Chapter Four Hundred And Twenty Nine – 429
They settled into a room not far distant from the sparring grounds, Zara leading the way. It was ornately designed and cavernous, much as every other aspect of Kel'lyv's home had been, so much so that it dwarfed their company. The Chanters, Vess, Beef, Hallow, and Pit all claimed spaces around a large rectangular table, followed slowly by Atar and Alister. The thing was huge, ridiculously so, and once again made Felix question the Grandmaster's sensibilities.
"It's for show," Atar explained when Felix voiced his wonder aloud. Alister eased him into a high-backed chair studded with brass buttons. "My...former master cared only for power or the trappings of it. Anything else was beneath his notice."
"He was an ass," Alister said from Atar's side. "Through and through. I'm glad you killed him Felix. I'm afraid what I might have tried to do if he was still around." Atar gripped Alister's hand, the ashen gray stark against the force mage's pale skin.
"Where is Evie? And Harn?" Vess asked, looking around. "I have not seen either of them in a number of hours."
"Evie was leading some of the Talons after rumors of Paladins," Zara said as she settled into a round chair with a low back. She spread her black chorister robes out, draping them around her legs and chair. "Harn has been seen in the Grandmaster's personal smithy."
Felix smiled, unsurprised by either answer. While the huge table was mostly empty, the only other person they were missing was Darius, and he was busy overseeing the training warriors. He didn't sit, but stood at the far end of the table and cleared his throat. "Lieutenant, if you please, take the Shadows outside the chamber and wait there. Don't let anyone in without my permission, okay?"
Errol saluted and all twelve of his honor guard slipped out the doors. The moment they closed, Zara lifted her hand and a wash of aquamarine Mana vapor swirled outward in a ring. The ring expanded until it hit the edges of the room, where it flashed once before zipping upward to erect a privacy warding. "Thanks, Zara. I suppose before we get into everything, we should start from the beginning."
With as few words as possible, Felix sketched out the events of the past few days, starting with the first, disastrous fight against the Grandmaster. Some of it they already knew, such as meeting Isla in her guise as Naos, or finally finding Beef. He told them of the Tomb beneath the sands, of the crystalline city built there and a vault very much like the Labyrinth in Shelim, containing a similar captive. He skimmed over the details on the fighting and glossed over the gut-wrenching terror he'd felt as he saw his friends cut down, but Felix lingered over the array the Paladins had been utilizing.
"That explains their power source," Alister said as he slapped the table. "The Paladins had a barrier around them, preventing us from doing any real damage to them. It was a protection spell like I'd never seen, and when I noticed the sigaldry relays on their Manaships, I simply thought it was some new, frightful design."
"New maybe, but it's not repeatable," Felix said, before frowning. "At least I hope not."
"The knowledge that the Hierophant can drain and repurpose a Primordial's power is concerning," Zara said slowly. "Far more so than what the Highest Flame was doing. It, at least, seemed to have been designed to siphon the creature's power. That cage of complex arrays around the Primordial that you mentioned, Felix. That was clearly intentional, and had the Urge breached it to extract pieces of the dead Primordial it would have broken apart, much how you say it did when the Paladins altered it."
"That the ancient Ahkestrians and the Nym were involved in entombing the beast is no surprise," Isla said. She was drumming her fingers on the table top, her lips pursed. "Could more of their ruins hold hidden Primordials? Could this be replicated?"
"I don't think so. The catalyst of the entire attempt appeared to be an artifact from the Pathless. They called it a piece of the god's Regalia," Felix said.
Beef squirmed in his seat and opened his mouth, but Vess spoke over him. "That was what they promised the Grandmaster they would sacrifice, to help the Urge," she said. "I had found it unlikely they would part with such a rare item."
"An artifact of Divine provenance is far more than rare. You're sure?" Isla asked. "Beef made no mention of this."
"Oh yeah, it was Divine," Felix said, remembering the visceral encounter he had with a man made of light. It had been brief, but intense. "A tiny fragment of the Divine, but still there."
"How could you tell the Divine from anything else, Felix? They are not baubles at a market."
"I trust Felix's judgment in this," Zara said, cutting off her fellow Chanter.
Isla gave the Naiad a look that Felix couldn't quite read, before smoothing her features. "Of course. Then if it was of Divine origin, then the chance of them attempting this again is very slim. Correct me if I am wrong, but the rest of the Pathless' Regalia was lost some two hundred years ago, yes?"
Zara smirked. "Mysteriously so, yes."
Vess gasped. "No! The Attack On The Light? That was you?"
"The Cantus Sodalus, yes," Isla said proudly. "And it wasn't an attack. That's just propaganda. They were simply tricked, they just can't admit it"
"We are going far afield," Zara reminded them gently. "Let us return to the task at hand. Felix. Please continue."
"Right," Felix said, and finished telling them the rest. Of the breaking of the array, both Paladin and Primordial, and the consequences. Atar chipped in with his version of events too, which explained some of the changes in the mage. Felix had worried that their empowered Link had somehow totally changed Atar, but it seemed a good portion of it was a result of jumping into the heart of a burning Urge.
"I don't know why you have to repeat all this, I told them already," Pit said from Felix's side. The tenku was still more than tall enough that his head while seated on the floor, was level with everyone else. He was clearly bored.
"Sweetie, you left out several large pieces," Vess said, giving Pit an affectionate scratch.
"Like talking to a child," Isla muttered.
A knock sounded on one of the doors before it opened a crack. Ulnar, an Orc, leaned his head in. "My Lord, someone named Fiammetta wishes to enter."
"Oh. Yeah, sure let her in," Felix said. Atar's explanations had mentioned her and how she'd helped out during Felix's absence, turning her back on her home in order to do the right thing. He had no problem letting someone like that into this conversation.
Soon after, a Faun womanlooking very similar to Felix's idea of a satyrslipped through the doors. She wasn't wearing her usual white, gold, and orange robes and instead wore ones that were predominantly a dark blue and yellow. On her shoulder was a brightly colored kingfisher. "Hello. This...bird told me I was wanted here?" she said, a bit hesitantly.
The bird in question flitted from Fiammetta's shoulder and landed atop Zara's outstretched finger. "Thank you Keru. Fiammetta, please have a seat."
The Faun made her way to the table and sat, positioning herself near Vess and Pit. Felix, meanwhile, finished the last of the details, including his somewhat accidental release of an entire sea.
"We had all assumed it was you anyway," Atar said.
"Apparently there was a curse that locked away the sea. It also affected the Yttin, reducing them to their tiny size and withered features. I'm sure you've all seen how they look now," Felix said.
"That explains much. Their sudden transformation took us by surprise, though I think many simply did not notice in the hectic hours after the Masters and Matrons fell," Zara said.
"So now the question is, what do we do now?" Felix looked at everyone at the table. "Haim mentioned that the Triumvirate of the Pathless had decided to send forces to Nagast. I know the Mirk Enclosure can only last so long, especially if a Grandmaster gets involved, but I also know it's still standing. My Authority Screen confirms it."
"Why not just leave?" Beef asked. "Job's done here right? Finished the quest, got the loot, let's move on."
"That's the question. I have no interest in ruling here, for all that I hold the Authority. I'm thinking I should appoint another chancellor."
"A wise decision," Zara agreed. "The true question is, however, who would you trust in such a position of power?"
"It is worse than that," Vess added. "This city is in shambles. As I told you, Felix, the Paladins are still at large. A great number of them were stranded when the Storm Ward activated and brought down all of the Manaships, and now they're hidden in a hundred bolt holes. A number are Adept Tier, and the rest are all Journeyman Tier, far too strong for the general populace to defend against. Even the private guards of the Merchant lords are Journeyman at best, and they have no interest in protecting the common folk."
"Ahm, if I may," Fiammetta said softly. Her face, lightly freckled with a wide nose and large eyes, swiveled between them all as if she wasn't sure where to look. "Apart from the Paladins, the city is also suffering due to its sudden...lack of leadership."
Atar wheezed in laughter. "Right. The Matrons and Masters are dead, and the Temple Knights aren't much better off."
They explained for Felix's benefit. Most that fought against them had died in the struggle, while the destruction of the Highest Flame turned the rest catatonic. Unable to move or do much more than breathe, they withered and died within hours as their cores slowly extinguished themselves. The Matrons and Masters had fared the worst, with a huge amount of their power tied to the Urge, but the Temple Knights had all been busted back down to Apprentice Tier, and many were still in bed recovering from their broken Tempers. Isla expressed some doubt that they would live, and those that would might never again attain the power they'd lost.
"The only ruling body that remains in Ahkestria is the Merchant's Council, and the nobility to a lesser extent," Fiammetta said. Felix could hear eerie, strained music from her own Spirit, as well as sense a deep gulf of exhausted grief. She was not doing as well as she made it seem...and Felix was willing to bet a number of her own Skills suffered deeply from the Urge's demise. "In the single day since the battles concluded, we have received close to fifty missives requesting an audience with the new Lord of Ahkestria."
"You think they'll fight for control of the city?" Felix asked.
Fiammetta nodded vehemently. "Absolutely. This city remains an economic powerhouse. The Mana crystals mined here are worth thousands upon thousands of crowns in the farther flung areas of the Continent....though the lack of Manaship travel will hurt trade dramatically."
"Hm," Felix said, pacing at the head of the table. "So in order to manage the powers of the city, we need a chancellor that can stand up to the Merchants and the nobility. Not to mention their armed militias they have on their estates. Am I missing anything?"
"No that's about it," Alister said with a weak grin. "Anyone come to mind?"
"Maybe," Felix said, his Mind tracking down a hundred different paths. "But the question is, can I trust them to rule well?"
"Trust is good, but it is in short supply," Isla said with a sharp gesture of her hand. "What you need is someone that you can predict and control."
"No." Felix rejects that out of hand. "I'm not controlling anyone. Not ever."
"I mean with market pressures or access to their riches," the Chanter said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "It is how Authority is parcelled out and fealty is maintained. The strong rule and all others fall in line."
Felix's frown only deepened. "That may be how things have gone on the Continent, but its not how it should be."
"Perhaps not, but you'd be hard pressed to convince the noble Houses of that, let alone the Merchant's Council," she said with a shrug. "Authority, levels, and gold. It's all of it power, and without them I doubt you'll long hold onto this Territory."
"Gold," Felix muttered. "Trade. The merchants relied on Manaships to transport goods, right?"
"That is correct. Sometimes they would use overland transport, but the dangers of the Cursewinds was too great," Fiammetta answered. "Now...I suppose ships will have to be made."
"But that takes time, and are there any ship builders in Ahkestria?" Felix asked.
"I really doubt it," Atar said. "What are you getting at?"
"Trade. If they can't trade with the outside world, what if we bring the outside world to them. Sorta." Felix summoned his notification and flicked it at all of them.
You May Erect A Single Beacon In Your New Territory!
Choose Placement.
"This...this is brilliant," Alister said. "You'd have sole access to this city."
"Indeed, this will prove an effective way to hold the merchants and nobles accountable," Zara said. Her sharp-toothed smile was a beam of approval.
Felix gripped the sword at his belt, his Inheritor's Will, and focused his Mind upon it. "Karys?"
The sword glowed, gathering drifting wisps of green-gold Mana vapor along its length, and a voice echoed out into the chamber. It sounded like nothing so much as a kindly old man. "Lord Autarch! Are you well? I have not heard from you in days!"
"I'm fine, Karys. I'm fine." Among them all, only Isla and Fiammetta had never seen him do this before, and their shocked expressions were pretty amusing. "We'll catch up a bit later. Right now I have questions."
"Ah. How may I be of service?"
"How is our supply of healing potions, salves, and ointments?"
"At an all time high. Aenea has had the alchemy team working double shifts to press their Skills to the next Tier. There is a great plenty to use in trade or charitable aid, not to mention the alchemical reagents we've collected. Harvesting has continued apace as well. Our stores are filling quite rapidly; it would do us good to unload some of it for currency or direct trade."
"It should help, I imagine, that my Chancellor will be one of the few with access to the Beacon," Felix said.
"I would say so, yes," Vess agreed with a grin. "Authority is one thing, but the merchants will understand this far better. In fact, gathering them to you before erecting this new Beacon would be wise. A direct link, showing them the Authority you and whomever you choose as chancellor would wield."
"I feel like gathering everyone up would take time though, time we don't have. For a couple reasons." Felix continued pacing. "How are your supplies right now, Isla? Are we in dire need of healing potions?" Felix asked.
The Chanter took a moment to gather herself. The one-two punch of his Beacon and talking sword seemed to have rattled her, but she rallied. "My...abilities are mighty, but I have limits. We've been forced to portion out our healing supplies, though we've attempted to do so conservatively. Those that could heal from their trauma naturally are bandaged and given basic salves for Status Condition prevention and that is it. Potions and more complicated alchemy remains in stock. For now."
Vess shook her head. "But many of the structures around Ahkestria have collapsed or have structural damage. Another storm surge and we could see a wave of new, gravely injured citizens. Would that wipe out our stores?"
"It would."
Felix nodded. "Then I'll summon the Beacon now. I don't care much about grandstanding if its at the cost of people's lives. The only real question is, where to put it?"
Fiammetta cleared her throat, not quite meeting Felix's eyes. "I have an idea."
Felix led the way into the inner sanctum of the Temples of Elemental Fire, followed by his Shadows and friends. In addition to the overcast gloom above, the blackened firepits and snuffed torches served to render the lavish edifice gray and drab. With their leadership dead or neutered, Fiammetta told him that the only remaining residents were the junior attendants and initiates, not yet dedicated to the Flame, but without any other place to go. Felix had spotted them, watching their procession through the pristine halls, and their fear was palpable to him. He felt torn as they had marched past them all. He and his people had turned their entire world upside down in a matter of hours, but their leaders and the Urge itself had been sacrificing people to gain power, and that was unacceptable.
Someone had to stop it, and Felix wasn't sorry that it had been them.
Within the inner sanctum, Felix beheld the ghost of a battle. Splintered and charred wood and stone was everywhere, the fine details of a place of worship rendered into chaotic debris. Swaths of melted stone surrounded the center of the room, and dominated by what Atar said once was the Altar of the Highest Flame. It was a huge bronze basin, easily thirty feet wide when it was whole...now it was sundered, split almost in half, and as empty and dead as the Temple itself. Yet as Felix approached the nadir of the inner sanctum, he could feel something stir in the air.
"Felix..." Atar said, almost at the same time Pit chirruped in worry.
"I feel it," he assured them both. There was a remnant potency there, and it tasted of ash and char, mingled with the familiar, dissonant undertones of the Primordial of Withering Dust. Felix took a deep breath. It was Essence, baked into the brick and tile and bronze by countless generations of the Urge and its subterranean, sacrificial captive. And woven into that Essence was the weight of that history, of unwilling sacrifices mingling with a sense of grievous burden. It was the invisible component that he'd sensed within Essence so many months ago, and which he'd only recently found the word for: significance. Time and emotion and the persistence of memory, all pressed together within the flow of Mana and physical matter. If the Grand Harmony wove reality out of Mana, then Essence was its counter point...and significance was the accumulation of both, somehow.
Felix drew back, afraid to get lost in the sensation of what he felt, and called to his people. "Stay back. I have to clear this."
Chthonic Tribute!
His Skill sounded, a roaring cry within his core that was picked up and echoed by the Hunger at its center. A ferocious eagerness and savage glee answered Felix's call, and the stone and tile before him was rendered into glowing dust. The basin resisted, but the leverage of Felix's Willpower, Intent, and his Hunger's dire Need proved too much for it. Soon all of the metal, stone, and gemstones of the Altar were pulled into his channels, deposited into the branches of his Divine Tree. Everything that bore traces of the Urge's worship and power, Felix took for himself. It was a fair amount, though sadly not enough to weave a single Pillar. He pushed that thought away.
What was left was bare patch of earth, dusty soil and rock in the midst of crafted opulence. Felix channeled his Mana, sounding Stone Shaping and sculpted the bare, orange stone beneath the sanctum. He raised it, forming it into a wide, raised platform and climbed atop it. With a flick of his Will, his Authority Screen activated.
Do You Wish To Place Your Beacon?
Y/N
"Yes. Here is good," he said.
All at once, System energy surged inward, roaring across his Affinity and coalescing on a point just below the stone platform. Rock buckled and broke as a tall cylinder rose from the depths, shimmering with multi-hued light. Stone and crystal alike flowed like water, forming the cylinder into an eight-foot tall lamppost. From the crystalline portions, the light shifted until it was a slow, alternating mix of red-gold and blue-white. The colors of his cores. With a final sound like a pealing bell, the Beacon finished forming.
New Beacon Placed!
Authority Strengthened!
Do You Wish To Access Your Storage Facility?
Yes. A part of his Mind and Spirit reached inward toward the strange connection between Beacons and Storage. The larger part of Felix, however, was aware of eyes watching him. Not his allies and guards, who were looking onward with expressions that ranged from awed to satisfied...but to the shadowed balconies and half-shut doorways around the inner sanctum.
"This is for all people. This is evidence of my care for this city, this Territory," he said on a whim, pitching his powerful voice outward to catch his silent audience. He accessed his Storage Facility, reaching into a storeroom thousands of miles away, and plucked out four five-foot cube crates. They materialized out of thin air, landing beside him with the sound of glass vials clinking against one another. "Isla and Vess, could you see to the distribution of healing items? If you need more let me know. For now, I'll be the only one with access to this."
Vess nodded, her dimpled smile as bright as the sun, while Isla looked a touch overwhelmed.
"If you need help, just come and see us," Felix said, again speaking to the hidden attendants. "We won't turn anyone away."
He sensed several figures slipping back out, some running away, and contained a sigh. But the offer had been put out there. Felix stepped off the platform and clapped his hands. "Alright. What's next?"
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