman had turned into quite the spectacle.


    ¡°What is wrong with you morons?¡± Cira pushed Joe into the others, ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there gawking at her, go watch the door or something.¡±


    They were all startled out of their skin and practically ran away, leaving just Tawny behind. The girl on the bed didn¡¯t know what to make of the situation, so Cira addressed her, ¡°Wick¡¯s bought your loyalty then, hm? You should probably just let me finish.¡±


    Cira continued her rune, and the woman waved her hands in front of herself frantically, ¡°No, no, please! I-I¡¯ll help you, even! I know all about this place!¡± Does she think I¡¯m going to kill her? I guess it¡¯s a reasonable assumption.


    She glanced at James, and he nodded with a shrug. Doesn¡¯t seem like a bad idea. If she has an aura, it¡¯s nothing notable. Should be a safe bet.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Cira smiled at her, ¡°Now get some clothes on. It¡¯s a cold night.¡±


    The girl collapsed in relief, breathing heavy with a hand over her chest. After she calmed down, she muttered, ¡°You must be that girl from his journal¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh? Now that, I am interested in.¡± While he seemed beyond irredeemable, Cira was curious about the man known as the pirate king. A journal could also tell Cira how much they knew about her and her whereabouts. ¡°Do you have it here? We are in a hurry.¡±


    Cira tried to avert her eyes as the girl bounded to the edge of the bed, almost desperately, to rummage through one of the nightstands with her posterior to the stars like a waxing moon. ¡°H-Here! It¡¯s right here!¡±


    The girl got up and pushed a leatherbound book into Cira¡¯s hands. ¡°Will you calm down? I¡¯m not going to hurt you. Also, could you please put some clothes on? I am not going to have you walking around like that.¡±


    She shrunk back at Cira¡¯s reprimand, ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t have any others.¡±


    ¡°Seriously? What is wrong with that guy?¡± It was baffling to Cira, and her nose scrunched up in disgust. The man had all the island¡¯s wealth, power over its people, and this girl didn¡¯t even own clothes. She shook her head and looked over at the third young woman present, ¡°Tawny, will you go grab that guy¡¯s robes from the other room?¡±


    ¡°Th-thank you.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Cira asked the girl.


    She looked up with fear still swirling in her eyes, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s Olive.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡± The sorcerer grinned, ¡°Call me Cira. If you just sit tight for a minute, we¡¯ll get started when she returns.¡±


    It was close to the paladin¡¯s Oliver¡¯s name, but she thought this girl wore it much better.


    Cira leaned against a table decorated with lace and flowers then peeled open the journal. It had a ribbon to mark a page that wasn¡¯t very far in, and each entry was rather brief. She counted back the days and found the entry from the day Wick returned to the Lost Cloud. It took a little effort to decipher his horrendous handwriting and lack of spelling capabilities, but Cira wanted to take a peek while she had a moment.


    ¡®8th of Marin,


    Everything went to goddamn shit while I was gone! It¡¯s Jimbo this, Jimbo that. I swear I¡¯m gonna punch the next guy who says his name. What makes him so great just ¡®cause he got a new captain? I don¡¯t give a shit if god crapped her out, this is my goddamn island! Jimbo doesn¡¯t have a crown. I have a crown!


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    That piece of trash even brough that bitch here! To MY ISLAND. She¡¯s hidin¡¯ right under my nose. I swear, I¡¯m gonna gut the both of ¡®em as soon as I see ¡®em! That son of a bitch is gonna die¡ª¡±¡¯


    The entry had gotten progressive harder to read, as if the man was getting furiously inebriated as he penned it. Cira noticed a splotch of wine on the corner of the page.


    ¡®9th of Marin,


    God dammit, Don. Couldn¡¯t you just beat one little girl? This is all your fault isn¡¯t it?!


    Don¡¯s useless brother finally did something useful today after I punched him in the face and told me all about that so-called saint¡¯s house. He was sayin¡¯ some weird shit I didn¡¯t get about another island, but the dumb broad crashed into MY ISLAND and thinks she doesn¡¯t belong to me? That bitch had a solid gold staff layin¡¯ in the grass. Gerald said all kinds of crazy looking alchemy stuff was just thrown all over the place. Even told me where Jimbo¡¯s hideout was.


    Sounds like he¡¯s full of shit, but if that witch or whatever¡¯s got a boat full o¡¯ treasure, I¡¯m takin¡¯ it. Maybe I¡¯ll even take her for myself too. If the ship exists, John¡¯s team will be back with good news any minute now, and within the hour Jimbo will be finished. Ohhhh, I can¡¯t wait!


    THOSE GODDAMN USELESS BASTARDS. EVERYONE AROUND ME IS GODDAMN USELESS. WHY AM I THE ONLY ONE ON THIS ISLAND WITH HALF A BRAIN. I SWEAR I¡¯M GONNA¡ª


    One of my mages picked up their trail due South. Those idiots must think they can escape to Plackelo Island. Not on my watch. No one escapes the Pirate King.


    10th of Marin,


    I feel so much better. I swear, sometimes Olive is the only one worth a damn around here.


    I reached a moment of clarity and figured out exactly where they went. That girl was a fool to think she could trick me.


    12th of Marin,


    After all, why wouldn¡¯t she flee back to Fount Salt? John tried to tell me there¡¯s no way she¡¯d go there after everything that went down, but that¡¯s exactly what she wants me to think. That girl thinks she¡¯s so clever, too bad I¡¯m the smartest man on the Boreal.


    She may not be too smart, but she should consider herself lucky she can be useful to me. After all, why would I kill her when I can just make her my wife? Then all her power would belong to me! I¡¯ll be unstoppable.


    13th of Marin,


    Topin reported that John¡¯s crew was destroyed by the Volcanic Witch while approaching Fount Salt. A total loss. Everyone died in seconds. She left Topin alive on a small raft to send a warning. ¡°Stay away from Fount Salt.¡±


    It doesn¡¯t matter. She won¡¯t be able to resist me when I tell her I¡¯m the King. One look at this crown, and she¡¯ll be butter in my hand. Hell, a girl from Leviathin Isle¡­ I¡¯m practically the only guy in her league. It¡¯s only natural she belong to me.


    White Steve sure is late¡­ I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll get good news from Plackelo tomorrow.


    I don¡¯t feel too good. I think I¡¯m going to throw a party in the courtyard and forget about that accursed girl for a night. I¡¯ll leave Olive up here for later. That will help me get my head straight.¡¯


    ¡°Wow.¡± Cira closed the book and shook her head, ¡°Fuck this guy.¡±


    Olive looked at her timidly, now dressed in a set of green robes a couple sizes too large. She went bug-eyed when Cira met her gaze, ¡°Uh¡­ Do you need help with something?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Why does this guy keep a diary?¡± Joe caught the book as she flung it away.


    ¡°Because¡­¡± Olive fidgeted as worked through the answer, as if it mattered, ¡°Because no one else can¡­ comprehend his deepest thoughts¡­ that¡¯s what he said.¡±


    ¡°Laughable.¡± Cira paced around the room checking corners and opening cupboards, ¡°There¡¯s supposed to be a vault in here. I assume you know where that is?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± The girl was in the hot seat now, but her hesitation was enough of an answer, and she quickly noticed Cira realized that. ¡°I do¡­ It¡¯s behind the bed.¡±


    She jerked her head and the crew started pushing the bed out of the way, which made surprisingly little noise. It must have been designed that way.


    ¡°This feels so unguarded¡­ shouldn¡¯t Wick take a little more care with his belongings?¡± Even if he trusted this Olive girl, that¡¯s sensitive information just sitting at his bedside. ¡°And I thought he didn¡¯t use this room often.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s been¡­ very stressed since he returned.¡± Olive supplied. Maybe the bed here is more comfortable? I can relate to that.


    The massive canopy bed had a headboard that went almost to the ceiling, and moving it revealed a lavishly sealed door that could only have been crafted by an artificer. It boasted three keyholes and a place to put your hand from the looks of it.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way in¡­¡± The girl timidly continued ¡°Not without Wick.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense.¡± While Olive saw a door sealed with layers of enchantments and impervious, mana-rich metals, Cira saw the same thing she always did¡ªmaterials. ¡°Whoever built this door ripped him off. This is no more than an enchanted lock built into a fancy-looking door. The single trap is plain as day even to my eyes.¡±


    Cira lifted her staff and the girl winced, but she proceeded to draw a rune up in the corner of the door and a blatantly shimmering explosive glyph disappeared. A grin crept on her face as she dismantled the first locking array, ¡°I¡¯ve actually been looking for this one for a while.¡±


    A silvery gem fell off and she caught it in her hand¡ªit was a spatial catalyst found only at high altitudes and usually deep inside older islands. After she repeated the process for the next two, another glyph melted down the adamantine facets which connected the gems to the door, and she balled it up like bread dough before handing it to Joe.


    ¡°Just¡­ who are you?¡± Olive looked on with wide eyes and James shook his head.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just melt the whole door down while you¡¯re at it?¡±


    Cira chuckled, ¡°I have no need for steel.¡± Another glyph took shape opposite the hinges, and she formed a small array, ¡°But the locking pin is made of tempered brinstahl. Now that¡¯s good metal.¡±


    It trickled out of the door into a melted pile and Cira drew on its surface. Before everyone¡¯s eyes, it turned into a metallic, waist-high cheese wheel. ¡°You¡¯re up Cedric. Wheel this out with us.¡± She gave it a light roll to the only mage who hadn¡¯t done anything yet.


    ¡°¡­.Okay.¡± He almost slid back stopping it, and then everyone¡¯s eyes fell on the vault¡¯s door as it slowly crept open.


    The unmistakable glow of mana shined through the crack like an enchanted treasure chest, reflecting shimmers of blues and golds, reds and greens¡­ It was like a rainbow reflecting off the surface of a lake and slowly lit up the room.


    A wide grin formed on Cira¡¯s face as literal piles of gold coins came into sight. Random artifacts were strewn about the floor while shining goblets stuck out of the various piles. Enchanted weapons were hung on the wall or unceremoniously scattered on the floor.


    Blessed silver, adamantine, a fruit bowl full of catalysts. Cira could replenish her mithril stores, though only to a small degree. This was truly a treasure vault if she had ever seen one.


    Cira couldn¡¯t stop giggles from bubbling up as she looked around the bedroom with a stupid grin. She took a few steps to the food cart and swiped her arm across it, throwing the empty platters to the ground with reckless abandon before wheeling it over to the vault.


    ¡°Alright, boys. I want every gem in the room on this cart. As many artifacts as you can fit¡ªthe shinier the better. No, we¡¯ll take two trips.¡± Cira didn¡¯t know what was so funny, but she couldn¡¯t stop laughing. While Marko alone gazed on rapturously, her crew and especially Olive grew increasingly concerned. Wait, I¡¯m here for a very good reason. ¡°Find the white gold first.¡±

 118 - Gold and Women

    Two trips were not nearly enough. Cira made the executive decision to leave Captain Wick with nothing which laid within her reach. The commandeered food cart was wheeled through the stairwell and beyond the pantry¡¯s wall six times already as they brought the final load through. At this point there was only gold left, and they piled on as much as the cart would carry.


    A few spilled off and rolled away here and there, but that was nothing of import. Still, her crew picked them up and stuffed their pockets until their pants nearly fell down.


    One last sweep revealed naught but furniture, and Cira hopped onto the bed to take a couple test bounces, ¡°I kind of want to steal his bed. It¡¯s quite soft.¡± She fell onto her back and it was like tossing herself onto a cloud.


    ¡°Or maybe don¡¯t.¡± Jimbo looked at her funny and she couldn¡¯t determine why.


    Even James had the same look in his eyes, ¡°You don¡¯t want that bed. Trust me.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡± Cira pressed into it with her hand and the softness was consistent. Yup, still good. ¡°But I do want it. We can leave the bedframe.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not really the problem¡­¡± For some reason he was sweating like he just couldn¡¯t articulate the damn problem.


    ¡°What is going on with you guys?¡± She panned over the whole crew, and they shared the same awkward expression, even refusing to meet her gaze.


    ¡°If I may,¡± Olive spoke up, ¡°You don¡¯t want this bed¡­ Uh, Wick doesn¡¯t bathe often. That¡¯s why. And he should be on his way here in around an hour, if there¡¯s anything else you need¡­¡±


    They weren¡¯t too pressed for time, but an hour was cutting it close. The plan was to be gone in much less than that, but it was never a good idea to prepare for everything to go smooth. A little urgency was wise every once in a while.


    ¡°Ah, I see. At least he doesn¡¯t have sponge maidens.¡± Surely, he sweats all that beer out all over this mattress. I must not be able to smell it because of this peculiar incense. Like berries and dried fruit. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll pass. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a sponge maiden¡­?¡± Olive¡¯s question went unheard as they made their way back to the ship.


    ¡°This better be it.¡± Shores looked increasingly concerned with each heap of treasure they brought in even if the last one was small, ¡°I feel like we¡¯ve been here too long.¡±


    ¡°Eighteen minutes.¡± James said quietly.


    ¡°Well good thing we¡¯re done here.¡± Cira hopped onto the boat and let her crew move the goods over. Everything from the pantry was already on board and just for kicks, she had them load up the cart too. Cira glanced at her unexpected recruit, ¡°Is the armory still downstairs?¡±


    Joe¡¯s information was a little outdated, so it was good she asked, ¡°It¡¯s in the second tower now.¡± Olive was being cooperative even though no compensation had been discussed yet¡ªshe was a keeper.


    ¡°Who even is this girl?¡± Shores asked.


    Cira clasped her fingers together for a moment in thought, ¡°Wick¡¯s wife or something.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Nice.¡±


    ¡°I-I am not his wife!¡± She desperately cried.


    ¡°Man¡­¡± Cira shook her head. ¡°Tough break, Wick.¡±


    ¡°Hang on.¡± Something didn¡¯t sit right with Joe, and he squinted at the girl suspiciously, ¡°I know I haven¡¯t been here in a while, but what if she¡¯s lyin¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she could lead us right to him.¡± There was no doubt on Jimbo¡¯s face. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    Everyone simultaneously looked at the girl, and Cira cast her an inquisitive look.


    ¡°I swear, I¡¯m telling the truth.¡± Olive took a timid step back, ¡°W-why would I risk my neck for that bastard? I¡¯m just trying to make a living. He didn¡¯t want people coming into the building with all his treasure every time they needed to get weapons.¡±


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    It checked out as far as Cira was concerned, and the price of her being wrong was the same as if Joe was wrong. They could go downstairs where the armory used to be and run into a legion of pirates. This was no more than a coin toss.


    ¡°I trust her. Get us moving, Shores.¡± She seems sincere, and I don¡¯t think she would lead us straight into our enemy with that look in her eyes. Cira thought this girl looked one wrong step away from death, and there was no reason she should believe Wick could overpower them fast enough to retrieve her.


    With a shrug, Reverand approached the helm while the rest of her crew hoisted the sails. They were moving again in short order and backed away toward the hillside to come in at a different angle without passing the courtyard. Their camouflage seemed to work, but it wasn¡¯t something she would trust to push her luck on. If one focused on the shrouded ship, even against the night sky, Cira was sure they would be noticed.


    ¡°Why¡­¡± Olive shook like a leaf and had trouble looking Cira in the eyes. ¡°Why did you spare me?¡±


    Cira had to suppress a chuckle, for her concerns were plenty understandable, ¡°You were never going to die. This is a heist, not an invasion.¡±


    The island was dark as feeble moonlight filtered through the mist, but the palace was lit up like a pyre. They tucked behind the hill and travelled around the side to aim for the second tower when Olive seemed to finally relax against the guardrail, ¡°It will be guarded, you know. His men at the armory aren¡¯t allowed to drink.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out one way or the other¡­ I don¡¯t suppose the armory is on the top, is it?¡± Cira thought it was a longshot from a logistics point of view, but that would make dealing with an isolated group of pirates much easier.


    ¡°No, Wick¡¯s hostages are at the top,¡± Olive said casually, ¡°The weapons are on the bottom two floors.¡±


    Cira thought she heard something that maybe shouldn¡¯t be brushed over so quickly, ¡°Hold on just a second. All his hostages are in the second tower?¡±


    Wick¡¯s habit of forcing men to fight for fear of their loved ones dying at his hand was downright despicable. It¡¯s not even fair. He¡¯s supposed to be the king, yet he relies on snatching up women throughout Hangman¡¯s Cove as ransom to sustain his grip. Pathetic. And he had the gall to try and make me his wife? I¡¯ll melt the bastard like butter in my hand.


    ¡°No¡­ not all of them.¡± She made a regretful face, ¡°There are a couple more storehouses across the island and one more on Plackelo¡­ Too many to keep in one place.¡±


    ¡°Interesting¡­¡± She looked at Jimbo listening in with a flask in his hand and he started laughing.


    ¡°I like it. Let¡¯s clean the son of a bitch out.¡± He spat toward the palace, ¡°Serves ¡®im right.¡±


    ¡°What are you idiots deciding?¡± James stood by near the helm but overheard their chatter.


    ¡°Change of plans.¡± She gave him a pat on the shoulder, ¡°A great many damsels await rescue at the top of the tower.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± He formed an X with his arms, ¡°We don¡¯t have time for that. The armory is going to take a while.¡±


    ¡°Would you rather take two trips, or take care of it all tonight?¡±


    It didn¡¯t sit well with Cira to fly away from a bunch of locked up women on a ship packed to the brim with treasure. This may not have been part of a job or come with promised reward, but Cira the sorcerer was on sabbatical anyway. Helping those in need from someone like Captain Wick was only a matter of course. As weak as she was, this fell within her reach.


    James groaned and gave her a tired look, ¡°There¡¯s no arguing with you¡­ We have to make this quick.¡±


    ¡°Then you better go plot the course.¡± Cira offered a dramatic salute, and he went to break the news to Shores.


    After a long drink from his flask, Jimbo shrugged his shoulders, looking off into the night as they picked up speed. A brief silence ensued, and Olive asked another question, ¡°Why are you here¡­?¡± Her eyes flitted around like she was trying to figure Cira out.


    ¡°For this.¡± Cira reached into her pocket and withdrew a pearly white brooch, carved in the image of the sun. There was a fair deal more below deck, but she thought this piece was pretty. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a rather prominent Final Sky symbol, so she couldn¡¯t wear it. ¡°The rest is just a bonus.¡±


    ¡°Is that¡­ white gold?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡± Cira nodded, ¡°But I¡¯m hoping to find all the staves he¡¯s stolen from mages over the years as well.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± The two looked at the approaching palace as they ascended over the trees. ¡°Those will probably be on the second floor. You may not need to cross any guards.¡±


    That should make things simple once the task at hand was complete. Now their ship rose up toward the clouds until they were eye level with the second tower¡¯s peak. It was rounded and ended in a single point. A single lit candle flickered in an open window that revealed none of the dark room beyond. Shores brought them in slow, just like last time.


    Everything was silent up here save for the wind. Lights from the courtyard flashed on the palace walls, but the unorthodox celebration in honor of Wick¡¯s fleet getting demolished by a witch could not be heard from such a height.


    ¡°Does that window work?¡± Cira asked. ¡°And how many hostages should I be expecting?¡±


    Olive nodded eagerly, ¡°It¡¯s the whole top floor, so you can enter wherever. There¡¯s maybe a hundred people up there if you count children.¡±


    Oh boy, I¡¯m responsible for children now. Maybe we should have gone to the armory first. ¡°Hey, Shores.¡± Cira called out. ¡°How many people fit on this boat?¡±


    ¡°Eighty or so if we stuff it.¡± He replied, ¡°We¡¯ve already got too much weight, though.¡±


    Olive made a troubled face that Cira tried to assuage with a smile, ¡°We¡¯ll be fine. Kids are light.¡±

 119 - Freedom and Weapons

    Captain Shores gently moored the hidden ship against the tower. As soon as they stopped moving, the crew dropped a ramp across to reach the windowsill and Cira took the first step. On her order, Marko cast a Lamplight inside the room.


    Were Cira to fall off the plank, it would be nearly a couple hundred feet to the ground. Not quite enough to reach terminal velocity, but this task had her full attention. The voices of startled women could already be heard as she approached the bottom and jumped through the threshold.


    In the white light, Cira locked eyes with a whole gaggle of frail and timid women covered in filth. Their clothes were tattered rags and some of them futilely hid children behind their backs as everyone cowered before the intruder.


    The room was large enough to be half of the top floor, with no lighting whatsoever and the putrid stench of waste hung in the air. Cira must not have looked friendly as she tried not to visibly recoil from the smell, but she was also livid. The numbers Olive spoke of seemed to live in this room alone, packed in like unwanted animals. At a glance, they all showed signs of malnutrition and many bore bruises.


    A little girl with knotted blonde hair looked up at her and started crying, and that was the breaking point. One woman screamed and the kids all started wailing. If anyone overheard, they would think Cira was on a murderous rampage up here.


    This is bad¡­ ¡°Shut up!¡± Cira did the only thing she could think of slammed her staff into the ground to discharge half of her remaining stored mana. Within the blink of an eye, the room fell silent. Women dropped to their knees while the children were in shock. A couple of them actually passed out.


    That is not what I wanted to do¡­ Cira let out a sigh as all attention fell on her in terror, ¡°I¡¯m getting you all out of here. Unless you want your children embroiled in battle, I suggest you get on the ship quietly.¡±


    ¡°W-what¡­¡± The women were dumbfounded.


    ¡°Could it¡­ really be?¡±


    ¡°Who¡­ who are you?¡±


    They were like frightened sheep the way they all looked up at her. It wasn¡¯t a feeling Cira liked, but it wasn¡¯t the time to get upset. She couldn¡¯t blame them for seeing her like that, though, and it only served to fuel her disdain for the King of this land.


    ¡°They call me Captain Dreadheart.¡± For all intents and purposes, that¡¯s who she was during this pirate escapade. That was what Wick knew her as. And that¡¯s how she was dressed because she didn¡¯t have any appropriate cat burgling attire. Why do they look more scared now? Cira just wanted them to get the hell up so she could evacuate them.


    It was then that Jimbo popped in the window impatiently, ¡°What¡¯s taking so long? We don¡¯t have all night¡ªholy shit¡­¡±


    His face went pale as he took in the squalor. The broken looks in their eyes and the bruises on their arms. Poorly washed blood stained the wood and his eye twitched from the odor.


    ¡°Is¡­ is that Jimbo?¡± One woman called out.


    ¡°It is!¡± Another joyously cried.


    A good number of the women seemed to recognize him and melted in relief. The effect spread fast.


    ¡°Jimbo Sticks has come to save us!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s really here!¡±


    They all jumped to their feet and pulled their children along as Jimbo pointed them to the ramp where James waited to help them along. They clutched his hands and thanked the both of them for rescuing everyone and saving the kids from such a cruel fate. No one said a word to Cira and avoided meeting her eyes, while some of the kids ran past her and jumped for joy.


    ¡°Uncle Jimbo!¡±


    Is it not clear what¡¯s happening here? Ugh, whatever. I prefer it this way¡­ but it kind of hurts my feelings.


    Jimbo cast her a clueless glance and shrugged with his hands in the universal ¡®whaddya gonna do¡¯ gesture.


    ¡°Whatever then.¡± I have more important things to do. Cira held up her needle and started weaving a glyph aimed at the door to the stairwell. It was comprised of wind runes to aggressively vibrate the air in a column toward the entryway for a few seconds if somebody came in.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Jimbo asked as the hostages slowly trickled out the window.


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    ¡°If anyone is in the floor below, they definitely felt my mana burst.¡± The entire heist could be foiled. We may already be moments away from battle. ¡°You guys need to hurry up.¡±


    Cira finished her glyph and walked across to the other side of the room scrunching up her face as she stepped over soiled linens and other things she didn¡¯t want to identify. There was still half the upper level beyond this door, and not a single one of these women made a move to open it. It stood for reason there were more hostages in there.


    The air in the room only got thicker as she approached the next room. Cira placed a hand on the cold iron latch and clicked it down. When she started to swing it open, a shrill cry came from behind her back, ¡°No, don¡¯t!¡±


    The stench hit her like a tidal wave and immolated her nostrils before she could even register the woman¡¯s warning. Dried blood, bodily fluids, rotting meat. The vile aroma pierced straight through to Cira¡¯s core, and she felt her body was torn between compulsively vomiting or going catatonic.


    By the time she could form a single thought, Cira had already slammed the door shut. She stood there coughing into her arm and trying not to gag when the same woman yelled at her with scorn.


    ¡°How dare you?!¡±


    Cira looked at her through teary eyes, ¡°Nobody told me!¡± Excuse the hell out of me for not wanting to forget someone.


    It took longer than Cira wanted for everyone to clear out, but it was apparent nobody was on the floor beneath them. Even a few down should have heard the screams, but they were still clear a full ten-minutes in. Either Wick had gathered as many of his men as possible to celebrate the Volcanic Witch¡¯s accomplishments, or they really just left these people locked in the top of this tower, surely only given enough food to barely sustain despite the full pantry waiting in his part-time treasure suite.


    Clearly many didn¡¯t make it, and those that couldn¡¯t survive the neglect were simply thrown into the side room. It made her skin crawl.


    Cira¡¯s blood was boiling, but she had to remember the goal. Only one more stop and they were on their way back to Breeze Haven. It didn¡¯t feel like enough. She wanted to take more from this man than she already had¡ªmore than just his wealth, weapons, and wife.


    ¡°How many were there?¡± Cira asked as she hopped back onto the ramp after the last woman made it across.


    ¡°How should I know¡ª¡± Jimbo thought she was talking to him, then James responded.


    ¡°Sixty-four women and twelve children.¡± His voice was low and a little unsteady. He was in no mood to berate Cira, and she was in no mood for jokes. The number of hostages was a great deal below their estimate.


    Cold wind blew on her face as a stray cloud passed overhead, shading the already darkened deck of Shores¡¯ hidden ship. There wasn¡¯t enough room down below so many of the rescued women lingered around on deck. They huddled together and nervously hung onto the railings. With worried mutterings, they kept to themselves and tried to meet Cira¡¯s eyes.


    For this trip, they were headed straight down. It was risky, but there wasn¡¯t time to come back in from the hills. They had to find the staves and make their escape before Wick went looking for Olive.


    It was a slow descent and they had to keep an eye out for any lit windows, but the tower seemed mostly vacated. Her newest navigator explained that this one was mainly used for storage and administrative tasks which the current pirate king had all but abandoned. Evidently the last man to sit on the throne actually performed kingly duties like distribution of essentials stolen from the Boreal and public safety.


    As they grew closer to the ground, the festivities from the palace courtyard got louder again and there was a window a few floors down flickering from the light of a torch. Shores slowed it down and they passed by cautiously until Cira thought she could hear muffled voices. She got concerned when she heard a strained woman¡¯s cry from inside.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Cira leaned over to listen in, ¡°I think someone¡¯s in trouble.¡±


    Jimbo made an uncomfortable face and even Olive looked at her silently. Then it came again, louder this time. The distinct sound of a woman¡¯s scream echoed out the window.


    ¡°That¡¯s clearly a woman in distress.¡± Cira grew increasingly troubled, but nobody moved a muscle. The unseen woman¡¯s cries were intermittent, but there was no way she was the only one who could hear it. They just didn¡¯t care. ¡°Do you not hear that? Someone¡¯s hurting her as we speak!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what¡¯s happening¡­¡± Jimbo didn¡¯t sound like he was messing around, but Cira thought it was pretty clear cut. She was baffled at her crew¡¯s like of sympathy here. Are they just trying to sweep this under the rug because we spent so much time grabbing the hostages?


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to help her then I will.¡± Cira put her good foot up on the railing like she was about to jump over when James suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her back down. ¡°Hey, what the hell?¡±


    Normally he was angry or irritated about something, but he looked truly stumped in this moment and just shook his head slowly at Cira. She waited for him to say something, and no words arrived. James signaled to Shores, then they started descending faster again.


    ¡°W-what is wrong with you people?!¡± Why are they giving me the same look as earlier? The window was above them now as the woman¡¯s cries grew distant. ¡°You¡¯re just going to abandon her?¡±


    They were right outside the window¡ªthis was about as within Cira¡¯s reach as it gets. She couldn¡¯t understand why her crew picked now of all times to stop her.


    ¡°Uh, Captain Dreadheart¡­¡± Olive awkwardly said, ¡°The girl¡¯s fine. I promise.¡±


    Even she¡¯s not worried¡­ am I misunderstanding something here? My mind¡¯s not playing tricks on me, is it? Her soul was broken, and she hadn¡¯t noticed too many adverse effects yet, so it was perfectly reasonable to think she was losing her grip on reality.


    James must have seen the utter confusion on her face and put a caring hand on her shoulder. There was a look in his eyes of something like concern, ¡°Just let it go.¡±


    Am I going crazy? They¡¯re all looking at me like that. What is this?


    Cira ran out of time to ponder her questionable mental state as they were now just a floor away from their destination. The armory¡¯s windows were all barred off, but no light came from within. Shores brought the ship down gently until it nearly kissed the wall before they stopped.


    The plan was to enter the same way as they did for the treasury, but it would clean out her reserves of mana until they returned to the dark basin. Cira drew her door array again and watched it light up as the onyx fizzled out.

 120 - Perfect Enough

    After a quiet argument, Marko was the first to enter the tower¡¯s second floor. They were only able to make one sound dampening artifact before, so he stepped up into the dark room carefully. It took a few seconds longer this time, but after looking around he motioned for everyone to follow.


    The party was going on right below them as voices and laughter poured in the far window. There was a band outside playing string instruments and an off-tune flute. Cira walked cautiously but wasn¡¯t too worried about being overheard. Their problem was light. They were low enough to alert Wick¡¯s crew, so they had to rummage in the dark.


    Moonlight glistened across the room to reveal racks of guns and swords hung up, but that wasn¡¯t what they needed to find. Still, Cira signaled the others to start loading them up. They intended to leave this room perfectly empty after what they just witnessed above.


    While the crew ransacked the place, Cira walked around until she found two doors. One of them undoubtedly led downstairs, and the other, she suspected, led to the valuable weapons. Lucky for her, it was not difficult to determine, as one had a bar across it with a poorly enchanted latch and the other was just a door.


    Dammit, I knew I should have brought Rictor. Cira couldn¡¯t melt it down herself without any mana, and breaking down the door would be much too loud. There were a few options here, but the least destructive method would be to ask for help


    The shelves quickly cleared up as Cira paced around the room. Nothing special could be found in here at a glance, just guns of shoddy make and swords that had¡¯t seen maintenance in years. Their edges chipped and dulled from countless battles, thrown against Wick¡¯s enemies without concern for whether they may break.


    Cira thought if this was any reflection of how he ran an island, everyone would be better off if he disappeared. Today was not the day for usurpation, however. Cira took a glance back out the window and saw her crew just piling weapons up in a corner against the cabin so they wouldn¡¯t slide off. Below deck must have been full with all the disparaged women and children they acquired¡ªa physical representation of the sorcerers¡¯ burden.


    They had apparently made good progress in five minutes or so, and she pulled Tawny away, ¡°Hey, take a break.¡± She was inspecting a rifle that seemed to be made of rusted pipe and put it down when Cira called.


    Among her artificer students, Tawny had shown the most talent. That also carried over to the act of dispelling enchantments. In most cases this was as simple as retracing the glyph backwards, Cira thought, but only Tawny seemed to have the steady hand to do so without triggering the artifact more often than not.


    ¡°What?¡± Tawny responded curtly as if she had something better to do. Cira brought her over to the locked door and asked if she thought she could get through it. ¡°These enchantments¡­ look easier than the ones on your staff was at least. I¡¯ll need a few minutes.¡±


    The staff had a few enchantments that needed to be removed to allow the functionality of a needle, and it took a few hours of hand holding before her students could even start carving new glyphs in, so a few minutes seemed doable. Cira walked away and followed the sounds of celebration to the far window to get a good idea of their surroundings.


    The window was formed with an arch of white brick and Cira hid to one side, barely poking her head out to take in the scene below. The sprawling courtyard was a little larger than Breeze Haven and well-lit with torches and a massive bonfire in the center. The band brought lively rhythms to the atmosphere, but the fiddler looked a few tunes away from falling over. Their music had noticeably worsened even since Cira and the gang stopped outside the armory and from above, Cira could see their faces red as fresh tomatoes.


    There were far too many pirates outside to count, nearly all of them dressed in black and gold, while a great many had already fallen over at some point earlier. Scattered around them were countless barrels with cheap wine or ale pooled beneath. Women ran around dressed like Olive when she found her bussing glasses back and forth, refilling and hastily returning them to Wick¡¯s crew.


    Among the inebriated masses there was a particular focal point Cira zeroes in on. A raised deck stood near the pyre with an ornate table and chairs sitting on it. A group of ten or so scantily clad women sat at the table surrounding one man. Let¡¯s just say, it took a lot of willpower for Cira not to pull out her crossbow right then and there.


    Her first thought was, that guy looks a lot like James¡­ He had dirty blonde hair and the same chiseled jawline, like a caricature of a statue. James still had him beat in muscle, but this guy was no slouch. His mustache curled slightly and rested on a well-trimmed goatee while his face was red as any other, flushed out with all the wine and such he¡¯d surely consumed.


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    He wore an unmarred black and gold vest with matching trousers, but atop his head sat a golden crown. Captain Wick¡­ he would be such an easy target right now. The man threw his head back and laughed boisterously, ¡°Another!¡± He tossed an empty glass at one of the nearby women.


    Of all the times to not have an aura, this one was particularly troubling. If Cira had it her way, she would hop out the window now and deliver a Sorcerer Punch right to the face. His pronounced jawline was practically asking for it.


    Cira found her hand clenching the crossbow¡¯s handle and relaxed it. Don¡¯t get hasty, Cira¡­ the bastard¡¯s not going anywhere. But just taking his things doesn¡¯t feel like enough. Isn¡¯t there something else I can do?


    ¡°Hey,¡± She was startled out of her thoughts as tawny grabbed her arm. The girl glanced out the window and followed Cira¡¯s gaze, ¡°just what the hell are you planning to do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet¡­¡± Our exit is just as important as what we came here for. Starting anything now would be a bad idea.


    ¡°Well, your door¡¯s open. Get your head in the game.¡± Tawny scoffed and headed into the next room.


    Cira was irritated by that comment, but when she followed her, a bright smile came naturally. The room was smaller, but the walls were lined with staves of all make. Most were adorned with a catalyst at the top and Cira lost track trying to count all the different gemstones. Of course, it would be immoral to break any of these down without first making sure they had no owner aside from Captain Wick. Cira still couldn¡¯t help but feel giddy at this prize. There was even a pile of artifacts on the ground Cira couldn¡¯t wait to inspect.


    She grabbed as many as she could as a bundle in her arms and walked stiffy back towards the ship. The guns had been cleaned out and the only swords left were bent and cracked, piled in the center. She passed Jimbo on her way as he came back in from outside, ¡°Hey, you found ¡®em!¡±


    ¡°Sure did.¡± Cira turned and nodded from behind her new staves, ¡°Now make it quick.¡±


    The rest of the crew finished their last loads of less important weapons and started swarming the next room over. They each came out with handfuls of staves or with their shirt held out like a bag stuffed with weaponized curios. Cira and Tawny both made trips too, and they took another ten minutes to empty the room down to nothing but dust on the floor.


    Everyone had smiles on their faces as the last staff made it back to the ship and Cira marveled at the disorderly pile of weapons they had stolen. It was big enough to swim in if there weren¡¯t so many sharp edges and points. It stood as high as her shoulders and was so wide she feared it would spill out once they got moving.


    Cira then scanned over the deck and found a handful of rescued hostages grouped up. They avoided her eyes and shivered under her gaze. Cira felt the ship pull back and they started catching the wind to rise when one woman looked up, ¡°C-Captain Dreadheart¡­ w-what are you going to do with us?¡±


    ¡°Have we not already established you were rescued? I¡¯ll probably ship you off to Green Pit or something for now.¡± They were relieved when Jimbo saved them but seemed to realize that their fate was ultimately in another¡¯s grip. Cira didn¡¯t appreciate being treated like some kind of Captain Wick type, but it couldn¡¯t be helped.


    ¡°But my husband is still down there!¡± She looked fearfully toward the ground, ¡°He thinks Wick still has me imprisoned!¡±


    ¡°Will you please quit shouting? What do you want me to hop down there and announce that I¡¯ve freed you? We do anything else but escape, and everyone down there starts attacking us, your husband included.¡±


    The woman¡¯s face went pale, and Jimbo came back over to get in the middle, ¡°Now, now, will all you relax? Dreadheart here didn¡¯t even know you were up there and there will be plenty of time to talk about what comes next after we get the hell out of here. Got it?¡±


    He looked between Cira and the group of frightened women who seemed to relax at his very presence. One didn¡¯t seem ready to let it go, though, ¡°But why would she do that? We know you, Jimbo, but we don¡¯t know this girl! Why are you taking orders from her anyway?¡±


    Cira shook her head with a grin, ¡°Looks like you got this, Jimbo.¡± She turned around and headed towards the helm to keep Shores company.


    They had risen almost halfway up the tower and peeled back to the hills, but this time they skirted around the palace to the South. Cira found some solace in that Wick¡¯s celebration seemed to be going on unhindered below while she flew away with a boatload of his things, but still felt the indomitable itch of inaction. There was a moment she contemplated kicking off their exit with a well-place crossbow bolt, but at such a distance she could just as easily hit any one of ten women surrounding him. It wasn¡¯t a smart move.


    ¡°Heya, Captain!¡± Shores looked at her with a smile¡ªhe seemed thrilled. ¡°We sure made off tonight, huh?¡±


    ¡°Aye. That we did.¡± It could not be denied, and Cira was in a good mood too. They now had everything they needed to reforge her soul¡ªall that left was going home to keep working. She returned his smile easily, ¡°You ready to start the show?¡±


    Sadly, they had to forgo stealth to make their escape. It wouldn¡¯t be a perfect heist by all standards, but the operation had already met Cira¡¯s criteria. They had loads of stuff and taking Wick¡¯s hostages was sure to be a serious blow to any leverage he held.


    It would be obvious that they came and stole everything. Even with no evidence, Wick would know she was the culprit with certainty. So, what would happen if they simply snuck off into the night?


    The mediocre king would probably arrive at the truth that they were hidden out on the island. Perhaps a day or so would pass as they scoured Lost Cloud, but they would end up at Kuja¡¯s. Leaving the woman who helped her so much alone to deny her involvement in the face of one of Wick¡¯s execution squads wasn¡¯t something Cira wanted to do and simply leaving it vacant could end in her village getting burned to the ground.


    So, they intended to use a tried-and-true tactic to throw them off again. According to Wick¡¯s diary, it should work for sure.


    ¡°Ready when you are.¡± Shores replied.


    Cira nodded across the deck and Tawny deactivated their cloaking enchantments. As the unmasked ship faced the southern skies, her mages gathered all their magic to rain down upon the palace walls.

 121 - Evening of Plunder

    A wind-charged fireball exploded against the palace walls and took out a few bricks while bolts of lightning arced through the smoke. The party beyond was instantly thrown into chaos as Cira watched half-conscious pirates stumble over unconscious ones to get to the armory.


    She wanted to ransack the lower floor and really clean them out of weapons, but pushing her luck too much in one night was a recipe for disaster. It was basically guaranteed for there to have been guards down below. For kicks, Cira had Tawny light up a small storehouse outside the gates used for lumber and it turned into a great pyre as they escaped into the night sky before anyone had a chance to fire back.


    The palace lights grew distant, but not fast enough. The ship was noticeably weighed down compared to when they arrived, and it swayed in the wind. They were too far now to keep their magic up, so now it was just a straight shot to the shore. They passed right over Hangman¡¯s Cove on their way South and once they nearly reached the edge, the first black and gold ship rose up behind them. Two masts carried it through the wind and its narrow hull slid across the sky with little effort.


    It was clear that this enemy ship was already going faster than them as they ascended, and in the time Cira guessed it took them to pull out a spyglass, the sound of cannon fire rang out over the town. It was a clear miss, but rippled the air as it passed by before disappearing into the clouds.


    All the women they rescued started screaming and even the ones down below could be heard along with the panicked cries of their children. Truthfully, if a cannonball hit the hull, it could spell trouble. The ship now bore reinforcement glyphs, but they were a far cry from Breeze Haven¡¯s protections.


    Another blast pierced the night, ¡°Those sons a bitches!¡± Reverend called out.


    ¡°We need to go faster!¡± Joe shouted.


    ¡°We¡¯re overweight, you fool!¡± With a groan, he looked around the ship before taking a glance at their pursuers, ¡°Trim the sails, we¡¯re goin¡¯ up!¡±


    At his word, the crew fell into action. ¡°But don¡¯t we need to go down?¡± Cira asked.


    ¡°Wick may not be the sharpest sword in the barrel, but the same trick won¡¯t work twice with a ship that fast tailing us¡ªEase up the canopies!¡± He cut himself off with more orders for the crew. Cira saw James taking charge and felt a sudden downdraft as the ship suddenly caught wind. ¡°That ship will reach us by the time we can get back under the island, but we can still climb faster.¡±


    Another cannonball broke through the fog a little closer this time, but their current ascent threw off the enemy¡¯s aim. As Shores furiously spun the wheel back and forth to try and further hinder the cannoneer, Cira thought she should leave him to his captaining.


    Another five or ten minutes passed by as they ascended southward and they reached a point where their pursuers could no longer aim high enough to even hope for a shot. Cira strolled around to the edge and watched them get smaller within the dark, misty backdrop. Lost Cloud was nowhere to be seen as they¡¯d flown so far up, but the fog had already begun to envelop Wick¡¯s ship.


    ¡°You can get us back, right?¡± There was a little tingle of worry in the pit of Cira¡¯s stomach as they sped deeper into the cloudy abyss. Without her aura, being this far from Breeze Haven made her nervous. If they got lost, she may never see it again.


    ¡°Who do you think I am?¡± Shores gave her a fearless grin. ¡°You just sit tight, Captain. And have Tawny turn our cloak back on when that guy¡¯s out of sight.¡±


    She returned a firm nod and walked across the deck to where her exhausted mages sat against the stern chatting to watch the sky below. No more cannonballs came, and it only took a few minutes before their pursuers were gone without a trace, leaving them up here alone with the wind.


    ___


    It was still dark by the time they made it back to Breeze Haven, though the first shreds of twilight could be seen creeping in from below. The journey was mostly quiet when they lit torches and approached the basin of shadows. It wasn¡¯t until then that another panic stirred among the former hostages.


    ¡°W-where are we going¡­?¡± A nervous Olive stood next to Cira and worked up the courage to ask.


    ¡°Home.¡± Cira smiled.


    ¡°You¡­ live in the Valley of Curses?¡±


    ¡°Not a valley.¡± She held a finger up to make a point. ¡°And only temporarily.¡±


    Shrill cries came from below deck as they plunged into the darkness, and her unoccupied crew rushed down there to calm them down. Everyone was on edge. While the women up top frantically swiveled their heads around the black nothingness which enshrouded them all, Olive was noticeably shaking.


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    ¡°What is this place?" Her face was pale as her wide eyes kept catching glimpses of revenants as they disappeared into the dark.


    ¡°This is merely the reservoir of a mana well. More importantly, do you know where the other hostages are?¡± Cira had figured out something else she could do to deal a blow to the King. She would take everything within her grasp.


    ¡°Um, yes¡­ I do.¡± She timidly glanced between Cira and the fading apparitions. ¡°Are you going to save all of them too?¡±


    Cira¡¯s mouth was open as she was about to confirm the girls¡¯ question when James walked up, ¡°Hey now, what the hell are you planning?¡±


    Olive nervously shrunk back, but his eyes were fixed only on Cira.


    ¡°We need to get the other hostages, no?¡± She couldn¡¯t abandon something halfway through just like that.


    ¡°You think we have the time or the crew for that? We already have those crazy mages looming over us, and you¡¯re the one who said your soul couldn¡¯t be delayed any longer. Everyone¡¯s tired, and there¡¯s barely enough of us to keep the ship moving.¡±


    ¡°So what?!¡± Cira rebutted, ¡°I could have shot that bastard in the chest¡ªand it would have been easy! He still possesses far too much. And you saw that room at the top of the tower, right? Want to make bets on whether the other storehouses have better conditions?¡±


    Their argument had drawn the stray women¡¯s attention and Jimbo walked over at the noise, ¡°What¡¯s going on? I¡¯m in.¡±


    ¡°Why are you always like this?!¡± James cradled his head in his hands and loudly groaned. ¡°This idiot¡¯s about to tell us to go find the rest of Wick¡¯s hostages as soon as we get back!¡±


    ¡°What are you gonna do with ¡®em?¡± Jimbo asked, ¡°We already got a bunch on hand.¡±


    ¡°We can send them off to Green Pit while everything blows over, can¡¯t we?¡± This was a place Cira had never seen but was constantly grateful for its existence.


    ¡°Green Pit ain¡¯t that big.¡± Shores had evidently been drawn in as they drifted through the dark. ¡°How many people are we talking? They¡¯ll need food too, you know. There¡¯s plenty on Green Pit, but something tells me these girls aren¡¯t hunters.¡±


    Cira cast an inquisitive look to Olive. ¡°Um, maybe three or four hundred in all¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot.¡± He nodded.


    ¡°Sure is.¡± Jimbo agreed.


    Cira agreed as well, but it would do no good to voice negative opinions. ¡°They¡¯ve got to be feeding them, at least a little. Plus, the guards that watch them. We have a pantry worth of goods and we¡¯ll raid each location. That will be a start, right? Bring them to Breeze Haven after each trip and once we have freed all the hostages, Shores will either shuttle them back and forth or go get a bigger ship from Green Pit. If we don¡¯t do this now, Wick will certainly move them once he discovers the others gone. This is our only chance.¡±


    Even the stupidest man would move them if his entire kingdom depended on blackmailing his subordinates. She couldn¡¯t do anything about those truly loyal, but with the number of hostages she was hearing about, it would seriously shake his power over Lost Cloud.


    There was a difficult look on James¡¯ face as he mulled over her words. He wasn¡¯t so stone-hearted, he was just pragmatic. The man didn¡¯t like to see people shoved into a room like livestock, nor to hear that there were more places just like it. He clearly wanted to do something about it by the look on his face but couldn¡¯t commit to something that would lead to failure and death.


    ¡°The sky¡¯s crawling with those black and gold bastards now,¡± James finally said. It was bothersome that she needed her crew¡¯s approval for her plans, but she¡¯d be no better than Wick otherwise. She didn¡¯t want people to start dying either, though. ¡°They¡¯ll pick us right off.¡±


    The women here seemed to be familiar with some of the others held elsewhere and listened to their argument with bated breath.


    ¡°If I was going to abandon them, I may as well have left the rest at the palace.¡± He has a point though. We¡¯re not ready for this at all. ¡°We still have a few hours before the sun rises. There has to be a way.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Shores stepped forward. ¡°Allow me to shoulder this burden for you. Just leave me whoever you don¡¯t need in the forge.¡±


    ¡°Are¡­ you sure?¡± It was a perfect offer for Cira but didn¡¯t really solve any of the presented problems. ¡°I don¡¯t need anyone rushing to their death to quell my whims.¡±


    ¡°Wick won¡¯t even know I¡¯m comin¡¯.¡± There was a reassuring smile plastered on his face, ¡°You let me worry about the details.¡±


    While Cira wasn¡¯t comfortable relinquishing control on this one, she realized it was only because she wanted to slight Captain Wick. The core of the issue could be resolved without her. If Shores said he can round up all the hostages, then it was best to take him for his word. ¡°Take everyone you need but Gil and my rock mages. Sorry, Olive. That means you too.¡±


    She was the only one who knew the location of Wick¡¯s storehouses, so it was a given she had to go. The girl knew this, but it still didn¡¯t make her feel any better. ¡°Are you¡­ not coming with us?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he hasn¡¯t failed me yet.¡± For some reason, Cira didn¡¯t think her expression was as assuring as the Reverend himself, ¡°I have to prepare for a great many guests.¡±


    Through the curtain of shadows, Breeze Haven¡¯s light came into view at last to the surprised gasps of her commandeered prisoners. They mumbled about trying to figure out what it was when they eventually touched down next to the shining island.


    Cira gave the heaps of treasure one last look and issued some more orders to the crew, ¡°Get the women and children off the ship and dump all the treasure off the side for later. Make sure to treat the staves gently and bring the food up to the lawn so nothing gets into it. Jimbo, you run in and tell everyone to come out here with all the torch artifacts they can carry.¡±


    ¡°Aye, aye!¡±


    Her point-man jumped off to find the others and Cira turned her back to a grumbling james to climb down as well while the everyone else started directing the rescues. There was always something important Cira forgot to consider when taking on a burden such as the lives of women and children, but she was at least equipped to deal with it now.


    The trunk full of boarding passes always seemed like overkill, but she knew there wasn¡¯t nearly enough in there. It wasn¡¯t even worth grabbing them when she would have to make more anyway. Cira was also in the habit of carrying an extra in her pocket at this point, so she pulled it out to inspect the glyphs.


    They worked more like a receiver for Breeze Haven to recognize rather than as true artifacts themselves. All the work in allowing someone inside or ejecting them was done entirely by her home¡¯s litany of enchantments, but it did allow Breeze Haven to discern their will.


    Starting with a single palm-sized disk of stone from beneath her feet, Cira carved away at it while her onyx slowly recharged.

 122 - What Lurks in the Shadows

    "Goblins inherently seek out mana-rich creatures to prey upon, often alive so as to prevent premature nutrient dissipation. In this way, goblins gather mana directly from their diet to sustain themselves. Unlike humans and most other aether-touched fauna, goblins neither possess an aura nor store their mana within one. Instead, it becomes part of their corporea, seeming to meld with their body as a whole.


    ¡°Because of their unique physiology, they don¡¯t derive any nutrients from the meat they consume except mana. Unlike elemental constructs, however, they do indeed possess an internal physiology which, aside from sensory organs, seems to serve no further purpose than to remove waste. A very curious creature¡ªokay, Dad, I get it.¡± Cira flipped through the pages of ¡®Goblins: A Study from the Depths of Mudrock¡¯, authored by none other than Goblin Lord Gazen.


    Seriously, what the hell is with this, Dad? Why was this in the forbidden archive?


    ¡°What do you hope to find?¡± Kuja asked from across the dining room table, ¡°It¡¯s getting late if you still want to return to Archaeum sometime tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll get to that.¡± Under the old woman¡¯s pointed gaze, Cira knew she was worried about the first tomb. Having landed on a promising page, she picked it up again, ¡°Goblins inherently form a hierarchal structure among any given community based on magical prowess. Those with large reserves and a high aptitude for mana induction often assumed roles similar to a mage, and I have classified them as ¡®shamans¡¯.


    ¡°Most goblins fall short and make up the bulk of their population, which I have divided into ¡®hunters¡¯ and ¡®villagers¡¯. Rather than mana, or even gender, these roles are naturally assumed based on physical strength. Individuals among the dredges of goblin society may also possess smaller degrees of magical aptitude depending on nearby resources and how their particular community handles food distribution, but it¡¯s not as common as I would like to see.


    ¡°At the top of the hierarchy lies the ¡®king¡¯. This class of goblin is never a shared title and is almost always the absolute strongest specimen among them. While I have seen the odd shaman rise to such status on occasion, it is more often than not a mere hunter with a tough body built through countless physical battles. Naturally the mana goes to where it is needed most through years of victory and strengthens the goblin¡¯s body to the point it can easily resist any shaman who may oppose them.


    ¡°Such goblin kings are not often wise, and this ultimately results in rapid degradation of the local gene pool as they tend to horde nutrients for themself, thus weakening the overall population. This often perpetuates as the only goblin who may hope to usurp such a king would be the same manner of particularly strong hunter through traditional trial by combat. If they are lucky, an outsider from beyond the tribe will appear one day and defeat the tyrant, thus breaking the cycle. In this case, the victor automatically assumes kingship by way of instinctual loyalty from the affected community. Hang on a minute¡­¡±


    ¡°Child¡­¡± Kuja gave her a serious look, ¡°Did you¡­?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ am I¡­¡± Cira¡¯s whimsical expression fell as a crease formed on her lips, ¡°Am I the goblin king?¡±


    ¡°It would seem that way¡­¡± Kuja sounded troubled. It all made sense now how they stopped being hostile all at once. The uncomfortably reverent looks in some of their beady little yellow eyes. ¡°What do you plan to do about it?¡±


    ¡°Well, I kind of feel bad for telling them to piss off like that, but I guess they really wanted to eat us. Is there anything to really do about it? Sounds like they won¡¯t attack us at least.¡± I¡¯m certainly not going to move in with them and spend my days in those ruins. ¡°I guess we can move onto the next floor.¡±


    ¡°Not quite¡­ It looks like Shores has returned again.¡± Kuja looked out the window and, just as she said, a torch came through the fog marking his second trip back. The first time was as soon as she finished enough boarding passes to let the initial group in, so she had to double down when an even greater number showed up.


    Cira was starting to worry as she had plenty of time to hammer out hundreds more and start reading about goblins by the time they returned again, so this was something of a relief.


    She waved at Jimbo as he passed by leading a new group through her front door, down the stairs, and into the training hall. Having such a large space was nice in these situations, but her crew had to station at key points to keep them moving along as they gawked at the sight of Breeze Haven¡¯s interior.


    I¡¯m definitely never having this many guests again. ¡°How¡¯s it been, Jimbo?¡±


    She caught him in passing and he took the moment to break into his flask, ¡°Like pissin¡¯ in a barrel.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure that¡¯s how it goes¡­ could you elaborate?¡± It was clear they were doing just fine, but her crew was in a rush. The sun must have risen by now and they were about to take off on the open skies, having raided the two storehouses on Lost Cloud.


    ¡°Just as the girl said, Wick only had a couple guys at each spot. Couldn¡¯t believe it! They didn¡¯t even try to fight back. Let¡¯s hope Plackelo is the same.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ what¡¯s that place like?¡± Cira figured it was an island she would never see, so couldn¡¯t help but be curious about it.


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    ¡°Kind of a shithole. I guess you could call it a trading post, though. People from Lost Cloud sell stuff there sometimes¡ªyou know, stolen stuff.¡± The stream of hostages passed, and Cira looked out the window to see Captain Shores just beyond her fence standing ready at the helm. She turned away from his bright smile when James walked into the room, hoping to spare him from staring directly into Breeze Haven¡¯s light.


    ¡°Wanna know how many women and children are downstairs?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Not really¡­¡± Responsibilities were best left in ambiguity, but that wasn¡¯t often how life worked out.


    ¡°You got two hundred sixty people down there¡­ That training hall is pretty big, but if the next spot is much worse, we¡¯re gonna have some real space issues.¡± Cira pursed her lips at the staggering number. That¡¯s way too many people. I wish we kept another boat here so we could just send them off. ¡°They¡¯re getting restless, too. You might want to pay them a visit at some point.¡±


    ¡°¡­how far away is Plackelo?¡± Cira deflected, hoping to avoid confronting such a mass of humans.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be back by sundown, so at least go calm them down in a little.¡± James gestured for Jimbo to follow him out the door so they could depart when Cira stopped them.


    ¡°Wait a minute, are you sure there won¡¯t be any problems?¡± It wasn¡¯t comfortable just sitting around while everyone else launched an assault on another island. ¡°It¡¯s daytime now, right?¡±


    It was impossible to tell by looking outside, and Cira hadn¡¯t gotten up in a while to find a clock.


    ¡°Unless Wick¡¯s already sent a ship there, we¡¯ll be fine¡­ Otherwise it may be a fight, or we¡¯ll have to turn around. No more time to chat, though.¡± With that, they were gone.


    Cira watched Shores¡¯ black ship rise and quickly disappear through the shadows before returning her gaze to Kuja, ¡°Alright, then¡­ I guess they¡¯re okay. Where were we?¡±


    ¡°You were going to tell me what those beasts we found in the tomb were.¡± Evidently, she had grown tired of the suspense.


    ¡°Of course. Well, beast is a stretch.¡± After picking herbs the other day, Cira had flipped through one of the books she studied as a kid which held some of the more common among obscure creatures one may come across while traveling the skies. ¡°All the dark mana threw me off because I had never seen them like that before. They also seemed much more developed than I¡¯ve known in the past, but my father coined the term ¡®amalgam¡¯ to define them. Simplistic, instinct-driven lifeforms born of the aether.¡±


    ¡°Amalgam¡­? I have never heard that word, but if there aren¡¯t beasts¡­ then just what are they?¡±


    ¡°Well, when I say born of the aether, I mean it. Under almost all conditions when mana naturally condenses, it forms crystals. Very rarely, something like a cancerous mutation, mana will refuse to crystallize but continue to coagulate.¡± This non-forbidden knowledge was something she learned very long ago, but it was nice having a refresher to keep her mind sharp. ¡°If by chance this formless glob of mana is stumbled upon by another creature mistaking it for a food source, the amalgam will naturally absorb the creature if its mana is around the same level or not much higher.


    ¡°This allows it to take a semblance of its prey¡¯s physical characteristics to acquire further sustenance as soon as locomotion is possible. Over time with a consistent diet, their form can even mimic a creature they¡¯ve eaten many of. Upon reaching a certain mana or age threshold, the creature will split, over time forming a large colony. Think something like coral, or um¡­ barnacles maybe. Though, they¡¯re a little more autonomous than that. Do jellyfish form packs¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ think I get it. They sound like an infestation of bugs. One that¡¯s been getting worse for¡­ centuries.¡± There was a pained look in Kuja¡¯s eyes as she peered into the floor. ¡°To think it¡¯s come to such a state¡­¡±


    ¡°An apt analogy, but don¡¯t get too worried about it. We¡¯ll work it out.¡± Cira knocked on the table to get her to stop moping. There were many ways to get rid of them, as they were feeble beings at the end of the day. All the memories of her time reading about them came flooding back as she went through the book, even seeing little notes she wrote in the margins. ¡°I never liked my dad¡¯s ¡®amalgam¡¯, though, so I decided to re-coin them as ¡®slimes¡¯. You know, the nature affinity ones can be quite adorable.¡±


    ¡°I suppose I will take your word for it.¡± Kuja shuffled nervously, ¡°So you can kill them, right?¡±


    ¡°Ah, sorry. I got a little off track. I typically don¡¯t like to exterminate things with less than eight legs, but I think this infestation calls for it. They¡¯re not even living creatures, simply mana which absorbed the will to consume. I¡¯d say we¡¯re lucky they were so stained in dark mana, else such an evolved colony of slimes would easily have mutated elements and branched out by now to consume the island. The easiest way to kill them is with heat¡ªor cold for that matter. Anything which rapidly alters their formless structure can cause detrimental damage to the slime.¡±


    Cira found a rather embarrassing blueprint she drew when she was ten or eleven of a supposed slime press. It had a flat tube, open on top, with a single lever connected to a piston. It would theoretically squish the slime until its form simply dissipated. It sounded fine in theory¡ªit would certainly work¡ªbut Cira never realized the moral implications of such a device until the other day.


    If she were forced to fight a slime, such as the ones down below, there was no way in hell she was getting them to sit calmly in the tube and wait for death. The device would only work on docile slimes that she loaded by hand and set down gently before walking around to the lever. Cira had a flashback of a slime she found mimicking a bunny and hiding in the tall grass as she passed by, and the image of compressing it to oblivion made Cira crumple up the old design and throw it in the trash.


    ¡°So, we can just use fire, then. I assume we need a lot of it?¡±


    ¡°Too much and we¡¯ll suffocate¡­ so we¡¯ll use ice as well. Maybe the brothers can do an icy mist or work together with Cedric to spread his electricity. Lightning is perfectly viable here, too.¡±


    It was a simple enough explanation, but Kuja wasn¡¯t convinced yet. ¡°It sounds like we had all the necessary components. Why were we so overwhelmed?¡±


    ¡°Preparation is key.¡± Cira pointed out, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such violent and capable slimes, meaning they¡¯ve consumed a great many creatures and proliferated mostly unhindered for a very long time. They aren¡¯t exactly nutritious, so there¡¯s a fair chance their colony extends to the bottom of Archaeum. I honestly hope that¡¯s the case because the other option is beasts so powerful they no longer need food, or malicious spirits. This time we will have plenty of artifacts and hunt them with a plan.¡±


    Her spidery companion sure slept a lot, but Mac promised her a perfect soul a few days prior. She didn¡¯t want to say anything now, but that pretty much guaranteed there was a powerful beast hidden in the depths, if not multiple. Cira kept avoiding the subject because she was scared to ask what creature her prospective new soul belonged to.

 123 - Runic Landscaping

    Nine wicker baskets sat lined up next to the door leading from Breeze Haven¡¯s forge, bound to the floor with the heaping weight of enchanted tablets as Cira lacked the aura with which to lift them. Regrettably, she would need to have Tawny activate her favorite artifacts so that they may once again rise to destined convenience.


    As Cira let out a long and wistful breath, mana flashed against the stark white nullstone slabs while her de facto artificers tirelessly carved out the last of the tools they would need to venture below. After all of Rocky¡¯s experience working with mithril, he caught on relatively fast when Cira taught him how to conjure nullstone, so after making another dent in her dwindling potion stores, they ended up with a pile of nullstone tablets that would last about a week before they crumbled¡ªjust long enough.


    It seemed the newcomer Yotan really lit a fire under her crew¡¯s asses and proved essential in finishing the soul thresher overnight. It sat in all its shiny glory with a ridiculous number of gems glittering in the light. Cira¡¯s newfound and partial understanding of currency made even her balk at the absurd creation.


    Without knowing its exact function, it looked like some abstract art piece like one would expect a modern magician to produce with all its jagged, jewel-encrusted spikes and lavishly speckled basin. The artifact, if you could even call it that at this point, still needed a few essential arrays that Cira would carve later herself, but aside from that it was complete and ready for transport, sitting next to her baskets by the door.


    Next to the crew¡¯s workbench and not in baskets were all the artifacts Cira needed for her business meeting next week, but she wasn¡¯t too concerned about those at the moment.


    ¡°That one¡¯s looking a little sloppy, Ike.¡± The admonishment from over his shoulder startled the young paladin. ¡°Those glyphs in particular condense the conjured light, so messing them up is a good way to make a bomb.¡±


    ¡°B-but it looks the same as Yotan¡¯s!¡± He was an earnest lad, but precision was his weak point.


    ¡°Not so. The outer array has six specific operative runes, so the next layer must conform to the same pattern. Your entire central array needs to rotate a smidge. Hmm¡­¡± She started pulling slates from his finished pile and inspecting them. For every two that she returned, one was thrown to the floor as Ike¡¯s expression grew increasingly troubled. The fifth that she tossed away lit up when it hit the ground and the forge was bathed in a violent flash of light.


    ¡°Gyahhh!!¡± Ike fell to the ground and the others cried out.


    ¡°What the hell was that?!¡± Rictor made a strained face as he tried to rub the pain out of his eyes.


    ¡°I tried to tell you.¡± Cira tossed one more inertly to the ground. ¡°Unstable artifacts don¡¯t care about when you want them to activate, or what you want them to do. Just take it slow and you¡¯ll get it. I know I said we were in a hurry, but we¡¯re doing fine on time by now.¡±


    ¡°A little sleep would help.¡± Rocky quipped. ¡°You can¡¯t just keep us locked in the forge.¡±


    ¡°Go to sleep if you want, crybaby. These guys would just head to the training room if I told them to stop.¡± With the exception of Yotan who would refuse. Cira was working them to the bone, but it was at their behest. They wouldn¡¯t have it any other way and eagerly walked the path of the tireless sorcerer. Sooner or later, she would have to make the old man go to bed, but that was neither here nor there.


    ¡°It has been a long day.¡± Rictor said offhandedly, ¡°Are we still going to enchant that boulder or whatever? I wouldn¡¯t mind going to bed soon, and I¡¯m pretty sure the sun set hours ago on the outside.¡±


    Cira did not mind his complaints one bit, because the entire crew had been awake since the morning of the heist. Then all through the night until this very moment the following evening.


    ¡°Now that you mention it¡­ Shouldn¡¯t Shores and the rest be back by now?¡± They were a reliable bunch, so a few hours late could mean they ran into real trouble. There was apparently an army of pirates with an Armada to dwarf Dreadheart¡¯s scouring the skies after them, and all they had was some half-assed cloaking Cira whipped up in an hour.


    How are they breaking in without my rock mages? I didn¡¯t even think of that. They could be embroiled in battle as we speak. Or sunken through the clouds by now¡­ Cira worriedly grumbled.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get ready to leave, then.¡± Cira finished carving a glyph and set it on the table, ¡°Maybe they will have returned by the time we¡¯re done.¡±


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    She grabbed a bag of mismatched gems off the counter and instructed everyone to meet her upstairs when they finished what they were working on. Walking down the hall, Cira¡¯s mind pored through enchantments she needed to make when a particular door caught her eye.


    Dammit, I still haven¡¯t gone in there yet¡­ Surely, they¡¯re fine, right? Cira¡¯s feet began to drag as her pace slowed and she found herself stopped in front of the training hall. She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.


    ¡°Come on¡­ It¡¯s just hundreds of displaced townsfolk. What¡¯s so hard about that?¡± The knob chilled her palm and for some reason the thick wooden door felt so much heavier today. As the door cracked, she heard lively discussion and even the laughter of children, but when it opened enough for her to see in, the room fell silent. Hundreds of eyes landed on Cira¡ªmore so because each person had two. Within seconds, Cira reciprocated the energy in the room and froze in place.


    What kind of a sorcerer am I? Dad wouldn¡¯t have any trouble dealing with them. Why is this harder than facing hundreds of hostile pirates? It shouldn¡¯t be. I just need to address them all at once and head out. Yeah, that¡¯s it.


    Cira held up her trusty quill and began weaving a simple wind glyph into the air. She noticed there were some gasps among the crowd and frightened whispers, but she couldn¡¯t stop after already committing so far. Before long a glyph lit up and Cira threw her voice across the entire training hall.


    ¡°Attention hostages¡ª¡±


    ¡°Noooo! I knew we couldn¡¯t trust her!¡±


    ¡°Wahhhh!!!¡± A young boy started wailing and many from the horde of women all shrieked in panic.


    Glancing back and forth across the room, Cira saw expressions of anger, fear, or desperation. All pointed at her.


    ¡°You¡ªyou harlot!¡± A woman twice her age with graying hair looked straight into her eyes with contempt. ¡°Just what are you doing to us?¡±


    Children were crying inconsolably while the adults let out hopeless screams or bargained for their lives. The room had fallen into utter chaos.


    ¡°I¡ªI mean former hostages¡­¡± The volume of Cira¡¯s voice had no effect on the masses as they broke down and tried to comfort each other. ¡°Um, well¡­ Jimbo will be back soon¡­¡±


    Cira slowly backed away and pulled the door with her until it found its latch. Then she backed up a little further until she found a window and threw it open. She let out a breath she didn¡¯t realize she was holding in, and cold, fresh air entered her lungs.


    ¡°Damn¡­ What the hell was that?¡± No answer returned from the expanse of darkness outside, but a passing revenant stopped to cast a curious gaze her way.


    ¡°That was painful to watch.¡± An unwelcome voice entered her mind, and she felt a pattering of tiny legs settle on her shoulder. ¡°You have a real knack for that.¡±


    ¡°You have got to be the most useless familiar of all time.¡± Cira¡¯s retort had no effect.


    ¡°I¡¯m not your familiar. I¡¯m your cursed slave. Big difference.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? Cursed slave who would consume souls and take over peoples¡¯ bodies if afforded The chance. This arrangement was your idea, pal.¡± Cira clicked her tongue and continued down the hallway, her nerves having been instantly overridden with irritation. ¡°What do you even get out of sleeping so much?¡±


    The guy cried about being trapped under a jar for an undisclosed number of decades, and he¡¯d been curled up in a coat pocket for the vast majority of his tenure of freedom thus far.


    ¡°Some damn peace and quiet. Until you freed me, it seems I had forgotten how valuable it is.¡± She wondered if he even had ears. ¡°And I get to scout out all the tasty souls this island has to offer.¡±


    Cira brushed off the harmless spider¡¯s ominous words as her feet hit hard wood. Inside the kitchen, Kuja sat yawning with a book in her hand. She glanced up with a look of minor concern, ¡°It is getting late, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Do you think they ran into trouble?¡±


    ¡°I am sure of it.¡± Kuja replied bluntly but her tone didn¡¯t seem particularly troubled. ¡°I don¡¯t know Shores as well as Jimbo and the rest, but any time I¡¯ve worried over their return, they show up laughing with drinks in their hands. Those boys will be fine.¡±


    That does sound like something they would do, but I can¡¯t help but be anxious about it. I should have known it would turn out this way if I elected to sit at home.


    ¡°Ready to go?¡± Rictor came stomping up the stairs behind her with the others in tow.


    ¡°Yeah. We may as well get this taken care of before they get back.¡± It was best to stay busy. Even if she stayed behind, Cira didn¡¯t want to slack off. Besides, this was potentially one of the most important steps to prepare for her nectar collection appointment. ¡°Kuja, Rocky will stay here, but he¡¯s probably sleeping. Do you mind if I leave you to hold down the fort for a little while?¡±


    ¡°I will be here,¡± She raised her book up and repositioned to be more comfortable in the chair. ¡°Try not to stay out too late. A growing girl with a broken soul needs rest.¡±


    Cira wanted to refute her, but honestly felt like a child before the bewilderingly old woman. As she walked out the door, there was a twinge of nostalgia, plodding along with bags under her eyes. It felt the same as when she would forget to enchant something before bed and trudge down the hall to the forge in her pajamas.


    With a yawn, she clambered onto the dinghy still moored on her lawn and her crew reflected the tired expression. Old man Yotan stayed behind, so it was Cira, Gil, and Rictor who sailed over the tree tops following Jimbo¡¯s map to one of the scribbled landmarks on the opposite side of Lost Cloud. They rode the canopies in case they had to drop into hiding at any moment, but the sky was surprisingly clear.


    The ominous glow of the moon filtered through the mist above and lit up the forest a pale green in the night. All was quiet but a hooting owl and the incessant biophony of nocturnal insects. Soon a tall and narrow peak came into view as a mere silhouette through the fog, towering above the island.


    ¡°Is that it?¡± Cira asked as they approached.


    ¡°Yup.¡± Gil replied, ¡°Chimney Peak¡¯s hard to miss.¡±


    Rictor looked at it then back at Cira with uncertainty, ¡°Are we really gonna enchant the whole thing?¡±


    Cira gazed into the onyx which pulsed with stored mana, ¡°We must.¡±

 124 - Before the Storm

    Under the brisk moonlight, Cira and her skeleton crew began where Chimney Peak met the trees below, carving a continuous runic array in a spiral until they reached the top. Cira hopped off and started placing gems in specific points across the peak which was only about ten feet around or so.


    ¡°Rictor, when Gil finishes each catalyst¡¯s array, I need you to recess the gems just beneath the surface. We don¡¯t want them catching anyone¡¯s eye.¡± As far as value goes, catalysts for the primary elements were common and not usually expensive. That did not mean that any pirate with a spyglass wouldn¡¯t come steal them like a brazen crow. ¡°I know it¡¯s dark, but please don¡¯t mess these up. My life is literally depending on it.¡±


    ¡°I-I would never!¡± Gil straightened his back and gave her a reassuring nod. ¡°You can count on me for this. I practiced, remember?¡±


    It could not be denied how vastly her artificers had grown in a matter of days, and Cira held the proof of it in her hand as she approached the center of the peak. ¡°You guys really did outdid yourselves with my Shadow Quill here. I¡¯m not sure if I could have done any better myself.¡± No, that¡¯s not true. If I made it, it would compress into a ring¡ªno into my shadow. Oh, I¡¯m so doing that when I get my aura back. Can my shadow store darkness¡­? Wait¡ª


    Cira realized she was staring blankly at Gil as her thoughts ran wild, ¡°¡ªI will never forget this gesture, Lady Cira. Please, count on me for this.¡± Did I do something?


    And the two were off to work, so Cira started on her own set of glyphs. Beginning with a little something she stole from Captain Wick¡¯s door, Cira laid formed the core for the multi-tiered array which would convert the surrounding untamed aether into refined spatial mana.


    Fire, wind, water, earth, and light. These primary elements were all represented by a catalyst as Gil worked his way around in a circle. The intricate runes which strung them together formed a rudimentary mana catchment array, sending it all into the center.


    Ordinarily to create pure (refined) aether, one would need to add spatial mana, but that¡¯s what Cira was after. Without the need for full-blown aether, Cira could simply burn up the primary elements for more spatial mana. This operation was much more difficult if she wanted any other type, but Cira was glad not to worry about that tonight.


    ¡°That¡¯s the last one!¡± Gil stood up and wiped the sweat off his brow, ¡°Is there anything left?¡±


    He had to have been low on mana with so little rest and no potions. ¡°No, you two are good. Just wait on the boat and I¡¯ll make the finishing touches.¡± They hopped back across and watched Cira weave the last glyphs to connect the completed arrays.


    Beneath her feet, the complex magic circles all lit up with a nigh-imperceptible light of black and white. In that moment there was sudden tremor that tore through the air and mountain alike, like the first millisecond of an earthquake. The whole world seemed to shudder and then there was nothing. Just the towering stone with dull etchings across its exterior.


    ¡°What just happened?!¡± Rictor desperately held onto the sides of the boat even though nothing and nobody had actually moved, but they both looked panicked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Think of it like a shift in spatial pressure. Miniscule, but impossible not to feel.¡± She jumped onto the boat with a wide grin plastered on. ¡°Consider it proof of a job well done. Now, take us home.¡±


    ___


    Cira was having a great night after flawlessly enchanting her first landform, but her picnic was quickly rained on when she came home to Kuja alone, quietly reading at the table. Not a sign of the others having returned. It was the middle of the night, and they had been gone for easily half a day.


    Needless to say, Cira grumbled herself to bed and fell asleep in a foul mood. At first, she dreamt of nothing. But that went on for some time, and she thought she was outside, adrift in the shadows. Longer still, and the darkness drifted away like storm clouds, but the sky did not grow much brighter. Neither sun nor stars hung above.


    A dreary landscape began to take form with barren hills which rolled into the horizon and a shallow stream snaked between them. In moments, the stone walls and rooftops of a town came into view. Above it all stood a single building. The silhouette of a towering cathedral seemed to reach for the sky. Somehow, Cira felt so very small in its presence.


    What is this place? No¡­ Why am I here? I left this place behind a long time ago. Once called home, it existed only as a dark spot in her memories. It had been a while since Cira saw it from this far away. The skyline looked peaceful, but even from this distance, there was a terrible stench.


    Cira tried to cover her nose only to realize she had no hands. No arms, legs, or the rest of her body either. Nothing existed here but the world of Cira¡¯s past, she was merely observing. The odor continued to grow until she started flashing back to the top of Wick¡¯s tower.


    An older woman¡¯s rotting flesh hung off her bones by a strand of sinew, a child¡¯s eyes were full of maggots, except these weren¡¯t distant memories. Cira had seen them not long ago. The smell was no diffferent, and it was strong. Vivid, as if it were really before her. Cira wondered if her hometown smelled so foul from so far away, but there was no way of knowing. She cared not to dig deeper.


    There was no choice really but to resign to her trip down memory lane when relief came in the form of an abrupt knocking on her bedchamber door. Cira awoke with a start and sat up, looking around as she blinked the slumber away. Her blanket had been thrown about at some point as she tossed and turned over night, and she had goosebumps from the cold. ¡°Hmm¡­ I miss Nanri¡ªwill you wait a damn minute?!¡±


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    The knocks upon her door stopped the moment she shouted, though she was grateful for waking from such a putrid dream.


    ¡°Dammit. I didn¡¯t even bathe¡­¡± Cira had gone straight to bed the night prior and felt the sweat of two days of running around. After deftly disrobing herself of Cirina¡¯s pirate garb, she slipped into a much more comfortable robe. The ones attuned to dark mana were not ideal as she essentially tied herself up in large ribbon, so she picked the first robes she found hanging on the wall. They were woven of a rich cerulean silk, and the matching hat kept her warm.


    Cira made her way to the door and swung it open, ¡°What do you want¡ªoh.¡± James didn¡¯t look half as irritated as he was tired. His eyes barely stayed open, but it was unmistakable how upset he was.


    ¡°We¡¯re back. I¡¯m going to bed.¡± He turned around without giving Cira a chance to reply and fell in with the line of former hostages marching down the hall toward the stairs.


    That¡¯s fair¡­ I suppose I should see what¡¯s going on myself. Cira had forgotten how worried she was, but James returning without bad news was enough to tell her everything was fine.


    Most of the women passing by gave her weird looks as she yawned and rubbed her eyes in her bedroom doorway, but eventually they were gone, and Cira entered the hallway to follow them upstairs.


    There wasn¡¯t much time to wonder where they were going when she got to the kitchen and saw them file onto a massive ship with whose name she refused to speak. Skipper dutifully stood at the stove and Jimbo was nodding out with a flask in his hand.


    ¡°So, what the hell happened?¡± Jimbo¡¯s flask clattered to the table as Cira¡¯s voice stirred him.


    ¡°Holy shit! It¡¯s the captain.¡± He picked it back up and wiped the spill away with his sleeve. ¡°How¡¯s it goin¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Fine, I think, now will you give me a damn report?¡±


    Skipper was in his own little world, juggling pot handles and sprinkling herbs with the flick of a wrist.


    ¡°Relax, would you? I just got to bed, ya know.¡± Jimbo took a long and purposeful swig. ¡°Went great. Shores thought we needed a bigger boat, so we took a detour to Green Pit. A good call, too. Plackelo was no joke. We had to tear a hole in the side of their storehouse with that sun cannon thing, but we were in and out. No problem.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ Well, that¡¯s good to hear.¡± She may have had some follow up questions, but Jimbo started snoring and looked too comfortable to keep disturbing. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll go see Shores.¡±


    Tawny was asleep on the couch along with the rest of the crew wherever they fit on the floor or out on the lawn. Shores stood on the opposing deck and waved at her with a tired smile. There was a whole crew of pirates she didn¡¯t recognize around the deck as far as Cira could see into the darkness outside, but she thought a couple of them may have been present when the hideout got raided. It took a lot of people to move a ship that big, so Cira expected this much. She was surprised they made it without crashing into the summit, and mildly impressed even.


    Cira reached her fence and leaned over a rose bush, ¡°So? Took you long enough. I was beginning to think Wick caught up with you.¡±


    ¡°Hah! That¡¯s a good one.¡± He boisterously laughed, ¡°He must be all tied up with something or other, because we didn¡¯t see a single ship all day. He has¡ªwell, he had a lot of guards over on Plackelo, but no reinforcements showed up the whole time we were there. It was like stealing candy from a bunch of drunk babies who didn¡¯t want to fight in the first place.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­?¡±


    What could possibly hold him up? I figured Wick would be on a warpath after we spent the last twenty-four hours stripping his kingdom¡¯s grandeur. Perhaps¡­ Did he go back to Fount Salt? Actually, I can already see it, ¡°They definitely think I won¡¯t look for them there after all this¡­ It has to be where they¡¯re hiding. Aha, I¡¯m so smart!¡± Or something like that.


    On second thought, it wasn¡¯t likely. From what Cira gathered, Fount Salt was below them somewhat, and they escaped high into the sky. He has to know we dismantled his storehouses on Lost Cloud by this point. It¡¯s only a matter of course that we would hit Plackelo as well. Did something more important come up? Whatever could it be?


    ¡°We have a necropolis to conquer tomorrow.¡± The stream of wary women had trickled out and Cira didn¡¯t want to hold everyone up further. ¡°How long will it take you to return?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back sometime this afternoon. Early evening at the latest. Need anything from Green Pit?¡±


    Cira didn¡¯t need anything off the top of her head, but for some reason she thought it would be fun to see what he came up with. ¡°Surprise me.¡± She sent him off with a playful grin.


    ¡°You can count on me!¡± He saluted and made his way back to the helm. Cira peeled away after the last of the hostages shot her a dirty look then disappeared below deck. She was glad they were free from Wick¡¯s clutches, but just as glad her crew stepped up to deal with the brunt of that burden.


    ¡°Ahh, wait!¡± A familiar voice rang out and Cira turned around to see a young woman in baggy robes clamber onto the ramp as the deckhands let her pass.


    Cira tossed a boarding pass from her pocket, ¡°Don¡¯t like Green Pit?¡±


    ¡°I think they can get there without my help.¡± Olive almost fumbled the catch trying to balance across the ramp but finally made it to solid land¡ªCira¡¯s lawn. ¡°What is this¡­¡± She turned it over in her hand.


    ¡°You need it to enter my barrier.¡± It was no trouble letting her hang onto a pass which would dissolve in a few days. ¡°I figured you¡¯d stay with the rest. Didn¡¯t you know some of them?¡±


    It was plain as day what would drive a woman to wed Captain Wick¡ªnecessity. Convenient luxuries, money, or perhaps the need to survive on an island where one man takes everything. Granted, these reasons were mere postulation. She certainly did not empathize with them.


    ¡°You¡¯re my new employer¡­¡± The girl sheepishly replied, ¡°aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Ahh, I get it now.¡± Cira smiled at her, ¡°You¡¯re after me treasure, aren¡¯t ya?¡±


    ¡°W-well¡­ I mean¡ª¡± She started panicking so Cira cut her off with the wave of a hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You already earned your keep as far as I¡¯m concerned. I just have to think of what I¡¯ll have you do next¡­¡± Cira narrowed her scrutinous eyes while the girl shifted nervously, a slight blush spreading across her cheek.


    ¡°W-would it be okay if I rested first? I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m very tired.¡± Olive indeed looked ready to drop.


    ¡°Of course¡ªas long as you want. Just find a place and pass out. Looks like there are some blankets lying around the yard if you¡¯re cold.¡±


    Her crew seemed competent at cleaning, but doubly so for making messes. Perhaps it would balance out by the time she cared.


    Olive awkwardly expressed her gratitude, bent down to grab a blanket, and started heading inside. Cira got a chuckle out of the front door nearly frightening the girl off her feet.


    Now what to do? We really need to get to the bottom of Archaeum, but it can¡¯t be helped. My crew needs to sleep. I guess I¡¯ll just head outside and keep making artifacts.


    Cira was fully rested, and Breeze Haven had quickly fallen into silence around her. It was the perfect chance to brainstorm some new ideas with which to sorcerously dominate a six-hundred-year-old woman. Not before raiding whatever Skipper cooked up, Cira walked down the steps to hang out with some revenants and over-prepare for her meeting with the Third Order.

 125 - Down We Go

    ¡°Do we really all have to go?¡± Shores and his crew were elated, but Jimbo and the boys were not so much.


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Cira replied with a twinge of surprise, ¡°The reason any of you are helping me in the first place is beyond me. I¡¯ve given up trying to understand it. You could all stay behind if you felt like it. We don¡¯t know what¡¯s beyond the first tomb, but for what it¡¯s worth, slimes are all but immune to physical damage.¡±


    It was the morning of the next day, and everybody had gotten a good night¡¯s rest. Green Pit was a quick trip and Shores returned with the unfortunately christened Saint¡¯s Wings. Apparently, the good Reverend felt more comfortable with his trusty sun cannon nearby. To be honest, so did Cira if it had any juice left.


    ¡°Yeah, I feel like we were pretty useless last time.¡± James interjected, ¡°You need mages, not us.¡±


    ¡°What the hell are slimes, anyway?¡± Tawny asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain on the way, but you can think of it like hungry mana.¡± Cira paced across the forge and popped open a trunk. ¡°If you¡¯re coming, it¡¯s time to gear up.¡±


    The trunk was full of cheap metal jewelry and Cira led the way by pulling out circlets of various sizes, ¡°Two bracelets, two anklets, a collar, and belts are on the table.¡± She instructed, equipping the simple charms and grabbing a belt to weave through her dark-attuned ribbon robes.


    ¡°Hey, I remember these.¡± Gil approached briskly to grab his own set. ¡°They just give off a little fire mana, don¡¯t they? What does putting them on do?¡±


    It was a reasonable concern, as they were rather low output. That was how Cira could produce so many of them without dipping into her catalyst reserves.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯d be in trouble if we had fire slimes on our hands,¡± Cira replied, ¡°but slimes typically don¡¯t like fire. Something we have already confirmed. These should at least act as a ward and make their attacks more predictable, as they act on instinct alone.¡±


    After much deliberation, James, Joe, and Skipper ended up sitting out, but Jimbo was raring to go. Skipper tried to make his case of having mastered Lamplight, but Cira shot him down. He was but an amateur swordsman, and Joe was out of shape so staying behind was no issue. Even Kuja grabbed a set of circlets and looked excited to finally push further into Archaeum.


    ¡°Next, all of you grab a bag.¡± Cira had actually hand-sewn some unenchanted leather satchels for this, ¡°The artifacts within should be able to enter the slime when thrown, but not exit, allowing us to pick off individuals by converting their dark mana to light.¡±


    ¡°Whoa,¡± Jimbo said, ¡°They¡¯re made of mana, aren¡¯t they? That¡¯s cold blooded.¡±


    ¡°Hardly,¡± Cira countered, ¡°Perhaps if we threw them at goblins, or Captain Wick with a few minor adjustments, but slimes can¡¯t be considered living creatures. Don¡¯t get me off track¡­ You will notice a small pocket on the side with a handful of rings. They are single use and each should be good to block one fatal strike¡ªno don¡¯t put them on at the same time.¡±


    Cira shook her head as Jimbo started piling them on. ¡°There are weapons too, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course. Let us head to the training hall.¡± The first thing they had done after waking up was secure the treasure. After all, it was sitting out for a couple days on the side of the mountain. Anyone could theoretically have pulled up and stolen it, but luckily, all steered clear of the Valley of Curses.


    The staves would not have fit in the forge, nor did Cira want to try stuffing them in. They were all lined up and grouped in like elements. ¡°I would have preferred to let you guys practice first, but take your picks.¡±


    According to James, they recovered two hundred and thirty-six staves of various quality, while the artifacts were still piled up next to the ones Cira prepared.


    Jimbo followed her as he had no use for a staff at this point in his training. ¡°I don¡¯t really know what any of these do. What would you recommend?¡± He looked over the ocean of artifacts with an overwhelmed confusion painted on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you asked.¡± Cira grinned and picked up a crystal dagger off the ground, ¡°This is made of condensed mana and will return to you in a beam of light if you throw it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, we got tons of stuff I can throw.¡± He seemed unimpressed, ¡°Give me the craziest thing in this pile.¡±


    Cira pouted for a moment, as she was quite partial to the utility of thrown artifacts. It was typically a sorcerer¡¯s instinct to avoid physical combat, but that was something she was working on.


    ¡°Alright, big man, why don¡¯t you try on those gauntlets?¡± They were too heavy for Cira to hand them over.


    ¡°Alright¡ªurghhh, god damn. What are these things made of?¡± He had to slip his hands into them and form a fist before lifting with his knees to get them off the ground.


    ¡°They¡¯re only about ten percent orichalcum. Go ahead and try punching that training dummy.¡± Cira pointed to one of the human-shaped statues standing about the hall.


    ¡°I-I¡¯ll try¡­¡± His fists hung taut at his sides and his face washed over with uncertainty. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll just try one.¡±


    He dropped the other with a loud crash and strained to use his free hand to support his right fist. Under the weight, his approach could best be described as a lurching power walk. When he reached the dummy he threw his whole body into it and connected square in the statue¡¯s chest before disappearing in a crimson explosion.


    A radiant smile formed on Cira¡¯s lips as she was bathed in the brilliant light. Her Robe¡¯s many loose ends fluttered in the wind and a heavy gauntlet skipped across the stone floor. Jimbo rolled into view shortly after as the light faded, distinctly lacking any burns, with a terrified look in his eyes and his hair blown back.


    ¡°It works better than I could have possibly imagined!¡± Cira had whipped this up earlier, but couldn¡¯t test it while everybody slept. ¡°Definitely needs another few barriers, though you probably would have been fine if you still held the other gauntlet. Still, maybe they¡¯re not ideal tools for indoors.¡±


    ¡°What the hell was that?!¡± Jimbo looked at her with crazed eyes, meanwhile the others had coming running up shouting.


    ¡°Is it an attack?!¡± Ike held up a brilliant silver staff which shined gold.


    ¡°Lady Cira, get back!¡± Rictor had already begun to form the scorched ground before her into a defensive wall.


    ¡°It¡¯s not an attack, you idiots!¡± Cira was flabbergasted, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you no one can get in here?¡±


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Tawny barreled right past her and cradled Jimbo, ¡°Are you alright? What happened?¡±


    ¡°He was merely testing an artifact.¡± Yeah, it was big, but it wasn¡¯t as serious as it looked, ¡°He should be fine save for a little tumble. How do you feel, Jimbo? Would you perhaps prefer the second craziest artifact in my collection?¡±


    It couldn¡¯t be said the gauntlets were number one, but visually, they fit the request. Jimbo had been thrown back a fair distance, but in his path was a giant crack in the training hall¡¯s floor that travelled up the opposing wall. There was no trace of the stone dummy and all behind it was charred black.


    ¡°What is wrong with you?!¡± Tawny stood up and got in her face, but Jimbo actually came to her defense.


    ¡°Now hang on, Tawny. I asked for it. This is completely my fault.¡± As the shock of his explosive punch faded a faint grin began to grow, ¡°Let¡¯s see the next step down.¡±


    The girl practically pulled out her hair and scolded Jimbo, ultimately, for being a reckless idiot, like he apparently always was.


    ¡°What¡¯s the deal with you guys?¡± Cira could help but ask. ¡°She yells at you like the wives I¡¯ve read about in stories.¡±


    Tawny was stunned silent for a moment while Jimbo chuckled, ¡°She practically is.¡±


    ¡°A-are you serious?¡± Tawny turned red and scoffed, ¡°Except I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ what do you expect? I¡¯m always going to be exploding or fighting sharks or something. I can¡¯t in good faith put a ring on you when I¡¯m liable to go out in a blaze of glory at any moment.¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Cira grew awkward as Tawny didn¡¯t seem to take the subject as lightly as Jimbo did. I guess that was insensitive. Maybe I should think before I speak more often.


    ¡°Not the time, guys.¡± James cut in before giving Cira a glance, ¡°You should really learn to think before you speak.¡±


    Damn this man. ¡°Yeah, my bad, guys¡­¡±


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Tawny turned away, ¡°Let¡¯s just get on with it.¡±


    Everybody calmed down after a few moments and rustled through the artifacts for anything they thought could be useful, with Cira guiding them as to their uses. Jimbo settled for taking recommendations after a short and decisive argument from Tawny, and the group set forth to the shadowy depths.


    ___


    Olive was still asleep when they left, not that she had a role down below, but Rocky had also elected to stay. This much neither surprised nor bothered Cira as James and the boys saw them off and they quickly made it through the first layer of the necropolis.


    This time there were more bugs, but they were easily dispatched. When they tried to crack open their shells, the brothers found their water to have enough pressure to pierce straight through. Then Gil and Tawny could also simply conjure spears of fire to do the same. Their new weapons certainly helped, but there was a noticeable improvement in their skills. Cira had more or less turned them loose on training themselves after going over the basics, owing to her lack of time, but seeing them now made her promise to give them a new lesson once they returned.


    Cira¡¯s crew became cautious as they came off the stairs into the former living quarters¡ªCira¡¯s newest territorial acquisition.


    ¡°Careful, everyone.¡± Jimbo whispered, placing his hand on a miniature shoulder-mounted cannon, ¡°I can feel them watching us.¡±


    This weapon was his single concession to tone down his artifact craving. Next to him, Rictor¡¯s sandstone staff lit up dimly and metallic needles formed in the air before him, ¡°Let them come.¡±


    ¡°H-hold on guys.¡± Cira waved turned and waved her hands around, ¡°I really don¡¯t think we need to worry about them attacking us¡­ You can lower your defenses.¡±


    Kuja gave her a playful grin, but her paladins were worried. ¡°What makes you so certain?¡± Oliver asked.


    Taking a deep breath, Cira let out a sigh, ¡°There¡¯s¡­ something I¡¯ve been keeping from you all.¡±


    Shores¡¯ crew only displayed concern, but Jimbo looked at her like she was about to say something stupid. Meanwhile, Tawny crossed her eyes and squinted suspiciously, ¡°Well? What is it?¡±


    ¡°You see. I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m the goblin king.¡±


    ¡°Nice.¡± Jimbo clapped, ¡°Movin¡¯ up in the world.¡±


    ¡°What does that even mean?¡± Tawny now looked at her like she had indeed said something stupid. It was only natural.


    ¡°It means I defeated their regent in ritual combat. They should not attack us, though I suppose one may challenge me to a duel.¡± Cira nonchalantly strode through the street between dormitories. She could hear the goblins inside as well, but none deigned to show themselves. It was fine by Cira because she didn¡¯t have time for her kingly duties right now.


    ¡°They do seem to be avoiding us.¡± Ike observed, using his bloodwood staff as a walking stick, ¡°It¡¯s only naturally these creatures too would recognize your divine grace.¡±


    ¡°Easy, buddy.¡± Cira warned, ¡°Let¡¯s just hurry up. I would like to make it to the slimes before any distractions present themselves.¡±


    There were light footsteps in the alleys between buildings, and it almost sounded like they were following the group, much to Cira¡¯s dismay. Her paladins¡¯ Lamplight couldn¡¯t reach far enough to see anything, but they were surely there.


    The bloodlust of creatures so stained with mana was usually palpable to even the aura-bereft, like the previous goblin king and angry mob, but Cira felt no such pressure. Even if there would be no ambush, that didn¡¯t set her at ease.


    Soon they reached the courtyard from before and her fears were realized, there was once again a crowd of goblins forming a path down the center.


    ¡°Ahh, damn.¡± Cira clicked her tongue and peeled ahead of the group. ¡°Come on guys.¡±


    Cira waved her crew toward her to get them to stop shaking in their boots. Each one of them save for Kuja was ready to attack at the first sign of aggression, but none of them moved. The goblins hardly made any noise except for hushed mutterings, but some had similar eyes to the paladins. It seemed the goblins were happy to see her.


    Naturally their king had to lead the way, and Cira dauntlessly stepped through the hallway of shadow goblins with her crew following close behind looking increasingly nervous. Once they had almost reached the staircase, a certain odor reached Cira¡¯s nose. It smelled like blood, and it did not take long to find the source.


    A pile of bugs, rats, and other mismatched beasts from whatever dark crevices of this mountain the goblin knew about. A pool of blood gathered on the ground, and when they got closer, the crew froze in horror staring up at it.


    ¡°Are they¡­¡± Gil asked, ¡°gonna add us to the pile?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Kuja said, ¡°This is a gift.¡±


    ¡°Ridiculous¡­¡± Cira gawked at the mountain of corpses, ¡°Have they been hunting outside the mountain? What am I supposed to do with this?¡±


    She gazed out over the hundreds if not thousands of pitch-black goblins surrounding her on all sides now with expectant glints in their beady little eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯d be rude not to eat some of it.¡± Jimbo said, looking none too eager to do so himself.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that¡­¡± Goblins could consume a great deal, because their bodies simply stripped their food of mana and disposed of the rest, but Cira couldn¡¯t finish a meal half that size¡ªeven if it were cake.


    ¡°According to Goblin Lord Gazen,¡± Kuja took on a cheeky tone, ¡°refusing the people¡¯s gift of succession is akin to saying your citizens and all their efforts are worthless.¡±


    Great¡­ Why didn¡¯t you leave a goblin dictionary? ¡°Hey! Any of you speak high common?¡±


    They all looked confused by the large ape¡¯s speech patterns. Dammit¡­ okay, I have to think outside the box here.


    Cira walked over to the crowd who shuddered with anticipation and picked one up like a child. The goblins gasped and oohed as she walked away with it and placed it next to the pile of meat and such. It quickly turned to look up at her with wide eyes, trembling slightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, little guy.¡± Cira crouched down and grabbed something¡¯s liver off the pile, ¡°Here.¡±


    She placed the morsel in its hand and motioned to eat it. The little goblin shook in fear for a moment before slowly reaching his hand out and trying to feed the liver to Cira.


    ¡°No, no, no.¡± Cira took its clawed hands and gently pushed them towards its face. She felt bad for basically rubbing a liver against the goblin¡¯s face, but it eventually opened its mouth and chomped down, sudden terror filing its eyes. Putting on a bright smile and the friendliest tone she could muster, she gave it a few light pats on the head, ¡°Very good. Well done.¡±


    It nervously took another bite and Cira walked back over to the crowd, pointedly sweeping her eyes over them then motioning to join the other. She had to physically urge them along at first, then they started to catch her drift. After the next few joined in on the feast the others must have realized it was what Cira wanted and soon there was a ravenous mob pouring in from all sides, nearly drowning Cira¡¯s crew as they cried anxiously at all the goblins brushing against them.


    ¡°That should be fine, right?¡± Cira turned to her partner in goblin cultural studies.


    ¡°Who knows?¡± Kuja shrugged, ¡°They seem happy.¡±


    They were in fact feasting quite audibly and those yet to reach the meat cheered as they made their way closer. Many heckled like hyenas and Cira assumed it to be laughter coming from them.


    ¡°C-can we get the hell out of here?!¡± Jimbo squealed, ¡°I don¡¯t like ¡®em touchin¡¯ me. They¡¯re all sticky and gross.¡±


    ¡°No, I think you just got a sticky one.¡± Cira¡¯s guest participant certainly wasn¡¯t, ¡°But yes, It¡¯s time for slimes.¡±

 126 - Slime Time

    As Kuja said, the goblins sure looked happy. They tore away at the pile of meat ravenously, climbing on top of each other or scurrying away with hands full of innards. Cira had the fleeting thought that perhaps an equitable food distribution process would have been the wiser choice here, but again, she had no time for goblin politics. Perhaps it made her a bad leader, but her citizens would have to wait. It was time to empty her mind of all but slimes, lest she end up in a bind.


    Cira took the initiative of pioneering their path into the first tomb, pulling a stake out of an ostensibly bottomless pouch at her hip and tossing it into the ground. It slid through the stone like soft dirt and runes came to life on impact. In seconds, a bright crimson haze filled the tomb, even washing out the Lamplight. Cira tossed another twenty or so feet ahead and motioned everyone to follow.


    ¡°You can cut the Lamplight now,¡± Like a trail of shining breadcrumbs, Cira formed a path.


    ¡°That¡¯s really red.¡± Jimbo commented, avoiding direct eye contact with the artifacts.


    ¡°Well, it has to be. We don¡¯t actually need flame just to keep them at bay. Like this, they can¡¯t swarm us because they must condense their form to approach or they risk taking damage. See? There¡¯s one now.¡±


    A black snake wriggled out from behind one of the caskets lining their path, about as thick as Joe¡¯s forearm. Jimbo yelped as it was right next to him and reflexively pulled out his sword, but before it even left its sheath, a shimmering white disk not much larger than a coin flew past him and lodged itself in the serpent. Cira hit her mark and they could hear a faint sizzling noise.


    Before long, the snake started bubbling and suddenly exploded in a blast of pure white light. Her crew all shielded their eyes and twisted around screaming. ¡°How is that not a bomb?!¡± Gil demanded.


    ¡°It¡¯s a textbook mana conversion artifact.¡± Cira pulled another out just to be ready, ¡°I contemplated inventing some manner of shaded eyewear, but the materials just weren¡¯t there. I also couldn¡¯t come up with a name for them.¡±


    ¡°How about bullshit blockers?¡± Still clasping his hands over his eyes, Jimbo¡¯s suggestion wasn¡¯t bad.


    ¡°I like it, but you guys better get ready. Now they know we¡¯re dangerous.¡±


    Tawny, Gill, and Cedric all had special roles to play here and took the positions of front, center, and rear, respectively. Tawny, actually right behind Cira, held a polished wooden staff embedded with rubies and topped with¡­ an even bigger ruby. Truly a beautiful piece, but only bolstered her capabilities with flame. Cira made up for this by lending her a bracelet to increase her control over wind and instructed her to form a barrier of furling flames in front of the party that came together at in a wedge.


    The inspiration here was the stonebreaker ships she once saw that were designed to push through dense debris fields, so it should work just as well for the colony of slimes surrounding them. To mitigate this, Gil held a purpose-crafted artifact that turned out looking like a banner. It had a wooden haft and extended over his head, sourcing a flaming bubble which surrounded their group.


    It was a pure, animalistic instinct to sneak up on or simply approach one¡¯s prey from behind. It was typically the most vulnerable side. As creatures of instinct, predatory slimes do this as well, so Cira placed her fastest mage in the rear. Cedric¡¯s staff was crafted of countless stratoclam pearls, melded together through sorcery, and passively exuded wisps of electricity like Breeze Haven had when she fended off the sharks. Without speaking a word, he could blast out lightning bolts, and blast he did. The stifled thunder of his first attack sounded the start of battle as a shadowy racoon rolled over and started melting. It desperately clawed at the shadows which seemed now so far away, but Cedric finished it off with another strike.


    ¡°I-Is it dead?!¡± He cried.


    Cira Tossed another coin at an amorphous lizard that was trying to swipe at Eros as he gawked at the spectacle, ¡°Pay attention! If they¡¯ve disconnected from the shadows, we can kill them!¡±


    That was mainly true for killing them without using a Sunbearer Coin, as the crimson glow forced them to pick a distinct form in order to reach them, but the artifact would work either way. Cira just didn¡¯t want them unloading their stores into the abyss because who knew how many there truly were. A full extermination would have to wait for her aura if Kuja wanted to proceed with it.


    Now, the tomb was dark. Darker than anywhere should reasonably ever be, much more so than a simple closed-off room. Even the crimson beacons barely held up against the abysmal pressure and Cira wondered if there were no lights, if it would feel like the crushing depths of the sea.


    The bordering caskets didn¡¯t help either, as the ground to their sides was still pitch-black. Her stakes weren¡¯t very tall. I have an idea¡­ Cira tossed the next Slimewarding Stick into the ceiling and watched a writhing mass of half-formed creatures scurry away to reveal bare stone.


    ¡°Hey Kuja, why are there so many empty caskets?¡± Most had lids, others¡¯ were crumbled, but a surprising number of the ones she could see into were barren. ¡°I thought your ancestors ran out of room.¡±


    ¡°They did¡­¡± With light now shining from above, Kuja¡¯s face was taut, seemingly alarmed. ¡°Could the goblins have desecrated this place?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine why,¡± Cira skillfully took out a pair of slimey hyenas and they silently burst into light, ¡°But it¡¯s possible, I suppose.¡±


    Cira did not want to worry her with the other possibilities¡ªshe would cross that bridge if they came to it. After all, missing skeletons could easily be attributed to curious slimes if nothing else.


    ¡°How are you guys talking so casually?!¡± Captain Shores seemed out of his element as he frantically threw a coin at a malformed wild boar before shielding his eyes, ¡°I tried not to say anything with the goblins, but these things are scary as hell!¡±


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Everybody was equipped with a few hundred Sunbearer coins. They were small and relatively simple to produce. The product of multiple sleepless nights for Cira¡¯s artificers¡ªnotably not for Cira. Despite their fear of the vicious slimes, the results spoke for themselves. The mages who had been so ruthlessly pushed back just a few days ago were immolating slimes as easily as pissin¡¯ in a barrel, as it goes.


    ¡°This is practically a stroll on the docks, Captain.¡± Lero stated while pelting another lizard, ¡°I thought we were gonna die last time. Now¡­ They just walk right up to us.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s kind of sad,¡± A flash of light marked Tawny¡¯s umpteenth kill. ¡°I was really expecting to put my life on the line in a fierce battle. Not that I wanted to, but this is a little too drastic.¡±


    ¡°Like it or not, I¡¯m responsible for you gangly lads ¡®n¡¯ lasses,¡± Cira watched Tawny¡¯s infernal plow practically melt through the sea of slime, ¡°Did I not tell you my intention was to make this process as safe as possible? A sorcerer overcomes their trials carefully and methodically.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you curse a witch and burn her kneecap away with her own magic?¡± Using both hands to increase his throwing rate and making sound effects, Jimbo laughed at Cira. ¡°I seem to remember you getting hammered and blowing soup all over some drunkard for no reason. What trial was that?¡±


    ¡°You saw that?!¡± Cira was mortified¡ªher drunken magic test in Milty¡¯s Tavern was something that even she had forgotten about. It came flooding back like a tidal wave of fresh soup. ¡°You must be thinking of someone else¡­ More importantly, we should hurry!¡± Another stake lodged itself into the ceiling, ¡°Unless you guys want a real fight to the death on the way home, I suggest you ration your artifacts better. The slimes certainly aren¡¯t thinning out.¡±


    Jimbo had figured out he could just toss them into the nether and kill any given unlucky slime as the group inhabited but a meager crimson haven within their mass.


    ¡°I also think we should hurry!¡± Captain Shores backed her up and the crew matched Cira¡¯s pace. ¡°I don¡¯t like it here.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s going to love it down below,¡± Mac neglected to omit a drawn-out yawn from his telepathic message, ¡°Looks like you¡¯re having fun.¡±


    ¡°Hardly¡± Cira replied, ¡°You going to tell me what¡¯s down there or what?¡±


    It appeared she was the only one who heard his voice, while the others all casually fought off slugs and weird birds. Cira was in a constant state of squinting her eyes from the bright lights. All the revenants around must have simply disappeared into the walls at some point to avoid it. None had shown themselves since the fighting started, but it was possible they avoided the slimes in general. Revenants were stronger, of course, but they could surely be overwhelmed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve guessed one of those things,¡± Mac chuckled. The very fact that he could make a joke instead of reply truthfully meant that Cira could certainly expect skeletons.


    ¡°Great¡­ and¡­?¡± Cira maintained this conversation while lighting the path and vanquishing her foes, all while keeping a close eye on their defenses. Their flaming dome and plow really did most of the work and even the crew was holding menial conversation with each other. Shores was the only one who seemed uncomfortable at this point. ¡°What manner of beast awaits us in the next tomb or two? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s all slimes.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t.¡± He only lasted a moment before he snickered amusedly, ¡°Just kidding, just kidding¡­ slimes are easy because their ¡®souls¡¯ which me and your elderly friend can see are really just scraps left over from their food. Think of how you fleshy creatures eat vegetables and retain a little iron. But if I¡¯ve never seen a particular creature, I can¡¯t identify it so easily by soul alone.¡±


    Did that guy just compare human souls to broccoli¡­? Cira did her best to move past it.


    Perhaps there really was something to the name Valley of Curses if there were undead walking about. In theory, all it took was one cursed person to die and become one with the soil before their corrupt mana spread. Hell, combine that with an endless source of a particular mana that resonates well with curses, and a skeleton factory was not outside the realm of possibilities. As curses were corrupt mana, they could easily deform under such conditions to do any number of unreasonable things.


    Nothing I can¡¯t solve handily¡­ It¡¯s the mysterious monsters which worry me. I really don¡¯t want to make another trip unless it¡¯s to carry the soul thresher. ¡°Kuja, how far are we?¡±


    ¡°About half of the way to the next stairwell.¡± She replied with a big smile on her face. ¡°I never would have dreamed we could walk through here so easily.¡±


    A nimbus shark darted out from the shadows and Kuja tossed a coin into its maw and ducked, but another slime used the flash as a distraction to get the jump on Cira as soon as it cleared. A massive beak like a woodpecker¡¯s but sized closer to a javelin emerged in the blink of an eye. Kuja gasped and reached for another coin, but she wouldn¡¯t make it in time. The sharpened beak would pierce Cira through before her hand left the satchel.


    With both hands wrapped around Shadow Quill, Cira saw it coming. The way her warding bracelets were positioned there was only one place the slime could aim for on Cira¡¯s torso.


    You would dare pierce my breast?! Cira leaned back and tipped the quill up just enough to catch the slime. ¡°Hahhh!¡± A grinding noise drew everyone¡¯s attention as the remarkably rigid beak jutted up and into the flaming dome, revealing a disturbingly elongated bird approaching Cira rapidly with no feathers useless appendages hung from its back in place of wings.


    It had no face, but Cira dropped the quill and went for the neck, ¡°You slimy bastard! Face my Slime Purging Gloves!¡± Instead of clattering against the ground, Shadow Quill floated along behind Cira, courtesy of Captain Wick¡¯s door and only the most cutting-edge floating basket technology.


    Cira¡¯s glove started to glow pure white and so did the slime, starting at the neck. These gloves were made of something that Cira hated deeply¡ªsolar widow silk. The illogical arachnids were much larger than her and liked to hang off of clouds. Without spatial sight constantly active, they were impossible to see with the sun behind them.


    Easily the biggest reason Cira was content considering higher altitudes an unexplored frontier, but the materials! Wait¡ª


    Cira delivered a ruthless punch with her other hand into the deranged bird¡¯s gizzard and a burst of light spread throughout its body before ultimately ending in a violent explosion that resonated in the screams of her crew.


    Why were they all watching? Boy, do I love these gloves though. Naturally, her dad sourced the materials, and it was better if she just didn¡¯t think about it.


    The gloves held the same effect as the coins, but using silk which wouldn¡¯t break down from absurd concentrations of light. These were something of a backup, but Cira had to admit that punch felt good. Thrilling, almost. Definitely satisfying. Perhaps that¡¯s how the late King Goblong felt absolutely walloping her in the face. It could not be discounted either that a floating staff made her feel more comfortable all around, not that she could use it without grabbing it and doodling in the air. It just made her feel better.


    If only it weren¡¯t for this damn leg, I would feel great. It hadn¡¯t been feeling too bad as they had a few slow days, but the stairs were a great reminder that she indeed cut her leg off and replaced it with a stick.


    A small bear cub trundled out of the dark and Cira uppercut it so fast she was reminded of the helpless ghosts of Fount Salt dematerializing in an instant. Despite having to get up close and personal, these artifacts seemed to work better than the throwaway versions, and it turned out to be a great way to save on munitions. Cira¡¯s mind was already far past the First Tomb. Slimes weren¡¯t worth her time. She had to mentally prepare for the challenges ahead.

 127 - A Hungry Flame

    Punching slimes was Cira¡¯s new favorite pastime. If she ignored the pain from her stump, Cira was almost exactly as agile as she was before. It felt good to get her blood pumping again after so many years of stagnating¡ªhiding behind her aura. Gazen was a stickler for physical fitness, so she of course had a very arduous regimen growing up. Since they flew around so much, every island found usually meant lots of running.


    In truth, Gazen merely believed in keeping the body active. Nothing excessive. Cira was just lazy, so basic physical fitness became a dreaded chore¡ªand the only one that couldn¡¯t be performed with sorcery. This was largely why Cira was so averse to traveling by foot, but it had been a great many years since she had so much fun exercising. Even spelunking the Last Step wasn¡¯t particularly arduous, though it was a mostly pleasant trip.


    Cira wondered why nobody told her punching things out of existence was so fulfilling. She couldn¡¯t possibly have known there lived a kindred spirit in her salty wake who would love to discuss the subject at length. Only the stars knew if their paths should ever cross.


    At present, Cira could only thank the equally deplorable and pitiful Estelle for her newfound physiological vigor. For lack of gratitude, Cira swore they would meet in melee combat one day.


    If her aura were present, she would be Phase Locking up a storm and Displacement Kicking slimes into oblivion, but spatial prowess was a fruit best savored when ripe. Just setting up her enchantments scratched that itch for the time being and the slimes proved such remarkably vincible opponents that her thoughts could wander so distantly. Yes, the fruits of her labors would surely reflect on Elizas face in a few days and Cira was tickled pink to see her first landform array come together.


    Once upon a time, Gazen taught her about such crafts. One of Cira¡¯s proudest accomplishments as a young girl was enchanting a hillside such that it healed the refugees of a muck-briar infestation while the old man cleansed their land. It was the trial through which she earned her father¡¯s orichalcum needle, and a challenge she overcame decisively. The memory almost made her want to turn back and enchant the next landmark right now, but Captain Shores broke her out of that stupor.


    ¡°So¡­ What¡¯s on the next floor?¡± He and the rest of the crew casually erased the slimes with their Sunbearer Coins and it had evidently grown monotonous. It had almost been another hour though, and Cira was running low on Slimewarding Sticks. Given Kuja¡¯s commentary, everyone expected to see a staircase soon.


    ¡°Not even the lackadaisically subservient god of spiders knows the answer to that question, my friend.¡± Shores giggled like a child at having been offhandedly considered the Great Saint¡¯s friend. Only the stars knew if he understood Cira¡¯s point. ¡°But I don¡¯t expect primarily corporeal fauna. Unless we¡¯ve chanced upon a turning point in the local ecology, standard biological life would have either overcome their aethereal predators or been long consumed by them.¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡± Gil asked, assuming his bewildered Captain¡¯s voice. ¡°Can you explain it for idiots like us?¡±


    Even Tawny, Cira¡¯s most promising student, turned away. Cira shook her head, ¡°Okay¡­ Let¡¯s see. Did you notice how this floor has been empty? The slimes cleared it out of any bugs, hyenas, or possibly even goblins.¡± The latter were a special case, as they consumed mana but fed on corporeal beings, but her self-proclaimed idiots probably wouldn¡¯t get hung up on it.


    ¡°There is a reason for that¡± Cira took this chance to wag her finger around and catch her breath. ¡°Over many years, even insects who reproduce frequently fell to the slimes. In this context slimes are the aethereal lifeform. It doesn¡¯t matter what they feed on, they grow stronger as they do so through a method unequivocal in mammals, reptiles, or even cephalopods believe it or not. You get the idea; humans too are corporeal beasts.


    ¡°Spirits and aethereal-derived forms of life always grow stronger as they consume¡ªvery rarely does flesh defeat mana over time.¡± Cira was losing them, but did not notice, ¡°More often than not when nutrient-dependent creatures overcome the odds, it¡¯s because the aethereal beasts reached critical mass and the population collapsed upon itself without being given the chance to recover due to environmental pressures. Here though, I doubt there is enough conventional food to support such a phenomenon.¡±


    ¡°I feel even dumber now,¡± Jimbo commented with a click of the tongue, ¡°Did you get any of that?¡±


    Tawny, who he asked, merely laughed in his face, ¡°W-why of course I did¡ª¡±


    Her nervously inflated tone went overlooked by Cira as she felt a wave of relief wash over her, ¡°Excellent. I task you, my star pupil, with simplifying my wisdom for the self-proclaimed rubes under my tutelage.¡±


    Cira nodded, proud of herself for a crisis well averted while Cedric in the back frantically threw bolt after bolt at the encroaching shadow-clad salamanders and drop bears, snakes and lobsters, wolves¡­ Tawny was returning from a daze, ¡°Your¡­ your what? Don¡¯t give me that shit. Why?¡±


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Cira whipped her wrist behind her back until it flicked forward and let loose a coin at a suspicious looking shadowy fella trying to sneak up on Tawny. The dubious man exploded in a burst of light while the girl yelped with wide eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like you any more than you like me,¡± Cira retorted, ¡°but my father always said the best student was the biggest pain in the ass. Unless you wish to renounce the path of sorcery, I suggest you accept our cruel fate.¡±


    Tawny did a double take, not trying to get ambushed by another slime, and largely ignored Cira.


    Fine, whatever. ¡±Evidently, the best students refuse to even listen.¡± Gazen lightly bopped her with a self-extending ruler. I already broke my crutch over the poor girl¡­ Dad would frown upon my methods.


    ¡°Tawny.¡± Cira stated without looking at her so as to not be swayed by her reaction, ¡°The same way you consume the darkness to feed your flame, try to produce light at the same time.¡±


    Slimes didn¡¯t like fire, but their roster of potential monsters below probably didn¡¯t like light too much. Call it a hunch, but such high-mana environments were never friendly to, well, life in general. These were extreme conditions she previously had only entered with her accumulated aura and Gazen¡¯s teachings. To delve further into such a place without her accustomed power was akin to throwing her life away.


    While all this was ingrained into Cira from a young age, her father enjoyed telling stories. He was once¡ªallegedly¡ªpowerless. His only talent was for the forge, and he was hardly a step above Jimbo as a sorcerer.


    Even in this state, the distant being Cira called ¡®Dad¡¯ once faced down a mythical serpent revered as a god with nothing more than carved sticks and rocks. Cira knew it was embellished, but her father never lied completely.


    Naturally, as the daughter of the greatest sorcerer who ever scoured the sky, in Cira¡¯s words, she could not even call herself a sorcerer of moderate caliber if she let this little ruffle her feathers. The only obstacle between her and sorcery now was the time it took to scribble around in the air or on any given surface. If she thought about it like this, there was no sorcery that could not be employed within the ocean of crushing mana she found herself in.


    This colony of slimes is an anomaly in its own right, but the mana well has been dumping into this necropolis for centuries¡­ The mana will only become more concentrated. She wondered how long her stakes would stave off the shadows if the density increased at a similar rate, but that was always a problem that could be solved with varying degrees of artificing prowess.


    ¡°We¡¯ve really made it.¡± Kuja couldn¡¯t contain her joy as the next staircase came into view, ¡°Thank you so much for this, Child¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet,¡± Cira countered, ¡°It only gets harder from here. If anyone is feeling apprehensive, let me know. We will turn back immediately and continue tomorrow.¡±


    Nobody raised their hands or seemed like they wanted to speak up. Eventually, Tawny did, ¡°At this point you¡¯re just insulting us. Especially Captain Shores and his boys.¡± Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t want to expound, so Cira turned her attention to the man in question.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m not insulted!¡± He timidly glanced over his shoulders, tossing one coin out and creating a backdrop of light, ¡°I think what the young lady means to say is that you underestimate our resolve.¡±


    Everyone else but Jimbo nodded. He simply drank from his flask¡ªin a sense, it was in defiance of the presumed challenge.


    ¡°Our Captain speaks the truth, Lady Cira,¡± the fourth paladin, who Cira had somehow yet to catch the name of, spoke, ¡°Your loyal shepherds exist for no further purpose than to serve you through the impending darkness.¡±


    No way¡­ These stupid bastards found a way to spin our current situation into the prophecy¡­ I swear¡ª


    ¡°Shores.¡± Cira said curtly, ¡°I intend to destroy your prophecy. Don¡¯t forget to tell me all about it when we return.¡±


    Why¡­. Why is he grinning?


    ¡°¡¯From the Egg of the Saint shall our Lamb be born into the world of mortal toil, anon, only through rebirth shall they forge a new a path through distant pastures¡ª¡±


    ¡°I am not a godsdamned farm animal!¡± Cira reluctantly crushed a shadow kitten in her hands.


    ¡°Alas¡­ it never made sense until now.¡± Shores took no heed to her warnings and continued, ¡°Your rebirth should have been the day you left Fount Salt, but the phrasing doesn¡¯t make sense. We are fighting to reforge your soul, yes? Did you not say we would melt you down? This could only be your destined rebirth. We will not fail, as is foretold, so why would we turn around now?


    Good grief¡­ Sometimes I hate these guys. If I didn¡¯t need to reforge my soul, I would turn around here and now.


    ¡°Heh heh,¡± Mac resounded in her head, ¡°Looks like they¡¯ve got you figured out, little lamb.¡±


    ¡°Will you shut up? I will crush this nonsense beneath my boot once I reclaim the luxury to destroy my problems, little spider.¡±


    The crew reached the bottom of the stairs and an ominous orange light flooded in from below. It flickered like a campfire but couldn¡¯t seem to sit still as shadows traveled from one side to the other.


    ¡°What¡­ what is that?¡± Kuja¡¯s voice was filled with newfound fear as they stepped out into the second tomb.


    ¡°How fascinating¡­¡± Cira replied, gazing upon the bumbling ball of flame which illuminated the corridor, ¡°I can¡¯t fathom how flame sprites could have ended up here, but they are certainly a natural predator to dark slimes. Eros, Lero; if any of them try to attack us, you should be able to smother them with water.


    Cira appreciated the lighted tomb, and didn¡¯t want to alarm anybody, but these sprites each held a ridiculous amount of mana on par with the lingering revenants. Each of her aura-blessed mages surely felt it, so there was no need to get everyone worked up about it. The truth was the brothers may not have had what it took to fend off this level of threat by themselves.


    ¡°S-sprites?!¡± Lero shouted, ¡°I don¡¯t even know what those are!¡±


    ¡°It matters not¡ª¡± This isn¡¯t the best time to explain¡­ Just as Cira thought they would ignore her and the crew, an even more brilliant sprite emerged from the shadows on a clear path to the onyx which held her meager stores of dark mana. ¡°The time has come to show me your progress.¡±

 128 - Nipped in the Bud

    The inexplicable flaming ball radiated heat like a furnace as it approached the crew. Cira could feel the sweat bead on her face and gave the brothers a look to see them shaking in fear.


    ¡°A-are you sure we can do it?¡± Lero asked as the unknown enemy floated toward them slowly like a dandelion on the wind.


    ¡°Not with that attitude,¡± Cira quipped back, ¡°but you better hurry up.¡±


    There were no artifacts in any of her bags of goodies that were perfect for dealing with flame sprites, but Cira did have artifacts for all the primary elements and then some¡ªit was only natural. While she had never found a proper use for the Fog Blaster, it was the one artifact she regretted not bringing along this time.


    In a pinch, she would try to fend off the sprite with her Water Wand. It was a simple wand which¡­ shot water. Even if it worked on one, it certainly wouldn¡¯t work on a group of sprites. The continuation of their journey was very much relying on her crew¡¯s abilities.


    Well, just in case, Cira used her quill to begin enchanting their little bubble of light in the abyss with a little conversion spell. It was extraordinarily inefficient, but there was plenty of darkness to go around. The only problem was it would take time to fill the area with water mana¡ªit was a slow conversion and an imperfect space.


    ¡°Guys?!¡± Cira urged them along as their knuckles turned white around the hafts of their new water-attuned staves, ¡°Do something! Just surround it with water!¡±


    She almost pulled out her wand when they finally snapped back into reality and started casting. Their weapons each shined a rich blue before mana converged over the sprite. Steam hissed and they were nearly so startled as to interrupt the spell, but Cira shouted to keep going as it flickered.


    ¡°Tawny, blow it away.¡± The girl did as requested, and all the steam pushed further down the tunnel before it dispersed or disappeared into the shadows. This left a billowing ball of steam that slowly got smaller as the darkness reclaimed the space around them.


    Cira kept a close eye on the first sprite, but it floated around with less purpose than your average salt nymph. The two brothers went at it while everyone else looked around nervously, waiting for another to strike. While the coast was clear and the aggressive sprite smoldered, Cira wrapped up the first stage of her enchantment and a handful of cerulean runes appeared around them in the space between the light and darkness, which was notably smaller than on the last floor.


    ¡°What is that?!¡± Jimbo reflexively pulled a revolver out of his coat and shot at one of the runes.


    ¡°Put that away, you idiot.¡± Luckily, Cira¡¯s enchantment was not so tangible, owing to its spatial nature. ¡°I¡¯ve enchanted our little bubble to eventually, maybe, ward of these sprites. No need to be alarmed.¡±


    ¡°How do you enchant the air¡­? Can I do that?¡± Ike excitedly pulled his mithril needle out and Cira slapped it away.


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t. Why did you even bring that?¡± He put it away and looked at the ground, crestfallen. ¡°It¡¯s an advanced technique, and it¡¯s only so easy for me now because I have this here quill. I normally suck at it.¡±


    Even now, it wasn¡¯t working great. Much of the accumulated water mana, which built up as imperceptibly luminescent humidity, was leaving their bubble and drifting away. She would be getting a better result by holding the Water Wand out and just spritzing on the ground. This told her a few very important things, though.


    One of which assuaged her very real worries of running out of air in a cave full of fireballs¡ªthere was a draft. Despite Tawny¡¯s efforts to blow the steam away, the breeze still flowed past Cira¡¯s face into the cave behind them. And soon, the steam fizzled out and the cave got dimmer again. The other sprite was noticeably further away by this point.


    ¡°It worked!¡± Lero high fived his brother.


    ¡°But it was very slow, tedious, and loud. How many times do you think you guys can do that?¡± They had a very limited stock of mana potions, which existed in Cira¡¯s pocket. She had all intentions to teach them alchemy to brew their own after she picked those herbs near the village, but the Third Order really crunched their schedule.


    ¡°A¡­ few more times. At least.¡± They both nervously nodded at each other.


    ¡°That won¡¯t do¡­ but let¡¯s continue. Hopefully we won¡¯t encounter another aggressive one.¡± Cira led the way, and they started walking again until it was dark enough to summon more Lamplights. She had another idea on how to deal with the sprites when the time came, so tried to work on the enchantments.


    My precious moisture is escaping¡­ If I create a barrier of wind, I can stop that, but then we may run out of air. Allowing airflow and continuously adjusting the barrier¡¯s size as the darkness gets thicker would be a tedious mess without my aura. But air passes through shadows with no issue¡­ Why wouldn¡¯t I use shadows? Then I can simply make it impermeable to water¡ªmuch easier than furling wind.


    Cira often made barriers out of ambient light, so this should have been a matter of course, especially given the needle in her hand. This would even help keep the shadows from eventually crushing them, rather than just keeping them at bay. The enchantments would take time, so she started waving the quill around as they strolled ever deeper.


    ¡°Is it just me, or is this tomb larger than the last?¡± Cira asked as passing sprites illuminated the widened hallway and distant ceiling.


    ¡°As our people multiplied over the years,¡± There was a longing look in Kuja¡¯s eyes as she gazed down the line of towering grave markers, ¡°our tombs naturally grew in size. There is more room to expand as we travel down the mountain, anyway. You will see the last tomb to be more akin to a city beneath the earth.¡±


    Cira pictured something like the Nimbus Stratum or even the former queen¡¯s nest that became Uru. A true necropolis then. I wonder what manner of residents I will find there.


    Shifting around the group to place her glyphs where they needed to be was awkward as they moved through the intermittently lit tunnel, but Cira was afforded a moment to draw a few tricky ones above her head when a curious sprite decided to stop for a snack.


    ¡°Try ice water this time.¡± Cira instructed as she continued painting mana. Down here in the cave, she hardly noticed the lack of aura, just gliding along with her runes and magic circles. Maybe I will move in with the goblins¡­


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    The steam hissed violently while the occasional chunk of ice whined before abruptly exploding. Rictor intercepted each one with a rock if it were aimed at the crew, but overall, the sprite didn¡¯t seem to like it. Somehow, it was faster than the last. The brothers had to follow it around with their conjurations and if it took much longer, it would be upon them.


    ¡°Gil, try to hold it in place.¡± He wasn¡¯t the most skilled fire mage, but Cira thought he could sway it to a degree.


    ¡°How?!¡± He barked in response.


    ¡°Just pretend it¡¯s a torch or something. Even if it¡¯s sentient, it¡¯s still just a flame.¡± It should be a simple matter with his staff, ¡°Manipulate it as you would any other.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± He started concentrating as his staff blared. Sweat poured down his face and each passing second was putting more strain on him, but the sprite started slowing down, ¡°Hyahhhhhh!¡±


    Gil put his whole being into pushing it back, and the brothers finally caught up as the sprite retracted to the size of a melon.


    ¡°Just a little more!¡± Eros shouted.


    ¡°Come on!¡± his brother showed the same vigor and their staves¡¯ light reflected the potency of their efforts for one final push. The sprite disappeared in a little puff of steam.


    ¡°Still slow¡­¡± Cira pondered, ¡°But not as bad. The cold seemed to agitate it, so maybe we¡¯ll table that one...¡±


    The smaller sprites still flickered in the distance and with one last brushstroke, she moved everyone along again. The shadowy array was nearing completion, and now she just had to fill in the easy parts against the ground. Enchanting space successfully was a really satisfying task and Cira¡¯s smile grew with each glyph that didn¡¯t fade away upon completion. These ones were still mostly invisible against the black backdrop, but the crew had been watching her work and started messing with the active array.


    ¡°Crazy.¡± Jimbo put his hand through one of the blue runes, ¡°They¡¯re following us.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t be much good if they stayed behind.¡± Gil countered, trying and failing to poke one.


    ¡°Very true.¡± With a nod, Cira could only agree. ¡°But it¡¯s already starting to get warm again, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    The brothers turned pale, seeming a little unsteady on their feet so soon after their last mana dump. They looked forward warily, while the others readied their staves just to feel safer.


    ¡°What do we do?¡± Eros looked to Cira for answers.


    ¡°You two step back. We¡¯ll try it without water this time.¡± For the sake of caution, Cira slowed down until a light seeped through the curtain of darkness. Then a few more paces and multiple sprites came into view of varying sizes. The brightest one was so big Cira¡¯s hands wouldn¡¯t even touch if she gave it a hug.


    Cira wanted to give them a chance at peace, but the big one was hungry. Luckily, the others seemed aimless. Perhaps the perceived mana was too great a threat for the little guys.


    ¡°Tawny, can you create an airless void around the sprite?¡± The plan was a one-two punch.


    ¡°Uh¡­ I think so?¡± Her staff lit up as she began.


    ¡°Now, someone superimpose a Lamplight over it. It has to be larger than the sprite. We will deprive it of its two sources of fuel.¡±


    Subtly pushing himself in front of the other paladins, Marko cast his Lamplight and started moving it forward, ¡°So, we¡¯re just gonna snuff it out like a flame?¡±


    ¡°Precisely,¡± Cira nodded, ¡°Though they are comprised primarily of fire mana, it is impossible for them to exist in a space in which fire cannot. Because they are made of mana, we also have to cut off their ability to feed on the darkness.¡±


    ¡°You said sentient, but¡­ are these creatures lifeless like the slimes?¡± Kuja asked ¡°I have seen a few dark ¡®sprites¡¯ over the years. We knew them as wisps, but I always thought they had their own souls¡­¡±


    ¡°They do.¡± It would do nobody any good to let this misunderstanding perpetuate, and the poor woman looked like she was doubting her eyes at this point. ¡°While all true corporeal creatures possess a soul, not all souls originate from one and not all spirits are what you may typically consider ¡®ghosts¡¯. Some are born naturally of the aether, sprites being the weakest classification of which. They are also known as immature spirits, or even wisps.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying¡­¡± Tawny pondered briefly, ¡°We¡¯re basically killing ghost babies?¡±


    The Lamplight blared on as the sprite in their clutches gradually dwindled.


    ¡°Not quite¡­ but you¡¯re not entirely wrong.¡± Cira thought the comparison was fair if you didn¡¯t think less of them for not having been born with a physical body. ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m trying to ward them off?¡±


    The once large sprite could now fit in Cira¡¯s palm and when she blinked, it was gone. A somber silence fell over the crew for a moment until they heard a trickling sound. Everyone looked over and saw Jimbo pouring liquor from his flask onto the ground.


    ¡°Now we¡¯re square. I say we hurry the hell outta here.¡± With a shrug and a sip, he moved the group forward. The smaller sprites had already found their way to the sides of the tomb and some were far enough to have disappeared.


    ¡°I mean, they¡¯re probably like bugs anyway, right?¡± Rictor tried to bring the mood back around, ¡°I would have felt bad killing a bunch of goblins because they got little hands and seem kind of smart, but these guys are just balls of mana that float around.¡±


    ¡°The last human baby I met was pretty dumb.¡± Jimbo countered, ¡°Who knows what the adults are like. In fact, if I met a baby with this much mana that wanted to eat me, I¡¯d smother it too. It¡¯s fair game.¡±


    ¡°True, true¡­¡± Oliver nodded in agreement, ¡°Lady Cira, what are the adults like?¡±


    ¡°Ahhh,¡± I was hoping not to bring this up, ¡°Well, sprites don¡¯t age, so adult isn¡¯t the right term. Once they collect enough mana, they evolve into a greater lifeform. Flame sprites, for example, may become a giant beast made of condensed flames known as a salamander. Usually in the form of a lizard or something similar, hence the name. These mature spirits possess less intelligence than most, but it still far surpasses most humans.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Rictor hung his head, and the others grew silent again, ¡°Well now I feel kind of bad.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t. Any sprite nearing maturity is a potential calamity. It¡¯s convenient that they come to me if you think about it.¡±


    ¡°Hold on a minute.¡± Gil cut in with a serious edge to his voice, ¡°What if there¡¯s one of those salamanders down here?¡±


    ¡°Not possible. You would know. A salamander could turn the Lost Cloud into lava if it felt like it or maybe even inadvertantly. There¡¯s no way one could be here unnoticed.¡± Cira shook her head vehemently, ¡°Although it would explain the inexplicable presence of flame sprites¡­ and the powerful draft from below¡­ and¡ªwait, Mac, you son of a bitch!¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± The crew covered their ears and shrunk down as the grumpy voice entered everyone¡¯s minds.


    ¡°Is that soul you promised me a damned salamander?!¡±


    ¡°Of course not, you idiot. How could there possibly be a matured spirit here? We would be standing in a volcano. Has your brain begun to rot away with your soul?¡± He sounded like he just woke up, ¡°You have no idea how thick the mana is down there, and it is very difficult to see through, so if you have no more stupid questions, may I please rest?¡±


    It sounded like an excuse to sleep and not look really far away with his spider powers, but Cira was too busy glowering to split hairs. Of course I knew that, dammit¡­ ¡°Well, what is it then?¡± Cira finally mustered the courage to ask.


    ¡°¡­¡± but Mac had fallen asleep.


    ¡°What an asshole.¡± Shores gave her a pat on the shoulder.


    ¡°Well, we won¡¯t have to deal with any salamanders.¡± The darkness was starting to get monotonous and shrunk their bastion of light in even further as they progressed through the floor. The occasional smaller sprite would pass, but a while went by without encountering anything aggressive. This whole time Cira had been shuffling around the group and finishing up her barrier until she finally got the first layer complete.


    Black glyphs shone with an unsettling radiance and formed lines between key points around the crew in a semi-sphere ending at the ground, like hazy silhouettes in the Lamplight. Their visibility was instantly cut down as the world around them got darker, but it was a price they would have to pay for now.


    ¡°I was wondering what you were doing¡­¡± Tawny looked around, ¡°Why make it darker though?¡±


    ¡°It was necessary. See?¡± Cira pointed out the twinkling blue coalescing around the inside of the barrier, ¡°It¡¯s already holding in my moisture, and I have a feeling we¡¯re going to need it to keep the shadows out below.¡±


    ¡°We have almost reached the next staircase,¡± Kuja popped in with an update, ¡°But I sense a great deal of mana ahead. We may not be able to leave this floor without a fight.¡±


    ¡°Bummer. I was just thinking this was too easy.¡± Cira doubled down on the warding runes while they walked toward the impending heat. Sprites were an opponent she couldn¡¯t punch to death¡ªwell, she wasn¡¯t equipped to.

 129 - The Burning Depths

    In the flickering abyss, Cira held pace until more flame sprites came into view. They waded through the darkness slower as most sprites steered clear, even a few of the larger ones. For a moment, it seemed that her enchanted bubble was successfully warding them away, but as they kept walking it only got hotter.


    ¡°What should we do if a group of them attacks us?¡± Shores asked with good reason, stroking his light blue beard in the passing flame¡¯s glow, ¡°We should discuss it ahead of time.¡±


    The Great Saint of Who Knows How Many Suns¡¯ acolytes all nodded their heads in agreement. Cira appreciated the good Reverand¡¯s diligence and forethought, then pushed her new robe designs out of her mind, ¡°I think suffocating them is best. Tawny can simply enlarge the airless void while the paladins focus on light. I should be able to hold them in place with a few runes if need be. Gil, you should still be able to help with your control over fire. The brothers are free to use water, and Cedric, that will be your only choice. Lightning is not very effective against fire. Sorry Rictor, but you¡¯re useless again¡ªno, I take that back. You could trap them in, maybe like a metal egg or something. That should slow them down. I never taught you how to conjure tungsten, but you can manage titanium right?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Rictor nodded astutely, ¡°I¡¯ve been practicing because I know you like it so much.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªwho told you that?¡± With an apprehensive scoff, Cira turned away, ¡°Never mind that. Our next challenger has arrived. Let¡¯s see how you guys figure it out.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t as big as the last, but it seemed hungry. Determinately floating toward Cira¡¯s onyx, the sprite fell right into Tawny¡¯s trap. Just outside the barrier, the flames began to dissipate. Gil practiced his hand at pushing it back and found more success than with the larger sprite before. Slowly but surely, it started to get weaker and shrink down.


    ¡°There¡¯s another one!¡± Rictor pointed to their side where Cira saw a bright light funneling in from an unseen passageway.


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re surrounded by hallways¡­¡± She looked around and noticed there was a third pretty sizeable sprite coming from a hall on the opposite side. The burning wisps arriving from completely different directions really put a damper on her brilliant plan and she directed the others to focus on the left side.


    Looks like I¡¯ll have to step in here¡­ I can tell by the look on Eros and Leros¡¯ faces that another round will run them dry, so Cedric will need to assist. Since Tawny is busy, I¡¯ll take number three.


    Cira stuck the end of her quill outside the barrier and first painted a simple glyph in the air to conjure a ball of water. With a few more brushstrokes, the water took on a much more aerodynamic shape ending in a fine point. A simple projectile wouldn¡¯t do much, so Cira needed to carve instructions into it one step at a time. It was roughly the same as if she were to cast this spell directly of her will, but tedious and rudimentary with no aura. Still, the desired result was more or less achieved.


    ¡°Now just a little propulsion¡­¡± Cira waved the quill in a circle to complete the glyph and her needlessly complex water missile shot forth. It twisted as it sped through the darkness like a gleaming arrow.


    The sprite exited the hallway into the wide chamber and the moment Cira¡¯s arrow touched it, there was an explosion of mist. Take that, you little bastard.


    Her next glyph was already in the works, this time on a stone in the ground. It was tempting to walk over there and place a mana trap directly beneath the sprite, but now wasn¡¯t a great time to find out how oppressive the darkness really was. Cira instead enchanted a brick. When it was done, she picked it up and chucked it outside the barrier.


    It was heavier than she thought, or maybe she was weaker, but the brick just barely made it within range of the sprite¡ªthe bundle of sizzling mist. A magic circle spread out across the ground and glowed a pure white. There wasn¡¯t time to do anything fancy, so she just created a space which mana couldn¡¯t escape from and only water was allowed to enter. It would hopefully hold up against the sprite as it weakened, so now came the time to fill it up.


    Water appeared and took shape before flying straight into the mana trap. The mist grew denser and there was already another shimmering arrow coming its way. Faster now with each repetition, Cira continued this for a few minutes. Water escaped as it evaporated in the heat and recondensed in heavy droplets which pooled on the ground. The mana trap stripped the water of its aethereal components on its way out, leaving behind a thick column of radiant cerulean.


    ¡°How¡¯s it going over here?¡± Jimbo ran up as Tawny finished off her sprite, but the others were still working on theirs. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯m looking at.¡±


    The shining cylinder furled like a glittering potion and was actually quite pretty, ¡°I can¡¯t see inside, so I¡¯m not sure how it¡¯s going.¡±


    With Tawny now unoccupied, Cira let off on the water missiles and stood there for a few seconds. ¡°Hang on¡­ I can¡¯t deactivate the mana trap from here.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Jimbo replied. He took out his thinking flask for a moment before shrugging his shoulders, ¡°It should be good like that, right? Won¡¯t it go away on its own?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a brick, but¡­ Probably in a few hours assuming the flame has run its course.¡± She continued to watch it and there was no change, except the water pouring out from beneath had slowed to a trickle. ¡°I guess it¡¯s fine.¡±


    There was nothing to do about it, so she went to watch over the three water mages and the observant Rictor. No sprite would get past him, if it came to it. Cedric was full of energy after recovering from the last floor for a little while, but his water wasn¡¯t as potent. Meanwhile, the two brothers were ready to collapse.


    ¡°Almost there¡­¡±


    ¡°Just a little more!¡±


    Cira would have stepped in, but they were in the home stretch, and it would have felt like snatching away their victory. After this, they would have to wait for their mana to recover. It would be a shame to turn around so close to the staircase, but these sprites were really draining their resources.


    ¡°I feel so useless.¡± Kuja¡¯s voice was lined with regret, ¡°This is supposed to be my tomb to reclaim, after all.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say we have a ways to go to reclaim it,¡± Cira could only imagine how many creatures lived here. At this point, reclaiming it would be like destroying a series of developed ecosystems. ¡°If I had known we would need to douse flames as well, I would have prepared more artifacts.¡±


    The sprites were nothing like the goblins before, so any darkness Kuja conjured would only be consumed. Her skills with other elements were significantly lower, so she had no role to place since they left the gauntlet of slimes.


    The last sprite disappeared in one last plume of steam and then the tomb was dark. The smaller sprites had evidently left, and the paladins¡¯ Lamplights barely pushed outside the barrier.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hurry before more show up.¡± Cira urged everyone forward as the tomb narrowed, leading them to a passageway not even ten feet wide. A set of brittle caskets flanked the doorway and the walls beyond were bare. There were damaged spots that may have been where a torch was once held, but now it was just a dark, dusty passage.


    A warm breeze brushed against Cira¡¯s face, and it was starting to get uncomfortable to breathe. Ordinally, she would just cool the air down, but it would be a tricky sorcery to explain on the fly.


    ¡°I got a bad feeling about this¡­¡± Captain Shores wiped the sweat off his forehead and squinted his eyes trying to see down the hall. ¡°It¡¯s too damn dark.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m working on it, okay?¡± Cira¡¯s barrier became gradually denser in response to the surrounding shadows, meaning it was slowly getting darker. While they were up against a wall on both sides, this meant it was almost impossible to see in front of them now. Cira could do nothing but keep enchanting, though it was difficult to do while keeping up with everyone.


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    More than a couple glyphs simply dissipated, but to Cira¡¯s credit, she was unraveling a sorcery she had never performed. Something which made logical sense, just had never come up. A makeshift way to see in the dark¡ªcourtesy of the darkness itself.


    ¡°Looks like it can wait.¡± Gil was breathing heavily under the impending heat everyone else felt. It hadn¡¯t gotten any better and the reason why was fast approaching. A flickering red and orange haze started to grow in the shadows beyond the barrier, slowly revealing a wall of flame. ¡°W-what do we do?¡±


    In his panic, all Gil could do was push against it to no avail. As the shadows continued to burn, a small horde of sprites could be seen approaching without relent. Dammit. This much trouble over a little bit of dark mana? Have I collected more than I thought¡­? Cira didn¡¯t have time to deliberate as they ceaselessly closed the gap.


    ¡°Rictor, I need a wall. Now¡± He was startled back into the present and a metal wall sprouted from the floor.


    ¡°Hyahhhh!!! There!¡± He leaned over panting and red in the face. ¡°How¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°How much do you have left?¡± Cira asked Tawny. There was no time to praise a respectable feat of geomancy yet.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Tawny didn¡¯t look too spent yet, and the paladins nodded assuredly. Still, there was no time to waste. These sprites would not be impeded for long.


    Shadow Quill scraped against the ground as Cira carved some warding glyphs and the titanium wall radiated with unbearable heat. A glowing orange spot appeared at about eye level. ¡°Don¡¯t let it get too hot, Rictor.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ªhow?!¡± He was baffled, but it was well within the range of a proper geomancer¡¯s expected prowess.


    ¡°You feel it getting hotter, don¡¯t you? Just stop it! I only need a few minutes.¡± Just because a flame sprite was the source of the heat, didn¡¯t mean hot metal was strictly within the realm of flame sorcery. Hot was merely another state of the material Rictor conjured.


    The mage seemed to understand what Cira was getting at and his eyes turned focused with his grip around the sandstone staff. Whether or not he would make progress this lesson, she could not say as the melting spot began to grow. The only thing to do was enchant faster. One array wouldn¡¯t be enough to stop them, so Cira frantically began another.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just do the same thing you did to the last guy?¡± Jimbo asked earnestly.


    It was tempting to trap them in a column of water, she had to admit. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can trap enough mana without a catalyst or more time¡­ besides, we still have to get past them.¡± A hole finally melted through the wall, and it was like someone opened the door to a furnace right in Cira¡¯s face.


    I have to hurry up! This is so pitiful. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve been forced into a corner by sprites of all things. It didn¡¯t hurt her pride any less than being completely shut out by slimes. A sorcerer of indisputably moderate caliber reduced to scrawling on the floor like an unruly child.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Lady Cira¡­¡± She turned and the brothers were standing before her looking worn out and apologetic.


    ¡°I wish we could do more for you. But, to fail you in your time of need¡ª¡± Lero was getting ahead of himself.


    ¡°Quit distracting me and focus on recovering your mana.¡± A glob of titanium fell to the bricks next to her array and dissipated. There was a sprite pressed up against the hole and more spots had begun to melt through. The brothers backed off and Cedric started preparing a spell, having borrowed one of their staves to focus on water alone.


    The brightest sprite pushed through the wall and the cave was turning into an oven. With no other choice, Cira half-assed the last glyph of her third array and tumbled out of the way just as the ends of her hair started to singe and curl up. ¡°Drop the shield!¡±


    Cira was going to yell at Tawny to begin but was cut off from the gust of wind produced by the girl¡¯s spell before Rictor even had a chance to dispel his metal wall. Titanium promptly dissolved into faint motes of light and the sprites suddenly started to shake from the sudden absence of air. The fringes of their flames quivered as the blaring Lamplight of four paladin¡¯s converged to bathe the entire hallway in white.


    It was so bright Cira watched with tightly squinted eyes through cracks in her finger, but there was nothing to be seen. The crew was all in a similar state except the four who stared right into it screaming¡ªTawny at least turned away.


    ¡°Are we gettin¡¯ those bastards?¡± Jimbo had to raise his voice to be heard over the paladins¡¯ passionate cries.


    ¡°Probably?¡± Cira didn¡¯t have an answer for him. Only time would tell. How much time, is the question. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say.¡±


    A couple minutes went on like this before the light bringers ran out of breath and eventually stopped blinding themselves, but they couldn¡¯t hold up the spell forever.


    Let¡¯s see, I think I counted nine of them. In theory we should be able to kill a group in the same time as one of them¡­ but that sure was a lot of mana. It was possible that the collective heat of all the sprites could work in effect to prolong their life.


    ¡°Cedric, throw some water in there.¡± He conjured a ball of water and did as instructed. It disappeared into the light, but the hiss of steam lasted less than a second. The sprites were alive and well. ¡°If you think you have the mana, try and take over Eros and Leros¡¯ job.¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡± Guilt flashed over his face for a second, ¡°I don¡¯t think I could make it last long¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine¡­ Just splash them now and again to see if they¡¯re gone.¡± Can we really continue? Rictor¡¯s the only one who isn¡¯t running out of mana, and there¡¯s no way we can recover with sprites coming for us so often. I can easily see them spreading below where the darkness is even more abundant.


    Keeping the Lamplight up didn¡¯t seem too difficult between four men, because it was a naturally low-cost spell, but Tawny showed the first signs of fatigue. Her breath was audible though she tried to hide it and her face was starting to strain.


    ¡°Are you doing okay?¡± Cira asked with sincerity.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry about me!¡± Her grip tightened around the wind staff, ¡°Just worry about your wards breaking.¡±


    ¡°Why would they¡ª¡± Cira froze as she noticed the third array start to flicker near a sloppy rune she made at the end. Of course¡­


    The glyph shattered and a massive crack ran through the array before the entire thing faded out. Suddenly the light of the flames started to burn through even the radiant white and it got hotter still. Next the edges of Cira¡¯s shadow bubble started to sizzle and wisp away as her eyes shot open in panic.


    ¡°They¡¯re burning my barrier!¡± If they destroyed a single rune, it was possible her shadows would disperse on the spot. ¡°There shouldn¡¯t even be flame sprites here!¡±


    ¡°Maybe you should enchant better.¡± Tawny was right, but Cira was remarkably flammable these days. It was the best she could do.


    ¡°Fine then!¡± With newfound furious determination, Cira started sending her Mist Missiles into the fray. Each one exploded on impact and soon began to fill the hallway in a thick fog, further reducing their vision and overall idea of what was going on. Their ears were pierced by the shrill and constant sound of relentless steam.


    The sprites were able to advance a little, but the other two wards still held. One was noticeably brighter from nearing its breaking point, but no cracks had formed yet.


    Soon, the steam hissed just a little less violently. Ten minutes in and they were still struggling, but it was a sure sign of progress. Cira doubled down on the mist, and it wasn¡¯t long until the air finally cooled down.


    It was no more difficult than twirling a baton around for Cira, but her mages drawing from their own mana were starting to tire. Tawny wouldn¡¯t admit it, but she was approaching the end of her rope. If this goes on any longer she¡¯s going to get my last potion¡­ Should I have waited to come down here? I still don¡¯t know if we can make it through the Last Tomb without running back up for supplies.


    Before Cira could second guess herself any further, the sound of water vaporizing stopped in an instant.


    ¡°Is¡­ Is that it?¡± Cedric asked, tossing a couple balls of water in different spots.


    ¡°Looks like it.¡± Cira let out a long-held breath of relief and took in another of far cooler air before turning to the old woman next to her, ¡°How far do we have?¡±


    Another gust of wind ran past them as Tawny let air flow back to where it belonged, and the paladins shared an apprehensive look as the Lamplight slowly died down. There was nothing left behind and Cira pouted as the bald spot in her shadow barrier started to fill in.


    ¡°It should only be a few minutes further.¡± At her word, Cira hurried everyone along. A few of them were still trying to catch their breath, but everyone kept moving. Just as Kuja claimed, they found the staircase shortly after in the center of a large chamber that continued far outside their vision.


    ¡°This is it? I expected to meet the edge of the mountain again.¡± Cira peered down into the stepped hole in the ground and didn¡¯t feel any suspicious mana at a glance¡ªjust a great deal of it.


    ¡°We could walk the same distance past these stairs to find the other side.¡± Kuja walked over to the staircase herself. ¡°It is easier to descend here.¡±


    Cira was in no hurry to add a few hours to their trip, but now was the time for some serious decision making.


    ¡°Okay, guys¡­ should we continue? It would be nice to at least know what we¡¯re up against below, but you are all running out of mana.¡± They all averted their eyes as Cira tried to look at them. ¡°It¡¯s fine if you want to return, I won¡¯t hold it against anyone¡­ but I don¡¯t think we can rest here. We¡¯re sure to be attacked by sprites.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we rest on the stairs?¡± Shores licked his finger and held it out, ¡°I feel a cool draft. Whatever¡¯s down there¡­ I don¡¯t think it¡¯s on fire.¡±


    Cira kept looking over the others and Jimbo shrugged, followed by a few mages deep in though before Ike spoke up.


    ¡°I think we all want to continue¡­ If it means one less trip down here, we can push through.¡± The other paladins nodded while Shores looked on with pride.


    ¡°And you?¡± Cira asked the last living Archaean.


    ¡°I am fine. If no one else wants to return, how could I?¡± She took the first step onto the stairs, ¡°We will head down and continue after a brief rest.¡±


    She was raring to go with a determined look on her face. Kuja had hardly used any mana today, so she was basically in top condition.


    ¡°What do you think we¡¯ll find down there?¡± Cira knew the others must have sensed the intense mana far more thoroughly than she could.


    ¡°I am not sure¡­¡± Kuja stared into the darkness below, ¡°As the largest tomb, we may find a great deal of revenants down there. Hopefully with their minds intact.¡±


    Cira hadn¡¯t a clue what would be down there, but after her talks with Mac and feeling the overwhelming pressure beneath her feet, she didn¡¯t expect anything that could be beaten in a fist fight.

 130 - Darker Still

    ¡°Man¡­¡± Jimbo washed down his meal with a long and refreshing swig, ¡°You really called it this time. Nothin¡¯ like a good wormwich for a day of cave crawlin.¡±


    ¡°If only I had more time¡­¡± Cira lamented with sullen passion as she gazed longingly at the sandwich in her hand, ¡°I would have asked Mephisto to share his secrets.¡±


    Reason thirty-six why I must meet the Astral Witch in single combat.


    The man with all the mana conjured some metal pans and Cira made flames sprout from one of the steps. Naturally, one of Cira¡¯s pouches was stuffed full of food. This was a scenario she anticipated, after all.


    ¡°I could go for another round,¡± Shores spoke up, smacking his lips, ¡°but how long are we gonna wait here? It¡¯s already been a few hours.¡±


    Ideally everyone would fill up on mana, but that could potentially take all day or longer, Cira thought. Shores¡¯ question was essentially if they were camping out or not. The crushing shadows outside were far too volatile for novices to quickly fill their aura with, but it was mostly blocked by Cira¡¯s barrier.


    ¡°Assuming we have to fight more, this will probably be like the first time we faced the slimes.¡± Cira replied, ¡°We only need enough mana to take a glance and escape.¡±


    ¡°About that¡­¡± This whole time Tawny had been looking around uncomfortably, but it didn¡¯t seem to bear fruit, ¡°It seems completely black outside. Your barrier has blinded us. How are we supposed to glance at anything?¡±


    ¡°The only reason we can see anything at all is my barrier. It prevents the darkness from drowning us, but it does not block light, per se.¡±


    ¡°How the hell does that work?¡± Jimbo cut in. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say the barrier was made of shadows or something?¡±


    ¡°Well, darkness is the absence of light, and the barrier exists on an independent spatial layer, so light passes through with essentially no resistance. It¡¯s the shadows outside my grasp which build up and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Forget I asked¡ªdoesn¡¯t that mean we still can¡¯t see shit?¡± He was right.


    ¡°For now¡­¡± Cira had been doing a little trial and error while everyone recovered, but no enchantments stuck yet. There was plenty of darkness to go around, but it was surprisingly difficult to infuse with space. As void was the absence of space and a decent analog for darkness, it was like trying to combine something that didn¡¯t exist with something that did. ¡°I¡¯ve nearly figured it out, but this will be simpler if there¡¯s actually something to look at once I¡¯ve finished.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m about ready.¡± Tawny stood up and stretched out her legs. ¡°They¡¯ve got to be close to full by now too.¡±


    Cira looked over the others and it was Gil who spoke, notorious for being the slowest to recover among the group, ¡°I think I¡¯ve got a little over half.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been full for a little while,¡± Cedric had been sitting silently on his step and only just opened his eyes, ¡°There¡¯s so much mana down here, it¡¯s the perfect place to try and expand my aura.¡±


    ¡°No fair!¡± Ike shouted, still recovering his own, ¡°Lady Cira, can we stay here for a bit longer? I think this is a training opportunity we can¡¯t miss.¡±


    After enjoying a brief chortle, Cira stood up too, ¡°There will be plenty of time to run down here and train once we get me in the damn cauldron.¡± She was proud of her pupils for taking advantage of such conditions, even if she didn¡¯t say it.


    A few seemed displeased, but mainly to miss the chance to train rather than because they were tired or scared. Eventually, everyone was on their feet, and they once again descended the staircase.


    ¡°Mac, wake up,¡± Cira thought, ¡°My soul¡¯s pretty close, right?¡±


    There was something to be said about how she already considered it hers, but that was neither here nor there.


    ¡°So what? You¡¯ll know it when you see it.¡± The most infuriating part of this was that he could not lie, and thus could be as vague as he wanted. How he knew that Cira would recognize it on sight, she could not grasp, but the truth was not lost on her.


    ¡°Why are you so difficult? The only thing I¡¯m really stopping you from doing is eating souls, which is objectively a pretty messed up thing to do.¡±


    Without a soul, a being could not be. If anything was universally immoral, Cira figured eating souls was it. How much more blatantly diabolical could one possibly be?


    ¡°Maybe to you! However, it is my primary diet. You may think I don¡¯t need souls because I haven¡¯t eaten one in decades, but you have to realize I¡¯ve lived for thousands of years. If my hunger grows any further, I will probably¡ªI will¡­ I¡¯ll¡­ Grahhh! I can¡¯t even say it! I couldn¡¯t possibly go into a frenzy with the collar you¡¯ve cursed around my neck, I¡¯ll just shrivel up and die. Is that what you want?¡±


    Geez¡­ Cira didn¡¯t expect to be lambasted so bluntly but such a ridiculously geriatric creature. I guess that was an oversight¡­ I figured he could simply absorb mana like some kind of eight-legged sprite.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you have a neck,¡± Cira observed, ¡°and you could have eaten one of the aggressive flame sprites, you know. Oh¡­? Could it be you were behaving conscientiously, and the thought didn¡¯t even occur to you?¡±


    If he wanted, then attempted to, and successfully ate a flame sprite, that would be proof Cira was okay with it. Like how he was able to dodge questions by sleeping. Cira was irritated by that, but it wouldn¡¯t have felt right to force him to stay awake and endure an interrogation. Thus, Mac continued to sleep at will.


    ¡°More like you would regret letting it slide and punish me retroactively.¡± And his sincere retort cut deep into Cira¡¯s heart, for it was again the truth. That does sound like something I would do. What punishment does he even expect, I wonder.


    ¡°Speak your mind more often, you stupid spider. It¡¯s only fair I find you a soul as well.¡± Even if it was a calamitous soul-eating spider that her father imprisoned, she couldn¡¯t just curse it into subservience then starve it to death.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Very well. My hunger won¡¯t be sated for some time, so I¡¯m going back to sleep.¡± The crew looked at her funny as she groaned with no context.


    ¡°Fine then. Look for Nina while you¡¯re at it.¡±


    There was no reply, but Cira doubted she was nearby anyway. It was a fleeting worry that kept crossing her mind. Meanwhile, Kuja caught her grumbling as Shadow Quill carved into the shadowy membrane.


    ¡°Are the enchantments frustrating you¡­? We can turn back for the day. We still have time.¡± The concern was appreciated, but that wasn¡¯t Cira¡¯s problem.


    ¡°No need.¡± She was on the right track and decided to focus on the task at hand. ¡°I almost have it, I swear.¡±


    ¡°Maybe hurry up a little this time.¡± The final step came into view and Jimbo was the first one down for some reason. He had a spring in his step that clacked against the stone. As the group caught up, the darkness could be seen seeping through the barrier with a faint radiance that nearly nullified their crimson bands.


    Everyone slowed down but Cira pushed them along for a bit further until the whole crew was down and the stairs were no longer in view. They were almost blind, and the mana here felt like it was crushing their bones even inside the barrier. The fearless Dreadheart Armada looked nervous and unsteady on their feet just trying to stand.


    ¡°I have never seen this much mana¡­ and your barrier is keeping most of it out.¡± Kuja had wide eyes as she tried to look through the shroud. ¡°I sense souls¡­ but everything is so muddled down here I cannot discern them. How can it be so much more intense than all those years ago?¡±


    There were strange noises through the abyss that nobody seemed to want to talk about. Grinding stone and large, distant thrashing that echoed from somewhere indistinguishable. Above it all was an eerie white noise that Cira couldn¡¯t quite place as running water.


    ¡°Well¡­ Darkness doesn¡¯t dissipate naturally. In fact, it has a remarkable propensity to condense the further it gets from light, especially undisturbed.¡± Cira inadvertently explained while laying out a few more runes. She was in the zone. ¡°No matter how dark it gets, anything which can survive down here will contain a distinctly greater concentration of mana than the surrounding atmosphere¡ªAh! I¡¯ve got it!¡±


    A wide smile formed on Cira¡¯s face at yet another unknown sorcery unraveled by her own hand. She didn¡¯t think she held a candle to her father, but transforming the conceptual space between light and dark into an enchanted all-purpose bubble was as gratifying as any mountain.


    In the same way that void was lack of space, darkness was the absence of light. Shadow itself acted like a malleable void she could manipulate to her own will, even crippled as she was given enough effort. Furthering this line of thinking, Cira¡¯s fleeting sanctuary in the oppressive world of shadows took form as a domain of sorts. It was a void within the darkness itself. Logically speaking, it was only natural that they could see perfectly as if under the midday sun while within it, but that much wasn¡¯t Cira¡¯s goal. She needed to see outside.


    The barrier was stronger than ever now as the wisping shadows were forced back outside, but this was only the first step. Cira finished her last brushstroke and a complex array of glyphs that hurt to look at lit up in tandem. Spatial mana appeared black and white, often simultaneously, because its color existed on a spectrum not perceptible through traditional means and not associated with light whatsoever. Then with the imbued darkness within, it made the mind incredibly uncomfortable.


    The crew blocked their eyes and started fretting audibly, Oliver serving as their mouthpiece this time, ¡°Lady Cira¡­ what is this?¡±


    ¡°Any minute now¡­¡± This was a wide range perceptive sorcery, so Cira took the luxury to hype it up while it finished activating. ¡°The void that is darkness¡­ can be permeated without resistance by space itself. What is the essence of substance, if not space? Space exists within all, while all exists within space. Nothing can be without space. Likewise, where nothing exists, can be claimed with little effort. What space belongs to me can be freely manipulated, you see. Space can exist without light, and light inversely alters space to a particular state. This is one way to think about it¡­¡±


    ¡°Even I am lost, Child¡­ Please get on with it. I do not think we are safe here.¡± Everyone had evidently been distracted by Cira¡¯s spiel, but the old woman reminded them of the echoing scrapes and cracking which sounded off in the distance every few seconds. Something nearby that sounded like dust settling even made Cira nervous.


    ¡°Tch. As the space within this bubble has become my domain, so has the darkness beyond the barrier.¡± Proxy domain would be more accurate as she didn¡¯t have an aura, but she didn¡¯t want to keep dwelling on that. ¡°Using a spatial array, I can gauge the shadows¡¯ density. Then using, well, another¡­ I can invert the perceived light as determined through the lens of my barrier by a degree dependent on the concentrations of dark mana in the area which¡­ should be apparent shortly. The ambient darkness, of course, will remain black, so anything which possesses mana should show up as varying shades of dark gray. To put it in perspective, staring directly into the dark mana well under these conditions, it would appear as stark white. And it¡¯s not like I can make it activate any faster¡ª¡±


    Cira was stalling because her glyph-based sorcery was such a slog, and her crew was either lost or irritated¡ªnotably not impressed and a little scared. Jimbo was about to say something, but everyone was silenced as the world flickered around them. Like a searing Lamplight, everyone had to shield their eyes again.


    ¡°What the shit¡ª¡± Jimbo stumbled onto his ass while Oliver was in a similar position with his eyes peeled back.


    ¡°My¡­ my god.¡±


    ¡°What is that¡­?¡± Even Tawny was horrified, and her voice shook while she instinctively stepped back.


    ¡°No way¡­¡± Cira too stared upwards into the massive eyes of a gleaming creature beyond comprehension. It shined a brilliant pure white through the lens of the shadow barrier. The man in Don¡¯s treasury was a pitiful memory in the face of this massive being. Cira could see the distant ceiling of the largest tomb of Archaeum where shadows failed to penetrate stone and gathered. The humanoid creature could reach it if it would only stretch its arm up.


    Could this thing even stand up if it wanted to? I don¡¯t understand how it¡¯s so huge¡­ or why? All Cira could see was mana, so its features were out of focus, more or less. Still, its legs looked feeble, almost like they were withered from disuse¡ªa distorted mirror of its former self perhaps, or a reflection of the last few centuries. It didn¡¯t seem like it wanted to move around much.


    Instead, its focus seemed to be on the crew. Curled up and seated while towering above them, one frail arm wrapped around its leg as it peeked at them past its knees, the creature blared a radiant white that burned her eyes, but Cira couldn¡¯t look away.


    ¡°I¡¯ve only seen them in illustrations¡­¡± Cira was equally terrified as she was entranced by the unfathomable mass of mana before her. This creature¡ªthis spirit¡ªwas not a fairy tale to her, merely a yet to be seen monstrosity.


    ¡°Are¡­ are these mana wells?¡± Marko asked as the sound of what Cira now knew to be footsteps came from behind her. A smaller giant¡ªwhich still dwarfed her many times over¡ªhad approached. Its head was three sizes too large and the same piercing glow as its counterpart made up its body. Cira noticed many more trundling around in the distance, slowly making their way over.


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Cira replied under the giants¡¯ ostensibly curious gazes. It was indeed fascinating to find these here, but Cira felt a pit form in her stomach as she tried to find the right words. ¡°What you all know as ghosts¡­ Shades, specters, what have you¡­ These can all be considered immature spirits as well as sprites. Likewise, revenants fall into this category. Kuja¡­¡± The woman narrowed her eyes nervously. ¡°As a flame sprite becomes a salamander, dark sprites typically evolve into umbra. However¡­ There exists a path which all immature spirits may end up on. When the soul degrades to a certain point and the will fades to obscurity¡ªif enough mana convenes in such a being, they may turn into something else entirely.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying¡­¡± Kuja peered up at the expressionless faces of two gargantuan sprits of unfathomable darkness, ¡°These¡­ creatures are what became of my ancestors¡­?¡±

 131 - Always a Bigger Fish

    ¡°I believe that to be the case.¡± Cira confirmed Kuja¡¯s fears, ¡°They¡¯re clearly of human form, and the revenants were perfect candidates, really. Given the element, you can call them shadow goliaths. One of the highest forms of¡ª¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s more coming!¡± Ike¡¯s frightened shout trembled, ¡°D-do we run yet?!¡±


    ¡°Shhhhh.¡± With a finger pressed against her lips, Cira quieted the crew while keeping an eye on the towering spirit. ¡°First of all, suppress your mana. Quickly.¡±


    Not that it did much. Cira held the most mana among the party in her hand, but it was likely a close second to none other than her painstakingly constructed shadow barrier. Meaning they may as well have been a hot potato full of mana sitting in the dark, perfect size for the goliath to pick up in its hand.


    ¡°Do you¡­¡± Kuja spoke quietly, as if in fear of the answer, ¡°Do you think it recognizes me?¡±


    ¡°Well, I only learned of sigils the other day¡­¡± Much like the revenants, these spirits seemed only to stare at Cira and the crew. Without the ability to see their features, it was difficult to tell if they were just as curious, but there weren¡¯t any signs of hostility so far. The second giant had stopped after getting close enough to lurch over them imposingly and didn¡¯t seem to have any further plans.


    One possibility that crossed Cira¡¯s mind was that their mana was far too overwhelming to feel any killing intent in her aethereally crippled state. That would not explain their disinterest in eating the crew thus far, though¡ªby all means a goliath should not be the type of creature to play with its food.


    ¡°Memories should have long dissolved,¡± Cira continued, ¡°but it would not surprise me for something important to them to be ingrained in their mind even in this withered state. I also think we possess such pitifully small amounts of mana that they don¡¯t even see us as potential food. See how the darkness is still seeping in? We literally possess less mana than the air here.¡±


    A thin mist of pure black made its way through the barrier only to quickly disperse as it approached the Lamplight, though it seemed to pervade further with each approaching spirit. A third now with arms that reached the floor swayed like a tired drunk as it stared at them from above.


    ¡°So, we¡¯re still weak¡­¡± Ike lamented the obvious truth.


    ¡°And surrounded.¡± Marko added.


    When I think about it, this could be really bad. The amount of mana they have is ridiculous¡­ I guess now I know why Dad told me I better hope never to see one in person. He did give me the impression they would be ravenous, but that old man possessed a great deal of mana. Either way, it wouldn¡¯t be a good idea to let them encircle us.


    There were more coming, at their own pace. Some dragged themselves across the ground while others lumbered over unsteadily. They could arrive at the stays rather quickly if they wanted.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move then.¡± Cira started walking between the largest goliath and the lanky newcomer. The edge of the barrier started to move as she approached it, causing a ruckus from behind.


    ¡°H-hey hold on!¡± Rictor cried as the backline mages scurried to not be left behind, ¡°Why are you going forward?¡±


    ¡°These spirits have no interest in us,¡± Their dilemma was to either give up or continue. It would take all week to come back with artifacts capable of dealing with a shadow goliath. The Sunbearer Coins wouldn¡¯t cut it by any stretch of the imagination. they would burn up if one flicked them into the mana well, for instance. The mass-produced artifacts had their limits and to properly make real weapons to combat goliaths, Cira needed a mountain of catalysts she didn¡¯t have. No matter how she looked at it, continue or die slowly were the two paths open to Cira. ¡°I say we carry on.¡±


    Besides, destroying Kuja¡¯s ancestors didn¡¯t feel right. Cira wanted to avoid it at all costs, as it wasn¡¯t her decision to make. For a spirit ascended all the way to goliath, there was no cycle to return to. Only utter dispersal awaited them at the end of their journeys. An anticlimactic return to the shadows in this case.


    These shining white giants sure were intimidating though, and through the shadow¡¯s lens it was easy to forget they were beings of pure darkness. Kuja looked a little uncertain walking past these creatures, but it was unavoidable even if they retreated at this point.


    The lid of Jimbo¡¯s flask clattered as his hand shook with it tipped all the way back. ¡°I ain¡¯t dyin¡¯ sober. I¡¯ll tell ya¡¯ that.¡± He dragged his feet to stay as close to the center of the bubble as possible, erratically checking his shoulders.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been drinking all day,¡± Tawny cast him a disapproving glare, ¡°Just like every day. This is serious¡ª¡±


    The massive goliath¡¯s foot planted on the ground was taller than them and it shifted slightly as they passed by. The sound of stone scraping was deafening from up close, and everyone nearly jumped out of their skin. More than a couple grown men shrieked from the shock.


    ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea?¡± Kuja locked eyes with the spirit and her voice trembled, ¡°We cannot be sure they are docile¡­ They could kill us with the sweep of a hand.¡±


    Cira watched one stumble on something and crash into the ground about a hundred feet ahead while another small group of goliaths made their way closer from along the tomb¡¯s wall. ¡°Nothing will change if we return. Fighting them is akin to fighting a mana well. It would be a fool¡¯s errand, and I doubt you want to extinguish them as we did the slimes.¡±


    With a gesture, Cira got the timid pirates moving again while Kuja gathered her words, ¡°Does the same fate await me¡­? Or did these souls have the poor luck of residing too far down? What do you think it¡¯s like for them?¡±


    Each goliath followed them with their gaze as they continued into the dark tomb. The first seemed fine with sitting there and watching them from a distance, but those who could walk shambled behind the crew after a certain distance. As only mana showed up outside the barrier, the terrain could not be seen, and the goliaths looked like otherworldly beings floating in an endless abyss.


    ¡°Probably boring, but at the same time there is nothing they particularly need. They eat opportunistically, but it¡¯s not necessary¡ªespecially for these ones I suppose. Meaning they exist rather aimlessly.¡± A goliath lay on its stomach with its chin on its hands like a schoolgirl in the grass, turning as they slowly passed. ¡°While you may be overestimating their level of consciousness, I can¡¯t help but think they feel like the revenants above. Regardless¡­ fighting them just isn¡¯t practical. Any attempts at stealth would just create more mana for them to see. There¡¯s nothing we can do except press on. Unless someone wants to leave the expedition team, there is no reason to return to the surface now.¡±


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    Cira stopped in her tracks and turned around to look over her crew. ¡°This really is the last call. I won¡¯t blame anybody if they wish to stay behind. After all, even I¡¯m useless before these spirits.¡± As always, she could hit the drawing board to forge up some drastic measure to make it past this floor, but it would be a lengthy and uncertain process. Ideally, they could just keep walking.


    Shores looked between his glorious leader and the glimmering white face twice her height with terror in his eyes, ¡°W-we didn¡¯t just rest for nothing, did we?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, so can we get the hell away from this thing?¡± Tawny looked like she was holding back the same expression, ¡°Why did you have to stop right next to it?¡±


    With her arms crossed, Cira stared right at the face that was like a glowing monument. She really wished she could see its features clearer, if it even had any, ¡°I was curious. Let¡¯s make haste, then.¡±


    Below their feet were remnants of bricks from ages past, most having been crushed into a fine dust and scattered. Many pieces of carved blocks were scattered about and occasionally came into view as Cira¡¯s domain passed over them, so it stood for reason most of the grave markers and caskets may have met a similar fate.


    ¡°We really are blind¡­¡± Aside from the gradually encroaching posse of giant spirits, they were in a sea of darkness. Trying to take attention away from the decrepit surroundings, Cira asked, ¡°Kuja, what does this place look like?¡±


    ¡°We are standing in what used to be a residential district. Though it was mostly taken over to make space for graves by the time I was of age. We will soon reach a river which served as the water source for those that lived this low. Beyond that is just more graves.¡± Perhaps not the best topic for lightening the mood, Cira thought. ¡°I just hope the bridge still stands.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s what I¡¯m hearing...¡± I hope so too, else we¡¯ll be cornered against a river by these things. They had collected a good ten goliaths of all different shapes and sizes in their wake, none of which were reasonable in any proportion. Each goliath possessed a vaguely human form, as they used to be ones, but their form ranged from uncanny to oddly terrifying depending on where she looked while their gait was unsteady at best. ¡°We must be close now.¡±


    The sound of running water had become much clearer now. Kuja nodded warily as she watched two goliaths up ahead, ¡°Those two should be just on the other side of it.¡±


    They were bigger than most among the posse behind them and one was staring right at them from afar. The other seemed to be walking towards its friend for some reason.


    ¡°Is it planning on crossing the bridge¡­?¡± Cira reasoned, ¡°What¡¯s it doing¡ª"


    Without warning, the approaching goliath reached out its hand and clawed at the first¡¯s side, ripping out a huge chunk of what couldn¡¯t be considered flesh and voraciously bringing it to its mouth.


    ¡°Oh shit¡ª¡± Jimbo exclaimed watching the gruesome scene unfold on a scale he never thought possible. The moment the attacker seemed to be about to chomp the massive morsel of mana, the wounded goliath swung its arm out blindingly fast. The strike sent its recipient toppling to the ground with a tremor and almost threw Cira off her peg leg.


    One of their followers broke off and started lumbering towards the battle in absent hunger and more could be seen crawling up from the other side. They were all smaller, like goblins compared to the two fighting, but one grabbed a lump of not-flesh from the ground and started eating it like scraps of carrion. Despite it being all mana, there was an unsettling crunch.


    The first goliath who was patiently awaiting Cira and the gang to arrive wasted no time in falling on its opponent and tearing away at it. It started with one bite, but discarded handfuls while it chewed. The spirits made no noise. No roars, growls, or vicious cries. The only sounds were explosions of mana from each gathering wound and the rumbling tomb under their weight as they thrashed around.


    From the ground, the other goliath couldn¡¯t do much, but Cira watched tears form in the first despite its onslaught. Mana burst from every new wound torn open with explosive force before eventually fading away like the blood of a nimbus shark. Cira was glad she could witness such a rare event, but each blow they exchanged shook her to the core¡ªmentally and physically. The barrier shuddered in kind.


    Luckily, the goliath had turned the tables swiftly. Cira didn¡¯t know why the one had suddenly become violent, but at least it paid the price. The scavengers only went for scraps, which the aggressor had become, leaving the first to stand back up.


    Its body poured mana and the wounds seemed to dim slightly through the barrier¡¯s lens, but it shambled its way a few more steps before stopping, presumably at the river and continued gazing across to watch the crew.


    ¡°What the hell did I just witness?¡± Shores¡¯ jaw was on the floor, and he was breathing heavily. ¡°I thought I was gonna suffocate if that went on any longer. I might be having second thoughts¡­¡±


    A silence as heavy as the surrounding shadows hung in the air. Each person here had felt the waves of mana. The repercussions of simply standing anywhere near a fight between two great spirits was clear. Cira decided it was best for everyone to take a moment to breathe.


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± Eros said, looking off into the darkness. ¡°You didn¡¯t say your barrier can see other types of mana too.¡±


    ¡°Of course it can, brother¡ª¡° Lero¡¯s voice held a smug tone and Cira had to shut it down right away.


    ¡°It absolutely does not.¡± She stared wide-eyed at an inexplicable mass of cerulean light. It travelled down a path¡ªcertainly the river. ¡°What could that be¡­?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking us?¡± Jimbo hiccupped in the increasingly brighter blue light.


    To be able to penetrate this darkness¡­ It¡¯s just as bad as any goliath. Easily as large, too.


    As it got closer, it became apparent just how massive this thing was. She could almost see some kind of body shape, but the light and veil of shadows obscured her vision far too much.


    ¡°Okay, guys. Maybe we should go¡­¡± As she tried to rally the crew, an explosion of water sounded from somewhere in the dark. They couldn¡¯t see it, but the cerulean radiance immediately followed suit and turned into a geyser, bursting out of the river and into the abyss.


    Her crew was startled to their asses and began clawing their way back, fleeing in a mindless panic. Cira¡¯s shadow barrier held no defenses against water mana, so everyone was being crushed with its full force.


    ¡°Stop, you idiots!¡± Cira shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t step out of the barrier!¡±


    It was a very real possibility that they would die or become seriously injured on the spot if they did¡ªthere was only one way to be sure, and it wasn¡¯t a good one.


    ¡°Gyahh!¡± Tawny yanked Jimbo back by the collar, but Cira¡¯s eyes were glued forward.


    As the initial burst of mana cleared, it revealed a creature that towered over the goliath with countless appendages shooting out and wrapping around it. Its tentacle-like arms reminded her of Aquon¡¯s. Each writhing tentacle wrapped around the wounded goliath, encasing it such that the blaring white was no longer visible. The entire area was illuminated in the tumultuous blue as it aggressively took over the tomb.


    Meanwhile, Cira struggled just to stay on her feet. She only had one of them, and the stump may as well have been grinding against a tree trunk under the pressure. She winced, knuckles turning white around Shadow Quill¡¯s haft.


    ¡°What do we do?!¡± Kuja shouted in a panic.


    ¡°Nothing!¡± Slowly but surely, the monstrosity of the river dragged its prey toward the depths. Cira was nearly blinded by the mana¡¯s light as it reflected off the surface of the water but couldn¡¯t bring herself to look away. ¡°Just don¡¯t move and hope it leaves us alone.¡±


    The strain had started to overwhelm her senses and she bit her lip to try and stave off the delirium. In this moment, Cira knew that wishful thinking was all she could manage here.

 132 - Tentacles to Swallow the Night

    The eldritch mass of cerulean tentacles receded below the shimmering waves as the river churned. Bubbles rose up and popped, releasing thin plumes of shadow which quickly dissipated. Nothing in the tomb was safe from its radiance, even as the creature lingered below the surface. Goliaths ran off in every direction, fleeing the overwhelming predator toward the distant darkness.


    That took care of the threat of Cira¡¯s followers, but a newer, greater enemy had surfaced¡ªfor but a moment. Will it leave, though¡­? It can¡¯t possibly take that long to eat. There seems to be no reason for it to drag its prey off, and I can¡¯t imagine there being a natural predator anywhere on the Lost Cloud.


    It was not difficult to tell that the effusive source of light had not moved. There was only one and the crew could feel it in their bones.


    ¡°We need to go!¡± Shores shouted in a whisper, ¡°What the hell?¡±


    ¡°Shhhh.¡± Cira silenced him as quietly and sternly as possible, ¡°They are very sensitive.¡±


    Regardless of whether they understood what that meant, they must have realized that Cira was seriously on guard, seemingly for the first time ever. Her face had paled, and she took a rigid stance, practically poised to run away.


    To escape now would run the risk of making too much noise or having their movements noticed. Tawny could make a wind barrier, but that would be seen for certain. Instead, Cira would have to further enchant her questionable safety bubble.


    The mages all held a hopeless look in their eyes, shivering in place. Jimbo was frozen mid-stride glancing between Cira and the gleaming river with a distraught frown on his face while Kuja just gripped her staff looking worriedly in either direction.


    Cira looked at them all and held up a finger to buy herself a moment, then promptly turned around and started slowly carving more glyphs into the shadowy dome. Ever so gently, so as not to make any harsh movements.


    How much work am I going to have to put into this barrier? For that matter, how many enchantments can it even take? It was getting stronger by the minute down here until this thing showed up. Just a little more should be fine¡­


    First, let¡¯s turn off these moisture collecting runes¡­ That¡¯s asking for trouble. Now I need to still the air as it leaves my barrier so we can escape silently. As sound waves were produced through vibrations in the air, the tricky part was stopping them while allowing the breeze to blow through unhindered.


    This needed to happen quickly. The monster of water had yet to move from the spot, but Cira knew it would make its move sooner or later¡ªone way or the other. She wanted to be gone. There was no shame in a tactical retreat. They could even camp out on the stairs again until it went away if they wanted. It wasn¡¯t much progress lost.


    Just keeping her hand steady was a difficult enough task as Cira moved around the dome using all the agility she could muster to tread stealthily. This damn wooden leg¡­ She couldn¡¯t get it to stop making even the lightest of clacks.


    When she needed to change spots for the next glyph, her crew tiptoed away in slow motion, shuffling around the barrier to allow her passage. It was an incredibly stressful couple of minutes and Cira¡¯s heart skipped with each drop of sweat which fell from her face, but she finally placed the centerpiece of the new array before it lit up with the dull, dubious light of spatial mana.


    ¡°Phew¡­¡± Cira let out a breath she was holding in. She still kept her voice low, but whispering wasn¡¯t necessary, ¡°I¡¯m glad that worked first try.¡±


    For this application, it was simpler for Cira to regulate the air¡¯s state via its properties within space than to do anything with wind runes. Her barrier served as the threshold, or filter to prevent noise from escaping.


    ¡°WHAT THE¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shh!¡± Jimbo had started to shout, ¡°you still have to keep it down, fool.¡±


    ¡°Child, just what was that thing?¡± Kuja had shrunk back toward the edge of the barrier and her voice was troubled. Cira felt bad for putting her through this, but nobody expected a safe trip through the tombs. ¡°Why can we not leave?¡±


    ¡°Undine¡­ water sprites are not uncommon given the nature of a spring, but for one to mature is something I would expect more from an island like Fount Salt.¡± Another spirit Cira had only seen in illustrations, but they were sketches without color. It didn¡¯t really do them any justice. ¡°I never thought they would be such beautiful creatures.¡±


    ¡°Are you shitting me?¡± Tawny looked at her aghast, ¡°are we waiting here because you want to look at it again?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, although I do.¡± Perhaps after my soul is mended, I will seek it out, ¡°Anywhere its light touches, given there is moisture present, may as well be in full view of an undine. Rapid movements, noise or vibrations from our steps could alert it.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean it already knows were here?¡± Gil¡¯s face went pale as he asked.


    ¡°Most certainly. In fact, I can do nothing about humidity passing through my barrier, so it can surely see us still.¡±


    ¡°Then what was the point of whatever you just did?¡± Jimbo asked.


    ¡°The point is subtlety,¡± Although, it could very well be useless. ¡°Hopefully it is still eating, and we can avoid bothering it. Now we can leave. Slowly. Quietly¡­¡±


    Cira started inching back at what felt like a snail¡¯s pace, followed by her trembling crew. The barrier crept along with them, and frequent glances over the shoulder revealed the undine remained in place. It¡¯s been a while¡­ This is starting to get suspicious. At least it seems we¡¯ll get away.


    They had made it ten whole paces¡ªescape was certain.


    ¡°WHAT INTERESTING HUMANS¡­¡± Cira fell to her knees and coverd her ears uselessly as a booming voice cleared her mind of all thought, ¡°LEAVING SO SOON?¡±


    With a sharp breath, Cira spun around in horror to see the effulgent tentacle being had emerged from the river during her brief stint of incapacitation. No, the river was emerging with it. It formed a path for the undine to crawl out and toward them over the stone and through the darkness. In fact, the darkness was a distant memory in this moment.


    Her crew was similarly recovering from the painfully loud voice. How are my eardrums not shattered¡­ was that in my head? Everyone else seemed to hear it too.


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    The rushing water of the river unfoiled without spilling out, as if held up by the undine¡¯s will. Before Cira could even shout, ¡°Run!¡±, the river had reached them and split, effortlessly trapping them in the middle. With no escape route, they could only watch in terror as the undine approached, gliding over the waves.


    It stood taller than any goliath, except maybe the big guy that was now curled up in the same place and hiding its face. The spirit nearly touching the ceiling as it stretched out above them. Water condensed and fell over the crew like rain from its mere presence, getting heavier still. But Cira couldn¡¯t remove her gaze from the undine. Something else was happening before her eyes.


    The tomb was becoming dimmer, like the light was being sucked back in. It pulsed through the spirit in waves like sunrays shimmering in a shallow reef. At the same time, the undine seemed to surge with mana while the pressure in the room somehow dropped.


    ¡°IS THAT BETTER?¡± The voice returned.


    ¡°Gyahhh!!¡± Jimbo fell to the floor cradling his head and that was the general consensus.


    ¡°ARE YOU TRULY SO FRAIL?¡±


    ¡°Can you stop yelling?!¡± Cira shouted, standing in front of Kuja in a vain effort, ¡°You¡¯re going to kill someone!¡±


    That¡¯s¡­ probably why it¡¯s here in the first place.


    ¡°How is this?¡± A much, much quieter, and softer voice entered Cira¡¯s mind now. It was a soft, pleasant voice that seemed lively enough.


    ¡°Whoa¡­¡± Jimbo stared up at the approaching spirit with wonder, ¡°She even sounds like a pirate. Do you think she used to be one?¡±


    She did not sound like a pirate to Cira¡¯s ears, and she could have sworn she explained spirits a few times already. This undine looked nothing like a human. As the cerulean light seemed to converge on it, Cira realized it was containing its mana. Still radiant as ever, its form was like some manner of slug from the bottom of the sea.


    A long, stalky body ran its entire length, with something of a head ending in two curly points that looked like antennae, but Cira was pretty sure they weren¡¯t. Eyes, maybe? It shouldn¡¯t need any, really. We may as well be inside its body.


    The unwarranted woman¡¯s voice chuckled oddly in their minds, ¡°I was clearly born a sprite, and you each perceive my voice and words differently. I don¡¯t speak your language. I am merely sending my thoughts into your minds. I figured ones who managed to get this far would understand that much.¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t lump me in with these guys,¡± Cira crowed, ¡°And for the record, you could have been born of a slug¡¯s ghost.¡±


    Cira didn¡¯t know why she decided it was important not to look stupid in front of the undine, but she immediately regretted being such a stickler.


    ¡°Are you stupid?¡± Tawny smacked her on the arm, ¡°Don¡¯t be rude to that monster! It will kill us!¡±


    The undine merely laughed, ¡°I suppose that¡¯s true, but I¡¯ve never met a slug with the will to grow stronger and transcend death.¡±


    Fair point. Damn¡­ She didn¡¯t even seem upset, but I¡¯ve been defeated in a battle of wits too early. Cira opened her mouth to say something as of yet undecided, but luckily the undine stopped her.


    ¡°And might I ask what will has brought you here, girl with the crumbling soul who recognizes my beauty?¡± The undine¡¯s saccharine voice seemed too natural for something that was neither human nor using words. ¡°I don¡¯t often receive visitors.¡±


    It didn¡¯t just stop us to ask a few questions¡­ did it? Why entrap us? On one hand, it was weird for an undine to frequent such a place, but it seemed to be an adequate hunting grounds. Contrary to the typical goliath, undines were well known for playing with their food. Perhaps that¡¯s why it took so long beneath the waters. Absurdly powerful and often whimsical spirits they were.


    ¡°You already said it.¡± Cira replied, feeling less than bold beneath the monolithic sea slug¡¯s brilliance. Its mana was contained so as not to crush her and the crew, but it only made the undine more imposing. There was no reason to lie to such a being anyway, ¡°My crumbling soul. We¡¯re just passing through, really.¡±


    ¡°So, you aim to reignite the legacy left behind by the people of old Acher¡­¡± After a painfully long moment of silence, the undine let out another genial chuckle. ¡°How fun. I thought I spotted one of them among you. I thought they all fell. Such a shame, that was¡­¡±


    It was unclear how the undine really felt about it, but Kuja shared this moment of silence in her own way. This only lasted for a minute or so.


    ¡°A-are you going to eat us?!¡± Jimbo cried from his knees, ¡°I gotta know! It¡¯s killing me¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you myself!¡± Tawny slugged him square in the forehead and he fell to his back, groaning in the tempestuous light of the tomb. ¡°Idiot!¡±


    Tawny glanced nervously up at the spirit who didn¡¯t stay quiet for long this time, seemingly amused, ¡°No need to worry, I would gain nothing from devouring so little.¡± Goliaths were a rich source of nutrients, after all. ¡°I only wish to sate my curiosity with this one.¡±


    ¡°Here we go¡­¡± Cira rolled her eyes. Her crew wasn¡¯t particularly excited about her tone. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°While I would like to know what you did to leave your soul in such a state, I must know¡­ Just what are you?¡± Perhaps seeing Cira shrink back in sheer befuddlement, the undine continued. ¡°I admit this is the first time I have seen a spring take human form before.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± was the only reply Cira could muster. ¡°You are speaking nonsense.¡±


    ¡°What does this mean?¡± Shores cast her a very uncomfortable look¡ªa look that made her very uncomfortable that is. Then the paladins whispered something among themselves before conjuring similar expressions.


    ¡°How am I supposed to know?¡± Cira berated them briefly, ¡°I assure you, Miss Undine, that I am very much human.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s not quite right¡­¡± Her reply came quietly, as if in deep thought, ¡°I think you know at least that much.¡±


    Dammit, again with that ¡®I think you know¡¯ crap? ¡°I¡¯m still not a spring! Where did you even get that?¡±


    ¡°I believe¡­ from your soul, child.¡± Kuja answered, ¡°I was actually wondering myself, but figured it was part of the damage and illegible.¡±


    ¡°Wondering what?!¡± Cira was having a crisis of comprehension. The last thing she expected to encounter down here was some kind of verbal guessing game with a mature spirit and the elderly soul lady. ¡°What are you talking about, Undine?¡±


    ¡°In the same way I can tell that woman is a survivor of old Acher, I can tell your origin is that of a spring.¡± Replied the spirit astutely, ¡°It¡¯s quite simple, really.¡±


    Cira thought different, but Kuja helped her through the problem, ¡°A sigil upon your soul¡­ indeed suggests you are a spring. Or perhaps born of a spring¡­? It made little sense to me at first glance¡ªless so now.¡±


    ¡°I wish I could say that helped but¡ªoh¡­¡± Cira¡¯s expression fell as salty puzzle pieces began falling into place in her mind. ¡°Ah¡­ I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s Estelle¡¯s fault again.¡±


    At this point it was hard to say Cira wasn¡¯t deflecting, and the Undine expertly brushed past it, ¡°I don¡¯t follow, but it seems you now know the answer I seek.¡±


    ¡°I may or may not have merged myself with a spring¡­¡± Cira stared at her feet, mildly crestfallen¡ªmainly about the fact that her exploits on Fount Salt resulted in the consequence that kept on giving. After a few moments with no reply, Cira hastily added, ¡°For the greater good, mind you!¡±


    After another few seconds the undine let out a boisterous laugh. This one sounded truly sincere, not that the other ones didn¡¯t, and Cira was almost glad that her misfortune was at least enough to provide entertainment¡ªor was she?


    ¡°How marvelous,¡± the undine¡¯s laughter was still dying down, ¡°It has been an incredibly long time since I have encountered something I don¡¯t understand, but it all makes sense. Your ¡®sigils¡¯ as you put it, and the sea of mana burning you from the inside out which only grows with each passing moment¡­ Oh my, how intriguing¡­ Girl, will you please tell me your tale?¡±


    ¡°Come on,¡± Cira¡¯s attitude reverberated through the glowing moisture of the tomb, ¡°I¡¯m seriously dying over here. I know you can tell. My schedule is packed. I really need to get going.¡±


    I swear¡­ giant shining sea slugs are only beautiful until they open their mouths. Just stick to tentacles and everyone is happy.


    ¡°W-what the hell is wrong with you?¡± Tawny had turned white as a sheet and petrified by her own frightened misconceptions.


    ¡°Goodness, how thoughtless of me.¡± The undine replied, her voice dripping with an emotion that was not quite concern, ¡°It would be no fun if I don¡¯t get to witness the culmination of all your efforts.¡±


    ¡°Uh okay, so¡­¡± Cira didn¡¯t expect quite that little resistance, but it was clear the undine didn¡¯t reply that way selflessly, ¡°I promise I¡¯ll come back?¡± After a few more seconds Cira looked around at the waves still churning far above their heads, ¡°I guess we¡¯ll see you later than¡­¡±


    She walked a few paces and stared questioningly at the wall of water before turning her attention to the Undine again, ¡°Uhhh¡­¡±


    ¡°Not so fast.¡± She sounded like she had just finished deliberating something or other. ¡°While most of the goliaths may recognize your friend there, many are too deteriorated to care. I have decided to grant you a gift to ensure your safe passage.¡±


    Gifts should be a good thing, so why do I dread receiving them so? ¡°It better not be a pile of bodies.¡±

 133 - The Harvest Aproaches

    With beings on an entirely different plane of existence from oneself, encounters generally went one of two ways. As the sleepy dragon taught Cira, utter annihilation on sight was one reaction to expect, or even becoming prey. It was safest to assume you must escape or die, to generalize it.


    It was difficult to say exactly how strong the undine was, but she could tell at a glance even with her meager eyeballs that this was a spirit which would have given Fount Cira some trouble. Good thing I didn¡¯t run into one there, but it is strange.


    Old islands allowed plenty of time for one to grow from a sprite. This was liable to happen on any island with a spring. Undines were practically invincible given enough water, and fighting one on Fount Salt would have been like trying to kill a specific drop of water inside a bucket. Her control may have even been inhibited, and it very well could have ruined the plan. That said, Cira had a few theories about their absence there tumbling around.


    Presently, Cira was a victim of the other way an encounter with a greater being may go. Reduced to a mere subject of curiosity. This was especially wounding to a sorcerer of moderate caliber striving to become a sorcerer of intermediate caliber.


    ¡°Remain still, little one.¡± The undine¡¯s graceful voice meandered into Cira¡¯s mind, ¡°This will only take a moment.¡±


    Cira pouted for only a moment before a shimmering tentacle fell from far above, pulsing with mana like waves beneath the sun. The crew gained some distance and cowered but couldn¡¯t go too far before reaching the walls of rushing water that still encircled them. The tomb was lit up like Fount Salt¡¯s spring chamber on the final day, and the approaching appendage could probably cut the island in half if it wanted. Could it break Breeze Haven¡¯s barrier, I wonder?


    The pressure weighed down on her, getting heavier as it got closer. Twisting and turning, the burning cerulean mana seemed to focus at the tentacle¡¯s point. It hovered before Cira for a moment before gingerly reaching forward and touching her forehead. Cira felt a strangely familiar surge of mana coursing through her body from the sea slug¡¯s appendage, straight down to the soul and back.


    ¡°What¡­¡± She clutched her chest and stumbled back a step, ¡°What is this?¡±


    This is the same feeling as before. Like I¡¯ve become connected with the spring again¡­ What did this spirit just do to me?


    ¡°I said remain still.¡± The undine¡¯s voice sounded slightly more stern this time as the tentacle followed her, planting itself back on her forehead. Mana flowed in like a raging current come to sweep her away, yet Cira couldn¡¯t feel it collecting in any way.


    ¡°What the hell¡­ are you doing?¡± Cira managed through clenched teeth. The crew was expressing concern, but she didn¡¯t notice them at all.


    ¡°Annnnnnd, done!¡± The undine seemed excited judging by her tone as Cira stumbled back gasping for air, she wiped her forehead off with a sleeve. ¡°I told you. Just a little gift, so make sure to come back here. I have many more questions to ask.¡±


    Cira steadied her breath wore a displeased frown as she crossed her arms and started walking back toward their destination¡ªtoward the furling wall of water.


    ¡°Gift, my ass,¡± the undine laughed in the face of her confused disgruntlement, ¡°You can count on me returning. Once my soul is restored, I intend to study you in kind. Now, if you would.¡±


    Cira looked straight upward to look the undine in roughly the face area. Somehow, she still tried to act smug, gesturing toward the suspended river with her eyes.


    ¡°No need to be so hasty,¡± Despite the undine¡¯s cheeky tone, the river prison receded, as if the current were reversing in time. Once the streams reconverged, the waters pulled away with the undine at its crest. ¡°If I may give you one more piece of advice: Tread lightly in your path forward. These tombs have long been claimed by darkness, and not everything is in its right place.¡±


    What the hell is that supposed to mean? ¡°Uh, thanks¡­ See you later, Miss Undine.¡±


    Cira passed as the river and undine slowly returned to where they belong.


    ¡°I do not have a name, girl, but it is not Miss Undine.¡± Sassed the spirit.


    ¡°Undina then.¡± It¡¯s perfect. ¡°Wait no, that too close to Nina. I thought it was clever, but now it¡¯s not original at all. Let me try again¡ª¡±


    ¡°What¡ªimpossible,¡± Undina¡¯s voice sounded somewhat alarmed, ¡°How did you do that?¡±


    The glowing stream flowed itself back into the actual river and the undine gradually wriggled toward the depths.


    ¡°Do what¡­?¡± Cira was a little confused. ¡°Does that mean you like it?¡±


    From Cira¡¯s perspective, it now seemed she really did come up with the perfect name, but her methods were secret. Undina didn¡¯t seem to feel like pressing the issue though.


    ¡°Honestly, child¡­¡± Kuja shook her head, ¡°and you don¡¯t even realize.¡±


    ¡°Nice one.¡± Mac¡¯s far less pleasant voice resounded in Cira¡¯s mind now. ¡°Way to show her. That name¡¯s way worse than mine.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s cute,¡± Cira quipped, ¡°but I guess it stuck, huh?¡±


    ¡°Hey, Cira¡­¡± Jimbo trotted up behind and whispered, ¡°What the fuck?¡±


    ¡°No need to keep your voice down.¡± Cira flipped off the sound barrier, reactivating the moisture collector right after. It just felt right. ¡°We are now free to continue. Kuja, how far until we reach the Cairn?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps¡­ another couple hours.¡± She paused for a moment, concern washing over her face, ¡°A-are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Shores butted in, ¡°What did that thing do to you?¡±


    ¡°Is your face alright?¡± Ike added.


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    ¡°I don¡¯t really know¡­ But I feel great.¡± Cira could not lie. She hadn¡¯t realized how bogged down she felt until a few moments ago. She had long attributed it to exhaustion and injury, but she felt lighter on her feet now, and full of energy. Her head, clearer than it had been in weeks. There was no aura within her, but the mana around her felt close enough to grasp.


    ¡°I believe your father called it a spirit¡¯s blessing,¡± Mac supplied, ¡°Rejoice. You¡¯ve been blessed by an undine.¡±


    The rest of the crew was startled when he spoke, so clearly, they heard it too this time.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what that means, though.¡± Just because she knew what it was called, did not mean she understood anything. ¡°It sounds neat, but aren¡¯t blessings holy things?¡±


    ¡°No, those would be best described as something like permanent enhancement magic. You can think of it like a holy curse. Though there are holy blessings too, Nephilim are quite rare. I digress,¡± the spider digressed, ¡°The goliaths should avoid you, thinking you¡¯re the undine¡¯s spawn or part of her body or something¡­ As far as side-effects you care about, you now possess the innate ability to manipulate water.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Cira could not believe her ears or the fact that he didn¡¯t lead with that. Surely, this can¡¯t be. ¡°No way!¡±


    ¡°I am incapable of lying.¡± His argument was strong.


    ¡°Can it be?!¡± With an outstretched hand, Cira used her mind to scrape away at the inside of the barrier. Almost like dust in the wind, she could feel the thin water mana brushing against her fingertips¡ªwell, that¡¯s how it felt. Biting her lips anxiously, she steadied her breath and focused on the water.


    At first, Cira tried to conjure it as she would normally, by manifesting her will through mana. She immediately felt a strain on her mind. There was no mana to pull from to produce sorcery, even if she intended to use the mana right in front of her face. Something just didn¡¯t feel right about it. Still, she tried a few more methods, but nothing worked.


    Dammit, why can¡¯t I do it? I know he didn¡¯t lie. And I know I can¡­ I can feel it.


    She had paused, bringing the crew to a temporary halt, and started taking deep breaths. I¡¯ve done it before. Just like on Fount Salt. This water is just like a new set of limbs.


    ¡°Hah! I did it!¡±


    In front of her outstretched hand there was a gleaming cerulean ball of water, roughly the size of a grape.


    ¡°Hey, Undina¡¯s not half bad,¡± Jimbo belched, pulling out his flask.


    ¡°Give me that!¡± Cira swiped it from his hands and took a drink. ¡°You¡¯ve had enough. How is this not empty already?¡±


    She took another swig and the liquor¡¯s level hadn¡¯t fallen at all. She barely had to tip it halfway to get any out.


    ¡°Hold on¡­¡± Upon closer inspection, there was a gem embedded in the bottom. ¡°Is this enchanted? How much does this thing hold?!¡±


    ¡°Gallons.¡± Tawny sighed with exasperation, taking the flask for herself. ¡°This is no time to be drinking. Are you somehow incapable of understanding the situation we¡¯re in? Those goliaths were bad enough but calling that thing a monster doesn¡¯t even do it justice.¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡± Cira turned around and squinted her eyes, ¡°Undina turned out to be a very nice lady. And the goliaths are no longer a threat.¡±


    ¡°Was she even a lady?¡± Jimbo posed a reasonable question, ¡°isn¡¯t she some kind of sea slug?¡±


    Cedric seemed a little tired from the encounter, but picked this moment to jump into the conversation, ¡°You know, I read somewhere that they¡¯re both.¡±


    After a short back and forth of hmms, huhs, and pirates nodding to each other in revelation of a fun fact, Kuja cleared her throat, ¡°I believe such spirits are neither. They do not reproduce, necessarily.¡±


    ¡°Uh, Tawny has a point though.¡± The voice of reason found itself in Captain Shores, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of Undine before, but I never imagined it was a sea slug. We wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against it in a thousand years. She¡¯s supposed to be the goddess of the raging seas.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve heard that one.¡± Jimbo said, ¡°She takes the form of a beautiful and curvaceous woman large enough to swallow any ship whole.¡±


    ¡°That about describes her,¡± Cira thought the legends nailed it, ¡°To clear up Shores¡¯ confusion though, Undina is but one specimen of a species, putting it in simple terms. Though I¡¯ve seen an island who worshipped a spirit once. Perhaps something like that is where the story came from.¡±


    Her crew went white imagining undines running around somewhere out there like rabbits, and Cira didn¡¯t see the need to clear up the misunderstanding. A cautious pirate was better than an arrogant one who thought he met a god.


    Walking through the tomb, Cira noticed the remains of a few mausoleums scattered about, but there were no longer standing structures left. Any basic grave markers were long gone, and it seemed the brick lining the ground had been mostly ground to dust at this point.


    While the tomb stretched further than even Nymphus Stratum, it was broken up into different levels that must also have been the final resting place of many old souls. Remnants of a wrought fence lined the upper graveyards, but even the cliffsides had started to crumble away.


    Arriving at the river, darkness encroached on them again. The Undine had swum up the river and now disappeared somewhere into the island, so they could no longer see most of the tomb anymore.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ruin it for me.¡± Jimbo lamented his fantastically bodacious god. ¡°Damn. Guess the bridge is out.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Cira inspected two broken pillars and the ropes which dangled loosely from them, twirling a ball of water on her finger for practice. ¡°Rictor, can you¡­? No, never mind. This river is far too wide.¡±


    ¡°I can do it.¡± Rictor ran up to her, ¡°Give me a chance!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t just run a sheet of metal all the way across. It will bend. Do you even know the first thing about bridge building?¡± Admittedly, Cira only did because it related to her recent studies of practical geomancy, but she was aware of the principles involved beforehand. ¡°You need a lot more metal than I guarantee you¡¯re imagining.¡±


    He looked a little downcast, and Cira took a mental note to share a book or two with him later. There was a brief moment of frustration, but suddenly Rictor gasped and lit up like a Lamplight, ¡°No! I can still do it!¡±


    Cira threw her hands up in defeat, ¡°Don¡¯t let me stop you, but don¡¯t pass out or you¡¯re off the team for the next trip.¡± If he thought he could, by all means.


    His staff aloft, mana coalesced to form a small rock. Rictor proceeded to shoot it off to the other side, deep into the veil of shadows before repeating the process. Now that the undine had left, they couldn¡¯t see the other side, so Cira didn¡¯t get what he was doing until the third stone was followed by a dull knock.


    ¡°Oh? Think you¡¯re clever?¡± She teased.


    ¡°Just watch.¡± He failed to hide a smug grin at what he interpreted as praise. To be fair, Cira was slightly impressed. This went on for a few minutes until they heard another dull knock. ¡°Aha!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t follow,¡± Eros had a hand to his chin, ¡°What are you¡ª¡±


    ¡°I said watch!¡± The staff blazed to life with sandy radiance and a ball of mana appeared in the middle of the left bridge post. It shot out and twisted into the shape of a rope before disappearing into the dark. Given the materials, it would be more of a cable, but it seemed sturdy enough. About as thick as Cira¡¯s forearm. ¡°I used titanium because it is both lightweight and strong.¡±


    ¡°Ahem,¡± Oliver cleared his throat, ¡°A fine metal. One of my favorites, really¡ª¡±


    ¡°Will you guys cut that shit out? Seriously¡­¡± Cira agreed it was a good choice, but the paladin was being a little more blatant than she cared for. ¡°And what, are we supposed to tight rope walk across?¡± It was just north of fifty feet across, and they would be going blind. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can make it with this wooden leg.¡±


    ¡°Just wait!¡± Rictor was sweating nervously, then hastily waved his staff around again before another cable wrapped around the other post and disappeared across the river.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I see now. Cira watched in silence as he finished that rope and moved to the next.


    ¡°And one more down the middle.¡± The third stretched out from the ground between the two posts. ¡°See? Just hold onto the sides and we can walk across.¡±


    ¡°Not bad, but it¡¯s still going to be difficult.¡± Damn this leg¡­ All the more reason to press on. ¡°Well done. We better get going then.¡±


    ¡°Th-thank you¡­?¡± Cira¡¯s mixed messages seemed to throw him off, but it would get them across.


    The only obstacle between them and the soul forge now was this river. Beyond it laid a straight shot, unimpeded thanks to the undine¡¯s assistance. Along the way she would pick up her spare soul like a ripe Moonberry plum off the branch.

 134 - What Awaits at the Bottom

    One issue arose rather quickly in trying to cross the river. The barrier travelled with Cira, and even if they wanted to risk the weight of all the mages, it would not be large enough to cover everyone in line. In truth, her group was larger than she usually liked in her day to day, but that couldn¡¯t be helped now. They were valuable members of the expedition and had all contributed one way or the other.


    ¡°Let me just see,¡± Cira stuck her hand outside the barrier and made an uncomfortable face, ¡°Eughh, it feels kind of gross. How strange.¡± She quickly popped her head out and shook it around as if hanging her head out the window of a moving ship. When Cira withdrew, she rubbed her hands through her hair and made a noise like she expected to find muck of some sort. ¡°It won¡¯t kill us, but it would be a bad idea to sit in it too long¡­ Alright.¡±


    Cira spent most of one second carving a simple rune in the air. When she finished, a Lamplight appeared. Fueled by the last few hours-worth of collected shadows, it burned brighter than her students¡¯ and took on a golden hue because Cira enjoyed the morning sunlight.


    Sadly, there were those who interpreted it as one of the Saint¡¯s holy suns.


    ¡°Amazing¡­¡± Marko¡¯s breath caught in his chest.


    ¡°And so fast!¡± Ike gazed into it rapturously from a couple feet away.


    Shores couldn¡¯t help himself either, ¡°Even I can tell¡ª"


    ¡°Enough, guys.¡± Cira spent a very short amount of time repeating the process and all of a sudden had thirteen more Lamplights. ¡°Everybody gets one. Just send a little mana into it and it will follow you around.¡±


    ¡°If you can cast it so much better and instantaneously¡­¡± Tawny chided, ¡°why haven¡¯t you been doing that this whole time?¡±


    ¡°I could cast Lamplight by drawing it on your chest in bat guano,¡± Cira had a long list of sorceries she wanted to refine to the same degree, but time felt so short these days, ¡°It has always been about allowing my students a chance to grow.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°See you on the other side!¡± Cira flashed them a smile and took her first step onto the bridge. Followed by a very careful second onto her wooden leg. Her hands firmly gripped the two ropes to her sides, but they weren¡¯t as tight as she would like.


    It¡¯s okay. Just focus, and be careful¡­ There¡¯s my very third step. Things are going great. Now I just need to bring my peg forward again and¡ª


    Cira¡¯s wooden leg got caught between the ridges in the rope, and she tripped, completely losing her footing. She dangled precariously to one side but felt herself being ripped in half trying to hang onto both sides.


    ¡°Lady Cira!¡± Shores valiantly ran over to help because she had only made it three steps¡ªshe was well within range. However, when he stepped onto the rope, it scraped against Cira¡¯s side and her right hand slipped. ¡°Noooo!¡±


    He meant well, but this was all his fault. ¡°Dammit, Shooooores!¡±


    No problem. I could swing across the river like a spider monkey. I¡¯ve been training my agility all my life for this moment¡ª


    ¡°Shiiiit!¡± Alas, Cira¡¯s hand was wet from trying to play around with water. She tried to swing herself around to grab the rope with both hands, but it slipped away.


    ¡°I¡¯ll save you!¡± Shores was already diving in before Cira even touched the water.


    ¡°Brother.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Eros and Lero also jumped off the edge and Cira finally entered the river with a splash. She held her breath preemptively, but the current was strong. In seconds, Cira was swept beneath the waves.


    This is bad. I¡¯m in no shape to explore an underwater cave. Wait, what happened to my ring? Does Nanri still have it? Damn.


    Cira was as good as dead. Why the Undine couldn¡¯t have just given them a ride was beyond her, but she had to do something quick.


    This sure seems bad, but¡­ It¡¯s reminiscent of my bed in Nymphus. Why is that? This isn¡¯t the time to nap, but¡­ maybe I can relax for a few.


    While Cira let the water gurgle around her, a shadow passed over her. It was Captain Shores being dragged along with the current. The sorcerer¡¯s rest was short and sweet.


    Don¡¯t go too far, now. He had drifted a fair distance ahead and if Cira weren¡¯t the owner of the barrier, he may have kept going forever unnoticed, his corpse getting lodged somewhere deep underground or dumped into the sky below. She could only see his hand as he nearly escaped to the dark waters, but Cira reached her hand out and stopped him.


    Not with her hand. The gesture was just a reflex. He was too far away to grab physically, but that didn¡¯t stop her. It felt so natural, in fact, that she didn¡¯t even realize what she was doing. The next step of course was to pull him in. He was surely having a fright, so the barrier would hopefully make him feel better.


    Suddenly Cira felt something grab her arm and jerk it up violently. She swung around with a reflexive fist that suffered no resistance from the water only to stop inches from Lero¡¯s face. Oh¡­


    He was deep in a panic, and Eros swam right past the two before latching onto Captain Shores. The brothers were accomplished swimmers, and their bodies were coated in a faint cerulean glow as they kicked rhythmically through the water to reach the surface, refusing to be swept away.


    Once they broke the surface the brothers gasped for air and started shouting to each other, ¡°The Saint is safe!¡± There were cheers from somewhere distant beyond the shadows.


    Cira breathed in too, but for some reason her body wasn¡¯t vying for air as desperately as the brothers.


    ¡°Shores is out! We gotta get him¡ªto shore!¡± Eros held him in a bear hug and back-paddled away. They must have been closer to the other side because that¡¯s where he disappeared to.


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    ¡°Are you okay, my Lady?!¡± Lero now cradled Cira and carried her ashore in the same fashion.


    Godsdammit¡­ How did it end up like this? Cira could not feel how perfectly her peg leg was notched onto the cable above. Because it was made of wood¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I can take it from here.¡± So embarrassing¡­ Some sorcerer I am.


    ¡°Nonsense. We¡¯re already there.¡± Lero dragged the sopping wet Cira onto the banks and started patting her down for wounds.


    ¡°Come on, cut it out!¡± Cira scurried out of his reach and was finally back on two feet. There was sincere concern in his eyes, but he pulled his hands back shrunk down anxiously. Gah, I can¡¯t leave it at that. ¡°Thank you for jumping in when you did, Lero¡ªand Eros. I knew I could count on you in¡­ such situations. I¡¯m fine though, really.¡±


    Unlike the winded mage, Cira¡¯s breath was even and steady. As Lero buckled beneath the weight of actual praise, Cira pinched her wet robes and pulled them away from her body. Because of the set¡¯s nature as a very long ribbon, she was wrapped in many layers of soaked fabric. She didn¡¯t mind the water¡¯s presence per se, but it was cold and heavy.


    In the next few seconds, the water all started bubbling out and ran down her robes like they were made of glass. It pooled at her feet before making its way back into the river.


    ¡°Hm. That worked nicely.¡± Cira said, dusting off her freshly dried shoulder. She turned around to look up the bank where it inclined back to where the path should be and found Eros desperately shaking his unconscious captain. ¡°How is he?¡±


    He glanced at the two approaching with tears in his eyes, ¡°He¡¯s¡­ he¡¯s breathing, but he won¡¯t wake up!¡±


    ¡°Let me see.¡± Cira leaned in and placed one ear on his chest. ¡°His breaths are deep and seem unhindered. I don¡¯t think he has any water in his lungs at a glance. What the hell happened to him?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t down that long, was I? The cheers from Rictor¡¯s rope bridge didn¡¯t sound far away.


    ¡°Captain Shores¡­ He hit the water wrong. Knocked all the wind right out of him, then I watched him get tossed around by the waves.¡± Eros clenched his fist as if he were on Shores¡¯ death bed, ¡°If we were only moments later, we may never have seen him again.¡±


    Good thing I¡ªhuh¡­ Was that really my power? To think, it¡¯s even more innate than using Aquon. How can an undine just throw a gift like this around so lackadaisically?


    ¡°We¡¯re lucky you got to him in time.¡± Cira replied, ¡°Just be glad he¡¯s breathing. You¡¯ll have to carry him until he wakes up.¡±


    With a firm nod, Eros scooped up the unconscious captain and threw him over his shoulder, supporting him with one hand so he could still wield his staff.


    ¡°We should regroup with the others.¡± Lero suggested and climbed the banks with his Lamplight cast out in front of him.


    Right on cue, however, the perpetrator approached from beyond the shadows.


    ¡°L-Lady Cira!¡± Rictor threw himself to his knees, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡±


    ¡°Why are you apologizing?¡± Cira felt herself turning red and looked away, ¡°Let¡¯s just never speak of this moment again.¡±


    It was, in short, embarrassing. The average sorcerer did not pride themselves on agility, but Cira did, to some degree at least. Nothing was more disgraceful than taking three steps then falling into the river¡ªin front of everyone. She should have been able to dance across a single rope with a pile of books stacked on her head. This was a tumble Cira wanted to leave in the past sooner rather than later.


    ¡°I said get up.¡± Cira continued. Even though she hadn¡¯t said that, she thought it was implied. The tomb was dark, and it did not take long to leave everybody behind. She was able to enjoy a brief moment of tranquility before the others came rushing up behind her, then another from ahead.


    ¡°Your Grace!¡± Marko appeared from the abyss and knelt with his sword glimmering in holy light. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re okay!¡±


    Cira sighed at their progressively haughty titles. Do they think they¡¯re being subtle?


    ¡°Go on,¡± Cira waved him away, ¡°We will wait for the others at the bridge.¡±


    They ran into Gil on the way and when they reached the bridge, Jimbo was hopping off onto solid ground. He was far more deft with a wooden prosthetic, and Cira found this to be a very pitiful thing to envy. Kuja was last across because she took it nice and slow. Nobody gave her grief for it, of course, though the brothers were prepared to dive back in just in case.


    The old one had a few choice words for Cira about her recklessness, and Tawny made sure to help them sink in as Cira struggled to brush off her ridicule. Once that was settled, the party was once again traversing the shadows. Despite their cluster of Lamplights and Cira¡¯s domain, the hike was remarkably dull.


    Just as Undina claimed, the goliaths avoided them¡ªlike a plague. According to what she saw in the cerulean light, Cira figured her shadow lens had range enough to see to the far wall. A few hundred feet at a minimum, yet the gleaming white concentrations of darkness scarcely showed themselves. Each time Cira caught a glimpse of one, it would quickly disappear behind some unseen obstruction.


    As if they could feel Cira¡¯s gaze, none dared even peek. It was a little bit of a letdown, but Cira figured it was better to have such powerful entities keep their distance. Still, having semi-friendly creatures cower before her was never a good feeling.


    As the tomb had fallen to a state of decimation from the mere existence of these beings, there was nothing to see as they spent the next few hours walking further in. Despite the crew¡¯s lively conversation, it was a very isolating darkness. As if the world had disappeared and they were walking through an endless void. Lulls in the conversation made for tense silence, and nobody could help feeling a little on edge as time wore on.


    ¡°Oh, good.¡± Kuja clacked her staff on the ground and came to a stop, ¡°I was worried we missed it.¡±


    The path down was in the center of the tomb, else they would have had to walk twice as long. With no landmarks it was difficult to tell, but they now stood before a staircase. At the bottom was where the Archaean¡¯s long forgotten Cairn of Spirit lay. Beyond that was, well, a little rock and then the sky again. Cira¡¯s goal at long last.


    After exchanging a glance with the crew, Cira led the way. That much was only appropriate, but it seemed quiet. Despite the crushing darkness, there was no eminent mana surging from below like she felt from those waves of heat earlier. Everything seemed still, and dead silent.


    This staircase was much shorter than the last few, and they quickly found themselves at the bottom. Cira took a few steps and felt herself digging in. She kneeled down and picked up a handful to let it fall through her fingers.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t like the ruined stone from above.¡± Cira tried and failed to peer into the distance. Even though her barrier had been gaining power this whole time, it was noticeably smaller since they descended the stairs.


    ¡°We are beneath the mountain now,¡± Kuja replied, ¡°and you will find no graves here. We have reached the seed bed from which Lost Clouds lush forests once sprouted. The Cairn is not far. Follow me¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± Cira stopped her with a held out arm, ¡°I don¡¯t like this.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Jimbo tossed a Sunbearer Coin into the dark, wasting it. ¡°See? No slimes or nothin¡¯. Wouldn¡¯t we see whatever¡¯s down here anyway?¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily.¡± Something troubled Cira to no small degree. A certain absence of a very important part of this journey. If it wasn¡¯t above¡­ ¡°There¡¯s something in here with us. Don¡¯t let your guards down.¡±


    Unfortunately, Shores had yet to wake up, so Lero would be useless. Depending on what was down here, that wouldn¡¯t even matter.


    It was too damn quiet, and with soft dirt beneath her feet, Cira couldn¡¯t even hear her own footsteps. She was about to throw some test shots into the dark to see if any hit when the room shook followed by a deep, unsettling laugh.


    ¡°I knew this day would come.¡± A gravelly voice carried across the shrouded chamber. Against the backdrop of silence, it carried through the air as if from every direction. His voice rippled through the shadows like waves of mana. Cira whipped her head back and forth and didn¡¯t see so much as a trace. ¡°So, thieves have finally come to plunder my home.


    ¡°Such disrespect.¡± With a gust of wind, a man appeared from wisps of shadow. Tall, and shrouded in dark robes with a hood that hid his face. All Cira could see was the pulsating mana behind his eyes. They shined bright through the lens of her barrier. ¡°Do you think I can let this go unpunished?¡±


    ¡°D-do you know this guy, Kuja?¡± Gil asked nervously.


    ¡°No.¡± Cira cut him off, poising her staff to strike a quick rune with the flick of her wrist. ¡°This man is no Archaean. However, Kuja, I believe we have found the one responsible for defiling your ancestor¡¯s remains.¡±

 135 - Reborn of Shadow

    ¡°Observant one, are we?¡± The enshrouded man jeered, ¡°But unfortunately¡ª¡±


    ¡°AND,¡± Cira interrupted the aspiring aggressor, ¡°You released the flame sprites above, did you not? That was a dead giveaway that some irresponsible amateur was down here playing around.¡±


    ¡°I-irresponsible?!¡± For a brief moment the man¡¯s imposing tone cracked. He cleared his throat and leaned in as shadows danced behind him. ¡°The nerve¡ª¡±


    ¡°Nice one, Captain.¡± Jimbo nodded with his arms crossed, ¡°So, you knew all along.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ you knew?¡± Kuja was reeling from the appearance of a stranger to claim ownership over her home and still trying to piece everything together. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡±


    The shadows flared up in anger at the man being sidelined so swiftly, but Cira still replied, ¡°I could have been wrong. Afterall, organic necromantic events often look very similar to what your average amateur necromancer can achieve, especially the thoughtless type like this unsavory specimen.¡±


    Now, Cira liked to call out negligent practice as much as the next girl, but the more this man focused on her mockery, the less he noticed Shadow Quill¡¯s point gently drag along the floor. While she also tried to understand how, the man who suddenly appeared from darkness seethed under her ridicule. It was clear he didn¡¯t appreciate not being taken seriously, but Cira couldn¡¯t spill the beans yet.


    ¡°Irresponsible¡­? Amateur?!¡± It was quite jarring the way the world shook when his anger flared up, as if space itself were shuddering, but Cira could feel it was merely the surrounding shadows reacting to his will¡ªdeliberately or not. Naturally, their reaction intensified consistently as Cira failed to contain a wide grin. She couldn¡¯t help it as she tried to discern this person¡¯s nature. He was going for a dramatic pause for gravitas but was left with no choice but to continue anyway, ¡°On what grounds?! You are the last one with any right to say that to me.¡±


    All the framework for shadow-based enchantments were already laid, so Cira was able to pile a few arrays here and there to achieve somewhat impressive effects. The first thing she did was ensure the domain registered an enemy regardless of his concentration of dark mana or apparent humanity, but now she was finishing up a shadow reflection glyph for the imminent assault.


    ¡°My, my¡­ An observant one, are we?¡± Throwing one¡¯s words in their face was the natural way to irritate them, and results showed quick in the form of a quivering eyebrow or unsteady grumble. ¡°We all know I have no aura right now, but that¡¯s a poor excuse at best to refute my accusations. You¡¯re a century at best from spawning a salamander, which I think we both know would be far beyond your control. Given that fact, even considering the near-perfect conditions beneath this mana well, you¡¯ve been here for a significant amount of time.


    ¡°But we¡¯ll get back to that. First of all, if left unchecked in such a ripe environment, the sprites will surely overcome the slimes in that same century. The goblins obviously won¡¯t stop them, then the entire island is razed. Now bereft of a food source with a population that¡¯s far outgrown the dark mana well, they¡¯ll spread to nearby islands beyond the storm. There may even be more than one salamander by then, so surely there will be other territories in the mix. In other words, what you¡¯ve created here is practically a breeding farm specifically to bring ruin to the Boreal Archipelago. A timebomb waiting to go off.¡± The man had lurched a little closer and could be seen clenching his fists.


    ¡°F-fool! As soon as my research is complete, I¡¯ll be far away from these worthless skies. Why should I care what disaster flows in my wake?¡± As he lifted his chin and let out a smug laugh, his gaunt features came into view. There was thin stubble on his face and remnants of a beard, but it was all greyed despite his otherwise youthful complexion. He was getting dangerously close to her domain.


    ¡°People like you make me sick.¡± He was arrogant and inconsiderate of the world around him. These two qualities ran as contrary to the essence of sorcery as one could get. ¡°And you would try to tell me you¡¯re anything but a hapless novice who wormed his way into somewhere he doesn¡¯t belong?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if one of you does belong to those extinct people who left this place behind¡­ Any rights you have over it are long gone,¡± Kuja visibly shuddered under his coarse tone. The mana coming off of him was intense and it appeared from everywhere at once. The crew was having a hard time dealing with it, but it was nothing like Undina in Cira¡¯s book. ¡°I have lived here for nearly two hundred years honing my craft so that I am peerless. Tell me girl, what do you know of true necromancy?¡±


    ¡°God damn am I glad you asked,¡± Cira was not yet done pointing out this mystery man¡¯s failures. However, she was done creating her basic reflection array. It was single use, but it would serve its purpose. She still needed time to finish the third array to really kick off the fight and drive her point home in tandem. ¡°But don¡¯t get ahead of yourself, old man.¡± He did not like that. ¡°You¡¯ve been here for two hundred years?! I spent two weeks at most learning necromancy. Where¡¯s your damn spirit swarm? Flesh golems? Why aren¡¯t there undead bugs running surveillance on the top floor and all around the mountain? I¡¯m talking about basic contingencies that take an afternoon to employ. How did we even make it here if you¡¯re such a prolific necromancer? Complete amateur work you¡¯ve done for the last two centuries. Like, what have you even been doing?¡±


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    It was clear there was more than meets the eye here, but Cira¡¯s plan to rile him up worked, ¡°You¡­ I will show you what I have been doing these two hundred years!¡±


    A grinding echoed through the chamber and clouds of dust exploded from the ground. Cira felt herself get pulled away by the ribbons at her ankles and when she looked down, a skeletal arm was grabbing at her while another pushed against the floor.


    The ground at Cira¡¯s feet broke and revealed a skull glaring up at her with empty eye sockets. Pristine white bone, all flesh long decomposed from it, yet there was little trace of weathering from age.


    Screams to her left rang out¡ªher crew was also getting accosted. All around them, skeletons burst from the dirt at their feet as far as they could see while slow, maniacal laughter echoed. The shadows seemed to recede to show off the vast army as it arose, while the man responsible apparently disappeared without a trace.


    Gil was pulled to the ground by two such skeletons before a burst of flames made them crumble away. A rhythmic knocking came from behind as Rictor crushed them beneath heavy weights, Tawny threw fireball after fireball, and Cedric found great success in consecutive lightning strikes. Her paladins were well equipped to send them to the next life with brilliant golden blasts and even Jimbo could slash away at them without much trouble, but the brothers were reduced to swatting them with their staves.


    Cira drove her needle through a skull with little resistance then bashed another with the onyx on the other end and it broke apart in a burst of darkness.


    ¡°Okay, maybe I¡¯m a little impressed,¡± She was so sure he would activate her trap pretty much right away, but his skeletons were bound through unconventional means, ¡°but these bones aren¡¯t nearly ancient enough. They¡¯re too weak.¡± Cira kicked one and its ribcage fell apart unceremoniously. Her next move was to draw another array blatantly in the air.


    A quick three-glyph formation which grew alight with the color of warm sands. The mana¡¯s light carried far through the chamber in the shadows¡¯ absence, and every skeleton in range simply broke apart, clattering against the ground en masse.


    ¡°W-what?!¡± Rictor exclaimed, ¡°No way! How?¡±


    ¡°At what point would you consider bones fossils?¡± She answered with a question. ¡°You should be able to freely manipulate them as well, to a degree.¡±


    All she had cast was a sorcery to deconstruct earth, which tangentially affected fossils. Granted, most of these skeletons were a few centuries old at best, so it wasn¡¯t difficult to wrest control over them, leaving them as steaming lumps of death mana.


    ¡°You wretch!¡± His voice echoed as a trail of shadow made its way to the front and he appeared again dripping with anger. ¡°You think you¡¯ve bested me because you¡¯ve figured out my skeletons¡ª¡±


    Bang!


    Cira jolted back as something exploded right next to her. Jimbo was shrouded in a cloud of smoke that unfurled to show his hand resting on the barrel of his shoulder cannon. ¡°Man, I¡¯ve been waiting for that.¡± He rubbed his ear which had surely taken some abuse from the blast. ¡°Wait¡­ what?¡±


    Everybody¡¯s eyes were stuck on the infuriated necromancer with a gaping hole in his side as he glared at Jimbo exuding a vicious aura. Instead of blood, only shadows poured from the wound.


    ¡°How DARE you?! Do you seek death?¡± Shadows condensed in his hand and a staff of pure darkness appeared. ¡°Perish!¡±


    A beam of darkness so pure it shined brighter than the goliaths shot out with a shrill whistle and tried to pierce the barrier on a direct path to Jimbo¡¯s heart. Waves of mana pulsed as the sound of cracking came from the point of impact. While the barrier rippled from the overwhelming force, a series of glyphs lit up.


    Suddenly an explosion of shadows came from the border of Cira¡¯s domain and the ray of darkness reversed itself, piercing the robed man through his own chest and continuing far beyond. Unlike the cannonball, this didn¡¯t even disperse a hole in him.


    But going by the look on his face, he was furious. Shadows danced around the ¡®wound¡¯, slowly trickling in. He absorbed them as if it were only natural, so he must have been more upset about the failed attack.


    ¡°Is¡­ is he a spirit?¡± Kuja looked him up and down with wide eyes, as if scouring his soul for any hints.


    ¡°Not quite¡­¡± Cira spoke softly, unraveling him in her mind as she went. His narrowed eyes still burned with such a deep darkness. ¡°He¡¯s been keeping the soul forge warm for us though.¡±


    With a gasp, Kuja finally understood. The bony knuckles of her old hands turned white around her staff, but quickly loosened. Having seen the last interaction, she had more than a little doubt.


    ¡°He has desecrated my people¡¯s resting place, and stolen their secrets for so, so long¡­ but I am powerless against him¡­¡± Her voice shook as she looked down, sullen.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Cira put a hand on her shoulder and met her with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m here for.¡±


    ¡°Pathetic girl without even a trace of aura,¡± The man strode toward them and stopped at the barrier. He ran his finger along it to discern its effects. ¡°You know a couple tricks, but that is all. It may even be worth keeping you alive for a time to take them for myself. To defeat me though,¡± He disappeared as the world shuddered again and the shadows suddenly fell on them like a tidal wave. ¡°I am afraid you lack the qualifications.¡±


    The same as before, it was like being crushed under an ocean of darkness. Cira could feel her barrier buckle beneath the weight, only getting worse by the second. The man¡¯s laughter faded in and out, in front of and behind. The broken skeletons made their way back into the earth, only to reappear moments later. This was quickly becoming a battle of attrition that Cira wasn¡¯t sure she could win.


    She knew the necromancer had more up his sleeve, but he was acting warily. At this point she had no choice but to assume he knew about her trap or was simply stalling for time. Neither option was great

 135.5 - Witch No More

    The girl with sunlight in her hair left dawn in her wake. Never a believer of the Final Sky, it was still difficult not to compare her to the rising sun. At best it was cruel irony that forced her to life in one of Earth Vein¡¯s darkest caves, knowing only the taupe radiance of her designated specialty until Cira belligerently stumbled into her life.


    What truly makes a sorcerer? Obviously, she inflated her ideology, but the truth lies beyond such musings. Her father¡¯s teachings make that plain as day.


    Cira claimed that a sorcerer bears the responsibility of anyone troubled that falls in sight. In short, they help anybody weaker than them who needs it. As someone constantly striving to improve their prowess, wouldn¡¯t this develop into quite the troublesome existence?


    Such quandary was thoroughly covered in ¡°The Sorcerer¡¯s Compendium Volume One, Chapter Twelve: Heavy Shoulders of the Morrow¡±. Despite their primitive society, a young Gazen rose to the top of the ranks of the dragon faithful using the only methods they understood¡ªviolence and supremacy. So blinded by their unrivaled power, the fringes of their people fell to ruin.


    Starvation, savagery, and misery plagued the great majority of the dragon faithful, but only the poor, the destitute, and the damned survived salvation. Those who claimed dominance over the surrounding skies saw no issue with the state of affairs and were not treated kindly by the tides of change.


    Choice few challengers fell swiftly, but the bulk of the local ruling class was dismantled by none other than the people. Gazen shared his knowledge and skills with the peasants of the dragon faithful and those willing to learn brought peace to skies at reaches a thousand leagues beyond the horizon.


    Those who wish for salvation from cruel winds and strive to achieve it will receive it, and those who refute the world¡¯s natural order and turn lives into commodity will be left barren in the sky¡¯s vast history. A meaningless scrawl or splash of ink in the margin.


    A sorcerer¡¯s purpose is bound to their power, while their heart is their compass. To fall victim to life¡¯s most miserable fates is but a trial to the seasoned sorcerer, but to the merely aspiring, one¡¯s mind weathered with each passing day.


    The duo Brindle and Hale seemed like a competent, respectable facet of the regulatory council, but the fact remained that they had shackled her with indemnite bindings. No matter how hard she tried, her aura refused to respond.


    Indemnite¡­ I studied it in school. Madam Estelle said it¡¯s a byproduct of imperfect mana crystals. Cira conjured them like they were nothing, but I never saw a speck of indemnite. What would she say if she were bound in the same metal¡ªbound in such materials?


    It would be but a trifle, Nanri was sure. But why does it inhibit my aura from responding? It doesn¡¯t make much sense when I think about it. Is it due to physical contact?


    The Titan Witch was imprisoned in a cell smaller than those of the New Shore district with a single bed and about a foot of space around it before nullstone bars stretched from the ground to the ceiling. The wooden frame of her bed brought a nice change of scenery, but it was a humbling experience.


    She crouched down and caught one bracelet on each post at the foot of her bed. Just these two bands were enough to completely seal her sorcery. Shifting her wrist around with her sleeve so the handcuffs weren¡¯t touching her skin, she unfortunately determined that indemnite worked on altogether different principles than she was familiar with.


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    Dammit. Even Cira said she knew little about the soul. In her words, the soul is best left ignored if fate allows. Sadly, this doesn¡¯t work for me.


    Her test meant that indemnite exuded some manner of aethereal field. Not¡­ entirely unlike deritium, a sort of modified mana frequency radiated from the material.


    I see two options. This metal hinders my mana induction or prevents my will from reaching my aura. I don¡¯t feel like I have any leeway, so I think the latter is more likely. What can I do about that? Is my will not strong enough?


    Nanri wanted to be able to cast. Not to escape, but to continue her training. This was a goal which had neither deadline nor finish line, so it didn¡¯t seem too urgent. Escaping would have been nice, but it wasn¡¯t practical. She was on a direct route to meet her mother after so long, after all.


    Evidently the Silver Witch meant to collect her directly from Fount Salt, but the Gandeux issued an order specifically to prevent Earth Vein witches from investigating the scene. The only one allowed anywhere near the island was the Volcanic Witch who may as well have been an enforcer at this point.


    In any case, Nanri could not escape. Her father Nanago, third prince of Earth Vein¡¯s homeland, Urigu, was the primary link between them and the Nightwing Isles. If she did anything but separate herself from the ¡®Fount Saint¡¯ incident, it could publicly signify aggressions from the smattering of islands she was born and raised in.


    A thorny path to sorcery, is it? I will bear this weight. As Gazen put it, if the coals at your feet don¡¯t smolder, how can you ever hope to grasp the sun?


    The only way indemnite could suppress her will was if her will was lacking. This simply could not do. How could she call herself a sorcerer if a little jewelry stopped her from conjuring?


    Flesh and bone, Nanri was a witch to the core. This was the state of her birth, and she had lived her entire life thusly. Only recently did she find the need to change that.


    A witch¡¯s will was weak. A witch believed they were blessed¡ªthat their power was a given. They believed supremacy was their right, not their burden. Was supremacy even within Nanri¡¯s hands? She wasn¡¯t strong enough by any measure when compared to Cira. But one¡¯s will carried weight beyond the present self.


    The hope that drove her forward, the burning sensation in her soul, the image of Cira standing next to her¡ªthese thoughts all conjured burgeons of determination to reinforce her will.


    The distant horizon Nanri strove for was within reach. It was always within reach. No matter how far, the horizon never left her line of sight. Her power couldn¡¯t stack up to even her teacher who the mighty sorcerer toyed with through miles of salt, but that wasn¡¯t what Nanri needed.


    She could no longer call herself a witch. The Titan Witch was a relic of the past now. In its place a sorcerous seed took root. Nanri knew this trial would be overcome, so it was a mere trifle. What could the extents of such an obstacle mean in the face of one certain outcome, unclouded by doubt?


    Ahh. This is what Cira would do, isn¡¯t it?


    Anything which exuded aether in any form could in turn be utilized. Before the sorcerer, indemnite was material to be plundered for its mana.


    Nanri gently uncoiled her palm and metallic raindrops rose up in the air. The elusive silver glow of a  mastered auxiliary element lit up her prison cell as titanium coagulated against the ceiling.


    Nullstone is without element, so no prisoners can manipulate it to their advantage. Unlike any given stone, it¡¯s difficult to manipulate. Almost like orichalcum in its purest form. Thanks to Cira, though¡­ I know it¡¯s the best material I can ask for to enchant.


    Titanium dripped from the ceiling and formed a needle in Nanri¡¯s hand.


    This first bar will be mana trap, while the second transfers it to me. I have fifteen more to work with. This is mostly for practice, but if anyone attacks me, they¡¯ll be sorry they did.


    ¡°Hey, Titan Witch.¡± -Enforcer Brindle¡¯s youthful voice carried lackadaisically through the door to the stairs. Nanri was three levels below deck in the brig. The titanium dispersed into motes of light as the door swung upon. ¡°What do you make of this?¡±


    He held the first volume of the ¡°Sorcerer¡¯s Compendium¡± in his hand, open to ¡°Chapter Eight: Sky¡¯s Folly and the Sorcerer¡¯s Grasp¡±.


    ¡°If you need to ask,¡± Nanri replied with an exasperated sigh. She was due to see the Silver Witch by morning, but this man had had his nose buried in the tomes she swore not to lose for the past week, ¡°You¡¯re better off starting from the beginning.¡±

 136 - The Lord of Soil and Bone

    It¡¯s a far cry from true necromancy¡­ but it sure is annoying. With this man¡¯s methods, it doesn¡¯t matter how broken the bones become. If anything, their degraded condition only solidifies his control over them. How troublesome.


    All necromancy led back to death mana, but there were a few ways to get there. Cira created light via establishing a void in the darkness, so in theory she could even manipulate a creature¡¯s lifeforce out in such a way to synthesize death mana. As long as all conditions for life were met except the presence of lifeforce, known simply as life mana or the ebb of one¡¯s essence in some circles, death was still the natural result.


    To be more specific, this was the true definition of undeath. The body, spirit, and mind. One, all, or a combination of these components must remain stable and conducive to life after experiencing a fatal incident. In this way, it was even possible for undeath to occur organically.


    This was not uncommon with fossils. Given the conditions for the standard regret or emotion driven spirit were met, fossilized remains acted as something of a natural phylactery. This phenomenon was how the mystery mage¡¯s skeletons could reform in an instant so long as they returned to the earth from which he drew most of his mana.


    There was something to be said about the inefficiency of converting earth to death mana for every operation, but what irritated Cira the most was his absolute lack of utilizing the darkness necromantically. It was clear he¡¯d reforged himself at least once¡ªthe man could turn himself into shadow. While it was an incredible ability that Cira was slightly jealous of, the problem lay in the fact that death and darkness were two peas in a pod. There was no way Cira would believe he couldn¡¯t take advantage of that.


    Of course, he still tried to crush them with shadows, but its absence in his necromancy was cause for concern. It wasn¡¯t just that he refused to trigger her trap. There was just no effort being put into this fight. His skeletons were easy to defeat, which the crew was doing relentlessly, but they were endless. Aside from the pressurized darkness pressing in from all sides, the only sign of the necromancer was his occasional laughter. He hadn¡¯t even started yet.


    ¡°So, what are we waiting for?¡± Cira goaded, ¡°At this point you seem more like a bone golem guy. Am I right?¡±


    Each had their advantages. Cira was always more partial to flesh golems because you couldn¡¯t get any closer to one hundred percent muscle mass. It was harder to ethically source, but carrion made for quite the necromantic bounty in one¡¯s day to day.


    ¡°Tch. Golems? Do you take me for a hack?¡± Unfortunately, no. Dodging skeletons made great cover for her enchantments, and by now Cira was layering on protections for the crew. ¡°Nor are we waiting for my skeletal champion to appear. I don¡¯t often receive guests, so forgive me for taking my time.¡±


    At least he was honest. Constructs had many tiers, only known by name at their highest. While a skeletal doll may crumble if Cira looked at it wrong, a bone construct could achieve levels of power anywhere from an unnaturally sturdy revenant to a goliath. Any elderly necromancer should have one, but solace was found in the fact that it wasn¡¯t on its way.


    ¡°Hey, I get it now.¡± Marko clasped his hands together as a miniature golden sun orbited him, ¡°Not everything is in its right place. She meant the skeletons, huh? Undina basically told us this guy was here.¡±


    ¡°She did indeed.¡± Cira ripped a skull off its neck and stored it in her treasure pouch. A mere test. ¡°Undina must have been expecting our fight. I¡¯m sure she can¡¯t wait to see the outcome.¡±


    She didn¡¯t say she never got visitors. Just not often. Her message was rather direct, as well. Of course, this fight was a form of entertainment she was looking forward to.


    ¡°Hah.¡± The man stepped out from the darkness, ¡°You met that spirit as well¡ªgyah!¡± Cira flicked a Sunbearer Coin at him. ¡°Bitch!¡±


    The man¡¯s left hand exploded in a burst of light, but he was probably too dense for the effect to spread further. It started reforming as soon as it dispersed, leaving no sign of damage. A single handful of shadows was enough for such instant regeneration.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got some tricks of your own.¡± Spinning her staff, the onyx clubbed another undead¡¯s skull through the air and the man caught it. ¡°Why don¡¯t you show me a few? Even my crew¡¯s getting bored here. We don¡¯t have all day.¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy?!¡± Tawny with flames sprouting from each hand looked at Cira aghast, ¡°Why are you always like this¡ª¡±


    As fast as a praying mantis¡¯ strike, Cira placed one finger on Tawny¡¯s forehead and pointed another at the necromancer. He had been poised to probably say another cool line and attack before Tawny cut him off to berate Cira, so when the stone chamber was bathed in pure, unrefined light, he was somewhat caught off guard. Just reflexively shielding his eyes was enough to miss the heart, but this beam of light pierced right through the necromancer¡¯s sternum and molten stone from the distant wall behind dripped into the loose dirt and produced an odorous smoke. One of the rings on Cira¡¯s fingers crumbled to dust.


    While the necromancer shouted and healed his chest with a palm, Cira gave Tawny a side-eye as she recovered from the unexpected strain, ¡°Start putting your mana to use. Until you increase your affinity with light, I need you to maintain a well of flames and perpetually condense it. This bypasses much of the hassle of casting on the fly. Begin with a fireball and continue to fill it slowly. These are known as passive reservoirs or just wells. If you want to contend past an amateur level¡ª¡±


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    The necromancer¡¯s frustration came to a head as the shadows receded like the tide and twisted into focused spindles, ¡°The insolence! You think you have the luxury to turn this into a lesson? Just because you¡¯ve read a few books, you think you¡¯re anything more than a powerless whelp¡ª¡±


    The wind whistled as a Sunbearer Coin glinted through the encroaching darkness. The necromancer¡¯s hood burned away and fell back as he narrowly evaded a shot to the cheek. The man¡¯s hair was thin and ragged, like a fresh corpse.


    ¡°How many times have you been reforged?¡± Cira pressed, ¡°Your weakness to light suggests you¡¯ve made a great oversight. Were you not expecting to leave here?¡±


    She spun her wrist back and twirled Shadow quill in a tight circle to form one Lamplight after the next before the necromancer took the bait.


    With a reverberating gale of palpable death that clenched the lungs, ¡°What do you know, child?¡± The wind died down and silence seemed to echo from miles away. Power surged beneath Cira¡¯s feet in the form of faint tremors. Mismatched bones of all his fallen skeletons linked together to throw fists or claw at the crew¡¯s legs. Kicks jabbed at their chests or swept their ankles, tripping Gil to the ground or interrupting the paladin¡¯s holy conjurations. ¡°This place will become your tomb, ignorant one.¡±


    ¡°One thing I know is nothing can cripple a sorcerer more than centuries of poor form.¡± With another brushstroke, all the Lamplights dispersed, filling the pocket of absent shadows with unprecedented radiance. While many of Cira¡¯s previous runes were to defend against raw death, many more were to protect against light. The only individual without spatial refraction limiters was of course their necromantic adversary, who cried in a hundred overlapping voices of anguish as shadows coalesced around his form. He slipped away again as his condensed shadow spikes approached their peak. ¡°Facing you here is no different than facing in undine in the sea, but don¡¯t think for a moment that you¡¯re escaping without a thorough lesson. I¡¯m also interested in the way your corporea can transform into inert shadow¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡ªhow dare you study me, foolish girl. I am beyond your comprehension!¡± His twisting spines of shadow had formed an iron maiden in the engulfing darkness, and all pressed into Cira¡¯s domain at once. ¡°Today you face the Immortal Lord of Soil and Bone! Ebb and essence wither in my wake!¡±


    The pressure was easily enough shatter the long-wrought haven even with the accumulated light, but Cira swung her quill around to let it all in. Each spine glimmered a violent white through her lens but turned to pure black as it pierced the threshold and was assigned a magic circle. Twenty-seven runic circles appeared from the fleeting shadows to take the shape of glimmering halos.


    Two black spikes each made their way for Cira¡¯s vital organs from different angles, while the remainders focused on joints in a vain attempt to limit her mobility further than she had already done herself a few weeks back. Within inches of reaching her flesh, each point became frozen in space while the magic circles rotated with increasing speed and effulgence.


    Her whole crew save for the woman too old to be moving like that crumpled to the ground to avoid the attack despite it centering on Cira, but each protrusion of shadow slowly melted away in frail wisps of black smoke like a failed curse and was replaced with unrefined light.


    In its purest form, light pervaded all. Much like her myriad suns of Fount Salt, not even earth could block pure, aethereal light waves, let alone its prey¡ªdarkness. But due to her protections, Cira and the crew would never bear its true glory.


    Prismagora, oh Prismagora¡­ It¡¯s a true shame you could not join me for this exhibition.


    Less than sentimentality, her father¡¯s staff of light could actually be improved through such a display. Sadly, she could not focus on academics as the so-called immortal lord reminded her earlier.


    ¡°My father once told me that anyone who claims immortality is either a fool or a liar.¡± The myriad needles of shadow gave way to invasive light and each point dissolved into a single compound glyph. No Lamplight could compare to the advent of effulgence from Cira¡¯s trap.


    All her tricks were routed through the shadow void that was their only safe haven. The closer this man came to destroying it, the more power it gained upon resurgence. With his own mana as sustenance. Thus, the first summoning that Cira had performed in ages went off with unprecedented efficacy at twenty-seven points.


    ¡°N-no! You worthless bitch¡ªhow?!¡±


    Like blooming flowers, sprites spread out and claimed their own stake of the shadows like basking in an omnipresent sun. From the twinkle of a distant star, they grew to the size of a flame sprite cusping on ascension in a matter of seconds.


    ¡°Do you get it now? Have you ever gazed upon an immature pholux?¡± Unhindered by anything in these skies, the rare sprites grew without restraint. The shadows disappeared faster than the fake lord could recall them. ¡°How long do you think it will take them to mature here?¡±


    Even ascended to peak form, her summons would heed her command. This was the terrifying nature of summoning sorcery. As a common sea cucumber would, mature spirits could split, and then it would become difficult, but that was future-Cira¡¯s problem, assuming such responsibilities were thrust upon her. Due to her affinity, she wasn¡¯t too worried about that eventuality, especially given the potential for blessings.


    ¡°Behold the glory of the Saint!¡± Marko¡¯s entire white gold staff glowed with a vicious holy light that burned the material into dust as he charged a single luminescent sprite with divinity. The other paladins followed suit and even Tawny infused it with all the light she could muster for some reason.


    ¡°Hey, hold on¡­¡± Cira¡¯s words died in her throat. Holy wasn¡¯t a primary element, but it was a base. A very potent one. An element which fed off of most others, but also complimented light.


    ¡°You think you¡¯re the only one who can summon sprites?¡± While the necromancer¡¯s form disappeared, a conglomeration of shadows took his place. It was like a flame made of pure darkness, wisping upward and forming around some manner of core. An immature umbra. ¡°Have you forgotten I have existed here for two hundred years?!¡±


    ¡°You will not survive unless you show me your trump cards.¡± Cira skipped two Sunbearer Coins across the ground and got one of his shins. It blew out a hole the size of her fist and he stumbled before the wound dispersed into a coarse smoke and reformed without delay. ¡°Underestimating me will spell your defeat.¡±


    Holes marred his robes as the cave gradually lit up in the radiance of Cira¡¯s sprites, shriveling the undeveloped umbra. This was no proxy domain, but Cira felt at home as she did in the spring chamber in this light. The necromancer was nigh-invincible, but so was she after all the time he gave her to think.


    ¡°Weight of the world,


    Fury of the desolate deep,


    Besmirched by the shadow of yore¡¯s omission,¡±


    The Lord of Soil and Bone encanted a primal calling. The world cracked; shadows deeper than any other formed in the ubiquitous veil of darkness like a lightning strike on a dead tree. An ode to the void which existed before all.


    ¡°Let them know the wrath of absence.¡±


    All trace of darkness drained from the conjured shadow sprite, replaced with something far more empty as the Necropolis of Archaeum trembled.

 137 - The Wrath of Fate

    ¡°Let them know the wrath of absence.¡±


    All trace of darkness drained from the conjured shadow sprite, replaced with something far more empty as the Necropolis of Archaeum trembled.


    Cira thought summoning a dark sprite would be the end of it. Even if he turned it into an umbra, she had ideas on how to respond. Never in a million years did she think he would convert it into a void sprite. While void was most commonly known as the absence of space, it had another, far more archaic meaning. Void was the absence of all.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t an element in that sense. Thus far, conceptual sprites existed only in theoretical musings deep within Gazen¡¯s notes. While this was something Cira could not help but be excited to witness, she was starting to wish she hadn¡¯t asked to see a trump card.


    The entire mountain shook as the creature took shape, only settling down as its form completed. Following the cracks it formed in the shadows, it kept branching out. The void sprite looked like someone¡¯s nervous system if you ripped it out of them, but of the purest black. It was hardly perceptible against the thinning shadows, but impossible to look away from.


    The necromancer¡¯s laughter echoed before fading away as Cira¡¯s summoned light wisps started to dim as their food source dissipated.


    That thing isn¡¯t just consuming the darkness, is it? While the wisps grew weaker, they all started to gently float inward.


    ¡°This is bad, guys.¡± Cira wasted no time in letting her crew know the situation. ¡°That abomination is even eating the space around it. This barrier will only sustain for so long.¡±


    The holy-infused light wisp seemed to be able to resist the voidling¡¯s pull, but its mana still slowly escaped. Even Cira¡¯s barrier couldn¡¯t hold onto all the darkness she worked so hard to accumulate. It didn¡¯t look like the spirit moved at all but grew closer with each pocket of space it consumed.


    ¡°Is¡­ is it time to run?¡± Jimbo had one foot out the door already and Cira had to pull him back.


    ¡°Not so fast. What do you think happens if that thing gets any bigger? It¡¯s worse than a black hole. We can¡¯t exactly just leave it like this.¡± Despite really wanting to, it would be highly irresponsible. The entire island could be gone by morning.


    It took a lot of mana, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯s running low down here. What good would defeating it do if he can just create another? I didn¡¯t get the impression there were any restrictions, but converting a spirit¡¯s nature shouldn¡¯t be so simple. Can he really unleash calamity so flippantly?


    The first wisp flickered out and its essence completely disappeared, quickly followed by another few. The necromancer¡¯s laughter returned and circled them like a storm.


    ¡°Now do you get it?¡± His form appeared briefly all around them, disappearing between words as if on the wind. ¡°From the moment life first buds to far beyond the day flesh turns to dust, souls are no more than clay in my hand. The very second you set your eyes on this place, you already belonged to me. This is your fate, foolish girl.¡±


    Options here were limited. It took them hours to get this far, and the rate at which the void sprite grew, Cira wasn¡¯t sure they could return fast enough to outpace it. Were they driven away, it was unclear if he would let them escape or even stop the destruction of this place. Letting his sprite run wild would spell the end of Lost Cloud. Countless would die, but what could she do? What should she do?


    That¡¯s right. Am I forgetting I¡¯m on vacation from sorcery? I¡¯m deluding myself with the fate of this island. While Cira did care about its fate¡­ I am not qualified to save it, even if it is my fault this great evil was unleashed upon it. I¡¯m simply too weak to save it right now.


    I don¡¯t need to think about any of that though. If I don¡¯t defeat this void and its master, I¡¯ll never reach the soul forge. I¡¯ll be dead in weeks. No time to go back and prepare. He won¡¯t let me. It isn¡¯t a matter of if or how¡­ I must do this.


    Cira had learned a great many things from the master sorcerer Gazen over woefully few years, but somewhere in there must exist a solution. Not that she wanted to, but this was the first time in her life she was uncertain curses would even work. With the damage to her soul, it was far too risky to try.


    Like flowers crumpled in an unseen fist, light wisps disappeared one after the other until only one remained. Holy light uselessly surged through it, refusing to give in, but its resilience gave Cira an idea.


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    ¡°What do you know of fate, paltry necromancer? Caller of the void? Harbinger of nothing?¡± It took an aura to call upon holy mana, but Cira had an aura in Shadow Quill, while her withering holy champion had a source in her paladins. This was effectively a loophole which certainly broke some rules, but it wasn¡¯t the time to care.


    ¡°Nothing heeds your call.¡± Cira freely wove holy mana while her calmed voice rang gently through the dark. ¡°Nothing molds freely in your hands, and nothing bends to your will. Fate is but a delicate vase before me, to be smashed and reformed at my whim. Stand against me and your own fate can only shatter.¡±


    The sprite grew brighter without impedance, blaring rainbows across the room as every color on the spectrum appeared. ¡®Holy¡¯ could be considered a foreign entity in these skies¡ªin this world¡ªbut it still held domain over reality. It was a gamble, but Cira thought there was a reason it resisted so well. Likewise, her paladins were the only ones without a trail of mana seeping out.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± A beam of darkness, like a negative of Cira¡¯s previous attack, shot out and cleanly pierced through the barrier to destroy the tumultuous spirit, only to congeal upon its surface and become mere nutrients to feed its transformation.


    Her mind seared like it was on fire from the prohibited use of holy. It was a pain she would simply bear.


    ¡°I thought it was all nonsense, but thanks to you I¡¯ve figured it out.¡± Cira grinned. The only way to fight an abomination was with another, better abomination.


    Life itself was a concept which often escaped Cira, but fate was one she often sidestepped. Reality should not be determined ahead of time, in her opinion. Unfortunately, fate was still something which constantly nagged at her from the corners of her mind, wishing to burn a curse into existence at any moment. Many clues led back to the point where Cira¡¯s relationship with curses and fate intersected, but it never felt like they were one in the same. More that one was a path to the other.


    Each and every curse Cira laid in the past had tangible recoil, but it was a feeling she couldn¡¯t quite place until recently. In the past she forcefully pressed fate into a mold using the only tool she knew, but now, on the cusp of having her existence erased entirely, fate felt like water running through her fingers.


    Undina has given me more than she knows. To think fate were such a thing¡­ Like the rivers through Fount Salt, time yields to conform with the path fate chooses. As erosion takes form in predictable ways, so too does the flow of destiny take its course. When I plotted that island¡¯s fate from spring to sky, it was no feat of sorcery.


    All I wanted was that pearl on the horizon. The spring and I became one, but what of the salt? Beyond my apparent self but within reach¡ªwhat is that?


    ¡°Would you like to know your fate, necromancer?¡± The form of a blanched flame sprite had already devolved into something else, beyond gold and infinite palettes into imperceptible colors which translated to waves which shook the tomb in defiance. Now her chosen sprite ascended beyond the bounds of cold reality to assume the silhouette of a girl wielding a staff, comprised of rainbows which burned the eyes. ¡°It belongs to me.¡±


    A dull thud sounded to her left and Oliver had fallen to the ground. Her remaining three paladins were pale and approaching their limit, but their duty had been fulfilled. The abominable fate wisp no longer needed holy mana, though it flowed into its staff all the same along with everything else.


    The crew struggled under its weight. Jimbo was passed out next to Marko, followed quickly by the brothers desperately cradling their unconscious captain and the rest didn¡¯t seem well off. They had terror in their eyes and seemed resigned to accept whatever outcome Cira could muster. Even Tawny was on her knees, clutching Jimbo¡¯s hand in vain.


    ¡°Stupid girl! Do you not understand the situation you¡¯re in?¡± The necromancer appeared for a moment to show Cira his glowering face. ¡°These skies will be gone tomorrow. Relinquish your life and I may spare them!¡±


    In this time the voidling had become much larger, but it was only due to the destruction of the space between them. Now its unnerving tendrils stretched towards Cira¡¯s creation. Only visible against the absolute darkness around her shadow lens around it and its lack thereof. The barrier splintered as a sound like ice cracking echoed as the two entities met. One by one, the dark branches were sucked in.


    As the void was slowly consumed by the sprite¡¯s staff, a spiderweb of violent lights spread throughout its form, cutting off sections which dissipated in short order. Within seconds, the embodiment of primordial nothingness was reduced to an amorphous display of radiance which paled in comparison to the years of blood, sweat, and tears that produced Heron Village¡¯s burning tribute to fate¡¯s wake.


    ¡°One who disrupts the order,¡± Cira¡¯s mouth moved but the voice came from her sprite, ¡°Covet death and I shall guide you to such a fate.¡±


    Like the path a string of vines may take over decades, the necromancer¡¯s arms and legs started to stretch out on a predetermined path to the effulgent gem which adorned the sprite¡¯s staff. His pain came in the form of countless screams of torment.


    ¡°H-how?! Impossible!¡± Agony reverberated through the chamber as it gradually fell to the distance. ¡°Don¡¯t think this is over, you wretch! I will find you¡ª¡±


    Pieces of his formless body were left behind and faded away as shadows filled in the space around Cira¡¯s barrier again. She didn¡¯t know how long that encounter took, but it ended in a matter of seconds. Just a couple more and she would have been erased forever. The cracks in her barrier slowly grew darker and faded away as the pressure rapidly dropped, only pulsing periodically from Cira¡¯s abomination.


    She clenched her fist, ¡°Dammit¡­ To think this is over¡­ What a joke.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be today, but someone like that couldn¡¯t be left alone.


    Precious few seconds in the dark passed as Cira fumed before Tawny broke the silence with an uncharacteristic whimper, ¡°I-is it gone¡­?¡±


    Kuja was on the ground, all color drained from her face and panting as she swayed to and fro, ¡°Child¡­ please¡­. d-dismiss it.¡± She collapsed on the bare dirt with lights strobing over her and the others wherever they lay.

 138 - The Spiders Gambit

    As if the shadows had never existed, the lowest chamber of Archaeum was bathed in light of every color while most of the crew was incapacitated on the ground. Whether it was their mana drained into the void or their existence crushed beneath indomitable fate was hard to say, but the summoned sprite wasn¡¯t entirely under Cira¡¯s control. It had its own fate, apparently.


    Luckily, the effusive light died down and Cira was able to stop shielding her eyes. As fate once flowed through her fingers, the feeling slowly dulled. Like the water in her palm had become air, she became numb to the sensation.


    ¡°I reckon this being¡¯s fate was to never exist in the first place.¡± Cira watched her dwindling doppelganger gradually blink out of existence. ¡°It is only natural it should disappear after serving its purpose.¡±


    Good thing too, because dismissing it was another matter entirely. Turns out her own predetermination was not so simple to quell.


    ___


    The brightest star in my life, the exalted Saintess of course, plummeted helplessly into the river. As if fate were unfolding before mine eyes, I was left with only the option to dive in after her. The pirates down below always made fun of me for never learning how to swim, but when the greatest crisis these skies have ever known happens and I¡¯m the only one who can stop it¡­ well, Ol¡¯ Reverand Shores is gonna let the Lord of Skies Afar take the wheel.


    Swimming came naturally to me. Like a glorious seabird on the hunt, my perfect dive parted the waves, and I effortlessly navigated the tumbling river. My arms were like wings and the waters were like the open sky. My Lady lay daintily curled up with her brilliant golden hair swaying gently in the current. A herd of carnivorous jellyfish threatened to devour her with their endless tentacles but turned to dust before my fist.


    As I kicked off the rocky riverbed with the Saint securely in my arms, Undina appeared and tried to steal her away. As if I haven¡¯t had enough tentacles today. Naturally, I traded my soul for the begotten one¡¯s safe passage. Weeping in dissatisfaction at the uneven trade, the goddess of the sea receded forevermore.


    As if I had stolen her blessing, I rose above the water¡¯s surface and set her eminence, Lady Cira of the Unseen Sky, gently upon the shore. If I couldn¡¯t do that much, I couldn¡¯t call myself Captain Shores.


    ¡°Exalted one, please!¡± I placed my hand on her shoulder as her face turned blue. Her hand weakly grasped my sleeve before falling to the ground. ¡°Please, you have to wake up!¡±


    As if by my own will, water flowed freely from her lungs and trickled back down to the river before her chest heaved. The Saint gasped, desperately drawing air, clinging to dear life. Her eyes went wide, and she turned to me.


    The frail arm which failed to hold on slowly rose now into an open palm, as if she were about to channel the incomprehensible wisdom of the far lords.


    As my breath bated in anticipation as immense as my awe, she swung her arm. I felt a burn deeper than any pain I¡¯ve ever felt upon my cheek.


    ¡°W-why, My Lady?¡± Tears flowed like a spring from mine eyes.


    Slap!


    ¡°Because you¡¯ve disappointed me.¡±


    ¡°FORGIVE MEEEEE¡ª¡± A thousand slaps to the face all culminated in a single overwhelming instance of pain, a burn far deeper than and I¡¯ve ever felt upon mine eyes.


    ¡°And you call yourself a captain?¡± I had apparently only just opened them to see Jimbo¡¯s infuriated gaze. I couldn¡¯t hold them open for long as the smell of cheap liquor burned my nose.


    ¡°Gyahh!!¡± I kicked back across the ground and grasped at the floor around me, ¡°B-brothers, help me! Paladins!¡±


    Cool water washed over my face as the odor dissipated, but my eyes were hot irons until I felt holy light envelop my head.


    ¡°Wh¡­ what?¡± Peeling my eyelids open through the pain, I blinked in confusion. Jimbo took a drink from his flask and screwed the cap back on. ¡°Did¡­ did I save her?¡±


    Slap!


    ¡°Shut up. Captain¡¯s sleepin¡¯.¡± I followed his eyes and saw Lady Cira curled up as peaceful as ever. Her body formed an indent in the soft ground and there was a sprinkling of dirt across her face. Her chest heaved steadily in her deep, comfortable slumber. ¡°And these guys saved the both of you, ya useless oaf.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know how to swim, Captain.¡± Eros¡¯ words cut deep. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. Everything¡¯s fine.¡±


    He wore a relaxed smile and turned away from me again. Now that I¡¯ve noticed, half of my crew was asleep while the other half wore the same expression and also looked toward the sleepy saint.


    ¡°Did¡­ did I miss something?¡± Such a vista could and should be a painting, but the look in my men¡¯s eyes was like they had just seen a prophecy fulfill.


    ¡°The prophecy¡­¡± Marko spoke softly, ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±


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    That could mean so many things it¡¯s not even funny, but as fate would have it, my fellow captain enlightened me.


    ¡°You missed a lot. Eros and Leros saved your dumb asses, and a necromancer stole the soul forge. He tried to destroy the island then Cira summoned some crazy bullshit and went to bed because everyone else was asleep. Can¡¯t believe you slept through all that.¡±


    ¡°Very uncharacteristic of you, Shores.¡± Cira opened her eyes. Wait, is this still a dream? The Saint moved a hand in front of her mouth to hide a yawn before brushing the dirt off her face. ¡°But everyone else passed out, so you¡¯re off the hook. Thanks for trying, anyway¡­ why is everyone looking at me? It¡¯s making me uncomfortable. How long have you been doing that¡­?¡±


    Lady Cira even looked elegant in her dark bundle of ribbons as pushed herself off the ground and turned away from the group. She approached a sleeping Tawny and gingerly slipped a ring off her finger before tossing it to Gil.


    ¡°There should be some meat in here. Can you grill it?¡±


    ___


    Even after enjoying such a hearty meal, Cira¡¯s head still pounded while the knot in her chest refused to subside.


    ¡°What even was that thing?¡± Tawny asked, evidently humbled for at least the time being.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided on a name yet,¡± Cira¡¯s gaze grew distant, ¡°I don¡¯t think ¡®sprite¡¯ really does it justice though. Maybe I¡¯ll call it the avatar of fate or something. That does sound incredibly pretentious though.¡±


    The name felt half-appropriate as it seemed almost as if her body had become two. She could see through its eyes and control its power as if it were her own. The terrifying part to her was that she didn¡¯t even make it do anything yet. It simply absorbed everything into its chromatic replica of her onyx.


    ¡°With that monster at your command, I¡¯m surprised you let the necromancer escape.¡± Jimbo said.


    ¡°And I¡¯m starting to feel we''re more and more useless with every spell you pull out.¡± Cedric added with a self-deprecating laugh.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t joking when I said he¡¯s as invincible as an undine down here. Worse even. Like an undine in the Lowest Sea. I had no choice but to let him go.¡± She shook her head, but the avatar of fate probably could have pursued his soul until it ceased to exist if she wanted. Part of her was scared to actually unleash its wrath without an aura with which to prevent any consequential disasters. Cira clenched her hand as if feeling around for the fleeting power, ¡°I don¡¯t think I can conjure that thing whenever I want though. Who knows if I can even do it twice?¡±


    It innately made sense that such an absurd embodiment of destiny could not be summoned for no reason at all. It would go against the very concept of its existence in the first place. That meant pulling it out on Breeze Haven just to study it probably wouldn¡¯t work. Even now, she could no longer feel fate¡¯s current washing over her.


    ¡°So¡­ we helped?¡± Marko asked with a tremble of uncertainty.


    ¡°Of course you did. We¡¯d have been up shit¡¯s spring without a boat if there wasn¡¯t a holy light wisp ready for me. Not sure what I would have done¡­¡± And she meant it, too. That was a real sticky situation with very limited time to come up with a solution. She was of the opinion that her curses would have been futile, ¡°We made it though.¡±


    ¡°Just one problem remains, Child¡­¡± Kuja¡¯s worry-stricken face glanced around the dark beyond Cira¡¯s barrier. ¡°Did you not say there would be a powerful beast down here?¡±


    ¡°Nope¡­ Turns out we already met him.¡± With a look of great dissatisfaction, Cira flicked her robes, ¡°Get the hell out here. You have some explaining to do.¡±


    ¡°To what end?¡± Eight dishonest legs poked out from the ribbons and found themselves on Cira¡¯s shoulder. She flicked him again for a short trip to the ground. ¡°What the hell is your problem? I did my part.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious¡­ Didn¡¯t I say no humans? Am I just supposed to die now or what?¡±


    ¡°Even if you did say that, what you say and what you want differ greatly. Have you forgotten the terms of our contract?¡± Contract was a strong word, but he shoved Cira¡¯s own words in her face all the same. ¡°I have not defied your will. Have I?¡±


    ¡°You son of a bitch.¡± Grumbling and contemplating another flick, Cira glared holes through the spider¡¯s crystalline body. ¡°Harvesting human souls very much goes against my will¡ª¡±


    ¡°Does it though?¡± He cut her off with a raucous snickering that put the crew on edge, ¡°Have you not realized that the extent of my freedom merely extolls the extent of the darkness in your heart?¡±


    Cira kicked him away and he bounced off the barrier before rolling to the ground. She was seething, but mostly because he was right.


    ¡°You dare?¡± Picking him up by one leg, Cira¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Don¡¯t you know how much I despise your kind? It should be your absolute honor to crawl around my robes all day, yet you still deign to trick me?¡±


    She threw him to the ground, and he furiously snarled in everyone¡¯s minds. ¡°Bitch¡ªI am your slave, yet I still assist you. Would you rather I told you, you were shit out of luck? If you die, I am free. You should be grateful I kept quiet, or you¡¯d be scouring the skies with your head up your ass for another soul, and you would never have found a better fit! Not that it matters much anymore¡­¡±


    Cira found a way to pressurize her glare even further and poised her one remaining to strike again, leaving the pitiful spider no choice but to continue. ¡°Do you even need to ask? What to you think a greater spirit¡¯s blessing is?¡±


    ¡°That¡­ oh.¡± Of course. How did I not realize sooner? All those tentacles and theatrics had me dazzled. ¡°I¡¯ll have to thank her later.¡±


    Mac did have a point though, and she even started to feel a little bad for being so unreasonable. It was her shame in subconsciously being fine stealing a human¡¯s soul for herself which caused her to lash out at him as the mere messenger. Was that vile necromancer even worth getting so upset about? Who gives a damn if he were to abscond from the cycle? That doesn¡¯t even sound like a bad thing when I think about it.


    ¡°Hold on, guys.¡± Ike held up a hand, ¡°I¡¯m lost. Did Undina just have a surplus of souls or something?¡±


    ¡°Where does she keep them?¡± Jimbo added.


    ¡°Fools. How many times do I have to explain what spirits are?¡± While Cira had no right to talk in this particular instance, ¡°The aethereal form. Her blessing was a small piece of herself which, now that I think about it¡­ if left unchecked could proliferate.¡± Hang on, is this how they traverse islands? Is she a no-good dirty body-snatcher like this spider here? ¡°Ahem. I mean, the soul I needed has been substituted just fine by Undina¡¯s gift.¡±


    ¡°You should be thanking me too!¡± The spider rose proudly, still on the ground. ¡°I¡¯ve already given up on freedom any time in the next century or two, so I was genuinely trying to help, and this is how you express your gratitude? I didn¡¯t bother telling you to prey on the spirit the other day, nor did I remind you when the necromancer approached.¡±


    Cira let out a deep sigh. Despite his many legs, she couldn¡¯t stay mad at him, ¡°Thank you ever so much, you little red piece o¡¯ shit.¡± Cira picked him up and placed him back on her shoulder as confused grunts flooded her mind. ¡°But following your own logic, you should have just eaten Mr. Bonelord and saved everyone the trouble.¡±


    ¡°You never would have agreed in the moment.¡± The spider somehow smacked his lips in their minds. ¡°But I picked up some scraps at the end there.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s good.¡±

 139 - Tomb Cleared: Success!

    ¡°Now that you¡¯re done arguing with a spider,¡± Jimbo got everyone¡¯s attention, ¡°Does that mean we¡¯re done fighting unholy abominations? Are we here?¡±


    He looked around, but it was all dark outside the barrier as it had been for hours.


    ¡°We have arrived.¡± Kuja stated calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t sense anything down here either.¡±


    ¡°Our old friend spent a great deal of time enchanting this place.¡± Cira paced around the side leading to the staircase and stared at the ground. ¡°He must have let us in. We will need to modify these arrays on our way out or it will become troublesome upon our return. How far is the all the equipment we seek?¡±


    Now the old Archaean woman offered a rare bright smile, ¡°It is all here. We arrived quite some time ago. If everyone is ready, I will show you around.¡±


    Cira returned her expression in kind, excitement and relief lingering in her voice, ¡°Just a moment. I¡¯ll turn on the lights.¡±


    Slightly less than a minute and a half later, Lamplights blanketed the ceiling to reveal something that looked like a prehistoric alchemy workshop. The center was raised like a small hill and open in the center where a golden basin big enough to cook a whole stromrak into a stew was attached by a small bridge on either side.


    ¡°I suppose we should stop to look at the incipient vessel first.¡± Cira let her elder lead the way. Her pace was slow, using her staff as a cane, but Cira didn¡¯t want to rush her here of all places. They quietly walked down toward the middle of the room until reaching a staircase. It wasn¡¯t long, but it carried them to the first instrument of Cira¡¯s re-creation.


    ¡°I must admit.¡± Kuja clacked her staff at the top of the stairs. ¡°This part of the process is extraordinarily painful.¡±


    There was such equipment to melt metal for casting within Breeze Haven¡¯s forge, and this looked like an oversized version of it.


    ¡°Looking at it now,¡± Cira¡¯s tone deflated, ¡°I¡¯m suddenly less excited.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll just get you piss drunk.¡± Jimbo shoved his flask at her. ¡°When you pass out, We¡¯ll just dump you in.¡±


    ¡°Brilliant.¡± Cira took a drink even though she wasn¡¯t melting down today.


    ¡°Not a good idea, Child.¡± The wisest among them rained on her parade. ¡°You must be of sound mind going in, lest you be put back together ¡®piss drunk¡¯. The silver lining is, after a point, you will not feel anything at all.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t wait¡­¡± Cira stared deep into the kiln before looking around the surrounding platform. ¡°Hey, what is all this?¡±


    She led the group to the other side of the incipient vessel where a writing desk sat. Unlike most things down here, it wasn¡¯t decrepit whatsoever. The rich, unblemished stain brought out the bright colors in the wood nicely and there was a closed book sitting next to an ink well.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe this belonged to my ancestors.¡± Kuja picked the book up, ¡°¡¯Notes on the essence melting basin¡¯¡­ did that man leave this?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­?¡± Cira pulled open the top drawer and it was stuffed full of papers. ¡°Hmm. Evidently he has been working on his shadowfication¡ªspecifically how fast he can transition between states. How interesting¡­ He can become shadows much faster than he can turn back. That didn¡¯t do us any favors. This page here seems to describe his thirty-fourth reforging results.¡±


    ¡°A-are you certain?¡± There was a look of shock painted over Kuja¡¯s face, ¡°I was once told my people stopped after the tenth. Beyond that point, they risked permanent deformities or other unavoidable mutations. Even soul dissipation, at least that¡¯s how the stories went.¡±


    Cira wasted no time stuffing all the necromancer¡¯s work into whichever pouches had room, then made Tawny put the desk in her ring. ¡°Turns out that necromancer was more impressive than I gave him credit for, but he certainly didn¡¯t seem the type to mind trading his humanity for power¡ªor even for the sake of research. It will be worth looking this over once we return topside.¡±


    It stood for reason Cira would have plenty of time to inspect the incipient vessel¡ªinside and out. Partially for this reason, she moved on to the so-called ¡®emulsifier¡¯. This was down another set of stairs which ran along a metal slide which Cira could picture her primordial soup running down.


    In her father¡¯s design, this stage of the process was handled by the ¡®Essential Blender¡¯. This part sounded like the least fun to Cira initially, but if she stopped feeling pain at some point while being melted down, she could take a modicum of solace.


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    Naturally, this artifact was incredibly important to Cira¡¯s rebirth. Fed from the soup slide, the device took advantage of a phenomenon called ¡®proximal aethereal compression¡¯ to blend one¡¯s corporea and aetherea completely. Like turning coal into diamonds, but using pure aether and souls. Elsewise, well, she probably wouldn¡¯t come out right if at all.


    At a glance, the emulsifier worked through the same principles. It almost looked like a heavily enchanted pressure cooker.


    ¡°You sure we shouldn¡¯t get Skipper involved?¡± Jimbo thought so too. It came as a surprise that such a scurvy fellow would be familiar with pressure cookers, but apparently, they were popular artifacts at high altitudes. Owing to their increased efficiency in areas of low atmospheric pressure, even novice artificers could produce them.


    ¡°That will make an excellent lesson for my students. One which will require no instruction from me. It¡¯s perfect.¡± Cira had only given them one real lesson so far, which she had just realized again. ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll have any trouble adapting the first two artifacts without further enchantment. Take anything that looks like that scraggly old bastard left it behind and let¡¯s return to Breeze Haven.¡±


    It was tempting to spend the day down here, but Cira realized she had no idea how long they¡¯d been exploring the tomb. She felt about ready for bed, which was never a good sign, despite her nap. Turned out, James was the only one with a watch.


    It took a few minutes to scoop up everything the necromancer had spent centuries stuffing the Cairn with and overriding his runic formations, but they were back on their way in short order.


    Cira actually felt a little sad that the goliaths completely avoided them on the return trip. Even the massive scrawny one near the stairs was curled up and frozen like a statue. It was a very uneventful trip through the Third Tomb as not even Undina decided to show up again.


    The flame sprites were much simpler this time around as they could not penetrate the barrier of shadows. They could burn holes in it over time which would be a huge pain in the ass for Cira, but none of them lasted that long. Everyone¡¯s aura was heaping with mana, and they now had experience dealing with the sprites. Their approach was futile and the crew was unafraid as they drowned or suffocated them until reaching the stairs.


    ¡°Let¡¯s pause here. It¡¯s time for a test.¡± Cira sat on the steps to catch her breath and sipped cold water she condensed with her bare hands while her junior artificers carved Sunbearer Coins from the walls.


    The real test was how long they would go before saying something. That answer was an hour and a half at roughly six hundred coins.


    The slimes also struggled to penetrate a darkness far denser than their own, but it gave Cira an idea. As the border between light and dark, her barrier had natural sides. It was simple to regard something incoming, especially if it was the same element of a different potency. This made it simple enough to craft the Sunbearing Ward Formation.


    Her artificers slumped at the sight of every slime instantly exploding into light on contact with the barrier, but Cira was of the opinion having a surplus of unused Sunbearer Coins was never a bad thing. The artifacts they tirelessly crafted would potentially come in handy one day and it was great for their practice.


    When they reached the residential district, The peoples¡¯ gift to Cira was entirely gone, replaced with a bloodstain so large it made her mildly uncomfortable. Accompanied with the stench, it was no tough decision to leave quickly.


    I wonder what the necromancer thought of this. He better not mess with my citizens, or I¡¯ll have to make him Mac¡¯s cursed subordinate.


    To make the spectacle even stranger, goblins were passed out all across the pavilion, shadows rising off their bodies like morning mist. Thinking about it, that pile of food had to be multiple tons worth of meat. Cira wasn¡¯t sure how many goblins resided within her territory, but that felt like a lot of food. Looking at them now and feeling the fluctuations of mana in the air, it seemed they were getting stronger. Perhaps she was witnessing a stage of their digestion process. It was best to leave before refuse was purged.


    They walked through the silent streets¡ªit seemed everyone within her goblin kingdom got their fill, and she strangely felt satisfied knowing as much as they quietly ascended.


    There was one single bug on the top floor. A sturdy beast of a beetle with a singular horn protruding from his face.


    Boy did Cira¡¯s mages mess him up. In seconds, he exploded into exoskeletal shards which quickly dissolved into holy light. She wasn¡¯t even sure what the paladins did there, but she was too tired to care. This was a similar feeling to when she woke up in the middle of the night at the dining table and had to drag herself to bed.


    ¡°You doin¡¯ okay?¡± Shores asked from what sounded like a distance but when Cira turned, he was right beside her. Suddenly disoriented, she swayed to the side and almost fell over. Luckily, Shores was there. ¡°Whoa! Somethin¡¯s wrong with the captain!¡±


    She had only had a few sips of liquor over what felt like damn near a full day, but it didn¡¯t feel like that. Her head still pounded from earlier, and she was dizzy. Her body didn¡¯t want to move as quick as she wanted, or apparently as precisely. Almost like it was delayed¡ªdisconnected.


    ¡°I¡¯m just tired.¡± Cira pushed off the man and shambled herself through the cave¡¯s passageway. ¡°Leave me be.¡±


    Using Shadow¡¯s Quill as a walking stick, Cira lead the doubtful core-members of the Dreadheart Armada out of the cave and across Archaeum¡¯s plateau.


    ¡°Stupid girl.¡± Mac jeered. ¡°Fiddle with fate and this is what happens.¡±


    Cira didn¡¯t know exactly what was going on, but she felt the strain on her essence. It was neither her soul nor her body, but both which bore the burden. One could say her very existence took the brunt of whatever sacrifice she accepted in summoning the Avatar of Fate.


    ¡°I¡¯m too tired for your riddles, spider.¡± She replied.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying you better hope you live long enough to get the materials you need.¡±

 140 - On Her Ostensible Deathbed

    ¡°Brothers. I have a special job that only you can do.¡± The crew had made it back to the safety of Breeze Haven. Mac assured Cira that the necromancer was nowhere within his current view which apparently encompassed the entire shadow well¡¯s reach. He could not see in detail within the depths, but tracking a soul he had already witnessed first-hand was not difficult.


    ¡°Do you see this?¡± Cira continued, holding up a punch bowl full of blue jelly. ¡°When you wake up, I need the two of you to continuously pour water into this.¡±


    It was a given that everyone was going to bed after such a long and exhausting day, so Cira appended her instruction thusly.


    ¡°Depending on whether I wake up beneath the sun or moon, we will either conduct a lesson beneath the mana well or enchant the Cascades of the Eastern Reach. Prepare for either.¡±


    Cira needed Tawny¡¯s half-reluctant help to get down the stairs and ended up having to relinquish her father¡¯s orichalcum needle for the girl to figure out how to let her into her own bedchamber. Whether or not Cira trusted the unfortunately best student of the lot, she could at least trust a few of her other students completely. Shores and Jimbo seemed reliable enough to keep Breeze Haven in order, let alone James.


    Where was he? I swore I saw him¡­ but I guess I¡¯ll think about that tomorrow.


    Cira was taken completely off guard by the sudden lapse in spiritual integrity and existential wherewithal which threatened to erase her from the waking world among many other places, but she somehow ended up in bed.


    ___


    The moment the brothers Eros and Lero received the ominous punch bowl of cerulean jelly, they knew the Lord Afar gazed upon them with no less than the utmost expectance. Despite the Saint¡¯s confident words, her voice had grown weaker ever since she fought off the necromancer. It was clear by the time they left the tombs, that she was fighting to stay conscious, yet she deemed this task important enough to dole out before retiring. They didn¡¯t dare go to bed yet themselves.


    I always thought it was funny that our savior was supposed to be some farm animal¡­ Eros thought, But now I understand the truth of our Lost Lamb. It was only an analogy. She¡¯s just a child born of the sky, destined to deliver us through the nights. Our fate is to arrive at relentless ruin, and the only one who can shatter such an eventuality is the one born to defy destiny itself. Knowing that person was finally here, I would still prefer she didn¡¯t destroy herself so frivolously.


    What life did she live before her first rebirth on Fount Salt? Eros often wondered as much, but he couldn¡¯t let his mind get too preoccupied, lest he stifle the rebirth she was currently working towards. If she would ever free these skies of disaster, Eros need only heed her. That was the meaning of the Final Sky. The Lost Lamb¡¯s will had always been meant to supersede the Far Prophet¡¯s divinations.


    Lero and his brother desperately poured all the water they could muster into the punchbowl she left behind and forgot about their misgivings for the time being. She always put her whole being into¡­ whatever she seemed to do, so the brothers thought it was only right they did the same with this cerulean jelly.


    ___


    Her best student? What a disgrace. To learn magic from such a pitiful, disgraceful girl. Her ego was far beyond inflated and at this point there was nothing I could say about it.


    Despite my irritation, she either beat or one-upped me every step of the way. To a degree in which the best I could hope to be was a useful helper. If I hadn¡¯t made such remarkable progress through her scarce, half-assed moments of imparted wisdom, I wouldn¡¯t have lifted a finger for this crazy person.


    A girl with no aura somehow became the strongest sleeping power on the whole of Lost Cloud. Possibly even further. I never could have imagined the terrors that awaited us in the depths of this shadowy tomb, but she walked right past them with the nonchalance of an Earth Vein witch among a herd of trifling contract mages.


    When I was a kid, Mother always told me about the Goddess of the Raging Seas, but to think this absurd girl treated her as merely one extra-large sea slug of many others was the most infuriating part. As if even the most distant childhood dreams I¡¯d long forgotten about were nothing. Then, in response to the astronomical disrespect, the embodiment of all the skies¡¯ seas granted her a gift.


    Why can¡¯t I be chosen like that? That¡¯s what I thought when I saw Jimbo and the others helping her without a second thought¡ªand the whole damn sky was talking about her to boot. She supposedly took one of Earth Vein¡¯s largest islands over without so much as even bothering with them until a witch offended her on her way out.


    Those idiots preach of the Final Sky, and even the girl herself refutes it. But how can I possibly deny it? Their very teachings claimed the world is destined to certain doom, but a girl foretold who defies all nature and predestination appears. The prophecy is said to yearn for its own destruction, and this helpless girl who burns up her own existence to save a community of degenerate pirates can laugh in the face of an immortal necromancer vying to erase the entire Boreal just to prove a point? I had never met anyone who fit the bill, but¡­


    Was it our cruel fate to be master and student? Or was fate only cruel for the master? Perhaps it turned out I was chosen after all.


    I had had the keys to the kingdom as far as it was concerned. The extravagant artificing needle she left behind opened every door on this strange island she called Breeze Haven. Any other day, I would take whatever wasn¡¯t bolted down. One could rival Earth Vein¡¯s wealth with only two bags stuffed full of knickknacks from the living room, but at some point, maybe I realized there was something of greater value to be gained by simply staying here as long as possible.


    While the master of the house slumbered peacefully, I opened each door I could, one after the next. Most of them were full of strange things I didn¡¯t understand, but I couldn¡¯t abate my curiosity.


    ___


    My father was a master artificer, yet everything he crafted paled in comparison to half the things which adorned the wondrous Saint¡¯s home. I found a drawer stuffed full of needles crafted from mana crystal without a trace of impurities. It¡¯s said that mana crystals reached their full potential anywhere below four percent aethereal impurity¡ªit¡¯s usually implied that the lowest which can be created artificially is around two percent. Less impurities than that was considered a remarkable geological discovery.


    Past that, her artifacts were beyond comprehension. There was no end to the inspiration that could be found in simply observing her creations for a few moments. That poor fellow Rocky possessed undoubtable talent but was so averse to anything the Saint had done thus far for some reason. I don¡¯t understand him, but I can only do my part.


    Never in my life had I seen such a large piece of stellar quartz, and not even five minutes later did my old friend Reverand Shores walk in the door. The last time I had even seen a specimen prior, he was there. As if fate had come together before my eyes, how could I refuse his pleas?


    Decades spent gathering my wealth, and my children were all grown now. They don¡¯t need me anymore. Marino became a merchant but my daughters each forged their own path, so what else do I carry on for? There were lifetimes over to enjoy the novelty of curios I discovered over the years, but even that grew to bore me. Knowing nothing but the discovery, it was difficult to let go¡­ But I¡¯m glad I held out as long as I did.


    That stellar quarts should have given me wealth enough to allow my children¡¯s grandchildren and generations beyond to enjoy the opportunities these vast skies offer, but what was it worth if those same skies should fall?


    Captain Shores had always been an honest kid, reliable if nothing else, but he wasn¡¯t always the brightest. Part of me truly believed he was leading me to an imposter, but turned out, I intruded upon a sacred time of recovery for the one I ought to revere, yet she accepted me all the same. The decrepit, old, spent and useless shell of a man that I am, she still let me join her struggle.


    My Lady apparently overexerted herself during their expedition and went straight to bed, but I regret nothing. The exalted forge was the only place I needed to be until the exalted one rose again.


    Like the mythical phoenix who was said to only show its face every few centuries, I knew that girl would return burning with life. I¡¯ve seen this island crumble from afar for years now under that pompous Wick¡¯s rule, but finally, these skies would see a positive change for the first time in what felt like far longer.


    While my Lady slumbers, I have to work hard. She thought she knew my talent, but that was the extent of my abilities in the past. Now that I¡¯ve been revitalized with newfound purpose, I will make sure she praises me come morning.


    ___


    When I awoke, I was alone. The couch I came to on was unnaturally comfortable, and I ended up sleeping for half the day at least. Perhaps I managed a couple more hours, but eventually I could no longer remain in that state. It was like sleeping off a bad hangover, but eventually I realized that everything of recent memory had really happened.


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    As I stood up, there was a strange painting on the wall of a young girl with windblown hair. Getting closer, I swore that it was moving, but her face only smiled back at me when I got closer.


    That strange fellow, Rocky, said that everyone had left on an expedition to some tomb I had no knowledge of and went straight to sleep upon return. My new employer specifically had to be carried to bed, I heard. According to the rock mage who was relatively well-known around Hangman¡¯s Cove, the things whoever remained awake said of their adventure below was complete nonsense.


    Only when I went out to the lawn did I start to see what was going on with my own eyes.


    Everything was black beyond the garden. Whatever this place was, it felt like a haven within these skies. Toil and strife, all was fair game on the winds or within the Cloud, but this place was a rare well of peace. There was a clear barrier protecting us from the encroaching darkness, and presumably most else. I started to question what I had been doing in Wick¡¯s bedchambers all these years.


    Maybe it was a life of being used and receiving nothing but my base survival from it, but that girl was more beautiful than any I had ever seen, and far more free. I was blinded. Something about the way her unkempt hair, shaped by the relentless breeze of the open air beyond this tower¡¯s walls, still held the lustrous sheen of the late day sun. Many royal consorts possessed otherworldly allure, but the moment I met Cira¡¯s verdant green eyes, I froze.


    As long as I had lived in Captain Wick¡¯s bedchambers, nothing had ever been so out of place. There wasn¡¯t a second where I didn¡¯t think this was incredibly bad news for my long-time employer, to see the most worldly of all beauties standing before me, but there was nothing I wanted less than to oppose her. Luckily, once she was done being startled by my meager form, it turned out she was even kinder than she looked.


    She never said what she was hiring me for, but immediately ransacked that creep Georgio¡¯s locker for robes and demanded I put them on. They were warm while the world remained bluntly cold in contrast to her light. I tried to warn them that Wick had moved the armory and nobody listened¡­


    Except for her¡­


    There was no discussion of compensation, and she was absent now. In a place as grand as this, I would expect all the doors to be locked, but somehow, they all opened at the turn of a knob.


    One such door I discovered extended far beyond the bounds of how much space should even be allowed on this island, and boundless halls of books invited me in like a warm hearth. The pirates were all sleeping, or getting drunk at the dinner table upstairs, though some of them were missing. Regardless, none really deemed to bother me¡ªsome even treated me with an uncomfortable level of respect in passing.


    For the first time in a long time, it seemed nobody wanted to make my life difficult. The last time someone bothered me was for breakfast¡ªnot to be prepared but to be eaten. Could it be, I had found a moment to catch my breath at a crossroads through which I may step freely? An unprecedented opportunity revealed itself here and now in the form of presumably any book I could ever want to read. How could I pass that up? If there was something I could do besides warm a bed, this had to be fate.


    ___


    Stupid girl.


    The Cursed Skies got their name for a reason. A very good one.


    The art of curses itself was in the decline. Naturally, something which only wreaked havoc was despised by the masses. It was not difficult to snuff out, either. Your standard curse could be defeated by meager willpower, so long as the plot was discovered. The soul was resilient, after all, so all it needed was targeted desire to survive.


    Things changed greatly in humanity¡¯s favor when alchemy or even sometimes sorcery was involved. A vast majority of curse wielders could be thwarted in a variety of ways, but willful desire was really all it took to survive a common curse.


    Of course, not all curses were equal. The Cursed Skies were ruled by none other than the eponymous Cursed Sovereign. He went by many other names, but I only heard stories. While curses were meant to harm the victim at personal expense, they only seemed to make him stronger. That stupid old man had me locked up for far too long, only to accompany him there. What an irritating future I have found myself in.


    I have to ask myself why.


    Sure, I consumed souls, but compared to my brothers and sisters, I was rather moderate. Kingdoms could easily fall before me with plentiful targeted willpower, but it¡¯s not like any did.


    That bastard Gazen was present at one of the most critical turning points of my life¡ªthe moment I was forced to consume the cerulean soulweaver¡ªa battle which actually saved him a lot of work, not that he believed me.


    Nonetheless, I still found myself imprisoned. It¡¯s not like my kind valued little brothers in the same way humans did, but I was still quite offended at the result of my efforts in good will. It¡¯s like the fraud sage thought all crystal spiders were the same just because we¡¯re spiders made of crystal. And outrageously, perhaps I was worse because I ate one of my own! So unbelievably presumptuous, I was left with no choice but to be grumpy and obstinate when the chosen one grew old enough to bother me.


    ¡°If you¡¯re as innocent as you say, you will have more freedom than you ever hoped for one day!¡±


    ¡°My daughter will surely appreciate your abilities, eventually.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be dead in ten-thousand years¡ªI guarantee it. What if I could offer you two or three more at the expense of a couple decades of your time?¡±


    A couple decades turned into ten, and I spent many of them in regret for letting him sweet-talk me into compliance. I still can¡¯t say whether I¡¯d have won or lost that fight, but once the bell jar dropped, my fate was sealed. How the hell did he know how long I would live anyway? Was that one of his stratagems?


    That old man was also the shittiest salesmen I had ever met. There were multiple, mind you. My siblings were senseless, but I could move around with the countless other spiders which humans paid no mind to if I simply picked my dinner carefully. Perhaps I had never feared my own mortality before I met that charismatic lout, because growing consistently beyond the scope and concern of any given society or group of people always struck me as the best path. There was no reason to rush or do anything that would draw attention like my foolish kin.


    Why did I ever decide to stop my brother¡¯s rampage or help this arrogant old man in the end? It was personal gain. Beyond what I stood to gain from eating my brother, I always intended to kill Gazen and steal his vessel. Human vessels were supposed to be the best for their vast potential, but somehow, I ended up in a dark, sealed room for years and years.


    I watched that strange young girl be pilfered from the primordial master of the Cursed Skies, and I watched that old man become dust as consequence. Never had I thought the course of my life could be stuffed into a box, or that another could influence the eventuality of the skies, but I waited, and I witnessed.


    Of course I will take this girl¡¯s vessel one day, but none can temper it better than herself. Across this long, long, life, nothing has brought me greater joy than witnessing this child grow, for better or worse. Yes, yes, it is to my benefit, but the view has been quite exciting lately.


    As a spider of the soulweaver lineage, destiny was something to be witnessed, revered, and gently guided only when the threads do allow. We do not craft souls from nothing, nor do we alter their trajectory at a whim. Naturally, removing one here or there may cause a thread to snap or reroute at a moment¡¯s notice, but just as Cira complained, removing many wasn¡¯t wise. Something the girl refused to acknowledge was that there were those who would take notice. That¡¯s how I ended up here in the first place.


    My kind weaves a complex tapestry¡ªat least we strive to. The first square of a quilt can pave the way for the most beautiful of artworks or the most deranged of futures. Of course, we can only contribute to each woven block in minor ways. With only eight legs, how can we possibly hope to craft anything conforming to our will when we can¡¯t even grasp it directly?


    Yet a maimed young girl defied it all and pushed herself into the future despite the odds. I don¡¯t know the driving force behind her will, but there were hints of it within Gazen¡¯s ramblings. He knew that she would make ripples in the sky one day, though he couldn¡¯t imagine what those ripples would be. While the crumbling sage had finally found a fitting place to die, he always said that would be his greatest regret.


    As one who observes or extinguishes the fate of one specimen at a time, I could feel it too. The canvas remained blank as long as I could recall. No stretch of scrying could change that. Not one of my legs felt a response from the vast web of fate when I peered into that child¡¯s soul, despite its constant shifting in her wake.


    For all intents and purposes, she was just a cheerful little girl who wanted nothing more than to become like her father. An absurd sight after seeing the state she was in when she arrived. It was like the past she¡¯d suffered faded away in the light of the many dawns she was offered.


    Despite how miraculous that man was, I never saw an inkling of change on the path. No matter how many absurdities he pulled from somewhere the sun neglected to shine, fate seemed equipped to conform like a stone dropped into the river.


    But the girl. As if she weren¡¯t even following the path, it simply changed without warning. At seemingly nothing. At the same time, Gazen¡¯s fate changed by leaps and bounds at so little as her asking to stop at the next island for fresh-squeezed juice.


    It was the day that man died that I knew her destiny was truly great.


    I could only pick and pull at a single thread, gingerly guiding it in the direction I hoped it would catch. In a single day, it all converged, and the web was broken in an instant. What before rested on a loom seemed to form briskly upon each passing breeze, at least as far as my eyes could yet see.


    Years and years of solitude seared into distinct resentment, but somehow, that girl staved off the boredom in the end. Once she was on her own, the web I stood upon became a vast sea¡ªsometimes calm, sometimes rippling into distant horizons beyond my sight.


    The silvery one seemed to be a good influence as Cira may not have broken into the Archive anytime soon without someone to impress. Just the other day it seemed, she was digging up muddy riverbanks for worms with her bare hands, ruining a dress Gazen spent days on as he could only watch with a pained smile, but my myriad eyes eclipsed at the sight of her ascending from the salt to craft the world around her.


    A city rose and heavy rain fell. Anything susceptible to the withering of time turned to dust in a blaze of light and all that remained reshaped the island by her desire.


    Desire was something I¡¯ve seen a great deal of in my time. Gazen¡¯s was absurd and at times incomprehensible, but it seemed he always knew this girl would make great strides, long before she was even born. There was apparently a time he thought his own footprints would shape the sky, but it was always her as long as I knew him.


    To take her body now would be a simple matter if I sacrificed my original form. Primordial demons have existed since the dawn of the sky¡¯s creation, but the soulweaver lineage has roots far deeper. Even if our power pales in comparison, we have our pride.


    Oh yes, this vessel will one day be the greatest that history has ever seen. Even if it takes a thousand years, somehow I think this stupid girl wouldn¡¯t mind her body being repurposed if it meant saving the life of that silver-haired one or another she cared about deeply. All it would take was a convincing enough argument on her deathbed. Time is but I tool with which I can bide my time until this girl guides me to the fate I¡¯ve always deserved. There¡¯s no doubt in my  mind.

 141 - Time Withers, Nectar Approaches

    The clack of Lady Cira¡¯s staff as it broached the hall was unnerving to say the least. My men and I all shared a look of discomfort, but her expression brooked not even the slightest concern. If one of us expressed our discomfort, she would surely ignore and possibly even demean us.


    ¡°You¡¯re, like, dying, right?¡± Jimbo asked. ¡°Should probably stop drinkin¡¯.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s dimnut tonic, you oaf.¡± Lady Cira pulled a flask from her pocket and took a light sip, ¡°I¡¯ll sleep when I¡¯m soup.¡±


    ¡°Am I supposed to know what that means? You gotta last long enough to become soup.¡± Jimbo¡¯s argument cut to the core of the matter. As someone who held no belief for the Final Sky, he was really the perfect man to pry. ¡°If you die on us, a whole lotta people did a whole lot of work for nothin¡¯.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s it matter if I am reborn regardless?¡± The Saint was one who ushered indomitable light upon the world, yet she feared not the darkness at the end of her path. ¡°If we don¡¯t finish my array I¡¯ll die tomorrow anyway.¡±


    Cira had slept for days. If it weren¡¯t for the key Tawny ended up holding onto, we may never have been able to enter her room and wake her up. She had to meet with the dreaded Third Order tomorrow, and she didn¡¯t look any better than when we returned from the tomb.


    She showed us merely the surface of her true power while facing the necromancer, and regardless of the tough act she put on, it was plain as day that it took its toll on her. Before she was so full of energy, and dauntless courage. Now though, she was perpetually ready for bed and largely apathetic. Could she even make it through tomorrow?


    My men and I made plans for what we would do to obtain the vestigial nectar if she never woke up, and the jury was still out on whether or not we would carry through.


    If we asked, she would tell us to stay behind for certain. Even if I¡¯m not a mage, I¡¯m still a captain of her eternal armada. Nothing less than success would do, but how could I ever succeed if she made me stay home?


    ___


    After finding out she had been asleep for so long, of course, Cira left in a hurry.


    There were many artifacts to make still, but more importantly, her entire plan would fall apart if she didn¡¯t set up her spatial array.


    The waterfall went smoothly as the moon met its crest, and her cerulean blessing made enchantment a simple matter. The crew watched, but more with studious intent than with wonder as the other night. Of course they had a smaller part to play at her direction, but landforms were a bit above their level.


    The sorcerer¡¯s glyphs trailed up the river, focused on anywhere the water was obstructed and flowed from the grass above to the earth below. From this point in the river, there was no trace of Undina¡¯s will. Beyond it, water followed a winding path before falling indiscriminately to the sky.


    Time was short as days had passed, so they had no choice but to finish this tonight. After the waterfall, Cira landed on a third landmark from Jimbo¡¯s map. This was a location anyone who ever visited Lost Cloud knew about¡ªthe Misty Steppes.


    It seemed simpler to enchant than the waterfall, but Cira was already tuckered out. Each mage present poured mana into her relentlessly, and she never said a word. Her breath was heavy, and she swayed gently, leaning against her staff between glyphs. Despite all that, it was clear she really enjoyed the verdant moss-covered stone and whistling of the wind through the canyon.


    ___


    I feel like death.


    Before, the crumbling of my soul never meant much other than the fact that it would burn out someday unless I dealt with it.


    It changed when that ¡®one day¡¯ became any moment, but that didn¡¯t mean I had to keel over and let it happen.


    I still had time to fix this, and all possible materials needed to pull it off.


    If it weren¡¯t for my students, I would be dead as a rock right now, or on my way to it. As it turned out though, fate could be crafted by not just my own effort, but by that of those around me. Whether that meant I would meet my death by the next time morning came was another story, but I just had to persevere until I at least had my chance.


    ¡°I meant to do this a week ago¡­¡± All the mages stood behind me as I spoke, staring at a door next to the forbidden archive. ¡°But it¡¯s time for your final lesson, for now at least. Worst case, I hope some of you find your way.¡±


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    The creak of the door drowned out my tired words. As it opened, mana more fierce than that of immortal necromancer assailed my body. Were I not accustomed to the resonance of my Breeze Haven¡¯s own mana, it would have been crippling in the pitiful state I¡¯m in.


    ¡°Wh-what is this place?¡± Captain Shores looked up at me like the tide was trying to sweep him away. His eyes, half-opened and quivering.


    ¡°Where do you think Breeze Haven¡¯s mana is stored?¡± I asked, my words interrupted by a cough, ¡°Breeze Haven has its own mana well. If you possess even a little talent, you will find it here.¡±


    Once inside the room, I turned around. Jimbo was asleep in the hall, as was Oliver. Skipper had evidently shown up at some point, also asleep next to Reverend Shores who didn¡¯t last long.


    I swear, the moment Dad took me in, he started half-assing everything in the name of a trial I shall overcome one day. Breeze Haven is due for some serious artificing once I hit the Dead Belt¡­ Ahh, I can¡¯t wait for some peace and quiet.


    ¡°W-what the hell is this place?¡± Tawny managed through clenched teeth as her hand gripped the door¡¯s threshold.


    ¡°There are many ways to store mana, but given a fixed location, a mana well is best. Naturally, Dad built one.¡±


    The crew was shocked, but they had only recently learned that mana wells existed in the first place. They had no real concept of them. Kuja, on the other hand, had lived with the Shadow Well for her entire life, ¡°But¡­ but how? I thought it was akin to natural phenomena, like this storm which never leaves.¡±


    ¡°Does nobody really know what mana wells are?¡± I thought at least one of them had a degree of formal education. Stolen books counted towards this depending on the recipient¡¯s diligence. Regardless, their faces were blank. ¡°You can consider it almost like a spring, but it¡¯s sourced from the infinite network of leylines around us and outputs mana. Typically, a mana well filters out a specific element from the vast flow of aether¡ªthe result of a chip in the riverbed, as it were. Grown over a great deal of time, of course, a leak of dark mana has resulted in a mountain basin full of perpetually dense shadow.


    ¡°As an artificial mana well, it can only leech off the nearest leylines. Because of this, it can store significantly more mana than it draws. Any excess heals or strengthens the barrier. Of course, there are many gems hidden throughout Breeze Haven¡¯s earth to contain even more surplus, but that¡¯s not what I¡¯m getting at.¡± As I improve upon this system, I will reach its limit eventually. this half-assedry will result in my overcoming the trial of the way the entirety of Breeze Haven collects, stores, distributes, and utilizes power. The trial I am least excited about. ¡°A mana well is but a single outlet upon a leyline. Can anyone tell me about leylines?¡±


    Nobody had entered yet, and Tawny looked half-ready to collapse, still hanging onto the door. My entire crew was pale in the face. Seemingly in disbelief that I expected them to enter the room. An unexpected face rose, dripping sweat, to answer my question.


    Hardly even my student, James spoke up, ¡°It¡¯s like¡­ rivers of mana in the sky? Right?¡±


    ¡°More or less. They exist on the aethereal plane, as rivers that run through all or anywhere. Be it sky, earth, or the sea below. Some say they extend even further into the sky beyond reach, but I¡¯ve yet to check personally. In any case, if you want to be truly pedantic, you could call this room Breeze Haven¡¯s aether well.¡± This room was comprised of a foyer, then a larger open space made to look similar to the training hall¡¯s brick layout descending to the middle. Given this well was one without element, it was essentially imperceptible. There were so many spectrums which could not be perceived, unless I attacked someone with it directly or Breeze Haven needed to rapidly regenerate its barrier, it would be as clear as the air.


    That was not to say it could not be felt, and a spot looked oddly blurry to all who tried to gaze upon it.


    There were many seats next to me, and the crew eventually filed in with great struggle. I could discern their talents by who found a seat first. For one, Ike passed out on his way in, as well as James finally. Gil was last to fall as his hand still clutched the leg of a chair.


    ¡°Pick them up on your way out.¡± I instructed. ¡°Consider the goblins. Being steeped in mana or even pure aether isn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing, but those who can¡¯t bear it shouldn¡¯t stay for too long lest they turn into something strange. Anway, this is a continuation of the other day¡¯s lesson. Visit this place daily and your aura will doubtlessly grow, and it will be easy to invoke sorcery here. At the same time, don¡¯t let yourself be consumed by it. Start with just an hour or two. The feeling of limitless aether is quite nice, I agree, but you will crumble away as I am if you don¡¯t relegate this to a brief period among your training.¡±


    ¡°Are we just supposed¡­ to sit here?¡± Tawny asked. She looked no less exhausted than centuries-old Kuja and the remaining mages.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to give us a lesson as well?¡± Cedric asked.


    Clever one¡­ implying this isn¡¯t the lesson.


    ¡°Well¡­ how about wells? While we¡¯re at the mana well.¡± I twisted Shadow Quill around to form a complex glyph and a small rock formed in the air before splintering out and expanding. Soon a menagerie of lights flashed, and it was larger than a melon, covered in grass on top with little rivers that fell off the side and turned to mist, condensing above. ¡°Passive reservoirs. If you intend to do anything but die before a powerful caster¡¯s might, you will need to have active mana accessible as easily as your fingertips.¡±


    Like manipulating a marionette, I moved my fingers around and the miniature rivers rose up to form a ball of water above the bite-sized clouds. Air rippled as they broke apart and it all condensed together, shining brighter cerulean as I continued to trickle mana in.


    ¡°Wake me up a few hours before the meeting, and work on your passive reservoirs in the meantime. There is no better environment than this.¡± Everyone looked confused when I stood up, leaving the tiny island and ball of water levitating in the air. The only exception was Kuja¡¯s grin. ¡°Don¡¯t you guys give me that disappointed look. I¡¯ve met mages that spent decades in school and never once prepared mana outside their body, and I expect you all to do it by morning. That enough for you?¡±

 142 - Predestined Rendezvous

    Yesterday was scarce more than a weary daze. If it weren¡¯t for Cira¡¯s sense of survival kicking in, she may never have allowed herself to be dragged even halfway out of bed. She was pretty sure she at least managed to complete her grand spatial array before turning in, but any number of things could go wrong today.


    Cira swallowed her anxiety at not having set foot in the forge in days. There was a long list of artifacts she intended to prepare to prevent her imminent death at the hands of experienced mages with auras intact.


    The necromancer was a daunting enough foe, but there was no reason to believe Eliza wouldn¡¯t be ten times as bad. They were simply two different types of opponents¡ªthe mysterious arbiter very well could contain a sea of mana more vast than any shadows below, but hidden within.


    The safest bet was to assume, at worst, Cira would be fighting multiple casters on par with herself in her prime or potentially even a near-Gazen-level threat if they were really serious about the deritium. As things stood, she was as good as dead.


    ¡°Is she up yet?¡± A voice came from the hall. As Cira clung to her nightstand, casting suspicious glances to Tawny with the orichalcum needle in her hand. Naturally, her suspicions were overridden when a particular scent wafted into the room, shortly followed by Skipper with a plate of food. There was a strangely golden glimmer in his eye, ¡°Oh good. I thought it would go cold.¡±


    Chef and master shared a smile before Tawny threw her hand up between them, ¡°Hold it, buddy! She has to get it herself.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± The fist which Cira clenched probably wouldn¡¯t have even snapped a dry noodle. Even her sense of reluctance felt meager. ¡°Damn you¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you stupid?!¡± Tawny picked up a steaming slice of what looked like bacon and ate it in one bite before grabbing another. ¡°We¡¯ve been trying to wake you for hours. Get dressed and get on the goddamn boat.¡±


    This is fine. I do my best work under pressure.


    Still wearing the white and gold robes of her father¡¯s that she had the foresight to put on before passing out, Cira jumped out of bed without any grace at all, like a newborn sea slug. She grabbed her hat off the nightstand and rushed for the door to snatch the food. It was good. Evidently Skipper had learned something about portions because Tawny didn¡¯t even make a dent in the pile of authentic low-altitude bacon he presented. Next to that was what could only be pancakes. The syrup had an unfamiliar, sharp bite to it, but the sweetness brought it all together like a fine tapestry of silk and fleece. The bottom layer of bacon was drenched in the stuff and in a sense, it brought Cira back to life.


    All I need is a couple hours. Perhaps if I woke up any sooner, I¡¯d only burn out. How does that saying go? ¡®A sorcerer never wakes up late¡­¡¯ or something along those lines.


    Tawny, Skipper, then Jimbo, James, Shores, and a menagerie of mages all watched her eat an unreasonably heaping plate of breakfast as she ignored them in rapid succession and without regret. The moment that was over, she directed the onlookers to grab Shadow Quill, Conduit, and the orichalcum staff on their way upstairs.


    The splendorous staff of earth her father wielded took five men to carry and they almost dropped it going up the stairs. Luckily, Jimbo avoided breaking his only foot¡ªa chipped stone step was easy enough to fix later.


    Those five were sweating bullets by the time they made it to the lawn where the rest had gathered. The abyss encased them in every direction, contrasted only by the vibrant flowers of Cira¡¯s garden, but her smile was not so bright this morning. Everyone currently on Breeze Haven was gathered here looking quite troubled. They all knew well where she was going, and roughly how dangerous it would be.


    ¡°Put these staves in here,¡± Cira handed Tawny another ring from her nightstand before turning to the brothers whose brows were thoughtfully knit. ¡°How does my Aquon fare?¡±


    It took them a moment, but realization dawned simultaneously for the brothers. ¡°Oh! Uh¡­ We¡¯re really sorry¡­¡± The trepidation and hint of shame on their faces made Cira incredibly nervous, but Lero had already run inside. Seconds later, he returned with the punch bowl in question.


    ¡°You see¡­ After the first evening, it turned to stone.¡± He turned the bowl toward Cira and presented Aquon. It was no longer a brilliant cerulean jewel cut into a complex pattern which shined with peerless radiance, but more of raw gem or a budding crystal. It didn¡¯t shine at all. ¡°There was nothing we could do, but it kept soaking up water, so we just kept pouring it in. Did¡­ Did we destroy your precious treasure?¡±


    There was a wide grin on Cira¡¯s face now as she picked it up in her palm. At her touch, the blue gem flared to life with all the radiance she remembered. ¡°Quite the opposite. You two have done a fine job.¡±


    She took a few moments to let a small stream of water flow out. Nothing like she carried in the depths of Fount Salt, but a little orbiting river would be great for getting the hang of the powers her blessing granted¡ªnot to mention, it just made her feel better.


    Of course, Aquon fit best around her finger, so she quickly turned it into a ring and slipped it on. Strangely, a ball of crystal decided to stay out. Cira wasn¡¯t sure if it was an issue with her control over the new powers or a result of whatever Aquon was going through, but the floating gem was not unwelcome.


    ¡°Are you sure none of us can come with you?¡± Shores asked with utmost sincerity, ¡°We can help¡­ Even if only a little.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll just get in her way¡­¡± Gil spoke in remorse. ¡°She already told you the plan.¡±


    ¡°She has that creepy spider too.¡± Tawny added, ¡°She¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Her student patting her on the back and urging her to the boat gave her mixed feelings, but she couldn¡¯t risk anyone else¡¯s life.


    ¡°Alright, then. I¡¯ll be¡ªurgh¡­¡± Cira had to use her whole body to crawl into the dinghy before slumping against the side, hanging onto the wheel for support. ¡°I¡¯ll be back. Just be ready to leave when that time comes.¡±


    ___


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Cira didn¡¯t like traveling under the sun at the moment, which in and of itself troubled her greatly. For one, Shadow Quill only contained so much mana, and the heat seemed to beat down on her. Cira could feel herself rapidly running out of energy just to sit upright in the boat.


    ¡°On second thought,¡± Mac said, ¡°Maybe you will die this afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that.¡± Cira wasn¡¯t in the mood for such negativity, ¡°I¡¯m really counting on you today.¡±


    ¡°For what?¡± The boat stayed close to the canopy, so it would still be difficult for a distant spyglass to see them. ¡°I thought you had a plan. I don¡¯t even know why you brought me along.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Cira followed the river she had enchanted through transitive property. It was downstream from the waterfall and would lead her straight to the meeting place of one week prior. High noon approached again. ¡°You¡¯re my backup. If the enemy refuses to negotiate, my array fails, and/or they¡¯re too powerful to defeat, you must consume them. I will accept my moral punishment at a later date if Eliza is supporting an orphanage or something, but I don¡¯t really have time to care further today. That¡¯s my plan.¡±


    ¡°I know it may seem simple enough to rely on me, but if there are too many, I could only devour their souls in utmost reluctance. I don¡¯t need any more Gazens to come looking for me, thank you.¡± The spider had to obey her orders if she demanded, but he really leaned into the fact that Cira wasn¡¯t entirely comfortable with that. ¡°You¡¯re the one who told me culling the masses was bad, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    Cira didn¡¯t really like the eight-legged bastard taking the moral high ground over her, but she had to admit, he had a point here. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to slaughter everyone in sight. Just back me up. Damn.¡±


    Evidently, the crew had lied to her. According to Mac, they were a few hours early. Clearly, they had learned well, but this still only gave her a short while to make preparations she initially intended to spend all night working on.


    Realistically, why wouldn¡¯t the Third Order show up early? She not only needed to set everything up, but make sure she arrived before them on the day of to ensure they didn¡¯t tamper with anything. A mere few hours early was bupkis. As good as showing up on time. A sorcerer never woke up late, but, well, she was on vacation.


    ¡°Good grief, I can feel your heartrate from here.¡± Mac¡¯s oppressive and omnipresent voice didn¡¯t help, ¡°Just relax. How is this different from any other day you face death? You can belittle a greater spirit, but voluptuous old women is where you draw the line?¡±


    ¡°She is not¡ªthat¡¯s not what this is about.¡± The spider always spoke as if the outcome didn¡¯t really matter to him. After all, if Cira died, he was free. But he was misrepresenting her concerns, ¡°That woman is strong, and I can only imagine there are more like her. There¡¯s no way they will just laugh it off when I tell them what I did with the deritium¡­¡±


    Naturally, that¡¯s all she had to do to fulfill her end of the deal and receive the nectar, but this would not be the first time her clever wordplay came back to bite her in the ass.


    ¡°So? If they¡¯re so adamant to be unreasonable, why should you care about their fate?¡± Mac, the ageless and unprecedented asshole, was acting remarkably kind today. ¡°Are you so broken you¡¯ve forgotten all the preparations you¡¯ve made? Your students acted and improved not to further their own power, but to ensure your survival. To what end is beyond my myriad eyes, but don¡¯t you feel the weight of all those pouches at your waist?¡±


    Now that he mentioned it, she had a few more than usual. Everything she wanted to have after she was reforged was in a single ring, so the pouches evidently held all the artifacts her students prepared.


    ¡°They really did outdo themselves¡ª¡± she was cut off sternly by Mac¡¯s words.


    ¡°There she is¡­ Still a few miles away. You have to hurry.¡±


    Cira knew exactly what he meant¡ªEliza approached. She picked up speed and Kuja¡¯s dinghy raced over the river¡¯s path until a massive palm showed itself. Mac confirmed they were the first ones there and she brought it down.


    Without wasting mana, the only way to set up her array was to do so manually. The three keystones of Cira¡¯s island-wide spatial formation each weighed almost as much as her. She was reduced to rolling or flipping them over until they were roughly spaced out. This was the hardest work she had done in years.


    After catching her breath, Cira employed a degree of practical geomancy to form a table and chairs ahead of time. She even made a third chair for Kristof¡ªone with shorter legs and no back, distanced a fair deal from the table. The only element left to ensure smooth negotiations were refreshments. With Aquon¡¯s river flowing gently around her, she took the rest of Mac¡¯s countdown to shape the pitcher she intended to fill.


    It ended up as a bust of a winged angel¡ªno, a seraph¡ªwith her jaw wrenched open in agony, from which cool waters would flow.


    ¡°Those two are here¡­ And I see six more in hiding just nearby.¡± Mac spoke into her mind, ¡°I hope you¡¯re ready.¡±


    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you the punctual one?¡± Eliza¡¯s gentle voice carried from the canopy above as an unrecognized boat parted the fronds above. An unassuming and aged wooden vessel, It bore three claw marks as if a kind of insignia. ¡°It¡¯s good you¡¯ve had plenty of time to set up, too.¡±


    The undoubtably old woman¡¯s genial grin betrayed none of the dubious nature which dripped from her tone, but Cira wouldn¡¯t let herself be caught off guard this time. This next stratagem ensured her desires were immediately addressed and bypassed unnecessary pleasantries. It was a simple matter to ¡®slice the melon down the middle¡¯.


    ¡°Cut the shit.¡± Cira demanded, ¡°Show me the nectar.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be rude¡ªOh goodness, dear! You look awful.¡± Eliza¡¯s dark red hair glistened in the dappled light and framed an expression of unfounded concern. Meanwhile, her trainee, Kristof, moored their boat against the great palm¡¯s trunk.


    ¡°You can say that again.¡± The novice mage parroted, ¡°She looks like she¡¯s going to keel over any second. And here I thought you couldn¡¯t look any more like a hag than you already¡ªglrughhhdhghghhghGHGHHH!¡±


    ¡°Why did you even bring this arrogant dilettante?¡± Cira¡¯s fingers wiggled like tentacles as water was rapidly forced into Kristof¡¯s mouth and nasal cavities. ¡°Are you perhaps expecting me to teach him something?¡±


    Cira couldn¡¯t help suppressing a cough, but Eliza was too focused grinning at her sidekick to notice, ¡°My, my, it seems there¡¯s nowhere else he can learn manners so thoroughly. I suppose I owe you for the care.¡± There were pockets of air within the water which cycled through Kristof¡¯s respiratory region, and it was easy to separate from water. The convenient place to store it was his lungs, so she could continue her lecture from the other day.


    ¡°One of the very first lessons that children ages six and above learn is to not let foreign substances enter their body unintentionally. Water is basically number one on that list¡ªinto the lungs should be far beyond common sense to base instinct. Aren¡¯t you supposed to be a spatial mage? Have you forgotten what I told you about domains? You know you should always have one up, right?¡± Cira emptied his lungs entirely using the power of hydraulic suction and reintroduced new air because she didn¡¯t have enough control over air or his body to properly emulate a full lung cycle. Thus continued his lesson in impertinence, ¡°Now, I will need at least five minutes until your next lesson.¡±


    The water which gripped his face and torso had slowly worked him over to the side where there was a short stool. His knees met his chest as his back rested against a young palm and he panted in deep, desperate breaths, clutching the sand with one hand.


    While he was incapacitated to a degree, Cira thought it was time to move this along, but Eliza had already dawned her predatory grin by the time she looked over, ¡°I can tell you conjured the water from within that ring¡­ but there was not an ounce of mana within it. How are you doing that, broken girl that you are?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think she can see sigils,¡± Mac said, ¡°Or maybe she¡¯s trying to gauge your response.¡±


    ¡°Big help, pal.¡±


    Cira maintained focus on the unpredictable mage. Her answer was a deflection, but it felt like it needed to be said all the same, ¡°This ring was a gift. Set your eyes on it, and we will be fast enemies. I believe you should be in possession of¡ª¡±


    ¡°Just hold on a moment, dear¡­¡± Somehow, Eliza looked concerned with sincerity in this moment, ¡°Kristof had a point. How are you even alive? I don¡¯t think vestigial nectar can help you anymore¡­ Won¡¯t you come back with me?¡±

 143 - Negotiations Intensify

    There were stratagems for when one took unfounded pity upon you, such as ¡®to topple town with a handful of snow¡¯, or ¡®teach them of the worm¡¯s grace¡¯, but Cira didn¡¯t feel they fit here. They were heavy-handed. For this situation she had to create an entirely new one. Before the rotten plum could be revealed beyond the broadest leaf, Cira ¡®rustled in the winds of sympathy¡¯.


    It was hastily named and only really made sense in conjunction with its predecessor, but it was important to provide Eliza a genuine answer while also concealing an ever-widening variety of inconvenient truths.


    ¡°I appreciate the concern,¡± Cira acknowledged. Even if she had some ulterior motive for her concern such as taking on a promising student for prestige, it was objectively kind of her. ¡°But I don¡¯t plan on dying, or relying on someone else with so little time to spare¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a soul degrade so rapidly though¡­¡± Eliza countered with an uncomfortably motherly expression, notably no mention yet of deritium, ¡°If we leave immediately, I can guarantee you a couple decades at least. With talent like yours¡­ I don¡¯t doubt that¡¯s enough time to find new ways to extend it.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious?!¡± Kristof was still partially blue in the face, recovering, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to let this bitch die, I¡¯ll kill her mysel¡ª¡±


    His voice was muffled as roots grew from the sand to encase him while rocks scattered into the air, the smaller ones pelting him relentlessly. The meeting place grew brighter, and the heat skyrocketed, centered on a red-faced rookie.


    ¡°Remember your place, boy.¡± Eliza¡¯s cold voice seemed to echo through the surrounding trees, ¡°Have you forgotten your father is an arbiter because of my recommendation? Do you truly think he sent you to me because you are well-tempered and ready to represent the Third Order?¡±


    ¡°Gahhh¡ª¡± Vines tore through his skin as blood blossomed in the air. A large stone shattered on his head and his skin blistered in the concentrated sun.


    ¡°You are a disgrace. If you don¡¯t shape up, I have full authorization to extinguish your aura and dump you on an island of my choosing.¡± Her eyes burned with a fire Cira only knew occasionally. Such passion was a little out of character for Eliza, if she was being honest.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the guy either,¡± Cira commented, ¡°But that does sound a little harsh.¡±


    ¡°Would you like to know what he had the gall to say during the report on our meeting last week?¡± Her incredulous look beckoned only one response.


    ¡°Uh, Sure.¡±


    ¡°He told his father he had ¡®decided on a concubine¡¯. Make no mistake,¡± Eliza got deadly serious, and Cira struggled not to flinch. ¡°Such is not an official position within the Third Order. Would you like to know who he had chosen?¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°It was you!¡±


    ¡°GlrughhhdhghghhghGHGHHH!¡±


    ¡°That should tide him over for a while,¡± Cira decided young Kristof was ready for the second phase of his lesson in sorcerous impertinence. ¡°Thanks for letting me know.¡±


    ¡°The problem is¡­ the arbiters are split on the matter. I had no choice but to claim you as my student¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Cira narrowed her eyes, ¡°claimed me?¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t misunderstand, dear.¡± The mage¡¯s grin seemed somehow less vicious, but her words offended Cira more than her half-hearted demands of the past, ¡°There would be no end to trouble for you if I hadn¡¯t. Kristof¡¯s nonsense would have been dismissed no matter what, but if you weren¡¯t¡­aren¡¯t my student, my fellow arbiters are quite eager to meet you themselves.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard enough. I held out hope for this Third Order¡­ but if you don¡¯t have the nectar, our business is done.¡± It was a struggle sitting up straight at the table, but the adrenaline from the anger this mage¡¯s colleagues had incited in her had Cira as lucid as she had ever been recently. The pitcher and glasses on the table shook as she stood up.


    ¡°H-hey, hold on! Who said we don¡¯t have it?¡± Eliza shouted with unexpected urgency, ¡°Here! I even brought you four pints. You know how many flowers it takes to get just one, right?¡±


    Is that how it is? She¡¯s just after the deritium after all, isn¡¯t she? The moment she thinks I¡¯m walking away, even this prolific mage turns into a dog for this ¡®Lost Archive¡¯.


    Four glass bottles of pristine red nectar appeared next to the pitcher. Their sheen in the sun was of the richest sunset and it was just the right opacity to be days fresh at worst.


    ¡°What a disappointment¡­¡± The look of shock on Eliza¡¯s face was something to behold as Cira held up her palm. ¡°I was hoping that useless Kristof would catch on and do this, but¡­ I guess I¡¯ll do it myself.¡±


    The glow of late morning¡¯s light bouncing off distant dunes shone from Cira¡¯s right forefinger and the sound of three distinct objects cracking sounded from three evenly spaced points around the meeting place. The keystones shattered.


    At the same time, it felt as if the island cracked in kind. For a brief moment it was almost like time skipped as the expressions froze on the recovering Kristof¡¯s vengeful face and Eliza as mana flooded out of her hand at an alarming pace. She attempted to form a desperate domain of space and light, but it was spent in the same way as the mana of Shadow Spring or even that which steeped the soil on the clear opposite side of Hangman¡¯s Cove.


    The world shifted to and fro in the next instant, pressurized, and released. As if the gear which turned the world found its next groove, time resumed with Cira¡¯s next step.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you how glad I am that this worked,¡± Cira started squinting her eyes and looked up. There were three pillars of blaring light, illuminating the entire island through the fog. ¡°My, that sure show¡¯s up in the mist, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    Feeling the onset of exhaustion as her array fired up, she put a hand on the table and quickly hydrated from the stone angel¡¯s mouth. Without a second to waste, she pulled out her flask of dimnut tonic and only reached three swigs in before a flame overtook her entire mind.


    She screamed, fist against the table, as Eliza looked on in bewildered horror.


    ¡°Gyyahhhhh! What is happening?!¡± Cira felt her mind ripping apart like it was her soul as of late. A thousand images of earth, nature, or the various rivers of Lost Cloud flashed before her like a slideshow that all appeared at once. She collapsed to the ground, head cradled in her hands.


    This¡­ Why does this look familiar¡ªfeel familiar?


    It was natural for her miniscule mind to resist.


    I feel like I¡¯m burning away. Burning up, and melting.


    Cira felt her face hit the sand and when she looked at her arm it had fallen into a puddle. She couldn¡¯t even feel her hand anymore.


    Don¡¯t panic. It¡¯s never a good idea to panic. Just let the sorcery occur¡­


    Cira swiveled her face across the ground to see her opposite side and blew the sand out of her eyes. Her other hand had also been reduced to a state not unlike that which Aquon spent weeks in. Short of a cozy punchbowl, Cira just had to accept the waves of mana ravaging her body.


    The activation and control of such an array could not be completed without some effect on the mind. Cira thought that using three points instead of an entire spring and the tens of thousands of paths it took as catalysts would result in a rather simple artifact domain, but maybe she had misjudged the scale a little.


    Just let it happen, whatever this is¡­


    Cira felt herself strain through the sand¡ªan impossible feeling¡ªthe millions of grains of sand, then herself filtering through them. It was unclear how long this went on, but the process eventually slowed. She couldn¡¯t spread herself out too thin. As if something was stopping her from dispersing completely. The feeling of bounds and physical limitations actually helped her mind solidify along with her body.


    Blinking on the ground in confusion, Cira thought she was submerged in the ground when she came to until she watched water gurgle through the sand and reform¡­into her. This was something she witnessed from above, but there was a disorienting overlap happening.


    Do I¡­ have three eyes? This should be no different than Spatial Sense, so did I make a mistake somewhere along the way? I can hardly even remember enchanting the waterfall and Misty Steppes.


    With great effort, Cira separated her sight enough to where the world wasn¡¯t smashed together and managed to place a solid hand on the edge of the table with which to pull herself up. Somehow it felt like this was the first breath she had taken in a while.


    Of course¡­ three eyes for my three landforms. The part that disoriented her was that she was experiencing vision in every dimension three times over from slightly different points of origin. She threw them each back from whence they came for now. A towering peak, vast waterfall, and rocky slope came into view.


    This reduced much of the strain on her mind, and she could finally stand up, looking forward now through her two physical eyes. Eliza was pallid with her jaw hung slack, and Cira polished off her flask of dimnut tonic before addressing her.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to excuse me. It appears I miscalculated a little.¡± She glared disappointedly at the small pool of wasted tonic that accumulated on the table after she fell earlier while another eye began to helplessly wander through the earth. ¡°Who knew there were so many tunnels in this island¡ªhey, I found some pirates.¡±


    The arbiter¡¯s brow had grown increasingly furrowed, and it looked like she really had something to say, so Cira allowed it.


    ¡°W-what in the nine skies just happened? What did you do?!¡± Eliza¡¯s capability to speak now only made her concern deepen. After a few seconds to process while her gaze flitted between blinding pillars that burned straight through the storm and seemingly unto the heavens beyond. Her baffled eyes fell on Cira now, ¡°I¡­ I only said what I did to keep the rest of the Order from bothering you. I never had any intention to force you into a place or position you don¡¯t want.¡±


    ¡°Worry not.¡± Cira sat up on the table and rested her wooden leg on top of a chair. Elsewhere, a young girl paid one silver crown for a loaf a bread on the upper boardwalk of Hangman¡¯s Cove while hundreds of juvenile nimbus sharks tore apart some kind of porpoise along the distant cliffs where they nested. ¡°That¡¯s the impression I got, Eliza. If you think you can teach me something, I am not necessarily opposed to learning it, nor do I think you bear ill intent personally. The problem is it appears I have given your friends the entirely wrong impression. I am no commodity to be reserved, and I am absolutely not one to be bothered frivolously.¡±


    Four men and two women in colorful robes fell from the sky while their staves formed a neat pile next to Cira. Over the next few moments, this was followed by nine more mages at irregular intervals while Eliza and Kristof¡¯s eyes widened at the sound of each thud behind them.


    ¡°A few more of your minions should be arriving shortly,¡± Cira continued, ¡°I¡¯m surprised there are so many of you here, really. I must have something you want. Is it the deritium, I wonder?¡±


    Concern still marred Eliza¡¯s face, but her expression was somewhat sympathetic now for whatever reason, ¡°My dear¡­ I just watched you turn into water and seep into the earth, only to reform and rip my men up from across the island. Just what have you done to yourself?¡±


    Could I have been wrong about her? Either way, if it¡¯s not the deritium, they definitely want to know whatever I¡¯m planning to fix my soul. This is an excellent chance to throw her scent off the soul forge. I almost feel bad lying to Eliza though¡­ Perhaps that¡¯s a stratagem of hers.


    ¡°Specters, spirits, elementals¡­ why can they exist exclusively in the aethereal form¡ªand why shouldn¡¯t I? My soul shouldn¡¯t be such a stationary, singular entity, so of course it¡¯s crumbling. My entire essence ought to flow freely like a river.¡± Her outstretched hand grasped Aquon¡¯s orbiting stream and slowly lost its form, while simultaneously growing anew from a burst of mist at her elbow.


    ¡°Do you mean to become some kind of lich?¡± Eliza was appalled with gears turning aimlessly behind her gaze, but it became difficult to take her seriously mid-stride as she had been for the last few minutes. Cira released her body and gestured her back into a chair.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I could ever become a lich. Undeath is too dreary for me, and probably best left as a backup, but perhaps if I hid a menagerie of phylacteries across the many skies. Turn a mana well into one, maybe. That would be fun to try. It would still come with far too many vulnerabilities.¡± Cira lifted up the pitcher and an angel vomited water into Eliza¡¯s cup. ¡°No, I¡¯m picturing something more akin to a greater spirit¡ªsomething new. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice to grasp the leylines with your own two hands? Perhaps souls are overrated. I wish to simply exist.¡±


    These ramblings were partially backed up by the ambient presence she held over the Lost Cloud. Her goblins were building something strange with shoddily carved rocks in the middle of the square and goliaths wandered freely without the threat of undine. The Stick Brigade¡¯s former hideout was silent while the overhead sun penetrated the misty depths to reveal charcoal hung loosely from the sheer cliffsides.


    With such a grand perspective, the pain that was her soul felt far lessened. Even her exhaustion was nil. The physical body in which her soul resided and that she usually called home felt even more insignificant than when she sat in Fount Salt¡¯s spring chamber, despite this island being utterly dwarfed in comparison.


    ¡°H-have you gone mad¡­?¡± Eliza looked at her with even greater sympathy. To the point it actually made Cira a little uncomfortable. Kristof was pale in the face with bloodshot eyes, similar to the rest of the horrified mages who had absolutely no idea what was happening. Five more had fallen throughout Cira¡¯s monologue.


    ¡°Madness would be to accept my journey¡¯s end so simply.¡± She couldn¡¯t help herself from staring into the dark mana well¡¯s core. ¡°A sorcerer¡¯s fate depends on their resolve to walk forward.¡±

 144 - Cirrus Cloud

    This was an incredible opportunity to gather mana. It didn¡¯t seem to matter that she lacked an aura right now because it wasn¡¯t even making its way to her meager body, and she wondered if the immortal lord she met below felt shadows like clay in his hands too.


    I guess he said he did, so he must have broached upon innate control. I sure wish I could ask him some questions¡­


    A sphere of superdense darkness congealed in an ever-enlarging chamber below the soul forge, but beyond that, she only had fifty feet or so before reaching the sky below. This was remedied by creating an underground river of shadows that became darker by the second.


    Cira decided that Captain Wick probably felt some sense of security with his heinous deeds being shrouded by mist since as far back as he could remember, so directly above Hangman¡¯s Cove felt like the right spot to condense light. At first, the town only got brighter, still blanched in thick fog. It didn¡¯t take long for the first of the mist to begin to burn off as a blurry sun started to form, clearing up the streets and providing clear vistas of the surrounding mountaintops and open sky.


    Beyond that, it was only natural to condense the earth at each of Cira¡¯s landforms. The waterfalls even gave her an inlet toward the spring where her newfound powers could leech off that too. She didn¡¯t know where that particular mana was going, but she felt it grow rapidly.


    The mages and Kristof all looked like they were on the verge of death, so Cira loosened up the space around their chests and let the product of nepotism relax his jaw. Of course, offer an inch, be robbed of ten-thousandths of a mile¡ªapparently this worked out to six inches or so.


    ¡°Bitch! How dare you disrespect the Order like this¡ªGLRUGHHHDHGHGH¡±


    ¡°I did not give you permission to speak.¡± Cira¡¯s voice was cold as she withdrew her water. ¡°I just didn¡¯t want to kill Eliza¡¯s subordinates on accident. I suggest you start thinking about how the Order could possibly dare to disrespect me like this.¡±


    Four bottles of thick, red liquid floated before Cira, glistening in the sun. She turned back to a wary Eliza before continuing, ¡°Of course, I am a sorcerer of my word, but have you not figured out what I did with the deritium by now?¡±


    A subtle frown grew on Eliza¡¯s face, but it didn¡¯t seem like she cared too much. More that she had expected such an answer and was therefore worried. Cira let her gaze fall on the trainee.


    ¡°You¡­ where did you hide it, cur?¡± There was unfounded hate in his eyes.


    ¡°I used it all, you dolt.¡± Cira reeled back incredulously, ¡°Surely you don¡¯t mean to tell me your precious Order hasn¡¯t seen Fount Salt?¡±


    Now that he had caught his breath, Cira stiffened the space around his jaw.


    ¡°I was afraid of that¡­ and I really hate to say it, but¡­¡± Eliza was looking at the ground and glanced up, ¡°the Order is very interested in knowing how you did all that. I don¡¯t think they will leave you alone so easily.¡±


    Why does she speak as if she¡¯s not one of them? Is it that her goals are so far removed from the organization? Honestly, that demeanor gives me a little hope for them since she¡¯s held the position so long. It turns out I made the right call with my heavy-handed approach after all.


    ¡°By tomorrow morning I will either be dead or far away from this place. Let them follow me if they wish to become one with the sky¡ª¡±


    ¡°You arrogant bitch¡ª¡± Kristof forced words through clenched teeth but was sharply cut off.


    ¡°Silence!¡± Eliza threw her cup at his face and teeth scattered across the sand. Blood dripped from his mouth. ¡°The pursuit of the Lost Archive does not exist for fame nor prestige. If I have to tell you one more time to shut your damn mouth, you will be forever expelled from our halls.¡±


    She was seriously pissed, and Cira did them both a favor by tossing a rock at him. The young man was out cold. A fearful look fell over the remaining mages who could not speak.


    ¡°Now¡­ has our business concluded¡ª¡± Cira¡¯s words were interrupted by the sound of shattering glass. It lasted only a moment, and she followed the noise to its source¡ªKristof.


    Spatial fluctuations fell in on him like two opposing vortexes. Cira raised her brow at the unexpected interference and quickly zeroed in on a strange charm that seemed to be broken in half at his feet. When he stood up, space somehow ruptured around him like divergent light. Without herself putting any effort in yet, he was outside Cira¡¯s grasp.


    ¡°Do you think you can walk all over me?!¡± Eliza held out her hand as if to cast, but it appeared Kristof was stopping her. ¡°I¡¯ll show you what it means to oppose the son of an arbiter!¡±


    The world shifted again. As if a horizontal axis in space slid in opposite directions from top to bottom, the island shattered cleanly, only to revert in less than the blink of an eye. The only difference which remained was the two halves of Kristof, roughly a foot apart from each other.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°To oppose the daughter of a sage,¡± Cira glared into his eyes as they lost focus, ¡°You seek death.¡±


    ¡°K-kristof¡ª¡± Eliza¡¯s eyes went wide in honest surprise before turning to Cira in a panic. Right then, the strangest thing happened.


    Another disturbance in Cira¡¯s space tore itself a hole in the world, ¡°ENOUGH. Please!¡± A man materialized next to Kristof wearing robes nearly as extravagant as Eliza¡¯s in a more subdued tone. His head was balding on top but was almost masked by his pointed hat were it not for his flustered movements as he cradled the boy¡¯s torso and turned to Cira with tears in his eyes.


    I thought there was something strange lingering around¡­ What a thorough phase shift.


    The boy¡¯s legs and waist slowly floated back into place with great resistance as holy magic exploded at the wounds¡¯ edges.


    ¡°My son is not undeserving of your treatment, but I refuse to watch him die¡ª¡± The island was bathed in pure light and when it receded to a thin pillar, there was a naked man covered in burns at its center. Kristof alone was somehow shielded.


    The man rapidly healed and his body was encompassed in some kind of illusory shawl. He was back on his feet so quickly that it even shocked Cira. What put her off more than anything was the rapturous smile on his face. ¡°Remarkable¡­ This entire island may as well be a gem atop your staff.¡±


    It felt a little more intimate than that, but Cira didn¡¯t feel the need to correct him.


    ¡°So, another arbiter reveals himself¡­¡± Cira squinted her eyes, ¡°but aren¡¯t you lower in station than Eliza? Why are you able to move?¡±


    ¡°Young Roman here is a master of the passive spatial domain.¡± Eliza supplied, ¡°It¡¯s been active for at least a century.¡±


    ¡°I guess it may be Kristof who¡¯s the exception rather than you.¡± Cira chuckled in response, and Roman glared at his son from their exchange.


    ¡°It would seem my boy has given you the entirely wrong impression of us¡ª¡±


    The world cracked again, and his body fell limp while his head landed on the table with a crimson squelch.


    ¡°I always knew he was an exceptional idiot. It is you and your presumptuous arbiters who have given me the wrong impression.¡± His raised eyebrows looked like they would be accompanied by hands on the hips as his severed head leaned toward her. ¡°Did you really think I was just some wayward girl whose wisdom could be plucked from the Lost Cloud as easily as a plum off its branch?¡±


    Cira watched as his lips flapped until his head finally fell over and began to roll toward the edge of the table. His body behind turned to dust and golden light flared out of his neck. In the span of about ten seconds, his entire body was reformed with illusory robes intact. He coughed up blood and cleared his throat, ¡°Ahem, of course not. I merely came here to negotiate¡ªgeh¡­¡±


    Cira smirked as his head fell off and split in two. The halves fell flat on the table like sliced grapefruit in the sun then forced themselves together through a shapeless force. Once they were whole, his body again turned to dust and reformed in holy light.


    Strange. His body reforms through holy mana, but he has to restore his head manually first. There was a flicker of nature and blood mana, but how was he even conscious enough to do that in the first place?


    ¡°Goodness,¡± Cira couldn¡¯t contain a grin, which was significant in contrast as she gazed upon a stone statue of herself in the residential district of Archaeum. She never knew one eye alone could frown until this day. ¡°Perhaps I was too hasty. You have some tricks I would certainly love to consider.¡±


    Wait, couldn¡¯t I just turn into¡ª


    Cira watched from above as glops of cerulean jelly congealed into herself. When she focused back into her solidified eyes, they jolted open wide. Her chest heaved as she planted a palm on the table, panting.


    ¡°Hooooo, hoooo¡­.. Damn¡­ Hahhhhhh. I guess I should leave that for later.¡±


    Roman and Eliza were horrified, the former deliberately clearing his throat again, ¡°As I was just saying¡­ I came to negotiate. It was obvious what happened to the deritium once I investigated Fount Salt.¡±


    That makes sense. A man with such fine control over space could tell in a few hours at worst if there was any left on the island. He must have noticed that there wasn¡¯t even the slightest trace of it. It was only natural to conclude that I had done as much deliberately. Given the state I left Fount Salt in, it wouldn¡¯t be hard to imagine I had to draw a great deal of mana from somewhere.


    When Cira didn¡¯t speak, Roman thought he found a leg up, as if his tricks were so impressive Cira couldn¡¯t feel them out over a few nights in the forbidden archive. Wait, they might be.


    ¡°It is not easy to join the Third Order of the Lost Archive,¡± He sat cross-legged on the table a mere few feet from Cira with his legs crossed. His expression was an off-putting blend of shit-eating compassion, ¡°But you have the recommendation of multiple arbiters. All of my ¡®tricks¡¯ and more knowledge than you could even imagine can be yours¡­ All you would need is to take a trial, but that¡¯s only a formality. With your talent, you¡¯re a shoe-in. Any sorcery you want is within your grasp¡ª¡±


    ¡°Who says it¡¯s not already within my grasp?¡± Her father made a point to specifically warn her against people who had things she wanted. ¡®The candle who yearns for flame must cast a large shadow, lest flame¡¯s bearer see themselves too bright¡¯. ¡°I know there¡¯s a catch. What you offer varies greatly depending on what I am willing to relinquish.¡±


    Since their initial business was through, the four jars of vestigial nectar disappeared into thin air. Cira took this chance to remove Prismagora from a ring to hover above her head while Conduit took its place as Cira¡¯s backdrop. It glimmered in the misty light like a pale blue sun disk. The orichalcum staff¡¯s geometric finial cast golden spotlights around the sandbar as it materialized. It found a pedestal when the sand below burned brighter than Hangman¡¯s Cove¡¯s sun and turned into an obsidian claw reaching for the sky.


    Dad always just called it ¡°My staff¡±¡­ I really need to give it a name soon.


    The nearby flock of Third Order mages had grown by a few and half of them passed out at the sudden fluctuations of mana beneath the great palm.


    Prismagora burned up the surrounding fog and solidified Cira¡¯s domain to restrict all space and light within proximity. The hair on Roman¡¯s wrist stood on end and he shuddered at the realizations that only his jaw could move.


    ¡°W-well¡­ All we ask is for you to share what you know.¡± His voice shook, but Cira had to admit his demeanor was stalwart, ¡°It is a reciprocal deliberation of knowledge through which we all grow stronger and wiser.¡±


    The island shook but didn¡¯t split this time. It merely trembled as if to drive Cira¡¯s point home. Her accompanying tone was brusque enough to fear the sky were about to fall.


    ¡°There is only one issue with your proposal,¡± Similar to the one in Uru, a field of stars subconsciously formed above Cira. She didn¡¯t notice until they began pushing against each other as their mass formed incipient suns brighter than the one above when put together. ¡°Much of the wisdom I possess is not to be freely given or traded as goods, but to be earned.¡±

 145 - A Sorcerers Condition

    ¡°Much of the wisdom I possess is not to be freely given or traded as goods, but to be earned.¡± Cira glowered in the face of Roman¡¯s grin. Her light rained down on them from above, ¡°And I refuse to guarantee the path to earning it.¡±


    ¡°Ahahah¡­¡± Roman suddenly burst into raucous laughter, ¡°Hahahah, magnificent! I haven¡¯t seen such talent in centuries! It is only natural that some knowledge may not be available to all, but if you would be willing to share any¡­ I think we can come to an agreement. Between you and me¡ª¡±


    The remaining mages dropped to the floor before he continued with a sly grin, ¡°There are specific libraries for forbidden knowledge, but after we leave here, you must only refrain from mentioning that which you do not wish to share.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not forget the malformed giant of a man I fought on Fount Salt,¡± Cira eyed him suspiciously, ¡°Tell me what you needed deritium for immediately or I will hunt down your order for the answer after dispatching you.¡±


    Eliza chuckled, ¡°You must mean Valtroy. He was Ringnor¡¯s younger brother who never gained an aura of his own. Without any avenue for him to grow, his brother bent over backwards to find a way for him to acquire power¡­ Thank you for not killing him, by the way. The poor boy¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you shitting me¡­?¡± Cira was not pleased with such a lackluster answer, though it fit her suspicions well enough. ¡°So, what did¡ª¡±


    ¡°For the mana, of course.¡± Eliza¡¯s face was like explaining the sun to a child. ¡°Surely you know how much deritium contains. We are in no famine, but surplus mana is always welcome. If the fact we still brought you nectar isn¡¯t enough to convince you that it wasn¡¯t our main goal¡­¡±


    ¡°Your goal.¡± Cira refilled the tortured seraph pitcher from her multiplying rivers, ¡°It¡¯s the method through which I intend to repair my soul, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°At this point¡­ There¡¯s no point hiding anything.¡± Roman replied curtly, ¡°You¡¯re right. The Order can extend a broken soul¡¯s life by decades at best, though there are avenues similar to the common lich as you mentioned. Even like this though, they would wither rapidly in comparison to a deliberately produced lich. Even the phylactery seemed to decay. Honestly, I¡¯m curious about your method of multiple remote phylacteries and it¡¯s interesting that you intend to ¡®repair¡¯ your soul rather than mitigate the resulting symptoms of its broken state, but you don¡¯t have to share if you don¡¯t want. Just the ideas are enough for me to work off of.¡±


    Shit. This idiot is probably actually a genius. His healed son had just regained consciousness and looked at Cira with helpless rage as his tears flowed to the sand below. How did he fail his son so badly? Or was the boy inherently insufferable? Perhaps sorcery was never the path for him after all. I need to be careful what I say around Roman and Eliza, in any case.


    ¡°Who said phylacteries need to be of physical form?¡± Dammit, I¡¯m on a roll. I need to shut up and write this down. The entirety of Archaeum may as well have been a phylactery for that Bone Lord. I should have asked his name, not some stupid title he¡¯s been telling himself in his dark cave for the last couple hundred years. ¡°If you think about it, they don¡¯t even need to take form. A majority of their downfalls could be solved by¡ª¡±


    Shit¡­ The light I gathered above or shadows below¡ªeven the earth within my landforms could become ostensible anchors through which I could maintain my existence. Is that why my soul feels somewhat stable? ¡°Hey, Mac! What the hell? You should have weighed in by now. Get out here.¡±


    He crawled onto her shoulder with a yawn into her mind. Evidently by the arbiters¡¯ recoiled state, they had heard it too. ¡°My bad. I was enjoying the show. You missed a few, by the way.¡±


    Four points in space alighted and Cira ushered another group of mages into the shaded eddy via the sky. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°I-is that the crimson soulweaver?!¡± Roman looked on in horror while Eliza¡¯s face blanched.


    ¡°N-no¡­ How?¡± Her hands shook as they gripped the table.


    ¡°Relax.¡± Cira waved them off with a hand, ¡°He¡¯s my current consultant for all matters relating to the soul, and the ugliest pet I¡¯ve ever owned. Consider yourself lucky, Roman, that I deigned not to feed you and your son to him.¡±


    ¡°Why would he know you?¡± Cira asked, ¡°haven¡¯t you been imprisoned by my father for a few decades?¡±


    ¡°You have no idea how much of an understatement that is,¡± He replied privately, ¡°but I have no idea. I¡¯ve certainly never seen his soul. His order must have knowledge of my kin. I am actually curious.¡±


    ¡°O-of course!¡± Roman cried desperately, ¡°I am very grateful¡­ I wish only amicable relations with the sorcerer Cira! P-please join us at the Archive¡¯s Bastion!¡±


    ¡°You will have to wait.¡± Cira retorted, ¡°If I survive my ascension, perhaps I will come share my results. But how do I find you? I will not allow you to trouble the people of Lost Cloud in waiting as I disappear from this place.¡±


    In truth, I will be disappearing in the sense of melting myself down. I just can¡¯t have them lingering here.


    Cira somehow felt that she had completely failed negotiations when pleasant smiles settled on both arbiters¡¯ faces. Eliza slung a small pendant from her sleeves and spoke first as Cira caught it, ¡°This will tell you which direction to travel once you regain your aura¡­ or equivalent. For reference, we¡¯re just a few hundred miles from Lost Cloud at the moment and intend to stay until we hear from you.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t feel anything now but figured the artifact¡¯s resonance varied based on distance from their stronghold. With the nectar in hand and the Third Order dealt with, Cira was considering the right way to end their meeting when the river suddenly grew violent. Its waves crashed against the banks as tumultuous mana arrived like a raging current.


    Water gurgled up onto the sand with undoubtedly murderous intent and began to take shape, ¡°WHO DARES TO TOUCH MY SPRING?! Oh¡ª¡± The booming voice had brought everyone who wasn¡¯t trapped in Cira¡¯s clutches to their knees but grew quieter. ¡°What are you doing here, Cira?¡±


    ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± Cira squinted her eyes as the floating puddle took shape and its radiance dulled. ¡°Just who are you? I don¡¯t know any amphibious little girls with slightly blue skin and cerulean eyes and¡­ and tentacles for hair¡ªUndina¡­ is that you?¡±


    ¡°Who else could it be?¡± She asked, her words taking on a subtle melody as she threw her arms up and spun around on one toe. It was an entirely unnatural motion that told Cira she had only ever seen it performed, once or twice at best. Her tentacles rippled weightlessly with centrifugal force, ¡°But that¡¯s not exactly right¡­ You¡¯ll have to call me something other than my main body¡¯s¡ª¡±


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Curella! Or, maybe that¡¯s a mouthful¡­¡± Cira sounded it out, ¡°Doesn¡¯t quite hit the mark either.¡±


    ¡°Wh¡­ why wouldn¡¯t you think about it first?¡± The young girl deflated as she grew still. Her hair fell limp. She looked up at Cira with a frown, ¡°Curella¡­?¡±


    ¡°Maybe just Ella for short.¡± Cira spoke it slowly while spelling it out in watery runes. ¡°Yeah, I like that.¡±


    ¡°Um, Cira¡­¡± Eliza¡¯s nervous voice shook, ¡°Do you mind introducing us to your friend?¡±


    While Roman retained at least a modicum of spatial freedoms, he had turned into a statue at some point. Cira thought his eyes wouldn¡¯t look as dry if he only blinked more often.


    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s going on here?¡± Ella stared blankly at the sorcerer before her eyes wandered to the shining pillars that pierced the sky. ¡°Are these people your enemies?¡±


    The river gurgled up again behind the hapless arbiters until Cira raised her hand, much to their relief, ¡°Now, just hold on a minute¡­ These two brought me some much needed materials, and we were just about to conclude our meeting.


    ¡°Eliza, Roman¡­ My friend Undina must have split herself off or something, so you can call this one Ella.¡± Cira eyed her up and down. She didn¡¯t look much older than Peaches or the girls who ran drinks at the Flying Dutchess. There was something of a pale glow emanating off her skin, but only enough to dye her tone a slight tinge of blue. While she wore a bonnet that looked sort of like a jellyfish, the tentacular mane which hung down from her head seemed to wander idly, or slither in place. She had to admit though, the girl even looked adorable as she pouted in futility at Cira¡¯s gross oversimplification. ¡°By the way, I thought you said undines couldn¡¯t take human form.¡±


    ¡°U-Undine?!¡± Roman cried while Eliza grew wary.


    ¡°You¡­ certainly have some interesting friends, dear.¡± Eliza put on a very strained smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize they could take human form either¡­¡±


    The Order wouldn¡¯t bother her in my absence¡­ would they? Even if I revealed a secret, it¡¯s not difficult to tell what this girl may be. Her mana is nothing to scoff at, for one.


    ¡°They can¡¯t, but I¡¯ve only met a couple others¡­¡± Ella pondered with an audible ¡°Hmmm, I haven¡¯t really turned into a human though. Look.¡±


    The young girl started to melt into a gelatinous blue glob before snapping back into place. Roman and Eliza looked nervously between her and Cira and decided not to say anything.


    ¡°Fascinating,¡± Cira tapped her fingers together, ¡°I have more questions, but I should probably wrap this up first. If you don¡¯t mind waiting a moment, Ella.¡± She turned her attention back to the arbiters who were truly at a loss.


    This was fine. Cira got the nectar, and she had an avenue to acquire boundless knowledge at minimal loss once she took care of everything else. For all intents and purposes, she should have left it here. Unfortunately, something still bothered her deeply.


    ¡°Your son apparently demanded I become his concubine,¡± She stated coldly as the boy¡¯s eyes seemed to roll back. The color drained from Roman¡¯s face while Ella hid a gasp behind her dainty blue hand. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely clear on the expected duties of such a position, but I¡¯m positive he has offended me greatly.¡±


    Cira knew it was similar to Olive¡¯s employment to Captain Wick, and while she didn¡¯t have a clear picture on her whole situation either, the thought of submitting to such a lout in any way infuriated her.


    ¡°Perhaps you have only failed him as a father,¡± Cira felt her blood boil as the island¡¯s atmosphere lost tension, ¡°But your Third Order will face my wrath if I find any such thoughts when I arrive. Now get your subordinates and begone from my island before I turn that pretentious amateur into a storage ring.¡±


    I¡¯ve never done it before, but for some reason, I feel like I could if I remained this mad until reaching the forge.


    The macabre vision that flashed through her mind didn¡¯t come to pass as Roman choked on his spit, backing away, ¡°I-I swear! I will reprimand this fool. He in no way represents our Third Order. We pursue only knowledge and the mysteries which withhold it. His behavior is nothing short of a disgrace¡ª¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Cira held up her glare so as not to let the stratagem slip. Eliza offered a soft smile before raising her hand up and the collapsed mages with it. They all stuck to the boat wherever they fit, and she climbed aboard, gesturing to Roman as he picked up his son and looked back at Cira with unknown words on the tip of his tongue.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Eliza urged, ¡°We have outworn our welcome. Our Order does not grow through the bullying of promising young casters, nor has it ever. I will revoke your position myself if you intend to disagree. Don¡¯t be difficult after this child has already spared Kristof¡¯s life more times than even I would consider reasonable.¡±


    Cira became curious as to how many arbiters there were, because Eliza clearly held power over this one. It was honestly quite troubling because Roman had effortlessly moved through her domain at first. It was tough to get a read on Eliza because she didn¡¯t seem to bother trying aside from her failed domain establishment. There was no resistance afterward. Her power was completely unknown.


    ¡°Listen to your elder,¡± The sorcerer somewhere between the ages of fifteen and twenty scolded, ¡°I have neither the time nor patience for you or your organization¡¯s interest. Be grateful that Eliza was here to diffuse your misguided intentions.¡±


    The only way to dissuade the Third Order from bothering Cira or her current place of residence was to put on such a display of power. With any luck, they would realize she was not one to be approached with delusions of personal gain, but pensive hope of cooperation at best. She nodded at Eliza, ¡°I trust there will be no issues until I decide to find you.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± The ageless young woman¡¯s cheeks were pinched in rare amusement that dwindled in her eyes, ¡°I do hope you manage to walk your path, young sorcerer¡­ but may I ask one question?¡±


    Cira nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ The Lost Order produces a talent with half your prowess only once every few generations. Just who was your teacher? With your skill, I must have heard their name once or twice.¡±


    After a brief moment of consideration, Cira decided she didn¡¯t feel like trifling to withhold information. She was a daughter with endless pride and nothing particular to fear on the horizon.


    ¡°The one who taught me sorcery was none other than my father. The Sage of Myriad Titles¡­¡± She chuckled, ¡°Though his name was Gazen.¡±


    Eliza¡¯s jaw dropped as all color drained from Roman¡¯s face. The woman¡¯s teeth clattered as she mustered words, ¡°G-Gazen¡­? Do you mean All-Sage Gazen of the Unseen Skies?¡±


    Roman quivered and backed up against the edge of the boat, ¡°The¡­ the fore-sorcerer of the auld path?! The¡ª¡±


    ¡°Good gods!¡± Cira revoked their ability to speak for a moment, ¡°Probably?! Damn. It was Gazen. If the one you know was famous, I guarantee it¡¯s my dad.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ hahahah¡­¡± Roman mumbled and propped himself up with a nervous laugh, ¡°O-of course, we welcome you with open arms, Cira dear. My stupid son will be punished swiftly¡ªmaybe some time in Kyrnsbad will do him some good. But I assure you, we only ever had but the best intentions¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I should have known,¡± Eliza cut off his weak-winded spiel easily. Her expression was gentle as it was distant, ¡°I thought those robes looked familiar¡­ you even wield his staff. You seem so much like him, too. I had never known another sorcerer to be so strongheaded. I¡¯m almost more afraid of you, in fact.¡±


    A reminiscent laugh died on her lips as she shared a sullen smile with Cira.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Cira giggled lightly looking toward the sun, ¡°He was pretty great.¡±


    ¡°He¡­ he was¡­¡­¡­.?¡± Eliza¡¯s tender expression threatened to fall apart as if held together by string. ¡°He¡­ How is your father these days?¡±


    Cira could tell she asked the question with an inadvertent shield in one hand. She was scared of the answer even if she didn¡¯t know it. This reaction was baffling to Cira, but she fancied herself someone who could read the room to some degree.


    A sorcerer does not lie¡­? ¡°He¡¯s dead. I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡± That¡¯s not how I meant that to come out.


    Eliza¡¯s composure shattered and she froze. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes and fell unbidden.


    ¡°Um¡­ Sorry,¡± Cira did her best to be sensitive. Wait, it¡¯s my dad. Why do I have to be careful? Why could he possibly be so important to this woman? ¡°Did you know my father?¡±


    ¡°Must have been before my time,¡± Mac said, ¡°This woman¡¯s old.¡±


    Wait, how old was my dad?


    ¡°Your father¡ªGazen¡­¡± Eliza watched the distant clouds on the first horizon Lost Cloud had ever seen through the mist, ¡°was the only man I ever loved.¡±

 146 - The Secret Is In the Soup

    ¡°How interesting¡­¡± I don¡¯t recall Dad ever mentioning an ¡®Eliza¡¯. At this point, it had to have been half a century ago at least, right? Longer? Was my dad unreasonably old like the skeleton man or my domesticated spider companion? I already know he travelled the Boreal once upon a time, but¡­ ¡°I suppose any great sorcerer should know a great many women across the many skies.¡± Cira nodded as if a lesson she learned long ago was just affirmed. ¡°Were you perhaps his mistress? He said he never had a wife.¡±


    Gazen somehow managed to teach his daughter a litany of conversational stratagems, but completely glossed over tact. This was perhaps because it was something which often escaped his own grasp.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t think I was¡­¡± Somehow Eliza¡¯s expression become very complicated¡ªfar too much for Cira to decipher. ¡°Was I¡­?¡±


    Cira shrugged, ¡°Probably not. You would know better than me here. He wasn¡¯t a member of the Third Order, was he?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ alright then¡­¡± Eliza seemed confused for a moment but promptly moved on. Her eyes turned up to the sky in reminiscence, ¡°He was high arbiter to the Second Order, but decided against joining the Third. I always knew Gazen had places he intended to go, so when the day came for him to move on, I had no room to complain. If only I could have¡ªno¡­¡±


    Eliza let out a long sigh and turned to her speechless colleague, ¡°Come on. It¡¯s time we leave young Cira here to her business.¡± They rose from the ground with a litany of unconscious mages stuck to the deck with sorcery. ¡°I do hope you come see us, dear. Whatever you¡¯re planning to do¡­ try not to be too careless, alright?¡±


    Cira saw her off with a roll of the eyes. The pendant in her hand held a simple gem, but she didn¡¯t need to inspect it yet. It disappeared to wherever the nectar went as well. Strangely, Eliza didn¡¯t move to reclaim the staves Cira had stacked up next to her. All the mages who joined them as backup or whatever their plan was were totally robbed of their weapons. I was going to give them back¡­


    Hmm, there¡¯s some nice gems in here¡­ Do they really have that many novice space mages? And a girl can always use more rubies and emeralds.


    ¡°Cira¡­¡± Ella¡¯s voice grew serious, ¡°I think you may have missed some enemies.¡±


    Effulgent water precipitated into spikes in the sky before Cira held her back with a laugh.


    ¡°Okay. You idiots can come out now.¡± Cira held out her arms and panned around to the surrounding trees. branches and vines rustled as amateur mages emerged from every direction. ¡°Enjoy the show?


    ¡°You¡­ You were incredible, my Lady.¡± Captain Shores said with glistening eyes, to which Cira crossed her arms and shook her head.


    ¡°Did I not tell you all to stay behind?¡± She was not amused. While grateful that they tried, I guess¡­. Cira had fought a mage who could regenerate any wound and move within her spatial domain to an extent. If he wanted to rip her crew apart, he could have done so easily in an instant. ¡°There¡¯s nothing you could have done against enemies like that. Even those grunts I plucked from across the island held more mana than any one of you.¡±


    ¡°So what?!¡± he shouted, ¡°Haven¡¯t we been over this? Any one of us is ready to put our life on the line to get you through this.¡±


    Her mages had all made good on her last assignment, which did leave her a little impressed. They each had a little orbiting ball of mana¡ªGil¡¯s was a little flame, Rictor a chunk of metal, Cedric had a little lightning bolt floating around him like a snake. She thought it was a nice touch. All the paladins had a very typical ball of holy light.


    Eros seemed to be trying to copy Aquon¡¯s river but it was more just gurgling water following a misshapen path. He got points for trying, but his brother¡¯s passive reservoir was interesting.


    ¡°Ice?¡± Cira asked quizzically while Ella broke a chunk off and ate it.


    He gave a smug grin like he was the smartest man alive, ¡°You see¡­ This way I have not only ice, but water too.¡±


    ¡°Smart, but keep in mind the conversion time can be critical in the heat of battle.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I said!¡± Eros added.


    ¡°Now, now¡­ you¡¯ve all done well, despite following me here.¡± It was almost touching, but Cira couldn¡¯t help but chuckle looking around, ¡°I noticed a few didn¡¯t make it.¡±


    Shores shifted nervously, and Gil filled her in instead, ¡°Sticks said he was gonna listen to the Captain on this one. That made it easy for Tawny and the rest to stay back.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense.¡± Cira made her triad of staves disappear and the tumultuous Aquon receded most of itself into her ring. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We need to retrieve the soul thresher from Breeze Haven and get down below before I pass out.¡±


    Cira started to inexplicably rise into the air and glided a few feet toward the Shadow Spring before stumbling to the ground and coughing up blood. Her table and chairs disappeared in the same instant.


    ¡°You dolt.¡± Mac spoke across the clearing, ¡°If you hadn¡¯t spread your consciousness across the island, you would be comatose ten times over right now. What makes you think you have the luxury to fly around? In fact, if we don¡¯t make it down there by evening I suspect your only option to survive will be letting me turn you into a lich. At least the entire Lost Cloud will become your phylactery. It wouldn¡¯t be easy to destroy you.¡±


    ¡°First of all, gross.¡± Cira responded as she clutched onto the side of the boat, trying to figure out how to get in it. ¡°Second of all, do you not remember that island with the red dragon? No thank you.¡±


    Cira tried to heave herself onto the skiff but became frustrated to find she lacked the strength. Watching space condense around her again, Mac commanded her crew, ¡°This is your moment, Captain Shores. Help your beloved Saint onto the boat and carry her to the soul forge. Otherwise, you¡¯re weak enough you may as well wait on Breeze Haven.¡±


    ¡°O-of course I will fulfill this duty!¡± He picked Cira up as she grunted in reluctance, then stepped onto the boat and sat down with her still in full princess carry, eyes glowering like hot embers. ¡°Thank you for your guidance, Lord Spider.¡±


    ___


    Ella thanked Cira for the afternoon entertainment and wished her a cheerful, ¡°Get well soon!¡± With a childlike smile on her face as she skipped into the river and disappeared.


    ¡°Oh¡­ alright then.¡± Cira had questions for her but couldn¡¯t recall them. Her eyes felt awful heavy and she became irritated when she realized she was still in Captain Shore¡¯s arms.


    It was difficult to earn herself the right to be placed in a seat, of which there were many because they brought another boat for whatever failed plan they hatched. They arrived nearby to the meeting place while Cira struggled to roll her keystones across the sand and hid poorly in the foliage as she caught her breath. It was shameful that Cira didn¡¯t notice them until she activated the grand array, but thinking about it too hard hurt.


    ¡°If you sever your ties with the landform artifacts now, your consciousness will probably disperse to the aether, irrecoverably.¡± Mac warned. When even sitting upright hurt, his words actually started to worry her. ¡°Just stay awake until we get to the bottom. You¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Cira waited on the boat while her crew grabbed the final supplies. Apparently, food and the soul thresher¡ªbut then out came a fully crafted essence loom.


    ¡°W-what?¡± Cira was confused, ¡°We were going to build it in place¡­ It¡¯s very delicate.¡±


    The artifact was just like the illustrations, made of completely clear mana crystal with a mithril helix lining the cylindrical inner wall. It was crafted with remarkable quality, and Cira couldn¡¯t help but admire it. This looked like the end product in her mind after she finished crafting it herself.


    ¡°Your students took the initiative under Kuja¡¯s direction.¡± Mac replied, ¡°I had a feeling you would be useless when the time came anyway so I didn¡¯t bother stopping it. They needed a few pointers, of course.¡±


    ¡°Mac, the nicer you are, the closer I feel to death.¡± Cira blinked a couple times, and they were traveling through the first level of archaeum. The shadow barrier took too much effort to disperse, so it had been waiting outside Breeze Haven, now encompassing two small boats side by side. One carried the soul thresher and a few mages, while the rest of the original expedition crew was on her skiff. For some reason, James was steering this one. ¡°Hey, what are you doing here?¡±


    He shrieked at her nudge, ¡°Gah! Don¡¯t sneak up on me down here! I thought you were dead. Do you think I want to be here?¡±


    Cira narrowed her gaze at him and suddenly they were departing the stairs into the goblin kingdom. As darkened faces appeared in their wake, she offered them a tired smile and waved lazily.


    ¡°Look.¡± Her voice held a pleasant joy, ¡°They all came to see me.¡±


    ¡°Gods,¡± Jimbo breathed out heavily, ¡°What is going on with you? Dead one second, smiling deliriously at shadows the next.¡±


    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    ¡°This fool overestimated herself again¡ª¡± Mac¡¯s words fell off at a point and Cira found herself staring up at her reflection¡ªcarved from stone. They sailed over a sea of goblins to the next stairwell.


    Sorry guys¡­ I can¡¯t be your king today. I promise I¡¯ll make it up to you.


    An explosion of steam startled Cira awake as flame flickered against the Second Tomb¡¯s walls.


    ¡°Dammit, Cira.¡± Mac reprimanded her with impatience, ¡°What part of stay awake don¡¯t you underst¡ª¡±


    A blaring sun burned through Cira¡¯s eyelids and when she opened them Eros and Leros were on the floor. Tawny was drenched in sweat while a massive sprite floated through the passageway without relent. Gil was on his knees pushing against it with his flame sorcery, but it didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°goodness¡­¡± Cira held out her palm. ¡°That thing could become a salamander tomorrow.¡±


    When she clenched her hand into a fist, the flame sprite disappeared as if it never existed in the first place. Cira flew into a coughing fit as she felt someone grab onto her shoulders, but then her senses failed for a time. Everything went black and whoever¡¯s hands felt miles away.


    ___


    Hangman¡¯s Cove was unusually lively under the rare sun. For some reason, it was a day brighter than any of the residents could remember having experienced even off island. The warm sunlight felt rejuvenating on their bodies, energizing.


    The boardwalk was full, while the Flying Dutchess was packed. Pirates clinked their glasses while two young girls let ale flow freely from its barrels. Doctor Larry looked like he ran a boarding house where people could sleep off the liquor and Is that Skipper at the market¡­?


    A river of darkness had spread almost all throughout the lost Cloud. If anything, condensing the earth around it only made the island stronger. Meanwhile, each Landform Cira enchanted had become a pylon of earthen mana.


    To what end Cira gathered great masses of mana remotely was unclear, but she felt it was the right thing to do. For one, Prismagora danced in the light above Hangman¡¯s Cove, soaking everything up, while Shadow Quill awaited her in the Soul Forge. Aquon¡­ was still on Cira¡¯s finger. It had enough water for now.


    For a moment her gaze trailed over the island¡¯s surface, just giving it a quick once over while she had the time. She fell upon a gorgeous tree with leaves like glistening jade. Strange pods hung from its canopy and sap flowed down its trunk that glistened red like blood in the sun.


    After inspecting it for a moment, Cira felt a weird sensation that made her hair stand on end. Suddenly, she felt something staring right back at her. Could this be the evil tree Jimbo mentioned¡­? Maybe I¡¯ll leave it alone for now¡ª


    Wait a minute. What am I doing wandering the island? Aren¡¯t I¡­


    ¡°Hey, what the hell happened to the boats?¡± When Cira opened her eyes, she was in Captain Shores¡¯ arms again.


    ¡°L-Lady Cira!¡± His face was painted in shocked disbelief. ¡°I thought you were done for!¡±


    She blinked in frustration, trying to stay in the present. For some reason there was a team of eight shadow goblins carrying the soul thresher while a few more carried the essence loom. The whole crew was walking within the safety of the shadow barrier. Cira found herself just on the other side of the river.


    ¡°Goblins¡­?¡± Cira tilted her head.


    Tawny dryly relayed the information Cira wanted. There were bags under her eyes, and it was clear she was trying not to look exhausted, ¡°That sprite you erased burned down both our boats, but those goblins popped out of your shadow when we were fighting the slimes. Did you really just notice them?¡±


    ¡°They did what¡­?¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Mac shouted, ¡°If you are finally present, you need to prepare yourself. A weak will can only result in a flawed reconstruction. You must envision yourself once you come out of the soul forge. This is not a process to begin in your usual lackadaisical manner. This is your essence and your entire future. The rest of you shut up until we get there.¡±


    Myself once I leave the soul forge, huh¡­? I wonder. After all this trouble, surely, I should come out much better than I was when I landed on Fount Salt. On that note, this spatial array sure has thrown me for a loop. I¡¯m not really an island. I¡¯m just a girl. Perhaps if I wasn¡¯t able to melt earlier, I would have died as I did in the spring chamber. Nina wasn¡¯t around to shower me with aethereal stimulants this time around either. But what kind of a girl just turns into water and back?


    I have only gratitude for what Undina did for me, but didn¡¯t I admonish the necromancer for trading his own humanity? Is it different if I¡¯ve traded my humanity on accident or for survival? In fact, on what ground have I traded my humanity in the first place? Sure, I may have killed a few people since landing here¡­ That¡¯s new. Somehow, I feel liquifying myself weighs less on the scales than extinguishing a life¡ªreturning them to the cycle undue.


    Yet how can I complain about the cycle and natural order of things when I just turned the ambiguity of fate into a sprite to overpower a man who spent hundreds of years studying diligently to the point he could call upon the void which predated anything primordial. By all rights, he should have destroyed me and my crew, and he totally deserved to after such hard work, I might add.


    How many times have I thwarted destiny? I didn¡¯t feel its threads turn to water in my palm on Fount Salt, but is that just because Undina improved my senses? Were my actions predetermined, or did fate simply get out of my way?


    I¡¯m not getting anywhere.


    Isn¡¯t this what the sorcerer¡¯s code is for? If fate should crumble before me in the future, in fact, wouldn¡¯t it stand for reason that fate decided to defy the sorcerer¡¯s code? In that case it¡¯s perfectly reasonable¡ªwait, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m getting at.


    I would gladly break Nanri from her chains, stifle an ancient witch, or dismantle a tyrannical pirate king. This is because of the sorcerer¡¯s code, isn¡¯t it? These days, my heart grows heavy when I feel I¡¯m not adhering to it. Everyone who died by my hand or that of my crew¡¯s stood to take more lives themselves or subject the living to misery. Is it not fair that I killed them?


    Some could be imprisoned like Black Scourge Don or the big guy, but when men and women¡ªand any children they took care of¡ªlook up to me for their well-being¡­ I have no choice. When seconds determine their mortality, sometimes the only way to stop someone is with excess power¡ªlethal force.


    Some of these pirates are seriously bad guys, too. Not all of them get a free pass because Wick kidnapped their wives and children. Hell, they rob merchant ships to supply goods to this island. I wouldn¡¯t put it past some of them to raid random islands for resources and raze them on the way out. I can practically see them throwing Heron Village a second festival.


    I obviously can¡¯t stay behind and become the pirate king¡ªor queen I guess. But I can¡¯t just leave this place as is on my way out. Before I had Lomp to pick up the slack, but it was quite unfair to him. I don¡¯t think my father ever thrust as many responsibilities onto anyone as I did Lomp¡­ Perhaps I¡¯ve been kind of half-assing it, but I couldn¡¯t have full-assed it without battling an endless stream of witches.


    Didn¡¯t I do my best, though?


    That¡¯s right. I wasn¡¯t even capable of doing a better job than I did, rushed or not. I made a friend only to deceive and betray her for resources, then thrust the hardest long-term work on a gang of good-natured folk who could use steady employment. Solving my problems with money will never be the path to masterful sorcery. They¡¯re just materials to me, but I certainly used them as money. Now my forge weeps.


    Shameful.


    My father would have found a way to never put himself at odds with Earth Vein were he in my shoes, I¡¯m sure. Hell, he would¡¯ve written them a letter and told them to stop on by. This way, nobody would have minded his presence, then they would have celebrated his good deeds. He didn¡¯t become the Sage of Myriad Titles for saving the day in the shadows then disappearing in a violent monsoon of holy light, leaving important people crippled in his wake.


    After I leave the soul forge, perhaps I will be able to call myself a sorcerer of at least intermediate caliber, but I still have a long way to go. Either way, I believe my humanity will not be defined by the state of my physical being, nor even what I look like on the surface. No, my humanity shall be defined at a similar pace to which I hone my sorcerer¡¯s code.


    When I leave the soul forge, All I can hope is to be a greater sorcerer than I am today.


    ¡°Without her, it may be difficult to calibrate the soul forge.¡± Kuja whispered to someone.


    ¡°Shhh.¡± Mac replied, ¡°With all the tools present, I can handle a majority of the process. It operates on rather basic principles, after all.¡±


    Mac¡¯s been alright lately. I can¡¯t think of anyone more capable to oversee the reforging of my soul. According to a loose-sheet poem I found in the forbidden archive, soul weavers understand souls in the way humans smell smells or hear sounds. I am in good hands, even if there are eight of them, and they¡¯re actually something more like microscopically barbed paws at the end of unreasonably segmented legs.


    ¡°What¡¯s that light¡­?¡± Cira asked as her mages channeled mana into a strange pit in the ground.


    ¡°It¡¯s ready.¡± Tawny said curtly, ¡°All you guys go wait on the stairs for a while.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Cira watched most of her crew disappear into the shadows. For some reason, Kuja and Tawny helped her out of her robes.


    ¡°Are these not important to you, Child?¡± Kuja wore the face of someone smiling through grief, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to wash and fold them, so they¡¯re waiting for you just over there.¡±


    Her eyes pointed to a desk Cira recalled to have procured something quite informative from.


    ¡°Kuja¡­ Tawny.¡± Cira was far past the disorientation, and she didn¡¯t have a whole lot going on which required her attention, so all eyes were on the soul forge. ¡°This place¡­ We¡¯re here, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    When one contracts their muscles or flexes them to the point of intense strain, blood¡¯s warmth floods the body. In a similar way, space within the soul forge grew denser as Cira¡¯s bare skin was exposed so as to use ambient aether as a cozy blanket of sorts. She didn¡¯t notice her helpers¡¯ strained expressions as she shivered.


    ¡°We need you to give us the nectar now, Cira.¡± As she brushed off the spider¡¯s words with a wave of the hand, four bottles of beautiful red liquid appeared. Cira took a moment to admire them before they found their way to the desk, where a few more bottles had appeared. That¡¯s right¡­ That man¡ªShores found some too, didn¡¯t he? What a guy.


    ¡°Push her in before she falls asleep,¡± Mac continued, and Cira blinked her eyes in frail lucidity as the world rotated towards her.


    ¡°Wait¡ª¡±


    ___


    The world was dark for a long time, and then one day¡ªthe first day¡ªdawn revealed the endless horizon. Cira studied reluctantly at first, then she evolved into a budding sorceress as curiosity bloomed. Well, her father was a sorcerer. Naturally, she wanted nothing else than to be a sorcerer equal to or better than him.


    Could she ever shine as bright as the man who took her in? Could she ever shine bright enough to burn away the darkness which slumbered in her past?


    Cira¡¯s life was full of deep darknesses and brighter lights. From the day she was stolen away, to the dragon¡¯s flame, to dappled cerulean on silver.


    A life shorter than the one Cira had really lived flashed before her eyes. The rest was long forgotten. Images that could have been flickered. Snuffed out by her will, the dark splotches incessantly painted a picture of death, torment, and regret like a sore wound that festered unnoticed.


    It was unclear at this point if Cira had hands to hold it, but the weight of that miserable portrait carried her essence further down, to places darker than the shadows she had come to know the past week. Depths of a sea so abysmal she subconsciously decided living under the inscrutable light of the sorcerer¡¯s code was the only choice she ever had.


    Only to discover it was never a choice at all. She didn¡¯t know much about the destiny engraved on some theoretical stone far away, but Cira never had the luxury of a fate without her darkness. That was never in the cards. If this crushing pressure of the sins wrought with her own hands was what awaited her, she was glad Gazen sealed it away as long as he could.


    She may never be a normal girl, but she was at least afforded a brief glimpse in her youth. One thing was certain. It was always Cira¡¯s fate to face her past.


    Cira let go of her body¡¯s senses, joining Kuja and Tawny in watching her tormented screams echo through the soul forge from above until everything faded away.

 147 - Spiders and Snakes

    Without subjecting Cira to the emulsifier once her raw essence came out of the incipient vessel, the thresher would not be able to do its job as cleanly. Aethereal residue from one place might make its way to another. This could disorient her mana induction between elements, place memories out of chronological order, or any number of things really.


    To the Archaean¡¯s credit, their ¡®forge of rebirth¡¯ seems like it would have done an excellent job of threshing away at Cira¡¯s refined essence before putting it all back together. That said, I don¡¯t blame her for following Gazen¡¯s design. It was more thorough, and if I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d think the old bastard wrote that book with this day in mind¡ªwell, these few weeks since she turned herself into an island.


    I still can¡¯t believe she almost did it again¡­ Her gaze still lingers somehow, although absently. As far as I can tell, it doesn¡¯t seem to be causing issues for the soul thresher.


    As the grand spatial array pertains to Cira¡¯s soul, it was represented by a type of sigil. These kind were often temporary and acted as a conduit between caster and conjuration. Now, if Cira were any ordinary curse-caster, there would have been pieces of her soul flying in from throughout the skies, but primordial curses worked in a similar way to this monstrosity of an artifact she turned Lost Cloud into. Rather, their connection with her own soul was represented in the same way.


    An undine¡¯s aethereal form is tantamount to their essence. When they bestow a blessing upon someone, they are essentially sacrificing a small piece of themselves as a gift. That¡¯s why it was given such a lofty name as ¡®blessing¡¯.


    As Cira surmised, that bit could propagate into an entirely new, smaller instance of Undina. Like the fresh polyp off a great jellyfish. In actuality, Undina reproduced in basically the same way normal sea slugs did, but perhaps more willfully.


    Curella was but one, and the piece in Cira¡¯s soul could become another. That was another reason they gave them out so seldom. People unlike Cira would have a difficult time noticing or doing anything about that process, and their body would be overtaken.


    However, she didn¡¯t have to do anything about it at all this time. The emulsifier did it for her. A small fraction of Cira was now an undine¡ªit was not inaccurate to say she was part undine.


    Incidentally, Ella stopped by a few times to see how Cira was doing. It was difficult to tell if she was curious what she would do with the blessing or just in general, but her concern seemed genuine enough. It may have been a humanlike trait this instance picked up.


    She gave me updates on the weather and whatever snacks she found, but nobody came around to fill me in on Lost Cloud¡¯s current events. They didn¡¯t matter much anyhow, but it was something that could easily trouble this monster when she awakens.


    Naturally, her undine bits weren¡¯t the only thing inhuman about the young girl.


    I almost pity her, but she would only laugh at me for it, even with all the facts in front of her face¡ªmany of which not even I could determine.


    The primordial lord of the Cursed Skies could never hope to touch fate with his own two hands. Impressive as he is, even I am better at twisting threads together. No, his authority granted at the dawn of time allowed causal interference at best, else he never would have gone through all the trouble. I¡¯m half tempted to point that void-slinging necromancer in the right direction, but that¡¯s neither here nor there. He¡¯s long gone anyway.


    That¡¯s not to say I¡¯m more capable in a general sense. Not even I can decipher the abomination that bastard created¡ªlater known as Cira¡¯s soul. Even the methods he used to craft something so perverse are a mystery to me. I hate to say it, but her humanity is scarce more than a shred. Were it not for Gazen¡¯s interference, I suspect she would not behave anything like a human at this point in her life.


    The beautiful thing about the reforging process, was that the terrible patchwork would finally become one entity¡ªCira¡¯s reforged soul. In fact, it was all refined essence in the process of threshing a uniform soul out of at this very moment.


    I couldn¡¯t ask for a better seat to bear witness to such a grand experiment¡ªone far beyond my means and ripened with time, effort, and a little chance. On the other hand, I couldn¡¯t help but feel bad for Gazen that this rebirth of a sorcerer would mark the primordeal demon of causality¡¯s final brushstroke.


    It¡¯s up to Cira now. Will she even remember her past? And will she have grown enough by the time he returns¡ª


    ¡°Oh¡­?¡±


    The thresher gradually flushed particles of Cira¡¯s soul into the essence loom, and just now, the stream ceased. I took a glance at the remainder of her soupy corporea and there wasn¡¯t a single trace of soul left. Those students of hers really came together on this one, but the hardest part of high-tier artificing was always sourcing materials anyway.


    I thought three weeks was a long time to properly separate one¡¯s essence with such an efficient device, but it only made sense given Cira¡¯s state and origin. It¡¯s only a matter of time now until her being is reconstructed in full.


    ___


    I cannot believe they woke me up for this. If they were going to hold an emergency meeting, it would have been nice to know after I finished my report three hours ago¡­


    ¡°Lady Eliza, you look tired.¡± Fitzgeralt smirked with his usual playful condescension.


    ¡°Because I am tired. And a little offended at this point.¡± I had no energy to mince words, ¡°Why are we here?¡±


    ¡°Relax, arbiter.¡± Fitz¡¯s voice brought the entire room under attention. ¡°If you care for your presumed student, you will want to stay.¡±


    Obviously, I know what it¡¯s about. That¡¯s not what I meant¡­


    I could not stifle a deep sigh, ¡°My student will be coming to see me once she¡¯s done turning into an undine or whatever. Does no one but you or I have an ounce of patience?¡±


    It¡¯s obvious to me that she pulled that explanation out of her ass. Whatever she plans to do was surely held secretly in Gazen¡¯s own forbidden archive. I have no right to pry or mettle. He¡¯s already done far too much for me.


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    ¡°She almost killed Roman¡¯s son!¡± Gudilare interjected, that ragged old bat.


    ¡°No, no¡­¡± Roman finally spoke up, ¡°That boy will be spending two months in Kyrnbad¡¯s Sorcerous Gaol. He received such punishment for making the Third Order look like a bunch of worthless bandits. If anyone would like to try to tell me that¡¯s not what he did, I am ready to receive your complaints.¡±


    There were many idiots like Kristof, but none among the arbiters would dare defend that stupid child¡¯s arrogant behavior. When the words came from his own father, the room fell silent.


    ¡°Good.¡± Fitzgeralt cut in, ¡°I¡¯m glad you took the initiative to punish your son. We will go over this, but I would like to make sure this fact is known to all before we continue.¡± He paused for a moment until he could tell everyone was looking at him, ¡°High Arbiter of the Second Order, Far Lord Gazen, is confirmed deceased.¡±


    I felt bad using truth-seeking magic on the girl, but there was no mistaking it. My Gazen was dead.


    I couldn¡¯t help but wonder how¡ªhow in the world could that man possibly die? He was the most brilliant and talented person I had ever met, and his goals were polar opposite to anyone I came to know in my pursuit of power and wisdom. While fleeting, the sage was a breath of fresh air in my very long, very arduous life.


    ¡°W-what?!¡± Sherrin cried, caught off guard as her expression fell. ¡°That can¡¯t be!¡±


    Some in the room already knew from my report, but this was apparently the time to shed tears. I don¡¯t think I had ever seen poor Max that distraught. Gazen was like a father to that wayward boy.


    High Arbiter let this moment happen. I had already shed my tears roughly two hours ago, and he didn¡¯t let any grievances show either. Of course, there were those who seemed glad or indifferent to hear of Gazen¡¯s death, but it only lasted a minute or two before everyone looked back towards Fitzgeralt for his next words.


    ¡°The subject of tonight¡¯s meeting is obviously his daughter. You all must know of the sorcerer Cira who transformed Fount Salt and enchanted the Lost Cloud by now, yes?¡±


    Everyone nodded or rolled their eyes. ¡°What about her?¡± Gudilare groaned.


    ¡°I understand my arbiters are still divided, to a degree. Count Uriel, have you changed your stance?¡± his eyes narrowed upon the Count whose twisted horns bobbed as he tilted his head back.


    ¡°No.¡± The grin on his face was same as ever¡ªuncaring of consequence and seeking amusement. ¡°I believe her blood is a material which cannot be passed up¡ª¡±


    ¡°You bastard!¡± My mana flared up. ¡°You court death¡ª¡±


    ¡°Calm down, hag.¡± He brushed me off with harsh words. ¡°The way you talk about her, I bet she¡¯s up for a trade. I owe Gazen at least a little more than to skin his daughter for a couple trinkets.¡±


    ¡°Coward.¡± From clear across room, Lady Orelia spat, ¡°Your methods would be a clear waste of such a valuable bloodline anyway. I thought it was lost forever¡­ But now¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡± Fitzgeralt cut her off before I had the chance to speak up again, ¡°I trust that she will arrive one day. That¡¯s why I have called this meeting. She will be inducted as a pureblood legacy and have all the rights of such a position. If any of you wish to take something from her or use her for your own gain, it may only be by her authority and will. Challenge her to duels with whatever conditions you think she¡¯ll accept or barter as you please, but to slight her shall henceforth be akin to defying our pursuit of the Lost Archive.¡±


    Gasps and startled voices resounded across the room. Even I was surprised that old Fitz would make this decision. A pureblood legacy had the same authority as the high arbiter¡¯s son. Cira could order any of us around after today. She could go anywhere she wanted and inquire about anything. She was exempt from even the meager three books per year quota the arbiters were held to.


    ¡°Absurd!¡± Magus Phillard was quite upset, and the fringes around his balding head swayed weightlessly while his jowls undulated. ¡°Who says she¡¯s even his kid! Probably some mutt he picked up along the sky.¡±


    That was the impression I got, but this haughty kid didn¡¯t seem to realize how stupid and immature he made himself sound.


    ¡°Fool.¡± I took the liberty of speaking for the room, taking a moment to chuckle, ¡°If he sired a single heir to inherit everything, how is that any better than gambling? Suppose this girl is his daughter because she is worthy to bear his legacy. She doesn¡¯t even have an aura and the only way I could have moved in her presence would have been to cede my body and enter the spatial plane. At that point, she may still have overpowered me in a straight duel with such an elaborate array. Escape would have been difficult.¡±


    ¡°You had Roman with you!¡± Uriel¡¯s blonde mustache crimped, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you two take her out¡ª¡±


    ¡°Idiot!¡± The caring father in question spoke out, saving me the breath, ¡°Have you forgotten where you are? Lady Cira is a fraction of Lord Gazen¡¯s age and in such youth, her knowledge and talent have long outgrown her ability. She needs only time to surpass her father.¡±


    ¡°Master Fitz is right!¡± Sherrin shouted out of turn, though I liked her spunk, ¡°To make her an enemy of the Lost Archive is a bad idea. Think of how much stuff she probably knows? Didn¡¯t Gramps have a hidden library somewhere? I bet she knows where it is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Careful,¡± I warned.


    ¡°I know, I know.¡± She rolled her eyes at me with a cheeky grin, ¡°But offending her¡ªif we were to ward her away¡­ Our Order can only suffer from it.¡±


    ¡°Well said.¡± I shared a tired smile with my colleagues, ultimately landing on Fitz.


    ¡°I agree.¡± His words held weight enough to silence our bickering. ¡°She undoubtedly possesses knowledge unknown to us. Beyond that, I believe we should welcome her without trouble. The Sorceress Cira will surely cast herself adrift one day, so I would like to offer her a haven in these skies if she needs one while she is yet within my reach. It¡¯s the least I could do.¡±


    There was a brief silence as everyone present considered the implications of Gazen¡¯s death and the fact that he had a daughter who displayed enough promise to even fear. It looked like this meeting was about to be adjourned with the doors behind Fitz¡¯s upper balcony burst open.


    There was a hushed clamor too distant to hear, and I saw a smirk broach our High Arbiter¡¯s face before the masked messenger disappeared again. Once the doors closed, a thin eminence of mana shined from them and Fitzgeralt continued.


    ¡°Arbiters¡­¡± His grave tone drew everyone¡¯s curiosity, even my own after witnessing such a strange interaction. ¡°The Adjutant of Earth Vein¡¯s witches is passing through our current territory in an attempt to circumvent the Boreal. The task to obtain our lost property before she reaches Porta Bora will be rewarded in one to three tablespoons of dragon¡¯s blood depending on contribution.¡±


    ¡°Tch.¡± Uriel cast a smug look upward, ¡°And what do I get out of it?¡±


    ¡°Just sit this one out.¡± High Arbiter Fitz brushed invisible dust away, ¡°If the Gandeux learn you are with us, it would be a great hassle. I¡¯ll give you that pan flute you always wanted in return.¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡± The Count replied, rubbing his hands together.


    I was never fond of so-called sorcerous instruments. If there was something the flute could do, it would usually be harder to enchant such an effect than to produce it naturally. The pan flute in question, however, was actually named ¡°Syrinx of the False Piper¡±. I never saw him working on it, but it was found among Gazen¡¯s things after he left. It was only natural I should put in my stake.


    ¡°And if I retrieve the tablet first, the Syrinx will be mine.¡± I declared to mixed reaction across the room. Those younger and poorly educated held only personal gain in mind with this hunt. Uriel¡¯s brow furrowed in disgust and he was postulating his tirade as I noticed Fitz offer me a faint frown. He meant to cut off the Count when I decided the best course of action was to not let the High Arbiter overrule my condition.


    Light surely filled the chamber of congregation but I wouldn¡¯t know personally. I brushed the hair out of my face as the wind battered it. Before me was an endless scape of clouds and there wasn¡¯t any trace of land no matter which direction I looked. The sun¡¯s yet rising sun pinched against the distant world below and cast rich colors into the clouds which formed the sea beneath my feet.


    Fitz only knew where the Silver Witch and ultimately the tablet was because we could discern the direction in which its presence lay. It was a material trace spell I taught him some decades ago and filed in the archive. The resonance hailed North by Northwest, and light bent around my path. No matter how deep that witch hid our lost treasures, it could not escape me at this range.

 148 - Ripleys Return

    ¡°You sure we shouldn¡¯t stop on Plackelo first to see what¡¯s goin¡¯ on?¡± My trusted first mate asked, ¡°After everything they been sayin¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°Three spears of the sun god my ass. I¡¯m getting sick and tired of people pulling such intense names for stuff right out their ass. Saint of this, sungod of that. Bullshit is what I say. It was probably just another witch up to no good.¡± I shook my head in annoyance. ¡°Good thing we stayed away from Fount Salt though. Wonder what Wick was looking for down there, anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Who cares,¡± Han replied, ¡°Dumb bastard got what was comin¡¯ to him. Here¡¯s hopin¡¯ there¡¯s more on the way.¡±


    ¡°Aye.¡±


    We clinked glasses and polished them off before he extended his spyglass.


    ¡°Hey, Ripley,¡± He asked, ¡°You don¡¯t think the witches found Lost Cloud, do you?¡±


    ¡°Not a chance. I¡¯m tellin¡¯ you. If those bullshit spears came from anywhere aside from Fount Salt, it had to be Green Pit¡ª¡± My words died in my throat as the mist seemed to alight from below as well as above in the midday sun. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ you sure you wanna land?¡± I couldn¡¯t blame him for asking¡ªit was apparent now that something was indeed happening on Lost Cloud.


    ¡°If I chicken out now, I¡¯ll never live it down¡­ I need to apologize. Don really was a piece of shit, I was just mad about the money.¡± The deck of was freshly stained a beautiful, rich cherry, while my sails finally boasted one percent mithril content¡ªthe canopies anyway. My new ship was a real beaut¡¯, but damn did it clean out my coffers.


    ¡°I know you guys go way back, but who¡¯s to say he doesn¡¯t just stick you the moment he sees you? Isn¡¯t that how he got his name?¡±


    ¡°Ehh, wouldn¡¯t be the first time.¡±


    ¡°And really,¡± Han had failed to be subtle about this subject over the last couple weeks, ¡°Who¡¯s to say he was lying about that crazy saint? They say Baum Chetner earned two ancient mithril coins just for being her jester for an evening. Coulda spared us an ass-beating and made some money just by throwing Don of all people under the boat¡ª¡±


    ¡°Come onnnn, I get it!¡± I had to shut him up, ¡°Why do you think we¡¯re going back?!¡±


    ___


    ¡°What do you mean there¡¯s no landing tax?¡± Sandy was a serious woman I had known for a long time¡ªOne of the harbormasters in charge of Hangman¡¯s Cove¡¯s inbound traffic. ¡°Is it a holiday or something?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no.¡± Sandy chuckled with a strangely warm glow about her, ¡°Captain Wick is preoccupied at the moment, so Hangman¡¯s Cove is currently under rule of the People¡¯s Temporary Republic of Dreadheart. Lost Cloud residents don¡¯t pay fees, taxes, or tariffs.¡±


    ¡°The¡­ People¡¯s what?¡± Did I perhaps¡­ make a grave mistake in crossing Jimbo?


    ¡°Hang on,¡± Han, ever diligent, ¡°You sayin¡¯ this Captain Dreadheart we keep hearing about is in charge?¡±


    ¡°No. Wrong again.¡± She rolled her dark hazel eyes as usual, ¡°Captain Dreadheart just tossed Wick into a corner and disappeared into the night¡­ We¡¯re keeping order until she resurfaces to finish him off. Where have you been? I know Jimbo beat you guys up, but it¡¯s not like it was the first time.¡±


    ¡°Hold on¡­ can you tell me more?¡± I would have called bullshit as soon as the words left her mouth if it were anyone else.


    ¡°Actually, I need you to get out of here so I can get back to work,¡± Sandy smirked, gesturing to the impatient swashbucklers behind me. ¡°You should be able to find out plenty at the Flyin¡¯ Dutchess.¡±


    Jimbo and I always had a feud, but he never stuck my men in the vitals. Ruthless bastard he is, he seemed to enjoy it more if he simply kicked everyone¡¯s ass. Nothing was more infuriating. There was always one trick or another. It only ever came to a head when I got too drunk anyway¡­ Hard not to lose at that point.


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    ¡°What the hell do we make of that?¡± Han looked at me with wide eyes as we walked down the ramp to the first level boardwalk. ¡°Even coming from her, it¡¯s gotta be nonsense, right?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t help but feel something was off this whole time. ¡°Not a single man in black and gold out today. Just shorts ¡®n¡¯ stripes, like the great Undine intended.¡±


    Everyone in the streets seemed weirdly happy and worry-free under the ominous white sun that rested in the sky, centered above the cloudy abyss the cove encircled. Han and I tried to keep a low profile and simply observe as we made our way to the old tavern that lass Milty used to run.


    ¡°Did¡­ something happen here?¡± As the young barmaiden with pink pigtails greeted us with a bright smile, I couldn¡¯t help but notice the trail of bloodstains leading through the doorway.


    ¡°Just Pops getting¡¯ himself into trouble with the ladies again,¡± The young girl rolled her eyes and continued without skipping a beat, ¡°Table for two, or you headin¡¯ to the bar?¡±


    ¡°Hopin¡¯ to talk to the Dutchess. Just show us to the bar and give us somethin¡¯ light.¡± Something light meant they brought us continuous small glasses instead of big glasses.


    The girl was practically glowing. She made a friend over the last month that she made me promise not to tell her mom about. Apparently, there was a fairy with a little black hat that came in the night to teach her sorcery. When I was a kid I had an imaginary friend named Big Franky, so my lips were sealed.


    ¡°A fairy, huh?¡± Han quipped when she returned with our glasses, ¡°Did she mention her name?¡±


    ¡°Nope!¡± The girl¡¯s pink pigtail¡¯s bobbed as spun around, giggling. ¡°She only talks in funny letters.¡±


    My face cringed in confusion while my mouth was only half full of cold ale.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just forget that.¡± I set down my glass, ¡°I¡¯m sure Dutchy¡¯ll be out soon.¡±


    That damned little girl made us order three rounds before I heard her walk ten feet to the kitchen and ask her mom to come out.


    ¡°Ohh, Ripley¡­¡± Her sympathetic eyes fell on sight, ¡°We¡¯ve all made stupid choices in life, but¡­ you should really apologize to Jimbo.¡±


    ¡°How?!¡± I threw my hands up in inadvertent belligerence, ¡°Where is he?!¡±


    She only shrugged. ¡°No one knows. I bet you¡¯re here for the scoop.¡± The shrewd woman added a wink.


    Dutchy had no choice but to continue after Han and I gave her the staredown, and she still flicked her eyelashes in innocence.


    ¡°My, that Saint sure is something.¡± Her voice was low. At this point in the early afternoon, there wasn¡¯t a huge crowd to overhear anyway. ¡°Pops tried to pick her up and cut his own fingers off. I thought Jimbo was blowin¡¯ smoke out his ass too at first, but she gave me a¡­¡± she covered her mouth and whispered so quietly I could hardly hear, ¡°an ancient mithril coin¡­¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Even Han was surprised.


    ¡°I heard she passed a bit of it around on Fount Salt¡­¡± He had a good way of socializing at any given pub we landed at. ¡°What for?¡±


    His incredulous look left only the truth to be said as Dutchy continued.


    ¡°For a keg¡­ because I tried to give it to her for free.¡± Her face went pale as she recounted the transaction.


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you.¡± Her eyes grew deadly serious. ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard about the Saint¡¯s Pillars?¡±


    ¡°God dammit¡­¡± I am so tired of these stupid names. ¡°Yeah, I heard there were three weird pillars of light. What are you driving at? Never mind the random sun above us.¡± I jerked my head upward.


    She refilled our glasses from a pitcher and gave us a gesture with her eyebrows. The moment I slid a few more coins her way, she continued.


    ¡°Surely you heard the rumors of Fount Salt¡­ The Hidden Witch, the Saint, Captain Dreadheart. They¡¯re all the same person, I guess. That dismembered girl Jimbo dragged into Hangman¡¯s Cove. They say she¡¯s going to reshape this island like she did the last one.¡±


    ¡°What does that even have to do with whatever the hell is going on around town?¡± Han cut to the chase, pounding the beer as if the information he demanded was far beyond paid for. ¡°Where the hell is his great majesty King fucking Wick?¡±


    Dutchy hid behind her hand as she laughed to the sky, ¡°Ohhhh, you boys. You¡¯ve missed so much. She snuck into the palace and cleaned him out of all his treasure and most his weapons. Even took high consort Olive away. That boy¡¯s cryin¡¯ in his castle right now while everyone in the Cove is pushing up against his walls. Only a matter of time.¡±


    ¡°Until what?!¡± The flyin¡¯ wench gave Han the dirtiest look until he finally folded with a reluctant groan. Another gold crown disappeared into her shirt before she bubbled up.


    ¡°Hangman¡¯s sun appeared when the three pillars arose. The island quaked for an hour while nothing even moved¡­ Ever since, everyone¡¯s wounds heal themselves within an hour and it¡¯s basically impossible to be sad. Have you tried it yet? Funniest thing, the sun is just low enough, so the hill shades the highest floor of Wick¡¯s tower, but damn. Gotta hand it to those Dreadheart folk.¡±


    I took a moment to finish my beer and ponder to the sky while she swapped me out for a large glass.


    Sorcerous Saint Cira¡­ How did Jimbo even fall in with you? I can believe easily enough that he wanted to get the upper hand on Don, but to think the Black Scourge could really fall in a single night. Whatever happened on Fount Salt, I had no idea, but that girl¡¯s running amuck here now.


    ¡°So, what the hell were those pillars of light? She didn¡¯t even show up?¡± Han asked for me.


    ¡°Nobody knows¡­¡± She shook her head, ¡°But we all felt it. The world almost fell apart, but then it came back together. Don¡¯t know how else to explain it. We heard a fight down on the East side, but nobody was brave enough to go check it out.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we should check the hideout¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wick burned it down,¡± Dutchy cut me off with a shrug.


    ¡°Damn¡­¡± Han shook his head. ¡°How ¡®bout we try that old bat Kuja?¡±

 149 - New Shackles, Old Shackles

    At the top of the Dead Belt, far above Fount Salt, lay one of many lighthouses which dotted the Boreal from sea to sky. Bright white stone with a shining beacon at the distant top, these can help wayward sailors find their way or send messages between any other outpost. The Gandeux even ran a service that received messages from a lighthouse and distributed them to their local recipient.


    While managed independently, it wasn¡¯t uncommon for official Gandeux business to take place at any given lighthouse¡ªthey were easy to find and always on the most direct path through the Boreal. One example of such ¡®official business¡¯ was happening at the lighthouse on top of the Noose¡ªthe transfer of a prisoner from Gandeux custody directly into Earth Vein¡¯s.


    Brindle and Hale had been talkative and relatively jovial for the first leg of Nanri¡¯s trip, but were now visibly nervous under the presence of Earth Vein¡¯s legendary adjutant. Silver hair framed a deceptively gentle expression as she thanked the two with a kind nod.


    ¡°And here are her belongings,¡± Brindle held out a small box which was taken by a servant. ¡°Just a few books and her storage ring.¡±


    ¡°Well, I would hate to hold you two up any more than I already have,¡± she flashed them a warm grin and bowed slightly before turning around, ¡°Come on, dear. We better get going.¡±


    Her smile carried until she turned around, where her eyes grew cold as they bored into Nanri.


    ¡°Farewell, you two.¡± Nanri looked right past her mother and offered a smile, ¡°Thanks for the ride.¡±


    The fearsome adjutant held her breath as they walked up the ramp but didn¡¯t seem capable of doing so much longer after the door closed behind them.


    ¡°On top of it all, you even lost the staff I made you.¡± The Silver Witch launched into a tirade. ¡°Have you no shame?¡±


    The ship started moving pretty much immediately, and Nanri watched the lighthouse disappear through the clouds.


    ¡°Mother,¡± Nanri chuckled with a light grin, knowing full well the Silver Witch was explicitly banned from her former island of residence, ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen Fount Salt? It had greater value as materials than in my hand.¡±


    Anything created naturally of the earth could be refined into a staff, and even certain conjurations¡ªsuch as stone or metal in Nanri¡¯s case. Cira seemed to be most experienced with artificing through burning light, but Nanri found the same effect could be achieved through concentrating any kind of mana, really. Of course, she specialized in earth. Salt was a simple matter now, as were most common minerals and such.


    Why specialize in silver? How drab. As if it¡¯s high up on a list of tiers that doesn¡¯t really exist about prestigious metals. Orichalcum is difficult to handle, sure, but silver? Clay is only softer by a mere half-step. Tch. Before my affinity came in, she hoped I would become the Gold Witch.


    What even is that? If I¡¯ve learned anything, gold is a relatively common material with few uses. It¡¯s easier to destroy than silver, for one. While its mana conductivity is impressive, it¡¯s practically disposable in such applications. Why does Mother Dearest strive for mediocrity? While softer than both, mithril is far more difficult to destroy and unfathomably practical in comparison.


    Why didn¡¯t she want me to be the Mithril Witch? Or orichalcum? If I was supposed to be the culmination of her greatness, does this mean she couldn¡¯t possibly imagine authority over those two mythical metals?


    Well, they aren¡¯t mythical anymore. They are fine materials, however. Quite rare for one such as I, in my current predicaments especially¡ªI don¡¯t know if I can even call myself a sorcerer.


    ¡°Is this a joke to you?!¡± The Silver Witch grabbed her arm harshly and pulled her out of the entryway and into the interior of her personal warship. Her next move was to throw her daughter onto the ground.


    These are the real witch¡¯s shackles. While I feel my potential crippled with every second in her presence, this is only a trial that will make me stronger.


    Nanri had a lot of time to think recently, and no longer felt like entertaining her former master¡¯s behavior. She picked herself off the ground and dusted herself off with hands bound in silver.


    ¡°Mother. You have lied to me for many years, so let¡¯s not mince words. My life has only ever been a joke by your design.¡± It was possibly the first time Nanri had ever seen her mother¡¯s eyes grow so wide. ¡°Your greatest ambitions are but shackles at my feet. If you intend to interrogate me, let¡¯s be on with it.¡±


    One of the Silver Witch¡¯s maids, a woman named Oliander who had largely raised Nanri, audibly gasped. A gaggle of Earth Vein guardians turned pale while apprentices straight from Nightwing Isles whispered among themselves like school children.


    ¡°W-what is wrong with you?!¡± Her mother shouted indignantly. She was completely caught off guard, and the crowd wasn¡¯t helping, so in the Silver Witch¡¯s rare flustered state, she again grabbed Nanri by the arm and dragged her down the hall.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Oliander.¡± Nanri¡¯s smile was the same sun which had always risen. ¡°I hope you have been well.¡±


    Like a nimbus shark were pulling her arm, Nanri was immediately dragged off. Normally the Silver Witch would have a retinue, but her glare shooed even Oliander away.


    The interior was furnished gaudily with rare marble from the depths of Earth Vein¡¯s stores and silver of course, much like Nanri¡¯s childhood home. The massive hallway was lit with artifacts that looked like candelabras and they passed more than one portrait of the Silver Witch.


    Let¡¯s see¡­ I can¡¯t even do much with this silver. It seems resistant to most channels of ambient aether, but I think it¡¯s mainly restricting my magic because of its nature as my mother¡¯s conjuration. Indemnite was a struggle to overcome, but this isn¡¯t a natural reaction. I should be able to get around it¡­ As for reactivity, holy doesn¡¯t mind silver, but space at best regards it with neutrality. There must be more to this¡­


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°Mother, why did you choose silver?¡± The pain of the grip around her arm was not significant, temporary, and purely physical. ¡°There must be some quality I¡¯m not grasping, because it seems rather lackluster at a glance. You don¡¯t even utilize space in your artifacts.¡±


    ¡°W-what? Do you think you¡¯re in class, child?¡± Her mother¡¯s eyes burned a glistening silver. ¡°You have proven yourself a disgrace to your family and bloodline, yet you would ask my wisdom? You don¡¯t know a damn thing. You¡¯ve made that perfectly clear.¡±


    Those words a few months ago would crush Nanri, but she smiled reflexively, ¡°You¡¯re right. To hear your wisdom would surely stifle my progress.¡± I guess I have plenty of time to play around with it.


    After two short staircases and at the end of another hallway, the Silver Witch swung open a door and tossed Nanri inside. ¡°This is your cell.¡± The door slammed shut behind her¡ªit was made of more indemnite, as were the walls. Her mother was fuming, surely thinking of her next words as she stood there.


    Nanri sat up and felt the negative aethereal pressure bear down on her from every direction. Such varying levels from beneath her bottom to the ceiling above may as well have rendered this prison cell into a condensation array. Even ambient aether was being forced down to the floor where Nanri sat.


    I see. The force which suppresses my will in fact affects the aether itself. Like energy infected with a disease that makes it intangible. Any mana within its frequency becomes a relay with diminishing returns. But when this force exists on a potency scale before my eyes, it becomes something altogether comprehensible.


    What should I call it? It¡¯s almost like it disrupts the aethereal realm, or locks it in place. Or disconnects me from it. Some kind of will-break.


    ¡°Are you just going to stare at me all day or ask some questions¡ª¡±


    ¡°Tell me about the Hidden Witch.¡± The Silver Witch¡¯s voice was cold.


    Nanri snorted trying to stifle a laugh, ¡°Goodness¡­ Where to begin?¡±


    Among the many things Nanri had thought about, it was this matter. She was one who spent a great deal of time with Cira as far as Fount Salt residents were concerned, and her involvement in recent events was impossible to deny completely. To do so would only implicate her intentions negatively. She did not intend to speak freely of her friend, but a sorcerer does not lie.


    ¡°Like the fleeting flash just before sunset, her lively green eyes remind you that tomorrow will be even brighter¡± There was a barred window through which Nanri smiled at the midday clouds, ¡°She shines bright enough to accomplish in a week what witches have failed for decades. She even sacrificed her own treasures and health to do it. Do you remember the tale you told me when I was little? About the Sunforged Witch of Sea and Sky?¡±


    Her mother narrowed her eyes in reminiscence, ¡°Quit your babbling¡ª¡±


    ¡°The skies would have fallen were it not for her sacrifice. A life in flames tempered her, yet she still burned herself up to protect people that had nothing to do with her. Putting your life on the line¡ªfor someone else¡¯s benefit¡ªyou don¡¯t know a thing about that, do you Mother?¡±


    ¡°Y-you bitch! Where did you learn to talk like that?¡± The Silver Witch¡¯s enraged face showed through the door¡¯s small slot. ¡°You realize our alliance with Earth Vein is already falling apart because of you? I¡¯ve spent hundreds of years preparing these skies for you to take over, and you¡¯ve squandered it at every step! Ever since you were a child, I knew you would disappoint me in the end. Don¡¯t think that our blood connection will spare you from the utmost of punishment a witch can deserve.¡±


    Nanri felt a short tinge of sadness, but it manifested in a troubled smile, ¡°I don¡¯t know why you think I should care about Earth Vein. They helped you stuff me in a cave. Any hope you had for me was smothered by your own hand, but don¡¯t worry¡­ I will accept any punishment I am presumed to deserve if it means the people of these skies may continue to exist in peace. And once I have served my time, you will surely have come to understand the witch¡¯s shackles from which I escaped.¡±


    ¡°Absolute nonsense¡­ Is that what your head is stuffed with these days? And I hear you even consorted with pirates down there.¡± Her mother wasted no time in changing the subject, ¡°Just what were you hoping to accomplish with all this rebellion? Did you not spare a single thought to all those your actions would affect?¡±


    ¡°Of course I did, Mother. There will be no more mass graves on Fount Salt, no sky burials. The plague will disappear within three years.¡± The look Nanri gave the Silver Witch was that of incredulity to someone lacking common sense. ¡°The island will never flood again, nor will the nymphs go berserk. If anything, Earth Vein should be thanking the Hidden Witch, not imprisoning me.¡±


    ¡°Tch. Shortsighted as always.¡± The old witch turned to look out the window, seething. ¡°Do you have any idea how much that mountain of titanium you gave away cost? How much money we should be making on Zero Stratum?!¡±


    ¡°Do you have any idea how little I care?¡± Nanri laughed, ¡°For the record, she didn¡¯t allow me the chance to refuse, though I would have agreed. Earth Vein can surely balance out their losses with all the labor that won¡¯t wither away in the plague ward now. It was a necessary expense¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shh! Stay quiet.¡± The Silver Witch suddenly turned serious, ¡°Something¡¯s coming. I¡¯ll return shortly¡ª¡±


    As she made for the doorway, an explosive blast filled the hallway with light. Nanri was caught off guard and shielded her eyes, coughing out smoke. Just who could sneak up on Mother like that? For some reason the blinding attack didn¡¯t recede even after the dust settled and crumbling noises came to a halt. To think they even got through the hull.


    ¡°You again¡­ you hag!¡± Nanri heard her mother shout as metal clanged beyond the light as if ten swordsmen were locked in combat.


    This is getting annoying. I need to see what¡¯s going on. ¡°Lamplight.¡± Nanri cast a little spell she learned recently, and it greedily sucked up all the ambient light coming in. There was resistance owing to the original caster¡¯s will, but this simple sorcery seemed capable enough of sapping it for raw resource.


    During this time, Nanri felt her skin prickle as if she¡¯d just drawn the gaze of something dangerous. Well, here goes nothing. It took a bit of effort to overcome her new bindings, but all that practice behind indemnite bars made her will relatively indomitable here. The silver shackles melted and dripped upward to form a small runic array that floated before her and could be easily maneuvered like a shield in her hand.


    Next, her cell door split into thin slices and melted down to spears as the light finally faded, nearly completely absorbed into the condensed ball of light. Indemnite was difficult to wield like this, but it could probably diffuse a spell or pierce a shield if she needed it to.


    ¡°That¡¯s some strange witchcraft you¡¯ve got there, little girl.¡± The amused voice came from a young girl with radiant crimson hair in black robes. She stood in the hall opposite her mother, but if Nanri had learned anything in her life as a witch, she was surely some old crone from across the sky. The Silver Witch did double takes between the two and a fierce glint entered her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have you know it¡¯s called sorcery.¡± Nanri¡¯s spears started to revolve above her while the doorway widened, and she shot one out with blinding force as a loud bang echoed through the ship. At the same time, her real attack took shape as a titanium javelin that silently rose from the ground behind the unknown mage.


    As the redhaired woman deflected the spear in front of her with a wooden staff, the real attack landed, piercing her through the spine and out her chest. She coughed up blood as a look of panic broached her face. Even the Silver Witch was aghast to see what her failure of a daughter had just accomplished.


    Something just didn¡¯t feel right to Nanri, and sure enough, the mage disappeared into motes of light like a mere conjuration. An illusion. Then there was a whisper in Nanri¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Another sorcerer, is it?¡± The saccharine voice held no sign of enmity, but there was no one there when she looked over her shoulder, ¡°How fun. But it may be difficult for a sorcerer of your caliber to face one such as I.¡±

 150 - Weakness

    Nanri shuddered, her blood ran cold. She thought she had found a state of peace in her mind no matter how things went once she ended up a prisoner, but she didn¡¯t expect an enemy who could go toe to toe with one of the strongest witches to show up like this and threaten her life. She would have been better off going with Cira. Even if only for an instant, she was incapacitated with fear.


    A metallic cracking sounded across the room and directly beside Nanri in the same moment, followed by her mother¡¯s nearby voice. ¡°Reveal yourself.¡± Shimmering silver dust blanketed the hall and a silhouette of light appeared. No sooner was that silhouette dodging blade after blade that appeared from nothing in every direction.


    ¡°Eliza, you hag.¡± The silver blades only picked up in pace and refused to disperse when they stuck in the walls. ¡°What do you want with my daughter?¡±


    What does she care? Who even is this woman? To be such a strong enemy my mother knows from the past, yet still lives¡­ Eliza must be trouble. She wouldn¡¯t be here for me though¡­ This doesn¡¯t feel like something Cira got me wrapped up in.


    ¡°So, your prisoner is the Titan Witch after all,¡± the young woman only smirked as silver blades started to bend around her effortlessly. Her eyes narrowed on the girl.


    ¡°I no longer go by that title,¡± She responded without backing down. Although I worked really hard on it¡­ ¡°I am the Sorcerer Nanri.¡±


    ¡°You¡ªwhat?!¡± The Silver Witch exploded in befuddled rage. ¡°What is wrong with you, Nanri?! This is no time for your nonsense¡ª¡±


    The sorcerer brushed her off, keeping her pale blue eyes steadily on the immeasurable threat, ¡°What do you want, mage?¡±


    Lamplight reflected off her silken red hair as it gently swayed. The mage threw her head back and laughed joyously while the Silver Witch¡¯s expression rapidly soured with each missed blade. Anywhere the silver dust touched dissolved, but the mage just brushed it off like dirt, leaving small holes in her robes.


    ¡°Relax, little girl.¡± Eliza didn¡¯t acknowledge the Silver Witch either during this exchange, and it infuriated her to no end, ¡°As it turns out, I am actually only here for your mother.¡±


    The strange woman¡¯s eyes stilled as she turned a wide grin to the Silver Witch. ¡°Or more specifically¡­ I have come to reclaim lost property. I¡¯m sure you know what I¡¯m referring to, isn¡¯t that right Nimara?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± metal cracked and screeched as the Silver Witch disappeared. The room was assailed with so much mana it became difficult for Nanri to stay on her feet, let alone breathe. It had been many years since she saw her mother get serious, but today felt even worse. She suddenly found herself worrying about what would happen if her and Cira should cross paths one day. The Silver Witch¡¯s voice was far more commanding than even Cira in her rare moments of severity, ¡°Would you dare take that which is rightfully mine? Your Order shouldn¡¯t have dragged their feet if you intended to claim stake.¡±


    ¡°Same as ever¡­¡± Eliza shook her head with a tsk tsk, completely undaunted by the ocean of mana the witch flooded the ship with. Nanri could only imagine the servants and apprentices upstairs were struggling if even conscious at this point. ¡°You seem to have forgotten who expended their time and resources to remove the curse upon that place¡­ How shameful of you to swoop in and claim our treasure, to take advantage of our efforts.¡±


    That does sound like Mother, but as shady as it sounds, I can¡¯t entirely discount pragmatism¡ªor were they not enemies before?


    ¡°Mother,¡± she couldn¡¯t help but ask, but also needed more time to make preparations, ¡°Just what is this artifact in question? I feel terribly left out.¡±


    ¡°Are you stupid? After what you did, you shouldn¡¯t even be out of your cell! How did you remove my silver?! Don¡¯t get me started on the rest.¡± She found it hard to argue with her daughter and stay on guard against Eliza, who seemed to be flashing lights here and there to keep her on edge. If Nanri wasn¡¯t mistaken, Eliza also twisted space to disorient the witch¡¯s aim. ¡°Just keep your distance and shut up until I handle this!¡±


    ¡°Ohoho¡­?¡± Eliza put a hand on her chin in thought, glancing between the two as a resonance of her own mana pushed back against the encroaching silver dust. ¡°When did you become such a prude, Nimara? Your daughter shows great talent, but you seem to hold only scorn¡­ yet you still aim to protect her? Have you grown batty in your old age?¡±


    This time the intruder disappeared, leaving a strangely quiet hallway save for the wind blowing in the gaping hole in the wall. Down the hall, there were groans of prisoners not used to such deluges of mana, but where Nanri¡¯s melted cell used to be, the scene grew eerily still in a single moment. It¡¯s like Lyren does, isn¡¯t it? But this woman is far more skilled.


    There wasn¡¯t a trace of residual mana, but the tremble she felt in the ambient aether was familiar. She was dancing around the Silver Witch between pockets in space.


    ¡°Get back here, you coward!¡± The Silver Witch stomped toward the hole in the side of the ship as if she had fled. ¡°Today is the day you die.¡±


    The sky outside burned with a silver glow like the brightest night, though it was hardly past noon. The overwhelming presence of silver mana was not unlike Nanri¡¯s friend¡¯s dominion over that salty rock.


    ¡°Nanri, dear¡­¡± a sweet voice rang in her ears, but the young sorcerer knew she wouldn¡¯t see anything if she turned around. Even her mother didn¡¯t seem to notice the sound as she thrust pillars of silver into cracks in space outside like she were poking around in the dark. ¡°Why stay imprisoned here? You should come with me. Freedom, knowledge, power¡­ Whatever you want¡­ I promise to guide you to it. Perhaps what you seek will even come your way.¡±


    The former witch¡¯s bones turned to glass upon the chilling declaration. Nanri was frozen solid and felt that if she moved, everything could fall apart. One eventuality led to great torment for herself, but it saved a great many people from potential suffering and strife. The other choice before her could offer freedom, and the chance to forget those people, for what it¡¯s worth.


    Nanri wouldn¡¯t have to deal with her stifling mother unless she wanted to. She could practice her sorcery with plenty of resources to support her progress. It was tempting. That much was impossible to deny after imagining what awaited her once she faced trial in Porta Bora.


    Still, the sorcerer only laughed, ¡°I appreciate the offer¡­ but if I was going with anyone, it wouldn¡¯t have been you.¡± Nanri¡¯s resolve wasn¡¯t so weak. Or in another sense, there¡¯s no way she would run off with some random mage that appeared to fight her mother for some mysterious treasure after already deciding against travelling with Cira. The Silver Witch whipped around at her words with a panicked expression on her face.


    Eliza chuckled as multiple images of her grinned, looking in at Nanri and her mother seperately. A few faded away in silver light as the rest shuffled around throughout the mage¡¯s reply, ¡°I expected as much¡­ but that sure is a shame.¡±


    A strange feeling like when Cira activated the void chamber trembled through the room, and Nanri watched her mother disappear, only to reappear clutching her gut as blood poured from a wide slash.


    No way¡­ Mom¡ªMother couldn¡¯t really be defeated¡­. Can she?


    Despite her wounds, she kept disappearing and reappearing while her opponent did the same, narrowly dodging blades aimed for her throat or heart. During this time, Nanri funneled all the mana she could into her efforts outside. She was far too weak to join in as she was now, but she hatched a few ways to make up for that after watching Cira.


    The second volume of the Sorcerer¡¯s Compendium, ¡®The Incipient Sorcerer¡¯s Guide¡¯, taught Nanri that even if she didn¡¯t feel an affinity to take space as a secondary element, it was important to have base comprehension of its laws. To neglect space itself was to deny the reality of danger facing any sorcerer striving for great heights.


    Space of course existed within all. While it was known in witchcraft as the rarest and most difficult of reality-driven elements, sorcery placed it as a primary element. Nowhere in the real world possessed a lack of space, unless done personally to atomize mushrooms or some other similar task. In a sense, its nature made it the most primary of all elements.


    A sorcerer did not need command over space to be aware of it. Conjurations were of course derivative of aether at the end of the day. With proper comprehension and practice, one¡¯s sorcery could take shape entirely outside of the spatial realm, thus making it impossible for a spatial mage to detect it unless specifically looking for such a phenomenon.


    There was no mention of the aethereal realm being something a caster could utilize directly in school back on Porta Bora, and Nanri had never heard a word about it on Nightwing Isles or from her mother. So, she gambled on this being a trick that perhaps even this imposing mage couldn¡¯t pick up on immediately.


    ¡°Eliza, you fight dirty¡­¡± The Silver Witch¡¯s wound had recovered in a matter of seconds in a swath of her trademark radiance. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ve lived this long allowing people to run away from me?¡±


    Silver dust had formed clouds across the room and trailed into the sky outside. Sparks flashed throughout it as if following a specific sequence and pattern. All of a sudden, Nanri¡¯s aura trembled. The sense of will she held over it felt dulled, and the ambient aether which touched her skin felt further and further away by the second. As if it was inhibiting her entire ability to realize, notice, or understand mana. Like the will-break imposed by indemnite but painfully heavy.


    She watched her mother float out past the hole in the wall as metallic twangs echoed on the breeze. Nanri¡¯s array of ramshackle indemnite spears nearly fell to the ground like a paper mach¨¦ kite when the wind supporting it dies down. For a moment, she almost lost control over the potential array she was crafting outside.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Nanri clenched her fists and maintained focus. She had gathered a great deal of earth mana within the aethereal plane just beneath her feet and all around her. It wasn¡¯t like conjuring mana to use later¡ªshe was simply increasing the density of earth in the surrounding aether¡ªmarginally, given the scale of the aethereal realm, but significant to little Nanri.


    Arranging it in different concentrations at different points would allow her to realize and activate it all in one fell swoop¡ªthat was the idea anyway. This would soon become a domain where her specialization could thrive.


    The weight of the mana lessened as her mother flew around outside chasing the invisible woman, but Nanri didn¡¯t feel right accepting the relief. She shouldn¡¯t tremble beneath her own mother, former master. Even if she never became a sorcerer, how could she ever fight beside¡ªor against¡ªsomeone whose presence made her shiver in instinctual fear?


    It took her back to the spring chamber. Cira had protected her from its oppressive resonance from the moment she got anywhere close. She couldn¡¯t let something so paltry as a silver domain incapacitate her so.


    ¡°The seventh tablet of the forgotten age,¡± Eliza¡¯s voice faded in and out like it had raced by behind her head from one side to the other. ¡°Ancient magics and much¡­ much more is hidden within¡ª¡±


    The Silver Witch appeared inside the hallway again a flash of light and held a freshly materialized Eliza by the throat, pressing her against the wall.


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to think I should remove your tongue first,¡± mana burned off Nimara like silver flames. Sharp pins appeared across Eliza¡¯s flesh and pierced every joint in unison. Light sparked around her body but faded as her eyes widened in shock. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ve simply been toying with you this whole time?¡±


    Nanri watched knots form in space where Eliza tried to do something she couldn¡¯t discern. As if there were runic formations woven into space and failing at one point or the other. The countless silver blades from earlier shined in resistance with each attempt.


    No way¡­ Like the field blocking the forbidden archive. This whole time, has Mother been severing Eliza¡¯s passive sorceries with each missed silver blade? Only a piece at a time, whittling away just enough so it fails when she needs it, or disconnecting her from whatever path she intended to escape through. Even her robes are mended and free of blood stains¡­ there hasn¡¯t been any noticeable decrease in her aura despite turning the sky silver¡­ I sure wouldn¡¯t want to fight my mother.


    ¡°Damn you, Nimara,¡± Eliza choked out words and spit up blood, her dark eyes burning with indignant fury. Nanri heard the distinct sound of splintering wood around her. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ve been ready to face you for any less than a hundred years?!¡±


    As a hurricane of blades wore down on Eliza¡¯s barrier, countless lacerations built up to soak her entirely in her own blood. Her limbs seemed to shrivel up as the light behind her eyes dimmed, the Silver Witch¡¯s grip tightened around her neck. The last of the air in her lungs escaped in a primal growl as the blood coating her body almost seemed to shine.


    In the blink of an eye, the blood disappeared. Eliza was pale as a ghost, but her grin grew despite her lifeless eyes. A brief spark of mana burst from the Silver Witch¡¯s finger as all the rings on her fingers shattered. The surrounding blades crumbled and even some of the silver dust turned to light.


    Countless weapons and trinkets materialized in mid-air, only to clatter to the ground. The look on her mother¡¯s face was shock the likes of which she had never even seen before. This mage was on the verge of death and somehow pulled one over on her.


    She still looks like she could die any second though¡ª


    As Nimara¡¯s hand started to fill with mana to the tune of her enraged shouts, golden light surrounded Eliza. Her skin regained its color and the radiance coalesced to resist the silver flames around her neck.


    She laughed easily like she wasn¡¯t being strangled, then again disappeared into light.


    ¡°Bitch¡ª¡± The Silver Witch had already conjured a spear, but there stood Eliza, protecting her heart by placing a strange stone plaque in front of it.


    ¡°Now, now¡­ Don¡¯t be too hasty.¡± Eliza smirked as the silver dissipated. She held the tablet out in front of her, ¡°You can¡¯t even read this, can you?¡±


    The mage¡¯s eyes squinted as Nimara¡¯s face turned red with rage. ¡°You give that back¡­¡± Her voice seemed to reach for the heavens. ¡°Immediately.¡±


    The world shook, but Eliza only kept reading with a faint smile. Nanri caught a glimpse of the runes atop the stone and her eyes went wide.


    ¡°Huh¡­ restrictions¡­? Of what¡­?¡±


    Both prolific casters in the room turned to Nanri with surprise. Her mother with abject shock and fear, but Eliza with pointed interest.


    ¡°N-Nanri¡­¡± Her mother had grown unnaturally pallid. ¡°Why¡­ Why do you recognize those runes?¡±


    ¡°Goodness,¡± Eliza¡¯s gaze grew distant, pointed somewhere Nanri couldn¡¯t see, ¡°How fascinating.¡±


    ¡°You wretched woman.¡± The Silver Witch snarled, and Eliza¡¯s limbs started to pull away. A silver glint in the Lamplight revealed threads wrapped tightly around them. Drops of blood fell from each of many points it sliced into her skin, ignoring any supposed barrier she may have had. ¡°You will not steal from me.¡±


    Red lines formed and Eliza¡¯s legs fell into three pieces each while her arms disconnected in the same moment. The hand grasping the stone tablet was cut into cubes. Like bursts of gravity, each slice was accompanied by a pulse of silver light that threatened to make Nanri buckle at the knees.


    The mage¡¯s body dissipated into a cloud of bloody mist, while she reformed from a shining slice of skin touching the tablet. Her hand regrew with a firm grasp around it, and she wore a jeering smile waving it around in the air.


    ¡°You¡¯re running out of time to stop me, Witch.¡±


    Somehow the fact that she sounded at least a little winded was a relief to Nanri.


    I¡¯m seriously powerless against such a foe¡­ Even Madam Estelle would be useless here. I need to get stronger. I doubt if even my array could harm her¡ªand it¡¯s taking so long to gather. Who knows if it will even work.


    Ignoring the glittering treasures strewn about the floor, the Silver Witch exploded through the room straight into Eliza in a javelin of mana. She rammed right through her, piercing the hull again to let in a breeze from one side to the other.


    Nanri was left bewildered and alone as the dust settled. Her cell had been destroyed by a combination of light and silver blades, so it¡¯s not like she could just go sit back down. It was impossible for the novice sorcerer to determine who would win the fight between them. The Silver Witch would certainly end her fight in an execution, as she always did, and Nanri had no reason to believe this mage wasn¡¯t the same.


    This did indeed concern her. The mage stated she hadn¡¯t come to bother Nanri, but if she could really overpower the Silver Witch¡­ As irritating as it was, her mother was in trouble. It was outside her purview as a sorcerer, as someone far weaker than both combatants, but Nanri didn¡¯t recall a direct philosophy which regarded strong opponents.


    On one hand, the first volume of the ¡®Sorcerer¡¯s Compendium¡¯ was full of Gazen fighting things he had no business messing with, and the absurd leaps in logic that lead to any given breakthrough he had in the heat of the moment. Even Cira had tackled a job that had no obvious solution. Eradicating plague, floods, and the rampage of a creature nobody understood. After spending some time with her, it was clear she was making it up as she went in regards to her methods.


    So¡­ prepare for the struggle, hope for leisure? That sounds about right. Yeah¡­ I¡¯ll just sneak that into my sorcerer¡¯s code.


    Nanri¡¯s imprisoned leisure time was equivocal to progress on the sorcerer¡¯s path, reinforced by the fact that she didn¡¯t have much space to move around. Lazing about and manipulating nearby mana in trial and error was a good way to keep one¡¯s mind occupied.


    Let¡¯s see. Turning aether into earth mana seemed simple at first, but the more it grows, it¡¯s trying to escape my grasp. Just what is pulling on it?


    It was split in four uneven directions as if there were things beyond the clouds which pulled on it as the moon would the tides. Unknown forces that subtly dragged on her refined mana, perhaps yearning to reassimilate it. Distant points of contention within the aethereal realm.


    Nanri had no way of knowing one branch of her gathered mana in fact pointed toward Breeze Haven and the Shadow Spring, but she had fallen into a state of concentration to try and reel it in.


    Refined or not, this mana is yet untamed. I need to finish my array.


    Mana encased the Silver Witch¡¯s ship like a wide net, arranged in geometric patterns like one of Cira¡¯s barriers, as if a single plate could fall off and be replaced before any further damage was done. Nanri didn¡¯t have control over space enough to see through it, but earth was another matter. One of her main areas of study lately had also been converting ambient aether or even other types of mana into her own.


    Ripe for the plucking anywhere was water, of course. The air became dry as the world around her seemed to sparkle. The family¡¯s servants were all hiding away in their quarters or wherever they happened to have been when the first explosion went off, save for Oliander who stood on the deck with a random sword she was too weak to wield, spinning around frantically with each fluctuation in mana.


    Whatever did mother do to earn such a loyal servant? Oliander possesses no skill in combat, nor even an aura¡­ She sure does deserve one though.


    Outside, Nanri watched her mother and Eliza flicker in and out of her field of control. The woman¡¯s red hair glinted in the sun each time she appeared, always surrounded by a barrier of many mana types molded around each other¡ªinterwoven would be a better word. She could damn near turn it into aether, but it seemed that wasn¡¯t the point.


    Mother isn¡¯t even wounded¡­ and Eliza is on the back foot, but she still has that plaque in her hand. Just what was that? It was the same language Cira carved into the ground of Uru¡¯s cure workshop. Is the tablet cursed? I only recognized a single word¡­ but I couldn¡¯t say why or how after just looking at a few inscriptions.


    The Silver Witch appeared from the ambient dust as blades of silver formed tendrils behind and around her. Eliza appeared suddenly with a strange look on her face like she had been caught off guard and the sound of countless blades sliding against each other like shears echoed through the sky. Blood poured from Eliza¡¯s back as she yowled and tried to disappear into light, but each glimmer she dissolved into turned silver and faded away.


    Eliza¡¯s expression grew dire as she stopped the light entirely, leaving her with gaping holes in her side or shoulder, down her legs and in her hand.


    I think I get it now¡­ She¡¯s turning herself into light bit by bit, but how does her consciousness remain? Perhaps I just need to trust my will¡­ There¡¯s no reason I can¡¯t do that without light. I heard Cira even turned herself into lightning¡ªat least that¡¯s how it appeared to the journalists.


    Well, here goes nothing.


    Nanri¡¯s domain was complete in full and active. She could see anywhere within it she set her mind to, and it felt as if she were thinking from the same omniscient perspective anyway. Following this train of thought, she condensed the air¡¯s humidity into miniscule drops of titanium which slowly took shape.


    To call it a control domain would be an exaggeration, but Nanri could control the amount of earth that existed nearby.


    ¡°Y-young mistress?!¡± Oliander shrieked as the blade in her hand almost fell out of her hands, ¡®Is¡­ is that really you?¡±


    Well, that worked fabulously. Her shortrange transportation¡¯s success only solidified the notion that it could be done. I wonder what happened to my body¡ªoh¡­


    A mess of hexagonal prisms of crystalized titanium lay scattered around the hallway where she just disappeared.


    ¡°It is I.¡± Nanri smiled at the woman who used to tuck her into bed at night. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be out here, Oli. My mother¡¯s debts are her own. There¡¯s no reason you should come to harm to settle them.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡­ Young Mistress, what are you talking about?¡± The sword¡¯s tip hit the ground as the servant seemed to lose her strength. ¡°You¡ªyou need to get inside! Quick, come with me!¡±


    The woman grabbed her hand, but Nanri shook it off and placed a hand on her shoulder. Her usual smile didn¡¯t quite assuage Oliander¡¯s concerns.


    ¡°This attacker is an even match for Mother. I¡¯ll simply jump in and help drive her away. Now, I need you to get inside¡ª¡± Her words died in her throat.


    Nanri watched on in horror as Oli¡¯s eyes became placid and she choked up blood. There was a jagged sword protruding from her belly.

 151 - Titan

    ¡°M-Mistress¡ª¡± The light behind her gaze threatened to fade away as her skin grew pale alarmingly fast.


    ¡°O¡­ Oliander¡­?¡± Nanri went stiff, her blood ran cold. Then the air trembled. ¡°What¡­ what have you done?!¡±


    There was a man standing behind the maid with dark horns which twisted out from his skull, blond hair and a predatory smile on his face. Nanri had finished her domain, and the mana in her hands felt more natural than ever. This was the first time in weeks she wasn¡¯t bound in something made to actively suppress her magic. It felt like dropping weights from her wrists, but she didn¡¯t have time to worry about whether her attacks would go unnoticed. She could only try.


    ¡°Titan Witch¡­ What a delight it is to see you here. Such low-hanging fruit for such delectable blood¡ªguh¡ª¡± Ten titanium stakes reached his vitals, joints, and skull.


    ¡°Oli!¡± Nanri grabbed the maid and clutched her in her arms, tears falling unchecked down her face and onto the black and white uniform the woman wore. ¡°You¡­ you can¡¯t die¡­¡±


    Golden light wisped from the poor Oliander¡¯s wounds, but it was faint and weak. It came in inconsistent waves that Nanri just couldn¡¯t get to steady. She spent hours healing Lomp, but the wound was far too severe to afford that kind of time today. Still, Nanri just couldn¡¯t draw upon the holy light like Cira could.


    ¡°Damn you, incomprehensible one! Whatever you are!¡± Nanri, as a born witch, knew the constellation Vercephus to be a power which existed entirely outside of witchcraft, but she couldn¡¯t afford to be bound by such notions as a puddle of blood grew at her knees. The witch¡¯s shackles were perhaps more difficult to shed than she thought. ¡°Give me power! Bathe Oliander in your healing light¡­ Please!¡±


    Silver hair matted on her face as tears stained her cheeks. Her voice was hoarse and distraught as she pleaded¡ªno, demanded whatever power up there provide her mana.


    Nanri could only copy Cira¡¯s ludicrous holy demands, despite the fact they made no sense to her. Regardless, she put her entire heart and will into these faux-prayers. Hoping beyond hope that her wish would be granted. But to see the light surrounding Oli¡¯s wounds flare up in golden flames as her skin regained its color¡ªsomehow, it was the last thing Nanri expected.


    Wait¡­ I didn¡¯t do this¡­ This is¡­ it¡¯s coming from somewhere else.


    Nanri realized that within a battle, space was like a pincushion of aethereal channels poking in different directions. There was a flow to one commanding mana of a specific element, and it created ripples in the surface. Within and all around any given conjuration was a unique phenomenon, no matter how repeated. Like ripples in a pond.


    This particular trail was difficult to pick up, as if it was intentionally hidden. Nevertheless, Nanri¡¯s eyes eventually landed on Eliza, who materialized in an iron maiden of light. They made eye contact as the woman smirked.


    No way¡­ Why would she¡ª


    ¡°Nanri, dear¡­¡± Eliza chuckled into her mind, ¡°Or should I say Sorcerer Nanri, I would hate to leave a bad impression on you. Your maid shall live, I assure y¡ª¡±


    Spears of light swarmed the Silver Witch from every direction, but all turned to dust in an instant. Suddenly, her mother was directly behind Eliza with her hand sticking out of her chest.


    ¡°This ends now¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ahahah,¡± Eliza¡¯s voice rang out as space shuddered, and her form melted into globs of blood. In seconds, the mage had reformed to the side, ¡°I just saw this trick recently and was dying to try it out.¡±


    The sky¡¯s ambient light all turned silver again as the sun seemed to eclipse, but it was more like a silver crown in the sky, gleaming with fury. Suddenly Eliza¡¯s light all disappeared in one go, and she was forced to heal herself with holy magic alone as she flew backwards.


    ¡°You think you have the luxury to ignore me¡ª¡± A man¡¯s voice from behind Nanri was quickly cut off when the air ruffled and tore apart. Titanium blades formed an ¡®X¡¯ that cut through the air and even the surrounding space. Nanri was taken by surprise at how effective the aethereal domain was¡ªnot even she could sense the blades until they appeared. This was all new to her and felt very precarious. That meant she absolutely could not let this draw out any longer than it needed to.


    The man who earlier impaled Oliander apparently had similar tricks to the woman who inexplicably deigned to heal her. No matter how thoroughly he could regenerate himself though, it would not be so easy to escape punishment today.


    Nanri realized that the nature of her array being built upon base geometric structures meant it could easily be tweaked at a moment¡¯s notice. There were certain vertices of concentrated earth mana and her authority lay within the pattern through which they all connected. If it were truly to be called a domain, shouldn¡¯t she have authority over all within it? This included earth, water, fire, flesh, and blood. Why shouldn¡¯t it? At the very least, all was within her reach.


    ¡°You will regret crossing a sorcerer of Breeze Haven.¡± There was nowhere else in mind to claim as to the roots of her sorcerous will. ¡°Whoever you are, I will show you how the weak feel when you trample them.¡±


    Bright blonde hair glowed in the sun as his horns pointed menacingly in favor of his feverish eyes. In the next moment, the man¡¯s flesh and bone deconstructed into a fine powder while his blood turned into silver dust.


    More specifically, titanium dust. The metal was hardy in a physical sense, but as that great sorcerer seemed to like it great deal, it had to be more remarkable than even she herself realized. The effects of her domain only backed Nanri¡¯s new understanding up. Whether the Silver Witch had been so wise, or a sorcerer¡¯s imagination was just that effective, the bloody titanium dust coagulated into a series of misshapen lumps that gently orbited Nanri. This could almost be said to be one half of the technique used to transport herself up to the deck, but the interloper would not be going anywhere.


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    ¡°U-Uriel!¡± A balding man appeared from nowhere in a panic, right in front of Nanri. He started frantically sucking up the man¡¯s bone dust into a leather pouch, ¡°You moron!¡±


    ¡°Have you come to die as well?¡± Nanri asked, shabby prison robes blowing in the wind atop the warship¡¯s deck. The midday sun lit up her little domain even brighter than the sky her mother currently presided over. The two were still locked in battle with Eliza gradually on the losing end. They both healed their own wounds, but one was faster. Nanri only had a split second to check though as this man before her exuded a threat on par with, or much greater than Lyren. ¡°I will arrange it.¡±


    He had remained completely undetected until he needed to collect that Uriel¡¯s fellow¡¯s remains. He was clearly dangerous, but now Nanri could see him clearly. A shroud of space surrounded him, and Nanri sliced it into a few pieces with sudden mana-engulfed blades from the aethereal plane.


    ¡°Wh-what¡ª¡± His voice trailed off in a gurgle of blood as golden light shined from his neck, slowly regrowing his torso, ¡°Eliza, help!¡±


    His voice was cut off as metal manifested around him and tightened in the shape of a sphere. Once it was a little smaller than Nanri¡¯s head, it joined one of the many blood orbs trailing a circle around her.


    No one else is within my domain, but that is not to say more aren¡¯t coming. This has to end quickly. And I need more power¡­ immediately.


    Nanri was feeling reckless as she furious mana pulsed from the orbs she formed out of Oli¡¯s attempted killer. I can use this¡­ can¡¯t I?


    They started glowing as one at a time latched onto her and slowly melted. She felt the surge of energy flood her aura, almost painfully.


    If Cira can bear the pain of an entire island, than surely I can endure this much.


    Nanri wanted more time but needed to close in on Eliza. It seemed her mother was in gridlock, silver blades against tendrils of blood that never ceased.


    Suddenly, a titanium puppet formed from precipitous mana and Nanri appeared between the Silver Witch and the mysterious Eliza.


    ¡°This has gone on long enough.¡± She eyed her mother as the next orb of metallicized blood flattened against her chest and forced its way into her aura. The air pressurized enough to make the two reel back for a brief moment. Then Nanri glared at Eliza as a single orb¡ªthe one containing the other man who appeared¡ªfloated her way. ¡°You have your treasure. I destroyed one of your friends, but I suggest you leave before I change my mind about the other.¡±


    Eliza¡¯s eyes grew wide as she received her fallen comrade, staring at Nanri with her mouth agape. ¡°You¡­ Did you truly defeat Uriel?¡± A slight grin didn¡¯t escape the sorcerer¡¯s notice as mana flashed over the scene.


    ¡°And I intend to keep him.¡± Three more orbs of bloody titanium melded with Nanri¡¯s skin as mana turned flame burned in her eyes. Gravity increased within her domain as the earthen density multiplied by orders of magnitude in the blink of an eye. Were it not for her control, the servants would have been crushed. The Silver Witch gawked at her daughter with disbelief as she stared down the Third Order¡¯s arbiter. ¡°Now leave before I¡¯m forced to rethink my terms.¡±


    It was a bluff of sorts as this woman¡¯s power truly was a mystery, but she had everything she needed. Why would she keep fighting? That was what Nanri hoped she was thinking.


    The orb which contained Eliza¡¯s unnamed companion landed directly before her. She clutched it with trepidation, trying not to take her eyes off the Silver Witch.


    ¡°N-Nanri, what are you talking about?!¡± She shouted, ¡°What happened to the other arbiters? I know the cockroach Roman is hiding around here and didn¡¯t that Uriel bastard just kill Oliander?!¡± She cast her eyes at the unconscious servant on the deck, encompassed in holy flames. ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t just let her leave with that tablet!¡±


    Blades of silver formed behind Eliza and turned a slightly different shade before disappearing.


    ¡°Mother, who cares about the tablet? There¡¯s more of them aren¡¯t there?¡± Nanri¡¯s voice took a dispassionate tone. ¡°She has already earned this one. Who knows how this fight ends. How much more are you willing to lose? The answer for me is none.¡±


    Blood stained the deck and the hull was splintered with multiple holes and gashes rent through it. Were it not for Nanri¡¯s domain, it would struggle to stay afloat with such torn sails. A glint of gold flashed in the sun as yet another ancient treasure spilled out, never to be seen again beneath the cloudy abyss.


    The Silver Witch groaned with a harsh expression, frustrated beyond belief.


    ¡°I¡­ I can beat her. She¡¯s not stronger than me!¡± Mana fluctuated in the air and silver tried to manifest, but Nanri quelled it promptly. ¡°And now you¡¯re here¡ª"


    ¡°That¡¯s not the point. This is over.¡± Her eyes shot daggers into Eliza again. ¡°Am I understood?¡±


    Her eyes flickered between Nanri and the Silver Witch before they started to sparkle. Her lips raised slightly despite her tired expression. ¡°I was never one to outwear my welcome.¡±


    In that instant, Eliza and the ball of titanium containing her friend disappeared as if they were no more than illusions. The Silver Witch held out her hand to do something about it but was disarmed by Nanri¡¯s narrowed gaze.


    ¡°Repair the ship so I can dispel my sorcery.¡± Nanri turned to dust as she reappeared on deck, holding the bloodied woman in her arms. ¡°Oliander¡­ Oli, please tell me you¡¯re okay.¡±


    She admittedly shouldn¡¯t shake a wounded loved one, but it was almost reflexive. Even though her own body and soul felt sore from a battle beyond her means, could not rest until she knew.


    The Silver Witch was completely dumbfounded as she witnessed this tender moment, and slowly floated down.


    ¡°Young¡­ Mistress¡­?¡± Oli opened her eyes slowly, unable to stifle a yawn, ¡°Where are we? Why do you¡ª¡±


    Nanri¡¯s expression crumbled joyously as she pulled the woman into a tight hug, silencing her with a harsh embrace.


    ¡°Oli¡­ I thought I lost you.¡± Her voice was broken up between sobs, ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m so glad you¡¯re okay¡­¡±


    Oliander¡¯s face was frozen in shock, blindsided by Nanri¡¯s reaction as she slowly remembered what was happening. How she ended up there. The blade which pierced through her body and out the other side. Tears fell from her own eyes as she collapsed into Nanri¡¯s embrace and wept, only to be startled frozen as she met the Silver Witch¡¯s gaze behind her back.


    ¡°N-Nanri¡­¡± her mother called. ¡°How did you¡ª¡±


    She broke out of the embrace and looked her former master in the eyes, ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯m a sorcerer.¡± Nanri absorbed the last mysterious blood orb into her body and her aura throbbed. She felt it threaten to break, hairline cracks forming. She likened it to tearing a muscle slightly to facilitate growth. There was nothing wrong so long as her aura didn¡¯t disperse, and she wouldn¡¯t pass up a chance like this to get stronger. The man who strove to kill her dear Oliander couldn¡¯t have met a better fate.


    ¡°You¡­ What are you planning?¡± Silver blades came into focus across the deck and Nanri somehow felt a piece of her heart she didn¡¯t realize still existed shatter.


    ¡°How pitiful, that you should point your blades at me, Mother.¡± Nanri let go of Oli and stood up to face the great witch. There was a complicated expression on her face, unsure of how she felt, but she refused to let her composure fall at someone else¡¯s hand. ¡°Make no mistake. I am your prisoner. Now take me to Porta Bora already.¡±


    Nanri turned away and reappeared in the rubble of her cell in the belly of the adjutant¡¯s warship and tended to her bleeding aura. The second step on the path to sorcery was within her grasp, she was sure of it.

 152 - The Fate of a Whelp

    In my youth, I would shine endless light upon the darkness in these skies.


    At first, they told me I was too young, too weak. No matter how much effort I put forth, I could live for a thousand years and never make a difference. But one day I reached for the sun, and the rest was history.


    Once my talent undeniably blossomed, my parents were quick to throw me under the tutelage of the Silver Witch. She was the glimmering example of what one could do with the long life afforded to a master of witchcraft. Centuries of sitting on the High Coven, undefeated among those who challenged her, she spearheaded the alliance between the Earth Vein and Nightwing Isles. Untold wealth made its way to our shores, along with unprecedented opportunity.


    As a child, my duties were studying while my hobbies were experimenting with magic. Uncovering the mysteries was my purpose before I knew anything else. I was not only keen, but thorough. A prodigy among my peers.


    I still met folly at her honeyed words. Earth Vein represented utmost prosperity, and I could be a part of that. So many years ago, I didn¡¯t even know the world existed beyond the Mystic Skies, then they showed us the Boreal and beyond. From sea to sky, it was like the horizon ran away, vanished into the distance. That which I thought was the extent of my gaze turned out to be nothing but the local scenery.


    Given my talent¡­ nothing was beyond my reach after I entered her tutelage. To her credit, the Silver Witch helped me reach my potential. Her methods were harsh and effective, but picturing that damned girl, I wonder if she only stifled my potential in the end?


    Among Nanri¡¯s blathering was mention of ¡°the witch¡¯s shackles¡±. My student was nothing if not extraordinarily ordinary, yet she still found time for amused mutterings as the single greatest opportunity in her life crumbled around her. As the adjutant¡¯s daughter, she could have gone even further than me.


    Did she let that cursed witch in willingly or was she merely a victim herself? A tool to be tossed aside? Looking back on the way that silver-headed girl spoke, I can only think she came out better than most from that ordeal. The High Coven was sure to punish her, but her fate was out of my hands.


    These days I often ask myself, where did I go wrong?


    I never would have thought my life would unfold in such a tragic way. Centuries wasted chasing gold and mithril, for what? So that my manor was larger than my childhood friends¡¯? There was not a single teacher on Porta Bora who owned a larger estate.


    As Earth Vein claimed it for my alleged debts, did it ever even matter? My home was built upon a parcel of land which had existed for millennia, and I only gave someone a bag full of rocks for it eighty years ago. Was it not always fleeting?


    Naturally, I lost my job. Overnight, all my prospects within Earth Vein were dissolved, let alone my reputation among the witches of Nightwing. I no longer had students for the first time in what felt like ever. But perhaps it was for the best.


    There was a very long time during which watching my students grow into prominent witches was the highest gratification I could find in life of mine, but somehow, I lost that long the way too. They turned lackluster and I thought nothing of it¡ªthat perhaps it was their fault. This generation just didn¡¯t get it. But it was me all along.


    Consistently over the multitude of years I¡¯ve somehow managed, my students kept me alive. Their unquenchable yearning for knowledge in any given subject kept me on my toes, but somehow, it all became routine.


    My estate only grew larger over time. My workshop had materials stacked wall to wall, my pantry overflowed. The floor of my treasury could not even be reached without shoveling catalysts out of the way.


    I forgot that my pursuit of knowledge was the only reason I had anything to my name in the first place, and somehow decided that I possessed those things because I innately deserved them. Such a long life, and even that which I earned through blood, sweat and tears ended up being taken for granted. Of course, only she whose blood poured would bear the pain when it all fell apart


    Decade after decade, the students were all the same. Difficulties understanding my texts were resolved and recorded throughout the years¡ªeasily available to future students. Furthermore, I was not blind to this. I adapted my understanding when necessary and properly evolved my syllabus with each twist and turn. But after so long, I couldn¡¯t think of anything so tedious.


    It wasn¡¯t until that ridiculous child led me toward my flaws with a firm hand that I truly realized how thoroughly I had been wasting my years. Simply looking into her radiant cerulean eyes was like being crushed under the weight of a young undine within the Mystic Seas.


    As salt fell to dust beneath my feet, how did I ever think I could compare to her? The mere act of approaching me turned the island to ruin. She spoke to me for a short moment during her brief, but effective reign. She spoke to me like I was a gnat obscuring her vision¡ªone to be swatted away. There wasn¡¯t a single moment where she looked at me as an opponent or even the slightest of threats.


    Honestly, as soon as she appeared from a bolt of divine lightning, I knew it was over. But after all my years¡ªall my experience¡ªwhat was I supposed to do? Kneel before that child?


    Perhaps it would have been the wiser choice, but that was impossible. My pride had been exacerbated over a great deal of time. While I drowned in the opulence offered in my cooperation with Earth Vein, the light of a star I had long forgotten blinded me.


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    In my youth¡­ nothing was safe from my light. There were those who wished to gain from others¡¯ misfortune, or bully the weak, and they were all purged of their narrow-minded views. Was I really going to destroy the infirmary¡­ and everyone in it?


    Where did I go wrong? As it turned out, the light had long forsaken me¡ªsurely when I turned my back on it.


    That girl, my student called her Cira, outshined me more anything I had ever known. She crippled me further than I had ever thought possible. Not only my knee, but my aura. Centuries of perfecting my mastery over light¡ªgone in the blink of an eye. I can still feel that cursed smoke stuck to my soul like a festering lesion.


    Somewhere¡­ I lost my way. My parents are long dead. Those I called friends have nearly all fallen to the decay of time. Perhaps I lost whatever I thought I needed to pursue, but it was questionable whether or not I shined so bright a single time in my pitiful life.


    Everything I thought I ever accomplished amounted to a laughable scolding from someone a fraction of my age. She spoke as if my greatest spells were child¡¯s play before her. As a mere child felt that way¡ªcould they be anything but?


    ¡°You¡¯re pathetic.¡± She looked at me as she would a bug beneath her feet. ¡°Like a child throwing a tantrum.¡±


    Nothing made me more infuriated than those words. Hundreds of years I¡¯ve lived, and a girl shy of even two decades dared to look down upon me.


    She was right.


    Earth Vein offered me wealth and resources, at the exchange of my heart and soul.


    Not really my soul, but I may as well have offered it. The things they made me do¡­ When you rely on a single source for your livelihood for centuries, it becomes difficult to decline their requests. At first, it¡¯s something simple. Reclaim stolen materials.


    Reclaim stolen materials.


    Collect a debt from a merchant who forgot his due date.


    Reclaim stolen materials.


    Investigate potential resources in uncharted lands.


    Reclaim stolen materials.


    Magicians from the Sunset Skies have encroached upon our distribution network. Destroy them.


    I have no right to blame Nanri for betraying such a master. The way she stood up to me; it reminded me of how I used to be¡ªor how I always wanted to be. What I always wanted to do. She protected the people of the island when the entire sky deigned to let them crumble away like miniscule grains of salt as soon as their worth dwindled. Never in my long life had I envied someone so. The fire in her eyes burned just as bright as the girl above in that moment.


    Before I knew it, I was deeply involved in the oppressive system that ruled these skies, yet here was one of my least notable students from a deceptively auspicious background with the courage to defy the only sky she¡¯s even known. Her courage came largely from the one behind her, but she was ready for me to turn her to dust. I saw it in her unfaltering gaze.


    Cira¡­ That¡¯s the name my student muttered.


    The Hidden Witch probably wasn¡¯t even a witch. Not one from the Nightwing Isles at least. Beyond the witches, many mages and sorcerers across the sky believed in broadening the range of their casting abilities rather than specializing in any one school, but this girl didn¡¯t seem to care either way¡ªa master of whatever she wielded. It was as if she used the aether around us to paint the picture of her will. The Saint of Seven Suns?


    That¡¯s what she¡¯s known as now, though it felt like an understatement. She became the savior of one of the biggest islands on the Boreal, and the most problematic one by a longshot. I wouldn¡¯t even know where to begin to replicate her deeds with a team of a hundred witches.


    After being stripped of my title and everything else, I felt no obligation to clarify things for the Gandeux, let alone Earth Vein. Something tells me the girl will introduce herself to them in due time anyway. In any case, they saw no reason to interrogate me about it, and didn¡¯t seem to hold someone like me to much merit, anyway. My leg had already been healed by the time we reached Port, so they were quick to toss me out.


    Without my aura, I discovered there was remarkably little I could do.


    Lyren was the only one in these skies that seemed to care once I¡¯d fallen from grace, despite how poorly I treated her. After my shameful display on Fount Salt, I have no idea why she even bothered to take me in. She could crush me with a stray thought if she wanted, extinguishing all my years in a single breath.


    But she was compassionate enough to offer me a spare room in her home.


    Of course, I treated everyone poorly. It was impossible to find employment when I belittled everyone for their common existence. Though I desperately needed to do their bidding simply to survive, I somehow found a way to make myself sound superior.


    It didn¡¯t hold weight, naturally. I was the same as them now¡ªno, I was far worse off. I couldn¡¯t stop myself and was shamefully laughed out of every general store and restaurant who squandered the absolute honor of letting me greet their patrons or wash their dishes.


    Pitiful.


    It hasn¡¯t even been that long, yet that way of thinking seems so foreign to me.


    How did I ever get such a big head? And why did it take so long to realize?


    I was nothing without my aura. The moment it was stripped from me, I became an invalid.


    All Lyren asked was a hundred silver crowns a month. I only found out later it was many times lower than the going rate in downtown Port. It could hardly have been called a fee just to make sure I was trying.


    Somehow¡­ somehow I found the gall to berate poor Lyren. Why should I have to work some insufferable job for some paltry merchant? Just to live in some shitty run-down shack? For the record, she lived in a modest house right on the main street.


    ¡°How do people even live such bleak existences?! The thought of it makes my blood boil! Look at this shanty you¡¯ve put me in! We may as well be in the lower districts of Uren¡ªare you happy to live like this Lyren?! Are you satisfied living like a miner not even worth the salt they can gather in a day?!¡±


    I¡¯ll never forget the cold look in her eyes as I threw her kindness in her face for the umpteenth time. My last remaining student¡ªthe last person who seemed to care if I lived or died¡ªthe last shred of her concern dispersed into the aether in that moment.


    ¡°Get out.¡± That was all she said.


    Those were the last words I heard Lyren speak. I was still in a rage, but part of me knew I had crossed a bridge that offered no return. My feeble excuses died against a brick wall. I had too much pride to backtrack¡ªto apologize.


    That night it rained. As the moon rose above the distant mountains, I took shelter beneath an awning. It didn¡¯t take long before a man exited a nearby door with a bag of trash and took one look at me. His eyes creased in abject hatred and he threw the bag.


    ¡°Get the hell out of here!¡±


    The bag was bursting with weight and ripped open on impact.


    All I could do was stumble to my feet, still trying to wake up. Putrid oils and decomposed food waste covered the only set of robes I had left to my name, and the rain spread it through the fabric evenly.


    I clenched my teeth and stared at him indignantly while the rain washed away the tears forming in my eyes. I have spent days battling in heavy downpours before, but a few minutes subject to the elements in this frail, useless body had me utterly defeated. My chest tightened and I couldn¡¯t get any words out. Nightwing knows no incantations would have worked.


    Many trials I have faced in my life, but in this moment the only thing I could think to do was turn around and flee down the street into the ceaseless deluge.

 153 - Effort, Pride, and Disaster鈥擫et It Be Quenched

    The sky brightened when the sun rose and became dark when it fell. This was the natural order of things.


    Order was great. It kept everyone¡¯s lives on the right track¡ªonly altered by their own actions. When morning came, the adults went to work by the rhythmic chime from the center of town, and when night began to fall, a softer song called them in from afar to gather and prepare for the night.


    The night. It was always dark.


    Until that one night.


    I was told it was something I would only experience once until long after my own children were grown. My family and I, and everyone else¡ªwe all sang and danced around the village as the stars began to shimmer. Once the sun fell fully beneath the distant canopies, a flickering flame grew.


    They told me what would happen. I thought I understood.


    But I didn¡¯t really get it.


    It was enough of a joy to simply bring water to those who were thirsty.


    They said we would be in charge in a matter of years, but it never made much sense to me. I was born a mere ten years ago, and I didn¡¯t feel ready to be in charge of anything. My friends were smarter, more talented¡­ All I could do was follow directions.


    How beautiful our village was¡ªhow quiet, and peaceful. Somehow it seemed more important than whatever the adults wanted to do with it. Was it so wrong to feel that way?


    On that night we were visited by a legendary creature. The mighty heron whose life may never extinguish flew overhead. At the time I thought our village called it by paying tribute¡ªeverything we had ever worked for in exchange for a mere glance.


    Then I found out the mighty phoenix didn¡¯t even deign to grace us with its presence. It was her.


    While those who cherished their own ways tried to destroy our visitor¡¯s home with their flames, she saw fit to make our festival the most memorable since its founding. The true heron passed over our island long ago¡ªbut everyone who saw it had become fertilizer for one half of our island or the other by now.


    Perhaps there was no meaning to its visit. Perhaps it was only passing through. Perhaps the heron¡¯s vitality was not something that could be replicated by mortals.


    And finally, perhaps there was no reason to burn our village down.


    That woman felt akin to the Heron in my eyes. I doubt there was any meaning to her visit. Her vitality was something to question as she exhausted herself helping the adults move lumber for some reason, but even her foreign eyes twinkled under the village¡¯s flame, though I thought they looked somewhat sullen as she rose into the sky.


    If there was a Heron to be witnessed by my generation, wasn¡¯t it her?


    After the festival, everyone was still happy. It was difficult to say whether it was the spirit of the Heron or she who brought it to life, but everyone young enough to dream wanted to do more with it than their lot in life. It was almost infectious among us children.


    My friends and I all practiced sorcery. Myrtle showed enough talent to conjure her own heron in a few years, where all I managed was to fill a glass or two with water. My skills were improving by the day, though, I thought.


    That sorceress took an interest in Pita, but it seemed that¡¯s just because they stumbled upon each other by chance. Even his ramblings about the things she said offhandedly helped me grow stronger. At the end of the day, one could do whatever they wanted to do so long as they had the courage to try it.


    I know now this is highly nuanced, but it would be difficult to say she was wrong at this point.


    After the festival we all had roofs over our heads before long. Until then, the stars were strangely comforting to sleep under. Nights were almost always clear and warm with just a single blanket.


    The sky brightened when the sun rose and became dark when it fell. This was the natural order of things.


    Except for once in a while.


    Until that second night.


    I awoke to the sounds of my parents¡¯ frightened voices. Dad ran out the door to see what was going on and I heard half a second of blistering torment in his wails until something bubbled. Then there was nothing.


    Mom¡¯s defeated cries echoed through the house as I heard her knees crash into the floor. The pain in her voice was palpable, and my blood curdled from the withering vibrato. As if her being had crumbled with the evacuation of her lungs, harrowing sobs were only drowned out in the likened screams of my neighbors.


    I wanted to ask Mom what to do. I still didn¡¯t really know what was going on, but she couldn¡¯t help me any longer. She couldn¡¯t even tell me where Dad went.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    I ran out the front door as tears evaporated from my face. There was a small crater not far outside that smelled of far-overcooked meat, and I ran past it with both hands clenching my face to block the odor.


    Mark, Jennifer, Susie and her parents¡ªthey came running out of their homes. Susie¡¯s face looked strange, like it was falling off and her screams resembled a few of the others I heard around me.


    Everyone was in a panic. The fear and confusion had spread to me, and I couldn¡¯t do anything. I couldn¡¯t even tell what was happening¡ªI just knew it was bad.


    The sky was alight as it had been on the festival, but the flames were far more sinister.


    Why is this happening again?


    I couldn¡¯t help but ask myself.


    When I turned around, I realized my own house was on fire.


    Mom¡­ She¡¯s still inside.


    I mustered everything I could¡ªevery once of strength I had¡­ and a couple glasses of water splashed against our porch which the flames hadn¡¯t even reached yet.


    Why can¡¯t I make more water? I¡¯m doing something wrong. I have to be.


    I didn¡¯t know why I couldn¡¯t do it right, but quenching such a fierce fire was beyond my ability no matter how I looked at it.


    What did I think I was going to do with a pitcher of water?


    So stupid. Na?ve.


    A gust of wind blasted hot air out of the front door and threw me into the road. As I swatted hot embers from my face, I opened my eyes to see a different village. One where my house didn¡¯t exist. In its place, a pile of charcoal and blackened logs.


    No¡­


    ¡°Mom¡ª¡± My words died in my throat as I tried to process what I saw. As a mere child, I had no concept of what had happened to my mom at the time, only that something bad had happened.


    She was inside the house crying over whatever tragedy that had befallen us, and then our house was gone. It was silent save for the sound of cinder and ash.


    There was pain. Intense, gut-wrenching pain that threatened to burn a hole through my frail body. I couldn¡¯t go back inside my house. I couldn¡¯t find Mom, and Dad left somewhere. I didn¡¯t even know where to look.


    I fell backwards and my vision was obscured by something that wasn¡¯t quite water. It trailed down my face and felt cold under the furling heat around me.


    After an indeterminate amount of time, I felt a hand on my shoulder.


    ¡°Lily, is that you?¡± It was Sam¡¯s comforting voice, and it was the first thing to make me feel at ease since I awoke, ¡°I¡¯m so glad I found y¡ª¡±


    Like our mayor was gargling saltwater before bed, his words fell apart.


    ¡°M-Mr. Mayor¡­?¡± I turned my head and he slumped to the ground. A large metal arrow as tall as I was stuck out of his chest.


    ¡°R-run¡­ please¡ª¡± Even the flames that glimmered in the whites of his eyes seemed to dull rapidly. ¡°You have to¡ª¡±


    His outstretched hand fell limp to the ground, and I watched the color drain from his face.


    No¡­ Sam¡­


    Mom¡­ Where are you?


    Dad? Why did you leave?


    Watching the life fade from Sam¡¯s eyes, I could begin to imagine the fate of the others. It felt as if anyone on the island I couldn¡¯t see had met that same fate.


    No.


    Stop burning.


    Please¡­


    The moon was nearly full, and I caught a glimpse of a large ship with a single mast. It disappeared between bursts of flame.


    Was it you¡­?


    The heat gradually dissipated around me.


    Why¡­ would you do this? Why would anyone do this?


    My immature mind did not need to grasp details. It had enough of them.


    Can¡¯t I do anything¡­ that I want? So long as I have the courage¡­ All I ever wanted was to see the smile on someone¡¯s face when they drink a cold glass of water after a long day working under the hot sun. I just don¡¯t think that¡¯s enough.


    Such small dreams.


    How could I¡­?


    This island doesn¡¯t need refreshments.


    It needs rain.


    I fell to my knees. My mother¡¯s sobs resounded, or those like hers, and they echoed in the night sky from countless razed homes.


    Only rain can douse this fire. If it doesn¡¯t, there will be nothing left. Nothing but ash.


    As my tears fell to the warm soot, the world¡¯s weight lessened. I almost seemed lighter. Wind broke in sudden, sharp gusts, and I felt a sudden chill.


    My knees had dug into the dirt, but the pain of my bruises disappeared in an instant. I felt a cool breeze blow through but somehow, I couldn¡¯t feel it against my cheek. My tears had dried up now, while throes of torment rang over the treetops from every direction. It was as if all the pain on this island reached me.


    Drip.


    A slender leaf let loose a single drop of water. A moment later, another. As it picked up over the next couple minutes, rain began to fall unbidden like tears from a single dark cloud in the sky. This rain was heavier than usual. The orange and red flickers of light from the festival were diminished for a deep blue that carried the tragedy and weight of the multitude of lives that were extinguished in a matter of minutes for no reason at all.


    Where¡­ where am I?


    The place where my house should be was nothing but ash, along with most nearby. The place where I curled up on the ground in useless agony was just a wet spot in the soil now, while flames across the island dwindled under heavy rain.


    Perhaps it¡¯s better this way.


    ___


    It rained for two whole days after the pirates came, and that storm cloud never left. Almost like it was waiting for the next fire. At least half of us died, many of which were the adults who tried to keep us safe. It didn¡¯t seem they were able to do anything in the end. Now that my father, Sam, was gone. Nobody really knew what to do.


    But there was only one thing we knew we could do¡ªand that was to rebuild. This time around, everyone was sullen as we scoured the island for wood that wasn¡¯t burned. Not much of the forest remained, and we had to cut some of it down anyway just to put roofs over our heads.


    They didn¡¯t turn out very well this time either¡­ And nobody said a word about the festival. Not once. I didn¡¯t even hear the word ¡®heron¡¯.


    Maybe the Heron guided us in the past, but this time our people burned together with the village. Unlike the Heron, they would never rise from the ashes. After that night, it seemed our island had a new guardian deity. Another existence to revere, for better or for worse.


    Instead of disappearing for centuries, never to be seen again, this one didn¡¯t seem to want to leave, for better or for worse.


    Who am I to guess at its intentions? But it saved us from the flames of destruction. Nobody knows where it came from, or why it took an interest in our pitiful island, but everyone here has welcomed the Rain Mother with gratitude and awe. Some of the younger kids¡ªit¡¯s all they talk about now. Something for them to be cheerful about seemed to make all the difference these days.


    Myrtle, Susie, and the other kids often took shade under the cloud on particularly hot days when the sun would reach its peak, and the Rain Mother seemed happy to release a light shower to cool them off. They danced around and played in the rain anytime it was too hot, sometimes for hours.


    I can¡¯t help but think that if that girl Lily had survived the second festival, she would have loved it.

 154 - Book 3 Prologue: Past and present

    Cira plunged into the sea which no light reached nor escaped from.


    It has always churned and swirled in the back of her mind, but pushed down until it was denser than the depths of Archaeum.


    She spent a long time in this place, sinking.


    As if it were mere darkness, she tried to shield herself from it.


    It took a long time before she realized it was nothing like that.


    That crushing ocean of hers was a part of herself she¡¯d disconnected from¡ªthat¡¯s what it had always been.


    After a longer while, A light came from below.


    Cira sank further toward it, as if she had a choice.


    What¡­ is that? A fragment of my soul, hidden away and unblemished by recent failures?


    Why is it¡­ down here?


    Was it Dad who placed it there, knowing that I may one day need it?


    Soon the pressure lessened, and the sea of darkness gave way to a world blanched in light.


    She felt inherently that the fragment was assimilating and felt a certain long-forgotten comfort.


    It must have been a piece of her soul from just a few years after Gazen found her.


    She felt a nostalgiac, childlike and worry-free happiness. A sense of hope in the bleak world she found herself in. As if there were infinite horizons for her to surpass and nothing would ever go wrong as she traveled the skies next to¡ª


    No, he¡¯s gone¡­ Never again will we share a sunset, nor will he praise my progress with a pat on the head. Those days are gone forever.


    ¡°I am so proud of you, my daughter.¡± Surely, I¡¯m just hearing things, ¡°I will always be watching over you.¡±


    The faded world had slowly taken form. Somehow, having turned darker before she even noticed. The inside of small room was lit by a candle¡¯s glow, through the window Cira saw stars far above. She sat comfortably on top of someone¡¯s lap.


    ¡°D-dad¡­¡± I feel like none of my years have passed¡ªI¡¯m right back where I was so long ago. ¡°I¡­ I miss you. I¡¯m sorry I¡¯ve been a failure of a sorcerer; a failure of a daughter¡­ You must be watching over me with such disappointment¡­¡±


    ¡°Perish the thought,¡± The voice timbred through the newly shaped realm of Cira¡¯s memory. ¡°I¡¯ve never been more proud of you. You became everything I ever hoped for and more.¡±


    A dull and distant joy emerged from those words. A desperate gratitude long unfelt. The vibrance of the single flickering flame against the night began to lose its luster. Nostalgic wasn¡¯t quite the word to describe it, as if this memory had been among those buried.


    ¡°Do you mean it¡­?¡± Cira was staring at her feet and kicked her legs absently as they didn¡¯t touch the ground from her perch. She looked up and saw a woman on the ground. Her knees were bloodied while deep cracks in the skin ran across her body. Blonde hair which must have looked lovely in the sunlight was now matted red. ¡°But¡­ but I failed.¡±


    Tormented sobs came from the deranged human as tears fell and caused ripples in the pool of blood beneath her. Even her voice was distorted as her neck seemed to stretch and bend at a painful angle, ¡°Please¡­ please stop.¡±


    I¡­ I failed again, didn¡¯t I? Isn¡¯t there¡­ something I can do?


    It took both hands to hold up the old wood staff, and she propped it against the leg she was sitting on.


    ¡°I can¡­ do better than that, can¡¯t I?¡± Cira¡¯s dispassionate voice lulled as she worked out the flaws in her approach. She couldn¡¯t just stuff someone full of mana. The average person¡¯s body couldn¡¯t take it. Most born to weak corporea would experience rapid mutations and injury through such a simple-minded process. She wasn¡¯t getting anywhere. ¡°How about¡­ this?¡±


    Cira realized there was something else in there, something much more receptive to influxes of aether. A place she did not yet know the name of. Her staff grew cold, and heavy in a way she couldn¡¯t express in physical terms. Thick, gray smoke unfurled from its gnarled top and trailed toward the pallid woman on the ground.


    Her cheeks fell as a hopeless, broken expression of torment formed on her face, a single tear fell. Her lip quivered as the smoke formed dark rivers, or insidious streams through the air. ¡°N-no. Not again¡ª¡±


    The bright-haired woman screamed in agony as primordial mana slithered its way into her soul. At first, there was a strong reaction. The decrepit specimen¡¯s limbs were contorted before and when the smoke encompassed her this time, they gradually began to right themselves.


    Except they kept going until they bent backwards and instead of returning to their normal shape, the muscles within her legs seemed to readjust to conform for movement in a different manner, using the same joints.


    The cracks tearing through her flesh all over her body closed up, and in their place left tissue that seemed similar to chitin. Instead of receding to its original shape, the woman¡¯s neck developed a joint in the middle, and in the frail candlelight, her voice quivered with an unsteady vibrato, ¡°Why¡­ why would you do this¡­ to me? Please¡­ just let it end¡ª¡±


    Her wish was granted entirely outside of Cira¡¯s control. The woman cried desperately as smoke dense enough to block the sun poured from her mouth. Despite her body adapting, it was still too much for her. She wore a complicated look of something between crushing sadness and betrayal for only a brief moment before going still.


    Cira watched the dwindling light fade from the tarnished woman¡¯s once bright green eyes. It felt like another part of her slipped away without even knowing what it was. Naturally, the body flopped to the ground, just like so many others had.


    ¡°But¡­ but, Dad¡­ I failed again.¡± Cira held back tears.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I see.¡± The voice was reassuring, and her trembling world calmed down under its weight, ¡°Some lessons can only be learned through failure, daughter of mine. What is important is that you remember why you failed, and make sure not to repeat your mistake. Just now, you showed me I was right to choose you as my successor¡ªno¡ªyou will become far greater one day. That¡¯s what this has all been for.¡±


    ¡°What¡­¡± Cira¡¯s voice grew uneasy as her consciousness swirled inside the neglected seed of her soul, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    The man who was once her father rested his hand on her head, ¡°And I can¡¯t begin to tell you how proud I am.¡±


    The heavy hand covered her like a shaded canopy. A palm in which her head fit easily. It moved, stroking her hair gently. She felt a long-forgotten sense of comfort in it, but something just didn¡¯t feel right. She couldn¡¯t place her finger on it, but under such praise, the joy which dulled her mind fell again like the dark of night.


    His heavy hand stroked her head gently, gliding along her golden hair with a tender touch.


    Wait¡­ Why isn¡¯t Dad patting me on the head like he always did¡­


    All of a sudden, bile threatened to rise up in her throat. She was disgusted beyond belief to feel satisfaction from the praise she received. A pit grew in her stomach and refused to turn over.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Cira couldn¡¯t even gather her thoughts; the duality of her two pasts caused an impossible blur in her reality. ¡°You¡¯re proud of me¡­? For this?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Each time his hand slid over her hair and replaced itself at the top of her head, Cira felt a shiver run down her spine. She had sat in her father¡¯s lap many times long ago, but she felt awfully far from the ground today. ¡°Like I told you earlier¡­ You have become everything I ever hoped for and more.¡± A deep, grainy laughter echoed, causing the house to creak, ¡°My greatest work. The one who shall achieve my dream for me. After all these years, you will finally be reborn as my magnum opus who shall bend the sky to my will.¡±


    ¡°Who¡­ who are you?¡± Cira¡¯s eyes grew wide, but she couldn¡¯t turn around or look up. For some reason, she couldn¡¯t remove her gaze from the woman¡¯s lifeless veridian eyes as her blood spilled without rhythm to the floor.


    ¡°My, my¡­ You wound me.¡± The oppressive voice which in no way resembled Dad echoed. ¡°To think you wouldn¡¯t recognize your own father. How many years has it been since we last exchanged words?¡±


    Something¡¯s wrong. This isn¡¯t my¡ª


    ¡°This memory,¡± The voice that reverberated through her body, mind, and soul was so oppressive that even the necromancer¡¯s omniscient voice paled in comparison. ¡°It¡¯s important to you, isn¡¯t it? Or have you forgotten that too?¡±


    Cira¡¯s eyes were locked onto her latest failed specimen¡¯s. She felt her fists clench as well as her heart, but in the present, the frail hands of a little girl still held that weathered staff of dark wood.


    This is a memory I forgot long ago, or perhaps I banished it to the bottom of the sea, or it was stuck in this fragment Dad hid away. I never thought I would relive it so vividly, but there¡¯s just one problem with this memory¡­ I¡¯m not the only one in attendance today.


    ¡°You dare¡­¡± Cira¡¯s natural response seemed unnaturally frail, and she felt the leg she sat upon as solid as stone. It felt like a shoddy bench if she sat too long. Meanwhile, the sinister resonance of mana that had been beating against the barriers of her mind like a ceaseless tide felt like it had begun to soak through. Somehow Cira felt this person was not only someone she shouldn¡¯t defy, but someone she couldn¡¯t. ¡°¡­defy the daughter of a sage¡­?¡±


    Am I the daughter of a sage¡­? Or the daughter of this vile being?


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Cira¡¯s soul felt weak and ill-defined. More like her soul was a memory, and that her mind was bumbling around in the dark. Regardless of her pitiful soul or single digit years-old corporea which couldn¡¯t withstand a modicum of true aether, she called upon everything possible.


    Primitive void¡­ Can you swallow him up? No? Okay¡­


    Are you there, Aquon? Prismagora¡­ why won¡¯t you appear?


    Nothing in this place wants to move to my will. There isn¡¯t even a glass of water nearby. This person¡­ I¡¯m powerless in their presence.


    ¡°Daughter of mine, there is no use resisting. It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve been able to praise you¡ª¡± Cira¡¯s body quaked like the depths of Fount Salt when his hand stroked her hair again. She was literally a defenseless child sitting in his lap. ¡°No one else could ever hope to realize my dream, not even I. No one but you can, my dear Progeny.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ What did you just call me?¡± The dark night of the cursed island she once called home surged with power. She cast a limitless spectrum of light that appeared as auroras in the sky and brilliant flames of every color that turned the surrounding hills to dust as her temper flared in defiance with her entire being. My body and soul, who cares what it is anymore. My entire essence will resist this person until it is burned away. Cira¡¯s voice grew cold, ¡°I do not grant dreams. You were never my father, and you do not belong here.¡±


    This was Cira¡¯s mind¡ªCira¡¯s body¡ªCira¡¯s place of respite. If there was anywhere she could ever be alone, it was deep within the sea of her own consciousness, yet whatever this thing was still found her at the bottom.


    Dad¡­ I understand why you helped me forget. I wasn¡¯t ready before, but now¡ª


    Cira¡¯s light shimmered as the old city burned away and the world of her past was banished in its radiance. Cira no longer sat on that false father¡¯s lap nor withered under his praise¡ªeverything which happened so long ago turned to ash and she was once again adrift.


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong¡­¡± The voice came from everywhere, ¡°I will always be your father. And I am not here by chance, nor something as droll as predestination, no¡­ I have worked very hard for the privilege to come visit my darling daughter after all this time. Hidden away in a memory that man could only hide for so long, I knew this day would come¡ªthe day you realize your potential. And I just had to come. To let you know¡­. you will always be within my grasp.¡±


    His voice echoed and reverberated through the pressurized waters of the deep sea.


    No¡­ Where did the light go? Why aren¡¯t my flames burning?


    Cira had already merged with that fragment of her soul, but it didn¡¯t change the fact that she was drowning in something long-neglected. Something overwhelming, and then her alleged father¡¯s will on top of it all.


    ¡°How could you ever escape me?¡± Even her flames which burned fate itself were reduced to a meager bubble of light in the depths before finally extinguishing. She thought she could still feel the heat inside her body, but it dwindled, and her fingers didn¡¯t catch on anything as she tried to grasp onto anything. The darkness Cira refused to accept caved in on her until she was drowning in it. ¡°All I need to do is close my fist.¡±


    Suddenly the flow of fate turned to stone, and Cira¡¯s world became dark again, but it was something far more sinister than shadow. It was the weight of her own actions¡ªher sins. Like the woman earlier, so many others had died. Cira got much more proficient after that night, but for what¡­? Many more twisted rejects came out of it, but there were others who survived and would live on to do things they wouldn¡¯t and perhaps shouldn¡¯t.


    Things they could never have expected, nor could anyone else for that matter, let alone these skies.


    How could I forget¡ªhow could I ever forget¡­ just how many souls I ruined or extinguished? Those who had the good fortune to die and pass on before I ground them into nothing surely entered the next life in a sorry state. All I wanted¡­ was for him to be proud of me¡ª


    But he¡¯s not my dad. I don¡¯t want that anymore. And there¡¯s none left¡­ That thing is just a monster that wishes to use me to its own ends. That¡¯s no fate for a sorcerer.


    The ocean swirled, pressing in against Cira with its full weight as she realized she would soon run out of the strength to resist. Her willpower itself felt as paltry as a child¡¯s dream.


    I can¡¯t die now¡­ I can¡¯t let myself become this thing¡¯s puppet¡­ How could I possibly give my life to another? I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t do anything.


    The black sea of Cira¡¯s consciousness burned away at her like a curse; inescapable and definite.


    ¡°You¡­ You can¡¯t.¡± Cira¡¯s voice came out weakened, a hollow shell of her usually fiery spirit, ¡°I will never, be your Progeny. I refuse to just¡­ to¡ª¡±


    There was a tremble in her voice and the sea of cursed smoke took the opening to force its way into her lungs. Countless times she had seen it happen to others, but she drowned beneath its weight, without even the breath to scream. Always so strong-willed, Cira felt herself collapsing. Crumbling inward. She wouldn¡¯t survive much longer in these conditions, or at least, she would succumb to that monster¡¯s will.


    Is there nothing¡­ I can do?


    She wasn¡¯t her usual self. She lacked strength, courage, confidence. Everything else that made her a sorcerer, too. There wasn¡¯t anything she could do, and that¡¯s what she believed, because it was the truth. Or was it the other way around? Her frail body and smoldering mind could not withstand the pressure.


    This felt more final than her mind fading in the soul forge. As if she would close her eyes and never wake up again. She had to fight it, but¡­ there was nothing to fight it with. Cira was utterly helpless.


    As darkness seeped in, the bluffs of her will had weathered a thousand years. Cira¡¯s ability to resist started to dull; her agency was nil. Consciously or not, she started to give in.


    Cira felt a strange and familiar light against her back. Just a spark, at first, which slowly grew as the warmth of Cira¡¯s blood seemed to return. Like the sunrise she could never forget, it eventually grew into a golden dawn.


    Like the sun was too bright for her eyelids to block, she opened them and blinked away the delirium. Cira coughed up the last of the smoke and realized the crushing pressure had lifted. She could breathe again.


    ¡°What¡­ is this?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but ask, fluttering her eyes in confusion. It was no longer the cursed sea of memories that surrounded her but a true world of light.


    ¡°Accursed one,¡± This time the voice was familiar too. No mistaking it¡ªit belonged to her real father, Gazen. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to stay away from my daughter?¡±


    ¡°Dad¡­?¡± Cira turned around, but she couldn¡¯t see him no matter where she looked. Still, she felt him close by. The warm mana that surrounded him, his very presence. Cira could never mistake it. ¡°Where are you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Paltry human,¡± The monster snarled, ¡°I knew you died too fast, but to see the last dregs of the great sage be put to such waste¡­¡± His deep laughter cut cold swaths in the warm light. ¡°Today couldn¡¯t have gone any better.


    ¡°Now she is truly alone,¡± the accursed one¡¯s voice started to fade but still echoed in Cira¡¯s mind, ¡°all¡­ alone¡­ She will forge a path of solitude until the day she arrives at my doorstep.¡± Even in his weakness, the monster¡¯s cursed laughter still pervaded her father¡¯s world of light. The realization was terrifying.


    Cira didn¡¯t have a name for that thing, and really didn¡¯t want to call it Dad anymore. That thing let out a last disturbing cackle as its voice and presence seemed to burn away in the radiant light.


    Just like last time¡­ The one who brought the sunrise simply burned all that pain, sadness, and regret away. Not just for Cira, but for everyone who saw it. That was at least her memory of it.


    It was so miraculous, in fact, that Cira distinctly remembered how disgusted with her the people were, yet they could not help but express their gratitude to Gazen. Her would be father shined so bright she could only hope to copy it in her childish dreams.


    Having just experienced it, Cira still had no idea what was happening. Nor how she got here. Never had she had to deal with an intruder in her dreams of all places, but how could her father actually be there too? It wasn¡¯t making any sense. But that thing called his appearance a waste.


    For a moment Cira didn¡¯t move or even think more than necessary, just content to bask there like a lizard in the sun.


    ¡°Dad¡­?¡± She was nervous to call out after last time and spoke quietly, ¡°Are you there?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± There was a tense silence for a moment, ¡°Not truly¡ªthis is just a fragment I left behind. I¡¯m sorry, Cira, but this was the only way to protect you against him. I wanted to spend¡­ at least a little more time with you¡­ but that demon planted something in your soul that I knew would outlive me.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ if you never found me¡ª¡± Cira felt years and tears of anger, guilt welled up in her eyes before Gazen cut her off abruptly.


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡± His words were stern, but somehow soft. ¡°He saw me coming before you were even born, and there hasn¡¯t been a day I regretted taking you in. Er¡ªwell, that day you crashed my skiff was pretty rough actually. And your birthday was coming up, so I had to build you a new one.¡±


    ¡°Dad¡ªthat¡¯s not how it happened!¡± Was that how it happened¡­?


    His hearty laugh bellowed through the sea of light, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re taking good care of it.¡± His voice took on the playful tone it did when he knew the answer already and Cira¡¯s smile spread thin.


    ¡°O-of course, Dad!¡± She laughed nervously, ¡°Anyway¡­¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± His laughter died down and his tone grew almost reminiscent, ¡°In any case, it was always meant to go this way for me. I lived plenty, more than most even, and not many men get to say they made it to the right place in the end.¡± Cira felt a heavy hand on her head, but not too heavy¡­ She leaned in as he gave her a couple pats.


    ¡°Remember this.¡± If she turned around, perhaps he wouldn¡¯t be there anymore. Cira closed her eyes and listened. ¡°A sorcerer does not regret their actions, nor the path they walk. You can¡¯t decide which way the wind blows, and you won¡¯t often be satisfied with where it takes you. This much is common sense, I would hope, and I thought I told you years ago not to be afraid of your own shadow.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Cira¡¯s eyes shot open, ¡°But, Dad¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still talking, Dear. Time is short.¡± He was amused, but Cira could feel a faint sadness behind his voice as he pat her head softly, ¡°I truly am proud of you. In just six short years you¡¯ve grown more than I ever could have hoped. I wish I was half the sorcerer you are when I was your age¡­ but then I¡¯d have lived a wholly different life, wouldn¡¯t I?¡±


    That¡¯s rhetorical¡ª


    ¡°I never would have found my own sorcerous path, or even found you. Fate¡¯s a fickle thing, believe it or not. It¡¯s not that your life is planned out, it¡¯s that your life can only go so many ways. The sky is ready for you to get burned to a crisp in a dragon¡¯s ruthless flame, as it is ready for you to escape miraculously as the island crumbles away. You see, any given variable can become a constant once the past arrives, but they¡¯re almost always determined by trials, as I call them. There are countless turning points, if you will.


    ¡°You have just cleared your most recent trial, rather, any moment now. With my help of course¡­ but you won¡¯t be able to count on me anymore. Now you have seen what you¡¯re really up against. In time, you will have to face him on your own.¡± Cira choked up. Why do we have to say goodbye all over again¡­? ¡°You¡¯re strong now, Cira, I know that, but you can¡¯t use that as an excuse to slack off. From the moment you wake up, consider this the new beginning of your sorcerous path.


    ¡°The darkness of your past isn¡¯t a deep sea to drown in,¡± As he spoke, Cira could feel the air in her lungs and sun on her skin. Everything was so bright and warm. All she was missing was a cloud to lay upon. ¡°You should know what to do with such shadows now, right? Face them and become stronger. Put them behind you, where they belong.¡± His voice had started to grow just a little quieter. Cira knew what was happening without asking.


    He said he left a fragment behind¡­ but this is much more than the projection he left in my forbidden archive. This is actually a piece of him¡­ It¡¯s like he¡¯s really here. The last conscious piece of him¡ªit¡¯s the spitting image of Dad before he took ill. Has he been¡­ watching over me this whole time, silently? Just waiting for the day that he could protect me one last time against that so-called demon?


    ¡°Dad¡­ Don¡¯t go.¡± Cira knew she was being unreasonable, but sometimes she got lucky, and he granted her unreasonable requests. He was one who granted dreams, after all. ¡°Not again¡­ Please.¡±


    ___


    Mac had been in the dark for so long he lost count, spending half the time asleep anyway. Of course, asleep was just being conscious elsewhere, more or less. Since other spiders and bugs produced so many offspring, many of which were just perpetually being shuffled back to the beginning of the cycle, he often snacked on their souls from afar without making any noticeable impact.


    He was just in the middle of consuming fourteen ant souls¡ªmeager, but with a satisfyingly spicy kick¡ªwhen something strange happened inside the essence loom.


    Cira¡¯s body was basically just congealed corporea¡ªA lumpy mass of flesh suspended in air from the looks of it. The aether of her soul swirled all around it while the mithril helix stitched it into place. Then out of nowhere, the entire room flooded with brilliant golden light. The radiance of holy Vercephus felt pitiful in its grandeur.


    ¡°What the hell is this? Gazen?¡± Mac called out to expected silence. The mana was of the same unmistakable resonance somehow. ¡°What did you do, old man?¡±


    It was very clearly a fragment of his soul, burning as bright as it ever did in life. Mac could only imagine he left a piece behind for something, but the only reason he could posit was if the cursed lord had just come for Cira. He sure didn¡¯t notice anything like that.


    Just as quickly, the golden light faded away and darkness encroached on the room again. By the time it reached the essence loom, the sound of shattering crystal echoed through the soul forge and Mac felt a crippling explosion of mana tremble throughout the island, filled with fury, despair, and a torrent of everything else which made a sorcerer.

 155 - Good Morning

    ¡°DAD, DON¡¯T GO!¡± Cira felt her own voice shake the room, though she knew not where she was. Her outstretched hand seemed to have punched through a window or something. He¡¯s really gone¡­ He always swore it wasn¡¯t my fault¡­ so was that cursed monster¡¯s fault?


    ¡°YOU BASTARD,¡± She let the anger infuse her words. ¡°I WILL FIND YOU¡ª¡±


    ¡°WILL YOU CALM THE SHIT DOWN?!¡± Mac¡¯s powerful voice pierced her veil of rage and the island stopped shaking.


    ¡°Wha¡ªMac?¡± Cira noticed it was dark and shards of crystal poked her bare feet. ¡°It¡¯s so dark¡­ and I¡¯m naked¡­?¡±


    Lamplights appeared in the air and Cira quickly found her white and gold robes on the table, neatly folded. They smelled of berries and subtle herbs.


    Let¡¯s see here¡­ I must be in the bottom of Archaeum. Does that mean¡­?


    Cira realized her outstretched palm was outside of a broken essence loom. She stepped out and repaired it with a lazy gesture and held out her other hand. An orb of blue flame appeared while the stone ceiling started to glow bright orange and melt like cheese.


    ¡°Whoa¡­ Better be careful.¡± But Cira let it keep melting for a little bit because the feeling of using her aura was such pure elation. ¡°Mac¡­ it worked!¡±


    ¡°Of course it worked, you dullard. I practically did all the work.¡±


    ¡°We both know the artifacts did at least half of it,¡± Cira looked around the room and it was roughly the same as she remembered. ¡°Where is everyone?¡±


    ¡°Beats me. Even Ella¡¯s been out for a few weeks.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Well, the island looks calm at a glance.¡± For whatever reason, her landmasses were still active, pulling mana out of the atmosphere en masse. The pillars of light didn¡¯t seem to be up, but her sight had noticeably smaller range than the other day. She could see pretty much anywhere with enough time but decided to turn it off instead. Two eyes was more than enough for this early in the morning.


    ¡°I must admit¡­ I feel fantastic.¡± Cira clenched her fists as she took a few paces around the forge, ¡°Hang on! My leg is back! Aha!¡±


    She skipped around the room giggling to herself as her hair bounced lightly over her shoulders.


    ¡°And I have so much mana!¡± She threw one palm out after the next, shooting beams of pure light deep into the walls. ¡°Ahh, what a good day.¡±


    ¡°Having fun?¡± Mac asked, a little tired.


    ¡°I sure am. Why don¡¯t we go for a stroll, in fact?¡±


    Her father¡¯s orichalcum staff appeared from her ring and she floated up toward the ceiling, the stone molding around her. She passed a couple goliaths on her ascent, then sprites and goblins, and eventually she was in the pure darkness of the Shadow Spring¡¯s basin.


    The artifacts were deactivated, but Cira still felt the space around her in a strange new way. Almost like Spatial Sense was just a sense now, and she only had to put in effort to see further away. Something distant almost tickled. Strangely, it appeared to be the mana well itself. She unconsciously drifted through the air in its direction.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Mac complained, ¡°Breeze Haven¡¯s the other way.¡±


    ¡°Shh. I think I found her.¡± It was hard to tell how fast she was going in perfect darkness, but the mana well came quickly. She peered through the shadows and saw the strangest thing superimposed over the well¡¯s core. ¡°Nina?! It is you! What are you doing here?¡±


    The buzzing of her little wings approached like a lazy bird and the nymph hovered in front of Cira for a moment before clapping for some reason. Her expressionless face may have almost shown excitement as she pointed to her head with both hands and a little black hat appeared.


    ¡°No way!¡± Cira was overjoyed and started clapping herself, ¡°Well done! Have you been practicing this whole time?¡±


    She took a lap around Cira and bobbed in front of her a couple times. She took it as an affirmative.


    My, what a talented little nymph. Here I was worried about her, and she¡¯s been training her own sorcerer¡¯s path the entire time, while I slept like a child.


    Nina fluttered over and took a seat on Cira¡¯s shoulder and tugged on the brim of her hat. If Cira didn¡¯t know any better, she would think she was being rushed.


    It didn¡¯t take long to find Breeze Haven and Cira traveled across the plateau in a bolt of dark lightning which ended up doing more damage to her lawn than I anticipated. Mac was upset about the sudden haste, but Nina just kicked her legs playfully against Cira¡¯s shoulder when they arrived, looking over everyone in the garden with her trademark absent gaze of wonder.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°What the shit is that?!¡± Jimbo fell over backwards to the sound of broken glass


    ¡°You better clean all that up!¡± Cira retorted, seeing the smashed bottle glisten from the grass.


    ¡°She¡¯s back!¡± Shores fell to his knees as did all the other mages present except for Tawny. ¡°We thought you¡¯d never return, Lady Saint!¡±


    ¡°Not like any of you came to check.¡± Mac chided.


    ¡°Enough. How long have I been gone and what have I missed?¡± Cira locked eyes with James through the window to her kitchen. He hung his head and walked outside.


    ¡°Nearly two and a half months¡­¡± He got quiet and Cira noticed the atmosphere had fallen pretty drastically. ¡°You¡­ missed a lot.¡±


    Seeing that Cira didn¡¯t intend to keep asking, he continued.


    ¡°Captain Wick¡­ He burned down the village and took Kuja.¡±


    Cira¡¯s eyes went wide as her voice fell cold. ¡°He what¡­?¡±


    ¡°Ripley came back, lookin¡¯ to apologize to Jimbo. I guess he waited around Kuja¡¯s for a couple days until we showed up, but by then Wick already had eyes on us.¡± He looked away, seemingly ashamed.


    ¡°No¡­ This is my fault.¡± How could it be anything but? Kuja told me not to bring trouble her way¡­ and now her village is burned down. Why¡­? Why does the king of this island have to be so ruthless? I didn¡¯t even do anything wrong. Cira looked around and most of her core crew was there. ¡°Is everyone on board?¡±


    James nodded and they instantly rose from the ground. Breeze Haven knew where it needed to go. ¡°Prepare to annex the palace.¡±


    ___


    ¡°Why, dammit?!¡± I reeled back as Wick swept a handful of bottles off the table. ¡°How could you betray me, you bitch?!¡±


    His words were slurred as he cursed my predecessor for the hundredth time today. I don¡¯t know how Olive stood being high consort for so many years. Maybe he wasn¡¯t so bad before, but he¡¯s been in a real spiral lately.


    ¡°My love,¡± I drew his attention, ¡°Just forget about her for now. Once everything¡¯s settled on the Lost Cloud, we can send out as many search parties as you want¡­¡±


    My words faded as he turned empty, hateful eyes upon me. ¡°Pearl¡­ Did I fucking ask you?¡± He stood up, clutching the lone bottle with anything in it as his face twisted in scorn. ¡°Don¡¯t you think for a god damn second that you can take her place. I¡¯m not paying you to open your stupid mouth¡ªGah?!¡±


    I nearly fell over as a tremor ran through the island, but apparently I hadn¡¯t budged an inch, and the bottles on the floor didn¡¯t make a sound. My hands dug into the corner of the bed as fear gripped me.


    This is just like that day a few months ago, isn¡¯t it¡­? I¡¯ve lived here my whole life and it¡¯s only happened that one other time.


    The bottle in Wick¡¯s hand clattered against the ground. He stumbled to his feet and leaned his forearm against the window.


    ¡°No¡­ That can¡¯t be.¡± There was a weak tremble in his voice.


    Could it be¡­? The day of Wick¡¯s reckoning? I had to fight to keep a smile from my face.


    I got up and stood at a different window than him and we both stared out for a few minutes with bated breath. There was one more quake and right when I was beginning to worry it was over¡­


    Three pillars of light rose through the mist, just like that day. This time though, the sky above seemed to grow dark, and thunder boomed from the other side of the island. The three pillars seemed to reach their zenith and burned the fog away. Thunder roared once more, followed by a pitch-black lightning bolt the bounced between mountaintops before a crackling explosion threw me to my knees.


    I desperately clawed the floor as the bricks that formed the wall were sucked outward to a sudden influx of mana. I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes as the world seemed to compress inward just outside until black lightning crackled and took the shape of something. Once the light seemed able to reach it, I thought it was a woman.


    No, a young girl in white robes and glittering gold. Her bright hair, the color of unobstructed sunlight, shimmered beneath the radiance of what had to be a hundred suns dotting the night sky that weren¡¯t there only a moment ago. A torrential river twisted in and out of existence around her, seeming to rupture as ambient mana trembled with fury. I¡¯d never felt such an oppressive pressure before, even with all of Wick¡¯s mages in one place.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s you, isn¡¯t it?¡± Wicks¡¯ dumbstruck voice trembled in awe as he fell on his ass staring upward through the ruined thirtieth floor wall.


    Returning his gaze was the young woman from maybe twenty feet away. She floated in the air as if it were only natural, her robes blowing gently in the wind. A brilliant golden staff glimmered above her while a swarm of blades dancing around it like a flight of starlings and a pale blue metallic ring reflected all the suns¡¯ glory behind her back. I could almost feel my pitiful aura being sucked in.


    This girl did not look happy to see Captain Wick.


    ¡°It is I.¡±


    Black lightning exploded and before I could blink, Wick slammed against the back wall. The edges of his hair was singed and smoke rose from his body.


    ¡°You have crossed the line, Captain Wick. Perhaps too many times to count.¡± His eyes shot open in shock as he rose from the rubble, floating through the air towards the girl. Golden smoke poured from his wounds as his twisted limbs cracked and rolled back into their right position. His screams of agony slowly died in a whimper as his severely broken body was suddenly all better again. Soon, the ominous golden light faded and he met her face to face. ¡°What do you have to say for yourself?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re even more beautiful than I imagined.¡± Wick seemed to be in a daze.


    Floating before us in a storm of mana, the girl¡¯s frown only deepened at that answer. She pulled her arm back and closed the distance between her and Wick in an instant. The girl¡¯s fist fell faster than I could even see, but on contact with his face, I saw and felt the light of countless elements explode.


    ¡°Sorcerous Punch!¡± She shouted as he disappeared from sight, forming another hole through the wall. I heard him break through another afterward as his pained groans ceased, but only a few seconds later, he came flying back in through yet another hole in the side of the tower. Any more and it would surely fall over. His limp, mangled body again leaked golden smoke as limbs righted themselves. Wounds disappeared in the blink of an eye. His gaze was glued in fear at the lone girl floating in the sky, perhaps finally shaken sober.


    ¡°Well?¡± He flew towards her, his neck eventually resting in her grip. ¡°You don¡¯t even have an excuse?¡±


    I watched him cough blood into the air as he choked out words, ¡°You¡­ you can¡¯t do this¡­ to me¡ª¡±


    She flicked her wrist and tossed him aside like trash.


    But we¡¯re hundreds of feet in the air¡­ My jaw dropped as I watched Captain Wick plummet to the ground, only to slow down at the last second as a sudden wind enveloped him. Now I noticed a green glow in the distant courtyard¡ªone of his mages saving him in the nick of time.


    I felt a chill and looked up. The girl was staring right at me, perhaps even into my soul.


    ¡°How troublesome.¡± Then she vanished.

 156 - Careless Sorcerer

    I wonder where Olive ended up. That girl upstairs was dressed just like her. Cira disappeared from the top of the tower under the light of the suns and charred the ground when she arrived at the courtyard in a blast of dark lightning. She couldn¡¯t turn into shadows like that necromancer, but this felt at least as effective.


    The courtyard was a mess. Broken glass and barrels on their side in murky puddles. In fact, it looked like they never cleaned up after that night. The odd pirate passed out here or there while even more brandished their swords with unsteady hands, completely blown away by the spectacle unfolding. Even more scantily dressed women for some reason, but the roster seemed to have dwindled since her last visit.


    A mage with no staff gently let Captain Wick down with wind magic and almost dropped him stumbling back when Cira appeared. Two more men in extravagant yet dirty robes flanked him on either side and went pale when she met their eyes.


    ¡°Wick.¡± Cira¡¯s voice shook the palace and silenced everyone present. ¡°If you have nothing to say for yourself¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait! I-I do have something to say!¡± His knee popped as he struggled to stay on his feet under the crushing mana. ¡°This is a huge misunderstanding, I¡¯m sure! Just h-hear me out, alright?¡±


    His curly mustache twitched nervously as Cira¡¯s pressurized gaze didn¡¯t falter in the slightest. This guy is slurring his words worse than last time. Does he himself even understand what¡¯s happening? What could I possibly have misunderstood? I¡¯ve already found Kuja. She¡¯s right inside.


    ¡°We just haven¡¯t had the chance to talk yet,¡± Wick stammered, putting on the most frail reassuring smile Cira had seen in ages. His face was bright red and he started to sweat as her glare continued unmoved. ¡°How about it, Dreadheart? An up-and-coming young captain like you¡­ You should stay here¡ªin the palace!¡±


    ¡°And why,¡± Cira was not amused, ¡°would I do that?¡±


    She instantly regretted entertaining him for even a moment as he seemed somehow emboldened, ¡°Because I¡¯m the Pirate King! Flyin¡¯ in these skies, you basically work for me, but I¡¯ll show ya¡¯ the ropes. Hell, I¡¯ll even make you my queen! All the riches in the sky¡¯ll be yours, and¡ªand Kuja¡¯s just fine, I swear¡ª¡±


    He yelped as he was torn off his feet by the orichalcum staff. It pierced the wind like a spear and pinned him against the wall through his shoulder. Bricks crumbled and fell over him in a huge pile. Only Cira could see him through the dense cloud of dust, and she swept it away with a brush of her hand. It dispersed in an instant and the bricks were ripped backward through the wall which shattered and was blasted into the distant hillside.


    The impressive weight of the orichalcum pulled him to the ground like a boatload of lead and Wick¡¯s face dug into the ground as the staff slipped away, leaving a bruised and wounded former king alone in a desolate stretch of dirt. Cira noticed a horde of dumbfounded pirates on the other side of where the palace wall used to be. Seemingly an army ready to march. Some fell to their knees from the explosion and others merely looked on in disbelief.


    ¡°Ridiculous.¡± The golden smoke of very painful but very fast healing magic poured from his wounds, healing him instantly as he squirmed beneath Cira¡¯s boot. She leaned in, pressing into his ribs, and only let up when he started to cough. One last kick across the face and she finally stood back. Golden chains twisted around his limbs and wrapped his body. ¡°Have you just been hiding in this palace and drinking and dreaming of nonsense since I fell asleep? Look at this place. It¡¯s falling apart.¡±


    She was directly responsible for anywhere it was literally falling apart, but she was referring to the clear state of disarray his stronghold had been in. Even now, he just stared at her from the ground with unfocused eyes and a pained expression on his tear-stained face. It was a pathetic sight. She much preferred villains like the necromancer over Wick and Don¡¯s ilk.


    ¡°P-please, don¡¯t kill him!¡± A young woman with rough hands and the uniform of a classic maid fell to her knees before Cira. Her face was pale as she struggled to stay conscious¡ªCira let up on the mana a little. Heavy tears fell from her eyes as she looked up in desperation.


    ¡°His life is in the hands of those who live on Lost Cloud.¡± Cira nudged her head to the broken wall where the people of Hangman¡¯s Cove still stood frozen in shock. ¡°I¡¯m just passing through.¡±


    The woman¡¯s lips trembled as she realized her pleas fell on deaf ears. I¡¯ve wasted enough time. Wick¡¯s not going anywhere. Now I just need to¡ª


    ¡°Let him go, now!¡± A shrill cry came from the doorway behind Cira. Her eyes shot open as she twisted around. Im¡­impossible¡ªthere was nobody there! Why can I only see him with my eyes? Is he a mage? Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t give her time to think, ¡°If you care about your friend¡¯s life, you¡¯ll do as I say.¡±


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    A short man with patchy hair and a crazed look in his eyes held the muzzle of a pistol against Kuja¡¯s face. In the ten seconds Cira wasn¡¯t looking, this man got his hands on her. God dammit¡­ how do I keep letting this happen?


    ¡°Release her¡ª¡± The man had no aura to speak of and shuddered at her oppressive words that shook the palace walls. She watched him wince as his muscles tightened up under their weight. His fist clenched unconsciously from the unchecked mana ravaging his body, and the percussive blast of his flintlock echoed through the courtyard. The pristine palace wall was painted crimson and pink.


    The sky shifted and seemed to stop like a shattered timepiece. Even the wind died in an instant as Cira¡¯s eyes widened. She was shocked still like the world around her.


    ¡°Now you¡¯ve gone and done it,¡± Mac¡¯s condescending voice flooded her mind. ¡°You seriously have no sense of your power right now, do you? You may as well be grinding everyone present beneath a mountain¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Cira¡¯s voice and the walls cracked while her hands shook. What¡­ what do I do? ¡°M-Mac, you have to do something. Quick!¡±


    She heard a long sigh, ¡°You know, this is actually kind of disappointing. I thought things were going to be different, but you¡¯re even more thoughtless now. What the hell do you expect me to do? You seem to have trapped her soul in your domain, but her body is already saturating with death. I don¡¯t think she would want to be undead. You might just have to take the loss here¡ª¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I refuse to accept that.¡± She¡¯s already dead¡­ But what can I do? Holy light had already mended her body, but just as Mac said, white death mana radiated from it¡ªoriginating where her soul used to be.


    Where is it¡­. Why can¡¯t I feel the flow of fate? Aren¡¯t I supposed be able to change it?! So, why not now? Cira¡¯s fists clenched. Stepping out of the essence loom she had never felt so powerful, but now, she had never felt more helpless, let alone stupid. If only I hadn¡¯t crashed here¡­


    The wind started to blow again and everyone in the courtyard drew in a frantic breath for the first time in a painfully long moment as her grip over the area loosened. She had questions for the man who took her hostage, so he disappeared into the rubble as she pulled away Kuja¡¯s remains.


    Cira¡¯s sight had never been the best in this regard, but she could clearly see the Archaean Woman¡¯s soul now, glistening in the light. It floated before her, suspended only within the aethereal plane like a cloud too eager to drift away. Somehow, she could feel a deep melancholy from within.


    A shadow passed over the palace and everyone got a glimpse of Breeze Haven descending. Cira had to tune out a small commotion.


    If I can¡¯t twist her fate, then I can only rely on my sorcery. My aura is back, so I can do this much, can¡¯t I?


    The phenomenon in which death mana sprouted from the void left behind by a freshly departed soul was referred to as the fatal bloom. Within the realm of necromantic academia, it was a golden rule that this event could not be reversed. Once it occurred, one¡¯s essence was permanently sundered.


    Suspiciously enough, there¡¯s not a single study so much as questioning this law in the library. At the very least, Dad would have written down his thoughts on it. So where are those books? In the forbidden archive, surely.


    That means this isn¡¯t the end for Kuja. It¡¯s been done before, I¡¯m certain. But how?


    ¡°Hey, just sayin¡¯¡± Mac abruptly derailed her train of thought, ¡°You got five or ten minutes tops before you start destroying her. Loose souls can¡¯t just linger.¡±


    Dammit. I have her soul. It¡¯s right here! It sat within her chest hardly a minute ago, overlayed on the aethereal plane. And the body is completely healed. If I simply reattach her soul, it will quickly decay in death¡¯s haze. Come to think of it¡­ Dad never even described how the fatal bloom works. That¡¯s more suspicious than anything. What even is it?


    She focused all eyes on the pit in Kuja¡¯s chest. It was like a miniature mana well of death. It simply poured out without restraint, seeming to only intensify the longer Cira held onto her soul.


    It¡¯s safe to say the flow would dull if I let her pass on¡­ but I can¡¯t do that. I¡¯ve never considered how to make a mana well disappear, but it should be possible, I think. This is just that on a much smaller scale. If I think about it, mana wells are a puncture in the fringe between aether and space. I can work with both of those things, so¡­ why couldn¡¯t I patch it up?


    Shadow Quill felt like the best tool for this, and it appeared in another explosion of black lightning. She didn¡¯t have to worry about running out of mana anymore and waved it around forming intricate patterns. A bed of glowing runes wrapped around Kuja¡¯s body.


    Ropes slapped against the ground and Cira glanced up to see people sliding down them from the sky. First Jimbo, and James shortly followed, then the rest of her crew dropped from Breeze Haven one after the other. Gil with a red ball of flame at his back, while the brothers¡¯ icy rivers floated around the courtyard. Cedric appeared in a bolt of lightning while Jimbo¡¯s face turned sour watching it, and Rocky showed up in a crater once the dust cleared. Last to appear were her paladins and Skipper for some reason as they gently fell to the ground in a shroud of holy light.


    Given just a couple months of unguided practice, Cira would have been almost as impressed with their entrance as the masses were if she weren¡¯t dealing with such an urgent situation at the moment.


    ¡°What the hell is this? You¡¯ve been gone for five minutes!¡± James broke the silence as everyone gawked at Kuja¡¯s corpse and the ruined courtyard. ¡°What happened¡ª¡±


    ¡°Kuja¡­ was killed.¡± Cira felt her nails dig into her palm. ¡°It¡¯s my fault¡ª¡±


    ¡°Fuck¡¯s that matter? Quit cryin¡¯.¡± Jimbo cut her off, somewhat in a panic as he gazed at the strange array forming around Kuja¡¯s body, ¡°Can you save her or what?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it¡­ but I need a minute.¡± I can¡¯t mess this up twice. ¡°You guys just deal with everyone else.¡±

 157 - The Future of Lost Cloud

    Cira didn¡¯t know the first thing about patching up a hole in the aether, and it showed. She tried to block the death mana in a couple different ways, but her arrays would only shatter. She could stop a necromancer from conjuring, for instance, but she didn¡¯t seem capable of doing anything to stop Kuja¡¯s fatal bloom from rampaging into existence.


    Simply patching it didn¡¯t work, hence the failed glyphs. Cira needed to completely restore it to it¡¯s previous condition, before death began filtering in from the aether. To restore something¡¯s state she had to know a great deal about it, and she was realizing she didn¡¯t know very much about fatal blooms. Namely, how and why they occur.


    That¡¯s one thing to look into, but it won¡¯t help me today¡­ It seems I need a different approach, and I¡¯m nearly out of time.


    Each of her attempts took a minute or two, so she only had a couple tries left at best, and to everyone¡¯s horror, the fountain of death spilling into the courtyard only grew greater, so as to be visible to even the naked eye. It would have been quite dangerous were Cira not containing it.


    Curses? No¡­ No more curses for a while. Too risky, anyway. How about¡­ soul remediation¡­?


    That could work¡­ her body should reflect the regression her soul makes. At the very least, shouldn¡¯t I be able to put the soul back in its right place this way? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s enough to stop the flow of death, though¡­


    ¡°Well?¡± James urged with a tone of concern. ¡°Is she gonna be okay¡ª¡±


    Cira shot him a glare, ¡°Shh. I need to think.¡±


    She realized that everyone in the courtyard was watching her. From Wick chained on the ground to all his men, and even the people of Hangman¡¯s Cove had crept in to gaze at Kuja¡¯s corpse with bated breath. Apparently, everyone knew her and were going through a range of emotions.


    It was beginning to make the sorcerer quite nervous.


    ¡°Okay¡­ I can¡¯t reverse death¡­ The only way through is forward. Just like always.¡± It was a golden rule of sorcery, after all. ¡°So, I must use the mana present to my own ends¡ªWait, that¡¯s it!¡±


    Cira clenched her fists and Shadow Quill started moving around as she waved her finger to and fro.


    ¡°What, are you gonna reforge her or something?¡± Tawny unhid herself from a veil of wind and posed a decent enough question, Cira thought.


    ¡°She would never make it to the forge in time, and I have my doubts that would quell her state of death.¡± Cerulean streams rose around Cira and spiraled between each other as they made their way over to Kuja. ¡°My only choice is to convert it and hope to reshape the well.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean¡ª¡± Cira stopped paying attention.


    I¡¯m not sure how I would start were I not working within the same spectrum. Like this¡­ perhaps I can progress the aether¡¯s breach from death clear through to life. It¡¯s like working with dark and light, after all. In fact, I say it¡¯s downright convenient.


    Now, Cira didn¡¯t have any remediation tonic handy, and such medicines took time. That wouldn¡¯t work here, no.


    It was fortunate that she recovered a few unfortunate memories during her slumber. Not everything, somehow, and she didn¡¯t have time to process that intruder yet. She was also certain her father burned up the last of his soul to protect her one final time, but Cira had remembered enough.


    I¡¯ll never be your progeny, and I abhor all those experiments you made me do¡­ You ancient bastard¡­ But my only choice is to rely on what I learned as a child.


    Typically, to handle someone¡¯s soul she would take out her primordial relic¡ªthe Auld Sprig. She was sure she could do quite a bit more than curse with it after her brief moment of reminiscence, but that didn¡¯t mean she intended to use it.


    One thing she was adamant in having a choice over was whether or not to use that ancient piece of wood.


    It always felt disgusting in her hand. The feel of the dry wood and rough burls. The ominous presence it gave off. Even just looking at it made her feel horrible¡ªguilty even. Come to think of it, that much makes sense now¡­


    Cira produced so many monsters and corpses each day with the oblivious innocence that only a child could ever achieve. When her thoughts even got close to what happened back then it felt like her heart skipped a beat or the cogs that turn her mind stalled for a moment. It froze her up and she realized she had forgotten to breathe.


    Dammit, the time to wallow is later. I need to save Kuja. I was really excited to never think about souls again, but I can¡¯t do this without manipulating hers. I¡¯m not going to change her. I must not. I need only restore her to how she was before she died. This is my mistake and I¡¯m going to fix it this time. That¡¯s all this is.


    ¡°Here we go¡­¡± Aquon¡¯s waters encased Kuja¡¯s soul, and she felt the ambient dread exuding from it lessen. That had to be a good sign.


    I know what soul remediation is supposed to look like. Now that I think about it, I saw it hundreds of times over from the spring chamber of Fount Salt. It was a very slow process there, but I don¡¯t have to go far. Just a smidge and we should be fine. Aaaaaaand, that should do it.


    The soul in Cira¡¯s aethereal hands glowed radiantly and inexplicably floated back towards the body it belonged to.


    Shit, will my array work? There¡¯s no going back now. I either save or murder Kuja¡­


    The nerve-wracking part of all this was the intricate runic formation Cira carved into the place where Kuja¡¯s soul should be could not activate until it arrived. Or in other words, once the remediating soul made contact with the body and it started to be affected in response.


    The best Cira could do was shield it in a barrier that felt like it took a decade off her life. A temporary measure at best. She watched it wither away in luminous decay before the white light seemed to shimmer.


    Life and death looked exactly the same when talking about mana colors, but one was dull and bleak, while the other lustrous. Life shined with vitality and hope.


    Similarly, Kuja¡¯s body began to shimmer as her soul truly settled in. Cira¡¯s newly improved sight watched it mend in place as if it had never been removed in the first place. She almost couldn¡¯t believe it¡ªthat it actually worked, that is.


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    For a moment, Kuja¡¯s body seemed to explode with life, blinding everyone present. Cira felt some of her arrays shatter and ran up in a panic.


    ¡°Kuja!¡± She heard her feet hit the ground and grabbed her, softening her blow as they both fell. Cira pushed herself up as the light faded, holding Kuja in her arms. Cira felt her chest heave. She¡­ She¡¯s breathing! I can feel her heartbeat, ¡°Kuja, are you alive?!¡±


    The tension in the courtyard was so thick Cira would struggle to cut it with the Space Knife. The sorcerer could feel everyone around her watching with bated breath and even she herself was staring down at what had to be Kuja with disbelief.


    ¡°Cira¡­? She blinked her eyes, taking in the world around her, ¡°No¡­ Child¡­ you didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Cira asked.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let me die?!¡± Regret tinged her voice while her eyes bespoke a hint of betrayal.


    ¡°How can you say that?¡± Cira was aghast, but thinking about it, it wasn¡¯t so unreasonable. ¡°And first of all, are you really Kuja? You don¡¯t look a day older than I am.¡±


    ¡°O-of course I¡¯m Kuja! Who else could I be?¡± She felt her face with an indignant glare which promptly crumbled when Cira conjured a mirror-like surface and placed it in front of her. Her graying hair was now a rich black that glistened in the sun like raven¡¯s feathers. Her wrinkled skin had regained its firmness, and her complexion was practically glowing. Were it not partially for Kuja¡¯s facial structure and mostly for the fact that her soul was right there, Cira wouldn¡¯t have recognized her. ¡°What¡­ What have you done to me?¡±


    She placed a hand on her chest and gave Cira a look like she had been turned into some kind of monster, but that wasn¡¯t really the case. She was positive this time.


    ¡°Well, let me be clear. You are not undead. You are very much alive.¡± Kuja responded with abject confusion. ¡°In fact, you may be more alive than most. It appears I may have made a slight miscalculation remediating your soul, or this is just the effects of hosting a well of life mana in your chest. I can¡¯t say I had time to do any research first.¡±


    It had slowed considerably, but there was a constant flow of life mana pouring out of Kuja. Most of it went into her aura, but it also seemed to surround her like she exuded a rejuvenating presence to everyone near her. Kuja seemed to feel it too and couldn¡¯t stop staring dumbfounded at Cira.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± the sorcerer continued, ¡°You only died because of me¡­ and I didn¡¯t even consider if you wanted to come back, but¡­ You were alive when I got here so you sure as shit aren¡¯t going to be dead when I leave.¡±


    Kuja broke away from her and rose to her own two feet, clasping her hands like they were unfamiliar to her. ¡°Child¡­ I have to admit what you¡¯ve done is remarkable¡­ This isn¡¯t your fault though. Not by a longshot. It¡¯s his.¡±


    Kuja still held centuries of fury as she pointed her eyes to Captain Wick on the floor. He shuddered as everyone else followed suit. It seemed the Hangman¡¯s Alliance took this moment to finally enter the scene. Cira grew wary as a man approached with a sword holstered at his belt, but his eyes held no enmity. He¡¯s not one of Wick¡¯s men¡­ He came in with the others, didn¡¯t he?


    ¡°C-Captain Dreadheart?!¡± He seemed like he didn¡¯t mean to yell but was really nervous. A middle-aged man dressed in stripes and a ragged vest.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Yeah, that¡¯s me.¡± She replied with a hook-hand gesture, ¡°Yargh.¡±


    The man blinked in confusion before collecting himself, ¡°Right, er¡­ Forgive me. My name is Bron John Bradley. Just a carpenter that grew up in the Cove¡­ but I¡¯m here today as the chancellor of the People¡¯s Temporary Republic of Dreadheart. It¡¯s my absolute honor to meet you, Lady Saint.¡±


    He fell to one knee and bowed his head.


    Cira intended to complain but was stunned into silence for an unfortunate moment while almost everyone behind him also kneeled. This allowed another man to approach, somewhere around Jimbo¡¯s age but with both legs. Another man followed behind him like a retainer.


    ¡°I¡¯m real glad you¡¯re not dead, Kuja. Sorry about everything,¡± the first man said before turning to Cira, ¡°But all you did is pull some fancy magic. I¡¯m not buying this saint bullshit. You ain¡¯t some goddess the sky shat out. I ain¡¯t buyin¡¯ it¡ª¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your concern, Dear.¡± His face flushed red as Kuja gave him a terribly youthful smile. Her elderly dialect came off as very warm with such a sweet voice.


    ¡°R-Ripley, shut up!¡± The man behind him grabbed onto his shoulder. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t offend her!¡±


    Cira smirked and the first man stumbled back.


    ¡°Finally,¡± She placed a hand on his frozen shoulder, ¡°Someone willing to talk some damn sense around here. You¡¯re not so bad, whoever you are¡­ Ripley sounds familiar though, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    She glanced at Jimbo, and he was laughing, already walking up with a flask in his hand, ¡°Already came crawlin¡¯ back, didya? You know I heard Wick only found Kuja cuz o¡¯ you.¡±


    He went pale as Cira became very curious. ¡°Oh¡­? So, you¡¯re with him after all¡ª¡±


    ¡°No! I swear I¡¯m not! He just followed me!¡± Now he fell to his knees. Not in reverence, but fear, ¡°Please forgive me! I didn¡¯t mean to lead the bastard there!¡±


    Kuja¡¯s village was burned down because this guy let Wick follow him¡­ But if I blamed him I¡¯d only be deflecting. It¡¯s still all my fault.


    ¡°Oh, get off your knees before my opinion of you changes.¡± Despite her words, her eyes were less than friendly. ¡°Are you a member of this people¡¯s republic or whatever?¡±


    ¡°Well, uh, not really¡ª¡±


    ¡°Good. We could use someone like you around here.¡±


    ¡°What are your plans with Wick?¡± Jimbo replied, leaving a deflated Ripley unable to speak. ¡°You know you¡¯re the pirate queen now. Whole town¡¯s been waitin¡¯ for ya.¡±


    Cira looked around the courtyard and even Wick¡¯s men seemed to have lost the fight in them. Nobody seemed to care for that man any longer except for a very small and sparse few. For some reason, there were five half-naked women of various hair colors and skin tone hovering behind her now.


    ¡°Right¡­ I¡¯ve been thinking a lot about this.¡± There was a glint in the numerous suns¡¯ light and something emerged from the rubble of the palace wall. It was a golden crown. As soon as it got close, Jimbo slapped it out of the air.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you get any funny ideas!¡± He seemed rather worried. ¡°I know you¡¯re not sticking around.¡±


    ¡°Rude.¡± Cira replied, picking it back up, ¡°You know what they say about making assumptions¡­ No, I don¡¯t believe this island needs a king.¡±


    ¡°We pledge ourselves to Captain Dreadheart!¡± All the pirates of the People¡¯s Republic shouted their support in unison. ¡°Long live the pirate queen!¡±


    Cira could only let out a long a grueling sigh, amplified by wind sorcery, ¡°No¡­ No, dammit! Don¡¯t pledge loyalty to anything! You¡¯re pirates, aren¡¯t you?! Live for yourselves, not me!¡±


    Despite her outrage, cheers resounded from all around the courtyard.


    ¡°Yeahhh!!!¡±


    ¡°Tell it like it is!¡±


    ¡°Long live Queen Dreadheart!¡±


    Gods be damned¡­ Can I fly away yet?


    ¡°This brings me to my next point.¡± Her echoing voice silenced everyone around as it traveled on the wind. It seems convincing everyone of this will be much easier than I envisioned. ¡°Captain Wick¡¯s fate does not belong to me. It belongs to all of you, as does this island. Speaking of¡­ I do not believe Captain Cloud¡¯s legacy need remain. I shall hereby bring an end to it myself.¡±


    She thought that last part would really rub some of these natural-born pirates the wrong way, but every single set of eyes lit up. Men awoke from the ground and sobered up in one go as they looked to her with newfound hope. Even Wick shared a twinkle of reverence.


    ¡°What the hell¡­?¡± She said under her breath.


    ¡°Way to go, Dreadheart.¡± Jimbo mused, with a grin, twiddling his mustache and offering his flask, ¡°You just told everyone you were gonna find the Elysian Atoll yourself.¡±


    ¡°The¡­ what?¡±


    ¡°Paradise! Eden Island. The damn solid gold shores every pirate in this place has been lookin¡¯ for!¡± Jimbo threw his hands out in disbelief, ¡°How else you gonna put an end to Cloud¡¯s legacy? His legacy was findin¡¯ that damn island!¡±


    Shit. I forgot it wasn¡¯t just this whole pretending to be royalty thing. I sure got myself in a pickle this time¡­


    ¡°Whatever. I¡¯ll make short work of it,¡± Cira tried waiting for everyone to stop cheering again but they only increased in volume and fervor. She decided she would have to just continue over them. ¡°The Pirate Kingdom of Lost Cloud is as of now abolished.¡±


    That quieted everyone down. There were nervous whispers and uncertain groans.


    Cira brought the golden crown into the air for all to see and broke it apart evenly between each point, taking a little to spare and crafting a chain to hold each one.


    ¡°I have split the crown into eight pieces. The first goes to Jimbo,¡± She continued, slipping a pendant around his neck at the speed of sound. He shuddered when it appeared. ¡°Next, James of course, and I guess this Ripley fellow should get one.¡±


    The three looked at her with varying degrees of baffled while she had to actively muffle the crowd with wind magic, ¡°The Lost Cloud is no more. Today marks the founding of New Acher, and you three are the first members of the People¡¯s Council.¡± She turned to Kuja and held out another, ¡°Of course, I think this island largely belongs to you, too.¡±


    Kuja held up a hand in refusal, wearing an uncertain smile, ¡°No thank you. I¡¯m too old to be on some council.¡± She did not look it.

 158 - Plotting a Course to Paradise

    Cira thought she would never get out of there. Sorcerer she was, Cira wasn¡¯t built to be in the middle of hundreds of adoring subordinates.


    Most were surprised that Wick¡¯s most loyal men surrendered without a fight, but Cira wasn¡¯t going to make the same mistake again. None of them could move. The council members so far weren¡¯t happy about taking the position, but they made a quick decision to imprison as needed until things calmed down.


    They didn¡¯t want to be in charge of anything, but Cira assuaged their concerns by saying that they could replace themselves once the council was assembled and could vote on it, and that was the whole point, basically.


    Wick was also carried off to the dungeon¡ªthe one below the palace¡ªand left to sit there until all eight members were found. That was the collective decision of everyone present, and also a large contributing factor to the three founding council members being pressured to stay for now.


    One Lomp should never bear the burden of an entire island, and those who share it should have an avenue out. That was Cira¡¯s philosophy on this one.


    So, she evacuated the palace, repaired it through direct alchemy like she would a broken plate, then used the present materials to reconstruct it to host eight towers instead of just three. Thanks to practical geomancy, they still turned out about half as tall, and just a little more narrow than before.


    There were a lot of things inside the palace¡¯s three spires that Cira just threw in the courtyard and made the hundreds of people present sort through it. These items included food, weapons, clothes, general housewares and such that had likely been sitting for decades, and staggering quantities of both trash and booze.


    The trash and anything that looked like it was in a pile for people to pick through and be vaporized with sorcery later on, while the booze was quickly stored in breeze haven¡¯s treasury for the time being¡ªCira didn¡¯t need anyone getting drunk on the job yet.


    The treasury was a matter she would attend to later, but things could be stored within it from anywhere inside her barrier, so it was a matter of simply floating them up there. A pile of random treasure found strewn about the palace sat next to the barrels as well, to be sorted later.


    James stuck around to manage the sorting in the courtyard, then furnishing and organization of the new palace while Cira worked out the finer details like carving out and enchanting new kitchens, bathrooms, and other facilities. She thought the basement was a good place for the new state treasury, but then she would have to move the dungeon around and it started getting complicated.


    What if I ran bridges between each of the towers and strung up cages for prisoners in the middle? But then their waste would fall all over the courtyard¡­ There¡¯s no winning here.


    ¡°Uhh, so you¡¯re not tired or anything?¡± James asked after pointing a man with arms full of guns in some direction. He gazed at the bridge that appeared overhead only to turn into balls of stone and fly away. ¡°You¡¯re not exactly helping your reputation with all this. Rather, you¡¯re taking it to a whole new level. These people are talking like they¡¯re witnessing an act of god, and more are showing up by the minute.¡±


    ¡°Nothing to be done about that,¡± She shrugged, ¡°I¡¯ve decided to approach sorcery more like my father.¡±


    Planters rose around the courtyard to encircle a fountain topped with a carved stone abominable mess of wings and eyeballs that spit up water in incomprehensible directions to fill the basin below. The beautiful angel fountain was surrounded by bright, blooming flowers in seconds


    ¡°And¡­ what does that mean?¡±


    ¡°It means I will accept these people¡¯s awe and gratitude in equal measure as it comes. A sorcerer of my caliber should not shy away because dealing with them is exhausting, or difficult, for the time I disappear into the sky is fast approaching.¡±


    He creased his brow dubiously, ¡°Rebuilding the palace is simple enough for you to do in five minutes without breaking a sweat, but you¡¯re scared of¡­ talking to strangers? Or is it crowds?¡± It seemed like he had some doubts to express when Cira noticed a woman beelining it for them from across the courtyard.


    ¡°Scared is a strong word,¡± She mused, ¡°But look, there¡¯s someone now. Whatever do you think she¡¯ll say? It could be anything. I¡¯ll be hard pressed not to fly away if she falls to her knees. What if she¡¯s like that maid earlier and she¡¯s upset about what I did to Captain Wick? Worse yet, my gaggle has somehow grown, and I have yet to understand its purpose. What if she falls in with them?¡±


    Cira nervously eyed the seven women following her like doe-eyed ducklings. They had accepted being dressed up by their new reluctant and confused lord and master, but were just as confused when Cira made them put on mage¡¯s robes. Whether or not their confusion would have lessened if they knew there was an equal number of naked wizards in the dungeon was anyone¡¯s guess.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you need to worry about that,¡± James replied. ¡°You know her already. Or were you so drunk you forgot?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± The woman had pale red hair and an awkward smile on her face. ¡°You¡¯re right¡­ That¡¯s the woman from the Flying Dutchess. What¡¯s her name again?¡±


    ¡°They call her Dutchess.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Of course.¡±


    The woman looked increasingly nervous as she got closer and saw them conversing while staring straight at her, ¡°M-Miss, I mean Captain Dreadheart! Should I, uh, kneel?¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡± Cira said.


    ¡°Oh¡­ kay. Well, it¡¯s, um, so good to see you again!¡± She sort of bowed then took a step back.


    ¡°Right¡­ And what brings you here today?¡± Cira tried to diffuse the tension with a smile. Is she always this stiff or is it just me?


    ¡°O-of course!¡± She stammered, ¡°Jimbo¡ªI mean Captain Sticks said I should come here and ask you for, um, a necklace¡­?¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± She turned to James and did a little excited clap, ¡°We¡¯ve finally got another one! What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Well, people like her. She¡¯s good with money. I don¡¯t know what kind of folk you¡¯re expecting those two to drag in, but I¡¯d say she¡¯s as good a fit as any.¡± He nodded as he made his conclusion.


    ¡°A good fit¡­ for what?¡± She looked between the two a little worried.


    ¡°Congratulations.¡± A pendant with one of eight pieces of Wick¡¯s crown hung from it appeared around her neck. ¡°You are now one of the eight rulers of New Acher. Pick whichever of these towers is your favorite and use it however you wish.¡±


    Her eyes grew wide as she looked between the palace¡¯s eight points in awe, but ended up having to shield her eyes in the light of the suns. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I get it, but does it have to be so bright? The sun hasn¡¯t set in Hangman¡¯s Cove in months.¡±


    Come to think of it, that is the moon I¡¯m seeing up there. Evidently, night had fallen at some point. It could have been night when she woke up for all she knew.


    Cira shifted her gaze over the mountain and recalled the condensed sun she left up there. Roughly as fast as light could travel, it was above Cira. Prismagora came falling at terminal velocity and stuck into the ground before her.


    ¡°Good call, Councilwoman.¡± Cira flashed her a thumbs up and turned to the sun. A stream of light fell from it and started twisting like a tornado, or like it were being sucked down the drain. At its end, all the light ended up in the crystal prism atop the white bone staff. ¡°What else you got for me?¡±


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    ¡°Um¡­¡± James gave her a reassuring nod, ¡°Well, it was an awful long walk to get here¡­ I have a bar to run, you know.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, and you probably won¡¯t be the only one with such problems. In fact, I don¡¯t think it should be difficult to get here from the Cove. In the spirit of the peoples¡¯ own reign, I shall tunnel a pass through the mountain. Keep it up, Dutchess.¡±


    ¡°Please¡­ Call me Dutchy.¡± She turned to James with pleading eyes as soon as Cira¡¯s attention was pulled away, ¡°So, what is even going on here?¡±


    Cira realized the lingering sun wasn¡¯t her only loose end and Shadow Quill stabbed into the ground opposite her staff of light, startling the young woman looking for answers. Nobody could see the stream of shadows pouring into it from underground as her river of darkness quickly drained, but the onyx glistened with a vacuous iridescence that Cira thought would look great on some earrings or possibly a hairclip.


    The mana my landforms have acquired may as well stay inside the island. No harm in it. She had plenty of mana at this point, so wasn¡¯t really worried about it. This way, her enchantments would be that much more difficult to destroy or tamper with.


    It seemed Jimbo and Ripley were still off finding adequate rulers and she was just about done with construction. Kuja earlier had utterly refused joining the people¡¯s council, and despite her newfound youth, said she was tired and went to bed for the evening.


    That doesn¡¯t sound so bad. I got a lot done today. And I have a lot more to do tomorrow if I want to hit the sky anytime soon.


    ___


    Cira awoke on Breeze Haven at some point the following morning. Her bed was nice and comfy and having regained her second leg, there was no dull, persistent discomfort. She took a bath and felt truly clean for the first time in a while. Within and without.


    Somehow, her mood was lighter than she thought it had been in a long time, too. Even the ache in her heart that Gazen left as a constant companion felt somehow warmer. She was still quite sad about his absence, especially after watching him go again just yesterday, but Cira felt an optimistic air on the wind.


    She would get ready for the day as any sorcerer would. This began with her wardrobe. She liked the white and gold, but it was time for a change of pace.


    What will it be, my Cerulean Robes? I wore those so much on Fount Salt though¡­ Does boosting my affinity to water do anything anymore? I could experiment with it, but I don¡¯t feel like that today.


    Cira put on a striking red gown that looked almost like a dress and checked herself out in the mirror. The hat was instead a heavy ruby broach that sparkled in her hair. She thought she looked great and always wanted an excuse to wear it out, but this didn¡¯t feel like it. It would look fine at a dinner party, but at the same time, there¡¯s no use wearing it if I don¡¯t have many things to burn.


    So, what will it be? I don¡¯t want to wear something boring today. If anything¡­ I should spend a week sewing some new outfits when I get a chance. For now, though¡­ Should I raid Dad¡¯s closet again?


    She disappeared down the hall and let herself into Gazen¡¯s old bedchamber. It looked the same as always and Cira found herself eyeing the bed. One of the pillows looked slightly askew. Right, I still need to check there¡­


    Regardless, she ended up at the back of the room and entered the closet. There were many fine robes and other vestments down here, many extravagant enough to sit in the treasury themselves. Cira didn¡¯t know exactly what she was looking for, as she couldn¡¯t think of what enhancements to her sorcery would get her off the island faster. In the end, she decided the first thing to catch her eyes would be the winner.


    This continued as she walked through a couple aisles and eventually found herself staring down the hallway at something new that caught her eye. Under a light artifact placed to display the thin fabric¡¯s vibrance, the robes seemed to flow by themselves beneath the sealed glass.


    It was more suited for a male sorcerer with its large cuffs and rather masculine pauldrons, but Cira knew she could make it hers with only a little bit of work.


    So that¡¯s exactly what she did, sitting in her garden for the next couple hours with some warm tea and foraged goods from the garden. Once that was done, Cira walked down her staircase and stepped down.


    The refreshing morning air flew past her face at violent speeds without messing up her hair as she plummeted through the mist. Cira landed in the middle of the courtyard in an explosion of dust that kept rising and immediately disappeared.


    ¡°Oh, she¡¯s back!¡± I remember her¡­ She was with Wick yesterday.


    ¡°My, I was so worried when you just rose into the sky!¡± A brunette woman with bright eyes approached, along with the rest of the gaggle from wherever they stood in the courtyard. It was a little unnerving. ¡°And now¡­ just look at her.¡±


    Cira was proud of her sewing capabilities. What her father had worn once for a job on a desert island that involved moving large pieces of unknown material was turned into a flowing dress of purple silk and dark leather. The bulky cuffs had become long, hanging sleeves that blew gently in the wind even when there was no wind. These suspicious women complimenting her was not exactly what she had in mind though.


    ¡°I have to agree,¡± The first woman said with¡­ longing in her eyes? ¡°You look incredible.¡±


    A thin, blonde girl walked in close with red robes three sizes too large dragging behind her on the ground. There was an uncomfortably genuine concern painted on her face, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t scare us like that! And it must have been such trouble getting that dress on by yourself¡­ Let us help you next time.¡±


    They¡¯re robes! Don¡¯t they see the hat? It was practically her favorite part. The light material was nearly weightless, and its flowing point made her feel like a lofty cloud. She thought she looked very sorcerous today, in fact.


    ¡°Okay, enough¡­¡± Cira could not let this mystery continue any longer. ¡°What are you girls? Why are there so many of you following me? What is your purpose? Perhaps your official positions?¡±


    ¡°Goodness, that¡¯s a silly question.¡± A woman certain to have back problems later in life invaded Cira¡¯s personal space with a playful smirk on her face, framed in bright red hair like that woman Eliza had. She lightly tugged on Cira¡¯s sleeve with hands that were surprisingly clean when she checked and fluttered her eyelashes up at her. ¡°We¡¯re the imperial harem.¡±


    ¡°The imperial¡­ what?¡± Cira bounced between all eight of them with baffled eyes.


    ¡°Ahem,¡± Someone cleared their throat and she turned to see James sitting around a table with a few others. ¡°How nice of you to join us, Eternal Pirate Empress Dreadheart.¡±


    She stood there blinking at him for a few moments and then scanned over the table. Jimbo and Ripley were there, as well as Dutchy. Her old pal Doctor Larry was present, giving her a disapproving frown and surrounded by bottles, seated next to Yotan. Last was a man she had never met who looked like he could be James¡¯ big brother and an unfamiliar woman in sleek, gray robes.


    ¡°Aha. Has the council assembled?¡± She loved waking up to results. ¡°An interesting bunch you¡¯ve gathered, but what¡¯s this about an empress?¡±


    ¡°Allow me,¡± the gruff man spoke, gesturing to James. ¡°My little brother here was adamant that you would be leaving as soon as you found Paradise, and my fellow councilmembers seem to be in agreement that this will not take long for one such as you. Thus, we concluded that we needed to retain you as an ambiguous all-powerful figurehead at the top of our new republic so that nobody tries to capitalize on the power vacuum left behind by Wick¡¯s absence.¡±


    Uh¡­ That¡¯s really his brother? Why is what he said upsetting my stomach?


    ¡°Might I add,¡± Yotan, the devout, elderly artificer said, ¡°That those of us on the mortal council are just representatives of the people. Everyone has witnessed the miracle of the immortal mistress, and news will surely spread quickly along the Boreal. With her above the council as proof of your divine will, nobody will dare cross us.¡±


    Cira made eye contact with Kuja across the courtyard and she only shrugged, returning to her book under the shade of an apple tree. I need to find some time to talk with her.


    The sorcerer¡¯s frown deepened, giving Ripley a chance to speak up, ¡°In other words, we¡¯re squeezin¡¯ all of your bullshit glory out that we can to keep people from messin¡¯ with us. Had to rename the island again though. Best we could do was The Holy Land Acher of the Blessed Pirate Empress Dreadheart.¡± He also shrugged.


    ¡°I hate it. Figure out a better name by the next time I see you. Not to mention, I would have let Shores join the council if I knew you were going to lean into the holy thing. And since when are you the mortal council?¡±


    ¡°Ella wanted to join¡­¡± James supplied, ¡°It was all I could come up with on the spot. That one¡¯s my bad this time.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough¡­¡± She let out a long sigh, ¡°I¡¯m not letting you distract me though. Just what the hell is an imperial harem?!¡±  Cira returned her gaze to the young woman loosely hanging onto her sleeve whose uncertain gaze (which she saw via Spatial Sight) turned warm in an instant when she looked down. ¡°What are you supposed to do?!¡±


    Her words rolled out with an alluring cadence that kept Cira¡¯s attention, ¡°My¡­ Anything you want, Mistress.¡± She fluttered her eyelashes again and another girl pushed herself into Cira¡¯s field of view, swaying her shoulders back and forth.


    She spoke with a soft lilt to her voice, one which seemed to somehow beckon concern, ¡°Anything¡­ that you desire, Mistress¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, I think I get it.¡± Cira dropped her fist into her palm, having a sudden realization. She looked over the gaggle of women who appeared downright eager for orders. They must be a group of servants, and Wick just had poor taste. That explains everything. ¡°Why don¡¯t you all run into town and find some clothes that fit? Here¡¯s some gold.¡± Cira scooped some of the gold crowns lying around Breeze Haven¡¯s interior and made them appear in the air, ¡°Hold out your hands.¡±


    They just looked between her and the money with wide eyes until Cira took the redheaded one and pushed her hands together before floating the swarm of gold coins into her palms.


    ¡°That takes care of that.¡± Cira dusted off her hands while her harem was left speechless. ¡°Off you go, now.¡±


    She scooted them along while the Council hid their laughter.


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Cira asked when she eventually turned back around. ¡°Did I give them too much money?¡±


    ¡°No, no, nothing like that. But maybe¡­¡± James cleared his throat again, ¡°Moving on, Captain Dreadheart, you should probably begin your search for Paradise Island, don¡¯t you think?¡±

 159 - Ancient Clues

    Much like Breeze Haven¡¯s training hall, this room was also larger on the inside than on the outside. Tall ceilings rested at the top of dark metallic walls. There were no windows, but artifacts in their place lit the room with a bright, even light.


    Because of the nature of artificing, it would have been needlessly troublesome to separate weapons or things which could be interpreted as weapons, and thus, the treasury essentially doubled as an armory. There were ancient looking banners with runes painted on them hung on the wall, or blades that emanated inexplicable energy fastened from floor to ceiling.


    Staves, seeing the most use and variety, had their own room, and the various artifacts were similarly filed with like pieces. Cira brought along a small group mortal of the council along¡ªJames, Jimbo, and Dutchy because she was good with money.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already taken the catalysts I really want,¡± Cira fell back into a pile of gold like it were leaves in the fall, ¡°The rest of what I took from Wick should probably stay with Lost Cloud or whatever. Rather, it should become New Acher¡¯s wealth.¡±


    ¡°My, how generous of you, Captain Dreadheart!¡± Dutchy was visibly nervous.


    ¡°You need to stop being so stiff,¡± waving a gem-encrusted goblet at her, Cira pushed herself off the mound before filling it with water and holding it out, ¡°thirsty?¡±


    She took it with an unsteady hand and took a sip as Cira gestured for the gold to rise. There were artifacts mixed in, but nothing particularly notable or even close to ancient. She made a pile of obvious novice work and a few more of basic currencies.


    Dutchy made a flustered face before pounding the contents of the goblet and setting it on the ground, ¡°Should be about this big.¡± Her hands formed the outline of a circle a little bigger than Cira¡¯s head. She was describing Captain Cloud¡¯s last clue¡ªsupposedly an artifact.


    ¡°And it¡¯s a perfect sphere made of crystal or something?¡± She was digging through the pile just to make herself and everyone feel better but, ¡°There¡¯s nothing like that here.¡±


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t in his treasury¡­¡± Dutchy put a hand on her chin in deep thought.


    ¡°I doubt if the dumb bastard even knew what it looked like,¡± Jimbo suggested. ¡°Let alone what it did or where it was.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re right.¡± He and James found a rare moment of complete agreement. ¡°I heard the last King actually tried looking for Paradise. Who¡¯s to say it¡¯s not in one of those old boxes Wick left to collect dust in one of his towers?¡±


    ¡°Oh? Then someone should have found it.¡± Cira rubbed her hands together, ¡°It must still be at the palace, right?¡±


    ¡°Right. You didn¡¯t burn it with the trash, did you?¡± Jimbo had little faith.


    ¡°Of course not! I didn¡¯t even burn broken artifacts.¡±


    ¡°So, let¡¯s go look.¡± James turned towards the door trying to leave, but Cira had one more item on the docket.


    ¡°Hold on. Before we leave the treasury, I would like to retrieve everyone¡¯s payment. I think gold is too petty to compensate those who helped me since landing here.¡± Cira walked the opposite direction, leading everyone further down the gilded hall, ¡°Do you think I should pay in weapons, artifacts, catalysts, rare materials, or perhaps some combination?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll take a few of each.¡± Jimbo cheersed nobody with his flask and tipped it back.


    James shook his head and spoke next, ¡°I can only think rare materials would be simplest. It¡¯s the closest thing to money and that¡¯s what¡¯s going to make any pirate feel better.¡±


    Cira turned and held up a finger in realization, ¡°Oh, I have ancient money! I doubt most of it is in circulation though.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ sort of sounds like rare materials with extra steps.¡± Dutchy added, ¡°Why don¡¯t we just start with metals? Something heavy will suffice if you don¡¯t want it to be too valuable. Pirates are simple folk.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. The point is that I offer something of as much value as possible, within reason of course.¡± Cira snapped her fingers and a standard Lamplight appeared. ¡°I am rewarding those who helped me regain my aura, and not die in the process.¡±


    ¡°You might have those results backwards.¡± James was ignored.


    ¡°And to our left is surplus storage for the forge¡ªOh, I just knew I had another ingot!¡± Cira joyfully bounded into the room on two healthy legs, her soft, silken robes bounced along with just as much whimsy. She picked up a shimmering golden brick, ¡°Do you think orichalcum is too much? I can slice it real thin.¡±


    ¡°O-orichalcum?!¡± Dutchy was in a daze, ¡°You¡¯re joking. Of course it¡¯s too much!¡±


    ¡°In what world is that an ingot?¡± James pointed out that next to Cira¡¯s smiling face was a cube a few inches taller. ¡°How are you even holding that? Put it down. That¡¯s way too much.¡±


    As someone on the receiving end of her rewards, she had no choice but to trust James¡¯ assessment, which also lent credence to Dutchy¡¯s credibility. She cut off a small block and it disappeared into her ring for later, setting the rest down with a sigh.


    ¡°But I really wanted to do something nice for everyone,¡± She pouted.


    ¡°You can do something else for them, but do you think a gang of pirates can show up on the Boreal with a bunch of paper-thin sheets of orichalcum and not have Earth Vein sniffin¡¯ around?¡± As always, James¡¯ logic cut to the heart of the matter, ¡°Could be the push they really needed to finally seek this place out. I have my doubts the witches couldn¡¯t find it if they tried.¡±


    Note: curse the island so that witches may never find it.


    Alternate note: create an obfuscation array before I leave instead.


    ¡°What¡¯s this¡­?¡± Dutchy seemed drawn to a certain translucent ore Cira was taught not to touch with her bare hands. It bore a pearlescent sheen like quartz without imperfection. Cira decided to wait until she tried to pick it up, ¡°Yahh!¡±


    The sorcerer snickered as she played the same prank her father pulled on her years ago. The ore remained on its shelf while Dutchy snapped her head around like she had just gotten in trouble.


    ¡°It¡¯s commonly known as glacial bedrock.¡± Cira wiggled her fingers, and a small pebble broke off before smoothing over into a bead. ¡°I used to put a little piece like this in my juice on hot summer days. I suppose you haven¡¯t been to the bottom of Archaeum¡­ but think of it like permafrost from the coldest part of an ice shelf¡ªall that frigid mana has seeped into it for hundreds, maybe even thousands of years. Thus, it can be removed from such conditions without its temperature changing even a smidge. Maybe it could be handy around the bar. Do you want a little? It will never melt or get warmer to even the slightest degree.¡±


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    A leather pouch appeared from somewhere and Cira tossed the bead in, along with three more she pulled off.


    ¡°W-what?! For me?¡± The light-red haired woman took the pouch carefully in both hands, ¡°But I¡­ I didn¡¯t do anything! You paid for your beer up front!¡±


    ¡°And you let me rope you into the so-called mortal council with very little resistance and have already proved your worth. I think you deserve something for that.¡± I¡¯m not solving my problems with money this time, but some problems can only be solved with money or money adjacent items, it seems. I have to offer rewards for jobs well done, after all. Cira walked to the next shelf over and grabbed another two bricks.


    In her left hand, a metal that glistened crimson like blood against a flame. And in her right, something a bit more common, but Cira always loved the polished green. A bit deeper than her eyes, like a lush canopy. It was quite nice to look at.


    I have dragonite,¡± She held one up on display before switching out for her other hand, ¡°and adamantine¡­?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re in the realm of ¡®what the hell even is that¡¯, and ¡®Still too valuable¡¯,¡± Dutchy provided, ¡°But at least you¡¯re outside the range of mythical materials that only appear in legends.¡±


    ¡°No way¡­ Are you trying to tell me nobody¡¯s seen orichalcum on the Boreal?!¡± Cira was aghast.


    ¡°Well, there are legendary mages and artificers on the Boreal¡­ But to people like me, it may as well not be real.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Think about it. How much mithril did you find in Wick¡¯s treasury? Even that much is rare out here.¡±


    The other two nodded to each other, then James turned to Cira, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a good way to put it. Mithril isn¡¯t quite legendary, but pretty close. Just to put it in perspective. Keep passing it around though, and you¡¯ll leave a trail of breadcrumbs made up of all your friends for some witch to follow one day.¡±


    That¡¯s a scary thought¡­ I didn¡¯t even think about that. It keeps coming back to Earth Vein¡¯s greed up here. Perhaps they need to be humbled, but I can¡¯t possibly just tell a hundred witches to line up and wait their turn. Or is it more than that? A thousand witches? I think they¡¯re just hired by the real bad guys though.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± She was stumped in many ways. But what could she give her benefactors? ¡°Well, dragonite is just mithril that¡¯s been superheated in dragon¡¯s fire.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Dutchy asked abruptly. Everyone looked at her like she was crazy. ¡°How do you even gather that?¡±


    ¡°Obviously, by finding it many years after its creation, much like most other metals¡­ Were you thinking there were mad sorcerers out there who seek dragons to place mithril before them¡­?¡± You know, I had mithril in my pocket when I saw that dragon¡­ Dammit. This girl sure is creative, but I can¡¯t find myself disapproving.


    ¡°N-no¡­ of course not!¡± She shuffled around nervously and picked up an unfamiliar golden clump. Rather, she tried to. It fell out of her hands almost immediately and smooshed against the floor like a ball of bread dough. ¡°What is that?!¡± She even stumbled back.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s mega-gold,¡± Cira picked it back up and set it on the shelf in its newly flattened state. ¡°It¡¯s produced by compressing gold using elemental principles. It retains its mass while reducing to only a tenth of its volume. If you would believe it, it lasts almost twelve times as long under high-intensity mana conduction compared to regular gold.¡±


    The three council members shared a look then turned their frowns to Cira.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything normal¡­?¡± Dutchy wasn¡¯t as stiff anymore, but she sounded exasperated.


    ¡°It¡¯s normal to have a diverse materials storage¡­¡± Her hands fell from her hips as she realized her reasoning wasn¡¯t getting anywhere, so she continued, ¡°Fine. Sapphire? I have plenty of ruby. You know what those are, right? Emerald maybe?¡±


    Cira gestured her hand in display of the next two shelves.


    ¡°Th-that¡¯s what those are?!¡± She stared at them in shock.


    ¡°Why are they ingots?!¡± James asked, at his wit¡¯s end.


    ¡°They¡¯re easier to store that way. A gem¡¯s natural state is only important in very specific situations, and I can usually work the imperfections out this way.¡± She peeled some off and made crystalline coins of three denominations, blue, red, and green. A cameo of Cira was embossed on one side of each with a frown, smirk, then bright smile respectively to denote value. ¡°Huh? What do you think?¡± They hung their heads low in disappointment. At least we have solidarity on the council¡­ ¡°I can bless a bunch of silver¡­¡±


    It sat on a low shelf, and Cira had much more than she thought covered in a fine layer of dust.


    ¡°Hey¡­ that might work.¡± Dutchy weighed invisible options in her hands, and the other two agreed with a shrug and a nod. ¡°Its value has shot up ever since the Fount Saint incident.¡±


    ¡°Beg your pardon¡­? The what?¡± Cira heard a term she had not heard before.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s what they¡¯re calling it. You should really check out the newspapers that have been comin¡¯ in.¡± Jimbo and James were trying to subtly gesture for her to shush and she nervously kept talking, ¡°I-I mean, how long do you think it will take to bless the silver? Even a fistful a piece would let them live like nobles for a decade.¡±


    ¡°See? That¡¯s doesn¡¯t sound like a lot. Silver¡¯s cheap and easy to bless. What are they going to trade it for anyway? Gold?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ probably. But it would be easier to trade than anything else in this room.¡±


    ¡°Great¡­¡± Cira sighed and stared off into space for a minute. I should just trust my own judgement here. That¡¯s best at least half of the time. ¡°Fine then. Let¡¯s do it like this.¡±


    A thin stream of gold coins floated in from outside the hall and formed a pile in the center of the room, to everyone¡¯s surprise. They were then encompassed in a shroud of holy light before it quickly dissipated. The coins floated up again and formed various clusters suspended in the air.


    ¡°Blessed gold. All the benefits of blessed silver, but it¡¯s gold. Everyone I need to reward will get a satchel full of it. Why not? Maybe I¡¯ll stuff some artifacts in there later.¡± Leather from the workshop appeared and shaped itself into a bunch of satchels, which then filled with shimmering gold. She hadn¡¯t thought thoroughly about how many she would actually need, so she just kept stuffing them and vanishing them.


    ¡°Since when can gold be blessed¡­?¡± Dutchy looked concerned, which devolved into full blown panic as one of the glowing satchels pushed itself into her chest until she relented and grabbed it.


    ¡°Yeah, I give up.¡± James threw his hands up in defeat. When a satchel of blessed gold pressed against one of his outstretched palms, he hung his head in defeat. ¡°Can we head back to the palace now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m with you.¡± Jimbo slumped as he slung a satchel over his shoulder.


    As they conversed, Cira took this opportunity to replenish her personal treasure pouch.


    They felt better taking a boat rather than letting Cira float them up to Breeze Haven, so on the way back she peacefully waited as the ground approached next to the others in some small skiff from the Cove. She was thinking about what kind of artifacts her closest crew may like to receive as gifts.


    ¡°That reminds me,¡± She drew Jimbo¡¯s attention. ¡°I¡¯ve got a special gift planned for you.¡±


    ¡°R-really¡­? Is it gonna make Tawny mad?¡±


    ¡°What? I would hope not¡­¡± Cira hadn¡¯t done her research yet, but she was sure she could figure it out, ¡°I can probably restore your leg before I leave¡ªif you want.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?!¡± He was dumbstruck sober for a brief moment. ¡°That¡¯s amazing! Are you lyin¡¯ right now?!¡±


    Cira laughed, ¡°I may need to read a book or two first, but I¡¯m confident I can do it. Of course¡­ there lies another path if you would prefer.¡±


    She received a couple uneasy looks, but Jimbo was still on board, ¡°What¡¯s that¡­?¡±


    ¡°I can make you a new leg¡­ in the forge. A better leg. Stronger, faster, more weaponized. More knives, hover mode¡­ whatever you want really.¡±


    He clenched his fist and glanced down at his missing leg. ¡°The answer¡¯s obvious isn¡¯t it¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, no, no.¡± James spat his disapproval, ¡°Rather, it is, but not to you. Obviously take the real leg, Capt¡ªno, Cira, why would you suggest something like that?¡±


    ¡°He seemed like he would want it.¡± She shrugged. ¡°More importantly, we have a problem¡­ I¡¯ve been searching the palace this whole time and what we¡¯re looking for isn¡¯t there. I already double checked his storehouses across the island.¡±


    They were only just landing in the grass of the courtyard.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you move, but alright I guess¡­¡± Dutchy looked like she was past the point of figuring Cira out, ¡°If it¡¯s not here than he must have moved it to Plackelo. If we can¡¯t get our hands on it though¡­ I¡¯m afraid you might have trouble finding Paradise.¡±

 160 - Set Sail For New Lands

    The young and newly reborn sorcerer suggested she just pop on over to Plackelo real quick on some lightning and check for the treasure, but it was of course vetoed. Despite her argument that she would become invisible once she arrived, the Council wasn¡¯t having it.


    In fact, visiting Plackelo for any reason in person was considered as official as business got. Some had the gall to argue that she was not likely to keep a low profile. Outrageous.


    Cira first expressed how she did not want to bear the symbolic sun of the Final Sky on her flags. Shores could do what he wanted on his own time, but she did not intend to lean into her role as an object of worship any further than the sky forced her to.


    So, she was quick to dismiss the golden sun insignia. Somehow, though¡­ in some way which escapes even the daughter of a sage, she ended up with not one, but seven suns painted on a giant black flag atop the unfortunately christened ¡®Saint¡¯s Wings¡¯. This was still technically her flag ship, but Breeze Haven sported a new flagpole as well that stuck out of her yard at the crew¡¯s recommendation.


    Unfortunately, signage was at the mercy of the Mortal Council. Since the armada was acting on official business, they had to put forth the right image. Only a couple members wanted to lean into the prophecy stuff, but it was utterly vetoed by the majority, which Cira was endlessly thankful for. Still, they needed people to recognize that the elusive Saint of Seven Suns was backing them. Evidently, that mysterious young woman was the Boreal¡¯s newest rising power¡ªalong with the upstart pirate captain Cirina Dreadheart, as fate would have it. This effect was only exacerbated by the fact that nobody knew anything about them or even saw them since Fount Salt turned into an egg.


    After a heated debate, Cira talked them down to seven white suns, the artistic kind with wavy points, surrounding a golden skull. She was ashamed to admit she almost slapped the shit out of the good Reverend Shores, who wasn¡¯t even on the council, when he suggested the eyes should be eggs, but everyone else shared her sentiment. It was nice for a change. Any attempts to make crossed staves behind the skull turned out unrecognizable from any distance at best, or as Jimbo put it, phallic at worst.


    So just the skull and seven suns. Simple enough, and Cira made the first two flags herself in a totally different style from the gaudy Final Sky sun. This way, perhaps it would be blasphemy to deviate from her original design in the future.


    It really felt like she was about to initiate some serious pirate business after getting all hyped up with a few barrels of paint, and she was going to conjure Breeze Haven¡¯s artillery just for show when James reminded her Plackelo was just a regular island Wick happened to own a couple plots of.


    That buzzkill was enough to put the real Cirina Dreadheart back in her cage, and she relaxed a little as they forged a path through the fog. Still, they made her switch out the whimsical violet robes she spent the morning sewing so cheerfully and made her change right back into the Dreadheart getup.


    To get her to stop pouting, they ended up scrounging a new hat from somewhere. One befitting a real Captain, they claimed. It made her happy enough as she floated along between Breeze Haven and the sun-cannon warship.


    ¡°I gotta say,¡± Tawny called over from the deck of the latter. ¡°You flying next to us lookin¡¯ like you¡¯re just standing there is kind of creepy.¡±


    ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± Cira was caught off guard.


    Luckily Gil was nearby to chime in, ¡°I think she means it just looks kind of funny. We¡¯re going pretty fast but you¡¯re keeping up with us just standing there¡­ on nothing.¡±


    Despite having both legs, Cira was taking full advantage of not needing them. Flight magic was so simple now she felt genuinely stupid for not figuring it out until she had a mountain of deritium at her disposal.


    When making her staves levitate, they often adhered to a fixed position in relation to her as the origin. It cost less mana to let them float around so long as they stuck to their center point, Cira. Of course, it cost much more to alter its position in real time at her will, which she often did when she had to throw a staff at someone or otherwise move it where she wanted.


    Still, it would cost astronomically more if she were to, say, keep her orichalcum staff aloft with wind sorcery. This line of thinking led Cira to the realization that she could simply move. Her position changed at will, not through a convoluted game of propulsion and resistance¡ªplus the myriad other factors which stifled her sorcerous ingenuity.


    Magicians called those factors ¡®physics¡¯, but any sorcerer worth their salt wouldn¡¯t let some natural law tell them what to do. There was almost always a way around it, one way or the other, at least temporarily. And taking advantage of such a way by altering her position in real time using nigh-imperceptible amounts of mana using her last position as an origin point rather than herself as she would her staves, Cira did not need to move in any way or flex one muscle in order to travel great distances.


    ¡°I could go significantly faster without doing anything. The wind will get out of my way, even. Are you suggesting I should be doing something merely so I don¡¯t look so awkward? I suppose many of my casting gestures follow the same logic¡­¡± Cira raised a hand to her chin as she left a wake in the mist she displaced. ¡°I¡¯ve got it.¡±


    She began walking. Ever since she was a child, she always dreamed of walking on the clouds. In reality, a bird appeared and whizzed past her head in half a second as she casually strolled through the sky.


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s doin¡¯.¡± The newly appeared Jimbo leaned against the railing with his flask, ¡°You¡¯re just walking insanely fast. Really flauntin¡¯ that new leg aren¡¯tchya? Don¡¯t even need to step on nothin¡¯ huh?¡±


    ¡°Should I run, instead?¡± Cira started sprinting in the air, as she would after prey, next to the flagship while her crew slowly gathered with confused looks on their faces. ¡°I have to say, this feels like it¡¯s defeating the purpose. Maybe for my morning jog, but that¡¯s not what I¡¯m going for here.¡±


    Cedric politely raised his hand, ¡°What are you going for?¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Cira clapped, ¡°That¡¯s it!¡±


    A lightning bolt appeared under Cira then she turned to the side and planted her feet on it, pretending to balance with her arms for effect. ¡°Huh? What do you think? I can just ride this lightning bolt around.¡±


    Cedric, her lone lightning mage, covered his mouth and gasped. ¡°That¡¯s¡ªthat¡¯s incredible!¡±


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    ¡°Yeah, I gotta agree.¡± Jimbo swayed, holding himself upright with his arm against the railing. He had been noticeably drinking a lot since they took the palace. ¡°Ya need to teach me that one.¡±


    ¡°Looks like a cheap trick.¡± Tawny gave her a dramatic thumbs down, ¡°Slowest lightning bolt I ever saw.¡±


    It dispersed, and Cira threw her hands up in defeat, ¡°You guys are impossible to please! What should I do? A flying kick?"


    Cira assumed the position of a flying kick whose target lay beyond the horizon and proceeded to float alongside the others.


    This one actually had unanimous vote, but she vetoed it herself.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you just point your head forward?¡± Tawny continued, ¡°The smallest you can be will cost less mana when it comes to wind resistance.¡±


    Yes, yes¡­ it takes mana to resist the wind. Obviously, I¡¯m ignoring it for convenience.


    ¡°True¡­ I suppose we could look at this from a strictly pragmatic point of view.¡± Cira knew that as a sorcerer, convenience went hand in hand with utility, but the girl had a point. Over long distances and in a general sense, she would want to minimize the cost to the utmost. Cira was now standing up, however, rotated 90 degrees with her head facing forward. ¡°I can imagine my neck getting sore from staring ahead over long distances, but how does it look?¡±


    She was basically flat on her stomach with her hands at her sides, neck craned all the way up to see forward. It didn¡¯t seem like this pose would do much more than trade comfort for mana. This was not the sorcerer¡¯s way.


    There were a few head nods and shrugs from the crowd, and they thought it looked alright, overall.


    ¡°Kinda looks natural,¡± Shores shouted from the helm, ¡°when you look down though, it looks like you¡¯re not paying attention to where you¡¯re going. Could be confusing. I saw a guy shot out of a cannon once and he looked like that.¡±


    ¡°Oh, come on¡­¡± There was no way she was going to add a pose to her regular rotation wherein she had to subject her neck of all places to ergonomically compromised positions simply to look dignified. Okay, think. Ergonomics. If I move my arms, it should lessen the stress on my neck.


    Cira put two fists forward, inline with her body as she lay on her belly at unknown speeds through the sky. It did make her neck feel a little better, but her shoulders would certainly get tired after a few hours now too.


    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± Gil shouted.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ looks like you¡¯re goin¡¯ into battle.¡± Jimbo slurred. ¡°You could punch someone twice from miles away.¡±


    Then the usual suspect, Tawny, rained on her parade, ¡°Looks kind of pretentious.¡±


    ¡°Fine then! How about this?¡±


    Cira rotated around until she was floating through the air while laying on her back, arms up with her hands supporting her head. She closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.


    ¡°Nevermind. That¡¯s the one.¡± Jimbo snapped and pointed, slurring his words.


    ¡°For some reason, your opinion is the most questionable at the moment. Give me that flask.¡± It lifted effortlessly out of his hands and landed in Cira¡¯s. Given her ability to ¡®heal¡¯ away most toxins, poisons and the like, she thought it couldn¡¯t hurt to indulge in what she had learned was called ¡®Rum¡¯. She thought the name was rife with whimsy in that it was short and to the point, while she had no idea what it meant. Drinking it, she thought the name was fitting, for what it¡¯s worth. ¡°I¡¯m onto you, you drunk bastard¡­¡±


    Jimbo didn¡¯t know what to make of the ambiguous accusations when Skipper¡¯s voice cried from above, ¡°Land ho!¡±


    Huh¡­? Cira was quite comfortable with her hands interlaced behind her head as they broke through a stark border between storm and sky. The mist was almost like a wall behind them, and she stared at the ascending sun.


    Fascinating¡­ So, the storm is far from natural after all. I must admit, I¡¯m a little disappointed.


    She pushed against the ground that didn¡¯t exist to get a better look ahead. The island was hardly a couple miles across, and mostly flat. While there was some farmland, about half of the island was forested, but no trees rose much above a single-story building.


    It looked like a small city as they approached, paved in stone and developed with a deliberate hand. While the town spanned an impressive distance, all the buildings looked the same, seemingly laid out to plan. The streets were clean, and windows were fitted with clear glass. It was bizarre seeing so clearly after being stuck in the mist for so long, and Cira took a moment to appreciate the beautiful azure sky that awaited her once she found the treasure and wrapped all this up.


    In that same moment, she also noticed a fair amount of people in the streets, then bells started to ring from the center of town.


    ¡°Is this Plackelo¡­?¡± Cira thought the town looked very nice, but the percussive bells going off in this moment could not have been a coincidence. ¡°Did we perhaps launch an invasion? James, explain this to me.¡±


    Breeze Haven had a very nice cannon, if you will, which shot a beam of light which put Captain Shores¡¯ to shame. Cira was initially very excited to show it off, but looking at this island, it was not one on which she wished to disrupt the peace, so it was unfortunate to receive such an unwelcome welcoming.


    James gave her that sideways glance like he was a little disappointed too but that¡¯s just how it was, ¡°Captain Wick has been dethroned, and Dreadheart has taken his place and more. I don¡¯t want to cause a panic either, but you own these skies, like it or not. Showing up and trying to hide would make us look bad, or weak, or both.¡±


    ¡°Can you define ¡®these skies¡¯?¡± Cira remembered what that old merchant said, that only half-rate pirates live on the Dead Belt. It was difficult to argue after overthrowing Wick ten minutes after waking up.


    ¡°The Noose, of course, and basically Dolliver to Plackelo. Don used to post up on Hawker¡¯s Pact sometimes and extort a toll from all the merchants waiting for the storm to pass. Dangerous game though, what with the witches all over the place.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Wick had been struggling to hold onto his territory after Earth Vein moved in, actually.¡±


    A red flare arced through the sky, originating from a building that looked like it had a handful of mages on the roof. The streets had already emptied by the time they started approaching the docks.


    ¡°Huh. So, Fount Salt is part of my rightful territory? I wonder how Earth Vein would feel about that.¡± While she may have been drifting along the sky, the situation was so concerning that Cira was full blown sitting down right now with her arms wrapped around her knees attentively. ¡°I must say, this looks like they¡¯re preparing to fight us. Weren¡¯t we trying to avoid that?¡±


    Cira put the flask away in her ring for now and flew over to retake her standard arms-crossed pose on the ship¡¯s bow.


    ¡°They shouldn¡¯t be reacting this bad¡­¡± James groaned into his hand, trying to think through it. ¡°Dammit. I¡¯m sure Wick did something.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Prismagora appeared in a flash of light and layers of geometric shapes wrapped around ¡®the Saint¡¯s Wings¡¯. Because she wasn¡¯t a hack, the barrier became transparent for visibility shortly thereafter. She couldn¡¯t let her flagship be so much as scratched or marred. ¡°We can just accept their anger until they decide to listen to us. We¡¯re reasonable folk, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    Breeze Haven stayed in the sky, casting a shadow over the island while the ship moored itself on unfamiliar docks. Long-range magic came from across town and fizzled out against the barrier while the crew threw ropes across to tie off, lowering the ramp at the same time. It seemed they were quite practiced at docking in a hurry.


    For special effect, at the council¡¯s suggestion and to Cira¡¯s great reluctance, Breeze Haven¡¯s barrier above radiated a holy light which cast no shadows upon the small island of Plackelo.


    As if they anticipated a scenario wherein their docks were invaded, cannons fired atop the buildings lining the boardwalk and guards in uniform stacked up at the shore¡¯s edge with rifles. Cira had to work even harder to protect the docks and nearby ships from these people¡¯s long-range magic and incendiary munitions. It was quite a hassle.


    ¡°Don¡¯t they see our flags?!¡± Cira cried. ¡°It¡¯s different from Wick¡¯s, right? What even was his?¡±


    ¡°It did have a gold skull,¡± James replied, ¡°It was all gold though.¡±


    Ugh, why does there have to be a crossover between the church and pretentions asshole pirates? I happen to like gold as a color. It¡¯s very pretty, and these people are ruining it.


    ¡°PEOPLE OF PLACKELO¡ªAH, OOPS!¡± Cira¡¯s voice shook the docks and people fell to their knees, dropping their guns and crying out from the intense waves of mana. Let¡¯s just¡­ tone that down a little.


    ¡°Captain Wick¡¯s reign has ended.¡± Cira crumpled up a small card the Council wrote her lines on and turned it to dust. How did I let myself get roped into this? ¡°I stand before you as the Eternal Pirate Empress Cirina Dreadheart.¡±

 161 - Retracing a Dead Mans Steps

    It was mutually understood that Cira was only the Empress of all pirates within this small stretch of the Boreal for the express purpose of making those who lived here untouchable by threat of a mysterious new faction with the power to burn holes through witches and summon the wrath of the sun god.


    She wasn¡¯t too happy about it.


    ¡°What sun god?!¡± were her exact words. She found common ground with Ripley in that people kept coming up with absurd names for her actions. The pillars of light were just a byproduct of her spatial array. The grandest one she¡¯d ever carved, sure, but still. They weren¡¯t even gold, and neither was the sun that sat above Hangman¡¯s cove for two and a half months.


    She ended up apologizing profusely before the council for that one, but Prismagora was ready to dump a thousand suns on someone at her word, so it was difficult to get her sincerity across.


    In any case, Cira didn¡¯t feel like an empress at all. More like a flashy magician. Now, her father took her to something of a festival once inside the city and that¡¯s where she met her first magician. At first his showmanship dazzled her¡ªthe lights and pyrotechnics could excite any child¡ªbut it only took a few seconds and a modicum of spatial sight to realize he was a phony.


    Sleight of hand had its place in incredibly specific scenarios and in hand-to-hand sorcery, and perhaps other places, but to pretend to be casting magic while simply flicking a card up your sleeve? Old man Gazen laughed, but Cira found it quite offensive. She was a little girl who took her sorcery very seriously.


    The moment she saw a dove inside the magician¡¯s other sleeve, she knew something was off. Just because he shot balls of intangible flames in every color of the rainbow from his little, portable, foldout stage didn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯t also intently observing the magician¡¯s movements in space.


    Her dad had sold it as something similar to a sorcerer, but they prided themselves on their tricks being indecipherable. This was of course a challenge to Cira who was in training.


    The magician threw out his hand and a dove flew into the air, drawing everyone¡¯s gaze as it weaved between the flames to make its escape. Cira remembered being even more upset that he was subjecting an innocent bird to such a frightful experience.


    By then, everyone was dazzled when he called out into the crowd for everyone to check their pockets.


    ¡°What?! Impossible!¡± One man cried. From within his pocket, he pulled the same card out.


    ¡°Dad, is this a joke?¡± Cira pulled at his sleeve to carry on to the next attraction. ¡°That man had a card in his pocket the whole time. The magician still has his¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shshshshshhhh¡± Gazen shushed his daughter and quickly let her drag him away to save the poor man¡¯s pride.


    Later in life, once Cira learned magicians were in fact similar to sorcerers but with a much heavier focus on academics, their prestigious image was perhaps forever tarnished in her mind from that single childhood memory of the phony street performer.


    But that¡¯s how she felt, standing before the people of Plackelo and presumably their leader. She was a stout young woman who for some reason had her hand on the holster of a pistol as Cira gently lowered herself onto the dock within a beam of holy light.


    It¡¯s all about the image, right? Cira decided to bother whichever council members were present to the only extent at which she could by lowering extremely slowly¡ªfar slower than they asked for. That¡¯s what gave her so much time to reminisce, and stew on her lack of control over the Dreadheart brand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± The woman¡¯s pistol went from her hip to aimed at Cira¡¯s face faster than she could blink.


    ¡°Impressive dexterity.¡± Cira said with a slight grin, ¡°I can respect that.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°You must be the leader here, no?¡± She put her hands on her hips and made a show of looking over the town as if she¡¯d just stuffed the deed in her pocket. ¡°Beautiful city, really. I¡¯d love if you could show me around sometime.¡±


    Cira didn¡¯t have time today, unfortunately, but Plackelo garnered her interest a great deal. It took nearly two years by her count to find the Boreal after she stumbled upon that dragon in the Dead Skies, and it had been since her dad was alive that she¡¯d seen an island so well-developed.


    ¡°As far as you¡¯re concerned, yes. I am this island¡¯s leader.¡± Her tone remained standoffish, and she didn¡¯t even agree to show Cira around.


    What the hell is that supposed to mean?


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Her phrasing threw Cira for a loop, ¡°You can put your gun down. There will be no fighting here today, whether you like it or not.¡±


    ¡°Any tyrant who can take Wick down will only spell trouble for Plackelo¡­¡± She notably did not lower her gun. The cold glare in her hazy brown eyes ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re here to take taxes early or take my citizens away. Plackelo is through putting up with it.¡±


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    It was frustrating, but Cira couldn¡¯t really blame her. ¡°James! Get over here! What¡¯s all this stuff about taxes and kidnapping? Just what did Wick do to this place while I was asleep?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ but he¡¯s always extorted them.¡± He put on a friendly smile and looked at the young woman, ¡°Miss, please don¡¯t misunderstand us. I am James of the¡­ Mortal Council. Let me start off by saying, the Dreadheart Empire has no intention of collecting taxes any longer from islands inside our territory.¡±


    ¡°The¡­ Mortal Council?¡± She looked between James and Cira, focusing on the latter with increasing concern. ¡°Are you¡­ the real Captain Cirina Dreadheart?¡±


    She though it was obvious but, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°What is¡­ the Eternal Empress supposed to mean¡­?¡± Her trigger finger shook with nerves. There was hardly enough mana in this woman¡¯s aura to light a lamp, and she pointed her pistol at Cira¡¯s face after watching her grueling ascent of holy light. Even if she hadn¡¯t done anything cool yet, it was no secret between the two that Cira could level the town if she were so sadistically inclined, but this town¡¯s leader stood up to her regardless. If not dexterity, that was enough to earn Cira¡¯s respect.


    ¡°It means those who live within my skies shall know peace¡­ forever¡­ Or else.¡± Cira was instructed to wear a halo and flex her holy mana, but she made an executive decision not to, actually toning her presence down and paraphrasing the script. ¡°Those who wish to defy my order of prosperity will be removed from power. Call it divine will if you wish.¡± She waved her off like it was an unimportant matter.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t understand.¡± The guards of Plackelo in their finely crafted leather armor had all assembled at the ends of the docks with their sights trained on Cira by now, but the young leader¡¯s hand shook. She could hear the revolver¡¯s mechanisms click as the girl trembled.


    Kuja¡¯s execution flashed through Cira¡¯s mind, and she found herself weakening her pressure over the island even further.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you I come bearing good news,¡± Cira conjured two chairs and sat in one, gesturing for the other. One of these days, that sorcery was going to end up as developed as Lamplight. But the young woman still didn¡¯t sit. ¡°When I say King Wick¡¯s reign has ended, I mean it. Look.¡± She pointed to James, Jimbo, and Dutchy who had tagged along to identify the treasure. ¡°I even split up his crown among my eight¡­ chosen mortals.¡±


    Never mind the fact that I only chose a few and approved just a couple more. Cira had actually vetoed Captain Shores personally. He had James¡¯ vote because of how reliable he was in getting results, which Cira acknowledged easily, but he and Jimbo agreed his faith towards Cira was a little overbearing.


    After dealing with it so much, Cira felt bad denying their goodwill so frequently, even if it came from a place of reverence which made her a little uncomfortable. Despite this, she knew that if Reverend Shores made it onto the council, he would inevitably drive others to worship Cira as the Final Sky¡¯s prophetic child, even if he didn¡¯t try.


    The compromise was placing Yotan on the council, as his faith was more contemporary and less in your face. He was happy to revere, not to sway others to do the same. As he put it, he was but a witness. Any role he could play would be his life¡¯s greatest treasure.


    The young leader looked at the three she pointed out and her eyes went wide, ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s really it. Why are they wearing it?¡±


    ¡°¡¯Cause we¡¯re the mortal council!¡± Jimbo slurred, ¡°We do all eight jobs Wick forgot about, and none of those other ones you don¡¯t like.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ why are you here today?¡± Her arms suddenly went stiff¡ªno, it steadied. Trained again on Cira like she had a target painted on her forehead.


    ¡°To tell you, I guess.¡± Cira shrugged, ¡°Oh, and we¡¯re here for Captain Cloud¡¯s treasure.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have anything like that¡­¡± She spoke in a low, hateful growl.


    Damn, I get it, but come on. I¡¯m not Captain Wick!


    Wick had one manor, three empty lots, and two storehouses on Plackelo, one of which still held items because that¡¯s all it ever held. Shores¡¯ rescue raid on the night of the heist never needed to search there. Luckily, he kept his hostages away from the city so her crew didn¡¯t have to lay siege upon the city, but it was quite possible they saw it regardless.


    In any case, the actual storehouse lay inland, toward the east side, and that¡¯s where Cira had been casting her search ever since landing.


    ¡°No, but Wick had something like that. It¡¯s fine though. I think I already found it.¡± The girl furrowed her brow as a small, translucent crystal orb fell from the sky into Cira¡¯s palm. ¡°Is this this really it though?¡±


    She cast her doubtful gaze to Dutchy, who had apparently seen it described in a book once. ¡°That¡ªthat has to be it! No one knows how it works, but that¡¯s what led Captain Cloud to Lost Clou¡ªI mean Acher.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re joking¡­¡± Cira turned the orb around in her hand, letting the sunlight hit it from different angles. ¡°This is a solar compass.¡±


    Crates and barrels proceeded to fall from the sky and land on Cira¡¯s flagship. The ancient orb was covered in dust, buried in a crate with silverware and dish towels.


    ¡°You liar! You¡¯re just a thief!¡± The young woman tried very hard to pull the trigger, but Cira didn¡¯t let her. It would turn into a huge deal and everyone else would start shooting too. This, of course, caused the leader of Plackelo¡¯s expression to devolve into fear.


    To nip that in the bud, Cira held up two hands in innocence, ¡°Worry not! I¡¯m just clearing out Wick¡¯s storage. You can have the land he owned as well. I heard there were a few parcels.¡±


    ¡°You sayin¡¯ you can read that?!¡± Jimbo pointed with his flask hand at the crystal ball. ¡°Ain¡¯t never seen a compass like that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite simple. Depending on the sun¡¯s position, it will point you towards a preestablished place. They¡¯re a little obsolete, honestly. Weather conditions and of course night make them difficult to read sometimes, and the medium was abandoned long ago for a simplified spatial reference design. If you want my opinion, I think they have their own charm.¡±


    She smiled absently as light trailed through the orb when the young woman cleared her throat, ¡°Excuse me!¡± Cira turned her grin to her. ¡°You¡¯re saying you¡¯re just here to take Wick¡¯s shit and leave?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s exactly it.¡± She had it in her hand and everything else was loaded up. ¡°In fact, I suppose this is farewell for today. It was a pleasure meeting you, Nameless Leader.¡± Cira turned around and started walking down the dock, spurring her crew to do the same. She turned her head and waved, ¡°but I will return for that tour.¡±


    Cira left the baffled young woman to gawk in ambiguity and rose from the dock as soon as her men got the idea. She had said plenty, she figured. It was time to follow the treasure.

 162 - Where the Compass Points

    An unoccupied Breeze Haven traveled through the dense fog while Cira lounged in the air next to her flagship, chatting with the others as a crystal orb floated before her.


    ¡°You know, this is quite difficult to read in the mist.¡± Cira summoned Prismagora, ¡°There. Much better.¡±


    It always knew which way the sun lay and could easily take up the role in its absence. Thus, the solar compass could point true without Cira worrying about weather conditions.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we just gonna end up back at Lost Cloud¡ªI mean Acher?¡± Dutchy complained. ¡°We¡¯ll be right back where we started.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps¡­ But I will never know where to start looking if I don¡¯t retrace this Captain Cloud¡¯s last steps.¡± Cira twirled the orb around and watched the stream of light shift around to stay on course. She did this periodically to make sure the results were accurate. ¡°I intend to discover his point of failure and continue from there.¡±


    The legends of an island made of solid gold with one spring for water and another for the sky¡¯s finest ale were certainly far-fetched, but Cira was surprised to find an actual compass that supposedly led some centuries-dead pirate captain on such a wild goose chase.


    Somehow, I doubt there¡¯s an island of gold with two springs at the end¡­ Even considering there to be an actual spring which spewed beer was outrageous at best. Springs exist by manifesting elements from the aether, so what does that make this Paradise¡¯s second spring? Is pirate magic real?


    ¡°Do you think¡­ you can really do it?¡± Dutchy asked, but everyone else seemed to be interested too.


    ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand me.¡± Cira replied curtly, ¡°I have my doubts that Paradise even exists. But if it does, and it¡¯s not too far away, I will certainly find it.¡±


    I don¡¯t have time to dawdle. I want to conclude my business with the Third Order before that darn Council of Sorcerer¡¯s bothers me again. The supposed Sky Warden is coming to Breeze Haven to pick me up in, what, hardly two months at this point? Yeah, let¡¯s finish this up and be on my way.


    After all, I still need time to climb the Noose for my vacation in solitude then reach Porta Bora for my vacation in the city once all this nonsense is through. Only then will I be able to follow that stupid compass my dad left.


    Cira was neglecting to look under his pillow because she knew she would only become more irritated when she inevitably found a compass that had been sitting there for years as he promised she would. On one hand, it was infuriating that he could still play games with her from beyond the grave, but on the other, she felt a degree of gratitude that he expended so much effort to be present even in death.


    Feeling his long-lost light in her dream, a certain warmth and comfort flooded her when she thought about it.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cirrus, but we really are short on time. What little remains of me is nearly expended¡­¡± The fragment he left behind said toward the end of her dream. She hated hearing her full name but could never complain in moments when he actually used it. Gazen bore a full, untroubled smile, ¡°My only child. I¡¯ve no doubt you will continue to pass your trials. After all, you¡¯re my daughter, aren¡¯t you? You may defy the sky on occasion, but that demon who claimed to be your father aims to bring it to ruin.¡±


    ¡°Dad¡­¡± She was fully engrossed in the memory of her recent dream as the high skies brushed a gentle wind through her hair. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see that monster again¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t get the desolate gaze of the victim from her dream out of her mind. ¡°I don¡¯t want to¡­ bring such misery. Why did he make me do those things?¡±


    Cira remembered having grown at least a little by the time Gazen showed up compared to her memories of that night. For some reason, her recollection seemed to stop then and resume when she was rescued. Still, up to that moment she wrought pain and abject misery upon so many¡­ so, so many. For the life of her, she could not recall a single reason why except for that feeling when he praised me¡­ why did I relish it so? It makes my skin crawl.


    ¡°Cira, dear¡­ It brings me great joy that I was able to raise you properly, but that demon took you from those who could be called your true parents. You were separated from the two responsible for your birth at such a young age that you could only know what he told you to believe. Do you not follow the sorcerer¡¯s code?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ Of course I do!¡± She was taken off guard by the sudden question. ¡°Who do you think I am, Dad?¡±


    ¡°Then how could you feel any guilt?¡± His words were casual, yet somehow brooked no doubt. As if it were such a small matter that its nature could not be misconstrued. ¡°I have taught you the skills to walk your own path and seen into your budding heart along the way. You wield the privilege of sorcery better than any practitioner I¡¯ve ever met, mistakes or not. Having forgotten the sins you were manipulated to foster, you never failed to do what¡¯s right in the end, even at your own expense. Haven¡¯t you realized, dear daughter of mine?¡±


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    That so-called demon referred to her as something similar, but even his insidious words fell away as her father spoke. She was alone for, according to him, at least six whole years, but to hear him call her his dear daughter again was a comfort she thought would never again come to be.


    It had been a couple minutes, and Cira realized he was simply catering to her needy nature as he still gave her the occasional head pat. ¡°Re¡­ realized what?¡± she spoke pensively, as his voice had grown even weaker. The sea of light she lingered in the depths of started to fade, not to shadow, but to something soft as the sky.


    ¡°All this time. Do you not remember how adamant you were on your sorcerous path? I sealed away any influence of your past, and your truest heart wished for nothing more than to help those less capable than yourself.¡± Her dad¡¯s hand came to rest on her head and there was a brief moment where the world of light returned in full force. It was as if he stood behind her fully resurrected. Of course, she was too scared to turn around.


    She tried not to focus on the energy she felt flowing her way, but suddenly a myriad of lights shined through from the sky beyond. Even when she closed her eyes, they broke effortlessly through the barrier which separated her consciousness from the real world. One appeared to be the sun, while others, perhaps distant stars. Like someone had flicked a paintbrush against a canvas, they were countless and vibrant.


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to talk nonsense¡­¡± Cira played at her innocence which had flown off somewhere six years ago, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we spend these last moments talking about things that don¡¯t matter? Do you remember¡­ that time I healed all those people while you purified their lands? You know, I made a much larger array that I think even you would be proud of.¡±


    Cira chuckled recalling the three pillars of light.


    ¡°I saw it, Cira. And I was proud. All these years¡­ I¡¯ve seen it all.¡± He continued patting her head. ¡°Your work on Fount Salt was particularly impressive, but I¡¯ll be disappointed if you don¡¯t learn a few lessons from it. Still, I couldn¡¯t be happier to see the sorcerer you¡¯ve become.¡±


    They were both quiet for a moment, but Cira could feel him fading.


    The stars beyond pulsed with mana. Cira recognized their placement. The constellations. Somehow, she could see them from the bottom of a mountain and deep within her sea of consciousness. Cira was slightly familiar with cosmic sorcery, but never had she perceived the stars with such sensitivity. Her mind was racing as she tried not to choke up, feeling her father¡¯s fading light trickle into what would surely become her aura when she awoke.


    ¡°Dad¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I really do have to go now, Cira dear. Promise me you¡¯ll try not to be so careless, alright?¡± He laughed one last time and Cira felt him pull away. When she turned around to grab for his hand, there wasn¡¯t anything there. But she could still feel his warmth. ¡°Until next time, my daughter.¡±


    Cira clenched her fist, ¡°Dammit! Until next time, my ass.¡± I can¡¯t even be mad that I get to see him, but if it¡¯s just another projection like in the archive, I¡¯m going to be upset.


    ¡°Uh, you alright?¡± Tawny asked, startling her. A few of the others were staring at her too.


    ¡°Always.¡± She deflected, ¡°You guys ever seen demons around these skies?¡±


    ¡°Demons¡­?¡± Jimbo asked. ¡°Where¡¯s this coming from?¡±


    ¡°One of the few races not allowed in the Gandeux Skies.¡± James said. ¡°People say they have cursed blood. Remnants of their ancestors¡ªMonsters born at the dawn of time said to wield lost magics. It¡¯s all a bunch of mumbo jumbo if you ask me. Someone probably just had a grudge against them centuries ago ¡®cause some of them look scary.¡±


    ¡°Yikes.¡± I wouldn¡¯t be entirely sure though¡­ Was my false father one of those who received the blood of a monster¡­? Or was he one of those born at the dawn of time? Could that be why I can cast primordial curses?


    Cira could do it ever since she remembered. That said, she was quite little, and there was no memory of having actually learned how. The Auld Sprig had always been there.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about it too much. Either way, those same legends say the ancient monsters are all extinct. The Gandeux and even Nightwing Isles acknowledge it.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope they¡¯re right.¡± Cira replied, a little anxious for the future.


    ¡°Captain!¡± Shores shouted, ¡°We¡¯ve been going straight for a while. Are you sure we¡¯re going the right way still?¡±


    They were fully within the mist so there was no way to tell which way they were going, though he probably had an idea how to retrace his steps to Acher.


    ¡°That¡¯s my bad,¡± Cira held the solar compass out for all to see. ¡°I¡¯ve been controlling the wind around us and rotating the ship accordingly. You can take a break if you want.¡±


    Cira was actually learning a little bit about sailing through this experience, albeit more from the wind and sails¡¯ perspective rather than the sailor¡¯s.


    ¡°You¡­ what?¡± He let go of the wheel and deflated.


    ¡°I can stay on course within a fraction of a degree of accuracy this way. I don¡¯t want to make any mistakes as my predecessor before me may have. The don¡¯t call me the eternal pirate empress for nothin¡¯¡± Cira said, lounging with her hands behind her head in the air next to her flagship. ¡°I feel like we should have made it to Lost Cl¡ªto Acher by now though, right?¡±


    ¡°I was just thinking the same thing¡­¡± Shores replied, ever the diligent captain. ¡°But if you say we¡¯re still on course, then¡­¡±


    ¡°Cloud was wrong?!¡± Jimbo shouted. ¡°I¡¯ll drink to¡ªwait¡­¡±


    ¡°No, you won¡¯t.¡± Cira laughed as he reached for an empty pocket and the flask appeared out of her ring with a discharge of black lightning. ¡°For any who want to know, Captain Sticks¡¯ flask holds roughly two standard barrels-worth.¡±


    ¡°You liar!¡± Tawny shouted, tugging at his hair ruthlessly. ¡°You said it was two bottles!¡±


    Woops. Cira suddenly became worried about hygiene as her third glug went down smoother. Has this flask¡­ ever been cleaned? There could be a decade of backwash in here like some sick sourdough starter, passed down through generations or countless nights and refills¡­


    ¡°Land Ho!¡± Cira heard from the crow¡¯s next far above.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it¡­¡± Shores shouted with his spyglass extended. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s Green Pit!¡±

 163 - Pleasure Cruise Above the Canopies

    The fog was thinner here than it was on Acher, and Cira could almost see the entire island. It was a round-disc shape with low hills, but they seemed strangely concentric. Like there were three shallow mountain ranges forming broken rings around the center of the island.


    Those hills were packed with lush greenery and thriving wildlife such that she could detect from clear at the ship. Extending her sight, the island¡¯s underside was equally shallow but much thicker in the center. Almost like someone had taken this thin wafer of earth and stuffed something in there. It gave Cira a stroke of confectionary inspiration, but strangely enough, she could not see inside. She knew it was neither a nut nor some manner of cr¨¨me filling, but that it resisted her eyes was enough for sorcerous curiosity to win out in the end.


    ¡°This is Green Pit?¡± Cira stared at her crew aghast, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me it was so interesting? Are you trying to get inside the center? I¡¯d love to see what¡¯s stopping you¡­¡±


    ¡°Hold your horses.¡± James said as they closed in on the shore. There were makeshift protruding ledges in one area that they must have had some novice geomancer form. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be the guy, but are you absolutely certain we followed that compass thing correctly? And will it not lead us further past the island?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m positive. A solar compass determines not just direction, but distance as well. Do you see how bright it is? I assure you we have arrived.¡± There were three ships moored and Cira watched people clambering from below deck with guns at their shoulder before dropping them upon seeing not the unfamiliar flags, but their beloved flagship, the Saint¡¯s Wings, and the glorious golden cannon which adorned its bow. ¡°I don¡¯t know this Captain Cloud guy, but I¡¯m sure the mist obscured his readings.¡±


    He was a hack of a navigator and gave up on the wrong island¡ªthen subsequently colonized it away from Kuja. I guess there¡¯s no way of knowing where the foreign plague came from, but I¡¯m sure the timing stings.


    ¡°Shores.¡± Cira called out, ¡°I can¡¯t imagine you¡¯ve spent the entirety of the last two months in Breeze Haven¡¯s chapel. What¡¯s the progress on the treasure hunt? Fill me in.¡±


    ¡°Breeze Haven¡­ has a chapel?¡± Abject grief painted his face for a few seconds before he was able to move on with his life. ¡°¡­I put a stop order on communications between Lost Cloud and Green Pit after you went to sleep. I couldn¡¯t risk Wick getting any ideas that led him back to the village¡­¡±


    Wait. That¡¯s where I know him from¡­ Didn¡¯t Jimbo beat up Ripley and all forty of his friends? He never told me that story, but why did I put the guy on my council again¡­?


    ¡°I see¡­ So, we put Tom in charge when we split ways, right? Is he who we need to talk to?¡± Cira noticed a shanty town not far from the cliffside, and it was pretty big.


    ¡°Aye.¡± Shores replied. ¡°But my first mate¡¯s been runnin¡¯ the show on my end since day one. Gimme a sec.¡±


    From his dark and weathered coat, he pulled out a stubby revolver with a painfully wide barrel. Cira thought she wouldn¡¯t want to get shot with that, then he pointed it to the sky and fired. Turns out, it shot a brilliant golden flare.


    Not even a minute later, the very same flare rose from the center of the island. The island dipped down in the center, surely the pit of its namesake, conforming to the underside¡¯s shape. Cira couldn¡¯t see anything past the surface of the lake which had collected in it. The responding flare came from the pit¡¯s rim where the trees ended.


    When Cira extended her sight to see the whole island, it had little detail. Strictly a geographical survey. If she wanted, she could spend more mana and focus on the source of the flare, but they still had to go there anyway. Regardless of if she could truly sleep on a cloud now with her newfound powers, she decided not to abuse them whenever possible, usually. Seeing everything all the time just made her feel like some kind of island, anyway.


    ¡°Thar must be your first matey.¡± Cira put the flask back in her pocket and threw Shores the signature Dreadheart hook-hand. ¡°Do you want to leave yer ship here? I can moor it on Breeze Haven if you preferrr.¡±


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    It was a bit large, but she could moor anything so long as it got close enough. She suddenly felt the urge to find bigger boats to moor, but that would have to wait.


    ¡°My Saint shall never be without her wings so long as I draw breath.¡± He said as if it were something profound.


    ¡°You guys have sure been loose with the ¡®S¡¯ word since I woke up. It has been a great deal of time for you, but it was hardly last week for me when I told you to cut it out.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Captain¡­¡± Always so reliable¡­ this Shores had his quirks, but he always pulled through in the end. Despite his adventure in the river of Archaeum, she had come to rely on him in a general sense. However, the reply he gave with a confident smirk had Cira rethinking her entire opinion on the man, ¡°I guess you¡¯ll just have to ship me off to Green Pit.¡±


    Cira¡¯s face came to rest in her palm, and she looked through the cracks in her fingers as the verdant ringed islet passed below her. She tuned out the hundreds of women and children in the cliffside shantytown for now and noticed the diverse life on the island. A pack of deer scampered as Breeze Haven¡¯s shadow passed overhead and the birds warned the rodents to leave the area for fear of their lives.


    ¡°You should really calm down your mana,¡± Mac spoke to her as her crew stumbled back in shock. She thought they would be used to it by now. ¡°You still don¡¯t realize the sort of presence you possess. Do you not recall when you met Undina in the Last Tomb? Your nonsense of a will protects your crew, but the surrounding environment still suffers under your weight.¡±


    ¡°Are you calling me fat?¡± Cira ripped him out of her robes using spatial hands and formed a miniature island beneath him. She grew grass upon it which would last for a month or two, worse come to worse. ¡°You really should have your own space by now. Why are you still crawling around my pockets? Is it that you¡¯ve become fond of me or are you simply that lazy?¡±


    His allegedly myriad legs touched down on Spider Island, ¡°You¡¯re warm¡­ And I enjoy slumbering for extended periods of time.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t we all?!¡± Cira threw her hands out, the crew baffled by the half-telepathic argument. ¡°Aren¡¯t spiders supposed to have some sense of a nest? Personally, I think your own island is the way to go. We can reshape it however you like, spin all your little soul webs or whatever. Hell, even enchant it with a warming array.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m a soulweaver! I can make webs, sure, of the aethereal variety, but how am I supposed to reshape a rock, huh? I need a cave, at the very least. Though I will miss the encompassing comfort of linens, I don¡¯t know where to begin reforming this little island you¡¯ve given me. Geomancer is the last thing that I am. Moreso, you expect me to enchant things? How do you propose I even move around¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Legs. Rictor can help you renovate your island until you get the hang of it.¡± Cira transported a seed from Breeze Haven¡¯s treasury and sprouted it behind his back. ¡°They call this a crimson spider lily. Thought you¡¯d like it. As for moving around, quit crying. You will take orbit as one of my staves. Consider this a trial of your own. Your first lesson will be passed if you can steady yourself above my shoulder.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ªhow dare you teach me? Do you know how old I am?!¡± He complained as gorgeous red petals fluttered in the breeze at his back.


    Cira formed a little cave to his side ¡°Go to bed if you¡¯re just going to complain. I¡¯m trying to do something nice for you.¡±


    When he instantly crawled in the cave and snored into everyone¡¯s minds, Cira felt sort of guilty. If he intended to stay awake and complain instead, I¡¯m kind of the bad guy for giving that order. It was meant just to be a regular cheeky retort. I need to find a workaround here. Should I devise a way to curse some more freedom into him? At this point I don¡¯t get the impression he wants to leave the team at least.


    ¡°Worry not, Lord Spider,¡± Rictor bowed, ¡°I will teach you the secrets of the earth.¡±


    Cira did not support the idea of a spider being worshipped, but if the exalted Legs McClensky could take even a little reverence from her, that couldn¡¯t possibly be a bad thing.


    While the eight-legged one slowly revolved around her in his slumber, Cira inspected yet another island she supposedly owned. This one she thought was just as pretty as it was mysterious. Never had she seen such peculiar geography and rich wildlife for such a small area. There were foxes and wolves, horses and what appeared to be miniature bears. The racoons grew to the size bears were supposed to be. Monkeys leapt down from the trees and stole berries from a herd of deer. It was a pleasant change from stinky pirates and angry kings.


    Given the ringlike terrain the hills formed, a center invisible even to her eyes¡ªwhich was back down to two plus her mind when she was away from Acher. A smaller shantytown came into view, sitting on the shores of a deep green lake. There was much to be said about the lake itself, but Cira sensed mana pouring out from a great many sources.


    To her surprise, there was a line of mages all the way around the ¡®lake¡¯ hardly twenty feet apart. There must have been a hundred of them, pouring all different kinds of magic into the lake for some reason Cira couldn¡¯t begin to discern.


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of mages, Shores.¡± She said, ¡°What¡¯s the deal?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t remember there being that many. And I¡¯m not sure what they¡¯re trying to do. But we¡¯ll find out shortly.¡±

 164 - A Magicians Ambition

    Cira was the first to land at the center of Green Pit, and she did so by simply stepping off the ship. The ground came quickly and she dismissed the ensuing cloud of dust, but didn¡¯t think to muffle the sound of splintering earth at her feet. In an instant, pirates poured out of their respective huts holding some of the finest weapons Cira had seen so far. Repeating rifles and pistols that held six rounds upon inspection.


    Many of them had swords at their waist or in their offhand, and while at least half looked they¡¯d woken up in a drunken stupor, they weren¡¯t falling all over the place or sweeping their aim belligerently like Wick¡¯s men were. Cira was impressed.


    Shores evidently raised a seasoned crew of weirdly religious pirates, but one man in particular looked tougher than the rest. Not a touch of drunken blush upon his stoney face and he walked in a beeline to Cira from a few buildings down without even a weapon. Wielding nothing but the expression of a man who found his next challenger.


    He was at least a head taller than Cira, bridging a great distance with each stride as he simply walked threateningly in her direction. He wore the typical pirate vest, but his muscle-bound arms left Cira wondering if sleeves would even fit. The man was built like an ox, and on second thought, his face almost reminded her of one. His holy aura was perhaps the brightest of the bunch too.


    The man had been sizing her up too, the whole way over, and now that he was right in front of her, he put his fists up. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Cira, having appeared like a bomb in the center of their camp dressed like some pirate girl, smirked as she met his eyes. Her captain¡¯s hat was floating somewhere far above as she hadn¡¯t had the chance to enchant it for high speeds yet, and she silently tossed the orichalcum staff aside before putting her own fists up. It was a slightly awkward, unfamiliar position, but her father had indeed taught her some basic martial arts long ago. The training was an offshoot of hand-to-hand sorcery. For the sorcerer who runs out of mana but must still fight using nothing but their body. She was not good at it, and assumed to be less so after all this time.


    This could be fun. I haven¡¯t had an honest fistfight in years. Oh my, he¡¯s imbuing his fists with holy light. What should I use? I can¡¯t make it too strong.


    She could tell the man was trying to figure out her stance¡ªit must have been foreign to him, yet Cira could tell he was a trained fist fighter. There was even the sheen of a barrier glistening, so it was clear he wouldn¡¯t turn to ash so easily.


    Black lightning was in style, so that¡¯s what Cira coated her own fists with. It crackled and flashed in the daylight, startling everyone except for her opponent. He just narrowed his gaze.


    They each took their first steps before a rope fell between them, then pained screams rapidly approached from above. In seconds, Shores crashed against the ground, possibly spared a broken ankle or two by Cira¡¯s assistance. He stood between them and held out his hands to either challenger, ¡°Stop! What the hell is going on?!¡± He quickly pulled his hands back in and started blowing on them.


    Cira chuckled, healing his rope burns too, ¡°He looked like he wanted to tussle.¡±


    He still did, in fact. ¡°Gratos, stand down! You stand before the Saint of the Seven Suns!¡±


    Countless guns clattered to the ground as if they had never been held with intent while their wielders¡¯ knees plodded to the ground to turn her subordinates into a field of flowers weeping in the sun. Any mage within earshot spun around and wasted no time in sending their reverence through the ground. Cira watched whatever field of mana they were trying to force into the lake destabilize and held out a hand to pick up their slack.


    Worship was one thing, but abandoning one¡¯s sorcerous duties to kneel before another? How could she who was knelt before do anything but hang her head? They lacked common sense and discipline, but she could not blame them for never having received her teachings.


    Hell, her own students hardly had, and they turned out great so far. Cira was going to be mildly disappointed if she didn¡¯t get to see them fight before she left for her journey.


    ¡°Rise.¡± Cira¡¯s voice carried throughout the lake. She crossed her arms and everyone tensed under her gaze. She eventually just looked between the mages who abandoned their post, and others had begun to follow suit. ¡°Are you all ready to continue or must I do all the work myself?¡±


    Their eyes shot open, and one even fell back to his knees in remorse until Cira made space wiggle around a lil¡¯ bit. They all spun back around and continued their duties, the spectacle of which forced all the other distracted mages to uphold their tasks as well.


    I am confident what they¡¯re doing is completely pointless, though I could harvest all their wasted mana if I felt like it. Regardless, all who grasp mana beneath my banner need to hold themselves to a certain standard. This goes without saying.


    ¡°Tawny, pretend the lake is a mana capacitor.¡± Cira turned to her star student, as last she checked, ¡°Go around to each mage and tell them what they¡¯re doing wrong.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ªwhy me? Aren¡¯t you about to discover Green Pit¡¯s secret, like¡­ right now? I want to¡ª¡° She flushed red as she realized she was going on an honest tangent, ¡°I mean, I¡¯ll deal with them later¡­ For now, I will also explore Green Pit.¡±


    Cira turned away slightly to give her a side-eye. She had to think about it for a moment, ¡°Alright then¡­ Have it your way. In that case, we will change course. You have until I¡¯m done meeting Shores¡¯ friends to tell me one secret about this lake.¡±


    The man in question, Gratos, stood firm under her gaze, but she could see his eyes weaken.


    ¡°Lady Saint, I am first mate to the Far Shore Pirates. Forever at your service. Please forgive my earlier transgression.¡± Cira resisted his attempts to kneel, and he just flexed more muscles, causing her to draw exponentially more mana. It was miniscule, but he was determined to show his faith.


    ¡°No need to apologize. I was just having a little fun, Gratos. I think I can begin to understand how you feel, but for you to kneel only troubles me.¡± For what it¡¯s worth, he instantly stopped trying, standing up straight and offering only a slight bow. ¡°I am very curious about this lake. Specifically, what are you hoping to accomplish by pouring mana into it?¡±


    ¡°I am also curious,¡± Shores stepped in, ¡°Have you found a lead while I was away?¡±


    He nodded to Shores and turned back to Cira, ¡°Great Saint, a magician from the city fell in with one of our crews and has helped us make great progress in understanding the nature of Green Lake.¡±


    I have my doubts about this magician. ¡°Summon him immediately.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Tarrow! Where are you?!¡± he shouted behind him.


    Roughly five seconds later, Cira watched a man who had been hiding behind a building since she appeared walk around the corner and make his way to the lake¡¯s shore.


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    Cira subjected him to her inquisitively narrowed gaze, and she could tell the beads of sweat which formed on his face were high in salt.


    ¡°G-greetings, Great Saint!¡± He approached slowly, ¡°So, you have called for me?¡±


    He didn¡¯t wear robes, nor did he wield a staff. There weren¡¯t any rings adorning his fingers and his aura was incredibly mediocre. All ten of her mages had him beat by at least double. Hell, even Skipper had more mana than this guy.


    ¡°Tell me everything you have learned about ¡®Green Lake¡¯.¡±


    ¡°I, uh¡­ of course.¡± He gave a nervous bow and stammered, ¡°Green Lake, you see¡­ it¡¯s actually just a seal¡­ We need to overwhelm it with mana, and then it will lead us to Paradise! The island of gold will be ours¡ªI mean all yours!¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± He withered before her as each second passed. And she let more than a couple go by as she tumbled the right words around in her head, ¡°Are you an idiot? How did you end up on my crew? It¡¯s clear as day you¡¯re not doing anything meaningful. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve been watching the mana accumulate for perhaps weeks now. Or months? Tell me¡­ what do you plan to do with it?¡±


    The mage went pale, ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I¡¯m only¡­ trying to help you find Paradise! For the glory of the Saint!¡± He threw both hands up in false prayer.


    Cira took a couple strides and knelt down at the water¡¯s edge, placing a hand in it. It gave her a pretty clear view of what was going on.


    ¡°It couldn¡¯t be¡­¡± Cira stood up. Took a deep breath, then snapped her finger. The flow of all her new mages mana was instantly cut off before balls of light in various colors rose from the lake¡¯s green surface. A small ball of earth mana, a larger one of flame. Water seemed common as well, but there was even a glimmering orb of light mana. Holy, of course, was rather substantial, but there were others as well. A few uncommon ones.


    A miniscule orb of lightning mana, nature, then another of outright wood, ice, and even blood. Cira kept looking around, elated to see such variety in her ranks, but had to finish her sentence, ¡°You couldn¡¯t be trying to absorb all this mana¡­ right?¡±


    ¡°I would never!¡± He replied surprisingly quick, ¡°Wh-what would I even do with all that mana? It¡¯s all for the seal! For you!¡±


    ¡°I understand¡­ So, tell me.¡± How long has this phony magician led my men around by the nose? The mana present is not insignificant. ¡°Would you like me to convert it to aether first with the scraps on the side, or will you consume it as is?¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ªno, you don¡¯t get it!¡± He waved his hands frantically, thin hair bouncing around his skull. ¡°It¡¯s all for y¡ª¡±


    ¡°ENOUGH.¡± Cira¡¯s voice brought everyone in town to their knees, and the magician was no different. Even Jimbo and the crew who came with her fell back timidly. ¡°I will not be lied to. We are beyond this. Now, personally, I think a magician such as yourself could use some more mana. Don¡¯t you? That¡¯s why you¡¯re here, after all.¡±


    The countless orbs of burning light all coalesced over the lake. Thunder roared as mist rapidly fell inward like a funnel from the massive pressure and the mana continued to condense until it encompassed a sphere no larger around than a gold crown¡ªthe currency, not Wick¡¯s pretentious hat.


    She heard the magician¡¯s knees pop from the weight of being anywhere near it and waved her hand to alleviate the symptoms. Once he regained his footing, the magician looked between her and the effulgent pill of aether. He was speechless.


    ¡°Go on.¡± Cira urged him on, ¡°Take it. That is the fruit of all your efforts, is it not? Perhaps the sky has decided you deserve it. So, it belongs to you.¡± He shook for a moment, like he couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing and reached out. ¡°Oh, but be careful. That much mana will certainly kill you.¡±


    ¡°N-no¡­ I¡¯ll be fine. Y-you¡¯re right! This¡­ I have finally been rewarded for all my efforts! Thank you! Thank you, Lady Saint!¡± Tears formed in his eyes and his face fell into a completely unguarded, jovial expression. ¡°This is truly the sky¡¯s will!¡±


    Hang on, is he really going to¡ª


    His finger touched the orb of mana and Cira could feel the energy sweep through the area in waves, surging through his body like wildfire. His veins lit up as it ravaged his entire being. This condition would be enough to incapacitate anyone if they hadn¡¯t merged with a spring and inhaled clouds of prima salt beforehand, but by pure instinct, the magician¡¯s truest will, his body was driven to plop the pill into his mouth and swallow.


    As his smile widened in euphoria, his body started breaking down into fragments of light. Like dust on the wind, it began to fade away. In seconds, there was no trace of the magician A violent twister of mana sprouted from what he was incapable of consuming and Cira quickly turned it back into an orb in the sky.


    ¡°What¡­¡± Shores¡¯ voice shook as he stared at the mound of obsidian on the ground with the outline of the man¡¯s feet formed into it. ¡°What just happened?¡±


    Cira looked at him, then an equally baffled Gratos, and swept her gaze over the countless nearby pirates who looked the same. ¡°Can nobody here explain what just happened?¡± She was not amused for once.


    ¡°Yeah, I can.¡± Tawny boldly stepped forward. ¡°Looks like some fraud of a magician has been fooling pretty much everyone on Green Pit¡ªCaptain Shores¡¯ crew¡ªfor a month or two. I bet they¡¯ve been working day in and day out for that guy under the guise of helping you find Paradise. Isn¡¯t that something?¡±


    She said it jeeringly and Shores hung his head. Many of the pirates present looked ashamed or in disbelief, looking to Cira for answers.


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly right. It sure is something¡­ But magicians can be deceitful. Nobody here should blame themselves.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your understanding, my Lady¡­¡± Gratos bowed again, ¡°But how do we proceed?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple.¡± She turned to Tawny. ¡°Now tell me what secret you have discovered about the lake?¡±


    She was completely off guard even though she had received plenty of time to think about it.


    ¡°The first one didn¡¯t count¡­?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Cira clicked her tongue. ¡°That man¡¯s lies were no secret to a sorcerer, right?¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± She nervously laughed then continued, ¡°Well, I feel a strange resonance in the mana coming from it¡­ but I have no idea what it means. For some reason, the spatial element gets weaker towards the water. Reminds of a storage ring, like it¡¯s holding the element within¡ªis something¡­ stored inside the lake?¡±


    ¡°You got it.¡± Cira gave her student a smile. She was happy to have gotten a correct answer. It didn¡¯t alleviate anyone¡¯s confusion though¡ªespecially not Gratos¡¯.


    ¡°But what, though?¡± Tawny asked. ¡°It¡¯d have to be pretty big.¡±


    ¡°Not hard to find, either. Even assuming you¡¯re not talkin¡¯ about just dumping stuff in the lake, it¡¯s not small. You could put a boat or two down in it.¡± Jimbo agreed, ¡°What would someone possibly try to hide inside a lake this big?¡±


    ¡°Centuries of you morons looking for it, and we only found it today?¡± Cira mused, ¡°What do you think is hidden in there?¡±


    His eyes went wide, and everyone else slowly fell into shock as they either figured it out or were let in on the secret by those around them. Hushed whispers of ¡°Paradise¡± or ¡°Shangri-La¡± slowly turned into ceaseless chatter of the excited crew.


    ¡°So¡­ are we gonna go in there?!¡± Shores looked almost the most excited to make a great discovery with his beloved Saintess, but Cira already had this worked out in her head.


    ¡°Sorry, the only one coming with me is Tawny.¡± They were understandably disappointed, but the girl herself wore a face marred with doubt. ¡°What? Have you changed your mind?¡±


    ¡°N-no! of course not! I¡¯m ready whenever!¡± She looked around to the masses of disappointment. ¡°Why only me¡­?¡±


    ¡°You are the least weak among my students. It will be troublesome to protect more than one person if it comes down to it.¡± To their credit, all the bummed out mages were still looking at her for what to do, ¡°The rest of you, prepare learning materials for all the other mages. I want to knock this out, so all my other responsibilities will wait until I return.¡±


    I have hundreds of women in children just up the hill¡­ Something needs to be done about them. And perhaps I will request a spar with Gratos. If this works out, I¡¯ll be coasting on free time until I decide to fly away. How wonderful¡­ I feel as if Fount Salt is finally coming to an end.


    It really was the job that kept on giving. She tossed out countless treasures, even destroying her own soul, but all she received as payment was responsibilities and trouble. Irritation, disappointment, and self-loathing along with a great many memories she found difficult not to think about.


    ¡°Yes, My Lady¡­¡± Shores led his men away with their heads hung low, Jimbo chuckling behind them.


    ¡°Hey, give me my flask back before you go,¡± He requested.


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t think I will. Sober up, you dumb bastard. If you can¡¯t make a mist clone of yourself by the time I return, I¡¯m shipping you back to Fount Salt to wash dishes for Milty.¡± There¡¯s no way he¡¯ll succeed, but maybe he¡¯ll think I¡¯m serious in his current stupor. The guy¡¯s been drinking so much I don¡¯t even know if he could stab the broadside of a barge.


    ¡°What?! But¡ªmy flask!¡± Shores put his around Jimbo¡¯s shoulder and gave him a comforting pat.


    ¡°Come on now, brother. You¡¯ll be alright. You know what¡¯s better than booze? Faith in our Lady Saint¡ª¡±


    Cira stopped listening before she could fail to control her laughter and the man was ushered away.


    ¡°Well?¡± Cira turned to her student whose face was a mixture of excitement and fear. ¡°Shall we continue where Captain Cloud failed?¡±


    The mithril ring at her back shined brilliantly as the lake glowed with power. She took Tawny¡¯s hand and pulled her off the edge as the girl shrieked in surprise and they both fell through the surface.

 165 - The Secret of the Lake

    Warm sunlight touched her skin and Cira opened her eyes with a sudden feeling of weightlessness. There was a shrill cry from her side and she watched Tawny fall.


    ¡°Careful now,¡± Cira lifted one palm and the girl steadied next to her, breathing heavily. ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s in there.¡±


    This was the lowest Cira had been in ages. The sea wasn¡¯t even a hundred feet beneath them.


    ¡°What the hell is this?!¡± Tawny frantically scanned the empty horizon, ¡°Where are we?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re still on Green Pit, believe it or not,¡± Cira also took in the view. The world was bright, and it shimmered off the gentle waves as a breeze ran through her hair. A cirrocumulus smattering adorned the East of what was an otherwise cloudless sky. There wasn¡¯t a spot of land in sight¡ªnot above, and certainly not below.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­ Have we not been transported somewhere?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, we have.¡± Cira let Aquon¡¯s current meander and started investigating. ¡°This would seem to be some manner of pocket realm. Not even I can conjure one bigger than my fist, and definitely not one big enough to fit an entire sky¡­¡±


    Cira balked at the perfect blue beyond that grew deeper against the horizon. Despite her sight, this place gave her that same feeling of boundlessness she so swooned for. Every detail within from the salt in the air to the perfect waves below.


    They weren¡¯t perfect in the sense that they all looked immaculate, but that not a single one looked the same. Cira could tell it was really water and not some illusion, and it was deep. The waves looked real because they were real.


    ¡°Impossible¡­¡± Tawny stopped looking down and gained a grip on her fear, enough so as to retort with vast sarcasm, ¡°Something you can¡¯t do?¡±


    ¡°Oh, piss off, do you have any idea how incredible this place is? To make a bag of holding, one merely need increase the spatial density within an object. But a pocket realm¡ªit¡¯s like conjuring an entirely independent spatial plane. Then to fill it with an ocean and sky?!¡±


    Stars twinkled in Cira¡¯s eyes as they followed the path of dotted clouds.


    ¡°Hang on. My understanding of the spatial plane isn¡¯t the best¡­¡± Tawny gave her a funny look, ¡°But are you saying you can do that at all?¡±


    ¡°Any sorcerer worth their salt should¡ªno I guess it is kind of an advanced technique. Like I said, the best I can do is an empty pocket realm the size of my fist, and it gets exponentially more difficult from there.¡± Cira urged with her head, despite the fact she was the only thing keeping Tawny aloft, and the two began drifting along. ¡°Consider the world we usually live in the spatial realm. This is the most simple and accurate way I can put it. The aethereal realm is merely parallel and overlapping, but some beings who live in it are entirely unaware of the spatial realm, so I¡¯ve read. But this place we¡¯ve found ourselves in, in the center of Green Pit; it is not wrong to consider it an entirely separate world. Even the aethereal realm is cut off in this space. There are no leylines here. The only aether which exists is that which belongs to this world from its creation.¡±


    ¡°All¡­ of it?¡± She started peering into the distance, as if she would see something. ¡°Are there¡­ vast skies to explore, and all kinds of islands out there¡­?¡±


    ¡°It would take me some time to find this realm¡¯s extents, but I suspect it can¡¯t be more than a few horizons deep. If I¡¯m right though, there¡¯s probably just one island here.¡±


    The two shared a look and Tawny¡¯s eyes went wide, ¡°You mean¡­ There¡¯s no way the stories were true¡­¡±


    ¡°There was a compass, wasn¡¯t there?¡± Cira shrugged, ¡°It had to lead somewhere. At this point¡­ I¡¯m quite invested myself. I say it¡¯s high time we reach the shores of Paradise, don¡¯t you? If it¡¯s really made of gold, I¡¯ll let you take the first step and carve a statue in your likeness.¡±


    ¡°Tch.¡± She smirked, ¡°You know Shores will just have Rictor make ten more of you the moment you leave, right? Do you even know which way we¡¯re supposed to go? You said you couldn¡¯t see the end of this place.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been in only three pocket realms of notable size in all my years,¡± Cira explained, ¡°From what I¡¯ve learned, they were all created with a series of deliberate brushstrokes, so to speak. If you can imagine the mana it takes to reshape Fount Salt, or manhandle ancient mages while causing spatial quakes beneath three pillars of relentless light, rebuild a palace, et cetera¡­ The last few months of my work wouldn¡¯t even come close to producing this place. Hardly a drop in the bucket.


    ¡°My point is, I would have to not only conjure an entire sea and sky to match, but stuff it inside something like a gem or weapon. To this realm¡¯s creator¡¯s credit, he had the benefit of using an entire lake, but its viability as a catalyst is what has been stumping me. There must be some secret I was forbidden from gazing upon deep blow its waters. This place is ridiculous¡­ strange to say, but I¡¯m curious if my dad could even make such a grand realm. I¡¯d actually be relieved to find out he¡¯s responsible here.¡±


    ¡°Impossible¡­¡± Tawny smirked a little snarkier, ¡°Something your dad couldn¡¯t do?¡±


    ¡°Oh, come on. If only you knew, that¡¯s actually a much scarier concept than it seems.¡± Cira shook her head and watched the clouds approach slowly.


    I don¡¯t think any of the pocket realms I¡¯ve visited in the past have been this massive. Cira had been extending her sight since the moment they appeared. Who¡¯s to say there¡¯s not a gold island? Anyone capable of making this place probably feels the same way about that material as I do. Still, could Dad make a realm this large? I¡¯d struggle to conjure a cubic league of water over the course of a month, let alone, well¡­ this sea is impressive.


    ¡°So¡­ are you simply heading towards the only thing in sight?¡± Tawny grossly oversimplified her sorcerous deduction.


    ¡°Naturally, there is more than just the clouds¡¯ presence to see, or understand for that matter. Do you know nothing of the language of the sky?¡± Cira increased their speed at her blank stare, ¡°The cirrocumulus purvey a bitter hope. Destined to fade away in the wind, their fleeting nature heralds imminent change, in the weather for instance. Alternatively, they can embody the yearning for change.¡±


    ¡°You just made that up, right?¡± Tawny asked, not amused at all.


    ¡°Certainly not. To become a sorcerer, you must come to understand the sky.¡± The clouds crept into the sky like a windswept sheet.


    While Tawny had nothing to say, Cira took it as she was expecting to hear more about the subject. So, the knowledgeable sorcerer rambled on for a period of time about clouds and what they mean. Soon, the cirrocumulus had begun to break up and dotted the blue canvas overhead.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Seeing the chance to change the subject, Tawny pointed at the waters, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen the sea in ages. It¡¯s beautiful, isn¡¯t it? Hey, it looks something¡¯s breaking the waves. Do you think there¡¯s land down there?¡±


    There was still none in sight, but Cira already had eyes on what she was talking about. Like someone painted a gorgeous scape of waves then dragged their brush through it backwards.


    ¡°That¡¯s not land,¡± Cira replied as the air cracked under the mana she gathered, ¡°Get ready.¡±


    A mountain sprouted from the sea, with a maw that reached for the sky. Unfortunately, sorcerer and apprentice were in the sky currently. Deep blue scales the size of a house and yellow bloodshot eyes far larger, the serpent breached the surface as fast as Cira would expect a snake to uncoil.


    Its head formed a sharp but wide point like an arrowhead, and its body was as thick as an island. It never stopped emerging from the waves as a high-pitched barrage of clicks came from its throat. As if to swallow a monolithic rodent, the monster¡¯s jaws had practically split from sea to sky.


    This creature was as terrifying as any, and much larger than the dragon she encountered. Somehow though, it didn¡¯t feel like it held even a fraction of the mana.


    Tawny screamed and curled up, levitating in the air as she was, while Cira narrowed her gaze and turned her neck a few degrees down to meet the presumptuous beast head on.


    ¡°Arrogant old serpent,¡± It relaxed its jaw for a moment, seemingly to snap it open as an ambush predator might, and that¡¯s when Cira disappeared. In the time it takes a single eyelash to flutter, space rippled beneath the water snake¡¯s orbital cavity. Ordinarily Cira would proclaim her move, but it took significantly longer to boast than to destroy. ¡°Begone.¡±


    Her fist projected a vortex of aether like a spear from right pupil to left. Cira¡¯s dark pirate coat rippled from the pressure as her radiant punch formed a vacuum of everything in between.


    Her father spoke often of the organ housed in the skull, responsible for most things yet ultimately ambiguous. Cira suspected more about the brain resided in the forbidden archive, but her understanding was that it was more important than most.


    She had also seen many snakes in Spatial Sight, and this serpent was no different, albeit a few magnitudes larger. More like a krait than anything, Cira actually expected the gargantuan monster to die when its most important organ was pierced, but it only started shrieking and writhing in torment. Like the sky had fallen, the sea felt an impact a mile long.


    A massive ridge parted the waves when the serpent¡¯s body hit the water. As it wriggled around turning the area into a maelstrom, Cira couldn¡¯t help but feel bad. It disrupted a huge expanse of sea in its rampage, but looking at it now, it was reacting like an earth worm accidentally cut in half while tilling soil. Though its cries seemed to shake the heavens, it was a pretty regrettable experience altogether.


    The body was monumental to the point that Cira even brought her and Tawny a little bit higher to stay safe, but the beast no longer seemed capable of detecting them.


    Ordinarily when she was perceived, it was apparent. Especially so after her rebirth, but this beast was deep in frantic throes of some manner of brain injuries and emotions Cira could fathom neither of. Most certainly suffering, but would it be cruel to keep attacking or merciful? Regardless, it was no longer a threat and slowly sank to familiar depths as its rampage lost steam.


    ¡°What¡­ was that creature?!¡± Tawny was hyperventilating, completely off guard to the horrors that may or may not await one in such a realm.


    ¡°Right. As I tried to tell you, details are important within a pocket realm.¡± Cira had talked her head off about cloud language but had strayed far from any practical topics¡ªsuch as threats. ¡°What we have just faced should be considered a guardian, and I¡¯m actually surprised it¡¯s not dead. Just goes to show I need to brush up on my reptilian anatomy. I must have inflicted some serious damage though.¡± They kept moving as the serpent disappeared behind them in its futile panic.


    ¡°In the first place,¡± Cira continued, ¡°No one would create a pocket realm this vast if it weren¡¯t important. We may find something much more significant than gold, and thus, we have just met one of its guardians. I¡¯ll let you take the next one.¡±


    Cira brought them closer to the waves to see the sun¡¯s shimmer and Tawny¡¯s eyes glazed over.


    ___


    Just what is this monster¡­ What is Jimbo¡¯s fascination with her?


    ¡°That creature before¡­ The only one that could compare is Undina.¡± I said, ¡°How did you defeat it so easily?¡±


    Cira smirked, not paying even the slightest respect to the miles-long serpent. She may as well have slapped it away.


    ¡°Its presence was intimidating, but did you not notice how little mana it had? I do believe it was an overgrown torrential basilisk. Probably getting on in the years. Do you notice how the clouds have become darker?¡± Huh¡­ The weather is turning, I guess. ¡°Such a beast would typically not give up so easily within its own territory, and they are said to be a formidable calamity beneath heavy rains. That¡¯s why I had to defeat it quickly. Defeat is a strong word though. Instead of killing it, I only managed to severely cripple it, but at least enough to get it to stop bothering us. With any pocket realm, there is a chance that guardian was someone¡¯s pet, so I feel pretty bad about it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ not my question.¡± The so-called cirrocumulus clouds had naturally faded in the last few hours but grew darker under the serpent¡¯s influence which seem to have revitalized them. Even I was surprised the serpent wasn¡¯t dead despite its size. Her punch could have shattered an island, but Cira made it sound much less serious than I expected. I guess the serpent realized its defeat and decided to give up completely. Looking back, it writhed around as a simple worm would. They can only feel, right? I heard that once when I was a kid. Perhaps the serpent was crippled so, cursed to drift the seas like a hapless jellyfish, the beast whose maw could swallow Lost Cloud¡­ Did the one who teaches me sorcery¡­ did my master not condemn it to oblivion with a single punch? ¡°Master¡­¡± I swallowed my pride. ¡°Please teach me how to become a sorcerer like you.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help it if Jimbo talked about her all the time. Hopefully once she left, he would stop. But¡­ I couldn¡¯t help but feel the same way in this moment. Perhaps I was always jealous, and I never really understood the things he said about her absurd accomplishments, but she dismissed the serpent as if she had something else on her mind and somewhere to be. If I couldn¡¯t achieve my own goals regardless of circumstance, for what do I even train my aura?


    ¡°Master?¡± The girl¡¯s blonde hair shone in the warm sun like it were light itself. Her trivial smirk even made me a little embarrassed about my attitude. ¡°Since when are you such a devoted student?¡± She chuckled, as if making fun of me, ¡°Of all people, I¡¯ll be severely disappointed if you start worshipping me now. If you have something to say, speak clearly so that we may continue our expedition.¡±


    Were my eyes closed, I would have thought that tone belonged to someone at the Flyin¡¯ Dutchess. Unfortunately, they weren¡¯t, but her friendly words had me questioning my entire perception of her.


    Her voice was playful, but serious, and I felt for a brief moment that it could not be mistaken how Cira the sorcerer felt.


    I learned a lot about what the weather meant, but little about how it worked. The cirrocumulus smattering had quickly turned into a field of gray mist in the sky above as we dared to follow it.


    ¡°Master Cira¡­ I want to be stronger. Stronger than anyone on Lost Cl¡ªI mean Acher. That beast you slapped away could turn Acher to rubble¡­ I just¡­ I want that power.¡±


    She gabbled nonsense about the greater good here and there, and I figured my selfish desires would cause her to renounce me, but I couldn¡¯t leave them unsaid.


    She chuckled, ¡°The sorcerous punch comes from the heart. Your will condensed. Your path, however, must be carefully crafted. Do not forget your desires in your quest for power, lest you become a hollow shell of what you ever wanted to be¡­¡±


    I seriously don¡¯t understand this girl¡­ She came out of nowhere and she treats every problem that ever was like it¡¯s trivial at best, but¡­ seeing her with her aura returned, it¡¯s as if the sky couldn¡¯t bother her if it tried. I¡¯m glad she isn¡¯t still made I tried to hit her with a fireball.


    The sun had dulled beneath the storm¡¯s cover. Day didn¡¯t feel to have changed, but the sky was much darker. I could feel the moisture in the air, mucking up the wind. On one hand, I thought I should constantly be ready for a gruesome death after the snake incident, but on the other, I could feel my master¡¯s indomitable presence bearing over all which existed in this space¡ªat least as far as my eyes can see.


    ¡°Master¡­ I mean, Cira.¡± That¡¯s what she wants to hear, right? ¡°The sorcerous path, as you call it¡­ Can I walk it as you have?¡±


    I thought that I heard thunder in the distance, in the path Cira chose for us within this realm.


    ¡°You can walk whatever path you wish.¡± She rolled backwards so that she crossed her arms, lounging on her back in the air as we moved the opposite direction. ¡°But can you walk it yourself? That¡¯s all that matters.¡±


    Suddenly, I felt very heavy and the wind picked up.

 166 - Guardians, Plural

    ¡°Yahhhh!!!!!¡± Tawny¡¯s cries softened as she plummeted towards the picturesque waves.


    Does this girl not have mastery over wind? There is no excuse for her ineptitude given her ambitions.


    A moment before she slammed against the water, a gust threw her up haphazardly. She tumbled around the air like she had no control over her body.


    ¡°Tawny.¡± Suddenly the girl slowed down. ¡°All exists within space, one way or the other. You should be able to control your body as you would a marionette. If you can¡¯t do this much, perhaps you should rethink your goals.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI can do it!¡± She shouted, hovering above the waves by someone else¡¯s power. ¡°All I need to do¡­ is not move, right?!¡±


    Cira induced severe drag, but at Tawny¡¯s words, she stopped moving completely, mere inches from the water. She even blew on the surface to push herself out of reach of the waves.


    ¡°Not bad, but why would you blow air when you could simply alter your position?¡± The ocean dripped upward and then Cira appeared before Tawny. ¡°The path you intend to walk is much too difficult for one who refuses to circumvent their limitations, rather than merely surmount them. I understand the limits of your power, but is this the extent of your will?¡±


    Cira enjoyed the faint scent of salt on the breeze. It was a pleasant scent. Refreshing.


    ¡°N-no, of course it¡¯s not! My will has no limits!¡± The girl looked like she was going to lose her balance, teetering there in the wind. ¡°But space is hard¡­ The best I can do is lift a glass and I can¡¯t even drink it without spilling all over myself.¡±


    ¡°Just practice. Start with a ball of water and keep making it bigger each time to manage to maintain a perfect sphere.¡± Cira pulled one up from below that could fit in her palm and tossed it over.


    ¡°Wait, but I can¡¯t control water!¡± It splashed over her shirt.


    ¡°We¡¯re using space, remember? Do we need to start smaller?¡± Cira tossed her a large marble of water. ¡°Just pretend you¡¯re holding it in your fist.¡±


    She mimicked Cira¡¯s gesture and closed her fist. The water certainly rippled, but fell away all the same. ¡°But water just falls from my fist!¡±


    Cira raised her shoulders, ¡°You just need to practice. We¡¯ll get closer to the waves and you can try scooping it up yourself, but that will have to wait. For now¡­¡±


    ___


    ¡°What¡­?¡± I followed her line of sight and didn¡¯t see anything. The clouds ahead had long devolved into a stormfront and thunder blatantly pursued us. If she hadn¡¯t said anything, I would have asked.


    ¡°It seems there really are more guardians.¡± Cira nonchalantly replied and I squinted my eyes. Directly ahead, in the shadow of the clouds, it looked like some kind of seabirds in the distance. ¡°And I think these ones are perfect to test your abilities.¡±


    Wait¡­ she wasn¡¯t joking?! Is she really going to make me fight another monster like that snake? Just what are those¡ªwait.


    I pulled the spyglass from my pocket, and with a chuckle Cira did the same. Hers looked like it was either made from gold or the same thing as that staff she carried around. I noticed a couple expensive gems and incomprehensible runes along it and surrounding each lens before turning my eyes down the sights of my own cheap spyglass.


    ¡°What¡ª¡± My heart skipped a beat, ¡°What the hell are those things?¡±


    My hands shook and I put the spyglass away, having almost dropped it.


    ¡°They do look a bit tougher than usual, but those are pretty typical sirens.¡± I could see pristine white wings at their back as the waves shimmered reflections up on them, but their beauty ended as the feathers grew thin where they connected to the back. The wings were attached to a hunched over body that looked wrapped in scales as the feathers stopped completely around the shoulders and breas.


    The sirens¡¯ faces looked like a week-past drowned woman. Same black and blue as their scales, but pallid and seeming to sag off the skull. The talons on their arms or legs could grasp my head and pinch off my neck at the bottom in one go. I shuddered picturing one coming in for a swoop and just leaving with my head.


    ¡°Th-those are typical?! Aren¡¯t sirens supposed to be beautiful like angels? Singing sweet songs¡­?¡± As they approached it was like a chorus of tortured moans.


    ¡°Naturally, I¡¯ve disabled their illusions and charm. And for your information, sirens are supposed to take the form of a beautiful seraph. If you wish to see an angel, look to the fountain in the palace courtyard.¡±


    ¡°And you expect me to fight them off by myself?!¡± A whole flock was coming for us. I was as good as dead. ¡°Those things are monsters¡­¡±


    ¡°If you want to be pedantic, yes, they likely host raw mana crystals, but they¡¯re a great matchup for you. Now, where is your staff?¡± Cira raised her brow expectantly.


    ¡°My¡­ my staff?¡± At the realization, my eyes went wide. ¡°Oh no! It¡¯s on Breeze Haven!¡±


    ¡°Tisk tisk¡­ I know this would happen.¡± A short staff appeared in front of her, or perhaps it was a morning star crafted of solid ruby. ¡°You may borrow the infernal scepter for now. It was collecting dust in my dad¡¯s closet and wrinkling a set of robes.¡±


    The flapping of wings was so close I could see their horrible forms clearly with just my eyes now. Just looking at them face to face was enough to make my blood run cold.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°And don¡¯t worry about burning me,¡± Cira added with a laugh, floating off a little behind me. ¡°Show me what you learned¡±


    ¡°You¡­ can¡¯t be serious.¡± I looked behind me and she was still drifting away. I was still held aloft, actually incapable of moving under my own power.


    She is serious¡­ I turned back to the sirens and gulped. Their groans had turned to ravenous shrieks as their prey was almost in their grasp and three poor souls flew off to avoid me and go straight for Cira.


    Come on, I only have to defeat ten¡­ no, eleven horrific winged women twice my size. And wait, there¡¯s something important I¡¯m forgetting about sirens¡­


    A torrent of wind battered against me as they came within range. I could see them swiping their claws from afar and furling the air. That¡¯s right¡­ sirens can control the wind from birth.


    I remained frozen for a moment, but the warmth in my hand brought me comfort. The infernal scepter, huh? It¡¯s practically tingling just being close to my aura. Just what is this thing capable of?


    It seemed the sirens wanted to push me away with their approach and forced me to slide around the sky. Somehow, I was still aloft, but Cira wasn¡¯t going so far as controlling my position anymore.


    I don¡¯t have time to learn how to move space¡­ but I can still move around with wind like this, right?


    With my empty left hand, I could still push against the air behind me to move forward and cut into their offensive gusts. I didn¡¯t want to close the distance, but I needed to get in range or I¡¯d accomplish little more than sweeping their hair. Most looked like they could rip me in half, but a few of the sirens were lean, and faster in flight. They held spears of what seemed to be bone in their hands.


    One pulled ahead of the others and rose up until the sun was just behind it. That it was smart enough to blind me like this really pissed me off, and with squinted eyes, I held the Infernal Scepter aloft.


    ¡°I have a spear too, you son of a bitch!¡± I felt heat like a burning coal right next to my face and pushed myself away in a panic. Something that could hardly be called a spear was trying to materialize, like a pillar of condensed flame with a sharpened point. Its form furled and threatened to disperse when I got startled, so I frantically poured more mana out trying to get it to reform.


    What the hell is going on? I could have harpooned that serpent with this! The scepter still gave off that warming comfort, no hotter than before after conjuring such a magnificent spear. This isn¡¯t the time to complain though¡­


    ¡°Now!¡± The spear was stable, so I sent it off, gesturing with the scepter like I was clubbing someone.


    With a sound like a cannon that tore through the wind and pushed me back, the spear disappeared from sight. I could follow the noise of rippling air and saw a puff of smoke before watching a beam of flame disappear into the dark clouds above.


    I followed the smoke down as its trail split and a pair of charred wings fell one way while clawed legs fell the other, burning still like embers as they plummeted toward the vast sea.


    ¡°H-holy shit¡­¡± Did I just do that?


    ¡°Good one.¡± I turned to Cira¡¯s voice and watched her dodging the three sirens relentless flurries as if she had wings herself. She had that orichalcum staff in her hands and blocked the odd kick or slash with it. ¡°But don¡¯t lose focus now.¡±


    I heard a flutter of wings, and another siren was on me, thrusting its spear at my gut. In a panic I pushed myself to the side and into striking range. As if I had a sword or something, I swung down using my wind¡¯s momentum.


    The moment the scepter touched the siren¡¯s chest, an explosive blast tore through it. The monster disappeared in a plume of smoke, and I heard a pained shriek from behind it. The third spear-wielder had one wing burnt to a crisp and the other not far off. It fell like a lead weight, no matter how frantically it tried to flap.


    Great. Only¡­ eight left? I almost cried to hear the ravenous flapping of wings surround me. Cira had three of her own occupied, but the others had apparently just registered me as the real threat here. I couldn¡¯t make that many spears and hit the mark with them if I tried. Amazing as this staff was, it couldn¡¯t make up for my inabilities.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about burning me.¡± Why did she say that¡­? Or¡­ That¡¯s right. I glanced at the ball of fire forming above my staff. It slowly condensed flame for me to use in a pinch¡ªthe passive reservoir Cira wanted us to work on¡ªbut I was thinking too small.


    I felt a stark breeze and pushed myself to the side in a panic, just narrowly avoiding a wind blade that could have taken my leg off. It was within a hair¡¯s breadth and my stomach dropped to notice there wasn¡¯t a reaction from any of Cira¡¯s barriers. Almost like there wasn¡¯t one placed on me in the first place. In a moment, I realized the danger I was in.


    The force of the wind blade was much too great for me to disperse. If another caught me by surprise¡­ I could die.


    These harpies are enveloped in air. Their mastery is greater than mine and I¡¯m fighting them in the perfect environment for their advantage. Instead of this little fireball, why don¡¯t I just fill this place with flames?


    At that thought, an inferno sprouted from my scepter. When the flaming spear appeared earlier, it was the hottest thing I had ever felt, but somehow it didn¡¯t hurt. It was difficult to explain, but I could tell it wouldn¡¯t hurt me¡ªso long as I held the scepter, at least.


    If they dare attack me with more wind spears, it will only feed the flames.


    Fire poured out in a spiral, like a blooming flower and quickly grew into a hellish storm. I could hear the harpies caw and cry somewhere beyond the crimson flares, but it was so hectic I couldn¡¯t really see anything. There was nothing but the flame, so my only choice was to keep them coming. The staff made it easy, and I could tell I only used a fraction of the mana I would by hand, but as I held it up, I started to get a feel for it.


    The chaotic flames that formed trails from the scepter¡¯s jewel which I thought could not be controlled felt almost like sand falling through the cracks in my fingers. I held onto that feeling and started to chase it.


    With a spear, a set amount of mana needed to be condensed, but controlling a constant flow of flame with similar accuracy was in the realm of legendary mages, especially of this magnitude. I was still a far cry away, but the flames started to take refined shape. Their hue seemed less natural and a richer crimson the further I chased that feeling.


    Soon, the flames closer to me almost looked like molten ruby, or literal waves of magical fire.


    ¡°Uhhhh¡­¡± Cira appeared through the unstoppable flames like it was a curtain hung in a doorway. ¡°I think you got ¡®em.¡±


    My eyes shot open, and I remembered what I was doing. The flames started to disperse into light or steam that was carried off on the wind. Thunder struck and I felt a light drizzle evaporating far above.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m so sorry! I got carried away!¡± I looked between her and the scepter in fear while a grin grew on her face.


    ¡°I like where you were going with that though, but replacing the harpies¡¯ air with flame was a tad overkill here. It never hurts to mess around a little if you¡¯re really feelin¡¯ the mana, though.¡± She flipped the orichalcum staff around and it rest on her back, as if holstered there. ¡°Generally, you could have just swept them up in flames the normal way. No need to burn everything¡­ for future reference. Typically, you can¡¯t afford to spend three-quarters of your mana on an attack for a full five minutes after incinerating them.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ that was reckless.¡± I clenched my fists in determination.


    ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll just give you some more. You have had months to be low on mana, by my understanding.¡± Cira chuckled and floated away as energy coursed through my body. ¡°And one more thing.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that¡­?¡± I got kind of nervous, looking up at her.


    ¡°The Infernal Scepter will not burn you, but there are some things it cannot protect.¡± I suddenly felt a chill on the breeze quite thoroughly. I must have flushed red from head to toe. ¡°Your next task will be to craft a new set of clothes out of flame.¡±

 167 - Paradise Found

    Before today I could not have told you the difference between a pocket realm and an enchanted satchel. It seemed pretty unreal to me already that I could fit my entire wardrobe and a barrel of ale in a pouch at my waist, if only I had the coin for such an artifact. But to think¡­ someone could create an entire world with a single entrance¡­ which resided on Green Pit of all places.


    Before today I had also never seen a snake large enough to swallow even a ship. Despite the fact that Cira called it a ¡®torrential basilisk¡¯, she was adamant on the fact that it was just a very large sea krait, and that it was completely normal for incredibly large creatures to affect their environment from innate aura. A beast of the sea calling storms over the sea was a matter of course, she said.


    Personally, I grew up learning to avoid the snakes on land or otherwise as a child. They often traveled in schools through the mist, but only once a year or so¡ªaround the time the nimbus sharks return from their annual migration.


    But a flock of kraits the size of the one Cira incapacitated would destroy the world. At least this breed seemed bound to the sea, but even I couldn¡¯t feel bad for it after watching the aftermath of Cira¡¯s punch. I¡¯d seen men survive from a shot to the head and it didn¡¯t look far off.


    Before today I had only seen a siren in story books. They were beautiful angels who sat upon on the sea. Often claiming a rocky bluff or sometimes flying alongside sailors singing their sweet songs. They would always guide a ship into said rocks, and no one would be seen again.


    Now I know¡­ Those ships probably crashed into the rocks because they were empty. Harpies were terrifying, ravenous creatures. It was one of the bonuses of not living by the sea, so I never thought I¡¯d encounter one, let alone be forced to defeat eleven of them by myself. Especially one who my absurd master deems as ¡®pretty tough¡¯


    ¡°So, tell me about your discovery in the flames.¡± Distant thunder seemed inbound, but otherwise Cira broke the silence as we flew over the sea. The gray storm had grown and now the only sunlit sea in sight were the distant horizons to our left and right.


    Who talks like that? ¡°It¡­ sort of felt like sand slipping through my fingers. I could change the way it fell, but I couldn¡¯t quite grasp it¡­¡± Goddammit, I¡¯m doing it too.


    My cheesy words were met with a sincere grin, ¡°It seems you are on the cusp on innate control. Those flames you condensed are known as aether flame. In the natural world, fire requires a source. Even conjured flame consumes other elements, but when you condense it enough, it¡¯s possible to create a flame entirely dependent on aether. All other elements in its path are simply destroyed, given that they are equal to or below fire in the chain of predation. That crimson silk you crafted was exactly that.¡±


    When did I craft silk? What is wrong with her? ¡°Those flames you pushed aside as if they were a curtain between my bedroom and the hall¡­ You make them seem like a big deal, but it only makes you more of a monster.¡±


    I was half-joking, but I actually regretted it when her eyebrows fell. She looked honestly offended but trying to hide it.


    ¡°I am not!¡± She looked off into the sea, away from me, ¡°I¡¯ll have you know if you can fine tune that control, I would have had to punch a hole through it. It¡¯s loose in your hands, like silk in the breeze. Until you learn to condense it and hold onto it at the same time, you will never progress.¡±


    ¡°Why are you being bashful?¡± She always did this about the weirdest things, and I never got the chance to ask until now. ¡°I heard what you did at Fount Salt, but I don¡¯t know¡­ Seeing you after coming out of the soul forge, your strength is absurd. You could probably rip Acher in half if you felt like it. How are you not a monster at this point? Got melted down and everything.¡±


    I had seen her infuriated when I said the wrong word, but the look in her eyes was unmistakably hurt. Her lips fell into a slight frown as she looked down at me, ¡°Because I choose not to be one.¡± She pulled ahead and increased our speed again.


    Dammit, I offended her. Was that so insensitive? I guess someone called her a monster before¡­ or something? It¡¯s just as often a compliment in these skies.


    Tawny thought the reasonable thing to do was apologize but her wind would not propel her any closer.


    Figures¡­


    Her master would need to pout for a short time before her next words came.


    Can I really turn those flames into something so solid as a wall? Earlier, Cira only laughed at me for a minute or so while I desperately failed to cover myself with fire after burning all by clothes away. Afterwards, she tossed me a spare set of robes at. Apparently shaping the flames I could hardly conjure on command into clothing that didn¡¯t wisp away was an advanced technique, after all. I need more practice, but¡­


    ¡°Hey, Master!¡± I shouted, throwing the Infernal Scepter, ¡°Catch!¡±


    ¡°Wh-what?!¡± She was baffled, ¡°What are you doing?!¡± The scepter fell toward the sea then simply disappeared. Cira sighed, shaking her head, ¡°Why would you do that?¡±


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    As she approached looking thoroughly exasperated, I replied, ¡°I have the feel for it now, but that staff is too much for me. If I¡¯m to grasp those flames, I think it needs to be with my own two hands.¡±


    Cira crossed her arms and she turned to mist the moment a frustrated smile crept onto her face. She quickly faded away and appeared from the mist again, by my side.


    ¡°Good answer,¡± She smiled naturally as she emerged from fog, as if to brush her earlier sulking under the rug, ¡°Focus on hardening your reservoir which you seem to have forgotten to conjure.¡±


    Crap. A ball of flame instantly puffed into existence in front of me like an angler¡¯s lantern. ¡°I don¡¯t see your passive reservwahhh¡± I violently exaggerated her accent.


    ¡°It is all around you.¡± The world turned white for a brief moment, and one of those weird quakes from when she gets mad on Acher happened.


    When it ended, my eyes were peeled open and I stared at her, feeling the blood drain from my face.


    ¡°Well?¡± She smirked triumphantly and changed the subject blatantly, ¡°Ahem¡­ Do you recall what I told you of when the fleeting cirrostratus are consumed by a coming storm?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do.¡± Shit, what do I say? ¡°They¡­ are no more.¡±


    Cira often sighed, as she did now. She looked a little disappointed but understanding. It was complicated and irritating.


    ¡°Change often arrives as a storm. The sky is no stranger to chaos. Poor old cirrocumulus were always destined to die, but to herald a storm like this¡­ and so quickly is really something.¡± As she spoke, thunder rattled off like a drum, leaving scarce moments of silence now instead. ¡°It¡¯s obvious the creator of this realm wanted to accomplish something in life and failed. This so-called Paradise that everyone has been seeking for centuries is like a bottle washed up on the shore. Our unseen mage spent the remainder of their life, possibly even expending it, to create this realm. The death rattle of their will, you could say.¡±


    ¡°I feel like you¡¯re trying to dumb it down for me¡­¡± It only made sense, to be fair. This was clearly on a whole other level from me. ¡°What did this guy want? Just tell me that.¡±


    ¡°Well, I am dumbing it down, to a degree,¡± Normally people don¡¯t out and say it either¡­ ¡°But that is mainly because I am still piecing his will together. We¡¯re likely to only finish the puzzle once we reach the center.¡±


    ¡°Can you explain to me¡­ any part of the puzzle at all?!¡± I was so confused I couldn¡¯t help but raise my voice. It was also humiliating being carried for the past four or five hours. My control over space was miniscule, and using wind emptied my aura way too quickly.


    ¡°His downfall, of course.¡± Cira grinned. ¡°Look at the sky. Dark clouds fell upon us swiftly, and without restraint. They deprived the world of the sun¡¯s light and emboldened vicious creatures¡ªeven led them straight to us. Of course it¡¯s possible others could have made it this far, in theory, but it¡¯s clear this place is testing us. We only get bits and pieces unless we prove capable of picking up where they failed.¡±


    Is¡­ Is she crazy? Did she even explain anything? I shuddered. The harpies seemed like child¡¯s play before that serpent¡­ but if defeating both still hasn¡¯t made us worthy, what could possibly be waiting?


    I watched the clouds turn from dark gray to black as lightning arced across the stormy ceiling. Building up, ready to strike.


    I looked up at Cira and her smile had grown so wide I could see her teeth. She gave an awkward, nervous, and somehow uncertain laugh. ¡°Forgive me for saying¡­ I really hope it¡¯s a storm dragon.¡±


    ¡°But those¡­ but dragons are just a fairy tale, aren¡¯t they¡­?¡± My body shook as I felt the static of a thunderstorm engulf the air accompanied with a wave of mana.


    Why Am I here? I thought we were going to walk into a cave or something¡­ But why the hell are we in another world fighting giant snakes and literal storms?!


    ¡°It¡­ it couldn¡¯t be a dragon, right?¡± I continued.


    ¡°Hard to say.¡± Her mithril ring took its place behind her back, along with the orichalcum staff above her head and a branching river that unfolded around her like a furious tide. Clumps of stone¡ªminiature islands materialized before her like revolving shields. That weird bone with the so-called prism appeared in a flash of light and twinkling stars seemed to fall from it like hot breath in the cold. Even the scepter I so foolishly gave up appeared beneath her, turning the sky below into a sea of dark, crimson flames that only seemed to furl when I looked at them. ¡°But I¡¯ll be upset if it¡¯s a flock of stromrak.¡±


    Despite Cira¡¯s massive display of mana that would probably have forced me to my knees were I not flying, whatever approached us inside the storm did not slow down. In fact, the lightning only got stronger, as if responding to her resistance. Each bolt was the purest white and seemed to burn the air around it off in a purple haze. I had never seen anything like it in all the storms I¡¯d survived. That lightning looked like it could destroy anything in its path.


    ¡°Have you ever seen¡­ lightning like that?¡± I had already forgotten whatever she said about birds.


    ¡°That there is pure lightning. Not divine in any way, mind you. Pure elemental lightning. You can consider it equivalent to that fire you¡¯re trying so hard to conjure.¡± Cira crossed her arms, admiring it like a painting as the first bolts started to reach for us, dissipating about halfway. It looked like she was really enjoying herself in spite of my panic, until she hung her head in abject disappointment. ¡°I have only met what I presume to be a flame dragon. The mana it gave off even in a deep slumber was enough to shake my soul. As strong as I am now, there¡¯s no way I wouldn¡¯t feel a dragon nearby¡­ What¡¯s weird is I can see through a great deal of the storm and there¡¯s not really anything in there.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡± The entire world shook, and the storm bore down mana with such intensity it rivaled Cira. I felt like my entire being was about to get torn about. ¡°Then what¡¯s the third guardian?!¡±


    It was more infuriating every time she gave me a cheeky grin, ¡°Who¡¯s to say we didn¡¯t fight the sixth and the ninth? This could be the first or the last for all I know.¡± She pulled out her spyglass.


    ¡°Will you quit talking nonsense for one minute?!¡±


    ¡°Shh. Look.¡± She put an eye against the lens, and I followed her line of sight, pulling out my own, cheaper version.


    Far ahead of us, there was a single sunray breaking through the clouds. When I peered through my spyglass, a flash of reflected light burned my eyes, and I stumbled back. I blinked it away and quickly trained my eye back on that ray of sunlight, fighting through the pain to get a glimpse.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it¡­¡± I looked over from my spyglass to see a chuckling sorcerer. ¡°It god damn looks like gold to me.¡±


    I was left without breath. The island had to be the size of Acher, but a bit flatter, and sparkling like any gold nugget I ever saw.


    Cira gave a loud, boisterous laugh, tipping the new captain¡¯s hat she got from the Council, ¡°Looks like I¡¯m the greatest pirate who ever lived.¡± Thunder struck.

 168 - Proliferous Nimbus

    Sunset fell upon Green Pit. Everyone present, which was now hundreds of people, had made their way to the shores of Green Lake. The surviving members of the Stick Brigade, along with the entirety of the Far Shore Pirates, all their mages, and apparently more Gratos had hired in Shores¡¯ extended absence surrounded the lake. Behind them, word of the Saint¡¯s return had evidently travelled all the way to the shoreside refugee camp.


    They of course were desperate for any news, especially if they could get it from the that crazy woman directly.


    Alas, it had been almost ten hours and there was no sign of the Saint returning. Jimbo swore up and down she went into the lake to find Paradise, but at this point many of those rescued from the palace were starting to think he was brainwashed like those other religious nuts. To start, his words didn¡¯t make any sense, but he claimed to not have any better way to explain it.


    Her students of Breeze Haven were quite bummed they couldn¡¯t go along. What kind of threat could possibly exist in a place called Paradise? An extra-stiff breeze? Captain Shores understood that she knew best, bless his heart, but the rest were mildly upset. They thought after all their training they still weren¡¯t good enough. That they had failed her.


    That line of thinking would irritate Cira to no end, if only she knew. But she would also feel guilty for half-assing it with their education regardless. That was neither here nor there.


    ___


    Here and there, thunder crackled. Lightning broached the cloudy sky like needles, shattering Cira¡¯s model islands without mercy. More formed, of course, but the assault of thunder and exploding masses of stone had me completely deaf. I even formed a wind barrier around my ears, but it did precious little.


    The so-called ¡®pure lightning¡¯ seemed to have a will of its own. It really wanted to kill Cira. I watched multiple layers of barrier form around me for the past few minutes and they hadn¡¯t been tested yet. Instead, the baseless wrath decided she was the one who needed to die. Perhaps I would be next¡­ but it¡¯s not like I could help her if I wanted to.


    There must have been metal in them or something, I don¡¯t know, but the lightning kept arching towards her little islands. They were her primary shields, though I noticed her diffusing a few stray bolts with a glowing river. It seemed she was even manipulating wind to draw in surrounding moisture as it lit up with the eerie color of concentrated water mana. The temperature kept dropping in flashes from one side or the other before but returning to normal just after the bang. If it weren¡¯t perfectly timed with thunder, I would think I was hallucinating.


    Jimbo took me to the sea once¡ªthe real sea. He said some experts told him it was a once in a lifetime chance to see the glowing tides. Some strange, small fish or something glowed under certain conditions, and this natural phenomenon washed up on the shores of Tide¡¯s Oasis. Somehow each wave¡¯s crest was lit with a soft light of pure water.


    All around me, the sky turned into a brilliant cerulean haze, just like the water washing up on the sands that evening, but bright enough to make my aura shudder. The shining mist only lasted for a minute or so while earth continued to explode in my peripherals and eardrums, but then¡­ the lightning seemed somehow weakened.


    At the same time, Cira¡¯s rivers were¡­ somehow shrouded in a crackling veil of cerulean lightning. I had never seen anything like it¡­


    ¡°Cira!¡± I cried in an embarrassing panic, ¡°What is this monster? What¡¯s attacking us?!¡±


    ¡°The storm itself.¡± The same grin as earlier marred her face. ¡°This is something I have neither seen nor read about. Make sure you¡¯re ready to evade in case my barriers fail.¡±


    Wait¡­ They can fail¡­?


    I became very nervous as Cira left me alone and pulled herself closer to the storm. Somehow it seemed to struggle more the closer to her it became, but she still had to block larger bolts that shattered boulders the size of houses.


    Some of the lightning she rejected seemed to bounce around without rejoining the black clouds above. Like a massive spell, they all grew together, forming a tangled ball of lightning. Cira could block lightning all day, it seemed, but she didn¡¯t have an attack ready to, well, attack lightning. Could she not disperse it? Or was she just watching to see what came of it?


    I found myself covering my ears at the relentless blasts, but Cira was completely unconcerned as she kept her eyes on the growing ball of mana. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would say she was using the air to lead more into it, as if in anticipation of what would come.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± I shouted, completely drowned out by the maelstrom, but she still heard me, I think.


    ¡°The guardian is the storm. Don¡¯t stray far.¡± Her words were short, and the distance between us closed quickly. Suddenly a chain of lightning crushed her earthen shields and sizzled away in a flare of light upon an unseen barrier around us both. ¡°This is not an opponent that can be beaten.¡±


    Stolen novel; please report.


    What does she mean¡­? One couldn¡¯t possibly fight the storm itself or defeat it for that matter¡ªthat much makes sense. But that can¡¯t be what¡¯s happening here. This is some mythical creature she simply hasn¡¯t had a chance to tell me about yet.


    Lightning demolished Cira¡¯s islands faster than she could conjure them and soon the remaining bolts rained against her barrier in a tremendous volley. Seeing them fizzle out upon it with no noticeable damage or change in my master¡¯s expression made me feel a little better, I admit, but they quickly started dissipating sooner and sooner. Before long, they had found a range at which they could coalesce safely.


    The first few lightning bolts who figured this out took the shape of some abomination with innumerable claws of lightning, then the next was a set of jaws big enough to swallow her whole, absorbed by her glimmering river, of course.


    This had me terrified to my core as more and more vicious appendages formed in faint-purple bolts, but Cira just chuckled.


    ¡°Reminds you of something, doesn¡¯t it?¡± She reached out and let one touch her, instantly diffusing it.


    ¡°No way¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t believe my ears. It did in fact remind me of something, but a hundred times more terrifying. ¡°These are slimes?!¡±


    Her chuckle turned into a hearty laugh as lightning bounced around her body and she slapped fangs and hoofed feet away. ¡°Of course not! This is a storm, through and through. I just think it¡¯s a fascinating analog for the mimicry of nature. Think about it. The slimes evolved the most effective characteristics of their prey to survive and prosper¡ªyet this storm who was probably tasked with defeating all who get too close has stumbled upon the same predatory forms to overpower us.¡±


    What the hell is she talking about? ¡°Do you think you¡¯re saying something profound? Things that want to kill us strive to kill us better. When has the world ever worked in any other way?¡±


    As I complained though, it seemed the lightning¡¯s form was becoming more complete with each iteration. A claw became a forearm, then all the way up the shoulder. Kicks that were once spontaneous were now led by a full leg¡¯s swing. Sharp jaws now belonged to a skull formed from lightning no longer bound by nature or reason.


    ¡°You¡¯re missing the point.¡± When Cira held out her palm, a hazy barrier surrounded us, and our surroundings became silent. I guess she got tired of constant, deafening explosions, but I couldn¡¯t complain. ¡°Have you learned nothing? The signs were all there. Just when we were starting to relax, a snake slithered out to impede our path. In the same way, one may be caught in the rain on their way home or stabbed in the back by a close friend.


    ¡°Serpents are never to be trusted. Regardless of the hidden serpent¡¯s efforts and motives, such an encounter heralds dark times indeed.¡± Cira shook her head, ¡°Our friend above, Cumulonimbus, makes that much clear.¡±


    She uncharacteristically didn¡¯t have a Lamplight conjured, and her face was covered in shadow. Aside from two opposing points on the distant horizon, the clouds blocked the sun completely. We were in near-complete darkness if it weren¡¯t for the lightning¡¯s perpetual flash. Skulls and limbs seemed to build up and fall away, attacking and dimishing while Cira completed her monologue.


    ¡°What are you getting at?¡± I demanded, shaking from the horrific lightning creatures taking form just outside her barrier.


    ¡°Cumulonimbus blots out the sun, for one. Their story has been etched in the sky with a quill of clouds. But I was actually mistaken earlier. This lightning is born of the realm creator¡¯s wrath. Rather, lightning is the most efficient medium for wrath. You could say there¡¯s something of an affinity there.¡±


    While I trembled, my insane master¡¯s vision grazed over the half-formed lightning creatures with unmistakable curiosity. Honestly, looking at her in the dark leather coat and pirate captain¡¯s hat only made her that much more ridiculous. With this much power, I couldn¡¯t believe she let the so-called Mortal Council push her around.


    ¡°What are you trying to say? I think¡­ I think you should destroy whatever this is before it gets out of control¡­¡± That meager suggestion was all I could come up with. I knew my magic couldn¡¯t do anything, even if I had the scepter back. I could only witness whatever was to occur today.


    ¡°This person was betrayed. Their enemies quickly grew. The wrath in penance of a crime not committed festered and only grew as time went on. Before long, it had taken on forms of its own too far removed from the truth, such that the truth didn¡¯t even matter anymore. Don¡¯t you see?¡± Cira cast those same eyes which were somewhere between disappointment and irritation, ¡°Haven¡¯t I already told you the implications if cirrostratus should progress to cumulonimbus and the storm prevails to disastrous proportions?¡±


    ¡°What?! What are you¡ª¡± Wait¡­ I haven¡¯t noticed how hard it¡¯s raining because of all these barriers but, ¡°When storm breaks in relentless deluge, and fury falls like rain¡­ The clouds must run their course?¡±


    ¡°I would have preferred something paraphrased, so I know you get it, but yes.¡± She¡¯s lucky I remembered at all.


    ¡°So¡­¡± I watched arcing skulls try to form spines only to disintegrate when Cira looked at them, ¡°The realm¡¯s creator was betrayed by¡­ everyone? And the fact that we¡¯re even here in the first place means he conjured this place with the last of his life afterwards?¡± It wasn¡¯t quite landing with me. ¡°Who was he? Why was he even betrayed? I feel like I¡¯m missing important parts of this story.¡±


    ¡°Of course we are. Could we not survive the sky¡¯s inexplicable wrath, we would never be worthy to hear the end to this tale.¡± Cira¡¯s creepy shadow staff appeared, then bolts of pure black corroded the lightning creatures in the blink of an eye. ¡°Now answer me this. What does a sorcerer do in this situation, or one like it?¡±


    What?! She¡¯s quizzing me?! That lighting is quickly evolving, and that orb from earlier doesn¡¯t look any less threatening¡­ Do we have time for a lecture?!


    ¡°Are you kidding?! I don¡¯t know! Destroy it?!¡± I shouted, which was met with another jovial laugh.


    ¡°Not far off. Consider this the pinnacle of the phenomenon that is lighting. As a sorcerer, you can¡¯t let nature scare you. The sky will trouble you in a great many ways¡­ but you must rise above it.¡± My eyes went wide as Cira floated outside her barrier. The lightning beings slashed away at her before losing form, almost like they were being sucked into the onyx. ¡°Go on then!¡± She shouted. ¡°I will accept your wrath! Up to this point I have found it quite meager!¡±


    As if in response to her declaration, thunder roared. The ominous orb of lightning that had been building up at a distance seemed to shudder while the stream of beasts stopped forming nearby. It seemed all the energy of the storm converged on the mysterious ball, and it grew, slightly rocking like an egg that couldn¡¯t wait to hatch.

 169 - Fiend

    The mass of lightning began to stretch like something was pulling on it in different places. Before my eyes, it formed arms and legs, then a head threatened to sprout. As I grew more alarmed, Cira only crossed her arms.


    ¡°Fascinating. I never knew lightning could form something so terrifying. Do you think it personifies the wrath our dear creator was made to endure or do you think it embodies their grudge?¡± She looked to me earnestly for an answer as if there wasn¡¯t a monstrosity being born of the storm directly in front of us.


    ¡°Are you serious? How am I supposed to know?!¡± I couldn¡¯t believe her right now.


    She only sighed, visibly fighting the urge to look disappointed, ¡°I understand it¡¯s a lot to ask you to understand the language of the sky in a mere few hours, but I would hope you could at least think critically about it and give me your opinion.¡±


    What is wrong with her? Fine. I¡¯ll play her game. ¡°It¡¯s both. Didn¡¯t you see his own wrath converging wholly independent of the, uh, cumulonimbus that attacked us? In fact, the creatures grew weaker as this titan took form.¡±


    Cira smiled, chuckling mildly, ¡°I really hadn¡¯t thought of it like that¡­ Well done.¡± It was irritating that I had to stifle a smile of my own¡ªit was difficult, but I preferred to look abjectly displeased instead. ¡°A storm titan, is it? Know that unless I find a match in the forbidden archive, you will have named that¡­ thing.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡± A harsh cry like that of a dying creature yet vocalized in thunder broke across the sky. It didn¡¯t stop but I could still hear its echo as I covered my ears despite the barrier.


    ¡°The mana comprising this so-called titan is loose and undefined. Due to its erratic nature, electricity is difficult to harness, apparently, for itself as well.¡± She stared at this natural disaster-born entity of pure lightning with bemusement creeping onto her face. ¡°Like its half-bestial predecessors, form cannot be so simply assumed by merely taking shape. This storm is na?ve at best, if it even hopes to claim some semblance of sentience. Something drives it beyond the ancient wrath which lingered in the creator¡¯s heart, I just don¡¯t know what it is yet.¡±


    The titan let out another roar and its body exploded in white light with a soft purple hue, imbued with so much power that it rattled through my entire body. The world seemed tinted in it as I felt faint crackles all around me.


    ¡°None of that¡­¡± Cira¡¯s mithril ring at her back glowed and the purple haze slowly dissipated. ¡°You dare encroach upon my domain, Titan of the Storm?¡±


    I could buy every plot of land on Porta Bora if I had an ancient mithril coin for every time Cira complained about people exacerbating her deeds, but she¡¯s literally fighting a storm and belittling it with her sharp tongue, even giving it a nonsense title like any given drunk bard would. What is my master¡¯s deal? Is she just trying to sound cool or is it on accident? Rather, why is this person my master? She seemed to burn it up for fun, but fate must be a truly fickle thing.


    I watched Cira push back the so-called electricity¡ªsome manner of manifested elemental lightning of the purest form, I presumed¡ªand the border of her domain became clear as pitch-dark mana like the shadow-drenched tomb she dragged us all through pushed against the storm. Domains were the mark of an advanced mage, it¡¯s said¡­ so, I couldn¡¯t help but be jealous at the massive range of Cira¡¯s and ridiculous amount of mana swirling around us.


    The storm titan was met by her domain¡¯s rapid growth and easily pushed away. Glued to the barrier like a gnat stuck on a bubble as it expanded, but not destroyed utterly like the lightning creatures. Instead, it seemed to be getting absorbed slowly.


    ¡°Take note.¡± Cira said coldly, focused on the titan, ¡°Lightning¡ªelectricity¡­ It is created through natural means, reactions between various materials or states of matter and such, but it has no physical state, per se. One could say it¡¯s the purest form of energy that can occur naturally, while another could argue it¡¯s the most natural analog for aether. Now¡­ What would we do were this titan made of aether?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± I was past the point of arguing, and the sooner I got her to finish talking to me, the sooner she would resolve this threat, ¡°That necromancer comes to mind. Didn¡¯t his void absorb everything indiscriminately?¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± She grinned. The storm titan had completely ceased the downpour of lightning beasts and the storm only flashed to a single point, flooding this titan with successive bolts of energy. ¡°As void destroys all, light destroys dark, life to death and back, so on and so forth, yadda yadda. Tell me, Tawny¡­ what is the void of lightning?¡±


    It was an element I was unfamiliar with. As much as Jimbo talked about it, nothing substantial came from that which could be drawn as a conclusion to what it even was. I understood light and dark well enough, but what could possibly be the absence of lightning? ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡±


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    ¡°Precisely.¡± She smirked. ¡°There is none. One can create an environment where electricity could be expelled from or unable to enter, but energy of any kind follows a rule. Remember how light also consumes dark and grows? Flame does the same to air, as you well know. Ever wonder what happens to the mana-charged waters which fall off the side of any given island from the spring¡¯s relentless path over centuries or even longer¡­?¡± She was grinning ear to ear as she watched the titan form, spinning her absurd yarn about energy to me¡ªthough I suppose it was more of a lecture. She seemed to really enjoy it. ¡°Energy cannot be destroyed. Even I who burns the fate which arrives in my path like a coarse shrubbery cannot destroy energy outright.¡±


    The ball of crimson flame at my side, my passive reservoir, flickered like a candle as the titan seemed to take full form and let out another blood-curdling cry. Strangely, the storm titan reminded me of those shadow goliaths. Human form with slightly-off features, but those were massive, and not so well defined. The titan had very clear features comprised of countless arcs if I could bear more than half a second even looking at it before my eyes burned. I never realized how bright lightning was.


    I thought this monster was going to fight as soon as the egg rocked, but it had continued to gather mana ever since it started taking shape. In fact, its power had only risen exponentially. It was beginning to affect my breathing and I even noticed Cira reinforce her barrier, which took a huge weight of my chest.


    ¡°Relax,¡± Cira called out, ¡°I will take care of this foe. But make sure you watch. Perhaps it will help you understand the element.¡±


    Is she joking? The foe is the entire storm¡­ isn¡¯t it?


    ¡°Wrathful titan,¡± Her orichalcum staff glowed, as did the absurd mithril ring, and metallic silver dust sprinkled in the air. It seemed the titan¡¯s form was drawn to it, and as it was pulled closer, her rivers seemed to follow a path that phased in and out of what must have been space. They flowed through the shroud of electricity while the titan swung its arm out to try and grab Cira, just a few strides in front of me. ¡°If your residual fury is so weak, you have no business challenging me.¡±


    Black bolts shot out from her palm and started tearing away at the titan, leaving gashes in its form that was like a mass of arcing lightning trapped in a bottle in the shape of a giant. It didn¡¯t make any sense that it could take wounds, let alone that Cira could inflict them. All I could do was watch.


    ¡°I think you would serve well to increase my aura, in fact.¡± Cira¡¯s lightning formed a black sun above her head, and the titan¡¯s form was drawn into her barrier, dissipating into what ended up actually being the slowest bolts of lightning I had ever seen. They resisted her pull but could not overcome it. It seemed everything was going according to plan and even Cira¡¯s face had a reassuring smile on it as she glowed with power.


    Something doesn¡¯t feel right¡­ mana assailed me from every direction of varying pressures, but the absorption of this titan didn¡¯t feel like it was lessening the threat in any way. Perhaps it was my fine-tuned perception of danger as someone truly weak¡­ but I just didn¡¯t feel like the whole picture was before us. This guardian was not so simple.


    Still, the titan started falling apart and its purple glow dimmed. Despite my concerns, it seemed this guardian would really be defeated just like that. ¡°Cira¡­ I¡¯m sorry for calling you a whelp back then¡­ It turns out I was the whelp all along.¡±


    She stood there in the sky with her arms crossed, watching lightning find its way into her tumultuous black sun as expected. Despite the unfamiliar situation, everything was so calculated. I couldn¡¯t believe, or even begin to imagine how my master¡¯s mind worked. What had she been through and how could she possibly have such vast knowledge at such a young age? Hardly a few years younger than me, I think¡­ It was absurd. Was she even human?


    I had been around her for quite some time, but this was perhaps one of the most sincere smiles I ever saw on her face. The lightning¡¯s flash lit her golden hair and her cheeks creased beneath her eyes, ¡°I appreciate you saying that. You know, it¡¯s not good to disparage people for their weakness. Those born without aura can become as strong as they wish if only their will were nurtured, yet they too often grow up knowing they are less than their peers. Their will suffers¡ª¡±


    Thunder struck, and a bolt of lightning thicker than Acher¡¯s pillars of light struck the lingering sparks from the titan¡¯s remains. Suddenly, the world flashed purple and white and the very first moment my mind could register what was before my eyes, there was a new creature born of the purest lightning. Denser, much brighter, than the titan, and much smaller. Aside from its radiance, it reminded me of the goblins¡ª


    Thunder struck a second time in the same moment and the fiend born of solid lightning appeared within arm¡¯s reach. Its body was just larger than Cira¡¯s and its skulls bore shallow points, though no features. Its arms were ambiguous and constantly changing in form, but an unmistakable fist thrust from its side, purple haze coalescing as it reached my master¡¯s gut to the sound of a hundred shattering plates. Her barriers all fell, and I felt the full force of the storm bear down.


    In an instant, her domain of wisping shadows had a massive hole in it, like a column that ran all the way through from the force of that single strike. I watched the storm push in as the domain rapidly dispersed into just regular lightning.


    I only caught a glimpse of what was happening as the explosion of mana that shook the sky forced me to curl up in place¡ªthere was no ground to kneel down on. The pressure was so great, the shockwaves from that one punch burst countless times before I even had time to flinch. As soon as I could manage to look up, Cira had disappeared while a column of mana seemed to trail her path like a cannonball shot from inside a cloud.


    I didn¡¯t even have time to think. Cira was gone, and I was face to face with the newborn fiend. It watched Cira disappear for a brief instant, then its chin turned until I could feel a deadly gaze pointed right at me.


    If even a single second passes, I¡¯ll be dead, I thought. It was one of those things I instinctually knew, yet as soon as fight or flight ended in acceptance, that orichalcum staff pierce the fiend through its back. The staff protruded from its chest and kept going. Like a lightning rod, the staff took the fiend with it, and I was left alone beneath the thunderous sky.

 170 - Storm Eater

    An entire storm ran through Cira¡ªat least that¡¯s how it felt. Her muscles locked up and spasmed at the same time, while even her cognizance wavered, she dropped the miles of perception she careful cultivated over the last few hours so Tawny¡¯s barriers wouldn¡¯t fall apart in negligence. It was as impressive as it was painful to learn that the guardian could punch right through her basic barrier, but her first thought was to pull on her earth staff. With any luck, the orichalcum still held enough authority here to do its damn job as a hunk of metal.


    She felt a tingle and knew she had a bite.


    Phew. Any longer and I bet Tawny would have been in real trouble.


    She slapped her cheeks and took a couple deep breaths. ¡°Alright, Cira¡­ This is no time to slack off.¡±


    Lightning had no direct weakness or predator. It was something that always frustrated Cira and made those who wielded the element always slightly trickier to deal with in a general sense. This was admittedly the first time she was forced to face a threat of lightning on such a massive scale, though. With real, lethal force behind it.


    Fortunately for her, Cira had already become lightning¡¯s natural predator. In an attempt to one-up the necromancer, she had ended up mimicking her own lightning transmission technique using the abundant darkness she had on hand.


    It was ordinarily a very risky maneuver, but she would condense the space she occupied and imbue it on a conjured bolt of electricity. Like turning herself into a magic bag made of lightning. It¡¯s how she protected the infirmary from the Astral Witch, for instance.


    When doing so with shadow, it was actually more like light than lightning, and it felt much easier to control. If her concentration slipped, she would be forced to appear, rather than get violently electrocuted and crushed.


    It was quickly becoming her new favorite move for quick, short-range travel, but after seeing its reaction with real electricity, Cira decided to name it void lightning.


    Again, it had nothing to do with lightning or the void, but this new ostensible element could consume the storm before here.


    ¡°And there you are.¡± Cira¡¯s orichalcum staff fell from the sky with a skewered creature of pure lightning clawing away at it in futility. She let it maintain speed as she cocked back a fist roiling with her own void lightning. ¡°That really hurt!¡±


    It seemed to notice Cira as her fist connected. The staff continued and she followed through on the punch, leaning her whole body into it as she kicked against the waves. A crackling snarl echoed over the sea as its form fizzled, but unlike the titan, it didn¡¯t come close to bursting.


    Won¡¯t make it easy for me, huh? Cira could only hope there wasn¡¯t another one forming up above. She threw some more protections up before cutting her sight, so Tawny was essentially adrift up there until this was all worked out.


    Cira¡¯s fist finished its arc against the water, and she watched the sea light up like someone dropped an artifact in. Still, it seemed there wasn¡¯t a chance the fiend would diffuse, no matter how much she charged her fist. Picking away at it with her undine powers did something, but its electricity returned with too great force for her to make a meaningful dent. Turns out, Cira was very weak as an undine.


    Void lightning is the key¡­ I know it is. This thing is just insanely powerful. It doesn¡¯t have a core of any kind, just held together by the will of a dead man.


    Cira waited for it to rise to the surface and readied her fists again. They both crackled as she took a defensive stance. A suit of armor from manifested void lightning started to form around her, but not fast enough. Seemingly as soon as she let out her breath, the fiend had gotten behind her, fist outstretched. She began to twist around, then felt a powerful force push her down through the waves.


    Luckily, she prepared a barrier specifically for excessive amounts of lightning, but the sudden inertia wracked her body painfully. Her bones creaked and her neck ached. Again, Cira skewered it on her staff as she found her way back from the depths.


    Even if I wanted to wear it down, it¡¯s way too fast. There¡¯s no way I can be faster than actual lightning¡­ Not while fighting, at least. Something to work on, sure, but¡­ I can¡¯t face this foe head on. No chance.


    Cira could see crackling lightning on the surface of the waves far above and was about to boost herself out when the creature appeared before her again, as if it could travel faster underwater. This was upsetting to say the least, but she wasn¡¯t exactly disadvantaged by the sea.


    The ocean which existed far beneath the sky indeed contained mana, but not a lot. It was more like the sky in areas of high pressure, or deeper in this case. Things were entirely different inside a realm conjured from scratch. The sea which was home to the island-swallowing krait, may as well have been the pools of a spring chamber.


    And you wish to drag me deeper?


    She waited until she started slowing down, the sea around her getting darker as she plunged ever further from the realm¡¯s supposed sun.


    Does this storm creature not yet understand the nature of my lightning? Surely, it hurts.


    She decided it was better if Shadow Quill was out, and started collecting all the darkness she could. Strangely, the inherent pressure of the deep sea seemed conducive to shadow, and the onyx greedily sucked it up, pulsing with unchecked power. It was essentially full after Cira woke up, so the rest manifested as void lightning arcing up and down the haft.


    It appeared again and punched Cira further down. Any other sorcerer perhaps would have to resist or be crushed by the intense pressure, but Cira reveled in it. It felt like a deep tissue massage over her entire body. Her soul seemed to burn like a spring, and the surrounding sea responded by blazing to life in bright cerulean.


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    But it grew darker as Cira conducted her void lightning throughout her entire area of influence. It spread easily through her own waters. There was a school of silver fish that scampered away and a funny looking shark that bolted from the light, though some were trapped as an arcing black cage was formed.


    The fiend appeared again and thrust out its fist, which was stopped harshly as it crackled against Cira¡¯s black armor.


    Not this time. Cira watched its fist fall apart on contact, like it was burning away from a mere touch. She was ready with gauntlets that crackled every time she moved the joints in her fingers and clamped a hand around its arm as darkness spread toward the shoulder like rotting veins.


    One pull and she reeled back her right fist. She would never attempt turning a single body part into regular lightning, but such methods were the only way to deliver a punch fast enough. Shadows couldn¡¯t compete in speed, but they were fast enough to catch the fiend off guard.


    Her fist smashed into where she figured its eye socket would be and its face visibly trembled out of shape. Before Cira could keep going, it jettisoned its arm to escape her grasp, flashing away and out of range.


    Cira brought her hand up and inspected the severed arm of condensed lightning. It did not threaten to disperse, nor did it try to rejoin with the main body. She brought it closer and took a big bite out of it.


    A little jarring, but she felt her aura top off instantly, to where it was earlier at least.


    Tastes terrible. Let¡¯s save it for later.


    She watched an explosion of lightning where the trapped creature met the interior of her cage. Whorls of black bolts like spiraling currents cut through the radiant sea, and its only move was to ram into it. An explosion took a shred of its power each time, but it didn¡¯t seem to have intelligence past combat instincts.


    What a strange bastardization of life. If I get a chance to chat with its creator, I will certainly give him a piece of my mind. There were levels of cognitive ability, but anything with a clear will could at least be considered a base form of sentient life¡ªeven if that will was inherited. It was amazing that the creator mage could conjure something so miraculous, but Cira was beginning to get irked at the ethics of it all.


    ¡°You should not have strayed from the surface, foolish storm fiend.¡± She tried to talk like Undina¡ªthrough the mind.


    Strangely, she got a response which amounted to nothing but anger and futility. A complicated emotion that took the wind out of Cira¡¯s sails. This being represented not the storm, but the one who was made to endure it. Whoever created this place¡ªCira felt as though she had become the most recent in a long line of those who clipped his wings and beat him down.


    Suddenly, it was like those emotions were reflected on her. Like she¡¯d been allowed to feel everything the mage did in his final moments.


    There was a deep, trembling pain in her aura. It was far worse than she ever endured after breaking her soul, and she swore she felt death closing in. The ache in her chest and the hopeless sense of grief brought tears to her eyes that slid off like beads of hot steel under the ocean¡¯s pressure. The fear that perhaps this mage felt drawing his last breath burst from the fiend.


    It tried moving around, attacking spots all around the barrier, and turned around frantically when that didn¡¯t work, much weaker and with noticeably dulled movements. When the fiend appeared before Cira this time, she was already moving and stopped its fist with her palm. The gauntlet burned away at its remaining arm. It took a few steps back, looking around as if in a panic before power surged, pushing the darkness out and regrowing both lost arms. Now its form had become just a smidge shorter, and Cira found herself looking down on it.


    The fear returned her way was palpable, and it shook Cira to her core. She couldn¡¯t imagine the depths of his true feelings, only the mortal fear of finality. She knew now he had no kin¡ªno one to take up the mantle like Gazen did.


    She knew he did not pass in a state of peace like her father either.


    ¡°Not many men get to say they made it to the right place in the end.¡± Perhaps my father¡¯s words were true. Could it be, this man didn¡¯t make it to the right place? Was his death unexpected? He at least had time to make this place as he withered away. Perhaps he lacked the means to reforge his soul, or it could be he lacked the time.


    Still, this sea looks untouched. For centuries, supposedly.


    What is the right place to die? This doesn¡¯t look like one. But then again, nobody wants to die adrift on a strong breeze, but that¡¯s where Dad met his end. Was that the right place? Or was it just his home of Breeze Haven¡­?


    It was always going to be Breeze Haven, so what made it the right place?


    Did he survive just long enough to teach me what I needed to know? My father never needed me to take up a grudge, but this mage didn¡¯t have anyone like that¡­ like me. No one existed to take up his legacy.


    Someone with such ridiculous power¡­ Someone who conjured an entire realm with his dying breath. He had likely lived for a long time, yet everything unraveled one day all the same.


    I can¡¯t even imagine if I died today and there was nobody to continue my father¡¯s sorcery. What if I died and that demon lived on¡­?


    Cira clenched her fists, watching the fiend try to tear away at her cage with stray bolts from a distance.


    ¡°I understand now.¡± The fiend stopped fighting and turned at her words. They were spoken conceptually, or perhaps emotionally, from one mind to the other, no matter how developed. ¡°But fear not, dead mage. Your will shall not be extinguished when I destroy this fiend.¡±


    Shadow Quill shed its hiding place and pierced through the fiend¡¯s chest, pulling it again towards Cira. The orichalcum staff was waiting to stab through from the other direction. It shrieked and cried into her head. A terrible, helpless cry, like she were torturing a child.


    In that moment, Cira realized the other thing she noticed earlier. The weak hint of a feeling she picked up on from the titan above. Aside from the inherited will, this fiend was driven by one of the purest instincts of them all.


    It just wanted to live. It knew nothing but a vague and malformed fury from long ago, and was forced to attack Cira before even being born. Giving up was something that had never occurred to the unfortunate creature. In its paltry, immature mind, Cira had to die for it to live.


    ¡°You poor thing¡­¡± Her chest tightened to realize the misfortune that was this hopeless fiend¡¯s birth. ¡°You were created purely of that mage¡¯s wrath and never even had a chance at life. Don¡¯t you know, if that raging storm above should quell today, so too will you disperse?¡±


    Pain and sadness flooded her own mind as well, and she thrust out her palm to bring it to an end. The fiend¡¯s face came to rest beneath her hand and void lightning formed a violent circuit between it and Shadow Quill.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, fiend.¡± Darkness quickly spread as the energy finally relented and let itself diffuse through her resplendent waters. ¡°You deserved better than this.¡±


    Its cries only stopped when its form had completely dissipated. Cira took no pleasure in welcoming the residual mana as her own, but it was over.


    She rose from the depths slowly, trying to count the distance. Cira had been punched easily a few hundred feet below the surface, but there was no hurry to rise. She took it slow, spreading out her sight as she went and ruminated on this depressing bout.


    The storm above hadn¡¯t left yet, but all appeared well. An occasional flash of lightning lit the sea and gentle rains fell.

 171 - Land Ho

    I followed the trail, and it seemed that fiend had took her under the water. I could feel my barrier supplied from her aura, but it was weak and unfocused. Somehow, I could tell she could no longer see me, but the trail of aether unmistakably led beneath the waves.


    What do I do¡­ I can¡¯t just go down there and look for her. I¡¯m not like Eros and Lero, and I¡¯m not a powerful enough sorcerer to ignore the need to breathe. Do I just have to wait here uselessly?


    The storm above seemed to have lost its vigor, but I had already been waiting at least five minutes. Was she wounded and adrift? There wasn¡¯t anything I could do, especially in this place, to help her.


    I started to get truly scared. I wouldn¡¯t even know where to begin with how to get out of here, and at this point, I have no idea where we started. If Cira were lost¡­ I could spend the rest of my life in here. It would be painfully short if I could only fish for a mile of food at a time, and I would have to swim everywhere¡­


    I noticed a wave of power and the water glowed bright cerulean even in the sun. Mana trembled as something approached. It gave me flashbacks of when Undina decided to speak with us, and then blonde hair poked through the waves.


    ¡°Phew.¡± She dramatically wiped sweat that didn¡¯t exist off her face, ¡°Glad I found you. If that thing hadn¡¯t dragged me so deep, it would have been a much tougher fight.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ you beat it?¡± Since she mentioned it, thunder seemed to have slowed down. No longer a constant firecracker, but a mere raging storm. ¡°How?¡±


    Cira gave me a thumbs up, black lightning swirling around her hand. ¡°I call it void lightning. Think about it. Made of shadows, which are like a void of light, but I made it lightning, so it¡¯s basically like a void of lightning now, right? I¡¯m totally classifying it as an emergent element. Worked like a charm, but that thing was absurdly powerful. I had to rely on my undine powers to form a domain and just dump egregious amounts of mana into it. Luckily, my aura is egregiously abundant these days.¡±


    Her¡­ undine powers? I¡¯ll never have those¡­ but, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you taught me how to form a domain yet? I could have helped you fight the storm fiend if I knew how¡­¡±


    Cira smirked, ¡°Storm fiend huh? I was thinking the same thing. Perhaps you are a natural sorcerer.¡± A grin played on her face, ¡°Okay. It will have to be wind unless you think you can avoid burning yourself without the scepter.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Just like that? Because I came up with a good name, she thinks I¡¯m worthy of advanced sorcery? ¡°It will probably have to be wind, then¡­¡±


    ¡°Great. Consider the space around you the range of your reservoir. You have until we reach the shores of Paradise to extend your actual reservoir to entirely encompass yourself.¡± With a chuckle, she flew ahead of me.


    Are we really¡­ about to find Paradise? I could see the island sitting just above the horizon without even using my spyglass now. It glinted in the sun, and I held out my hand like I was grasping a gold nugget.


    I realized Cira was not moving me with her but continued rather quickly regardless. It was up to me, apparently, to push myself along with my own wind and catch up, making it that much harder to focus on my supposed domain.


    A violent breeze blew past my face as Cira surely let me catch up eventually. Lightning struck us from above, but it was much weaker. No match at all for her barrier. The thunder seemed almost timid. I still kept my eyes and ears open in case something new popped up.


    ¡°Do you think there¡¯s another guardian?¡± I asked when we were close enough.


    ¡°I actually don¡¯t think so. Not in front of us at least.¡± Cira wore a complicated expression. Like she was reminiscing about something. ¡°That storm fiend felt like the last one.¡±


    We weren¡¯t going as fast as earlier, probably so as not to leave me behind, and the island was getting a little closer. The storm had broken enough that many more rays of light began to shine through, more so the closer we got to Paradise.


    Cira let out a sigh in relief, staring at the sky, ¡°Good old altostratus. We¡¯re in the clear.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±


    I didn¡¯t get it, but it almost looked like the storm was being torn apart by the wind.


    ¡°Were you not paying attention?¡± Cira pursed her lips in frustration, ¡°The sky will soon return to normal. Can¡¯t you feel the electricity dissipating as we speak? It¡¯s safe to say we have overcome the challenge. Now all that awaits is to see the conclusion to this poor mage¡¯s tragedy, which conveniently glimmers in the sunlight.¡±


    Did I miss something¡­?


    ¡°Did you learn something new? I thought you were just fighting that creature beneath the waves.¡±


    Cira chuckled, ¡°I am missing all the details, but our mage was once quite prominent. Evidently, he does not come from an age where everyone was powerful enough to conjure their own realm, as I was worried would be the case. Despite this, he found himself in a position of utter, unrecoverable betrayal. Everything he once knew was shrouded in dark clouds not of his own making, but by design of those who wished to see him fall. I do not believe they were strong enough even together to destroy him, but like relentless strikes of lightning, this realm¡¯s creator could not bear the wrath of the entire sky.


    ¡°I do not yet know how he died, but his soul was much more broken than mine. And I also do not know why he was betrayed. I suspect we¡¯ll have much time to mull it over once we reach the shores, and unless there¡¯s another island, that¡¯s surely where we¡¯ll find our answers.¡±


    She was fighting the storm fiend deep underwater¡­ right? How did all of this bring her to that conclusion? If I were alone, I would have thought I was teleported to the sea with a bunch of random monsters thrown at me. But she can practically tell me this mages life story? Do I even have what it takes to be a sorcerer?


    No matter my ignorance, a monolithic hunk of solid gold only grew larger in my eyes.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m ready for some answers, and if they¡¯re supposed to come in time¡­ perhaps I¡¯m thinking too hard.¡±


    ¡°I guarantee it.¡± My wise master said, ¡°the key to sorcery is not thinking hard, but thinking decisively. In fact, thinking too hard is frowned upon and widely considered poor form.¡±


    ¡°Is¡­ is that right?¡±


    Thinking decisively? I guess that means, thinking and believing without doubt? It sounds simple when said like that, but¡­ in practice, how am I supposed to not be concerned¡­ about anything in my path? Nothing is ever easy. That¡¯s life. But to think and act correctly first try every time¡­ How does she speak of such a feat so casually? For one, doesn¡¯t she make mistakes all the time?


    ¡°Indeed. Would you like to see an example?¡± Cira¡¯s extravagant mithril sun disk that followed her as if she forgot about it again lit up as she waved her hand and thunder roared. It was more like a death rattle though, as the clouds dispersed, seeming to get sucked upward like the heavens pulled them away, leaving scarce spots of darkness across the brilliant azure sky. ¡°Now, you who aims to establish a wind domain, tell me what I just did.¡±


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    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Was I¡­ supposed to learn something there? ¡°I¡­ what¡­?¡±


    Cira looked to the sky, then exhaled¡­ slowly¡­ It took a few moments before she looked me in the eyes, ¡°Okay¡­ Perhaps you were merely training the last couple months, but consider that your skills will only go so far without comprehension. You should know a great deal about wind, and understand that it has an incredibly vital roll to play in the weather and flow of the sky. You should know by this point that wind is among the highest authorities of primary elements, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­right¡­ Of course. Who doesn¡¯t know that? I just don¡¯t understand how you¡­ destroyed the storm with a gesture like you were shooing a dog. Couldn¡¯t you have done that earlier?¡± This better not all be for a lesson.


    ¡°I could attempt to destroy everything in my path in theory, drawing upon the mana within this place, but for what? It is only natural I should seek this realm¡¯s meaning. Perhaps the storm would have been far more intense if I decided to burn up everything on the way here, but whatever will crafted this storm is now exhausted. The storm itself was just a trial¡ªa taste of what he endured, but his building rage almost seemed to feed on it to create that fiend. Not sure what that¡¯s about or what the fiend represented¡­ but once I returned his grudge to the aether, the entire storm lost its strength. My point is, shooing away regular storm clouds is not difficult.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your point¡­?¡± I narrowed my gaze as I desperately tried to remember what I was trying to figure out¡ª ¡°Wait. How did you do it, though?¡±


    ¡°Oh. I just created a zone of extraordinarily low pressure far above us by turning most of the air into mana. My aura grows while the wind does the work.¡± While I pondered the absurdity and undeniable effectiveness of her methods, she gasped and held up a finger as if she forgot something, ¡°Don¡¯t try copying it until you¡¯re at least a sorcerer of intermediate caliber. That¡¯s what I am. Suffocating someone would be the best case scenario, where you could drop a ship from the sky or even spur some kind of natural disaster a few islands away.¡±


    She¡¯s only an intermediate sorcerer¡­?


    Cira pulled out her golden spyglass and seemed to be thinking about something.


    ¡°I think we¡¯re close enough.¡± She turned to me with a grin, ¡°Would you take my hand for a moment?¡±


    ¡°What¡ªwhy?¡± I did as instructed because it didn¡¯t sound like a trick and then heard the deafening crackle of lightning before my world turned black. Everything seemed to fall away, even my thoughts, but in a brief instant I had returned. It was like I was underwater, or the air was pushing in on me and my ears popped painfully. I let out an embarrassing cry as I hardly held back from stumbling to the ground, catching myself with my hand. It was warm, and the sun¡¯s reflection hurt my eyes. ¡°What¡­ What did you do?¡±


    I stood up on solid ground and turned around to see the open sky above. The sea couldn¡¯t have been even a hundred feet below us. Such low islands were rare, but then again it must have been crafted with a deliberate hand¡ªout of solid gold I might add.


    When I swiveled my head around over the rolling hills of, ahem, solid gold, a breath caught in my chest. All of a sudden, my heart was beating wildly. We were really standing on an island of gold. There was a rock at my feet and I picked it up. Rather, I struggled to pick up a chunk of gold the size of a small melon while Cira giggled watching me.


    Once it was hoisted to my chest I realized I couldn¡¯t just put it in my pocket. I sort of just held it there straining myself for a second until Cira burst out laughing.


    ¡°You¡¯re not just going to carry it around until we return are you?¡±


    ¡°So, what if I am?!¡± I turned so as to hide it from her, ¡°You can¡¯t stop me.¡±


    We both laughed and I tossed it to the ground, which bore a small dent as my misshapen treasure rolled away.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this place is real, though¡­ They could turn a rock like that into hundreds of gold crowns, I bet, but it¡¯s nothing compared to¡­ to all this.¡± I marveled at the gold hills, golden plains before us, and cove of pure gold at our backs.


    ¡°It¡¯s kind of weird how there¡¯s no plants, though. I mean, it makes sense, but you know?¡± Cira¡¯s eyes seemed more inquisitive than my own which were filled with wonder and maybe a little greed. ¡°More importantly,¡± She nudged her head toward the nearby hillside, ¡°Come with me.¡±


    I was still reeling from apparently turning into¡­ void lightning? It was a similar feeling to dropping altitudes rapidly, and my body was only just recovering from the disorientation. At least she didn¡¯t ask me to take her hand this time.


    My ears perked up to the sound of running water beyond the hill as I followed behind. On one hand I was surprised to see her walking after all the things she said about how stupid foot travel was, and then she opened her mouth.


    ¡°You know, cresting a hill has always been an important part of any journey.¡± ¡­ ¡°Once we reach the peak, what do you think we will discover?¡±


    This was typical Cira, really. ¡°A river? I know you¡¯re always one to stay hydrated¡­ Are you simply thirsty?¡±


    She gave me a smug grin, ¡°I am indeed thirsty, but have you forgotten where we are?¡± My eyes went wide as I watched a river of golden froth pour through a valley cut through the shining landscape. ¡°First one to the river is a rotten plum.¡±


    Cira threw herself off the other side of hill, which could be considered a small cliff. I watched the wind boost her along and she glided deftly.


    ¡°No fair!¡± I threw myself off before thinking about how I hadn¡¯t actually been levitating with my own power. In a panic I blasted myself from below with wind, but unlike when I was supported by Cira, it didn¡¯t make me go the direction I wanted. First of all, I entered a violent front flip and trying to correct it only sent me hurling through the air aimlessly. Apparently, I had no control over the wind whatsoever.


    ¡°Calm yourself.¡± I heard her voice from far away, ¡°Did you forget about the partial domain you conjured?¡±


    She¡¯s right!


    A spark of realization and I felt my own wind all around me. So long as I could stay bound within it, I could stay aloft. It was difficult to rise, but I could tell my abilities were greatly diminished by my violent twirling. It took everything in me to slow down my rotation, but only using my false domain to orient myself made it possible. I finally slowed to a point where I could comfortably stop spinning and the first thing I saw ahead of me was the ground.


    With only a short blast of wind to break my fall, I glanced against a golden boulder and rolled into another as gravity forced me down this rugged hillside. Gold was malleable, but apparently I wasn¡¯t hard enough to leave any scuffs or dings in the stones as I bounced between.


    The pain was some of the worst I¡¯d ever felt in my life, and no amount of wind I could muster did anything aside from make my next fall that much worse. It was absolute hell born of my own idiocy and to say I learned a lesson would be an understatement, but I still partially blame Cira for goading me into a contest.


    Around my fifth of sixth boulder, I felt myself safely enter Cira¡¯s grasp¡ªwhatever sorcery she used to make me float.


    ¡°You almost made it. That was an incredible effort if I¡¯m being honest. Well done.¡± I had been healed by a priest before, but somehow the golden light Cira bore felt far more potent and comforting. It was like basking in the morning sun after a cold night. Wait, did she praise me for that? ¡°And I give you ten points for flair.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Her healing also worked monumentally faster than what I paid five gold crowns for after getting stabbed, and I was at the church for hours. She also took the courtesy to right me to my feet and place me on the ground, facing the same direction as her, towards the river of golden ale. I turned around and my jaw fell to the floor¡ªthe floor made of solid gold.


    I had actually fallen from a great height, so that alone was a testament to my progress, that I was able to not die in doing so. That much made me proud. Then, I looked at the first rock where there was a splatter of blood, seeming to spiral into a mural across the ground. Isn¡¯t that where I overcorrected?


    I didn¡¯t have to look hard for the second rock I hit, because there was a trail of blood like waves from my frail attempt to salvage my fall with feeble wind sorcery. Each rock looked similar, but towards the bottom I could tell my control had improved at least a little by how the spatter¡¯s range had narrowed. My body was still shaking, but the pain only lingered in my mind like a ghost now. It was the strangest thing. Is this what life is for a sorcerer? You can just roll down a hill of solid metal and break your bones, then all is well in a flash of light? All of a sudden, I felt lightheaded.


    ¡°Am I¡­ low on blood?¡± I turned to Cira who looked mildly concerned, having also admired my painting, but she could not really hide her cheeky smile.


    ¡°You certainly are. I am not skilled enough to conjure some more for you out of nothing, and all my supplemental potions are back home. So, why don¡¯t you carve us a golden campfire and I¡¯ll bust out the underworm¡­ You still have my needle, right?¡± In an instant her eyes grew anxious.


    And so did mine. I patted myself up and down and my soul nearly escaped in the sigh of relief when I felt it in the only pocket in my vest with a button. ¡°Of course I do!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be needing that back soon but have at it.¡± It didn¡¯t seem my reaction inspired confidence, but she didn¡¯t seem unreasonably bothered. Cira took a few strides to the banks of the river and crystals formed from thin air in her hands. They pulsed with mana like an inscription would¡ªbut the entire thing. It soon formed the equivalent of a big glass at the Flying Dutchess. She knelt down and scooped it into the river. I had to admit, it was such a perfect golden tone I was taken aback.


    Just a hint of amber, and the way it sparkled in the sunlight, I could tell at a glance that this ale was the finest I¡¯d ever seen. Cira took a long, slow sip. When she took the glass away from her mouth, she let out a satisfied sigh.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about you,¡± She wore a contented smile, ¡°But I think I¡¯ve earned a drink.¡±

 181.5 - Seeds of Yore

    The sky sees many dawns, but depending on how you look at it, the sky has seen precious few.


    It is not my place to speak freely of before the first sunrise, but at dawn¡¯s first light, laws formed as an empty world took shape, sparse as it may be.


    Once light first touched these skies, laws could not exist unbound. This world was yet too brittle to support such vehement nature.


    This meant of course that these laws could not truly assimilate, though the world was dependent on them for its very inception. Be it light, life, form, faith, causality or courage, these many laws grew into their own substantiality. Spread across the skies, each law took on its own being, known in latter days as the primordial demons.


    Remnants of a yore yet further still linger, and I am but a single speck of dust. One whose purpose has long expended and whose hourglass has flipped so many times I lost count¡­ who is to witness the myriad skies¡¯ vainglorious upbringing if not I?


    My brothers and sisters have all moved on. Obsolete existences as we are, no different from that which formed the earth and sea below, only the most selfish, greedy, and cowardly of our lot held onto life. My purpose was always to move on with them and allow this world to grow, but how could I?


    As hideous as it is, nothing has ever existed as beautiful as these skies. As its sole deliberate witness, I could not allow myself to join the others in what most these days refer to as ¡®the aether¡¯ just yet.


    There were millennia where I considered that perhaps I should. Everything moved as expected.


    From its beginning, this world was always doomed to fold in on itself. This was made obvious at the time of the laws¡¯ material birth, but I lost track of how long it¡¯s been. I initially thought the end would come far sooner, but it turns out more life was formed from yore¡¯s passing. Remnants not great enough to become my kin but remnants nonetheless.


    I came to know this phenomenon as the people of the land. Those who inhabited the many specks of earth that dotted this world, nestled in the clouds. They resisted what I thought to be the natural order. I took them for transient flesh of no purpose, but instances born of the very aether of which I¡¯m bound, they learned to harness the power of this world. Not only did it give rise to their existence, but they learned to harness it. After enough time passed, these primitive beasts found themselves entrapped within the cosmic shroud of aether.


    Time after time, I watched them reborn, and after countless years they gained an inkling of intelligence. These entities became souls. While new ones were born, others were perpetually reformed within the cycle. Watching a speck of nothing spend innumerable thousands of years to bloom into a vibrant flower moved me to the degree I questioned myself. It was then that I realized the sky¡¯s course was not so rigid, and that I would only disperse once all that could be witnessed was.


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    Still, something nagged at me from the back of my mind. Despite the bloom of life that filled the skies, everything seemed like it would go exactly as expected. The world would collapse of its own doing.


    As laws further ingratiated into this world, their influence became indisputable. Not long ago, it seemed the tale would finally end, but the tracks of fate deformed in the blink of an eye.


    Today, humanity likes to speak the fact that the primordial demons have gone extinct, as if it was their doing.


    Little did they know, it wasn¡¯t even the truth. They were not entirely extinct, and it was none other than their own kin who brought ruin to the rest.


    There were other effects as these laws assimilated with reality¡ªperhaps the reason this world is still intact after the primordial genocide.


    As emergent pieces of this world, these laws manifested their own forms in accordance. Small, stone slabs. As simple as physical manifestations could be. They were incomprehensible and useless at first, but the laws only further pervaded. Eventually, humanity fought over these stone slabs. Power not yet understood yet coveted. It was remarkable the lengths they would go to in order to secure something they couldn¡¯t hope to fathom.


    Let me say firsthand that those who lay their hands on the slabs are met with misfortune. I could count on a single human hand how many times it worked out positively.


    To me this discovery felt like the second advent of ruin. The laws which worked so hard to destroy themselves manifested as objects of disaster in the world of tomorrow¡¯s dawn.


    Were I to intervene, surely I would meet my purpose and join my kin, but I swore to become witness.


    The sky had never been so dark. I did not expect it to be a singular effort, but as predicted, law would bring this world¡¯s end. The one who brought a close to the primordial era spent many times over that weaving his grand tapestry.


    Though he lacked the power of a true weaver, he was uniquely positioned to put everything in the right order so that he was all that remained. All that mattered, anyway.


    No single law ruled over reality, nor could it ever hope to. All of them combined comprised it. Reality was subject to laws, yet dependent on them all. One could never hope to harness it.


    Time served as the endless medium¡ªthe seedbed from which the impossible could sprout.


    One being would surely encompass the skies, but yet another dawn arrived. Just when I thought the night would usher this world into the beyond, a light like no other stripped him of that untamed power.


    Fate crumbled like a rotted sprig and something which should never have existed was born. A creature whose singular existence was salvaged by a single thread, and miraculously nurtured against the will and workings of this world.


    A clump of stone devoid of life can become a verdant forest through the passage of time, but this world holds no value to me other than the passings of its state. Such is the burden of witness.


    Whether this world crumbles or blooms will be just as beautiful in my eyes, I thought. These days I¡¯m not so sure. For the first time since the dusk of yore, I awaken each morning unsure of what I might see.

 172 - Secrets Meant to Be Discovered and Those Which Tickle Ones Fancy

    We hadn¡¯t left the riverbank for what felt like hours. It seemed Cira was the kind of person to carry more things than she needed at any given time. One who valued abundance. This also carried over to food. I told her we would start with a single underworm, then she pulled out a loaf of bread that was still warm when it reached my hands. As fluffy as if it had left the oven mere minutes ago.


    ¡°I¡¯m no Mephisto, but it¡¯s hard to go wrong with a wormwich.¡± My master¡¯s next move was to materialize a wedge of cheese in her hand. It was mostly white with a slight orange tinge, sparse holes running through it. ¡°They call this elder cheddar¡ªI¡¯ll have you know this is one such heirloom left behind from my father. I still remember the days when it was an entire wheel¡­¡±


    Can cheese be so important¡­?


    Her gaze grew distant as slices rose from the wedge like petals in the breeze. They danced around me expectantly as I frantically enchanted a large block of gold. My stomach growled and my head spun. The delirium of blood loss was a certain pressure I was unaccustomed to working under, but I hadn¡¯t made any mistakes yet.


    She made us make those pressure cookers once, so the heating elements were easy. The moment it fired up, Cira started slicing worms into patties and frying them on a titanium skillet.


    ¡°Your speed and form have improved, and it works great for meat, but sometimes you need to be able to control the heat. Observe.¡± She ripped a ball of gold out of the ground and light etched glyphs into it. In seconds, it sat next to my own crafted artifact. Cira turned a small dial on the front before the bread I sliced rose from its crystal platter and landed above its low flame on another freshly conjured pan.


    Thin slices of cheese shone in the sunlight like rich harvest moons¡ªbut square. They landed in sequence, forming layers on each piece of bread. Finally, once the cheese melted, she lifted the underworm off the skillet and made two rather tall sandwiches. I thought it was a lot of cheese, but it ended up being a lot of worm, too.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have lettuce or anything¡­ but enjoy.¡± My own sandwich floated over to me.


    After the first sandwich¡­ I felt well enough to imbibe in the legendary river of ale. Cira was on her third glass by the time, and somehow still blabbering on about clouds.


    ¡°Do you think the bottom of the Boreal¡¯s storm is a field of mammatus from sheer cloud weight or simply an unnatural contour like when we exited it upon Plackelo?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even understand what you¡¯re asking¡­ You can¡¯t possibly expect me to remember all the different types of clouds.¡± Today, it was safe to assume all her weird words were cloud names. ¡°Are you trying to say the trans-Boreal storm is related to Paradise?¡±


    I bit into my second sandwich in that many hours and finished another glass.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± She cocked her head. ¡°As elated as I was to find a natural storm which persists indefinitely on its own, how could there ever be a storm that doesn¡¯t go away if not by design? I would hope you know how wind works at this point, but do I need to find you some books in the library about weather, climate, and atmospheric circulation? Air does some very interesting things on a large scale, you know.¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­ once we get back some books might be helpful.¡± I could not deny it.


    ¡°Very well. I won¡¯t be around for long, so you will need to transcribe them all as quickly as possible and study them later. It helps for retention though, I swear.¡± Cira had a look of grim reminiscence on her face as I waited for her next words. ¡°Have you ever seen this barrel?¡±


    As the allegedly intermediate sorcerer spoke, an unassuming wooden barrel appeared. Suddenly, the river of ale flowed into it like a violent whirlpool that rose to the sky to the point we could see the riverbed. I watched what had to be hundreds of gallons pour into it before Cira threw her crystal mug to the golden ground. It shattered, and she held out her hand as the barrel floated towards her.


    Perhaps her intentions were unfathomable to me, but another crystal glass materialized in her hand as ale poured freely from the barrel.


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    ¡°Jimbo is too small minded,¡± She finished the glass swiftly and refilled it from the greatest flask I¡¯d ever laid eyes on, ¡°Now let me commend you. It appears you completely forgot about your latest lesson, but your reservoir has enshrouded you for the last couple hours at least. What you¡¯ve conjured is not so different from that spatial amateur of the Third Order. Roman¡¯s son. Anyone could manipulate your wind with just as much authority, so¡­ Focus now on solidifying your idea of it it as your own air, and nobody else¡¯s. Not even the sky¡¯s. Yours.¡±


    It appeared we were moving on already, but she was right. I had completely forgotten I was accumulating air and all of a sudden, it¡¯s all around me.


    It was a strange sensation like the wind was silk between my fingers. I wondered if that¡¯s how water felt to my master.


    I was mid drink when she decided to lecture me, so I polished that glass off before responding, ¡°I think I get it, hic, it should be easier now that we¡¯re just sitting here.¡±


    My crystal mug caught the sunlight and miraculously filled before my eye. I took a drink, naturally.


    ¡°About that,¡± Cira said, ¡°I think it¡¯s about time we get moving. There is much to learn here.¡±


    That storm¡­ The so-called wrath we felt. That meant something right? ¡°We¡¯re finally going to hear the end of the creator¡¯s story?¡±


    ¡°Of course¡­ I am very interested to learn more of what befell this great mage, but now is not the time.¡± Cira smirked, and I noticed her orichalcum staff glowing above us. The golden earth beside us started to bubble up and formed strange shapes above the ground. As I watched in confusion, a pirate ship of solid gold steadied upon a divot in the island. Somehow, it seemed like golden waves had started to ripple against its hull and Cira laughed victoriously, tossing her glass to the side as it seemed to reach a path of orbit around her. It must have been an advanced technique. ¡°We have a much more important quest to see through. I was promised a second spring. This is unprecedented. I will see this spring of golden ale.¡±


    I was baffled as she started floating towards the river on her lonesome until the solid god-damn gold pirate ship crashed through the waves of¡­ liquid gold?


    Is this even real?


    The excess gold from the breaking waves coagulated to form the rest of the keel and fill in the hull. As if she were atop a raging sea, the ship left shore and bobbed along the not-so-violent waves of beer. It seemed she was rocking the boat dramatically for some reason.


    ¡°Hurry!¡± She called, waving her hand inward as her fingers cut through the airborne froth, ¡°The Saltier Songstress only has room for one more!¡±


    Is she making a joke¡­? No, is she drunk? Is this what absurdly powerful people do when they¡¯re drunk?


    I didn¡¯t know how I was supposed to board the vessel that bounced up and down on the waves, then I saw her smirk. Clearly, I was supposed to use my wind¡­


    I quickly realized how gentle a hand one needs to control wind. Normally, it¡¯s a far more delicate act, but I was surprisingly closer to Cira¡¯s state¡ªdrunk off my ass. As if such a thing could be done with a flick of the wrist, I found myself high in the sky.


    Cira¡¯s laughter disappeared as I rose higher. Somehow, it seemed my domain was responding to my last intention. I had pretty much no idea what was going on as I entered a free fall. Fear overtook me and I let out an embarrassing shriek before slowing down, directly into a seat across from Cira.


    ¡°What¡­ did I just do?¡± My glass found its way back to my hand. ¡°Let¡¯s¡­ just go I guess.¡±


    ¡°Verily,¡± Cira raised her own and I could have sworn it was her fifth or sixth. They weren¡¯t small. How does such a small girl drink so much? Is it sorcery again? She calls magicians phony, but she¡¯s sure got a lot of tricks. The so-called Saltier Songstress cut through waves of ale as it traveled upstream. Its sail did not seem to care which way the wind was blowing. For that matter, I don¡¯t know how thousands of pounds of gold in the shape of a pirate ship could float. ¡°This will not take long. Paradise is slightly smaller than Acher. The first spring will surely be a taxing affair, but we will stop at the second afterward to hydrate and possibly take a nap.¡±


    ¡°Can you¡­¡± I had one hand on my stomach and the other on the railing, ¡°please stop bouncing around so much?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ sure.¡± The ship steadied at a word, ¡°I intend to do a full geological survey of this place, so make sure to pay attention. Such is a necessary skillset to reach the realm of an elementary sorcerer.¡±


    My head bobbed as I tried to sober up, somehow setting another empty glass down¡ªit didn¡¯t stay empty for long due to powers beyond my control. Did she say I can¡¯t even call myself a sorcerer of elementary caliber yet? Wouldn¡¯t that be the level of a child? All I could muster was a nod and she seemed to accept it.


    ¡°Got it. Geography. What¡¯s at the spring though?¡± I burped in such an undainty manner that I was glad Jimbo wasn¡¯t around.


    While I wasn¡¯t looking, a notebook had materialized in Cira¡¯s hands, along with a vibrant quill that swiveled in the air as she jotted something down, ¡°Close enough, but the entire point of finding the spring is that I don¡¯t know what¡¯s there. Sure, with Spatial Sight I see a very large amount of ale¡­ but I don¡¯t know what to make of it. I must see it with my own physical eyes and let it rain down on me¡ªI must immerse myself within it.¡±

 173 - The Legendary Explorer Cira

    There was no one at the wheel, but apparently there didn¡¯t need to be. Cira and I sat across from each other in the back clinking glasses and shooting the shit. While at one point she claimed it would not be a long journey, it did not take long for her to refuse to defy the natural laws of water in such a scenario¡ªher words. Though, despite her defying the natural laws of wind and gravity, it took some time to travel upstream.


    Granted, neither of us cared too much, I was starting to hit my limit. The camp stove I crafted and her own floated between us and there were constant snacks grilling. My belly was stuffed but this ale was so good I could hardly put it down. I don¡¯t know how Cira, who I begrudgingly admit was much more lean than me, could drink so much.


    ¡°¡ªEarth Vein¡¯s gotta go, ya know? But, I mean, only one of three witches I¡¯ve met was bad. I don¡¯t like those odds. Ya know?¡± My eyes blinked in befuddlement as I tried to tune back into Cira¡¯s ramblings.


    ¡°¡­what?¡± For some reason my stomach was starting to grumble. I could feel a knot forming. ¡°Why do you keep talking about witches? They¡¯re mean. Does that mean you slept with two and turned one to ash?¡±


    There were a great many rumors going around town, and it was my pleasure to present them to my master.


    ¡°N-no! I only burned a hole through her knee¡­ And I only slept with one!¡± There were scarce few subjects which got Cira flustered, but somehow I knew she was being dumb and saying something she didn¡¯t quite understand the meaning of like usual. Still, I couldn¡¯t help but be curious about what happened between her and that metal woman she always blabbered about.


    ¡°Right¡­ I guess if I¡¯m ever gonna be a real sorcerer I¡¯ll need to find a witch to¡ªblughh¡± My revelation was cut short as bile filled my throat.


    ¡°Whoa there,¡± Cira pat my back as I violently heaved over the edge, ruining the river of legendary ale for miles behind us. The golden waves seemed to bob in unison with each assault my gut threw upon my soul. ¡°Do you want me to sober you up with sorcery?¡±


    ¡°W-what¡­?¡± I could not imagine how undainty I looked in that moment as I gazed up at her with vomit dripping from my cheek and an unfocused gaze that struggled to look forward, let alone at her. ¡°You can do tha¡ªblrrghhhghhh!!!¡±


    It felt like a crime to vomit so profusely into such a picturesque river of beer, but it was the river¡¯s fault anyway. The beer was simply returning to its home. Sometimes it was meant to be.


    A golden light caught my eye, and I found my belly encased in holy light. It only lasted for a few seconds as I rapidly went from drunker than a thousand nights to waking up in the morning with a tummy ache. My facial muscles felt sore as I finally figured out how to rest them in their repose, and Cira did me the courtesy of cleaning my face off with water and no warning.


    ¡°Feelin¡¯ better?¡± She asked before tipping her glass up, ¡°How do you think I drank Don under the table?¡±


    You know¡­ for some reason I thought she had at least the smallest amount of merit as a pirate, but has it all been a mirage of sorcery down to its root? I might have to start calling her a magician.


    ¡°If anything, I¡¯m a little too sober¡­¡± My glass had fallen into the river, and the rumble in my tummy was but a distant memory.


    ¡°Only one thing to do about that,¡± Cira cheersed her own in the air as a new, even larger glass materialized, and I frowned at her while my fingers gripped it involuntarily. I was met only with a sly smirk.


    ¡°Let me tell you something.¡± My glass was larger than hers, and I banked on that meaning hers was thinner by scale. I used wind to maximize my speed as I cheersed back her outstretched mug at such speed it shattered on impact, spraying broken crystal and ale all over the both of us.


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    ¡°Y-you bitch!¡± Cira stretched both her arms out in shock, septuple-taking between me and the booze soaking through her pirate costume. ¡°Why would you do that?¡±


    She didn¡¯t even look at the new glass as it formed in her hand, which looked identical but noticeably more opaque than the last.


    ¡°Because you have no sense, dumbass.¡± I took a good, long drink as she actively stewed over my words. ¡°I once watched a mana crystal the size of my fist sell at auction for two hundred gold, and it had plenty of imperfections. Bubbles across the surface, weird streaks within, and it was like a misshapen rock found along the shore. Yours look more like glass than most glass does, and you are using them as disposable cups.¡± Her face had grown stiff, ¡°If you¡¯re going to Porta Bora and don¡¯t want the entire city to catch on, you need to stop being such an idiot.¡±


    Cira could probably have Shores spread the date and have a thousand people ready to worship her within the week, but I learned recently that Cira valued having someone present to call out her mistakes or shortcomings. As her star student, I hoped she planned to leave me with a lot of treasure.


    ¡°Imperfections¡­?¡± She seemed confused, and a very faint golden light shone on her stomach. Her next words were marginally less slurred, ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Making a mana crystal is making a mana crystal¡­ If I fail to do it¡­ it crumbles. The nature of pure aether is that there are no imperfections¡­ It¡¯s pure. That¡¯s the entire point. How could there possibly be inclusions in mana crystal?¡±


    This sorcery stuff is confusing, but from what I gather, aether is made up of all primary mana types¡ªmana in its purest form. It could be said one filters the elements out from the aether themselves with willpower as a strainer. Given my master¡¯s own logic¡­ wasn¡¯t she conjuring aether crystals, and not mana crystals?


    She swore that if an element were specified, that a crystal¡¯s name would be ¡°appended thusly¡±. Also, souls are in the aethereal realm? Like, my own that moves around with me forever? She really was a shitty teacher. I guess mana was just what people called it, and everything was always aether¡­ It just depended on what you wanted to do with it.


    The weirdest thing was that I existed in two planes at once ever since I was born. Imagine that. Was my body me, or was my soul? Both of these newly significant concepts which made up the one known as Tawny were evidently, ¡°mere components of the essence,¡± as Cira claimed.


    I pounded my glass in frustration, and it filled itself as if to spite me. I cut off her advanced lecture by raising my hand studiously¡ªI also learned she appreciated that.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± She narrowed her gaze, gut glowing gold as her ale tipped back. I wasn¡¯t sure what she was trying to accomplish there.


    ¡°Allow me to ask you the most sorcerous question I can conjure.¡± I tapped my fingers against the glass, thinking of the best way to phrase it, ¡°You¡­ said you could change fate. Is that something your dad taught you? Is that what sorcerers¡ª¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Her mood grew sour. ¡°Among the many things he taught me, that is not one. Nor is it something you will ever strive to achieve.¡±


    I thought she was drunker than me at this point, but her piercing gaze sobered me right up.


    ¡°I¡­ I understand¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t muster any other response. It seemed useful in emergencies, but maybe it had some hidden cost I don¡¯t know about.


    ¡°Never mind that,¡± She turned away, looking to the river ahead. ¡°The spring is upon us.¡±


    We crested a hill made of solid gold in our upstream pursuit and were met with a lake of golden froth. It was so massive you could land a small fleet in it, and the conjured miniature boat we rode on steadied out in the calmer waters.


    In the center of the lake, there was a massive geyser of the very same ale we had been drinking. For some reason, Cira was sailing in a straight line right for it. I could feel us slow down as the current grew stronger as we closed the distance between us and the lake. Soon there was a fine mist falling from the sky, shimmering in the sunlight.


    ¡°What¡­ is your plan¡ª¡± I tried to ask.


    ¡°Shhh!!¡± She held a finger in front of her lips, ¡°Focus.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure what I was supposed to focus on, but I took another drink when she did. She seemed incredibly concentrated on the spring, but I couldn¡¯t tell why.


    I was trying to sense the nearby wind to discern anything, but it was just a bunch of liquid sloshing around. I could tell there was mana coming from the alestorm¡¯s center, but there was no way of knowing what kind.


    A bubbly deluge now fell over us. It had started to hurt my eyes, but I learned to keep it out with wind. Cira was completely dry, of course, but her glass was always filled to the rim.


    Going against the current again, this naturally took a long time.


    Every time I tried to get a word in, she would shush me.


    ¡°Seriously! What are you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Know this.¡± Cira finally turned to me, ¡°It is I, The Sorcerer Cira, who has discovered the first island in the sky with two springs. A feat not even the Great Sage accomplished!¡±


    She was beaming in the sunlight which broke through the downpour of supposedly legendary ale. Didn¡¯t someone make this island¡­? I don¡¯t know if it counts. I didn¡¯t say anything, but I was sure she knew just as well. I let her have her moment.

 174 - A Long Day in Paradise

    Cira claimed that because beer was mostly water, she could control it quite easily. Hours of this research bore fruit in that she could write down notes in the rain without ruining her papers. Not that she wasn¡¯t already doing it with spatial magic, but¡­ I guess she had direct control over ale now?


    The way her words jumbled together, it seemed more like the ale had direct control over her. She made me wait for an entire hour while she disappeared into the spring¡¯s core. My glass stopped filling itself during this time, so I had to lean over the railings and scoop it up myself or let it fill slowly in the rain. Afterward, she appeared looking satisfied and like her mind was elsewhere completely, sitting back down on the boat without a word.


    ¡°Umm. Where are we going?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I told you earlier, didn¡¯t I? We are conducting a geographical survey.¡± I think she said that¡­ a while ago. ¡°Now give me your report in my absence.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡ªI mean, uh¡­¡± Cira cocked her head, as if my not having a report hadn¡¯t even crossed her mind. ¡°Nothing¡¯s changed¡­ The rain hasn¡¯t increased or decreased judging by the rate at with my glass fills¡­ And it appears the day is still young.¡±


    I hope that¡¯s enough.


    ¡°Indeed, it is.¡± She smiled at the sun, ¡°So why don¡¯t we move on? I would like to see what happens to the ale once it falls off.¡±


    The rain had already lessened, but I was still confused, ¡°What did you find out inside the spring?¡±


    Suddenly a river circled around her, emerging from a cerulean gem that appeared above her shoulder, ¡°It is as much a spring as my dear Aquon is. Perhaps more so as the mana fueling it belongs to this pocket realm¡ªa world in itself. It kind of makes me want to take a stab at crafting my own artificial spring one of these days, but since variety is on the table, It can exude neither water nor ale.¡± She wrote something down as we cruised over to the opposite side of the lake only for another river to pull us in. ¡°Apple juice would be nice, but I do think a gravy spring would fill a more complex need in the long run.¡±


    Doing my best to brush over her ramblings, ¡°What is there to learn from surveying an island some great mage made by hand? Won¡¯t it be useless outside here?¡± I could understand exploring an unfamiliar island, but this one was supposedly crafted very meticulously. It seemed no different than inspecting an artifact or staring at a painting to me.


    ¡°The creator was no god,¡± She shook her head, writing even more down in her notebook, ¡°but an extraordinarily talent. He wielded all the primary elements to create this world, yes, then stuffed it inside a lake. It¡¯s more nuanced than that, but it would be folly to think he designed every moment and each reaction. Some, sure, but do you remember the snake breaking through the surface of the sea? Or the way ale falls from the sky near the spring? Natural laws are still present in this place, even if the medium is artificial, or conjured.¡±


    Natural laws, huh? Is that just how the world works when people don¡¯t use mana to screw with it? The way the ocean forms waves or how the wind blows. These laws are referenced in the second volume of ¡®The Sorcerer¡¯s Compendium¡¯, but only to describe a sorcery¡¯s effect.


    ¡°What are you saying¡­?¡± Was she just researching for no reason? I couldn¡¯t tell. ¡°What good does watching beer fall into the ocean do for you?¡±


    This boat ride was much calmer as we followed the stream down a gentle slope. There were a few bends and the landscape looked natural enough were it not solid gold. Ragged bluffs and sand on the banks. Sparse boulders on the hillside, and it almost looked like this creator left space for foliage. I thought the place looked somewhat empty without.


    ¡°I find myself curious about the makings of this realm,¡± She also watched our surroundings, wearing a pleasant smile with eyes much more astute than mine. ¡°The other pocket realms I discovered weren¡¯t constructed anywhere near as efficiently and felt half as stable at hardly a fraction of this place¡¯s scale. There is much to learn here.¡±


    The hill started to drop until we found ourselves moving rapidly. I could see the edge of the island coming, but Cira wasn¡¯t making any move to stop.


    ¡°A-are you planning to fall straight off?!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the issue?¡± She gave me another confused look, ¡°We can fly.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Right.¡± But my stomach still rose in my chest as we poured right over the edge like a dead fly from a stale pitcher. She didn¡¯t seem too eager to right us, and we began to take a nosedive. Only when I started screaming in fear for my life did we slow down and rotate, landing calmy on the waves¡ªonce again in the rain.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Cira¡¯s chin rested in her hand and she peered deeply into the sea. In the blink of an eye, she went from sitting studiously to vaulting over the edge and was gone beneath the surface.


    Dammit¡­ Why does she keep doing this?


    It only took a few minutes this time for her to casually shoot out from the waves and return to the ship. In her hand was a meaty fish with a silver body and a bright purple tail. If I didn¡¯t know she was using sorcery, I¡¯d wonder how she was holding it up with one hand.


    ¡°Now let¡¯s return for lunch,¡± She looked pleased as the golden ship rose from the sea. ¡°Apparently, the ale returns to the aether upon diluting by half, as does the water that forms this river. Most of the aethereal scraps are recycled, but that only makes the cocktail of mana that makes up our ale spring that much more extraordinary.¡±


    We continued flying as she spoke and it started raining again, but it wasn¡¯t beer. A crystal pitcher materialized and filled two new cups. Cira held hers up in cheers and impatiently urged me on before pounding it in one gulp, refilling by scooping it out over the side as soon as we landed in the river, then holding up to the sun to inspect it.


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    ¡°Is that fish some kind of monster¡­?¡± I had always heard to be careful with what wildlife I ate in unfamiliar places.


    ¡°It¡¯s a violet tuna. a rarity ever since I decided to leave the dead skies. A rich ecosystem exists below the waves, to an impressive degree. I understand it proliferated over centuries, but¡­ this place is massive. He must have spent a great deal of time gathering wildlife to fill the sea. Quite an impressive feat on one¡¯s deathbed.¡± Cira tipped back another glass, ¡°Then there¡¯s this water. It¡¯s surprisingly high-quality spring water. Very rich in minerals like that which I¡¯ve seen on some of the most verdant islands. So, why does this island lack any manner of life¡­?¡±


    I shrugged, ¡°It looks unfinished. Guess our creator died.¡±


    ¡°Guess so,¡± She let out a sigh and scribbled some more notes down. ¡°But his entire island is made of gold¡­ I wonder what his plan was.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say there were more secrets to be discovered here?¡± I realized we landed on Paradise some time ago, and while everyone was outside waiting, we were simply exploring¡­


    ¡°In time, dear student. But the spring is close.¡± She stood up and put one foot on the bow, pulling out her spyglass as a field came into view and we leveled out. Up ahead looked like a small lake, but the surface barely gurgled, completely unlike the last one. ¡°Well, I can tell which one he spent more time on, that¡¯s for sure.¡± Her spyglass clacked closed, and she shrugged, sitting back down with a yawn. ¡°Let¡¯s continue the survey later.¡±


    At her words, the ship slowed to a stop, and we took a break gently bobbing on the glassy lake¡¯s surface.


    I tried to prod for answers about the secrets of this place and urge her along, but she kept turning it back around into a spiel about one obscure facet of this realm or the other. I tried to express I didn¡¯t care about gold¡¯s natural crystalline structure or the violet tuna¡¯s reproduction cycle compared to red tuna, but she was a brick wall when she got going. The ale did not help.


    During this, it seemed the tuna sliced itself up as it floated before us, and even found its way to the cooking stoves, then we both ate until we were full. It was delicious but didn¡¯t taste far off from most other fish I¡¯d eaten in my life. Our glasses continuously filled while her sorcery kept us from getting sick, and the way my mind kept going back and forth with each healing, it felt like days flew by. I didn¡¯t know if the healing affected how full I was, but we ended up eating around half of that fish. It was not small.


    The sorcerer was apparently not in any rush to continue her geological survey, but we both had fun drinking and yammering long into the day.


    At some point though, I woke up. We had apparently drifted ashore. Cira was a few paces away sprawled out on her back in the sand, surrounded by a pile of broken crystals from all the mugs she dropped or smashed. I could feel a serious hangover looming over me, but there was no pain. Just an extreme sense of grogginess and the boat¡¯s gentle sway was starting to make me sick. I shambled out of the boat and to the lake¡¯s shore with very little coordination. Falling to my knees in golden sand, I used both hands to scoop water to my face, practically drowning myself in it.


    ¡°Oh gods¡­ phew¡­¡± I sat there panting for a moment, but it wasn¡¯t enough. My body had dried up like a sponge in the sun. I couldn¡¯t have been out for long as the sun was still up, and I hadn¡¯t suffered any sunburns, but I felt ravaged.


    I guess that¡¯s what happens when you drink untold gallons of ale¡­ Wait¡ªI looked over to Cira snoring on her back in the sunlight. She drank way more than me, I think¡­ Even if it was healed away. That can¡¯t be healthy no matter how you look at it.


    I stumbled over and nudged her, ¡°Hey, wake up. Cira, wake up!¡± I started shaking her when she didn¡¯t respond and her eyes snapped open with a groan, which only got worse as she rolled over and spewed something not so golden from her mouth.


    ¡°Urrrghhhhh, Tawnyyyyy.¡± Water rinsed her face before she looked at me with dazed eyes, ¡°Why¡¯d you make me do that?¡±


    ¡°What, vomit or wake up?¡±


    ¡°Both of those things.¡± She collapsed face first into the sand, but I could hear her smacking her lips, ¡°This is terrible.¡±


    I watched her roll over and simply let water flow into her mouth. This continued for a few minutes.


    ¡°Are you¡­ ready to go now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­ I guess I can take a bath and conclude my business here in one go.¡± With that she floated away, slowly submerging beneath the lake¡¯s surface.


    Dammit¡­ Okay, what¡¯s my report going to be about?


    I looked around me and there was a miniature golden pirate ship dug into the sand and a small valley down which most the island¡¯s water found its way around. The water was good, sure, but I didn¡¯t taste much of a difference between it and Acher¡¯s. It was cold and crisp, but water was water.


    I picked up some gold sand and let it fall through my fingers as I tried to think of something, but I didn¡¯t have the power to observe weird little things like Cira always did. Before I knew it, she had appeared again from a suspiciously glowing wave.


    ¡°Tawny, report.¡± Already?!


    ¡°The, uh, grains of sand are different size!¡± I accidentally shouted as she caught me off guard and she winced.


    After a painful second, Cira burst into laughter, ¡°Is that so? Well done.¡±


    ¡°And the, uh, spring?¡± I asked sheepishly.


    ¡°The strangest thing¡­ It appears to be genuine, but for some reason it¡¯s weakened. I can only imagine that¡¯s owing to the fact that it was moved, but¡­ I didn¡¯t think such a thing was possible.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®moved¡¯¡­? Like from another island?!¡± Is such a thing possible?! What a terrifying thought. Makes me really appreciate Acher¡¯s resident giant slug.


    ¡°Indeed. I always figured they were bound to an island. I¡¯ve read stories of a spring collapsing when an island reaches such an age that it crumbles. To think one could be removed¡­ was the spring spared that fate from an ancient island?¡±


    How old do islands get? I guess Fount Salt was dissolving and falling apart, but it was made of salt! Not exactly common around these skies. Most were made of stone or even metal.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Cira changed her tune, ¡°What do you think we should do next? The important parts of my survey are now complete. Your test is to choose our next subject.¡±


    I wish she would stop putting me on the spot like this¡­ I couldn¡¯t help but notice the smoke of grilled worm behind me from the stove artifacts that appeared at some point.


    ¡°Ahehehem,¡± I cleared my throat and really dragged it out, ¡°Why don¡¯t, we, um, discuss it over breakfast?¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡± She smiled, and three minutes later was glancing up at me expectantly in between bites. I wanted more time, but it wasn¡¯t in the cards.


    ¡°Okay, how about this¡­¡± I took a large bite and chewed on it slowly. I don¡¯t know enough to even know what I don¡¯t know, so how can I pick something to study? I can¡¯t just say something dumb like, ¡®let¡¯s compare these rocks to those rocks over there¡¯. Even having that thought hurt my pride. ¡°Can you grow something¡­ in gold sand?¡±


    ¡°Aha¡­¡± I watched her gaze wander to the sky. ¡°Can I¡­? I wonder.¡±


    There was just one problem, ¡°Oh¡­ but we don¡¯t have any seeds, do we?¡± She seemed interested. Now we would have to leave and go get seeds to complete the survey.


    ¡°Of course I have seeds. Do you take me for an amateur?¡± ¡­huh? ¡°Granted, my stores are limited, I have a few fruit trees, basic beach grass, herbs and corn, and even some hardwoods, I think. I¡¯ll have to check, but that¡¯s hardly the difficult part to all this. We¡¯ll need to head down the river a short ways to strain minerals from the water then go catch some fish to compost. I¡¯m pretty sure I can figure out rapid decomposition, too, else we¡¯ll be here for months. There¡¯s no reason we can¡¯t turn gold into dirt, if you think about it.¡±

 175 - Renegade Agriculture

    At a glance, reducing gold to dirt may seem counterintuitive, but we weren¡¯t making just any dirt. This was going to be fertile soil. That¡¯s what Cira said, anyway.


    We took the ship down a different branch in the river until the place where it split into many different directions. The choke point of each began to glow bright cerulean while her shining orichalcum staff floated above it all with an increasingly large cloud of what Cira claimed were minerals floating around it. It looked like glittering dust with specks of dirt in it.


    Cira recalled how Kuja and I figured out how to craft the essence loom from before and tasked me with making us two more crystal glasses to drink from while we waited for this stage of the process to finish. Part of me didn¡¯t want to drink again for the rest of my life, but it was also very tasty, so I obliged.


    I struggled to conjure mana crystal in general, having only played around with it following a single tome with an old woman a thousand times wiser than me, but symmetrical objects felt like child¡¯s play compared to giving it an open top and putting a handle on it. I started to wonder whether it was all a dream, and I had never actually conjured mana crystal before.


    She chuckled watching me struggle, ¡°There is no shame in taking it slow, but I am thirsty¡­ Just forget about the handle for now.¡±


    It only took me ten minutes or so after that to make two cheap looking cups, slightly misshapen, then a stream of ale floated from somewhere over the hill.


    Cira took a long, satisfying sip, ¡°And now we wait¡­¡±


    We drank and we waited, and we ate until there was a large enough shroud of dust above us to dim the sun. At this point, Cira flipped us around and we followed the river back down. All the way down. The dust was blown away somewhere else.


    It was a relatively straight path and picked up speed as we descended, as if Cira had chosen this path specifically. We launched off the edge and I once again held on for dear life, failing to suppress a scream as Cira just sat there with a grin until we hit the sea.


    ¡°There¡¯s two main ways to go fishing,¡± she said, ¡°I could craft us some fishing poles and harpoons, or we could get on down there and handle the matter personally. I, for one, am curious to see how deep it goes.¡±


    ¡°I, for one, am not!¡± I took the drink away from my face to display my frown. ¡°Fishing pole for me, please¡­¡±


    ¡°Good idea, we¡¯ll split up.¡± Dammit¡­ it¡¯s my fault this time. ¡°We don¡¯t have any bait though, so the best I can do is enchant you a shiny lure.


    She did as much then attached it to a hook. The rod seemed flexible despite being solid titanium by the looks of it, from a pouch at her waist, and the line was more of a thin cable. She also crafted a little basket hanging off the side for me to put the great amount of fish she expected me to catch inside and keep them fresh, then she disappeared with another step and a watery plop.


    ___


    Cira descended through the water until light no longer reached her. Fighting the storm fiend, she didn¡¯t realize how quiet and lonely it felt down here. It was an all-encompassing darkness that reminded her not of Archaeum, but of the depths of her own sea of consciousness.


    The pressure all around her only became greater as she fell ever deeper, but it bore no curses, nor the sins of her past. It was just a sea like any other, if a little more potent. The weight wasn¡¯t uncomfortable this time. It felt like she was bundled up in bed, wrapped in a heavy blanket.


    She passed a lot of fish of various sizes and species, plucking a few out here and there, and noticed they grew thinner the further she sank.


    It¡¯s surprisingly pleasant down here¡­ I¡¯ve already gone a mile below the surface, and I still can¡¯t see the end. What an incredible amount of water.


    It was no simple matter maintaining a healthy marine ecosystem¡ªoutside of the actual ocean. Cira had seen a fishing village with a saltwater pond for raising fish in the off-season, and it was constant work to keep stable. If they slacked off, all their food could die, and they may starve.


    Fish produced a lot of waste, especially if they were supposed to grow for generations in the same pond. Sea water existed in a delicate balance, and this realm¡¯s sea was no different from a massive pond. Sure, it really was massive, but to still be so healthy and beautiful after untold centuries was a feat that left Cira breathless¡ªdespite the fact she had been underwater for a while now.


    Not only did he conjure this realm, but he wove it together such that the natural laws persist in perfect equilibrium even after all this time. I can¡¯t begin to imagine the vast wisdom this person must have possessed.


    Cira always knew there had to be other legendary casters on par with her father. He claimed there were, for one, but this was the first time she was faced with the result. With undeniable proof, rather. It was somewhat humbling, but she became a little frustrated. Dad was still the best¡­


    The thought soured her mood a little, and she started fishing to keep her mind off it. She didn¡¯t want to decimate the population, so she only took every third fish, leaving some of the cooler looking ones alone.


    Cira came across a spot of light and found a luminescent jellyfish with glowing pink tentacles that hung like ivy. She contemplated taking a seat on it and riding it around for a little, but didn¡¯t want to fight it in case it got made. The jellyfish was like a flower on the shore of a passing island.


    Thus continued her descent. The fish she gathered had amassed a school behind her, safe from the varying pressure within Aquon¡¯s flow. Then a rumble in her stomach opened her eyes to what might be dinner later.


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    She passed up a great many fish, because they were boring ones she had seen or eaten before. A couple rare specimens, but nothing that looked particularly meaty.


    She was beginning to think it was time to head up and settle for more tuna when a little yellow squid darted past her face and disappeared below.


    Are there bigger squids¡­? Maybe I just have to go deeper.


    Luckily, there was no sign of another giant snake, and she was able to catch up to the tiny squid. By Cira¡¯s estimate she had to be a couple miles down and it was getting spooky imagining all the water between her and the boat.


    Squid Junior and his sorcerous sidekick passed by another one of those pretty jellyfish, and Cira was beginning to get irritated that the fish variety hadn¡¯t seemed to change much despite the depth. She was getting plenty for her agricultural plans, but wanted to find something she¡¯d never eaten before calling it quits. Also, it was disturbing that she still hadn¡¯t reached the bottom. How big could a conjured realm be?


    Around the time she passed yet a third jellyfish, Cira stopped for a second and placed her arms on her hips, peering thoughtfully into the abyss.


    Something¡¯s not right. These jellyfish sure get around, but¡­ I¡¯ve gotta be over three miles deep by now. One whole league under the sea. Even my five percent undine content is starting to feel a little stiff. Why are all the fish the same¡­? And why does the jellyfish look identical every time?


    Come to think of it¡­ the pressure has barely increased in some time. Nothing like it should be down here¡ª


    The moment she had that realization, Cira had to resist gasping a few million pounds of ocean into her lungs. She floated there and shuddered for a moment as a wave of discomfort washed over her mind. She swore she was keeping track of her movements, but the map she had in her head suddenly became much smaller.


    Impossible¡­ This whole time¡ªIt¡¯s been repeating? Cira¡¯s eyes went wide as it all became clear under her gaze. Ever since around the mile mark, she had actually only traveled about a hundred feet or so, but the edges of this realm was comprised condensed space so distorted she hadn¡¯t even noticed she was caught within it. For all she knew, it could have trapped her forever if she let it, or if her undine senses hadn¡¯t tipped her off.


    Cira was still reeling from the shock. The sense of disorientation dissipating in an instant was jarring to say the least. Squid Junior was long gone.


    I think that¡¯s quite enough of that¡­ Cira came face to face with an eel that seemed to be sizing her up, ¡°I guess you¡¯ll do.¡± She spoke into its mind.


    ___


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe she left me here again!¡± I shouted to the lonesome ocean. ¡°Fishing sucks.¡±


    I caught one drab looking fish about the size of my hand, but I was under the impression we needed mass quantities of fish. How long would this take exactly?


    Suddenly, I felt a tug. Much more powerful than that pathetic little thing earlier, like someone had tugged on it with their hand. I pictured a small shark or something as big as that tuna. Even if I failed to catch much, a single impressive catch would at least make me look half-competent.


    Who knew fishing was a skill a sorcerer needed?


    I was ready for it this time. I had been waiting quite a while, after all. I reeled it in carefully, tugging on it and speeding up when I felt it weaken, then letting it ease away a bit to tire it out when it started to struggle. Just like Jimbo taught me. It was strong, and it took everything I had to stop from getting ripped off the boat, but this fish was mine.


    My spool whined as I watched it fill up and I could tell we were close to the surface. I couldn¡¯t see through the glare on the waves, but I was in the home stretch. I felt it wear out again and reeled it in for one last effort, feeling like my arm was about to fall off when I finally watched it break the surface.


    ¡°A¡ªa hand?!¡± I shrieked as blonde hair broke through the surface.


    ¡°Ahhh, you got me!¡± Cira popped out of the water and flopped over the edge into the boat, holding her belly and cackling while I stared at her dumbfounded.


    ¡°You¡­ you can¡¯t be serious!¡± She could hardly look at me in the midst of her snickering. ¡°I¡ªI thought I finally had one! That took like half an hour!¡±


    I threw the pole in frustration and it quickly sank, then I sat down across from her, fuming and speechless.


    ¡°Oh, lighten up.¡± She found her ale again and inhaled awkwardly afterward, ¡°Oh yeah, I can breathe again.¡±


    ¡°Did you even catch anything?!¡± I was about to pull my hair out. If we were relying on my fishing skills this would take until the end of time.


    ¡°Of course.¡± She smiled as a river rose from the sea holding hundreds if not thousands of fish from smaller than my catch to bigger than the tuna yesterday. Then a massive eel that looked like it could swallow me rose up, ¡°And I caught lunch.¡±


    I sighed my frustrations away and did my best to look past the irritation. If I thought about it, it was pretty funny. Can¡¯t say I expected to catch a sorcerer¡­


    A few glasses, and I had forgotten about my anger entirely. I intently listened to her regale me over her tale of the depths.


    ¡°Still, I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s really casters out there as powerful as my father¡­¡± Cira shook her head.


    ¡°No offense, but, looking at this place¡­ are you sure the creator wasn¡¯t more powerful than him.¡± I mean, Breeze Haven was amazing and all, and the training hall gave me a similar feeling to this place, but this was an entire world¡ªat the very least it was a small, but entire world. That was something on an altogether different level, I thought.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to suggest he was a talented master in anything other than space!¡± She slurred, spilling her glass over the side. It almost sounded like she was trying to convince herself. ¡°My father, you see, was the great sage! All known elements and many more were like butter in his hand.¡±


    ¡°Why was there butter in his hand¡­?¡± I mused, watching the golden plains come back into view as we resumed our ascent.


    ¡°I-it¡¯s not about the butter!¡± She turned red and I got to witness another rare flustered moment from my master. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s¡ªnever mind! It¡¯s time to begin.¡±


    We stopped at a clearing set against the river. Nothing but flat sand for a good couple hundred feet.


    ¡°Take notes, Tawny.¡± She said, tossing her notebook at me. Whatever she had written was in a language I had never seen before. Why can I read it though¡­? How strange. ¡°You never know when you¡¯re going to have to terraform something. It could be a matter of life and death on any other day.¡±


    I flipped the page before getting too upset at the creepy letters. ¡°O-okay.¡±


    ¡°Consider this. Gold is merely our base medium. Keep in mind that it will do nothing for our plants. Typically, I would say metal dust is far too fine, but this particular sand of Paradise is well suited to allow aeration, drainage, and root expansion. Can you tell me why?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± My face went stiff as I drew a blank.


    She rolled her eyes at me, ¡°Because, as you pointed out earlier, the grains of sand are all different sizes and, if you noticed, different shapes. This is to mimic true sand, but it also makes it a viable base. Now first I must mix in our loose minerals.¡±


    The silver-speckled dust we strained from the river, which I had forgotten about, fell from the sky in streams, enshrouding her staff that I guess was just hanging out somewhere while we went fishing. It followed countless paths to spread through the sand evenly, then I watched the entire field begin to churn like a rough ocean in a storm.


    ¡°Now, the idea is to mix it until we have a rich, consistent substrate, but we won¡¯t get very far without introducing organic compounds.¡± The river of fish swirled before us and formed a seawater sphere to cast ripples of light across the landscape. ¡°Can you tell me what makes fish and, well, all living beings decompose?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡± This is an easy one, right? I got this. ¡°Death?¡±


    Cira wagged her finger with a slight grin, ¡°Close, but not quite.¡±

 176 - The Great Alchemists Guide to Turning Gold into Dirt

    ¡°Believe it or not,¡± Cira said, ¡°decomposition is one of life¡¯s greatest feats.¡±


    ¡°So, it¡¯s life¡­? How was I close? I gave the exact opposite answer.¡±


    ¡°Consider a tree whose roots are rotting. One doesn¡¯t aways need to die in order to decompose, but it¡¯s by and far the most common way to begin.¡± There was a fleshy grinding noise that made me shiver from head to toe without even seeing its source. When I looked up, all the fish¡¯s skeletons had escaped while their empty flesh fell into the field. It was like watching one of those rare jelly storms they get at low altitudes, and the floppy squelch they made en masse in the gold soil was pretty spot on.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll bite¡­ How does life make things rot?¡± As I asked, the fields started to glow a pristine white while fish corpses were gnashed into the soil. It was pretty brutal and not in any way how I expected farming to work. A pile of fish skeletons grew beside us.


    ¡°Well¡­ Have you ever wondered why bodies rot? Why a plum left on the table will turn brown and mushy?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± I replied honestly, ¡°The fact that it happens is enough for me.¡±


    ¡°Was enough for you,¡± she held up a finger to correct me, ¡°But you¡¯re a sorcerer now, aren¡¯t you? Well, I could give you the tiny demon speech, but you are my student, so¡­ There are microfauna which exist everywhere¡ªthat is, creatures so tiny you can¡¯t see them without tools built specifically to do so. These ¡®microbes¡¯, if you will, spend days, weeks, or even longer consuming organic waste. Have you ever heard of ruin eaters?¡±


    ¡°Those things that appear on dead islands¡­ right? I¡¯ve heard to avoid landing in places like that. Don¡¯t they eat the whole island?¡±


    This got a laugh out of the weathered sorcerer, ¡°No, no¡­ Not the whole island. Consider a dead rat on a stone. The island is the stone, while the homes of people and cultures long forgotten by time are like a littering of rat corpses upon it. Microbes similarly break down a real dead rat, consuming bits and pieces at a time of that which makes up the flesh, gradually breaking it down. There may be scars or stains in the earth from its former presence, but the ruin eaters will remove it all from an island in the end. In the same way, you too will be consumed by as many invisible creatures as there are islands in the sky, it¡¯s just a matter of how long it takes.¡±


    I was stunned silent, eyes wide as I nervously looked around in horror, ¡°What do you mean they¡¯re everywhere?!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you can¡¯t see them, and many of them live inside your belly and beneath your skin.¡± Is she making an elaborate joke, right now? She seems really serious. ¡°I hope you¡¯re taking notes, because we¡¯re moving on. We have a great many skeletons, which is a huge boon. Can you tell me why?¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ªuh¡­ huh?¡± I was lost.


    She clicked her tongue, ¡°Maybe I should have waited on the tiny demon talk¡­ Forget about them for now.¡± Are these things secretly demons and she¡¯s trying to ease me in? What is going on? The bones rose into the air, and I heard them grind together inside a violent twister before spreading out across the field. ¡°Not only are they valuable nutrients which will treat the soil over time, but it will help further break up our substrate. This is important because¡­¡­..?¡±


    She wants an answer?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± I cried, ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    I was still hung up on the tiny demons.


    ¡°Relax,¡± Cira gave me a pat on the shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m throwing things at you faster than my father ever did me, but this is a unique situation. What do you think, I¡¯m gonna conjure a stick to beat you with if you give me the wrong answer?¡± I pouted until she continued, counting on her fingers, ¡°Aeration. Drainage. Root expansion.¡±


    Oh¡­ She really was giving me the easy questions.


    ¡°Bones do that all that¡­?¡±


    Counting on her hands again, ¡°More sizes, weirder shapes. They break down slowly and can help maintain nutrient levels even after a heavy rain. I don¡¯t see you writing. If my soil were already a proper consistency and cultivated to a healthy equilibrium, I would simply spread the bones across the top after planting and save some for later.¡±


    ¡°Uhhh, right!¡± I went to school once, and it felt like this. I was a little embarrassed at first by my studious response, but she didn¡¯t make note of it as I desperately scribbled.


    The field of golden soil continuously churned as Cira looked on. I watched her nod¡­ to the dirt, then turn to me.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°Now get ready.¡± My quill hand went stiff. ¡°There is no life on this island, and I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen a single bird. Make sure to note that we should bring some later, but furthermore, that means the only life in this realm exists in the sea. Aside from the fish meat and bone I¡¯m dumping in, we don¡¯t have a whole lot of tiny demons to work with. They¡¯re hungry, but they can only eat so much so fast. I¡¯m no expert, but that may even mean decomposition might never occur here as thoroughly as it would on Acher, for example.


    ¡°Unless you¡¯ve got dirt from your hometown in your pockets, there isn¡¯t a whole lot we can do about that, but we¡¯re in luck.¡± I did not know where she was going with this, and it showed, ¡°Our dear creator didn¡¯t deem to rid the fish of natural parasites and the like. Whether this was intentional or not, the sea is thriving to an extraordinary degree. So¡­¡±


    The ball of seawater above our heads glowed as a white powder was pulled from it.


    ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re pullin¡¯ ¡®em all out?¡± I was baffled at this point, and returned to my drink while she manipulated demonic parasites.


    ¡°No, this is salt. I don¡¯t want it in the soil.¡± It blew away on the wind forming a wispy cloud that trailed out past the shore. ¡°This water is riddled with tiny demons. Even the ones I don¡¯t want will break down in the soil as do the fish. Are you following? Tell me what you wrote down.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± I felt like I was about to cry, looking down at my own notes in disappointment, ¡°¡®salt¡¯ circled with a frowny face next to the word plants. Er, ¡®tiny demons eat fish¡ªalso nutrients.¡¯¡±


    She stewed on it for a second, ¡°You get the idea at least, sort of. I¡¯ll just find you a few more books when we get back.¡± I wasn¡¯t excited about that, but knowledge was power, right? She said a great sorcerer once said that.


    Cira polished off another glass¡ªher twelfth since we woke up. I had a tally going in my notes, and depending on the subject matter, she kept healing herself before talking to sound more coherent. Her heal tally was broken up into three intensities with one being the weakest at thirteen casts, then four, and one major soberfication about midway through.


    We both stood there drinking in silence as the soil churned. It was much darker than the pure gold sand we fell asleep in, which was also still falling out of my hair and itching me inside my pants. After a few minutes I realized I still didn¡¯t understand why I was wrong.


    ¡°Hold on, Cira¡­ What does life have to do with any of this?¡± The ivory light had grown like flames across the roiling dirt, and it still made no sense to me. My notes stopped at ¡®decay = life, not death¡¯. ¡°If demons just eat it all, how does that help us? You¡¯re just make more to eat it faster?


    ¡°Ahh. How do I best explain this¡­? Imagine a forest full of wolves, and¡­ rabbits that multiplied by the day. What do you think would happen if I encased the island in a shroud of life mana? If those creatures had limitless vitality?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ guess they would eat more¡­ and reproduce more?¡± That sounded like a safe answer.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Yes! ¡°But this couldn¡¯t just go on forever, could it? Even with plentiful rabbits, the wolves would run out of room. There would hardly be space to rear their young, and many wouldn¡¯t be able to get to the rabbits among their competition or otherwise sustain their health. Maybe some would even be pushed off the edge if it got bad enough. Predation always reaches a limit, but it doesn¡¯t just level out, no. It collapses.¡±


    ¡°¡­why though?¡± More sorcerous nonsense.


    ¡°Let me ask you, what would happen if only the wolves received the blessing of life?¡±


    I pursed my lips. How the hell am I supposed to know?!


    She must have seen me turn pale and continued, ¡°Okay¡­ there¡¯s an island that lives off the elusive coconut tree. Too high to fish, and low winds dissuade birds from entering this region of the dead skies. The island is never getting any bigger. Rather, not within ten lifetimes. These people survive on nothing but the coconut. Like Moonberry plums, it contains everything one needs to live, but is significantly rarer. Some call it the ancient water nut, as palms have widely evolved not to bear fruit. I digress. These people may be happy and healthy for generations, but their population will grow, will it not?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ suppose¡­¡±


    ¡°And assuming their land never gets larger, and they¡¯ve already consolidated homes to allow for more farmland, what happens once the number of people who live on Coconut Island doubles? Or triples?¡± My eyes went wide. She dumbed it down so much that it seemed obvious.


    ¡°There would be so many people¡­ but not enough coconuts to go around.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± She gave me a thumbs up, then took a drink. ¡°This is called critical mass. You don¡¯t often think about it in humans, but certain bugs and even rats go through it all the time. Population thrives to a point at which they can no longer sustain, then die off in great numbers as the supply of resources has dwindled. In the same way, tiny demons will go through this in cycles as they feast on dead fish. The meat slowly become more sparse as their waste accumulates in its place within my substrate. Moreover, many of them feast on each other in stages, compounding this myriad cycle exponentially.


    ¡°Not only base materials they leave behind, but the waste resulting from their feast as well is what comprises the nutrients we require. Naturally, this process could take months or years. Instead, I flood the field with life to keep them in a constant state of critical mass, maximizing both outputs. In fact, I can exceed that which is possible in nature.  Still, this will take at least a few hours.¡±


    ¡°About that¡­¡± I was drunk, but something was definitely wrong. ¡°How long have we been here? Did we just sleep through the night clear into the next day?¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t figure it out, yet?¡± She gave me a smirk like I just failed a test. ¡°The sun is perpetually rising. It just moves around a little to trick the mind.¡±


    I stared at her, not the least bit amused at this new lesson, ¡°So¡­ how long have we been here?¡±


    She shrugged, taking another sip, ¡°Beats me. But it feels like I got a good night¡¯s sleep earlier.¡±


    My stomach dropped. Since we reached the shores of Paradise everything had felt like a daze. I took another sip as I pondered it all.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Cira muttered, ¡°As soon as I have an apple in my hand, we¡¯ll plunder this island¡¯s secrets and return to Green Pit.¡±

 177 - You Wanted a Sorcerer, You Got a Sorcerer

    Cira said farming always took a long time and a lot of work, so we sat down at her golden table and chairs to watch it go. Cira spent much of the afternoon enchanting a gold fountain so that it wouldn¡¯t make the beer foam up. I complained at first, but it was nice being able to just scoop up my next glass like we were floating down the river.


    After a while of this, the field had actually started to look kind of brown. Almost like dirt. I couldn¡¯t begin to estimate the number of fish that rotted in there and it seemed everything was long spread around. The smell was unbearable, and despite Cira¡¯s barrier, she kept sending little streams of it at my face to test my ¡®air awareness¡¯.


    I had been contemplating a way to hit her with it, but she cancelled my casts the moment I tried anything, or worse yet, redirected it right back to me. I was beginning to get frustrated when the soil suddenly stopped churning. Cira got up from her chair and walked over to the fields, kneeling down as she did by the lake to run her hand through it. Picking up a scoop, she brought it up to her face and inspected it closely. I swear, I even caught her giving it a whiff.


    ¡°It¡¯s ready.¡± I internally cheered that we could finally get back home. Not that this wasn¡¯t fun, but Jimbo and the boys must have been worried. It would be even more fun to have the rest of them with us, but looking back on the guardians¡­ maybe we weren¡¯t here for fun in the first place.


    ¡°Finally, I¡¯ve been craving apples ever since you mentioned them.¡± Was it this morning or last night? Who knows. ¡°Why don¡¯t you own a watch like James?¡±


    She scrunched up her forehead and gave me a funny look, ¡°I own many watches, and did you not see the orichalcum clock in the living room? They are obsolete for me as Prismagora can discern the time, but since a sorcerer is always where they need to be, what does it matter?¡± Her shiny bone staff with the bright crystal on top appeared and she shrugged, ¡°Look at that. It¡¯s high noon.¡±


    I clinked her outstretched glass. ¡°But you don¡¯t know how much time has passed?¡±


    ¡°¡­no. I neglected to keep track.¡± She pulled a pouch out of her pocket and dumped its contents on the table. ¡°Nature mana is auxiliary to life, if that weren¡¯t obvious. One can grow plants without seeds, but they are as limited as any conjuration. They will dispel in time and their nutrients gradually diminish as you digest them. But from seed, you can promote boundless growth.¡±


    There were countless seeds on the table. They seemed small¡­ but a lot of apples was a good thing. ¡°So can you grow¡­ the world¡¯s biggest corn cob?¡±


    She snorted ale out her nose and shattered her mug against the table trying to cough it up. Once Cira seemed to have recovered, she looked at me with great displeasure, ¡°What is wrong with you? That¡¯s not how it¡ªwell, maybe¡­ I haven¡¯t tried. Let me tell you, I can grow a stalk of corn in four seconds flat though. Increasing the points from which it bears fruit¡ªcorn¡ªis also possible. But enough of that. Watch.¡±


    What must have been thousands of seeds spread out across the field and Cira¡¯s orbital streams suddenly flooded with bright blue mana, forming what looked like a river delta in the sky before gently raining down. It was an amazing sight. Paradise¡¯s golden landscape reflected cerulean light into the hue of Cira¡¯s mithril disc and painted a pretty scene as it shimmered over hilltops, like the light off a lake but from above.


    Each raindrop seemed to contain a little bit of this mana, too. By a little bit, I mean in proportion to the river. I could probably fill a barrel with this trickling rain, and unlikely my entire aura on a good day would stack up. This corn¡ªor apples were getting fed absurd amounts of mana.


    As raindrops splashed in fleeting bursts of light, the soil responded with a faint green haze that seeped out with every little pitter patter. Exercising my air awareness, I could tell it was happening more times per second than I could ever hope to count, and soon, an ominous mist coated the field the same shade as the greenest canopy.


    ¡°Wait¡­ what is that?¡± Little sprigs popped up everywhere. More than countless, it was like a lush forest was trying to sprout. ¡°Isn¡¯t this too many trees?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Every time she made this face at me, she wrote something down. ¡°I understand your confusion. It¡¯s far too early for trees. It¡¯s not quite there yet. I fear fish alone isn¡¯t a diverse enough pool of nutrients, and with this, I can at least introduce an outside variable I¡¯ve used before. Grass is resilient and doesn¡¯t need much to grow in general. This is also our proof of concept and will further increase the soil¡¯s fertility. What I¡¯m doing is a practice commonly known as enriching the earth or fertilizing the land.¡±


    Is she going to¡­ plant apples in this field of grass?


    The grass grew into a lush meadow with short blades, but as water kept falling, it grew exponentially until it was nearly up to our knees. Still, we watched this occur from our golden table.


    I winced as the soil suddenly started churning again. All the beautiful, verdant grass she grew was gone in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°Wh-what did you do?!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± She took down some more notes, ¡°I¡¯m enriching the earth. The grass is meant to break down like the fish. This must go on for a few cycles, then I think I might grow some enderbark to mulch up. It grows its own little worms, you see.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ I see¡­¡±


    There were no more words exchanged between us for at least an hour as we watched the grass repeatedly grow unnaturally fast only to be gurgled away in the tumultuous earth. I guess the fact that I thought of it as earth instead of gold was really saying something. When I really thought about it, she already grew grass in something that started off as pure gold. The rapid succession of things I didn¡¯t understand since coming to this place perhaps dulled the excitement I would normally have about such a feat, but it really was incredible. Eventually Cira broke the silence with some more drinks and dinner on the grill.


    ¡°No, no¡­ Neither of my parents had an aura. Neither did I, at first.¡± I replied to her aimless banter, ¡°But we were always poor, so I stole a few books from a merchant that washed up on Lost Cloud and practiced every night after they went to bed.¡±


    ¡°Well, it isn¡¯t common or a particularly easy feat,¡± Cira shrugged and dipped her glass into the fountain again. ¡°But your talent really is remarkable for someone who conjured their own aura. I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t cripple you with an artifact when you threw that fireball at me. It would have been much harder to be friends.¡±


    You¡¯re saying¡­ she simply decided against crippling me? I really was pissing on a hornet¡¯s nest.


    ¡°Your father¡¯s aura must have made me look like a single drop of rain,¡± I laughed, going with a safe, cheeky compliment. ¡°I don¡¯t even understand how someone can be stronger than you.¡±


    She chuckled, much to my relief, ¡°I looked like a single drop of rain next to him. Need I remind you I¡¯m only a sorcerer of intermediate caliber?¡±


    And before she went into the forge, she called herself a sorcerer of moderate caliber¡ªthe person who reshaped an entire island and encased thousands of rivers in titanium all within a single day. Her holy light lasted a week. You¡¯re telling me the sorcerer that did that was beneath the intermediate level? That¡¯s halfway, right? Does it only get exponentially worse from there? A man that could skew my master¡¯s worldview to such a severe degree could only be the most absurd person who ever lived. What did that make the creator of this realm?


    ¡°How the hell did he die?!¡± I had actually meant the creator, but Cira¡¯s smile faded. The same question could be posed about her father, but I was trying really hard not to touch that subject. She set her glass down while her gaze grew distant.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡± A dark wooden staff appeared in her hand and seemed to only increase the displeasure on her face. At the same time, my own heart grew heavy just looking at it. Cira looked over her shoulder and in a few different places before relaxing with a sigh. ¡°Have you ever seen a curse?¡±


    I could feel the blood drain from my face. It was difficult to take my eyes off the branch¡¯s gnarled top. A faint gray light fell from it, but it was hopelessly dull.


    ¡°What¡­ No¡­ Why do you¡ª¡±


    Cira cut me off with a self-deprecating laugh, ¡°I don¡¯t remember where it came from. I¡¯ve always been able to summon it, and it channels the curse I bear. Check it out.¡± She held it out toward her glass and billowed dark smoke that burned with dreadful mana, ¡°This glass shall never shatter so long as the sun is shining.¡±


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Black smoke enveloped it then she drank its entire contents. When that cleared, Cira slammed it against the table with a burst of wind. Air cracked and I heard it clink against the hard surface then soar into the sky. After I blinked, it was gone, but there was a distant impact a few seconds later.


    A new crystal mug appeared in her hands, ¡°Granted, mine are not typical curses, such that it¡¯s hard to call them curses in the first place. They are pure, and thus, I bear no direct burden. Not physical or aethereal, anyway. But if you¡¯ve spent time in the library, you should know what happens if one lays far too many curses without consideration for the saturation of their soul. My father burned away what he could and claimed the rest for himself¡­ he seemed fine, like it was nothing¡­ until a few years later. It only got worse from there¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t have to,¡± I stopped her. I didn¡¯t read up on curses while she slept, but I also didn¡¯t mean to dig up bad memories.


    ¡°But some curses can never really be removed, you see?¡± She tossed the weathered branch into the sky and her prism staff beamed a violent ray of light through it, burning a hole in the island so deep I couldn¡¯t see past its own shadow. The staff was long gone and the smell of burnt gold threatened to melt my nostrils.


    Holding out her hand, the immolated staff of ancient wood appeared again within her grasp, ¡°At least the methods of removal are beyond me. He merely gave me a quick purification and reduced the curse to a sealed state until I was responsible enough to manage it for myself. So, did my father die for nothing? It¡¯s hard to say.¡±


    She emptied yet another glass with vacant eyes and I took this chance to hold out my hand and practice the healing sorcery I read about in one of those sorcerer¡¯s compendiums since she seemed to have forgotten to keep sobering herself up. It manifested in vague golden sparkles which looked scarce more than useless.


    Cira snorted, covering her face, ¡°Maybe I¡¯ve said too much. And standard healing will take forever compared to a detofixication, hic, spell.¡± She held out a hand and healed herself at least a little bit. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of thinking about soul stuff for one lifetime. Forget everything I just said.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s kinda hard too¡­¡± I shrugged. ¡°But he, your father, made his choice to stop something bad from happening to you, didn¡¯t he? No offense, but it¡¯s kind of shitty to feel guilty about it.¡±


    Her eyes went wide and I watched her blink in shock, slowly recoiling back. ¡°I¡­ How dare¡­ is¡­ is that how it is¡­?¡± Emotions flashed across Cira¡¯s face like a flickering flame, broken up by confusion here and there. She picked up her glass again and made short work of undoing her prior healing sorcery, deep in thought.


    I followed suit and she poured another pouch out on the table. It was quite a marvel the first time, so I sat back and watched farming happen again with a drink in my hand, sending a couple playful streams of rotten wind into my master¡¯s face only for them to be denied decisively.


    Instead of grass, this time real saplings sprouted. Of course, grass filled in around them too. Cira said plenty more seeds had been produced and it would pretty much grow itself if left alone¡ªor accelerated with vehement vitality.


    Maybe she could have gone faster, but these trees grew much, much slower than the grass. We sat there and watched a single batch grow much taller than our heads in about an hour and it was more than twice that before Cira deemed their cycle to have ended. She cut off a bunch of twigs with little green sprouts and the field resumed its violent churning. I guess mixing wood in had a similar effect to the other things, but I also noticed her picking worms out. For now, I guess they would fly around until needed, but I took  it as a good sign.


    This went on a few more times as we drank at the golden table and eventually started talking about nothing important again. It seemed she¡¯d forgotten about the earlier conversation, or at least moved on. We were both pretty tired and had just eaten a great deal of that eel she caught, and when I turned to reply to a joke, her eyes were closed.


    I was a little bummed I would never hear the punchline, but this seemed a good time as any to get some sleep while the trees grew again from sapling.


    I woke up at some point to the sound of heavy rain¡ªno it was hail¡­ when I opened my eyes further, I realized it was just fish falling from the sky. I guess she needed more. They bounced off the hardy trees and crushed colorful flowers before settling in grass as high as my waist. I caught a small stream of more gold sand flying in from somewhere as well and mixing with the roiling fish guts. She was really fine tuning it. Anyway, I rolled back over and went back to bed after another drink or two.


    When I awoke again, Cira was asleep this time. I decided to practice my sorcery alone instead of waking her up. She instructed me on the first step to making a domain, but not any others beyond that. At this point, I felt the wind around me was much more solid now. I could feel¡ªalmost see¡ªeverything in arm¡¯s reach, and I could feel a change in the breeze near the mana-rich soil. I suspect I could even feel projectiles ahead of time like this, and the wind surrounding me could become a blade or a spear anytime I wanted. It really was like an upgraded version of my passive reservoir. My ¡®well¡¯, so to speak.


    The hard part was figuring out the next step.


    Realistically¡­ what do I want my domain do? I bet Cira would ask me that. Obviously, I¡¯ll never be a real sorcerer if I don¡¯t just have a barrier around me all the time. Since I woke up, no less than three flies tried to land on Cira¡¯s face only to return to the aether in a white flame.


    I quickly found it a concept too great for me to grasp, but I figured the best way to start was just condensing the outside of my range. This led to me realize that wind didn¡¯t have very clear borders, so defining one became my goal. This had to be the next step to building my domain, so I eagerly chipped away at it.


    Improving my offensive power is obvious, but I¡¯ve always needed to do that. What I really lack is perception. It¡¯s not like I can conjure stone projectiles to throw at myself¡­


    This much had me stumped for a while, so I just closed my eyes and tried to feel out the landscape, forcefully forming a mental image in my head. It was pretty bad when I opened my eyes to check the results, but¡­ any progress was welcome.


    I spent most of the day working on my perception and making ever-deeper dents in some gold boulders, trying to improve my cast speed while I was at it. The goal here was to shoot a wind spear so deep that it disappeared, but it was slow going.


    Then, I thought it would be nice to reach even a fraction of the power the Infernal Scepter allowed me. While maintaining my partial domain, I tried bolstering the flame in my offhand without increasing its size. This quickly turned into a game of melt the island, and I ended up writing my name a hundred times in the earth behind us with a focused beam of crimson fire, using my partial domain as my eyes. Somewhere around a hundred-twenty, the sparse forest before us crumbled in on itself and the soil began to turn over again.


    This is the kind of time when I would expect Cira to diligently wake up, but she remained asleep. I was kind of hungry, but couldn¡¯t access the food without waking her up, so I thought I¡¯d just take another nap. It was comfortable enough, somehow, in this enchanted chair of solid gold.


    The sound of scratching woke me up next time. I looked to the side and Cira was fiddling with Jimbo¡¯s flask, artificing needle in hand¡ªher own property pilfered from my pocket.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I rubbed my eyes to try and see clearly.


    ¡°I went ahead and washed it out. You would not believe how disgusting it was.¡± She shook her head in revulsion, ¡°More floaties than a mossy tidepool, stray hair, even a fingernail clipping. I nearly turned it to ash.¡±


    ¡°You never saw me drinking from it did you?¡± I laughed in her face. ¡°Are you going to make it clean itself or something?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s a good idea, but I¡¯m just giving the enchantments a little rework. Nothing major.¡± It seemed she was done and put everything away before standing up to stretch. Cira let out a dramatic yawn, ¡°I sure am getting good at conjuring chairs though, huh? I¡¯m worried I¡¯ll make beds obsolete at this point. It¡¯s easily among my top five fears.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± I noticed the field ahead of us was still but looked like proper dirt. It held a fertile brown hue and there was a thin layer of grass on top in most places, like a forest clearing. ¡°Is it actually done now?¡±


    She answered with a bright smile, ¡°Almost! I¡¯m weaning the soil off of supplemental life, then we should be all ready to plant. My worms are nice and healthy down there like gods among tiny demons, and I dare say our dirt is richer than that of Fount Salt¡¯s fields. We have done well. Won¡¯t be long now.¡±


    I didn¡¯t do much toward this achievement, but I still had a slight headache from all the sorcery practice last time I was awake, so I just watched the dirt. It didn¡¯t do anything, ¡°What should we do while we wait¡­?¡±


    ¡°Take a look at this.¡± Cira tossed me a gold cylinder and I was ripped from my chair trying to catch it. It slipped away and she caught us both before hitting the ground while she chuckled from her seat. The cylinder unraveled before me like a scroll in the air or a veil of honey as the sun shined through it. ¡°Golden silk. We should make clothes from it. Don¡¯t you think it would be fun to be dressed head to toe in gold when we return to the others?¡±


    ¡°But¡­ how?¡± I gawked as a stiff wind ruffled the sheet of gold and swirled doubts around my mind, ¡°It¡¯s metal¡­ right?¡±


    ¡°I already made socks. See?¡± She kicked her feet up and they were indeed coated in gold. ¡°The trick is to enchant the fabric as I weave it onto a roll to adjust the physical properties, then again once each peace has been tailored.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± As ridiculous as it sounded, any girl would be interested in solid gold clothing, even if she didn¡¯t plan on wearing it every day. ¡°Now that you mention it, I am due for a new set of clothes.¡±


    We must have spent all day on it. I had no proficiency in geomancy yet, but I helped come up with ideas and we spent hours trying on different outfits and laughing at easily forgotten nothings. This was probably the highlight of the trip¡ªwe had a blast. Being attacked by a giant snake didn¡¯t even compare. When it seemed our wardrobe couldn¡¯t get any larger, we sat down for dinner and eventually lulled to a gentle sleep.


    ¡°I HAVE HAD ENOUGH!¡± A voice shook the sky and broke me out of my peaceful slumber. I looked over at Cira in a panic and she had much the same expression, eyelids half open. ¡°ONE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-EIGHT YEARS I HAVE WAITED FOR A SORCERER TO BEAR MY WILL, YET YOU CONTINUE TO WASTE MY TIME. ALL YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED SINCE YOU GOT HERE IS LOBOTOMIZING MY PET SNAKE AND TURNING MY GOLD INTO DIRT. DO YOU NOT EVEN CARE THE REASON FOR WHICH THIS ENDLESS BOUNTY HAS BEEN LAID OUT FOR YOU?!¡±


    I had assumed the fetal position, covering my ears in futility when I looked up at Cira. She was also covering her ears but glaring towards the center of the island.


    ¡°Tone it done there, Pal. Just ¡®cuz you can speak with your mind doesn¡¯t mean you have to be loud. I met a giant slug with more manners than you.¡± Cira spoke in the language of the undine. Is she insane? Each word that person spoke nearly turned my aura to dust! Cira continued speaking with her mouth this time, arms spread out to display her wisping golden robes, ¡°First of all, if you wanted a sorcerer, this is what you get.¡±

 178 - A Glimpse of Tragedy

    ¡°Second of all,¡± Cira looked especially grumpy. Exactly how I would picture her to answer my banging on her bedroom door in the morning. ¡°Endless bounty, my ass. This island¡¯s made of a great deal of semi-common metal, sure, but the realm is otherwise incredibly resource deficient. Maybe you get a pass because you died, but don¡¯t lie to my face.¡±


    ¡°WHY¡ªYOU CUR. GOLD IS THE HIGHEST STANDARD CURRENCY¡ª¡±


    ¡°SHHHHHH!¡± Cira¡¯s shushing almost gave me a heart attack, it was so loud. ¡°I am one who does not like repeating myself. Being loud does not make you seem grand nor powerful, but only rude and inconsiderate. I don¡¯t care how many thousands of years ago you equipped your big boy britches, it¡¯s far too early for such ruckus.¡±


    ¡°YOU¡ªARE YOU QUITE SERIOUS RIGHT NOW?!¡± Somehow the creator of this realm was yelling at us¡ªno, at Cira¡ªbut I felt each word out of her mouth further endangered us both. No matter how great her dad was, she was not compared to this guy.


    ¡°I am indeed serious, and if you don¡¯t cut it out, I¡¯ll melt your shiny island into the sea then go outside to evaporate your stupid lake.¡±


    ¡°Cira!¡± I was petrified as a monumental gaze suddenly fell on me from everywhere at once¡ªworse than Undina¡ªbut I had to say something. ¡°Calm down! Stop being such a bitch, this guy could crush us!¡±


    Impressive as Cira¡¯s aura was, there¡¯s no way she stacked up against a mage who created an entire world.


    ¡°I would love to,¡± She cast a pointed glare toward the island¡¯s center, ¡°Could it be this great mage hasn¡¯t spoken in over a thousand years and he has too much pride to admit he can¡¯t control the volume of his own voice?¡±


    ¡°¡­so, your name is Cira.¡± The mage spoke quieter now. He didn¡¯t sound like an old man, but definitely had the timbre of one who had lived a great many years. It almost reminded me of my father if it were a couple tones deeper. ¡°Your sorcery is not negligible for your age, despite the atrocious golden rags on your back. I must say, I¡¯ve been looking at your soul for days now, and I can¡¯t seem to figure out what you are. What are you?¡±


    ¡°What kind of a stupid question is that? You practically said it yourself.¡± A vein popped in my forehead as I was powerless to stop Cira from berating this ancient mage. ¡°I am the Sorcerer Cira.¡±


    The world trembled for a moment until I felt that weird shifting thing that happened when Cira did big spatial sorcery. The quake was cut short but I still, I watched dust gather along our field while the island around us shook. Cira¡¯s expression quickly soured and she shot out of her chair as a pristine staff appeared from a wisp of light.


    ¡°YOU DARE STRATIFY MY SUBSTRATE?!¡± Cira¡¯s mana flooded the area and despite pangs of gold boulders rolling around over the hill, all was still around us to at least the end of the field. Dust settled in the blink of an eye and mana within the dirt condensed.


    With a wave of pressure not blocked by her own barrier, rings of light and unfamiliar shapes appeared burnt into the surrounding golden landscape. Similar to the day she faced the Third Order, a single pillar of light rose to the sky as the tremors dulled across all of Paradise.


    ¡°You know exactly how hard I¡¯ve worked on that, you bastard.¡± The soil began to churn again to a violent degree, ¡°So, what is it, then? Why would such an abrasive old man create an island of gold? What do you need from a sorcerer so poor as to drool over such petty materials?¡±


    ¡°Little girl, you would be wise to watch the way you speak to one such as I. It is a wonder you haven¡¯t offended someone else with that shameful tongue.¡± He said, as if there were people stronger than Cira all over the place with short tempers, ¡°I already told you I have been waiting for a sorcerer to bear my will, and you are the only people who have made it past my guardians in all this time. Granted, one of you seems to have really done all the work¡­ A strange number of pirates appeared in droves a just over five hundred years ago, so let me ask¡­ are you from Leviathan Isle?¡±


    ¡±Hah!¡± Cira grasped her face to prevent herself from bursting into laughter, ¡°I may be Cirina Dreadheart of Leviathan Isle, but no¡­ never been. I am only the eternal pirate empress by pure happenchance.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ the what?¡± It seemed Cira expected his confusion, so she continued with an irritated glare.


    ¡°I have yet to hear what you want from me.¡± She looked over the fields and became a little more relaxed as the soil gently mixed. ¡°To ¡®bear your will¡¯ is too vague. Speak plainly, Fragment, and know that I do not grant wishes.¡±


    ¡°You sure are haughty for your age¡­¡± A deep sigh echoed across the land, ¡°It is too troublesome to explain from afar. Come to the center of the island which you have been avoiding, and I will explain everything.¡±


    I cast a curious look to Cira to see what she thought of it, and she shook her head, ¡°It was on the list. As soon as I¡¯m done fixing this soil you so rudely disrupted, we¡¯ll head right over. How¡¯s that sound?¡±


    The creator didn¡¯t continue, but exasperation was palpable on the wind.


    ¡°What a jerk¡­¡± Cira crossed her arms, pacing back and forth before the field. ¡°He completely ruined the mood¡­ Can¡¯t a girl just terraform in peace? He had to know I was almost finished.¡± She sighed deeply, ¡°Let¡¯s just be done with it.¡± The soil calmed down and Cira tossed a few handfuls of seeds out to find their own place to grow before climbing over the golden ship¡¯s railing. ¡°Come on now. Load up.¡±


    Underworm sizzled on the grills as we sailed across the land and Cira scooped more ale from a river that appeared beside us. She wouldn¡¯t stop subtly groaning. Like she was refusing not to stew on something.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked bluntly, ¡°You¡¯re stressing me out. That guy was bad enough.¡±


    Wait¡­ he can probably hear me, can¡¯t he?


    ¡°I was having a good nap, and I don¡¯t like feeling rushed. By a dead man, no less.¡± I couldn¡¯t tell if she was serious or just that grumpy.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t sound that dead to me.¡± His words brought me to my knees and nearly made my ears bleed, after all.


    ¡°It was just a fragment he left behind,¡± Cira¡¯s tone was bitter, ¡°A shell of his former glory at best. Merely a ghost of a ghost that will wither away beyond the cycle. The man himself died long ago. I admit, I am curious to know who betrayed one such as him and why. That long ago, whoever it was is surely dead¡ª¡±


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    ¡°No.¡± The creator spoke, ¡°My soul is only bound to this world until theirs are extinguished.¡±


    ¡°Ooooohh. ¡®theirs¡¯, huh? Who are these people who could get the upper hand against such a prolific mage?¡±


    ¡°I am a sorcerer, damn you!¡± the ancient mage shouted.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be the judge of that.¡± Cira turned the other cheek and continued her drink. ¡°As I was saying¡ª¡±


    ¡°We will speak more once you arrive.¡± He cut her off curtly.


    ¡°Whatever then¡­¡± Cira muttered as we sailed across the land. Gold broke like waves and the river of ale we followed was one she pulled from somewhere else. The island wasn¡¯t exactly massive, though. It only took a few minutes to make good distance before Cira slowed down. ¡°We are about to pass through a barrier, and I am as of yet unsure of its nature. Get ready for anyth¡ª¡±


    ___


    It was unclear how long ago Cira¡¯s words cut out, but I regained consciousness sitting upright in a chair looking down on some sort of indoor forest the size of a lake. Flowers formed the base while trees grew almost to the height of the balcony on which I found myself sitting alone.


    The room was full of people¡ªwe sat almost in a ring with a large open space in the center, and each person or party seemed to have their own balcony with a door behind them. This was a meeting place of some kind, and I had never seen one so grand.


    Only one balcony perched higher than the rest and it seemed carved from bone. Let alone how large of a bone it must have been, just looking at it made me feel like staring down a mage far stronger than I.


    ¡°¡­in just ten short years I expect the Ritomi Province to return to its former splendor so long as Ventra does not fall short on reparations.¡± The man above spoke with a commanding voice that beckoned attention and gave me the impression I was listening to someone knowledgeable on the subject. ¡°But we cannot dismiss the fact that Skyborne Syndicate has been too bold as of late.¡±


    Wait¡­ Where the hell am I? Who is that guy? Who is¡­ Anyone around me? I felt my heart skip and a wave of fear wash over me. Where is Cira¡­?


    ¡°Do not panic.¡±


    ¡°Cira?!¡± My accidental outburst drew more than a few eyes as I looked around. The pressure of their collective gazes forced me to stare at my hands and shut up.


    ¡°Shut up, idiot.¡± Cira spoke into my mind.


    ¡°Miss Belliyon,¡± The woman next to me brushed pale green hair from her face and stared at me with piercing eyes the color of rich amber. I pretty much froze. ¡°I trust nothing is the matter? We¡¯re about to start.¡±


    ¡°Shhh. Don¡¯t say anything.¡±


    ¡°Is¡­ is that you?¡± I whispered with widening eyes.


    ¡°Goddam¡ªshut your mouth! Relax. Listen to the man and I¡¯ll fill you in. Call me Madam Grendola.¡±


    I noticed everyone around us had a plaque with their name engraved on it. I couldn¡¯t look at the woman¡¯s next to me without making it obvious, but that had to be Cira¡­ right?


    Why is someone that isn¡¯t Cira talking to me as Cira right now? How did I even get here?


    ¡°Madams Belliyon and Grendola, do you have something you wish to share with the Assembly?¡± The man in charge stared us down and I felt my soul leave my body.


    ¡°I certainly do.¡± My blood ran cold as Cira Grendola spoke up. Multiple people around me gasped in shock. ¡°I noticed our roster today is short, yet I was told this meeting would be of at least moderate import. Please explain.¡±


    I desperately noticed two empty seats that Cira was urging towards. Did she appear here earlier than me, or is that just how fast a sorcerer needs to think¡­? I feel like I¡¯ve utterly failed today¡¯s challenge.


    ¡°Look alive.¡± Cira mentally spoke.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± the man grumbled, casting me a side eye before moving on. He was the only one without a nameplate. I suppose we were just expected to know who he was. ¡°Duke Yuri has taken ill while the young mistress of Cloven Lake must tend to her bedridden father in lieu of succession. Is this going to be an issue?¡±


    I must have looked pale as a winter island, but Cira¡¯s quick rebuttal took his attention away.


    ¡°Certainly not. I only wish to ask if we shall begin in their absence.¡± She sat back in her seat and knit her hands together.


    ¡°We shall.¡± His brusque voice brought any surrounding chatter to an absolute halt, and I felt myself shudder. There was a woman in the seat directly next to him with a plaque that read ¡®Queen Heritos¡¯¡ªthe same height as the others¡¯ balconies but a hair closer to the mysterious ruler. She wore an unreadable grin as the man continued, ¡°The most pressing issue by far is Skyborne Syndicate¡¯s expansion¡­ I have reason to believe they are planning a widescale invasion.¡±


    Clamor rose up and he diligently let them panic for a brief moment to get it out of their systems.


    ¡°That is enough,¡± His calm, yet stern words wrangled most everyone back in rather easily, ¡°Duke Cristobal¡ª¡±


    This riled everyone up again and they all pointed their scandalous gazes toward one man, just a few seats to my left.


    The sudden pounding of a hammer silenced everyone, and they turned back to their leader.


    ¡°Cristobal, I understand your territory still trades with Ventra. I ask, have you noticed any changes lately? Either in traffic or perhaps common inventory, as well as outgoing materials.¡±


    The singled out man replied that most everything was consistent of the last few years, but apparently domestic canola production was on the rise. They debated about this for a solid ten minutes for some reason, and ultimately came to the conclusion that Cristobal¡¯s territory was slated to be a leader in agriculture within the next few years¡­? It felt like they went a little off track, and Madam Cira in the balcony to my side wore a look of disgusted bafflement, brushing the weirdly green hair out of her face to make it more apparent.


    ¡°Is this a farce?¡± What is she doing?! I would have pulled my hair out if I didn¡¯t have to pretend to be a totally composed member of some shady council. ¡°Tell me of your territory¡¯s canola demand. Do your people require increasing amounts of cooking oil? This is clearly a ploy by Ventra to acquire explosive materials from our own pockets.¡±


    ¡°W-what?!¡± the man cried, echoing my thoughts.


    Another near us was also shocked, ¡°That¡¯s absurd! We¡¯re talking about a plant!¡±


    Others were also outraged, and it seemed Cira incited quite the commotion until the leader banged on his desk.


    ¡°I will have order!¡± He was pretty good at silencing them before turning cold eyes to Cira. ¡°I urge you not to make baseless claims, Madam Grendola.¡±


    ¡°Pfft.¡± Her face contorted and I could see her trying not to laugh, ¡°Do your people know nothing of basic alchemy¡ª¡±


    She was cut short by a percussive blast in the distance that rattled the floor and ceiling alike. The others present turned their heads in shock or fell into a straight panic, standing up and trying to run away. The leader went to bang his little hammer and paused. I followed his line of sight to see Cira standing up with a serious look in her eyes.


    ¡°I knew it.¡± She gestured for me to get up, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°What¡ªwhat is this place?!¡± My own panic had to get out sooner or later, and no one else seemed to be listening.


    ¡°Shhhh.¡± But Cira still shushed me. ¡°We are within a memory of a moment that occurred over a thousand years ago. See that man at that top? I believe he is the one who created Paradise.¡±


    The leader certainly looked the type. Just being near his aura was enough to crush me. Although his expression appeared more shocked than anyone at the moment. He stood up to wave a staff around around while runes disappeared as soon as they manifested until his face grew pale as the misty sky.


    ¡°Everyone, please remain seated! We are safe here¡ª¡± Anyone looking watched the doors behind him burst open with a bang. Again, nobody looked more surprised than the man himself, but it seemed everyone¡¯s eyes were stuck on what appeared through the threshold.


    It didn¡¯t help that they let out a murderous cry that could not be spoken over. Their very voice made my bones tremble. Like something that was human long ago, or something that could never be human if it tried, two uncanny abominations slid through the doorway with an overwhelming wave of dread.


    The supposed creator tried to swing his hand out and conjure something to disintegrate these monsters, but his body slammed into the desk while his mana fizzled out.


    Even Cira felt these monsters¡¯ presence, as her smile vanished. She turned to me with a stern tone, ¡°My aura is not my own in this memory. Prepare to fight.¡±


    Mana built up next to me, but it was downright pathetic compared to her typical glory. Not even a far cry. She was weak. I could tell how anxious it made her.


    There was a tormented scream, and our eyes snapped to a few seats down where a woman had her chest gouged out by one of the horrific monsters¡¯ gaping maws that seemed to grow at will. It was such brutal, visceral violence that I instinctively stumbled back, eyes locked onto the creature, but another blood-curdling cry came from behind me.

 179 - Sorcerous Nonsense of the Highest Order

    ¡°Do¡­ do you think they¡¯re comin¡¯ back?¡± I asked my fellow captain, Shores, as we shared a drink under the seventh moon since Tawny and Cira disappeared into the lake.


    ¡°O-of course they will,¡± He replied with a sniffle, tears in his eyes, ¡°The Great Saint could never fall here¡­ Not a chance¡­ Not¡­ not after everyone worked so hard to fix her aura!¡± He could no longer hold them back.


    Dutchy walked up from behind and pat the man on his shoulder then looked at me, ¡°It¡¯s not like you to be so worried, Jimbo. I mean, it¡¯s Paradise, right? At worst, maybe they left us all behind for a better life.¡±


    ___


    We were already in a so-called pocket realm, but now we¡¯re in a memory? If that¡¯s true, why is Cira worried we¡¯ll get hurt? Paradise wasn¡¯t supposed to be like this.


    The two ragged beings moved on from their first feasts and each jumped completely across the room. It seemed they only wanted the heart and aura, but flesh was fair game, so it only took them a few more seconds to bound across the rotunda to their next victims. They acted independently, of course, so both sides of the room were in a constant shifting panic.


    This room was apparently built specifically for meetings like these, and everyone had a door behind them. Of course, not a single one opened, no matter how hard they pulled or how much mana they put in. Only one person in the room was relaxed.


    That Queen Heritos woman looked downright overjoyed, in fact. Her smile dripped with such aimless malice it made my skin crawl. With refined motions, she stood up and put on her coat while the restrained creator one seat over watched in horror.


    ¡°K-Kreya, why are you making that face?¡± The man spoke through gritted teeth and his voice was garbled, ¡°What is happening?!¡±


    Less than a minute had passed since Cira told me to prepare to fight, and neither of us had moved a muscle. She was on guard, but honestly my aura felt greater than hers in this memory. She, for one, looked incredibly nervous. I watched her wave her hands a few times and neither staff nor water appeared.


    There was a frustrated glint in her eye and she contorted both palms while mana slowly manifested into a sharp crystal. She took it in her hand, and little symbols formed on it.


    ¡°Erect a barrier,¡± Cira demanded, ¡°You¡¯re lucky to share affinities with your body, so construct a domain¡ª"


    One of the abominations leapt from across the way at Cira, and she threw her palm out in a panic. The light from her needle faded as a burst of mana pushed the abomination back. Another joined in with a frail lance of flame and seemed to draw the beast¡¯s attention.


    Sadly, that man only lasted a few seconds before his heart left his chest.


    This is bad¡­ Eating hearts is terrifying enough, but they get stronger with each aura they consume¡­


    A deranged cackle startled me out of focus and I watched that woman only grow more amused to see the pain in his eyes. Whether the creator was her husband or some kind of king, he looked sorely betrayed and completely blindsided.


    ¡°It¡¯s been fun, my dear, but I better get going.¡± She sneered, lips curled like the punchline of a joke lingered on the tip of her tongue. ¡°Consider this a parting gift for all the time we spent together.¡±


    With a bewitching smirk, the woman turned around and walked through the door behind her¡ªthe only one in the building that wasn¡¯t sealed.


    ¡°Wait--¡± The man coughed, blood dripping from his mouth, ¡°Come back, please!¡±


    ¡°Tawny!¡± Cira snapped me out of my stupor as a gale of wind blew past me, throwing one of the monsters a few balconies down. ¡°Pay attention to what¡¯s in front of you or stop eavesdropping.¡±


    Shit. That one was much more powerful than last I looked at it, after a couple meals. These things were quickly snowballing into a far greater threat, and there¡¯s no way Cira didn¡¯t realize it.


    ¡°Dammit.¡± She cursed under her breath, trying to imbue the crystal again, beads of sweat dripping down her face. Each rune she carved seemed to reduce her aura by a noticeable margin. I couldn¡¯t believe my master was really this weak, but in just a few seconds, she managed to manifest a domain or something. Suddenly the world around us felt quieter and somewhat slower.


    ¡°What¡­ did you do?¡± I watched clawed fingers gently pierce through a gray-bearded man¡¯s chest at a half-pace and remove a heart stained with patches of dark colors. His condition was beyond me, but my body froze again upon watching the beast swallow the heart whole at a leisurely pace¡ªlike a crisp apple.


    ¡°So, it seems space is greatly influenced by time, or vice versa. Time is hard and I don¡¯t really get it though. Either way, halting space seems to hinder time within proximity. I can¡¯t stop it at my level, but at the very least, I can buy us a moment to think¡­¡±


    She was truly troubled, which was uncharacteristic for the dauntless sorcerer. If I had to guess, the exchanged aura was disorienting after having just regained her monumental bullshit nonsense aura.


    ¡°Think about what?!¡± I cried, ¡°We¡¯re in a memory, aren¡¯t we? Why¡ªhow are we in danger?!¡±


    Cira shook her head, ¡°We are technically in a pocket realm of aethereal composition. This means only our souls have entered, and our bodies are elsewhere. While nothing here is real when looking from the outside, we currently exist within it.¡±


    It was a ruthless slaughter of those who failed to run away or those who failed to fight back. I had never seen anything so gruesome. Meanwhile, the leader up above had gone pale. His waves of mana that made my chest tighten with a single breath were noticeably weaker and though he shouted, no more sound came out.


    He was red-faced with veins bulging up his arms but for some reason, it was as if his hands could not lift from his desk.


    ¡°Do you see that? It¡¯s like he¡¯s being restrained somehow.¡± I turned to Cira, and she was waving her needle around in the air, conjuring something.


    ¡°He is being restrained. The more he struggles, the weaker he becomes. It also appears casting has been heavily restricted in this room.¡± I didn¡¯t know what she saw that I didn¡¯t, especially because she wasn¡¯t even looking. Beneath her needle, it seemed a crystal orb had formed. She plucked it from the air and handed it to me, ¡°That lady sure got him, but there¡¯s no way the binding array was her own doing. More importantly, we need a barrier, but I also need you to form a spear of aether flame. Quickly.¡±


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    I could sense the concern in her voice as she hurriedly worked on another crystal ball. The doors which never opened had almost all been painted red by this point. Still, erecting a barrier and a spear? I had barely learned to conjure an uncontrolled aether flame at this point.


    I have to try, though¡­ Let¡¯s just start with the barrier. Then¡­ I¡¯ll try to carve out an arrow. The orb worked just like a staff, it appeared. She may as well have handed me the scepter again. Flames flowed through it as naturally as ever¡ªI just had to shape them.


    Cira finished her own crystal ball and it glowed with mana. When she held it up, it seemed like the surrounding aether was falling into the center of the room. A light draft pulled me in, and I noticed the two creatures had their attention drawn as well. There were only a few people still alive aside from us, and they were in shock or screaming aimlessly. A pile of bodies had grown on the absconded queen¡¯s balcony from those who thought they could escape the same way. One man was spared with claws within an inch of his neck when Cira¡¯s formation flashed.


    ¡°We are meant to bear witness here,¡± Cira spoke, ¡°But I say we go find out as much as we can.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what are you suggesting?¡±


    Cira knocked on my barrier and gave a satisfied shrug, ¡°I¡¯m working on it, but now it¡¯s time for you to test your mettle.¡± There was an unsettling sound of hoarse sniffing like a wild hog, and I noticed it was the two creatures staring at Cira. They inched their way along the balconies from either side, cautious for some reason.


    Then I looked at my arrow which hadn¡¯t gotten any bigger. Does it need to be a spear? What if I just make a brilliant arrow? That much¡­ I think I can do.


    It didn¡¯t have a head or feathers as an arrow should, so it was more like a stake, but I still funneled mana in. For something Cira crafted in less than thirty seconds, I had to admit the crystal ball was an incredible stand in for a staff. That said, my aura still drained considerably with just this much. If I was going to have enough left over to attempt fighting anything aside from these two, I had to shoot.


    Do I aim for the head? Or the heart? What the hell are these things? I started panicking and knew I¡¯d spend too much mana if I waited any longer. Biting my lip, I let the arrow loose and missed both. It flew over the rotunda like a crimson beam and tore straight through the first monster¡¯s sternum. Unexpectedly, the flames exploded in gluttony upon contact and the resulting blaze split its whole chest open.


    Each arm up to the shoulder and down to the chest hung off to the side like a split banana and its head barely dangled by a thread. The wounds were charred black, and it was completely mangled. So why didn¡¯t it fall¡­?


    My blood ran cold when the monster took a single shambling step forward, now just a few balconies down from me.


    The larger threat still was his friend, who was emboldened by the display, or perhaps upset. In fact, his eyes which looked larger than earlier were trained right on mine.


    ¡°Tough luck,¡± Cira said, ¡°But if you break the hip, it¡¯ll just claw its way forward. Hard to tell where its vitals are without trial and error.¡±


    ¡°¡¯Will you shut up for a second?!¡± I was panicking, but she didn¡¯t take offense. My second arrow was almost ready and I went for the head this time. The deformed beast paused for a second before lurching down to the ground.


    Yes! I did it!


    Then its arms touched the balcony¡¯s edge and it began crawling on all fours like a blind rat.


    ¡°What?! That didn¡¯t do it?! I-I¡¯m almost out of mana!¡±


    Cira shook her head. ¡°You used way too much and just let the arrows fly away and disperse. They¡¯re reusable, you know. That¡¯s half the point of using aether flame¡ªyou didn¡¯t even have to throw it. Just make a sword or something if that¡¯s easier, but I wouldn¡¯t want to get that close personally.¡±


    Strange runes had appeared dancing over the rotunda, but I couldn¡¯t look for long. I had to trust she was doing something important. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have to fight these by myself.


    Won¡¯t these flames burn me, though? I don¡¯t have the scepter.


    She seemed confident enough that it was an option, so I started conjuring the crimson fire in my palm. It was hot, sure, but once I realized it wasn¡¯t melting my skin off, it seemed to cool down a little, as did my nerves.


    I succeeded in crippling the fleshy abominations, but it only slowed them down. I had precious little time to turn this wobbling stick of flame into something resembling a blade. I stepped up onto the balcony myself to face the one I¡¯d previously split in half. He could still see, so I took it as the biggest threat.


    Unlike a swordfight on a ship¡¯s railings, there was no wind to sway my footing from side to side. I deftly stepped toward him and lunged. Despite the fact that I had only formed a small branch at best, I sliced through the air as if it were my trusty saber. I could almost feel the wind shaping it as it passed through, then cleanly severed the monster¡¯s head from its neck.


    It fell over the bloodied seat beside us like flayed meat, but I wasn¡¯t so foolish to think that was enough. I waited until it raised a claw to grab something and right itself, then jumped down and thrust forward. My blade¡¯s point sharpened as it approached flesh and pierced the monster¡¯s heart¡ªassuming there was one.


    Still, its arm didn¡¯t drop. I felt a rustle in the wind and just narrowly dodged a clawed foot to the chest.


    ¡°What the hell kills these things?!¡± In a frustrated rage, I severed its legs, and the hip then took a few more slices along its body until most of it was charred flesh, or like a hastily sliced roasted carrot.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I could use a hand.¡± Her tone was casual, but the headless one had an outstretched claw inches from her face. I jumped back over and saw it was pinned down at the ankle by what looked like a hairpin made of light, conjured from the needle in her offhand.


    ¡°What are you even doing?¡± I kicked it in the base of its remaining neck just to push it back and that was the most unsettling feeling of my life. It was soft and stringy, and bounced back like rubber on the upswing. After physically recoiling, I managed to slice half its torso off, then flipped the blade back and did the same for his waist before kicking it all off the balcony. I am so glad to be done with that¡­ ¡°It better be important.¡±


    ¡°This room has been locked under similar restrictions as our good friend up there,¡± Cira twiddled her fingers in a sardonic wave and smiled at the ancient ruler, who had just witnessed this whole fight with a blank expression of shock. Is he the one we spoke to before or is he just a part of this memory? ¡°I aim to break out prematurely and set eyes on the culprits. His wife seems to have been the only one to find a way out so far. If her words weren¡¯t enough, I think she¡¯s highly suspicious. So, we¡¯ll go see what she¡¯s up to or at least find out why this is all happening.¡±


    ¡°Is¡­ that even possible? If that guy is still stuck to his desk, won¡¯t he have no memory of it?¡± I sat back down in my chair and took a deep breath, though I dared not disperse my sword¡ªelse I would be out of mana.


    ¡°Certain memories, given they are strong enough, or backed by a powerful enough will, can resonate with the aether. So long as he at least experienced a place before or after this moment, we should be able to see what happened there now, even if he has not yet arrived. You could say locations conjured to manifest memories hold more information than mere perspective. Otherwise, the world around us now would be hazy and ill-defined like a dream.¡±


    ¡°Got it¡ªsorcerous nonsense of the highest order¡ªjust kidding!¡± She gave me a half-hearted glare then got back to her work. I¡¯d be lying if I said I fully understood it, but I could soak up little bits at a time. It wasn¡¯t a total loss. ¡°Where do you plan to go, though?¡±


    ¡°To the site of that distant explosion, of course, or something more interesting if it catches my eye.¡± Of course¡­


    ¡°Madam Grendola! Just what are you doing?¡± The ruler¡¯s pained voice came from above, spitting up blood. Still unable to lift his hands from his desk and visibly paled from the slaughter he had to watch. ¡°Do you know something?¡±


    ¡°Interesting¡­¡± She muttered, ignoring the man, ¡°These figments can adapt quite well. I wonder if that¡¯s the creator¡¯s intricate spellcraft or merely the nature of manifested memories.¡± Only then did she look up at he who was beginning to grow irritated, ¡°Sorry, Pal. You¡¯ll have to sit tight for a little while.¡±

 180 - Fates Wrought in Blood

    His jaw fell open in shock, but before he got a chance to speak, the winding array of glyphs Cira had conjured around the room started to spin, slowly contracting into the center. They struggled the closer to each other they got, like something was holding them back. Just when I thought they were going to stop, I heard a crack.


    Behind me and all around it was like glass shattered and shards of light fell like rain before dissipating.


    ¡°Wh-what the hell was that?¡± I shouted after realizing there wasn¡¯t any shrapnel coming. All her runes met in the center and fizzled away.


    ¡°She-she did it!¡± I was startled by a voice a few balconies over. The woman frantically crawled through a door, as did the others when they noticed, leaving us alone with the glaring creator¡¯s younger self.


    ¡°We are now free to leave.¡± Cira turned and opened the door behind us. She walked through it as the man shouted at her, demanding she help and calling her an enemy of the coalition if she walked out that door. I didn¡¯t know what to do, but he looked really upset, so I meekly turned around and followed Cira, gently closing the door behind me.


    ¡°You sure that¡¯s okay? What if he comes after us?¡± We walked through a well-lit hall with a light gray stone floor and painted walls. It didn¡¯t seem overly fancy given how important the place seemed, and it was just a long, empty hallway.


    ¡°You know it¡¯s harder to recover mana when you worry.¡± I had no choice but to shut up after that one. We walked for just a few minutes until we found a staircase on either side of us and Cira automatically turned right.


    This led us to another hallway, but this time there were windows. We both paused to look over the burning city. It was even larger than the capital of Porta Bora. Flashes of magic appeared and dwindled in the streets, while pained cries echoed above the rooftops.


    ¡°Huh¡­ Where do you think that first explosion came from?¡± We were looking in the general direction we felt the blast from, but there was so much disaster before our eyes it was impossible to tell.


    ¡°Well¡­ Why do people blow things up?¡± My question made her put a hand to her chin in thought. ¡°If it¡¯s just a regular invasion, it doesn¡¯t matter where, but I only really felt the one big one. Where I come from, people blow stuff up to get to something important, like treasure, but I guess some people like to explode things or places because they¡¯re important.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ so, we could either be looking for the tallest building or a place with no building at all. Maybe a large pile of rubble¡­ Alternatively, a hidden treasury. Lots of options here¡­¡± She didn¡¯t look like she was any closer to the truth, so we kept moving.


    ¡°It boils down to the fact that they want something. It could even be an empty island covered in soot for all we know. Could be gold under this city.¡± I threw my hands out in defeat. I probably hadn¡¯t helped much.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get out here.¡± Cira put on foot up on the window and I grabbed onto her in shock.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious!¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± She brushed me off, ¡°The streets will turn into a lengthy battle over a great distance, and we won¡¯t know where anything is.¡± She jumped out the window onto a rooftop nearly ten feet away and rolled into a landing. Cira stood up and brushed herself off, ¡°Just boost yourself with a little wind.¡±


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    She held her arm out over the ledge, ready to pull me in if I landed short.


    Dammit, screw it! What¡¯s the worst that could happen in some guy¡¯s memory?


    ¡°Hahhhh!!!¡± I leapt forward with all my might and a wimpy gust, looking straight down at a pile of corpses. My mind froze and I felt Cira pulling me in, then coarse stone ground against my face as I slid to a stop.


    ¡°Fool. You almost died.¡± Cira was on her ass looking at me like the biggest idiot, and I felt like one too.


    ¡°What would happen if we died here?¡±


    She smirked, holding up two fingers, ¡°One of two things might happen. Either we wake up safe and sound, or our souls disperse. I would rather not find out the hard way.¡±


    That made my heart leap out of my chest. With my luck, it was probably a certain death sentence. As a burning pain set in I wondered if I would wake up with my face horribly mangled from this clay roof.


    Cira held up her palm and a thin stream of golden light flowed over to me. I felt the pain start to dissipate, but it seemed like it would take a few minutes. Without further words, she got up and began walking again. ¡°I say we cut them off. If whoever started this is on the island at all, they¡¯ll be leaving soon. I imagine they will be meeting with Queen Heritos, so we have to think of where they will escape from.¡±


    Even I felt bad for the all-powerful mage. That lady seemed like his wife and she somehow plotted to unleash monsters on the city. Her intentions were so far beyond me I dared not speculate on such ancient events.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± We reached a short wall separating us from the edge and Cira hopped on up and straight across to the next roof. I struggled to do the same, and she had to pull me in again. Just less painfully. ¡°I want to say they will have a hidden landing spot, but if their vessel is too large, they¡¯ll have no choice but to use the main docks. With all this carnage, I doubt they care about staying hidden anymore.¡±


    ¡°Right. We should at least check there then. Assuming that mage is able to break out soon, the conspirators¡¯ goal must be to leave as quickly as possible.¡±


    We were mostly following the coast across each rooftop, and Cira took us across rows when it seemed convenient to inch a little closer. There were distant screams surrounding us the whole way, but now the sounds of battle clashed just below us. We peered over the edge at the shoreside road where a handful of bloodied residents stood against five or six of those horrific creatures we encountered. Half of the monsters were preoccupied with eating their fallen friends as they shuddered and watched.


    A spell fizzled out in one man¡¯s hand, and the others had either swords, or just plain knives. They didn¡¯t look like guards of any kind, more like a family facing death.


    ¡°Should¡­ we help them?¡± I asked.


    ¡°To what end?¡± Cira¡¯s voice was cold, but her eyes didn¡¯t seem to enjoy what they saw, ¡°Those people died over a thousand years ago. Neither you or I can change that.¡±


    One of the monsters lunged into the middle seemingly to pick off one of the young. I watched a kitchen knife slide right off its skull while a sword only bounced away. Soon another joined in to pull the man and woman to the ground. I tried to look away, but their desperate, fading cries put me in a trance until Cira pulled me along.


    ¡°Focus. We¡¯re almost there.¡± My feet were heavy and my hands trembled. One more roof and we cut over the street. After that, we were overlooking the entire harbor. There was¡­ a lot of blood. And nothing seemed to be moving.


    Then the roof shook. I felt a wave of mana then a voice echoed over the city.


    ¡°Remaining people of Heritos,¡± It was the young creator¡¯s voice, but he didn¡¯t sound in any sort of panic. He sounded outright cold. ¡°This is the High Chancellor of the Ionath Coalition speaking. It is my great pleasure to inform you that Heritos is among the islands chosen for removal from the Coalition.¡±


    ¡°He¡ªhe lied to us!¡± I was outraged. He wasn¡¯t betrayed at all!


    ¡°Fool.¡± Cira gave me a look, ¡°I can¡¯t pinpoint it, but that voice isn¡¯t coming from behind us. Something isn¡¯t right about it either. Can¡¯t you tell?¡±


    Now that she mentioned it, the voice definitely lacked that quality of gravitas that his tone commanded. He seemed completely apathetic as he droned out his announcement. Apparently I was exactly as stupid as everyone in the city.


    ¡°Wait, this place is called Heritos too?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Cira mulled it over, ¡°It appears she made him out to be the traitor, on a genocidal scale¡ª¡±


    The bleak decree continued for any left alive to hear it, ¡°People of Heritos. Please patiently await the end. I promise it will come soon.¡±

 181 - Rule Breaker

    A minute or two passed as we stood on the rooftop in silence. No matter if it came from the genuine article or not, the content of the creator¡¯s announcement was chilling. I couldn¡¯t imagine being a resident here when all this was really happening.


    ¡°What do you think is the best way to get down there?¡± Cira asked, looking at the aftermath of a one-sided slaughter at the harbor.


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me?¡±


    She shrugged, ¡°It may be tricky to jump down and not get hurt. I would like to keep some mana afterwards.¡± we were at least five stories up, and jumping off the edge didn¡¯t look very appealing to me.


    ¡°You were the one going on about how easy flying is. Can you conjure a rope?¡± I asked as a joke.


    ¡°Now there¡¯s an idea¡­¡± Cira held out her crystal ball, ¡°This is how I descended the Last Step.¡±


    The crystal was dyed green as a verdant beam split in two and hit the roof¡¯s edge. She held out her other palm and water gently flowed to each spot, giving rise to little saplings that rapidly grew and fell over the side.


    ¡°Seriously¡­?¡±


    ¡°We must be quick, though. Before they wither!¡± Cira wasted no time to rappel down, leaving me in the dust, baffled and alone on a rooftop.


    I tossed my crimson blade off in a panic and scrambled over the edge with very little grace. I wasn¡¯t scared of heights, per se, but actually seeing the ground from a high place made me imagine smashing against it. Usually, it¡¯s just clouds and easy to ignore.


    So, I looked up, adjusted my grip on the vines, and slid down. I almost slipped at the bottom as a severed arm slid out from under my foot and the vine crumbled apart in my hands at the same time. The harbor seemed no better than the meeting room from before¡ªactually much worse¡ªbut all the carnage melded together here. It was impossible to tell where one body ended and another began when they were all in pieces, many of which were missing. Evidently heads were also on the menu.


    I grabbed my aether flame sword from the dock and Cira was still able to use her undine powers to douse the surrounding embers. Her waters were noticeably frail, however.


    We couldn¡¯t see as much from down here either because the many ships blocked most of the docks, but none of the ships appeared to have been manned.


    ¡°So, how do we find the right boat?¡± Maybe it was a stupid question, but I had to ask.


    ¡°We would run out of time if we checked each one¡­¡± She pondered, ¡°Perhaps I could craft an instrument to point us in the right direction.¡±


    ¡°Could you perhaps do that¡­?¡± I guess sorcerers really have an answer for everything. How envious. ¡°How do you look for something when you don¡¯t even know what it is?¡±


    ¡°How indeed.¡± She agreed, but held out her crystal ball nonetheless. Nails pulled themselves out of the boardwalk and melted together before forming a thin metal frame like a small box. ¡°I¡¯m still trying to narrow in on that feeling I grasped when fighting the necromancer, but I have been workshopping an idea lately.¡±


    I felt an unsettling tremor in my soul as she held the object up and a flash of colorful light seared my eyes. She crafted a lantern, evidently, with a flame that couldn¡¯t seem to settle on a color. It was small and weak, but brilliant all the same. I had to stop looking at it, turning my gaze to Cira in confusion.


    A perfectly cylindrical dowel rose up from the wooden dock below and Cira formed a small chain to attach the lantern to it. She held the lantern now on the haft and rotated slowly until we were facing back towards the city.


    ¡°Damn¡­ I guess we¡¯re in the wrong place after all.¡±


    I was baffled as she turned her back on the harbor and walked down an alley. I took a double take at all the ships and bounded behind her, ¡°Are you going to tell me what this is about?¡±


    ¡°Were I to affect fate within a conjured memory, we would likely be thrown out of it, or it would otherwise fall apart. There is a set course of events meant to occur here¡ªI suspect the same thing would have happened if I somehow managed to stop those weird monsters from entering the room before.¡± Cira held her glimmering lantern on display again, ¡°But that just means fate flows in a single direction here, or more accurately, all toward a single point. I¡¯m still working on a catchy name for this fire,¡± She ran her fingers through the flame¡¯s tip, and it shifted through a hundred colors, ¡°but they yearn to consume. I¡¯m confident they¡¯re pointing towards the most important moment in this time and place¡ªso let¡¯s try and get there first.¡±


    She did not wait for my reply before turning forward again and speeding up her gait.


    ¡°Hang on!¡± I whisper-shouted, ¡°Aren¡¯t there more of those things all over?¡±


    In fact, I was pretty sure I could hear the sound of flesh being chewed around the corner.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. You go first.¡± She shimmied behind me and gave an assured nod before gesturing her head toward my crimson sword. ¡°But move quickly.¡±


    Shit¡­ Why did I say that?


    I let out a deep sigh and resumed walking. The sound had gotten closer and I poked my head around the corner. There was of course, very much blood, and an otherwise unblemished man getting his leg gnawed on by one of those monsters.


    Ash silenced my footsteps, and I cut it from right shoulder to left hip, then a couple through the head, and separated each limb.


    The only way to deal with these monsters, it seemed, was to incapacitate them and move on with one¡¯s life as soon as possible.


    ¡°Hey¡­ this guy¡¯s breathing!¡± I was almost excited to see a little bit of good fortune in this tremendous disaster, but then Cira opened her mouth.


    ¡°How many times do I have to tell you we¡¯re in a memory? Unless there¡¯s another tag team of unlikely heroines right behind us, the guy still died¡ªover a thousand years ago.¡±


    Another sigh, and we continued through the streets at Cira¡¯s direction as more colors than I knew existed reflected off the countless trails of blood. Many of the buildings seemed to have been burnt quickly with magic and left as charcoaled frames, but there were more than a few active fires we had to circumvent. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Cira wanted to traverse the streets or if going back to the rooftops hadn¡¯t even occurred to her.


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    ¡°Hey, if you can conjure some stupid flame to point exactly where we want, why didn¡¯t you do it earlier?¡± This was such an obvious question I couldn¡¯t believe I just thought of it.


    ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought of it¡ªleft here.¡±


    The impression I got was that returning to the roofs had not occurred to her.


    We were no longer anywhere near the harbor, which felt like wasted effort and time, but I guess it didn¡¯t really matter. Despite being in front, I was just along for the ride, really. This was all just one big learning experience. All I had to worry about was what¡¯s in front of me.


    Strangely, I only had to cut down a couple more of those things. I was glad there weren¡¯t any groups to fight, but it made me more uneasy than anything. There was no end to the half-chewed corpses while rivers of blood ran through the gutters, and I couldn¡¯t help but wonder where all the monsters that killed them went. There had to be a lot of them to cause this much carnage in such a short time. The announcement of condemnation honestly came too late, but I guess it worked all the same.


    ¡°Any idea how close we are?¡± The silver lining I clung onto in my head was that we weren¡¯t going the same direction of the coalition building we woke up in. We actually moved opposite from it, further up the coast, but gradually inland.


    Cira¡¯s feet slowed and I turned around to see her waving the flame around. Almost like she was reorienting the solar compass for accuracy. I pushed through the mental discomfort staring at it gave me and noticed the flame¡¯s tip turned rather quickly now, whereas I couldn¡¯t see a change earlier.


    As it turned, it continued pointing in a single direction. So, Cira kicked open a wrought-iron gate and took a step inside the ominous estate. When her foot touched the ground, I felt something like a spatial quake. Suddenly, I couldn¡¯t move a muscle, nor feel any of them. The world turned white as if a dense fog began to fall in the blink of an eye.


    While the last dredges of lingering warmth in my consciousness tried to fade away, I felt something grab my hand.


    It was Cira. All of a sudden, the fog was gone and I stood in a cobbled courtyard with square hedges to form a road up to a large manor. My eyes blinked and I felt a shiver. Feeling returned to my muscles, and I could finally take a breath. Desperately. When I followed the hand clutching mine upward, I met bright viridian eyes betraying at least some concern.


    ¡°Phew, almost lost you.¡± She pulled me further and I noticed the world around me looked more vague the closer I looked. ¡°We need to hurry¡ª¡±


    ¡°No¡ªwait. What the hell¡­ Just happened?¡± I was still in shock and played the role of an anchor in her escape. ¡°Why can¡¯t you let me know before you do these things? And what happened to Madam Granola or whatever?¡±


    Cira did have a rare sense of urgency on her face, so I at least let us continue walking toward the front door.


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t expect this. We¡¯re no longer within a conjured memory¡ªI suppose its bearer knows nothing of this place.¡± Cira waved her arm around and it left afterimages. Worse yet, I could see right through it to the colorful flowers along the fence. ¡°Just don¡¯t let go of my hand. We are currently unbound spirits adrift in an ancient aethereal imprint until we return to our bodies.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ how do we do that?¡± While the world was vague, that was not to say it was blurred or muddled in lack of detail. There were many vibrant colors within the courtyard, and everything looked incredibly well-defined¡ªreal even, but something was just off about it. Like each thrum of my own heart threatened to repel me from this place.


    It wasn¡¯t like the fog was returning, but like my vision was cutting out in intermittent places. It was more accurate to say that which needn¡¯t be observed didn¡¯t bother appearing, but if I observed something too closely, there wasn¡¯t enough of it left to see.


    I started to worry holding onto Cira wasn¡¯t enough to remain, then I noticed the myriad flame in her lantern.


    Every color and more, many I couldn¡¯t tell you the name of if I tried, and the world around us seemed to flicker along with it. As if the flames were breathing life into this place. Were they forcing the aether to bring us here?


    ¡°I suspect the Paradise Mage,¡± Is she serious¡­? ¡°is actively working to pull us out. He is likely struggling because my consciousness and yours have left his area of authority. Still, we¡¯re probably just laying on the floor of some hut, mind and soul intact, so it¡¯s not like we¡¯re completely adrift.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s good. We just need to wait and he¡¯ll pull us out.¡± Relief welled up in my chest, and Cira took it as a sign to tug me along faster.


    ¡°Exactly why we need to hurry. There¡¯s a juicy secret inside this manor, I just know it.¡±


    Cira held up her hand, conjuring a new, shinier crystal orb, and snickered to herself, ¡°But my aura is no longer that of a pitiful dead woman.¡± I realized my haphazard domain was long gone¡ªI guess it died with Madam belliyon. Cira gathered more air in a second than I could in a day, and the courtyard¡¯s existence seemed to suffer under the pressure.


    Right when I thought she was going to tear what remained of this world apart, the wind crackled like thunder. Glass shattered as all the windows disappeared and the front door exploded to splinters. Choice few bricks slid out from their place, and I was sure for a moment the entire building would fall.


    The last of Cira¡¯s wind cleared the resulting dust and she pulled me up the stairs and straight through the front door. Once we were inside, the blood drained from my face. A small group stood around a magic circle, painting it in blood. Behind them were masses of intwined corpses. Not exactly human, but close enough. Just like the abominations that destroyed so many.


    ¡°Fascinating.¡± Cira crossed her arms and looked over the glyphs, ¡°As far as spatial enchantments go, those are all beginner runes, but arranged in such a complex array that it appears they¡¯re attempting long-range teleportation via rudimentary means. I guess it makes sense they escaped that way.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what do you mean? Is that possible? What are all the bodies for? Those monsters¡ª¡± I was in shock at her words but grew petrified when I realized I wasn¡¯t the only one. Needless to say, Cira continued.


    ¡°Those wretched ghouls slaughtered the townsfolk for all their mana, and were reduced to a catalyst to power this array for their escape¡­ I¡¯m all for convenient repurposing, but this just feels so wrong¡­ Why slaughter everyone in the first place? Was the old geezer taking blame just a matter of convenience as well, or was his defamation the goal?¡±


    ¡°Who¡­¡± The woman on the ground spoke, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    She had gone pale at the rambling interloper, and Cira did the same when she heard the woman speak, locking very alert eyes.


    ¡°Oh¡­ oh no.¡± Cira looked at me, ¡°We have a serious problem.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ that problem is¡ª¡±


    ¡°I said who ARE YOU?!¡± The woman jumped to her feet and shot a flaming spear at us, which fizzled away very quickly.


    Cira, still looking at me, ¡°They can see us.¡± As she said, all eyes were on us. Mana flared up but was snuffed out upon inception.


    ¡°But¡­ they could always see us. They even spoke to us in the¡ª¡±


    ¡°No. I told you we¡¯re no longer in a memory. These people in the past¡­¡± She wore that look on her face like she was trying to avoid admitting a great mistake, ¡°they can see us.¡±


    ¡°In a memory¡­?¡± The woman had intently listened to Cira¡¯s words. Her eyes narrowed, ¡°Whose memory?¡±


    Mana burst and we were assailed with a hundred flaming needles. They were worthless, luckily.


    ¡°Your memory.¡± Cira laughed, ¡°You grow into a very old woman, I¡¯ll have you know.¡±


    Cira was undoubtedly stronger than this woman, but I felt another force of mana gather in the room. A sudden gust brushed over us. Power manifested in the hue of a fine rose wine. I didn¡¯t recognize it as an element, but it formed smoke that drifted in on the breeze and converged into the shape of a person.


    ¡°I would love to hear more about that,¡± He looked young, but his eyes were smug¡ªflushed with the arrogance of age. Dark hair combed up like the nobles above almost hid a pair of short horns on his head. He reached out a hand and Cira recoiled, ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure of a visit from such beautiful creatures¡ª¡±


    Shattering crystal drew my attention, and I watched Cira crush her crystal orb in her hand. As shimmering shards fell to the ground, the makeshift staff was replaced by dark wood. My arms¡¯ form trembled in its wake.


    ¡°You will forget this.¡± Petulant gray smoke flowed from the wooden staff and into the mysterious horned man, then she turned her gaze to the woman, ¡°And I will see you in fifteen hundred years.¡±


    More smoke enveloped the baffled mages on the ground as the room around us faded to white. I watched her rainbow torch wisp wildly as if a storm was intent on blowing it out. Another prominent force of mana bore down on us like the sky had fallen, and the world only faded further.


    It felt like I spent hours in a blizzard, but my chest suddenly heaved, and I felt warm air with a faint scent of salt and ale.


    I heard another violent inhale beside me and golden hair danced as Cira flew to her feet. The island trembled, but it was not her doing.


    ¡°WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, LITTLE SORCERER, TO MEDDLE WITH MY MEMORIES?¡± That familiar thunderous voice echoed through our minds.


    ¡°Those are my memories, you oaf.¡± Cira replied, ¡°You should be grateful.¡±

 182 - Due Payment

    ¡°The audacity!¡± The creator shouted as my eyes refocused to a world which actually existed, though an artificial one still. ¡°Just what have you done?!¡±


    Despite his clearly diminutive tone, his voice wavered in clear panic.


    ¡°I may or may not have entered the past as an observant specter of sorts. If you want to blame anyone, blame yourself for forcing me into that situation.¡±


    ¡°Cira!¡± I had to say something. The creator¡¯s crushing mana was all around us.


    ¡°What? If he uses power as an excuse to reduce others¡¯ opinions to nothing, then he is hardly someone we should pay mind to as self-respecting sorcerers.¡± She flipped her palms up like there were no more facts left to prove her point, ¡°Am I wrong?¡±


    ¡°You¡ªyou dare call yourself a sorcerer?¡± The omnipresent mage shouted his question into our minds, and there was a sudden disturbance in the aether. It felt as potent as the wrathful storm.


    ¡°If there is any title within these vast skies which I am confident claiming,¡± Cira¡¯s tone turned cold as gold turned red, rising through the thatch roof like molten rain, ¡°it is Sorcerer.¡±


    Spatial quakes fluctuated and the small hut confining us eroded in motes of light.


    I heard his voice ripple through the wind and fade away as if a sudden gust had rejected it, allowing Cira to continue her tirade.


    ¡°You lost the right to judge me one thousand three hundred and seventy-eight years ago, Fragment.¡± A burning golden landscape surrounded us, and I watched raindrops of melted gold larger than myself rise to the sky. Instead of an orb like I would expect her to make out of materials, they kept rising and took form like a field of stars, or perhaps countless suns. In seconds, it all burned away in smoke and wafted away. ¡°You have waited so long for a sorcerer, yet here I am. What do you want? Enough games.¡±


    I could not believe how obstinate Cira was, but she also spoke with a familiarity I couldn¡¯t fathom. The mage shouting through the winds didn¡¯t hold a fraction of the impact to her as it did me.


    ¡°You have now witnessed the moment of my fall, though you left early. I always wondered how she evaded my sight in the end¡­¡± His voice dripped with remorse and exhaustion. ¡°You have quickly proven yourself to be the most foolish sorcerer I have ever met. If you¡¯re lucky, moving through the past will have gone unnoticed because you are within my realm, but if you value your existence, I would recommend never doing that again.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Cira spoke pensively, ¡°It was an accident. More importantly, do you expect me to find and kill your former mistress? You know I have quite a few things on my plate as is. If by some miracle she hasn¡¯t died in the last millennium, don¡¯t you think she¡¯d be much stronger than me?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so simple-minded,¡± he retorted to Cira¡¯s visible displeasure, ¡°It matters not how much is on your plate. You went out of your way to show your face. It wouldn¡¯t surprise me if your picture has hung on that wench¡¯s wall for the last thousand years. I don¡¯t even have to bribe you with power, because you already dragged yourself into it!¡± He laughed a hearty laugh. ¡°I can¡¯t believe such a fool exists.¡±


    ¡°Tch. You think I did anything on accident, you old idiot? I did not like what that man was doing with the sanguine smoke, so I decided to act.¡± The Saltier Songstress rose from the ground below us and we were already moving, ¡°Come on, Tawny. We have crops to check on.¡± The she turned over her shoulder to the sky, ¡°I care not for your powers nor ancient grudges, old man. I will destroy what I feel like, because I feel like it, and only when I get around to it. Feel free to piss off to the next life now.¡±


    Glasses manifested in our hands and Cira filled them with legendary ale from her pocket. I let out a satisfied sigh on my first sip as I had grown parched lying there on the floor of the hut for who knows how long, ¡°What was that pink smoke, by the way? It made me feel¡­ bad. Hard to describe¡­¡±


    ¡°I know what you mean,¡± Cira replied, meanwhile we both heard ambient grumbling, ¡°But I¡¯m not entirely sure what it was¡­ I believe that man had the power to create those abominations. Hard to say if they were derived from people or something like flesh golems, though. Mac may have some insight. We should hurry back, actually. It¡¯s easier to think when Skipper makes me a five-course meal.¡±


    We clinked our glasses together and shared a drink while a frustrated dead man erupted in our minds¡ªI nearly spit ale out my nose.


    ¡°ENOUGH.¡± He yelled, ¡°I will not be ignored after all this time.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but you waited all this time just to ridicule someone who decided to help of their own volition after being so moved by experiencing your memories.¡± Cira continued drinking indifferently, ¡°Surely another sorcerer with more agreeable sensibilities and clearer limits will arrive in the next thousand-some-odd years to become your servant, now if you don¡¯t mind, I will harvest my apples and be on my way.¡±


    As she spoke, the miniature golden ship sailed across the land in a beeline back to our field.


    Wait, is she actually offended? Her sensibilities are probably the greatest mystery I¡¯ve ever known. I thought she disliked this guy from the get-go, so why would she still go out of her way to finish his worldly business?


    Loud grumbles continued and I felt the connection from the mage cut off. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d say he gave up. Surely it couldn¡¯t be that easy, right?


    ¡°Are we really going to just leave?¡± I asked, ¡°This is kind of a disappointing conclusion after everything we just went through.¡±


    ¡°I agree, but the self-proclaimed sorcerer who created this place couldn¡¯t have been more of a disappointment,¡± Her voice dripped with irritation, ¡°It¡¯s one thing to play with lives, but to create them temporarily just to throw them at strangers for a test¡­¡± She was surprisingly serious, and I watched her fist clench around her glass. ¡°After his downfall was wrought by the bastardization of life, he has the gall to commit the same sin here.¡±


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    ¡°Are we¡­ talking about that memory¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes and no.¡± She cut me off, opening her palm and letting a stream of lighting flow out, only to dissolve into the aether, ¡°That storm fiend should never have achieved consciousness. To kill me was to survive. It was granted intelligence enough to come to this conclusion, but not enough to realize that defeat or victory both led to the same outcome¡ªdestruction. Dispersal as any other conjuration. It never had a chance at innocence in its brief life. The Paradise Mage should be glad he¡¯s dead, for the fragment he left behind has become just as bad as those who inspired such wrath. Good riddance if you ask me.¡±


    She seemed in a mood, so I let her ramble away from as we approached the fields. Cresting a golden hill, we were met by a field of dark-gold soil with so many trees I couldn¡¯t count them.


    Bright red fruit hung from their branches and Cira shook her head from side to side, plucking an apple for each of us into the air. ¡°It sure is a shame having to rip up these trees I worked so hard for¡­¡±


    ¡°You win some, you lose some.¡± Taking a bite, I shrugged. That was the best advice I could offer. The apple was unbelievable and sweeter than anything that ever made it to the docks of Hangman¡¯s Cove.


    Cira sighed, and I watched apples begin to pluck from their branches when a weirdly familiar feeling brushed against my mind.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± It was the creator again¡ªthe so-called Paradise Mage. ¡°Perhaps you are right.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Cira was the first to ask.


    ¡°I wonder¡­ Have I truly become so deluded?¡± He let it hang in the air for a moment.


    ¡°Go on¡­¡± Cira started enjoying her apple as well, staring into the sky.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have you know, what was born of that storm was never my intention. I may have been talented in my heyday, but creating life from scratch¡­? Don¡¯t flatter me.¡± This seemed to improve Cira¡¯s mood for some reason, but the look on her face gave the impression it had more to do with narrowing the gap between this guy and her dad. ¡°And I abhorred the corruption of life. Surely one of the main contributing factors to Ventra setting their eyes on me.¡±


    The disgust in his voice was authentic enough to my ears.


    ¡°That man with the rose-colored smoke,¡± Cira replied with a keen tone, ¡°He was from Ventra, wasn¡¯t he? What can you tell me about that power?¡±


    ¡°I have never seen it in person, and the memory I received from you is hazy¡­¡± It sounded like he was trying to scrape the distant past for clues, ¡°Lord Zephyr, Sovereign of Ventra. He became a conqueror at a young age after a god supposedly granted him power to ¡®perfect the flesh¡¯. The citizens of his skies enjoyed such health and prosperity it sounded made up. Normal people without a speck of mana lived well into their second century and all forms of labor were handled by artifacts or beasts of burden. Commerce was internalized and the people received everything they needed straight to their door.¡±


    ¡°Hah,¡± Cira chuckled, but her eyes looked grave. ¡°They sound more like livestock to me¡ªMaterials, if you will. You sure got some perfected flesh delivered straight to your door though, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I suppose I did¡­¡± He was audibly frustrated. What makes a perfected human body? The ability to be cut up and incinerated, yet still not die? Perfect just isn¡¯t the word I would use for those things.


    ¡°You ever heard of Ventra?¡± Cira asked me.


    ¡°No.. never.¡± It didn¡¯t even ring a bell.


    ¡°Interesting¡­ and the curse I laid on that woman still exists. She is too far away for me to locate though, or perhaps hidden in a realm of her own.¡± She again looked to the sky. ¡°Tough break on her. She was supposed to be your mistress or something, right? What was her deal?¡±


    ¡°She was my wife, and my queen for centuries¡­¡± It sounded like a wound that still hadn¡¯t stopped bleeding. ¡°I have spent all these years wondering why she betrayed me¡­ and I still don¡¯t have an answer. Whether she was under Zephyr¡¯s influence or did so of her own volition, I will probably never know.¡±


    ¡°You may know one day, now that a true sorcerer is on the case,¡± Cira smirked, plucking another apple from the air. ¡°But I haven¡¯t been paid for my last few jobs. Even if I¡¯m personally invested, I have standards.¡±


    ¡°Look beneath your feet, foolish girl.¡± We both did and were reminded of the massive rock of gold we stood on. ¡°What more could you ask of a dead man?¡±


    ¡°Fair point¡­ I can¡¯t exactly take the whole island with me though.¡± It looked like she actually played with the idea briefly.


    That got the old man laughing, ¡°Na?ve, greedy, obstinate, reckless¡­ rude, while we¡¯re at it. If any one of my students exhibited a fraction of your personality traits I would have expelled them in the blink of an eye.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Cira took it well. More with confusion than anything else. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°The me of the past would never take you on as a student. Not in a thousand years.¡± And now her confused face was drifting towards offended. ¡°But this old me doesn¡¯t have another thousand years to wait. As promising a sorcerer as you may never again reach my shores. It looks like you¡¯ll have to do.¡±


    ¡°Gee, thanks.¡± She looked baffled and insulted in equal measure now. ¡°I already told you I was going to look into it. Why do you feel the need to go out of your way to be mean?¡±


    Throughout this argument, a swarm of apples had begun to blot out the sun.


    ¡°But you seem to possess a good heart. I have no doubt you will rise to be the sorcerer I¡¯ve always waited for, but I am still uneasy. It appears you hold quite the sinister power yourself, not to even mention your conjuring of a moment in the past, and entering it.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s be clear. I was never seeking your approval, and the most sinister thing about any power is the hand that wields it. The only sorcerer I shall rise to become is the one to surpass my father. Naturally, you are somewhere along the way.¡±


    ¡°Hah! So that¡¯s how it is.¡± He was in a strangely good mood, but somehow distant. ¡°I suppose you will do just fine, after all. Now, it may be inconvenient to carry the whole island away, but I prepared a gift for my eventual successor. Believe it or not, I had the time.¡±


    A curious sparkle entered Cira¡¯s eye as a shimmering necklace appeared before her. Made of various metals of strange colors I¡¯d expect to see Cira pull out of her pocket, it held a massive gem that looked like it went on forever. The centerpiece was surrounded by smaller gems all precisely cut into asymmetrical shapes and flowed into each other like petals of a flower.


    It was the gaudiest thing I had ever seen, but a grin crept onto my master¡¯s face as she took it in her hands. I could see its weight pull her down for a second.


    ¡°Two anchor points bind this realm to existence,¡± The mage spoke with unexpected gravitas, ¡°The Island you know as Green Pit, and this pendant.¡±


    There seemed to be a light behind Cira¡¯s eyes¡ªshe was literally glowing.


    ¡°I can feel it¡­ the spatial pathways. I could teleport us straight back to Green Lake right now if I wanted. Or the other side of the island¡ªthe bottom of the sea even.¡± She held up the pendant and gazed into the massive gem in the center. ¡°No¡­ does this mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± The mage spoke proudly, ¡°You may return to this realm through either anchor. Keep in mind, it will take increasing amounts of mana, the further you are from Green Pit. The only remedy to this would be to destroy the island entirely, but then you better be sure to keep that pendant safe. Destruction of the final anchor will cause rapid spatial decompression and likely destroy an area at least as large as this realm, and much of whatever¡¯s beneath you.¡±


    ¡°Incredible¡­¡± She put the necklace on and conjured a mirror-like surface. She wore a bright smile but I could tell she also thought it was the gaudiest thing she had ever seen. ¡°My own realm. Imagine that.¡±


    ¡°Just be sure you don¡¯t break your soul again trying to enter it.¡± I laughed.


    ¡°Tch. Perhaps a lesser sorcerer might.¡± It really is incredible though. She¡¯ll never run out of fish. That¡¯s for sure. ¡°But this means we can leave the orchard intact. So, I say it¡¯s high time we head back and share the spoils.¡±


    She was already loading back up on the golden ship when the mage spoke again, ¡°Cira, you are now my successor, like it or not. Return here before you continue your journey. I am not yet out of gifts to bestow.¡±


    Cira shot a casual finger-gun to the sky, ¡°You got it.¡±

 183 - Gilded Return

    Green Lake was silent, but many folk mulled about town. There was still quite a crowd camped out in faith of Cira¡¯s return, but it had thinned considerably. Shores and Jimbo were at their wits end dealing with the disgruntled refugees.


    ¡°Face it, Jimbo!¡± One young woman with dark hair shouted in his face, ¡°They¡¯re gone! Just send us back to Lost Cloud, already.¡± Jimbo had the brothers Eros and Lero check along with all the other water mages and determined there wasn¡¯t a damn thing in the lake. Not even bodies. Jimbo had high doubts Cira was dead, but he couldn¡¯t just keep hundreds of women and children hostage on this island. Not many aside from the devout awaited her return anymore, so it was about time to make arrangements himself.


    ¡°Fine¡­ Shores, can you ready a ship¡ª¡± The lake trembled and a rumble echoed into the sky. Waves formed, pushing onto the bank as a bright light shined from beneath the surface.


    Anyone around the lake was drawn in and watched in fear of what would happen next. For some of them, doubt was setting in. Their guiding star was lost, and there was nobody to protect them from mysterious, unseen horrors. Gratos alone stood at the shore, ready to fight whatever emerged, while the others were frozen in terror.


    A sword emerged and Gratos tensed up, but relaxed when he realized it was solid gold and wielded by the fair Saint. She wore a captain¡¯s hat and a large overcoat, also made of gold. Her pants, boots, gloves, belt, sword, sails, ship, and the railings she propped her foot up on all glimmered gold in the misty sun.


    ¡°Land ho!¡± Cira cried, taking full advantage of her repertoire of pirate lingo while she still had the chance.


    An audible gasp resounded through town as the golden ship plowed into the shore in the direction Cira pointed. Tawny, wrapped head to toes in golden robes and a gold hat, gripped the sides with a frightful expression on her face.


    ¡°Lady Saint!¡± Captain Shores threw himself into the sand, grasping for the golden ship, ¡°You¡¯re safe!¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± She cocked her head and looked around, giving the assembly of pirates and long-since liberated women and children a strange look, ¡°Who do you think I am?¡±


    ¡°What the hell took you so long?!¡± James demanded, cutting through the crowd.


    ¡°We had to pass multiple trials and overcome great challenges. Harsh environments¡­ Yes, Paradise is a very dangerous and inhospitable place.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what?¡±


    ¡°It is?!¡±


    Voices from the crowd fell into dissent.


    James had grown frustrated far too quickly, ¡°What is that even supposed to mean?¡± He, along with Jimbo and the rest, looked to Tawny for answers, but the girl couldn¡¯t help but laugh in their faces.


    ¡°Pitiful, foolish pirates.¡± Being the only one of the two in robes, Tawny crossed her arms and put on her best Cira impression, which meant the most woefully exaggerated one, ¡°Is it not clear that we have conquered Paradise?¡±


    Cira appreciated the fact that she was a little tipsy, and really embellishing it. Thinking it would be fun to follow her lead, she spoke to the crew as well.


    ¡°Rejoice!¡± she held her palm to the sky and a violent stream of golden froth exploded from it. This formed a river and trickled over the camp like rain. Cira intended to conjure them all glasses, but many seemed to sniff it out and just started shoving their faces into the floating stream. She instead branched it off into a hundred paths for all to enjoy no matter where they were on the island, but it was awkwardly high up so children couldn¡¯t reach. No one seemed to mind. Then she started pulling gold nuggets out of her pockets hand over fist and tossing them out to the crowd. James had never seen men more happy to get black eyes or have their teeth knocked out. ¡°Paradise belongs to the Eternal Empire!¡±


    James was left even more confused, but Cira, in her infinite wisdom, turned this into another lesson for her star pupil.


    ¡°Tawny, report our experience and findings to the crew. We¡¯ll see how you did in the morning.¡±


    Then the sorcerer floated into the sky with the light of dawn at her back before disappearing onto Breeze Haven above.


    ___


    Cira realized she hadn¡¯t really thought about anything lately. Responsibilities had been piling up and she was still stuck in the mindset of ¡°finish the job and fly away¡±. Unfortunately for her, it wasn¡¯t so simple here. It was as if she herself was the client and just spent the last few months lumping on more and more tasks.


    The most urgent priority to get out of her hair was the women and children. Before, she simply wasn¡¯t ready to address them. She felt almost ambushed to see such a large crowd waiting for her when it was usually just two or three guys at the bottom of her steps.


    As great strides as she made as of late, and greater intentions, Cira was still a victim to her own nature.


    So, the natural answer was to send them back to Acher with haste. After all, there was no more trouble afoot. This was an easy one, and she wondered why Jimbo hadn¡¯t already done it in her stead.


    She also felt a certain responsibility to her students¡ªat least the ones she took on directly. They had hardly been taught anything and she felt terrible. Cira was a busy girl, and this was one of the big reasons she had never taken on students in the past. Neglect was imminent.


    This all meant she owed her students a solid day or two of her time before disappearing indefinitely. Of course, this was hardly enough to truly raise a student, let alone more than she could count on her hand. She felt ashamed to even think about considering herself someone¡¯s mentor in sorcery. Still, she had places to be, as always.


    It was another bittersweet farewell. Even though it hadn¡¯t happened yet, Cira thought she had made a fair amount of friends here. It would be sad to never see them again.


    Cira rolled around in her bed pretty much all day and until the next, sleeping intermittently between sessions of reflection or rumination.


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    She really hated saying goodbye so frequently, but that was why she didn¡¯t often get too close with the locals. This was always the deal for an aspiring sorcerer.


    Crashing into an island on the verge of death was another matter entirely, though. She ended up depending on others more than she ever had since striking out adrift all those years ago. Relying on such precarious things as those around her always made Cira uncomfortable, but there was something comforting in that she didn¡¯t have to tough it out alone this time.


    When Cira¡¯s father passed, it really did feel like her soul had shattered. More so than when it actually did. Nothing but an empty, desolate horizon stood before her. Somehow, it was different this time. And she was better now.


    The gratitude she felt could not be expressed so easily and throwing coins at her crew felt cheap, even if it¡¯s exactly what they wanted. The least she could do was take time out of her schedule to impart whatever wisdom was possible to muster.


    After that, Cira had a few points of study to investigate around Acher before leaving. Namely, a follow up with Undina, then she was promised a night on the town with the nameless leader of Plackelo.


    Rolling out of bed with a groan, Cira put on the violet robes she hemmed the other day and decided to get back down there. The itch to hit the winds again had started to seep in, so there wasn¡¯t a moment to waste.


    It was amusing to see a river of ale still dancing over the lake, and even funnier to see the abandoned Lamplights floating around like nymphs, illuminating a field of slumbering pirates. The streets were filled as were the outskirts. As the sun rose, it appeared Cira awoke just past their bedtime.


    This worked out well for her. Without smashing the ground apart this time, Cira gently floated down and silently strode between buildings until reaching James. She gave him a nudge with her foot.


    ¡°Huh?!¡± Shing! Metal flashed in the lamplight and Cira found James¡¯ saber pressed against her belly.


    ¡°Seriously?¡± She pushed it to the side and narrowed her eyes, ¡°Just who were you expecting?¡±


    James realized where he was and relaxed, collapsing back with tired eyes.


    ¡°Lady Saint!¡± An unfamiliar voice shouted, followed by another.


    ¡°She has returned!¡± It was like an army of corpses all rising as they peeled themselves off the dirt and sand to greet her.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Great Saint!¡± Even the women and children emerging from the houses had joined in.


    ¡°Great¡­ I was trying to avoid this.¡± She glared at James. ¡°Get up, we have things to do, places to be.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too early.¡± He genuinely rolled back over and continued snoring over the racket he instigated.


    Even after another nudge or two, Cira was left alone among the adoring masses. A headache was slowly emerging. She must have look lost, turning aimlessly as if the crowd would resolve itself, but they only got closer and her more flustered.


    Dammit, I¡¯m a sorcerer, aren¡¯t I?


    ¡°My Lady, come this way.¡± She turned to find Gratos standing there, fresh as a daisy under the morning light. He held an outstretched arm that led away from the lake through a stretch of road with passed out drunks too dense for the masses to crowd. ¡°We have been waiting for you.¡±


    She didn¡¯t like ominous things like that, but she knew an opportunity to escape when she saw one. Just when she moved to turn, someone grabbed her hand.


    ¡°Thanks for saving us, Miss!¡± It was a bright-eyed little girl in dirty clothes. It was hard not to hope she¡¯d enjoy a happy life with Wick now in chains.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Cira smiled and gave her a pat on the head, but by then it was too late.


    She felt a tug at her robes, then another on the opposite side.


    ¡°I want to be just like you when I grow up!¡± A different girl¡¯s voice cheered.


    ¡°My mom says you¡¯re trouble,¡± A boy in a wool button-up pulled at her sleeve, ¡°But I think you¡¯re the coolest.¡±


    Now a red-haired girl skipped over the drunks and threw herself to her knees, ¡°Please make me your apprentice, Master!¡±


    ¡°No, me!¡± the first girl shouted with tears in her eyes.


    Cira too had tears in her eyes and she looked over her shoulder at Gratos with the dumbest grin on his face. He had stopped trying to pull her away.


    All the children clinging to her robes, Cira felt like one of those spiders that carry around a hundred babies on their backs, and she did not like feeling that way.


    Where is Mac when you need him? Wait, what¡¯s he gonna do here?


    I can do this. Dad did it all the time, I bet. I just need to deflect with some earnest advice.


    ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯ll be leaving soon, so I can¡¯t take on any more students.¡± She crouched down to eye level and smiled at the hopeful girls. ¡°Know that if you believe in yourself and put forth the effort, you can be an even greater sorcerer than me one day.¡±


    ¡°B-but I want to be a saint!¡± The first girl started crying, ¡°Why do I have to be a sorcerer?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t wanna be a sorcerer!¡± The next wailed.


    ¡°Sorcerers are dumb and old!¡± Cira¡¯s eye twitched as now all three girls were sobbing uncontrollably before her. She could feel herself flying away already when the young lad from earlier spoke up.


    ¡°I wanna be a pirate!¡± He beamed up at Cira, completely ignorant of the girls¡¯ woes.


    ¡°Whatever you do, kid.¡± She offered the least pained smile possible, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re gonna go far.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Lady!¡± He shouted and ran away, waving over his shoulder.


    ¡°Gratos, aren¡¯t you supposed to protect me?¡±


    He spun around in a flash, ¡°Are there enemies?!¡±


    ¡°Er, no¡­ that¡¯s not what I¡ª¡±


    Slap!


    Cira was dazed by the most unexpected thing to happen yet that morning. A woman¡¯s open palm hit her right on the cheek. Her sorcerously shielded yet unexpectant face moved with it as her eyes opened in shock. When Cira finally turned, she met the fiery eyes of a short brunette woman in a plain dress with a basket of laundry in one hand.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing to these poor girls?¡± The three had all stopped crying and now looked up in fear. Her words had made more than a few onlookers uneasy though.


    ¡°Nothing¡­ that¡¯s the point.¡± That is why they¡¯re crying, more or less¡ª


    ¡°Liar!¡± She swung for another slap and Cira flinched¡ªretaliation wasn¡¯t really an option and self-defense could go bad.


    ¡°Miss.¡± A large hand caught her arm and Gratos¡¯ stern voice came from over Cira¡¯s shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m going to have to ask you to calm down. My Lady was just explaining that¡ª¡±


    ¡°My Lady this and My Lady that! I¡¯m sick of it!¡± She shook the man off and took a step back. ¡°We¡¯ve gone from being Wick¡¯s hostages to this woman¡¯s. Who knows what sick experiments she plans to use us for.¡±


    Cira knew that look. It was one of someone untouched by mana and had only ever seen the horrors it could conjure. Likely compliments of Wick¡¯s wizards. Cira had seen some of the horrors as well, so it was not unreasonable, but she was scaring the children. A couple of their eyes held newfound apprehension.


    I can¡¯t let this continue. Dammit, I¡¯m still blaming James for all this. She glared at the sleeping man at her feet upon which multiple children stepped.


    ¡°Fine. I guess we have to do this now.¡± Cira tried to hide her debatably justified irritation and held out her palm. A faint green ball of light formed and rose up. The children stared in awe as gusts of wind dried their tears and the woman seemed frozen solid. A breeze flowed in every direction until the light dissipated, and Cira continued, ¡°Attention people of Green Pit.¡±


    Her voice rang over the mountains and to the shore, possibly even into the horizon a good measure.


    ¡°These skies no longer belong to Captain Wick. If you desire to return to the land formerly known as Lost Cloud, prepare to depart. Those who would rather remain here are welcome to, I guess. It will surely become quite developed. Could be fun, I don¡¯t know. Uh, anything I¡¯m forgetting, Gratos?¡± Her words rolled like thunder.


    His rapturous face was quickly marred with shock at being put on the spot. He shook his head and waved his arms frantically to convey that he had nothing, as if saying so would be heard by everyone, which it wouldn¡¯t. Cira was no hack.


    ¡°That will be all. Look to Captain Shores or Captain Sticks for further instruction.¡±


    ¡°Hey, what the hell?¡± Jimbo looked like shit.


    Barely catching herself, Cira dismissed her voice-carrying sorcery, ¡°You look like shit.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, but what¡¯s going on?¡± He scratched his head and reached for a flask that wasn¡¯t there. ¡°Dammit, it¡¯s too early.¡±


    ¡°Round everybody up. We will be returning to Acher posthaste.¡± She replied, tossing a flask with ten barrels of legendary ale in it at the man, ¡°It¡¯s time I move along.¡±

 184 - The Studious Sorcerer Slowly Skedaddles

    Captain Shores was left in charge of redistributing the former hostages, and some had come from as far as Dolliver. One girl had had enough of the pirate lifestyle and asked to be delivered to her family in Porta Bora, which he said he could facilitate as well. Always the reliable one, that Captain Shores.


    ¡°As you can see, I embossed it with the gold of paradise, and it can now hold ten barrels, instead of just two.¡± Cira looked mighty proud of herself as she leaned against the fence in her garden.


    ¡°Did you really have to upgrade it?¡± Tawny was distraught, tugging on Jimbo¡¯s arm, ¡°He already drinks too much.¡±


    ¡°I was inspired. My bad.¡±


    ¡°I like it. Best ale I¡¯ve ever had, while I¡¯m at it.¡± He said after finishing a long drink, offering Cira a thumbs up, then going for another. ¡°When can we get working on my leg though? I have tons of ideas. Like, could I store stuff in there¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hang on! The hell are you two planning?!¡± Tawny looked between the two¡ªJimbo with childlike wonder and Cira with a holding to her chin in deep though.


    ¡°After studying this pendant,¡± Cira no longer wore it, so she made it appear in her hand, ¡°I believe I have more catalysts capable of the task than I thought. I also have theories on spatially interchangeable blades, but that opens the door to any number of quick-change attachments. Shears, harpoon gun, grappling hook. Hell, one could even be a metal leg with jointed ankle, toes and everything¡ª¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Tawny clamped a hand over Cira¡¯s mouth, ¡°Stop it! You will heal his leg or leave it alone and that¡¯s final!¡±


    A frown formed and Cira looked at Jimbo, but he also looked pretty bummed out.


    ¡°Fine, fine¡­¡± his expression was one of true regret, ¡°Can you just heal my leg instead?¡±


    At the end of the day, it was the same choice Cira would make, if hers hadn¡¯t grown back incidentally.


    ¡°I can, but¡­ it will possibly take a while and hurt pretty bad.¡±


    ¡°Who cares? Getting my leg munched on hurt pretty bad too. If I can get my leg back for just a little more pain, I¡¯d be a coward to refuse.¡± Jimbo shrugged, ¡°Just put me to sleep.¡±


    ¡°I suppose I can, huh? But that will have to wait. We have just arrived at my first point of interest.¡± Cira leaned over the rail and stared at a crisp emerald canopy. Trails of blood-red sap formed small streams that poured into the earth and disappeared.


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna kill the evil tree?¡± Tawny asked, mildly interested.


    Jimbo was even more interested, ¡°Hell yeah! Let me get everyone¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, I am going to study the tree, and write a short research paper on it at a later date. Stay here if you want.¡± Cira jumped right off the edge and plummeted down, silken robes flapping in the wind as her finely crafted hat remained in place.


    The ground was spongy when she landed and saturated in life and blood mana. An interesting combination for dirt, she thought. Naturally, Cira scooped some out and filled a pouch with it.


    The dirt shifted and a root rose from the ground like a spear before crumpling against her barrier.


    Cira turned her gaze to the tree¡¯s trunk, ¡°Greetings, Tree. It is I, the ruler of these lands.¡±


    ¡°AHHHHHH!¡± Cira winced as a hundred tormented cries flooded her mind. ¡°GYAHHHHH¡±


    Only a couple seconds was enough for Cira to cut the connection.


    ¡°What that hell is your problem?¡± Approaching the tree, Cira continued to repel root attacks until she was within arm¡¯s reach of the trunk. She wiped her finger in the bloody sap running down it.


    She was disappointed to find that it was nothing like vestigial nectar, but also relieved because she would have felt really stupid if it were here all along. The substance was more like blood but far stickier. After washing off her hands, she filled a jar and stuffed it in a pouch.


    By this time one of the pods had begun to slowly lower from the canopy. As it fell further, it split into four.


    This was of course, right above Cira. She watched the process intently and was fascinated to see the pod reform seamlessly around her.


    Rather aggressive digestive juices, but it has almost zero aethereal weight. Where¡¯s all that mana going, then? Just dumping out for no reason in the sap? That can¡¯t be.


    Cira sat there for a few minutes, surprisingly comfortable, and deduced that nothing else was going to happen.


    ¡°Sorry, Pal.¡± Cira punched a hole through the pod.


    ¡°REEEEEEEE¡± It cried in briefly novel pain and split open to immediately rid itself of her.


    Landing back on the ground and crossing her arms, Cira gave it one last inspection.


    ¡°Huh.¡± She leaned down and placed a hand on the roots. Cira almost made up the sorcery ¡®Root Sense¡¯ on the spot, but something gave her a bad feeling. Instead, she just used Spatial Sight to inspect below ground. The roots were vast, far more so than the rivers of Fount Salt. Cira noticed much of the mana within the tree was instead flowing through the roots.


    These roots were then entangled with those of the surrounding forests. Cira followed the blood through a vast network of roots up and over the mountain, then clear to the other side of Acher.


    For one reason or the other, that at least explained the bustling jungle and dense rainforests that covered the entire island.


    This was enough for her, and Cira was glad to have had the forethought to avoid another incident like Fount Salt¡¯s Spring Sense, so she rose again to Breeze Haven, bidding her loud new friend a final farewell.


    ¡°So¡­?¡± Tawny asked when she arrived on deck. ¡°Is it evil?¡±


    ¡°Evil, no. Very hungry for flesh¡ªyes.¡± She sat back against the fence of her garden. ¡°And there¡¯s a high chance that it assimilates the souls it consumes, potentially in eternal torment.¡±


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    ¡°Why not destroy it though?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, seems dangerous.¡± Jimbo agreed.


    ¡°Because Acher¡¯s vegetation would collapse, and if anyone is interested in blood sorcery, this is the place.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not sure I understand.¡± Tawny looked helpless.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll have you transcribe the paper I write before I leave. The general public should probably know do avoid this tree, though.¡± Cira put her foot back up on the fence, ¡°But for now, take Breeze Haven back to the palace. I¡¯ll meet you there, but I have a friend to see first.¡±


    As she kicked off the ledge, her body turned to mist and faded away.


    ___


    ¡°Took you long enough.¡± Undina sounded grumpy, ¡°And who said you could touch my spring chamber!¡±


    Cira sat down as a glowing chair materialized from the water beneath her. This spring was located in the center of a tall outcropping and mostly hidden by surrounding palms. It was no violent geyser like she often saw but was much stronger than Paradise¡¯s water spring.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re literally just water mana. Despite the fact that you can take slug-form, your composition isn¡¯t all too different from a sprite.¡±


    ¡°You would study me without even saying hello first?¡± An offended slug face briefly emerged from the spring. ¡°Good to see you, Cira, glad you didn¡¯t die! Sheesh.¡±


    ¡°Cira!¡± Wet footsteps came from behind and squishy arms wrapped around her, ¡°Hi!¡±


    ¡°Bleh¡ª¡± Cira shook her head like a wet dog, ¡°Get your suction cups out of my face, Ella."


    The young girl was having a blast just hanging out, but Cira and the Undine learned a lot. It wasn¡¯t every day one could get up close and personal with a greater spirit. For Undina, Cira¡¯s abominable nature was endlessly fascinating, and seeing it all reforged into a nice and tidy package amused her.


    Cira spent a good few hours chatting with them and satisfying her curiosity before bidding farewell. She let the river take her away.


    Twenty minutes later, a violent gurgling echoed through the palace courtyard and mana exploded from the hideous angel fountain.


    After the light died down, Cira was face to face with another crowd. This time it was at least her pirates and those acquired in the recent deposition. Wick and the naked wizards was another item on her list, but they could wait.


    ¡°What?¡± Cira spoke across the courtyard, ¡°Get back to work.¡±


    They dutifully obliged, though Cira had no idea what they were doing.


    ¡°Darling, you¡¯ve returned!¡± If it weren¡¯t for a tug on her sleeve, Cira would have been confident those words were not meant for her. She turned her head ready to see who would dare, then froze. ¡°I so hope you¡¯ve been well.¡±


    It was the pensive blonde girl, fluttering her eyelashes and looking up at Cira with such genuine worry. She had very light makeup on, but it was clear she spent some time on it. The dress she wore was a pale green silk and while she lacked a hat, it was styled similar to a set of robes¡ªnotably not enchanted, but must have come from a fine tailor. It made her sparkle gently in the morning light.


    Behind her was the crimson haired woman with a beauty that was difficult to contain within a dress, and she seemed to hold her tongue knowing that Cira was at a loss. Perhaps her silence was a consideration, and Cira was almost irritated appreciating it. Next to the voluptuous woman was the brown-haired girl from the other day as well. They were all well-kempt and wearing extravagant dresses. Admittedly, it was nice to see that they fulfilled her request and found some clothes that fit.


    While Cira suppressed a groan, she could only count her blessings that the entire imperial harem was not present. She wasn¡¯t ready to come up with more orders on the spot.


    But they looked so happy to see Cira, she didn¡¯t have the heart to complain to their faces.


    ¡°You look parched,¡± yet another member of her harem arrived holding a glass of water. She had short, elegant hair and a tight yellow sundress.


    ¡°Well, I suppose¡­¡± Cira was not parched, but took the glass anyway. It was cold and refreshing. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Unfortunately, all four of them looked like they were expecting her to say something. The blonde girl even appeared to shuffle around nervously, flitting her eyes between Cira and her own dress.


    Why is this happening to me? ¡°Well done completing your task¡­ You have all found quite fine garments.¡± Cira nodded her head approvingly.


    ¡°Your robes are quite lovely as well,¡± The red-haired one winked, ¡°But they¡¯re the same ones you wore when last we saw you.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡± Is that a problem? Why does that matter? Gah! I take sorcerous showers like six times a day. Cira¡¯s cheeks felt warm, and she still didn¡¯t have the heart to be annoyed. It was very conflicting. Why do I feel self-conscious right now? Damn this woman! ¡°I spent all morning sewing them and the council told me to take ¡®em right off!¡±


    But she was alarmingly ready for Cira¡¯s argument, ¡°That¡¯s such a shame. They¡¯re so beautiful and soft.¡± Now both of her sleeves were occupied by women with unknown intentions.


    ¡°Y-yeah¡­ it is a shame.¡± Cira had to agree.


    ¡°Unbelievable!¡± Even though she seemed to put a lot of effort into that shout, the blonde women still sounded so delicate as she hung onto Cira¡¯s left.


    ¡°How dare they?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t believe that council,¡± Yet another, Pearl, approached from behind. ¡°You look great, Love.¡±


    Her gentle smile was disarming. Cira didn¡¯t know what to do and was about to conjure a table and chairs and give up when a voice came from behind her.


    ¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing? The Council¡¯s waiting for you¡± It was James, who looked pretty mad until he saw the helpless look on Cira¡¯s face. ¡°You can only bring one member of your harem. Choose quickly.¡±


    Then he walked away, and Cira saw the shit-eating grin on his face in Spatial Sight.


    Oh look, we¡¯re up to seven again. Surely there¡¯s one or two more on their way¡­ I better make this fast.


    ¡°Who¡¯s he to boss you around?¡± This woman wore a bonnet.


    ¡°Yeah, you can bring all of us. Who¡¯s gonna stop you?¡± There were just too many. Cira tensed the muscles in her legs and was half a breath from disappearing in a flash of void lightning, but the crimson woman began to tug at her.


    ¡°Those are her friends, you know. I¡¯m sure she doesn¡¯t appreciate you speaking ill of them.¡± She gave Cira a single stern nod. ¡°Come on, Dear. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    And before she knew it, Cira was following James with the proactive woman. The others cried in disappointment at her back, and Cira watched them pout¡ªstill walking away at this point. It would be difficult to navigate if she made eye contact with them at this point, just like it would be singularly rude to this one woman now if she were to transform into energy and escape. Cira had been bested.


    They were locking arms apparently, and drawing a fair amount of gazes as they carried on through the courtyard.


    ¡°Ahehehem.¡± Cira cleared her throat and side-eyed the woman. On closer inspection, she had to have had about a decade on Cira.


    As if this was expected, she chuckled and bounced back, removing her arm and holding it out to shake hands.


    ¡°You can call me Ember.¡± She fluttered bright red eyelashes.


    ¡°Is that right?¡± Cira shook her hand.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have plenty of time to play with your harem,¡± James spoke opening a door to the palace, ¡°But hurry up.¡±


    Right inside the door was her entire Mortal Council seated at a round table. There was notably an empty throne on the far end. Nothing fancy, but a few gems and gold inlay. She was both irritated and grateful to find they made most of it out of titanium.


    Good metal, that. Who could complain?


    Everyone gave her weird looks as she walked around the table to assume her seat, and Ember stood diligently behind her to the side like an attendant. Cira was finally starting to understand what it meant to possess a harem for humans and the like.


    She had to take two steps up to her throne and was pleasantly surprised to find it was comfortable. There were even relevant enchantments for her to grade later. ¡°Councilmen.¡± Cira knit her fingers and leaned forward, grazing over them and eventually settling on James for answers.


    ¡°What? You don¡¯t know why you¡¯re here?¡±


    Cira put a hand on her chin and thought about it really hard.


    ¡°Paradise, you dumbass!¡± It was Doctor Larry.


    ¡°Did¡­ did you really find it?¡± Dutchy asked timidly.


    ¡°It¡¯s real, morons!¡± Tawny spat. She looked tired of saying so.


    ¡°Councilmen!¡± James¡¯ brother shouted, ¡°Keep it together! Apologies, Captain Dreadheart. Most of us here believe you without a second thought, of course, but it¡¯s difficult for the people to grasp. Much doubt has festered.¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Jimbo pointed at her with his flask hand, ¡°You gotta take us there. I won¡¯t believe it til¡¯ I see it. To hell with your golden boat.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Cira shrugged, ¡°Nothing should harm us anymore since the entire realm belongs to me now, and I do need to stop by there again on my way out, but you¡¯ll have to wait. It will be the last thing I do. Is there anything else?¡±


    Dutchy answered, ¡°Yeah¡­ We got word meant for Wick earlier saying that Cap Kieran should be landing in Hangman¡¯s Cove by morning. What do you think we should do about it?¡±


    Cira was taken aback, ¡°Who even is that?¡±

 184.5 - A Dispute of Humanity Like Any Other

    Well over a century ago, humans did quarrel over the laws¡¯ imprint. A story I had seen too many times. What did they hope to do with it? Sprouted from a single demon¡¯s corpse, this tablet attracted undue attention as any other. They did not always need instruments, but some among the humans were remarkably perceptive. It always led them to power.


    Some had good intentions, while even more held ill will. There were of course those who were simply curious. Much like myself, but far more human, these fearsome mages rooted out the unknown and cataloged it. Such was their self-assumed purpose, so one such as I had no choice but to empathize with their pursuit.


    Though I bear the duty of witness, not even I can see these laws forged in the physical realm up close. Of course, I held the power to interfere, even see it for myself, but the closer I became to this world, the harder it would become to resist becoming part of it.


    This ragtag guild of knowledge seeking humans spent years breaking through the ruins of a long-lost civilization.


    Even through the ravages of time did it maintain such grandeur as to repel prying minds and forceful interlopers, yet these studious primates were able to tiptoe through each challenge and claw their way to the prize.


    It was almost inspiring, like how the flopping fish which haplessly threw themselves upon the dry sands a mere few epochs ago had actually grown willful enough to face the harsh conditions of the inhospitable world beyond their shallows.


    It could be said the children of the primordial age were like my nieces and nephews, or more accurately, my younger cousins. This relative was always a peculiar one. The girl never changed her name from Tranquility, though to her credit, she never had to introduce herself.


    I almost felt sorry for how lonely the girl was, but it was far from accidental. It¡¯s not that she couldn¡¯t interact with others, but that she abhorred it. As power was inherent to her nature, she spent a great deal of time organizing the common folk to grant herself the freedom of solitude she enjoyed.


    Tranquility was a very subjective concept, which made checking in on my niece always so fascinating. It wasn¡¯t the route I would take¡ªher life seemed so dreary¡ªbut any time a whim caught her fancy, she would pursue it without a second thought. Truly uninhibited. A lake within her string of islands reflected the moon just right? She could be caught playing the harp as wind formed ripples on its surface.


    If only mountain peaks were visible over the sea of dense fog on another island she claimed, one could often see her sitting before a canvas.


    No worries weighed on her, but her power only further isolated her from the people.


    Tranquility grew further and further from those she ruled, and centuries had passed since anyone who knew what they worked for had even seen her face. Her control was naturally quite easy to disrupt. Another victim of the primordial genocide, and an existence I personally felt was cut short.


    As if true to its nature, Tranquility did not see the need to manifest elsewhere. She passed peacefully in her sleep, and the law not even her brother could touch deigned not to move from the spot.


    As in life, the legacy of her death let not a single trespasser even close to claiming the sole remnant of her existence.


    Tranquility was subjective.


    It typically embodied a state of peace, but by nature it implied the existence of measures to attain it¡ªor in my dear niece¡¯s case¡ªa lifetime of efforts to reach it. Only too late did I witness her dying breath still yearned for something yet unseen.


    In the time that followed, her remains pushed back further, repelling all those subject to reality. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would have had to call her Solitude.


    Those who survived the fall of her Skies mostly fled, and those who didn¡¯t met a quick end. There was nothing left of her, but getting too close was a death sentence. Natural enchantments formed on the islands Tranquility used to roll around the meadows of. Those who could not conform to her ideals were picked off through one aspect of her personality or the other, as she was quite a unique girl, her heart twisted to the extreme through an untimely death. Some days I think maybe she didn¡¯t even notice her death, but that¡¯s just wishful thinking.


    Try to reach an island¡¯s spring to quickly, or harvest too many fruits from the forests; this was frowned upon in the Tranquil Skies. A renowned pirate crew once obstructed the view of the sunset with too many ships against the shore and disappeared like a passing dream.


    Even if Tranquility had not noticed her own passing, the girl¡¯s dreams had gotten much darker over the years.


    Tranquility had become synonymous with the stillness of death and futility of effort. Give up and find peace. That was the meaning of these skies.


    But some curious humans spent years easing towards its heart¡ªtoward hers. Poking and prodding, always just out of arm¡¯s reach, they tested the waters and worked out the rules which governed the Tranquil Skies one step at a time, striving for minimal loss of life and safety above all. Time was inconsequential. They only wanted to meet whoever drove the will which created these skies.


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    While this occurred centuries ago, it was a meticulous plan that took decades to bring to fruition. All the while, however, someone watched. They bade their time until the perfect moment, when this dauntless team had all but laid hands on the slab.


    ¡°Are you ready, Stella?¡± Her teacher asked, though she retained a healthy trepidation. ¡°Only your daylight which shines so bright can awaken the treasure I seek. Are you with me?¡±


    The young girl¡¯s master had an insidious way of phrasing her words, so as to make the listener sound more important than she felt they were. While this child was ancient among her fellow humans and had even take her own students, she hadn¡¯t really lived that long. Still, her influence reminded me of my younger cousins, while her vicious tendencies outclassed many of them.


    ¡°I-I won¡¯t let you down, Lady Nimara!¡± The bright-eyed witch clenched her fists. She thought she was doing good, but in truth, all she would accomplish this day was meddling with forces she couldn¡¯t fathom for her master¡¯s greed. ¡°That vile Second Order will never lay hands on something so dangerous while I¡¯m around!¡±


    The girl was hardly considered an adult by her own peoples¡¯ standards, and she still wore robes woven by her mother to protect her during these provisional years of tutelage. Many students from the lands of which they both hail have lost their lives trying to learn so-called witchcraft, but it did not show on young Estelle¡¯s face.


    Ever since her light first formed, that was all that her expression revealed. She always followed the sun and picked her battles with those who cast too tall a shadow. A rare heart of pure light not seen in a hundred generations was remarkably gifted talent to reach horizons scarce seen even in dreams, yet she could never have imagined the horrors which existed in the light. Not every evil cast a shadow and depravity was not always restricted to the night.


    While the tragedy of master and student was a story for another day, today was the first of many steps Estelle took towards the dimming of her own ambition, yet one that took the longest to realize. That poor, na?ve child once held in her eyes a light that could easily rival that creature the Sage took in, and more than enough talent to make a true mark on fate¡¯s course, if only she weren¡¯t chosen as a weapon to an unfortunate master.


    ___


    ¡°Prepare to break dawn in three¡­ two¡­ one.¡± The ancient witch known as Nimara flooded the sky in a silver hue and it suddenly turned dark. In the blink of an eye, they were so far across the sky that the sun would not catch up for hours.


    ¡°Challengers of the righteous!¡± Estelle began her innocent incantation as the silver haze took on a golden glow, ¡°And unwarranted shadows alike, shrivel before the march of imminent dawn!¡±


    It was then Estelle noticed her surroundings. There was a small group of mages staring at them in shock and anguish from across a cobbled road as night turned to day. They stood easily ten paces in front of them, just outside a blazing circle of some unintelligible enchantment, but from student and masters¡¯ backs, the ground trembled. A shriek sounded of the utmost anguish. Like an eternity of pent-up pain and unrealized dreams blistered to the surface, the world was rent in pieces.


    Islands fell from the sky in countless pieces, cut with surgical precision in a single moment. The buildings around Estelle crumbled while pain continued to seep into the winds.


    We were too late. No¡­ Estelle¡¯s heart broke. Sadly, they were too late to prevent these evil people from wreaking havoc afar. That¡¯s what she believed for far too long, anyway.


    ¡°Who the hell are these girls?!¡± A man with bright amber eyes cried, ¡°They¡¯ve ruined everything!¡±


    ¡°Shed what tears you must, evil-doers!¡± Estelle cried, ever so self-righteous, ¡°But I won¡¯t let you continue causing such torment!¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡±


    ¡°Nimara, you hag!¡± A young woman with crimson hair and fierier eyes shouted, ¡°Your death is a long time coming!¡±


    She banged her staff against a barrier, but it refused to budge.


    ¡°Ahaha.¡± Nimara chuckled, ¡°How long have I waited¡­?¡±


    Estelle¡¯s master stepped up a short set of stairs as the pained cries grew evermore forlorn. The girl herself even felt something was wrong and may have caught on if there wasn¡¯t such a clearcut enemy.


    ¡°And you!¡± A bloody spear grew from the ground and an angry woman of the same shade appeared with an outstretched fist.


    ¡°No!!!¡± Estelle threw her hands up in defense when the opposing arm turned to shreds in a flash of silver.


    ¡°How many times must we go through this, Eliza?¡± Estelle¡¯s master had rarely taken such a cold tone, ¡°You will never best me. Not even my tools are within your reach. Nothing will stop me from realizing my¡ª¡±


    The man with amber eyes appeared in a flash of light that far outranked anything Estelle could hope to muster.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of you,¡± Though his voice held a jovial grandeur, Estelle felt a similar coldness from it. The man had completely bypassed her and the ancient barrier before appearing in front of her master. ¡°I won¡¯t let you have your way¡ª¡±


    Pain and suffering¡ªan eternity of torment I had never realized reverberated through the sky. Tranquility should never have been disturbed, but her perpetual pain was reborn like the phoenix on this day. Even my non-existent and long-petrified heart stuttered. Before my very eyes, this was the first time I had the bittersweet pleasure of witnessing a slab of primordial law come into existence. As her tortured cries faded, I watched the aether etch words into Tranquility¡¯s condensed remains of hardened stone.


    ¡°No!¡± In spite of the girl¡¯s cries, the man held a palm outstretched full of mana enough to fold the stone below in on itself, yet Estelle in all her childish ambition threw herself in between it and her master. ¡°I won¡¯t let you!¡±


    She was ready for death if it meant upholding what was right. I saw as much in her eyes, as did the peerless sorcerer, but he somehow saw much more than that. The mana quickly died down and he lowered his hand.


    This was a person who did not have the heart to kill the innocent even if it meant ensuring the greater good prevailed. A hopeless optimist who thought the desired outcome could still be attained even after the one opportunity afforded by fate was thrown away to preserve a single inconsequential life. Nimara¡¯s fingers finally touched the stone.


    ¡°Ohoho¡­ So that¡¯s how it is.¡± Her voice trickled along the clouds, ¡°Begone. All of you.¡±


    All the mages and sorcerers who dared oppose Estelle¡¯s master dissipated in motes of light. Suddenly the earth settled, and the crumbled ruins were left silent.


    ¡°I have acquired what I came for,¡± Nimara spoke, ¡°Let us make haste back to Nightwing Isles.¡±

 185 - Distractions and Unfinished Business

    Cira had it on good authority that goblins did not experience any manner of circadian rhythm and only slept during their digestive cycle. This meant it didn¡¯t matter what time she popped back in. She didn¡¯t forget about them¡ªhow could she?


    The meeting didn¡¯t take long after she learned Cap Kieran was someone that Black Scourge Don did a fair amount of business with. Evidently, he was a regular buyer of deritium as well, but James said he probably just had someone paying him top dollar for it somewhere else.


    In an attempt to not be interested in where it was going, Cira turned to the caves. This was a great opportunity to check on the shadow goblins and keep her mind occupied as the sun went down.


    One of those bugs dared assault her on the way in and was reduced to base ingredients. It was a light stroll. Cira stopped in front of the stairs and turned around to look at her shadow cast from her magic.


    ¡°Okay, you can come out now.¡± She crossed her arms and leaned against the wall impatiently. ¡°I said you can come out now!¡±


    ¡°¡°Byahh!!¡±¡± Six more shadows stumbled out of her own, crying and tripping over themselves. They had to shield their eyes and shrunk back until Cira dimmed her Lamplight.


    ¡°Sorry guys.¡± Cira pulled six fish from her pockets and distributed them¡ªshe found herself in another surplus. Her pockets were practically overflowing with it. ¡°Thanks for the help back then.¡±


    She didn¡¯t know how specifically they understood her, but still felt the need to express gratitude. It was more than a couple months later at this point, but they really helped out carrying the essence loom after the boats burned up.


    ¡°¡°Yahh!!¡±¡± They giddily hopped around, tugging at her robes and making disturbing yet joyful noises.


    ¡°Simmer down, now. We¡¯re moving along.¡± Cira would ask how they ended up in her shadow in the first place but knew she wouldn¡¯t get an answer. She also found herself wondering if they had been there the whole time or if they hid somewhere during the reforging.


    The destination of this visit was the heart of her goblin kingdom. Formerly known as the residential district of Archaeum, these lands were now under Cira¡¯s rule.


    So, I¡¯m the goblin king. Cira thought, walking through the streets with her shadowy posse. What am I supposed to do for them? I¡¯m leaving soon, after all. I can¡¯t stay and oversee their lives, nor do I feel comfortable pumping one full of mana to create a new king in my absence.


    One thing was clear as Cira walked through the ruins, though. She should be ashamed to call such shambles her kingdom. The smell of must and eternally unsettled dust, the clattering of broken shutters in the steadfast breeze, bricks beneath her feet swiftly returning to the earth.


    Now that Cira¡¯s aura was back, she could see deep into the shadows. The entire residential district was like this. Only a few centuries and much of it was hardly standing. The goblins likely had a large role in this, but she didn¡¯t blame them. No one was to blame¡ªthis was simply the state of affairs. But only one sorcerer shouldered the responsibility.


    This is my kingdom? How disgraceful. No matter what I decide, I can¡¯t leave these guys like this, nor can I let them further tear down Kuja¡¯s heritage.


    A crowd formed in her wake and the goblins silently followed her on surrounding streets, but it seemed the masses were too shy to show themselves in her Lamplight. After experimenting for a while, she landed on a close analog to moonlight to disturb them the least, but it seemed they weren¡¯t sure how close they were allowed to get.


    It wasn¡¯t until reaching the plaza that her people appeared in droves. Contrary to the silence that followed, some were cheering or snickering with each other. Excitement was clear in their big, beady eyes and she could feel a pensive joy through the connection she made to speak into their minds.


    Dammit, now I can¡¯t let them down because they¡¯re already worried I will. Why is being a ruler so hard?


    In her head, before she thought about it, this seemed like a simple plan. Head on down below and talk to the goblins all at once.


    It was only when she stood in the center of hundreds, if not thousands of them, all anxiously peering in from the dark, that Cira realized she just threw herself into the exact sort of mush pot that drove her to the caves in the first place.


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    It doesn¡¯t really matter if they¡¯re goblins or regular people¡­ it¡¯s basically the same thing, right? What in the world drove me to gather everyone present to hear me speak? Am I an idiot?


    The anticipation in Archaeum grew so dense Cira would struggle to punch a hole in it. Their murky yellow eyes sparkled exponentially as she slowly spun in circles, letting her gaze pass over them all.


    I can do this right? My Dad was a Goblin Lord, so how hard could a measly king have it? I¡¯ll never unite the nations of Mudrock if I can¡¯t do this much.


    Cira took a deep breath.


    ¡°Good evening, people of Stygian Deep¡± Cira felt a wind of confidence at her back from coming up with a solid name on the fly like that and found herself somewhat emboldened, ¡°I am pleased to be here today.¡±


    Again, Cira had no idea to what degree they understood her, but these words were spoken through emotion and concept, sent directly to their minds. The ability basically manifested itself when Undina granted her a gift.


    The goblins cheered and clapped, threw their hands up and even hugged each other. They seemed a very tight-knit people. In Cira¡¯s timid heart, she found the response wholesome. It helped that she could feel the relief they felt. In their shoes, Cira would think it too soon to feel that way, but now she was even more obligated to do right by them.


    ¡°Bring me your smartest individual and your strongest caster¡± Hopefully the first one existed, or they may not understand what she meant. Somehow, she saw a lot of goblins looking around. Perhaps they were smarter than she gave them credit for.


    After a short ruckus, only one goblin stepped forward.


    She kept looking, but that was it. He slowly stepped closer as Cira waited for more, but there were none.


    ¡°F-forgive¡­¡± His mind replied, despite the unintelligible cries he spoke. Cira was a little worried looking at this one¡¯s muscles¡ªlike a spitting image¡ªbut he fell to his knees, ¡°Please, King! Forgive!¡±


    He hung his head low and the newfound silence from the crowd had started to grow restless. A few even mirrored his actions and cried, ¡°Forgive!¡±, as best they could in goblin speak from the ground.


    The only way about it was to nip this in the bud. Her orichalcum staff appeared and crashed into the ground, sending a single small quake through the island.


    ¡°Enough. Stand when you ask for forgiveness.¡± The goblin before her started, while a large number stood around the same time. Some noticeably had to figure it out, but there wasn¡¯t a single goblin left kneeling.


    ¡°Forgive, please¡­ King.¡± The goblin stood before her with his fist clenched in front of his chest, staring into Cira¡¯s eyes with more resolve than she had seen from many men.


    ¡°Forgive what?¡± It had to be asked.


    But he suddenly looked anxious, ¡°My¡­ my father. He fight¡ª"


    ¡°I see.¡± Cira stopped him with a hand. His father punched her in the face, and she bludgeoned him to death¡ªprobably in front of this boy¡¯s eyes. Strangely, it was the child who wanted to be forgiven. ¡°There is no need. Your father¡¯s sins died with him.¡±


    It felt blunt, but it also felt like the right thing to say.


    The boy¡¯s eyes glazed over, and he tried to fall to his knees again, but Cira quelled it with an upward motion of the hand, ¡°I am the king now, so do not trouble yourself with the past. Are there any others who can speak to me?¡±


    The goblin looked around briefly then returned to Cira a little downcast, ¡°No.¡± was the gist of it.


    ¡°Then bring me your most powerful casters, or strongest wielders of magic.¡±


    He shouted something that was probably goblin names. It was difficult to say whether they sounded closer to animal calls or words, but there was a shuffle in the crowd.


    One goblin stepped forward after a minute or so. She wore dark robes that completely covered her body and face, but wielded a broken stalagmite with a rock tied to the top. Cira was impressed to feel mana within it.


    ¡°Gah!¡± She said.


    Cira blinked a few times, looking at the first goblin.


    Instead of replying, he turned to the new girl and shouted something else. In response, she held up her staff and shrieked as fire bloomed above their heads. Still short of the ceiling, an explosion shook the cavern and crimson light slowly fizzled out.


    Overjoyed at this development, Cira clapped, ¡°Well done!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, my King.¡± The gobliness knelt before Cira.


    Cira could feel her unfounded respect, and it at least felt better than the reverence she received from humans on the surface.


    ¡°You can understand me too?¡± She was surprised that the girl annunciated better than the former king¡¯s son.


    ¡°Y-yes. I just learn.¡± Her grammar could use a little work, but Cira must have had a genius on her hands, or perhaps it wasn¡¯t too difficult for the magically inclined. Either way, it was too bad she was set on leaving later. She could easily stay here for months and write a book about it, but the winds called her name.


    ¡°King!¡± The boy shouted as darkness welled up around his fist, ¡°King, Look at me!¡±


    Apparently vying for attention of perhaps compliments, the son of the goblin Cira killed¡¯s face lit up with glee and he brought his fist down hard into the ground. An explosion of shadow cracked the earth and Cira realized how the residential district had likely fallen apart in so few centuries. The moonlit Lamplight flickered out and nearly shattered from the force.


    Abrupt as it was, Cira couldn¡¯t help but be impressed by the display. Even some of the surrounding goblins clapped.


    This makes my job easy. I need to get these guys out of Archaeum.


    ¡°Everyone, listen to me.¡± The attention didn¡¯t bother her this time, and they all eagerly hung on her next words, ¡°The time has come for you to follow me to your new home.¡±

 186 - Stygian Deep

    As an up-and-coming aficionado to the art of punching things, Cira had to ask herself, with what could I build my goblin kingdom so as to withstand the peoples¡¯ ambitions?


    He was only a boy, yet he could destroy the ground with a fist full of shadow. Cira could only imagine how hard he would punch once he was fully grown. That wasn¡¯t to mention the shamans and their spells. Ideally there would be no turf wars in the near future, but she would soon be turning over the keys to the kingdom back to the masses.


    That¡¯s why she had to make this project count. She had to build a city that would last through time and provide them a way of life worth protecting.


    Cira didn¡¯t have a mountain of metal to work with this time around. As always, she could only work with what she had. After much observation though, Cira determined Acher to be made up primarily of hard stone. When she melted it down and allowed that to cool into a pitch-black volcanic rock, it turned nearly as solid as brinstahl. The fact that refining the stone reduced volume but little mass, meant she could clear out large swaths of land within the mountain and use the byproduct to build her city.


    Thus began the construction of Stygian Deep, the Capital of Cira¡¯s goblin kingdom. Future Goblin Lord Cira¡¯s founding city. All of the darkness she gathered in her slumber went into filling this space and an entrance was opened to the shadow basin. The onyx was tossed outside to refill, but it would only gather so much by the time she left.


    They seemed to like moonlight in moderation, so main streets were lit by such enchantments in the ceiling above or surrounding structures. The city itself was broken up into different districts.


    Many preferred a darker darkness, so the residential district ran vertically like a column through the neighboring mountain to Kuja¡¯s and many stayed near the surface where they could even leave to hunt in the evening. Those were the types who liked moonlight most.


    For those who wished for nothing but the abyss, the deepest depths of her kingdom were sealed off and filtered through a series of artifacts she constructed to appease their needs. Shadow reactors, she called them, and there were thousands. Like house-sized blocks of stone hollowed out to the maximum degree they could be without losing integrity to form miles of tubes for shadow to filter through.


    The further from light darkness became, the more pure in nature it was. This was the concept behind the shadow reactors. Though twenty feet of earth was twenty feet, a clear pathway through a long series of thin tubes formed hundreds of miles of darkness¡ªor distance light would theoretically have to travel.


    This was very much an experiment in the laws which governed darkness, and it turned out better than Cira could have ever imagined. There were tons of these reactors in series hosting almost fifty direct pathways just in case one of her friends teleported down here and needed air. Otherwise, they or the residents had to go through a sequence of quarantined elevators if interaction was required from above.


    So, darkness in the Stygian Abyss was many times darker than the deepest reaches of Archaeum. Turns out, hundreds of miles of darkness resulted in a focal point of sorts not entirely unlike the dark mana well in the basin above. It formed a black sun that goblins could bathe beneath like lizards.


    Cira was tempted to raise Goliaths here, but those were both Kuja¡¯s ancestors and responsibility. The option could be presented if a certain mind-speaking mediator could get through to both parties.


    Next, Cira propagated her last Moonberry plum seed and ended up with thousands more. This was actually an opportunity she had been waiting for. It grew lush and full of vigor in Stygian¡¯s lower layers, just above the Abyss, but abyssal agriculture seemed like an option her people could explore later if they stumble upon the inspiration.


    Somewhere in the middle of her grand city was designated for entertainment. It took a lot of deliberation and broken speech to come to the conclusion that there was only one form of entertainment the goblins were interested in.


    Combat, of course. This resulted in the Shadow Coliseum. Just as she would solidify aether flame, Cira crafted an entire arena complex out of condensed darkness. It was as fun an exercise as it was fruitful, and she thought it the beginning of culture for her little friends.


    This also gave her the chance to introduce the concept of law in a simple, easy to understand way.


    Both parties must consent to a duel.


    A duel is over when one party forfeits or exits the ring.


    Killing an opponent is punished with exile. No exceptions.


    These three rules were carved into a large stone plaque on either side behind the spectator seats and easily readable from the center of the arena no matter on which end a goblin combatant stood. Cira used sorcerous script which required no degree of literacy to read, and the goblins overall were very excited at the concept of a safe environment to fight each other and resolve disputes.


    Many of them stayed there to break the arena in when Cira moved up to finish the city.


    Throughout the mountain, she had also worked on making the city a pleasant place to be. That meant turning walls, ceilings, or sometimes carefully placed rocks into artifacts that could perform a slew of operations to grow foliage.


    There were many plants which grew in the moonlight, but Cira didn¡¯t have any. Just her plums and leftover seeds or those she didn¡¯t use in Paradise. So, without any catalysts to rely on, her enchanted formations converted darkness into moonlight for efficiency which imbued itself with nature mana. It hurt Cira¡¯s pride to produce something so convoluted, but it also left breadcrumbs for the next greatest goblin artificer to follow and optimize somewhere down the road.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    In sorcerous academia, these were called sequential arrays. They typically used many simplistic steps in sequence rather than synchronicity to achieve a single goal. While they were often characterized by superfluous operations and frivolous mana consumption, there was something to be said about how easily they could be replicated. A novice could pick apart at the array piece by piece until each step was clear to them.


    In other words, there was some merit to leaving behind something half-assed for future generations. It was a thoroughly planned lesson that the goblins would only uncover with time, and that¡¯s the story Cira was sticking to.


    Planters from the base of the mountain to the top lined the streets and formed communal parks in different places. Some grew flowers, others a variety of berries. She threw in some corn here and there just because she had some on hand, a few hidden melon patches among other fruits and herbs within neighborhoods or otherwise accessible areas.


    The best she could do for the abyss was cultivate non-luminescent moss. Something Cira noticed across her travels was that some springs naturally produce moss spores. This was a subject she yearned to research further when some peace and quiet presented itself, but it was the birth of a new technique she could utilize.


    Luckily, she still had some unidentified moss from Deep Falls, the waterfall town of Fount Salt. They had already been cleansed of deritium, so she stuck it along the waterway, then enchanted it to oblivion until her river started to get infected with trace amounts of nature mana. Maybe they could enjoy it as a snack now and again, but an empty cave sounded depressing. More practically, anything that produced breathable air as well enhanced the purity of unreached darkness by bringing conditions closer to that of the open sky.


    In reality, Cira could already write a book on her ¡°Stygian Endeavors¡ªa Study by the Great Goblin King Cira¡±, but she had scarce few hours to finish constructing her city.


    Outside the abyss, these verdant features were present throughout the sprawling city. In the ¡°so-and-so¡¯s Guide to Practical Geomancy¡±, it recommended fifteen percent foliage space for highly populated areas, and a healthy 40% minimum for common or unpopulated zones. She bumped this up to twenty and fifty to make sure Stygian Deep¡¯s scenery was never lacking, but depending on what manner of district she built this became tricky. Especially close to the surface where Cira introduced crafts and trade. Most of the population would end up here.


    There were goblins who took an interest in carpentry and there were even the fine craftsmen who carved that statue of Cira back in Archaeum. There were a select few goblins who were amazed by the colorful flowers she placed along the way and Cira convinced them to get into gardening. They would tend to the parks and planters on these levels and perhaps even down below one day.


    Right up there with corn, flax was practically a weed. One which Cira had even fewer uses for as it produced too low-quality fabric for most robes. But for the goblins, it was perfect. On top of a few agricultural districts by depth, she created a workshop with many sets of hand tools and some rudimentary machines that took multiple goblins on foot-pedals and cranks to spin flax into usable fabric.


    While growing food down here would eventually produce something with enough mana to be a decent food source for these goblins, much of the crops they would produce would be either flax or wood to turn into lumber. Not many had to grasp the whole idea, as each locality would work on their own specialty, but it couldn¡¯t go completely unmanaged.


    It seemed pretty complicated trying to explain the inner connectivity of Stygian Deep¡¯s commodity production to goblins, but even though most could not speak back to her, they seemed to understand better than she thought. There was at least one who excelled in each field of interest that would help the rest push through, but Cira thought making clothes, blankets, tapestries, or other crafts and the like would be a great next step for her peoples¡¯ civility.


    Naturally, Cira had to add a forge. One at the top and one just above the Abyss, in fact. Beings of darkness turned flesh, goblins were remarkably apt in mana application. While only some could cast magic, the shamans, anyone interested could pick up an artificing needle.


    So, there were a great many goblins interested in artificing, and each forge was half the size of the coliseum. She showed off the basics, left behind a few inscribed obelisks to be deciphered for years to come, some in hidden areas throughout the mountain, and hoped that her people would make good use of the tools she left behind.


    Trade was done with mana crystals as currency. Due to their almost pure constitution of darkness, goblins could actually produce them inherently. It only took time and mana¡ªa direct crystallization of what was important to a goblin¡¯s survival and continuance. Anyone could produce it if they wanted with just some time, then trade it for anything their heart desired, provided it was produced in Stygian Deep.


    Now many of the dwellings from top to bottom were unoccupied¡ªher city was large. There were plenty of goblin families who inhabited entire city blocks and her people had more than enough room to grow. Still, she spared no effort in making it comfortable and pleasant. Rivers cut through the city to vary the landscape and further add to the countless vistas, as well as provide water to the numerous plants all over.


    It came directly from the spring¡ªfresh and clean as could be.


    Beautiful waterfall features brought it from one level to the next and its path basically formed one extensive series of public parks. There were already goblins playing in the stream, but it was only a matter of time until someone appeared.


    Ella wanted to be included since the stinky humans denied her entry to their club. Strangely enough, the goblins liked her. They must have thought her and Cira were sisters or something, so Cira decided to give into her demands. She just wanted to be included after all. How bad could it be? It just so happened Cira was hoping for her to appear.


    And that was how Ella, the human-form undine girl, became this kingdom¡¯s Goblin Princess. But much to her disappointment, great titles came with great responsibility. She was chosen to spearhead trade between Hangman¡¯s Cove and Stygian deep. It would help to have a familiar face who could communicate with mind alone as support to work with the council when the time came to establish diplomatic relations between species.


    ¡°Great¡­ I bet they¡¯re waiting on me.¡± Cira was well and truly tired. Absolutely ready for bed, but unfortunately, her day was just getting started.


    She offered a bittersweet goodbye to the remaining goblins at her side, satisfied that so many had fallen right into their niche. If fate should allow, she would visit them again one day, and Cira hoped the people of Acher would help them along.


    With that, Cira looked around the island for a while and eventually found her crew at the docks. According to Prismagora, it was late morning, so she followed a trail of shadows before eventually popping out from under the boardwalk.


    ¡°What¡¯s up guys?¡± She asked, inspecting the ship they all seemed to be waiting on.


    ¡°Gah!¡± Jimbo stumbled over.


    ¡°Where the hell have you been?¡± Half the council shared the sentiment, looking a little irritated.


    ¡°At least she made it in time.¡± James shrugged, ¡°Kieran is all yours to deal with.¡±


    The ship had just moored and began tying off. Cira didn¡¯t sense any strong magical presences coming from inside, but she knew this was going to be a hassle.

 187 - A Man Lacking in Whelm

    ¡°Well, well,¡± a man¡¯s gruff slur sounded over the docks with a chuckle, ¡°Look at everyone that¡¯s come to see me. What¡¯s the occasion?¡±


    Cira stood behind her head captains and observed the skeevy pirate. Another man followed behind him accompanied by a woman who wore a nervous expression looking over the docks. Jimbo and Shores were silent, as were the many others present. They looked like they were watching a man arrive at his own funeral procession.


    ¡°Why¡¯s everyone givin¡¯ me that look?¡± The one who must have been Kieran approached Cira¡¯s crew, ¡°Hey Jimbo, who¡¯s that broad?¡±


    He jerked his head toward Cira, and she watched her men grow pale, still holding their breath.


    ¡°Seriously, what¡¯s the friggin¡¯ deal?!¡± His expression only grew more confused as he looked between familiar faces around him.


    Finally, Captain Shores broke the silence, ¡°You, watch your mouth¡­¡± His tone was cold.


    ¡°Huh?!¡± Kieran stared at him aghast, then the man behind him spoke up too.


    ¡°Seriously, what¡¯s this church-nut talkin¡¯ big for?¡± Perhaps his first mate, the guy posed his question at Jimbo who now couldn¡¯t seem to contain his laughter. ¡°Isn¡¯t Captain Shores the Lost Cloud¡¯s biggest joke?¡±


    He looked around and no one responded. The silence was almost eerie given how many were present.


    ¡°Alright, ya¡¯ wench.¡± Kieran walked up to Cira with the leisure of a man who wasn¡¯t in danger. ¡°You¡¯re the only one not lookin¡¯ at me funny. Where¡¯s Wick at? I take it you¡¯re his newest consort?¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Cira laughed in his face, ¡°No, no¡­ I¡¯m no consort. Wick sent me here with his favorite lackeys to pick up any glowstone you have left. We got a big deal rolling in, so he needs a ledger of how much you dropped off where.¡±


    The man snootily twirled his mustache, ¡°Ohoho¡­¡± Then his eyes passed over her slowly from head to toe, ¡°Then that must make you a bonus.¡±


    Captain Shores tried to draw his sword and Cira subtly restrained him with sorcery. Oblivious to Kieran, the mood had grown cold around him.


    ¡°Based on my last interaction with Captain Wick, I believe the nature of our relationship is sorely dependent on that ledger.¡± Cira did her best to offer a friendly smile, but it was difficult to hide her amusement.


    As a perfectly reasonable sorcerer, Cira liked giving people the benefit of the doubt when possible, but even she had to admit this fellow was making a poor first impression. Most men with that look on their face were after her enchanted treasure pouch¡ªthe one hung from her waist between the medicine and weapon pouches¡ªbut her defenses were so thorough that these situations were never at her disadvantage.


    ¡°You¡¯re a lively one, ain¡¯tchya?¡± Kieran asked with a smirk, ¡°We¡¯re all out of glowstone, but I¡¯ll have one of my guys grab the reports for ya.¡± He searched the crowd and found someone he knew, ¡°Hey, Dutchy. Why don¡¯t you head on back to the Dutchess and clear a table for me and this lass?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± She had turned white as a sheet looking back and forth between the two.


    Kieran shot them a confused look then turned back to his ship, ¡°Pita! The hell¡¯s takin¡¯ you so long? Get down here!¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, Captain.¡± A timid boy crept down the ramp as Cira failed to hide her surprise. I know that kid¡­ don¡¯t I? It was hard to get a good look at his face as he kept his eyes glued to his feet. The girl looked at him with soft eyes, but Kieran¡¯s mate saw him as a bug buzzing around. ¡°How can I help, Captain¡ª¡±


    He froze when he locked eyes with Cira, and she looked much the same. Why is he here? And with a man like that¡­? A tense few seconds went by as Cira tried to work it out in her head but couldn¡¯t think of anything good.


    ¡°Pita¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s you¡­¡± The boy¡¯s hopeless gaze lit up, but his body shook. ¡°The magic lady¡ª¡±


    Slap!


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever let me catch you lookin¡¯ at my guest like that!¡± Kieran held another firm backhand at the ready in case the boy had something else to say.


    Without thinking much about it, Cira planted her left foot back and stepped forward with her right. She thrust her hand forward with an open palm. Mana ripped through the air as the dock splintered and a pained cry rang out¡ªshortly followed by his crew¡¯s audible shock, then silenced as Kieran disappeared. Cracking wood echoed and a cloud of splinters exploded from Cira¡¯s newest ship¡¯s hull.


    ¡°You two.¡± Scornful cerulean mana illuminated the mist of Acher and brought Kieran¡¯s two companions to their knees. Meanwhile, Cira had reached Pita and pulled him away with an arm around his shoulder, ¡°What have you done to this boy?¡±


    Cira¡¯s anger was palpable. It blew on the wind, and it shook the earth. The red-haired concubine appeared in a display of tact and ran a hand through Pita¡¯s hair before giving Cira a nod. The boy would be safe, so the angered sorcerer took a step forward. Kieran¡¯s first mate looked at her with horror and disgust while a cutlass shook in his hand. He slowly drew a pistol from his coat as she got closer.


    ¡°Shoot.¡± Cira demanded, but he didn¡¯t even try to move a muscle. Perhaps he needs a little help¡­ Much to his terror, his finger lifted from the pistol¡¯s grip and found the trigger before squeezing with little resistance.


    But Cira¡¯s hand was raised in front of her chest with a flat palm, slightly angled.


    ¡°Gyahh!!!¡± The man collapsed to the ground pouring blood from the knee. ¡°You bitch! How¡ª¡±


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    A carefully tailored silken boot was stained with blood as it passed through the man¡¯s jawline. Teeth rolled across the crooked dock and fell to the cloudy abyss. He was left unconscious.


    ¡°I asked a question.¡± Cira turned her gaze to the young woman standing alone at her island¡¯s dock. The rest of Kieran¡¯s crew stood awestruck up on the deck, too scared to come down or interject whatsoever.


    ¡°I¡ªplease don¡¯t¡­ I can explain. I never wanted to¡ª¡± She looked between Cira and the boy in such shock she couldn¡¯t even get a full sentence out.


    ¡°Do you have nothing to say for yourself?¡± The pressure only increased as Cira got closer, bringing the girl closer to the ground. Cira was about to reach out and grab her collar when a shout came from behind her. Before she knew it, the kid ran past her and threw his arms out.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t!¡± he was defending the girl. ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt my big sister!¡±


    Cira felt herself deflate, ¡°What¡­ This is your sister?¡±


    The girl collapsed to the ground as she was released from the violent furls of mana. Cira thought for a second maybe she had overreacted. Even her own crew was watching this like some kind of spectacle.


    ¡°Well, no¡­¡± The boy¡¯s eyes looked guilty, ¡°But she took care of me¡ªplease don¡¯t hurt her!¡±


    He knew he was powerless, but the resolve in his eyes was strong as he spread his frail arms out in her defense. The girl on the ground simply looked between them like she had no idea what was happening.


    ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t hurt her. But, Pita¡­ What happened?¡± Cira knelt down to eye level and looked at him with concern. ¡°Why are you with these people?¡±


    In a moment, Pita¡¯s expression fell apart. Cira also watched guilt glaze over the girl¡¯s eyes.


    Pita began to shake as his gaze grew distant. ¡°They¡ªthey burned it all down¡­ Again!¡± His face crumpled as tears fell. The boy let out an anguished cry that Cira could tell was pent up for a long time.


    She held him as he sobbed on the boardwalk, casting cold eyes to the girl, ¡°Please explain, Sister.¡±


    The blood drained from her face before she eventually hung her head, ¡°The¡­ island this kid came from... We burned it down.¡± To her credit, she raised her head and looked Cira in the eyes while admitting to her crime. It appeared she was remorseful, but that didn¡¯t exactly change events.


    ¡°For whatever reason, Pita is fond of you, but your captain and that other guy will have to join Wick in prison. James will figure out what to do with the rest of your men.¡± James didn¡¯t bother complaining after seeing Cira¡¯s face. Somehow the girl looked even more confused. ¡°Go fetch me those reports and we¡¯ll speak further.¡±


    The petrified girl rightly fucked off, leaving Cira and her hundreds of lackeys alone with the crying kid and two unconscious men.


    ¡°All of you.¡± Cira scanned her eyes over her closest pirate pals, ¡°I would appreciate if you could deal with this and send those two to the dungeon. I need to speak with the boy.¡±


    ___


    It appeared Kieran¡¯s ship was the type on which people didn¡¯t think to bathe. There was some solace to be garnered in that she didn¡¯t have to take on any sponge maidens, but Pita was rancid, so Cira took him up to Breeze Haven to let him get cleaned up. Once they arrived at least some of his worries were replaced with wonder.


    Cira had cleaned his clothes and patched them up while she waited for him to return from the baths. He took a fair deal of time to himself, but eventually came out spick and span, looking sullen as could be.


    The first thing he said when he lifted his head was to ask if his big sister was okay¡ªUlyssa apparently, or Uly for short.


    Over the last few months, Pita had apparently lived in constant fear of being thrown to the clouds. A fear which actually came true a couple time. On many occasions, Uly had literally caught him by the ankle and pulled him back up¡ªone time with a rope. She had to drag him up the hull against battering winds and it actually explained a few of the bruises on his face and arms.


    They were much more apparent after he was all cleaned up, but didn¡¯t seem to bother him much.


    Though he didn¡¯t mention anything, the kid looked lighter than last time Cira saw him. She could practically see his bones and his shirt hung loosely, revealing a pallid complexion. Pita was still worked up, and Cira listened intently as he recounted countless details about how horrible his life had become.


    While he vented freely, Cira decided to go ahead and cook him a meal. One of her favorites, and chock-full of all the nutrients a growing boy clearly lacked, she got to grilling some wormwiches. Cira even busted out the Elder Cheddar.


    Pita said he wasn¡¯t hungry at first but couldn¡¯t resist once it sat before him. He practically inhaled it as his complaints slowed. The boy got it all out and calmed down from the hostile environment that had become his life, Cira thought it was safe to pry just a little, ¡°Did Kieran take you from Heron Village?¡± She asked softly, sitting down with her own wormwich at the next seat over.


    ¡°N-no¡­ I was away from the village that night¡­¡± His voice was full of guilt, ¡°By the time I came back everything was already on fire again. I didn¡¯t¡ª¡± His voice cracked and he held back a sob, ¡°I didn¡¯t even check on them! I ran straight to the ship and hid!¡±


    The boy clenched his fists so hard Cira thought they might bleed. The dizzying remorse in his eyes was like a storm of doubt had been brewing all this time. There were dark bags under his swollen eyes and the pain in his cry resonated with Cira.


    For all he knew, both his parents and everyone he knew was dead. Cira knew what it meant to feel guilty, and while she couldn¡¯t impart Tawny¡¯s profane wisdom upon this child, she thought something ought to be said. Cira put an arm on his shoulder and made him look at her.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing you could have done even if you had returned.¡± His eyes went wide as she spoke. Cira thought he must have his reasons for becoming a stowaway, especially for the ones who destroyed his home, but that wasn¡¯t the matter at hand. ¡°I¡¯m sure anyone in Heron Village would be happy to simply know you¡¯re alive. Everyone must walk their own path. Those you used to know did as much, and you have only just stepped onto your own. There is no reason to feel guilty about that.¡±


    Cira went blank for a second.


    ¡°Just as you will walk your own path, I have already walked mine.¡± Cira¡¯s father said on his final day in a frail attempt to make her feel better, ¡°All paths have their end, but yours has hardly reached its first step. One day I hope you will realize why I worked so hard to find it.¡±


    To this day Cira still didn¡¯t know what he meant. As much as she liked the kid, she knew she couldn¡¯t adopt him and teach him the ways. That wasn¡¯t in the cards, though she bet he would accept it happily. She certainly wouldn¡¯t deliberately destroy herself to rid him of a curse or something dangerous if she knew the outcome from a mile away.


    Her father was perhaps a better sorcerer than she could ever be, but this also meant his hopes could not be realized yet. She simply couldn¡¯t understand why anyone would work so hard to give up their life.


    ¡°Is¡­ is it okay?¡± Pita looked at her with dried tears, ¡°to be happy I left?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t her strong suit, but Cira did her best to muster a reassuring smile, ¡°Do you see the island on which this house is built? On which we share brunch? My father once enchanted this clump of stone from the land of his birth and flew away with complaints not so different from your own. He never once regretted leaving home to forge his own path on the wind. Perhaps your destiny is not so different.¡±


    Hopefully minus the imminent death.


    Pita lit up like¡­ something other than the festival at this anecdote. Eyes again full of wonder like the day he showed off his carvings, ¡°He¡­ just like that? Do you really think I could do that one day? I-I¡¯ve been practicing!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve¡­ been practicing enchantments?¡± Cira couldn¡¯t hide her surprise.


    ¡°Yeah! It¡¯s all thanks to you¡ªI¡¯ve been using that chisel you gave me!¡± He was so excited he spilled juice on Cira¡¯s dinner table, not that he noticed.


    "Hold on..." All I left in Heron Village was a sundial and an ordinary iron chisel. Certainly not an artificer¡¯s needle, ¡°You¡¯ve been enchanting things¡­ with a chisel?¡±

 188 - Shedding Weight

    The air was clean and a refreshing breeze passed through the stone corridor. Cira¡¯s dungeon beneath the palace was very well ventilated and overall at a comfortable temperature. Meanwhile the air smiled like the open wind, as if she were sitting in her garden.


    Pita said he wanted to show her all the artifacts that he made, but they were aboard Cira¡¯s newest galleon. The ship formerly known as Cap Kieran¡¯s. So, Cira left the boy in her harem¡¯s care for now. The women would go with him to recover his belongings and hopefully help him feel more comfortable to be on Acher.


    Cira wanted him to join her students for what little training she could afford, but first came unfinished business. This brought her to the dungeon where the dredges of her recent past ended up.


    This was obviously a troublesome endeavor, so Cira had everyone brought to the same room¡ªone where the entire council was in attendance to present their decisions.


    ¡°You¡¯re here early,¡± Cira approached Kuja, who placed her bookmark in an unmarked tome. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re here at all.¡±


    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I be?¡± She cast a youthful smile, ¡°Evidently, I have the time to sit and witness history unfold. They may have made you empress or something, but I could never dream of something so lofty,¡± Kuja used her hand to fan her face, ¡°I can sit here and record events as long as I wish then simply fly away, as it were.¡±


    Cira knew she was jeering from the standpoint of a reader of the Sorcerer¡¯s Compendium¡¯s first volume.


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± She shrugged, ¡°but what will you do when I myself fly away? Is that book in your hands not from the forbidden archive?¡±


    She got a look on her face like a kid caught in the cookie jar, one Cira knew first-hand, ¡°Y-yes. It is. So what? I¡¯ll find other books¡­ or things to research.¡±


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± Cira narrowed her gaze at the blank book. It looked like one of Gazen¡¯s random notebooks. ¡°What is that you¡¯re reading?¡±


    Nervous laughter followed and Kuja held the book close, ¡°Nothing major¡­ Just the basics of soul refinement¡ªyou know it¡¯s crazy how close to the truth that necromancer¡¯s discoveries were!¡± She deflected.


    Cira waved her off with a wince of unforeseen pain, ¡°Please, no more soul stuff. I don¡¯t care if you look into it, but at best leave important documents atop the lefthand table of my forbidden archive for me to discover one day when it matters.¡±


    ¡°O-oh¡­ Okay.¡± She looked a little uncomfortable, so Cira continued.


    ¡°Kuja¡­¡± She had actually felt incredibly bad ever since she woke up because if she had never crashed into this island, Kuja¡¯s village would never have been burned down. ¡°I owe you a debt I can¡¯t possibly repay¡­ You cherished that place. Your home¡­ and it was burned¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop.¡± Kuja didn¡¯t look upset, but as stern as any other three-hundred-year-old woman could look. ¡°You¡¯ve granted me a new chance at life and recovered the full wisdom of my people; even exceeding it. As if this were the tides of fate carefully woven, I have been given an opportunity to look only to the future. It does not matter if the past is muddled in soot, it still exists in the shadows of Archaeum. Memorial to skies long past. They need not steer my future. As for you¡ª¡°  She paused, making Cira nervous with her gaze, ¡°Not even you hold the power to weave the past. Why linger on it so?¡±


    I may have accidentally done exactly that, but I see her point¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Cira shook her head, sitting down at her gaudy throne. That high chancellor guy didn¡¯t have a chair anywhere near this nice¡ªor expensive. I¡¯m probably a lousy ruler. ¡°But I suppose the past is heavy.¡±


    A stone door swung on its hinge and banged against the wall as Jimbo tumbled into the room. The prisoners who intently listening to the conversation with abject confusion were all startled back onto their asses.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind him,¡± James strode into the room and claimed a seat, ¡°We are all present, and I believe we have come to a mutual decision.¡±


    Cira acknowledged his words and waited for everyone else to be seated. Her imprisoned wizards in shabby clothes looked sullen and hopeless, while Captain Wick looked completely defeated. His head hung low, and he refused to meet anyone¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Look at me, you stupid bastard!¡± Jimbo shouted, startling the dethroned prisoner, but not enough to get him to look up. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m talkin¡¯ to you¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Cira silenced him, ¡°take your seat, Councilman.¡±


    Jimbo followed orders, but not before mean mugging Wick for another few seconds. The atmosphere was tense, and there was a lot of disdain pointed toward the center of the room. Not a single smug face among all the king¡¯s men.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    ¡°Theodore William Wick the Second,¡± Dutchy rolled a scroll out before her, ¡°As representative of the people of Acher and the former Lost Cloud, I hereby sentence you to death.¡±


    Gasps rung out from the guilty mages and their chains rattled. They tried to move or speak to offer their support to their captain, or possibly capitulate shamefully to Cira, but found they could not move. Wick started to shake of his own accord, and slowly fell to his knees.


    Well, it wasn¡¯t hard to guess his fate, and he sure does deserve it, but it sounds so serious spoken out loud. This nation¡¯s first¡ª


    Bang!


    Even Cira winced as a flash of combustion came from the end of jimbo¡¯s hand. Smoke rose from his pistol as Wick slumped over.


    ¡°What the hell, man?!¡± Dutchy sat next to him and was livid, holding her ears in pain. Most of the council was likewise upset.


    Across from them was James, shaking his head with a sigh, ¡°Seriously, Jimbo? We weren¡¯t supposed to do it here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to agree,¡± Cira spoke with a frown, releasing her grasp on the other prisoners, ¡°Get them out of here. Jimbo, you¡¯re cleaning up.¡±


    The mages and unruly pirates were still chained, but half of them were in hysterics as their captain¡¯s blood reached their feet. Not a very hardened bunch, Cira thought, but she was starting to feel sick.


    __


    After some time, the meeting continued in a different part of the dungeon. Jimbo was not present, for he was busy with something else and not necessary to the delivery of justice. The remaining prisoners were visibly shaken, but some seemed resigned. A shell like their former captain.


    I honestly expected to at least hear something from Wick. Some final words, defiant complaints perhaps. But¡­ Maybe it¡¯s better to be done with it.


    ¡°For the rest of you lot,¡± Their dulled gazes all lifted up to listen to Dutchy, who turned to Cira, ¡°Can you destroy their auras?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Cira rested her chin on her fist and leaned on the arm of her golden throne. She had no intention of cursing them en masse, so it wouldn¡¯t be permanent. While she deliberated, the mages begged¡ªonly a couple looked at her with abject disdain, ¡°It would be the same as if they expended them to the point of breaking. So, their auras will return eventually.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s assuming they make it.¡± Ripley clicked his tongue, dogging the mages in Jimbo¡¯s place.


    ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡± Cira could understand wanting to cripple their mana, but it wasn¡¯t exactly a lethal process.


    ¡°For sharing your captain¡¯s crimes,¡± Dutchy continued as the mages hung on her words, ¡°You will be stripped of your auras and sentenced to exile.¡±


    ___


    Exile in a place long known as the pirate kingdom worked a little different than Cira was used to. She expected them to get shipped down the Boreal or something, but the reality was far worse. A thought occurred that maybe Wick got a lighter punishment than the rest.


    ¡°How is this any different from a sky burial?¡± Cira asked, watching the mages line up along the cliffside, gliders strapped to their backs.


    ¡°They have a chance.¡± James replied in an uncharacteristically cold tone. He just finished getting the prisoners ready. They each held a pistol with a single shot in one hand and a sword in the other.


    ¡°Do they, though?¡± The mist was thin up here, but the cloudy abyss below was dense. Still, they could see nimbus sharks swirling around as silhouettes. These bluffs were commonly avoided by residents of this island as the sharks¡¯ breeding grounds and was also known as the Cliffs of Exile. A name which existed long before Wick. The only way to leave Lost Cloud alive, so they said.


    This was a tradition that the council wanted to die with the last dregs of the royal faction. So, that would make this Acher¡¯s first and only sky burial. Cira had mixed feelings, but just like Stygian Deep, the choices here were in the hands of the people.


    ¡°I was exiled once.¡± Jimbo replied, ¡°Did I never tell you that? First time I ever set foot on Fount Salt.¡±


    Evidently, he bought his way back with prima salt, ¡°No¡­ I can¡¯t say you mentioned that one.¡±


    I hate to say it, but that¡¯s an impressive feat. What is with this guy¡¯s luck?


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t do it again though.¡± He stepped forward and shot a gun into the air, ¡°Alright, boys! Closest land¡¯s about a day and a half that way!¡±


    Tawny held out her staff of wind and a gale pushed at their backs. All at once, the sixteen closest to Captain Wick were thrown off. Their screams faded surprisingly fast as the wind picked up. Everyone stood in silence for a moment. A few distant gunshots sounded off from below, and this island was finally free.


    ¡°Like cuttin¡¯ off a royal tumor,¡± Dutchy spat over the edge.


    ¡°Good riddance,¡± Jimbo hacked up a lung and followed suit.


    Soon all the councilmen and everyone present took turns spitting off the cliff. Cira was the only one who abstained. She was surprised to see even James doing it.


    ¡°Is that part of the tradition too?¡± Cira asked, a little hesitant to join.


    ¡°No, but they deserve it.¡±


    ___


    Cira watched them spit in the wind for a while, then everybody packed up and headed back to the palace, a weight removed from their shoulders.


    ¡°This country¡¯s a week old,¡± Cira complained, ¡°How many damn meeting rooms do you have?¡±


    ¡°You built them all.¡± James shot back.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have you know this was intended to be a multi-purpose communal rec-room. Large doors for bringing in tables or equipment to host events, just a short hall from the main kitchen and directly adjacent to a guard post.¡± Cira counted off on both hands, ¡°In everyday use, it was poised to act as a spacious foyer so anyone employed within or visiting this spire can come and go as they please without getting in each other¡¯s way. I mean, the front door is right there¡ª¡±


    ¡°This is my tower, and I¡¯ll do what I want with it, Missy.¡± Doctor Larry glowered, ¡°I don¡¯t want people getting too close. Why the hell are we meetin¡¯ here anyway?¡±


    Jimbo just shrugged, ¡°Your meeting room was closest to the courtyard.¡±


    Larry buried his face in one hand while another grasped a bottle. ¡°Just get on with it then.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s this about?¡± Cira looked over her council.


    ¡°You tell us,¡± James countered, ¡°That concludes your business here, right? I got a weird feeling you¡¯ll disappear in the night if we don¡¯t ask.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dream of it.¡± Cira in fact did dream of it quite vividly during the short nap she took in Stygian Deep. ¡°Though I am leaving Acher tonight.¡± She looked at Jimbo and Captain Shores, who stood behind him¡ªan envious non-member of the council, ¡°I need all my students and everyone who still wishes to see Paradise to meet me at Green Pit in the morning.¡±

 189 - Big Trouble on Little Plackelo

    Breeze Haven indeed floated off from Acher, nestled in a cloud under the shroud of night. Everyone decided it was best if the whole town didn¡¯t see her flying away. There would be signs of her absence in the coming days of peace and quiet, but the people wouldn¡¯t know for sure if she was gone or just hiding away, watching from above. That was the idea, at least, despite the large group of loudmouthed drunk witnesses her captains would certainly be arriving with in the morning.


    Jimbo worked with Shores to get everyone on the Saint¡¯s Wing¡¯s and shipped out around the same time as Cira so they had time to get everyone already away on Green Pit ready. As for Acher, the entire Council wanted to join, including old man Yotan. Apparently when that incredibly old man was but a young boy, he used to look up the twinkling sky dreaming of a golden island full of treasure and promise. By the time he was a man, he dreamt rivers of ale.


    Young Yotan apparently had a very short stint as a smuggler before realizing he was a coward, then spent the next seven decades working as an artificer. He claimed to still have the very first tools he stole to get started back home.


    Just simple man trying to realize a long-forgotten dream, and the look on his face standing on deck was not so different from Pita¡¯s the day he first witnessed magic.


    Cira parted ways with them in the night and took a refreshing nap in the garden. Breeze Haven remembered the way to Plackelo, so there would be no issues like how she landed on Lost Cloud.


    Her humble abode even took care to gently awaken her by emulating the sunrise once she arrived at her destination. Cira stretched out with a yawn and clambered over to the fence while a pot of tea made itself inside.


    ¡°Now just where are you, mystery woman?¡± She cast her senses in a wide net over the city. It would take forever to look at every single person, so she employed the powers of deduction. Just as important people wear tall hats, they too live in tall buildings.


    One was clearly a church, but another in the exact center of the main city stretched higher. Panoramic windows at the top and a nice balcony. While built in the same style as everything else, it did have a subtle grandeur as it stood above the rest.


    She noticed something strange though. The bottom floor was empty and dark, as one would expect in the middle of the night, but traces of conjured mana hung in the air.


    That girl didn¡¯t have a trace of aura, and this mana seems from multiple sources. Cira considered herself something of an expert on the subject. This looks like a fight.


    Interestingly, there were guards peacefully stationed around the city, doing basic patrols, or even sleeping peacefully off-shift in their little bunks. Nobody was in a panic and there was nothing else to suggest something was amiss in Plackelo.


    ¡°Well¡­ I guess I should check that out.¡± Turning into void lightning, she travelled faster at night, arriving at an unmanned door. Notably unlocked as well.


    So, Cira strode right in. Closer now, she could tell three conjurations occurred here not even an hour ago, but they did not clash. Likely, they were on the same side. Cira saw no sign of blood, but the smell was unmistakable on the air.


    ¡°Ah¡­ there they are.¡± In the back of this municipal building there was a loading dock. Four men worked together to stuff a carriage full of bodies, and Cira took the liberty of building them in chains of light.


    Looking upstairs, the girl she met on the docks that day was standing across from two men in brown suits. One sitting lurched over in a chair, while the other stood next to him imposingly. Behind the woman, a very old and sick looking man lay in bed. He sort of reminded her of Gazen on his deathbed.


    Negotiations of some kind were happening. The two men didn¡¯t hold weapons, but they looked very smug. The girl on the other hand, wore an expression like Captain Wick was shaking her down.


    Cira was still in her robes, so the best she could do was conjure the Dreadheart outfit entirely out of shadow. If anything, she thought it looked cooler. In any case, black arcs of lightning grew in the center of the room upstairs and Cira appeared between the two parties.


    ¡°Now just what is happening in my skies?¡± The girl stumbled back onto the bed and the men were visibly rattled. Cira looked them in the eyes and gestured behind, ¡°I know her. Who are you?¡±


    ¡°C-Captain Dreadheart¡­?¡± The girl gasped, standing up from the bed. Her sickly father or something looked on in fear, powerless to do more than sit up. Meanwhile, even hushed mention of her name caused the two¡¯s eyes to go wide.


    ¡°What¡ª¡± One of them froze, sweating bullets, and the other smacked him on the back.


    ¡°What a pleasure it is to finally meet you, my Queen.¡± He got on one knee and dramatically bowed. His partner quickly followed.


    ¡°Eternal Empress.¡± Cira lifted her hand, and them with it, ¡°And these eyes have seen bullshit you couldn¡¯t hope to comprehend, so drop the act.¡± She then looked expectantly at the girl while those two reeled in the shock of having risen like marionettes.


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    ¡°Blackwood goons.¡± She spat, literally, having found a second wind of wherewithal, ¡°Those bastards killed everyone in the building!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s no good¡­¡± Cira put a hand to her chin as the men withered, ¡°What do they even want, I wonder.¡±


    ¡°P-please, this is a misunderstanding! I am Marcus Blackwood and this is my brother John. We¡¯re merely here to negotiate a mutual development project! As a prominent member of the Gandeux, it is our duty to share our wealth with those all along the Boreal¡ª¡±


    ¡°Cut the shit!¡± The girl shouted, whipping a gun out of her coat. ¡°You¡¯re here to remove the wealth of my land and spread that along the Boreal to line your pockets. Just check downstairs Dreadheart, you¡¯ll see all the bodies.¡±


    ¡°No¡ªwe would never resort to violence! It is in our company¡¯s code!¡± Again, their claim was useless.


    ¡°I found four of your lackeys stuffing bodies in a carriage, though they did a decent job cleaning up.¡± Cira conjured a chair and had a sit, ¡°Unfortunately for you I can smell blood as far away as I can bullshit. So, I suggest you think carefully before you lie to me again.¡±


    You know, appearing in a flash of black lightning has its perks beyond speed, efficiency, and safety. I haven¡¯t done anything, and these guys are terrified. I¡¯m sure the rumors don¡¯t help, but these guys seemed pretty arrogant from afar.


    They went pale. The two had a choice to either deny involvement with the body-stuffers, or admit to their crimes.


    ¡°We¡­¡± The first one spoke up, ¡°Blackwood company helps develop islands, and we naturally share the profit made from resources removed to clear way for construction. We were always going to give the wealth back to Plackelo¡ª¡±


    ¡°And when they refuse, you convince them with force?¡±


    ¡°First, people disappear from the streets,¡± A shaken girl¡¯s voice came from behind Cira, ¡°Then these brothers come back the next day with progressively unfavorable contracts. We¡¯re practically down to copper now¡ªtrading our forests just so the people stop dying¡­¡± Her crestfallen face fell on the men again and she put a finger on the trigger, ¡°Tell me why I shouldn¡¯t just kill you two bastards, huh?! Go on. Tell me why in front of the Empress for which you attempt to grovel.¡±


    Cira crossed her arms and looked at them curiously, ¡°Oh? I would like to hear the reasoning here.¡±


    The first looked ready to piss his pants. In fact, Cira was sorry to say she could smell that further away than blood and bullshit put together.


    The second, however, grew incensed, ¡°Fine, I will! Screw this bitch.¡± He stood up, dropping the airs of formality and pompously looking down at a comfortable Cira. ¡°The Noose has only ever been full of half-rate pirates, I don¡¯t give a shit if you¡¯re a witch too. Touch either one of us and hell will rain down from the sky, you can count on that! We are not leaving here without a signature. Quit sniveling and hand her the pen, John. No one can argue if Captain Dreadheart herself signs it. Go on, then.¡±


    Wow¡­ Cira sat there trying to mull it over. This man was exactly as arrogant as she thought, it appeared. Marcus practically through his brother at her. She almost felt bad for the guy, but he would at least receive a different punishment if he kept his attitude in check.


    Cira took the pen in one hand and the contract in the other with a smile and nodded, gesturing for him to move away.


    ¡°You¡ªyou can¡¯t be serious!¡± The girl was furious, ¡°I thought it was your job to stop assholes like this! Some Empress you are¡ª¡±


    ¡°Indeed. This is my job.¡± Cira flicked the pen, and it landed in Marcus¡¯ shoulder. The fleetingly pompous man screamed and practically crumpled into the ground, the sudden fear of god in his eyes as the pain hit in full force. ¡°As I understand it, these people wish to plunder the resources of this land and sell them across the Boreal for profit, leaving you with scraps and mere handfuls of coin. They¡¯re like Earth Vein for timber, it appears.¡±


    ¡°You bitch¡ªyou don¡¯t even know what you just did!¡± He ripped the pen out then started bleeding far more, ¡°You think witches are bad, just wait until the whole damn regulatory council is coming for you! I¡¯m the goddamn Blackwood heir¡ªyour fate is already sealed.¡±


    ¡°What a shame,¡± Cira shrugged, ¡°You irritated me to the last, but I suppose a single messenger will do.¡±


    The air popped and he collapsed, bleeding from the ears.


    ¡°Brother, no!¡± While he still cowered to the side, he now pointed hateful eyes to Cira.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your brother will live.¡± Cira gave him the usual shining chains, ¡°But he is my prisoner, along with those four downstairs, the team in the second carriage, and the entire crew of your ship at the harbor until further notice. I am also commandeering your vessel, but you will find a small dinghy in its place.¡±


    ¡°Hang on, if we don¡¯t kill ¡®em all they¡¯ll just come back!¡± The girl was still piping up, ¡°That guy¡¯s just as bad as his brother. What are you doing with him?¡±


    He gulped, looking up at Cira to learn of his fate.


    ¡°He has a very important message for those above. Listen closely.¡± His glazed over eyes suddenly focused and he nodded desperately. ¡°My skies are not to be plundered, nor are my people to be trampled. I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s Gandeux or the Third Order. If any should disobey this decree, I will take it as an act of war. When it comes to that, I will not hesitate to fly the Mobile Fortress Fount Salt to your doorstep for a proper annexation. Now, go.¡±


    For dramatic effect, Cira threw him out the window before gently setting him down in the direction of his new boat, leaving the girl and that sickly old man staring at her with apprehension.


    ¡°M-mobile fortress?¡± She was white as a sheet, ¡°Does Fount Salt really move?¡±


    ¡°No, but it sounds scary, doesn¡¯t it?¡± They were speechless, ¡°Should keep them out of your hair for a while. I have business in Porta Bora anyway.¡±


    After a few seconds, the girl¡¯s face turned sour, ¡°Why are you here¡­? What do you want for helping us?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ you promised me a night on the town, but it doesn¡¯t feel like a good time.¡±


    ¡°Not really¡­ I have a lot of work to do, but I sure could use a drink.¡±


    Cira smiled, making another chair and table, ¡°Now that, I can help with.¡±


    The girl couldn¡¯t help herself as a glass materialized and filled with ale from thin air. She sat down and gave it a dubious whiff before tipping it back. Then she kept going for a while and slammed it down, gasping for air.


    ¡°My gods¡­¡± She panted, ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°They have been calling it Elysian Draught. Took it straight from the second spring of Paradise.¡±


    ¡°P-Paradise?!¡± her hand shook as she stared reverently at the glass.


    ¡°You¡­ you actually found it?¡± A weak voice came from the bed and the sickly man looked just like Yotan in that moment. ¡°The legendary Island of Paradise?¡±


    ¡°No way¡­¡± Still, the girl was speechless.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Thanks to that compass I took the other day, it was a breeze.¡± Cira gave them a quick tale of golden hills and shimmering rivers. ¡°I¡¯m actually going there tomorrow. Do you want to tag along? The entire Mortal Council will be there, so it could prove to be a valuable diplomatic endeavor. What do you say?¡±


    ¡°Me? Go to¡­ to Paradise?¡±

 190 - Golden Haze

    It was a slight bummer that Cira didn¡¯t get to enjoy the city, but she chatted with the leaders of Plackelo long into the night. The Girl turned out to be named Jule, and her father was technically the Mayor. Lately his health had been poor and his age long advanced, so Jule began stepping up to the responsibilities he was sure to leave behind.


    Cira examined him personally, of course. He had a cold, which she cured, but the terminal diagnosis was simple age. He wasn¡¯t as old as the unpleasant Overseer, Pappy, but his sands were certainly running out sooner than later.


    He seemed to really enjoy the stories she told about Paradise, even shared a few from his own youth. He didn¡¯t have a lot of time to travel before his father died and left the island to him, but he always dreamed of adventure, even on his deathbed.


    So, Cira spent the night regaling him of all her tales of adventure. The dragon was his particular favorite, but Jule kept looking at her like she was using tall tales to play tricks on the elderly, which only got worse when Cira ran out of her own adventures and had to recount those she shared with her father.


    Even Cira was surprised how little doubt he cast over her tales and was glad to stay up for another evening in a row to see a spritely smile on his face.


    The trouble came in the morning, when he got dressed as the girls made breakfast downstairs. He had a wooden cane and a backpack on, and said, ¡°I ain¡¯t dyin¡¯ today so you ain¡¯t leavin¡¯ me behind!¡±


    He was set on seeing Paradise before he died, and there was no real harm in it. Though, you¡¯d think he already made it judging by the face he wore touching down on Breeze Haven. Cira didn¡¯t know how she felt about all the leaders of Plackelo and Acher disappearing for a few days, but those in charge of making decisions deemed it just fine.


    ___


    Green Pit. It hung in the sky exactly like she remembered. Verdant, unnatural, and full of mystery. Those mysteries were actually less so now that Cira had time to observe and care.


    She originally had the idea to construct a large illusory array to help those she was leaving behind stay safe, but it was something already put in place over a thousand years ago. In fact, the eternal storm was an obfuscation array far larger and more potent than anything Cira could hope to conjure. It¡¯s source, however, lie in the center of the dumpling that was Green Pit.


    Deep within the earth and beneath Green Lake, stone was crystallized into enchanted formations that all comprised an unbelievable array. It¡¯s range of effect spanned for more miles than Cira could posit just looking at it. The conditions by which some were allowed to find their way here while others became hopelessly lost was a complete mystery. This made her want to stay and study it as long as possible, but she couldn¡¯t sacrifice that much of her remaining time here for personal reasons.


    ¡°So, this is Green Pit, huh?¡± Jule seemed a little nervous, ¡°How far is Paradise?¡±


    ¡°Not far, I assure you.¡± The original plan was to use her trip to Plackelo as an excuse to test out long-range entry to the realm, but her evening went in an unexpected direction. ¡°Looks like everyone is ready, too.¡±


    The Saint¡¯s Wings and Jimbo¡¯s treasure barge sat on the lake, along with Pita''s new ship, gently bobbing as ships do when they land on the sea. She was just glad they didn¡¯t take on water, because a some of pirates she met seemed sort of half-assed about thoroughly sealed hulls up here. Thankfully, the same could be said for the Blackwood Brothers¡¯ ship.


    Cira brought Breeze Haven in close and noticed the lake¡¯s edge was flooded into the first layer of houses from all the water their ships displaced.


    Soon the tip of her garden was just a few feet from a weary-looking Jimbo on the deck of his ship.


    ¡°You sure this is gonna work?¡± There were dark bags under his eyes, ¡°We were up all night emptying out houses in the flood.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s what you get for building homes directly on the shore. The reason this ¡®pit¡¯ is here, I suspect, is specifically to allow the water to rise. I hope you cleared a few layers up, too.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± James approached and quickly complained, ¡°Did you kidnap the mayor of Plackelo last night?¡±


    She promptly explained her diplomatic intentions, introduced everyone, and shooed him away before raising her voice on the wind, ¡°We will be submerging in five minutes.¡±


    Hundreds of pirates, her students and all the mages left behind on Green Pit, the Mortal Council, along with anyone who wanted to and was deemed allowed by the council or Cira herself. It baffled the sorcerer how she gathered so many, and why, but the council wanted rumors to spread.


    The glorious Empress dethroned Captain Wick, putting an end to centuries of Captain Cloud¡¯s legacy. The kingdom he built was instantly dismantled, then she immediately set out and found Paradise¡ªsuccessfully. The masses would see this trip as something for which only the empress could allow passage, but there were plans in the works to allow her captains and council entry when they wanted. Else she would feel much worse about up and leaving them behind.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    The one thing she could discern about the obfuscation array, however, was key in this decision. The council sure was wise for a bunch of people Jimbo pulled out of his ass the other night.


    For those who should not find what they are looking for within this storm, it will become exponentially more difficult to do so. Their plan after Cira shared this knowledge was to let the Boreal know that Captain Dreadheart had truly discovered the legendary island of Paradise by way of a few pairs of loose lips. With this many people around, it was bound to trickle up. Everyone thought it was a great way to kick off Cira¡¯s reign, despite her imminent departure.


    With any luck, her disappearance from the public eye would send the message that she was establishing a foothold using Paradise as an unreachable stronghold. That mixed with the mobile fortress card, along with the other ridiculous rumors and facts floating around, and nobody would mess with them callously.


    Captain Dreadheart, who stole the deritium in a clash of blades, turned into an overnight powerhouse. Meanwhile, the Saint of Seven Suns and Hidden Witch¡ªarguably the problems people were most worried about¡ªfaded away silently.  Cira was amused at Lomp¡¯s handiwork that she somehow became multiple people, but it worked out in her favor here.


    ¡°Oh, that reminds me.¡± Cira called out to James, ¡°I beat up the Blackwood brothers. Does that mean anything to you?¡±


    ¡°You WHAT¡ª¡± The ships started to sink in unison, and Cira watched them descend from above.


    ¡°Oh, I guess it¡¯s time. I¡¯ll see you on the other side.¡± She waved as his infuriated visage disappeared below the flowers at the edge of her garden. ¡°I knew I should have waited¡­¡± A shimmering flower of gemstones appeared and Cira took it in her hand, turning her head to the young lady Jule and her father with a smirk. ¡°We will be taking the fun way.¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha¡ª¡± The old man slapped his knee as the world turned white.


    Seconds later, they floated above the sea. In a brief moment during the oblivion of transit, Cira felt that she could decide their destination, but wanted it to be the same as the others.


    ¡°Ahhhh!!!¡± The old man¡¯s laughter had turned into screams, and he grabbed onto the fence for dear life.


    Cira flooded him with golden light and patted him on the shoulder, ¡°Whoa there, old timer. You swore you weren¡¯t dying today.¡±


    She really didn¡¯t want to have to give him the Kuja treatment. There were mixed feelings swirling around in her heart about the idea of doling that out all willy nilly.


    ¡°Th-that wasn¡¯t fun at all!¡± Jule supported her father, who was pretty much fine now, for the record. ¡°Warn us before you do something like that!¡±


    ¡°I did, but perhaps I could have been more specific. Note taken.¡±


    Meanwhile, panic ensued aboard the pirate ships to either side of her. Apparently, their sails weren¡¯t set up for gliding, as they were just sitting on the water all morning. Men and women rose from the deck as the ships plummeted beneath them. Cira heard a small amount of splintering from the masts and reacted quickly to save everyone with spatial sorcery.


    ¡°My bad,¡± She called out to all, ¡°I didn¡¯t think of that. Go ahead and fix your sails.¡±


    Jimbo looked like he needed new pants as he glared up at her, ¡°Goddamn you!¡±


    Tawny was notably floating in the air where the deck used to be, and looked up at Cira with a cheeky grin, ¡°Huh? See this?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Cira brought the ship back to meet her feet and shot her a grin. ¡°I¡¯d say you¡¯re just about ready for a teacher position. Hope you¡¯re prepared.¡±


    She may or may not have been bitter about how much faster Tawny was able to grasp flight, but it was pretty inefficient.


    ¡°How are you¡­¡± Jule stared at her aghast, doing double takes between each floating ship and the sorcerer while her father just laughed, ¡°How are you doing that?¡±


    ¡°Just a little sorcery.¡±


    ___


    While everyone made their way to Paradise, herself included, Cira was also shaping the golden landscape near her orchard into something like an amphitheater. There was no roof, but it looked like carved stone with grand pillars and a beautiful hilltop view of the agricultural district. A branch of each spring flowed on either side. Behind was the shore down a series of bluffs, and you could even see the ocean beyond.


    No such meeting place would be complete if she didn¡¯t make an underground passageway for ale to rise from beneath the earth. An offshoot not far from the spring and with the steepest path was made to diverge down and shoot up beside the courtyard, spraying into a fine golden mist to veil the panoramic shoreline view in a haze.


    This was as much a test of this islands construction as it was a passion project. The question in her head on her first trip to Paradise was how does the beer stay fresh? It flowed through miles of river in the open air. Curiously enough, the cups of ale-rain she drank while sitting on the sea below tasted like Milty¡¯s draft after twenty minutes in a glass.


    This could only mean one thing, though she knew not why: Ale did not go flat on Paradise. She fully intended to test this with ale from her treasury, but it wasn¡¯t urgent. There was also the matter of whether or not it had to do with being within the river, so that led to the first test here.


    Cira¡¯s ornamental beer geyser was constructed entirely of the land, and of course, it drained into both a moat and rain catchment system hidden within the pillars which fed a stream that circled the large central table, made of none other than solid gold, of course, as was this entire project.


    This was one Cira was actually really proud of. She wasn¡¯t focusing on the structural integrity and material efficiency of her work for once. It hit a similar vein to tailoring a new dress, or painting on a canvas if she were good at that. A new artistic medium was always welcome, and she took all the time she had until the ships arrived carving it out, adding ornament accents and even foliage since she had plants handy on Breeze Haven. Moving things between places in Paradise was satisfyingly easy, so she did not skimp.


    The finishing touch was to create a monolithic grill just down the hill from the gold brick pavilion. She had a great many people to feed and only fish to feed them.


    Can I find that giant snake? Bet he¡¯s dead. No, I think it was a female actually¡­ Usually meatier.


    Spreading out her sight in detail would take a great deal of time. As Cira was not an island, she could not see everything at once. Focus was a huge limiting factor to her mortal nature, but that¡¯s life. That said, she was getting better. Passive cast sorcery would largely take care of the serpent search in time as Cira put most of her attention to the finishing touches on her little project. Meanwhile, Cira actually stood at the fence of her garden with the mayors of Plackelo and made small talk. The shimmering shores were fast approaching.

 191 - Free Day

    Just trying to moor was an endeavor to say the least. Cira thought extending docks out from the hilltop would make things simpler, but it turned into a whole spectacle. No one on either ship could contain themselves and she had pirates jumping off the side to be first. She had to catch them and desperately widen the docks to keep them from plummeting to their deaths.


    Excitement was in the air, oh yes. Even Jule and her father had twinkles in their eyes as they gazed upon the golden landscape from Breeze Haven¡¯s garden, completely oblivious to the chaos below. Perhaps Cira got so caught up in her new project and forgot that most would get riled up to see something like this. It was their first time here, after all.


    Many spied the golden river from their ship and slid down the hill at frightening speeds while others spread out on the hill and started scraping at the ground with knives, shoving pebbles in their pockets. One man tried carving a piece off one of the pillars she so passionately crafted, and Cira knew she had to do something.


    ¡°ENOUGH.¡± Her voice echoed. The looters froze in place while any who tried rolling down the hillside were lifted back up, some of them shining with holy light and stained with blood. ¡°Will you idiots relax before you kill yourselves? You have indeed reached Paradise, but this island belongs to me. No need to rush.¡±


    Breeze Haven¡¯s staircase extended and Cira led the mayors to meet the Council. The sorcerer took her posse toward the center of the structure as the crowd naturally parted. Primarily because they found the booze.


    ¡°What¡­ what the hell is this place?¡± The hilltop she shaped had a built-in harbor like a jutting cliffside where both ships were moored along with Breeze Haven, and they approached a central table comprised of multiple conventionally accepted tons of gold had easily twenty empty seats while the entire Council sat around it. Additional guests also included Kuja, Mac, and Shores at this time. Still, it was built as an amphitheater, so everyone seated could hear each other while the hundreds others crowded around the opulent pillars were muffled from here. Tawny herself was flabbergasted, ¡°This wasn¡¯t here the other day.¡±


    ¡°Of course it wasn¡¯t,¡± Cira ended up constructing a ring to span all twelve golden pillars to make up her rain catchment system. Each pillar had a trough at its base where the masses could imbibe for public meetings. There were even little cubbies which formed a new crystal drinking mug each time one was pulled away, but many ignored them to use their bare hands for some reason.


    In hindsight, maybe infinite beer was not the best idea for the first designated area of civilization in Paradise, but she was really just saving them a walk down the hill. Those who wanted to drink would, and those who didn¡¯t, wouldn¡¯t.


    Who knew how often public meetings would even happen. Cira would be busy climbing the Boreal, and she enjoyed this project. No losers here.


    ¡°I built it on the way in,¡± She continued, ¡°Welcome to Agora Aurielle.¡±


    ¡°The hell is that?¡± Jimbo demanded.


    ¡°This beautiful place of diplomacy I have carved for you out of the land.¡± Cira gestured to the sparkling shroud of airborne ale and the sunlit horizon, ¡°I have dubbed it Agora Aurielle. The name is both poignant and sounds cool. What¡¯s your problem?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you my problem.¡± James crossed his arms from across the table. Cira could hear him perfectly while the masses of pirates in the background who paid no attention, fighting each other for space around a pillar or even scraping the ground for gold again, were quite easy to ignore. ¡°This is Paradise, isn¡¯t it? Even I want to drink as far away from this table as possible. It¡¯s weirdly quiet and loud at the same time. Why are we gathered here?¡±


    James¡¯ conniptions were due to Cira¡¯s diligent work to construct the amphitheater. There were guys standing near the outer pillars and listening in, while those at the table weren¡¯t overly bothered by everyone fighting for the ale troughs. His complaints described the entire point.


    ¡°Because I need to lay out the itinerary before turning everyone loose.¡± Cira¡¯s masterful feat of architectural prowess still wasn¡¯t enough to get everyone¡¯s attention, so she had sorcery help out again.


    ¡°Attention all.¡± Cira¡¯s voice echoed and all the mugs she crafted them from mana crystal froze in place wherever they may be. A few lucky ducks couldn¡¯t stop drinking, but others found the liquid resisted their hands. ¡°Welcome to Paradise. The Eternal Empire¡¯s newest territory¡ª¡±


    Cira had to pause as the absolute mass of exuberant pirates suddenly overpowered her acoustic engineering, and their cheers deafened the seated council. She let them have their fun, and the roar of the crowd died as they seemed to collectively realize their glasses still wouldn¡¯t move. Of course, there were those who dunked their entire face into the troughs¡ªeach of which fit fifteen or so faces at a time. Cira could not defend against that or those who already had their faces dunked would be trapped, and it wasn¡¯t worth the effort to work around that.


    Watching all the submerged faces was enough to make a girl consider swapping out the ale-catchment system she was also proud of for just a few more geysers. Honestly, the council¡¯s table was downstream of the pillars, so this was a huge design flaw. It was like Jimbo¡¯s flask all over again, but exclusively for the leaders of this new nation.


    The council doesn¡¯t seem to realize yet, so maybe it¡¯s okay¡ªhuh? What is this? Why is there no spit in the council¡¯s ale? Where has it gone? What about the countless flecks of dirt and other such small debris from the dirty pirates¡¯ heads?


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Cira was at least a small fraction undine, at least she told herself that. Regardless, she had senses characteristic of one. This meant she could feel the troughs of ale getting polluted with each bobbing head, yet the contaminants simply faded away.


    Inexplicable¡­ What marvelous creation. She had to hand it to the old man on this one. His ale spring was no joke.


    She continued speaking when enough of the crowd looked like they were waiting for direction, ¡°There is much to do, however. Those who wish to learn sorcery will join me at dawn whenever I wake up tomorrow. Meet outside Breeze Haven,¡± As she spoke, a perfectly shaped indent formed in the gold down the hill in full view of her orchard, and her island fell into it like a key. ¡°Those who do not wish to learn sorcery or would rather focus on their craft may stay around this area. You will work with the Exalted Legs McClensky and select other mages to develop this island. These development efforts will be overseen by the Mortal Council, of course.¡±


    ¡°Hey, just what are you roping me¡ª¡± Mac tried, but Cira held up a finger to silence him, for she was not done.


    ¡°Naturally, you are free to start and stop working whenever you please but know that you will not often revisit Paradise if you have no business here. It is still perfectly acceptable to find a spot by the river and drown yourself in ale for a week. No one will judge you.


    ¡°I digress. Council members who are not my students, you are in charge of city planning and development. If you have any ideas, do that too.¡± Cira held her glass high to the sun then threw it back, letting them wait until her thirst was sufficiently quenched, ¡°The rest of today is a free day, and it ends in¡­ fifteen hours or so, sleep included. Think about what you want to do and do whatever you want until then.¡±


    More crystal mugs materialized as many had been abandoned and shattered on the floor, disappearing into motes of light. The massive crowd around the agora¡¯s center was in an uproar, swiping glasses out of the air and filling them up. Cira added complimentary rivers for those who just couldn¡¯t reach a pillar, and it seemed everyone beyond the Council¡¯s table had completely moved on. Just as well, because the announcement was over.


    Meanwhile, the Council stared at her incredulously.


    ¡°What?¡± She asked, without letting her voice carry on the wind.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± James shook his head and started drinking. ¡°Did you not say something about assaulting the Blackwood brothers? That wouldn¡¯t happen to be the same Blackwood that¡¯s a member of the Gandeux¡­ would it?¡±


    To Cira it seemed obvious. That didn¡¯t seem like a common name. ¡°Pretty darn sure.¡± Cira brought the frigate to the forefront from behind Breeze Haven and spread the sails out to display an insignia of black roots consuming a ball of stone. ¡°This Blackwood?¡±


    Multiple palms hit their faces while more glasses found their recipient. Most of the Council seemed to hold this in great significance, though the mayors of Plackelo were already aware. Still, old man Plackelo urged her to clink glasses from the next seat over.


    ¡°Yes, that one! What the hell are you doing stealing their ship?!¡± Well, most were in shock. James led the charge with his horrific expression while Captain Shores and Yotan seemed to be sharing a moment of joy.


    Jimbo¡¯s jaw was on the floor, but he eventually bellowed a hearty laugh, ¡°Now we¡¯re talkin¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Not the time.¡± James cut him off, staring at Cira expectantly.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t really want to bring this guy to Breeze Haven.¡± Someone¡¯s screams rapidly approached, and a disheveled man in nice clothes landed on the table between everyone. They fell silent while the man looked around like he was in a nightmare. As no one spoke, she took the opportunity to recount everything that happened the night prior, starting from the suspicious mana fluctuations she saw from the sky. ¡°Even if my bluff falls through, they will likely not act rash with this man as my, er, political prisoner? That was the idea, anyway.¡±


    ¡®Political prisoner¡¯ was just a term I picked up from a section about territorial disputes between tier four goblin civilizations, but it can¡¯t be too far off from customs of the Boreal. The average human island is equivalent to tier three, after all.


    For some reason, the only member this time who didn¡¯t imbibe in solidarity was Larry, ¡°Just go on and get outta here for a while. The Council¡¯s busy.¡±


    ¡°Very well¡­¡± Cira looked at Yotan who just looked happy to be here, then the rest who still drank, then Mac as he receded into his floating cave silently. ¡°But you should probably talk elsewhere. Sound tends to carry. Actually, no¡­¡± Glyphs burned into the table, ¡°Just place your hand upon the runes if you wish to speak privately¡ª¡±


    ¡°Pst, psst!¡± Larry shooed her away like some mangey beast, his hands moved like they were sweeping away muck, ¡°Enough of that shit. Go on, now. Get!¡±


    Cira turned around to leave as requested, trying to be understanding of their feelings, and met eyes with the crimson woman from her harem.


    ¡°Darling, look who it is!¡± There were nine other women to make ten total and only one of them was Pita¡¯s big sister. He was here too, but woefully overshadowed by a pit in Cira¡¯s stomach.


    ¡°Oh, Pita!¡± Cira latched onto the easiest thread, ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to find you. I¡¯d love to look over your artifacts. I trust you have them with you?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re on the ship,¡± He gave a bright smile, but grew a little quieter, ¡°Are you¡­ are you sure you have time?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do.¡± She smiled back, ¡°Let¡¯s go right now.¡±


    Cira held out her hand and it was promptly slapped away by his sister Ulyssa.


    ¡°I¡¯m onto you, Saint.¡± She said with great disapproval, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing allowing these women around such a young boy? He¡¯s not going anywhere with you unless I¡¯m around.¡±


    Hmm? Does she know them personally? I don¡¯t understand why she may dislike them so strongly. Most of them seem really nice. ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand your concerns, but the imperial harem is a valued facet of my empire. The entire Mortal Council appears to trust them, so I don¡¯t think you should worry. If anything, having all nine of them look after the boy is better than just one¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ªare you serious?!¡±


    ¡°Oh yes,¡± She nodded seriously, ¡°And you will certainly join us. You gathered those reports I wanted, right?¡±


    ¡°Uh, y-yes¡­ they¡¯re on the ship.¡± She awkwardly nodded, seemingly at a loss.


    ¡°Excellent. Then let us make haste.¡± Faint crackles of incipient void lightning sprinkled the ground when Cira felt a hand grab her sleeve.


    ¡°Please wait,¡± It was the striking woman with red hair, ¡°May I join you? At least one of us should be there for you in case a need arises.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Cira thought about it for a moment while looking over the strangely desperate women, then a shorter blonde girl jumped in front of her.


    ¡°No, you should take me! I¡¯m much better at¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh please, everyone knows I¡¯m the one she needs.¡± A haughty girl with plain hair and soft eyes spoke over her colleague.


    ¡°Girls, please¡­¡± Cira¡¯s flustered frown surfaced, ¡°For you to quarrel among yourselves only troubles me.¡±


    Her, Pita, and Uly disappeared¡ªreplaced with sparks of lightning darker than shadow.

 192 - An Early Night Under the Sun

    Cap Kieran was the owner of a shoddy frigate with three tall masts and a whole mess of sails Cira knew little about. It boasted ballistae which fired heavy harpoons as long as most nimbus sharks and other mounted weapons she discovered were meant to lob bombs with accuracy up to a few hundred meters.


    Pita didn¡¯t seem to like them, and it was not hard to imagine why, so Cira tempered her curiosity. They were simple unenchanted mechanisms anyway, though the suffering they could cause was surely nothing to sneeze at.


    ¡°Look, I made these too!¡± Cira and the boy were sitting atop her newest ship¡¯s deck and looking over the artifacts he had crafted since becoming Kieran¡¯s glorified servant, ¡°They grow even faster than they did back home.¡±


    He brought her to a clay pot that sat between the windbreak of the surrounding stairways leading up to the ship¡¯s helm. A lush orange tree grew from it, branches weighed down with healthy fruit. Engraved in the clay was a depiction of a sprawling tree beside a gentle stream under the bright sun.


    She could have guessed it was his work had he not told her, as all his enchantments were similar. Previously he showed her a cooking pot with a picture of a large banquet carved into it, somewhat similar to the hall in which she enjoyed dinner with the people of Heron Village back then.


    It could boil soup with no source of fuel. There was a mop with a spiraling current of wind chiseled down its haft that would wring itself out if he stuck it out over the edge. Even a flagon for ale which bore a portrait of snowy hilltops.


    I can¡¯t say I like the theme of all his artifacts. It¡¯s clear Kieran found nothing but convenience in Pita¡¯s skill. Such a waste.


    ¡°You truly are talented,¡± Cira could almost feel the warmth of the sun in the engraving on the orange tree¡¯s pot. It invoked emotion and exuded its creator¡¯s will. Not even her own artifacts produced such strong outward feelings. The blood, sweat, and tears this boy shed existed in every uneven scratch from his paltry iron chisel. Somehow with such a rudimentary tool, he still managed to create incredibly detailed and resonant carvings. ¡°I¡¯ve never met an artificer who enchants through pictures and sculptures. I¡¯d say you¡¯ve become something of an artist.¡±


    ¡°Do¡­ do you really think so? Each one is so hard to make though¡­ I feel like I¡¯m really bad at it.¡± He seemed to hold a lot of doubt, ¡°Kieran always said¡ª¡±


    ¡°Kieran is a fool. One who no longer holds power over you.¡± The boy blinked in shock, as if he still hadn¡¯t realized it. ¡°I told you before, didn¡¯t I? Enchanting without a needle is not something novices can typically accomplish. And enchanting with something completely unmagical is a feat of willpower almost unheard of. Now that you¡¯re free to spread your wings, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll become a master artificer one day.¡±


    Cira didn¡¯t say anything because it was too early to be tapped into, but an aura had started gathering within the boy. He smiled up at her unabashedly as a door swung open.


    ¡°I found them all!¡± Uly stepped up from below deck, ¡°Here¡¯s your stupid reports. What does it matter where the glowstone went? It¡¯s long gone by now.¡±


    ¡°Deritium,¡± Cira swiped the papers from her hands, ¡°A rare and dangerous material created of a stillborn spring, like a malignant tumor deep within an island. So much as touching it is enough to twist your soul. Tell me, have you ever handled it?¡±


    She went pale, ¡°We¡­ we all have.¡±


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡°As I thought.¡± Because she could see it plainly. Faint, but unmistakable. Even Pita must have touched it at some point. It didn¡¯t seem any adverse effects had manifested, but she had to cleanse a great deal of the ship to remove all traces. This was done by tracking its mana and expending it through conjured light like she did at Fount Salt. ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have the resources to create the cure, but your affected to such a small degree, I may yet be able to find something to do about it before I leave.¡±


    The reports listed names of captains and trading companies they dealt with. More than ten different entities had purchased deritium just from Don¡¯s last shipment alone. It was safe to say she would never recover it, but her crew could investigate to some degree later on. Cira didn¡¯t recognize a single name on the list, of course. Any big companies or potential connections to any given member of the Gandeux would surely be covered up by a few links in the chain before Kieran was ever involved. Similar to how the Third Order sent a hapless merchant to Lost Cloud to meet Cira.


    Now that Cira had an entire team of people to think about important things, she folded the reports up and stored them in her sleeve.


    ¡°I¡¯m not gonna die¡­ am I?¡± Pita looked on the verge of tears.


    Oh no, ¡°Of course not! You will be just fine either way. Only advanced cases even show symptoms. It¡¯s nothing to worry about today of all days. You¡¯ve got more artifacts to show me, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡± The kid looked nervous, like something was on his mind. ¡°Do you think I could travel with you now? Not just to leave, but¡ªbut to be your apprentice! You could teach me how to enchant¡ª¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Uly interrupted, ¡°Absolutely not!¡±


    Cira started to feel sorry for the aimless kid. The only peace he had known was burned down, and the hope of few brief decades granted by tradition to build his own peace was also burned down. These were problems a grown man should have, but Pita was so young he hadn¡¯t yet learned to live for himself.


    ¡°But¡ªbut I have to. I want to be a great artificer!¡± He yelled at his sister before turning to Cira, ¡°I swear, I can be helpful now!¡±


    Cira crouched down to eye level and put a hand on the teary-eyed boy¡¯s shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m sure you could, but that¡¯s not what this is about. The places I¡¯m going¡ªeven my life is in danger. I¡¯m not nearly as great a sorcerer as my father, and I can¡¯t bring a child somewhere I can¡¯t protect them. I¡¯m sorry¡ª¡±


    ¡°But¡ªbut why?!¡± He demanded, a blubbering, sniveling mess, ¡°You said I have talent, didn¡¯t you? Just a little guidance, and, and¡­ I can help, I promise! I-I can even clean for you. Your drinks will never go warm!¡±


    Now, were a grown man in the tavern groveling before her like this, she would slap the shit out of him. Pita, however, had had it rough. A fragile young lad whose bruises were still healing, inside and out. Sobbing, he tried to fall to his knees, but Cira held him up.


    A quick glance at Uly said she wasn¡¯t sure whether to be glad she wouldn¡¯t take him away, or upset that she refused him, but Cira focused on the boy.


    ¡°Pita, you don¡¯t want to help me, nor should you strive to find the next figure to serve. Help yourself. That¡¯s why you took the first step away from Heron Village, Is it not?¡± He choked on his tears, pausing as he looked up at Cira. ¡°My path is clear, but you have hardly stepped onto your own. Why would you want to follow anyone? You have a rare talent that may never bloom should you walk in my shadow.¡±


    Cira motioned over the ship¡¯s deck and the golden landscape below, ¡°Look around. If it wasn¡¯t clear, you have all the resources in the sky. Even your own ship. No one from Paradise to Acher and the surrounding storm will harm or hinder you. I¡¯m sure there are many under my banner who would line up to teach you after I leave, and my captains can definitely help you find a trustworthy crew when you feel like moving on to the next sky yourself. The point is to think about what you want to do. Then use this ship to pursue it.¡± He had stopped crying, but he wasn¡¯t completely convinced yet, ¡°Of course I have every intention of teaching you what I can during this week.¡±


    ¡°But I¡­ don¡¯t know what I want to do.¡± He looked lost, and very worried about it.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t need to know anytime soon. You¡¯re a kid, stupid.¡± Cira gave a him a playful bop on the head and stood up. ¡°Now what do you say we hop on over to the forge and upgrade your chisel?¡±


    Uly came with, but they ended up spending the rest of the day in the forge. Pita¡¯s big sister couldn¡¯t really complain with his treatment, so her and Cira got along fine. She was happy to see the kid happy. After a few hours of finalizing the designs on his chisel, Cira called it a night. She had a lot of sleep to catch up on and even more things to do when she woke up.

 193 - Exploit the Land

    Cira awoke at the crack of mid-morning ready to start the week off right. There was a lot to get through and not much time to do it, so breakfast came straight off the branch.


    Breeze Haven descended unto the golden plains¡ªshe had risen because she liked seeing the clouds out her bedroom window as she fell asleep¡ªand there was already a large group formed outside her garden. The Council appeared beyond her staircase along with the two from Plackelo and she met them at the bottom.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± Cira yawned, stepping through the gate, ¡°I trust you all slept well.¡±


    ¡°Kinda hard with the sun out,¡± Dutchy complained with dark bags under her eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to get used to that.¡±


    Surprisingly the only members of the Council who wanted to learn sorcery was Jimbo, so she got the rest started on planning out Paradise¡¯s development. Among the other guests, however, almost everyone chose to learn sorcery. This didn¡¯t leave the Council a lot of manpower to work with, but to no one¡¯s surprise, aspiring students started dropping off in the first hour.


    ¡°You just like¡ª¡± Jimbo huffed and puffed, ¡°¡ªwatching people suffer don¡¯t you?¡±


    Cira ran next to him without breaking a sweat, ¡°If you¡¯re getting tired, you can always do some pushups.¡±


    As her father once said, a strong body begets a stronger mind. The reason why Cira was joining in on the fun this morning was because she had been incredibly lazy about physical exercise for about six years straight, but it was actually a crucial facet of advancing one¡¯s sorcery. The healthier the body, the sharper the mind. Like a sword and the hand that wields it.


    This first measure of instruction consisted of spending three hours in motion. Those who wished to become her students, however temporary, had to clear this trial to be considered. Naturally those who showed up tomorrow in defiance would be given a second chance, but that was a secret. Some of them may end up enjoying municipal work better. In just an hour and a half, the Council¡¯s workface had doubled.


    ¡°Come on, no one can do pushups for more than five minutes straight. Even that¡¯s a stretch,¡± Jimbo desperately attempted to hydrate from his flask, panting with a flushed red face as golden froth dripped from his mustache, ¡°And you should know better than anyone how much worse this is with a damn wooden leg! When are you gonna fix it?!¡±


    He fell behind as his knee buckled.


    ¡°Hopefully later today,¡± She laughed, dropping to do a round of crunches, one of the three permitted activities, while he caught up, ¡°But I need to get everyone started, and ensure you had what it took to follow the path, of course.¡±


    ¡°Wipe that stupid grin off your face, Miss ¡®my legs have become obsolete¡¯¡± His arms started failing as he put on his best Cira impression, ¡°What does this even have to do with sorcery? I can already make mist you know!¡±


    As he argued, mist slowly spread across the ground from his hands.


    ¡°If you do pushups that slow, I¡¯ll have to disqualify you,¡± Cira admittedly could only do thirty or so sit-ups in a row before her belly burned. She got up to run circles around the struggling pirate while she continued jibing away, ¡°You might consider trying water instead of booze one of these times.¡±


    Aha¡­ I should craft flasks for all of my crew that condenses ambient aether into spring water. A never-ending source of water so that my men may stay hydrated. I need to get back to the forge.


    ¡°I agree with master,¡± Tawny had joined by Cira¡¯s side as they encircled and belittled the one-legged man, ¡°You should really take care of yourself better.¡±


    She looked tired but was trying not to show it. To her credit, she was doing fine.


    ¡°And since when were you two so buddy buddy?!¡± A loud pop sounded, and Jimbo rolled onto his back, letting out a cry. After a short glare from Cira, he groaned his way into his first sit-up. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna be a sorcerer anymore¡­¡±


    Despite his pained, shallow breaths, he kept at it. Cira took this opportunity to leave the two alone for a while and jogged through the rest of her prospective students. By her highly accurate spatial count, she was down to three hundred potential students with less than an hour to go until lunch.


    Almost the entirety of the Stick Brigade, Far Shore Pirates, and apparently random crews from Acher had ended up here on Paradise. Cira didn¡¯t know how that happened, but she knew she downplayed the dangers of this place when she noticed a fair deal of the rescued damsels and their kids on her golden shores as well.


    The fully-grown women were afforded no mercy, but Cira was forced to create a junior division because every single child on this island wanted to learn sorcery, despite their complaints the other day.


    They had the exact opposite challenge. All thirty-two individuals below the age of sixteen were made to meditate for the same three hours. Those who could not sit still and remain silent with their mouth shut¡ªno those who could not stolidly attune themselves to the world around themselves for this short period of time were forced to join the adults in the physical gauntlet.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Their punishment for failure again was a second chance in the form just switching back over, but they surprisingly toughed it out either way.


    ¡°Then there¡¯s you all¡­¡± Cira came face to face with a group of not eight, but nine women in form-fitted shorts and crop tops who dripped in sweat and excitement at her arrival. ¡°I have to admit I¡¯m impressed.¡±


    They were all winded but showed no sign of nearing their limits.


    ¡°I¡¯m notorious for exceeding expectations,¡± Ember subtly whipped the matted hair from her face and spoke in a tender voice, ¡°and for my stamina as well.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Cira had to admit, they were taking the news of her imminent departure well. It almost made her think they had some sort of scheme in the works, but so long as they put forth the effort today, Cira had no complaints for them. ¡°Well keep it up. I¡¯ll return when lunchtime arrives.¡±


    Cira recalled her father in all his grandeur. Any great sorcerer, she thought, had a menagerie of great exits. Void lightning opened the door in her mind to disappearing swiftly, but becoming a one-trick pony was a fate meant for a magician, not one striving for the greatest heights of sorcery.


    Thus, she had put great consideration lately into making an impression upon exit. No sorcerer should disappear in the same way twice, and just as lightning rarely struck the same place, she should not disappear within it repeatedly lest people start to think they¡¯ve figured her out.


    A sorcerer¡¯s merit is only exceeded by their mystery, after all.


    Given her minor undine constitution, Cira decided to trickle away like rain this time, to the gasps and applause of her imperial harem.


    This led Cira to a location she had her eyes on. It was a concave cliffside that sat above a flat stretch of earth leading to the shore and flanked by a stream from each spring to either side. On the opposite end of the Fields of Valor¡ªher designated training grounds, this piece of land was overlooked by Agora Aurellia and next to the orchard.


    Below the cliff in Cira¡¯s empty lot would become the site of her newest experiment. This was something she wanted to do ever since attaining the pendant of ownership over this realm. The gem-encrusted chunk of gaudiness incarnate which was strangely beautify if she ignored her shame appeared in the air and she took it in her hands.


    ¡°Okay, so it¡¯s not like there¡¯s leylines to tap into. Typically, they serve as the binding crux and framework of the aethereal realm¡­ but I can¡¯t just say no aethereal realm exists in Paradise because there are no leylines.¡± Cira had kept a close eye on the workings of this world since she set foot in it. There existed a shroud of aether beyond the spatial realm which formed the air, sea, and island she saw here. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to create a mana well, but doesn¡¯t the absence of a leyline take all the hard work out of it?¡±


    Leylines were natural currents of aether. Conceptually speaking, they existed only in the sense that it was pure aether moving in a direction. To reduce that instead to a particular element of mana flowing from a single point in space was to interfere with the direct nature of a leyline. Even Cira¡¯s father had settled on a pure aether well for Breeze Haven because directly altering the laws of reality in a consistent and autonomous manner was not easy to accomplish artificially.


    Of course, that meant Cira had a clear-cut path to surpass her dad in at least one area, and the first step to doing so was creating an artificial mana well here¡ªor six.


    Within the bounds of Paradise, Cira had authority to lay her hands upon any mana found in this place. The aether belonged to her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start there¡­ I know I can channel aether in its base form.¡± The first monument jutted from the earth, a radiant crystal that reflected the sun and thrummed with power. If one looked at it, they could see a thousand instances of the other side refracted onto countless jagged surfaces. Conjuring crystal was easy, but the difficult part was stabilizing it as a pathway to the ambiguous aether shroud.


    The earth quaked and cracks formed in the crystal, a shattering echoed across the sky. Cira quickly reclaimed the refuse and forced out more crystals from each crack, increasing the gravity and mana density in kind to contain its form across two planes at once.


    Mana seemed to resist, throbbing into her mind like a hundred simultaneous casts as the elements danced across her aura. For a moment it felt like a wild mess, impossible to tame, until a jolt of lightning threatened to crack the soul she spent so much time and effort reforging.


    That¡¯s it¡­ This isn¡¯t a matter of synergy. I am not constructing a lightning rod to lure the elements in by natural order, but a pylon to command their presence. This realm belongs to me, as does the mana within. This crystal is a part of the aether, I¡¯m only manifesting it.


    The crystal cracked and grew through so many cycles it was like a looming tree as its jagged branches blocked the sun, but its form hardened and brilliant twinkles settled on its surface. The tremors stopped and Cira admired her crystalline canopy with a studious eye.


    There it is. The unmistakable flow of aether. But it¡¯s flowing inward¡­ not out. This is no mana well, but it accomplishes the goal I set out for. For those within the spatial realm, they could sit next to it and it would basically be the same thing as a mana well.


    Next, Cira started with an element she was familiar with. Directly on the shore of the spring, she began building a pylon of pure water. This took form similar to the amorphous gem of Aquon, and mist constantly fell from it as sunlight or air was converted into water on contact. A cerulean glow bathed the gold a mithril hue and she moved onto the next one.


    Earth manifested as a rugged crag where three peaks met to form an orb of tan radiance from which golden sand fell to a conical pile like an hourglass, only to seep back into the earth and power the spires all over again.


    A crimson temple of aether flame formed beneath the cliffside where its heat would fall back and recycle, surrounded by a moat of molten gold. Air¡¯s pylon sat just beyond the shore, a swirling tower of pure wind which only those brave enough to forsake the earth beneath their feet could reach.


    An array of crystal lenses floated in the air to focus a column of light, but space was somewhat tricker. Without growing more crystals, Cira could only make the spatial pylon a space above the aether monument that glowed with its shifting light. Worst case, they could take a boat there.


    The site looked like some kind of ritual was happening with all the lights and waves of pressure exuding from it, but this was to be a place where anyone could go and soak up mana of their choosing, or aether in its entirety. It only just happened to take up a moderate span of the island¡¯s surface.


    ¡°You sure don¡¯t waste time to exploit these lands.¡± An ancient voice spoke into her mind.


    ¡°They were given to me as a gift. Is it possible to exploit them?¡±

 194 - Ancient Flame

    ¡°My realm may absorb surrounding aether more efficiently than most, but you are slowing that process by designing facilities for your minions to take it.¡± The dead man proceeded to lecture Cira, ¡°Do it on too large a scale or for too long without respite, and Paradise as you know it will shrink.¡±


    ¡°I figured as much.¡± Cira again pulled the pendant from a waist pouch. ¡°I can¡¯t feel it yet, but that¡¯s only logical. Once it drains to some degree, I will be able to find out how difficult it is to restore, however.¡±


    ¡°You think you¡¯re being smart, but have you already forgotten how much mana it took you just to get here?¡± The old man had a point there. Cira would have to specifically try to expend as much mana in any one spell as it took to teleport with the anchors about as close as they will ever get to each other. Easily half of her pool, which was not small these days.


    ¡°Yeah, it would have been easier without a ship, I admit.¡± Cira shrugged.


    ¡°Let me be clear,¡± He, the man who died long ago, was not in nearly as light-hearted of a mood as Cira, ¡°You are painfully weak as you are now. One doesn¡¯t have to be anywhere close to my level to turn you to ash. As my successor, your state worries me greatly, especially given your general demeanor and reckless nature.¡±


    Cira scoffed, momentarily in a daze at the unexpected criticism, ¡°So says the man who let people weaker than me kill him? Your wife¡¯s aura was laughable and the man with the horns didn¡¯t strike me as anything to write home about. What gives? How the hell did you even die, Mr. High and Mighty Chancellor? Trapped by an itty-bitty array?¡±


    ¡°For your information,¡± Cira enjoyed his irritated tone, ¡°Ventra was home to the greatest artificer these skies have ever known¡ª¡±


    ¡°Pfft¡­ Sure¡­¡± It was a safe bet her dad wasn¡¯t Ventran.


    The old man seemed to have at least tuned into these tendencies of Cira¡¯s and glossed over it with extended grumbling, ¡°Don¡¯t be an idiot. I¡¯m talking about the forefather of all artificers. The fallen forge master, Daedalus. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve never even heard the name.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± But where have I heard it¡­? I don¡¯t think it was an academic tome, but¡­ ¡°The crackpot from those children stories? Didn¡¯t he build a staircase from below the sea to above the sky?¡±


    ¡°¡­what kind of stories were you told as a child? That is a gross oversimplification of the Transheavenly Warren, and no one in their right mind would speak of it to the young and impressionable.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? Was your final gift to not only ridicule me, but my father? Shouldn¡¯t all souls have a shot at redemption? If they were undeserving, they would have burned up long before getting the chance to climb the stairs anyway, no?¡±


    ¡°What¡­ That¡¯s not even¡ªno. I am not going there with you today, stupid girl.¡± Exasperation rolled across the land, ¡°Though you decided to abandon the presentation I spent a millennium crafting in anticipation of your arrival, you already saw my method of death. That ¡®itty-bitty¡¯ trap, was neither itty nor bitty. As I mentioned, Daedalus worked for Lord Zephyr for one reason or the other. Probably resources and experimental freedoms. I guarantee the old bastard is alive and well, but he never held loyalty or spent more than a few centuries in one place. I doubt you will have to worry about him. You recall the gift granted by a god that petulant boy wielded, yes?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡± Cira nodded, ¡°The primordial curse.¡±


    ¡°You¡­? As I thought¡­ Yes, that power is what I¡¯m referring to. At this point all I can figure is that my darling Kreya procured some of my blood, and it was used as a binding catalyst with one of Daedalus¡¯ artifacts and infused with that blasted curse. Each word I spoke and inch I crawled brought me closer to complete destruction. Even the beating of my heart. The moment it activated, my fate was sealed.


    ¡°A portion of the seat you saw me in during the meeting still remains in the center of this island, though you burned most of it away when you got upset and destroyed my gold for no reason.¡± Cira shrunk back a little to remember her minor outburst when she woke up, but it was more or less justified. ¡°Long have I pondered what it means to ¡®perfect the flesh¡¯. To this day I have no answer, but left alone, the curse spreads through excitement of the corporea. The moment I heard my voice mimicked for all of Heritos to hear, I knew what was going to happen. My so-called wife disappeared from the spatial plane completely at a point, and I gave up, incinerating my form and wagering it all on this realm.¡±


    ¡°Ohoho, I see¡­¡± Cira put a hand to her chin, ¡°I guess that makes you some kind of lich, or perhaps the forbidden archive holds a more accurate term for when a pocket realm acts as a phylactery¡ª¡±


    ¡°Will you not? I am trying to tell you of the single most important moment of my incredibly long life, you impertinent child. If I tell you that I fall under the formerly theoretical spirit classification of realmbound djinn, but of transitive origin will you shut up and listen for a moment?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Cira realized that while she wasn¡¯t paying attention, the surrounding gold had apparently rose from the island and formed a shroud around her, isolating her from the rest of the island. ¡°I always wondered if it was a primordial curse, but you seem confident enough about it.¡± Colors drifted and gathered together in spotty patterns, eventually forming scenery. Cira recognized it as the coastline of Heritos, before fire and disaster claimed it. Calm sands sat shaded under swaying palms while sunset turned the sky into a portrait. ¡°That explains everything, really. The way it refused to leave even after forfeiting my body and reconstituting my soul here. Nothing like standard curses, but it¡¯s difficult to form defenses against something you only read about in books. Make¡¯s me curious, really¡­¡±


    Cira felt a narrowed gaze fall upon her, but she was quite curious herself, ¡°Forgive me, but I¡¯m going to force you to manifest. Do your best not to return to the cycle.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡± Cira threw one of the test daggers she made for the exorcists at the highest point of spatial focus exuded by the ancient sorcerer, ¡°AHHHHH!!!!¡±


    ¡°Let me just say,¡± Cira bent down and picked up a handful of fine blue dust at the feet of her solidifying predecessor, ¡°You are an excellent source of aetherium.¡±


    ¡°Why would you do that?!¡± The man that yelled at her in that meeting stood before her now, though his features were vaguely defined. Almost like that world of the past lit by the myriad flame, or a watercolor painting. ¡°Stupid girl, not even the greatest sorcerers can resist the pull of the cycle!¡±


    ¡°You did it, didn¡¯t you? You would be unworthy of calling me your successor if you couldn¡¯t do that much.¡± Cira crossed her arms and looked at the undefined man with a cheeky grin. She knew it took a significantly greater caliber of either power or will to resist the cycle than she could muster. Nothing on Fount Salt could do it, though I never got around to investigating the Dark Stratum, but Cira knew this guy would manage. Not that she could, but¡­ that wasn¡¯t the point.


    ¡°Idiot. You better make good use of that aetherium, or I¡¯ll become your pocket wraith.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do those exist¡ª¡±


    ¡°Why did you do this?!¡± He took the opportunity to bop her on the head and she shrunk away.


    ¡°Please forgive me, High Chancellor!¡± He did not appreciate the dramatics, and just then noticed his beautiful Heritos scenery had faded, and a violent looking crowd was watching Cira cower before him.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    ¡°Ultimate death!¡± An old man with a beard that reached his waist waved a string woven through six skulls around and a thick beam of ghastly white ruptured the air, knocking spectators away.


    ¡°Gah!¡± The old dead man possessed more detail as me moved and leaned out of the way to sway the death beam off course. ¡°You have death mages?!¡±


    Cira was half knelt, looking up at him with her face stretched back in shock, ¡°First I¡¯ve heard of it!¡±


    She looked over and saw the bearded man restraining a smile at her gaze, cheeks blushing. The others cocked their pistols or formed fireballs and the like.


    ¡°Everyone, stand down.¡± She straightened up and projected her voice. ¡°You stand before the Paradise Mage.¡±


    They did not stand down, but they refrained from attacking.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡ªIt¡¯s him!¡± Tawny was the first to let her staff down. ¡°What did you do?¡±


    Everyone but her was utterly confused, but quickly stiffened up when Cira explained.


    ¡°What was with all those tremors?¡± James asked, still mostly irritated than scared, ¡°And what is this place supposed to be?¡±


    They stood before the plains dotted in monuments to represent each primary element.


    ¡°This is the Sorcerous Quarter of Paradise. Something I am preparing for tomorrow¡¯s lessons, now do you mind?¡± Cira looked at them somewhat impatiently.


    ¡°B-but¡­ are you okay?! I don¡¯t know this guy, but he doesn¡¯t got a good look in his eyes¡­¡± Captain Shores stared at him aggressively, ¡°Let me stay with you at least.¡±


    ¡°No. None of you need to see this.¡± In an instant, everything was much darker. Teleporting was child¡¯s play within her own realm, but there was something to be said about transferring from above ground to a few hundred feet beneath the sea. This was a good exercise for her undine powers. A void was created so she didn¡¯t have to bother being directly underwater. That would have been more comfortable, but conversation was easier with a bit of wiggle room. ¡°It appears you still bear that curse. I would like to examine it. When your essence was spread out across the entire realm, this would have been impossible.¡±


    The ancient man looked around in surprise to find himself deep underwater, but that strangely turned to fear when Cira held out her hand and a dried up branch appeared in her grasp.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Her eyes flitted downcast, ¡°Even one ancient and prolific as you gazes upon my Auld Sprig with such a look in your eyes?¡±


    ¡°Your memories within my mind are hazy¡­ but seeing it up close¡­ Do you even know what it means to hold something like that?¡± Old people were often knowledgeable. This had always been the case. Maybe he knew a thing or two about something or other.


    ¡°What it means to hold this in my hand is nothing that can be determined by you. Just shut up and watch.¡±


    Cira wasted no time in channeling the curse with her staff. The old man writhed in pain and curled up to such an extent Cira was worried his spine would snap, then mana older than he would ever be poured from every orifice.


    At first it seemed he was bleeding from every pore, but the sanguine energy settled between him and the Auld Sprig. Soon the rosey smoke that caught Cira¡¯s eye was before them.


    ¡°This¡­ this is¡ª¡± The sorcerer recovered from his pain quickly and gawked at the vibrant curse. While it thrummed, he patted himself up and down as if trying to feel it, ¡°Y-you removed it! How?!¡±


    Handling something like this was a delicate matter. No matter how experienced she was with whatever curse she knew so intimately, this was an entirely different beast. Still, she could not help a sly grin, ¡°Impressed, hm? Are you sure you¡¯re qualified to call me your successor?¡±


    ¡°Y-you should not be proud of this!¡± His face contorted in disgust.


    ¡°Fuck you. I am. This is what makes a sorcerer.¡± Cira felt deep shame at her past actions, but wielding great amounts of power was not something to weigh her down. Just as necromancy had more unethical applications than not, statistically speaking. The primordial curse this girl bore was akin to a human being born with a third eye or antlers. Sure, if unguided, the possessor could topple civilizations or incite mass murder, but in the hands of one knowledgeable and wary in equal measure, it was but another tool hung from Cira¡¯s belt.


    This unruly power seemed to resist her dominion, but it could not escape the control she commanded with the Sprig in her hands. The problem was that she kept thinking about it like her own curse. It behaved violent and caustic. Livelier than smoke but heavier than lead. Cira had to open her mind to wield the flame of perfected flesh.


    Counterintuitively, it did not sink, but rise. Nor did it fester, but bloom brilliantly. Looking at it now, Cira almost couldn¡¯t believe that this could be considered a curse, or that it was the same thing she had seen before. That said, the unchecked power here was significant.


    ¡°Chrysalis¡­ does that mean anything to you?¡± Cira asked, profoundly distracted.


    ¡°Obviously, worms endure chrysalis to become¡ª¡±


    ¡°No. Shut up again.¡± Cira¡¯s hands turned in strange formations while her fingers curled in pattern. Not even the ancient one knew what she was doing, let alone the sorcerer herself. This was no smoke, but a novel flame. Its tenacity belied a vitality not seen in death.


    This power holds no authority over life, yet life conforms to it. This was evident in that Cira could feel it actively attempting to scramble her flesh. Just what is it? I haven¡¯t spoken the word ¡®chrysalis¡¯ since I last studied butterflies, so why say it now? It just came to me. No, hold on¡ª


    ¡°Chrysalis.¡± Cira continued as the comforting pressure of the sea enclosed on her pocket of air, ¡°Have you not just endured one? Far be it from me to call on fate, but you may be a victim of it. I can¡¯t think of a more accurate analog for the entire sequence of your downfall other than this exact curse. Think about it¡­¡±


    Wait¡­ is that what this curse is? The curse of chrysalis? Putting aside what that means, what does that make my own?


    ¡°Treachery, and other such environmental pressures have forced you into the cocoon we know as Paradise.¡± Rather than a sun blasting heat in a thousand directions, Cira had tamed the embodiment of fleshy combustion to such a degree that it burned like a torch above her palm. ¡°How can you interpret this in any other way? Like a butterfly, you have taken on new form¡ª¡±


    ¡°Fool.¡± Her predecessor¡¯s voice echoed, vibrating the sea all the way to the surface. ¡°Paradise may be a chrysalis, sure, but it is my tomb. At this point, nothing shall arise from this cocoon but the sorcerer known as Cira.¡±


    She started to get concerned as her ocean only shook more violently. Fish smaller than her hand were dying of stress in droves.


    ¡°You do not yet understand what this means.¡± Cira couldn¡¯t respond as she felt a hundred years of shores batter against her soul as the surrounding sea evaporated. She was left in the open air and the eye of a maelstrom as the manifestation of the Paradise Mage gazed down at her with glowing eyes. Cira knew energy could not be destroyed, and watched the evaporative refuse rise to the sky and form a sphere of blinding mana at the crux of the storm, dwarfing any semblance of undine or spring she ever assumed, ¡°Have a mere taste. You will need it.¡±


    Cira felt her soul shatter time and time again, like she were forced to take the shape of a ragged beach to witness countless sunsets. Fissures grew in the sand, but they turned to mud and reformed. Cira realized this was a display crafted with her constitution in mind, and she would never have had a hope of surviving were it not for her encounter in Archaeum.


    ¡°But¡ª¡± Cira coughed blood through her clenched teeth, ¡°What is this¡ª¡±


    She stopped dead in her tracks as her aura topped out and continued bulging. Like a gluttonous crane whose belly never filled in the weeks foretelling summer, Cira¡¯s aura expanded so much she thought she was an island again. Fount Cira, Cirrus Cloud, Breeze Haven and Aquon. These all paled in comparison to the sea of mana Cira guzzled down like a whale at the surface expecting krill and only receiving a mouthful of fat birds.


    It hurt.


    Oh, gods did it hurt.


    ¡°GAHHH!!¡± Cira cried in torment, ¡°MAKE IT STOPPPPP¡ª¡±


    ¡°It is done.¡± The ancient sorcerer spoke, ¡°My apologies. Given what I¡¯ve heard of your father I didn¡¯t think it would be so bad¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut up¡ªagain.¡± Cira¡¯s muscles felt like someone else¡¯s, and she flexed them in sequence to scratch the itch of unfamiliarity.


    She thought it was wildly irresponsible of the guy to dump that on her while she was trying to control an ancient flame, but it actually helped refine her control. Now it sat peacefully as if she contained it within a lantern, but every time this old bastard distracted her, it lashed out in different directions.


    He at least gave her a few minutes to catch her breath, ¡°Just what are you trying to do?¡± It was a reasonable question.


    ¡°Conquer the unknown.¡± Cira¡¯s fist curled around the Auld Sprig, but her knuckles hadn¡¯t turned white like any other day. ¡°And I am inclined to declare that which the horned man wielded belongs to me. It¡¯s better in my hands than a stranger¡¯s, no?¡±


    Looking at this flame was a different kind of uncomfortable than the curse she knew, more like agitation that couldn¡¯t be quelled. Like something was constantly wrong even though she knew everything was fine. Cira was no stranger to burdens on her shoulder, but each one took a period of adjustment.


    ¡°You might be pleased to know, however.¡± Cira did her best to absorb it into the Sprig for now, ¡°That this curious flame will dwindle on its own. There is the option to curse myself to keep it alive, but I don¡¯t really want to. Regardless, further study is necessary when I have the time.¡±


    ¡°Though you may exceed my expectation in some areas,¡± The old man¡¯s voice carried gravitas, each word painfully adding to her already bursting aura, ¡°Don¡¯t think for a second you are ready to take on a fraction of the burdens you are owed. The man you met was probably no more than a double. A clone of perfected flesh, as it were. If you had to size him up to determine if you could take him, it only goes to show how weak you are. Even though Lord Zephyr was still a young man on my final day, he possessed at least as much mana as you. I don¡¯t think I need to tell you again how long he¡¯s had to catch up.¡±

 195 - Trial and Turnover

    ¡°I¡¯m assuming you intend to create a portal of sorts for your crew visit this place in your absence, since you keep talking of leaving while hurriedly erecting these shambling messes you wish you could call mana wells,¡± Cira could barely hear the ancient sorcerer¡¯s voice over his echoing in her head. As if teaching her a lesson for her arrogance, each word he spoke was like another fist, straight to the soul. She felt it start to bruise like a melon and the only measure Cira could think of to prevent serious damage was to pull it into her aura, which had filled up before he even opened his mouth. ¡°But how? Did you intend to enchant the lake itself? You¡¯ll be at it for weeks.¡±


    Finally, Cira was afforded a moment to breathe as he finished his rant. ¡°You bastard¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t be that mad, as she shared the opinion that she was weak¡ªsuch was not uncommon for young sorcerers. ¡°Can¡¯t you at least cool it on the mana until I go to bed or something?¡±


    ¡°Fool.¡± A window in space opened up and showed hundreds of exhausted pirates running in circles and crying to the sky in anguish to accomplish a single pushup because they couldn¡¯t stay on their feet any longer. There were literal pools of sweat in the low spots of the smooth golden earth, as well as sparse bloodstains for some reason. ¡°You think dumping mana on you in your sleep will make you any stronger? Half of those people out there are putting forth more determination than they probably ever have in their lives with hardly a shred of aura between them. Are you, the proud ¡®intermediate sorcerer¡¯, afraid of a challenge more suited to your level?¡±


    Cira looked into the dead man¡¯s bright white eyes, ¡°I am the daughter of the Great Sage. No trial scares me¡ª¡±


    The bottom of the ocean disappeared, as did the rest of it which she had slowly spread her influence through. She was blind, as was the world pure black. It wasn¡¯t darkness¡ªjust nothing. The lack of pressure of any kind, be it physical or aethereal, was profoundly jarring to Cira. She felt her flesh try to bulge outward, requiring her to contain it actively, and she felt as if her entire body would turn into ice if she didn¡¯t consciously regulate her body temperature.


    Had she not the temperament of a sorcerer who expects at least something unfortunate to happen at any time, it would have been too late.


    Apparently, the absence of the concept of heat was just cold¡ªunfathomably so. She had hoped against all logic that it would be somewhere in the middle, but alas.


    The highly impressive daughter of the Great Sage instinctively triggered a domain burst to assume at least consistent conditions to what she was used to, but it was for naught. She ended up allowing a great deal of mana to burn up as fuel for the indomitable nothingness she found herself in.


    ¡°W-what did you do?!¡± It felt like her mind¡¯s words went nowhere at all, so Cira was relieved to hear a reply.


    ¡°Foolish girl. Have you never heard of true void? That which predates the aethereal plane. You have nothing here but that which is your own.¡±


    ¡°O-of course I¡¯ve heard of it!¡± Cira wasn¡¯t used to people aside from her father knowing significantly more than her, so being instructed was a foreign feeling these days. It almost felt wrong learning from some random old guy. ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡±


    ¡°This is another pocket realm I spent a very long time developing in anticipation of your arrival, my dear successor.¡±


    His last three words were imbued with mana as if to spite her.


    ¡°And¡­ what am I supposed to do here?¡± Cira looked around but there wasn¡¯t anything to see nor perceive in any other manner.


    ¡°You will find out soon enough.¡± His ominous words somehow echoed through her mind, ¡°But until then, I think I will take over the role of instructor for you.¡±


    Cira felt the connection to his mind slowly dissipate and started to panic. It was in essence the last exterior feeling she had left, ¡°Hey wait, what do you think you¡¯re doing with my students?!¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°If you have a problem.¡± He laughed, ¡°Come find me.¡±


    Then the connection was gone. Cira was alone in a sea of nothing. The darkness grew darker by the second, while seconds stretched further and further. In moments, Cira was unclear if time was even passing.


    ¡°¡­¡± She opened her mouth, and nothing came out.


    ¡°Prismagora!¡± But nothing appeared.


    ¡°Aquon¡­?¡±


    Still nothing.


    No matter how far her Spatial Sight spread, it never left the bounds of her body. Cira had read about the actual void in theoretical textbooks, but this was something she never fathomed she would experience. In a last desperate attempt to do anything, she called on the waters in her soul and they refused to leave her body.


    Even my will is stifled in this place¡­ I don¡¯t know where I am in relation to Paradise. I can¡¯t even feel Breeze Haven. What is¡­ this place?


    There was no surrounding aether or space, it was just nothing. Unfortunately, Cira needed mana to sustain her form and existence down to the very thought. Despite being overloaded several magnitudes more than ever, her mind subconsciously calculated how long she could maintain here, and her heart started to beat faster. Counterproductively, that only drew on her aura further.


    She could last years to be sure, but the fact that she could see such a very clear end did not sit well with her.


    I expend far to much mana simply in an idle state¡­ No matter how much I reduce that rate, it will never be zero. This place will be my grave if I don¡¯t do something¡­ I have to get out of here.


    ___


    ¡°Was this a trick all along?!¡± Jimbo collapsed to his chest and beat his fist into the ground, bruising his knuckles. ¡°It¡¯s been five hours! We¡¯re gonna die!¡±


    ¡°Speak for yourself, chump.¡± My own jog slowed as Cira¡¯s harem strode past in a line, led by that cunning girl, Ember. It was a shorter blonde one who spoke out, I think her name was Goldie¡ªWick¡¯s second favorite. Not a great fit for Cira¡¯s harem, if I¡¯m being honest. ¡°You should just give up.¡±


    ¡°You watch your mouth, bitch.¡± I thrust out my palm using the same form as Cira and toppled her a good few yards, through one of the sweat puddles. ¡°Your beloved mistress would expel you from the harem if she heard you talking like that.¡±


    It was beyond me why Cira retained the harem. I¡¯m pretty sure two or three snuck in from the city too. She was certainly too stupid to make good use of it, though perhaps their collective wiles could fix that. That was certainly Ember¡¯s goal, at least.


    Goldie was out cold, and most of the others looked at me with fear or shock. Pearl¡¯s teeth were clattering as she was close enough to feel the gust brush by her face, ¡°Y-you¡­ you can¡¯t just do that!¡± I had nothing against her particularly, but she needed to shut up.


    ¡°As a matter of fact, I can, as I am Cira¡¯s direct disciple.¡± I didn¡¯t like being haughty any more than my absent master, but in this case it was the fastest way to resolve the issue. I felt perhaps I was understanding something about being a sorcerer. In any case, Pearl instantly folded. She didn¡¯t like Goldie either, but she scared easily.


    Ember was the only one who continued jogging in place after the harem froze, and she looked at me with a chuckle, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so rough¡ª¡± Her words died off and her cheeks lost all color.


    ¡°Sometimes, a heavy hand is necessary for the especially dense¡ª¡± My own words died as I noticed Ember was not looking at me, but over my shoulder. Her expression gradually grew more dire. I felt a subtle breeze of mana at my back then a hand settled on my shoulder.


    ¡°Well said, young Tawny.¡± My blood chilled. I¡­ I recognize that voice, don¡¯t I? When I turned my head, I was looking straight into the eyes of the high chancellor from that memory, but finely shrouded like a damp painting. ¡°My successor may be a fool, but I am glad to see those around her have some sense.¡±


    ¡°Who the hell¡¯re you?!¡± Jimbo¡¯s peg leg was in his hand faster than a whip could crack. He also neglected to wait for an answer before stabbing away. Though it didn¡¯t pierce the old sorcerer. He simply moved aside as the leg knife slid off his ambiguous robes.


    ¡°You may refer to me as Grandmaster Ionath.¡± A pressure descended on the island, and everyone was forced to their knees or the ground depending on if they were running or otherwise. I barely stopped my face from slamming into the earth. ¡°Cira unfortunately does not have a lot of time and will be tied up in her own training for a bit, so I will be your instructor until she returns.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ are you doing?!¡± I managed to croak out.


    ¡°You bastard!¡± Apparently, Captain Shores was still in the game, but he was further away. ¡°What have you done with her?! I¡¯ll kill you!¡±


    Surprisingly, he was the first to plant a foot on the ground, but lost balance and rolled over under the pressure.


    ¡°Your master is gone,¡± His words were cold, and even I couldn¡¯t figure him out, ¡°And unless she succeeds in her trial, she will remain that way. Not that any of you can help her, but if you cannot stand on your feet by tomorrow you may as well join the junior division.¡±


    ___


    ¡°What do you think¡¯s happening down there¡­?¡± the young Mayor Jule asked from the Council¡¯s Agora.


    ¡°It¡¯s best not to worry about that until Cira gets back.¡± James watched a few hundred pirates fall to their knees before a powerful stranger that Cira seemed to know at the base of the hill and turned away, ¡°You were saying, about produce from Dolliver¡­?¡±

 196 - Adrift

    Cira had been relegated to the same task she gave the children above¡ªor wherever the hell paradise was. Whether or not she wanted to, she could not do anything beside sit in silence and reflect on the world around her, or the lack thereof in this case. Even if she moved, nothing changed, nor did she go anywhere. There was no air for her arms to push through, and she started wondering if she was even moving at all.


    There was no light to see here, of course. Though she could discern her own body with Spatial Sight, the fact that she had already been doing so for an indeterminate amount of time meant that Cira had lost track of what position she was even in. Were her arms raised, or did her legs attempt a jog? Was she laying on her back or standing up?


    There was an hour or so of panic. Or was it a week? My mana isn¡¯t low¡­ but it isn¡¯t full? At this point I have no idea how fast it¡¯s supposed to drain or how fast it¡¯s draining¡­ or how I would even tell in the first place.


    Anxiety could be quite crippling within an environment where time cannot be perceived. Cira kept her mind occupied with little observations like this, but they bought the blink of an eye¡¯s worth of reprieve.


    This really is troublesome. The spatial plane simply doesn¡¯t exist. The aether plane even less so, somehow. Perhaps I am only higher attuned to aether than space. I was just reforged after all.


    But the absolute lack of space is far more concerning. How do I get anywhere when I¡¯m nowhere?


    Cira understood what it meant to be lost in the aether¡ªTawny was mere seconds away from experiencing it herself. With their existences hanging on by a thread to the lantern, Cira at least got a taste of what it meant. She could feel the pull¡ªthe base particles of her soul yearning to separate from each other and continue their journey. Here, they yearned to end their journey.


    This place is somehow the opposite. The void is so oppressive it¡¯s like I¡¯ll disperse inward until there¡¯s nothing left. If such a thing is even possible¡­ I don¡¯t want to find out.


    While Cira had overcome her initial panic, there was a foreboding dread that only solidified as she failed to make any progress whatsoever. There was no information to be gleaned here, because nothing existed here.


    So why do I? Because this isn¡¯t the real void, maybe, but I don¡¯t want to lean into that angle to escape. I don¡¯t think it would make a difference.


    Why do I exist¡­? Literally speaking, I suppose my purpose was to found a race of cursed monsters for my false father to take over the sky. Or maybe destroy it? It doesn¡¯t matter really. Maybe there was something to that perfected flesh from the past. Despite those revolting creatures of Ventra, the curse seemed far more symbiotic with the soul than my own.


    But that¡¯s no longer why I exist, is it? No, I am a sorcerer. So, naturally the reason I still exist within this void is the very same reason. And the reason I have been sent here, as it will be the method of my escape. It¡¯s all sorcery.


    Where am I going with this?


    I¡¯m not so sure anymore.


    ___


    ¡°None of you are even qualified to be my student¡¯s student.¡± Cira was far too easy on them. Simply running was pointless, especially for hours on end. However, I had to respect my student¡¯s curriculum, lest these people become my disciples instead of her own. It was also the mark of an amateur to take on too many students at once.


    So, the rules stayed the same, but they had to run from magical projectiles while I flew around above them. This kept them on their toes, so they had to observe their surroundings and dodge or flee accordingly. I thought I would even add a little twist to keep it on theme so the only time they are free from targeting is while performing pushups or sit ups to rest.


    ¡°You¡¯re a monster!¡± I saw young Tawny shout from the ground, barely dodging a heavy javelin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too familiar just because you tagged along with Cira in my memory,¡± I tossed another, and she was knocked to the ground trying to get out of the way. She desperately rolled over and started exercising, so I moved on.


    ¡°And you nine.¡± I crashed into the ground and glared at them, each one more beautiful than the last, depending on where you started. So long as you weren¡¯t looking at their souls, anyway. ¡°You show initiative, but do you know what it means to be the harem to a great sorcerer?¡±


    They all looked uncertain and scared to say no, but the one I watched roll across the field was the one to speak up, ¡°What does it matter? She¡¯s leaving us anyway if she hasn¡¯t already! What¡¯s it been, three days? Four?¡±


    ¡°She was always going to leave. If your resolve is that weak, then the door is right there.¡± I held a hand out, gesturing towards the temporary doorway to Green Pit I conjured. ¡°No one has asked you to stay, not even Cira. Could it be¡­ greed alone keeps you here?¡±


    The young woman, Goldie, turned white and shriveled beneath my uninterrupted gaze.


    ¡°G-Grandmaster,¡± The only concubine to show much promise, Ember, interrupted. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it means to serve one as great as Cira¡­ But I know I¡¯m not the only one who wishes to learn!¡±


    She stepped forward, as did, well¡­ All nine of them stepped forward. It wasn¡¯t my place, so I admonished them no further.


    ¡°Very well¡­ To start, perhaps I shall take a note from my student¡¯s playbook.¡± I conjured a set of golden robes on each of them. Only a few remained on their feet from the weight. ¡°Get moving. The rules have not changed. These robes will help you circulate mana, so if any of you fail to block my projectiles with a barrier by lunch, then you shall continue this exercise until supper, which is when I will lower you nine to the sea to catch it.¡±


    I watched the expressions on their faces crumble, and even a fragment of Ember¡¯s resolve shattered. But they were not worthy should they be scared away so easily. If my student is to possess a harem, they shan¡¯t be weak of mind, body, nor spirit.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ___


    So, so many books¡­ However, will I read them all?


    It¡¯s funny. When you¡¯re unlearned, you don¡¯t even know the absolute depth of things you don¡¯t know. I never could have imagined there was so much to learn!


    My Granpappy used to tell me stories of his smuggling days. I used to think there was so much to see, to be experienced in the outer skies. He even spoke of a legendary island made of solid gold. Spent his whole life looking for it, just to be cut down by someone else who wanted to find it more.


    Paradise, I think he called it. It could be said Captain Wick was the culmination of its pursuit. Violence and degeneracy boiled down in search of the only thing that could quell generations of insatiable greed.


    An island of gold was more than I would know what to do with, but right here seemed like paradise enough.


    It was nothing like any mage I¡¯d ever met, but I could feel mana welling up inside me too after all this time. I had wanted it so badly as of late that perhaps my pleas were answered. Sometimes I could draw power into my palms, though it was scarce.


    I could only read so many spell tomes though. And there was so much else to learn, I didn¡¯t feel the need rush it.


    Strangely enough, when I learned more, it reinforced my efforts in magic. I read a book on aerodynamics the other day and finally managed to turn a page with no hands. This was exhausting, but the following day I turned two pages! It was just another way to improve myself throughout the day.


    Though I¡¯ve hardly left my seat but to eat and sleep in who knows how long, each time I open my eyes again is a new adventure. I¡¯ll never leave if I don¡¯t have to.


    ___


    ¡°Weight of the world,


    Fury of the desolate deep,


    Besmirched by the shadow of Yore¡¯s omission,


    Let them know the wrath of absence.¡±


    Is this what he was referring to? How could the necromancer ever have been subjected to something like this? In what situation could he have learned of the void?


    Such pointless questions stirred in Cira¡¯s mind, but she was certain there was something to be gained from her single previous brush with the void. Was it the wrath of absence to be subjected to such indomitable pressure? The crushing lack of existence?


    In Archaeum, the void pulled her in. But here, she could hardly keep it out.


    I¡¯m tempted to let it in and see how it feels, but something tells me it would go poorly.


    Despite the fact that Cira could not perceive time, her utmost concern was running out. Ultimately that meant running out of mana and she may was well have been pouring it out of a bucket.


    It¡¯s not that I¡¯m expending mana just to keep the void out¡ªwell, I am¡­ but that¡¯s the least of my worries right now. I never thought I was so bad at controlling my mana. Did it change when I reforged myself? Everyone around me just treats me like some bigshot, basking in my mana, yet not a single person told me I was just constantly dumping it out? Did they think I was doing it on purpose?


    Cira never noticed because she was always using mana to some degree in at least a few places, be it barrier or perception, and she was also constantly absorbing mana from the atmosphere at varying rates. This made it easy to not realize how much more rapidly her mana was draining after she awoke with more than ever.


    I wonder if this is what the old man wanted me to learn about. Simple mana retention though? There¡¯s no way he spent over a thousand years expecting his successor to be bad at it.


    Who cares why he sent me here, really. This beckons investigation.


    Mana retention of course referred to the act of withholding mana within oneself. As a rule, no one can reach one hundred percent retention. To retain an aura, the aether is split up into the primary elements of reality, in equal portion, and bound to a soul. This may change for those who lean into their affinities, but one¡¯s aura simply staying put instead of returning to the aether took a certain modicum of mana. On top of this, the greater one¡¯s aura became, the rate at which it desired to return grew in kind.


    I admit¡­ It¡¯s been a few years since I even thought about mana retention. I thought it was just something children had to figure out then they were set for life.


    Ordinarily people didn¡¯t reform their essence, but Cira didn¡¯t intend to dwell on it. She had work to do. There were a few methods of increasing retention, but it was inherently a natural process. Alchemy would prove difficult here, not that she had the materials, so the most surefire way was consciously contain the mana herself. With enough practice, it would become something like muscle memory.


    Concentrate, Cira¡­ you did this when you were ten years old, so why is it so hard now?


    For some reason, she was just burning mana. There was none coming in, so the ridiculous rate of it was even more apparent. She thought it was supposed to be just like manipulating a conjuration, but her own will existed in the diffusing mana. Despite the fact it wanted to return to the aether, she was literally fighting herself to keep it contained.


    Do all sorcerers of intermediate caliber and above have to deal with this? This is miserable. I never realized I had so much mana to waste by simply existing. Just imagine what I could do with all that¡­


    This was slow going at first, but Cira did not feel like she was in a rush. She laid there in here abyssal bed and concentrated on her aura. As time didn¡¯t pass, all she could see was miniscule, but gradual progress over time.


    Cira had a realization at some point. It¡¯s not that her mana couldn¡¯t escape the shell which was her body, but that anything she sent out was instantly erased. Even if this happened slower, it did not appear to be a process related to sorcery or any natural law of the world she had experienced thus far. Whatever she conjured simply ceased to be. It was a marvel that she avoided doing the same upon arrival.


    This was derived from a first realization that something felt very wrong when she attempted to conjure water without sorcery. Then a third realization followed while she checked her soul for missing pieces, only to realize that the undine bits came with survival instincts. They had only tasted a tinge of erasure.


    Cira couldn¡¯t afford to be reckless. This was no environment for such lackadaisical sorcery.


    Locations do not exist. This has stopped me from finding Paradise, but¡­ looking in the first place was a fool¡¯s errand. As navigating space to get somewhere, be it on foot or through teleportation, what fool would think this could be done in the void? My approach is wrong. I will seek nothing. All I can do is be. Be where? That is the question.


    There was a possibility that this pocket realm could be destroyed with a certain rage of fate. In fact, she was confident that she could escape with the Auld Sprig in her hand, but did not want to. Her father never had such a convenient solution. Cira didn¡¯t intend to rely on it and miss out on discovering something important.


    She was reserving the Sprig for a last resort. That ancient mage didn¡¯t know it would be her who appeared, so this test was designed for regular sorcerers, though it irked Cira to consider herself otherwise.


    No. the void is my way out. He wouldn¡¯t have put me here if I wasn¡¯t able to get out. I can search through my soul for answers all day, but I¡¯m tired of that. The only way through for a sorcerer is forward. I have things to do, dammit! Places to be!


    No small thing can trap me, and this is literally nothing. It¡¯s time to move on.


    With a second wind of willpower, Cira started to get quite irritated. By her measure, it had been months since she was dumped in this abyss. She didn¡¯t know how the goblins did it without going insane, but at least they could feel their feet on the ground and the warmth of mana flowing through their body.


    Cira reeled back her fist. She knew the intended target, and her fist knew who to punch. It would happen. After all, why wouldn¡¯t it? What was stopping her? Nothing at all, turns out. Cira had spent what felt like months determining the answer to that question was nothing. Just a whole bunch of nothing. Shamefully enough, she could feel it in her very soul as her fist got closer.


    ¡°You, old, bastard!¡± For the first time in far too long, Cira felt something. It was a face, and she could feel it with only her fist. Like a blind boxer, she could tell it was her aspiring master by feel through knuckles alone. Cira¡¯s aura refilled her lungs with air, and the warmth of light tingled along her skin. ¡°How much of my time do you intend to waste?!¡±

 197 - Back From the Void

    It must have caught him off guard, because the old, fading man assumed the most detail yet as Cira¡¯s fist pushed him off his feet. The skin of his face rippled and the spatial displacement from her appearance generated enough heat to burn his entire beard off.


    He hit the ground instantly and carved a track in the golden field before his face was caught under a boot crackling with black lightning. Cira opened her mouth to speak again but her foot suddenly slammed into the ground. The man had turned to mist and reappeared in front of her face with his fingertips pressed against Cira¡¯s throat.


    ¡°You¡¯ve returned sooner than expected,¡± He laughed as Cira reflexively stumbled back, ¡°I hope you enjoyed my gift¡ª¡±


    Pah!


    A flintlock¡¯s burst startled Cira further until she turned to see Captain Shores shrouded in golden light, ¡°Paladins, on me!¡±


    ¡°Bindings of the Sixfold Dawn!¡± Cira heard a distant shout she recognized as Marco


    But six rays of light fell from the sky tight against the Paradise Mage¡¯s body, essentially trapping him between a handful of meticulously placed stakes. He could not move an inch without touching one of them, and each was of similar power to that which she sent through Estelle¡¯s kneecap.


    ¡°Radiant Transmission!¡± Multiple voices said in unison as the rest of Cira¡¯s paladins appeared in the air in a circle, falling rapidly with ivory swords drawn. The golden earth quaked as their holy light formed waves on impact, knocking over surrounding pirates in droves.


    No way¡­ What the hell was that?


    Once the world became less golden, Cira saw the only one still standing was the Paradise Mage. Even the paladins executing that ludicrous attack were sprawled out on the ground with fractured ankles.


    That¡¯s right. We must be in the training grounds. I guess I should be glad he kept them going, and clearly taught them something or other.


    There were hundreds of pirates crowding around them in a circle with weapons drawn, half of them looked ready to pass out from training yet channeled their mana to attack regardless. It seemed they intended to destroy the old sorcerer once and for all over his transgressions against their master.


    Right¡­ I better stop this, right?


    ¡°Your students have made great strides, but their intentions consistently outperform their abilities,¡± The Paradise Mage spoke before Cira could get a chance. ¡°The whole religion thing isn¡¯t my style, but you seem to have amassed quite the loyal following.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªyou think I did that on purpose?!¡± Cira shouted before realizing there was no use arguing. She had to address her crew before things got out of hand, so she did so on a loud breeze, ¡°The rules have not changed. Continue your training or go meditate with the children.¡±


    Surprisingly, every single child was accounted for, calmly meditating without a worry.


    I can¡¯t complain about his treatment of the kids. How did he do that? Half of them were in tears by the time he sent me to the void.


    Cira¡¯s crew stared at her befuddled until she shooed them away with a hand and scattered them with a couple tremors.


    ¡°To answer your question,¡± Cira side-eyed the old sorcerer, ¡°No. I did not enjoy your gift. My mind is still struggling to accept existence.¡±


    ¡°Oh? That¡¯s a rather lackluster reaction for someone with so many pouches at her waist,¡± he replied with a seemingly irrelevant jibe. ¡°You were so excited to receive a pendant with an entire realm within it, but is it not exhilarating to realize that you can draw it from your soul whenever you wish?¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Are we talking about two different things? ¡°What the hell are you saying? I¡¯m talking about that stupid void you dumped me in. I learned a thing or two, but how dare you trap me?!¡±


    Cira flexed her mana on accident, and was irritated to see it go unnoticed.


    ¡°Well, obviously the real void is long gone, so the realm I sent you to is imperfect. Still, time flows anywhere from five to ten percent of base reality¡¯s pace. You have only been gone from Paradise for five days, so stop worrying.¡± He straightened out his clothes from the heavy battering he received, ¡°But I never trapped you. That was the entire point. Now you can call upon the Paradise Anchor at any time.¡±


    The only action Cira could muster was to stare at him with bewilderment, and he had no choice but to continue.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Fine then¡­ Perhaps you did it by instinct. Pull out your pendant.¡±


    Cira did as he instructed, reaching into her pouch and holding the pendant in her hand.


    ¡°Okay. Now what?¡± She was on the edge of her seat for a serious revelation.


    ¡°Wha¡ªwhy do you still keep it there?! Are you so obstinate as to refute my lesson completely? You will never be a great sorcerer if you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Calm down.¡± Cira said curtly, ¡°I escaped from the void and now you expect me to praise your pendant? It¡¯s the gaudiest thing I¡¯ve ever seen, if you must know. I keep it in my pouch because I thought I may need it. What is your problem today? It¡¯s too early for this.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ what are you saying?¡± The Paradise Mage too looked profoundly confused. ¡°You arrived here because you noticed the connection between you and the pendant I bestowed. This is my gift¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, I arrived here because I wanted to punch you in the face. If your pendant has special features I¡¯m unaware of, I do not see what that has to do with the void.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± His eyes went wide as he stared at Cira, ¡°What¡­ what did you do?¡±


    ¡°Also, you¡¯re welcome for refraining from destroying your precious pocket realm, but I¡¯m still not happy with you.¡± Cira crossed her arms and glared at the man.


    ¡°You¡­ you fool.¡± He let out a chuckle then all of a sudden couldn¡¯t contain his laughter. ¡°You possess an aethereal connection to the Amulet of Paradise, and thus you can store it within your soul, drawing it at will. This was the lesson I laid out. The only way to escape the void.¡±


    ¡°Huh. Now that you mention it¡­¡± Cira felt a strange prick at the back of her soul when she thought about it. And what¡¯s this¡­? That must be Breeze Haven. It dwarfs that which I feel from the pendant¡­ How did I not notice this before? Likely because she was tired of soul searching.


    Turns out, she could have appeared in her garden anytime if she wanted. It would have been easy, she just didn¡¯t expect Breeze Haven to exist as a piece of her soul. Rather, it stained her own somewhat. While she was blind to its location, its existence never left her.


    So, I could have come back to Paradise anytime, too? That¡¯s too easy a lesson. What a waste of a void.


    ¡°I see now.¡± Cira spoke, ¡°Quite convenient, I admit.¡±


    ¡°Convenient, my ass!¡± The Paradise Mage shouted, ¡°How else did you get out!? Sheer will?! I refuse to believe it.¡±


    ¡°Fool. Do you know nothing of the void?¡± Cira was incredibly excited to be able to say that line back at him, despite her tone, ¡°You said it yourself that I have a connection with Paradise. All I had to do was believe my fist would reach you.¡±


    Cira received a swift smack on the noggin, ¡°You are the fool. Even if your unconventional methods and results are impressive on their own, any praise I considered giving you is muddled by that arrogant personality of yours. It¡¯s as if you think you can accomplish anything.¡±


    ¡°Is that not what it takes to be a sorcerer? Even if it¡¯s too much for me, I am obligated to try if my sorcerer¡¯s code has deemed it necessary. That¡¯s how I ended up here, after all.¡±


    ¡°Hah. The sorcerer¡¯s code¡­ Never have I heard it spoken in such a serious, unironic manner. If a sorcerer needs to rely on a code learned through years of experience to do what¡¯s right, are they even deserving of the privilege? Don¡¯t tell me my student¡ª¡±


    The gold around them subconsciously turned molten, ¡°You may offer me guidance if you so wish, but be careful refuting my father¡¯s instruction. I am not opposed to feeding your current remains to my pet spider, though it goes against my sorcerer¡¯s code.¡±


    ¡°It is a relief to see my student can be serious sometimes, at least.¡± The Paradise mage sighed. ¡°Allow me to apologize for offending you. This old man has grown bitter. While the results speak for themself, I have never heard of a Great Sage. What even is a sage? I am curious, what was your father¡¯s name?¡±


    Cira in fact appreciated the apology. He was quite reasonable as far as dead men go. However, the Paradise Mage had mentioned things Tawny did and spoke about before even reaching Paradise, so she was certain he heard her explaining his father¡¯s demise as they followed the clouds.


    ¡°He never explained it himself, or even claimed the title directly. That¡¯s just what the people called him as we parted each time, more or less. It is my own understanding that a sage is one who has reached mastery over sorcery. But meeting you over a thousand years past your death has certainly made me concerned that perhaps I didn¡¯t understand his status whatsoever.¡± Cira shook her head, walking through the orchard they found themselves in, ¡°Are you not a sage, old man? I sure as hell don¡¯t know what a high chancellor is supposed to be if not a pretentious way to phrase ¡®king¡¯. In fact, what even is your name?¡±


    ¡°Hah.¡± The chancellor picked an apple off the tree and took a bite, smiling at the sun he hadn¡¯t walked beneath in so long, ¡°You know it already. Your students have taken to calling me Grandmaster Ionath, but you may call me Master Io if you wish. The Coalition merely bore my name because I founded it.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ How creative¡ª¡±


    ¡°As Chancellor I led sixteen skies to mutual prosperity over a harrowing handful of centuries. The heights of my sorcery were unmatched in my time, but it seems there are even greater forces in this world¡­¡± Mana fell from his outstretched palm as despondence dripped from his voice. Can such a thing truly be said? I think this old man has grown perhaps a little too bitter.


    ¡°Io¡­ You are very wise, that much is clear. Still, you claim to be a sorcerer yet know nothing about the nature of sorcery?¡± A golden table formed at the edge of her fertile seedbed overlooking the training grounds and two glasses filled with ale. ¡°There is no such thing as powers which exceed sorcery, for sorcery itself is the very understanding and authority over said powers.¡± Aquon, Prismagora, Shadow Quill, and the orichalcum staff appeared in formation above her. Her father had his own set of weapons he called upon to prove a point or two, but then a dull wooden knock clattered against the table between them. ¡°The power which brought you to ruin is something I have always known. A pox on my existence and a past full of regret. It was my real father who taught me the sorcerer¡¯s code and the strength to overcome my sins¡ªto command them to my own end. You know that so-called ¡®god¡¯ that granted the sovereign of Ventra his powers? I cannot speak to the depths of your mastery over sorcery, but my father, Gazen the Myriad Sage¡­ He swatted one of those gods away with me in one arm a smile on his face.¡±

 198 - Why Am I Even Here?

    I had half the mind to think this girl was making things up, but prolific sorcerers such as myself had various ways to discern lies based on our aethereal perception. Her tale was so tall, but having met her just recently and seeing the nonsense that travels in her wake, there was no way to deny the influence of someone at least close to my level.


    ¡°Gazen, huh¡­?¡± I chuckled and enjoyed another apple. I had to admit, my student was no slouch. ¡°Must have been five or six hundred years ago at this point¡­ I am sure I met a young boy by that name. He arrived with a crew of pirates but didn¡¯t dress the part. I have to say you and Tawny are lucky to have taken such a direct route. Not many know the language of the sky, and a gang of shoddy pirates and half-assed mages certainly wouldn¡¯t. You missed nine guardians that most generally fall to. Still, somehow that child was the only survivor of the whole crew, but he was so weak I had to expel him from Paradise. Not in a thousand years could that talentless boy become my student.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, no way that could have been my dad,¡± Cira laughed, lifting her mug for the first time in a long while, ¡°He couldn¡¯t ever have been that old or weak.¡±


    I clinked the glass with a genial smile, though I had my doubts. If this person truly was a ¡®sage¡¯, then it would be strange for him not to have been a few centuries old. Still, if he swatted away a primordial demon so casually, however did he let that same demon¡¯s curse take his life? Something isn¡¯t adding up, but at least my student has given me an interesting query to ponder, among other things.


    ¡°You¡¯re probably right.¡± The ale tasted marvelous. I had never had the chance to try it myself, but this was a degree of satisfaction that was a long time coming, if I do say so myself. ¡°I do not believe I would have withstood forced corporealization. For a few centuries I was eager to try it myself, so how is it that I was able to resist it in your hands? Do you even realize what it means to give one such as I new form? My soul has ceased dwindling completely and my corporea is nearly complete.¡±


    ¡°It would be at least moderately upsetting if you disappeared,¡± My student laughed with a youthful grin like what she was saying wasn¡¯t incredibly heavy. ¡°But what have you done with them? Practically my whole crew¡¯s grown respectable auras. You realize I brought them here not because I need them to grow stronger for any particular reason, but because I have neglected them. I¡¯m practically the worst teacher of all time.¡±


    ¡°Oho,¡± There was a certain charm to her naivete, ¡°It seems you are mistaken. No matter how great your father was, you are yet lacking. The burdens you shoulder at such a young age will surely bring you to ruin, as I can tell you have no intention of wasting time to resolve them. Growth comes slower in isolation. The fact that you have such a devoted following is possibly the best-case scenario here. Just as facing strong opponents is imperative to progress, so is walking among those weaker or less fortunate than yourself. Should you ever forget the weaknesses you lack, you will grow too arrogant to overcome those you don¡¯t.¡±


    Cira watched her students across the training ground she conjured before I sent her to that place. Some of her crew meditated near the pylons, but most practiced their skill or exercised of their own accord in the field surrounding the central aethereal anchor. Cira expressed with great shame that she felt inadequate to see them thriving so in her absence, despite my having stuck to her curriculum.


    ¡°How do you instill such discipline into these lazy bastards?¡± She asked.


    She tuned in on Jimbo completely shrouded in mist, her paladins channeling holy light, a small group drawing power from the sun, a larger group completely in flames around her fire element pylon.


    ¡°I can¡¯t be more impressed¡­ but I feel like I haven¡¯t done anything.¡± An uncharacteristically terse expression shadowed her face. ¡°How am I even their master¡­ if they¡¯ve made so much progress beneath your tutelage?¡±


    Cira leaned back in her seat downcast and finished another glass.


    ¡°Were there not certain steps you laid out?¡± I asked curtly, ¡°I followed them diligently. Physical aptitude is mandatory, but that was a mere guise to test or challenge their determination. While some still needed to condense their aura, the first step you laid out was to gather a domain. I admit, a little much for such novices, but most of them have already come that far. Your simplification of crystallization I think has made great strides in their progress, especially as Tawny seems to be well versed in it. Many more are able to manipulate elements to the point of pure solidification. Not just Tawny, but all of your fire proficient students have attained aether flame. Your Lamplight is remarkable even in my eyes, at least in efficiency and overall craftsmanship. It has helped your students reduce mana consumption and even form their own rudimentary spells just by keeping it in mind.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡°And it¡¯s my understanding you left a boy an ordinarily chisel and he used it to walk the path of artificer.¡± I couldn¡¯t hide the boisterous twinkle from reaching my eyes, ¡°Your junior division is something to be proud of as well. My iron fist may have made an impression on these people, young and old, but they could have left at any time. They don¡¯t want to be like the strict old man, they want to be like the bright young sorcerer disappears or appears in a flash of light seemingly on a whim. How your lackadaisical attitude has inspired so many is beyond me, but I am certain your father the Great Sage would be proud.¡±


    ___


    Cira felt her cheeks turn red and tried to face away. Again, outside praise bothered her, but to hear someone she considered to be at least a semi-reliable source claim objectively that her father would be proud of her made her giddy like when she was a kid.


    ¡°Dad, look!¡± I stuck a fork in the potato and held it up with pride, ¡°I made it grow!¡±


    Long ago, Cira had just begun to dabble in nature sorcery. Vegetables did not agree with her, so she discovered she could divert her father¡¯s attention by making them keep growing from her plate. Plants were remarkably resilient with just a little push.


    Potatoes possessed an origin and nature she was unclear of, so Cira found them quite dubious. Still, they grew like vegetables when she pumped them full of mana. Now that nature was within her grasp, an extra little sprinkling of life mana and cooked potatoes could live on.


    ¡°Dear¡­¡± It was really scary last time when he reversed her imbuing of life and Cira cried at the dinner table, so this time Gazen was all out of cards. ¡°You¡¯ll never be a great sorcerer if you can¡¯t eat your vegetables¡­ At least take some of my carrots. No matter how alive they are, they¡¯re just as delicious¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s even WORSE!¡± I can¡¯t believe I cried under the table for hours about the mortality of carrots¡­ Could it really be said I¡¯ve become a sorcerer he can be proud of from his nonexistent grave?


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll never make him proud if I don¡¯t continue my path¡­¡± Cira stood up from the table and looked over the training grounds. ¡°I don¡¯t have much time left with this new collection of friends¡­ but I owe them some. We¡¯ll talk later, Old Man.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Io¡­¡± His voice died on the wind as Cira dissipated into crackling shadows.


    ¡°Watch out.¡± Cira¡¯s voice came as a whisper when void lightning turned into a fist.


    ¡°Wh-Lady Saint?!¡± Captain Shores was caught by surprise as his holy barrier shattered to pieces. The other paladins looked on in a panic until one man¡¯s open palm caught her fist. ¡°Gratos¡­¡±


    ¡°You will not catch me off guard, lest I make my Lady look bad.¡± His jeering face accentuated every muscle in his smile. A honed body heads taller than Cira went tense as holy light fought her menial display of shadow. ¡°I have been waiting for this.¡±


    He wore a grin like the old goblin king but without all the blood lust. It was a simple yearning for combat¡ªthe desire to trade fists for no further merit than the sake of it.


    This guy¡­ I can¡¯t overwhelm him with sorcery. It wouldn¡¯t be right. This is the same look he gave me when I first arrived in Green Pit. Not a trace of animosity, but he wishes to fight. Somehow¡­ I feel the same. Why is that?


    Cira assumed a stance that hadn¡¯t felt comfortable in many years, but right now she couldn¡¯t imagine fighting unarmed in any other position. One arm was ready to deflect, while another lay eager to strike like a coiled serpent. This style of martial arts was designed for the sorcerer who expended their pool of mana, but Cira retracted hers completely instead. Holy light dwindled within kind in Gratos¡¯ fists.


    ¡°W-wait, Gratos!¡± Shores cried, ¡°Stand down!¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Cira interjected, ¡°Don¡¯t interfere.¡±


    Her opponent¡¯s baseless smile turned into a smirk.


    ¡°My gratitude, Lady Saint.¡± Gratos cracked the earth with pure physical strength and landed before Cira in an instant, ¡°Let that fire in your eyes burn.¡±


    Cira dodged a quick swipe and they each returned to their repose, feeling the other out for response. A few seconds later, both to make the first move. This guy had a lot of weight on her, but Cira was as agile as ever with both legs.


    ¡°Who trained you?¡± Gratos asked.


    ¡°My father, of course.¡± Cira couldn¡¯t contain a laugh but maintained her posture. ¡°And you?¡±


    ¡°Former cardinal of the Final Sky, Peugolo, taught me everything I know,¡± He let out an earth-shaking chuckle. ¡°I was his apprentice for many years until Shores and I left Port.¡±


    He didn¡¯t elaborate further, but this wasn¡¯t a conversation, it was a fight.


    Perhaps in jest, the hulking man took a stance not unfamiliar to Cira, as if to mirror the open palm she smote Kieran with. One thing she noticed was his legs held him to the ground like a mounted cannon, and his palm seemed to shake the air as it approached.


    He took my attack¡­ and showed me a more perfect form. It¡¯s not about momentum to throw my palm, but a solid foundation to maximize forward pressure¡­ If I let him land this hit I¡¯m done for.


    As if by instinct, Cira wove to the side to feign a dodge, then grabbed his striking forearm with her offhand. She used his own weight to turn it downward and exposed his flexed ribs from the torsion. With a single step past his back, Cira dropped her elbow in just the right spot to hook under his ribcage and poke some uncomfortable organs.


    ¡°Gyah!!¡± The man roared in pain, untwisting himself with a backhand like a weathervane in a hurricane. This was the moment Cira lost consciousness.

 199 - Girl About Town

    Cira¡¯s back felt tense¡ªfull of knots. She sprawled out with a big yawn as daylight forced her eyelids open. Why do I hurt so bad? There¡¯s no way I would have fallen asleep without enchanting my resting place¡­ Just when did I¡ªOh¡­


    Cira remembered the back of Gratos¡¯ wrist approaching at speeds which could not be matched by someone who hadn¡¯t trained their body in six years.


    Damn¡­ I¡¯ll get him next time.


    ¡°My Lady!¡± Shores fell to his knees, startling and displeasing her at the same time. She was forced to get up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t start with that. Why aren¡¯t you training?¡± Cira got a bad feeling for some reason. ¡°And where is Gratos?¡±


    ¡°We would have apprehended him¡­ but that weird old man you summoned has been protecting him.¡± Shores clenched his fists.


    ¡°You idiot¡­¡±


    Apparently, Cira was only out for a couple hours this time. She found Gratos sparring with old Io, and thought it could be left alone for now. Surprisingly, those who called themselves her harem were practicing simple conjurations¡ªfireballs, icicles, and the like. Ember had even formed a basic domain. Quite impressive, she thought.


    They too were busy, so Cira decided to check in on the junior division. Their morning quiet time was over, which meant they were practicing sorcery and the like. The kids were happy to see her, and one little girl even cried saying how worried she was after she disappeared. None of them could form a domain yet and it was too early to tell if there were any standout talents among them, but their hearts were in the right place.


    With determined glints in their eyes, they each showed off as best they could the extents of their sorcery. A breeze fluttered Cira¡¯s hair and a boy conjured a candle¡¯s flame above his palm while another girl doused it with a dollop of water. More than a couple found holy light easier to conjure but the lil¡¯ pirate kid from the other day grew little sparks from his fingers, talking about how he already surpassed Captain Sticks.


    Cira made a mental note to check in on him later, but made sure to praise each and every child here. A little advice on their form and some ambiguous fluff to inspire them, and they would become great sorcerers one day, so long as they willed it.


    Patiently awaiting nearby sat the young aspiring artificers. Funny enough, they looked to Pita like some kind of master of the craft. He did have a pretty fancy chisel, after all. The boy was attached to the original, so only Cira inlaid some mithril and orichalcum along with some shiny catalysts to support the new enchantments. It had all the functionality of a needle, but in chisel form. The kind of tool only a master could possess and use.


    The other day was, however, her chance to impart the boy with a new hammer, designed to look like part of a set. Its weight scaled in reverse to density, so he could swing it with little effort and crack a boulder in half if he channeled enough mana in. Currently it was just a lightweight hammer until he got stronger.


    It wasn¡¯t just the gifts in his hands that caused the other kids to look at him with a glint of wonder in their eyes though. He hadn¡¯t even looked up at Cira yet, diligently chiseling some kind of sculpture out of a block of stone she left for such purposes. It looked like a common gull.


    ¡°You seem to have been taking good care of them, Yotan.¡± He lit up when she spoke, ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re not involved with the Council¡¯s development efforts.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, not me. Lord Spider seems to have everything under control there.¡± Interesting¡­ ¡°I believe I¡¯m of more help here, where I can impart my wisdom to the youth of tomorrow. Grandmaster approved as well, so long as I can keep on production.¡±


    She was going to complain about this grandmaster business, but he looked nervous. Seemingly because he did not have Cira¡¯s direct approval. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you have mine as well. It appears they¡¯re making good progress.¡±


    Much more curious was his last comment. So long as he keeps up on production?


    Cira found two forges, and they were behind the table Yotan sat before, away from the children. To each side was some kind of loom looking artifact with a basin of what looked like molten gold beneath it. It wasn¡¯t in operation now, but steam rose from it as if it were cooling down.


    ¡°What is this¡­?¡± Cira asked.


    He opened his eyes wide and got up frantically, pulling golden sheets off the platform and tossing them into a basket, ¡°A special request from Lord Spider and the Immortal Mistress. They require gold paper, but Grandmaster Io helped us develop the loom. I need only operate it.


    Gold paper, huh¡­? Despite whatever¡¯s going on there, none of the kids seem neglected¡ªthey¡¯re all on task and excited about their work.


    Since they were too young to operate a furnace or most equipment in a forge, they were solely inscribing plaques with familiar glyphs she had dubbed Sunbearer. Apparently Kuja enlisted help for thinning out Archaeum¡¯s slime population as well, and it ended up as practice for the children. A misfired artifact of this kind wouldn¡¯t harm them, so it was perfect to help them get their technique down.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame, though¡­¡± Yotan shook his head, ¡°The boy is so talented there¡¯s hardly anything I can teach him. He doesn¡¯t even need my runes.¡±


    ¡°How do you think I feel?¡± Cira laughed, but it ended in a sigh, ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to teach any my students anything and they just keep getting better. Why am I even here?¡±


    Yotan only chuckled, ¡°Wasn¡¯t it¡­ to help those you care about?¡±


    Not that she had expressed it directly, but Cira was quite worried about leaving so many people who depended on her behind. That was why she decided to extend their instruction to a whole week. Perhaps they¡¯re not quite as helpless as I thought. As if by fate or deliberate intent, her time with them was reduced back to the original couple of days.


    That old bastard¡­ He couldn¡¯t have been so sly as to show her that they would be just fine after she¡¯s gone. I refuse to believe it. And what about him? He¡¯s looking less dead every day. Did I turn him into a fully-fledged lich? Eh, whatever.


    ¡°Big Sis, look!¡± Uly was busy training with the big girls, so Pita could only have been speaking to Cira, ¡°I finished it!¡±


    Before her eyes, a stone gull not bearing a single glyph fluttered its wings and lifted off the ground. The other girls swooned as they watched Pita¡¯s gull become a speck and fly over the shore, but he put his hands on his hips and shot Cira a triumphant grin.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be damned,¡± Cira gave him a pat, ¡°You¡¯re already making golems, huh?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± He looked down, somewhat ashamed, ¡°but they don¡¯t do what I want.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± She couldn¡¯t help it. A golem without orders typically didn¡¯t move. To fly of its own accord away implied it had some will of its own. On one hand, this was similar to what the Paradise Mage accidentally did with the storm, but unlike the storm fiend¡­ This bird was free to explore the horizon. ¡°One day you will realize how impressive that is, Pita, but I don¡¯t recommend you create golems beyond the bounds of Paradise until you have a deeper understanding of your own powers. Use them sparingly.¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Their techniques were not the same, but Cira made a couple little golems of her own. A few small birds she enchanted by hand with a needle so he kids could step by step. They other children were amazed, but only Pita seemed to reach some kind of realization after watching her enchant orders into it, despite the boy not using glyphs himself.


    This seemed like a good opportunity to let them continue their training as inspiration tumbled around their little heads, and Cira prowled around for the next group to check up on when a curiously constant stream of people walked up and down Breeze Haven¡¯s steps with satchels at their waist caught her attention. Appearing in her garden, Cira found a few handfuls of pirates diligently transcribing books in the grass. They looked quite peaceful working under the sun, and a few didn¡¯t even notice her arrival.


    Cira went over to the table she usually had breakfast at and sat across from Kuja, who almost purred as she slept with a smile on her face, atop a book bound in some kind of leather.


    ¡°Ahem.¡± Cira spoke up, jiggling the table a little bit. The old woman with the remarkably youthful face awoke with a start.


    ¡°Huh?!¡± She looked around in a panic, ¡°Cira?! It¡¯s not what it looks like!¡±


    ¡°What isn¡¯t it supposed to look like?¡± The sorcerer was genuinely perplexed. Didn¡¯t we already talk about this?


    ¡°Everything they¡¯re transcribing is from the regular library, I swear!¡± Kuja nervously tried not to glance at the book she was reading.


    ¡°I know. We talked about it before.¡± Cira let out a chuckle. Did she always act like this in the morning or is her youth starting to settle in? ¡°Divergence of the Flesh? The hell is that supposed to be?¡±


    One look at the cover of that creepy leather tome and Cira was appalled.


    ¡°I-it sounds worse than it is, I swear!¡± Kuja waved her arms in protest.


    It was amusing to see her flustered, but it did sound like a compelling read. She shrugged, ¡°Just leave it on the desk when you¡¯re done with it. More importantly, where are all your transcribed books going? I admit, the gold paper is a nice touch.¡±


    ¡°Old man Io helped us develop it, but what else are we going to make paper out of?¡± Looking around, Kuja had a point. The landscape was all gold, as far as the eye could see. ¡°Unless you want to chop down your orchard then teach everyone how to make paper with wood, be my guest, but I don¡¯t know how. Either way, all of these books are going to Central Elysia¡¯s first library. You should go take a look. I had Mac finish it a couple days ago because we needed the space.¡±


    ¡°Oh? That does sound interesting. I think I¡¯ll stop by the Council on my way over. Guess I¡¯ll catch up to you later¡­¡±


    Cira trailed off as Kuja was already poring through the ominous book again. Alright, then¡­ I¡¯ll leave her to it. Just for fun, Cira appeared subtly in one of the empty seats when she was certain nobody was looking.


    ¡°¡ªI¡¯m not really sure if I can expand them, even with Lord Spider¡¯s help,¡± Tawny spoke, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t even know what I¡¯m looking for or if the soil was any good.¡±


    ¡°It appears I¡¯ve arrived at the perfect time.¡± Cira interjected with a smirk, startling¡­ no one.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotten better at concealing your mana, but you still suck at it.¡± Io spoke from directly over Cira¡¯s shoulder, scaring the life out of her.


    ¡°Gyahh!¡± She failed to conceal a shriek, ¡°What is your problem, Io?¡±


    ¡°Just some wise words for the arrogant¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ahem!¡± James shouted, looking quite tired and ragged, ¡°To what do we owe the pleasure? You¡¯re your greatnesses come to assist in our efforts to expand the orchard and make way for standard crops?¡±


    Io took a seat and rested his chin on a fist, looking to Cira for answers.


    ¡°As a matter of fact, yes. I agree the first library should be stocked entirely with golden books, but we need to prepare for some exports like real paper and potentially even lumber. Of course, food crops are important both for the future of this island and Acher¡¯s.¡± She put a hand to her chin and gazed into the distance through a veil of sprinkling ale, ¡°Make sure that our geomancers consider widening the island over time, but keep in mind I think it would be smart to retain some underground space for Moonberry plums or whatever else you want darkness for. There is only so much gold, after all, so a well-planned network of catacombs could work wonders for stretching that out.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Dutchy blinked in confusion, ¡°There¡¯s only so much gold, huh?¡±


    ¡°Back to the fields. Tawny.¡± Cira stared at her student who had been there for the first round, ¡°I hope you still have your notebook, because you¡¯ll be in charge this time. I¡¯ll provide the pile of fish and stake out the new area. You round up all the mages you need to move stuff around, strain the river, and grow plants, water them and such. I¡¯m pretty sure we have someone with nature mana floating around for you. Anyway, everything we did the other day will be in your hands. I¡¯ll go talk to Mac and enlist some geomancers to send your way.¡±


    ¡°Hang on, I¡¯m not ready to do all that!¡± She was utterly distraught, jumping out of her seat as if she could feel the mana around Cira.


    ¡°I have absolute faith in you.¡±


    As Cira appeared in front of a charming city entrance, trees uprooted below the Agora and the entire orchard was crushed within the soil. At the same time, a section about double the size was flattened while Cira softened the rock until it turned into golden sand, more like the starting state from the first field.


    She mulched her own field up, but it was her students¡¯ job to mix it all together. It would take them forever to gather the fish themselves though, so Cira plucked them out of the sea and made a neat pile next to the newly designated field. As one last courtesy, she drizzled some unsalted seawater over it all.


    The walls to her second founding city was grand and shiny as opposed to that of Stygian Deep, but it was the people that built it this time. Glimmering brick and tastefully wrought bars for the gate so one could see Elysia beyond. All made of the same material, of course. There were even people in the streets already, though they seemed to be primarily moving materials from one place to the other.


    She pushed against the gates and found they opened smoothly with a surprisingly satisfying silence. That there is a finely crafted gate. Cira was already impressed. There were obvious storefronts, albeit empty, and further up the way existed homes where some folk had already started putting their things.


    Someone had even taken into account including nature features and parks, though it appeared they were lacking in soil at this stage. There were storehouses and other workshop type spaces available. The city wasn¡¯t large, at least not yet, but it was nice to see the team being so thorough.


    Unfortunately, yes, there was a church. The man responsible for convincing Mac was certainly already known as Reverend, though it wasn¡¯t hard to imagine how much support he had. Hell, Mac¡¯s mentor Rictor was a believer.


    She ignored the church for now and took a little trip to the library. It wasn¡¯t hard to find, because she could follow some of the book-carriers. They had apparently walked about a mile to get here from Breeze Haven.


    The road was paved with brick gold, noticeably enchanted to improve the malleable metal¡¯s durability. On closer look, the buildings all seemed to share similar enchantments, seemingly forged into the material itself.


    Her library stood tall with panoramic windows on the second story that would look great with some glass. That was something Cira didn¡¯t think she could make out of gold, so perhaps they wanted to fill them in later.


    The steps had similar handrails to the sides like the curled wrought iron from Breeze Haven, and when she walked through the doors it was exactly as she imaged. It was almost a bizarre sight seeing bookcases made of gold, full of gold books, in a library of gold¡­ Somehow, they tied it in together pretty nice.


    High ceilings and a more contemporary design with straight lines and gentle angles hid much of the gaudiness inherent to the material. Impressively enough, they already had a couple bookcases full, despite having a great many empty ones.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Mac floated in through the door, perched on his rock beneath the crimson flower Cira gave him.


    ¡°Believe it or not, I am beyond impressed,¡± She leaned against the reception desk, ¡°with the whole city really. I can tell you studied those books I gave Rictor.¡±


    ¡°Oho, no need to flatter me.¡± He said that, then proceeded to brag, ¡°Most of these bricks are hollow, you know.¡±


    ¡°Tch. You think I didn¡¯t check the bricks?¡± She could have taken another five or ten percent of material out of them especially with a few good enchantments, but she was still impressed to see their progress.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, ever the vigilant one.¡± With a few click clacks, he crawled over to the edge of his little island, ¡°Rictor has really come a long way though, and I get all the other earth mages after their morning run.¡±


    Apparently, they had guys for making bricks, planks, and other such materials in the after noon, so those who didn¡¯t have lessons could assemble them in the morning for another crew of mages to meld it all together after lunch, then finish off the heavy lifting as well.


    ¡°Fine, I get it. This is quite the efficient system you¡¯ve devised. Remarkable progress for just a few days, I must say.¡± It was nice to see the spider was actually so reliable, ¡°Oh, that reminds me. Tawny needs some geomancers to expand the fields. Probably a fair amount of your best ones, and maybe even in constant rotation for a couple days. Feel free to relieve them of their physical education and lessons during this time.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± He sounded frantic, ¡°But that pushes us back¡­ days! I wanted to finish the aqueduct by tomorrow evening!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll only have to revisit it when the fields are complete, so I¡¯d say I caught you at a good time.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I guess that is more efficient.¡± Cira thought so too, ¡°You¡¯ll have your geomancers¡­ I¡¯ll send them to the orchard. And that reminds me¡ªyou should probably find Jimbo. Came here with a paladin looking for a book to help fix his leg. He probably thinks you forgot.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± It was on the list, but now was as good a time as any. ¡°Thanks Mac. Keep up the good work.¡±


    And she was gone.

 200 - Phantom Leg

    First things first, Cira thought, vanishing from her library, I promised to fix Jimbo¡¯s leg.


    ¡°¡ªkay boys, I¡¯m ready.¡± Jimbo¡¯s chin dripped liquor as he pulled a bottle from his mouth, replacing it with a stick wrapped in leather. Captain Shores and four of the paladins held his body down, with Marco Held a roughly sharpened butcher knife above his shoulder ready to chop down on Jimbo¡¯s leg.


    Cira found herself in a building a few blocks away from the library, in the backroom of a building that looked like it was used as a temporary pub for the workers.


    ¡°Stop this at once!¡± Cira shouted, rustling a few papers around the room and making her men go pale. ¡°Drop the knife, you idiot!¡±


    Marco quickly did as instructed, and the Shores crew looked like they¡¯d just been caught red-handed. Jimbo on the other hand, was a little upset, ¡°Oh, what? I finally take matters into my own hands, and now you¡¯re ready?!¡±


    He spit out the stick and replaced it again with a bottle.


    ¡°I-It said we needed to cut back the leg to heal an open wound.¡± Marco¡¯s eyes flitted to a book by Jimbo¡¯s side.


    ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s how it works typically, but his knees like right there¡­¡± She took the blade from his hands. It was indeed sharp but, ¡°Are you going to slice a finger width off of his leg with this this?¡± Next, she picked up the book and started thumbing through it, ¡°Does this really cover how to restore an entire limb?¡±


    It was a book she didn¡¯t recognize, but the section they were in was literally title, ¡®Regenerating a Human Leg Below the Knee¡¯. Flipping back to the table of contents, there was an entire section about restoring the knee itself, then more about the elbow, shoulder, or many other body parts.


    Sensing her confusion, Jimbo sat up, ¡°Kuja found it. Told me to give it to you, but I couldn¡¯t find ya.¡±


    That sounded like something he would do. ¡°And were you paladins certain you could do it?¡±


    A timid, ¡°Maybe¡­¡± was drowned out by Oliver¡¯s voice.


    ¡°We were going to give it our best shot!¡± a fist clenched, he looked Cira dead in the eyes with resolve.


    She liked their enthusiasm, but ¡°Obviously, I¡¯m not going to let you guys experiment on Jimbo¡¯s leg. Wait ¡®til someone loses a finger or something.¡± They all deflated, but Jimbo at least looked relieved as he lifted the bottle, but no liquid came out. ¡°And no more drinking. It thins your blood. You¡¯re already going to be woozy enough when you have a whole new leg to fill.¡±


    Cira concentrated until she could see her alchemy workshop and transported a handful of redcaps. ¡°And eat these.¡± These helped the body produce blood. Not as well as the potion brewed from them, but Cira figured it would be fine.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t like mushrooms¡ª¡±


    ¡°Too bad.¡± Cira shoved them in his face and returned to the beginning of the section titled ¡®Restoring a Human Leg From Below the Knee¡¯ and started reading, ¡°You paladins are welcome to stay and take this observation as a lesson if you want, but keep it down for a while.¡±


    And they all sat in silence, aside from Jimbo who took a nap, while Cira spent the next hour reading. She occasionally nodded to herself, letting out a ¡°hmm¡­¡± or a ¡°mhm, I see¡­¡± every now and again until finally, the book slammed closed.


    Cira had restored a couple fingers in the past, but each joint made it harder, then when those phalanges connect together to form a hand or foot which articulates through a wrist or ankle¡­ each step got exponentially harder. That¡¯s why she hadn¡¯t attempted something like this before. If the paladins had failed, in the worst case it could leave Jimbo with serious nerve damage. Completely paralyzed, even.


    But this book Kuja procured from the forbidden archive introduced the concept of corporeal linkage and forced her to remember how soul memory would be relevant here. The blueprint already existed to restore Jimbo¡¯s leg and the human body, resilient as it was, would offer resistance if she tried to alter it incorrectly. This evidently applied to regenerated lost pieces as well. That resistance was something she never realized having only altered people with curses¡ªthere was no resistance, but it made sense that there would be.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ve got it, but we need to wake Jimbo up.¡± Corporeal linkage was stronger in a conscious body. Unfortunately for Jimbo, Cira wasn¡¯t confident enough in her skills without the ability to feel it out. Shores splashed cold water on his face and the man woke with a start. ¡°You ready? Get the stick.¡±


    Cira held Prismagora up and it started gathering light as Jimbo frantically processed the situation, ¡°H-hang on, can¡¯t you put me to sleep first? You should have let me stay out!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you already?¡± Marco placed a supportive hand on his arm, ¡°You need to be awake.¡±


    ¡°B-but I don¡¯t want to be.¡± He accepted the stick and laid back down, more nervous than usual.


    ¡°Best I can do is induce hallucinations, but they won¡¯t dull the pain.¡± Advanced illusions imbued with aether could actually trick the mind to some degree.


    ¡°I¡¯m a big boy, just get the hell on with it!¡± He shouted through his teeth digging into the leather.


    Alright then¡ª


    Prismagora flashed and a blade of light hit the table before a thin disk of flesh flopped over. Jimbo shouted, punched the table, and nearly clawed chunk out of Marco¡¯s leg. He tried to kick around, but Cira wouldn¡¯t allow his leg to move.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Jimbo, it¡¯ll be over quick.¡± She got to work, going so far as to conjure the holy scepter that hadn¡¯t seen use since the infirmary of Fount Salt. This would help her control with anything related to healing, and the regeneration described in the book relied on holy mana, as expected. Lastly was the mithril ring Conduit which would push her control even further. She narrowed down all her spatial prowess as well down to just the fresh cut nub on Jimbo¡¯s leg and became blind to all else.


    It made Jimbo and the paladins nervous when she closed her eyes, but it was clear she was concentrating.


    Cira could see the blueprint in her mind, though her goal was not a form of regression. She didn¡¯t want to restore the leg he lost as a young man but make one akin to his other leg. Literally growing a new one.


    The process started off easy as it was just a couple bones and some meat until the ankle. Muscles were tricky, but Cira didn¡¯t let herself hesitate. With an even application of holy mana and will, she leaned into the corporea. Like a jigsaw puzzle built from one end to the other, the only way she could put it together wrong was if she forced something in. So, letting the mana linger on the ends allowed his muscle to regenerate to its would-be natural state based on the last few ¡®pieces¡¯ it was building off of. This was corporeal linkage.


    The trick was letting this happen and not pausing the process. It may slow down greatly when she hit blank spots in her ability like this, but Cira quickly found a rhythm to it. It wasn¡¯t like she consciously closed up wounds, after all. There was a certain synergy she found in letting the body take over when it could.


    Alright ankle, work your magic. She looked at many different models within the book, and even compared them against his other ankle to build an image in her head, or perhaps somewhere in space. The only thing to do was recreate it with actual flesh and bone now.


    Jimbo¡¯s screams rang somewhere distant, but Cira¡¯s entire mind was focused on the task.


    First half of the joint looks good. Now just gotta fit this piece in and¡ªman, ligaments are hard.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    No matter, I¡¯ll just slow it down.


    Mhmm. A little more meat, and we¡¯re on our way.


    Cira was immediately discouraged though.


    Feet are so dumb. Whose idea was it to put this many bones in them? All these stupid tendons are so delicate¡­ I hope he doesn¡¯t have a hobble when I¡¯m done here.


    As Cira felt it out, letting the corporea contribute in its own way, she did actually learn a bit that may make the next attempt go smoother. Most sorcery could call upon something like muscle memory, that was in a sense your brain committing to instinct feats of will which produced positive results.


    I¡¯m in the home stretch now. After all that, I feel like the toes are child¡¯s play. I¡¯ve only regenerated fingers before, but toes aren¡¯t far off. They¡¯re practically halfway built after putting his foot together. No need to rush things. I have this all under control.


    The final step was finish off the nervous system. The book recommended beginners do this last, all at once, as it typically required the highest degree of concentration and meticulousness. The benefit otherwise would be completing the regeneration faster.


    But this is fine. I don¡¯t want to mess anything up. I¡¯ll take it nice and slow. Jimbo will appreciate having a fully functioning leg.


    She felt a little resistance, but it felt physical, from further up his body. Like he was squirming around or something.


    Nerves were definitely the trickiest part of this all. Cira wasn¡¯t entirely clear on how they worked as she was yet unstudied on the human brain. It seemed like a whole deal, but maybe it would come in handy now that she was getting older and learning more.


    Just let the nerves do their thing. Especially here, I¡¯m basically playing a support role. If I mess this up, he¡¯ll be in searing pain for the rest of his life.


    True to her word, Cira just kept dumping in mana. The more she observed, the faster she could make the process go, but it was very delicate work. Worse than the rivers of Fount Salt, even. The nerves wormed their way down through his leg, branching off in countless little tendrils, then eventually through his foot and even toes.


    A few minutes later, Cira opened her eyes, letting her staves all power down. What she saw before her was a human foot¡ªfully connected all the way up to Jimbo¡¯s knee.


    ¡°I did it!¡± She was happy, but the paladins were pouring sweat, breathing heavy trying to hold Jimbo down as he yowled on the table. The edges were splintered as if he had begun breaking it to pieces. He slowly quieted down and looked at his leg, eyes blinking in shock.


    ¡°The pain is gone¡­ And my¡­ my leg!¡± He was still shaking though, and Captain Shores looked at her like he¡¯d just been through an ordeal. ¡°That wasn¡¯t worth it at all. If I lose another leg, it¡¯s staying off.¡±


    His chest heaved as he tried to settle down, but he just sprawled back out on the table.


    ¡°Geez, was it really that bad?¡±


    Shores shook his head, ¡°It seemed bearable at first¡­ Not a bad price to pay for a new leg. But after twenty minutes you weren¡¯t yet down to the ankle¡­ I don¡¯t know if I could bear it for that long. Then whatever you were doing at the end there¡­ I though Jimbo¡¯s heart was gonna explode.¡±


    ¡°It was bad, Cap¡¯n.¡± Jimbo looked up at her with a tear in his eye. His voice was hoarse from screaming. ¡°Can I drink now?¡±


    ¡°Have at it.¡± She did feel kind of bad. She warned him it would hurt, but she didn¡¯t know it would be a couple hours of magical torture. At least I stopped the paladins from trying. That was hard even for me. ¡°I think you¡¯ve earned it.¡±


    He didn¡¯t even sit up, letting gravity do the work as the bottle emptied in short order. It appeared he had no intention of using the leg anytime soon, so Cira healed his throat to at least ease the pain of drinking.


    Okay then, what¡¯s next?


    After being informed by James who had arrived at some point during the screaming session that it was late evening, Cira decided to go to bed. This left her with one more full day to spend with her students. This didn¡¯t feel like a lot, because it wasn¡¯t. And it felt even shorter when she got down to it.


    The morning had honestly flown by. Io retained her proposed regimen but improved on the physical fitness test by implementing situational agility. In other words, Cira joined him in the sky to rain mana down on hundreds of fleeing students for hours on end. She made sure to keep her eyes on Jimbo who was running around like a spring chicken with both legs. All her students were quite adept at pushups and sit-ups by this point, being able to casually take a five-minute fitness break as they rolled away from Cira¡¯s lightning.


    Lunchtime was a masterful feast where all ate voraciously, but even she was already getting tired of fish. It was the only abundant resource as of yet.


    But she still enjoyed the meal with everyone. They were, however, like lifeless husks who would keel over if they didn¡¯t consume meat as rapidly as possible. It was a satisfying lunch if nothing else during which few words were spoken.


    Toward the end, a delicate young woman approached Cira. Her hair was an even lighter blonde than she remembered, as if she had been out in the bare sun all week.


    ¡°D-do you like the fish, Mistress?¡± She craned her neck up to look at Cira, fluttering her eyes, ¡°We worked so hard to catch it.¡±


    Hang on¡­ how did I get seated with all of them? Wait¡­ This girl? When she thought about it, even her arms had tanned, and taken on more tone than before. This was the same for the other eight members of her harem who wore sleek, tight-fitting golden robes with no sleeves. The robes only went down to their knees and split in the middle to allow maximum movement. Cira had to admit, these girls were in much better shape than they had been last time their arms were exposed, back in Wick¡¯s courtyard.


    While Cira was pleased to see such defined musculature, a sure sign of effort, she was even more impressed that none of them had given up in her absence. She had her doubts about a few, but to see them all before her and in such great shape was a welcome surprise. Ember even wore a short-cut top which displayed her toned abdomen. It was remarkably pronounced within her lean figure.


    Hm. What is this feeling? I must simply be impressed by their hard work. I¡¯m glad I kept the harem.


    Sensing either her curiosity or confusion, Ember slid right up, keeping a respectable yet dubiously short distance between them, ¡°That¡¯s right. Don¡¯t you know we¡¯ve been enduring specialized training under Grandmaster Io? You know, we couldn¡¯t call ourselves the harem to a sorcerer as great as yourself without the ability to take care of ourselves, and then some.¡±


    With a wink, she stepped away and held out her hand. Flames burst, shining off Cira and the harem even in the daylight before growing more tame when Ember clenched her fist. In moments, the fireball was compressed into a perfectly round, glittering stone. It landed in Ember¡¯s hand, and she tossed it over, ¡°Here, catch!¡±


    Cira held out her palm and caught a small marble of aether flame. It cannot be denied¡­ she has some talent. ¡°Wow. It¡¯s actually impressive that you¡¯ve come so far much in such a short time...¡± She let out a self-deprecating chuckle while her harem looked on in jealousy at Ember. ¡°I guess none of you need me after all¡ª¡± Cira¡¯s eyes went wide as her train of thought halted¡ªthat¡¯s it¡­ isn¡¯t it?!


    ¡°Oh, no! Of course, we need you¡ª¡± Cira didn¡¯t pay attention to the girl named Goldie as she somehow expressed and beckoned concern simultaneously, or Ember¡¯s tender embrace and affirmations. A few of the other girls also clutched onto Cira¡¯s robes while she fell into deep thought.


    How could I be so stupid¡­? Of course, the only way to halt the dwindling of a flame without fuel is to crystallize it. I have known this since I was a little girl!


    Cira was really beating herself up about nearly letting her current most precious research sample fade away. How curious that without a direct host it actually yearned to pass, rather than find a new one.


    Chrysalis¡­ The name just came to me. If that¡¯s the name of the primordial curse which plagued Io for so long, then what is mine called? They both create abhorrent bastardizations of life, but why is Chrysalis so full of vitality? Why does it not feel sinister when isolated?


    Currently what remained of the cursed flame sat within the Auld Sprig, essentially sealed away, but that didn¡¯t mean it stopped burning.


    Curses were supposed to be the darkest reaches of humanity, and Cira vividly remembered the radiant malice falling off that Sovereign of Ventra who she met in the distant past. That feeling was indisputably sinister, the power he left behind couldn¡¯t be further off. But somehow, it was closer to the pervasive veil of life Kuja gave off these days than the dark and ominous pressure her false father exuded.


    ¡°The most sinister thing about any power is the hand that wields it.¡± Cira once said this, while it was paraphrased from her father¡¯s wisdom.


    Come to think of it, I don¡¯t exactly crush people with evil intent when I use curses, either. Or I strive not to.


    Cira wanted to believe that primordial curses were perhaps not as evil as she always believed, but images of the people she mangled and twisted flashed through her mind without relent.


    So, it is the hand that wields it¡­ The only question is whether I¡¯m different than those who came before me, or from myself of long ago.


    Cira went to stretch her arm out, but it was bound by a heavy weight.


    Huh¡­?


    Nine women clung to her, and she recoiled as a gentle hand stretched out to her face, ¡°Why are you crying¡­?¡± She sounded very worried.


    Dammit, what is this?


    ¡°I-I am not.¡± Cira said with uncertainty, ¡°Now get back. This is dangerous.¡±


    They were hesitant, so she strafed beyond their clutches in liquid form and gained considerable distance before holding out her palm over the sea. A warm, sanguine flame appeared above her hand. Like running blood with the rosey blush of sunrise, it reached to the sky, wild and willful.


    Even the most brilliant flame can be tamed through sorcery¡­ That is what I have always been taught. But to think the same thing could be said of flames which had nothing to do with fire. I wonder if Dad knew.


    Cira clenched her fist, and the blushing flame folded in on itself, compressing to the point that shot waves of mana outward. They bashed against the barrier she made and rattled the shore. Cira tried to keep her harem away for a moment, but they looked like they were going to follow her out of concern. Worse yet, others were starting to join them in the distance, like Cira was constructing some kind of spectacle.


    Why is it reacting so violently, though? Have I made a mistake?

 201 - A Change in Scenery

    ¡°What the hell are you doing?!¡± Like two memories were clashing¡ªone where he was and wasn¡¯t here¡ªIo was suddenly standing beside Cira. Ignoring the confusing sorcery, she replied in something of a panic.


    ¡°I figured it out!¡± Cira¡¯s voice dripped with desperation and excitement¡ªthe two emotions teetered precariously. ¡°A way to preserve the curse Zephyr placed upon you!¡±


    ¡°And why would you want to do that?!¡± Io was furious, and quickly bolstered Cira¡¯s paltry barriers. They looked more like a cyclone of wind, or an infinite array of fibers spiraling in a self-replenishing pattern. ¡°There is nothing more vile than those powers! They should never be possessed. Allow it to fade away, dammit!¡±


    His hair and beard whipped in the wind, but his eyes were filled with contempt. Conflicted as he appeared, Cira still didn¡¯t appreciate it, but she also didn¡¯t expect the flame to try going out of control.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± Her own aura pushed back against the curse pressure and a glare focused on Io, ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? The most sinister¡ª¡±


    ¡°Is that really the case?!¡± Io cut her off with a knowing gaze. They had just had the conversation recently, after all. ¡°Then why do you insist on doing it with your bare hands? You fool of an unteachable student, make that blighted sapling appear!¡±


    ¡°B-but¡­¡± Of all things¡­ this was the thing she despised most, yet somehow it was the thing closest to her. It had never let her down, but relying on it was only a last resort. What kind of sorcerer would she become if she kept leaning on it?


    Come to think of it¡­ that connection with Breeze Haven, then the Amulet of Paradise¡­ this is the exact same phenomenon I have always felt with the Auld Sprig. But why? What even is it? What does ¡®blighted sapling¡¯ mean? ¡°That thing¡­¡± No matter how I feel about it, I guess I really do still need to rely on it, ¡°It¡­ it feels wrong.¡±


    ¡°No shit!¡± Io cried, pouring mana into reinforcing the barrier as her crew looked on in horror from afar. Violent tremors shook her world stemming from the cursed crystal marble she intended to create, but her fist could not fully close. Something was stopping her. She simply didn¡¯t have enough authority over this foreign power. ¡°Everything about that stick is wrong! But ask yourself, does that make you wrong? Was it not you who claimed you would conquer the unknown? That only the hands of the wielder can truly be sinister? If you dally any longer, you will only prove yourself correct!¡±


    Blood welled up in his eyes like tears. He¡­ Io sounds very desperate. Cira looked around and she noticed all her crew, harem and all, looked on with fear and panic. Cira wiped the sweat off her forehead, and it ran red.


    Ah¡­ I see. How did it come to this?


    Perhaps her time in the void disconnected her too far from the standards of reality. Taming this cursed flame should have been a quick matter. In an out, marble in the pocket. No problem.


    But things were not always as simple as she hoped.


    Why have I done this again? Is there something wrong with me?


    Io tried to convince her that sticking to her half-assed regimen was all he did, but her students improved by leaps and bounds in just a few days of her absence. Granted, that same time felt like weeks of isolated torment to Cira, but it was so little time to those she swore to instruct. She had barely seen her original ten mages lately, but even Tawny was bursting with energy.


    The two had spent at least the same amount of time in Paradise on their last visit, but her progress was exponential under Io.


    Dammit. Cira bit her lip. ¡°I get it¡­ The sorcerer¡¯s burden ever deepens. All I need is five minutes, but just one will destroy those I care about.¡± She looked down, crestfallen. ¡°As I attempt to become a sorcerer like my father, I stray perpetually further from that ideal.¡±


    He was kind and charismatic; strong and infallible. The model sorcerer. One who could relate with anyone, and all could relate to. In times where no one knew what to think, he always knew what to say. His confidence rarely faltered for a moment outside his final days when no one else was around¡­


    When he was curious about something, or had an idea, he very often experimented on the spot. If he did something in earnest, that meant he was confident about it. I never watched him fail when it mattered. That was the mark of a true sorcerer. This new curse was supposed to tidy up nice and easy¡ªthen I put everyone in danger.


    ¡°Why do I always do this?¡± Cira¡¯s pleading eyes pointed to the only person considerably wiser than herself. ¡°I already know my path is different than his. But¡­ but I try¡ª¡±The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°I know.¡± Somehow Io¡¯s ancient voice reassured her, ¡°But I thought my own path had ended. You granted even this old man one last foothold. I know not what lies before you or at your back, but only you can decide what to do now. Call upon the blighted sapling and be done with that primordial seed!¡±


    There it is again¡­ Now it¡¯s a primordial seed too?


    I wouldn¡¯t mind asking him what that all means.


    But he¡¯s right.


    Cira held out her palm.


    I do know what to do.


    It just hurts. All I wanted to do was stand on my own two feet.


    A dark branch appeared in her hands. She swore her palms dried out as they gripped it. Slamming it into the ground, cursed smoke did not seep out like usual, but the aether trembled.


    I am a sorcerer aspiring to the greatest heights. There are those who must be destroyed, and now many who must not be endangered. Naturally, those around me will be injured by the whiplash of my presence. I will only bring them trouble. I have done everything I can now to protect them, and now the only choice I have is to distance myself before it becomes any worse. This is for the best.


    If her false father was truly closing in, there was no way she could bring a following anywhere near that threat. It was a matter she must not involve others in above all else.


    I must face these powers if I aim to destroy him though. This chance cannot slip.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, everyone.¡± Cira¡¯s voice dripped with regret and something else too bitter to put into words. With inexplicable shame, she raised the Auld Sprig and scanned over the mixed gazes of all those she came to meet since crashing into Lost Cloud. Skipper was crushed, while her paladins were in tears, filled with worry and confusion. Much the same for Captain Shores and any number of random pirates she vaguely recognized. Only half the Council was even present. Tawny was confused and slightly worried while it was refreshing to see Jimbo lifting his flask as usual. ¡°And thank you. But I have some things to go take care of.¡±


    It had become clear to Cira that she had no idea as to the Auld Sprig¡¯s nature. Aside from her most reliable tool, it had become a symbol of hatred she could not escape, but if she could just ignore that for a moment¡­ It became something she could¡ªand always had, one way or the other¡ªbeen able to depend on.


    ¡°Breeze Haven¡­ It¡¯s time.¡± The so-called sapling flickered with power, and instead of suffocating smoke, Cira was swallowed up in a swathe of light. Like the aether itself had taken her away, lights flickered across the shimmering golden landscape. In the same moment, the sorcerer had disappeared along with the large shadow her home cast upon the island. As if to assure everyone it was over, not even the pulsating crystal flame remained. It was all gone.


    Some sighed a breath of relief, but others still realized the truth of the matter. Cira was gone just like that, leaving everyone with vague parting words.


    ___


    Cira was moving in a certain direction, but it was unclear what her destination was. Nothing around her seemed to have substance yet thrummed with power. She was travelling quite fast.


    Mana swirled around her, and it felt like the void in a sense. Instead of worrying she¡¯d fade into nothing, however, she had to worry she would take on too much energy here and disperse from the inside.


    It was not a difficult matter to get on top of, and she quickly regained as much mana as she expended removing herself from Paradise.


    But where am I going?


    There was a more important matter at hand.


    As she was hurled uncontrollably through unfathomable aetheric pathways, a sanguine flame floated before her, indignant and reluctant to fall under her control.


    This is no matter. I will preserve this curse, and I will understand the truth of it¡­ Make no mistake.


    The Auld Sprig continued executing her will, even in this place. Like a stray flame, the curse formed a perfect crystal marble. She didn¡¯t even feel any backlash, and in this corridor of pure aether, there didn¡¯t seem to be any adverse effects to the environment. With nothing to compare anything to here, Cira wasn¡¯t even sure how much power she was expending to perform this task¡ªher aura did not seem to drain.


    I will have plenty of time to ponder later¡­ Cira plucked the rosy marble out of the air, but I have succeeded in containing Chrysalis. I can learn more about it later. Now I just need to escape this place.


    She instinctually knew this would not be difficult. Unlike the artificial void, this place felt connected to a very familiar spatial plane.


    Could it be¡­ I can follow this to the nearest mana well? But I don¡¯t want that. What if I just end up back on Acher? I need to get to the Dead Belt. Nowhere else.


    Cira had a general idea of where it was in relation to Acher, Plackelo, and the Boreal. She gripped her fingers tight around the Auld Sprig and focused.


    Didn¡¯t I see it once¡­? I miniscule speck of a shadow in the sky straight above Uren. That¡¯s right¡­ Let¡¯s go there. That¡¯s where I need to be.


    ___


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Peter.¡± Gramps shook his head with weary eyes, ¡°They don¡¯t call this place the Noose for nothin¡¯. I don¡¯t think¡­ I don¡¯t think Marie¡¯s coming back¡­¡±


    Facing the prospect of losing his own daughter, he was far more distraught than Peter, despite the fact that the two were newlyweds. If only that stupid man would have just waited for the witches to clear out and trade to pick back up before trying to elope to who knows where, but no. Things had to become like this.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± His words didn¡¯t seem to be meant for Gramps, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Marie! I failed you¡ª¡±


    His words were pushed back as the air rippled. The two looked at each other with bewilderment and realized they were seeing the same thing. Energy converged and the figure of a woman appeared. For a moment, Peter thought his prayers were answered, then lofty golden hair settled on shoulders clad in silk.


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± A young woman in extravagant robes looked at the two. ¡°Isn¡¯t this supposed to be the Dead Belt? You don¡¯t live here, do you?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry!¡± Peter threw himself to his knees, ¡°Please save my dear Marie, oh mighty witch!¡±


    ¡°God dammit¡­¡± The witch muttered under her breath. ¡°Fine. If she is alive, I shall save her. Pray tell, how exactly do you intend to compensate me?¡±

 202 - Quick and Painful, A Job Like Any Other

    Cira clacked her orichalcum staff against the ground as young and old man before her watched on in wonder. Mana resonated beneath their feet and through the island.


    ¡°Go on, then.¡± Cira stated impatiently, ¡°Who is Marie? What has endangered her? I am searching, but the more you can tell me, the better.¡±


    This island looked rather plain with minimal foliage and almost no wildlife. The spring split the island in two with a thin river, but this was another weirdly round island with much space on the interior. Cira used the staff to spread her sight throughout the island, but her focus was nothing like it was on Fount Salt. Tunnels were difficult to explore even if she didn¡¯t have to visit them personally. Two at a time was the max unless she wanted to deal with a headache. An island this small would still take most of the day if it came to it.


    ¡°U-uh!¡± The young man spoke, falling to his knees again, ¡°She is my darling wife¡­ And I let her go! Oh gods, why¡­ why did I let her go?!¡±


    He was in hysterics, while the old man seemed too mad to follow suit. ¡°This damn fool¡­ I told you two to stay away from the caves! They ain¡¯t busy like down below. Anything could move in. You shoulda known better than to let her go!¡±


    These people are terrible at explaining things. Isn¡¯t this an emergency? So, people don¡¯t live on this island, I take it¡­ What else lives in caves? I don¡¯t expect to see nymphs, but something much worse.


    ¡°Can you be more specific?¡± Cira urged. The old man looked on the verge of tears but clenched his jaw and continued with heavy words.


    ¡°We only heard ¡®em once¡­ but I¡¯m sure of it.¡± He looked Cira dead in the eyes, hope dwindling, ¡°Cave spiders.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ I was worried about that.¡± And it seems they don¡¯t make webs until around half depth from the surface. But alas, here they are. ¡°What in the world are you sending some girl alone into the caves for? What is wrong with you people?¡±


    ¡°I-it¡¯s not what you think!¡± The husband pleaded, ¡°She wanted to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Silence.¡± Cira noticed signs of burned silk at a point. There was a clear struggle as one section of the tunnel. It was completely torched with scratches torn into the blackened stone. This must be the encounter, or maybe she tried to get away¡­ I must admit, it¡¯s not looking good for poor Marie. ¡°I will return with an update shortly. Please prepare my payment in the meantime.¡±


    Cira was swallowed by the earth as the two men gasped in awe.


    Down we go. If I know anything about cave spiders, which I unfortunately do, this girl should have upwards of two days from the point she was captured. It grows progressively more unpleasant as the captive only has so much blood to be extracted before it starts getting cold.


    Judging by the mana fluctuations in the air¡­ it hasn¡¯t been a day. Just wait, Marie! I¡¯m coming to save you!


    Cira stood within a dark capsule of earth, because it was more comfortable than if she sank through the earth like water. Having a little wiggle room just made her feel better, and she increased the ambient light within so she could observe the stone. It was a little darker than that of Acher but didn¡¯t seem quite as dense.


    A strange tingle in Cira¡¯s chest made her flinch and she started to channel mana until a burst of salt twinkled in the faint Lamplight.


    ¡°Ptah!¡± Cira spat out a mouthful of grainy white crystals, ¡°Nina! It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s you.¡±


    Cira couldn¡¯t help but smile, and it had nothing to do with the prima salt she inhaled.


    ¡°So¡­ you still wish to travel with me, do you?¡±


    Cira didn¡¯t mean for those words to come across mentally, nor did she expect anything back.


    ¡°Travel!¡± The little nymph fluttered about the enclosed space, ¡°Friend!¡±


    Cira almost teared up as Nina seemed to strain her whole little body to conjure a black sorcerer¡¯s hat¡ªNina sized, of course.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s get to it.¡± Cira was more determined than ever for her first straightforward job in ages.


    They continued sinking through the earth, dodging spider tunnels and working their way to the scene of the crime. This was not the site of battle, but the trail leading from it.


    Following a cave spider through its own home by tracks alone was not an easy task. They left no trace on their own webs, so Cira could only follow the mana. Vitality radiated from such creatures who consume blood for sustenance in the form of life mana, however, and this made it a simple matter to find Marie.


    The girl couldn¡¯t be a year older than herself, and with an aura that was almost impressive had she not been stupid enough to march straight into a massive network of spider nests.


    Seriously, what kind of idiot would do that? She thought with a tinge of self-deprecation.


    The father in this little spider family would surely have been consumed by this point¡ªhis nutrients had naturally gone toward his offspring.


    Aside from the big fat mama spider, whose abdomen was a head taller than Cira and a fair deal more round, there were six of her young which each still dwarfed Nina.


    Cira was almost worried about putting the little nymph in danger, then noticed she was sitting on her shoulder, a pleasant grin playing on her lips as the brim of her hat hung over her eyes.


    Hang on¡­ since when can you smile?


    Whatever¡­ Gotta focus on Marie.


    Even the mother likely only took a couple ounces of blood at most per serving. The children would be lucky to get half that before filling up.


    Granted, this would happen two or even three times a day. The human body was resilient. Marie had probably lost consciousness recently. She was certainly in danger, and Cira determined these were especially thirsty spiders based on the girl¡¯s condition.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    They¡¯re about to have another meal now¡­ I need to stop them fast.


    The cave system grew more complex as she further descended, but it was close enough now to let herself enter. With a plop, her and Nina were deposited into the middle of the spiders¡¯ nest. Cave spiders acted independently, but unfortunately due to the limited space islands afforded, they often lived in communities.


    Hydraulic joints gushed blood through their disgusting legs as they clicked and clacked and scraped against the stone as she appeared. Cira let the warmth of sunlight flow through her.


    ¡°Prismagora.¡± Cira called upon the staff that even her father trusted, ¡°You know what to do with spiders.¡±


    With eyes clenched shut, Cira walked over the ashen webs while they blew away on the wind generated from her sorcery. It was disturbing that she now had to consciously try not to see the spiders¡¯ souls when her eyes perceived nothing else beyond their lids. As if the world accepted her reversion, they disappeared in short order.


    I don¡¯t like this place¡­ But that¡¯s all the more reason to hurry.


    Just in case she accidentally opened her eyes and saw mangled carapaces wrapped in charred web, leaking caustic blood upon the grimy stone they inhabited, Cira pulled a scrap of cloth out of her pocket and wrapped it around her head.


    Spatial sight was there to help her along, though she refused detail when she could. For the most part, Cira was operating on sound and the touch of her feet against the ground.


    Don¡¯t worry, Marie. I¡¯m here.


    It was unnerving to have to manually dismiss souls when she knew they were spiders. It almost defeated the purpose of closing her eyes in the first place, but if she didn¡¯t have to look at them, it was always better. The radiant light she could clearly feel made her feel safe. No need to perceive it in any other manner.


    Cira arrived in an open corridor and realized her destination was at hand. The six children ignored their incapacitated prey and backed up in fear, leaving the mother cave spider to face Cira alone. She did not shirk this duty, no. She Approached with a clickety clack as her nauseatingly bulbous abdomen weighed down the webs she trounced upon to meet her newest prey.


    The arrogance of this vile creature was palpable, and against all logic, Cira pulled the cloth from her face. She did not enjoy what she saw, but that¡¯s not what this was about. She was feeling particularly upset, and it would not be right to destroy something with hatred in her heart without staring it in the eyes.


    She did not, however, consider how many eyes she would have to stare down, ¡°Begone.¡±


    Light radiated from her palm and they turned to ash, exoskeleton and all. The girl fell to the ground as the blew away.


    ¡°Uh¡­ huh?¡± The girl spoke, having bumped her head on the way down, now that she was encased in healing light. ¡°Wh-what happened?! Oh gods, the spiders!!¡ª¡±


    ¡°Relax.¡± Cira assured her, ¡°I have destroyed them.¡±


    She had countless fang marks across her skin, and they all sealed up before her eyes. Still, this didn¡¯t stop her from crying out.


    ¡°N-no! Get them off me!¡± She swatted against each wound, trying to keep the spiders from biting her again. She was no longer restrained in a pseudo-cocoon of web, wrapped up like a juicy snack. Now that Marie could move, it was not easy to come to grips with reality.


    ¡°They¡¯re gone,¡± Cira tried to put a hand on her shoulder but was swatted away. Marie shrieked, scooting away on the ground only to convulse when her elbow stuck on a dab of web.


    ¡°Gahhh!! Get them off¡ª¡±


    Shit¡ªFine. Let¡¯s be done with this.


    Cira was starting to shake too, and this was the worst place she could think of to reminisce.


    ¡°Breeze Haven.¡± Her voice transcended space, ¡°I have arrived.¡±


    Cira now stood in a tranquil garden with the young Marie. The girl hyperventilated on the ground, but crisp grass seemed to calm her as she sprawled out on her back.


    Her eyes took in a fa?ade of sunlit clouds that seemed to stretch in every direction.


    Now that¡¯s interesting¡­ Cira was indeed on Breeze Haven, but she was not beneath the real sky nor Paradise¡¯s. It wasn¡¯t a place she recognized, and certainly not the void for that matter. The sky seemed to comfort Marie, though Cira knew it was not real. What it was, and more importantly, why, still escaped the sorcerer. It was not the time to study, but it was a relief to call upon Breeze Haven when she needed it most. They laid here for a while.


    ¡°What¡­ what is this place?¡± Still sprawled out on her back and counting golden clouds, Marie¡¯s voice slowed as she seemed to have calmed down somewhat.


    ¡°Breeze Haven.¡± Cira spoke its name because she thought it was comforting in nature. ¡°Not many get to see my home, you know.¡± Pirates notwithstanding.


    Cira was proud, but she was also sincerely enjoying the entourage of sunrise. Or is this a bright summer sunset? The sky is so pleasant here.


    ¡°Who¡­¡± The girl finally propped herself up on her shoulder and stared at Cira, mouth agape, ¡°Who are you?!¡±


    This elicited a chuckle, ¡°I am Cira. The wandering sorcerer. Your foolish husband and father commissioned me to save your foolish self.¡±


    Shame weighed on her face as tears fell, ¡°I¡­ It¡¯s all my fault¡­ I should have known I wasn¡¯t strong enough.¡±


    ¡°Confidence is a tool, a burden, and a commodity,¡± Cira replied, well-versed in the ways of sorcery as she was, ¡°It can form a key, but give it too much weight and you will never turn it. Assign it too much value, and these skies will make you regret thinking it ever belonged to you.¡±


    ¡°Wh¡­what?¡± The girl sat bewildered in the grass as Cira summoned an apple from her garden, ¡°Here. You must be famished.¡±


    ___


    Cira decided to cook this girl breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner. The time at which this meal took place was something the sorcerer neglected to determine, for it was unimportant. Of course, it was the wiser choice to nourish her so as to allow her body to recover that which cannot be acquired through basic healing. Cira definitely thought this girl should eat by all merits, but she also wanted to spend just a few more minutes here.


    Breeze Haven was great. It was her home. This place in which her and her home existed, however, was completely foreign to her. The worst part about it, though, was how familiar it felt. Nothing ever changed, while calming clouds brushed by in the soft golden light. Depending on the density of the clouds, they carried oranges and reds as well, like watercolor or a rippling lake¡¯s shimmers.


    Rarely had Cira seen anything so beautiful, and she was no closer to deciphering it by the time they finished their wormwiches.


    ¡°But Cira¡­¡± The girl spoke with trepidation, looking over her should. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ if I can handle this¡­ Those monsters sank their fangs into me and¡­ and drained my blood. It was never more than an hour before one of them got hungry. It¡ªit was torture! How am I supposed to live?!¡±


    Tears pooled up within the gravy remnants on her empty plate.


    ¡°But you do live, do you not?¡± Cira¡¯s words turned serious. ¡°If I could confidently remove your memories of the last day, I would¡­ but my father once refused the same demand.¡± Tears welled up now in Cira¡¯s eyes, reminiscing against her will. A shudder ran through her chest, ¡°Don¡¯t feel too stupid¡­ I once got myself into the same situation¡­ You may never forget what their fangs felt like, but most days it won¡¯t even cross your mind. I promise.¡±


    Spiders larger than Cira¡¯s palm were marked for death, while spiders exponentially larger were to be eradicated with conviction. This was the sorcerer¡¯s code, as it were. Her father¡¯s did not seem to change the larger they got past his palm, but after Cira spent a morning in a spider nest as a young girl due to her own foolish arrogance, she decided not even the long-dead gods could stop her from appending the code in this way.


    It hasn¡¯t crossed my mind in years¡­ but why wouldn¡¯t Dad erase my memory of it? I dare say, that was almost as bad as anything I did beneath that demon¡ªwell, maybe. Who cares if I¡¯m exaggerating¡ªit was terrible. Unable to move a muscle within the bindings of web while they bleed me dry¡­ It mattered not to them how I felt, because warm blood was what they wanted.


    While blood sorcery was quite powerful, Cira had always had an aversion she swore wasn¡¯t related.


    Forget it. This girl may have experienced the same ordeal¡­ but she is alive now. That¡¯s what matters. The spiders will never catch her again.


    ¡°You¡­? Were caught by the cave spiders before?¡± The girl asked through tears, somewhat hopeful to find a kindred spirit.


    ¡°Indeed¡­¡± Cira shook. ¡°It was unpleasant to say the least¡­ but I never snuck out alone at night again. If you truly wish, I can try to curse the memories away, but I would prefer not to.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s okay.¡± Marie gripped her chair with white knuckles, ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll just try to forget¡­¡±


    The two sat in silence at the table, working through the bushel of berries Cira gathered while they both ruminated on their past horrors.

 203 - High in the Sky Where the Worms Doth Lie

    Spiders sucked. Cira had no intention of returning to their depths.


    Instead, she and the young Marie appeared in a blaze of abyssal lightning, charring the earth to obsidian before the young and old fools.


    ¡°I have returned.¡± Cira said coldly.


    It was clear at this point that that girl convinced them to let her go on ahead, arrogant toward the extents of her power, but that didn¡¯t mean these men got a pass. They were still idiots for underestimating an uninhabited island known to be home to spiders.


    ¡°M-Marie!¡± The young man wrapped his arms around her and sobbed into her freshly laundered blouse. ¡°I thought I¡¯d lost you!¡±


    ¡°My dear!¡± The old man crumpled, ¡°Are you okay?!¡±


    He glanced in shock between Cira and Marie.


    ¡°She will be just fine eventually. But the fact remains that all three of you are equally fools.¡± Cira did not spare any consideration. Lives were nearly lost. Spiders were experienced. ¡°Now where did you come from? I suggest you return.¡±


    ¡°We¡­ we fled Fount Salt¡ª¡± Marie said ominously before her husband threw his arms around her.


    ¡°I¡¯m just so glad you¡¯re alright!¡± They seemed to be having a tender moment, and the old man crowded around them too, so Cira backed off for a minute.


    Why would they need to flee? If something is going on down there, I¡¯m going to have to write Lomp a very strongly worded letter.


    Cira must have looked impatient standing there with her arms crossed in deep thought when Marie broke away from the two, ¡°Sorry, Madam Witch. I don¡¯t mean to waste your time. How can I ever reward you?¡±


    ¡°It is nothing to trouble yourself over.¡± Cira brushed her worries off with a smile, ¡°These two should already have prepared payment.¡±


    She fluttered her eye expectantly toward the two gentlemen.


    ¡°R-right. Here!¡± The young man approached and pushed a pouch into Cira¡¯s hands. It did not feel very heavy, and she noticed a pained look on Marie¡¯s father¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s everything we have.¡±


    ¡°This is everything you hold to your name?¡± Cira dumped it out into one palm. Not that she really needed it, but it wasn¡¯t much. The looks on their faces said it really was all they had. She ended up picking out a single coin and putting the rest back, tossing the pouch back over. ¡°I will take only a single gold coin as payment. Now, you really should go back to where you came from if you only made it this far.¡±


    Cira distinctly remembered seeing an island from the upper boardwalks of Uren. It was incredibly close to Fount Salt. The first official stop on the Dead Belt, and probably a ten-minute flight.


    ¡°We¡­ we can¡¯t go back!¡± Marie cried with tears in her eyes. The other two seemed overtaken with rage.


    ¡°I refuse to let them take her!¡± The husband clenched his fists so hard Cira smelled blood.


    She tried to calm them down and ended up hearing quite an unfortunate tale.


    ¡°They said everything would be fine since the Gandeux took over¡­¡± Marie sounded hopeless, ¡°The Underseer even granted us a home in Silver Lake, but the whole island is crawling with nobles now.¡±


    ¡°The bastards don¡¯t care about the people who toiled their whole lives on that rock,¡± The old man spat, ¡°They just want to sap off the Saint¡¯s prestige and use their status to do whatever the hell they want.¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Apparently one such arrogant noble lived high up in Uren, and Marie¡¯s chestnut colored hair caught his eye as she went to do laundry by the river. Just yesterday, in fact. Long story short, her husband was a wanted man. Knocked the nobleman out right there on the spot.


    ¡°He said a commoner marriage means nothing to ¡®one such as him¡¯, and that he was free to pluck Marie up like a flower on the muddy roadside. I¡­ I just saw red.¡± He looked deeply ashamed, and suddenly scared of Cira¡¯s response. ¡°Do whatever you want with me, and you can take the boat back¡­ but please let Marie go!¡±


    Wait, what? Oh¡­ they think I¡¯m a witch. Evidently, he had stolen a dropship¡ªone of Earth Vein¡¯s smaller boats for vertical transportation of personnel. If anything, I see this guy in a whole new light. Knocked out a noble on his way to bring his wife lunch, then stole a boat to fly away. That takes gumption.


    ¡°Oh, please. If anything, I¡¯m compelled to reward you for your efforts.¡± His actions could not be said to be different than Cira¡¯s own if she were in his shoes. ¡°You stood up against a man who brings shame upon the entire Gandeux Group. If those above cannot reign them in, it will catch up to them one day, I assure you. Moreover, you will notice I have removed Earth Vein¡¯s insignia from your ship. I don¡¯t recommend going back to Fount Salt, I suppose, but I don¡¯t know about above either. Won¡¯t you just run into more Gandeux?¡±


    The men were in shock at her words and lack of interest in bringing them to justice, but Marie was more concerned about the future, ¡°Then what are we supposed to do? We can¡¯t stay here!¡±


    With the threat of cave spiders, Cira could hardly blame her. ¡°Have you ever heard of Plackelo?¡±


    They had, of course, and the old man even knew how to get there. Though they would have to ascend and descend repeatedly to inch their way over in such a specially designed vehicle as the dropship, but she sent them off with a sealed letter for the mayor. She could help them find a place to at least stay until the heat cooled down.


    ¡°Th-thank you so much, Madam Witch!¡± Marie waved farewell out the window of their ship as it departed from the island, ¡°I¡¯ll never forget you!¡±


    Cira sent them off with a smile and hoped they would find peace.


    Alright, how¡¯s that? Quick and easy. Though the pay was low, and spiders, I haven¡¯t had a job go so smoothly in a while. She had admittedly few uses for gold, but that¡¯s primarily because she had so much of it now. Still, she stuffed the coin back in her pocket and called Breeze Haven. It appeared just like she expected, and she climbed the stairs.


    ___


    Dear Lomp,


    I hope this letter finds you well.


    It has come to my attention that the sudden influx of Gandeux nobles has been making life difficult for the residents of Fount Salt. I would sincerely appreciate if you could do something about that. For if I must step in myself, it is certain to turn into a larger deal than it needs to be. Many thanks in advance.


    Warm regards,


    Eternal Empress Dreadheart


    ¡°That ought to do it.¡± Cira pored through some old letters her father received years ago to get the tone down and thought she crafted a rather polite correspondence. Without further ado, she folded it up into a paper plane and tossed it out the window.


    Breeze Haven rose from the ground as the letter descended. Cira was close enough to deliver it in this way, and her plan was for it to fly straight in the window of the Underseer¡¯s office. Her business lay above, however.


    Through Spatial Sight, Cira had determined what she sought in fact existed here but held no regrets in leaving this spider infested clump of dirt behind.


    ___


    With her trustworthy golden spyglass, Cira investigated the next island. This one was nothing but bare stone. The spring must have been somewhere underground. It was a small one, so Cira didn¡¯t even bother getting up. A quick spatial search revealed that she struck out again. Perhaps if the soil was particularly rich, she may still stop by to bag some up, but this island was drab overall.


    ¡°You know what¡­?¡± Cira forgot for a moment¡ªshe didn¡¯t come here for work, nor was she particularly lacking in mana to necessitate an urgent search for bloat worms. The only way was up from here, and she had time. ¡°This looks like a nice spot for a picnic.¡±


    Small islands always were. She had a panoramic view of the sky. No islands in sight, but there was a light smattering of debris stones here and there. Nothing but the sound of the wind and an occasional bird created a pleasant atmosphere.


    ___


    ¡°Ahh, dammit!¡± Cira awoke to the smell of burnt fish and a stern chill on the breeze. The watercolor sunset was something she couldn¡¯t enjoy as she frowned at the cooking pot she crafted earlier. The fish were no more than charred gunk on a block of stone now, and her tummy grumbled something fierce. ¡°On to the next one, I guess.¡±


    Breeze Haven did what it did best, and Cira rose again through the clouds.

 204 - Tomb of the Skeleton King

    The sky was dark. No trace of sun remained, and Cira was tired. She could stop and head downstairs to go to bed, but she had already planned on not doing so. One of the thrills of travelling was camping out in different places, and Cira had seen precious few islands since landing on Fount Salt a few months ago. She could count them on a single hand, and two were technically the same place.


    This led Cira to a dim island under the moonlight night. She spied a gentle spring on the surface and dove off Breeze Haven to land next to it. If Cira was looking for worms, or anything else, she would have looked through the whole island, but she had already found a nice spot to relax. It was far too late for worm hunting. The spring lake was surrounded with sand and there seemed to be patches of beach grass here and there. Sand, of course, made for a decent makeshift bed.


    Cira wriggled a little indent for herself and let sorcery do the rest of the work. She turned a few clumps of sand into glass which was then engraved to cook food, then she pulled various fish and some underworm out, then decided to cook up some lamb she found in Breeze Haven¡¯s Absolute Freezer. It seemed like it was still good.


    This time, she didn¡¯t fall asleep, and ended up pulling away from the sandy indent after just a short while.


    ¡°Dammit!¡± She punched the sand, ¡°Why did I have to leave like that? Shouldn¡¯t I know by now curses aren¡¯t to be taken lightly?¡±


    A crystal mug drained of golden ale, ¡°So stupid!¡± She threw it and it didn¡¯t even shatter. ¡°I thought I was more responsible now¡­¡±


    Cira stuffed her face with various grilled meats to make herself feel better, but her belly was awful stuffed at this point. It was late, though she didn¡¯t know how late. It didn¡¯t really matter.


    I should know by now it¡¯s always going to end like that¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m the worst¡­ And a terrible teacher.¡± Cira polished off another glass and leaned back, ripping some overcooked lamb off the bone. ¡°This sucks.¡±


    ___


    Hmmmm, what is that?


    Cira heard a strangely familiar sound. A clicking and clacking that stirred a primal discomfort in her.


    It¡¯s not spiders though. But why does that sound like¡­


    Hang on.


    Cira opened her eyes, ¡°Skeleton?! Begone!¡± Prismagora appeared and lit up the whole island. Cira channeled mana into a spear of light aimed directly and the skeleton¡¯s chest. It wasn¡¯t a particularly large skeleton¡ªjust a regular one, but for some reason it was watching Cira sleep, and she didn¡¯t like that.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t!¡± Cira¡¯s half-conscious mind was startled to watch a young girl jump out from behind the skeleton, ¡°He was only protecting me¡ªplease don¡¯t kill my dad!¡±


    He¡­ looks pretty dead to me. ¡°Your dad is a skeleton¡­?¡±


    What does this girl have in her hands¡­?


    ¡°Y-yes!¡± There were tears in her eyes as she spread her arms to protect the skeleton, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?!¡±


    ¡°¡­Nothing, I guess.¡± Cira had sat up and gotten a better look, ¡°But are you eating my food?¡±


    She had fallen asleep and maybe the rest would have burned away, but being woken up like this way was rather jarring. The girl had evidently grabbed a handful of her underworm loaf like some kind of animal. The least she could do was wake Cira up first.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± She desperately shoved the rest of a handful in her mouth, looking at Cira with pleading eyes, ¡°It¡­ it just smelled so good.¡±


    Cira let out a heavy yawn and rubbed her eyes, ¡°Okay, hang on¡­ Prismagora.¡± It was four in the morning. ¡°Not bad, I guess. Go on and take a seat, then. I¡¯m up.¡±


    Two stools appeared before her¡ªone for the girl and one for the skeleton, but Cira opted for a chair with arms and comfortable back because she was still weary. Dirt and sand was easier to work with than gold in this regard.


    A pile of fruit from Breeze Haven¡¯s garden found itself on a newly conjured table between them and Cira gestured to it.


    ¡°Help yourself, and feel free to clean up the grill if any of it¡¯s still good.¡± Cira peeled an orange and started on her vitamins for the day under Prismagora¡¯s artificial sunrise.


    ¡°W-what¡­?¡± The girl blinked in shock, still protecting the skeleton, ¡°You mean¡­ I can have¡­?¡±


    Cira smiled back at her. Under the light, this girl had ashy blonde hair and bright hazel eyes. Her face was clean enough to know she hadn¡¯t been living here like some kind of savage. The skeleton dad was one mystery, but her body appeared to be properly nourished too.


    ¡°Of course. I am a traveling sorcerer, so I can hardly refuse a young girl my leftovers. Please enjoy the fruit as well; I grew it myself.¡± Somehow the skeleton looked suspicious, but a twinkle blossomed in the girl¡¯s eyes as she took an apple in one hand with an orange in the other. She started with a huge bite out of the whole orange as a smile grew unconcerned of peel or rind. ¡°I only hope that you will satisfy my curiosity.¡±


    Strangely enough, the skeleton was not aggressive at all. Typically, they were bound by grudge or other harsh feelings like a standard ghost, but this one did not seem intent on taking action of any kind, nor did he appear to be a bone golem. Despite how he didn¡¯t move, it seemed there was a certain intelligence behind his gaze. It was obvious he desired to protect her and as if to assuage the girl¡¯s concerns, he was first to take a seat too.


    ¡°D-dad¡­? Are you sure?¡± The girl asked.


    ¡°Can you two communicate¡­?¡± Cira hadn¡¯t heard anything.


    ¡°Of course.¡± She chuckled. ¡°It took a couple years, but¡­ I always know what he means these days.¡±


    Out of context the interaction between this young girl and the skeleton was perhaps a little strange, but it felt natural. The girl was maybe a couple years older than Cira was when she lost her father, but it seemed her and her dad had things figured out here.


    The skeleton seemed bashful and held a fist to his face as if chuckling.


    ¡°I¡¯m Cira.¡± She couldn¡¯t keep a wholesome smile from her face, ¡°Who are you two?¡±


    ¡°My parents named me Brenda or something,¡± She chuckled, stuffing her face with an apple now, ¡°But Papa Skelton just calls me Bin Bon.¡±


    ¡°Is¡­ that right? You mean to say your mother is away?¡± Could she be a skeleton as well?


    ¡°Nope!¡± Despite the heavy subject, this girl didn¡¯t seem upset at all. It was almost inspiring, ¡°My parents dropped me off here a long time ago. Papa Skelton takes care of me now.¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Cira shared a glance with Mr. Skelton and felt a strangely somber something. She didn¡¯t let it show on her face though. It was time to assume her profession, especially in the face of a young girl potentially in need, ¡°I hear this stretch of islands can be dangerous sometimes. Do you two need any help? I travel the skies for this reason, so don¡¯t be afraid to speak up if there¡¯s anything that needs done around here.¡±


    ¡°No thank you.¡± The girl had the rest of the roasted worm loaf on the bare table before her, picking at it like a bushel of berries or something. ¡°Me ¡®n¡¯ Pops are good here.¡±


    Cira wasn¡¯t sure if this girl was too old for the junior division on Paradise or not, but in most places, she would probably be considered an adult. That said, she was seemingly robbed of common sense at a young age.


    Whether it was more spiders or ghosts, maybe an invasive plant¡­ Cira was ready to solve the problem. Perhaps they could have benefited from a field of vegetables and other nutritious plants to harvest throughout the year, but Bin Bon outright refused her.


    ¡°Oh¡­ Okay¡ª¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that, Papa?¡± She wasn¡¯t even looking at Cira.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    ¡°He says he wants to talk to you, but¡­¡± Her eyes shifted nervously, ¡°It might hurt¡­¡±


    Fascinating. I pretty much have to now.


    ¡°No problem.¡± Cira turned from the girl unto her Papa. ¡°I am listening, Mr. Skelton.¡±


    Mental defenses were a tricky thing, because they didn¡¯t fall under a particular element of sorcery. Defending against them meant defending against the source, which was sometimes elemental or an overly complicated aether spell, but you don¡¯t usually know until it hits you. The workaround for this was typically a blanket defense which refused all mental interference, but Cira had no practice defending against unknown elements within a telepathic connection she actually wanted to uphold.


    Let¡¯s just see how this goes¡ª


    ¡°AHHHHHHH!¡±


    Cira instinctively covered her ears, but it did nothing. Channeling mana into her head in an aimless attempt to bolster something, she focused on her undine powers. That was what allowed her to speak through her mind so naturally, so she tried to fine tune it. The connection was fierce, and weirdly painful like a bunch of tiny needles being twisted in, but once she suppressed it to the point of being able to pay attention, there were many voices overlapped. Not unlike the evil tree of Acher, but far more coherent.


    ¡°Can you¡­¡± It spoke, ¡°Please¡­ please take my daughter¡­ Away from this place.¡±


    Blinking in confusion, this one threw Cira for a loop. If we weren¡¯t speaking through feelings and concepts, his phrasing would throw me off, but it¡¯s obvious what he means. Bin Bon isn¡¯t that young, at least not anymore, but she doesn¡¯t seem very capable. I would only be putting her in danger.


    ¡°I could deliver her to somewhere else nearby, probably Paradise or even Porta Bora. But I cannot raise her.¡± Cira didn¡¯t mince words here.


    The skeleton looked downcast, pondering while his daughter looked between them with curiosity.


    ¡°That is¡­ Not enough¡­¡± Disappointment and a worry swirled in the skeleton¡¯s empty eye sockets, ¡°But perhaps¡­ there is still something you can do.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that this fellow was lacking in ability to speak, but he sounded so old that forming each word took a lot of effort. Ordinarily Cira would treat this like a job, but she liked these two. Something about them, she just couldn¡¯t put her finger on it. Regardless, she neglected to mention her fees.


    ¡°And what might that be?¡± Cira asked.


    ¡°A great evil¡­ slumbers¡­ far below.¡± Cira could tell it brought him great distress. ¡°Take it away from here¡­ please.¡±


    Clever one, that skeleton. Cira didn¡¯t have to take care of an ancient evil, feed it, or keep it safe. Well, hopefully she didn¡¯t have to feed it.


    Whatever could it be? I hope it¡¯s not alive. Maybe I should have mentioned my fees.


    ¡°I cannot agree without first investigating personally, I hope you understand.¡± Her interest was certainly piqued. Depending on their nature, ancient evils could often be converted into a new sorcery or perhaps artificing knowledge. More often than not, they turned out to be something absurd left behind by a long-dead sorcerer or similar.


    Come to think of it¡­ Isn¡¯t it about time I bring something of my own to the forbidden archive? A sorcerer of my caliber¡­ Shouldn¡¯t I have curios so dangerous they need to be quarantined by this point? I can¡¯t just keep leeching off Dad¡¯s prestige forever.


    ¡°Of course¡­¡± Papa Skelton nodded, ¡°I will take to you there.¡±


    The girl finally looked up from her piles of fruit and meat when her dad stood up. There was a brief moment of silence before she nodded, ¡°Kay, Dad. See you later, Miss!¡± She waved to Cira and went back to her food.


    Okay, I¡¯ll just follow the skeleton to the ancient evil. This is fine.


    Cira didn¡¯t want to make small talk, because his life force was whittled away with every word. It wouldn¡¯t kill him, but it all added up over time. His words were best saved for Bin Bon.


    ¡°This place¡­ will never be safe¡­¡± Cira thought she was being considerate until the skeleton himself spoke, ¡°As long as it rests below.¡±


    They only had to walk over one dune before a cluster of palms hid a door carved into a mossy rock. Inside was a staircase that led down. Cira followed him into the island and was hit with an unexpected wave of mana.


    Oh my¡­ I can¡¯t tell what, but that sure is something.


    This was one of those flat disk type islands, so there was hardly a hundred feet to descend. Cira suspected the girl and Pops lived in some other cave, because it was quite unpleasant in this one.


    They reached a door that lit up the hallway with genuinely ancient glyphs, or a respectable imitation. Either way, Cira was impressed. Even more so when she watched Mr. Skelton wave his arm and make the enchantments go dark. The door crumbled to sand, and he walked through.


    Uh¡­ He can put that door back up in the event I refuse¡­ right?


    The pressure was noticeably heavier now and Cira started to feel uneasy. Judging by the distance she traveled in just the first staircase, there had to be a couple more seals like that.


    Skelton didn¡¯t seem bothered, but Cira couldn¡¯t help thinking she was being forced into more responsibilities against her will. That perhaps her kindness had been taken advantage of.


    Whatever¡­ Let¡¯s think positive. Maybe it will be a tome of lost magics. I¡¯ll spend all day reading it. Ohoho, if it¡¯s not a book, I hope it¡¯s some rare treasure. Haunted jewelry or something to that effect¡­


    The second seal fell, and the pressure seemed to increase ten-fold.


    ¡°Goodness.¡± Cira summoned Prismagora to her hand and put on her serious sorcerer face, ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s sleeping?¡±


    His lack of eyes held such deep worry as he turned to Cira, ¡°For Bin Bon¡¯s sake¡­ We can only hope.¡± They kept descending the carved steps until reaching one last door. It had a magic circle built of both previous glyphs and a new one too. A quick probe below told Cira the sky was not far¡ªthis was the last stop. The seal here was exponentially stronger than the last and there was a shroud of mana seeping through the cracks.


    ¡°Your last chance¡­ to refuse, Traveler¡­¡± Cira could feel a troubled regret in his words, but most of all concern. Not for her, of course. For Bin Bon. If Cira couldn¡¯t take the girl away, then she must remove the danger from this island. Simple enough, in theory.


    ¡°I accept.¡± Cira wanted to help the girl. It sucked that she was dumped here by parents who apparently didn¡¯t care, and she was happy to meet such a responsible skeleton who could take her in. She surely would have died by now otherwise. ¡°Open the door.¡±


    Worst case, if Cira couldn¡¯t take it with her, she would do her very best to destroy it. If that failed, there were many ways to seal something. She could even try sending it to Kyrnsbad Sorcerous Gaol¡ªsomething that feels this vile through three seals was sure to have some manner of crime to repent for.


    It was easy to imagine that failing in this context, but her absolute last resort would be to sacrifice it to summon her old pal Yl¡¯Gad. From there, a solution would be much easier to find given her past experience.


    Okay, this is foolproof. No problems here. She urged the skeleton on with an assuring nod.


    Again, the door turned to sand. A wave of pressure hit Cira like the backdoor at the infirmary. Death, unmistakably, but even the aether seemed to decay in its presence.


    ¡°Now that¡¯s a skeleton if I¡¯ve ever seen one.¡± Cira whistled. A human-like skull at least as tall as Cira faced the door with its jaw hung open, and one hand reaching halfway across the room. From the shoulders down it was almost entirely encased in some kind of strange iridescent crystal. Cira had never seen anything like it, but she could tell it cancelled out the extra pure brand of death this monster exuded. ¡°Seriously, what is this thing?¡±


    Cira couldn¡¯t deny the feeling that her soul was being squeezed like a grape down here, but it was a novel feeling¡ªone she wanted to know more about. What does it mean? This doesn¡¯t have the quality of a primordial curse¡­ but it just feels like death. Nothing else and more so than anything I¡¯ve ever seen. I can¡¯t get a different read on it.


    She kept it out in the same way she kept the void out. It wouldn¡¯t have erased her, but she could tell it would to kill her¡ªthe seeping mana, that is.


    ¡°Remnants of Pestilence¡­ But there is nothing left.¡± As he said, there wasn¡¯t a trace of soul left in this thing, but strangely Cira felt that wasn¡¯t exactly what he meant.


    It sure sounded like he was describing a curse. Still, Cira was positive that was not the case. Yet somehow, these skeletal remains killed even the aether they touched.


    Admittedly, it was a little too large to fit in her forbidden archive.

 205 - A Blessing or a Curse

    It had the general shape of a human skeleton but struck her more as one of the goliaths. Just a little bit off but not misshapen. Massive, of course, and beyond imposing even as dead as it was. Not only that, but its bones were significantly thicker by scale than any other humanoid race. She could not see anything covered by crystal, however, so it was difficult to get a true read on its anatomy.


    I could fit this in the treasury, for sure. Carve out this whole block of the cave and pop it right in. I would just need to seal it up then study at my leisure when I have time. Just how I like it.


    ¡°This thing is clearly dead¡ªit¡¯s only a matter of containment.¡± Cira spoke to Mr. Skelton. She then looked up at the ancient skeleton as if to give herself one last chance to second guess herself. It had horn-like points protruding from the top of its skull in a circle, as if this ancient monster was born wearing a crown. Its presence certainly was commanding, and Cira had never seen anything so dead.


    What¡¯s the worst that could happen? Even if this is the skeleton king or something, what happens if I run into that necromancer again? What is a girl astray on the winds to do if she doesn¡¯t have a single skeletal champion to keep her safe?


    At some point in her head, it became more about skeletal champion than it was about ancient evil.


    ¡°I will take this entire chamber and fill it in with stone from the surface.¡± She continued, ¡°This shouldn¡¯t take long.¡±


    The Paradise mage had helped her out, in fact. Breeze Haven had been floating around the edge of the island to meet her at the bottom while she descended, and was now pressing its barrier against the underside of the island. There was only ten or so feet between it at the skeleton. Plenty close enough to transport something into her treasury, as she¡¯d be taking the earth with it.


    Prismagora floated away from her hand and was replaced with the orichalcum staff, which she found stuffed behind the cushions in her couch after a cursory search. She created a large prism of space and separated the earth within it before dumping an egregious amount of mana into Breeze Haven.


    Whoa¡­ just what the hell is this skeleton? That was harder than teleporting to Paradise through the amulet! She had to lean against the wall and catch her breath for a minute. More than half her mana was gone in one fell swoop. She was already thinking about bed again as dawn¡¯s light poked through the hole in ground to Breeze Haven and the sky below.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s gone!¡± She could hear the excitement in Skelton¡¯s voice, ¡°You¡­ really did it¡­¡±


    Stone seeped back into the empty space until the two were staring at a wall.


    ¡°I did indeed. Just so happens I was in the market for a skeleton.¡± Cira hoped she would meet that necromancer again, and that he would have a champion of his own to challenge her. ¡°But are you sure you don¡¯t want me to take the girl somewhere? I know people that can house and protect¡ªshe could start her own life.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ Unless she goes with you¡­ she would only return.¡± That seemed to be a fair assumption. Short of imprisoning her on Paradise, there was no way to stop her. Cira had mixed feelings about leaving this girl with a skeleton, but it was her father for crying out loud. She seemed well fed and remarkably happy here. And there was no longer a slumbering evil to threaten them. ¡°I still have¡­ some time left.¡±


    They climbed back up the stairs to meet Bin Bon again and found her finishing off the bowl of fruit. That girl sure could eat. She tossed an apple core to the ground and looked intently at Skelton, then to Cira with wide eyes.


    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re pretty amazing if even Pops is this excited.¡± The girl smiled ear to ear. ¡°Thanks for all the help!¡±


    I suppose this is when I would say my farewells and tend to my skeleton, but I don¡¯t feel right leaving them like this. What is this girl going to do when her dad dies? He¡¯ll just run out of mana¡ªprobably turn to dust before her very eyes. I don¡¯t like it. There¡¯s something I can do about this, isn¡¯t there?


    It did not exist within her vast knowledge of sorcery, but for some reason, Cira just felt like she could do something to help. This was not a case like Kuja¡¯s. His soul was firmly bound in undeath. The fatal bloom must have happened centuries ago, and this was a typical possessed skeleton on the end of its ¡®life¡¯ so to speak.


    It¡¯s quite dead already, but what do you not call it when this skeleton turns to dust if not death? If such pure death can even kill the aether, then it stands for reason that even the dead can die. Most don¡¯t often get the luxury to die twice, but even few are allowed to live a second time, I presume.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    Cira placed a rosy marble in her palm while Skelton nodded along to his daughter¡¯s ramblings. For whatever reason, Cira knew this crystallized curse was the key here.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t fair that you should live so long in death only to die again¡­¡± Cira grasped the marble in her hand. ¡°The waning of life has brought you to this state, and you cling to it not for yourself, but for another. After all this time, if only you had a few more years¡­ yes?¡±


    Bin Bon was distracted by a glass of juice, but Skelton conveyed a heavy uncertainty in his eyes. He had clearly been a skeleton for an incredibly long time, yet it was running out all the same before this girl was even grown. Cira thought it was a cruel fate.


    ¡°What is that¡­¡± He asked, ¡°In your hand?¡±


    ¡°From the chrysalis of undeath,¡± Cira opened her palm, revealing the glowing orb, sanguine flames gently flowing out like a stream, ¡°when you die once more, you will find new life.¡±


    The flame wrapped around Skelton and disappeared into his chest. This was enough to get Bin Bon¡¯s attention and she flew over the table throwing punches at Cira.


    ¡°What are you doing to¡ª¡± her panicked cries stopped in an instant, ¡°Huh, are you sure, Dad?¡±


    The girl backed down but still cast Cira a suspicious glare. I didn¡¯t want to upset her, but¡­ I couldn¡¯t have my offer shot down again. I knew I could do it this time.


    Skelton placed a hand over his chest as the light faded. It almost seemed like he could feel a change, but asked once he calmed down a little, Bin Bon still grumbling between them.


    ¡°What have you done to me¡­?¡± There was a hint of fear in his voice, but almost excitement. His voice sounded almost livelier.


    ¡°As I said. It¡¯s clear you¡¯re running out of time before your form crumbles and you return to the cycle. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want to risk becoming some manner of revenant with Bin Bon around.¡± A spirit with this much will, there was only one reason it would so willingly let itself disappear. Dying was the safer option. ¡°But when your time runs out, you will be returned to a natural life. One that you may hopefully be able to live fully as you watch your daughter grow. One day your time will come again, and you will die a natural death. By then perhaps your business will be concluded.¡±


    The skeleton was in shock for a moment, his trembling bones rattled. ¡°How¡­ can that be? It¡¯s impossible, but¡­ I can feel it. What was that power?¡±


    ¡°You can consider it a blessing if you like.¡± If Cira spoke mentally, he probably could have told she was lying. Bin Bon seemed to relax after a short exchange with her dad, but she still seemed grumpy. The girl sank back as Cira gave her a couple pats on the head, ¡°Make sure you grow up big and strong so you can take care of your dad now, you hear?¡±


    ¡°I was already gonna.¡± She turned her head and pouted. Cira chuckled, having expected as much. She was just happy to have afforded them the opportunity.


    ¡°I better be off then,¡± Cira floated up to the sky as Breeze Haven revealed itself beyond the shoreline. She gave Bin Bon one last smile and turned her attention to the skeleton, ¡°Make sure to get her off this island when you have the energy, alright? A girl her age needs to see the sky.¡±


    He held up a hand and waved. It could have been Cira¡¯s imagination, but she thought he was smiling.


    Cira made her way back to Breeze Haven, just glad everything worked out alright. It was risky pulling an unfamiliar curse out like that, but she just knew it would work. In the same way she pulled the name ¡®Chrysalis¡¯ out of nowhere back on Paradise.


    So that¡¯s what it does though, huh? I feel like I¡¯ve only scraped the surface. With the marble in her hand, Cira could feel the power to do incredible things far beyond a raincheck for rebirth. If she wanted to, she probably could have turned Skelton into a flesh and bone abomination. Now that it was contained, she could feel the extents of her abilities.


    Chrysalis works in two stages. I could have forced him into the first, but instead I used his current state. A feat I could not have accomplished were it not for his centuries of will and effort. His desire to continue existing played a big role in it, and Cira was able to instead declare how he would emerge from the cocoon of undeath. Instead of full-blown death as would be the natural conclusion, he would instead get to live.


    The curse will fester in his soul until his time of death, then once the kindling expires, the flames will expand, triggering his metamorphosis. With any luck, he should be reborn in his prime.


    Then like any flames, they would disperse. The curse, having run its course, would completely vanish from his soul. Cira thought this was about as ethical a use of primordial curses as any, and was satisfied with her work this time around. While her mood was lifted to a degree, she couldn¡¯t help one lingering thought.


    These curses really are terrifying though. I¡¯ve always had my own so I never really realized, but... such powers should absolutely not be wielded. Maybe Io was right all along¡­


    ¡°Tch.¡± Cira landed in the garden. Some blessing¡­ This situation may have worked out perfectly, but I can¡¯t imagine a way to use it on the living or not almost-dead. Were his soul not dwindling, it still would have been used as a resource, even if I softened the blow by using his current state.


    For example, Io maybe have had a similar curse placed on him. His final state was death, and anytime he so much as pumped blood, the curse would bring him closer to it. Since Skelton was already beginning to disperse, that mana instead just fed his chrysalis. There would be no adverse effects outside of what he would have normally experienced. It will still surely be a harrowing day for Bin Bon when he does turn to dust, but she¡¯ll be happy with the end result.


    Cira was satisfied enough to call it a happy ending, but one concern troubled her. She pulled out the cursed marble and held it up to the sun. It was noticeably smaller than before.

 206 - Cira Dies Again

    An independent young woman and her skeleton dad. Those were the kinds of things Cira wished to see when she planned a vacation. The distant reaches of life that exist within these skies.


    Five minutes into her talk with Pappy way back when she landed on Fount Salt, Cira had a clear picture of what was happening on the Boreal. The more time she spent here, the more obvious it was how right she was. In some cases, she hadn¡¯t even gone far enough. The depths of mankind¡¯s darkest heart always ran deep, but Cira was happy to help those among the extraneous fringes of society.


    Mr. Skelton was a good man. A respectable one. Who knew how he was before he died, but hopefully the new curse would give him another shot. This was the most satisfied Cira had felt leaving an island in a very long time.


    Life is good. It¡¯s good to be alive, and not shattered into countless existential shreds. Not adrift among the aether nor hobbled up in a dark cabin cursing people to death.


    ¡°Cheers.¡± Cira raised her glass, sitting across from Nina at her rustic iron garden table. Her father once said he crafted it entirely with hand tools and no mana involved. It was an impressive feat. Nina raised a small custard cup of fresh squeezed apple juice and drink it as Cira casually sipped on a goblet of Elysian Draught.


    I don¡¯t think she can actually drink things¡­ so where¡¯s the juice going? Does she at least get to enjoy the taste?


    ¡°I still feel terrible about leaving them like that¡­¡± Cira¡¯s gaze lulled over the azure horizon while the edge of the storm could be seen in the distance to Breeze Haven¡¯s flank. ¡°Do you think I should pop back in, Nina? I bet the council wouldn¡¯t mind me showing the masses I can appear at any time, though I fear it will take a great deal of mana from this distance¡­¡±


    Cira was conflicted, which went against her sorcerer¡¯s code. This made her even more conflicted, ironically. Was she just too emotional or was her sorcerer¡¯s code lacking in situational pliability? Either way, she was sure her father would never have left on a bad note, nearly cursing everyone they cared about.


    Dammit. Stupid curses. If only I could afford to forget about them, and my false father¡­ Can I surmount my trials if I abandon these primordial powers and focus on sorcery alone?


    That bastard¡­ He killed my father. Dad was so far beyond the heights of sorcery which I even have the right to strive for as I am now. So how could I possibly ignore these unknown powers? Do I even have time? Who just has centuries lyin¡¯ around? Shirking this power goes against my code¡­ More than that, how can I back down? I may as well return to that little cabin if I planned on taking the coward¡¯s path.


    We¡¯re back to my reckless nature¡­ Instead of blindly trying to fix it, I must ask¡­


    ¡°Why am I so reckless?¡± Nina blinked, ¡°Is it due to my sorcerer¡¯s code or a product of my upbringing? Which one, at that?¡±


    The nymph held her hands out in the universal gesture of ¡°I don¡¯t know, why are you asking me?¡± then lapped up more apple juice.


    ¡°Dad always told me to think about my actions, and I distinctly remember trying to¡­ This isn¡¯t an entirely new development as it certainly got me into trouble when he was around, but perhaps it has only exacerbated in my isolation¡ªhey¡­" Something in Cira¡¯s peripherals caught her attention and her eyes went wide, ¡°Holy shit¡­ That thing is huge!¡±


    A debris stone larger than any she had ever seen plummeted through the sky, pulling a trail of storm with it from the massive drag as it fell through the sky. Inspecting it with Spatial Sight told her it was actually much further than she thought.


    ¡°Oh no¡­ That rock is damn near the size of Plackelo.¡± Cira had never seen anything so massive moving that fast. This was a truly monolithic rock plummeting through the skies at such great speeds she could hear it from here. Miles of earth forced the wind out of the way and now it even caused a breeze through her garden. ¡°Hang on¡­ Don¡¯t I¡­ Have to do something about that?¡±


    Even if it were in path to fall on Fount Salt, it had enough mass to take out the sister cities and much of the surrounding surface easily. It was nowhere near the salty rock, but a smaller island would be absolutely decimated if they were unlucky enough to be in its path.


    Can I¡­ stop an island?


    A tiny slap on her forehead broke her out of her thoughts. It was Nina and her eyes were determined. She fluttered down and took a seat on Cira¡¯s right shoulder.


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Cira said before they both vanished into void lightning, leaving Breeze Haven behind.


    Seconds later, she landed atop the falling island and quickly found herself blind to what was below. It was so huge that her Spatial Sight needed time to get through it.


    ¡°Dammit!¡± She turned into lightning again and skirted the surface of the island. It was faster than using geomancy to fall through it, but this still took a great deal of time. Outpacing her perception only made her more nervous and coming in between this mass of stone and another island would spell death even for someone of her level. She was pretty sure it would, anyway.


    It felt like an eternity, but it was probably only about ten seconds. Upon materialization, Cira was instantly thrown to her back against the island above her as it continued to plummet. She didn¡¯t realize it would be like this, but the weight of an entire island dropped her through the sky at far more meters per second than she had time to count in such a fluster.


    Shit! I could actually die if I don¡¯t stop this!


    ¡°Six Pillars of the Sage!¡± Cira desperately called upon her father¡¯s tools, ¡°I command you¡ªsupport me!¡±


    Six beams of light representing each primary element appeared, lodging into the island as it ruthlessly fell. Naturally, it was her orichalcum staff that appeared to channel sand-colored mana, but that was only because it was her father¡¯s greatest earthen focus.


    Aquon was merely a birthday gift, so a staff of glacial bedrock appeared. Like opaque ice of a brilliant cerulean hue, the entire haft served the catalytic purpose a gem at the top usually would. She thought she had authority over water with Aquon and her newfound undine heritage, but just being near this thing made her feel like a child again.


    Dammit¡­ Am I really so useless? Old Io was right after all.


    The Six Pillars of the Sage were her father¡¯s six precious staves. Together, they could command reality on par with fate, though distinctly not on the same level.


    Rather than predetermined and absolute, their effect was more happenstantial. The Pillars relied on reality itself to change under direction using its own elements, rather than submitting to an order from beyond its influence. These tools were not for novices, and some of them weren¡¯t even safe to be around.


    While the orichalcum was unmatched in its authority over earth, this was simply too much. Cira couldn¡¯t hope to levitate an island in a matter of seconds, especially while it was already at terminal velocity. She could only be grateful that it was all downhill from here. Or hopefully uphill¡­ I guess?


    ¡°Hahhhh!!!!¡± Cira cried, aura dumping into the atmosphere like a pressurized flame.


    The Infernal Scepter looked like a joke compared to the crimson halo of aether flame. She remembered her father wearing it above his head a single time to quell a mystical wildfire, but knew that technique was far too dangerous to attempt at her level. He often wielded it behind his back like Cira did when she pulled out Conduit, but it was plenty close now as far as she was concerned.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The staves formed a circle around her and spread out across the impending surface of the plummeting island. Each one dug into the aether in an attempt to manifest Cira¡¯s will, but it wasn¡¯t looking good.


    Long ago, Gazen slew the Roving Galewyrm. A legendary beast known to traverse from one sky to the next faster than the stiffest breeze, feeding on islands as a whole and all the berries of flesh they often contained before moving on. It was his duty as a sorcerer, but there was no particular client to pay him. The reward was the beast¡¯s skeleton, which he melted down and condensed into the Galewind Focus¡ªa mint-green staff of solid bone.


    The sky yielded to its presence. A storm of clean air swirled and solidified, but there was only so much that could be done against such velocity. Cira could already feel razor thin blades of wind wearing through her barrier and lacerating her skin. Dammit, I need more time! How much do I even have?


    There was only one way known to Gazen, and thus Cira, to materialize raw space in a form other than crystal. Cira could not accomplish it. The Sage, however, crafted a staff of pure cosmilicate¡ªA metal-like material of condensed space. In theory, he advanced the concept of crystallized mana. The result was the equivalent of a handheld spatial mana well. Cira dared not touch it. Just as a mana well would command space from the aether, this staff commanded space to conform. It was a material she could only have dreamt of synthesizing back on Paradise for her spatial pylon.


    Cira desperately channeled her will through Atlas to resist the imminent force of the falling island, but her control was weak. Her mind could barely take the strain and she was afraid to grasp for more control lest she split apart. She felt like her brain was bleeding trying to push against the island. Even with all the power at her fingertips, she simply couldn¡¯t draw it out.


    Dammit. Why? I didn¡¯t think¡­ I was truly this weak. It felt like the sky was falling, and even with her father¡¯s most powerful staff, Atlas, she was powerless against it. Like the cave spiders all over again¡­ She was pinned in place and doomed to suffer a terrible fate.


    Water would do no good here without making things heavier, so she looked to the next Pillar.


    ¡°Prismagora¡­¡± This was her father¡¯s fourth most powerful staff, and it meant a lot when he gave it to her. She was aware of her affinity allowing its usage, and it only widened the gulf between her and the other Pillars. Just as Cira could only wield the orichalcum¡¯s base form, she had barely tapped into the powers of her staff of light. Made of a mysterious pearlescent bone she didn¡¯t know the source of and a prism of sunforged glass, there was a reason it was her favorite staff. ¡°Concentrate Radiance.¡±


    The staff floated above Lost Cloud for months while she boiled and bubbled, its intent purpose to condense as much light as possible; if not for today, then when? At least she had control over it.


    ¡°Atlas¡­ how much time do I have?¡± Despite the pain, Cira¡¯s vision drifted directly below and found out she was a mere ten miles from crashing into an island.


    Cira was seriously sweating now, but it was atomized the moment it left her pores as she fell through the sky at fearsome speeds.


    All the Pillars being present bolstered their overall authority, but only three staves could really help her here. Cira pulled everything out of the Galewind Focus that she could muster, though it did precious little. Air resistance could only do so much with her feeble command, and the island¡¯s speed was too great for her to truly manifest its presence.


    ¡°Worry not¡­ You are the successor to the Great Sage!¡± The only time her dad claimed the title was to impress her, ¡°But you should not wield Atlas until you are skilled enough to change its shape.¡±


    Cosmilicate was also coined as absolute space. Anything could inhabit space, or everything. This material was essentially the maximum capacity of space, condensed to the point it couldn¡¯t even be considered crystal anymore. All which filled space to create the world existed within this staff, but it was only a frail shard. Still, Cira had only just realized how small she was. Changing the shape of this staff was more difficult than bending orichalcum with her bare hands.


    But Dad always exaggerated¡­ I don¡¯t have a choice.


    ¡°Atlas!¡± Her voice was hoarse as she fell through the air and aether, ¡°Heed me now and shoulder the sky!¡±


    When she became Fount Salt, it felt like her brain burned up in a million little fires that all dispersed so they could have more room to burn, but that eventually led to her consciousness that spanned tens of miles at will.


    Right now, she felt similar, but the pain was far more acute. Meaning, those bursts of flames felt more like the stars in the sky, infinite and unyielding. Her mind was practically melting¡ªeverything went black and she could only feel the mass of earth hurling through the aether. Sky moved out of the way, and all was dark within its vast presence where light could not reach for miles.


    It¡¯s¡­ all here. This is a piece of an island, isn¡¯t it? How foolish I was to jump out in front of it.


    She did not realize until this very ambiguous moment a key factor about natural disasters¡ªthe pinnacle manifestations of nature. Like a flood, storm, or wildfire, the earth falling was something that had happened countless times throughout this world¡¯s lifespan. Cira was sure much larger islands had fallen. Just imagining Fount Salt plummeting to the sea was enough to give her shivers.


    This earth belongs to the sky already¡­ Perhaps woven in fate or a result of accumulated influence, this island is far beyond my authority as I am now.


    Cira could feel the sky, though she could not see it, per se. As such, she felt the falling stone, and the island below, all the life upon it, and the speed at which the space between them narrowed.


    She had heard the limerick of the unstoppable spear and the indestructible shield as a child, but she was almost certain that a falling island and one hung in place by a spring¡¯s presence would end in catastrophe no matter who won.


    ¡°Atlas! Make it stop!!!!!¡± Cira had no incantations for halting something so massive under the influence of this world¡¯s natural order, so all she could do was imbue her will into her pleas. Her aura didn¡¯t seem like enough, but something else bolstered it. ¡°I demand¡­ this stone slow down!¡±


    Her own body threatened to be crushed as she used it to add just a little bit more force to slow the island down. She thought it was working a little, but it was difficult to tell how fast. In the absence of time, all she could perceive was distance. Eight miles became five, and that became two by the time Cira realized she was finally slowing down to a noticeable, but marginal degree.


    ¡°Prismagora!¡± Cira shouted as the island fast approached below, ¡°Bastion of Preservation!¡±


    This was the absolute highest sorcery Cira could muster¡ªit even dwarfed Symphony of Dawn¡¯s light. All that radiance she concentrated fell upon the island below and started condensing. She spared no amount of light the staff accumulated in her slumber, dwindling her stockpile of gathered mana to nil, but that was fine.


    Aether flame was miraculous enough, but light when forced into solid form held more potential energy than any other element. There were many factors, but its inherent speed gave it dominance over all other solid materials¡ªcosmilicate notwithstanding.


    A solid dome of light. This was the Bastion of Preservation. The conversion alone to turn potential energy into resistance took at least half the force, and the onus to pay was on whatever opposed this barrier. The effulgent barrier covered the island as Cira was first in line in front of the falling stone, about to crash at what felt like damn near-terminal velocity. She did everything she could to slow it down with Atlas at great expense to whatever part of her essence it required, but there was no way she could ever bring it to a stop¡ªit was practically an island in itself. That was just not something a sorcerer of her caliber could accomplish.


    She looked over to her right shoulder and Nina looked back at her with a faint smile. The nymph could just phase through anything and ultimately be fine, but her support went a long way.


    ¡°You¡¯re right again¡­ How could I ever call myself a sorcerer¡­ If I can¡¯t do this much?! HYAHHHH!!!¡±


    Cira commanded all six Pillars from the void-like state her mind had become. Instead of impending nothing, all she could perceive was aether, and that was exactly what she needed.


    Impact would come soon and there was only so much she could do. In her final moments, Cira channeled Prismagora to show her that which the light beheld since here eyes didn¡¯t seem to work. As if they heard it from miles away, tens of seconds ago at best. Frightened faces watched the miles-wide mass of earth enveloped in rampaging mana of all kinds approach with resolution and defeat in their eyes. Many of them fell to the ground when they saw the unidentified barrier pour over the sky.


    This isn¡¯t it¡­ ¡°I refuse!¡± The cold metal staff in her right hand was difficult to discern, and it seemed to burn up her will like mana. Using it was painful and meticulous. In her other hand, a much more familiar wooden staff. For moral support if nothing else.


    ¡°Auld Sprig¡­¡± Names held power, depending on the name, of course. This one in particular was not to be spoken lightly, ¡°Please do not defy my will.¡±


    She had no idea what the Auld Sprig was, nor where it came from, nor did she care to. The only thing she knew was that it was always there, and it could do anything she ever tried to do, to some degree at least. Granted she never tested its extents after Gazen rescued her, it was one of the few things that had never let her down, for what it¡¯s worth.


    ¡°Auld Sprig.¡± The Bastion of light was moments from crushing her existence to dust as she spoke with a modicum more confidence, ¡°Let me prevail.¡±


    Cira remembered very vividly how it felt to have her soul fall apart. Lomp was there when she was grappling with the reality of her situation, but her soul was far more fluid these days. In fact, it almost felt like its reforged state was more resilient to damage. Whether this had always been for the past couple weeks or if it had become this way was both unknown and inconsequential.


    ¡°Auld Sprig¡­ Pillars¡­¡± Cira released one last plea to the sky as the light¡¯s prevailing resistance burned the skin off her face, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ let me down.¡±


    Essence was a complex balance of corporea and aetherea. and at least one fell sustenance to the Great Firmament of Prismagora.


    Hang on. I might be dead. Now is not the time to be coining names, no matter how cool they may be.

 207 - Book 3 Epilogue - Lomp Then and Lomp Now

    ¡°Ahhhh!!!¡± I screamed, falling through the dark abyss. I could hear my fellow exorcists¡¯ terrified cries as well. Thanks to that musclebound moron, and ultimately Cira, we were all going to die as soon as we hit the ground. The worst part was not knowing where the ground really was. It was just too dark, so all I could do was scream and await the end.


    Except it never came, and a soft golden light enveloped me.


    ¡°Will you all relax?¡± One of our two new inductees¡¯ gentle voice pierced through the darkness.


    ¡°Kris¡­?¡± I heard Triton¡¯s shaky words. ¡°Did you do this?¡±


    She chuckled, ¡°Of course. It¡¯s the least I can do to make up for my colleague¡¯s reckless mistakes.¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡± I saw all the exorcists in their own bubble of holy light, while the eerie Holiest Witch¡¯s white hair and clothes seemed to glow. Peugolo, however, shined the brightest, ¡°How was I supposed to know the floor would break like that?¡±


    The witch held him aloft, but his own holy light engulfing him was so pure you would think we has powering up for an attack.


    ¡°Accidents happen, right?!¡± Triton shouted, ¡°Maybe we could talk about this later. On the ground!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t blame him. It was hard not to feel high up when you couldn¡¯t see the floor. Powerless as we were, floating like this was scary.


    ¡°Lomp, if it¡¯s gonna be like this every day,¡± Kate glared at me, ¡°Then I quit.¡±


    ¡°Can we just calm down, everyone?¡± It had only been twenty seconds or so since we fell through the floor Peugolo smashed, but that was still way too fast for it to devolve into such an argument. Luckily, Kris started lowering us all. ¡°We are likely in the Dark Stratum, so we need to keep our wits about us. Argue when we get back to Uru, if you must, but¡­ but just¡­¡±


    I felt a tingling sensation and noticed my fellows¡¯ gazes also pointed in the same direction. Down, of course, but a little ahead. They surely felt the same presence I did through the ¡®divine relics¡¯ we wore, but this felt like it was on another level from spirits who inhabit the Last Steps.


    ¡°What¡­ what is that?¡± Lant asked, looking hopelessly helpless, dangling in the air with a spiked buckler on each hand.


    ¡°Ahahah!¡± Peugolo roared, hyping himself up by smacking his knuckles together, ¡°Let me down there! Quickly now, Witch!¡±


    ¡°No, wait!¡± I shouted in somewhat of a panic. ¡°The Saint was very specific that we should not act recklessly here. No offense¡­ but I trust her words over yours in this case. We cannot engage anything without first identifying it, and if you punch it away, we don¡¯t get any aetherium. Remember why we are here.¡±


    Shit, did I really just talk like that to a witch and an enforcer?


    ¡°Aha!¡± Peugolo declared, ¡°I love it! A wise one you are, Mr. Lomp. We must heed the Saint¡¯s words.¡±


    ¡°Okay, where is the goddamn ground though¡ªguh!¡± Triton exclaimed over the thud I heard from his ass hitting salt.


    ¡°Exorcists, group up.¡± I ordered, ¡°Kris, can you illuminate the area?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± She grinned at me as the darkness receded. Dusty white walls surrounded us, and everyone eagerly watched the hallway beyond light up, waiting to see that inexplicable spirit we all felt. ¡°But it¡¯s just an ordinary wraith. Nothing to be alarmed over.¡±


    With a glance, we collectively remembered Cira telling us all about wraiths. That Yl¡¯Gad guy was supposedly some kind of wraith¡­ They were bad news, no matter how one looked at it. Before long, its vile form could be seen. Burning eyes bored into us and waves of dread flooded the cave. I felt my blood turn cold as the hallway got even brighter.


    ¡°See?¡± Kris¡¯ voice accompanied the wraith¡¯s screams as holy light burned it away. ¡°No problem¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± A mechanical click sounded, and a crossbow bolt flew through the air, lodging into the spirit¡¯s chest. ¡°If you¡¯re gonna waste the aetherium, then you can just head back up the Boreal.¡±


    Jules was pissed¡ªunderstandably so. We were here for one specific reason, after all. We needed aetherium to cure the plague.


    ¡°My mistake,¡± the witch giggled like a carefree child, ¡°I just didn¡¯t want any of you to feel unsafe.¡±


    There was a considerable amount of blue powder that got sucked up into a storage pouch¡ªso much so that I started wondering why we weren¡¯t down here in the first place. They died in one shot, as did one as powerful as Yl¡¯Gad. We could shave a year off our hunting schedule if there were more down here.


    ¡°All is forgiven under the Saint¡¯s cold gaze.¡± Triton kissed his palm and released it to the sky in ridicule of Cira. ¡°Sounds like we get to go home early tonight, so let¡¯s see where this hallway takes us.¡±


    Us exorcists were in high spirits at watching half a day¡¯s worth of aetherium come out of just the second wraith. It was moderately concerning that we found it faster than we did the strays above, though. Despite that, they had never left the Dark Stratum themselves, so it seemed fine.


    ¡°Careful though, Dear.¡± The striking young holy woman who must have been secretly very old put a hand on Triton¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Let me take the front. Something strange exists ahead¡­ That much is certain.¡±


    ¡°No, let me lead the way!¡± Peugolo jumped ahead as we rounded a corner and was startled by a shrieking wraith. He reflexively swung his fist, and it disappeared from existence entirely, ¡°¡ªoops¡­ Sorry guys.¡±


    It was quickly settled that Kris would take lead, and we continued down the bleak hallway as it gradually descended. I could feel a stark pressure bearing down on me, like a weight on my soul almost as bad as the spring chamber when I tried to stop Cira. All of us with the so-called sacred relics on could feel it, and that only got stronger as we progressed. Peugolo was reassuring in a pinch, but he was the only one who complained about the Witch leading the way.


    ¡°Wh-what is this?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but ask as my knees popped. There was a large archway with no door, but I couldn¡¯t help feeling more hopeless the closer we got.


    ¡°Yeah, pop up one o¡¯ those barriers like the Saint had.¡± Triton mused, ¡°I¡¯m sure she had one for ancient hatred.¡±


    I thought his description was apt. That was how it felt in a nutshell.


    ¡°Did she now? I truly cannot wait to meet her.¡± Kris¡¯ lips curled up even further, ¡°Unfortunately I only have power over that which I understand. Once I see it, I¡¯m certain I can protect you from it.¡±


    Damn¡­ Not even Cira said something that weird. It sounds too pretentious to come from the sorcerer, but somehow this witch stated it all too casually.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, little one.¡± Peugolo patted Kate on the head as she physically recoiled, ¡°I will keep you safe.¡±


    We passed through the archway in a cloud of holy light¡ªit was the best Kris could muster apparently, but it did help a little¡ªjust not enough. Dread and hatred seeped through our skin, muscles, blood, and mind. It throbbed like a burning migraine, and I could tell the others felt the same. All of us exorcists slowed or stopped, instantly thrown into a state of panic as we passed the threshold.


    ¡°Fascinating¡­¡± The witch almost sounded like Cira here, demolishing another wraith as a small and hazy golden sun rose to the ceiling, ¡°I¡¯ve never met a creature which gives birth to wraiths. What could its purpose be, I wonder? No, I¡¯m more curious about its origin.¡±


    Her light soon revealed an entire wall made of blackened flesh. Rotted far past the point of decomposition, somehow held together with such severe degrees of tangible hatred.


    That¡¯s how it felt anyway. I was no expert. But this bleeding flesh wall wailed a thousand anguished whispers while countless incisions or tears formed the vague shapes of mouths or eyes. I could already tell this was something which should have never seen the light, and absolutely should never be gazed upon.


    ¡°What¡­ is that¡ª¡± My voice trailed off as the other exorcists similarly looked on in horror, stumbling on their words with tears forming in their uncertain eyes.


    ¡°We¡ªwe gotta get outta here!¡± Triton turned around to run but was held in place with a holy shield.


    ¡°Not so fast, Boy.¡± Kris spat, strangely serious. ¡°What was all that talk earlier? I thought you wanted the plentiful aetherium these wraiths have to offer? Look, there¡¯s one now.¡±


    An engorged eye socket expanded until a shredded mass of aether was expelled, which quickly took on vengeful eyes¡ªstaring straight at Triton front and center.


    ¡°Hyah!¡± A boomerang cut through the wraith in a flash of light, ¡°Get it together! You know how much aetherium we can get from this thing?! Delilah will have a stroke¡ªwe¡¯ll be outta here in a year!¡±


    Kate was so excited she caught her boomerang and immediately sliced through the next wraith. ¡°If you¡¯re just gonna stand there, at least open your pouch!¡± She yelled at Triton, but it really applied to us all.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    We had many more adventures with the two new exorcists, but most of them took place in the Dark Stratum. I almost felt bad for disobeying some of Cira¡¯s rare earnest advice, but then I thought of all the trouble she brought me, and clearly intended to bring me in the future. The Dark Stratum was a story or ten for another day, but today¡­ Let¡¯s just say I was not happy with Cira.


    ___


    ¡°Mr. Lomp!¡± My new secretary, Lyrainne, fell through the double doors, ¡°The¡ªthe regulatory council is here to see you!¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± My blood pressure exceeded rates previously known to mankind, ¡°What are you talking abou¡ªWHY HELLO Regulator Hale, Sir!¡± I stood up and gave my most forthright bow, ¡°To what do I owe this visit?¡±


    ¡°I think you know what.¡± Brindle was not present, but ten mages stacked up on either side of him to fill my office. They didn¡¯t wield staves, but each held a single gauntlet, seemingly made of cloudy glass that resonated with mana. It seemed they could conjure with each finger should they so chose, but the sight of all these people in my office gave me pause.


    Things have been going great in the Last Steps! We¡¯re way ahead of schedule! What could possibly be wrong? ¡°I can only imagine that damned Saint has roped me into further trouble.¡± I pounded my fist on the desk and threw my back into the chair. It rolled all the way to the wall as my fist clenched.


    She saved everyone! How can I be mad?! I wanted to do it for years, so I can¡¯t complain about the workload after she accomplished everything else in my stead. How could I?!


    ¡°What?!¡± I threw both my hands up in outburst, ¡°What could possibly merit this appearance?!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Lomp, please calm down!¡± Lyrainne placed a firm hand on my shoulder, bringing me back to reality, ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a misunderstanding!¡± She looked at Hale speechless, putting on her best dumbfounded face, as it was her natural reaction.


    Regulator Hale watched us both for a few minutes while his enforcers each held a glass-clad palm outstretched toward me. After a very long silence during which I took Lyrainne¡¯s words to heart, I was glad to see Hale let out a long breath and sit down across from me.


    ¡°Mr. Lomp¡­ We did not grant you the title of Omniseer on a whim.¡± The Underseer never even existed until Cira felt like building a city and carving my name on the main government office. I would be glad to tell her I spent a full mithril coin paying a mage to remove it just to spite her, but the damage was done. I was the Underseer. It wasn¡¯t until Hale arrived and brought the hammer down on old Pappy that he merged Overseer and my own position into one¡ªthus, I became the Omniseer.


    To be fair, I governed more of the Boreal than anyone except the Gandeux Group as a whole as long as you measured by land mass. This was of course only including land within the Boreal, for many of the top members of the Gandeux were highly influential in their own neighboring skies.


    ¡°Of course¡­ I¡¯ve never lied to you about the time I spent with the Hidden Witch, nor the Saint.¡± In truth, I never directly claimed they were different people. Just, depending on the story, I referred to her differently. This had blown way out of proportion, and I couldn¡¯t believe my ramshackle crew of messengers had woven such convincing stories of different people that it had become like this. Perhaps there really was merit to paying everyone in mithril. ¡°The day she left was the day I knew I could possibly one day die in peace. If there have been any developments regarding the Saint or whoever she consorts with, it can only be bad news for me. Now please, Regulator Hale¡­ could you tell me what has brought you here today?¡±


    He sighed deeply, and eventually leaned back, ¡°Honestly¡­ That is the impression I got. It seems the Saint has her own sense of what is right and wrong. There are rumors that Merlin X instated a certain guideline of ethics for those with certain sorcerous capabilities, but that¡¯s all smoke on the wind. The reason I am here is because of a certain message the Council received the other day. Are you familiar with Blackwood Trading Company?¡±


    Fount Salt only grew vegetation in the planters, and only that which could be eaten. Veggies, worms, and salt. Wood was outside my purview, ¡°No¡­ I can¡¯t say that I have. I was born on Fount Salt and have never involved myself in politics.¡±


    ¡°Blackwood belongs to the Gandeux Decadin. In terms of profit and employment metrics, they are almost as influential as Earth Vein. Top five to be certain. It turns out that the third member of the Saint¡¯s faction has finally stood her ground in these skies¡­ You said you only met Captain Dreadheart once, correct?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± I claimed, ¡°She turned a handful of drunkards at the bar into and army of pirates fit enough to overthrow Black Scourge Don over the course of a few drinks. I met her in line at Mephisto¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Hale placed his chin in his hand and gazed out over Uren and Silver Lake through the window, ¡°But you see¡­ Dreadheart has been making big moves.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± I meant this from the bottom of my heart, ¡°That¡­ troubles me greatly.¡±


    ¡°I feel the same,¡± It seemed Hale and I could understand each other if given the chance. ¡°As I mentioned, the Blackwood family is one of the highest ranking members of the Gandeux. Considered decadin, one of the top ten families. And it appears Captain Dreadheart has taken the family¡¯s heir hostage¡­¡±


    My heart skipped a beat.


    ¡°And I wish it ended there¡­¡± He continued to tell me the story John Blackwood recounted, along with a very specific message Cira apparently left. ¡°Naturally¡­ I have come here to discern the nature of Mobile Fortress Fount Salt, and the veracity of Dreadheart¡¯s claims. If anyone had insight¡­ The Regulatory Council has agreed that person might be you.¡±


    ¡°An armed group of mages sounds like a little overkill if you¡¯re after insight¡­¡± I frowned, and Hale seemed to mirror my exasperation. ¡°But if that¡¯s what your after, I can give you my opinion. Just don¡¯t be trying to make me an accomplice, okay? I just want the people on this rock to survive, Council be damned.¡±


    ¡°I understand, Mr. Lomp¡­ Anything you can offer will surely be of help, and I am well aware of your circumstances. I will personally vouch for you if it comes down to it.¡±


    Well¡­ where do I start? It sounds out of character for Cira, but to be honest, it also sounds exactly like something Cira would do.


    ¡°If Captain Dreadheart has truly Deposed Pirate King Wick, is that not a good thing? If Don was selling deritium, it stands for reason Wick made profit from it.¡± I tried to give neutral opinions on the matter, and it came surprisingly easy, ¡°Dreadheart removed this island¡¯s deritium deposits and cut of the local illicit supply chain. Regardless of her future misdeeds, we can only be grateful that the plague will not spread through the Boreal.¡±


    Hale and I had come to an understanding previously about the Saint¡¯s intentions in regard to deritium and the plague. It was clear that the threat to human existence should not be, and it was hard to deny the Saint took great measures to make it so. Though apparently, Dreadheart¡¯s recent coup stirred up worries that she had plans for the deritium herself. I didn¡¯t want to appear as though I knew too much, or I would have told them she destroyed it.


    One night after a few drinks on his first visit, Hale even confided in me that he wished the Saint wasn¡¯t so quick to disappear. Turns out, the Gandeux respect power, and those with good intentions were often let off in lieu of potential cooperation. I already knew though, that Cira would never have wanted to join the Gandeux.


    ¡°What is most vexing,¡± Hale continued, ¡°is that I cannot read this faction¡¯s intentions. For one¡­ why would such a pure-hearted saint join up with a pirate of such loose ambition? Are they perhaps related? Where does the Hidden Witch fit into all this? It¡¯s impossible not to think she has ties to the Third Order, but nothing else adds up. Those people never act on such scale, at least that we can see.¡±


    ¡°The Hidden Witch¡­¡± I let my words drag, ¡°She told me once¡­ that her primary goal was to surpass her father. Such small worries like political interests and the profits of old men are inconsequential to her. She granted us reprieve from our woes like she may burn the mites hiding beneath a passing gull¡¯s feathers.¡±


    ¡°Merlin X¡­¡± Hale¡¯s bitter voice trilled, ¡°Do you think that¡¯s her father?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps¡­ It¡¯s hard to say.¡± I didn¡¯t know how else to respond. ¡°But there¡¯s one thing I can say for certain. It doesn¡¯t matter if this island moves or not. Mobile Fortress Fount Salt is the stupidest thing I¡¯ve ever heard. But make no mistake¡­¡± I cast heavy eyes upon Regulator Hale. He had to understand the weight of my words, and that no matter the lies he guessed I told, that this was the absolute brunt of my feelings on the matter, ¡°Even if she is bluffing, it doesn¡¯t matter if Fount Salt can fly. The Saint is probably on her way to you now, and the Hidden Witch follows her gaze. No news on the illustrious Captain Dreadheart likely means that she¡¯s very busy. My loose lips don¡¯t even concern her. She specifically told me that if it would endanger the people of Fount Salt, I could tell you anything I knew.¡±


    ¡°Hold on¡­ Where were you two when she said this¡ª¡±


    Hale seemed to be missing the point, so I exaggerated a little, ¡°Do you see this scar?¡± I pointed to my forehead where my brother threw a fork at my head as a baby.


    ¡°The spring chamber.¡± I lied to a degree, ¡°Despite her good intentions, the Saint nearly destroyed me. Many people on Fount Salt were displaced, some almost died, and Earth Vein was all but forced out. Despite the fact that she fixed the floods of this island¡­ I tried to stop her. I didn¡¯t think she could do it at first. And as a result, I almost died. She sent you a warning through this Blackwood fellow as a courtesy¡­ but I promise you will have to face her if you don¡¯t take her intentions seriously. I don¡¯t think she would say something as lofty as ¡®act of war¡¯ lightly. Even if she were alone, I don¡¯t think anyone up the Boreal would enjoy a war with her. Not after what I¡¯ve seen.


    After what happened here, who knows what Cira¡¯s capable of, but I guarantee she wouldn¡¯t be easy to deal with.


    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t need an island of any size to attack Porta Bora if she felt like it. Worst case scenario if you win, the Gandeux will probably lose a great deal. I don¡¯t know what advice to offer¡­ but I hope you have the wit to avoid this eventuality. Friend is better than foe, I promise, when it comes to someone as absurd as her¡­ or any one of them¡­¡±


    If you split her deeds into three¡­ It¡¯s still more than I want to deal with.


    ¡°You mean to say¡­¡± Hale started, looking a little worse for wear after hearing my rant. ¡°That the Mobile Fortress of Fount Salt was a mere bluff¡­ but her threat of war was very real?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Think about it.¡± I leaned back in my seat and took a sigh, ¡°I doubt you could ever kill her, so she would just fly away if it came down to it. Unless you intend to use your own citizens as hostage, she has nothing to lose from opposing you in order to see her will come to fruition.¡±


    ¡°My gods¡­¡± Hale took a deep breath, and it was clear his mages were rattled, ¡°Would you say¡­ that the Saint is the ringleader here, or is it Captain Dreadheart after all?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ From what I understand, they each follow a very particular code¡­¡±


    Regulator Hale knit is hands together, resting his chin on them. He was lost in thought, trying to figure out what to make of all this, when a window suddenly shattered.


    ¡°An ambush!¡± One of the mages shouted, and half of them turned to the window when some kind of projectile burst through. The other half charged up mana trained on my various vital organs. ¡°Protect the regulator!¡±


    He was first of five to fire an array of elements from his gauntlet. Meanwhile, I was completely lost. Why would I be getting ambushed right now? It¡¯s¡­ coming right for me.


    A menagerie of spells assaulted whatever it was and I felt a moment of relief when Hale threw out his hand, ¡°No, stop!¡±


    A barrier formed around the projectile and his mage¡¯s spells diffused. They each stayed their hand, looking to Hale with shock as the object gently floated towards my desk and landed on it.


    ¡°Wait¡­ what?¡± It was paper folded in the shape of a ship.


    ¡°Unfold it.¡± Hale urged on with curiosity. I quickly glanced at the broken glass on my floor before unfolding the paper only to discover writing on it. ¡°Read it aloud, if you would.¡±


    Dear Lomp,


    I hope this letter finds you well.


    It has come to my attention that the sudden influx of Gandeux nobles has been making life difficult for the residents of Fount Salt. I would sincerely appreciate if you could do something about that. For if I must step in myself, it is certain to turn into a larger deal than it needs to be. Many thanks in advance.


    Warm regards,


    Eternal Empress Dreadheart


    Regulator Hale peered at me over his knit hands, and I felt a scrutinizing gaze.


    Dammit¡­ Why now? Why would you do this?


    ¡°Captain Dreadheart¡­¡± I tried to hide my grimace as I looked him in the eyes, ¡°Does raise some legitimate concerns.¡±


    Next time I see that girl¡­ she owes me more mithril.

 208 - The Real Witches of Legend

    ¡°Mile, be careful!¡± A man¡¯s fatherly scolding cut through the dark, though it made little sense to Cira, ¡°That rag is far too rough to clean her face with such heavy hands.¡±


    What is this? Am I dead? Why does it feel¡­ so scratchy?


    No¡­ I can also feel the warmth of daylight on my skin. That I still have skin is a good sign.


    Cira fought hard against her heavy eyelids but eventually managed to open them.


    ¡°D-Dad, I think she¡¯s waking up!¡± Cira¡¯s bewildered eyes met a girl a fair deal younger than little Bin Bon from before. ¡°Come quick!¡±


    The sky could be seen through thatch walls, while the windows were covered in dried fronds for curtains. The worried young girl and older man with bags under his eyes were the only two in the hut she found herself in.


    ¡°Where¡­ am I?¡± She looked at the man and his expression overflowed with relief. ¡°And how did I get here?¡±


    What was I doing before this¡ªoh¡­ Cira remembered burning herself up to rely on her father¡¯s most reliable staves to stop one island from crashing into another. I feel like I would have remembered succeeding¡­ That really hurt. I remember that.


    Cira placed a hand on her chest and cycled mana through her body. And my soul is¡­ undamaged? Now, that¡¯s a surprise.


    ¡°Our savior!¡± The man gently knelt down beside her and clasped his hands together in a show of gratitude. ¡°I could not bear the thought of you sacrificing yourself for us¡­ Your uncle will be so relieved to see you up. Quick, Mile! Go get him!¡±


    The girl ran out the door leaving Cira even more confused, ¡°My¡­ uncle?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± He nodded emphatically, ¡°He appeared in a panic not long after you crashed into the earth. Had he not healed you, I fear you may not have made it.¡±


    I don¡¯t think I have an uncle¡­ Just who¡ª


    The girl ran back through the doorway and in followed a man she knew all too well, ¡°Io¡­ So you followed me, hmm?¡±


    A vein popped in his forehead, ¡°Idiot! Must you do everything in your power to die the moment you leave?¡± His voice startled the two. They looked uncertain of what to do.


    ¡°And what would you have had me do?¡± Cira stood up now and tried to speak as confidently as possible, but she was tired after that ordeal, no matter how healed. ¡°Carry on with my day and turn a blind eye to this island¡¯s imminent destruction? I like to think I was raised better than that.¡±


    ¡°Somehow, I doubt you were raised to throw yourself to your death.¡± It was infuriating, but he was right, despite the fact that her father had more or less done exactly that. ¡°To put it in your simple-minded terms, how many helpless strangers should die tomorrow because you burned yourself to ash today?¡±


    ¡°Tch. You expect me to live my life on speculation and guesswork?¡± Cira turned to the petrified villagers and offered a smile to set the girl at ease, ¡°You know, I¡¯m quite parched. Perhaps you two could gather me some water while I speak with my uncle here.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes Ma¡¯am!¡± Mile was pulled out of her stupor and trotted out the door, leaving her dad to follow.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be back soon!¡± He said, hurriedly exiting the hut.


    ¡°No need to scare the villagers,¡± Cira continued. They were alone in the hut, but the walls were not super effective. She could see many people outside listening in without using Spatial Sight, ¡°Though I suppose I do owe you my gratitude for saving me.¡±


    ¡°Damn right you do!¡± He growled, sounding less ancient by the day, ¡°And the villagers are not my concern. You saved them like you wanted. How ungrateful would they have to be to forget that over a little yelling? It is my responsibility to scold my successor when she is acting foolish, just as it is evidently yours to treat your soul as surplus materials. Idiot¡ªif I hadn¡¯t arrived when I did you would be long dispersed across the sky.¡±


    Cira had felt the aether¡¯s pull before, so she knew he was serious. It was a strange feeling, dispersing like a mere conjuration, so that she felt completely normal was miraculous to say the least.


    Let¡¯s see¡­ Curses are intact. All those people I killed, check. Dad showing up, check. Then he died and I lazed around for a few years and here I am¡­ It¡¯s all there. Have I really not lost anything? Old Io was no slouch¡ªthat much was certain.


    ¡°Right¡­ so what happened?¡± Cira was honestly drawing a blank. ¡°Did I really pull it off?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you see for yourself?¡± Io headed for the door, ¡°And while you¡¯re at it, you should really do something about those artifacts.¡±


    Now that he mentioned it, Cira realized she hadn¡¯t had the chance to dispel them. Following him outside, she could see the Six Pillars still hovering in the sky, while Prismagora still blazed in the center. Surprisingly her Bastion had not dissipated completely, but wasn¡¯t far off. Only fringes of the shining dome remained a few stories up from the island¡¯s surface. It gradually burned out leaving frayed edges, but there was so much mana involved that it could go for some time without having to defend against anything.


    There were spires of earth where the barrier failed and let the falling island pass through. Like a rock was extruded into a rain of spears as it slid through the holes in the Firmament. Where it was noticeably the most damaged by the Eastern shore, a massive hunk of stone rested among a ring of raised earth. It looked like the surface of an island, but sideways. There was grass on it and trees that threatened to snap under their own weight as they dangled precariously.


    As she looked around the island to take it all in, Cira¡¯s eyes met a young woman in simple brown robes who seemed a little alarmed.


    ¡°Hm.¡± Cira inspected her curiously, ¡°What are you supposed to be, some kind of witch?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes Ma¡¯am!¡± She straightened her back, ¡°I was granted the title of Mudrock Witch, Ma¡¯am!¡±


    ¡°Mudrock, huh¡­?¡± She couldn¡¯t help being even more curious, ¡°Were you raised by goblins?¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ªer, no¡­ I wasn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Cira did notice, however, a spatial ring on her finger with Earth Vein¡¯s insignia on it.


    ___


    They never cared much about islands with so few resources, but wherever Earth existed, my employers wanted a piece of it. Of course, the Adjutant cared even less about a case like this. If debris stones crashed into this island, that would only make it larger. Of course, the people living here were worthless to her as well.


    Still, money was money, and money was made of earth. I was elated to be scouted from the academy and granted the title of a full-fledged witch, but to think they would choose something as dull as Mudrock and throw me into a job so obviously far above my level¡­


    Chief Raum was grateful when I showed up and introduced myself, but I could tell he was hoping for more of a helpful response than me preparing the debris for transport ships to come collect. I had to coat it as clearing up the island for them, but inside I felt terrible. What good was it to them if the root of the problem didn¡¯t get addressed? In just the week since I landed, the falling rock nearly outpaced my ability to ball it all up.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Staying awake long into each night and skirting along the last of my aura perpetually through the day wasn¡¯t enough. I was simply too weak. Useless in a case like this. No matter how hard I worked, all the villagers saw was me harvesting materials for our own profit¡ªbut I couldn¡¯t do anything else.


    Still, I don¡¯t think anyone could have expected a rock like that to fall. All I could feel was the impending pressure of earth before a massive shadow appeared in the sky. At a glance from that distance, I could have swore it was bigger than this island. One way or the other, it would end catastrophically.


    I always admired how stone could hang in the sky, seemingly against all logic. As soon as I was old enough, I trained every day to do something meaningful with my affinity to earth, and after all this time, I would meet my end helplessly crushed by it. What a cruel joke.


    The villagers looked to me pleading for help, but it was useless. There was nothing I could do.


    As we all gazed up at our impending death, the aether seemed to trembled. A sudden influx of mana swirled through the sky and brought us to our knees. I couldn¡¯t handle it any better than these magicless folk, but it was so dazzling, no one could stop staring up.


    Six points blazed like guiding stars, each color representing the primary elements and even space. As they pulsed with mana on par with the Adjutant herself, my jaw dropped under their weight. The aether seemed to stabilize as their power spread through the sky like a blooming domain the likes of which I had never seen. There was something in the middle burning up like a meteor falling through the atmosphere, but I discovered that to be the mysterious caster who saved us all in the end¡­


    The massive stone came so close that it completely blocked the sun, throwing this island into darkness. I really thought it was the end. I could tell the debris slowed down considerably, but it wasn¡¯t enough to change anything. This island would be obliterated.


    The aether shook again, or shifted like a legendary spatial witch had just appeared on the scene. Soon, a blazing pillar of pure light formed in the center of the island, and a glimmering shield rose from the shore, encircling everything. In moments, I couldn¡¯t even see beyond it. We were hidden within a shell of light. There was so much mana focusing on this place, I wondered if the Adjutant could command this much¡ªor had she come herself? Was this personage on a level above the High Coven? I thought such a thing was impossible.


    This still wasn¡¯t enough to quell anyone¡¯s worries, but they seemed to be praying and pleading to the sky to make it out alive, and I¡¯m not ashamed to admit I joined them. I could feel the earth closing in. It would reach us in seconds. There was really nothing to do but pray.


    My heart stopped when I saw something fall through, but it seemed to be the figure of a person. That¡¯s when I felt the earth burn away above us, dispersing against the shield of light rapidly. The island shook and I could see dim spots appearing in the barrier. No matter how powerful this light was, the element it was defending against was a poor matchup. I couldn¡¯t believe it worked at all.


    Dammit¡­ isn¡¯t there something I can do?


    Holes appeared and shrapnel fell like rain. I watched a house crumble as countless rocks pelted them, and the rest of the island was soon to follow.


    I can¡¯t just watch!


    I pointed my staff to the sky and cried to the villagers, ¡°Get near me!¡± I didn¡¯t have a domain, or impressive range, but the least I could do was try to deflect the falling stones. If there was a chance that anyone could survive, that was enough. I was dead anyway if the barrier failed, so there was nothing to lose.


    They did as instructed, and those that didn¡¯t listen were pulled away by those that did. Despite my uselessness, they still put their faith in me. I couldn¡¯t let them down.


    I did everything I could to force my mana out and pull even more from below. Scraping the bottom of my aura, my entire being was directed towards the single goal¡ªdon¡¯t let these people die. I couldn¡¯t.


    Rocks were slightly diverted or slowed down as best I could. Which wasn¡¯t much. There were a lot of near misses, but the only screams thus far were of terror rather than pain.


    Maybe we can get through this¡­ There can¡¯t be that much more stone, right?


    It had only been a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity. More holes appeared in the barrier and my eyes went wide as massive columns of stone slowly fell through in places where the barrier failed. They lodged deep into the earth like pikes. I don¡¯t know if it was luck, but just a single one could have killed everyone here. Despite the monolithic effort this person put in, it was known that a falling island was a natural catastrophe that could not be stopped. Not that this happened often, but there was an old nursery rhyme about it.


    Suddenly a massive tear in the shield appeared and a debris stone larger than any other that had ever hit this island fell through. I swear I felt the island tip when it crashed into the forest, and a pillar of dust exploded into the sky.


    I was in shock for a few seconds, as was everyone else present.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s over.¡± I managed to spit out. There was no more earth above us¡ªand the island had fallen silent aside from dust settling in the distance. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it.¡±


    But¡­ who was that? In a panic, I ran towards the first object to impact. It wasn¡¯t far from the village, and some of the others followed me over. We found a crater dug into the earth with mana wisping away within it.


    ¡°A¡­ a skeleton?!¡± Raum shouted in shock. That was all we found at the bottom of the crater. ¡°It¡¯s burning away as we speak¡­¡±


    ¡°No¡­ That can¡¯t be¡ª¡± I couldn¡¯t believe what I was seeing. To think someone could reach such great heights¡­ and sacrifice themselves for an island like this? Even I thought that was insane. I couldn¡¯t help but notice how willful the mana festering in the crater felt, even in death. Then a force of mana far greater began to concentrate.


    Is someone else appearing? But who could be¡ªis it the Adjutant?!


    The villagers and I all stumbled back as waves of pressure descended on the island, and a man stepped through from seemingly nothing. He glared at us all before his eyes settled on the crater, ¡°Foolish girl¡­¡±


    The man held out his hand and the aether seemed to twist beneath his grasp. Streams of light fell from the sky like a spell dispersing in reverse and swirled around the crater before settling at the bottom. Flesh burst from the chest and wrapped around her bones, solidifying into muscles as streams of blood became veins. Eventually skin stretched over the muscles and revealed her face. It was a beautiful girl with brilliant golden hair. The peaceful smile on her face as her chest heaved with its first breath was in stark contrast to the disaster we had just survived.


    The man turned to us with the deepest irritation I had ever seen behind his eyes, ¡°If you wish to express your gratitude, then prepare a bed at once.¡±


    Naturally, the entire village jumped to task, preparing the only hut left half-standing and creating a makeshift bed out of cut up wool clothing from around the village. They slept on the ground here, but no one wanted to take the chance angering that man.


    Who could he be? I didn¡¯t realize someone could be that powerful. He brought the girl back from the dead and I can feel no end to the depth of his mana. Were he to face the Adjutant, would he just laugh at her and shoo her off like a child? That was the feeling I got. The last thing I wanted to do was incur his wrath.


    The first to do so, however, was the girl herself. The island was in shock to see their savior get scolded so ruthlessly, but they were each beyond us. We just had to wait outside until it was over and hope a fight didn¡¯t break out.


    She finally emerged and addressed me directly for some reason. I couldn¡¯t understand her intentions.


    ¡°Were you raised by goblins?¡± She asked.


    ¡°¡­No. I wasn¡¯t¡­¡± Is my power truly so insignificant in her eyes that I appear as vermin to her? I¡­ I did everything I could. I had to know, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I believe you people know me as the Hidden Witch.¡± Gasps rose around the village, and I too was in shock. It can¡¯t be¡­ Murmurs of her deeds on Fount Salt and connection to the recently crowned Pirate Empress from up north swirled around the crowd. And here I was starting to think the Hidden Witch was just made up.


    ¡°But why¡­ are you here?¡± I blinked helplessly. Someone of such stature¡­ would throw her life away to save an island with hardly a hundred residents? There was nothing to do but be grateful, ¡°I-I mean, thank you for saving us!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ welcome.¡± She seemed guarded for some reason.


    ¡°You should actually be thanking her,¡± the man who introduced himself as her uncle cut in, making the blood drain from my face. Before I could vehemently deny it, he continued, ¡°You may have saved the island, but the only reason nobody died was this girl¡¯s intervention. Weak as she is, she managed to get everyone through with only a few major injuries.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ thank you.¡± She offered me a genuine smile¡ªthe kind witches don¡¯t often show. One which betrayed relief and sincere exhaustion. She glanced around the village and looked over the piles of rocks I deflected that formed a vague ring. There were at least more rocks outside than inside the village, but I lost count of how many skulls were almost crushed in before my eyes. ¡°And well done. I know geomancers who couldn¡¯t accomplish half as much with easily twice your mana.¡±


    ¡°N-no! No need to thank me! I couldn¡¯t have saved anyone if you hadn¡¯t appeared. This island would have been destroyed!¡±


    What is this legendary witch thanking me for?! Is she crazy?! I¡¯m the bottom of the barrel when it comes to witches¡ª


    ¡°Sure, but what good would this rock be if everyone living on it died?¡± That¡¯s¡­ definitely something the Adjutant would never say. She must have noticed my shock and put a hand on my shoulder. Her smile was disarming, ¡°All my effort would have been for nothing if you weren¡¯t here. I am truly grateful.¡±


    She¡¯s grateful¡­ to me? Did I really make a difference here? All I ever wanted was to use my powers to do some good, but nobody ever seemed to care about that type of thing. Is this what the real witches of legend are like?

 209 - Look Up

    ¡°Those artifacts sure are something.¡± Io commented as Cira withdrew the Six Pillars. ¡°Even I¡¯m impressed.¡±


    ¡°Of course you are. They were my father¡¯s finest staves that took a lifetime of treasure hunting and artificing to produce.¡±


    ¡°I guess I don¡¯t need to ask why I hadn¡¯t seen that formation before.¡± She used two of them regularly, but putting all six together was more than Cira could handle.


    ¡°Indeed. They are far beyond my level. I can only be thankful that my body and soul stayed intact.¡± Cira started with a light chuckle, but noticed awkward glances from not just the witch and the villagers, but Io as well. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°About that¡­ Your essence was pretty much done for. Had you not been so obstinate, I suspect you would have returned to the cycle. I had to perform a sort of rudimentary resurrection. You might have turned into some kind of wraith if I left you alone for another minute or so, but thanks to that, the wisps of your soul were still somewhat connected.¡±


    ¡°Hang on¡­¡± Cira couldn¡¯t just gloss over that, ¡°I died?!¡±


    Rudimentary resurrection¡­? So, there are better ones too? I don¡¯t feel like a lich, or whatever Kuja became.


    ¡°Relax. You aren¡¯t undead.¡± It¡¯s not every day I die. Aren¡¯t I allowed a moment to process this? ¡°I merely returned you to your base state of a day prior¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t really make me feel better.¡± She was certainly glad to be alive, though, and not bereft of aura.


    ¡°Look out!¡± a man shouted, sending the villagers into a panic. Cira followed his gaze and saw another stone falling from the sky.


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t anywhere near the size of the last. Hardly as large as a house. I can take this one. Easy.


    The orichalcum appeared in Cira¡¯s hand and she reeled it back like a spear. ¡°Hyah!¡± She threw it at blistering speeds and the air cracked before it lodged into the falling rock. With a glittering puff, it turned into a cloud of sand and gently floated down to the earth like a stream.


    The staff fell from the sky and landed before Cira again, to the oohs and ahhs of the villagers.


    ¡°That¡¯s going to be a problem.¡± She looked up and didn¡¯t see any more, but apparently it was a consistent issue.


    ¡°This has been happening for months¡­ sometimes twice a day,¡± The Witch supplied.


    ¡°Y-yeah, but what do you care?¡± An older woman spat, ¡°You¡¯re just here to package it up and take it away. That doesn¡¯t help anyone.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡­¡± They didn¡¯t even give her a chance to speak.


    ¡°Give it up, Witch!¡± A larger gruff man spoke up. The others seemed out of their depth when he spoke, including Mile and her dad who she met. Even the witch shrunk down. ¡°We all know why you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Cira stepped forward, ¡°And who might you be?¡±


    He gave the impression of their leader and approached Cira with a smile, holding out his hand, ¡°I¡¯m the chief of this village, Raum. And it¡¯s true. Earth Vein responded to our plea for help by sending her to gather stone day and night for a ship to come take each morning. How is that supposed to help?!¡±


    Cira crossed her arms, bluntly rejected the gesture to shake hands, ¡°And you think this girl here is calling the shots? Is it not obvious that Earth Vein never intended to help by the fact that they sent someone down here, and not up there.¡±


    Somewhere far above was the source of the problem. Obviously, nothing could be done from down here.


    ¡°You would all be dead if it weren¡¯t for her.¡± Cira continued with little patience in her tone, ¡°Remember that.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, you¡¯re absolutely right, Madam Witch! I was mistaken.¡± He changed his tune quickly enough. ¡°Th-thank you Lady Mudrock.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡ªno it¡¯s okay, really¡­ I¡¯m just glad I could finally do something to help.¡± She clenched her fists in determination and regret.


    ¡°You¡¯re not so bad, Little Mudrock.¡± Cira laughed, gently rising from the ground with a wave. ¡°Well, don¡¯t let those hags up in the clouds hold you down. ¡®Til next time.¡±


    She floated away with a twirl, leaving the witch scampering behind her, ¡°Wait! Where are you going?!¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± Cira turned back with a curious look, descending slightly with her finger pointed to the sky, ¡°The problems up there. I¡¯m going to go see what I can do about it. Rocks are much easier to stop before they fall, rather than after.¡±


    ¡°J-just like that¡­?¡± Cira turned around again to the witch¡¯s pleas, ¡°W-wait! Take me with you! I want to help!¡±


    Cira turned into sand and then reassembled from the earth before the witch, ¡°Is that right?¡±


    It was actually an illusion of light that none but Io could likely see through, but this was definitely a technique she wanted to develop one day. The first step was visualization, and it delivered the intended effect. The villagers were in awe, and it surprised the witch.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡± Io¡¯s opinion could have been guessed. ¡°It¡¯s no secret how weak she is. These Earth Vein people I keep hearing about clearly sent someone expendable so as not to lose any valuable personnel in the eventuality that an event like this morning occurred.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what¡­¡± The witch was floored, ¡°That can¡¯t be right¡ª¡±


    ¡°You know it is.¡± Io stated bluntly, ¡°So I ask, what could you accomplish if you go with her?¡±


    I have to admit¡­ He has a point. Cira couldn¡¯t think of a way to interject that made any sense. So, the both of them stared expectantly at the girl, hanging on her next words.


    She looked like she wanted to cry, but there was a spark of determination in her eyes.


    ¡°I¡­ I was sent here to help these people.¡± She spoke resolutely, keeping her eyes directly on Cira¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m weak, and I¡¯ll probably just hold you back, but how can I ever be a self-respecting witch if I don¡¯t do everything I can to see this job through to the end? I want to learn how a witch is supposed to be¡ªwith my very eyes!¡±


    I really would hate to get another witch in trouble¡­ but it¡¯s not like I¡¯m reshaping one of their mining outposts. This is simply stopping a natural disaster¡ªno one¡¯s going to look bad after this is all said and done, and Earth Vein won¡¯t lose any money.


    ¡°If hopes and dreams are all you can offer,¡± Io spat, ¡°then you may as well scurry off to wherever you came from.¡±


    The witch deflated in an instant, falling back to the verge of tears.


    ¡°Whoa there, Io.¡± Cira put a hand up to stop him, ¡°The impression I get is that hopes and dreams are in scarce supply where she comes from. Do you expect me to be the one responsible for finally crushing them? The hard part is already out of the way so long as we hurry.¡±


    ¡°Are you making a joke right now? The only culprit for the crushing of this child¡¯s dreams will be her own weakness.¡± He was in serious disbelief, and this conversation had evolved far beyond the realm of the villagers who watched on like it was some kind of spectacle into a life they could never reach. ¡°You intend to drag her along like an awestruck schoolgirl merely so she can witness how to be a real witch?¡±


    The only real witch present didn¡¯t know how to feel, glancing between the two with bated breath and wearing a conflicted frown.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so daft. I¡¯m taking her along because those hags in the sky would never give her a chance.¡± Cira shot the witch a thumbs up, which made her significantly more nervous. ¡°And I think more witches like her can only be a good thing for these skies.¡±


    He let out a long sigh, ¡°As she said herself. She will only hold you back.¡±


    ¡°Nobody holds me back,¡± Cira smirked, ¡°Not even you, Dear Uncle.¡±


    ¡°Unbelievable¡­ I literally brought you back from the dead mere hours ago. Can you not stand to act with common sense for a single day?¡± Shaking his head, Io walked away to grumble. ¡°Do whatever you want then. I¡¯m through arguing with you, just try not to die. I will be resting.¡±


    Like space collapsed on itself, Io was gone in the blink of an eye. The villagers looked at each other blankly, and the witch could only stare at Cira in disbelief.


    ¡°That takes care of that.¡± Cira dusted off her hands. ¡°Can you fly?¡±


    ¡°Me¡­?¡± The earth witch went pale, ¡°N-no¡­ I cannot¡­ but I have a dropship.¡±


    ¡°Much too slow¡­ No matter.¡± Cira made a short gesture, and a circle of light formed around the witch before she rose from the ground on a disc of stone.


    ¡°W-wahhh!!¡± She shrieked, almost falling off immediately. ¡°H-Hang on a minute!¡±


    They continued rising without delay.


    ¡°Make sure not to fall off.¡± Cira stated, ¡°Time is potentially of the essence.¡±


    Cira was just floating on her own, because it was more comfortable than standing. Their speed increased, but the only way to tell was watching the clouds go by as Cira actively reduced the drag and inertia on their bodies. They ascended within something like an arrow of space and wind.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m gonna be sick¡­¡± The witch held her stomach. She couldn¡¯t figure out whether staring at her feet as the sky fell away was better than looking up or not.


    At this speed it still took longer to return to the Dead Belt than when she was stuck on the bottom of a plummeting island.


    ¡°Hey¡­ That¡¯s Fount Salt, isn¡¯t it?¡± It was very far away, but she was sure of it. Technically the first stop on the Dead Belt.¡±


    ¡°From here¡­¡± The witch spoke with a breath of awe, ¡°It almost looks like a pearl on the horizon.¡±


    ¡°It sure does, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Cira couldn¡¯t withhold a bright smile. That was all she wanted to hear. Yeah, maybe she¡¯s alright¡ª


    ¡°Hey.¡± The witch turned to Cira, ¡°Why did you make it an egg?¡±


    Cira was defeated. She just wanted to help this bright young witch follow her hopes and dreams, only to have her own crushed in return.


    ¡°D-do you know how many damn tunnels and rivers there are in there?! I could only smush it so much!¡± Cira desperately defended the design she ended up with, ¡°I mean, people live there. I only had so much wiggle room to move them around.¡±


    ¡°Sorry! I didn¡¯t mean anything by it. I think¡­ It¡¯s a very beautiful island. I stopped by there on my way down and stayed in Silver Lake.¡±


    Fount Salt was huge, and it was barely visible from here, so even an island chunk as massive as the one Cira stopped would be hard to spot as it fell from the storm. Cira let her chat about her brief stay in Fount Salt a little longer until they approached the edge of the storm.


    Breeze Haven sat off in the distance where she left it, but it was disguised as an ordinary cloud for now. And here I thought I was done with this storm.


    ¡°This could get dangerous¡­¡± Spatial Sight was something to consider, but travelling at such high speeds made it incredibly difficult to maintain any meaningful range. Her eyes, or even light would help in this situation.


    Luckily, this storm originated from one of two spatial anchors which belonged to her. That meant the storm belonged to her. As far as the obfuscation array was concerned, she was the epitome of someone who should find what they¡¯re looking for within the storm.


    The clouds above them parted in a column until eventually a ray of light broke through.


    ¡°Incredible¡­¡± The witch was amazed, ¡°But not even Bagrah the Storm Witch can control this storm.¡±


    ¡°Bupkis.¡± Cira exclaimed, ¡°Bagrah couldn¡¯t rub two clouds together if an elemental asked her nicely. More importantly, don¡¯t take your eyes off the objective.¡±


    The orichalcum staff appeared again and Cira sent it straight upward. More sand blew away on the wind and her staff returned.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± Cira didn¡¯t see an island within the storm, but there was one just above it. She started slowing down as they approached, and the storm closed in behind them, as it was no longer obstructing her.


    By the time they reached the top, a crumbling island was revealed, resting atop a sea of black clouds. A weathered lighthouse sat on one end by the shore, but it had fallen into disrepair. Deep cracks ran through the island, whereas it had thinned out from apparent erosion and rampant weathering. Some chunks of the island were hanging on by glorified pillars of stone. Practically by a thread.


    ¡°This looks bad¡­ But how did it get like this?¡± Cira had seen an island break into pieces before. She honestly kind of blamed the dragon, but it seemed the dragon blamed her too. It was a mystery. That island fell apart all at once, though. ¡°It¡¯s made of primarily hard stone and even has veins of metallic ore running throughout the bedrock. I don¡¯t get it¡­¡±


    ¡°You can already tell all that much?¡± The witch blinked in astonishment.


    ¡°As any geomancer or earth witch should, but it take¡¯s practice.¡± Cira responded, ¡°More concerningly, it appears some of your friends are here.¡±

 210 - A Master of Witchcraft

    ¡°More witches¡­¡± Mudrock¡¯s words came out wrought with nerves, ¡°Here?!¡±


    ¡°It makes sense, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Cira leaned back and chatted with the novice witch, keeping an eye on the unfamiliar ones from afar. ¡°They sent you down below with the intention of gathering materials, but they had to have foreseen the island getting obliterated by a rock like this morning. If it fell to the sea, all these materials would as well.¡±


    She looked saddened to hear it put into words. Not only was Mudrock sent to the village because no one would care if she died, but to hear there were other witches dispatched to actually solve the problem must have hurt.


    ¡°I¡­ I see.¡± She cast her eyes down, but the endless cloudy abyss struck fear into her heart, and she went back to looking over the island. ¡°They never wanted me to help, did they?¡±


    They slowly approached the island from above now and Cira twisted around to meet her averted gaze, ¡°Who cares about what they want? You didn¡¯t plead to join me here because some old lady in the sky wanted you to, right? If anything, I¡¯m glad to have more manpower on hand. Let¡¯s go meet them.¡±


    ¡°W-wait! Now?¡± Mudrock had no choice but to follow Cira at whatever pace was chosen for her.


    As the island got closer, they could better see the extent of the damage. Cira had never known erosion to act so quickly and for this island to start falling suddenly yet so slowly was even more puzzling. She didn¡¯t want to say anything out loud, but there was a chance these two new witches would know more about what was happening, not that she held out much hope.


    As if it were sandstone, this hard stone was just falling apart. Seemingly softer in areas, but it ran like streams to form crevices throughout the island with holes poking through inside the cracks. There were more waterfalls of loose dirt than there were of water. On that note, there were precious few actual streams originating from the spring, and they seemed as weak and brittle as this whole island.


    Two women seemed to notice someone approaching. Cira did not intend to hide, so this was only natural. One was dressed in robes the color of golden sands that seemed to flow like them too, while the other had a much more dull robe of a lighter brown than Mudrock¡¯s. Noticably lower quality. They each brandished their staves and channeled mana when they saw two people approaching from the sky.


    ¡°No, wait!¡± Mudrock cried in fear as they fired off opaque crystal shards and rock chunks respectively.


    Cira just let it come and collected it overhead in an orb. ¡°Ladies, relax. I am here to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mudrock, is that you?!¡± One witch spat, glaring between her and Cira, ¡°Who the hell is this?¡±


    ¡°M-Madam Quartz!¡± She threw herself to her knees as the little disc of stone hit the ground.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Cira said, making herself comfortable floating before them, ¡°That¡¯s not who I am.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡± A vein burst in the gold-robed woman¡¯s forehead, ¡°You ingrate, I am the Quartz Witch! Now who are you?!¡±


    A trifle of mana puffed out of her staff as the look in her eyes grew more and more threatening.


    ¡°I was trying to tell you,¡± Cira took the mana away, ¡°I am the Hidden Witch, and I have come to help. So, quit wasting your mana.¡±


    ¡°The Hidden Witch?¡± She snarled. The other girl must have been an assistant or something, because she stood behind the quartz lady in fear. ¡°Mudrock, explain this! Have you defected?! Just what¡ª¡±


    A rumbling distracted them and a nearby piece of island tried to fall away. The orichalcum appeared in a flash and exploded the earthen fragment, then allowed the resulting shrapnel to rejoin the island.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ It appears this won¡¯t be as simple as piecing earth back together.¡± Cira noted thoughtfully, watching some of the rejoined pieces start to break up. ¡°You two have been here for a bit, right? It¡¯s clear you made no progress, but surely you have uncovered some clues as to what¡¯s causing this.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ is that staff? Just who are you?¡± Quartz shot daggers at Cira from below.


    ¡°I already told you my name and purpose, now I would prefer not to catch another island like this morning. The faster you tell me what you know, the faster we can fix this rock.¡±


    ¡°Just who do you think you¡¯re speaking to?¡± Her face was turning red now, ¡°I will have you know I am a member of the High Coven, and I work directly beneath the Adjutant herself!¡±


    Cira did not care about her fancy club, but one thing caught her attention. And as the Hidden Witch, she did not necessarily need to avoid talking about it.


    ¡°So, you work for that reprehensible silver woman, do you?¡± Cira clicked her tongue as the witch went pale in shock. ¡°You can¡¯t be much stronger than Estelle, and you should know I pride myself as a practiced geomancer.¡±


    She gestured her head to the clump of earth mana she kept stealing and condensing. For the first time, it seemed the witch was starting to get apprehensive. This was unfortunately short-lived as she waved her staff around looking serious.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m as weak as that wretched whelp?¡± She cackled, ¡°I¡¯ve heard the rumors about you. It¡¯s the Saint who has all the power, and I only see one sun today.¡±


    What the hell is she talking about? There¡¯s two if you count the earth one, but I shouldn¡¯t make any more, I suppose.


    ¡°Quartz Titan!¡± She shouted, ¡°Rise!¡±


    Cira watched as crystals rose from the earth, forming a jagged torso of quartz that clawed its way out from the ground. The aether shivered as it put two feet on the ground, glaring now at her from above. This thing was like a goliath made of cloudy crystal shards.


    With two fists clenched, Cira stop her eyes from growing wide, ¡°That golem¡­¡±


    ¡°Ahaha, speechless in fear, are you?!¡± The Quartz Witch taunted as the golem picked her up in one hand. ¡°That is a common reaction.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so cool! Why didn¡¯t I think of a crystal titan!¡± With a hand on her head and her jaw hung slack in a guileless smile, Cira sent mana to the orichalcum.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    She was about to summon a way cooler crystal golem, then sit upon its shoulder as large-scale physical combat ensued, but then the Quartz Which had to open her mouth again while her golem raised its fist. She no longer seemed pleased with Cira¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°Lady Silver Witch needn¡¯t sully her hands with you.¡± She even raised her staff like she was going to do something with it, ¡°I will kill you today for ruining everything on Fount Salt and leading her halfwit daughter astray!¡±


    Cira let out a sigh, mulling over her words. And I was really trying to be nice here. It¡¯s not good to needlessly make enemies, but it was about time I met another bad witch, I suppose. Did she really call Nanri a halfwit, though? It would only cause her trouble to mention her name, but¡­ this woman has succeeded in angering me.


    Mudrock and the other girl shared a look of fear and uncertainty in silence.


    ¡°Wh-what?¡± The Quartz Witch muttered, swinging her staff down and receiving no response. She looked across to her golem¡¯s other arm to find it no longer heeded her command, ¡°What have you done?!¡±


    The golem clenched a fist around its own creator as she screamed.


    ¡°I was trying to be polite,¡± Cira¡¯s cold words pressurized the air, ¡°But you have quickly worn out my patience, so consider this time out.¡±


    A barrier formed around the witch from which no sound waves could escape.


    ¡°You.¡± Cira zeroed in on the dark brown robed apprentice. She had eyes like a calf at the slaughter. ¡°What is your name?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Her knees quivered in place, ¡°I am the Shale Witch!¡±


    She took a knee in self-defense.


    ¡°Don¡¯t disgrace yourself,¡± Cira pulled her back to her feet from a distance, ¡°You two are stationed here in order to investigate the cause of this island¡¯s rapid dilapidation, correct?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± She nervously looked between Cira and a raging but silent Quartz Witch up above, ¡°W-will you kill me if I don¡¯t tell you?!¡±


    ¡°Tch.¡± Cira laughed, ¡°Of course not. I am here to fix this island, but you will get no credit if I do your job for you. If you tell me what you have discovered thus far, then I can hopefully wrap this up by evening.¡±


    There was a long awkward moment while the head witch writhed unheard in the quartz golem¡¯s grasp.


    ¡°No, no, look at me. I am a witch of far greater stature than some mere ¡®High Coven¡¯.¡± Cira made sure to keep her eyes on the Shale Witch, but this revelation apparently threw Mudrock into shock, despite the hint of realization in her eye. ¡°Indeed¡­ and my lineage runs far deeper than Nightwing. Regardless of my alignment with some silver hag, I need you to help me fix this island. Is this agreeable?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, Madam Witch!¡± Apparently, witches too used this term to refer to their superiors, ¡°We were sent here three weeks ago¡­ They told us to just put the island back together¡­ but it never sticks. It¡¯s like we¡¯re running in circles. We have no idea why this island is falling apart.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± I guess Earth Vein is useless when it comes to investigating the earth. All they care for is profit. How deplorable. ¡°I never imagined Earth Vein would be so ignorant. Even the high coven can¡¯t find a clue in three weeks?¡±


    Cira stifled a laugh looking at the silenced witch who kicked and struggled, failing to break out of her own golem¡¯s grasp.


    ¡°You seem upset.¡± Cira continued, ¡°If you would like to participate in the conversation, I¡¯m going to need you to calm down. Can you do that for me?¡±


    This infuriated her and she desperately tried to break the golem down, but it was for naught. It was one thing to watch her struggle in futility, but somehow it was still surprising when she couldn¡¯t hold out. After a few moments of useless rage, she actually gave up, looking down at Cira with defeated eyes. Her violent legs went limp as she put her all into a frail attempt not to let her expression break.


    After a short moment of deliberation, Cira let her down and asked a question, ¡°What do you know of this place, Quartz Witch?¡±


    She needed a moment to process the golem fist dispersing around her, ¡°You¡­ Who are you¡ª¡± A pointed glare from Cira hurried her along, ¡°All we can figure out is that this island¡¯s too old¡­ The Riptide Witch already declared its spring is reaching the end of its life. It¡¯s only a matter of time now. Our job here is to salvage what we can before it¡¯s too late, extending that deadline if possible. No more, no less.¡±


    Mudrock and the new girl were in shock. It seemed even Shale had been kept in the dark to some degree.


    ¡°How shameful.¡± Cira mulled it about, ¡°You mean to say the Silver Witch had decided not to concern herself with this island¡¯s impending doom, or is fixing it beyond Earth Vein¡¯s current power?¡±


    ¡°Are¡­ are you not listening to me?¡± Her obstinance could not be quelled, but there was little gusto behind her words. ¡°Most islands will one day fall, and some sooner than others. This just happens to be one that will fall soon.¡±


    ¡°I understand completely¡­ Nanri¡¯s foolish mother lacks wisdom and determination¡ªblinded by power and arrogance. That tracks.¡± At this point I¡¯m kind of nervous to meet her. I¡¯m sure it will happen one of these days, but she seems like real trouble. All present reeled in shock at her casually venomous words. ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard enough. It¡¯s time to begin.¡±


    ¡°Second Pillar.¡± Until she spent the time to come up with a good name, this worked better, for Cira needed the orichalcum to pick up a little more slack than usual. It appeared in her hand, and she stabbed it into the ground, ¡°Swallow the Earth.¡±


    Nothing happened, but that didn¡¯t stop the three witches from looking around in horror. It sounded bad, but this just turned whatever stone her staff stabbed into its own domain. It was too soon to put all her braincells in one basket, so Cira did not use this sorcery to ¡®see¡¯ or ¡®feel¡¯ the entire island like she tended to do. This was to allow the earth to become an extension of her staff, like the water held within Aquon¡¯s gem.


    Nothing outwardly happened, no, but the thrum of mana only increased. This caused concern for the three earth witches, but Cira was just getting started.


    ¡°Okay, novice geomancers, listen closely.¡± Rarely did Cira have the opportunity to flex her wisdom about a very specific thing to three who devoted their life to that same field, and she took full advantage of it, ¡°While my staff rests here, this island will not degrade, and your efforts may become more effective. This is only a temporary measure, but it should give me plenty of time to get to the bottom of this.¡±


    ¡°What is this witchcraft?¡± Quartz cried while Shale echoed her wonder. Mudrock had admittedly already been impressed, but she seemed to enjoy her humbled superior. ¡°Is that solid orichalcum?!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too impressed,¡± Cira laughed, ¡°This is merely a means to an end. Now onto how you all can help.¡±


    An array of three magic circles crystallized in the earth below each witch. They stumbled back only to find the circles followed them wherever they went.


    ¡°What is this¡­?¡± Mudrock tried not to sound worried.


    ¡°Each of you are here for a reason, no matter how grand or drab.¡± Cira again rose to the air with a parting wave, ¡°I am not deficient in mana, but willpower is always stronger in packs. Desire to restore this island and your wishes may affirm its form.¡±


    They would help hold the island together, and possibly fight back its withering while Cira performed her investigations. Mudrock got started right away and her will was already flowing into the orichalcum.


    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Quartz was baffled, ¡°Just where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±


    ¡°I intend to investigate the spring myself. I cannot blindly trust this Riptide person¡¯s word.¡± She waved them farewell and slowly faded away in the light. That was a great exit. They¡¯re all blinking in confusion wondering if I had ever even been there in the first place.


    She wanted to ask them about the third member of Earth Vein¡¯s retinue, but it didn¡¯t appear the person in the lighthouse was connected to them. So, Cira decided it was best not to mention it for now. Instead, she left the witches with a noble task and went to check off some boxes.


    In seconds, Cira was standing in front of the door at the base of the decrepit tower. A stone archway encased a shabby wooden door. She was a little nervous for some reason, but formed a fist and knocked on the door nonetheless.


    ¡°Hello?¡± she called, ¡°Is anyone home?¡±


    She knew the answer because of Spatial Sight, but a few moments passed in silence before a stirring finally came from the other side of the door. As it unsealed from its frame, a shower of dust blew away in the breeze. Through the threshold stood an old man of stout build. His tired face betrayed a resilient life behind his eyes.


    ¡°Oh my. I was wondering when you would finally show up.¡± It felt strangely infectious as he let out a light chuckle, but the sorcerer paused at his next words. ¡°Please, come inside, Cirrus. I just put on a pot of tea.¡±

 211 - The Land of Old Times

    Upon hearing her full first name, Cira immediately flexed her aura and shot a cold glare at the elderly fellow, ¡°How do you know my name?¡±


    ¡°Ahaha,¡± He showed no sign of taking threat, only turning around to head back inside. The interior of the first floor was small and Cira could see him pulling a kettle off the stove from outside. ¡°Among all clouds, cirrus are widely known to embody free will, caprice, and the state of being unbound¡ªa slave only to one¡¯s own purpose.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what¡­¡± This old man dare speak of cloud language to me? Who the hell is he? He had set two cups at the table, and the empty seat across from him wafted a sweet-smelling steam toward the door. What harm could it do¡­ This is the type of person I will never get information out of if I don¡¯t entertain them, I can already tell. She sat down across from the old man, ¡°What do you know of the cirrus cloud? You think you know not only my name, but me? On what basis do you dare speak of my namesake?¡±


    Cira took a sip of her tea without taking her eyes off the geriatric lighthouse keeper.


    ¡°Ohoho, merely recounting a tale from an old friend.¡± He refilled his glass and alit the oil lantern between them as the single window didn¡¯t do much for lighting up the room. ¡°Conditions may be just right, where a harsh and volatile environment may cause the cirrus clouds to form high up here in the sky. Like rivers of frost along the horizon, the cirrus are often subject to strong winds or the blazing sun.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­ where are you going with¡ª¡± Cira was cut off, and grumbled her frustrations into the tea, which was surprisingly pleasant.


    ¡°Fleeting existences who either dissipate or lead the sky astray.¡± The old man paused to refill her glass as Cira simmered impatiently, ¡°But the waters granted to this world from the springs often fall freely into the sky once they¡¯ve ran their course on any given island. So long as they don¡¯t hit the sea first, these wayward streams often form cirrus clouds as well. It is said that one day such a river would fulfill its imminent escape from its spring and be stolen away on the wind. Eventually the sky would yield through countless storms in the cirrus¡¯ wake before clear skies prevailed.¡±


    Okay, this is getting weird. ¡°What kind of delusional crackpot would spout such flowery nonsense?¡±


    Cira was a casual enjoyer of theoretical cloud language, but this was taking it a step too far. Not only did he know her name, but he was now spinning some absurd prophetic yarn.


    ¡°As I already said,¡± He chuckled seeing Cira¡¯s increasingly baffled reactions, ¡°I¡¯m just repeating the words of my old friend Gazen.¡±


    ___


    ¡°So, what did she offer you?¡± Madam Quartz Witch¡¯s words were tempered for fear of the Hidden Witch, but it did nothing to stifle her tone, ¡°Did she lure you in like that brat with promises of treasure? Or perhaps something more¡­?¡±


    ¡°Nothing like that.¡± I could only afford so much concentration for talking to this great witch. Normally I would kneel in fear to come across one such as her, but I had an island to save. My aura was pathetic, confirmed by all who looked at me. It was no secret. I could never hope to pull massive clumps of earth together and reform them into a solid island, but every time I decided to ignore my doubts, the magic circle beneath my feet glowed with power. I didn¡¯t know where the power was coming from, but it felt right. Earth merged with itself and hardened, expelling muddy sand upward. ¡°In fact, you could say I convinced her to give into my demands. I wanted to reach this island and do what I could to help. No more, no less.¡±


    Typically, I would try to put some kind of spin on it, but the Hidden Witch supported my intentions. I had no reason to mince words here when I was on the cusp of finally doing something meaningful for once.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re even alive, really.¡± She scoffed, ¡°After that rock fell this morning, I was sure the island down there was done for. Am I supposed to believe it¡¯s just a coincidence the Hidden Witch appeared?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure if she was under the impression I somehow summoned the Hidden Witch, but the woman in question never told me to withhold any information. I would be conflicted if she had, so this was nice.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I mention she stopped it? Sacrificed her life just to do it, but her uncle appeared and resurrected her from the ashes of her skeleton alone.¡± I laughed. There was an infectious joy from the feeling of moving earth so fluidly. Working around the feeble streams without interrupting them was difficult, but mashing such large swathes of earth together was more satisfying than I ever could have imagined. The resonance from her orichalcum staff threw my aura into a tizzy.


    ¡°Now I know you¡¯re talking nonsense.¡± Meanwhile, the Quartz Witch had hardly accomplished merging a couple small segments together, let alone keeping them from disintegrating. She grew increasingly frustrated, and it only got worse when her apprentice surpassed her.


    ¡°M-Madam Quartz¡­¡± The girl started nervously, ¡°Why are we here? And since when is the Hidden Witch our enemy? I thought she was a member of the Unseen¡ª¡±


    ¡°Silence.¡± Quartz¡¯ eyes narrowed, ¡°Don¡¯t you ever speak those words.¡±


    There were rumors that the Hidden Witch was a member of the Unseen Hand of Nightwing. The members were few, though nobody knew exactly how many. Of course, they were mere legends spoken of only once the sun went down. Regardless of their fantastical nature, everyone I had ever met firmly believed their existence. It was only those in power or the particularly old who denied it. It all sounded like a myth of grand whimsy, but meeting the Hidden Witch in person made me rethink it altogether.


    Still, Shale¡¯s question was valid. She completely rebuilt Fount Salt and cured the plague. I would be surprised if the adjutant beat her out for employee of the month, so Madam Quartz¡¯ attitude toward her was indeed surprising.


    ¡°And Earth Vein¡¯s profits will only continue to rise once the Hidden Witch moves on from here,¡± I added, ¡°What is the problem? Since there was never an announcement made, I figured we had a tacit alliance with the Saint¡¯s faction. Isn¡¯t that the only reason there¡¯s still peace between us and the Church of the Final Sky?¡±


    The Hidden Witch did seem like she was less than satisfied with some of Earth Vein¡¯s deeds, and especially the Adjutant for some reason, but her actions spoke for themself. It was as if she was some singular agent meant to pick up the slack where Earth Vein¡¯s witches were insufficient. While my employers seemed focused on greed though, she alone seemed to understand the value of treating other lives with respect. She was a witch I could look up to.


    ¡°You insolent child¡­¡± Quartz was frustrated, and it seemed like she had something to say, but every time she opened her mouth her control over the earth became feeble, ¡°That witch even gave you preferential treatment with that magic circle, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°I think¡­¡± Shale said, ¡°All three are the same.¡±Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The young witch from a class above me in the academy pointed out what was plain to see as sand bubbled to the surface around her.


    ¡°How could that be?!¡± Her control did improve to a degree, but it was like it was getting choked out. Her desire to perform the action to maintain her pride was clear, but could it be her lack of desire to save this island held her back? ¡°I have many times over the mana either of you will gather in a hundred years!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about mana¡­¡± Shale quietly spoke.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear the Hidden Witch?¡± I asked, ¡°She said she doesn¡¯t need your mana. Only your will to help.¡± Perhaps meeting someone so much higher in the sky than this haughty and renowned yet insecure witch made me feel a little bold. ¡°It appears that¡¯s why your apprentice is already surpassing you. If you don¡¯t care about this place¡­ why are you here?¡±


    Her eyes went wide and for a second, I thought she was going to run me through with a crystal stake, but watching the outer sections of the island pull back in around me gave her pause. She was still standing on solid rock as loose sands roiled to keep me afloat.


    ¡°You¡­ Why are YOU here?!¡± She cried out, tears in her eyes. Turmoil long buried rose up like bile, ¡°You think I didn¡¯t want to help anyone? You think I didn¡¯t want to use my powers to build a place where people could live? To stop others from crumbling away?!¡± Earthen mana flared around the Quartz Witch, burning like an open flame and weighing the two novices down, ¡°Do you know what it¡¯s like to spend centuries destroying homes and turning islands to dust just to be allowed to save a few? The ones who least deserve it?! How dare you spend a couple years in school then show up on my island trying to make a difference!¡±


    The world seemed to grow still as mana solidified. A branching network of rivers made of countless quartz crystals spread out through the sky. As if destabilized, the island started to shake, even as far as my magic circle¡¯s influence reached.


    ¡°You¡­ have to stop!¡± I shouted, ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    The main portion of earth between the three of us that had condensed the most suddenly started to shake, and I felt it begin to fall. I was suddenly weightless, and no amount of will could make it rise again.


    ___


    ¡°Pffff!¡± Cira spit her tea all over the table, ¡°What did you just say?!¡±


    She had a feeling it was moving in this direction, but to hear her father had said such ridiculous words was something that needed to be processed.


    ¡°Your father was a good friend of mine, if only for a short while every now and again,¡± The old man looked out the window in seemingly fond reminiscence. ¡°Though it¡¯s been so long I can hardly remember his face, I have to admit¡­ I don¡¯t see a resemblance.¡±


    This damn old man, ¡°That¡¯s because we are not related by blood¡­ How long ago was this?¡±


    It took a few moments and Cira saw him counting on his fingers, ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know. When you¡¯re as old as me, you lose track of the decades along the way.¡±


    Hang on¡­ if it was that long ago, it doesn¡¯t explain why this man knew my name. And why my father had such a strong opinion on it long before I was born or found for that matter.


    He must have expected her confusion and continued with a jovial laugh, ¡°I still remember his stupid expression when he came to me that evening and said he was going to be a father¡ªone day. Even I¡¯m surprised it took you this long to arrive¡­ and you¡¯re still so young. I always thought it sounded funny like he was breaking the news instead of having just found out.¡±


    That the one with the information was also confused did not help Cira much. It didn¡¯t make any sense for her father to know anything that far in advance. He definitely lacked talent in divination. Multiple years ahead, let alone decades and with enough detail to discern a significant life event required something on the level of fairytale mages from childhood storybooks even to Cira.


    ¡°Did he have some secret power to see the future?¡± She asked in futility.


    ¡°He swore he didn¡¯t¡­¡± The old man sipped his tea, a hint of despondence in his words. ¡°That he only stumbled upon a revelation in his travels, and that he wouldn¡¯t be able to come visit anymore.¡±


    Okay, so he doesn¡¯t know. Either way, there are more important things to attend to, ¡°Have you interacted with the two witches stationed here? Rather, do you know what is causing this island to fall? I have come to fix it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Cirrus dear¡­¡± He shook his head, looking downcast, ¡°I met your father thrice in my long life. The first time he was a frail and awkward young lad with a fraction of your own aura¡­ all he cared for was artifacts and renounced his own sorcery with a youthful rebellion that made a relic like me chuckle.


    ¡°I lost track of how long passed between each visit, but there was a world of difference the last time I saw him. Entirely out of your league, I¡¯m afraid¡­¡± He got up and started another pot of tea, rummaging through a different drawer near the stove. ¡°This poor island had started falling apart nearly a century prior, and Gazen was quite troubled by the sight. His parting gift was to fix it himself, but one man can only do so much in the face of imminence. Nature will continue to bear its will no matter what anyone has to say about it¡­ You have seen what this island has become by this time¡ªthere is no use trying to save it. It was always going to fall into the sky. Only a matter of when¡ª¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t do.¡± Cira crossed her arms and stood up, ¡°Just who do you think I am? So what if Dad couldn¡¯t figure it out. I¡¯ll be damned if I leave before even trying to figure out the cause¡ª¡±


    ¡°The cause was never a secret.¡± His palm scratching across the white stubble on his chin carried across the quiet dining room, ¡°All islands meet their end. I would not be surprised if this one is the oldest you¡¯ve ever set foot upon. Long after he left, I heard they called him a sage, or prophet of some kind. He helped a lot of people, and put everything into saving this island, but only temporary measures can be taken. I implore you¡­ Please do not extend our impending demise. Let this island rest.¡±


    While he was a friend of her dad¡¯s, possibly one of the oldest, that still didn¡¯t give her enough reason to abandon her scruples. The sorcerer¡¯s code existed for a reason, and she couldn¡¯t simply let an island crush another because some old man asked her nicely.


    ¡°Land and spring.¡± Cira spoke, ¡°These are the components of an island, like body and soul. This one withers, and its waters wail a dreary tune of defeat and acceptance. If I¡¯ve learned anything from my father, the only reason you know my name is because he expected me to show up one day and finish the job. I respectfully decline your request to not get involved. Unless you have anything else to say, farewell¡ª¡±


    ¡°Look.¡± An unconcerned grin floated on his face as he pulled an envelope out of the drawer and pointed his other hand out the window, ¡°Cirrus clouds often form around this island. I¡¯m beginning to suspect the storm below isn¡¯t entirely natural, but much of the ambient mist settles around its border¡ª¡±


    ¡°You old fool.¡± She may have mistaken them for ice crystals had she not felt the influx of earth mana from afar. The branching layers of crystal streams spread out across the sky, but they were some manner of quartz, ¡°I have to go.¡±


    She took a step toward the window when the old man shouted, ¡°Wait! Your father left me this. A letter for you¡ª¡±


    What¡­? Cira turned around and noticed a red wax seal bearing her father¡¯s ¡®G¡¯ insignia. It was instantly recognizable as his authentic stamp. He left a letter for me¡­ so long ago?


    ¡°Is that¡­ really from my dad?¡± Cira¡¯s hands trembled as he turned over the dusty gift.


    ¡°He told me one day his child will probably stop by, and that I had to keep this message safe until then.¡± The old man of the lighthouse now wore a relieved smile. Somehow his shoulders seemed to slump as he leaned back, all the tension leaving his body. ¡°He told me you wouldn¡¯t listen.¡± A slow chuckle left his body, ¡°But now¡­ I wish you only the best. Now that my final purpose is served, I can only hope to find rest on this doomed rock.¡±


    There was profound contentment on his face, and Cira nearly left before watching an inexplicable light radiate off his body. An element she distinctly recognized as life began to trickle back to the aether along with his very soul.


    ¡°Wait¡ªyou don¡¯t have to go!¡± She desperately cried, completely caught off guard, ¡°I promise I¡¯ll save this island! Just wait a little longer¡­¡±


    By the time she finished her sentence, his essence had already returned to the cycle. Even if Cira wanted to pry about her father¡¯s past, this person¡¯s supposedly long life ended here and now. Right before Cira¡¯s eyes, he turned to motes of light and left her alone. The kettle on the stove started to whistle, then burned away into light as well.


    ¡°Fine then¡­¡± Cira walked to the window in tumultuous silence, tucking the sealed letter into her sleeve. Her chest was heavy, and she felt uncomfortable. Perhaps he had only held out to fulfill a promise, but Cira felt remarkably bleak walking away from the empty room, ¡°I guess it¡¯s time I get back to work¡­¡±


    Lightning crackled and she appeared before the three witches. Mudrock was unsurprisingly condensing a great deal of earth through her magic circle, determination clear on her face, followed by Shale with a frustrated Quartz falling behind. Cira wasn¡¯t sure if the roiling clouds of crystal dust were the product of an outburst or an attempt to channel even more mana into the array for lack of goodwill.

 212 - The Call of a Higher Purpose

    ¡°Why won¡¯t this work?!¡± Quartz tried to force her mana into the magic circle by diffusing her, well, quartz into it, but that did not work. ¡°Dammit!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re trying too hard,¡± She hadn¡¯t even realized Cira¡¯s presence until she spoke, ¡°In fact. What are you even trying for, anyway?¡±


    The witch was dumbfounded, almost looking like she was slapped in the face. Her mana calmed as did the island with it. So, Cira pressed her, ¡°Do you want to know why little Mudrock, sent to sweep up rocks on the doomed island below, is outperforming you by several orders of magnitude?¡±


    Her staff hand faltered and the rivers of quartz noticeably dimmed. With a fist clenched, she seemed without words¡ªwithout argument at least.


    ¡°Let me show you.¡± Light coalesced in Cira¡¯s hand, ¡°Prismagora.¡±


    A tear in the sky appeared, like a window with blurred edges and an island came into view within it. Jagged pillars of stone rose high above the treetops while the ruins of a small village could be seen in the center. About a quarter of the entire island was taken up by a piece of another lying on its side and the surrounding rubble. The place looked like an earth elemental went on a rampage.


    ¡°What¡ªis this place?¡± Her eyes went wide in shock. ¡°This can¡¯t be. It¡­ didn¡¯t miss?¡±


    The island they were currently standing on was much larger than the one below, even as they smushed it together, so there was a fair chance much of the falling debris would be way off.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before?¡± Mudrock said, ¡°The Hidden Witch stopped it. You should have seen her¡ª¡±


    Cira stopped her by holding up a finger in place. ¡°It was neither easy, nor enjoyable, but my deeds are aside the point. Do you see this place, Quartz Witch?¡± Cira focused in on the village with the pile of deflected stones and people all gathered around already trying to rebuild. ¡°Little Mudrock herself almost gave her life when that stone fell this morning, and as a result, the villagers survived long enough for the shrapnel to settle.¡±


    ¡°S-so what is this?¡± The witch snarled, but without any temper. She sounded defeated and tiptoeing around throes of anguish, ¡°Some kind of game to make Mudrock look good? Is your goal to mock the High Coven¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be daft. I don¡¯t know what kind of issues you got going on above, but I have enough of my own. This is my problem with you lot. You only think about yourselves and make no end of trouble for others.¡± The blood drained from her face at Cira¡¯s tangent, ¡°Little Mudrock is only here because she has people beneath her to protect. Even your apprentice is doing better because she genuinely wants to help, and I got the impression she didn¡¯t even know there was an island below.


    ¡°It really makes me wonder, about the difference between this High Coven, and the witches you order around.¡± Just like Nanri, it seems the younger witches all really want to help, and each one of them blind to the machinations behind Earth Vein¡¯s curtain above. Like the ones in power keep them in the dark of all their most vile secrets. ¡°Or could it be¡­ to survive in these skies and become a great witch, you all have to give up the pieces of yourself that granted you power in the first place.¡±


    Is it those sacrifices which become the secrets they hide from the bright and earnest youth? I couldn¡¯t get a read on Estelle, but this witch seems very conflicted.


    Quartz stared at Cira with fists shaking, but when she turned to the ground a tear fell from her eyes. ¡°You¡­ What would you know? The all powerful Hidden Witch! You can reshape a whole island, so why are you toying with us like this?! What do you want? Can¡¯t you just do it all yourself?¡±


    ¡°Look up.¡± Cira turned her attention again to the catastrophe displayed, ¡°Do I look all-powerful to you? I bet my father would have just teleported the rock a little off course without even getting out of his seat, or outright absorbed it for mana. And believe it or not, I am tired of pushing the limits of my sor¡ªof my witchcraft. I¡¯m supposed to be on vacation right now, not helping out contracted witches who are actually getting paid for this. I believe I mentioned mashing the earth together is useless, but that stops it from falling on the island below for the time being. Now if you would be so kind as to do your job, like you really mean it, I can focus on getting to the root cause of this crumbling earth.¡±


    ¡°W-we have to do our part, Madam Quartz!¡± Mudrock gave her a bright smile.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± The apprentice Shale said quietly, ¡°If we don¡¯t¡­ people could get hurt! We just need to buy Madam Hidden Witch more time!¡±


    And Cira meant it too. She didn¡¯t want to burn her soul up just to gain ultimate control over yet another island. It was time to offload some work so she could get to the bottom of this without pushing herself.


    Quartz struggled after getting belittled like that, but Cira had evidently cut right to the issue. In a roundabout and more immersive manner, she had convinced the witch that her will was paltry compared to the bright-eyed youth whose title was only earned because her precious Adjutant needed someone worthless to throw away.


    Tears welled up in the Quartz Witch¡¯s eyes and she appeared to have come to some understanding. she nodded without looking Cira in the eye, ¡°Just¡­. Just leave this to us.¡±


    Seeing someone so obstinate realize reason was actually moderately heartwarming, and Cira left the witches with a warm smile.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Very well then.¡± Her body faded away into cerulean light, ¡°I am off to the spring.¡±


    ___


    Hardly a minute later, the island shook and the three witches¡¯ attention was drawn to the high point of the island, where the ground was more solid and which held the spring. It was like an aurora, or one of those glowing tide events that can only be witnessed once a year or a single time over decades.


    Unlike a normal natural phenomenon which often wrought destruction, the witches felt a gentle wave of subtly oppressive mana wash over the entire island as a pillar of pure blue light rose to the sky, originating from the spring.


    ¡°What¡­¡± The Quartz Witch lost her breath, ¡°What is that?¡±


    Her apprentice watched from behind with stars in her eyes and it was Mudrock who spoke, ¡°That¡¯s her¡­ It has to be.¡±


    ¡°But that mana¡­ It feels like the aether itself is spitting it out. Just how does she do that?"


    ¡°If you wanna know what I think.¡± Mudrock giggled, twirling her staff around to bring in a gust of sand from the edge, ¡°It¡¯s her unfaltering will. Is there any other witch in the sky that would burn her body and soul in place of an aura to save an island with less residents than a single city block in Port Gandeux?¡±


    Quartz couldn¡¯t think straight as she stared up at the ephemeral column of cerulean. There had to be more mana within it than most springs she had ever laid eyes on.


    ¡°No.¡± Her voice trembled, ¡°I really don¡¯t think there is¡­¡±


    ___


    ¡°Back at it again, are we Aquon?¡± Cira was half submerged in the shallow spring lake. The spring itself, she could nearly wrap her hands around when she hugged it. Granted, it was water so she could have passed through it anyway, but the hug test seemed adequate for sizing up small springs. It wasn¡¯t that it felt unexpectedly comforting or anything.


    Aquon sat above her opposite shoulder as Nina, who had reappeared from the raw cerulean gem not long after. She seemed curious, so Cira offered her a grin before getting to work.


    ¡°It will be different this time.¡± Water wrapped around Cira¡¯s arm like a snake and her outstretched hand glowed with power. ¡°Spring Sense.¡±


    It felt a lot more like the first time she tried it all those years ago rather than the second, more recent attempt. Unlike Fount Salt, this island was one of those disk-shaped ones, sometimes referred to as slate-type, so most of the rivers ran above ground.


    In layman terms, this meant she did not become an island with water in her veins, but instead, spread her authority throughout various pathways with the spring as an anchor point. The way this sorcery was supposed to work.


    Her soul didn¡¯t shatter, nor did she come close to losing consciousness, but a deep pain stabbed her chest this time.


    It hurts¡­ What is this?


    Even a minute in, this burning twinge was dreadful. Cira couldn¡¯t imagine feeling it for decades, or even hundreds of years, but somehow, she knew the pain had been gathering for at least that long.


    This poor island. Do they all¡­ feel such pain?


    She was not the island this time, but the spring was basically an island¡¯s heart.


    I have seen a fledgling island before with a spring just beginning to gain vitality, but this is altogether different. I can feel not just the absence of vitality, but its loss. How¡­ How very dismal.


    Her mind was essentially interlinked with the spring. Its woes were hers, and vice versa for what it¡¯s worth.


    It felt like death was impending, like she were covered in wrinkles and the sands had almost settled.


    Could it be, this island is just too old? But¡­ this isn¡¯t some fragile lifeform born of flesh and bone. This is an island¡ªislands can¡¯t grow old, get wrinkly, gray-haired. Could this storm it sits upon like a sea of ink in fact be its deathbed?


    Her feelings resonated with the spring and only hopelessness was returned. There was nothing to be done about it. A light rain started to fall over the land.


    No. I can¡¯t accept that¡­ I don¡¯t know why that old man stayed alive long enough to bring me a letter, but I refuse to make the final words he ever heard a lie.


    Cira told him she would fix this island, and she meant it.


    I¡¯ve seen a girl turn into an island, but has an island ever turned into a girl?


    All the components were there. Body and soul, island and spring.


    I¡¯ve done this before¡­ Haven¡¯t I?


    The primary hurdle was that islands were not kept alive by life, but by the synergy of reality¡¯s components within the bounds of this world¡¯s workings. Unfortunately, the specifics of which were remarkably difficult to study but this was her understanding.


    I don¡¯t get why a spring and its spot of earth stay aloft, but it¡¯s a fact. There¡¯s no reason I can¡¯t do the same thing with this island as I did with Kuja. I just need to find an analog. What is life¡¯s equivalent in this context? What binding factor allows the phenomenon of perpetual levity?


    Perhaps Cira had never thought thoroughly enough about the phenomenon of life, but it seemed there was a common denominator she had overlooked. A concept that had been dancing around her lately with no lack of blatancy.


    It¡¯s willpower. That¡¯s the answer. Islands don¡¯t have wills like people or spirits, but perhaps something more like the bird young Pita crafted¡­ It simply wants to be.


    How lonely¡­ must it be to sit out here in the sky with but a single resident tending to a broken tower?


    As if something was missing, Cira felt a hole in her chest. Something fundamental that she had always known, at least since Gazen passed away, yet the condition of the spring was transposed over her soul. It took a while to narrow down, but the difference between the two images that made up the unnamed waterways that were Cira was plain as day now. Like a thorn in her palm, it couldn¡¯t be less subtle.


    This island¡­


    It¡¯s lonely.


    Part of her felt sad just lying there. Her currents were weak and dreary, while many of them dried up in a shallow pool halfway before they reached the shore. She just felt so pitiful. Even looking at the ragged lighthouse sent her into hours of depression per second like she had reentered the void.


    Could it be¡­ if the ruin eaters came and devoured it all away¡ªwould it feel like a fresh start? Would someone¡­ one day¡­ found a village on this island? I have lots of land. Perhaps, it could be even larger than the one below, larger than even Heron Village.


    Honestly, I think I could become a regular Plackelo. I¡¯m no stranger to civility, and this spring on a high mountain has lots of potential. Water could reach anywhere I please¡ªthere¡¯s even plenty of debris stones lingering in the storm that could easily widen my shores. There¡¯s something tranquil about the jet-black sea of clouds upon which my rocky underside rests¡ª


    Cira felt a tremble in her soul.


    Wait.


    It was almost too comfortable.


    Don¡¯t¡­


    Sometimes the simplest solution was the best¡ª


    No¡­ I don¡¯t want to!


    A storm of aether had accumulated overhead and it started sucking up the storm, turning black and ominous, throwing a cage of tumultuous rain over the island. There was a sense of peace sitting there in the sky, beckoning the coming days, but the storm threw that all into chaos.


    If I just become this island¡ªI can make it all stop.

 213 - Duty Without Order

    ¡°Wait.¡±


    That enigmatic woman¡¯s voice rang through the skies, interrupting all three of us in our work.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡±


    I did not understand what she was talking about, but in just those two few words told me more than any of the things she had said to my face. Despite how young the Hidden Witch looked, she had to be ridiculously old. A certain wisdom came with that, and her words seemed even more genuine than the Adjutant herself.


    My honored master had always been there for me, but there was a sense of depth to this woman¡¯s words that cut to the heart of my worries, whereas Madam Silver had only told me my worries were a product of weakness. Could I have been so foolish for so many centuries?


    The Hidden Witch¡¯s words were spoken to herself. As if she had already decided on a course of action but her lingering worries couldn¡¯t help but spread across the land, accompanied by rain that soaked the sands around us.


    ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t want to!¡±


    ¡°That¡ªthat¡¯s the Hidden Witch!¡± Mudrock shouted, distraught in tone and letting her magic circle dwindle.


    ¡°Focus!¡± I shouted, suddenly spurred to determination by the ancient witch¡¯s inspiring woes. ¡°We have to do our part, right¡ª¡±


    My words were broken up as that girl¡¯s cries echoed from the lighthouse to the shore, unmistakably in pain. Not just pain, but anguish rarely felt by those as young as myself. The kind which made the aether shake in discomfort.


    ¡°But Madam Quartz!¡± I was substitute teacher for the girl once, but Mudrock never showed talent. It was true that Madam Silver had officially designated her as an expendable asset, but despite her insolence, I couldn¡¯t help but be moved by the frantic tremble in her voice and the passionate tears which formed streaks down her chin before washing away beneath the gathering storm, ¡°Even if she told us what to do¡­ Even if she said she didn¡¯t want to push herself¡­ I just know she¡¯s going to exceed her limits! What if she hurts herself again?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ but what are we supposed to do¡ª¡± She cut me off.


    ¡°Think about it! She¡¯s off doing her job, but her pain blows off to shore on the winds!¡±


    As bright as my magic circle was burning, I could feel her tears mixing in with the soil, ¡°What are you saying¡­¡±


    ¡°She needs¡­¡± I turned to my apprentice, and she went silent for a moment before reaffirming her resolve, ¡°She needs our help!¡±


    ¡°Miss Shale is right!¡± I couldn¡¯t believe how far Mudrock¡¯s magic circle was burning out of control. If it was crafted to amplify one¡¯s will using surrounding aether, it was almost as if a vortex formed in the sky bearing down on the dismissible rookie. Layers of glyphs manifested and lit up the darkened sky, like she was building on the Hidden Witch¡¯s conjurations by sheer power of will. I couldn¡¯t believe what I was seeing¡ªlike even my own ambition as a child was garbage. ¡°I don¡¯t care how powerful the Hidden Witch is¡ªif she said she needs our help¡­ I¡¯m taking her word for it.¡±


    It was true. Despite the ancient witch¡¯s words of advice, I tried to argue, but the meaning was clear. I left behind the most important things to me in efforts to become a great witch¡ªto stretch my legacy beyond my own lifespan¡ªbut perhaps the girl who came up with those ideals didn¡¯t even exist anymore. She was cut into pieces and each piece traded for power, influence¡­ strength and the will to endure all that came as consequence.


    If only I put that will towards something more meaningful, perhaps I could have been something like the Hidden Witch¡ª


    Wait¡­ What am I saying? She¡¯s a fugitive of the highest threat level. The general public doesn¡¯t know this, but she¡¯s basically declared herself Earth Vein¡¯s enemy. How can I let her lure me in with her honeyed words just like she did to Madam Silver¡¯s daughter¡ª


    Or maybe¡­ I always knew my master kept that child in the dark. The Titan Witch was meant to surpass her mother and take over the skies, paving way for her own child to become the Gold Witch. Eventually they would be the de facto head of the Gandeux.


    How many years has it been since my master confided this in me over a few bottles of wine? She sure doesn¡¯t open up much these days. I thought Nanri was the apple in her eye¡ªthe not only chosen but greatly anticipated successor, the perfect child who wanted that grand, predetermined future.


    Was I wrong? If the Hidden Witch didn¡¯t lead her astray¡­ perhaps she tore open a hole in the sky to put the truth on full, undeniable display as she did for me.


    I can¡¯t believe it. I refuse¡ª ¡°There¡¯s no way. The Adjutant couldn¡¯t¡ª"Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    ¡°If I just become this island¡ªI can make it all stop.¡±


    Those words made my heart stutter, and tears welled in my eyes all over again. I looked at my assistant who looked to the sky with frightful reverence and Mudrock with a hand placed over her heart.


    Impossible¡­ Every time the Hidden Witch spoke on the wind, it was as if her words conveyed a lifetime of emotions, all of which culminating to this very moment. Become this island¡­? What the hell does that mean?


    But I could tell as I looked to both my junior witches, we all knew. It didn¡¯t make any sense, but she could save this island by becoming it.


    Why¡­


    ¡°Why?!¡± I cried in anguish, incompetence, futility, but that was all overshadowed by my egregious inadequacy. ¡°Why would you do this?!¡±


    If she really needed, we could work together to move the stone off course and sink the island ourselves. There were options. Let alone the fact that becoming an island made absolutely no sense, I knew she was serious. And I could feel that she was certain that it would end this incident. Everyone would be saved.


    What would become of her? Would she become trapped here forevermore?


    But I couldn¡¯t accept it.


    Hidden Witch¡­


    What are you? WHO are you?


    An impossible existence. You¡¯ve made me rethink my entire life in hardly half an hour after spending centuries to settle on my course.


    If only I could have realized how foolishly I¡¯ve spent my life sooner. Have I truly been so pathetic that this ancient woman has to extinguish her incomprehensibly long life to accomplish nothing more than preventing a single island from falling apart?


    It¡¯s as if she¡¯s made a promise to do so¡­ but why? What is the significance?


    Madam Silver always told me passing whims which sway my fancy are to be extinguished like stray wisps. If I wanted to catch a boy who stole an apple from the stall, she told me he needed it to get by¡­ But in the same tone she told me some mayor embezzling the difference in tax breaks granted by the Gandeux needed it to feed the people.


    ¡°Dad¡­¡± The Hidden Witch sounded more like a young girl as her next words formed, and they brought tears to my eyes again. They were empty words for a recipient who was long gone. The girl was writing her own obituary. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I never ready your letter¡­ I¡¯ll do better in the next life, but for now¡­ I think I¡¯m going to stay here for a while¡ª¡±


    ¡°No!¡± I shouted. I almost couldn¡¯t contain my anger. This stupid old lady had thrown everything she had at solving a problem with as little impact to the Boreal as I could think of. This was the job everyone overlooked because it was just far enough away and with so little pay that there was no way to gain profit on it. Earth Vein only sent us in to hopefully hoard some dirt before it fell into the sea. Nobody cared about this island or the one beneath it.


    So why?! Why does this stupid girl throw everything away for this?!


    ¡°Why?!¡± I couldn¡¯t help crying out as my mana condensed into quartz above my head.


    ¡°The next island doesn¡¯t matter¡­¡± Mudrock shifted her eyes upward at me, glazed over with worry. ¡°If there¡¯s a single life to be saved here, she feels obligated to do so, because it¡¯s within her power.¡±


    The cerulean pillar had long since reached its zenith, but we could feel her presence all around now. The fact that her words, or maybe her thoughts, were transmitted across the sky, only felt natural beneath whatever domain she put up.


    ¡°So¡­ what do we do?¡± My apprentice looked to Mudrock for answers in vain.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know. We just need to be here for her. If we keep the island together, then maybe she¡¯ll come around¡ª¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I had to cut her off. Maybe it was just because of my experience or greater attunement to the aether, but I could feel countless layers of intent beneath each line the Hidden Witch Spoke. She was not fighting a battle of will, but accepting a course of action that she didn¡¯t put enough thought into. I can at least thank Mudrock for giving me that perspective. She really isn¡¯t all-powerful, and she¡¯ll make a stupid decision for the greater good. Just like I always wanted to do¡­ ¡°No matter the heights she has reached¡­ We cannot abandon her. Even if she prevails, who knows what she will lose.¡± My two juniors seemed surprised at my resolute words. ¡°We have to make sure¡­¡± An entire lifetime flashed before my eyes¡ªmy family, my old friends, colleagues I used to cherish¡­ Everything came to a head in that moment as centuries of failure turned into a single moment of resolve. ¡°It¡¯s up to us to bring her back.¡±


    The pillar sprouting from the spring like a mythical cerulean beanstalk started to die down. Not for lack of mana, but in lieu of acceptance.


    What kind of stupid woman becomes an island? Damn her!


    ¡°Madam Quartz!¡± Mudrock cried, probably noticing the same thing about the pillar. ¡°What do we do?!¡±


    I could feel the swell of earth mana weaken, so I beckoned orders the Hidden Witch couldn¡¯t, ¡°You two don¡¯t let up on the task she gave you. If anything falls to the island below, all this work could be for nothing.¡± There was no way I was going to watch such a prolific witch waste probable millennia of gathered power to such a petty cause. ¡°I am the only one with the strength to help the Hidden Witch.¡±


    Mudrock and Shale were noticeably startled at my declaration, but resumed their work swiftly. They were nearing the same level, and I watched the island push in on itself with more force than before. There were no more cracks and it was already formed together, but now it started to becoming dense stone as they worked together.


    Without knowing when this would end, the more time they could buy the better, and the Hidden Witch¡¯s will-amplifying magic circles were keeping us afloat.


    ¡°Hidden wonders of the sky above,¡± My voice flitted over the rippling mana.


    ¡°Marvels of the earth within,¡± My rivers of quartz broke up into a finer crystalline dust and swayed about like the wind had always set their course.


    ¡°Reflections unworthy of the sun, hidden furthest from the sky,¡±


    I never progressed past this incantation, for the words never made sense to me. Somehow, on this day, I thought I had possibly stumbled upon an inkling.


    ¡°To pass in grandeur or return on calm winds, from sea to sky.¡± I could feel my staff of enchanted crystal begin to burn up as I encanted the hurdle I reached nearly a hundred years ago, ¡°A whim of the land and one of its ilk¡ª¡±


    My chest beat; I felt hot. I could hear my heart and the world seemed to slow down. I hadn¡¯t noticed, but each word had taken a lot out of me. Somehow, I was surrounded in the sandy glow of mana I needed desperately, but it was difficult to stay present after channeling this much into a single spell. I can¡¯t let it end like this. Today is the day¡­ I complete this spell. At last.

 214 - The Island Who Became a Girl

    I knew the Quartz Witch was a member of the High Coven, but maybe the Hidden Witch had ruined my perspective of her. I knew she had a great deal of mana¡ªas a witch I could always feel a certain gulf between me and any given mage. Madam Quartz¡¯ was just much further away than most. As powerful as I thought she was, never did I think I could feel the same force manifesting constantly with every word that left her mouth.


    The magic circle the Hidden Witch left beneath her feet was noticeably blazing as well. It honestly put mine and Shale¡¯s to shame at this point. The mana bursting from it made me realize just how truly weak I was, even with assistance.


    ¡°To pass in grandeur or return on calm winds, from sea to sky.¡± Madam Quartz¡¯s voice almost pierced the sky, but not quite. It still seeped into my mind the same way the Hidden Witch¡¯s did as her heartbreaking worries carried over the hills with each word. I could feel her emotions carry within them in the same way. ¡°A whim of the land and one of its ilk, heavens bear my wish.¡±


    Her voice almost gave out. Speaking these words took a great toll on her, but she managed to maintain cadence and uphold the incantation, no doubt due to the magic circle despite her exhaustion. She had overwhelmingly proved herself to not give a damn for this island, but something lit a fire in her.


    I hope I can become a witch that still gets excited to do the right thing even centuries later¡­ Just like them. The Hidden Witch and Madam Quartz appeared in my mind, but one obviously outshined the other. In this moment though, the Quartz Witch didn¡¯t seem any smaller than the hero who sacrificed herself to prevent the island below from destruction.


    Crystalline sand formed countless rivers in the sky, blowing out on the wind or forming ripples above. They seemed boundless as Madam Quartz kept pumping mana into it. If it weren¡¯t so sparkly, I would have believed it was a natural weather formation.


    ¡°Let my will travel like the breeze,¡± I could somehow feel that the words she spoke were uncertain to even herself. As if she never knew what was beyond this point, but despite this, her voice was calm, yet powerful as it echoed over the clouds which lit up as her crystals unfurled above us. ¡°And the weight of the world stray fleeting as the clouds.¡±


    ¡°Imminent streams carved of land¡¯s whimsy form the Quartzen Cirrus, my will to conquer even the sky,¡± Rather than crystalline dust, it almost looked like waves of silver insects shrouding the sky, but the amount of power flooding from the Quartz Witch resonated with me on the level of the Hidden Witch from earlier. Perhaps due to the magic circle which magnified her will, the final declaration of her spell shook the island and the sky alike; I wouldn¡¯t even be surprised if the sea below trembled. ¡°Crystallize!¡±


    Suddenly her pearlescent clouds of quartz covered the island like a wrinkled blanket and bolts of lightning the color of earth struck what few trees showed signs of life. There was the indomitable authority of the Hidden Witch even as her cerulean pillar died down, but now it seemed Madam Quartz¡¯ dominion exceeded even that. No matter where I turned, her crystals covered the sky in clouds to meet the blackened sea of storm above and below.


    ¡°You¡­¡± The Hidden Witches voice spoke out in confusion. ¡°Why¡ª¡±


    ¡°Idiot!¡± At the Quartz Witch¡¯s words, the newly revitalized rivers seemed to splash over. ¡°You can hear me now, can¡¯t you?! How many are you willing to sacrifice tomorrow to save a few today?!¡±


    I could feel the anguish of experience dripping from her words.


    ¡°I¡­ won¡¯t sacrifice anyone.¡± The Hidden Witch¡¯s words sounded more distant each time she spoke.


    ¡°Not even yourself?¡± Cirrus clouds formed at high altitudes or from an island¡¯s runoff, and when they grew too thick, it was almost certain a storm was coming. ¡°Has everything I ever failed to do¡­ meant nothing?!¡±


    Madam Quartz¡¯ words echoed across the sky and we could almost feel sadness bursting from the spring afar. Its light flickered still.


    ¡°But¡­ Just leave.¡± I couldn¡¯t help shedding tears as the Hidden Witch¡¯s words fell. This situation was beyond me and my old schoolmate Shale. ¡°It is done. You may return to your¡ª¡±This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself¡­¡± Earlier I thought that Madam Quartz had really been done in by the Hidden Witch¡¯s harsh words, but was she always such a force of nature? I had heard of her accomplishments, but none of them painted the picture I saw today. She practically curled her fingers around this island with the so-called Cirrus of Quartz that even burned away the storm, and seemingly forced reluctance from the spring at will, ¡°Idiot. This was not your plan. We bought you time, didn¡¯t we? Didn¡¯t we?!¡± Her words shook the condensed earth beneath mine and Shales¡¯ feet, ¡°Now do your damn job!¡±


    To throw a witch¡¯s words in their face was one of the greatest affronts one could commit. A witch¡¯s word was their will, as it was their oath. That¡¯s what I¡¯ve learned since I was just a young girl, at least. As if in response, the Hidden Witch seemed to groan in pain.


    But it manifested as the island shook. Our magic circles faltered, threatening to flicker out as the earth beneath us quickly fell from our grasp.


    ¡°No!¡± I shouted, desperately trying to hold the island together. The further my control got from it, the more fragile it felt, like sand running through my fingers. I can feel it¡ªit¡¯s falling. I¡¯m sorry everyone¡­ I couldn¡¯t save you. My thoughts turned to all those below as my end came in blatant futility. At least I tried my best.


    ___


    ¡°We bought you time, didn¡¯t we? Didn¡¯t we?!¡± Somehow Cira awoke from a deep slumber, or something like a deliberate stasis, to the sound of the Quartz Witch¡¯s words, ¡°Now do your damn job!¡±


    Oh¡­ She¡¯s right. What was I doing again? That¡¯s it¡­ This island lacks a will. If Pita can do it¡­ I can do it. It¡¯ll just take a little something. A gift, if you will.


    Cira looked out over the island and watched the witches in a panic. Somehow, she felt very attuned to everything around her and stopped the island from shaking. Loose sand and rubble found its way back and reformed.


    This is nothing I¡¯ve read about, nor attempted. I have only experienced it firsthand. I, however, am a living being. At the very least, I have an idea of what needs to be done.


    Cira had always been comprised of some mysterious amalgamation of souls, and this was never clear to her until she became reforged. The sense of unity she felt as an individual was something she had perhaps longed for her entire life, yet never known to desire.


    I am not some tool to be used to conquer the sky, nor am I an island or a corrupted caster steeped in greed. I am Cira, sorcerer of many skies, and stalwart solver of problems.


    This felt like a declaration of fate, but Cira did not reveal the Auld Sprig, nor did any rainbow flames illuminate the land on this day. Names, titles, and intent held great meaning. Cira knew this. She felt ashamed for almost relinquishing herself to live up to her intent, but now she could move on.


    What is this island¡¯s intent?


    No one wants to die. That¡¯s this pain in my chest. The storm fiend threw his life away for this very goal in vain. Cira¡¯s mind kept crossing back to that gull young Pita crafted.


    If only he knew how talented he was¡­ All this effort. Blood, sweat, and endless tears over the years brought me to heights of sorcery I never thought possible, and it takes this much to even consider it.


    Granted, the scale was off by multiple orders of magnitude, granting sentient will was a remarkable feat. Something without will was typically considered an object, and imbuing one¡¯s will upon it was entirely different from granting it one of its own.


    ¡°Lazulei.¡± Cira appeared next to the spring and placed a gentle palm upon it, ¡°Island of fleeting form on the desolate sea of dark storms. Resist the urge to return and appear before me.¡±


    Cira didn¡¯t think, she simply encanted the words she felt in her heart.


    ¡°Lazulei,¡± Her calm words caused the rain to lighten to a trickle, ¡°Come forth.¡±


    Just like before, a cerulean pillar jutted into the heavens. The rivers all dried up for a tense moment as the spring seemed to resonate with Cira¡¯s mana. As it hardened almost to crystalline form like Aquon, something started to emerge from it. At first, bubbling and liquid like water, but after a few seconds, it took form. A brilliant blue with an almost hazel glow coming from within, this mass started to pour out of the spring like sands of an hourglass before coalescing on the lakebed.


    Despite the shallow waters, they were still fully submerged. Cira frantically sunk an arm in and grabbed on, pulling her out on instinct alone.


    ¡°Lazulei!¡± She cried, pulling a young girl not unlike Ella of Acher out from the shallow pool, ¡°Are you okay?!¡±


    Whoa¡­ Cira saw her hands in front of her and clenched them, feeling the response of skin and bone for the first time in a while. She didn¡¯t even remember changing back or how long she was without a body. It startled her to notice the lack of its absence. Am I¡­ fine?


    Cira turned her face and was met with bright amber eyes beset in a body of faint cyan like the young undine copy.


    ¡°Are you¡­¡± The girl had delicate features not unlike her own, ¡°My mother?¡±


    ¡°¡­what?¡± Cira was dumbfounded. Okay, just think¡­ What was I doing just before this? I was with the witches right? Then¡­ I went to look at the spring? I remember the Quartz Witch¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Mother,¡± The young girl Lazulei spoke in earnest, a hint of worry in her tone despite her bright eyes, ¡°I¡­ I want to live.¡±

 215 - Sisters in Ambiguity

    There were a tense few minutes where Cira could only stare at the young greater spirit girl who somehow possessed the elements of earth and water. I¡­ can¡¯t just leave her hanging.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, little one.¡± a smile crept onto her face as she gave the girl a pat on the head, ¡°I want you to live as well. Now come on.¡±


    Cira didn¡¯t know what to do about this. In fact, she was struggling to process it. Starting to panic. But her feet on dry ground and possibly sitting down might help.


    I did not give birth, no¡­ However¡­


    Did I not create life? Does that make me a mother, or¡­ Dad never created life, but he was still my dad. Just what are the criteria?


    Whatever do I do?


    Cira led her by the hand toward the lake¡¯s shore and the girl skipped along behind her on the surface of the water.


    ¡°Mama, what do I do?¡± She asked innocently.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± She expects me to know?! Cira was venturing further out of her depth by the second. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡±


    ¡°Watch this!¡± Lazulei turned into mud and melded into the island beneath her feet, only to pop out behind Cira a few seconds later, ¡°Aha!¡±


    And she splattered Cira¡¯s robe with a sneak attack.


    ¡°Lazulei¡­¡± Cira washed it away easily enough, ¡°Could you please calm down for a moment. I¡¯m trying to think¡­¡±


    Okay¡­ What do I do?


    Would I be any better than Bin Bon¡¯s parents if I simply abandoned this spirit? She¡¯s hardly three minutes old. My dad would know what to do, but¡­ I need advice. Io will just yell at me though. Maybe¡­ Hey that Quartz Witch is old, right? She might know what to do.


    ¡°Alright, Lazulei. We¡¯re going to go see my friends.¡± There¡¯s no need to complicate things by telling her that we¡¯re not really friends, so it will work for now.


    ¡°Kay, Mama!¡± She flashed a literally radiant smile that melted Cira¡¯s heart.


    Guh, what have I done?!


    Cira thought she would freak out if they flew over or turned into lightning, so she took the liberty of expanding one of the newly revitalized rivers toward the Witches, then took a seat on the waves, burying her face in her hands.


    Dad, what have I done? I can¡¯t take care of an infant greater spirit! I didn¡¯t even know those existed!


    It didn¡¯t feel like a copy for some reason. That¡¯s what Undina made it seem like when Ella came to be, but Cira didn¡¯t feel like the main body at all. That said, it was clear this girl was derived of her aethereal form. If she wanted to absorb it, it would still be like devouring a spirit rather than reabsorbing a piece of her soul.


    The main body was not Cira, but the island. Cira merely used a piece of herself to give it life.


    It was a short hike, and Cira did her best to entertain the girl¡¯s obtuse comments and repeated questioning of where they were headed or how far away it was. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t pay any mind to the current picking up, so Cira was able to deliver herself to the witches in short order.


    ¡°Witches.¡± She spoke, splashing up onto land and startling everyone present. ¡°Congratulations. The island is saved, but there has been a certain development for which I require advice.¡±


    ___


    She said she needed advice, but a fledgling witch like me couldn¡¯t offer it. Despite their butting heads earlier, The Hidden Witch was looking directly at Madam Quartz, whose eyes were glued on the mysteriously glowing creature in the shape of a human child by the Hidden Witch¡¯s side.


    ¡°Advice¡­?¡± She finally got a word out, ¡°On what¡­?¡±


    Her apprentice stood behind her with equal fear and curiosity.


    ¡°You see¡­¡± Despite all she has accomplished, the Hidden Witch looked genuinely troubled, and there was this mysterious translucent young girl to consider. ¡°This island cough cough may or may not¡­ be my daughter? Go on, um¡­ Introduce yourself.¡±


    ¡°Hello!¡± The girl¡¯s bright amber eyes narrowed in joy as she waved both her hands at us. ¡°Are you Mama¡¯s friends?¡±


    She scanned over the three of us witches and her eyes landed on me. The Hidden Witch insinuated much with a few nervous nods.


    ¡°Uhh, yes of course!¡± I didn¡¯t think my smile was very convincing, but the girl didn¡¯t seem to pick up on my nerves. ¡°You can call me¡­ Mudrock. And what¡¯s your name.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°Mama said my name is Lazulei.¡± Her cheeks bunched up, ¡°Mudrock is a funny name.¡±


    ¡°Er, Madam Witch¡­¡± I was surprised to see Madam Quartz address the Hidden Witch in that way, ¡°What is it you need help with?¡±


    ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t really expecting to become a mother today.¡± A chair of hard stone conjured beneath her as she sat down, seeming to slump into the arm in defeat. ¡°I admit, I am at a loss of what to do.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± I could tell by Madam Quartz¡¯ tone that she did not see. ¡°In my long life¡­ I have never bore children, nor am I well-versed in¡­ spirits? I wish I could be of more help¡­¡±


    I could tell this revelation was crushing to the Hidden Witch for some reason. She looked as anxious as I was when the sky was falling.


    ¡°Madam Witch.¡± I called out, ¡°Can¡¯t you call on your uncle? He should have some wisdom¡­ right?¡±


    Quartz¡¯ ears perked up when I mentioned her uncle, but the Hidden Witch just cradled her head in her hands.


    ¡°He won¡¯t have anything good to say!¡± Despite her obviously ancient origin, this witch seemed no older than me in this moment. I wondered if anyone she helped on Fount Salt ever got to see such a candid side of her. I admit, she did not seem pregnant this morning, nor were there two skeletons when she burned away. If I were in her shoes, I would also be in a tizzy.


    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t there anyone else?¡± I was actually curious. Would she call on the Saint, ¡°Do you also¡­ have an aunt?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± She looked at me, gears turning in her head, ¡°But Lazulei might!¡±


    With a gasp, light returned to her eyes. I was glad to be of help, but I was far from up to speed.


    ¡°Undina!¡± I tried to cover my ears as she shouted, but it did nothing. Her voice seemed to rattle the storm, ¡°I know you can hear me! Come on, I need your help! Get over here!¡±


    There were a few moments of silence as the Hidden Witch¡¯s expression faltered, and I watched the young girl Lazulei tug on her sleeve.


    ¡°Hey Mama, Who¡¯s that?¡± I was glad there was someone just as oblivious as me but comparing myself to a newborn child didn¡¯t feel great.


    As if responding to the Hidden Witch¡¯s call, the black sea beneath us started to ripple.


    ¡°What is it?¡± The sky-shattering voice did not seem enthused, ¡°I thought you left.¡±


    ¡°Gah, you can hear it in my voice can¡¯t you?!¡± Her frantic cries reverberated deep in my heart, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call you if I could avoid it!¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­ Normally people don¡¯t say that part aloud.¡± The ominous woman¡¯s voice sounded almost hurt, but not surprised, ¡°Fine then, but only because I can tell it¡¯s important. It wouldn¡¯t hurt you to check up every now and again, you know.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s it been, two weeks¡ª¡± The Hidden Witch was cut off as thunder groaned. Wisps of dark mist started raising from the sea below and began to form a roiling storm above our heads after we just worked so hard to quell the last one. The pressure in the sky only worsened as the thunder got more frequent and gusts of wind threatened to rip my cheap robes off.


    Clouds burst beneath as the sky was blanketed in a deep cerulean light, far beyond what even the Hidden Witch conjured. A heavy rain fell on the island as the clouds above broke, and mana sunk into the earth with every drop before I felt a heavy presence coalescing unlike any I had ever stood before aside from maybe her Uncle Io.


    The black clouds were painted blue as something manifested on the wind. Longer than an island was wide, this snaking creature floated through sky in a shimmering grandeur that took my breath away.


    Is that¡­ a dragon? I¡¯ve always wanted to see one¡ª


    My wonder turned to horror as it turned directly toward us and sped up. Madam Quartz and us rookies each stumbled back, shielding ourselves in futility as it came crashing into the island. Our knees were weak from the pressure, and suddenly all I could see through my eyelids was rich cerulean.


    ¡°You¡¯ve really done it this time, haven¡¯t you?¡± A charming giggle of the same tone but far less imposing than before rung out. ¡°Come here, dear. Let me get a good look at you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mama, she¡¯s scary!¡± I looked back as my eyes adjusted and the little girl was hiding behind Cira for protection. Facing them both was a woman a little more opaque but scarily reminiscent of Lazulei. Her hair-like tentacles flowed down past her chest and her skin was a pleasant tone of pale blue. ¡°That¡¯s not Undina is it?¡±


    ¡°My, how sharp you are.¡± The new woman didn¡¯t seem to be upset at the reaction, ¡°Undina is my main body, but she could tell your Mama here needed more help than she had the time or energy to offer.¡±


    An unfaltering smile landed on the Hidden Witch, gaze narrowed in suspicion, ¡°So¡­ do I need to give you a name too¡ª¡±


    ¡°No!¡± The blue woman cried, ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Returning her sight to Lazulei, her tone softened, ¡°You can call me Aunty Zuzarel.¡±


    ¡°Zuzu, huh?¡± At the Hidden Witch¡¯s words, I felt a strange tremor in the aether, but it was gone almost like I had imagined it.


    ¡°Wha?! No! Why?!¡± The woman was distraught, and I was lost. ¡°How do you keep doing that?! It¡¯s Zuzarel, dammit! I worked hard on that name!¡±


    Looking up at her mom and seeing a cheeky grin, Lazulei threw herself into a hug with the mysterious woman, ¡°Zuzuzu!¡±


    There was a conflicted pain in her deep blue eyes, ¡°No¡­ Just Zuzu is fine, I guess¡­¡±


    The girl leapt from her arms and threw her own up running gleeful in a circle around the the Hidden Witch, shouting along to a tune in her head, ¡°?Zuzuzu zuza zuzu! ?¡±


    She let out a childish giggle and settled back in around to the Hidden Witches back, to the comfort of her wall of robes.


    She shared a smile with her daughter before her expression turned heavy again. ¡°Anyway, Zuzarel¡­ Any insight?¡±


    ___


    The undine let out a long sigh, ¡°Well¡­ neither immature nor greater spirits are supposed to contain two elements. It sort of goes against their nature. I would think her some sort of elemental, but¡­ I admit I feel a connection through the gift I left you with.¡±


    It had of course been assimilated completely into Cira¡¯s soul during the reforging process, but that did not mean her connection with Undina was severed. In the same way, that undine heritage would always lead back to the same place whether Cira or Lazulei herself made another split.


    Hang on, is Undina my mom now? I refuse to believe it, but she can¡¯t be my aunt¡­ I suppose we are sisters, or perhaps cousins. No, why am I dwelling on this? Why am I a mother?! It isn¡¯t fair!


    Lazulei laughed at the pitiable sorcerer, ¡°It is amusing to see you so flustered. Even when we first met you were brimming with confidence, yet something so trite is what troubles you so? While I enjoy being amused by your antics, you may rest easy.¡±


    Cira was conflicted for a moment but eventually settled on an uncertain smile, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Do you not realize why I¡¯m here?¡± The undine rested her fists against her hips in a triumphant pose, giving Lazulei her proudest smile, ¡°I¡¯m here to help, and I¡¯m not going anywhere. You can just call me big sister.¡± She leaned in and ruffled the girl¡¯s tentacles.

 216 - Family First

    The woman who was apparently an undine mentioned something about a gift and the Hidden Witch fell into thought. In just over two centuries of my roaming the skies pursuing witchcraft, never had I seen a true greater spirit. I was in a state of shock and awe watching the two casually argue


    Who knew they could take human form¡­? Does that make this one particularly strong? So, what does that mean of the dual-element spirit child? More importantly¡­ how could it possibly be the Hidden Witch¡¯s offspring? None of this makes any sense! She herself said it was the island we stand upon, as if that made any more sense.


    ¡°E-excuse me,¡± The three illogical creatures turned their eyes to me at the same time, ¡°I¡¯m not sure I understand what¡¯s happen¡ª¡±


    With a sharp inhale, I could no longer speak. The aether shook and my aura froze. A cold sweat appeared on my arms and my long-honed survival instincts started ringing like alarm bells, echoing through my mind.


    No¡­ Something¡¯s coming. But what is it¡­?


    All I could do was shudder and wait for this being to reveal itself. Despite the danger that rose goosebumps on my flesh challenging these three absurdities without having even revealed itself, those three hadn¡¯t seemed to notice it yet. Or do they not care¡­? That can¡¯t be. Its presence will only grow stronger as it manifests.


    I wanted to shout, to do something¡ªanything! But it was as if the pressure held me in place. Before I could manage to so much as blink, space started to ripple and fill out like a painting. Breath caught in my chest. Soon the shape of a man formed and I instinctually knew I could never hope to touch this person.


    ¡°Two hours¡­¡± He was clearly infuriated, and his rage caused the clouds above to shake and disperse as if taking the brunt of the tension he held from his tone. ¡°It has been a mere two hours, and what you¡¯ve done with that time is produce this abomination?!¡±


    Impossible¡­ I had heard that if a witch were to carelessly break the rules of this world, ¡®something¡¯ would come looking. Is¡­ is this it?


    While they almost seemed my peers in the face of this newcomer, even the strongest of the bunch who the Hidden Witch called in reeled back in fear. The young girl visibly shook as she hid behind the reliable shield of robes, but could even the Hidden Witch stand up against this person?


    It was clearly a mage who had transcended life, death, space, or all of them together. I could see centuries of wisdom behind his eyes¡ªsomeone who had seen more than he ever wished for. It was clear this man¡¯s will was indomitable. I was glad he didn¡¯t look at me, but a certain dread filled my body as his gaze was focused on the Hidden Witch.


    To my surprise, the rage in the sky seemed to quell as she stepped forward, puffing out her chest, ¡°Abomination?! How dare you?¡±


    No, you can¡¯t! I wanted to cry out, but I wasn¡¯t even sure if I could draw breath, let alone expel it. I noticed the girl clutch her supposed mother tighter and it only seemed to stoke the Hidden Witch¡¯s arrogant rage. She was centuries if not millennia beyond me, but even she had to realize now and again not to cross those clearly more powerful.


    The man¡¯s eyebrow twitched as he clenched his fist, and I thought for certain he was going to smite our savior¡ªour savior¡­ The woman who had reminded me why I was here in the first place¡ª


    I gasped as she leaned forward with an open palm, and it landed squarely in the old man¡¯s chest. Earth shattered at his feet, but he didn¡¯t move from the spot. However, he hunched over and spit up blood. Fear buckled my knees, but the legendary witch continued by grabbing the collar of his shirt.


    ¡°You are not my father, and you have no right to speak to me that way. I granted you new life, so don¡¯t dare judge me when I do so for another.¡± Surprisingly, this new mage didn¡¯t turn her to dust instantly. His eyes widened, and it seemed he actively held his tongue. Why would she clarify that he¡¯s not her father¡­ Does she know this man? She granted life to this strange spirit who was considerably weaker than herself, but how could it be she did the same for this monstrous mage? How does that make any sense?


    ¡°And if¡­ if you don¡¯t¡ª¡± The Hidden Witch continued, but she looked strangely flustered and more conflicted with each word coming from her mouth. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would think she was a young girl around Mudrock¡¯s age. Her cheeks seemed to flush uncharacteristically, and she turned a little bit away so as not to look at the old mage still in her clutches, ¡°If you don¡¯t apologize to my daughter, I will have no choice but to fight you.¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°You¡­ can¡¯t be serious.¡± The old mage spoke again, and I had to admit I was lost. There was no way I could decipher the situation before me so I had no choice but to wait until I could ask about it. I was no better than Mudrock before the High Coven. He slapped her hand away and stood back on his own two feet.


    ¡°Do it.¡± The Hidden Witch stood her ground, and the sun seemed to form rings of light as the sky cleared while the stormy sea below rumbled dull and distant thunder.


    He sighed deeply, ¡°You stupid, stupid girl¡­ Again, I suppose I would be disappointed if you were any less. Not even the Archon of Divination could foresee the trouble you stir in a single afternoon.¡±


    The Hidden Witch seemed to relax, but her gaze sharpened expectantly.


    ¡°Fine¡­ You, little girl¡­¡± The old mage crouched down and put on a strained smile, but Lazulei didn¡¯t move a muscle, only looking up to her mother in fear and uncertaintly. The Hidden Witch, of course, gave him a meaningful nod. ¡°I apologize for acting so brash. Truth is, I was only a little startled by your sudden appearance, is all¡­ I¡¯ve never seen such striking eyes so full of ambition¡­ and mana¡­¡±


    The young girl seemed at least less scared of him, but rubbed her eyes, as if trying to figure out something wrong with them.


    ¡°Oh please, you¡¯re only troubling her further.¡± The Hidden Witch gave her a couple pats on the head, and she seemed to calm down, now comfortably to her side. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to that old man. You have your grandfather¡¯s eyes.¡±


    For someone so flustered about apparently giving birth twenty minutes ago, I had to admit, this ancient witch was adjusting well. In that moment, I couldn¡¯t believe I never bothered starting a family myself in all those years I was throwing myself away for the Adjutant¡¯s greed.


    ¡°Do I really?!¡± The girl¡¯s smile was just as bright as before. Literally effulgent as the elements radiated from her. She looked from her mother to the man I just couldn¡¯t figure out and, while her smile dwindled, she didn¡¯t let up. ¡°I guess I can forgive you, but if you¡¯re mean to Mama again¡­ I will have no choice but to fight you.¡±


    The Hidden Witch¡¯s eyes flew open as if she was startled by the young girl¡¯s words, spoken with her translucent little blue fists up. A grin wide enough to eclipse her daughter¡¯s previous smile broached her cheeks and it seemed she couldn¡¯t control her laughter. As impossible to figure out as this ancient witch was, seeing her hold her belly cackling as the tips of her ears turned red was heartening. She wiped away a tear as she collapsed into a stone chair that appeared from nothing right in the nick of time.


    ¡°We humbly accept your apology!¡± The Hidden Witch roared, slamming her fist against her knee. She seemed in a great mood, ecstatic even, but there was something in her eyes that looked like she was backed into a corner or otherwise at the end of her rope. ¡°But I really¡­ really don¡¯t know what to do here.¡±


    They were just butting heads, on the verge of a sky-crushing battle to be told about in folk tales for generations to come. Now all of a sudden, the Hidden Witch looked at him with pleading eyes. It almost looked like she was beckoning for the same wisdom I saw behind his eyes.


    He let out another long sigh, then his eyes turned soft, looking at the young Lazulei. ¡°Girl¡­ I can take you somewhere, and there will be many who can take care of you. But you have to know¡­ if you stay here¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shuddup!¡± The girl cried, leaning back into her mother and wrapping the front of her robes around her like a cloak, ¡°You¡¯re not my dad!¡±


    I thought she seemed like a brat, but the Hidden Witch was trying her best to stifle a laugh. It was one thing to throw someone¡¯s words in their face, but to throw one¡¯s mother¡¯s previously effective words in the same person¡¯s face was downright disrespect. I couldn¡¯t be sure if this child had even an inkling of such nuance, but she would probably do well in noble society were it not for her unrefined diction.


    ¡°N-no, it¡¯s not like that¡­¡± Now the man too looked up at the Hidden Witch expecting something, ¡°But you see, your mother¡­¡±


    ¡°I already know Mama has to go. She has to!¡± Lazulei cried with baffling resolve. ¡°But you can¡¯t take me away! I won¡¯t let you!¡±


    Mana flared up only to be quelled by the Hidden Witch¡¯s hand on her shoulder, ¡°Dear¡­ but it¡¯s dangerous¡ª¡±


    ¡°All I ever wanted¡­¡± The girl looked up at her mother with teary eyes, looking out over the restored landscape, ¡°Was to live, and grow up and be a big island one day. One with lots of happy people on it. Mama, you won¡¯t¡­ you won¡¯t make me leave, will you?¡±


    Now tears welled up in the Hidden Witches eyes too. She seemed to take in a sharp breath and crouched down to eye level, ¡°No, my dear¡­ If you want to stay here, Mama has lots of friends that can come help you out. I¡¯ll miss you, but¡­ I could never hold you back.¡±


    The two shared a heartwarming smile that lasted a few minutes and I felt that finally all of this was somehow over, then, the air grew cold. The Hidden Witch¡¯s smile faded slightly, and her gaze fell squarely in mine.


    ¡°Quartz Witch¡­ This now involves you.¡± I regretted being so obstinate towards her and was hoping to mend that relationship, but it was clear that now she had come to some understanding of her own priorities, ¡°Perhaps I could petition Empress Dreadheart to expand the storm, but I do not wish to deprive my daughter of the sunlight. I am going to need you to assure me that your witches will not disturb her peace in my absence.¡±

 217 - A Trap Fit For A Witch

    Is it okay to abandon my daughter¡­? I could tell from her words that she had always known I would go ever since her birth twenty minutes ago at least. And she accepted it wholeheartedly. On the other hand, the storm fiend ¡®knew¡¯ it would live if it killed me, regardless of how untrue that notion was or the ramifications therein. My daughter is likely blind to the details¡­ or does she have some semblance of them from birth? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m tricking her. I¡¯m just letting her do what she wants. To take her with me would be akin to pulling the rug out from under her.


    But still¡­ is this really okay?


    ¡°How¡­¡± The Quartz Witch shook, ¡°How do you mean it involves me?¡±


    ¡°My daughter wishes to stay here. Initially I intended to tell you all to report whatever you wish because I don¡¯t want for you to meet trouble after giving me a hand, but¡­ I am not so na?ve to think that the Gandeux, especially Earth Vein, wouldn¡¯t flock to this place to study my dear Lazulei.¡±


    Do I really¡­ have a daughter? How weird. Cira looked at her and the brightest smile she had ever seen was returned. Goodness¡­ I should really be asking myself, am I okay parting with her?


    I couldn¡¯t take Pita. She¡¯s stronger than him, but still not enough to be exposed to the dangers that await me. Not to mention, she has yet to reach her first birth-hour. A year of hardened life experience would still leave her as a one-year-old child. So what if she¡¯s smart enough to talk already? It¡¯s unreasonable no matter what excuses I make.


    Try as she might, her own justifications failed to make her chest warm like the look in that child¡¯s eyes. She couldn¡¯t bring Lazulei along, but staying would only invite greater hardships. To be together with her own daughter was impossible.


    I didn¡¯t want¡­ it to become like this. Why is everything always so hard?


    Young as she was, Lazulei had chosen independence. She wanted not just to live, but to thrive.


    What does it mean to be an island¡­ truly? Cira almost found out but could only ponder the matter at this point. Could she even be taken away without crumbling? If all I had to do was move a mountain or ten, would that not be a reasonable measure to take if it meant personally making sure my daughter grew up to live the life she wants¡ª


    But what she wants is to stay here¡­ Moving a mountain or two¡ªwhat would I do, return it to the aether? Let it fall into the sea?


    Paradise was one option, but the girl was clear about not wanting to leave. Cira surmised it had something to do with the sky and her place within it. Had she not felt similar pride as Fount Cira, she may have pried for curiosity¡¯s sake.


    Enchanting her daughter would not feel much different than corrupting the flesh of the commoners that she did as a young child, so turning Lazulei into something like Breeze Haven was completely off the table. There were probably ways to teleport an island if she spent the time to investigate, but it would be a purely selfish deed. Beyond that, to take her along as purely a greater spirit would mean separating her from the earth all together. Lazulei the island would be no more. Cira felt that was cruel beyond words.


    Lazulei would become like a disembodied soul no better off than those who wandered the Last Steps. I may as well return her face to the aether so that her empty shell may follow me.


    God dammit.


    Why did I do this?


    Dad? I¡¯d even take advice from a recorded projection.


    No, is it not selfish to regret my actions at her expense merely because it¡¯s overwhelming?


    Am I not the worst sorcerer who ever crossed these skies? I can¡¯t be the worst mom too.


    ¡°Mama¡­?¡± She looked up at Cira with fluttering eyelids, growing less translucent by the minute, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Shit, can she feel my feelings?


    Cira turned to Quartz expectantly, who blinked in surprise and started sputtering under the pressure.


    ¡°W-we don¡¯t have to tell anyone anything! The three of us saved this island!¡± She shouted in a fluster, ¡°Right girls?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Cira replied. ¡°That won¡¯t work. The deeper your lies, the easier they will be to uncover. I¡¯m correct in assuming your friends would be eager to visit, yes?¡±


    She looked nervous then eventually broke down, ¡°Correct¡­ Madam Silver would likely come herself. I¡¯m sorry, but¡­ There¡¯s nothing known to Lady Nimara which would dissuade her when she wants to take action. I hear she even goes toe to toe against the entire Third Order.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense.¡± Io spoke, cutting into the emotional catfight in the making, ¡°As powerful as this petulant witch may be, I¡¯m sure she is equally as arrogant. Have I not heard you refer to her as some manner of adjutant? The very title implies there is someone above her, at least to some degree. Whether she answers to a king or is merely bound by the collective yet fleeting whims of the people, such a person must be embroiled in politics. Is she willing to sacrifice her station for something like this? Remarkable as it is, I¡¯m not so sure. Those who have lived for a very long time do not readily abandon everything. Even if she discovered Lazulei, would this discovery be more valuable to her than all she spent centuries building in these skies?¡±


    Quartz was startled and shook like a leaf upon being addressed directly by Io, but after a few moments she looked into the distance. ¡°Hmm¡­ You bring up some good points. Truth is, I don¡¯t know how old she is or how great her attachment to these skies may be. She was my teacher as a young girl almost three-hundred years ago, but records of her within the Mystic Skies are blatantly scrubbed clean. The Gandeux is not nearly old enough to know of times before that either.¡±


    ¡°In your personal opinion based on all your experience¡­¡± Io leveled with her, ¡°Do you think this island would pique her interest?¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°If Lazulei didn¡¯t contain the element of earth, I wouldn¡¯t be so sure, but the Silver Witch once slaughtered the Haluron family in an evening, one of the Great Decadin of the Gandeux, for their rights over the island on which a silver well exists. Stories go that the name Haluron was stricken from libraries across multiple skies in a matter of months. Not even I had ever heard the name until Madam Silver mentioned it to me over tea one morning. I don¡¯t know what pull she holds, but she¡¯s one of the few paragons that could easily make a move on Porta Bora. Honestly¡­ I wouldn¡¯t put it past her to harvest¡ªer, I mean come looking for a spirit¡¯s gift in order to take action in lieu of her involvement in politics. There would be no sacrifice. I see no downsides for her in this situation.¡±


    ¡°Shit¡­¡± Cira clenched her fists. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for more enemies.¡±


    Nanri¡­ Why is your mother so cruel? No¡­ selfish? Is it greed? Whatever the deal is with the Silver Witch, I can¡¯t tread lightly. If I care for my daughter, I have to really think this over.


    ¡°Dear niece of mine.¡± Uncle Io held a shit eating grin that would even make Jimbo jealous of its effortless projection of snark, ¡°Let me give you a piece of advice from one who spent a thousand years pondering. She will arrive¡­ Or at least she will try. There is nothing you can do to stop that. Those you care about¡ªyour daughter¡ªregardless of if she finds value in it, this witch will come looking. This is to your advantage as you can predict it assuredly. Make her look like a fool. Don¡¯t wait for her to renounce herself or haphazardly try to force her into such a situation. Give her everything she wants. You have already caught her in your net.¡±


    While Cira scrunched her forehead trying to figure out the complex wisdom this old man offered, Quartz alone seemed to widen her eyes in awe.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s it!¡± She shouted before shrinking down under Io¡¯s grin.


    ¡°Please¡­¡± Cira spoke, ¡°Continue.¡±


    ¡°Lazulei¡­ She¡¯s the island right¡­?¡± Though she initially sounded confident, the subject matter caused her to pause and look to Cira for confirmation. After a thoughtful nod from both her and Lazulei, she kept fleshing out her thought process, ¡°Well¡­ I can hardly understand what happened here myself. How in the world could I explain it to my master? The fact is¡­ You have given birth to a greater spirit.¡± Cira winced, ¡°These are things spoken of in legend. I do not doubt Madam Silver has encountered them since they¡¯re real, so¡­ She will surely treat it as she does any other discovery. Even if it takes a week or thirty years, she will reach her goal. You need to allow her to reach it.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Mana flared up as the sky grew brighter again and Quartz tensed up, waving her hands violently.


    ¡°No, no! It¡¯s not what you think! You know she is coming, but the goal she desires rests in your hands.¡±


    Cira suddenly covered her mouth, her eyebrows raising in realization. ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re right!¡± The witch further shrank as Cira grabbed her shoulder with a bright smile, leaving Lazulei to be dragged along by the sleeve. ¡°Do you know what this means?!¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡± The witch turned pale, ¡°N-no¡­ I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    ¡°Nanri¡¯s stupid mom doesn¡¯t even know what¡¯s happening here! She sent Quartz to this place without a clue in the world. You three will tell them all about what you saw, but¡­¡± Cira grew a sinister smile as a laugh died in her throat, ¡°That hag dare treat her own daughter like a hapless lamb then come for my own to satisfy her greed for power? Thank you, Io, Quartz, Little Mudrock, and Shale¡­ It seems my code was lacking in depth.¡±


    The three witches shuddered. Lazulei with sparkling, yet uncertain eyes hid behind Cira¡¯s robes again, but Zuzarel backed off upon realizing the primal fear she felt was due to none other than Cira.


    ¡°It appears my resolve has been insufficient lately.¡± The Auld Sprig appeared in Cira¡¯s right hand. ¡°Silver Witch¡­ Nimara, was your name?


    ¡°Come. do not falter. Let not uncertainty nor centuries of scruples prevent you from attaining your prize.¡± Black smoke wisped into the sky overtaking the dark streams of storm from below. As if building on them, it seemed a sinister cloud of imminence blotted out the sun.


    ¡°A prize you will find, upon this island of mine. A single star shines in these eyes, yet you are not satisfied? While another arises, upon her life would you contrive?¡±


    A cage of dark smoke which somehow glimmered formed around the island like magic circles intwined within themselves, and the three witches stared in awe, despite the shaking of their legs. Even Io could not help but make a disgusted face.


    ¡°Aether¡­ I don¡¯t have time for your ways.¡± The orichalcum staff appeared from the ground and even Cira struggled against its weight. ¡°I am extracting a present for the Silver Witch.¡±


    Just like the three crags of Paradise, a pylon of stone appeared, but with a gushing waterfall flowing from each peak. The brutal waves of earth mana forced the witches to hold their breath getting used to the pressure.


    It took a fair amount of effort and enchantment, but Cira worked it to a point where earth mana was generated consistently. She almost couldn¡¯t believe it. Perhaps its temporary nature allowed it to work so effortlessly, but Cira had effectively recreated a mana pylon in the real spatial realm.


    ¡°This monument shall become a part of her aura,¡± Cira snickered, ¡°While it shall also serve as the mark of her indignity.¡±


    Cira was out for blood, but not to such a degree that it may upset Nanri. This was her mother after all. No matter Cira¡¯s opinion and the woman¡¯s vile nature, her daughter was sure to have deep feelings toward her.


    That hag¡­ You will find what you¡¯re looking for¡ªat least you will think so. This monument will grant you the power over earth you wanted, and all of that which you don¡¯t. You won¡¯t even know it belongs to me until the day we meet. Please¡­ I urge you to make the trip.


    Cira was neither encanting nor declaring any longer. Simply stewing in anticipation of days to come.


    ¡°Quartz.¡± She said in a stern tone. ¡°Nothing changes, but you will tell those above you that Lazulei emerged from this monument in the center of the island. The rest of the truth is yours to relay.¡±


    ¡°Is¡­ is that all you ask of me?¡± She blinked, sharing confused glances with the younger witches.


    ¡°Well, no¡­ Truth is, you¡¯ve only finished one half of the job.¡± They each rose off the ground on disks of earth, ¡°Now has come the time for you to assist Little Mudrock with her half of the bargain. Return the island below to its previous state before someone stops you¡­ and I will be satisfied.¡±


    Quartz looked at her, but there was a certain pain in her eyes. Not disappointment, or at least not outwardly. She looked deeply hurt, but it was an old pain.


    ¡°I¡­ No, we will make it so.¡± She spoke with the tone of a beaten dog, but there was a glimmer of hope.


    ¡°Quartz Witch.¡± Cira spoke, cracking a slight grin when she looked up like a scared child. ¡°You¡¯re not as bad as you make yourself seem. If you haven¡¯t lived this long in search of a new path forward, then why resist the cycle in the first place?¡±


    They flew toward the shore as Quartz was left dumbstruck, but Mudrock frantically waved her arms.


    ¡°Wait!¡± There was desperation in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ You keep calling me Little Mudrock, but¡­. I¡¯m the Mudrock Witch! Remember that!¡±


    ¡°Hah.¡± Cira chortled, ¡°Mudrock is an island, and you are but a girl.¡±


    A book appeared before Cira and attached itself to the Mudrock Witch like a magnet as they finally disappeared into the sky below.


    ¡°I think it went well this time.¡± Cira said, turning back to Zuzarel and Io, ¡°They should be fine, right?¡±


    ¡°As fine as anyone who crosses your path can hope to be, sure.¡± Io shrugged and noticed Lazulei glaring at him.


    ¡°Mama.¡± She tugged at her robe, ¡°Is he really okay?¡±


    ¡°Eh,¡± Cira shrugged back, ¡°He¡¯s alright.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you can count on them? From what I¡¯ve heard, this Earth Vein is basically your enemy, isn¡¯t it?¡± Io suddenly spoke seriously, ¡°I would not take a master of witches lightly if I were you. Witches have always been notoriously devious, even in my days. Unless she is purely satisfied with this farce of a relic, she will certainly investigate the spring. Even if she is satisfied too, if she¡¯s anything like the witches I used to know, she will turn this island inside out.¡±


    ¡°Let her try.¡± Cira only laughed. ¡°She will find that no gift comes freely.¡±

 218 - A Note From Dad

    ¡°You old coot.¡± Cira sat in her garden across Nina, watching the clouds go by as the compass in her palm refused to move, ¡°Just where the hell are you trying to send me?¡±


    Just as old Gazen had claimed, a compass sat beneath his pillow. Instead of what one would expect from a compass, the needle on this one pointed West by Northwest. Whatever this place he wanted her to find was, There was a great distance between them


    That must be why he told me to wait until I finished my current journey¡­ but how could he possibly know I was this distant? I figured it was just because he assumed I was weak, though I guess it could be both.


    Cira held in her hand an orichalcum letter opener. It weighed roughly twelve pounds. She had seen it many times on her way to raid her father¡¯s wardrobe, but never had a reason to take it until today. Irritatingly enough, she just so happened to have received a letter from her father, so it felt like a good time to slice it open with some orichalcum.


    Dear Daughter of mine,


    We haven¡¯t met yet, but if you¡¯re reading this, it appears my calculations were correct. That means¡ª


    ¡°Uhh¡­ What?¡± The breeze felt cold on her face as she started reading. Why did he know about me¡­ before he found me?


    That means there is yet hope. Your father certainly knows of my existence by now.


    ¡°Dad¡­ What do you mean?¡± Blood drained from her face, and she unconsciously grasped onto the table. As her breath grew heavy, a concerned Nina finished her cup of juice and fluttered over to Cira¡¯s shoulder. Cira folded the envelope to remake the wax seal, and it was undoubtedly Gazen¡¯s. ¡°Why are you calling that thing my father?¡±


    Her hands trembled, but she had to read this letter. It contained words yet unheard from her real father.


    Dear Daughter of mine,


    We haven¡¯t met yet, but if you¡¯re reading this, it appears my calculations were correct. That means Your father certainly knows of my existence by now.


    From your point of view, I can only assume you have passed yet another trial. And if you have made it as far as the Boreal Archipelago, it¡¯s about time clear some things up.


    You know, I wasn¡¯t much older than you the first time I stumbled upon those skies, but its beauty has always been something to behold. Make sure to visit Gindreor if you ever get the chance. There exists no better cantaloupe in these skies than that which is grown on Gindreor. Nice folk, too.


    Anyway, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re wondering why I extended a man¡¯s lifetime by a century just to deliver you a letter, right? Well, he volunteered. I only hope one day you may come to love this island as much as Old Randall did, so he may rest in peace. He was a good man, and I¡¯m sure he will be even greater in the next life.


    Now, onto the bad news¡­


    The reforging must have been a success. Otherwise, you would never be reading this letter. That means one very important thing that you need to be aware of. You have regained your father¡¯s gaze. This is in fact a moment he has been waiting for since before even I was born.


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about, Dad?!¡± The letter crumpled in Cira¡¯s clenched fist, and Nina rested a hand on her cheek in support. ¡°Why does everyone seem to know how my life is supposed to go except for me, huh? I thought you were supposed to be different! Don¡¯t you dare try to tell me¡­ Everything that¡¯s happened has been your plan?!¡±


    Cira outright refused to believe it. Her life, her journey, her trials and her ambitions weren¡¯t something to be written in stone or predetermined by another. Dad¡­ There¡¯s no way you¡¯ve been keeping this big of a secret from me¡­ right?


    She uncrumpled the letter and continued.


    Again, if you are reading this letter, it means I have succeeded. However, at this turning point you must bear a heavy heart. Many troubles weigh on your mind, yes?This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    You must not let them consume you. You must be strong now. That said, know that your father is stronger. It won¡¯t be long until he makes his first move by the time you read this letter. It won¡¯t happen tomorrow, or likely even within the year, but know that he is coming.


    I truly wish I could help you more, but I hold no power over time nor divination. The purpose of this letter is to hopefully dispel some of the misconceptions that may be dwelling in your heart. It is all I can do.


    Before returning to the Boreal Archipelago, I would like you to make one stop. From this island¡¯s spring, orient Breeze Haven to 74.65 degrees with a pitch of +15.2 degrees and ascend at a rate of .665 leagues per mile. You will arrive at an island that I think could prove to be a very enriching experience for you at this time.


    I do not know you yet, but I wish you well, my daughter.


    Until next time,


    Sorcerer Gazen


    ¡°Don¡¯t you ¡®until next time¡¯ me!¡± Cira threw the letter into the ground and stormed off inside the house, leaving Nina to pick it up and stuff it back in the envelope. She cradled it in both arms and followed Cira through a window. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you!¡±


    Sitting back down at the dining table in a grumbling rage, her pantry flew open as some leftover beef made it to the stove. Herbs flew around like bats. Her stress was high.


    ¡°My journey is my own¡­ So why do you insist on sticking your hands in it!¡± Her fist clenched and Nina landed back on her shoulder, patting her face.


    ¡°Friend¡­ It¡¯s okay.¡± Her void-like eyes expressed at least a modicum of concern. It was heartwarming, but Cira was in an incredibly foul mood.


    ¡°Is everything I¡¯ve ever known a lie?¡± She pled desperately, ¡°I thought I was past that! All those people I mangled and murdered before I knew how to even lace my shoes, was it not enough? Now even Dad is trying to twist my life around?!¡±


    She felt like she was being dramatic, but the fact remained that he kept something as serious as foretelling her birth and adoption a secret from her. She felt like her entire life was just one prophecy or another.


    ¡°Should I even go to Porta Bora anymore¡­?¡± Cira slumped back in her chair and contemplated conjuring a large glass of ale when Nina occupied the space it would, hands on her hips with a serious look on her featureless face.


    ¡°You. Choose.¡±


    It sounded like a demand, but Cira understood the emotions Nina was trying to convey.


    ¡°You¡¯re right¡­ I chose to go to Porta Bora. Not because my Dad told me too, but because some old man at the trading post who sold me ten pounds of beef mentioned it and I thought it would be nice to see the city¡­¡± A cutlet of meat rose from the stove and sliced itself into four perfectly seasoned steaks on the table. Cira picked one up with her bare hands and took a bite, ¡°Could my father¡¯s prophecy be any better than that stupid demon¡¯s or those lunatics of the Final Sky? I can only assume it is, but that changes nothing¡­ right?¡±


    Cira laughed now, slapping the steak back down on its plate, ¡°If anything, I should be thankful the prophecies will all converge in the same place so I can crush them at once.¡±


    Nina was splashed in au jus, perched upon one of the steaks and nibbling away at it by the handful.


    ¡°Still¡­¡± The contents of the letter didn¡¯t exactly make her happy. Ill feelings she never thought she would feel since he disappeared dwelled in Cira¡¯s heart. Despite it all, those feelings felt childish. ¡°Why would he do this¡­?¡±


    She didn¡¯t have any of the information¡ªthat was what most infuriated Cira about it. Even if there was a semi-reasonable explanation for her life conforming to her dad¡¯s calculations, what was she to do with this knowledge for lack of context? Even giving him the benefit of the doubt implied doubt was cast from somewhere deep down.


    Dammit, Dad¡­ ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You really suck sometimes¡­ you know that¡­?¡±


    Cira finished her meal in silence with Nina and tried to calm down. She had already started flying towards the top of the Noose, but anxiety welled in her chest.


    ¡°Dammit, Dad¡­ You¡¯re gonna wait.¡± Cira loved her Dad more than anyone, but she was not particularly happy with him. ¡°I have a letter of my own to send.¡±


    ___


    There were quite a few bare islands and those with weak springs along the Dead Belt. There was only one of note with a lush forest that seemed like people were actually living on it, but Cira simply wasn¡¯t in the mood when she passed by it.


    It felt like a violation of her sorcerer¡¯s code to not at least check if anyone needed help, but getting out of bed was perhaps the greatest feat she could accomplish that day. Anything more felt like something beyond the realm of whatever caliber sorcerer she was.


    ¡°Nina, have I ever told you of the sorcerer¡¯s burden?¡± She whined, using her own arms as a pillow on the table in the garden, watching clouds crawl across the sky through a filter of orange poppies.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Was her only reply, and the little nymph fluttered around the garden to find something to do.


    Cira was in something of a rut, and while she was glad to have Nina around, the nymph could only deal with a moping sorcerer for so long. ¡°But there¡¯s more to it, I swear¡ª¡± Cira¡¯s words were cut off as a light pierced through the clouds even before the sun had started going down.


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± She tried to inspect it, but the light was too far away. ¡°What do you think that is?¡±


    Nina wasn¡¯t even around.


    This was the second day since departing from the island of Lazulei, and Cira hadn¡¯t made a single stop. She hadn¡¯t even checked for worms. She kept telling herself, ¡°I have so much mana already!¡±


    Alchemy didn¡¯t feel necessary, so she only went downstairs to sleep. Sometimes she didn¡¯t even feel like going that far, resulting in a quick nap under the sun or moon.


    ___


    When she awoke, the light was much brighter. In fact, she could see a figure through the clouds.


    ¡°What in the world¡­?¡± Cira got up and walked to the fence, casting her spatial net. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ another lighthouse!¡±


    She had only just awoken, so she was very excited until she remembered the loneliness encroaching upon her like the crushing tides of a sea which never saw the sun¡ª


    Nina bopped her on the forehead.


    ¡°Right¡­ I need to get dressed up.¡± Cira had been wallowing for days, and it only now occurred to her that she would definitely have to meet people and talk to them. There was something about donning the black coat of Empress Dreadheart that made the prospect at least a little bit easier. The hat, too.


    Breeze Haven was hidden in a cloud, so it could stay where it was. Cira alone floated toward the light. Rather, Cirina Dreadheart was intent on beginning the next phase of her Boreal journey. It was time to make her move.

 219 - Half if Dead

    Cira emerged from the clouds into a clear patch withholding a single, small island. The lighthouse was taller than the whole island was wide, and the entire shore was surrounded by ships. Some bore unfamiliar merchant symbols, while others were unmarked. One notably was painted with Earth Vein¡¯s mountainous island insignia.


    No less than three heads turned as Cira exited the clouds, and she could tell they possessed auras stronger than most of her mages, but these ones didn¡¯t look like witches, curiously enough. They each widened their eyes and turned away at the sight. Apparently, a strange woman appearing from the sky was not common. Typically, the women arrived by ship, rather than flying, it would seem.


    More of a crowd seemed to take notice as she got closer, and a couple even stumbled back as she landed. The bricks which paved the landing cracked beneath her feet, but instantly mended themselves. She was basically surrounded by strange looking men and skeevy merchants. Not one of them looked like so much as a sorcerer, and some didn¡¯t even look like they had business anywhere. Yet they all looked at her like some kind of strange animal.


    ¡°What?¡± Cira shouted, as the heavy black captain¡¯s hat kept the sun off her face and her dark coat covered half of the sword at her waist. ¡°I need a guide. The pay is a single mithril coin.¡±


    There was a sudden uproar, and contrary to Cira¡¯s expectations, the crowd thickened rather than dispersed for lack of expertise.


    ¡°Me, I¡¯m the one you want!¡±


    ¡°No, me!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a merchant, Jackass! You¡¯re not even from these skies.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah?!¡± The merchant threw a mean right hook and knocked him out, then turned back to Cira, ¡°It¡¯s me you want. I know all about this place¡ª¡±


    ¡°Idiot.¡± A man in robes, but not those of a sorcerer, spoke, ¡°You will never impress our guest with such violent means. Can you not tell we are but lizards basking upon a hot stone in her eyes?¡±


    Wait¡­ what?


    ¡°Oh please,¡± A woman spoke, cutting through the crowd with a formal looking dress, ¡°Your muscles and brains are full of mush. The guide this young lady needs is far more beautiful and sophisticated than you dolts.¡±


    As the woman with ashen blonde hair looped her arm through Cira¡¯s, the sorcerer had one thought. You know, it¡¯s awful convenient when they take the initiative¡­ I don¡¯t think a sweaty old man could pull off the same maneuver though. Should I pay this woman?


    ¡°Well¡­ I guess it couldn¡¯t hurt¡ª¡± The woman¡¯s eyes sparkled as Cira spoke, then someone threw themselves to the ground trying to bust out of the gathered crowd.


    ¡°Stop! All of you!¡± A staff with some red catalyst dangling from the end clattered to the ground as she pushed herself off her knees and grabbed it. ¡°Just what is going on here?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Cira eyed the girl up and down. She too had blonde hair, but there were dark streaks along with gold and almost platinum throughout it. For a moment, she was entranced by the way it reminded her of the cosmos on a hazy night. ¡°You might be just who I¡¯m looking for.¡±


    Realizing that a very particular person in full pirate gear emanating more mana than anyone on the island was standing in the center of all the commotion, the girl craned her neck up to look at Cira and suddenly stumbled back.


    ¡°Who¡­ who are you?¡± It looked like she was about to cry.


    ¡°I need to send some letters.¡± Breaking out of the ashen haired girl¡¯s embrace, Cira ignored the new one¡¯s question, ¡°Can you help me with that?¡±


    Many among the crowd looked ready to defend themselves in case a fight broke out over being chosen as her guide, but now they groaned and turned away. One man threw his cap on the ground and cursed the gods.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± The girl was a little startled by the crowd¡¯s bizarre reaction as she had just arrived, but seemed to grow nervous under Cira¡¯s gaze. ¡°Y-yes, we can do that here. Do you already have the letters written?¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°No.¡± Cira had plenty of time to do so over the last few days, but couldn¡¯t think of exactly what to say. She also just didn¡¯t feel up to it. Things like these were better decided on the spot. As the jaws of fate closed in around her, Cira was intent on proving that she could come up with greater machinations on the spot.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± She looked back at the lighthouse than urged Cira toward her, ¡°Why don¡¯t we head inside?¡±


    The bright young woman led Cira inside where it was remarkably busy. There were multiple counters for gods-know what and each one was fighting off a line. Along the walls were benches full of people just lounging about, seemingly waiting for something or just taking a load off. Some read books or had a meal before them. The two had to push past a small group just to get inside.


    Almost no one was dressed the same, and most of them were armed in some way, be it staff, sword or bow. Even a few guns, but not as many as the pirates kept on hand. Cira had two hidden in her coat, but didn¡¯t expect to use them.


    Everyone present looked ready to take off into the sky at a moment¡¯s notice with mismatched leather clothes and heavy coats. It was easily the busiest trading post or equivalent Cira had ever seen. Just considering the different types of people made this lighthouse seem like some kind of nexus.


    Their chatter was constant, but for some reason started to slow down, replaced with whispers and anxious footsteps. Before Cira even realized it, most everyone in this lobby was staring at her, watching her next move. Even the counters had slowed to a crawl.


    Geez¡­ I know I look like a degenerate in this pirate getup, but I didn¡¯t realize it would be this bad. They can¡¯t be too uncommon. These guys didn¡¯t even see me fly in¡­


    Cira¡¯s words trailed off as she came face to face with¡­ herself.


    ¡°Hold on a moment.¡± Cira called out to the girl leading her as she approached a pillar with various posters hung on it. Each one contained a drawing of a single person and the word ¡®WANTED¡¯ at the top. The one in question, however, had a portrait of her in her Dreadheart coat, saber in one hand and pistol in the other, putting on a vicious face, as if in the heat of battle.


    ¡®Eternal Pirate Empress¡¯ Serena Dreadheart


    Threat level: Dragon


    Reward: 25,000 gold crowns. Half if dead.


    They can¡¯t even spell my name right? I guess that¡¯s for the best¡­ But someone could become very wealthy from killing me¡ªdoubly so for capturing me. I daresay it would be no easy feat. Cira peeled it off the column and conjured a mirror in her offhand, striking different faces and comparing herself to the drawing. They really didn¡¯t do a bad job here.


    ¡°Can I buy this?¡± The girl blanched at her question. ¡°I want to hang it in my room.¡±


    ¡°I-I guess so¡­¡± Cira flicked a mithril coin into the air and when the girl caught it, she gasped. For some reason, she seemed overtaken with fear, stuffing it into her pocket as the surrounding murmurs grew. ¡°What is the meaning of this?!¡±


    She asked frantically, but Cira shrugged it off, ¡°What does ¡®Threat level: Dragon¡¯ mean?¡± She rolled the poster up and it disappeared. Most others were portraits of pretty scary looking dudes. Mostly pirates with a couple exceptions who looked like mages. Common threat levels she noticed were ¡®bandit¡¯, ¡®brigand¡¯, or ¡®caster¡¯. Their bounties ranged from a few hundred silver crowns to a thousand gold at most.


    One poster stuck out to her with the silhouette of an old man in robes with a pointed beard clearly depicted.


    ¡®Merlin X¡¯


    Threat level unconfirmed.


    Reward: 10,000 gold crowns, dead or alive.


    What a stupid name, Cira thought. The bounty was impressive, whoever he was. She could only hope there weren¡¯t any unsuspecting old men who struck a similar shape.


    The entire room was noticeably on edge as Cira sauntered in admiring the bounties. It was quiet enough that everyone could hear this conversation.


    ¡°It means that the threat on that bounty is equivalent to the average dragon¡­¡± This girl was really fighting to get answers out. Cira wanted to tell her it was okay, but at this point couldn¡¯t compromise the tension she had accidentally garnered.


    ¡°And how big of a threat do people in these skies consider the average dragon?¡± She thought it was a reasonable question. Since most people here were armed and there were even witches and mages up above, a dragon might not be that big of a deal, especially if they have enough to consider an ¡®average dragon¡¯.


    But the crowd only grew more restless, and the girl looked at her with a hopeless glint in her eyes, ¡°It¡¯s a living calamity that could crush a chain of islands if it wanted to. The entirety of the enforcers would struggle to subdue one and they say only the oldest witches could stand against them as equals.¡±


    Cira was interested to learn that ancient witches were supposed to possess the same strength as dragons. The two members of the High Coven she had met seemed sorely lacking despite their age, but it would be impossible to mistake them for dragons. Does this mean the Adjutant is someone I should really worry about?


    ¡°Interesting¡­¡± She drifted into thought as the girl led her through the crowd on the other side of the room, who conveniently parted, ¡°Er, my desk is right here if you would¡­¡±


    She walked around the counter and started rifling through a drawer. Cira watched her depress some strange artifact on the underside of her desk, and it sent mana somewhere distant, but she was more curious than anything.


    ¡°We better get this done quickly then.¡± Cira smiled, inadvertently striking fear into the young woman¡¯s heart. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°M-my name¡­?¡± She stammered, blood draining from her face yet again, ¡°It¡¯s Kindrel¡­ I am a lighthouse keeper here. And yours¡ªI mean, from whom shall I address these letters? I also need to know the recipient.¡±


    Cira smirked, ¡°The first one is going to the Silver Witch, but it is actually a message from a friend.¡±

 220 - To Whom It May Concern

    Kindrel¡¯s hands shook as a quill paused along the envelope. ¡°You wish to send a letter to¡­ the Silver Witch?¡± The girl glanced up briefly and saw Cira¡¯s amused grin and quickly turned her eyes back down.


    ¡°No, no. My friend does.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ and would you like me to pen the letter for your friend?¡± She looked up nervously. It seemed common practice and she had paper ready, so Cira didn¡¯t see any reason to refuse.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Despite her prompt answer, the girl looked like her life flashed before her eyes. Still, she managed to bring the quill to paper.


    ¡°Whenever you¡¯re ready¡­¡± It was such a sad sight, that Cira couldn¡¯t just not say anything.


    ¡°Oh please, lighten up! You¡¯re making me nervous. My temper is nowhere near as short as my friend¡¯s. I¡¯m just trying to send some mail and be on my way.¡± Despite Cira¡¯s historically winning smile, the girl seemed even more anxious. ¡°Oh, fine¡­ Here it is:¡±


    ___


    ¡°Madam Witch!¡± One of my servants burst through the door of the parlour with an envelope cradled carefully in her hands. After Quartz¡¯ ridiculous report, I was left with no choice but to see what was going on myself, so I did not appreciate being interrupted on my way out the door, ¡°There¡¯s an urgent letter for you¡ªit¡¯s from the Hidden Witch!¡±


    ¡°Impossible¡­¡± What now?! ¡°Give it here.¡±


    Dear Nimara,


    I hope you enjoy the pittance I left behind. If your mastery over earth is so drab that you find value in my leftovers, then it can only warm my heart to see it put to use.


    In the spirit of exchanging wisdom, I have found myself quite curious about your silver well. I think I will go have a look.


    Can¡¯t wait to see you,


    The Hidden Witch


    ¡°Wh-what?!¡± Oliander¡¯s face turned to shock at my outburst. She had rarely seen me so caught off guard, so I had to rein it in. ¡°Where did you get this?¡±


    ¡°It¡­ just arrived at the door. An official messenger from the Regulatory Council brought it.¡± She cowered as my rage subconsciously built. ¡°Apparently¡­ Each family head of the Gandeux received a letter from that Pirate Empress Dreadheart as well¡­¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Dammit¡ªare they finally making their move?! Why now? ¡°Have you seen it?¡±


    ¡°N-no, Mistress. I have not.¡± Oliander shrunk back, but I couldn¡¯t bother to pay attention to her. This handwriting seemed neat and uniform, and there was no mana in the ink. It seemed like a standard letter one could find anywhere. As if to address her concerns, Oliander continued, ¡°Apparently Captain Dreadheart appeared at the Dead Belt¡¯s lighthouse earlier today. She made quite a commotion and narrowly avoided being captured by Hale¡¯s regulator troupe. Nearly a hundred merchants, travelers and the lighthouse keeper herself were witness, so I can confirm her appearance.¡±


    ¡°Dammit¡­¡± This is bad. I can¡¯t pass up this chance to harvest an earth spirit¡¯s blessing, but¡­ I can¡¯t exactly ignore this either. ¡°Oliander, I¡¯m going out.¡±


    ___


    Kindrel the lighthouse keeper and everyone else in the room shuddered at the contents of the letter Cira spoke across the desk. She didn¡¯t care to hide anything and was actually in a great mood to see the spectacle her appearance had become.


    All this pomp was just enough to take her mind off her dad¡¯s stupid letter. The artifact beneath Kindrel¡¯s desk had stopped emitting mana, but there was a wisp of space trying to condense upstairs. Judging by the low rate, she had time.


    ¡°I might be forgetting something,¡± Cira leaned away from the desk in feigned thought, ¡°but that¡¯s pretty much what she wanted to say.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ as this letter is from your friend, how would you like me to sign it off?¡± She chose her words carefully but overall came across as very professional.


    Cira snickered internally, ¡°Can¡¯t wait to see you. From ¡®The Hidden Witch¡¯.


    The poor girl dropped her pen, hastily picking it up. ¡°O-okay¡­ I¡¯ll send it right out.¡±


    Kindrel fidgeted nervously, not really knowing what to do with the letter as she kept glancing to the ceiling.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Cira gave her a reassuring smile, ¡°By my estimate we still have five or six minutes. Once you send this along, I will have you write out a letter from me personally.¡±


    ___


    The afternoon wore thin, and it was a day like any other. I swear, before I was promoted, I was much busier. Now I could only stare at the clock for the last half hour and wait for closing reports. Nothing ever reached my inboxes at this time. Anyone else who needed to contact me was surely staring at the clock somewhere else by now.


    The Fount Saint incident had truly wore me out, and Lomp¡¯s most recent testimonies only multiplied my worries. There was no one to get upset if I headed home a little early to finally enjoy a weekend with my family, so I figured it was about time to call it.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    Just in case I missed something when I got up for water at third chime, I glanced over my desk again. There were inboxes from each of the family heads, enchanted boxes of carved wood, stacked up on one side, then separate boxes for each of my fellow Marshalls and one of gold for the royal house. All empty. To my right was a small tower of seven more in case I got direct mail from any lighthouse within fifty miles.


    As if to mock me, the second from the bottom glowed with mana and a single envelope appeared. I considered saving it for morning, but something told me I would regret either choice here. I reached for it anyway.


    ¡°I don¡¯t recognize this seal¡­¡± Apparently whoever sent it through the lighthouse brought their own seal. It bore an insignia of a pirate¡¯s hat. ¡°What in the world¡­?¡±


    With a deep sigh, I pulled out my letter opener and sliced through the black seal.


    To Whom It May Concern,


    When I deposed the degenerate Captain Wick, it was my understanding that my territory included any island from Dolliver to the top of the Noose.


    Of course, I realize that Earth Vein may claim some stake over Fount Salt, but I do not believe this gives them the right to reap profit at the expense of innocent lives anywhere they wish. You are lucky the Hidden Witch was around to clean up their mess at the old lighthouse or I would have had to step in myself.


    We have left a peace offering to appease that pitiable silver woman, but there is something I would like all members of the Gandeux to understand. Young Nimara has expended the only chance at diplomacy I intend offer you lot.


    A wise man once said, ¡°Before the vitality of healthy roots, the rotten will naturally decay.¡±


    I wonder, who among you will defy the sky? And who will be crushed by it?


    Can¡¯t wait to see you,


    Eternal Empress of the Myriad Skies, Serena Dreadheart


    ¡°No-¡± My voice caught in his throat, ¡°No¡­ Not now¡ª¡±


    The cruel sky didn¡¯t even afford me the opportunity to process this as my door swung open.


    ¡°Hale!¡± A woman¡¯s voice roared, followed by my frazzled intern.


    ¡°Regulator, sir, I apologize! The Silver Witch has arrived!¡± She was trying her best, and I really wished I walked out before reading that letter.


    ¡°Yes¡­?¡± I tried not to let my irritation leak out. Nimara was a tricky one. Her appearance now was almost uncanny.


    Her sharp eyes glanced at the letter in my hands. It seemed she recognized it, ¡°So you got one too¡­ I think it¡¯s time we eliminate this paltry Saint¡¯s faction¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hold on.¡± My gaze narrowed, scruples pinging like alarms, ¡°What have you done?¡±


    I had never seen her so off-kilter. She was normally aggressive, but there was something desperate in her eyes. Considering the letter I just read, I couldn¡¯t clock out just yet. Sorry, Emily¡­ I¡¯ll be late for dinner.


    ¡°You should more be asking, what has the Hidden Witch done? She thinks she can just do whatever she wants in these skies¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop.¡± I eyed her carefully, and she almost seemed ready to lash out. I had to exercise caution here. The Regulatory Council technically held power over her, but there was no telling what this woman would do if cornered. I am pretty sure she¡¯s stronger than me, and I don¡¯t have any enforcers on hand today. I knew I should have kept Brindle here. Regardless, I had to steer this in the right direction. This may already have become a delicate situation. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Nimara.¡±


    This threw her off guard. I had known for years the ancient woman was a bomb waiting to go off, and in this moment, I thought I was the only thing standing between her and this great city. Dreadheart would wait for tomorrow, but this witch could not be left unattended. A deep pit in my stomach told me as much. My magic wasn¡¯t well suited for combat, but I could at least hold my own if it came down to it.


    ¡°What¡­ where?¡± Now her eyes narrowed in suspicion. Nothing got past her. There was a reason most of the Decadin feared this witch.


    ¡°To inspect the peace offering Miss Hidden Witch has left for you.¡± I got up and pushed my seat in, putting any loose documents back in their drawers and turning back to the dumbfounded witch, ¡°I will accompany you, of course. I¡¯m glad you caught me before I went home.¡±


    I really wasn¡¯t, but that was life.


    ___


    ¡°And¡­ and how would you like to sign this letter?¡± Kindrel asked, even more timidly after Cira laid out the letter she wanted to send.


    ¡°Can¡¯t wait to see you,¡± She chuckled, ¡°Eternal Empress of the Myriad Skies, Cirina Dreadheart.¡±


    Many had filed out of the lobby, but those who remained shrunk back, unable to look away. She was spoken about like a local legend made up to scare children, yet here she was at the bottom of the lighthouse, simply using their postal service.


    ¡°And¡­ who would you like to send this to?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ The Gandeux.¡± She spoke, resolutely.


    ¡°Yes, but¡­ who among them?¡±


    ¡°All of them.¡± Cira leaned in, sliding another mithril coin across the counter as she finished penning the letter. The stamp in her left hand transformed slightly and she slammed it down once the girl finished pouring a dot of wax over the seam.


    Cira watched the girl glance at the seal of a pirate hat on black wax. After a brief pause, Kindrel frantically placed the letter into a box before it disappeared into wisps of light. It was a very interesting artifact and Cira considered taking it to study, but didn¡¯t want to be rude to these people who had nothing to do with it.


    ¡°I-is there anything else?¡± Poor Kindrel shook, quill in hand.


    ¡°No, I think that will be all for today.¡± Cira noticed a spatial fluctuation in the floor directly above her, and ten mages at close to the Quartz Witch¡¯s strength appeared. They were noticeably concealing their mana, but one at the front exceeded the rest by at least double. Quite impressive, she thought. Cira wanted to see what they were made of, but a fight in such a public space would be bad. ¡°I suppose I better be going now.¡±


    A sorcerer should never exit in the same way twice, and Cira would never again exit in this manner lest she give up her identity. It was something more than an illusion, merging her undine powers with a superfluous conjuration of water drenched in darkness. For kicks, Cira added some salt she had in her pocket and shadowy waves like the dead of night crashed upon the lobby. As everyone took in the aroma of the sea, the illustrious Captain Dreadheart was already gone.


    Kindrel backed up from the counter, ankles drenched in seawater with a gasp of shock. ¡°What¡­ where did she¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s over, Dreadheart!¡± A famous enforcer Kindrel recognized burst in, staff ablazing.


    ¡°Enforcer Brindle!¡± His face turned pale as he watched black waves flow out the open front door. His feet were soaked now too, and he scanned over the terrified faces of the other patrons. There wasn¡¯t a pirate in sight.


    ¡°Where is she?!¡± He roared over the crowd, eventually settling on me.


    ¡°She just left¡­¡± If only they were faster, Kindrel lamented.


    ___


    The moment Cira returned to her garden, Nina flew up and slapped her on the forehead before crossing her arms in judgement.


    ¡°Was that too much¡­?¡± Cira couldn¡¯t restrain her giddy smile. The sorcerer she was had been in a slump, and walking in the boots of a certified pirate empress was a thrilling escape. ¡°I can¡¯t just let Nanri¡¯s mom run rampant, after all. I¡¯ve got a daughter to think about, after all.¡±


    The nymph descended to Cira¡¯s palm and continued to judge her. ¡°Stupid. Reckless.¡±


    ¡°Oh, come on¡­¡± She didn¡¯t want her good mood to dwindle, but if she thought about it deeply, she had certainly turned a stone which could not be unturned. Still, her heart thumped in her chest, Cira¡¯s blood was flowing. ¡°Aren¡¯t I allowed to throw my weight around every now and again? To hell with that demon, and I could care less about the church or some witches. Even if it¡¯s my father¡­ No one will choose my path for me.¡±

 221 - A Chosen Detour

    Ironically enough, Cira¡¯s father had chosen her next destination. She descended back to Lazulei and reoriented Breeze Haven according to his instructions. Gnashing her teeth the whole way, Cira couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the letter she received from dear old Dad.


    Until I get some answers, this is the last thing I¡¯m going to do for you. Your stupid compass can wait.


    She felt like a little girl again, sulking in rebellion among the dewy flowers of the garden. Cira had to listen to her father, and always did, but somehow this felt different. It was like the option to listen or not was stolen from her. She already intended to return to the Boreal, but to be told that¡¯s where her destiny awaited as if it was someone else¡¯s great machinations was irritating beyond belief. Any sense of volition Cira thought she had earned thus far blew away on the wind like laundry left out to dry on a stormy day.


    As much as it pained her to immediately follow her father¡¯s direction, she didn¡¯t want to return to the Boreal yet. And even more infuriatingly, her sorcerous curiosity was burning to see what may await her.


    ¡°Dammit, Dad! Fine!¡± Cira resigned herself. She leaned over the fence and watched the sky approach from the foremost point of Breeze Haven¡¯s garden as it travelled through the clouds. ¡°This better be good.¡±


    Her investigatory vacation was cut short, so Cira found no reason not to lounge in the garden for a couple days straight and stuff her face. Accomplishing nothing and catching up on sleep. It was a comfortable, cloudy daze, but all good things came to an end. Breeze Haven alerted her of an incoming obstacle directly in their path and upon pulling out her spyglass, ¡°That has to be it, right?¡±


    Nina popped over and sat on the spyglass as she pulled it from her face. Her only response was a shrug.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m no sailor but I think I know my way around the helm spire.¡± For fine-tuning, Breeze Haven could be set to a specific direction through an artifact similar to a sextant. Like Prismagora, it could still see the stars on a cloudy day. She could also pull a lift rope down from the ceiling to ascend at will, or follow the pulley to where it met the forward throttle¡¯s mechanism and lock them in place to ensure an accurate rate of ascension. ¡°I know this is it. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to wait on the ship?¡±


    Nina became airborne as Cira put the spyglass back in her pocket and then landed on her shoulder.


    Alright then. ¡°Guess we better go take a look.¡±


    Cira could see out, but from the other side it would look like she was emerging from a cloud. Today she was unsure what to expect, so went with an all-purpose set of robes that she made years ago from scrap materials rather than her father¡¯s leftover garments.


    Made of hardened leather she treated herself and steelworm silk in the flexible spots like joints. The set was tight fitting and designed to be used in physical combat if need be. While it was enchanted to allow her better affinity to the aether itself, she was able to levy the silk into giving her greater earthen authority.


    General aether had many benefits including increased efficiency and mana induction or reduced mental backlash. If she really needed to get into it, Conduit was waiting to be pulled out of a ring on her left pinky to multiply her base control tenfold.


    Cira realized recently that she was able to store her orichalcum staff in the same way as the pendant from old Io. That meant it could be called upon at any time from her soul, as could Prismagora. At least two Pillars of the Sage and numerous more of the supposed Saint could be summoned at a moment¡¯s notice. If her father decided to throw her into another trial, or if whatever he wanted to show her was overtaken or destroyed, she would be ready to react.


    This included multiple layers of barrier that protected from different phases of space, the primary elements, as well as a few more difficult to deal with auxiliary elements. Next, she did her best to emulate a thin sheet of void outside of it all just to see how it went, hoping to turn something like it into a barrier in the future.


    There were countless caves through which to enter this porous egg of an island, and no matter which Cira cast her vision through, they consistently branched off into even more countless paths. Without pulling a drastic move, she was going to have to suck it up and explore the old-fashioned way.


    ¡°Then we will begin on the surface and work our way down.¡± Cira looked to Nina who offered only a wink. In seconds, she had landed at the top and counted over forty different holes she could jump down. Worst case, she could travel through solid earth, but for now it was best to find the one through which the most mana was flowing.


    Nina¡¯s face turned as serious as it could, and a pitch-black sorcerer¡¯s hat manifested on her head.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Nina.¡± Cira let Prismagora enter her hands because it was best attuned to obtuse sorceries. Without the courage to wield Atlas again quite yet, this was her best bet for wide-range spatial feats. ¡°Let¡¯s wrap this job up neatly and move on with our journey.¡±


    Crawling the tunnels with her mind was too slow no matter how she cut it. To perform proper large-scale perception magic, Cira needed a very specific set of conditions. She would not know such fine details as how the earth broke up into tunnels large enough to fly a boat through or too small for a mouse to escape, but she could see a general portrayal of what she desired over the entire area if she attuned her sorcery just right.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    Prismagora flashed a black and white light reminiscent of the extremes of anything that could fill any given space, strobing at lightspeed or not at all depending on what Cira had determined to be potential energy and the observer¡¯s effect.


    Now she saw the whole island. It really was shaped like an egg, but she may as well have been looking at a paper cutout at this scale.


    Life. Where is it?


    There was at least depth, and now Cira could tell that there were indeed many sprinklings of life mana throughout this island. It didn¡¯t feel quite human, but almost identical.


    There were even leftover traces through the tunnel she jumped down, and somewhere close to the bottom, there was a mass so dense she almost thought it was a single creature. However, it appeared to be some kind of underground community in a large, open chamber of the island¡¯s interior.


    Let¡¯s see¡­ what¡¯s the fastest way I can get there? Despite the fact that she only searched for life, water stood out as well. This revealed a spring almost dead-center of the island just below the surface, and it fell through a direct chasm to the sky below. Hardly a few streams caught enough water to travel more than a single level through this tall island, and there was only one which retained water within a lake.


    Just adjacent to the chasm, it appeared the city was built upon this lake, near the bottom of the island.


    ¡°Nina¡­ you were within Aquon for a while, weren¡¯t you? Why don¡¯t you sit tight in there for a while.¡±


    The nymph seemed to know what she meant, and returned to the cerulean gem that appeared before them both. With it hovering ahead, Cira quickly melded through the walls until she reached a chasm so dark only a single spot of light poked through directly below.


    The spring chasm, she called it.


    ¡°Hang on, Nina.¡±


    Cira turned into water and began her rapid decent, becoming one with the waterfall as the gem of Aquon trailed close behind.


    On second thought¡­ there were so many instances of life I neglected to count them, but¡­ That¡¯s a lot. Why would Dad send me to some underground city? I didn¡¯t sense any particularly great sources of mana, but there is something peculiar about this all¡ª


    Cira¡¯s thoughts were cut off as a waterfall glanced across a near-flat spillway that protruded into some kind of residential district.


    Becoming herself again with a blue gem on one shoulder and a sorcerous nymph on the other, Cira looked across the slate on which she found herself bathing in the mist of broken waterfalls. To either side there was something that looked like pedestrian pathways, so Cira chose the one with the fewest people¡ªto her left. Approaching, she couldn¡¯t help but inspect the people though.


    Why¡­ do they all have horns? A variety of colors, but mostly black, just like I remember¡­


    This was deeply troubling to Cira, but it seemed they were all terrified and ran away at the sight of her too, especially given the unconscious waves of mana she gave off trudging away from the waterfall.


    What the hell is this place?


    She couldn¡¯t help but cast her vision anywhere it would reach and couldn¡¯t find a single citizen without horns. Some were short like the man from Ventra, but they came in all shapes and sizes.


    Just what does this mean?!


    She was beginning to grow frantic and found herself looking upon a large city square beneath an imposing building that she could even see above the skyline with her eyes.


    ¡°There.¡± Cira knew she had to reach the tallest building. That¡¯s where the answers were. Disappearing in a swath of black lightning, the crackling stunned everyone present in the square. People screamed when they met her eyes, praying to the sky and stumbling out of the area. A particularly shrill cry to her side drew her attention and Cira locked eyes with a boy who couldn¡¯t be older than ten, horns curled toward her.


    No¡­ Why are there children here?


    Staring into her cold, green eyes, the kid started bawling and collapsed in place like a hopeless possum. When she averted her gaze, Cira realized she had thrown this city into absolute pandemonium.


    Storefronts closed their doors and shutters slammed shut. Bells rang in the distance and Cira only had one thought while frightened cries of innocent townsfolk echoed.


    This really is¡­ just a city. Why would I terrorize them so thoughtlessly?


    Children wailed in the streets, dragged away by frantic strangers out of breath and weeping. They pleaded for their loved ones and prayed to some god of yore she couldn¡¯t catch the name of.


    The wind was taken right out of her sails and she could only look around in shameful silence as the town square emptied. Trails of fear and grief sounded in the distance, and Cira heard something else approaching.


    All of a sudden there were at least a hundred more demons in heavy armor, wielding swords, spears, bows, or staves, all pointed at her. They filled up each street and alleyway she could have taken to escape while ushering powerless citizens away from her reach. Each one of them had twisted or branching horns protruding from their heads, and they all looked at Cira like she was some kind of monster.


    Wait¡­ I can explain.


    Cira had once again acted too hastily and found herself in trouble¡ªno, causing trouble¡ªwithin the blink of an eye. Nina was already looking at her when she turned, pointedly blinking with a blank expression on her face.


    ¡°What¡­¡± Cira¡¯s breath caught in her chest, ¡°Just what is this place¡ª¡±


    The air pressurizing quickly silenced her, and she felt a sinister mana coagulating near the gates to the tall building she aimed for.


    Something¡¯s coming¡­ how did I not see this before?!


    It was strong. The mana was only gaining and she could barely see the space distorting thus far. Whatever this creature was, it meant business.


    ¡°Is it you?¡± A woman¡¯s world-weary voice shook the cavern, and a blanket of silence fell in response, Cira included. ¡°Who wishes to disturb my hard-earned peace?¡±


    Cira watched her walk straight out of the aether. She had hair white like the moonlight pierced by thick black horns with a single twist that pointed forward like spears, and the look in her eyes could have killed a lesser sorcerer.


    Cira could already tell, the average witch couldn¡¯t hold a candle to this woman. Her mana ruptured over the city and people were noticeably brought to their knees. Children too preoccupied with running were brought back to tears.


    ¡°Who are you¡­?¡± Cira narrowed her gaze, staring down this powerful horned woman.


    ¡°You dare invade my home and demand answers from me?¡± That sinister power thrummed in the air, and for the first time Cira watched it form.


    A light pale blue to the point of almost being mistaken for white flowed from her back and rose to the ceiling like a peacock¡¯s plumage. If Cira didn¡¯t know any better, she would think it was casting a barrier over the entire city, while all within shimmered beneath its influence¡ªretreating citizens and soldiers alike.


    No¡­ this is definitely a barrier. I am a threat supposedly equivalent to a dragon which has suddenly appeared in the center of town. Can I blame the heaviest hitter for appearing to defend against me?


    But that pale light¡­ It¡¯s another curse. I¡¯m positive.


    ¡°Dad¡­¡± Cira swore under her breath, ¡°Just why did you send me here?¡±

 222 - Mother of Demons

    Cira had been in danger more times than she could count. Typically self-inflicted, but that didn¡¯t make a difference here. The fact was, this new demon with twisted horns set off alarm bells in her head the likes of which she hadn¡¯t heard since facing the dragon.


    Assuming it¡¯s on the same level of the dragon, I¡¯m much stronger now. Let¡¯s see how this goes¡ªwait no! I don¡¯t want to fight!


    Do I not¡­? I am in the wrong here, after all. No matter how she looked at it, an entire city full of the weak and powerless just scattered in fear at her appearance. It was not a great feeling.


    Cira was conflicted. This woman¡¯s horns were a similar black to that creature that called itself her father, and that pale light she conjured was undoubtedly a primordial curse. It was as if a thousand years of discontent radiated from her¡ªmaybe more. Cira felt she could somehow empathize with whatever this person had gone through, but it made her sick to her stomach.


    She¡¯s a demon, isn¡¯t she¡­?


    But I¡¯m clearly the bad guy here.


    The square was empty of civilians now, but even the guards were cowering before her, holding their shields and weapons up with shaky hands.


    ¡°Perhaps there¡¯s been a misunderstanding¡­¡± Cira bit her tongue. Just looking at the demon was enough to make bile rise in her throat, and she was completely on edge, largely forgetting her mana suppression.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± She was gone in the blink of an eye, and already attacking when she stepped out of the aether with an outstretched hand, like the woman had determined she could easily pierce Cira¡¯s belly with her fingernails. ¡°I can feel your malice from here.¡±


    She made an attempt on Cira¡¯s gut who almost left it to her barriers, but at the last second the sorcerer conjured a weapon she knew would hold out.


    ¡°Can you blame me?!¡± Cira roared, accidentally letting her thoughts seep out. The Auld Sprig met her piercing claws as they effortlessly passed through her shields. Contrary to expectation, this staff could only deflect the blow.


    Cira reeled at the gruesome display she expected to see. Wait¡­ This certainly should have torn through her. No one can stop¡ª


    ¡°Don¡¯t get distracted,¡± From her blind spot, the demon had appeared without warning, slicing at her back.


    ¡°Yahhh!¡± Cira jumped forward, blood pouring down her leg. Pain shot up her spine, and she stumbled upon meeting the ground again, ¡°You bi¡ª¡±


    But she didn¡¯t even have time to shout at her opponent. Narrowly avoiding her intestines pouring out again, Cira kicked her feet back and placed a protective hand over her belly.


    Why hasn¡¯t a single one of my barriers activated? She shouldn¡¯t be able to touch me.


    Cira didn¡¯t even have time to think as instincts panged in the back of her head. She rolled to the right and watched another piercing claw stab through the place her heart was supposed to be.


    ¡°I can tell by that vile weapon that you have come prepared,¡± The moon-white hair draped over her horns shook as the woman took steps toward Cira on the ground, who inadvertently backed up as the shimmering air intensified, ¡°But this will be your last mistake.¡±


    Beneath the crushing light, the last thing Cira ever expected happened¡ªthe Auld Sprig disappeared in a puff of smoke.


    No¡ªimpossible.


    Her eyes twitched, a tinge of fear fell over her. Dad¡­ Why am I here?


    Indomitable pressure radiated from this woman¡¯s hands as they were enshrouded in the pale blue light. It seemed whatever her curse was, she was going to focus it all on this final attack.


    Cira instinctually kicked against the ground, trying to gain distance from it as her untapped aura thrummed uselessly. She couldn¡¯t think of a single move to put this woman off balance, and for some reason, her will was shaken.


    ¡°No¡­ Not like this. Damn you, Dad!¡± Cira¡¯s chest depressurized as a pained shout rose to the sky. ¡°Whatever your game is, I will not fall here!¡±


    The orichalcum staff appeared in her hand and she pushed herself off the ground with it. Not back, but forward at the demon woman. She turned it in her hands, calling upon all the earth in this island to weigh against this demon like the fragment of Lazulei that almost crushed her and all the villagers out of existence. It wasn¡¯t enough to override whatever this barrier was, but it gave her the moment of control she needed.


    For some reason, her opponent¡¯s aura didn¡¯t respond, but the demon still paused just like she wanted. Cira thrust the bottom point of her orichalcum staff at the demon¡¯s neck until it rest gently, drawing but a thin stream of dark red blood.


    ¡°Tell me, demon.¡± Cira¡¯s voice was cold as aether dripped off the orichalcum, and her muscles grew tense. Bitterness dripped from her every word, ¡°Why has my father given me coordinates to your doorstep?¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Any guard with a staff fired off protective or healing magic, shouting in a panic and moving in. All their conjurations were instantly dispelled by a single wave of the demon¡¯s hand. Cira didn¡¯t sense a hint of hostility, but froze when the demon placed her hand on the orichalcum staff.


    ¡°It has been a very long time. Hasn¡¯t it, my love?¡± She looked not at Cira, but at the staff. Somehow also through it to a distant place or time. After a short moment of deep confusion, her eyes landed on Cira¡¯s. ¡°You¡¯re Gazen¡¯s daughter, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Normally she would become flustered, but overall happy to have met another connection to her father, but today it really didn¡¯t feel like what she wanted to hear. Especially not from the mouth of a true demon. Her mood soured, showing blatantly on her face.


    ¡°Of course, you know him¡­¡± Her hands shook, drawing more blood without even noticing. ¡°Then you must know the answer to my question.¡±


    Why am I even here? Cira lamented, having heard herself ask that question far too often lately.


    ¡°Do you mind¡­ Withdrawing your weapon?¡± She had ignored the staff¡¯s point, but it was orichalcum. It cut through flesh with as little resistance as a blade through air at high altitudes. ¡°And I shall also rescind my guard.¡±


    Cira had mixed feelings.


    ¡°You¡¯re related to that creature¡­ aren¡¯t you?¡± There was no way to contain the poison spilling from her lips, and she prepared to cast healing in spite of herself without removing the staff from the demon¡¯s throat.


    ¡°And like you,¡± Cira couldn¡¯t help but notice the sad look in her eyes, ¡°I am also among the few survivors of his cruelty.¡±


    What¡­?


    ¡°What the hell¡­¡± She felt her staff hand grow weak, and it fell away, ¡°¡­are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I understand how you must feel.¡± The sharp and unmistakable intent to kill on this woman¡¯s voice had faded while Cira wasn¡¯t looking, and she found herself being spoken to like a child. It only made her feel worse as the orichalcum nearly fell from her hand. ¡°You see us as no different from that monster who robbed you of the life you were meant to live¡ªno, he tried. I am happy to see my darling refused to let him have his way in the end.¡±


    ¡°Stop¡ª¡± Cira dropped the staff, letting it return to her soul. Her hands shook, and she found herself stumbling back. The woman didn¡¯t move, only looking at her with such concerned eyes framed between two dastardly horns. He anticipated me for so long that even this¡­ this demon knows about me?! Why, Dad?! Just what are you after?! ¡°Don¡¯t say another word.¡±


    Cira felt her aura about to bubble over in rage, then the pale light shimmered again, washing calm over her mind.


    No¡­ This is all wrong. Didn¡¯t he save me so that I could walk my own path? Why must everyone expect me? I don¡¯t want to be a part of some prophecy! Just let me be free!


    ¡°Oh, dear¡­¡± The demon took a step toward her with relaxed shoulders, a sign that she had already given up the fight. Cira didn¡¯t want her to come any closer, though she didn¡¯t have any fight left in her either. She could only take steps back as her chest grew heavy, considering the best way to disappear. ¡°There¡¯s no need to cry, child¡­ Please¡­ Can you find it in your heart to hear me out?¡±


    The demon stopped in place and put her hands at her side in a show of being unarmed. Cira could only shake like a leaf, unsure of how to react. Suddenly a hundred scornful gazes bore down on her before the demon waved them away with a single gesture.


    Why am I here¡ª


    Suddenly the demon moved, and Cira was too slow to react. Before the air even rustled, black horns filled her vision, and the woman had thrown her arms around Cira.


    ¡°Wh-what¡­?¡±


    The aether continuously settled down¡ªthere was no malice in the air, and Cira was completely disarmed by the unwarranted show of empathy. The demon¡¯s arms were warm and brought comfort reminiscent to a summer day in the garden as they wrapped around her.


    ¡°No, stop¡ª¡± Cira choked up. Her mind, body, and aura were firing at full capacity, burning up the aether, but somehow slowed down through the spontaneous embrace.


    ¡°It must have been so hard¡­¡± Her familiar voice now trickled with worry and understanding as she pulled away, further causing Cira to melt in a slew of emotions. She unconsciously reached forward, looking up at the demon with unfounded frailty.


    ¡°Why¡­ am I even here?¡± Warm liquid trailed from her eyes, and Cira knew instinctually it wasn¡¯t water. Her voice increased in pitch, ¡°Why have I come all this way?!¡±


    She didn¡¯t expect sympathy from the demon, but found much more as she watched her eyes twinkle in reminiscence.


    ¡°Oh¡­ Oh, dear.¡± She pulled Cira in again and held her tight. Against all survival instincts the sorcerer had accumulated thus far, she relaxed her muscles and fell into the demon¡¯s arms. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I know what it feels like to be caught on a stray breeze¡­ But against all odds, you have preserved not only your life, but your humanity until this day, have you not?¡±


    Cira could feel her bitter smile. For some reason, it seemed like this demon was speaking from experience.


    What right does she have¡­ to talk about humanity?


    Cira couldn¡¯t voice her concerns. The most she could muster was keeping her shameful sobbing to a reasonable volume. This went on for quite a few minutes as the guards had almost completely vacated, and eventually it was just Cira and the demon. She had slowly come to her senses as emotions subsided, and found herself in the arms of a genuine primordial demon¡ªher greatest enemy. With a flash of lucidity, Cira pushed herself away.


    ¡°You¡­ Who are you?¡± She meant to sound threatening, but her face was confused and hurt.


    ¡°Please relax¡­ These days, most call me Connie.¡± The demon chuckled, taking a couple steps back to give Cira some space.


    Every bone in her body wanted to turn this into a fight. Memories of those distorted figures Cira crafted by hand as a little girl flooded her mind, and rage threatened to flush her mind, but there was something about this woman¡¯s nervous smile that quelled the storm.


    Why does she look like she¡¯s¡­ seeking approval? I don¡¯t doubt she¡¯s my equal in combat, but I can¡¯t imagine why a leader of her people who attempted to destroy me would suddenly comfort me and bite her nails to hear my opinion. Who the hell is this woman?


    The primordial demon Connie must have noticed the gears turning in Cira¡¯s head and continued before she could get too far.


    ¡°I could have been your mother, you know.¡± Connie chuckled again, demolishing any semblance of control Cira thought she had over the conversation with a single sentence. Stratagems be damned, What the hell is she talking about?! She only continued to laugh into her hand, ¡°Oh relax¡­ Gazen asked me to come with him, but¡­¡± the demon¡¯s eyes scanned over the city, flushed in the dim light of the glowing crystal ceiling. ¡°I couldn¡¯t abandon them. My kin¡­ It is no lie that I am of the same origin as the man who first raised you, but it is a mistake to think that we are one in the same. Have you ever heard of the primordial genocide?¡±


    Cira blanched. That string of words put together was cause for concern. Without further ado, she conjured a table of crystal and poured them each a glass of spring water.


    ¡°I think a spider mentioned it once.¡± Trying and failing to calm her nerves, Cira knit her trembling hands together. ¡°Go on.¡±

 223 - The Primordial Genocide

    This girl¡­ Just the look in her eyes¡ªI can tell she is Gazen¡¯s daughter. It doesn¡¯t matter if the blood within her veins originated from my forlorn, though I can sense his mana swirling within her soul. Regardless, this girl he intended to rescue is even more impressive than he expected.


    ¡°I think I also heard the term spoken once, from a very old man.¡± My Sage¡¯s daughter kept her guard up as she sat in her own chair. I had seen many a fool impaled from sitting in a conjured chair, but the impression I got was that this girl truly wanted to talk now. The fight left her body as if returned to the aether.


    The least I could do was make her feel comfortable enough to speak. I sat down across from her and even took a sip of water. It tasted astronomically better than the poor spring this island on the outskirts produced.


    ¡°I once had many brothers and sisters, believe it or not.¡± The girl¡¯s eyes widened. It seemed she had at least some inkling of what we were. ¡°There were actually many more like the one you so despise. You¡¯ve encountered a few such powers, right? If I¡¯m not mistaken¡­ you even have one of your own.¡±


    That dried branch she conjured was deeply saturated in a mana more sinister than any I had ever felt in my long life. It was not easy, but I knew I had to disarm her of it if we were to reach an understanding. Any longer, and she may have even turned me into her next power.


    I tried to choose my words carefully, but the girl narrowed her eyes at me again, ¡°Chrysalis¡­ I am still figuring out what it means, but it brought the second greatest sorcerer I have ever known to the point of death. My own power¡ªno, that bastard¡¯s power that I¡¯ve been stuck with¡­ you know something about it, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Curiously enough, this girl seemed to have an ability to speak into the soul like greater spirits did inherently. I could feel her emotions leaking through every now and again. I didn¡¯t know anything about her power, but there was actually something I could share after having her rest beneath my light until now.


    ¡°There is one mistake you are making,¡± I let a grin creep onto my lips, ¡°That¡­ bastard who Gazen took you from holds an entirely different power. I wish I could tell you more, but¡­ I know nothing of your own. All I can discern is that it is just that¡ªyour own.¡±


    ¡°Then tell me about his.¡± As soon as something important drifted about, this girl straightened her back and left no room for misinterpretation. ¡°What power allowed him to use me to his own ends¡­ and just who the hell is this bastard who would dare call himself my father?¡±


    At the death of the Age of Yore, we so-called ¡®demons¡¯ came to be. I could speak all day of our origin, but it was clear she wasn¡¯t here for that.


    ¡°Before names could ever be given, that monster was known by one word: causality. It represents his domain over this world. Every action he takes causes a landslide of reactions across the sky. Sometimes large, sometimes small. Near, or ever further. Over time he learned how to manipulate this power to attain desired results, essentially predicting and directing time itself.¡±


    The girl seemed speechless, naturally. Bright blonde hair hung over the girl¡¯s face as her gaze grew distant, but suddenly, she turned serious. Looking me in the eyes, she burned with resolve.


    ¡°Causality, huh? Recently that I finally reached my potential¡­ that I would always be in his grasp.¡± A defiant fire burned in her eyes, ¡°If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would say my curse sounds like causality as well, but you claim it¡¯s different¡­?¡± A fearless laugh bubbled up from Gazen¡¯s daughter, ¡°I think I understand now. My own power is something he has always hoped for. His greatest work¡­ is in my hands. That can only mean I have the upper hand.¡±


    Something about her smile made me laugh, but she didn¡¯t seem any less wary, ¡°Can I please¡­ ask your name, daughter of Gazen?¡±If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Call me Cira.¡± She chuckled, ¡°Now I think you were telling me a story.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ Causality did not care for his kin. But by killing us¡­ he found a way to collect our powers. All at once, nearly every one of us across these vast skies fell into his hands. The only way to save my people was to go into hiding as soon as I could, but I hardly survived that day myself.¡± I looked into Cira¡¯s attentive yet nervous eyes, and almost thought of sparing her from this next part, ¡°The only way to save my people was to go into hiding. You see¡­ I do not believe he could use the powers of our kin himself, but by supplanting them upon another soul¡­ that much was evidently within his ability.¡±


    A long silence ensued as the girl turned pale.


    ___


    What is this demon saying¡­?


    ¡°What do you mean¡­ supplanting them upon another soul?¡± Cira¡¯s mouth dried out and she felt a heat well up in her chest. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡±


    The demon looked at Cira with a knowing gaze, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ but it¡¯s true.¡±


    No¡­ I refuse to¡ª ¡°If what you say is true¡­ why don¡¯t I have horns, like you?!¡± Cira was grasping at straws here. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t I know if I were a¡ª¡±


    But she couldn¡¯t finish her sentence.


    There¡¯s no way I could be a primordial demon¡­ I¡¯m hardly twenty years old. That¡¯s not primordial at all.


    ¡°Cira¡­¡± Connie¡¯s heavy eyes didn¡¯t falter, ¡°us ¡®demons¡¯ are often known as the laws of this world. Whether in life or long after death, we are a part of it. What your¡ªwhat the demon Causality wanted to do was use our remains to create a new law. One unconstrained by fate.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ but¡ª¡± Cira regretted ever coming here, ¡°That can¡¯t be right¡­ aren¡¯t I¡­ aren¡¯t I human at all?¡±


    There was a brief, but noticeable silence before the demon continued, ¡°Cira¡­ I¡¯m sorry. You probably don¡¯t carry much of your mother¡¯s blood any longer. Especially if Gazen was right about the reforging¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop. I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡± Cira couldn¡¯t take any more. Her vile demonic heart threatened to stop if she heard another word about her cursed origin and predicted destiny. ¡°How can everything he ever told me¡­ be a lie? He said¡ªhe said my actions make me human!¡±


    ¡°And they do.¡± The demon offered a pained smile, ¡°Don¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Cira felt tears well up in her eyes again, ¡°I can¡¯t do this anymore.¡±


    The demon¡¯s eyes widened as the aether seemed to swell up. All of a sudden, Cira was once again in that golden cloudscape, laying in the grass of her garden.


    Breeze Haven¡­?


    Just what is this place?


    Nowhere felt less dangerous or more comfortable than right here, and Breeze Haven wasn¡¯t going to give her an answer anyway.


    I guess I¡¯ll just lay here for a while.


    Cira must have taken a nap because when she awoke, the sky was far less golden. The clouds were mostly white, and she recognized the familiar spatial plane she called home.


    How strange¡­ was it a dream?


    She felt mana pulsing from her waist and reached into a pouch. From it Cira withdrew out a pendant far less extravagant than the one Io gave her, and realized it was the one Eliza left in her care to track down their base.


    It appears I¡¯m not far.


    ¡°I guess the Boreal will have to wait even longer, Dad.¡± Cira tried not to think about how he also probably expected her to make her way here as well, ¡°Let¡¯s see what your old friends have to say about all this prophecy nonsense¡­ On second thought, hopefully nothing.¡±


    Part of her regretted leaving before finding out more about that demon and the primordial genocide, but she was in the mood to experience the future. The past wasn¡¯t going anywhere.


    Let¡¯s see¡­ The sky is clear, and at this rate I should arrive by tomorrow morning¡ªish. Did I wake up too early? Well, I could go for some dinner. Nina was asleep on the table for some reason, so Cira grilled up some eel from the other day and settled into a book while the sun still showed, but something kept nagging at the back of her mind.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help but think¡­ I¡¯m forgetting something very important.¡± While the eel had good flavor, it was unnervingly chewy. Cira had become surprisingly busy ever since that rock fell, so she tried to reflect on the recent past¡ªignoring the parts she didn¡¯t want to think about for now. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing to do with Paradise, and I¡¯m pretty sure my business with the witches is concluded for now. Just what could it be¡­?¡±


    In the last few bites, she felt a bone prick her cheek. It used to gross her out, but after eating so much fish in the dead skies year after year, not so much. Cira used the bone as a toothpick and tossed it back onto her plate, officially putting the eel behind her.


    ¡°Hang on¡­¡± Cira and the fish bone had an intense staring contest for a moment until a Lamplight went off in her head. ¡°The ancient evil!¡±


    In a panic, Cira knocked her chair over stumbling to her feet. The ruckus woke Nina up with a start. She blinked her beady eyes in confusion and followed the hasty sorcerer down the stairs. Swearing and cursing her own forgetfulness or perhaps her abnormal sense of priorities, Cira slammed her palm against the treasury door.

 224 - The Skeleton Queen

    Just a little mana was enough to transport Cira inside the treasury and her knees nearly buckled as the stench of death rattled her core. She was face to face with the largest humanoid skeleton she had ever met and the block of stone she extracted nearly stretched wall to wall. After turning herself into a pseudo-Kuja to burn the death away, she realized her life mana would need to be several times denser to do any more than make her feel better.


    Luckily, the so-called pestilence had not penetrated her treasury¡¯s defenses, but the pressure was worse than at the bottom of that island. It was mildly concerning, but she did not think it outside the realm of possibility that it could be attributed to being within a smaller space before reaching a seal.


    Cira was just glad that the skeleton had not awoken in her absence. She meant to check on it the day she met Little Mudrock and completely forgot. Still, there was no need to panic at this point. Cira conjured a chair and took a good hard look at her new champion.


    ¡°Just what are you¡­?¡± The goliaths didn¡¯t have skeletons, so it couldn¡¯t be that. Not to mention, the crown of horns on its head. ¡°Mr. Skelton said there was nothing left¡­ It¡¯s only a remnant. I don¡¯t feel a curse, but could this be a demon¡¯s corpse?¡±


    Something about that just didn¡¯t feel right. She wasn¡¯t getting a very demonic impression¡ªif anything, the opposite. These bones were immaculate and the waves of death dripping off it were purer then, well, any form of mana she had every felt. There was no other way to explain it. This dreadful skeleton held an undoubtably perfect quality that Cira couldn¡¯t put her finger on.


    ¡°Whatever shall I name you, oh great skeleton?¡± There was no trace of intelligence behind its empty eye sockets, but Cira stared into them anyway. It truly did have a regal countenance for something without skin, she admired. ¡°Pestilence¡­ Maybe Lenny? Short for Leonard. No¡­ That won¡¯t do. Perhaps Stile? I think I met a butler by that name once.¡±


    As convenient as a skeletal butler sounded, this was perhaps not the best specimen to make one out of. ¡°Pesti? No, that¡¯s not a name. Pesto? Pesto. Hm¡­ I like it, but it just makes me hungry for ingredients I don¡¯t possess. I know there¡¯s something here, I just know it.¡±


    Cira wanted to consult Nina, but she wasn¡¯t allowed in the treasury for now. It was too dangerous. This was a challenge she would have to see through on her own.


    ¡°Penny!¡± Cira dropped a fist into her palm, ¡°Who says you have to be the skeleton king? I daresay you could be the skeleton queen! I can¡¯t see enough through that glimmering crystal prison to confirm but the skull and shoulders lack any distinguishing characteristics I may expect in humans anyway.¡±


    It is said that many beings, once reaching a certain peak of power, are liable to reproduce independently or attain a form which completely forgoes the ability or necessity to reproduce in pursuit of ever-greater heights of existence. It could be this was one such creature which evolved far beyond its natural form. That would explain the sense of perfection she felt. Quite possibly this skeleton was arduously refined to that point, but she would never know¡ªnot yet at least.


    That only begged the question, how did it die?


    ¡°Of course. The sorcerous law of immortality.¡± Cira knew this was only one possibility, but it fit. ¡°There is no such thing. Thus, all must die. The greater the life, the greater the death, I suppose.¡±


    This would also explain why being near this remnant was so strenuous, but in the end, she was never one to waste excessive time on speculation.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like Penny, though. It¡¯s not regal at all.¡± She told the skeleton, ¡°How about¡­ Esther? That might work. Yeah, so if I take ¡®pestilence¡¯ and really draw it out like nobles do¡­ You will henceforth be known as the Skeleton Queen Esther Ellinois Petalia de Ciel.¡±


    The treasury shook as the faintest glimmer of white sparked in the empty eyes for a brief second. So quickly, Cira could almost write it off as a trick of the mind were she not shivering. She could hear her heartbeat and feel each wave of blood as it pulsed through her neck. Letting out a breath, Cira flexed her aura back and desperately choked in whatever air she could.


    ¡°My¡­ that is concerning.¡± The skeleton was as dead as ever. Seemingly nothing had changed about it, but the pressure in the treasury had gone down significantly. Instead of disappearing, the death began to condense inward until nearly all of it was contained within just the block of stone and eventually inside the skeleton queen herself. ¡°But god damn do I love a good name. Really rolls off the tongue.¡±


    She dusted her hands together and leaned back in pride. That was one ancient evil sealed up, and Cira could relax until the time came to further necromance her.


    ¡°No, no¡­ I should probably research the crystal first¡ªtry to produce some more if possible.¡± In the light of her treasury, it almost looked like amber. She would need to dive into the forbidden archive and perform extensive tests to figure it out, but that could wait. ¡°Alrighty, Esther. Sweet dreams. I¡¯ll seeya later.¡±


    Cira appeared again outside her treasury and with one look, Nina scrunched up her face and fluttered away through the ceiling. Feeling mildly offended, Cira stopped to take a bath before heading upstairs. The sun dried her hair as the wind caressed her cheek. Nina was off somewhere, so Cira threw her feet up on the table and let out a relaxed sigh. She could finally focus on that book she found earlier.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see. ¡¯Common Classifications of Birds Found in Tropical, Low-Altitude Climates¡¯¡­ Why did they waste time transcribing this?¡± Cira wanted an easy read, but it was painfully slow. Whoever wrote it really loved birds. That much was certain. The sorcerer herself thought she did too but wasn¡¯t so sure anymore after just a couple chapters.


    Before she knew it, Cira was counting gulls on the horizon. This was a pleasant way to kill time until a sky-shattering noise shook her awake. The shrill sound and made her ears ring. Shards of light rained down on Breeze Haven from above, and Cira felt multiple sources of mana appear in an instant.


    What is this? An attack?! She watched the light fall like pieces of a broken eggshell. Did someone¡¯s barrier break? I don¡¯t understand. But someone is coming.


    Cira was out of her seat in an instant, throwing the book about birds down without a second thought. Whatever staves first came to mind appeared and started charging, while even Breeze Haven prepared to reflect magic.


    First to arrive was an old man she didn¡¯t recognize who wore an expression she couldn¡¯t read. Multiple other mages popped out of nowhere, staves blazing with all different elements. Some of their auras could almost compete with hers, but it was clear by how little mana they let escape that they were skilled at controlling their power.


    Taking on this many at once would not necessarily be difficult from within Breeze Haven¡¯s barrier, and Cira was confident she could force a retreat or allow for one of her own, but complete victory would be difficult. For one, she couldn¡¯t get a read on the first old man who appeared. Something about his countenance reminded him of her father, but his aura was completely hidden.


    I swear if that old man turns out to be his brother or something, someone¡¯s getting the shit slapped out of them. Sorry, Old Man. Perhaps this is what we call fate.


    Hang on, that¡¯s right. Does this mean I¡¯ve found the Third Order? Where am I?


    The shards of light had fallen and dissipated by now, and there were easily ten mages, while a bunch of weaker ones more like her crew populated the clouds behind them. Okay¡­ There¡¯s literally hundreds of mages standing off with me right now. Did I do something wrong? I thought they were expecting me?


    ¡°So, she¡¯s a traitor, after all!¡± A young-looking woman appeared next, bright blue eyes sizzling with rage and betrayal.


    ¡°Excuse me, who are you calling a traitor?¡± If anything, Cira was the one being betrayed. ¡°Did you draw me in simply to ambush me?¡±


    Prismagora appeared at the top of Breeze Haven¡¯s barrier and cast a sun to repel the night. In its light, Cira laid eyes on some kind of island strewn together with chunks of earth on rails and gears like something of an orrery. With a massive ring of what seemed like some kind of mithril alloy as the main component, this bizarre island was no more than a mile across, but had a few different layers to it. She felt some sort of spatial array on the underside of the ring, but multiple points where it was compressed throughout the island.


    What is this place¡­? The absurdity before her eyes almost detracted from the sense of anger she felt at being ambushed. I should have known they wouldn¡¯t let the deritium go that easily.


    Cira found great resistance in establishing her domain over the island, so she took the light of distant stars twinkling in the night sky and countless tears of mana fell from above. This kind of mechanized island was a prime candidate for her orichalcum staff¡¯s influence too, so she let it come out and shake the earth.


    Some noticed its appearance and switched all their attention to combatting its flow of mana but found themselves feebly sweating.


    This entire island is an artifact, huh? How interesting. A spatial array beneath the main ring keeps it aloft, but mana seems to focus in the center. If this artifact were a planetarium, the islet in the center would be the sun, and that¡¯s where the mana well is. Completely self-sufficient and it seems they even get a little extra. For something much larger than Breeze Haven, it¡¯s not bad I Guess.


    Many of the mages were panicking now, and the ones in the back had their spells uselessly diffuse in the air. Cira kept waiting for the old man to make his move, but he only watched the struggle build. If she didn¡¯t know any better, she would say his expressionless face seemed amused.


    Finally, someone she recognized appeared. The heavyset mage named Roman who didn¡¯t seem capable of dying. He was shortly followed by a striking young woman with bright red hair and a confused grin on her face.


    ¡°Eliza!¡± Cira shouted, ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡±


    She looked around, then up at the sun and down at the progressively glowing island. All her mages were making frantic, futile efforts to break through Gazen¡¯s barrier while taking their own reflected magic in the face. Eliza covered her mouth and started cackling, ¡°I would like to know as much myself! But I¡¯m glad to see you finally made it. Now, you could have contacted us through the pendant once you reached the barrier, you know¡­¡±


    She looked up at Cira with a knowing grin.


    Hang on just a minute¡­ There was a shattering barrier when I woke up, but¡­ wouldn¡¯t Breeze Haven have stopped when it got there? Her eyes went wide and the tips of her ears turned red as she tried to hide her embarrassment. The realization of what she had done finally hit her.


    Did I¡­ sleep right through their barrier? I guess Breeze Haven does have a little less mana than earlier¡­


    Prismagora returned and stuck itself in the lawn, reabsorbing the sun from above and all the fallen starlight. Similarly, the mages were released from battling the weight of the world as it slowly overtook their island. The orichalcum found a spot on her other side, stabbed into the lawn as well. Conduit stopped shining and Shadow Quill reappeared from the old man¡¯s shadow, making its way back as he chuckled.


    Seriously, who is this guy?


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry!¡± Cira bit her lip and tried not to look most of the mages in the eye, ¡°I fell asleep!¡±


    ¡°Ahaha!¡± The old man suddenly appeared just outside the edge of the barrier, right in front of Cira, and let out a boisterous laugh. All but Eliza and Roman were still freaking out like they were under siege. ¡°I wondered what the child of Gazen was going to be like, but you may be even more of a handful than he was!¡± The tension left Cira¡¯s shoulders. She knew there wasn¡¯t going to be a fight any longer and let herself take a deep breath. ¡°Let me introduce myself. I am the one who presides over the Third Order of the Lost Archive, High Arbiter Fitzgeralt Strom. You must be Cira, right?¡±


    The man held out his hand to shake, directly through Breeze Haven¡¯s barrier with no resistance.

 225 - Pureblood Legacy

    Cira smirked as the old man¡¯s outstretched hand was slowly pushed back out of the barrier, ¡°I guess he never removed your permissions.¡± Cira realized there were probably a few others like him, so she had to stay vigilant. Regardless, this was a surefire way to show Cira that this person was once well-trusted by her father.


    He only laughed at being repelled, ¡°And in case Breeze Haven fell into the wrong hands, I removed its ability to pass our barrier.¡± As he floated back, Cira met him and Eliza outside in a flash of lightning.


    ¡°Some good that did.¡± The redhaired mage Eliza laughed. It seemed pointed at the old man.


    ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡± He stroked his beard in fond reminiscence, ¡°That Gazen always had a knack for barriers.¡±


    Cira nodded along with a proud grin, but inwardly she clenched a fist. Damn you, Dad. Stop being impressive for a damn minute so I can be mad at you. Which proved remarkably difficult. Cira could think of no prouder achievement than constructing a barrier so safe that even Lazulei could one day sleep peacefully within it while a collision demolished someone else¡¯s barrier a hundred times larger.


    Damn you, Dad.


    ¡°I must admit,¡± A smooth voice surprised Cira and she turned to find a young man with bright golden hair constantly fluttering up as if charged with energy, gliding his hand along Breeze Haven¡¯s barrier. ¡°This is truly a marvel. Do you mind if I study it?¡±


    His tone was gentle and kind, and while she didn¡¯t notice anything off about this guy aside from the raging mana coursing through him at all times, there was something about his ease that put her off.


    ¡°So long as it is from the outside, I will allow it on one condition.¡± Cira knew an opportunity when she saw one, ¡°You must report to me in detail if you find any potential weaknesses and give me a thorough summary of any notable findings once you are done.¡±


    ¡°Wh¡ªokay¡­ If those are your terms.¡± He turned to face her with an eyebrow raised. This man¡­ he could compete against my harem in a beauty contest. And he¡¯s easily ten times as ripped. You could grate nutmeg on those abs. More importantly, why does he have as much mana as me constantly flowing through him? Does he even store any? ¡°Then I humbly accept.¡±


    He took his hands off the barrier and gave Cira a slight bow.


    ¡°Oh, and one more thing.¡± He got a funny look on his face, but Cira was too curious. ¡°You have to tell me what¡¯s going on with your mana.¡±


    This got a surprised laugh out of him, ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure myself, but I have no qualms discussing it. As for the rest,¡± He struck an odd pose with one hand on his heart and another too the sky, ¡°I, Rilihad the Third, swear beneath the sky to report my findings as requested.¡±


    Apparently, it was a thing to take this pose and stare into the sun when taking an oath. Cira thought he was being a little too serious but couldn¡¯t complain about the show of sincerity.


    If that¡¯s really what he wants, ¡°You heard him, right, oh Incomprehensible One?¡± Cira let Prismagora do the work and the two were shrouded in holy light, forming a chain between them which faded quickly. The look on Rilihad¡¯s face said he could still feel the bond, however. ¡°Oath humbly accepted.¡±


    ¡°W-what have you done?!¡± He stumbled back grasping his chest. Evidently, some others didn¡¯t take kindly to this and a few of the heavy hitters started powering up again, ¡°Release this spell, immediately!¡±


    Most of them looked remarkably young, and each had a fierce look in their eyes. Eliza and the old man seemed amused, so Cira was confused as to why they weren¡¯t saying anything. Aside from one girl who hid in the back, this group was ready to strike. Javelins of aether flame, an encroaching cage of molten metal, and an adorable display of light magic all surrounded her in an instant. The aether thrummed with pressure.


    Do those two want me to make an impression? I really hate things like that. I didn¡¯t mean to force a man into an oath via his own foolishness. He started it!


    ¡°There is no spell to undo,¡± Cira replied matter of factly, ¡°You¡¯ll have to complete your studies.¡±


    It was clear that the others didn¡¯t think much of her by the way they approached and formed their various sorceries. They may have thought she was just a little girl with some neat trinkets. She did boast about them, after all.


    I see. Then let me dismiss my staves. They were still stuck in the lawn behind her, but now they disappeared along with the floating Conduit. This is something I must do with my bare hands.


    The only one she was really worried about was Rilihad. His mana was insane, but he was preoccupied trying to cycle the oath out. That told her something about his constitution. He could not be defeated in a battle of attrition, but the rate at which he could induct mana scaled with whatever the hell he had going on. It required physical and mental effort for him to cycle mana faster, but it was always a consistent flow, in and through.


    Okay, he¡¯s not just a walking mana well. But I have to deal with these people first.


    Inspiration came from a woman with stark white hair¡ªthe one casting the light magic. She formed thousands of needles, condensing light in a similar way to the barrier Cira cast over the island below. Especially under the morning sun, Cira was sure she had enough power to return it all to the aether.


    Not quite a barrier, but like a bubble of condensed light burst, all the incoming fire javelins and needles of light dispersed. The molten cage never stood a chance, let alone the cloud of stone bullets. Sharp vines withered to dust and any attempt at dark projectiles wisped away like a dream.


    Not bad. It was sort of like an intentionally failed barrier, but the effects spoke for themselves. While the mages were momentarily stunned, Cira knew this was not the time to rest.


    Rilihad approached, muscles flexed to the point veins were bulging through his skin like worms. Faster than mere eyes could trace, he was before her with a fist cocked back, aether crackling around his fist.


    Luckily, Cira knew he would, and was watching very intently with Spatial Sight. If he had some weird martial arts, she would have been in real trouble. But this person was imposing as all hell¡ªsurging with power and manifesting himself to punch people into oblivion as needed. He went for a standard left hook, throwing his whole body into it.Stolen story; please report.


    And Cira was already moving before he appeared, twisting her body around at speeds that was sure to give her a tummy ache later, but just barely enough for the fist to miss. Still, Cira would have to patch her robes. Her belly button was exposed like a wild beast had taken a swipe at her.


    ¡°You bastard.¡± I can¡¯t pull my punches with him. I don¡¯t even know what this silk he ruined is called! I only have so much! ¡°Sorcerous Punch!¡±


    Her hand was already within inches of his head. She planned on putting him to sleep, but this option was more appealing. All she had to do was form a fist and follow through.


    Cira¡¯s robes rippled as the air ruptured and Rilihad disappeared with a sonic boom that could be heard repeating in the distance. The mages attempting to reform their attacks were all given pause as they looked at Cira with shock, doing double-takes from her to where the man once was.


    ¡°Is that enough, old man?¡± Cira gave a pointed glance to the High Arbiter.


    He laughed, diffusing his mages¡¯ attacks at once, ¡°Quite. It would appear my first mark arbiters still have much to learn if they can be defeated so easily by a single girl.¡±


    A bead of sweat fell from Cira¡¯s face. That Rilihad guy was no joke¡ª


    The aether shook and Cira saw a fist inches from her face. Her eyes went wide as she braced herself for the punch that never came.


    ¡°It¡¯s over, Rilihad.¡± Fitzgeralt wore a casual smile. Cira was sure he was the one who stopped the attack, but he didn¡¯t move a muscle. ¡°If you did not want to swear an oath, you probably should not have done so in the first place, though I commend your sincerity.¡±


    The group of powerful mages surrounded her, still not completely willing to drop their mana. They stared at her with caution, and Cira picked another face out of the crowd.


    ¡°Ah, Roman.¡± She smiled, ¡°How is Kristof?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you how I am!¡± A young man appeared through space with a shining crystal spear, a vicious look on his face. As he stabbed the point toward Cira¡¯s chest, it shattered against an invisible barrier, causing an explosion of light, ¡°Ahhh!!!!¡±


    His cries disappeared as he fell through the sky as well, having been repelled with equal force. I admit, the force was not insignificant. Maybe next time, Kristof.


    Roman gave her a pained smile in return, ¡°You could say he¡¯s bitter of late¡­ Just got back from Kyrnsbad.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t say¡­¡± I can see a rapscallion like him landing himself in the Sorcerous Gaol. ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask him what it¡¯s like.


    ¡°Ahem,¡± Fitzgeralt drew everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Shall we head inside? This is hardly the place for proper greetings.¡±


    Cira looked around to see the confused army of mages in the sky, and more than a few key players that didn¡¯t look happy to see her. The spectacle Fitzgeralt placed in her lap did not help. In particular, there was a vengeful looking old woman with gray hair in a shawl, giving her a stink-eye that must transcend time itself. The next who caught Cira¡¯s eye was a corpulent fellow in pompous velvet clothes, tight to his skin like he was supposed to be some kind of hot air balloon.


    On the other hand, there was a woman who looked far too eager to see her. The white haired one that inspired her before in a revealing dress of vibrant red like fresh blood in the snow. She gave Cira a suggestive wink like Ember used to do, then a subtle wave.


    ¡°Right¡­ This island sure is an interesting artifact. I would love to learn more about it.¡± Cira couldn¡¯t figure out the purpose, but each islet bound to their tracks revolved slowly around the center over time. It reminded her of the planetarium her father took her to as a child. ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    With a wave of Fitzgeralt¡¯s hand, most of the army disappeared¡ªliterally vanished¡ªand the small group of twelve or so nearby followed the old man. Cira flew between Roman and Eliza as they approached a building close to the center, but almost at the highest level.


    This place really is amazing. There are so many little islands. Most had a patch of buildings on their surface, or a single one, but others were bare or covered in foliage. Better yet, some were clearly gardens. A gentle clicking of gears could be heard from beneath each one, and they either rose to the top on a tilted ring of track or followed the path down at the end of the loop. Only a few lay on the flat outer ring.


    The group landed in front of a wide building made of solid stone, and grand doors swung open to reveal a single, large chamber. Lights from the ceiling illuminated what could only be a room meant for meetings. Three layers of seating in a circle with a few handfuls of higher seats above, and of course, an extra high one for the High Arbiter.


    The center rotunda was open, and it was almost like a stage. Everyone seemed to know where their spot was, but Cira felt uncertain about taking one of the raised seats, as they were likely designated. Below didn¡¯t work either, as it would have hurt her neck to look up the whole time she was being introduced, and she only saw one way to not be pressured to the stage.


    Now, her chair-related sorcery had grown leaps and bounds lately, but flying around in them just made her look awkward. In times like these, Cira conjured a little golden cloud behind her and hopped up. Reinforced with condensed space, this cloud could support her easily while being softer than a mattress. They were only golden when she wanted them imbued with warming light, and it was incredibly cozy. After many years of spellcraft development¡ªor lazing about depending on how one looked at it, Cira sat upon the most comfortable seat in the sky.


    Satisfied enough, she floated over to the space between Eliza and her Dad¡¯s friend Fitzgeralt, splitting the difference in height so she could speak to either of them if she needed to.


    ¡°Why¡ªthe gall!¡± A long-eared man with skin overtaken in freckles shouted in astonishment. He had not been present during the ambush, and now there was noticeably double the number of mages as before. A few were much closer to Eliza¡¯s level in terms of perceivable aura. ¡°Are we even sure this is Lord Gazen¡¯s daughter?¡±


    She was pissed for a moment, despite her current troubles, but hearing him call Dad ¡®Lord Gazen¡¯ just diffused it for some reason. Still, Cira could not stay silent. She stood up, although she was standing on air. Just for kicks, the cloud behind her crackled with void lightning.


    ¡°Would you like to find out too?¡± The Second Pillar of the Sage manifested in all its orichalcum glory. The polished stone room shook only a little bit because Cira held it in. Still, the man was visibly pressed into his seat under the pressure as it was mainly directed at him. ¡°Or shall I keep pulling out his old trinkets until you believe me?¡±


    A seat over from Eliza was a young (looking) woman that Cira recognized from before. She spoke up seemingly in support, ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s his staff!¡± Cira was wary, but this girl didn¡¯t seem suspicious at all. ¡°I recognize it from Mudrock.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Cira¡¯s mana faltered as she found herself flabbergasted, ¡°Why do you know about¡­ Mudrock?¡±


    She smiled with a grin like she had attained the upperhand, ¡°That¡¯s where he found me.¡±


    What¡­? Just what is that supposed to mean¡ª


    As if sensing tumult sweeping Cira¡¯s attention away, Fitzgeralt clapped his hands once. Instead of the sound one would expect, it was like banging a drum that shook the very air. He did not hold back like Cira had, ¡°There will be plenty of time for personal conversations later. This is an honorary induction and orientation for Cira, Daughter of the Far Lord Gazen.¡±


    Far Lord requires its own conversation, but I can¡¯t just ignore this, ¡°What do you mean induction? I didn¡¯t sign anything.¡±


    Cira crossed her arms and looked between him and the amused Eliza.


    There was chatter Cira didn¡¯t feel like casting sorcery to hear, but Fitzgeralt quickly silenced it, ¡°Worry not. The position bears no responsibility, and you do not even need to consider yourself a member. Regardless, you are child to the High Arbiter of the Second order. This status makes you a Pureblood Legacy within these halls, like it or not. By my good name, you will not come to harm upon this island of Icarus. If not a second home, consider this place a safe haven whenever you need it. You are welcome to all facilities beneath my authority, and if need be, you may petition my arbiters to assist you with your own matters presuming my approval.¡±


    Well¡­ I already have a safe haven. It¡¯s even in the name. However, this man¡¯s words are spoken from a place of kindness. I can tell how much respect for my father he had¡ª


    Dammit¡­ I¡¯m still mad at him.


    ¡°There¡¯s just one thing I need to know.¡± Cira relaxed back on her cloud and knit her fingers, peering up at the High Arbiter from a cloudy pillow. Her cold tone did not match her comfort level, ¡°Did my father tell you to expect me?¡±

 226 - The Dragon Awakens

    Cira¡¯s concerns apparently did not resonate with the surrounding arbiters. While she dwelled on Breeze haven¡¯s comfort and her dad¡¯s deception, one man in particular spoke with his own concerns, the one in bulbous velvet.


    ¡°She clearly doesn¡¯t share blood with the man, and you would give her authority over us?¡± The corpulent one was irate, and Cira could feel her anger bubbling up.


    I always knew my father didn¡¯t give birth to me¡­ But what does it matter to this chump? His aura is hardly any stronger than Kristof¡¯s.


    Cira put a palm on the cloud and was in the process of standing up again when a flash of light appeared before the man. Eliza was there with an open palm swirling with mana. It left an afterimage as it swung from her side and collided with the man¡¯s face before Cira could even get a word out.


    ¡°Sorry everyone,¡± Eliza returned to her original seat as the round man collapsed. ¡°I saw a bug.¡±


    She only spared Cira a short glance, but she suddenly felt the need to hide a laugh. Just as Cira thought the meeting could start, that old lady from before stood up from her seat.


    ¡°I object!¡± Is she serious¡­? Her decrepit voice seemed to carry through the hall. Strangely enough, everyone stood quiet for her. I guess she does have enough mana. ¡°She must be tested! I will not allow her stand beside us otherwise.¡±


    Despite her best efforts, Cira was getting a little irritated, ¡°Are you saying you wish to challenge me? I don¡¯t care what tests you want me to pass, but can you shut up for ten minutes? You people are impossible.¡±


    It may have been that she didn¡¯t get a good night¡¯s rest after waking up under the shattered barrier, but this lady just wouldn¡¯t quit.


    ¡°Wh-How dare you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Fitzgeralt clapped again. ¡°Do not make me repeat myself. My decisions are final. Gudilare, if you have issues to take up with Cira, I expect you to do it on your own time. But do not forget my words.¡±


    Well, that seems fair. No one wants to cross this man. So long as I can at least see her bothers coming, I¡¯d actually feel much better about it.


    ¡°In any case.¡± Cira thought she would diffuse the tension. ¡°I heard there is a library¡­¡±


    ¡°There is indeed.¡± He nodded at Eliza, ¡°But I have no doubt there are other things about this island you hold interest in. Better to get it out of the way first, no?¡±


    ¡­


    This guy knows how it is. If their library is as impressive as I¡¯ve heard, who knows how long I can spend in there.


    ¡°I will be your guide,¡± Eliza spoke up with a grin, ¡°But first I ask you give the room a formal introduction. For arbiters this typically involves stating your name and your general background, then reason for joining the Order¡ªthough you may as well forgo that last part.¡±


    Formal introduction, hm? I suppose I can do that. Despite the damage to my robes, I did just do my hair a few hours before I went to sleep. I¡¯m pretty sure I look well put together. Alright then.


    ¡°Very well.¡± Cira pushed herself up so she was standing on the cloud and pinched her violet silk robes into a faint curtsy. She was not overly concerned with most of these people and found no reason to keep secrets, ¡°I am Cirrus, but I would appreciate if you referred to me as Cira. My father told me our family name was not to be spoken frivolously, so I will not provide it to those who do not know. My background, let¡¯s see¡­ Before the Myriad Sage Gazen found me, I was first raised by the primordial demon of Causality who I shall one day destroy. As for reasons to seek out your order, I intend to read plenty of books until I have to move on and hopefully procure rare alchemical ingredients. That should do, yes?¡±


    Cira glanced up at Fitzgeralt again and he nodded with another clap, silencing the crowd of arbiters, ¡°How harrowing¡­ I had no idea the child Gazen spoke of would bear such heavy origin¡­¡± While he was lost in thought, Cira¡¯s own mind drifted.


    That was a lot to share, but I kept all the bad parts out. I have no reason to hide my own truth. To hell with these old mages. Unfortunately, there was another commotion among the arbiters. Many called her a liar, and others looked at her like some kind of monster. There were scarce few who held pure curiosity. Eliza was among them.


    ¡°I must say, that truly was unexpected¡­ you realize he is the one who¡­¡±


    Cira picked up where she trailed off, ¡°Indeed. I do not know if he is my birth father or if that person is dead, but I have recently learned that the demon who first raised me was indeed responsible for the primordial genocide, which is also something I learned of, well... quite recently.¡± I can¡¯t exactly say I learned it the other day or they¡¯ll scour the sky for those demons¡­


    How curious it is that I care¡­


    ¡°That is likely the extents of how much I am willing to share, so don¡¯t bother asking further.¡± Cira continued, looking over the shocked arbiters.


    As they met Cira¡¯s gaze, nobody seemed to want to speak up. Many of them were scared, looking at her like she would a demon. It didn¡¯t feel great, but that was life. Just when the silence went on long enough that Cira thought the meeting would be adjourned, a trace of mana bubbled center stage, coagulating like blood.


    ¡°I was wondering how long it would take you to arrive,¡± Fitgeralt¡¯s voice boomed, breaking the silence, ¡°Count Uriel.¡±


    Cira watched a man form from the floating pool of blood. Lofty blond hair framed a delicate face, but protruding from his forehead were two black horns. They were shorter than most, but Cira¡¯s body initiated a fight or flight response.


    ¡°Another demon?¡± Her voice rumbled through the room as lightning crackled¡ª


    ¡°Hold on,¡± The High Arbiter¡¯s calm words slowed her sorcery, ¡°Cira. I request you do not fight in this room. More importantly, Count Uriel here is no demon.¡±


    To say that took the wind out of her sails would be an understatement. She instantly felt embarrassed again and half the arbiters looked at her like some petulant child now.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°You stupid little girl,¡± The horned man spat, ¡°How dare you compare me to a lowly demon? I am none other than the Great Count Uriel, proud black dragon lord of the Burning Skies!¡±


    ¡°Pray tell, Great Uriel,¡± Cira offered a mocking curtsy with full dramatics, ¡°Whatever might I ask is a dragon lord supposed to be? Did you grow horns because you thought dragons looked cool?¡±


    ¡°Wh-what?!¡± As he cried, gasps and chortles alike arose from the others. ¡°I am a dragon, you insolent cretin!¡±


    ¡°No way.¡± Cira crossed her arms, peering down at the liar, ¡°I saw a dragon once. They don¡¯t look like people. Not even in my father¡¯s books.¡±


    He exploded in rage as all the arbiters seemed to laugh at his expense. Cira couldn¡¯t help but resist the grin that grew from their collective joy.


    Uriel tried to put a damper on it, ¡°Well your father was¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ahem!¡± Fitzgeralt loudly cleared his throat and peered between the two, ¡°Mature dragons are capable of changing their form to that of many creatures. As I¡¯m sure you know, they are beings attuned to the aether, so their abilities are nigh limitless when they put their mind to it.¡±


    Cira squinted her eyes and really inspected the guy, much to his disgust. He had a well-shaped face and was of moderate stature, but his mana seemed remarkably weak. He didn¡¯t appear to be concealing it either. This is a dragon¡­? I don¡¯t think Fitzgeralt lied to me, but¡­ ¡°You are extraordinarily weaker than the red dragon I met. How curious¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do I need to kill you too¡ª¡± Uriel was cut off as Eliza appeared in a flash of light with a finger over his lips.


    ¡°Now, now, Uriel¡­ Don¡¯t go getting yourself in more trouble than you can handle. You had to regenerate your blood, flesh, and aura from scratch did you not?¡± Her expression was one of concern, but also like she was looking at another bug. ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t overexert yourself after sleeping for so long.¡±


    Interesting, but¡­ He¡¯s not a demon. Half-rate dragon at best. I no longer care about this person.


    Before Cira could offend anybody else, Eliza appeared before her, ¡°Why don¡¯t we get this tour started? I¡¯m sure meetings just bore you, don¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be lying if I said they didn¡¯t.¡± The odd meeting wasn¡¯t so bad depending on the topic, but Cira felt like she¡¯d attended quite a few lately.


    ¡°What? You think I¡¯m just going to let you¡ª¡± Uriel barked up at Cira, but next thing she knew, he was gone. As was everybody else and the entire room.


    ¡°This islet is known as Celeste.¡± Eliza explained, taking a walk to the shore. The islet was alone on its own small ring high above the rest of Icarus. The air felt cool up here and it offered an incredible view of the island as a whole. All the different rings and hunks of earth whirring along their paths at a snail¡¯s pace sat below like a diorama or a random knick-knack from her dad¡¯s bookshelf. ¡°The second marks and below are not permitted to set foot upon it, so we can catch our breath here for a moment.¡±


    Eliza went on to explain that most of those who attacked her at the barrier were first mark librarians of the Order, while the mage army in the sky had not yet received a mark. Count Uriel was still a mere librarian of the second mark.


    That guy didn¡¯t strike me as a librarian of any kind, but¡­ It seems these guys take their books seriously. I shouldn¡¯t judge them too harshly. But do we need to avoid them? I guess I did just have a small string of confrontations¡­ I can¡¯t complain at a brief reprieve.


    Some of those from the last chamber must have been third marks like Eliza. If they teamed up on me, I don¡¯t particularly like my odds. Maybe this is allowing them time to cool down as well.


    ¡°These enchantments¡­¡± Cira was inspecting the geared track that trailed off beneath the islet. ¡°They don¡¯t look like my father¡¯s. In fact, I haven¡¯t seen a single glyph with a trace of his signature.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because Gazen didn¡¯t have a hand in crafting this masterwork. Your father renounced the Order many years ago, and it¡¯s hardly been a century since we got our hands on this.¡± She chuckled watching Cira do mental calculations. ¡°That¡¯s also why his barrier was not protecting it.¡±


    ¡°Hang on, you mean you people didn¡¯t build this place?¡± It is quite impressive, after all. I doubt I could build something like this.


    This made Eliza laugh outright, crimson hair danced as she failed to stifle it, ¡°Oh goodness no. The artificial Island of Icarus was the precious magnum opus to the father of all artificers¡ªnone other than Daedalus himself.¡±


    ¡°Whoa¡­ seriously?¡± Even with Cira¡¯s vision expanding, none of the glyphs seemed outright incomprehensible. They were very meticulously woven together however, and their density was insane. Many even overlapped or shared parts. She could cut the rings up into cubes and get pieces of different arrays in each one. Just keeping track of a small fraction of it in the forge would be madness. And just imagine the forge it took to make this thing¡­ ¡°Did he die or something? I can¡¯t imagine someone letting go of a masterwork like this so easily.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not that big of a deal. He¡¯s lived longer than anyone I know, and anytime that batshit old codger makes something it¡¯s his new ¡®greatest work¡¯.¡± Eliza laughed, ¡°Doubt he¡¯s dead though. After he lost the wager, he scurried off into hiding again in some distant sky. It was difficult to tell whether he was upset or not.¡±


    Evidently Daedalus used to consult them on areas to find strange materials. One particular deposit of dragonite caught his eye, but he thought it was a shame so little of the mithril had been touched by dragon¡¯s fire. The cranky old man didn¡¯t like spending more time outside the forge than he had to, so he was about ready to harvest the whole island and call it a wash.


    Fearless leader of the Third Order, Fitzgeralt, saw an opportunity to make a bet. They would lure a dragon around to blast the rest of the island with flame, turning nearly the whole thing into pure dragonite¡ªa legitimately rare material in the eyes of Daedalus.


    So there really are madmen out there who would do that.


    A madman himself, even Daedalus thought them ambitious fools. Not just any dragons could condition mithril at hot enough temperatures. Apparently, it had to be a mature red dragon. It would be lucky to find a single specimen in any given set of skies, and sadly they were not friends with any. Suppose they did find one and managed to lure it in a rage¡ªcoaxing a crimson dragon in its prime to unleash its flames was widely regarded as the height of arrogance.


    ¡°We were in something of a rut after your father left, believe it or not. The Third Order had no roots, and Fitz was desperate to find us a home.¡± Fond memories seemed to flash through Eliza¡¯s head, ¡°And after Daedalus riled him up enough, he went ahead and wagered him an island of dragonite for Icarus here.¡± Laughter bubbled up, ¡°Dear, you should have seen the look on that old bastards face! Oh, he was mad, alright, only compounded by the fact that he couldn¡¯t complain to the man who offered him more rare metal for his next masterpiece than he could ever have hoped for. Enough dragonite to make even that deathless coot turn pale! Ahaha, haven¡¯t seen him since.¡±


    Eliza was acting carefree and casual, kicking her legs off the shore as they clicked around the orrery one clack at a time. Cira got a hint of this attitude the first time they met, and she did not dislike it. The subject matter was endlessly entertaining and they chatted about Icarus and its creator for another hour or so.


    ¡°You know,¡± Eliza stood up and dusted off her robes, ¡°Once we get to the library, there¡¯s entire shelves dedicated to Daedalus. You could spend years reading about his creations.¡±


    ¡°That is enticing¡­ But I can¡¯t stay here forever. I¡¯m sure budgeting my time will be the biggest challenge during my stay.¡± Obviously, I could drown myself in history and ancient relics, but there¡¯s also the matter of sorceries I¡¯m unfamiliar with. My father¡¯s¡ªmy libraries are quite limited. Even subjects I¡¯m well versed in would be worth revisiting here. Oh, dammit, I need to get down there already. ¡°Speaking of¡­ what are these marks? I presume I have none¡­ correct?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Eliza chuckled. ¡°Each mark represents a trial passed. As you are a pureblood legacy, it¡¯s not necessary to pass them.¡±


    If one had to be as strong as Eliza to pass the third trial, that was certainly enough to spark Cira¡¯s interest. Meanwhile, she was curious what the trial Count Uriel passed was like.


    ¡°I see no need to refrain from taking the necessary steps. Perhaps the others will be less irritating if I do so.¡± Cira had used a little mana, but it returned at an exceptional rate here on the Islet of Celeste. She was already full up. ¡°Show me the first one.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too cocky. This is only your first day here. Even if you¡¯re talented, novices spend years working on the first trial.¡± Eliza knew roughly what Cira was capable of, and the look in her eyes betrayed the wisdom of an elder. ¡°That just so happens to be the location of our next stop. Shall we?¡±

 227 - Trials of Icarus

    ¡°Huh¡­¡± From a quick spatial search, there were well over a hundred mages searching for their first mark in this village, while more regularly came and went. This had to be the busiest place on the island. ¡°Just what is a mark? How am I supposed to find it?¡±


    This time Cira could see Eliza¡¯s cheeks pinch as she grew truly amused, ¡°How indeed¡­? I wonder. The answers you seek are all hidden within this village as well. Nothing and no one beyond these shelves will aid you in this trial. It all depends on you.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± This is not really what I was expecting for a trial. She tried looking into the books with Spatial Sight, but they turned blank as soon as she focused on one. A return inspection revealed that an entirely different book was in its place, which also became blank shortly after. ¡°Perhaps I should revisit this place later. Is that all you wanted to show me here?¡±


    ¡°Not quite¡­ It is important to show you this before we reach our tour¡¯s end. Just as this village is dedicated to the wisdom leading to the first mark, do you see that islet trailing behind us?¡± It was just a little smaller, and there were listless mages meandering about on it. Some picked up sticks or tossed rocks off the shore, while others just sat there staring into the sky. ¡°That rock is called Isle of the Unmarked. Those who grasp for wisdom beyond their means end up there. No matter how skilled or brilliant they are, I¡¯ve seen third marks land themselves on that rock. I understand you are excited, but do not take the Lost Archive lightly. Depending on the path of wisdom you find yourself on, I may even lose sight of you. It is no ordinary library, and I would never forgive myself if I lost Gazen¡¯s daughter to it.¡±


    Can she make this library sound any more appealing? You¡¯re telling me there¡¯s so much knowledge there that I¡¯ll turn into a vegetable if I learn too much? Is it truly possible for me to have such freedom? My studies are only limited by my own volition. The sky¡¯s the limit, as it always was.


    ¡°Gazen¡¯s daughter this, Gazen¡¯s daughter that.¡± Cira shook her head, approaching a random bookshelf and withdrawing a tome bound in purple leather. ¡°I am also the Sorcerer Cira. If it comes down to it, I¡¯ll simply teleport away.¡±


    The book in her hand was entitled ¡®A Hundred Ways to Skin a Dragon¡¯. Hm. She flipped through it, looked at a couple illustrations, then placed in back on the shelf.


    ¡°Are we finally headed to the library?¡± Cira asked with clenched fists, ¡°Or perhaps the alchemical storage?¡±


    Eliza laughed again with a smile that reached her eyes, ¡°I¡¯m not showing you the ingredients vault until you¡¯re at least First Mark.¡±


    Something told Cira that as a ¡®pureblood legacy¡¯ she could see it if she wished, but didn¡¯t see any reason to rub Eliza the wrong way. She had been kind so far and must have had her reasons. Maybe it has something to do with this ambiguous wisdom I¡¯m supposed to attain.


    ¡°Alright then, gimme a few days.¡± Cira chuckled in return. ¡°Once I get my fourth mark, you¡¯ll really be sorry.¡±


    There was something exciting about having things to learn and goals to reach. Cira was surrounded by mages¡ªmore so than she probably ever had been. She couldn¡¯t help but be eager to indulge while time allowed. It could only make her stronger. And as her father used to say, wisdom was even more valuable than power in a sorcerer¡¯s pursuit.


    ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to it.¡± There was a jovial grin on Eliza¡¯s lips. ¡°Shall we head to the site of the second trial, then? It is located at the spring.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I was curious¡­¡± Cira followed Eliza as she again jumped off and rose up toward a more distant ring which ran diagonal to the last. It ran from the bottom almost up to Celeste. ¡°I don¡¯t sense a spring in the traditional sense.¡±


    ¡°I would think not.¡± This islet was flat and much wider than usual, covered in a flowing lake from shore to shore. There were shallows and rocks with mages perched upon or dipping their toes in. Judging by the next ring in, Cira thought this islet would be in danger of crashing into a different piece of Earth. Since they moved so slowly, it was easy to imagine people jumping between them. ¡°Our spring is not very traditional.¡±


    Beyond the tidepools, there were deeper spots with mages wading, swimming, or even sitting crosslegged on the lake¡¯s floor, while some simply meditated on the water¡¯s surface. It was difficult to discern what they were doing. Knowing they sought the second mark did little to help Cira figure it out.


    The flow of water was clearly coming from the center. It wasn¡¯t a fountain, but more like an omnidirectional current from a single point. Also, it glowed bright cerulean. Dead giveaway.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°How strange¡­ A source of pure water, but¡­ It pulls directly from the earth around it to work as a spring.¡± Cira narrowed her eyes, inspecting the lake from above. She didn¡¯t notice a brief flash of surprise cross Eliza¡¯s face. ¡°But I see no enchantments. As if done through will of a conjuration, but¡­ Hm. Do you mind if I inspect it closer?¡±


    ¡°Oh, please do. This spring was placed by Daedalus himself, though not even I know how it works past what you just said. If Fitz does, he¡¯s keeping quiet about it. Probably a term of the wager.¡± This appeared to be a chance for the third mark arbiter to learn something new, so she readily encouraged Cira. ¡°Take all the time you need.¡±


    ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll be back.¡± Cira trickled away in a flash of blue, gently precipitating into the lake below. She wisped against the current until her liquid essence met the inexplicable ball of water mana.


    This was the same sort of inspection she did on Paradise at the ale spring¡ªa sort of assimilation one tier lower than she would place ¡®Spring Sense¡¯, but for some reason, it resisted her a great deal. So much so, it actually kind of hurt. Cira felt her authority over the element fading away and tried to escape in a panic, but she was pinned.


    Something was holding her in. On closer inspection, it was present throughout the entire lake and Icarus¡¯ rings.


    Have I fallen into a trap¡­? What¡¯s going on here? Cira thought it was too early for desperate measures, but this was incredibly concerning. Despite her body having turned to water, she could feel her heartrate speeding up¡ªor something like it. That was the worst part. She turned into water, now something else seemed to have a higher control over it than she herself did. It was as terrifying as it was unexpected.


    Pain wracked her body and she could feel her aura burning up just trying not to disperse.


    ¡°Dammit, just what the hell are you?!¡± Cira discharged another bubble of condensed light, burning up the surrounding water. Now that only she remained, it was a quick decision to return to flesh. Having her body manipulated as if she were someone else¡¯s conjuration was unsettling on a level she never imagined. It struck an instinctual fear in her and she found herself floating away with the sun at her back.


    The mages all scattered to the opposite island¡¯s shore in a panic, but Cira was focused on the gurgling spring. From it rose a tendril of water, which branched out into multiple more. It rose up like a gelatinous cerulean tree while each shimmering branch grew a face. It was like a radiant slug hydra and the mana pouring out in fury made Cira¡¯s skin tingle.


    ¡°What am I?!¡± A raging voice echoed through the sky, ¡°Just what in the deep skies are you?! Some kind of abomination¡ªI can tell you feasted on one of my sisters, or maybe more? Attempting to do the same to me will be your last mistake. Prepare to meet your end, gluttonous one.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Cira didn¡¯t have time to think as a tentacular spear shot through the air faster than she could trace. If it weren¡¯t for all those barriers she cast earlier, she may have been impaled through the heart. There were a few left in poor shape, but Cira rushed Aquon out to add a few more specialized layers.


    This isn¡¯t enough. Cira watched another spear coming straight for her head when she desperately called upon the Third Pillar of the Sage. ¡°Perma!¡±


    A staff of glacial bedrock appeared and intercepted the attack. The mental strain as the spear hit ice was almost enough to knock her out, but Cira watched frost grow from the point, crackling all the way up as ice travelled toward the undine¡¯s body. As if in desperation, this aggressor broke it off and tossed it to the sky.


    ¡°Interloper, I will make you regret coming here.¡± There was no way around it. Cira had induced the aggression of a ridiculously powerful entity. To be fair, she would have felt really weird about turning herself into water and merging with Undina. It even felt really uncomfortable when she tried earlier, but how was Cira supposed to know this spring was a greater spirit?


    Cira felt something warm drip on her chest and realized her nose was bleeding.


    Alright¡ªI can¡¯t stay conscious long enough to whittle this thing down, and I get the impression I shouldn¡¯t kill it. This is life or death, but¡­ that¡¯s why I brought out Perma, isn¡¯t it?


    As the densest form of water, it would take a stray elemental to overpower this staff. Cira didn¡¯t believe an undine could be so many times stronger than Undina of Acher, but all water present froze as snowflakes fell upon Icarus.


    I just need one good shot. The mithril disk Conduit appeared not behind Cira but in front, displaying her target in its center. Aquon threaded through to form a crosshair and wisped up like cerulean flames. Her control could not falter here. Another spear broke through her barriers as she sidestepped, throwing her staff forward like a javelin.


    ¡°You need to chill!¡± Like shards of ice scraping against each other, a shrill whirring echoed through the sky and a pillar of cerulean light flashed to the distance behind and ahead of Cira along the path her javelin took. The frigid staff lodged itself in the frozen lake, pinning a remarkably lifelike ice sculpture of an undine hydra to it like the preserved specimen of an insect.


    Cira fell from the air, colliding against solid ice for lack of mana. She pushed against it with a forearm to look up at the undine. Its necks creaked as the heads all focused in on her, slowly, but surely.


    ¡°You dare¡­¡± Each head¡¯s voice overlapped, ¡°try to stop me¡­ holder of ill-gotten strength?¡±


    This spirit had enough power to resist even the frost of Perma, and quite frankly, Cira was scared for her life. Powerless on the ground, she felt like she may actually run her aura out if she had to fight any more. Perma was thirsty and survival was unclear.


    ¡°It was a gift¡­¡± Cira could hardly keep her eyes up any longer, ¡°You bitch.¡±

 228 - The Spirits Spite

    If only Gazen had allowed me to run away with him, perhaps Cira would be my daughter too. I love her already. Eliza watched the young sorcerer crash against the frozen lake. Frost formed on her wounds as the undine fought against the cold, impaled on a pike of glacial bedrock. Ice crystals formed and cracked as she lurched further towards the girl. Perhaps I should step in, but Cira doesn¡¯t look ready to give in.


    ¡°It was a gift¡­ you bitch.¡±


    On one hand I was certain she turned herself into some kind of undine abomination, and somehow devouring one would be in line with this theory, but if Cira truly received a greater spirit¡¯s blessing, I don¡¯t know what to think.


    Many experienced casters could speak telepathically, but the way Cira did so even felt like a spirit. There was far too much emotion in it. It was to the point Eliza could practically read her thoughts with each word, which only exacerbated the mystery around how she dealt with that broken soul.


    Regardless, Eliza was amused to find out the spring of Icarus was an undine in disguise all along.


    ¡°You are a good liar,¡± The undine spoke, ¡°but that cannot be so. Even a blessing would remain to some degree a piece of the spirit who granted it. I will give you one more chance to speak the truth.¡±


    Eliza remembered the Bifrost Scepter. This staff looked exactly like it, but larger. At this point, Cira had even turned it into a javelin. If it¡¯s anything like that weapon of his¡­ just how powerful is this undine?


    ¡°I have not told a lie.¡± Cira pushed herself off the bloody ice in ragged robes, wrapped in a faint veil of holy light that gradually healed her wounds, ¡°Nor do I intend to repeat myself.¡±


    Even the most proud sorcerer needs to respect their own limits¡­ Can¡¯t she see how much stronger this thing is? Even pumping the entirety of her mana into one of Gazen¡¯s own staves, what does she hope to accomplish? I suspect Icarus would fall if she truly won.


    Eliza prepared an array of light within the aether. If Cira were in fatal danger, she could appear and stop it¡ªor at least try. Escape was the ideal outcome in Eliza¡¯s head. This undine was stronger than any greater spirit she had ever come across. That¡¯s also why it would be a pleasant surprise if Cira betrayed her expectations.


    The undine¡¯s rage rippled through the air like waves in the wind. It seemed she was struggling to determine the veracity of Cira¡¯s words. Each face of the hydra formed difficult expressions, not taking their eyes off her.


    ¡°Then why have you come here?¡± The undine snarled, ¡°I sensed the birth of another sister just recently from the same direction you arrived. Do you mean to tell me this is a coincidence? I could tell the moment she appeared that something was horribly wrong with her¡­ And now she¡¯s gone. Just what have you done?!¡±


    She didn¡¯t wait for Cira to respond before unleashing another tentacle like a cleaver, leaving a deep rut in the earth. Cira narrowly sidestepped it and clicked her tongue, brushing a layer of dust off her shoulder.


    ¡°I intended to enter the spring to discover its nature and what bearing it held on this artificial island,¡± As if it had been there the whole time, Cira twirled a wooden staff around before pointing it forward, ¡°but if you dare badmouth my daughter again, I will have no choice but to kill you.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡±   The undine tried to speak, but Eliza was equally baffled. She has¡­ a daughter? No wait¡­ did she just have one the other day?


    ¡°There is nothing wrong with her!¡± Cira cried. A staff of gem-like water appeared in her offhand, and she used it to further freeze the undine. ¡°Apologize immediately!¡±


    While the undine burst out of the ice and didn¡¯t seem to care much anymore about being impaled, she wore the same confused expression as Eliza on all eight faces.


    ¡°What is happening here?¡± Fitzgeralt asked, suddenly next to Eliza. ¡°That girl sure like trouble, doesn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably my fault.¡± The girl was remarkably deft at pulling in mana from the atmosphere. Eliza thought she could even sense a vortex forming above. ¡°I asked her to inspect the spring.¡±


    Cira seemed to be putting all her mana into the wooden staff in her hand. Eliza and Fitzgeralt both watched her for a moment before inspecting the staff, then turned to each other with wide eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s not¡ª¡± The high arbiter was left speechless.


    ¡°I think it is¡­¡± Such a thing shouldn¡¯t exist anymore. The way she held it in her hands so naturally, like an extension of her body, was almost terrifying.


    ___


    I don¡¯t know much about being a dad¡ªor mom, I guess, but my dad once beat a guy up for calling me a demon¡­ Maybe I should unpack that at a later date, but this obstinate spirit told me to my face that there was something wrong with my dear Lazulei. I can¡¯t let that slide. She doesn¡¯t know who she is, but her undine senses were evidently enough for her to disparage my darling daughter.


    ¡°Apologize? Daughter? Are you trying to make a joke?¡± The undine further irritated Cira. ¡°You couldn¡¯t kill me if you tried, interloper. On the contrary, it is I who will kill¡ª"This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s quite enough.¡± Fitzgeralt appeared between then. ¡°Calm yourself, Destria. This girl is an honored guest.¡±


    Yeah¡­ I don¡¯t know if I could have taken her, honestly. The high arbiter looked at her with something akin to patience.


    ¡°Cira, do you mind recalling your staff?¡± She wasn¡¯t sure at first. She did almost die after all¡ªat the hands of a ridiculously powerful spirit.


    To Cira¡¯s surprise, the undine named Destria was first to release her presence over the island. With a shrug, Cira made Perma disappear as well. Back from whence it came at the deepest reaches of her treasury. Next the Auld Sprig faded into smoke as colorful embers wisped away on the wind.


    The moment the frost receded, the hydra flowed into a single point like a whirlpool before taking the form of a woman. Her pale cerulean skin gave off an elegant glow and Cira couldn¡¯t help but shudder when they made eye contact. She approached with delicate steps across the water¡¯s surface, never taking her gaze of Cira.


    ¡°You may be an honored guest, but that means nothing to me.¡± Pressure like the deep sea threatened to crush Cira, ¡°All I care about is what you have done with my kin. Explain yourself.¡±


    She wore a pleasant smile, but her eyes creased in a predatory sneer. It was obvious the difference in power between the two, and Destria blatantly flaunted that fact.


    Cira let out a long sigh, shaking her head and taking a seat. ¡°So, you¡¯re the type not to believe that which you do not wish to hear, is that it? I haven¡¯t told a single lie. Undina, who is much nicer than you, granted me a ¡®blessing¡¯ for her own amusement. Granted, my soul was broken at the time. Now it¡¯s not. Could this be the cause of your confusion?¡±


    Stratagem number seventy-four: In strong winds, the frond follows the palm.


    When severely outmatched, it was best to appear unthreatened and go with the flow. Otherwise, the other party would have no problem steering the conversation in their favor. Despite the disparate levels of power, Cira wasn¡¯t keen on letting the ageless water spirit blame her for something she didn¡¯t do.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about the blessing.¡± She spoke as if to a pest, ¡°Your powers are negligible. I am more concerned about the short-lived birth of my kin which you¡¯ve clearly had a hand in bastardizing. Speak plainly, cur.¡±


    With an elbow planted on the arm of her chair, Cira buried her face in her hands, rubbing her temples. A low growl escaped as she tried to stifle her anger and frustration. She doesn¡¯t know how insulting she¡¯s being. She¡¯s just a bitter old woman, ignorant to the world around her. Just relax, Cira.


    There were many prying eyes and ears around. Aside from all the first marks, Eliza and Fitzgeralt watched the conversation with blatant curiosity. It¡¯s not that she planned on keeping everything secret from them, but divulging information without choosing to deliberately made Cira uncomfortable. After thinking about it for a few moments, she decided to tell Destria alone for now.


    ¡°Listen, you old hag.¡± Cira telepathically relayed her story of a couple days prior. She didn¡¯t believe it at first, but after diving through a few memories, even the undine was looking at Cira with amazement. That was the bonus of her undine powers¡ªconceptual communication. That meant Destria could see and feel the memories as Cira relived them for the sake of getting this incessant creature off her back. ¡°And that¡¯s how it went. Know that if you attempt to harm my daughter, I will do everything in my power to burn you away. At the absolute minimum you will be cursed until the end of time.¡±


    Blinking in shock at the weight of her sincere words, the undine could only let out a short, awkward chuckle.


    ¡°A spirit of two elements¡­ I can hardly remember the last time I met one¡ª¡± Cira¡¯s eyes sharpened to a glare, ¡°Worry not, little sorcerer. Your daughter is my kin regardless of whether the power of earth exists within her. No matter how distant, we were all born from the same Seas of Yore. I would sooner destroy you completely than harm a single tentacle on that girl¡¯s head.¡±


    And Cira could tell she meant it. That was an acceptable response as far as she was concerned.


    ¡°Whatever might you two be talking about so candidly?¡± Eliza cut in with a chuckle.


    ¡°Undine stuff.¡± Cira laughed, nudging the squishy woman next to her who didn¡¯t find it as amusing. ¡°In any case, this matter is resolved. I don¡¯t yet understand what the second mark is supposed to be, but what say you we wrap this tour up? There will be plenty of time to satisfy your curiosity in the future.¡±


    ¡°Are you satisfied, Destria?¡± Fitzgeralt leveled a diplomatic nod to the undine.


    ¡°Indeed I am.¡± She smiled with a nod, briefly glancing at Cira, ¡°Feel free to carry on, but do make sure to return to me before you continue your journey.¡±


    She trickled away into the lake and soon, there was no trace of the undine whose mana exceeded anything Cira had ever seen in person aside from her father charging up a large-scale sorcery.


    These skies are taller than I ever could have known¡­ I would be terrified to see her full power directed at me. Good thing we could come to an understanding.


    Undines were near invincible by nature. Disintegrating an entire island, turning all traces of water into vapor which settled back into the aether, would still leave an undine with countless particles mixed in with the air¡¯s humidity, to be taken away on a variety of paths through the sky. Like a dandelion savaged by a brisk wind, seeds of her former existence would all end up in distant skies.


    This may sound like an unfair level of invincibility when taken singularly, but one must consider how much more difficult it would be to destroy a greater spirit of the wind affinity this high up in the sky. Incidentally, Cira would absolutely not want to get on a spatial spirit¡¯s bad side.


    ¡°Very well then,¡± Fitzgeralt looked toward Cira and continued, ¡°Feel free to refuse if you wish, but I think you may enjoy tagging along with Eliza to her next engagement. The Archive isn¡¯t going anywhere, and sometimes the most valuable wisdom is found from exploring a different perspective.¡±


    With no context, Cira didn¡¯t know what to make of his words. She could nitpick and ask what this engagement involved, but there was no point. She didn¡¯t want to be some prude who turned down his advice right away, and he wouldn¡¯t have said it if he didn¡¯t think it would be a valuable experience.


    ¡°Very well then,¡± She turned to Eliza, ¡°Show me the way.¡±


    ¡°We are still early since I haven¡¯t had to stop by the Archive, but I suppose you can help me set up.¡± The world turned white for a moment, and when Cira came to, she was met with a variety of artifacts and mechanical instruments. Torches, spickets, Lightwave sterilizers and microscopes, this appeared to be some kind of storeroom.


    Nevermind the fact that they were there as quickly as Cira could travel around Paradise, this was like a large closet with many instances of the same thing on different shelves. Contextually speaking, Cira surmised this place was used for educational supplies.


    ¡°Since we¡¯re already here,¡± Cira grinned, picking up a circular glyph of create flame, crushing it and letting it roil up her arm. ¡°Mind telling me what I¡¯ve been roped into?¡±


    ¡°Today is the fourth session of ¡®Introduction to Aethereal Metaphysics¡¯, and you will join us.¡± Eliza looked too young to teach something so profound, but Cira knew she wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Cira knew it as the study of this world. The skies, the aether, and everything within¡ªspecifically how all these facets interconnect. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s been a while.¡±

 229 - Ire of Vercephus

    Cira helped Eliza carry a bunch of microscopes and reactive materials into the classroom area which seemed to seat upwards of fifty people. It made Cira more and more nervous as Eliza used a spell to space thirty sets of each item out.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t attended class in many years¡­¡± Cira rested her face on one fist, leaning against her desk while her and the teacher awaited the others. I¡¯ve also only ever been the sole student. Why did I agree to this again? I should be hiding in a library right now. ¡°Are you sure I should attend? I¡¯m already familiar with the subject matter.¡±


    ¡°No need to be nervous,¡± Eliza laughed as her crimson hair swayed. She wore a kind smile that reminded her somewhat of Kuja. Eliza was sort of growing on her. ¡°It¡¯s just as Fitz said. You can hole up in the library anytime, for as long as you want in this life, but you will miss out on various experiences in solitude. This is true no matter how vast the extent of knowledge available may be. Even if this isn¡¯t your first time learning the subject, I bet you¡¯ll learn something today.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­¡± Cira waved her off with a roll of the eyes, ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡±


    She was expecting a retort when the sound of a door opened behind them. Mana reflexively gathered around Cira and she spun around. A young man froze stock still as he met her gaze, and she instantly released the pressure.


    ¡°My bad¡­ Please, come in.¡± Cira followed up sheepishly, but the guy didn¡¯t look any more at ease.


    Eliza let out a long sigh at her podium, ¡°Please, Evan. This girl will be sitting in on our class today and is unfamiliar with a classroom environment. Don¡¯t take offense.¡±


    ¡°¡­Right...¡± Evan sat down at the nearest seat to the door and before Cira could say anything to make the situation worse, multiple other doors opened. What was presumably the rest of the student body began to trickle in, many of which gave her odd looks until she turned around.


    Wait, why did I sit in the front? That means everyone looking at the teacher also sees me. I can already feel them looking at me. Spatial Sight confirmed that many were in fact looking at Cira, not Eliza, and some were even whispering.


    ¡°Who¡¯s the new girl?¡± One boy asked his friend.


    His friend who replied was the pompous magician looking type with a sharp jawline and self-assured voice even in whisper, ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯m calling dibs on her¡ª¡±


    ¡°You two morons.¡± Cira was ready to support the girl next to them who admonished their foolish words, but then she continued. ¡°She¡¯s obviously some born-in lout like Kristof. I bet she¡¯s dumber than a brick.¡±


    Wow, rude. Do I need to slap this woman? Would the rest of them attack? I¡¯m certain I could take them¡ª


    ¡°Ahem!¡± Eliza loudly got the class¡¯s attention. Almost all the seats they laid out were filled at this point and their eyes pointed toward the front. ¡°This is your temporary classmate, Cira.¡± She looked at the girl in question, ¡°Now would you like to introduce yourself to the class, or shall I?¡±


    Damn this woman¡­ I can¡¯t let her give my introduction. Worst case, nobody shuts up about my dad. I really don¡¯t want to talk about him right now, and all the arbiters know him¡­ I have to do this myself.


    Cira turned around and sat on her desk, grazing her eyes over all the students. Some sneered at her appraisal while others turned wary. She noticed a couple talents and outlying auras, but not a one of them could hold a candle to the arbiters.


    ¡°I am the Sorcerer Cira.¡± Perfect. Short and to the point. There¡¯s no way anyone can question it. ¡°That is all.¡±


    Suddenly, laughter erupted from the back row, ¡°Don¡¯t you mean sorceress? And nobody calls themselves that anymore. What are you a thousand years old?¡± The young man started a chain reaction of jeering and Cira tried not to let her cheeks run hot.


    ¡°Why¡ªhow dare you.¡± She stood up and crossed her arms, narrowing her gaze at the original jokester, ¡°I am a sorcerer like my father before me. What does it matter to you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡± He slapped his buddy¡¯s chest, ¡°Why is she standing on the desk?¡±


    Many of the students burst into laughter, some even pointing at her with tears in their eyes.


    ¡°Wh-why shouldn¡¯t I be? I¡¯m trying to make a point!¡± By now Cira was flustered and she knew that there was no going back. She had inadvertently made a social blunder or two. Her words meant nothing to them any longer. ¡°What is wrong with you people?¡±


    Black lightning crackled at Cira¡¯s feet as she channeled mana into the room, then a sudden thought overtook her.


    No, I always try to run away. I refuse to do the same today. Aren¡¯t I here to learn? Why do they have to be like that?!


    Cira was getting better at concealing her mana by the day, but she was also still young¡ªsubject to the throes of emotion, conscious or otherwise. She didn¡¯t even notice the suddenly fearful faces of her fellow students or charring on the desk at her feet when Eliza¡¯s voice came from her back.


    ¡°Now, now. Don¡¯t make me repeat myself, class.¡± She looked over the room with subtle scorn, ¡°Cira has been travelling alone for many years and knows not our customs here. Do you wish to besmirch the Third Order with your conduct? Know that if you earned her ire, a pureblood legacy like herself would face no repercussions from your destruction. Add that the list of reasons to hurry up and get your first marks.¡±


    She nodded to Cira, as if they were supposed to be understanding each other. What is this, a challenge? Or does she truly think I may wish to make an example here?


    Cira sighed, stepped down from her desk and took a seat, ¡°Worry not, Eliza. There is far too much death in these skies and I think I¡¯ve added to it enough lately. Believe it or not, I am here in hopes of taking a break from such heavy matters.¡±


    A few of the students gasped while most went silent. Her mana was gone like a fleeting wind and the room was calm again.


    You little bastard. Cira spared a quick glance over her shoulder and the guy who first made fun of her went pale. I am not above treating you as another Kristof.


    ¡°Alright class,¡± Eliza cleared her throat, banging on her podium, ¡°Can anyone tell me where we left off yesterday?¡±


    A cacophony of flipping pages caught Cira by surprise and she realized she had no idea where to look in the dense book before her.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°The property of altitudinal tangibility, Ma¡¯am!¡± A young girl with glasses shouted with a raised hand. She timidly turned her gaze downward when she felt Cira look at her.


    After a few moments of the girl smoldering in her seat, Eliza replied, ¡°Please continue, Emma. Cira was not present last week and would appreciate some context.¡±


    Wh-how would you know? Cira internally cursed herself as she had actually not heard that term before.


    ¡°W-well¡­¡± This sheepish girl who sat on the opposite end of the front row glanced up at Cira and all the blood drained from her face. She seemed to look toward Eliza for comfort. ¡°We were discussing the theory of natural authority. D-despite the fact that air is thinner at higher altitudes, it only becomes more difficult to manipulate the air with one¡¯s will. As if¡­ as if the world holds its own authority, or the air belongs to the sky.¡±


    Cira unconsciously smacked her desk, ¡°That¡¯s it!¡±


    She had felt it directly as she attempted to stop the island the other day from falling. Cooler names for the concept that flowed off the tongue better were already flashing through her mind when she realized she had made an outburst.


    The girl shrunk down, but Eliza became curious, ¡°Oh? Do you have an experience to relay to the class? I must admit I would like to hear it.¡±


    Hmm¡­ Cira looked over the students¡¯ uncertain faces and shrugged, turning her attention back to Eliza.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why not. Just a few days ago a piece of an island twice the size of Icarus fell.¡± A window portraying the cataclysm briefly appeared, ¡°As my flesh burned away, I could feel this mass of earth had already fallen under the sky¡¯s dominion the moment it departed from its home. Stopping it was impossible without surmounting this so-called ¡®altitudinal tangibility¡¯, or ¡®world¡¯s weight¡¯ as I like to call it. Works in broader contexts as well. Name might need some work, but that¡¯s aside the point.¡±


    She heard whispers behind her but none moved their lips when she turned. Eliza thought it over but before she had the chance, the voice of the cowardly Emma cut through the silence.


    ¡°The¡­ the sky¡¯s dominion! You actually tried to stop a plummeting island?¡± Objectively it could have been taken as a slight, but Cira wanted to hear what she had to say. ¡°Or, it just broke off from another island? Would you say the world¡¯s weight effect increased scaling with velocity as it fell?


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Certainly. Though I admit, it was as close to terminal velocity as it could get by the time I found it. The fact that it resisted my will beneath the earthen pillar of the sage like no other piece of earth I had ever felt was alarming to say the least. It wasn¡¯t until my corporea melted away that I truly felt the force behind the resistance. Even all my efforts hardly blunted it. I suppose the will of the world is not to be taken lightly.¡±


    The girl turned sheepish at having been addressed so bluntly, but her curiosity pulled her back up, ¡°The world¡¯s will¡­ Is there such a thing?¡±


    ¡°There is indeed.¡± Eliza laughed at her podium, ¡°And that is exactly what we will be covering in this session.¡± She smiled between Cira and the studious girl across, ¡°Thank you two for opening this discussion. Now, the will of the world is more commonly known as the rules of the sky. Not to be confused with laws of existence, these rules describe the order of reality. Natural disasters are just culminations of worldly processes¡ªchain reactions of the elements conforming to their nature when tension within their bounds is tested. Can anyone tell me one such rule?¡±


    The class was silent, but one boy with dark hair in the back spoke up with a politely raised hand, ¡°All which lives¡­ must die. Right?¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡± Eliza answered with a smile. ¡°Perhaps one of the most infallible rules. Well said. Anyone else?¡±


    Cira had to get in on this. Death was obvious, but she could surely contribute a thought-provoking answer.


    Hmm¡­ dammit. ¡°The aether exists within all.¡± That was weak.


    ¡°But of course,¡± Eliza chuckled into her hand, ¡°such is the base thesis of aethereal metaphysics.¡± Some students started to awkwardly laugh, which grew like a snowball. ¡°Class! Quiet down. Cira is not wrong that it pertains to this lesson. Does not a single one of you realize why?¡±


    Cira was ready to withstand ridicule all over again, but Eliza reigned her class in swiftly. It seemed they all respected her deeply. One man in the corner raised a doubtful hand in the air.


    ¡°It¡¯s because these rules are all the basis of aethereal metaphysics.¡± Despite his tone, he sounded confident. The look on his face gave Cira the impression he was intimately acquainted with the subject.


    ¡°Indeed they are!¡± Eliza leveled a youthful smile over the whole class, ¡°Born of energy, substance, and circumstance, these rules are something which bind us all in this world. That which constrains us to our limits, and prevents us from overstepping our station as mortals of the sky.¡±


    Mortal or not, Cira took offense to this proclamation. Nothing constrained her to absolution. Without even her curses, a sorcerer¡¯s missive was to carve a path through an unrelenting environment. No rule existed which couldn¡¯t be at the very least bent, and she was no stranger to doing so based on her own understanding. There were many things she had done which felt like they should not be possible.


    Before she even had the chance to question Eliza, a familiar voice spoke up. Her glasses bobbed as she pierced the room with her voice, ¡°But rules can be broken, can¡¯t they? Necromancy teeters on the edge of natural order and we have all heard tale of Farlord Gazen¡¯s Crown of the World, right?¡±


    ¡­Dad¡¯s what?


    ¡°Did he not bend reality to his will?¡± Emma continued in earnest, ¡°Surely this cannot be allowed. Is it possible there is some leeway?¡±


    Cira¡¯s mind swirled against her own will. She was tired of hearing about her father. It was enough. She hadn¡¯t even had time to deal with the ostensible betrayal or lies by omission he left behind. As much as she wanted a break, there was nothing she could do but face this.


    ¡°The Crown assumed authority over reality, but this effect relied on natural components. He could not produce the impossible, and could at best maneuver between the rules on precarious steps.¡± Eliza flipped her book open, ¡°Now turn to page one hundred seventy-four. As you can see, necromancy tests these rules. It is no secret that minor offenses are forgiven, or simply not enough to garner watchful eyes. One would have to remove hundreds or even thousands of souls from the cycle before catching unwanted attention.¡±


    Cira skimmed over the page and watched it dive into how manipulating life and death mana was a relatively minor offense in the grand scheme of rule breaking. There was a short discussion she enjoyed that culminated in the subject of outright denial of passing, and it was historically understood that even those who were capable of resurrection seldom used it for fear of higher powers.


    While small-scale offenses were negligible enough, there were two facets which needed to be respected above all others: the cycle, and time. Time for instance was an especially grave offense as it was the concept upon which all rules operated.


    ¡°But¡­ is it even possible to manipulate time?¡± Emma spoke with bated breath and a girl next to her started daydreaming.


    ¡°They say it is easier to touch the past than the future,¡± Eliza mused, ¡°But I cannot say I have experienced it firsthand."


    Hmm¡­ Cira thought back to the lantern which lit her path to a moment over a thousand years in the past and decided to hold her tongue.


    The past, you say¡­ is it possible to manipulate the past without affecting the future? That¡¯s just the present at that point, isn¡¯t it?


    ¡°I wonder¡­ if I can go back in time one day.¡± Emma gazed out the window in yearning as the entire class fell into curiosity at the tough subject presented today.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t recommend it. There¡¯s wiggle room to be had manipulating life, as it will surely return to death one day, but have you ever wondered why there¡¯s no firsthand accounts of time travel?¡± She cast an inquisitive gaze over the room, eventually landing on Cira.


    While she didn¡¯t have an answer, she was starting to sweat. Messing with the cycle is evidently how my dad ended up finding Mac, but random sorcerers with perceptive artifacts doesn¡¯t seem like too reliable a threat. Eliza makes a good point though. Why weren¡¯t there any firsthand accounts of time travelers?


    ¡°Because they¡¯re all in the future.¡± A male voice from behind answered, quickly countered by a girl on the other side.


    ¡°No, stupid. Most people would go to the past anyway. Half the people here would do that if they could.¡± Cira didn¡¯t look at them as her own thoughts were spinning.


    Going to the past to see her dad would be nice. So, it is possible¡­ We¡¯ve established that. Perhaps this requires further study¡ª


    ¡°Many have surely done as much.¡± Eliza rounded everyone¡¯s attention back up front, ¡°There¡¯s no real reason for it to be impossible, and techniques to achieve time travel even exist deep within the archive. Yet none who have succeeded are still around. You see, even if these rules can be broken, doing so invites the ire of Vercephus. If you would all turn the page,¡± She waited a moment while the sound of paper calmed, ¡°This is the only illustration of an angel considered to be accurate.¡±

 230 - The Mysteries of Creation

    Cira had seen this debatably angelic illustration before¡ªshe even modeled the fountain at Acher¡¯s palace after this particular drawing. Beneath it read, ¡®Tidus the Explorer, year 9612 of the Primordial Era¡¯. She did not know what that meant, but this was the first time she had seen the illustration attributed to anyone. It always made sense to assume her dad drew it, but apparently not.


    The surrounding students gasped, some even averting their eyes from the page. Frightened murmurs rose up and it amused Cira to no end seeing the boys who made fun of her go squeamish at a simple drawing.


    It may have been a little unsettling how talented this Tidus fellow was at drawing, because the endless eyes and furling wings really gave off a sense of perpetual discomfort, folding in on themselves infinitely. Twisted flesh and bone wrapped around each other in a mess of feathers, revealing eyes you didn¡¯t expect in places you didn¡¯t think they would fit. This picture took up the whole page and it was admittedly much greater detail than any instance she had seen in the past.


    Okay, I can¡¯t blame them too much. This truly is uncomfortable to look at. But what does it have to do with these rules of the sky?


    ¡°Calm down, everyone. Eyes up here.¡± Eliza pulled their attention away from the book. Apparently there was a time Tidus was hailed as one of the great pioneers of the age of exploration, through which much of the vast sky was first navigated and settled. As the story goes, this image depicts Azrael, the angel who came to exact judgement upon his companion. The necromancer¡¯s name is long lost to time, and Tidus claimed he never learned the details of what brought such punishment on. Supposedly the necromancer kept it secret to prevent Tidus from meeting the same fate, but it was the last adventure that man ever embarked on regardless.¡±


    Looking between the angel and Eliza, all the students thought they could understand. It was Emma in the front who raised her hand, ¡°What happened to him? That¡¯s hardly a decade from the primordial genocide, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Cira winced at the unexpected mention, but Eliza was in teacher-mode. She diligently answered the question with a nod and a smile.


    ¡°After drawing Azrael, Tidus never wrote a coherent word again. These days we don¡¯t even know where they encountered the angel, but it¡¯s said his mind never fully returned from that journey.¡± She shook her head with a mournful look, ¡°His other companions and crew scattered afterward, and we have no way of knowing if they suffered the same affliction. Most of them were mana-bereft like Tidus, and they all lost their lives twelve years later when the leylines burst.¡±


    ¡°The leylines¡­ did what?¡± That sounds pretty serious, but my dad never told me about the primordial genocide either.


    A handful of derisive chortles arose, but Eliza hushed them quickly, ¡°Ah yes, your education likely wouldn¡¯t have included these matters. There are many books on the subject within the archive, but I will summarize it for you. The demon Kazali, also known today as the Curse Lord, used the leylines to absorb many of his kin. This day marked the end of the primordial era, and humanity was thrust to the brink of extinction. Anyone with less mana than me would simply disperse within ten miles of any leyline. Closer than that and you would have to be quite prolific. While some mages endured by sacrificing their aura, those without any mana to speak of had only their soul to spare. There are entire skies where civilizations disappeared overnight, and estimates say less than one tenth of corporeal life in this world survived.¡±


    ¡°Kazali, huh?¡± Cira clenched her fist. How did Connie escape? I doubt she was the only one, either, so maybe some curses are better suited to standing up against him. Or they got lucky? Just far enough outside his reach to survive. Still¡­ He destroyed ninety percent of all life¡ªas a byproduct? What a monster. Just what does he want?


    ¡°Erm, Cira¡­ if you could relax your aura,¡± Eliza¡¯s face twitched, ¡°It appears you¡¯re scaring the others.¡±


    ¡°¡­sorry.¡± Cira sheepishly faced forward, putting a lid on her anger. ¡°But why? What does he want? No, how long has it been¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey, come on!¡± A startling voice behind her interrupted, ¡°This is stuff children learn. Stop wasting everyone¡¯s time!¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Cira spun around in shock and it seemed he wasn¡¯t the only irritated student.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Cira, there will be plenty of time to find out. But make no mistake, class. The primordial genocide is very relevant today as well. Hmmm, can anyone aside from Emma tell me why?¡±


    It took a few moments, but eventually she cracked and called on Emma anyway. The girl was quite learned. She asked what sounded like an obvious question, ¡°Why didn¡¯t Kazali get punished?¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Cira, for one, thought it was an excellent question. Where¡¯s the army of angels lining up to smite him? There¡¯s no way he never did anything wrong. Hell, he¡¯s the one who taught Cira how to remove souls from the cycle. Even the nature of Cira¡¯s being was probably breaking a rule or two if she had to guess.


    ¡°Because a true primordial demon is a manifestation of the very law they hold authority over. These laws are absolutes within the world, and hold no bearing on this world¡¯s natural order.¡± She conjured an apple and tossed it across the room. It exploded upon the head of a sleeping student who woke up with a frightened shout, holding out his palm and channeling flame. He quickly deflated to see the entire class looking at him, ¡°Many are ambiguous and pertaining to exterior concepts, but some are simple. Gravity is one such law. Putting it more concisely, laws shape the natural world. Without them, these worldly rules would have nothing to influence. Either drawing on them or defying them, think of laws as a lake through which to carry ripples. To answer your question bluntly, a demon will never be able to incur worldly punishment by exercising their own law.¡±


    That was beyond unfair. I suppose it is up to me to deliver judgment. Before Cira could ruminate, Eliza kept going.


    ¡°Consider the way an island stays aloft. It must defy gravity by relinquishing earth to the sky. The spring acts as an aura of sorts, pinning an island in place in much the same way as your soul stays hung within your body. From inception, even the smallest debris stones are trying to form a spring, but until one appears they must remain undisturbed or they fall away. These are all rules of the sky, which form with the natural order.


    ¡°Conversely, there are other natural occurrences which challenge these rules. In a similar vein to demons of primordial law, there exist materials that escape punishment by way of lacking will.¡± She took a glance at her students, checking if any of their faces looked less than curious.


    ¡°Deritium!¡± Emma shouted, ¡°Right?¡±


    Cira winced, ¡°Huh¡­¡± It had nothing to do with resisting the cycle¡ªat least Cira was pretty sure.


    ¡°Correct!¡± Eliza brightened up, ¡°As our next session will cover essential entropy, I thought we would finish today by observing that which promotes it.¡± She slung a pouch from her waist onto the podium and little glowing jars floated out from it. ¡°If you would kindly refrain from touching this sample until I provide instruction¡ªthis is genuine deritium.¡±


    ¡°What¡ªwhy?!¡± Cira reeled back as a jar of bright scarlet stone landed before her. She wore a look of shock and confusion as she couldn¡¯t decide whether to look at it or Eliza. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of¡­ this¡­¡±


    Cira¡¯s eyes went wide as she stared at the deritium sample. ¡°This¡­ did not come from Fount Salt.¡± For some reason, she could just tell. As if she was looking at fire produced by an artifact versus flame on the end of a torch. It was just different.


    ¡°Well of course not,¡± Eliza chuckled, ¡°That source dried up months ago, if you recall.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Do they go through it that quickly? ¡°I suppose that¡¯s a good point.¡±


    There were a couple stink-eyes and Cira decided not to derail class any further if it could be helped.


    ¡°For those incapable of manipulating earth, you will find a box of aether-tight gloves against the west wall,¡± Eliza gestured to one side of the room and a handful of students shamefully walked over to grab a pair. ¡°Today we will be observing deritium¡¯s crystalline structure and observing its effects on plant life. Any questions before we begin?¡±


    Apparently, everyone knew what it was, which was surprising to Cira. She had only just learned about the substance recently. Around the time people started opening their samples and flattening them out to the thickness of a microscope slide, Cira felt herself eager to join in their intellectual pursuits.


    Cira had already been pleasantly surprised at the swath of knowledge in just the last half hour, just as Eliza said she would be, and had been wanting to learn more about deritium for some time. Firsthand from someone familiar with it would be ideal, so she set forth making her own slide, and expanding her perception just for kicks.


    Something immediately caught her eye and she raised a hand in question, ¡°Eliza, I noticed the deritium samples in this room originate from six different sources¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shh!¡± Her dark eyes went wide with a finger over her lips, ¡°Don¡¯t spoil my lesson.¡±


    Instead of ridicule or laughter, this time students around her were surprised, immediately checking their own samples with a confused look on their faces. Perhaps that was one thing they were going to use microscopes for, but Cira didn¡¯t know how her corporeal eyeballs were supposed to help her determine such a thing. In fact, now she was downright curious to find out.


    ¡°Carefully now,¡± Eliza urged, ¡°While touching it for a brief moment won¡¯t do much, any degree of essential entropy is incredibly difficult to reverse. When considering the longevity of one¡¯s soul, these are things you must consider. You all know of corporeal degradation, but even more dangerous is its inverse effect, aethereal dissociation. There is no way to fully remove the layers of corruption deritium leaves within your soul. Typically not something to worry about within a single lifespan, but one would have to reconstitute or otherwise reform the soul to remove this damage completely. There are supposedly various methods deep within inaccessible areas of the Archive, but I surmise it may even be possible to reverse aethereal dissociation by turning yourself into something like a demi-spirit and removing the corruption as one would manipulate their own element.¡±


    Eliza¡¯s pointed glance fell on blind eyes as Cira quickly filled up a page of her notebook, but she would have thought it was an interesting theory. She took a sip of water from a glass made of ice and noticed the teacher had paused. As their eyes met, Eliza let out a long sigh and leaned into her microscope, ¡°I would like you all to now sketch the crystalline structure¡­¡±


    Cira was terrible at sketching, so she used condensed light to reproduce it. Evidently the others had grown tired of commenting on her antics, so Cira happily filled up the next few pages of her notebook as Eliza had them switch samples around and discuss the supplied text. By the end of the lesson, Cira was so engrossed that the library had almost completely slipped her mind.

 231 - An Archive of Remarkably Shallow Proportions

    If Cira learned anything above all else during class today, it was that she was an even worse teacher than she thought. Cira could hardly muster an hour for her students, and even if she had, there were serious doubts in her mind that she could have packed as much knowledge in as Eliza had. It was clear that woman had been doing it for a long time.


    After kicking everyone out at the end of class, Eliza resumed her role as Cira¡¯s guide, and they set off to the library. Or more specifically, the Archive. This was located on an entirely different islet, though there were evidently multiple entrances. Cira didn¡¯t know how that worked when each islet moved throughout the day, but she was here to trust the process. It didn¡¯t much matter so long as books ended up in her hand.


    And this brought them to a small little chunk of earth on the outer ring overlooking the vast sky. There was a single room of fanciful wooden construction and inside was a pretty typical lobby. A few empty benches and paintings lined the windowless walls and at the center stood a solid doorway. The frame seemed to be engraved with sorcerous script of some kind, but the characters shifted too fast for her to read. Still, she could feel power coming from this door.


    Something in her gut told her not to take it lightly, so despite seeing that there was nothing on the other side of the door but the ground outside, Cira held her tongue.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Eliza asked with a giddy smirk.


    ¡°Ready as rain, I suppose.¡± She watched Eliza place her palm on the door and promptly disappear. ¡°Huh.¡±


    This reminded her of the door to Breeze Haven¡¯s treasury, so she placed her hand upon the door and channeled mana as she would there. In an instant, her surroundings changed, and she found herself in a room with no doors¡ªonly bookcases. About six on each wall, floor to ceiling, to form a square room. Inside were a few low rows of bookshelves then a table in the middle which Eliza sat atop.


    ¡°Interesting¡­ A pocket realm?¡± Cira tried spreading a spatial domain, but the Archive rejected her perception. ¡°It¡¯s a little smaller than I expected.¡±


    ¡°Psh.¡± Eliza fired back with a laugh, ¡°You merely lack the wisdom to comprehend its depths.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Cira narrowed her gaze, approaching the table to the aroma of paper and ink. ¡°Whatever you say. Don¡¯t tell me that Daedalus guy made this place too? And isn¡¯t it supposed to be lost? The archive wasn¡¯t all too hard to find. What is the point of this Third Order of yours if it¡¯s right here?¡±


    ¡°Good grief, all these books and you still seek answers from me?¡± Eliza chuckled, but realized Cira was not going to relent. With a sigh, she continued, ¡°I suppose I do at least owe you an introduction. No one, not even Daedalus could create something like this place. It would be more accurate to call it a naturally occurring pocket realm¡ªthough it has no bounds and expands consistently. You know not its depths, but neither does anyone here, truly. The path has been lost to time. Only by contributing our own knowledge and discoveries can we unlock the extents of the Archive. That is the purpose of the Third Order. Believe it or not, the doorway you walked in through was once lost. We found it encased at the bottom of a volcanic island inside a veritable glacial of black glass. The other four we possess were found in a similar way, and there are supposedly many more across the sky which will all lead you right here. You will rarely run into outsiders, but it does happen. The books are indeed organized, but it may change based on the individual. Sometimes the archive will deprive you of knowledge or lead you straight to it. Just be careful while you¡¯re in here, okay?¡±


    Cira was already eyeing the closest bookcase as she nodded to Eliza, ¡°Okay, I think I got it.¡± She got up and knelt in front of it. She couldn¡¯t even pick them up with sorcery¡ªsomething about this place disallowed it. She had to peruse the old-fashioned way. This was not unpleasant for Cira in and of itself, but there was a particular title staring her in the face, bound to a spine of deep black.


    ¡®KAZALI¡¯, it read. Cira gulped, fending off a cold sweat. If I don¡¯t even have the nerve to read a book with his name, how will I ever face him? She slid the book from its place and opened up the cover. There was no author noted, only the title of the book again.


    ¡°Kazali¡­¡± Cira clenched a fist and turned the page with the other. ¡°Bastard.¡±


    ¡°The story of Kazali begins at the dawn of time.¡± Huh¡­ Cira did not like the sound of that, but read on nonetheless, ¡°From the death of Yore did the world spring. Void gave way to space, as did light from darkness. For all but nothing to exist required not only order, but a rigid system of circumstance for this world to form upon. Reality cannot exist subject to chaos, and such energy was jettisoned to the aethereal plane. While this was the first law, this was not intelligent design, no. Merely the natural course in Yore¡¯s wake. Following this separation, the first true life lived long and died, forgotten yet not removed. Humanity and its furthest depths gave rise in the following era, and the laws which have gradually accumulated through this budding world could not resist the pull of life.¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Cira had her back against the bookcase and decided to stand up and take a seat at the table. She needed a minute to catch her breath, ¡°Man¡­ what the hell am I reading? What does this have to do with my false fath¡ª¡± Cira realized she was alone. Eliza had disappeared at some point. It almost seemed the room itself had changed. Identical enough, she swore it was long instead of wide now. Hmm¡­


    ¡°One such law is Caus¡ªcaus what¡­?¡± There was a blank space finishing the word and Cira could only assume it was meant to read ¡®causality¡¯. ¡°Through predicting events and the ripples they form, Caus___ could take adv___ of ___ factors to direct the flow of time and hand-pick constants from among variable events. Over many ___ of years, his authority grew throughout countless contiguous skies, and his influence had reach enough to wrap the world. While life prospered, ___ and ___, to the point where ___ he ___ If only___ just___ wherein Kazali¡ªgah! This is infuriating!¡±


    Cira threw the book down and it faded into light. ¡°Why is so much missing?!¡± To say she was frustrated would be the understatement of the ___. After finally working up the courage to learn as much as possible about that bastard, Cira was denied. To ignore the anger she felt, the next few books were picked at random. Each one tossed aside the moment it revealed blank spaces. Still, she learned a little.


    Causality and the other primordial demons were really just laws manifested. Laws of course being rigid concepts which direct substance and events. As the first life was snuffed out, it spread throughout the world. Nothing which existed could completely resist its influence. This is how wind elementals came to be, or islands like Lazulei. Likewise, laws gave way to a being with such infallible power the rest of the world considered them demons of unchecked authority.


    There was evidently a school of thought that worried what state the world would be in if the primordial genocide hadn¡¯t happened. If so many demons ruled each sky, would humanity even have such freedom as it does now?


    She was not interested in sympathizers, so the next book was titled, ¡°Known Surviving Demons of the Primordial Genocide¡±. Strangely enough, each name held a particular color¡ªquite vivid to the last. ¡®Gravity¡¯ shimmered with the same inconsistency as space, while ¡®Circadian¡¯ shimmered with the uncertainty of twilight. ¡®Victory¡¯ pervaded a triumphant crimson like still blood in dawn¡¯s light, but a particular color caught her eye. She couldn¡¯t help but focus in on the section.


    ¡°Continuance.¡± The text was written a blue so pale one may mistake it for moonlight. ¡°Range of authority includes the proliferation and preservation of kin, scaling with descendant biomass and reverence of kin. This demon survived the primordial genocide by sacrificing almost eighty percent of her offspring to ensure survival for herself and the remaining members of her ancient bloodline.


    ¡°Known aliases: Kontina, Tinuana, Mistress Konu, Kani, Connie¡ª¡± Cira continued grazing over the text. She wished she asked the demon herself more, because the contents here were surprisingly scarce. It was mostly about the history of her and her kin, but her powers weren¡¯t so clear. There were a few sections where the tome brushed upon her feats, but they were riddled with blank spots. They even started appearing right before her eyes as she tried to focus on the next sentence. ¡°What the hell is with this place?!¡±


    Cira threw the book back to the shelf it came from, and it faded away. She had never been so upset within a library. The breadth of knowledge at her fingertips seemed restricted by a force she couldn¡¯t even understand, and it made her feel like a stupid child again.


    ¡°Fine then. I¡¯ll just come back¡­ later¡­¡± Cira turned around, then again. No matter how many times she looked, there was no exit. ¡°Whatever this is¡­ I have not come to play games, Archive.¡±


    Without a second thought, she appeared in the garden of Breeze Haven. Safe and sound minus a healthy chunk of mana.


    ¡°Dammit! What kind of library stops you from reading, then from even leaving? This is absurd!¡± Cira was about ready to pull her hair out as she ripped an apple from its branch instead and conjured a mug of ale at the garden table. Settling in, Nina was already there with arms cross in judgment. ¡°Oh, please. It¡¯s been a long day.¡± An orange imploded across from Cira, pouring its concentrate into a small glass for the nymph.


    After refreshments, Cira knew where she had to go. To a person from whom she could demand answers, of course. Suddenly she was standing in a classroom with her arms crossed, about to go off on a tirade when she noticed students in nearly every seat¡ªall of which she recognized.


    In her pause, Eliza spoke with mild exasperation, ¡°Of course, I worried for nothing.¡± She let it go with a sigh.


    ¡°Hm¡­? What¡¯s there to worry about? I¡¯m the one who¡¯s upset.¡± The library¡¯s cruel ways left her heart in tumult, so the depth of confusion Eliza was experiencing paled in comparison.


    ¡°My apologies, class. I must take a moment to speak with Young Cira.¡± Eliza nodded to her students while some laughed and some showed impatience. Scarce few displayed concern.


    ¡°I lost sight of you the moment you opened that book¡­¡± Eliza fluttered her lashes and rolled her eyes, ¡°But I see you found your way back. Whatever was in that book anyway?¡±


    ¡°That cur Kazali¡¯s history, but the damn archive cut me off.¡± Despite the confusion and inquisitive stares of everyone she met the other day, Cira had to get to the bottom of this, ¡°Why was everything disappearing? The stupid books turned to dust in my fingers!¡±


    Irate as she was, Eliza only chuckled, ¡°Have you forgotten? You possess not a single mark. Why should the archive share its treasures with you?¡±

 232 - Mark of the Seeker

    Cira found herself in the Village of the First Mark, inside a small cabin made of filled bookcases, sitting on a stool which doubled as another bookcase with a frown on her face. With each book she skimmed through the grumbles escaping her lips only grew in severity.


    ¡­and when sweeping a long hallway, it is important to take extra care with any corner downwind from an exterior doorway or window, as dust will collect in these places with a much higher propensity¡ª


    ¡°Why do these books keep getting worse?!¡± Cira set it down and audibly scowled.


    ¡°Shhh!!¡± A man easily twice her age turned around from his spot on the floor with a nasty look on his face, ¡°Some of us are trying to read.¡±


    The potency of his rage was enough to wipe the look off Cira¡¯s face and she turned away feeling embarrassed as the others in the hut tried not to look.


    This village is larger than that damn archive, so why is every book more pointless than the last? There¡¯s no way I¡¯m the only one experiencing this. There were four others in this cabin besides Cira¡ªthe others she checked were even more crowded. Glancing across the crowd, Cira read the titles of their books.


    ¡®Artists of the Early Modern Era¡¯, ¡®Basket Weaving Techniques to Teach Your Grandchildren¡¯, ¡®Mana Bereft Wildlife of the Sunset Skies¡¯, ¡®A History of Fire Magic¡¯s Cultural Impact¡¯.


    Two or three of those admittedly sounded pretty boring to Cira, but each person reading them was doing so as diligently as if they were tomes containing lost sorcery. While any one of those books sounded better than ¡®The Immaculate Arts of Housekeeping¡¯, Cira was beginning to think her approach was wrong.


    Okay¡­ This next book, I will read cover to cover. No matter what. Last time she made an uncompromising promise to herself, she ended up face to face with a dragon and the island crumbled. She thought to herself, it won¡¯t be so bad this time.


    She reached toward the ceiling and withdrew a book from its shelves, then took a step outside to read under the sun. It would be a long day, after all, so it was best to get comfortable. She popped up on a little cloud and checked the title of the book that was her destiny to read.


    ¡°The Immaculate Arts of Housekeeping¡­¡± Cira deflated.


    She most certainly had not put the book away in the shelves above her. This book was being forced upon her by whatever mysterious power was responsible for this village¡¯s workings. Fine then¡­


    Chapter one: Success or Failure as Dawn Breaks


    Any housekeeper¡¯s challenge begins at the rooster¡¯s first call. As light begins to seep in the shudders, every feather in your duster and bristle in your broom must be meticulously inspected. If anything is amiss with your tools, it is your responsibility to correct before the sun rests fully over the horizon. Even a single tear in your dampest cloth may wear down the strongest varnish unevenly if left in disrepair.


    Cira cleared her mind of negative thoughts and hunkered down. She would squeeze every ounce of wisdom from these pages if it was the last thing she did. And that she did until well after the sun went down, but Prismagora allowed her to continue. Some readers were upset as they wanted to sleep, but others used her light to continue their pursuits.


    Likewise, there were a few more groups like hers and those who needed rest ended up inside the bookshelf cabins. It seemed fire was not allowed here, but there was still a dotting of light mages. Many had bags under their eyes, but determination burned within them like flames. Moreso than those earlier in the day.


    These people wanted to sleep. As much was clear in the unsteady gazes, but Cira could see their desire for wisdom was stronger. Some faces, she could count the wrinkles and wondered just how many had formed in pursuit of the first mark. After so many decades, she couldn¡¯t blame them for minimizing the amount of time they had to be unconscious.


    As she peered into one old man¡¯s eyes, she was reminded of Yotan the artificer. He was nearing the end of his life, sure, as was this man. It was unclear if he would have time to find any further marks, and what purpose was a life spent buried in books if he died before using that knowledge?


    But the subtle joy she felt from him as his grin grew or fell following the text somehow resonated with Cira. He just looked happy to be here. It was a pursuit of wisdom in its purest form. Whether he did anything with it or not was inconsequential. He simply wanted to unravel the mysteries of this world. If anything, perhaps he could pass it on in his own words once he had enough of it.


    Would that book find its way into the archive too? I wonder, what would it say? Whatever would a man like that write about? Perhaps an academic textbook on his favorite subject, or would it be a collection of philosophical musings? Would there even be sufficient events to fill the autobiography of a man who lived his life with his face buried in one book or the other?Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Cira put the third volume of ¡®The Immaculate Arts of Housekeeping¡¯ back on its shelf and started scanning the surrounding books to find her next when the entire village was bathed in an eerie purple light. The way it seeped through the shelves to illuminate the sleeping readers was almost like holy mana, or even Connie¡¯s curse of Continuance.


    Most people seemed to have glanced up from their books with awe and excitement. Following their collective gaze, Cira found that same old man. He hovered in the air as the light coalesced around him, swirling in trails until disappearing into his chest. As he fell back to the ground, a whole heap of mages were there to catch him. Book in hand so as not to lose their place, countless readers surrounded him with cheers, even pulling bottles of wine out of storage rings and lifting the old man on their shoulders.


    Never letting his own book go, the laughter bubbling up from him was palpable with relief and a happiness so pure she would think he just earned his youth back.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Cira asked the nearest person who hadn¡¯t got up right away, a woman a few years her senior with just a couple gray hairs. ¡°What was that light?¡±


    While it seemed she didn¡¯t want to be interrupted, even this woman was overjoyed, ¡°What you just witnessed was a bestowal of the first mark.¡± A hearty laugh left her lips.


    ¡°Is it¡­ always like this?¡± They lowered the man down and set him at a table, pouring wine for him and themselves while a team of light mages worked together to make a shimmering canopy for all to gather around.


    ¡°To some degree, yes.¡± The woman smiled at her, ¡°But they say Old Man Roberts has been here longer than anyone. He once told me, ¡®I¡¯ll never receive my marks if I¡¯m not ready to die in this village.¡¯¡±


    A smile found its way to Cira¡¯s face too. His words perfectly matched that look in his eyes she witnessed. The old man was content to keep turning the next page even if he withered away right here.


    The mage beside her placed a bookmark and closed the cover, ¡°If you¡¯re new here, you should join in on the festivities. This only happens once every few months to a year.¡± The energy in this place felt completely different than Cira¡¯s meeting with the arbiters. As fellows who pursued the first mark, everyone was happy to see their peer receive it. Perhaps it gave them hope, or they were just happy to see someone reaching that same wisdom they grasped for. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±


    The mage pulled Cira by the bookless hand and led her to the table where wine poured like water from a spring. Roberts sat at the end of the table with a glass in each hand getting pat on the back by a small crowd.


    A stranger handed her a glass then wordlessly walked away pouring another.


    Hm¡­ Don¡¯t mind if I do.


    The wine was bitter and had a robust undertone that made her sinuses feel funny, but the flavor wasn¡¯t so bad. It tasted refined, but also a little musty.


    ¡°My, my. So, we have a new resident, after all.¡± She followed the silvery voice and came face to face with old man Roberts. ¡°Didn¡¯t I see you with Lady Eliza yesterday?¡±


    ¡°You did indeed. I guess she was my dad¡¯s friend.¡± She offered a slight curtsy because it felt appropriate after hearing the man speak. ¡°Call me Cira.¡±


    None seemed to recognize that name, much to her relief. Apparently, these people hadn¡¯t left in a while. Resident, huh?


    ¡°My name is Roberts, but most just call me Old Man.¡± He chuckled and took another sip. ¡°You know I wasn¡¯t much older than you when I arrived here?¡±


    As absurd as it sounded that someone could spend upwards of eight decades reading from sunup to sundown, Cira sensed no lie in his words.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ incredible.¡± She wasn¡¯t sure what other word to describe it as, ¡°And what book were you reading? You know, when you received the first mark?¡±


    At the very least, Cira thought it could point her in the right direction. Roberts thought the question comical and set down one glass to pull the book from his lap.


    ¡°Take a look,¡± He laughed.


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding.¡± Cira went pale, ¡°The Immaculate Arts of Housekeeping, Volume One¡­¡±


    The crowd all laughed, and one man even slung his arm over her shoulder dangling a bottle from his hand, ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard? Nothin¡¯ and no one will help you succeed here but yourself.¡±


    She had actually heard that, now that he mentioned it. Gently removing his arm, she sipped down the wine.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome to read it still if you like.¡± Roberts offered.


    ¡°Just finished it this morning¡­¡± Cira let out a self-deprecating laugh, ¡°But maybe I¡¯m starting to get it.¡±


    I don¡¯t have time to grow old in this place, but I need that first mark. I¡¯m sure not everyone turns out like Roberts, but there¡¯s something I¡¯m not seeing. Did the archive place the mark in that book for him to toy with me? Interpreted otherwise, this could be a lesson.


    Cira didn¡¯t know what a naturally occurring pocket realm was supposed to be¡ªhow it even made sense, rather. Furthermore, that such a location could hold trials beyond its bounds and lay marks upon people¡¯s souls was beyond her.


    Even if she didn¡¯t have decades, she could spare an evening to stew on it. In the meantime, she found herself wanting to celebrate Old Man Roberts¡¯ achievement¡ªor at least a lifetime of unfaltering effort.


    Cira conjured Prismagora and clacked it to the ground as two barrels appeared transfixed in the air, ¡°Everyone listen up! To celebrate Old Man Roberts¡¯ perseverance, I offer Elysian Draught. The finest ale from the second spring of Paradise!¡±


    Golden liquid flowed from their taps, shimmering with light as rivers flowed through the crowd.


    Another cheer ensued.


    ¡°Paradise?!¡± One man cried.


    ¡°Do you mean Eden Island?¡±


    ¡°The true Elysian atoll?!¡± The woman from earlier asked, ¡°You mean to say you¡¯ve seen it?¡±


    ¡°What was it like?¡± There were stars in Roberts¡¯ eyes as a mug of ice condensed in front of him and filled with ale. After one sip, he looked up to the sky looking truly content.


    Cira regaled them with curated stories of her travels and heard tales of distant skies from her fellows of the village. The party prevailed long after the last bottle of wine emptied, and Cira ended up pulling out one more barrel of ale before the first spark of dawn arrived. Many were passed out with a book in their face and Roberts was in the same seat snoring like a dragon.


    She didn¡¯t have all the time in the world to find the first mark, but she certainly had today. The bookshelves were looking a little wavy after such a long night, but Cira picked out her next book at random.


    ¡°May these Bones Never Again See Light: Memoires of a Nameless Second Mark.¡±


    As if the archive had given her a gift, Cira found herself very interested in this book. The sun was hardly rising, and the lines would get straighter with time. Cira settled into her cloud with a nice big glass of water and turned the first page.

 233 - May These Bones Never See Light

    A lifetime between the shelves, but precious little to show for it. I knew more than all my peers¡ªstill do, I reckon. But as the breadth of my own knowledge grew, so too did the gap between it and the infinite wisdom that exists under these skies.


    There is respect and honor to be had for anyone in their pursuit, but if there is one thing I have learned in all these years¡ªthe single shred of true wisdom I finally managed to eke out at the end of my life, it is this:


    Vain is the pursuit without purpose.


    I am knowledgeable in many matters, and countless subjects. Like an unshackled beast, I absorbed all the information I could no matter what nature. Voracious in my quest, I never stopped to ask myself¡­ Why? What is it all for?


    The sun was at its zenith and Cira was nearing the end of this tome. Once a teacher, the author who refused to share his name lived his life very much like Old Roberts, she thought. Curiously enough, there was no mention of the Order of the Lost Archive. As the pages were so old she had to touch them delicately so as not to turn them into dust¡ªa lesson she learned after destroying the corner of the title page¡ªshe thought maybe it predated the Order.


    Alternatively, this man from the ¡®Kingdom of Yon¡¯ could have had access to an entirely different entrance to the Archive in some distant sky long ago.


    As far as mysterious lands go, the Village of the First Mark was like a whole other world. Despite one man succeeding where all of them continued to fail in perpetuity, there was an unspoken camaraderie among the residents. Their pursuit of knowledge was what guided them, and they lived to that end within these shores. There was no hint of jealousy or greed.


    After yesterday Cira was beginning to think the first mark was a test of how pure her desire for wisdom was. It was only the natural course after watching Roberts¡¯ face in the moments leading up to his first bestowal.


    But that¡¯s not quite right, is it?


    The man in this book lived a very similar life to Roberts in that he spent his life turning pages. One could argue teaching was a small contribution to the world, but he looked back on it as meaningless. He had nothing to teach, really. Only the words of those who came before him to impart on future generations. That wasn¡¯t true insight. Despite all he had learned, nothing of his own existed.


    That¡¯s what drove him back into the archive. Scholars of Yon were only allowed to enter once per year, so he came up with a plan. If he just never left, he wouldn¡¯t have to wait. He had entered more than twenty times already, so it was a place he was familiar with.


    The plan was simple. With two years of provisions in his storage ring, he would enter the archive and leave the following year after the others entered.


    After a while, he realized he had lost track of time. More accurately, hardly a quarter of his rations were left. Normally the archive would be filled with his peers when they entered, but he hadn¡¯t seen a single one.


    Each day he ate less food and drank less water, hoping to make it to the next opening of the doors. Three times a day, he walked through any halls accessible to him in search of others, just in case they arrived when he didn¡¯t expect. Still, no one ever turned up.


    The nameless second mark had begun a tally when back when he realized he missed the first date, but on the day his food finally ran out was somewhere within the third year. He had missed both opening ceremonies following his entry to the archive and the future looked bleak.


    Water could keep him alive for a small while longer, but not enough to make it through another year. There was only one thing to do while he withered, and read he did.


    Curled up against the corner of two bookcases, he pored through every tome in reach. This went on for days, which quickly turned into weeks.


    Again, this man lost track of time. The hunger subsided as if he was devouring knowledge itself for sustenance. Eventually his canteen ran dry, and he found the thirst only lasted a few days.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Beyond that, he could exist by simply scouring the archive. Once there were no more books within reach, he found the strength to crawl a few more feet to find more. Soon enough he could stand and reach the higher shelves, even take a book over to the table and sit in a chair if he tried hard enough.


    At last, he had finally found the secret. No other scholar of Yon had stumbled upon such a revelation. It belonged to him, and him alone. The depths of wisdom his people could reach would expand infinitely if they knew what he knew. True wisdom was in his hands at last. This discovery was what his pursuit of knowledge was for. His purpose.


    Oh, but how wrong I was, dear reader. Dear plunderer of wisdom, you must know how wrong I was. When I ran out of provisions, I thought my pure hunger for knowledge kept me alive. That the only way to reach the depths of the archive was to surrender oneself to it completely. If one could do as I did, the Archive would naturally provide what they lacked.


    When I first realized I didn¡¯t need food or water any longer, I suspected I had been chosen by the Archive. That didn¡¯t make sense though. I was extraordinarily average among my peers. When stripped bare of my vast swath of futile knowledge, I had no talent but my determination, ill-guided or not.


    Then I realized my method would die with me if I didn¡¯t pass it along. If only I could make my way back to Yon. This is what drove me for the decades which followed as my body only grew weaker. It was not until then that I knew that the archive could not keep me alive forever¡ªat least it would not. My hunger for knowledge had nothing to do with it.


    So many years passed that I refused to keep count after so many, yet I found no sign of an exit. Not a single scholar crossed my path and something altogether different dawned on me.


    The Archive wanted me here in the first place, and now it doesn¡¯t want me to leave.


    Turns out I was chosen. Just not in the way I hoped. As if all I had learned in my long life was worthless, and the Archive wanted me to realize this for myself. Whatever wisdom I thought I possessed was never meant to see the sky.


    It was wrong. It was all wrong. I never really learned a thing¡ªnot one. All that¡¯s left for me is to turn to dust alongside the books that decorate these shelves.


    What was it all for? For a while I asked myself that. My skin went pale at some point, and my hair grayed. I no longer possess the willpower to turn the next page, and the Archive has put less effort into sustaining my life.


    Have I truly become worthless under its gaze? Or perhaps I was all along.


    This is the fate of a nameless second mark who wasted an entire lifetime in the aimless pursuit of infinite nothings. No mortal could possibly reach the depths¡ªthat¡¯s what the Archive wanted to tell me all this time. All these decades wasted buried in books, and I didn¡¯t realize the truth until the moment I put one down.


    I would never speak these words to another, but there was one small thing I can leave behind. If nothing else remains of my legacy, I know that one day my final words will be read by a distant scholar in the vast sea of time. My hair falls out by the day as my skin grows thin and cracks. That aching hunger has returned but no amount of literature will sate it now. The clothes on my back are ragged and nothing but dust remains in my pocket. With nothing to my name and no triumphs to show after so long, I can finally surrender myself completely to the archive.


    Dear reader whose quest for wisdom has led you here, please don¡¯t repeat my mistakes. Don¡¯t let the endless horizon lead you astray. Never lose sight of whatever star it is you follow.


    Pursuit without purpose is tantamount to futility. Is there not a reason you sought knowledge in the first place? For me, maybe there never was¡­ And that was my folly. That¡¯s what the Archive kept me here to learn. It may sound bleak, but I finally have it. If I can so much as teach a single person what I¡¯ve learned, that will be enough for me.


    Even if these foolish bones may never again see the light of day, I can only hope this meager sliver of wisdom I sacrificed everything for may one day see the sun.


    I can feel it now. The fire of my life dwindles and there is nothing left to keep me alive now that my objective is complete. I pray these bones never again see light, for if they do this book may never belong to the Archive.


    Farewell, dear reader, and I wish you all the best in your pursuit.


    Cira held the book in her hands for a moment taking in his final words. As if on cue, the book faded away into light, swept up into the sky.


    ¡°Farewell, nameless second mark.¡± Apparently, his wish came true, though it felt strangely somber to Cira. She wondered how many times that book had popped up in the village. Had Roberts ever read that memoire?


    ¡°Who are you talking to?¡± A familiar voice brought Cira back to reality and she found Eliza at the end of it.


    ¡°Just a dead man.¡± Cira replied with a sullen tone, ¡°Have you ever heard of the Kingdom of Yon?¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Eliza rested her chin in a hand and drifted her gaze afar. ¡°Can¡¯t say that I have, but are you quite ready?¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Cira paused with one hand halfway to her next book, ¡°For what?¡±


    The mage only scoffed, ¡°You already missed class yesterday. Do you mean to miss it again? This village isn¡¯t going anywhere.¡±


    Right¡­ It¡¯s good to get different perspectives on things. If I turned Eliza down and stayed here, I¡¯d be no different than that nameless scholar. I can¡¯t live like Roberts either¡ªit would be a detriment to my pursuit.

 234 - A Fly in the Honey

    Crunch¡­ crunch¡­ crunch¡­


    ¡°How many of those do you have?!¡± A slightly older man from the next desk over cried. His hair was quite thin for his age, she thought.


    During class, Cira struggled to keep herself awake and the only solution she could think of was to pull fruits directly from Breeze Haven¡¯s orchard while sitting at her desk. In this moment she felt that her months in the faux-void were absolutely worth it.


    ¡°Hundreds¡­. They¡¯re in season.¡± Cira replied with her mouth full of apple, tossing another his way, ¡°Want one?¡±


    He caught it and presumably admired its ruby red skin with faint streaks of green reminiscent of an aurora for a moment before awkwardly nodding thanks and taking a bite, ¡°My gods¡­¡± His eyes went wide as he voraciously took another bite.


    Cira smirked in pride. She always knew her apples were the best, but not often did she get to see it first-hand from another enjoyer of sweet fruit.


    On another note, staying up all night drinking was evidently quite the ordeal for a mind which seeks knowledge. Cira may even go so far as to call such activities a hassle. Working to minimize her unsorcerous tendencies was something she could consider later, however.


    ¡°Cira¡­¡± Eliza had been very kind to her so far, but there was a hint of exasperation in her tone, ¡°You already missed our unit on essential entropy, but I would not like my permanent student to miss their chance to learn of its counterpart.¡±


    Using all she could muster, Cira inferred that essential entropy was the dissociation of the body and soul. Corporeal degradation would absolutely contribute to such a condition, so she at least had an idea. Its counterpart would be absolute equilibrium.


    No¡­ Wait, that¡¯s just what the lesson is about. Cira was having a rough time, but essential synergy led to yet another form of synergy between oneself and the world around them, known as absolute equilibrium. This was not only imperative to all operations pertaining to the manipulation of mana, but the very basis behind extending one¡¯s lifespan naturally.


    ¡°Sorry¡­¡± Cira replied after mentally checking that she had learned at least most of what the lesson beheld so far, ¡°Would you like one too?¡± Cira pulled out another apple as Eliza¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°Perhaps later¡­ But for now, why don¡¯t you tell the class why achieving equilibrium with the world is widely considered the first step to immortality?¡± Eliza deigned to put her on the spot for disrupting class, but Cira was ready for this one.


    ¡°Well, because there are yet some fools who believe in immortality¡ª¡± One look was enough to tell this was not the answer she was looking for. Cira straightened up and shook off a couple layers of exhaustion, ¡°I mean, ahem¡­ I can surmise many consider it such because, uh, I guess spirits don¡¯t really age, right? It only makes sense that attuning oneself to the aether would increase the soul¡¯s longevity. So, it¡¯s logical enough to assume extending one¡¯s lifespan a little bit could be the first step to extending it perpetually¡­? But I¡¯m telling you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡± Eliza stopped her, ¡°Were we not just talking about the rules of life and death the other day? We are not discussing ¡®true immortality¡¯, which everyone in this room is privy to the impossibility of.¡±


    Cira looked around and many students were giving her tiresome looks. ¡°Ah¡­ of course.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right though, isn¡¯t she?¡± An excited Emma leaned forward with a quill patiently hovering over her notebook. ¡°About spirits. They don¡¯t age! Because of their aethereal form, right?¡±


    ¡°Well done, Emma, but they can degrade. This is how we get revenants, goliaths, or even curseborne liches depending on the circumstance. These all eventually return to the aether one day.¡± Eliza gave the class a moment to take notes, ¡°But sprites and greater spirits, as Cira meant, are the exception. While they do not age, neither do they degrade. Instead, they continuously absorb further mana from the aether or directly from the spatial realm around them. A good example would be how undines commonly live in springs.¡±


    To find other spirits and bargain for their blessings, Cira would need to seek out areas of high elemental concentration. ¡°But they¡¯re not immortal.¡± Cira added.


    ¡°Correct again¡­ While undines are quite difficult to kill, there are multiple accounts of slain earth or fire spirits. Starving one of their element thoroughly enough will cause even a greater spirit to degrade to a revenant or worse. Do so even longer, and they return to the aether altogether. Far from immortal, one could say, but it¡¯s about the closest one can get. However, today¡¯s lesson is not about aethereal attunement¡ªit¡¯s about absolute equilibrium.


    ¡°Everyone knows there are methods to abandon your body for pseudo-immortality as a spirit, but through achieving perfect synergy with the world, it¡¯s possible to attune one¡¯s body to the spatial realm as well, increasing your permanence within it. There are also alchemic compounds and various rituals to strengthen or otherwise modify the corporea to promote this effect, but this can be achieved with nothing but time and will at your disposal.¡±


    Cira found herself taking notes too, and finished out class rather diligently if she said so herself. As students began to file out, she let void lightning sizzle at her feet. In her head, Breeze Haven was already in view and there was meat on the grill.


    ¡°E-excuse me!¡± Cira turned and found Emma nervously shouting at her, ¡°Would you like to¡­ eat lunch with me?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sort of in a hurry¡­¡± Cira wanted to get back to the village while the nameless second mark¡¯s memoire was still on her mind, and she knew she could cook and eat all within ten minutes if it was a solo operation, but what was a few minutes? ¡°Would you like to join me instead?¡±


    ¡°Uh, sure¡ªAhh!¡± Emma¡¯s timid voice gave way to a terrified scream as they found grass beneath their feet. ¡°Where¡ªwhat is this place?¡±


    Emma was a little too scared to feel the full force of wonder in her heart, but her eyes indeed sparkled.


    Two more apples found their way from the orchard to each of their hands, ¡°What are you feeling today? I don¡¯t want to burn myself out on underworm, but fish doesn¡¯t thrill me either.¡± Cira¡¯s purely inquisitive gaze left Emma on the back foot. However, it was unclear whether the hesitation was nerves or flavor preference, ¡°Sorry, I won¡¯t have much else to offer until I get back to the Boreal.¡±


    ¡°We¡­ have a market. I can show you around sometime if you like.¡± Emma took a bite of her apple and was struck with a dumb smile, ¡°So good¡­ I mean, er, we get daily shipments of meat and produce¡ªI¡¯m sure you could find whatever you need there. Uh, also I¡¯m allergic to fish.¡±The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Worm it is then.¡± Cira nodded resolutely and sat down at her garden table as clattering echoed through the kitchen window. ¡°I might take you up on that after I gain my first mark though¡±


    ¡°You just arrived, didn¡¯t you?¡± the girl pushed her glasses up, ¡°Even the Far lord Gazen spent nine whole months in the village before receiving his.¡±


    This piqued Cira¡¯s interest more than anything else she had heard today. I¡¯ll give myself nine days. Take that, Dad!


    ¡°Thank you for telling me that, Emma.¡± Cira gave her a warm smile and got to work on a charcuterie board of worm steak and sliced fruit. Spatial sorcery made such tasks a simple matter and she didn¡¯t notice Emma giving her all to not say anything about the fruit which picked itself then floated about like busy bees. ¡°So, what did you want to talk about?¡±


    ¡°Er, what?¡± Emma had found her nerves¡ªin that she was once again very nervous. Cira thought her smile and demeanor was disarming, but perhaps she had to think it over another day.


    ¡°You wanted to speak to me, right?¡± Unable to suppress a thought in lieu of recent events, Cira chuckled to herself, ¡°Or have you come to join my harem?¡±


    A board clacked between them, stacked with feathered layers of thin cut worm grilled to a rare char, accented with orange slices, plum halves, and pomegranate seeds. Cira thought the sweet pairing would break up the monotony of all the underworm she had been eating, and the smokey, herbal aroma mixed with citrus undertones had her drooling at the mouth.


    Unfortunately, Emma seemed incredibly anxious as she looked at Cira across the table. She turned around in her seat and realized there was nothing but sky beyond the garden.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Cira stuffed her face with more food and continued with her mouth full, daintily covering her mouth as her voice came out muddled, ¡°Are you the type to prefer ale with their meal? I have many friends like that.¡±


    A cup of ice manifested on the other side of Emma¡¯s plate as her water, then filled with a quite golden liquid.


    ¡°Um, hang on¡­¡± Emma¡¯s voice came out like a whisper.


    ¡°Elysian draught, I say!¡± Cira decided to conjure her own glass in solidarity so as not to make the girl uncomfortable. ¡°The genuine article from the second spring of Paradise. Cheers.¡±


    Cira held her glass up and Emma did not follow. In fact, it seemed the girl was frozen, stumbling on words too quiet for Cira to hear without sorcery.


    ¡°No, no¡­ It¡¯s not that. I actually don¡¯t drink.¡± A shame, Cira thought, placing both glasses into an airless storage ring for later. ¡°I just get nervous. And¡­ where are we?


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Cira stood up and gestured her over to the edge where they could overlook the whole of Icarus. They were actually on rotation with the village, just outside the outer ring. Cira gave her the gist of it. ¡°This island is called Breeze Haven.¡±


    ¡°Amazing¡­¡± the girl leaned over the edge and stared down into the clouds. After a moment she started reaching for the barrier, ¡°Was your father some kind of famous artificer?¡±


    ¡°You could say that, but¡­ That¡¯s not important.¡± Cira¡¯s hunger was partially satisfied, so she had more time to speak, ¡°You sought me out because you wanted to know something specific, yes?¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Emma pulled herself back in, the curiosity in her eyes replaced to a small degree by embarrassment, ¡°Sorry, you¡¯re right. Er, it¡¯s not really important either though¡­¡±


    Trying not to roll her eyes, Cira urged her along, ¡°Good. One less important thing to worry about. Now, out with it.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ that lightning¡­¡± At this reply, Cira couldn¡¯t help but raise an eyebrow. ¡°What is it?¡±


    She couldn¡¯t quite figure Emma out. The girl could speak out in class, but when put on the spot she choked up.


    ¡°Do you mean this?¡± Cira held up a finger and her latest signature magic danced into the air with muffled crackles. A proud smirk crept onto her face, ¡°I call it void lightning. An emergent element I pioneered a few weeks back. Pretty cool, right?¡±


    She pointed across the garden and disappeared in a tuft of lightning before reappearing at the end of Emma¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°But¡­ but how does it work?! You¡¯re saying it¡¯s a new element? I didn¡¯t know you could make new ones!¡± Emma shot out of her chair and tried to grab hold of a stray bolt before it disappeared. A glint shined off her glasses as her wide eyes filled their lenses, ¡°Do you have to make lightning first? It doesn¡¯t even look like lightning.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the neat part. It¡¯s not.¡± Cira summoned Prismagora and a crackling sun formed above them like a tangled mass of pitch-black arcs. ¡°I can conjure it by simply moving light out of the way. Incredibly efficient, mind you. Of course, light doesn¡¯t like that, so I found it¡¯s best to condense the resulting shadow. Crystals are no fun, and I needed to be able to use it quickly, you see¡­¡±


    Cira was going to be late to her appointment at the village, but she didn¡¯t want to pass up a chance to talk about sorcery with someone truly interested. They ended up working through most of the charcuterie board by the time their conversation came to a close and Emma¡¯s many questions gave Cira some surprising insights about her element that she never bothered to ask herself.


    ¡°But it does counter lightning.¡± Emma had a hand to her chin, nodding with each passing thought, ¡°That means it cancels out energy many times greater than itself. What other elements have you tried it against?¡±


    Cira listed what she could remember off the top of her head and they took some time chatting about it and running a few tests pitting void lightning against the ones she hadn¡¯t pitted it against yet. Surprisingly, fire and holy both found themselves vulnerable against it, while water was hardly affected.


    It seemed this girl came out of her shell when there was something to learn, and Cira got curious.


    ¡°Okay, enough about sorcery for now. It¡¯s my turn.¡± Emma looked like she hadn¡¯t an inkling of what Cira meant. ¡°Why are you here? On Icarus, I mean. Even those born to the Order are able to leave from what I gather, so why?¡±


    She went through a range of emotions trying to find an answer, but it came out almost too simply, ¡°Why, to learn of course. To enter the Archive!¡± She chuckled, ¡°I think most people around here would give you the same answer.


    ¡°Yes, but why?¡± Cira couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the nameless second mark. Vain is the pursuit without purpose, she almost said. It felt like imparting his shred of wisdom like this would be disrespectful to the years he spent finding it, but she had to ask, ¡°To what end to you seek the archive and the knowledge held within?¡±


    ¡°Because¡­ I simply want to learn.¡± A warm smile grew on Emma¡¯s face as she came to this conclusion, ¡°There¡¯s so much I don¡¯t know about this world. They say wisdom comes with age only if one seeks it, but I¡¯m not so na?ve to think it only exists in the Archive. I want to be an arbiter one day so I can see the world as well, but I¡¯m far too weak. So, being smarter than my peers is the only way I will get there. Until I possess at least enough wisdom to seek out the mysteries of this world myself, wouldn¡¯t devoting my life to a single purpose be a waste?¡±


    An arbiter, huh? Is that such an exciting prospect? I suppose it would be fun to fly around searching for weird phenomena. Would Mac be jealous if I found a new spider friend? It could also be my ticket to more blessings. Hm¡­


    Emma¡¯s response was quite thought-provoking for how lacking in substance it was. At the end of the day, she still just wanted to learn and find more opportunities to do so elsewhere. Though it could be said devoting your life to something before gaining the wisdom to determine whether or not it¡¯s a good choice could be a waste. Biding one¡¯s time is entirely different from being idle.


    Cira personally preferred following her heart in the moment, but perhaps the sorcerer¡¯s code was one thing Cira had which Emma lacked.


    I already have purpose as a sorcerer¡­ but that sounds even flimsier than Emma¡¯s answer. I can take on as many jobs as I want and help those I pass, but that¡¯s not a goal. Goals have an end. Like how Kazali will die by my hand. That¡¯s certainly something I intend to achieve, but am I so vain as to devote my life to vengeance? What¡¯s more, he is undeserving of such devotion.


    ¡°Uh, Cira¡­¡± Emma spoke up, seemingly taking advantage of the silence. ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯ve been meaning to ask.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± She smiled in response, ¡°Ask me anything.¡±


    ¡°Who¡ªor what is that?¡± She pointed past the house to a spot along the shore.


    ¡°Oh¡­ Oh my.¡± Stuck against her barrier like a barnacle was the glowing young man, Rilihad. The mana swirling around him seemed frozen solid and on closer inspection, his body wasn¡¯t moving at all. Even his shining hair was stuck in place standing straight up. Not even his chest heaved. ¡°That can''t be good.¡±

 235 - A Daughters Duty

    The first and most logical decision would be to remove Rilihad from the barrier. Unfortunately, Cira could not seem to manage that.


    This is¡­ concerning.


    Spatial sorcery usually did the trick when all else failed, but he wouldn¡¯t budge. She couldn¡¯t even send him to the treasury. It was as if he was part of the barrier itself.


    ¡°I have to admit¡­ this is a new one for me.¡± Cira could not fathom how it became like this. Emma was monumentally more confused, but that was to be expected.


    ¡°Is he¡­ dead?¡± Cira couldn¡¯t blame her for thinking as much. Even the mana which constantly flowed through and around his body was stuck in place like a painting of shimmering waves, and he didn¡¯t even have a heartbeat. If it weren¡¯t for the roiling life mana in his body, Cira would be preparing for a very difficult conversation with the high arbiter.


    ¡°No¡­ not quite. But I am a little stumped here.¡± She was trying not to panic but no methods to directly free him came to mind. Shifting Breeze Haven¡¯s barrier around or changing its size did nothing. He simply moved with it.


    Dismissing her barrier was one option, but it was ill-advised as per her father. Anyone could see in, and those with enough prowess could potentially see inside the treasury or even the forbidden archive.


    Worst case scenario, someone could teleport straight in or leave a hidden spatial anchor for later. Whether the latter would work is highly situational, but it was not something Cira wanted to risk.


    Cira didn¡¯t think she could conjure or forge her way out of this one, but didn¡¯t want to dispel her barrier unless she absolutely had to.


    ¡°What are you going to do¡­?¡± Emma asked, sounding a little frightened.


    ¡°Okay¡­ I¡¯m going to send you back to the classroom. Try to get Fitzgeralt or at least Eliza over here.¡± Cira had not had the chance to discuss Rilihad¡¯s unique constitution yet, so hopefully her elders had some insight. ¡°And¡­ please be quick.¡±


    With a shriek, the girl disappeared in a flash of void lightning. Cira didn¡¯t want to startle her further with fast transport, but Breeze Haven was gaining mana at an alarming rate.


    Cira wasn¡¯t lying earlier. She had never seen anything like this. Staring into Rilihad¡¯s eyes, she got the impression he wasn¡¯t even conscious. Nor did he reply to any of her mental messages. Even his soul was like a flame which refused to furl.


    Hardly a minute later, Fitzgeralt and Eliza arrived just outside the barrier. She let them in and the latter had quite the judgmental look on her face.


    ¡°I honestly didn¡¯t expect him to be the first arbiter you killed.¡± What is that supposed to mean?! Cira didn¡¯t voice her complaints after one look at Eliza¡¯s glare, ¡°I was eating lunch, you know.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not dead yet!¡± Cira shouted in desperation, ¡°I checked!¡±


    ¡°Not yet, he¡¯s not.¡± Fitzgeralt chipped in, ¡°but he will be if you don¡¯t remove him from your barrier. You can do that, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ of course I can!¡± Cira sulked, ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ there¡¯s something going on with this guy, right? There might be a simpler method I¡¯m overlooking¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Let me clear some things up. You can consider Rilihad to be a greater spirit stuffed into a human body.¡± As Fitzgeralt explained, Cira furrowed a brow. She heard the words but they made little sense.


    ¡°In fact,¡± Eliza took the opportunity to laugh at her confusion, ¡°that¡¯s exactly what he is. Ever wonder why you¡¯ve never met a blood spirit?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Cira actually had not because greater spirits were usually incredibly rare. If she hadn¡¯t birthed one then met another who travels around with Icarus, she would still only have met one¡ªUndina. Her dad¡¯s friend Paul did not count. ¡°I guess?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen all that mana, right?¡± the high arbiter leaned against the rail and took on a scholarly tone, ¡°uniquely among spirits, those of the blood element can be born naturally to human parents, or any fleshy parents, really. A trick of fate or whim of the aether, nobody knows. Most pass soon after birth in quite the explosive manner. The human corporea simply isn¡¯t meant to interact with the aether in that way. Rilihad, however, happened to be born to a prolific blood mage.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Cira had never heard or read any of this, but information on spirits of auxiliary elements was even more hard to come by than most. ¡°So, what does that have to do with my barrier?¡±


    She was happy to learn, but there was a pressing matter at hand. Even Eliza turned to Fitzgeralt for insight on this one.


    ¡°As a spirit, he can change his mana signature at will. Think of it as the natural resonance of your aura. In theory, he could alter his aura to match your barrier. I have my doubts his body would have made far once inside given how well I know your father, but Gazen likely suspected a spirit would attempt to abuse this vulnerability one day. Never passing up a chance for easy mana, Gazen¡¯s barrier is likely using him as a secondary mana well as we speak.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my barrier, thank you.¡±


    That was the news Cira did not want to hear. The only way to remove him now would be to completely dismantle the barrier, for poor Rilihad was currently in the throes of assimilation.


    ¡°Right¡­ dammit.¡± Sometimes being right was very frustrating. ¡°Can you two construct an adequate barrier for a few minutes? This is not something I want to do out in the open.


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    ¡°If it helps.¡± Lamplights rose as the surrounding sky went dark at the wave of Fitzgeralt¡¯s hand, ¡°No one of my power or below may perceive anything within this shell or enter without completely destroying it. Whatever you must do, please hurry. It appears Breeze Haven has an insatiable hunger.¡±


    Cira could feel it too. There was more mana in her home than she had seen in years¡ªnot since her overprotective father was around.


    ¡°Then I won¡¯t waste time. But know that if you betray my trust in witnessing this event, you will be cursed until the end of time. No offense.¡± Cira Held out her hand and Breeze Haven¡¯s mana circulated around her like a typhoon. The island¡¯s artificial will which normally only checked boarding passes and dodged debris stones now converged on Cira like the eye of a storm. ¡°First seal of the mindful breeze. Release.¡±


    The cyclone burst with a gust of mana so forceful it deformed Fitzgeralt¡¯s barrier. With a pit in her stomach, Cira started to feel uncomfortable under Breeze Haven¡¯s gaze. Her home had never given her so much scrutiny, but then again, she had never needed to call on it in this way.


    She exhaled slowly. A chill ran up her spine. ¡°Second seal of the untouched haven. Release.¡± The surrounding pressure fell rapidly. Cira didn¡¯t know how else to explain it¡ªshe just felt uncomfortable. ¡°¡­Third seal of the sage¡¯s resolve. Release.¡±


    Breeze Haven¡¯s focus dissolved and for the first time in a long time, Cira felt truly on her own. Not once since he died had she needed to forcefully remove his protection. Granted, the barrier was still active. This simply turned over authority from his dying will to her own hands.


    Cira held her palm out to the center of the lawn, ¡°Breezeheart. Rise.¡±


    Grass turned to smoke and the dirt melted into itself, forming a churning vortex of mana before giving way to an effervescent light from Breeze Haven¡¯s depths. The lawn broke up until a burning staff breached the surface. The jagged Crystal rod which sparkled like a blinding sunset glided up effortlessly and found its way to Cira¡¯s hand.


    ¡°As beautiful as I remember¡­¡± Eliza seemed starstruck as her eyes were locked on like saucers.


    ¡°He¡­ he showed you Breeze Heart?!¡± Fitzgeralt cried in shock.


    ¡°Silence.¡± Cira demanded with a sharp glare. This was an important moment for her. The main reason she had avoided wielding this staff all these years was because she did not want to break the seal of the sage¡¯s resolve. It was one assuredly lasting shred of her father, and she didn¡¯t want to kill him twice. Sounds silly now¡­ doesn¡¯t it? Maybe I should have done this a long time ago. ¡°I accept the sage¡¯s domain.¡±


    The radiant staff in Cira¡¯s hand drew in all light. Even her Lamplights collapsed as they were plunged into darkness for just a moment. Suddenly, Cira felt her aura shudder.


    This¡­ this is Breeze Haven¡­? It was like she cast spring sense, but without any of the mental strain. Breeze Haven may as well have been an extension of her body with this staff in her hand. How is this not a pillar¡­?


    The power she wielded in this moment was monumental. Within the bounds of Breeze Haven, it felt as if the pillars of the sage were present as water at her command. This is no time to revel in my own strength¡­


    She let out a long and painful sigh, ¡°Alright then¡­. The barrier is gone.¡± Cira caught Rilihad with sorcery and drew him into the lawn. He subsequently disappeared at another wave of Fitzgeralt¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I will be monitoring him for now, but I suspect he will recover.¡± The high arbiter spoke calmly. ¡°You may reform the barrier now.¡±


    Cira was tempted to play around with her newfound powers, but in a stroke of newfound responsibility, reformed the barrier and let go of Breezeheart.


    ¡°Return from whence you came.¡± Cira spoke solemnly. ¡°I will call on you another day.¡±


    It receded back into the earth swiftly and the lawn was restored as if nothing had ever happened. The area pressurized again as a cyclone of mana appeared around Cira. There were only two seals left once everything settled.


    Cira stood in the garden breathing heavily. Eliza gave her a moment before resting a hand against her back, ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Just fine¡­¡± She could grieve anywhere, anytime, as she had for the past six years. In this very moment, she simply didn¡¯t feel like it. Cira straightened her back and took a few paces over to the table for some water. ¡°Now that this is done with, I suppose I should head back to the village.¡±


    ¡°Not so fast.¡± Fitzgeralt cleared his throat as the barrier of darkness faded, ¡°I hate to bring it up now, but¡­ there is a certain matter I would like you to help me with.¡±


    At this, Eliza chuckled, ¡°I suppose I should get back to my lunch then¡ª¡± and she was already gone.


    ¡°Well¡­ I suppose I don¡¯t mind helping out a little. It¡¯s the least I could do.¡± Cira very definitely almost murdered an arbiter¡ªhis own fault or not. That fact was not lost on her.


    ¡°You¡¯re a good kid.¡± Fitzgeralt now wore a grin through his thick beard that would give Jimbo a run for his money. ¡°So eager to clean up your father¡¯s messes.¡±

 236 - Sorcerous Intent

    Cira reluctantly followed Fitzgeralt to the center of Icarus. She was not too keen on cleaning up her father¡¯s messes at the moment but was curious to see what it would be. Regardless, it was basically her responsibility at this point no matter how irritated with him she was.


    They casually flew over to the lowest island in the center which Cira previously noted as an aether well of sorts. This island was a small, flat, grassy plain with a single structure in the center. Like a gazebo with archways to enter from all sides, but beyond that was only a roiling mass of mana.


    They didn¡¯t seem to want to enter, but a handful of mages sat silently up against the wall, soaking up as much mana as they could. This was indeed a viable method for expanding one¡¯s aura, but Cira found it too boring and slow. As I child she thought of it as secret naptime.


    Fitzgeralt led Cira right past them to the nearest archway.


    ¡°Are you ready? Just follow me.¡± He walked forward and completely disappeared into the mana well, leaving Cira in shock.


    ¡°What¡­¡± Walking into mana wells was something considered fatal. Then again, this isn¡¯t your average mana well. I can tell that much. It was far different than even Breeze Haven¡¯s artificial version. ¡°Here goes nothing¡­¡±


    The moment she was enveloped in mana, she promptly found herself in the center of some kind of massive mithril sphere. Countless layers of enchantments covered the walls. Not only was each array more complex than the last, everywhere she looked was an unfamiliar glyph or rune she had never seen before. This Daedalus fellow was no slouch, that much was certain.


    ¡°Big surprise.¡± Cira spoke with heavy sarcasm, ¡°Another pocket realm. I presume this is Icarus¡¯ heart?¡±


    ¡°You presume correctly. Now, if I may draw your attention here.¡± Fitzgeralt took her over to a particular spot in the wall and proceeded to look at Cira as if to gauge her reaction.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d recognize that handwriting anywhere!¡± Cira inspected the nearest array and some sorcerous script adorning it. ¡°But I thought Dad left before you guys obtained Icarus.¡±


    ¡°He did¡­¡± Fitzgeralt replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know when or why, but he must have found Daedalus during construction and struck a deal of some kind. Your father left a number of glyphs that appear completely inaccessible to anyone but himself. I hate to say this, but¡­ I suspect he may have left this for you.¡±


    It was exactly what Cira expected plus or minus a few details, so she let out a simple sigh, ¡°Figures. At least someone else can share in my irritation this time. Makes me feel a little better, I suppose¡­¡±


    ¡°Tell me,¡± Fitzgeralt spoke, ¡°In your eyes, what does this array do?¡±


    Cira snorted. She could not stifle this laugh no matter how hard she tried, ¡°It¡¯s written plain as day right here. Icarus¡¯ barrier shall shatter on contact with Breeze Haven.¡± It was infuriating, but she let her dad have this one. The goal was obviously to educate Cira, or lead or to an opportunity wherein she can do so herself, but the execution was a prank on his old friend. Not only that, but it laid in wait for at least a century to come to fruition.


    ¡°I am glad you find this amusing.¡± The high arbiter gave her a side eye, ¡°I was beginning to think you and your father left on ill terms.¡±


    ¡°No, no¡­ I was quite sad for a long time about his passing. Still am, but it¡¯s not until recently that he has upset me.¡± He seemed curious and looked like a good listener, so Cira let herself continue, venting a little at the chance. She discussed the letter she received and the growing discord in her heart over it, ¡°What kind of sorcerer would I be if I just rolled over and let someone else predict my course? It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s Kazali or my dad, this is my life! No one shall dictate it. In fact, if he intended to, he may as well have left me with that demon. I just¡ªI just don¡¯t get it!¡±


    The kindly high arbiter listened quietly then steeped in her concerns as the tension in the room thinned. After a moment, he shared his own insights on the matter, ¡°Well, I suspect these skies would be a far darker place if he hadn¡¯t, but that¡¯s aside the point, isn¡¯t it? All of us have only our own two feet to walk on. Now that you have learned how, it is only naturally that the idea of someone plotting your steps in advance should upset you.¡±


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    ¡°Y-yeah! Who does he think he is? That man was supposed to be my father, not my puppet master. I would give anything to have him back¡­ but he¡¯s gone. The least he could do is let me live my own life for once!¡±


    His long-lost glyphs illuminated Cira¡¯s troubled face as the words she spoke just made her feel guilty. He had given her everything, his entire legacy. But she wasn¡¯t the sage. She was Cira, lonesome sorcerer of the dead skies.


    ¡°Are you so certain that¡¯s not what he¡¯s done? You are dealing with a demon who posseses the power to manipulate predestination.¡± His words ran contrary to her emotional turmoil, but she said herself that he must have had a good reason for everything. Cira just felt so invalidated for her years of effort after finally clawing her way back to the living world. ¡°Your father must have known he wouldn¡¯t have enough time to free you from Kazali¡¯s grasp completely, but he respected fate and this world¡¯s workings. He did what he could to prepare you in the time he had left, and he was exactly the kind of man who would think that wasn¡¯t enough. But it all depends on you and your actions, Cira. The choices you make. I¡¯m certain he knew that much. Consider this. No one but myself and Daedilus have ever entered this chamber, yet he has found a way to place you here.¡±


    Cira looked around and was once again amazed at the sheer scale of this pocket realm. It was nothing like Paradise, but she didn¡¯t think she had ever seen so many enchantments or so much mithril in one place. Earth Vein would soil their soil at the sight of it. Not that she asked for it, but simply inspecting a few of them would be enough to absorb more useful information than the entire trilogy of ¡®The Immaculate Arts of Housekeeping¡¯.


    Learning is not always a one-way road. Most of the things I know are only know because my father taught them to me. So why did he teach me so many different things? Surely, he possessed more wisdom than most scholars around this place, so he must have known of the nameless second mark¡¯s musings or similar sentiments.


    Yet he wanted me to learn as much as I could and see all there was to see. To gain the wisdom of the world, as it were. He always knew I would learn about that demon Kazali, but perhaps it¡¯s as Emma said. Even the pursuit with clear purpose can be futile if the goal has no value or leaves me with nothing. As far as I¡¯m concerned, that demon is already dead. I¡¯m more than just a vengeful spirit, aren¡¯t I?


    Then what am I? A sorcerer? I will never surpass my father as I am now. Unfortunately, I¡¯m just like Emma or the nameless second mark. Without purpose.


    I continue my father¡¯s work, and I seek to destroy the creature who cursed me, but neither of these fates are my own design. Maybe it¡¯s about time I consider what it is I want to do. Something not found in the sorcerer¡¯s code.


    A troubling wind blew across the Boreal as Fitzgeralt cleared his throat loudly, pulling her back into reality, ¡°So, do you think you can remove this array?¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ I certainly can. Many of the patterns are familiar to me and similar to Breeze Haven¡¯s locks, it¡¯s just the scale¡­¡± She tried to wrap her head around the constellation of glyphs that made up Icarus¡¯ core and gulped at the sheer thought of all that meticulous enchantment. ¡°It seems nearly every array in this place is influenced in some way. This will take time.¡±


    ¡°I suspected as much¡­ So long as you think you can remove it before you depart from Icarus, I do not mind at which pace you finish work, and I will of course compensate you for your time.¡±


    It is a lot of work, but¡­ fine, Dad. I¡¯ll play your game this time, but only because I want to steal Daedilus¡¯ secrets. This would be a valuable experience, but she couldn¡¯t think of anytime soon she would need to know how to build an island-sized artifact. Mobile Fortress Fount Salt was only a ruse, after all.


    Perhaps he¡¯s trying to say there¡¯s still much to learn¡­ It¡¯s certainly not the time to go on a cursed warpath.


    Cira decided to spend the rest of the afternoon getting a lay of the land, as it were. Most specifically, she was curious about how the mana well on the outside translated to the pocket realm in here. Her excuse was that she needed to inspect everything as it was practically one huge array. It was not untrue, but Fitzgeralt didn¡¯t mind leaving her to her own devices.


    Curiously enough, the well worked in a very similar way to the pylons she constructed in Paradise, but took advantage of the border between realms to capture the aether altogether in a way she hadn¡¯t been able to manage. Instead of pulling directly from the aether to the spatial realm, it amassed inside this place first. Daedilus essentially used this place as Icarus¡¯ personal aetherial realm. Because it was a phony, its capacity was finite, but due to its construction he maintained full control over it.


    ¡°Fascinating stuff¡­¡± Cira shamelessly took down notes, ¡°Tomorrow I should see how the spring interacts with it, but¡­ I really ought to get back to the village.¡±


    Cira was just about ready for bed and there was a pillow with her name on it¡ªand presumably the author¡¯s name as well.

 237 - Stealing Wisdom

    By the time Cira made it to the village, the sun was already falling. Thin rays of fleeting light rose from below, but the mages had already turned to making their own. All was quiet save for the occasional cough, sniffle, or yawn.


    While a far cry from the excitement of last night, the village¡¯s population seemed to have exploded. She got the impression that Old Man Roberts¡¯ tale had spread around Icarus and inspired a new or returning wave of scholars. Even as night fell, most here showed no sign of finding a bookmark. On the other hand, some of the light mages appeared overwhelmed, huddled around by large swathes of desperate readers.


    Being the kindhearted sorcerer Cira was, she spread out a sea of bright stars like she had in Uru. Countless miniature Lamplights overtook the village in a twinkling ambience and Cira popped up on a cloud to lounge back.


    ¡°Hey, thanks! I thought I was going to have to go to bed.¡± A voice called from the back of one of the mage herds, ¡°It¡¯s Cira, right?¡±


    ¡°Ah, good evening.¡± It was the woman she met when the archive¡¯s mark descended. After such a long night, her name escaped Cira. ¡°What are you reading?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure anymore¡­¡± There was a troubled undertone in her voice, ¡°It started as an anthropologist¡¯s expeditionary notes through a jungled island, but it¡¯s descended into philosophical ramblings and claims of absurd creatures. I believe the author may have been struck with some mental ailment during his trip.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Poor him, I suppose.¡± Cira started perusing the bookcases for a spine that struck her eye. ¡°Say, why don¡¯t you guys use artifacts here? Seems like an easy solution if torches aren¡¯t allowed.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t tried using a spatial ring here have you?¡± Cira did just that to withdraw some dried meats she had stashed and discovered she was completely blocked off. As if the jerky existed in another realm entirely. Just for kicks she tried to grab some treasure and found the pouch at her waist refused to expand. Noticing her confusion, the woman continued, ¡°There are many things the archive does not allow in this village. Staves are only usable as they focus your will but do much more than make light with them and the Archive may take issue.¡±


    ¡°Good to know.¡± Cira gave her a smile, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    She returned the gesture, ¡°I can¡¯t tell you how to find the mark, but if you¡¯re unsure about anything, I¡¯ll be right here.¡±


    Settling back into her cloud, Cira noticed a torn old leather book and decided that would be the one. While her confidence didn¡¯t waver, her mood trembled slightly.


    ¡°The Sorcerer¡¯s Compendium, Volume One¡­¡± Situated in the bottom corner was the same ¡®G¡¯ insignia her father used to stamp letters with.


    Well¡­ it has been a while. For all the people I¡¯ve been forcing to read it, I suppose I owe it another go. Perhaps I will find new insights now that I¡¯m a real sorcerer.


    ¡°Chapter One: The Day I conquered the Sky.


    To many, home is something assigned at birth. But to others, no more than a horizon¡¯s shadow in the morning light. As the world turns, golden dreams give way to blanched clouds and the melancholy sea of azure. Uncrossable is the ocean which proves intangible.


    Man boasts no buoyancy here. And I hold no power over my fate.


    Even if I could swim, the sea is too vast. Even if I wanted to try, the walls around me are too tall. Even if I tried to climb them, the bricks would climb ever higher.


    Here I stand on the precipice of futility, where earth meets the sky. I wear the collar of a thousand hopeless days under the taunting sun and my neck has started to burn beneath its weight.


    Much longer and I fear I may melt into the very soil in which my ancestors grew such deep roots. Only through lifetimes and generations of focused effort will I reach my potential, they say. Devote myself to the pursuit, they say. Only then may I consider the world beyond, they say.


    Yet every head who offers wisdom is covered in gray hair and the lips who speak these words are wrinkled and cracked from who knows how many lifetimes of ¡®reaching one¡¯s potential¡¯.


    When does it end?


    I don¡¯t know if humans are meant to exist in the clouds, but I do know one thing.


    I will not spend eternity in search of eternity.


    What good is following my father¡¯s footsteps if I know where they lead in some centuries¡¯ time? That¡¯s not potential. I refuse to waste my life chasing the past. Experience may be one thing I lack, but I¡¯m old enough to know where each circle leads.


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    Today I break the cycle. These old fools don¡¯t understand they can never reach what they seek if all they do is chase after it.


    I have built my own eternity here and now.


    As the aggression of prosperity and stagnation alike close around me, this precipice of futility will be given new life as the wind at my back. Across the melancholy sea to the furthest land beneath the unseen stars, this haven wrought by my own hand and soaked in my blood and tears shall soar over the clouds as a fresh breeze¡­


    It didn¡¯t take long for Cira to fall asleep, but she didn¡¯t find her father¡¯s ramblings so drab this time around. For once she thought she knew where he was coming from.


    Morning came and Cira felt a knot in her neck. She had fallen asleep sitting with her back against a bookcase and her head was slumped to the side. The woman she spoke to was in a similar position, snoring gently with a peaceful look on her face.


    ¡°Alright then, where was I¡­¡± Her voice died in her throat as Gazen¡¯s tome was no longer present. In its place was a shoddy notebook handwritten on parchment and bound with leather straps at the top. ¡°Why, Archive? I was really enjoying that one¡­¡±


    Cira had always believed in her father¡¯s ideals. The sorcerer¡¯s code manifest.


    He made me read and transcribe that book so many times¡­ I did everything I could to follow in his shadow so that I may grow into it one day. To become the perfect sorcerer.


    But no matter how far I progressed, he kept telling me to read the first volume again. Why?


    As a girl, Cira took it to mean she still hadn¡¯t progressed past the first step. It hurt her feelings initially, but as she grew older, she figured he was just tooting his own horn. There was no way to deny she had grown leaps and bounds. He was just an eccentric who fancied his own musings.


    But now I¡¯m not so sure¡­ The Archive gave me the book to read and decided I had read enough by the time I fell asleep. This can¡¯t be coincidence. I never really did pass the first step to sorcery¡­ did I?


    Cira had never looked at it this way. Not that she wasn¡¯t smart enough or strong enough, but this perspective could never be reached while her father was alive.


    ¡°What good is following my father¡¯s footsteps if I know where they lead in some centuries¡¯ time?¡±


    ¡°Shh!¡±


    ¡°Sorry¡­¡± Cira sheepishly took her cloud a little closer to the shore to think away from the others.


    Her father set her up in every way possible to walk the same path as him, but the truth was written right before her, in the very first words she ever read as a sorcerer.


    Cira was never meant to become a sorcerer like Gazen. She was never going to become a sage. There was no point in chasing the past as she barreled toward an uncertain future.


    After all¡­ Dad is gone. I know where that path leads. But I can soar through the sea he once waded through, and I have the power to break through the walls that close around me. Where he once found melancholy, I¡¯ve always known hope. Since the night I first laid eyes on the dawning horizon, to the day I could finally pass it by.


    Cira had a lot to think about, but it couldn¡¯t be done in a single morning. While she was here, it was best to keep her eyes forward.


    ¡®Archon of Wisdom¡¯. The notebook was titled thusly with a name scribbled in the corner, ¡®Atticus Graves¡¯.


    The man, if I can even call him that, is like no one I¡¯ve ever met. He already knew my name as I walked through the door and my purpose for seeking him out. Many try, apparently, but not so many actually succeed in finding him. I suspect this is why he humored me past my mission.


    Just as I had hoped, he knew of a medicine that could cure my wife, and even gave me directions to find it. But it was what came after that I will never forget. As I couldn¡¯t fly home until the storm broke, he let me stay in his home, a tower which looked over a verdant island where a sweet scent blew on the breeze.


    He offered to trade stories while we waited. I started with a strange creature I saw in the woods one day as a child, which he promptly identified and told me enough about to write a book on.


    When it came to be his turn, boy did he not disappoint.


    He spoke of the void, and the beginning of creation leading up to the first life. This was no tale of hopeful beginnings however, for it was the story of this realm¡¯s first tragedy. The life and death of the world tree. An incomprehensible being from which all life in these skies originates. Millions of years pass in his story¡ªa timescale I found myself incapable of imagining.


    I had a feeling he could have kept going indefinitely by the time I realized morning broke. The sky was clear and I couldn¡¯t waste any more time, but I found it difficult to give up this source of knowledge. I tried to arrange a future date where we could speak more, but he refused.


    Instead, he told me another tale, albeit a much shorter one. He spoke of door in the distant skies. A passageway to a place I could find anything I wanted to know and more, where all the knowledge of this world is contained.


    Cira found herself surprisingly engrossed, but a harsh shout drew her back to the village.


    ¡°I said give me it!¡± Some very angry man was grabbing for another¡¯s book¡ªtrying to take it from her very hands, ¡°Every damn book I get is useless. I¡¯ll never find the mark like this!¡±


    Cira noticed a tumultuous purple haze dancing in the air. No way¡­ can someone really steal a mark? How does he know it¡¯s in that book?


    ¡°I¡ªI can¡¯t give it to you!¡± A poor young woman frantically backed away as the others nearby watched the situation carefully. ¡°The Archive chose this book for me!¡±


    The purple energy trickled down and Cira thought the Archive was going to give the girl a mark out of spite.


    This isn¡¯t right¡­ It¡¯s not like the other night at all. Instead of gentle swirls flowing down like water, it devolved into heavy smoke that fell like rain. Cira swore she could almost feel a tinge of malice blanketing the village.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking!¡± A knife glistened in the sun as he withdrew it from his sleeve. ¡°Now hurry up before I have to¡ª¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, the Archive¡¯s mana condensed around the hapless assailant, and he was ripped from the ground. So suddenly he could hardly scream, everyone in the village watched the man get thrown into the sky. Completely taken off guard, Cira¡¯s mouth hung slack as he disappeared through a distant cloud.

 238 - Respite Within the Shelves

    Initially upon landing at Icarus, Cira thought there was going to be tons of work to do. She hadn¡¯t known what, but a hassle was expected.


    Then when Fitzgeralt introduced her, she thought she was going to have to deal with arbiters far more frequently. Cira almost couldn¡¯t believe how little she was bothered over the past week. Eliza was the only one, and she had no qualms playing the student.


    Today was a day off, of which the class received two a week. The lessons Cira attended had been quite fruitful, and her understanding of aethereal metaphysics grew by the day. At first it was disturbing, but each lesson resonated with a long-forgotten muscle-memory-esque figment of her childhood. Not with Gazen, but with that demon.


    Of course, the subject matter ran far deeper than essential entropy and conditions leading to or resulting from it, that just happened to be the unit they were covering last week.


    Evenings were spent within the core of Icarus, and Cira had made precious little progress resolving her father¡¯s arrays. She had, however, made great progress in unraveling Daedilus¡¯ secrets. It was exhilarating to inspect glyphs she didn¡¯t think she could reproduce on the first try, and this island was chock full of them. Naturally, this was the first step to fixing the barrier¡¯s vulnerability¡ªsomething else she would get to next week or soon enough.


    During this time Cira was practically a resident of the Village of the First Mark. She had made a few new friends and there were regulars she would read near. There was even a small group that returned to her light to read each evening.


    Things were going great. Cira finally found the vacation she so desperately needed. During, in a very unvacation-like manner, there was much time to ponder. Her father¡¯s teachings, as well as his transgressions. The sky and everywhere within it she had travelled, the experiences she had and the people she met.


    Without Lomp, Nanri, Nina, her expansive crew of pirate pals, Undina, Io, or anyone else along the way she wouldn¡¯t have made it this far. If she had, Cira suspected she may not be the same sorcerer she is today. The very fact that she escaped Kazali and cast herself into the dead skies following Gazen¡¯s passing only to end up relaxing here in this very village was a luxury in itself.


    She could have been eaten by that red dragon. Things could easily have gone wrong on Fount Salt. The island may have fallen like Lazulei, or she could easily have killed thousands of innocents with a single miscalculation. Then there were countless ways to die while she was without aura and down a leg. Had Jimbo not been at the gates of Hangman¡¯s Cove, for instance, she definitely would have died.


    Imagine a sorcerer of my caliber dying of an aneurism¡­ Then a stray bullet could have ended her life before she even knew what happened, or a particularly accurate rifleman for that matter. A hungry slime, even. Eliza on a bad day. A starved sprite. An irate necromancer.


    The list goes on.


    Now death closes in again in the form of Kazali¡¯s undying grasp, and Cira made sure the Gandeux saw her as a problem. Directly threatening a multi-sky spanning government was not something she did every day, but it was undoubtedly a serious matter.


    So how could she find it in her volatile heart to sit on her ass and read all day? The answer was simple.


    Wisdom.


    On one hand, something she severely lacked. Cira was young, especially compared to the likes of Eliza or Fitzgeralt, or especially Io. She had not lived long enough to experience enough to consider herself wise. This kept biting her in the ass every time she didn¡¯t realize how reckless she was being. If Cira were looking in from the outside, she would think this stupid sorcerer was overdoing everything on purpose. That she had never learned restraint nor common sense.


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    On the other hand, Cira possessed the wisdom to know that much was true. It just wasn¡¯t part of her father¡¯s syllabus. She was not raised to stand still, but to move forward. To step over the horizon and reach the stars. Perhaps even place them in Breeze Haven¡¯s wake one day. One does not attain power unreasonable enough to escape her fate while staring at the ceiling, after all.


    While Cira had largely come to terms with the logic behind why her father had carefully laid out a path before her, she was still upset with him for one simple, if not petty, fact. A tidbit of his own words even.


    Boiling down his presumed course for her life, it could be said Cira¡¯s father thought she needed to reach a certain point before she would be strong enough to stand up against Kazali. Knowing him, she had to ask herself, when does it end? In truth, the endpoint was always supposed to be when the demon Kazali finally left the cycle. Well, when he officially died, but Cira had different plans.


    How could she waste her whole life working toward one day beginning her life of her own accord?


    I will not spend eternity in search of a beginning.


    I have to kill that demon. This is clear.


    Only then may I consider the world beyond, he says.


    It went against everything Cira thought she now understood about her upbringing. Unlike Gazen, Cira couldn¡¯t just enchant a cliffside and fly away. She was already flying away in perpetuity. That demon bastard found her in a dream of a memory far removed from any sky she¡¯d ever known. It was almost like Gazen¡¯s first chapter.


    The sea wasn¡¯t the problem. No, the azure expanse had always sat right there, at the furthest edge of her vision. But Cira had never really left that little cabin where she turned humans into monsters. Even now, she sat with her elbows hanging over the windowsill, a yearning gaze resting on the same dim horizon.


    I¡¯m sorry, Dad, but I still think your first book is nonsense. Now more than ever. You had some points, but¡­ just like your own father, you succumbed to a dreadful misconception in your old age. Not that he could be faulted for his decades of effort and care, but Cira needed a hill to die on.


    My own life doesn¡¯t start when that false father passes, no¡­ It started when you died.


    Cira wished desperately that he had prepared her for that eventuality rather than the former, but such was life.


    And live her life she would. Cira would not budge on this matter. To hell with the demons and to hell with Gazen¡¯s path. She refused to let her fate go one of two ways. That was not the kind of sorcerer Cira was.


    Porta Bora was still the destination, but now for purely selfish reasons. Sure, she would pick up work as she saw fit, but there was only one reason she wanted to go to the city.


    To live the life of a normal girl. There she would find who Cira really was and what she wanted to do. That spark of a dream she saw in her head when the old man at the trading post first told her of the city. It was almost poetic how much trouble she pointed in her direction in that specific place, and in this specific forge she intended to ascend to the heights of ¡®Proficient Sorcerer¡¯.


    Long gone were the days of elementary caliber and she could hardly call herself a sorcerer with moderate capabilities. Intermediate was starting to push it with how profound her thoughts had become over the past couple days.


    Yes, to finally become a sorcerer of proficient caliber, I must find purpose. And I don¡¯t know if I can accomplish that doing the same thing my father did for the past couple hundred years or so. Or more¡­?


    That¡¯s why I¡¯m here.


    The nameless second mark¡¯s words rang again through her head


    ¡°Never lose sight of whatever star it is you follow.¡±


    No matter how powerful Kazali was, there¡¯s no way he could predict Cira¡¯s own will. She had little understanding of causality, but it was a force which affected events. Cira may feel or think a certain way based on her experiences and especially recent events, but how could even a primordial demon predict her decisions and course from an indeterminate period wherein nothing happened and during which she thought deeply about a future free from all who loom above.


    It was foolproof. Her sights were set far beyond those very same walls which enclosed her true father and lazing about as long as possible was the only feasible path to climb.


    What separated father and daughter was a matter of perspective. He was born within the walls, whereas Cira came to realize the walls in her path, and they would fall in a similar manner to Icarus¡¯ own as she arrived in a deep slumber.


    The same sun which burned shackles into the back of Gazen¡¯s neck gave Cira life. Perhaps that was the star she followed. One of unyielding light and hope which awoke anew after each good rest. One which always illuminated the path forward.


    Cira had spent all afternoon pondering her own agency within these skies when a book with no spine caught her eye. Dust drifted off in the sunlight and she found herself curious about its contents.


    ¡°The Tragedy of Gilfast. Alright.¡± There was no author listed, but Cira found herself ready to skip out on the core for an evening. ¡°Don¡¯t mind if I do.¡±

 239 - The Grandmasters Curtain

    Cira¡¯s master plan to get the upper hand against a demon who existed since the dawn of time by way of doing as little as possible for as long as possible was off to an auspicious start. While the library was enriching enough, this week Eliza started teaching the class about elemental theory.


    Of course, the elements were a subject Cira was well versed in, but how they exist in both the spatial and aethereal realms simultaneously was a treasure trove of academic oddities. They spent an entire day on the difference between a spring and a water well¡ªnot to be confused with a well used to draw water¡ªand Cira had enough notes to write a book on spring theory.


    Cira had really been half-assing Fitzgeralt¡¯s request, but she had actually written a book on the inner-workings of Icarus. Multiple, really. More akin to research papers really, but they were indeed long and bound with leather straps. Cira possessed the knowledge to bind a book by conventional methods, but it was a matter of preparing materials and spending time on books which didn¡¯t involve reading. In other words, it was best left for when she took to the skies again.


    So, in the meantime, Cira really appreciated the look of a shoddily bound notebook. The few minutes it took to punch holes in a ream of paper with some pokey tool she found and thread a couple thin strips of leather through was satisfying in a way which could not be put into words.


    Under the kitchen window on the porch, where bricks met the garden was Cira¡¯s newest construction. A simple bookcase. Not one, but two books found a home within it.


    They were both about Icarus¡¯ core, but it was gratifying all the same. This was the first time she had really written a book and binding each one allowed her to place them on a shelf. Simple, but fulfilling.


    It wasn¡¯t much, but Cira smiled each time she laid eyes upon it.


    ___


    ¡°You sure this is a good idea?¡± Io had done a lot for us and our dear captain, but he wasn¡¯t her. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure Cira hasn¡¯t been back once over the past few weeks since she left.¡±


    Dolliver came into view as I did what I did best¡ªsteer. The island was much uglier than last time I came this way. There were only trees on one end at this point and the rest was a barren dirt lot quickly being overtaken with weeds. Even the town was lacking in life. Where the hell are all the people?


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard a good idea in months.¡± James wasn¡¯t any happier about this than I was, but that old bastard talked him into believing that this was better than sitting around Paradise and doing nothing. ¡°But he¡¯s right. Whatever the hell Cira is, she¡¯s a powerhouse now. And she has no qualms running her mouth without considering how it may affect people with common sense. If we don¡¯t do something now, the Dreadheart territory is as good as gone.¡±


    I understood they couldn¡¯t reach us in the storm, but I didn¡¯t see what would change if we just left Dolliver as it was. I guess that¡¯s why I usually just shut up and steered. And drank.


    ¡°If you say so.¡± I channeled mana into a glyph Io built into the center of the steering wheel on my treasure barge turned corvette. That¡¯s what he called it anyway after we left Elysia¡¯s shipyard. All I know¡¯s she¡¯s a wee lass with a bunch of new weapons. Anyway, he built me one like Shores¡¯ except ¡®better¡¯ in his words. ¡°Here we go.¡±


    Like a sunray running late for a drink, a blinding beam stretched over the horizon from the bow of the Stick Mistress where a golden cannon pointed toward the first full-timber structure that caught my eye.


    The air shook as a column of light bored through the sky, leveling a section of the building that hung off the shore. Anything in the light¡¯s path ¡®returned to the aether¡¯, as they say, and the rest of the machinery crumbled into the sky.


    ¡°Put that away, idiot!¡± James slapped the flask out of my hand. ¡°You almost missed!¡±


    ¡°You fool!¡± If I didn¡¯t pick it up, hundreds of gallons of ale could be lost. After pushing James away, I wet the ol¡¯ whistle. ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing.¡±


    It looked like a lever, but it was actually a ¡®gimbal¡¯, Io said. Now that she was powered up, all I had to do was squeeze the trigger. I felt that was pretty good for my first try, but just to make James feel better, I focused my aim a little higher. Another sawmill burned away and I noticed a crowd of panicked townsfolk barrel out of the two buildings as they quickly caught fire. I gave Eros and Lero a quick nod then watched them jump off the deck and land on swords of ice before quickly flying off to play damage control.


    ¡°You ready, love?¡± I glanced at Tawny as she approached the bow and looked over the island in her shadowy coat and black hat to play the role of our missing captain for this raid.


    ¡°As ready as I¡¯ll ever be¡­¡± She shook her head and withdrew her sword. A wave of black water carried her away to the imposing wooden palace at the forest¡¯s end where defensive magic circles rose to the sky.


    ¡°Whaddya think, James?¡± I took my hand off the gimbal, ¡°Want to give it a try?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mess this up, Jimbo.¡± With a sigh, he left me at the helm, ¡°I¡¯ll be with the mages.¡±


    James hadn¡¯t made much progress in the magic department, but even I could tell he was going stir crazy on Paradise. This was the first time we¡¯d had a good reason to fight in a long time, and his sword hand was itchy.


    ¡°Careful out there.¡± I left him with a smirk and got back to what I did best, which now included demolishing industry.


    ___


    ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful day, boys.¡± My paladins had never shined brighter. ¡°Today the far prophet shall smile down on us from the great beyond. Is everyone with me?¡±


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    The deck of the Saint¡¯s Wing¡¯s was livelier than ever as my men erupted into cheers. We emerged from the storm and laid our eyes and an island we¡¯d all been waiting to see for a long time.


    ¡°This is the whole reason I joined your crew, sir.¡± Turmoil scarred Gratos¡¯ face but his unwavering gaze reminded me of the day we met. ¡°These fists of mine will accomplish what the church is too scared to do. We¡¯re all with you, Captain.¡±


    The whole island was practically a mountain, but it was smaller than I remember when my father brought me here as a boy. Where silver streaks once glistened in the sun, vast chasms ran from base to peak. The temple where I once wished for the Saint¡¯s arrival was defaced with the sickening banner of Earth Vein. My heart wept to see this holy place in such a shameful state.


    But that sadness quickly turned to anger, an emotion all my paladins seemed to feel in this moment.


    ¡°Then why wait?¡± I drew my sword and stepped away from the helm, ¡°Io said she moors herself now.¡±


    ___


    The last thing we saw was Grandmaster Io waving his hand before a sandy island came into view. Covered in palms, the erratic shore formed sprawling beachfronts sprinkled with cabanas and tents. We landed in the middle of the docks which stretched around about a third of the shore.


    Heads turned at the sight of nine women in golden robes descending from the sky in unison. Merchants, mages, those of noble-birth. They looked at us like some kind of show was starting.


    My sisters and I were nervous for our first official business as the imperial harem, but I wasn¡¯t going to be the one to let Cira down. Us girls would prove we aren¡¯t the weakest link in her empire.


    ¡°Ignore them.¡± Oasis was just like I remembered¡ªa much higher-class establishment than Wick¡¯s chambers. I already knew where we were going, so I wove through the crowd and the others followed. Flexing my mana, I let faint aether flames wrap around my body and prying eyes gave way to a path. ¡°let¡¯s hurry.¡±


    Benobal House loomed ahead and the closer we got, the more women became mixed in with the Boreal¡¯s degenerates. They wore thin, silky clothes that you could partially see through in the warm sun and could often be found in flocks.


    Oasis wasn¡¯t a bad place to work, as Madam Benobal had struck a deal of autonomy with the Gandeux. If it weren¡¯t for Mistress Cira I¡¯d probably have come back here, but it would take years to make as much gold as there is in my hat alone.


    As could be expected for a small group of women on Oasis, there were some wealthy drunks who would approach regardless of any sign of danger. As if their money always got them what they wanted.


    ¡°Ooooh, you look like a feisty one.¡± This pompous man stepped out of the crowd and right into our path. He wore no shirt and his velvet pants were stained with vomit. He was the type of customer typically refused unless the price was right. I stood there for a moment while he ran a quick cost analysis, ¡°How much?¡±


    ¡°It will cost you your life, dear.¡± I fluttered my eyelashes and let flame trickle up his arm as he stumbled back to his ass.


    ¡°W-witch! Get away from me!¡± The man practically tripped over himself trying to get up and hobbled into the crowd, which only thickened while our path grew wider. Even the women were curious enough to stop and gander yet dared not look us in the eyes.


    I thought it would be fun if any remembered me, but I wasn¡¯t here for vanity. We needed a meeting with the madam.


    The first floor of Benobal House never closed its doors, but this time a familiar mage stood before it. She wore the disguise of thin silk, but I would recognize her anywhere. This time however, I could see her daggers hidden in the aether.


    ¡°No need to be alarmed, Midnight.¡± The woman was startled to hear her own name then her eyes went wide seeing us approach cloaked with mana in golden dress. ¡°It¡¯s just me.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ember?¡± She lunged at me faster than I could see. Before I knew it, her arms were thrown around me in a tight embrace, ¡°Big sister! You¡¯ve finally returned!¡±


    ¡°Not quite¡­¡± I missed the girl dearly, but it wasn¡¯t the best time to catch up. ¡°I¡¯m here to see the madam.¡±


    ___


    ¡°Thanks for doing this for me, really.¡± I gave Kuja an earnest bow. She really was helping me out here, but I had to admit she looked odd as a blonde. ¡°I know you don¡¯t want to get too involved in politics.¡±


    ¡°It was a fair trade.¡± She put a hand on her pendant. ¡°And I don¡¯t mind getting out of the house every now and again.¡±


    Forging an artifact to stop her from exuding life mana like some kind of spirit was a simple matter, though she had to empty it out once a week. This resulted in a steady revenue of mana for me, so it was hardly a fair trade. I suspect she will call in a favor in the future, but it would assuredly be something mundane.


    ¡°Again, I assure that you will be in no danger.¡± I felt the need to affirm her worries, as we could both feel the pressure from the well from as far back as the coastline. ¡°Your barriers should take care of everything, and I will keep a close eye on you.¡±


    The island we approached was like the silver equivalent of Paradise. The entire surface and all the buildings seemed carved from a single block. Twisted spires wrapped around the center where the silver well pulsed, bathing the entire sky in something akin to moonlight.


    ¡°If you say so¡­ alright.¡± She shook her body out and exhaled sharply, ¡°I just need to act like Cira. Nothing to it.¡±


    Kuja dusted off her robes of white and gold before straightening her back. There was a haughty smirk on her face, and I thought she would do alright.


    ¡°That building on the shore should be where diplomats check in. That will be your first destination.¡± She nodded resolutely and floated away in a shroud of dark lightning.


    I left myself concealed and flew over the buildings toward a silver tower in the back. Cira may enjoy flapping her gullet all willy nilly, but she is sorely deficient in foresight. It doesn¡¯t even need mentioning that she has a child¡¯s understanding of tactics or ruling anything.


    Luckily for Cira, her deal old uncle is a master tactician and ruled multiple skies for centuries. She would likely not have approved my plans for today, but that¡¯s why I went over her head while she took a few weeks off to relax.


    Naturally, it¡¯s all her fault regardless of my decisions. Only a na?ve child would think you can challenge powerful people like that and just go about your merry way on threats and wishes. No, the war is not waiting for the next time she feels like getting involved or someone oppressed crosses her path. The war started the moment she took Marcus Blackwood hostage. Potentially the moment she left Fount Salt.


    And it had to be today, lest Cira¡¯s not-so-carefully woven web of lies could collapse.


    I can¡¯t fault her completely, however. Her big mouth brought us to this very island. While Kuja investigated the silver well, I intended to extract as much intelligence on these skies directly from the Silver Witch¡¯s quarters.


    ___


    The best I could do was stall. I did not want to see a witch on the edge let loose. We would have been here weeks ago, but my quick thinking got her to decide against using the teleporters.


    Unfortunately, that meant it was just me and the Adjutant. Part of me hoped she would take the bait and let me bring a few enforcer teams, but alas. Just me and the Adjutant.


    I thought a few weeks of sailing would cool her off, but this woman¡¯s scorn intensified with each rising of the sun. I was glad to at last reach journey¡¯s end, but my stomach turned as a crumbling lighthouse came into view on the horizon.


    A flash of metallic light burned my eyes and I winced.


    ¡°Hale, I am departing now.¡± And another flash punctuated her declaration.


    ¡°Madam Silver, wait!¡± I let out a groan as I tightened the canopy sails and prepared for descent, ruing every insult I ever threw at my comfortable desk.

 240 - Up In Smoke

    ¡°That¡¯ll be ten copper each, miss.¡± This man possessed an aura far greater than any berry merchant Cira had met to date, but this sort of thing was surprising her less by the day on Icarus.


    ¡°Ten copper?!¡± She exclaimed, ¡°Are you serious?!¡±


    ¡°These are the freshest berries on Icarus,¡± The irate shopkeeper replied, ¡°You got a problem, you can shop elsewhere.¡±


    Cira got excited easily, and Emma as her guide became increasingly nervous with each interaction.


    ¡°You misunderstand, good sir.¡± And one trademark smirk later, the merchant was baffled, ¡°That is such a bargain, I wouldn¡¯t dream of contesting the price. I mean, do you know how many seeds come on a single strawberry?¡±


    While Cira¡¯s garden overflowed with life, strawberries were not easy to come by. Most of her berries were the simple round type, so finding a reliable source of exotic produce had Cira over the moon.


    ¡°Er, no¡­¡± The merchant slid his basket of berry¡¯s back toward him on the counter. ¡°Out with it. If you¡¯re not a customer, then go away.¡±


    ¡°I have no qualms sharing this information with you.¡± Cira pulled a pouch from her waist which contained whatever a gallon of gold was worth in Skyreach tokens. All she knew was the resulting gold converted worked out to about 1.2 gallons¡ªor a heaping basket. ¡°A single strawberry can hold almost two hundred seeds. Please, I¡¯ll take fifty.¡±


    It was chump change for the mighty sorcerer. Her pantry was already stocked with every meat available at this market, and Cira¡¯s eyes found their next destination the moment the strawberries reached her hand.


    ¡°Thank you for bringing me here, Emma. I¡¯ll have to treat you to lunch again.¡± Led by the nose, Cira exchanged an ominous glance with a cabbage merchant.


    ___


    A vibrant splatter of blood stained the boardwalk only to be washed away as Tawny cleaved her sword. A riptide of pitch-black cut through the line of swordsmen defending the gate but their paper armor grew soggy, compromising any enchantments etched into it.


    A lone shieldbearer stood tall and tawny thrust a replica of the cursed blade Tidequencher through it. The man cried in terror as watery tentacles wrapped around and tossed him to the side like a dead fish.


    ¡°Pathetic.¡± Tawny stabbed the blade into the ground and a heavy wave crashed into the gates. They fell off their hinges in splintered pieces and water carried the rubble through as Tawny slowly ascended the steps. Her voice boomed through the air, carried by ambient humidity, Io said. ¡°Is this the only resistance you can offer? Is the profit gained from exploiting this island so little?¡±


    Tawny didn¡¯t know where Io got all his information, but he had been gone a lot ever since Cira left. She wouldn¡¯t put it past someone that powerful to skulk around the skies so casually. To his credit, this had gone rather smooth so far thanks in no small part to the enchanted sword. Just as he said it would, but there was one final challenge she was still nervous about.


    As she reached the top step, the water and rubble had finally settled. Dark waves washed away, parted in the middle by a lone mage. A towering palace of wood loomed behind him, stretching into the sky. Tawny knew she would not reach it without going through this man.


    His robes were a dirt brown but flowed gently in the wind. He wielded a lively branch whose roots seemed to be reaching out toward her. A single leaf hung from the top shook and glowed with power as he looked Tawny in the eyes.


    ¡°Captain Dreadheart, I take it?¡± His eyes narrowed like a predator laid in wait. ¡°You will regret coming here. We are not so frail as those witches you¡¯ve been playing with.¡±


    Shit¡­ shit! This guy is the real deal. If it weren¡¯t for this sword, I wouldn¡¯t even be able to stand. But Cira wouldn¡¯t look scared. I can¡¯t slip up. Hell, Cira wouldn¡¯t even stop walking here. It¡¯s fine. Io said everything would be fine. Just gotta think of something clever to say and my twiddle my sword around.


    ¡°Unfortunately for you, I¡¯m not here to play.¡± She spun nervous laughter into a derisive chortle and rested the sword on her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m here to burn that there palace down.¡±


    ¡°I will never let you.¡± His staff¡¯s roots shot into the ground as he collapsed into a heap of dirt. Tawny was completely blindsided as vines wrapped around her feet. She tried to step away but couldn¡¯t tear away from the ground. You son of a bitch Io, where¡¯s my barrier?! Why would you do this? This is not the time for tests!


    Anger and fear set in as Tawny realized she had been tricked. Cira had warned her against failing to take personal precautions, and she had utterly flunked.


    ¡°You bastard.¡± Tawny went to slam her sword down and it stopped with a dull clunk. ¡°What¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ahahah.¡± Tawny¡¯s breath caught in her chest at the mage¡¯s laugh at her back. The blade rested against a wooden branch. Above the single leaf, a green bud formed. The mage walked around to the front, vines wrapped around the phony cursed blade. The jeering look on his face was like he was toying with a pest. ¡°Give it up, Dreadheart. If all your empire amounts to his how far that cursed blade gets you, then allow me to show you the end.¡±


    ¡°Tch.¡± Imposter or not, Tawny didn¡¯t like being so utterly defeated. She didn¡¯t want to die here pretending to be Cira, sure, but the disrespect was firsthand. ¡°Perhaps I¡¯ll humor you, if you insist.¡±


    Tendrils of dark water shot out at the mage, swarming around him to form a veritable cage.


    ¡°It¡¯s just one trick after the next with you, isn¡¯t it?¡± The cage loosened as the streams of water were sucked into the vines which all hardened around her. Tawny felt blood run down her body as thorns poked into her skin. She resisted the urge to scream but luckily her tortured expression was covered in vines. ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe Earth Vein had any trouble with the likes of you.¡±


    Pedals grew from the bud at the tip of his staff. Pearlescent white with ribbons of vibrant colors. The silken flower was the only thing she could see through the vines now, and she felt her mind start to slow down.


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    Her grip loosened around the sword as it was slowly pulled from her hand. She couldn¡¯t see anything beyond the flower, and with each passing second Tawny felt further dissociated from the world. It was like walking into Io¡¯s memory all over again. The thorns grew into a dull pain and eventually slipped away altogether.


    While the flower didn¡¯t lose its luster, all else turned black. Her mind and body was adrift.


    The goal was for Dreadheart to prevail without having to resort to sorcery so as to further distance her identity from that of, say, a witch, but Tawny didn¡¯t think that old man¡¯s sword was up to snuff.


    That¡¯s right¡­ This is all your fault. I will not die here. To hell with your plan!


    And just as Tawny tried to conjure enough fire to kill a hundred sirens¡ªnothing happened.


    What¡­


    Her eyes went wide as the shining flower continued to bud in her vision. The remaining shreds of Tawn¡¯s mind fired off alarm bells as she realized any mana she tried to channel only made it grow brighter. She couldn¡¯t cast.


    No¡­ It can¡¯t end here.


    ¡°Struggle all you want.¡± The mage¡¯s laughter echoed in her head, ¡°But your legacy amounts to mere nutrients for my dear Magnolia.¡±


    Tawny¡¯s head throbbed and the mage¡¯s taunt sent her spinning. She was completely wrapped in vines, incapable of casting, and quickly losing her grip on reality. Much longer, and she would struggle to stay conscious.


    ¡°And as soon as I¡¯m done with you, it¡¯s your friends¡¯ turn.¡± His voice grew faint. Distant.


    No¡­ Jimbo¡­ His face flashed through Tawny¡¯s mind. That confident smile and fearless laugh. The way he jumped into any fight without a second thought. Not once did he hesitate to stand in front of her when a quarrel broke out, bar fight or otherwise. Not even now that she possessed the power to cook him alive with a wave of the hand.


    I have to stop him.


    ¡°My Magnolia can pull those ships right out of the sky, you know.¡± The mage seemed intent on lambasting her until she drew her last breath, and Tawny felt that moment wasn¡¯t far off. His voice was far away, but somehow she couldn¡¯t miss it staring into that shining flower. ¡°And I will enjoy every minute of it¡ªhey, what the hell was in that water?¡±


    Huh¡­? Tawny didn¡¯t know what he was talking about anymore, and hardly had enough thought left to start accepting death. The flower fell in toward her.


    So, this is how it ends, is it? I guess I wasn¡¯t cut out to be a sorcerer after all.


    It seemed as if the flower would swallow her whole as its pedals fell in on her. They began to curl in over an eternity as Tawny felt her heart thrum slowly in her chest. Waiting for death was excruciation, but she always knew it wouldn¡¯t be pleasant.


    A dark streak ran through the petal from the base where it met the stem. Then another. Soon, the flower was overtaken with black. The pain of a thousand thorns stabbing into her body started to return and Tawny felt warm blood coating her skin.


    Wait¡­ It¡¯s wilting?


    ¡°You bitch!¡± The mage¡¯s voice no longer echoed and his face was twisted with rage. Tawny watched in slow motion as he approached with a wooden dagger, her mind rapidly falling back into place. ¡°What have you done to my Magnolia?¡±


    ¡°Enough games.¡± The blackened vines around her face crumbled to ash as stark red flames filled her vision. The sound of roots ripping from the ground turned to sizzles as Tawny took a step forward to catch the dagger. She went to deflect, but instead it turned to ash in the mage¡¯s hand. And in that moment, he let himself fall off balance after finding no resistance. His face went pale in shock as he stumbled forward, but Tawny¡¯s flaming fist laid in wait to wipe that expression right off. ¡°I told you I was here to burn, did I not?¡±


    The mage scrambled back on his ass, holding his face in pain before noticing his robes were on fire. His frightened cries as he desperately swatted the flames almost made Tawny laugh after everything she went through, but she held it back.


    No wait¡­ Cira would laugh here.


    ¡°What? You didn¡¯t think to keep any water mages around?¡± As a longtime resident of the Boreal, Tawny was not quite ashamed to admit she was enjoying putting one of her overlords to such trouble.


    ¡°I am the water mage, you cur!¡± She had to admit, he was quite versatile. If she had to guess, he probably had light magic under his belt as well. ¡°Why does a pirate wield such mastery over flame?¡±


    ¡°Oh? I suppose you haven¡¯t seen my other sword?¡± The water cloaking his staff wore thin as Tawny approached, spinning a sword of aether flame around before leveling it toward his head, ¡°Worldburner, the Infernal Cutlass. Remember its name.¡±


    Cira will just have to accept this. That was definitely something she would say. I¡¯m doing great.


    Tawny swung down and ten more crimson blades rose from the ground, piercing through his staff like a pincushion. The once willful staff of live wood started to blacken as embers burned from the inside out. Its roots let off one last wriggle before going limp and the entire staff faded to ash.


    ¡°No¡­ My Magnolia!¡± He let out a gut-wrenching cry infused with enough mana to fell a horse. It echoed through the sky and shook the ground. ¡°You have no idea what you¡¯ve just done.¡±


    He was pushed from the ground by columns of wood and shimmering water wrapped his body. Unbelievably, his wounds started healing faster than any paladin could manage. The island trembled as he turned his eyes to her. Full of a deep sadness woefully overshadowed by an ocean of rage. Tawny couldn¡¯t stop herself from pausing under his gaze.


    Tawny thought enough fire would take control of the situation, but his overwhelming mana struck fear in her heart. She noticed the wood at their feet no longer burned and his presence seemingly spread throughout the entire palace grounds.


    ¡°Pretty big deal to make over a stick.¡± Tawny said and instantly regretted it. He took another step forward and she felt her knees grow weak. The wood beneath him started to agitate, as if he were walking through a puddle.


    ¡°You will die today, Dreadheart.¡± And she believed him. She tried surging her mana, but the scarce domain she threw up had started to shrink under the pressure.


    My fire isn¡¯t hot enough. What can I do? She didn¡¯t have the Infernal Scepter, and her own control over aether flame was lacking, let alone potency. I should have known this wouldn¡¯t be as easy as just burning it all down. Dammit, what would Cira do right now?!


    Pillars of wood rose up across the palace ground and the walls around the courtyard started to shrink. Tawny felt the boardwalk beneath her give way like quicksand. She stabbed her flaming sword into the ground to stop herself, but it seemed to be pulling her in.


    ¡°Worldburner? What a joke. You couldn¡¯t burn a pile of leaves¡ª¡±


    Tawny fell back as a blinding light tore through her vision. She desperately held out her swords in feeble defense. But as she opened her eyes again, all she saw was a set of legs. They fell over opposite each other into a smoking crater.


    Tawny blinked as she took in the destruction. The nearest building had a hole burned through it and the inferno surrounding her had multiplied. Tawny got up half in a daze and walked over to the massive hole burned into the ground. Nothing from the waist up remained of the fearsome nature mage.


    ¡°No way¡­ Is it over?¡± Tawny turned around and followed the path of destruction only to find Jimbo at the end of it. He seemed to wave before bringing the ship in to land. ¡°He really did it¡­¡±


    The win should really go to Io here for his craftsmanship, but he got no credit in this moment.


    Steam rose up and hissed. A startled Tawny whipped around and watched the flames die down as a surge of water flooded the area. Elos jumped off in a panic and went to hold Tawny up, but didn¡¯t know where to touch as she was covered head to toe in blood.


    ¡°Holy shit, Tawn¡ªer, Captain. Are you okay?¡± She felt the warm light of holy mana surround her and the pain started to recede. She hadn¡¯t realized how shallow her breath had gotten until just this moment.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been better.¡± She tried to wipe the blood out of her eyes, but it didn¡¯t work.


    Surrounding her now were all the new holy mages who didn¡¯t care about Shores¡¯ rhetoric or the Final Sky, and together they made short work of the wounds. That said, Tawny was shook. She almost died a couple times and was completely overwhelmed by a mage many times her superior.


    Elos washed the blood off her with magic and tried to put an arm around for support, but she slapped it away.


    ¡°Nevermind me.¡± Her fists shook, hung down by her side. This was one day she wanted to end. ¡°Just finish your damn jobs so I can burn this place down already."

 241 - Faith and the Argonaut

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Emma.¡± Cira slammed the door to her pantry closed with lively gusto and let out a disturbing chuckle, ¡°I make the best strom-stromboli this side of the Boreal.¡±


    The girl nervously checked her pocket watch.


    ___


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there, Captain.¡± Gratos flew up to my side, leaving behind a brilliant trail of golden sparkles. ¡°But it¡¯s too quiet. I¡¯ll take point.¡±


    There was no way these witches would let us approach so easily. We weren¡¯t exactly taking a stealth approach here. While Gratos¡¯ flight sorcery was the most glorious, our expanded crew of twenty paladins blazed a shining streak of holy mana through the sky.


    ¡°Oliver, Ike. Raise a healing domain and follow Gratos. Marko and Johns, get some arrows ready,¡± We had practiced combat strategies plenty in Paradise, but this was the real deal. I could see some of the newbies starting to grow nervous, so they were mainly on defense and support. ¡°Skipper, make sure to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Captain, I sense a disturbance in the holy field!¡± The air popped as a jagged pillar of stone burst through the canopy.


    ¡°Hyah!¡± Gratos exploded in light and jumped in front of me with a shining fist and the stone shattered into a million pieces, pelting our barriers as the rubble dispersed in a dazzling display. ¡°It¡¯ll take more than that to¡ªguh!¡±


    A branch snapped below and I watched a solid spear of polished stone appear through my first mate¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Gratos, no!¡± I lunged toward him and he threw me back with a wave of his holy hand just in time to watch another spear shoot straight through the space my skull would have ended up. ¡°Huh¡­¡±


    I didn¡¯t even have time to process my near-death as the sun glinted off a spot in the trees. With a desperate shout I unsheathed my holy blade and thrust it up in front of me. With a shing, the back of my sword slammed into my forehead, ¡°Shit!¡±


    Warmth spread over my left arm and I watched the revolver I tried to draw plummet into the trees. There was a deep gash just below my shoulder and my arm hung limp.


    ¡°Run awayyyy!¡± A new recruit from the back shouted.


    ¡°The witches will kill us!¡± Discord grew and half of them dispersed. Before I could get a word out, multiple cried out and descended with a spear through their chest.


    ¡°Hold it together, you cowards!¡± Gratos¡¯ firm voice carried through the sky and a loud snap echoed. He ripped the two halves of the spear out of his chest and threw them to the side, pressing a heavy fist against the wound as it rapidly healed. ¡°Form the phalanx if you want to live!¡±


    None who initially ran lived to hear the end of that sentence, but the rest of us tightened up. We were down to fourteen paladins in the blink of an eye. That initial attack with the haphazard chunk of stone completely threw us off guard and we paid the price.


    No, this is my fault. Their blood is on my hands. Dammit, I knew they weren¡¯t ready, but I never realized I wasn¡¯t.


    I watched a dark streak flash in front of my face before shattering to pieces, ¡°Shores, get your shit together!¡± Gratos saved me again.


    ¡°¡­and in her name, may this wall never crumble until our devotion falters. Blessed Shield of the Lamb¡¯s Favor!¡± My paladins finished their incantation as a volley fell on our concentrated ranks. Every other spear glinted off with a horrifying screech as the rest found themselves half-lodged in the barrier.


    My sword blazed with holy light but wherever this witch was, she was beyond my reach. I had another gun in my coat, but I lacked a target. The spears came from all across the forest. Io swore none of the High Coven were here, but our opponent was quickly overwhelming us. The barrier would only hold out for so long.


    ¡°I need to get down there, Captain.¡± Gratos was resolute, but I saw a rare fear in his eyes. Just from this quick taste of the witch¡¯s powers, he wasn¡¯t sure he could take her. Gratos was a powerful member of the crew I couldn¡¯t afford to lose, but more than that, he was my dear friend.


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    He¡¯ll die if he goes down there. I can feel it¡­ This witch has hardly even shown us her powers. All of us put together probably don¡¯t stand a chance in a straight fight¡­ But Io swore this was within our abilities. That means I¡¯m going about this all wrong.


    The volley of spears was constant now, but the new recruits had begun to face their fears and add their mana to the effort. Marko started pushing each spear that stuck away and the crew worked together to seal the holes. I couldn¡¯t be more proud, but the ship was still sinking.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m scared, Cap¡¯n.¡± Bellamy was a good lad, and the youngest of my crew. Most cities would hardly consider him an adult, and he probably wouldn¡¯t even be here if he didn¡¯t think he could impress our Lady Saint. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die, Cap¡¯n.¡±


    These people put their faith in not only me, but our Saintess. I couldn¡¯t help the runners, but I will get everyone else home. C¡¯mon, Shores, you¡¯re better than this. What would Cira do right now?


    ¡°Captain.¡± Gratos looked me dead in the eyes, ¡°Give me the order. We¡¯re running out of time. You need to choose.¡±


    The fact he was waiting for me to come up with something instead of jumping straight into battle was as bad a sign as could be. But then inspiration struck.


    ¡°That¡¯s it¡­¡± We are the Saint¡¯s hands. Agents of her will. She would not rely on faith for something as serious as this, no. She would demand power at worst and choose her own fate at best. If I can¡¯t at least manage something in between, I have no right to call myself Reverend. ¡°In the name of the Saint, our lost lamb and guiding light. Holy passage be my right.¡±


    The trepidation fell from Gratos¡¯ face and I watched the recruits hang on my word with newfound hope. I couldn¡¯t let them down. If Cira could invent prayers like she were pulling them from a hat, I could too in her name.


    ¡°Let those who seek to challenge her grace bear witness to our glory. Champions of Righteous Descent, Engage.¡±


    Our egg of a barrier plummeted through the canopy splintering any wood in its bath before slamming into the ground. My men all shouted out on impact then stared at me in shock, but my eyes were glued on another.


    Hazel hair and bright eyes like polished stone, she was easily in the top ten most beautiful women I had ever seen, our Saintess being number one, of course.


    Shimmering robes like opal glistened in the sun from the clearing we made and her eyes went wide while the dust settled.


    ¡°Y-you filthy pirates! I¡¯ll be damned if I let you go any further!¡± Her words were sharp, but there were fourteen of us a stone¡¯s throw away. A handful of spears hovered above her. but she knew they couldn¡¯t reach us before we reached her. I could see it in her eyes.


    ¡°Dispel your mana and we won¡¯t hurt you.¡± I jeered, but I knew this wasn¡¯t over.


    As if on cue, jagged shards of smooth stone rose from the ground and pelted our barrier. Each shot took chunks out and she wasted no time in throwing spears through the tears. I instinctively slashed at her with my sword and a wave of holy light tore through the forest, forming a deep rut. But she was already gone.


    ¡°Not so fast!¡± Gratos left the barrier in a flash, fist drawn. ¡°Hahh!¡±


    A barrier shattered as he followed through, and the witch spun to the ground before catching herself on a wave of amorphous rock. She twirled back to her feet and a staff rose from the dirt.


    ¡°Earth Needle!¡± She shouted a single incantation, but thousands of stone needles poked through our barrier from the ground. Our main healers and some of the recruits cried out as their ankles were impaled. I barely avoided the same fate by jumping on reflex, but she dealt us a serious blow. They could no longer focus on the barrier, and it started to fade.


    ¡°Disperse.¡± I gave a final call to the barrier since it was useless anyway. A golden burst pushed branches out of the way and rustled leaves as the witch stumbled back. ¡°Now!¡±


    Gratos was in her face with both fists above his head and swung down like a hammer. The witch crashed into the ground and a cloud of dirt rose. Suddenly the air felt heavy and holy light overtook the clearing.


    ¡°No, stop!¡± I shouted, lunging toward Gratos, ¡°Remember our orders!¡±


    They were given by Io, but I was confident the Saint would appreciate our efforts in preserving even the most degenerate of life. Gratos¡¯ fist stopped inches from the unconscious witch¡¯s face. Blood poured over her body and I wrapped my hand around Gratos¡¯ arm.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough¡­ We won.¡± He was shaking. Nearly blinded by rage if it weren¡¯t for the Saint¡¯s light. We all felt the same rage, but I knew he would regret if we stained Cira¡¯s hands with this blood.


    His heavy breath filled the clearing. Our barrier dissolved as the recruits all fell to their knees panting. Bellamy put a hand on his friend¡¯s shoulder with unfounded relief in his eyes. I let them revel in this moment of victory, but the first witch was always the easiest. This struggle did not bode well for our assault.


    After a brief chance to catch our breath, we left the witch in the woods and flew back up above the canopy. The temple was in sight now. We would finally free this holy site from Earth Vein¡¯s evil clutches. Even if we encountered a stronger foe, I had to hold faith.


    Landing on the steps was cathartic as it was terrifying. I was exhausted enough to let Dad carry me by the time I reached the top as a child, but now I had to move forward despite the wounds and weary muscles. My aura was over half empty from just the first encounter and my clothes were drenched in sweat.


    Gratos pushed open the gate and a lone witch stood before us. She appeared as a young woman but her hair was a sleek gray, and countless white crystals surrounded her ready to pierce us like daggers. Her very presence crushed my domain into a holy marble.

 242 - To Clutch a Pearl

    ¡°Was that really stromrak?¡± Emma rested her hands on her belly like a pregnant woman, ¡°That was amazing.¡±


    ¡°Why thank you.¡± Cira replied with a smug grin. ¡°You should try my cal-calzone, but I suppose the ingredients aren¡¯t in season around here.¡±


    Emma was too full to be confused as Cira gazed into the distance wistfully.


    ¡°Hey, what are your plans after this?¡± She had come out of her shell a little bit over the past couple weeks, and seemed to have taken a liking to Cira.


    ¡°Ohhh, I need to help Old Fitz out with a couple things. It¡¯s about time I attempt to produce results.¡± Cira got up to look over Icarus.


    ¡°Oh, okay¡­ Never mind then.¡± Emma reverted to her sheepish ways as she did in situations like these, but Cira wasn¡¯t having it. She spun around with a shit-eating grin and knowing laugh. ¡°That¡¯s sounds important.¡±


    ¡°So-so. Why do you ask?¡± The girl shrunk back as Cira got in her face, ¡°Out with it. Come on.¡±


    ¡°W-well, I noticed I only ever see you in Lady Eliza¡¯s class. And, well¡­ I¡¯m in a lot of classes.¡± Cira wasn¡¯t entirely sure where she was going with this, but there was a very good reason for it.


    ¡°That¡¯s only because she appears before me each morning. If I had it my way, nothing which depends on a schedule would see my participation. While her instruction has been valuable thus far, it is advantageous for my studies to forgo the concept of time and obligation altogether.¡± Cira nodded assuredly as she came up with such reasoning off the top of her head. A thought from the heart. ¡°And that makes me curious as to what it is you have planned this afternoon?¡±


    With a confused but delighted smile, Emma sat up with excitement, ¡°Do you want to come to practical magic arts with me? I don¡¯t know how strong you are compared to the instructors, or perhaps vice versa¡­ but it could be fun¡ªer, I mean, you might be able to learn something new!¡±


    Cira thought about it for a minute before Fitzgeralt¡¯s words echoed in her mind: something something different perspective.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m in.¡±


    ___


    The sounds of rolling dice and shuffling cards filled the busy lobby. Nobles from all across the Boreal flocked here to lose money, but the gambling wasn¡¯t really what drew them in or kept them here. These were customers who never ran out of gold, and they almost never failed to cough it up when the time came.


    Each one was dressed in fineries of exotic materials and most on the bottom floor of Benobal House had multiple women on their arm. Some cheeky folk up the way call this island the pearl of the Boreal, but the Madam fancied a slightly different phrasing.


    And it would not be entirely untrue to say she clutched the Boreal by the Pearls here. This was a service no male noble and a surprising number of ladies could seemingly live without. And due to Oasis¡¯ autonomy as a city-state, quality of life for residents and overall freedom, it shined across the Boreal like a beacon of hope to all working women in these skies.


    Midnight was one such concubine on some dirty little island by the sea until the welfare division found that the island¡¯s lords were driving up taxes to keep her in a perpetual cycle of debt. Madam Benobal cleared her dues through a third party along with six others that day and contracted local merchants to secure her safe passage all the way to Oasis.


    For others in less disadvantaged situations, they often pilgrimaged here from as far away as the Sunset Skies for a better life, thus leaving the Boreal relatively dry of that which they can¡¯t seem to live without.


    Many nobles have tried to speak up about Benobal¡¯s intervention over the years, but there was no way of knowing who came from where. Of course, each noble got slapped with a familial ban for a few years, and the problem disappeared naturally for a while.


    While many change professions to become an assassin like Midnight, or any other career path Oasis offers, the hands with which Madam Benobal¡¯s clutch tightens only grew by the day.


    I was upset at first that we weren¡¯t going into battle like the other teams, but Io said diplomacy was a critical skill for a sorcerer¡¯s harem to possess, so I held my head high as Midnight led us straight across the lobby down the gaudy red carpet.


    Noble heads turned, but we made a point not to look at them. Some though threw their cards down to approach us, but turned around and shambled away before even getting close.


    This was a trick of Midnight¡¯s she called Stupor, which inflicted effects similar to a few flights of ale with just a smidge of amnesia.


    ¡°I¡¯m so glad to have you back, Big Sis!¡± Her black pigtails bobbed as she smiled up at me and I had to resist rustling her hair. ¡°Will you be staying this time?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, not for long.¡± Her cheeks fell into a slight frown. Alright, fine. I rustled her hair like I used to when we were younger. ¡°But if everything goes well, you will be seeing more of me.¡±


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    ¡°Yes!¡± Midnight clenched a fist and hopped away. An enchanted door parted in the middle and we all stepped inside. ¡°Just a minute.¡±


    She withdrew a mana-drenched key from her pocket and placed it into the wall before putting her hand on a specific glyph. It lit up and the room started to rise.


    I took this chance to catch up with Midnight a little while the other girls chatted among themselves, but in just a couple minutes we reached the top. When the doors opened again we were met with a dark room. A stale waft of incense smoke shrouded us and Midnight led us inside.


    ¡°Madam, look who it is.¡± Midnight called out as we entered and a thin woman at a desk across the room raised her head. She had a narrow face and pointed chin, which complimented her permanent scowl. Despite her very apparent age, the look in her eyes was sharp. ¡°Ember brought friends!¡±


    She took a long puff from a cigarette on an ivory holder long enough to reach over the desk. After letting out a cloud of smoke, she spoke in the same bitter voice I remembered.


    ¡°So, she has¡­¡± Madam Benobal made us wait while she took another puff and blew it into the air. I could feel my sisters gettings nervous as she scrutinized them in order before her hawk eyes settled on me, ¡°You¡¯ve gained weight. Too much muscle. I doubt you could charge the same as you used to, but you may be able to overcome the difference by working in a group or scouting some regulars. Midnight, find Grace and ready them a room¡ª¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Most people didn¡¯t dare interrupt Madam Benobal, but if I hadn¡¯t said something Midnight would go through a lot of work for nothing. ¡°We¡¯re not here to work. We¡¯re here for business.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡± She let out a long sigh and lit another cigarette after ashing the first. ¡°On behalf of your master, I presume? You walk in here with eight mysterious harlots at your back dressed in golden rags and I¡¯m supposed to be impressed? I can¡¯t fathom what business you possibly think I may be open to, or is your master truly so ignorant? Or are they sick in the head? Do I need to dispatch the welfare division?¡±


    She may be right on both counts¡­ But this changes nothing.


    ¡°I would appreciate you not insult my master, Madam. I assure you she will not lose sleep over souring relations with another old hag.¡±


    While I said this, Io told us our mission was no less important than the others. Today would only be a true success if each team accomplished their goals. Cira likely didn¡¯t even know this island existed, but the Mortal Council agreed it would be disadvantageous to act in her name if we couldn¡¯t produce results.


    ¡°Yeah¡ª¡± Goldie tried to back me up but choked when Benobal cast a glare her way.


    The other girls were also silenced as the tension in the air started to thicken. Even Midnight was a little nervous beneath her chuckles. She loved watching the two of us argue, but even I rarely saw Benobal this on-edge. If I didn¡¯t know better, I would think I caught her on a bad day.


    ¡°You sure learned to talk big, didn¡¯t you, girl?¡± She shook her head and leaned back in the chair. ¡°Tsk-tsk, I thought I raised you better than this¡­ To think you¡¯ve really fallen for their charm. And a woman too¡ªshe must be truly deranged to send you here like this. I¡¯m disappointed. What are those rags made of anyway? I admit they look like the real thing, but a fa?ade is only good for telling the world how little value may be found within. Didn¡¯t I teach you that?¡±


    The fact that she didn¡¯t raise me aside, I don¡¯t know who ¡®they¡¯ is supposed to be.


    ¡°You also taught me not to make short-sighted assumptions, did you not?¡± Benobal narrowed her gaze at me. ¡°We have come to purchase Oasis on behalf of the Eternal Empress Cirina Dreadheart.¡±


    The Madam clenched a fist and stood up from her desk, vein popping in her forehead as she tossed her cigarette to the floor, ¡°You get the hell off my island, you treacherous hag. And take those gutter wenches with you. Right this second.¡± Her raspy words were spat like poison.


    As the old woman¡¯s pale face grew red with fury, I felt bad my little sister was caught in the middle. She looked scared to see Benobal so enraged, and shocked to hear me say something so absurd.


    ¡°I refuse.¡± The others stood behind me in a show of force. We couldn¡¯t relent yet when we hadn¡¯t even started negotiations.


    ¡°Midnight¡­¡± Benobal growled as a ring on her finger lit up, ¡°Remove them from Oasis.¡±


    ___


    Stupid Cira. Did she ever stop to think that maybe I wanted to go on an adventure too? I was fine with our cursed contract of eternal servitude. I could basically do whatever I wanted except harvest human souls, which really wasn¡¯t a big deal to skip out on for a century or two. Things were good.


    But noooo, Cira had to scare everybody with her fancy new curse and disappear into the nearest leyline. If anyone on Paradise could stand around while she played with ancient powers, isn¡¯t it only obvious that this person would be the spider who has lived for tens of thousands of years?


    Her hideously contorted crying face was enough to tell me that she was upset at leaving everyone behind, so why wouldn¡¯t she take at least one companion with her? The equally ancient and wise Legs McClensky?!


    No, that¡¯s not right¡­ She took Nina along. Is it because she¡¯s cuter? She always said she hated spiders, but I didn¡¯t know she was being serious.


    I hadn¡¯t seen Nina in weeks, which meant she had to be with Cira. We used to have deep conversations long into the night, and I missed those too.


    It¡¯s all your fault, Cira.


    First she turned me into a cursed slave and now expected me to just live on my own without any order or direction? I wasn¡¯t thrilled about being a de facto servant, but to realize she didn¡¯t actually need me for any reason really hurt my ancient feelings. I may have come off strong trying to take over one of her friends¡¯ vessels and sure we argued here and there, but this was a girl I had been waiting to meet for almost a century.


    Alas, I was stuck in a bell jar of my own creation.


    And huddling back in my cave did little more than make me miss the warm comfort of her left sleeve. This ashen moss just didn¡¯t feel the same, and it was lukewarm at best.


    But Io gave me a chance to go on my own adventure. It was my time now. Forget about Cira.


    I emerged from the aether on shimmering silk.


    ¡°W-what the hell is that?!¡± A man in fuzzy purple robes which looked quite warm fell off his bed onto the marble floor.


    ¡°Ahh!¡± A disrobed woman shrieked, backing herself into a corner.


    ¡°Sleep.¡± The woman slid to the floor with her back against the wall.


    ¡°A-Assassin! Guards, come quick!¡± The man sprinted for the door, but it wouldn¡¯t open. His hand grew still on the doorknob as he turned around to look squarely into my many eyes.


    ¡°Excuse me¡ª¡±


    ¡°It can talk?!¡± He banged against the door, ¡°Guards, help!¡±


    I loudly cleared my nonexistent throat, ¡°Ahem! Excuse me, good sir. Would you happen to be Reginald Ponce Laluka de Gandeux?¡±

 243 - A Friendly Exchange

    There were nearly a hundred students ranging from around the age Cira was when her father died to damn near Old Man Roberts. Many looked at her funny, and it seemed there was a fair number of whispers pertaining to her status, but Cira didn¡¯t care much about that these days.


    She was just along for the ride. While the students did interest her, she smirked to see the two instructors at the head of the class.


    One was that pale-haired lady who inspired her to condense light needles, but next to her was none other than Roman, the unkillable space mage. It seemed he noticed her at the same time, however, and took a single step to appear before her.


    ¡°Well look who we have here.¡± Emma shied back as the man materialized. ¡°Get bored of Eliza already?¡±


    ¡°Just thought I would see what kind of things you people are teaching my friend here.¡± Cira feigned a suspicious glare. ¡°What¡¯s on the menu today?¡±


    The corpulent mage chuckled, ¡°You¡¯ve come at a good time. We¡¯re about to discuss lightning for use in perceptive spells.¡±


    ¡°Now, now.¡± A woman¡¯s lilting words came from Roman¡¯s side, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to introduce me?¡±


    Cira watched the shapely woman take form with a pleasant expression that made her inexplicably uncomfortable.


    ¡°Indeed, Roman.¡± Cira crossed her arms and inspected the other instructor, ¡°Who is this woman?¡±


    The woman in question only laughed as she leveled her eyes to Cira, ¡°Goodness¡­ You smell just like your father.¡±


    ___


    ¡°Excuse me, Miss.¡± Kuja did her best to speak clearly and confidently. No one below Io¡¯s level would be able to see her true form. ¡°I am here to see the silver well.¡±


    The young receptionist grew wary at this topic. Understandable.


    ¡°Pardon, but I don¡¯t believe Lady Silver is in today. Do you happen to have an appointment scheduled with her?¡± Kuja could sense she was starting to panic¡ªsuch things came naturally after she was resurrected.


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t say that I do.¡± The others at their desks behind her had all paused to try and subtly listen in. ¡°But I am here to participate in an agreed upon exchanging of wisdom. Your master is away at the moment for the very same reason.¡±


    Kuja felt multiple signatures of life manifesting behind each wall which surrounded her. She felt bad as the wide-eyed receptionist formed a tear in her eye, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ but I can¡¯t let you go further without Madam Silver present. Would you kindly¡­ wait over there?¡±


    The girl was shivering as she pointed Kuja toward a row of chairs. Kuja now felt terrible and was positive Cira would too, but there was nothing to do about that. The sorcerer¡¯s burden is heavy, no?


    ¡°Now that simply won¡¯t do.¡± I am nailing this. Wait, what is that artifact?


    The receptionist charged a small amount of mana into a stone in her palm and shouted, ¡°Madam Silver¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sleep.¡± This would save the girl a little trauma, Kuja was certain.


    The walls melted and scores of witches appeared from every direction forming arrows of silver in a dense cloud that hung in the air. They all fired at once and Kuja was blinded in light.


    Each arrow that touched Io¡¯s barrier dissolved into mana and returned to sender. The shining arrows made perfect bullseyes on their caster¡¯s foreheads and dissolved into them. In an instant, the sound of their bodies hitting the floor echoed. The noncombatants all started to freak out as well, pulling out more of those artifacts.


    ¡°Sleep.¡± They all fell, joining the others. ¡°Well, that takes care of that.¡±


    Kuja dusted off her hands and casually hopped over the counter then through the door it was protecting.


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    Beyond that was a hallway of solid silver, which no longer surprised Kuja. What did surprise her, however, was the lone witch standing before her after she rounded the first corner.


    ¡°She told us you would come¡ª"


    ¡°Sleep.¡± And Kuja kept walking down the hall. She thought the sleek and shiny aesthetic was a little pretentious and bland, but apparently her goal would be found at the end.


    Of course, a few more witches stood in her way, each stronger than the last, but never more than one at a time. Those who didn¡¯t greet her just fell asleep to their own spells, and her stroll went rather unobstructed for the next ten minutes or so.


    And what good would a long hallway be if there wasn¡¯t one final witch waiting for her, standing in guard of a door you could fly a ship through. Of course, there were alleged to be many more on the other side.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯ve come, Hidden Witch.¡± This one stabbed a crystal staff into the ground and looked down on Kuja with dutiful eyes, ¡°But this ends here.¡±


    As all hallways do, Kuja mused. ¡°Tell me your name, witch.¡± Kuja thought Cira would likely converse with at least some of her enemies, so this was her moment to really sell the role. She had to leave behind a story to be told.


    ¡°I am the one known as the Skyfall Witch.¡± She twirled her staff around until its finial pointed to Kuja. The surrounding tunnel rumbled and the ground started to feel soft. ¡°What good is it to you? Do you intend to declare your purpose here or are you merely stalling for time?¡±


    No, I actually am in a hurry. Though I doubt Cira would share the sentiment were she in my boots.


    ¡°My purpose is simple.¡± Kuja fell back and a golden chair stood waiting in stark contrast to the shining hall. ¡°I told your master I wanted to see the silver well, and so I have come to do exactly that.¡±


    Having lived beneath a shadow well her entire long life, it very much intrigued Kuja as well. On top of the favor she had in mind, getting to see this was a reward in itself.


    ¡°And what do you intend to do once you reach it.¡± The witch¡¯s eyes turned cold as she awaited Kuja¡¯s reply.


    But she only giggled, ¡°Oh dear, I haven¡¯t decided yet. I figured inspiration would strike once I got there.¡±


    Her answer was not clear, but this witch seemed immune to confusion. She kept her guard up and channeled more mana into her staff. Kuja only had to spend a split second figuring out what her plan was as a tectonic roar only grew louder from her back. Now that she looked around, the ceiling had gotten a fair deal closer. It appeared the Skyfall Witch was stalling for time, but it would not get her far.


    ¡°If you won¡¯t tell me, then I will have you answer to Lady Silver herself.¡± The witch seemed arrogant, but with a large portion of the island seemingly at her command it did not seem unreasonable for her to feel that way. Io was on another level though, and Kuja had placed her faith in him. If he said the barrier would take care of everything, then the barrier would take care of everything.


    The wall of silver closed in from behind as Kuja casually sipped from a stemmed glass of water. Then suddenly, the silver halted, melting into the aether once it reached arm¡¯s length from Kuja.


    The pressure fluctuated as the witch noticed her attack get utterly ignored. Kuja finished her glass and tossed it away before standing up. With one step, the witch¡¯s expression had already faltered. With two, the staff began to dim.


    ¡°Your control over earth is not entirely mediocre.¡± While Kuja couldn¡¯t hold a candle to her, someone else she knew could, ¡°But your narrow mind will never allow you to command the element. Heed my words now. She who seeks power shall never find it.¡±


    The witch opened her mouth in retort, but no words came. It seemed she was at a loss. Her body started to shake before Kuja decided to end this conversation. Sleep¡­


    And the witch joined a long roster of those who would awake tomorrow at dawn.


    Kuja felt she was killing it as Cira right now, and it almost made her jealous of the lifestyle. Not once in her long life had she appeared in enemy territory and waltzed right in simply to get a rise out of another. Granted, she kept to mountain for three centuries and was lacking in enemies, the thrill was undeniable. That last witch would likely have impressed Cira too, but she would undoubtedly have defeated her. And now she could lay eyes upon a well of silver, simply because she wanted to.


    I ought to practice my sorcery when all this blows over. I just need to do one thing first.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see what¡¯s on the other side of this door.¡± As Kuja approached, her barrier caused the shining arrays engraved into it to burn away. Light rose to the sky while enchanted pieces of metal and gem crumbled to the floor. The rest of the door simple faded into the aether. As her path was now clear, Kuja walked on through it.


    It was a sight to behold, like nothing she had ever seen. Let alone the magnificent mana well which blared in the sky like a silver sun, the spiraling structure around it was easily the size of Acher, but much larger in that it stretched as tall as the island was wide. Burning arrays nearly blinded Kuja and she could feel all the mana for miles being directed straight down.


    Kuja hated to admit it, but the Silver Witch had built something truly incredible here.


    At the bottom of the construct directly beneath the well was a massive artifact Kuja couldn¡¯t begin to postulate on. It was like disc no smaller than Hangman¡¯s Cove with walls that flared out as if to funnel all mana to the bottom where a silver spire rose out of the pit, glowing so hot it was a wonder the thing wasn¡¯t melting away.


    Kuja couldn¡¯t help staring in wonder despite the hundreds of life signatures she felt closing in on her from ahead.


    Well, this is what I¡¯m here for. May as well get a good look.


    Countless silver projectiles ranging from arrows to artillery to meteors fell in on Kuja, but she comfortably floated toward the well as witches dropped like flies.

 244 - The Working Mans Day

    Ice clinked around the glass as Io set down the finest cognac he¡¯d tasted in over a thousand years. In his other hand were papers taken from the top drawer of the Silver Witch¡¯s desk. To her credit, he actually had to destroy the lock to get it open. This was originally something he wanted to avoid, but on second thought Io absolutely wanted her to know someone dropped by.


    That was why he also broke the lock on the second drawer down¡ªwhich was admittedly harder to do. The first was full of boring documents about personnel distribution and material locations. The latter ,however, he did hang on to.


    Io took another sip and chuckled to himself.


    ¡°Oh, the strategy just writes itself.¡± This would become a red herring for her to trouble herself over. Io was interested in acquiring large quantities of materials, but it was incredibly low on his priority list. From the Silver Witch¡¯s perspective, however, it may be quite troubling if the only thing missing was the locations of all of Earth Vein¡¯s hidden storehouses. ¡°Now let¡¯s see what you have next.¡±


    Io would merely make copies of anything else that interested him.


    ¡°Eugenics, huh?¡± Io could not help but commend her for the simple fact that she bred witches without the use of mana or soul manipulation, but it was still concerning to see. Almost sickening in the way that she manipulated people into finding each other with such efficiency and actually produced results. While this was fine and dandy, there was one more drawer to peruse. This one actually caused sweat to bead on his forehead. ¡°Just who the hell is this woman?¡±


    The entire drawer was made of orichalcum while the lock was comprised of interlaced adamant and dragonite. While orichalcum was the better metal in a general sense, dragonite was incomprehensibly rare. The fact that she possessed even a few ounces of it was remarkable, but to the seasoned sorcerer, not so much.


    Now if the entire drawer was made of dragonite, Io would be worried that this woman was far more powerful than Cira gave her credit for¡ªnot that it would have been a stronger box. The key difference here was that someone who produced their own dragonite would have significantly more than a single lock-mechanism¡¯s worth.


    That said, Io still suspected this woman had to be a prolific witch the likes of which she hadn¡¯t even considered. No portraits of her likeness adorned the walls of this office, but there were countless artifacts strewn about. Hell, the entire room was lit by flames which could nearly be considered miniature mana wells. There was a table with a pitcher of water which never got cold, and its tablecloth was crafted from a leather which belonged to a creature Io knew as severely endangered in his time.


    Of course, the optimistic way to think was that the sea bison made its way back from extinction, but Io did not quite believe that.


    The sea bison was a genetically problematic species. It was as if they tried to evolve wings, but they liked fish so much they came out as fins. Naturally, those appendages did not work very well considering such a severe weight ratio. Io had not possibly been dead long enough for those kinks to be worked out, so it was safe to say her acquisition of such materials implied one of two things:


    Either the Silver Witch was almost as old as him, or she had gotten lucky at auction. A quick life/death appraisal told him the creature died roughly nine-hundred years ago, but that did not tell him much. Given the dragonite, he was inclined to believe it was yet another thing this witch purchased.


    Let¡¯s see¡­ Can you truly impress me, witch? First of all, there was no treasury, secret compartment, or hidden treasures in this place. Anything of import was designated between these three drawers. The last lock was enough to confirm as much.


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    ¡°My, my¡­¡± Io finished his glass and refilled it with the Silver Witch¡¯s remaining stock, ¡°Whatever is ¡®Project Boreal¡¯?¡±


    ___


    ¡°Madam Silver,¡± I finally landed at the old lighthouse island between the witch and some strange golden prism. ¡°I have to ask you do not take rash actions.¡±


    ¡°And what is your definition of rash?¡± As a regulator, it was my job to know about the prominent figures within the Gandeux Skies, and this woman had not followed up on an appointment this quickly in over a hundred years. Of course, there was the possibility that she exercised such swiftness in secret, perhaps in the night, but it hardly did anything to defend her in this context. ¡°Have we not been sailing for weeks?¡±


    ¡°And each day the anticipation swallows you whole.¡± She narrowed her eyes, but I wasn¡¯t finished, ¡°Do not think that you are fooling me. Just what is it you hope to find on this island?¡±


    It was a rather lackluster one. From what I understood, it was crumbling, and Earth Vein used that chance to harvest the materials. For whatever reason, certainly not one made public, this island was no longer falling. It still held menial degrees of flora, but it was literally on the list of islands to consider ¡®dead¡¯ within the next ten years. Ruin eaters couldn¡¯t be much further out from what I¡¯ve read.


    Another concern, this island was nothing like the map I studied on the way. For one, it was smaller, but the lighthouse was in the same place. I wasn¡¯t sure whether to pin it on amateur cartographers or the Silver Witch.


    ¡°Do not stand before me, Regulator.¡± Her expression grew cold and for the first time since the start of our journey, a tingle of fear ran up my spine. ¡°Step aside.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what this is.¡± I still stepped out of the path of her cast, ¡°This requires an investigation. We need to report¡ª¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you don¡¯t know what this is, but there is little mystery in my eyes.¡± The Silver Witch walked right past me. ¡°This is an effigy of the island itself. If I¡¯m not mistaken¡­ Its name is Lazulei.¡±


    When I turned around, she wasn¡¯t even looking at me. Her attention was drawn to the strange artifact in the center of this island.


    ¡°This construct is rather recent.¡± The witch ran her hand along it, ¡°An obvious trap.¡±


    ¡°All the more reason to return!¡± I tried to level with her, but she wasn¡¯t having it.


    ¡°The enchantments were intended to grant me considerable control over all other earth but strip me of my authority over silver forevermore.¡± Contrary to everything she just said, the Silver Witch laughed as her hand sank into the block of golden metal.  ¡°The Hidden Witch indeed practices primordial law. What a marvelous find.¡±


    I was pretty sure she meant ¡®primordial curses¡¯, as I could feel a sinister pressure emanating from the artifact from here. The way it scuttled under my skin like innumerable bugs just too small to see was insidious to the degree I acquiescently realized those authors weren¡¯t exaggerating. Under its influence, her smile was something I would only remember in bad dreams.


    ¡°Madam Silver, step away.¡± Her expression faded and was replaced with one of contempt. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s far too dangerous. We need to bring the Mages¡¯ Inquisition into this.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense.¡± I could feel the island shake as her laughter only grew in spite of my concerns. Silver mana started to roll in like a fog. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t know what to make of this. I, on the other hand, shall take what I came here for, as per my invitation, and be on my way.¡±


    She started to step into the block of enchanted gold and an artifact at her waist flashed, ¡°Madam Silver¡ª¡±


    Before she disappeared, I noticed an uncharacteristic look of surprise.


    ___


    ¡°Where are you, you bastard?!¡± The royal man cried, craning his neck around to the empty room like a paranoid madman.


    ¡°I¡¯m. right here.¡± He stared into my many eyes and seemed to make a realization I could have swore he just made.


    ¡°Is¡­ the spider truly talking?¡± His fist froze upon the door and his whole life seemed to reflect in his own meager two eyes. ¡°What kind of witchcraft is this?¡±


    ¡°No witchcraft, I assure you.¡± I gave him my spider god voice, with a tinge of comforting acceptance. ¡°Please, have a seat.¡±


    To drive my point home, I tickled his soul just a tad and the reaction on this man¡¯s face told me it was a feeling he was unfamiliar with. This was my bread and butter.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± A moment of clarity was apparent on his face as he sat not on the bed, but the opposing credenza. Perhaps it was his royal pedigree or his fight or flight ending in acceptance, but when the chips were down, this middle-aged man was surprisingly stolid, ¡°If you¡¯re after power of status, I promise you have come to the wrong place.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dear Reginald,¡± I let his fear steep in my aethereal giggles, ¡°That is precisely why I have come. Do you have a moment to speak about my good friend the Saint of the Seven Suns?¡±

 245 - Victory and Concession

    I would be willing to testify before a judge that there was a dull echo when I smacked Jimbo upside the head, ¡°We weren¡¯t supposed to kill anyone, jackass!¡±


    ¡°Oh, lighten up, James.¡± Tawny in turn smacked me in the back of the head, ¡°The plan was about to fall apart. Would you rather have explained to Io how I died? We both know you¡¯re the one he considers most responsible for this mission, right?¡±


    I hated to admit it, but she was right. Tawny herself was making great strides in sorcery and made a convincing Cira, but she abhorred anything that required responsibility. Perhaps it was a trait inherited from her teacher, but if she weren¡¯t in charge of agricultural development, Tawny would probably just fight golems and conjure random materials all day.


    ¡°Fine. Perhaps Jimbo averted a worse outcome¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll drink to that.¡± And Jimbo did what he did best.


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± I stressed. Obviously, I wouldn¡¯t have wanted Tawny to die, but our mages were seconds away, a few feet from Jimbo the killer. We could have at least tried another route. ¡°Do you even know who you killed?¡±


    It was a serious question. The identity of this man who remained in this world as mere ankles and feet would very likely determine the ripples our victory here would form across the Boreal.


    ¡°Just some water mage, he said.¡± Tawny shrugged, ¡°But he could control nature, wood, and probably earth and light as well. There was something creepy about that staff he had. It held a flower that completely turned my mind blank. Scary stuff.¡±


    ¡°Well, he ain¡¯t a witch. We know that much.¡± Jimbo didn¡¯t have much to contribute as expected.


    I let out a long sigh and watched the wooden palace burn. Sweat poured down my face in the heat all the way from Jimbo¡¯s new and improved warship.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not focus on our failures.¡± I felt Lero¡¯s hand on my shoulder as a single Blackwood ship disappeared into the horizon. ¡°We all survived. And the people of Dolliver are free. It¡¯s time to rebuild.¡±


    I knew it would spell trouble down the road to let all Blackwood personnel, except the deceased, flee home. Still, I believed it was the right thing to do. We were allowed to use Cira¡¯s name and the Mortal Council even sanctioned this attack, but I don¡¯t think genocide would do much to make the Boreal better. Besides, there were likely clueless fools just trying to take care of their family in these mills. It wouldn¡¯t surprise me to hear the only one here who knew the depth of Blackwood¡¯s sinister nature lay dead in a crater.


    If only I could say that was the reasoning behind our orders. Apparently sparing everyone in our conquest would send a message not only to the Gandeux, but to the people living in these skies. Of course, the others were following the same orders. We were to demonstrate our overwhelming power on multiple fronts simultaneously in the course of a single hour.


    Overwhelming, my ass. We¡¯re not Cira.


    Alas, that was the whole point.


    ¡°Fine then¡­ Give me that.¡± Jimbo gave me a look of betrayal when I snatched the flask from his hands. I actually got to brandish my sword today, and it was surprisingly satisfying to defeat all their guards without killing a single one. Hopefully, they would live tell their grandchildren about it one day. ¡°Well done, everyone.¡±


    As we shared a celebratory cheer, Gil floated up from below and landed on deck. ¡°James, the people of Dolliver are all gathered and the Governor is waiting to speak with our Captain.¡± He gave Tawny a chuckle and a wink.


    ¡°Perfect timing.¡± Tawny broke away and conjured a flaming sword at her back, ¡°Have my team spread seeds and get ready for the reforestation. I¡¯ll be with you shortly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on it.¡± With an explosion, Gil was gone.


    ¡°Jimbo, bring us down.¡± Tawny simply jumped off¡ªI would be right behind. ¡°I hate to say it, but showing your face might help quell some of the residents'' worries.¡±


    ¡°It always does.¡± Jimbo took the flask back and used another one of his shiny new levers to loosen the canopy sails.


    ___


    Prophet¡¯s Peak was likely the most depressing place I had ever been stationed. As far as duties went, I hadn¡¯t had such menial work in over a century. I pulled silver from a cart then delivered it to the temple. Once it was fully blessed by whichever priest was on duty, I then locked it away in the vault for weekly pickup.


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    It felt like a vacation and chance for much needed freedom to think, but I knew my career in Earth Vein was over when Silver Witch shoved me here. This mountain was the very same one the Crag Witch was stationed after she refused to rob a smalltime merchant of a skiff full of mithril.


    Big surprise, my orders were to temporarily learn her duties.


    I never really thought about why Earth Vein was here, but lately it begged the question.


    This is a holy site, isn¡¯t it? I never believed in that stuff, but if the Hidden Witch and Saint exist, why shouldn¡¯t the prophet have? It is said he used this place to found the Church of the Final Sky, and that he once channeled divine energy using the entirety of the mountain.


    Many times had I seen priests bless a block of silver, but it took hardly twenty minutes to bless a much larger amount of material here. As far as I could figure, that implied the silver here was once blessed long ago. The holy mana had simply faded.


    While I still don¡¯t follow the final sky, it was increasingly difficult to claim the Far Prophet never lived.


    Unlike normal mining operations, the carts here were all the size of a small house, or a large shed. This was because witches like me pushed them around instead of mortal men. Now that my cart was full, it was time to push open the grand silver doors.


    Raw sunlight flooded the cavern as I reached the end of the tracks. Pastor Sheffield awaited me at the top of the dias.


    ¡°Madam Quartz, I hope the evening treated you well. You are as radiant ever in the morning light.¡± He seemed relatively familiar with Crag whenever he didn¡¯t think I was looking, but the man kept me at arm¡¯s length quite efficiently. I couldn¡¯t blame him. I was here to dismantle his object of worship and sell it to distant lands, after all.


    ¡°At ease, Sheffield.¡± I lifted the silver up and poured it around the altar. ¡°Shall we begin?¡±


    He unclasped his hand and approached with a solemn nod, ¡°Let¡¯s. I do not wish to hold you up, Madam.¡±


    ¡°I wonder¡­¡± It did not feel good to have him hang his head like a dog at my whim, so I tried to ease him up while satisfying my curiosity a bit. ¡°To what end were you just praying? I am not a believer, but¡­ would you tell me?¡±


    I watched him restrain a smile, ¡°If you do not mind listening, I pray only for the Saint¡¯s grace. But there is nothing which fills me with greater guilt.¡±


    At once I realized the depth of his feelings. He dreaded to see one such as I, but nothing I had observed since opening the doors had anything to do with me. This man felt such pure remorse about asking his savior for help in these dark times that a High Coven Witch was just another snake in the field.


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t understand. Is she not destined to bring you to the dawn? As far as I¡¯ve read, shouldn¡¯t you be elated at her supposed appearance?¡± A bitter look crossed his eyes, but he leaned against his podium¡ªor perhaps the prophet¡¯s podium¡ªbefore turning a gentle smile.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you get it, Madam Quartz? No one but the sky knows the difference between right and wrong. There is speak of a new prophet deep within the caverns of Fount Salt who prevented a flood from drowning his people. Countless generations of his people and their traditions were almost wiped out in the blink of an eye by the Saint¡¯s grace. Salvation was her goal, ultimately achieved, but we nearly witnessed a catastrophe.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­ What do you mean?¡± Everything I had heard about the ambiguous saint, I didn¡¯t understand how she would kill people en masse like that.


    ¡°The Saint, you see, could not sit idly by while thousands withered away to the plague. The night closes in on all of us, but its focus is none other than our Lost lamb. Having strayed from the herd to be reborn in these very skies, she knows not what awaits on the horizon. While she chases the sun, night passes us by in its pursuit. Tell me, what would you do if a stranger were dying on the street of a common cold, but an enemy was closing in to take your life?¡±


    In my long life, this was a conundrum I had never encountered. Sure, Earth Vein had enemies, but Madam Silver took care of them.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± I gave him the most honest answer I could.


    ¡°If the Saint stopped moving, night would consume us all. The only way for her to grow strong enough to repel it is to continue her path, but again, I ask you. What would you do with the poor vagrant bleeding out onto the cobble?¡± I was well and truly stumped. I wondered what kind of person the Saint may be, but I had never thought about what they had done to become that way or what they had been through.


    Noticing I had no reply, Sheffield continued, ¡°She had very little time, and her work was not as thorough as even she had wished, I¡¯m sure. The fact is, she is new to this life, to these skies. Good intentions aside, she is not capable of saving everyone. She did not have time to treat Fount Salt with greater care, and it was that land¡¯s own people who prevented disaster ultimately. She just gave them a clean slate and new hope. To beg for salvation from a young girl who has hardly learned how to exist¡ªwhat does that make me? I have no right.¡±


    The Hidden Witch was surprisingly flustered at giving birth to a spirit somehow, but she was all-powerful. She decisively saved the island of Lazulei and the one beneath it before disappearing into the sky. That was confidence and clarity not often found in young folk. It made me wonder just who the Saint was to her.


    ¡°Madam Quartz!¡± The exterior door slammed open and I heard Shale¡¯s voice. I felt bad dragging her into this, but she seemed happy with the outcome on Lazulei. Her panic made me nervous, however, ¡°We have intruders! Madam Crag has already fallen and they just arrived before the temple. You have to do something!¡±


    I didn¡¯t know about the Final Sky, but Sheffield was a man of conviction. If these people were so heartless to kill the Crag Witch in their pursuit, then they could not be up to any good. Pirates, I imagined. As a witch stationed here through the tides of fortune, I would not let anyone desecrate this temple.

 246 - Dead End Negotiations

    ¡°Midnight¡­¡± Benobal growled as a ring on her finger lit up, ¡°Remove them from Oasis.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I won¡¯t.¡± Midnight spoke with hardly a shiver in her voice, ¡°You can¡¯t make me!¡±


    Benobal¡¯s fury shifted from me to her most efficient subordinate in an instant, ¡°After everything I¡¯ve done for you, you would dare disobey me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I would.¡± It didn¡¯t feel great sweeping her up in this mess, but I had to appreciate her innocent chuckle. She didn¡¯t used to stand up for herself so well either, ¡°No way am I hurting Big Sis.¡±


    Whether or not she could was unclear at this point. I¡¯ve made decent progress in my sorcerous journey, but it¡¯s only been a few weeks. If it came to blows, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if a few of my new sisters were dead by the time we overcame her or escaped. Of course, I would never want to hurt my darling little sister either. That¡¯s why I had to make sure she wasn¡¯t involved,


    Benobal growled as a small pistol appeared from her sleeve. I watched the mana gather in its barrel as her clawlike finger wrapped around the trigger, ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± Her eyes now turned to me and she fired a bullet of piercing fire.


    I once watched her kill an arrogant young upstart of the Ygdra family through two stone buildings with this little gun. A perfect headshot, surely owing to one of her many rings. It was remarkable how dangerous a bereft mortal could become with enough money.


    While it would have been easy, Madam Benobal did not aim for my head, but the thigh. An uncharacteristically kind act from her. She was like a grumpy aunt to me, so it really warmed my heart.


    None among the harem moved an inch, myself included. The only sound was Midnight crying, ¡°Nooo!¡± as her daggers materialized in the bullets path, but much to slow.


    Io always says the best defense is a good offense. My blade of aether flame formed before me and the bullet split in two, exploding in two paths like a parted river before fizzling away into light upon the rest of the harems¡¯ barriers.


    ¡°What¡ª¡± Benobal glared at me like she¡¯d just seen her first magic trick, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m joking?¡±


    She fired again, this time in the ribs. Of course, I split the bullet in two. Then another.


    Since I wasn¡¯t actually fast enough, I had to keep dispelling and reconjuring the aether flame blade in the bullets path. This was a huge waste of mana but apparently it looked impressive enough.


    ¡°Wow! Ember, when did you get so amazing?¡± Midnight looked at me with the same wondrous eyes she had when I picked the lock on her top client¡¯s safe as a member of the Welfare Division.


    ¡°You¡¯re playing a dangerous game¡ª¡± Benobal¡¯s voice stuttered as the gun flew from her hand. Her wide eyes followed it to find a chuckling Goldie.


    ¡°I did it!¡± She reached her hand out and gasped when I snatched it from the air.


    ¡°You know, I always wanted to see how this gun felt in my hand,¡± I turned a smile to Benobal and laughed, ¡°Too small, if you ask me.¡±


    ¡°Just what are you going to do, Ember? Threaten me into turning over Oasis??¡± Benobal desperately lit up her rings yet nothing had happened yet. I still had time to talk. ¡°You¡¯re a fool if you think I¡¯ll let royal whores like you run amuck on my land. The lot of you should be ashamed.¡±


    Royal? I could have sworn I said we were the imperial harem. I daresay I don¡¯t appreciate her attitude.


    ¡°No such thing on all counts,¡± I charged the gun with aether flame and aimed straight up, creating a hole in the ceiling wide enough to let sunlight sparkle off each of our gold robes¡¯. ¡°Most importantly, I have no intention of threatening you. Such actions would reflect poorly upon my master. I told you I was here to purchase Oasis, did I not?¡±


    ¡°Stupid girl¡­ Where did I go so wrong?¡± Again, she didn¡¯t raise me. ¡°How could you ever hope to purchase this island? Do you have any idea how much gold exists within Oasis?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say,¡± I gave a nod to Goldie and Flat, ¡°Is it more or less than this?¡±


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    Stones exploded to the sky as a golden block the size of an ale hall materialized. Wood splintered outward from the walls into a freefall and the floor cracked with a disastrous tremor.


    Benobal stumbled forward and stared at me with confusion and hate until the crumbling floor stood still. Before falling on her face, the Madam was pushed back to a standing position and righted upon the solid floor.


    ¡°Where the hell did you get all that gold?¡± She was almost as shocked as she was mad, ¡°You think you can just wreck my home and leave Oasis alive?¡±


    ¡°Apologies. It didn¡¯t look so large last time I saw it,¡± I nodded to Little Rock in the back and she pushed the golden monolith further up before reducing the ceiling to a stack of floating bricks so it didn¡¯t collapse. Her control was incredible, but she¡¯d burn her mana gems out in no time if I didn¡¯t wrap this up. ¡°This is solid gold, and I can set it down wherever you like. All you have to do is raise the Dreadheart flag and take a seat on the Mortal Council. We will take a meager one percent of profits and nothing else will change.¡±


    For a moment I thought I was getting through to Madam Benobal, but her glare focused again, ¡°I don¡¯t know what a mortal council is supposed to be, but I may as well paint a target on my back.¡±


    ¡°Naturally, Oasis will fall under our protection. Even the Silver Witch would struggle to break our barriers and we can offer sorcerous instruction to anyone in your employ.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense.¡± Benobal spat, ¡°I¡¯d rather die than turn this island over to the Gandeux.¡±


    Wait, what?


    I opened my mouth to argue when one of her rings dimmed as a flash of light flooded the room. It dulled and I was met with the eyes of a man I hadn¡¯t seen in years.


    ¡°Brent? Is that really you?¡± He was an aspiring mage when I met him, but now it seemed he was taking mercenary contracts with the likes of Benobal.


    ¡°Ember? No way!¡± He ran up and gave me a hug, ¡°How long has it been? To think you¡¯ve returned at last¡­ We need to get together sometime¡ª¡±


    ¡°Is everyone around here useless?!¡± Benobal cried, inciting a laugh from Midnight who had ended up by my side at some point, ¡°Kill her, you oaf! She is attempting to take Oasis!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± He did double takes between the Madam and I, ¡°Ember? She wouldn¡¯t do that¡­ Can such a thing be done? I mean, it¡¯s a whole island.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± I chuckled, ¡°I am offering Madam Benobal this incredible block of gold¡ª¡±


    ¡°Holy shit!¡± He smacked his forehead, ¡°Is that all gold? How are you holding it up?!¡±


    Brent was a simple man with deep pockets, and he never disappointed¡ªtoday included. My business was with Benobal however, and I stepped passed my old client to stare her down, ¡°The hell are you talking about Gandeux? I told you I¡¯m here for¡ª¡±


    The world disappeared in a blur as I felt a deep pain in my chest. My barriers shattered like a dream in the morning and my head suddenly felt hot. I coughed a mouthful of blood as the ceiling came back into focus.


    What¡­ just happened¡­


    ¡°Shit, Ember, are you okay?!¡± A slender silhouette got in the way, and I recognized the voice, ¡°Grace, get the hell over here!¡±


    I felt a holy warmth as Flat disappeared. The air ruptured in percussive booms in the distance. I tried to turn my neck down, but it felt like I was wringing my spine between my hands.


    ¡°Madam Benobal,¡± A faint voice spoke, ¡°What are my orders?¡±


    ¡°Kill the girls in gold.¡±


    How¡ªWhy?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ember.¡± Grace¡¯s tears felt cold against my bloodied chest, ¡°You¡¯re gonna be okay¡­ okay? I promise! Just stay with me.¡±


    As my head slumped, I watched my friends¡ªmy sisters fly into the floor or out of sight with each blast. A silhouette charged toward them with her hands outstretched.


    Is that¡­ Flat? Who is she fighting? Where did they come from? A bulky man shrouded in darkness threw out one fist after another. Furniture and floor alike yielded, seemingly turning to dust with the force of each blow. He reeled back once more as Flat approached and I felt my heart sink into my chest, like it was almost going to fall out the other side.


    No¡ªdon¡¯t!


    Flat normally pushed space out of the way or compressed her opponent golems into the ground with her sorcery, but the best she could do here was deflect. Her arms were thrown out of the way and the assailant was already in the air with another fist plummeting.


    I could almost see the wave where space distorted as it grew inches from Flat¡¯s face when a pained grunt came from the mage. A rock bounced off his face and the entire building shook. More of the floor crumbled away and I heard Little Rock¡¯s voice cry out.


    ¡°Hurry, Grace. We need her back now!¡± Her voice sounded urgent, but I still wasn¡¯t sure how I got here in the first place. In the back, on the ground, and covered in blood. As the wounds healed, I felt clarity return to my mind.


    Trying to push off the ground with an elbow, I discovered I couldn¡¯t control my arm. Either one, turns out.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m trying!¡± Grace cried.


    What is happening¡ª My thoughts came to a halt as I looked down.


    My chest was a bloody mess. My smashed ribs were in splinters and the golden light along the edges didn¡¯t seem to be moving at all. The gory pit gurgled and I noticed it to be the beat of my heart, so deep it could nearly fall out the other side.


    That can¡¯t be¡­ No matter how lucid I was within my panic, I couldn¡¯t move a muscle. Completely paralyzed. Does Grace have the power to heal me? Is this it?


    I felt the floor shake and Flat rolled into place at my side, a twisted, bloody mess.


    Who could do this? I can¡¯t go yet. Not¡­ Not now. I haven¡¯t done anything yet.


    ¡°Big Sis!¡± Midnight appeared at my side. Her arms felt so warm. ¡°You finally came back. Please¡­ please don¡¯t leave already.¡±


    Tears welled in my eyes as I stared into hers. I could only imagine how I looked because it was reflected in her terrible expression. If only for her, I wished for a moment I never left Oasis.


    I¡¯m sorry, Sis¡­ It wasn¡¯t supposed to go this way.