Transcendence?
Page 24
“They got a little lazy recently. I think it's good if they come to the wrong conclusion. Working harder won't be bad for them.” Celestial shrugs her shoulders.
“~I will crush their pride someday, if I want it or not. So it's better to do it now, while they can still adjust.~” Sera's tone is way too happy. She seems to like teasing her elders.
I sigh and continue reading my book.
Half an hour later my parents in law finally burst into the room and hug the abducted child and Celestial from both sides.
“I am so glad that your baby is back my dear! I was worried so much while imagining all the horrible things that could've been done to her!” Idala has tears of joy in her eyes.
Sera looks up from Celestial's notebook and causes a shock to her grandparents. “~It wasn't so bad grandmother. The Immortal Empress is actually quite civilised.~”
“Did … Did she just talk? A complete sentence?” Arduin's left eyebrow starts to twitch and his expression is frozen.
“I am a reincarnated person like mom and dad. But you don't have to worry about it. According to them I am quite young. Seems like a thousand lived lives doesn't count for much under immortals. Please keep calling me Sera grandmother. And I can finally thank you for suggesting a good name. Dad's proposal was really horrible.” Sera finally stops her speech and smiles innocently.
“Aaah …” Idala simply falls backwards while becoming a little pale.
“Mom!” Celestial catches her mother in the last second before she fell from the couch.
“Is it the heritage? Two reincarnated people will bear another reincarnated one? But they said that reincarnated persons are really rare …” Arduin starts to mumble to himself.
“I guess we simply won the lottery four times in a row.” I smile and try to change the topic. There is no need to worry them with my failed experiment, which was probably at fault for the current situation.
“Four?” Idala looks at the ceiling with a dead expression. Celestial had her lie down on the couch while Sera was patting her grandmother's head and cooling her with a light breeze, which she summoned with magic.
“The baby is using magic …” Arduin's expression says that he has given up on any sanity in this mansion.
“The Immortal Empress is an immortal too, at least that's what she calls reincarnated people.” Sera shares her information with Idala and Arduin.
Celestial follows with a very long explanation on the facts as we know them. It takes her an hour until all of her parent's questions are answered.
***
“So that's the reason why nobody could oppose her. These are really bad news for the rest of the world.” Arduin shakes his head.
“At least it doesn't look like she will be able to attack Norfolk any time soon.” Idala has Sera on her lap and hugs her while thinking.
I shrug my shoulders and smile. “We'll simply deal with one thing at a time. First are Kane's merchant ships and our goods to change the world. All we have to do is to keep an eye on everything and advance cautiously.”
42 - Survival of the smartest.
Mislow Kingdom, City of Mirrors – Capital
“... Sagittarius do this. Sagittarius do that. We need your help with the fortification spells. Please help us with the new spell. Nobody else but you can go on this diplomatic mission …” I shake my head while looking down from my carriage.
The streets of the City of Mirrors are neat and clean. There is nobody who looks like he belongs to a lower class. Everyone is dressed in fancy clothes. This is the capital of the Mislow Kingdom.
I realize that there aren't any old people like me or children. Well, maybe there are a few elderly people, but their numbers may be a hundredth of the entire population.
The reason is the unbelievable pressure on your body and mind in this place. You can feel that this city is dangerous. There is a rumour that someone who crosses the whole city from one end to the other turns insane.
There are mirrors all around me. No place, where you don't have to look into a twisted image of yourself.
Everything is for the purpose of honing your mind. The mind magicians created this city to train their skills. Only the smart and strong willed people manage it. If someone has a weak will, he can easily lose himself in this place.
The streets are arranged like a maze. The mirrors have the purpose to confuse and distract. If you don't pay attention for a single moment, you might end up running into a mirror, where you believed a long and wide road to be.
There are also confusion spells embedded in most of these hellish items. Some may show you reality, others display horrible visions of a future self. I guess the whole city can be seen as an artefact. A growing and changing one, because every generation of magicians adds their own unique touch to the city.
Survival of the fittest has a warped meaning here. It's Survival of the smartest. Everyone cares just for himself, people who aren't able to cope with this place are expelled and discarded. Useless material.
That's why there are no children or elderly here. Most of them are put into special facilities to prepare them for Mislow's harsh nature, or to get rid of them.
“Could you stop mumbling like that, geezer? Are you sure that you are in the right place?” The carriage driver interrupts my train of thought and I look and him.
Even the commoners are impudent in this place. “Don't get cheeky with me! I'll morph you into a mouse if you talk to me like that a second time! And I talk to myself as much as I want! After all I am paying you, so shut up and drive!”
The driver still looks at me like I would be a mad old man, but he doesn't talk back and concentrates on the streets once again.
I change my mind and concentrate on my goal here. It's just a small visit to the house of Arenzien. That stupid Norent Grant persuaded me to use my status and come here and gather information.
Normally I wouldn't follow a request by him. But since Jazira, the Empress has shown interest in this Ascathon, it would be very unwise of me to leave the matter as it is.
“We are here old man. The house of Arenzien.” The driver stops and points at one of the bigger buildings at the side of the road. It has seven floors and towers over its neighbours. There are no gardens in the City of Mirrors, so one building is neatly joined to the next.
I take my time to get down from the carriage. Jumping is only for the young. When I am finally on the ground, I grab into my pocket and hand one silver coin to the driver. Then I hold out my hand, expecting the appropriate change.
But the man snorts and spurs his horses. I barely avoid to be pulled to the ground by the carriage. Did I just get cheated? Several seconds go by until I finally make up my mind.
My finger points at the carriage and a wind gust hits it from the side, tilting it over and breaking the two left wheels. The driver falls off and slithers over the ground until a wall stops him.
Ho! Watch out. I may be old, but my finger is still deadly! The driver is wriggling on the ground in pain, so I guess he isn't dead. Maybe he will learn something for the future.
So I turn and walk slowly to the big entrance of the Arenzien's house. On the big double door is a luxurious golden door knocker. It's a stylized dragon with a chain around its neck. There are two long claws on each leg and the mouth has very sharp teeth.
A fine piece of art, but to place it on a door which is open to the public is stupid. Won't someone steal it? There has to be more to this thing than what is visible to the naked eye.
I reach for the chains, which are obviously used to alarm the owner of the house. Suddenly the golden door knocker starts to move and the dragon snaps for my fingers. It misses just by an inch because it's attached to the door.
Reaching for it slowly and cautiously saved my fingers!
“HiissssSSSS”
The fucking thing hissed at me!? “I will teach you! Nobody hisses at Sagittarius, the great Archmage and Headmaster of the Academy!” I grab my cane with both hands and start be
ating the dragon with all my might.
*Knock*“Hiss”*Knock**Knock**Knock*“Hiss”*Knock*“Hiss”
What! The fucking lizard grabbed my cane! “Give that back! Little monster!” I start twisting and place both of my legs on the door while pulling. Some passing people smirk at me and I realize my position.
I look like an old geezer who is trying to do something inappropriate to the door! So I reconsider my approach and place one leg on the door to pull in an appropriate manner. But suddenly the door knocker lets go and freezes back into it's original position.
I stumble a step backwards. Luckily I didn't fall, something like that could end badly at my age. A butler looks at me and waves to come inside.
So I enter while cautiously staying away from the door knocker and look at the butler. “No questions asked?”
The butler shakes his head. “Everyone who manages to knock on the door without serious injuries is worthy to have an appointment. I will announce your arrival. Mara will lead you to the drawing room.”
A middle aged female servant bows to me. So I follow her into a spacious room with couches, tables, a bar and various bookshelves. I place myself on a comfortable couch and wait for the owners of the house.
Just a few seconds later, a man and a woman appear. The man has dark hair and grey eyes. The woman has brown eyes and violet hair. I immediately recognize them from the descriptions.
“Tendril Arenzien and Irda Arenzien. We welcome the Headmaster of the Academy to our house. What can we do for you?” Tendril starts the introduction and I nod.
I try to smile. “I thank you for the welcome. But unfortunately it's about a matter which you will most likely dislike. It's about your son.”
Both of them place themselves on the couch across from me. Tendril starts to speak. “I guess you mean Ascathon.”
I bow slightly. “If you could enlighten me on his person. There are some issues between him and the Academy.”
Tendril pulls a grimace. “The Academy protected him. Why are there suddenly problems.”
I shrug my shoulders. “Times change and circumstances change. He is breaking many laws on scientific research and the creation of artefacts. And an Inquisitor got killed while investigating his principality. The Jarl is protecting him, but we would still like to gather all the information we can.”
“We don't know anything ourselves. Since he started to control his borders, there isn't much information on how he is doing.” Irda looks at the ground with a sad expression.
I stroke my long beard while thinking. “That's not an issue. I am not interested in his current circumstances. I want to know about his childhood. His personality. How was your impression of him while he was in your care?”
Tendril bristles with anger, but after a few seconds he starts to talk. The story I get told is quite unique and without doubt a big lie for the most part. But Irda's expressions tell me everything I need to know. She isn't a good liar. Even if she is just sitting beside her husband, her facial expressions tell me the whole story without a word.
So they sent Ascathon into one of those facilities, when they got scared of his abilities. And furthermore they seem to know nothing of importance about their own son. “Hmmm. He hid his true nature well, while he was at the Academy. It's sad that you two don't know much.”
“Have no worries, Headmaster Sagittarius. The Arenziens tend to deal with their own shame.” Tendril's eyes are hard and unforgiving.
I get to my feet with the help of my cane. “Ohohoh. I think it will be hard to lay a hand on him. And his wife is dangerous as well. She was the one who killed the Inquisitor when he threatened her child.”
“Child?” A faint smile rushes over Irda's face. I decide to dig a little further.
“Oh? I guess you didn't get the information yet? They have a daughter. She should be about one year old.” I study Irda's face very carefully, but I can find nothing. Her expression froze into an expressionless mask.
Then I realize that she changed totally when her husband looked into her direction. I purse my lips. So it's that type of relationship.
“Well, I will excuse myself. I stole enough of your time.” I turn and walk towards the exit.
There is still some unfinished business with that door knocker!
43 - The sky above.
Nation of Mist, Lirwin Island - Capital
“Raise your head Sky-General. Someone with your accomplishments doesn't need to bow down in front of this Council.”
I look up and into the eyes of three elders, which belong to the Council. They are the rulers of the Nation of Mist and their wise guidance spared us from any foreign influence for many years.
All of them wear masks to symbolize that they have given up on their own identity to serve the Nation of Mist with all their effort. There is one woman and two men in front of me. The voices of all three sound very old, which is remarkable for someone from the Nation of Mist.
More than once I was tempted to unmask them, just to see if there are wrinkles on their faces. Most mainlanders get wrinkles when they become old. Will someone like me get them too?
“Your description of the situation is concerning. We may really have to act in order to stop any further bad developments.” The second elder talks openly.
The third elder nods. “These new artefacts from Norfolk don't just undermine our trading by avoiding our merchant ships. They produce new ideas within the population of the main continent. If we aren't careful, the world might change to our disadvantage.”
The first elder shakes her head. “Maybe we should rethink our politics and change our stance. The world hasn't changed for a long time. We have forgotten that only those who can change with it will survive.”
She points at a stash of documents in front of her. “Nathan Lenarch and Kane Lenarch have their fingers in this business. The house of Lenarch has trading connections and influence all over the main continent. They aren't bound to a certain country. If we anger them, it might as well be the end of our trading fleet.”
Slowly she looks from one person to the next. “We are dependent on the resources from the main continent. And there aren't many nations to trade with. Jamaian is gone. Mislow has reduced its trade and the Academy doesn't have to be mentioned. The principalities and kingdoms of Norfolk are the only ones who keep supplying us. If we anger the house of Lenarch, we might as well surrender to Phenex.”
“You seem to know this Ascathon. Didn't you buy a few military inventions from him yourself? Could we talk to him and bring him to reason? And how fast can we deal with him, in case he doesn't act according to our wishes.” The third elder looks at me.
“How long until a few of our ships could be stationed in his harbour?” The second elder's voice is a little too eager in my opinion.
“The weapons trader is certainly a reasonable fellow. But he is also someone who has his own mind. I don't think that he will stop his actions because we ask nicely. On the other hand, we shouldn't anger him by doing something ill-considered. We have our hands full with the Phenex Empire.” I look at the three people in front of me, but the masks make it impossible to read their expressions.
“You want to say that one principality would pose a problem to our fleet? That's preposterous! He doesn't even have any mentionable warships. Just a small fleet of fisher boats!” The second elder's voice sounds unbelieving.
“I would like to point something out. Everything the weapons trader sold to us was very powerful. His ideas tilted the balance of power considerably, twice! And to me it looked like he considered everything he gave to us as mere toys. So what happens if we try to use force and he uses something that he considers a weapon? Will we have enough of our fleet left to deal with Phenex?” I shake my head to make a point. “I don't think it's a good idea to stab him in his back, after he provided us with the tools, which were necessary for our survival. Doesn't the royal family have any opinion on this matter? They surely wouldn't allow such an action anyway.”
I tilt my head in confusion. “Forgive me, my words aren't meant as an insult to the royal family. And the king is a very powerful divine seer. But all divination magic has to be used with great care. There are countless possibilities for the future. Even someone like me, who hasn't the ability of foresight, can see that there are many paths which could lead to war and our doom.”
The elders shouldn't take a harsh action because of one vague bad prophecy. Especially if nobody is able to know the result. “Sometimes it's smarter to wait and explore each path with scouts, before deciding on a course of action. So let's use our connections to investigate the state of affairs on the main continent further, before deciding on a course of action.”
“That's a wise argument Sky-General.” The first elder sounds a little relieved. Did she expect me to call for war?
“I wouldn't have become the Sky-General if I would act without caution.” I bow to the three elders.
“That would be all for the time being. You can leave now. There are still matters to discuss between us elders.” The second elder signals for me to leave and I excuse myself.
After the big door is shut behind me, I finally draw a deep breath. The inner politics of this nation are a pain in my butt. And the elders are also hard to control from time to time. They are too unpredictable and have too much power.
That's what you get if you have multiple people with different opinions. Everyone is pulling into his own direction and in the end you get half-assed solutions.
I wonder how this nation worked before I got into a position of power to influence the elders. It's unbelievable, I really had to cover for the stupid weapons-trader. They would have given orders to attack Norfolk if I hadn't spoken against it.
Such an action would have sparked a full fledged war for sure. Ascathon has the protection of the Jarl. Norfolk may be just a loose conglomerate of principalities, small nations and kingdoms. But all of them answer to the Jarl and if one of them is attacked, they would surely stand together and cut their trade with us at the very least. That action alone would break our necks, because Norfolk is the only nation left, which provides us with much needed iron. I wipe some sweat from my forehead.