Transcendence?

by Andur

  My eyes wander to the sleeping Celestial at my side. She has kept her meek attitude up for quite a while. I wonder how far I can go, before she abandons it and returns to her true self? Reaching out, I poke her cheek with one finger. No reaction. She is still in deep sleep.

  Hmmm.

  Reaching under the bed, I grab my new reflex camera and ready it. It's a new model and much smaller now. There is also a screen which shows the taken pictures. I pull with two fingers at Celestial's cheek and take my first picture. Then I check it on the screen. Haaa. It's acceptable, but not what I wanted to achieve.

  I spend several minutes with taking strange photos of my wife. She is sleeping like a log and nothing I do wakes her up. Managing a country must be tiresome. Maybe I should reward her for her hard work?

  I grab one of my special items from under the bed to take a final photo of Celestial. It's a black headband with cat ears. After equipping her with it, I sit on top of her to take good shot. YES! That's a perfect one!

  Maybe another angle too. A little from the side may be even better? I will try to become a photographer in my next life.

  Haah. Maybe I am giving in too much to my secret desires? I try to hide that I am a pervert at heart because in most of my lives I am involved with the scientific society. Those people never react well to someone who likes this stuff.

  Now that I look at her, she really is a beauty when her face is relaxed like that. And the chest is just perfect. Not too big and not too small. It shouldn't be a problem if I get a feel? No, wait! Wouldn't that be sexual harassment? Rape?

  It's Celestial on the other hand, it doesn't count as harassment if the victim is her. And I am her husband. So why shouldn't I be allowed to do this? The little angel on my right shoulder tells me that I should wake her up and ask, but the devil on my left shoulder is screaming to simply do it!

  I feel her up without another thought and take another photo of my hand on her bulging … nice, so firm, yet soft and bouncy. Just right to the touch, one might think that those aren't natural, but there is no cosmetic surgery in this world. On the other hand, isn't she a witch? Maybe she cheated with some secret potions? Who knows? …

  *snatch*

  Huh? What? The camera disappeared? How is this possible? Just as I pressed the trigger! Did I mess up the magic circuitry? No, it's impossible to create an effect like that by messing up such simple circuits.

  Then I realize that Celestial's left hand is raised and the camera is held by her. Her eyes are open and she is glaring at me.

  “~Explain.~”

  “Uh... well... you were sleeping.” My thoughts are spinning as I try to think up an explanation for the situation. “I had the urge. There is nothing wrong with it, because I am your husband.”

  “You had the urge to take photos while I sleep?” She pushes some buttons on my camera to take a look at the photos. The camera has a simple design and the buttons are labelled, so it's no wonder that she manages it without a problem.

  “Can you imagine a woman's reaction, when she wakes up and someone is sitting on top of her, fondling her breasts with the left and taking photos with the right?” Her expression turns cold. Apparently she found my photo series with her staged faces.

  I immediately take my hand away from her chest and smile. “Starting to scream?”

  “~R.I.P. a head off!~”

  So I evaded death by a hair's breadth? I ready myself for physical violence, but then she gets to the photo with the cat ears and immediately feels for them on her head.

  I am dead!

  Then she starts to giggle and sits up, whispering into my ear. “~Don't you want to try some things while we are both awake?~”

  She bites into my earlobe and starts to kiss my neck and shoulder, which sends a shudder down my spine.

  “This... is strange? Why aren't you going on a rampage?” My head is spinning while she starts to unbutton her shirt.

  “I will do that when I find those photos with someone other than you. So keep them safe.” She smiles provokingly and gives me a French kiss.

  I grab a pillow and use it to separate us. “You are strange! Did Sera drug you?”

  “I just want to have some happy time with my husband. Don't you understand that I am trying to make up for the past? How long do I have to wait until you accept that I am seriously trying to change our relationship.” Celestial pouts and pulls the pillow out of my hands.

  “But if you like the other me better, I can always return to hitting you for every stupidity you commit. If you like it rough, we could use ropes? Or a whip?” She starts to grin and hides her mouth behind the pillow.

  “Uuum... I think we still need a few level ups for ropes and whips.” What will happen if she uses her freakish strength with a whip? Will I survive? No it's better to avoid that. I take the pillow away from her and she kisses me again.

  Okay? Who needs photos if he can have the real deal? Willing and ready on top of that!

  I hug her and answer the kiss.

  ***

  We are eating breakfast with the whole family. After taking in so many freeloaders, we had to change our eating location from the kitchen to the living room. The kitchen became simply too cramped.

  My back hurts and Celestial's face has a natural glow. Being the male isn't beneficial at all in hindsight.

  In any case, I have to make an announcement. “Guys. There's something I wish to talk about.” All eyes turn in my direction. “As you surely know the world's political landscape is a little rough at the moment. So I thought that it would be best if we gained an ally.”

  All adults look at me with perplexed expressions. “Whom? There are only enemies at the moment.” Celestial tilts her head. “Do you think we could turn the Nation of Mist to our side again?”

  I shake my head. “As I understood them, Fingulf was a balancing force against their elders. He controlled the military and didn't follow their demands blindly. With him gone, the elders do what they want. Unless we save him, that door is closed to us.”

  Then I smile. “I thought about allying with Phenex. They are the only ones who aren't rejecting the ideas and tools from Sarn. Doesn't that make them the better choice over the others?”

  “No.” Celestial rejects.

  “Please think about it.” I beg her.

  “They tried to abduct Sera. I won't ally with such people.” Celestial gets right to the main point.

  “That's already resolved and Sera wasn't treated badly. It even turned out to be a bad decision, made by the spy alone. We don't even have to ally with them for long. I just want them to occupy Mislow for a short while. ” I tap with my index finger on the table to enforce my point.

  “What are we gaining by having Mislow occupied?” Sera sips on her milk.

  A savage grin appears on my face.

  “Time for our new fleet to abduct a worthy general!”

  66 - Like a shirt.

  Eastern Planes, Arcane Academy

  Ascathon

  “~Shanana.~”

  I got permission from Celestial to use my immoral spell again! It has been a while since I used the spell Takeover.

  Fortunately we had some test subje... hrm prisoners from Phenex. My men fished them out of the ocean when they attacked us at Sera's birthday. We kept them alive, just in case. Right now I am inside the body of one of their higher ranking officers.

  My current body is a little bit too muscular and hairy for my taste. I look like a body builder. The muscles on my chest look like tits. I will never understand how a man can train himself to this point.

  Strangely enough Celestial chose this body. Did she want to tell me something by doing so?

  We decided that it was best if nobody knew of our attempt to form a secret alliance. Our enemies could use this knowledge against us. Open cooperation between Norfolk and Phenex is a bit difficult according to Celestial.

  Most of Norfolk's nobles are willing to accept us, but there is no way to tell how many would take act
ion against an alliance with Phenex.

  So I went on a top secret mission, using the body of a prisoner. Of course I am wearing the casual clothes of a merchant. Running around dressed like a soldier from Phenex wouldn't get me far.

  My first action was to use a Gate from Sarn to get to one of the less important towns in Norfolk. From there I jumped to a secret Gate in the Eastern Planes. Of course I could try to hack one of the Gates in the Academy, but that would be too much of a headache in this case.

  Celestial informed me that the Jarl's former wife gave her a lot of valuable spying information. The former Jarl built a very secretive and effective spy organisation. They have access to enormous resources and possibilities.

  One of them are Gates which were officially destroyed, but repaired later. The Jarl paid an enormous sum to the Academy as an apology for the missing Gates. The Academy normally wants damaged Gates back, even if they are returned just in pieces.

  I have no idea how the Jarl explained the complete destruction of several Gates to the Academy. In any case, the result are eleven Gates at strategic locations all over the continent. Norfolk's own little Gate network. I have no doubt that other countries might have done the same.

  From the unimportant town in question, I travelled to the secret Gate in Norfolk. From there, I was just one step away from the Academy. I have a strong feeling that the Immortal Empress is sitting on an important place like the Academy like a chicken on an egg.

  By staying here, she is able to prevent anyone from taking the Academy over.

  I have just one problem. How do I get inside the city? The guy who was guarding the secret Gate couldn't help me with that. Norfolk's spies retreated from the city when Phenex attacked. I guess I will simply try to walk through the Gate?

  No, they surely locked the city down. You can't have people walk in and out of the city without control. And I have no caravan or equipment to cross the desert. It will look suspicious if I come out of nowhere.

  So that means flying over the walls? Right now I am on a dune, watching the city. It's architecture consists of many towers and layered rings of buildings until they reach the city wall. I know the place very well. After all I studied here for several years.

  Maybe I could get in through the sewers? No. There are very big rats down there. I hate those things.

  I will simply watch the town until night falls. Maybe I will be able to sneak inside with a big caravan? They come from time to time to the city for trading.

  Otherwise I will have to fly over the wall in the cover of the darkness.

  I start to draw patterns on the sand while I wait. There is nothing else to do. The hours pass, but no caravan shows up.

  In the evening I decide to act. The sun is low on the horizon right behind me and the last rays of light are disappearing. I stand up and use the growing shadows of the dunes to hide myself while walking closer to the city.

  The outer walls are impressive chunks of solid rock, about fifty metres high. I decided against flying above it. This is a world of magic and the Academy is a city of magicians. I don't believe that there aren't any precautions against something like levitation magic.

  I pull a small fist sized globe out of a pocket on my belt and use it to check for guards. There are soldiers every hundred metres and a few are patrolling around the city.

  The last rays of light disappear while I memorize their walking pattern. A big patrol of ten people is passing me every hour and there are small groups of two every ten minutes.

  So I wait until the next big patrol and another small group are gone. I chose a lonely section of the wall, far away from the city gate. As soon as the next small patrol is gone, I leave the shadows and run closer to the wall. My dark clothes hide me in the darkness.

  Unless the soldiers have some neat vision enchantments on them I should be safe until I arrive at the top of the wall. There are magical lights at the top and the wall-walk is well lighted.

  Arriving at the bottom of the wall, I cast a spell to increase the adhesion between myself and any other matter. Then, after reinforcing my legs with magic, I place my left foot on the wall to test my spell. Once I am sure that it worked, I jump and stand horizontal on the wall. One might mistake me for using a gravitational spell while I walk leisurely up the wall. But that's not the case at all.

  A flick of my finger destroys the lamp which is illuminating my area. Then I run. It takes me a few seconds to bridge the distance and just as I arrive at the top, the face of a guard appears. He is looking down the wall to check for the noise.

  To me it looks like a head appeared from the ground. Just right!

  *Bang*

  Everything the guard ever saw of me was my boot, as I placed it directly in his face. The kick was perfect! The guard goes limp, hanging there like inspecting something at the bottom of the wall.

  I waste no time and jump down the wall on the other side, gently floating to the ground with levitation magic. Less than ten seconds passed since I planted my boot in the guards face and as I touch the ground, the guards on the wall behind me start to get busy.

  Alarms are sounded and torches are used to enlighten the dark section of the wall. It doesn't concern me as I walk slowly down the street. I am a citizen of the Academy from now on.

  I head directly for the lively parts of the city. My path leads me down one of the busy main streets. There are always people here, even during the night.

  My next action is to find the location of the Empress. For that purpose I enter one of the many bars and order a drink. “The strongest stuff you have!”

  A fat barkeeper brings me a jug of something that smells like petrol. I could probably build a working engine with this. I drink it in one go and order another one. There are drunks in every city and I already have a plan on how to get rid of this body.

  The barkeeper is easily entangled in a little conversation. After all I start consuming his drinks like a good customer.

  I spend half an hour in the bar while talking to the barkeeper and drinking as much as I can. Barkeepers know a lot about their city. There are always idiots who mourn over something while trying to drink their problems away.

  Of course that never works.

  I got the information I needed in any case. It's not like the residing place of the city's ruler is a big secret. But that the Immortal Empress resides in the Inquisition's headquarters still surprised me.

  Wobbling down the street and reeking like a drunk... well I am drunk. And I really can't walk straight. The world is spinning too and I really want to barf. No matter how I look at this, drinking too much sucks. At least it's not my body.

  I take another gulp from the bottle in my hand. A good drunk needs a bottle, so I took one from the barkeeper when I said goodbye.

  The Immortal Empress' new residence comes into view after a few minutes of walking and staggering. Luckily there are no cars on the streets of this world. I wouldn't have gotten very far otherwise.

  This building is a big tower and can't be missed from anywhere inside the city. There is just one entrance, which is guarded by two guards. The big door is closed.

  I grumble about my bad luck. Taking over a standing guard isn't good. It will look strange if I suddenly leave in his body. I had hoped for something like a patrol, walking in and out of the residence.

  As I wait for several minutes, heaven sends me the answer. A group of servants is approaching the entrance. I know their outfits. They are the same as the ones from that time when I saved Sera!

  I check out the faces of the approaching women and pick a nice one. Actually all of them have acceptable looks. The staff of the Empress seems to be chosen by appearance. In hindsight, it's not necessary for a servant to have any special qualifications. Cleaning and doing chores can be done by everyone.

  I grab into my pocket and place the crystal ball in my hand with the bottle. The ball may still be needed.

  The women try to avoid me as I stand up and intercept them on their path.�
�Niceee, lalaladiees! Woouuldn't you lik to spendd the night with mee?”

  They fan out and walk past me with disdainful expressions. But another step gets me close enough to grab my target's butt. She is a nice brown haired one with a fair face and a slender built.

  “Hiiii.....”

  “....iiiii!”

  I snap my mouth shut. This hurts! I grabbed my butt too firmly! Stupid body builders! I turn and slap my former self. He is just staring at me with a dumbfounded expression.

  Then I grab the bottle from his hand, which he is still holding in front of him. The crystal ball wanders into my other hand while I place my knee between his legs.

  He folds over and the bottle strikes down at the back of his head. The glass breaks and the body builder goes down on his belly, twitching a little.

  I kick him in the guts and spit on him while he starts to barf. “Take that pervert! Drunkard!”

  Oh, wow! I have a nice voice.

  Then I look at the other shocked servants and the closing guards. They left their post.

  “What happened?” One of the guards starts to interrogate me. Ah, damn. Didn't they see?

  “That drunken pervert grabbed my butt and I delivered punishment! It hurts!” I rub my butt while the guards start to grin.

  “It's true. I saw everything.” Another servant helps me.

  “Go inside. We will clear up the scum.” The other guard waves towards the entrance and the servants bow and start walking again. I follow their example and walk along while the guards grab my former self, who is lying in his own barf and booze.

  He will be out of the game for long enough. Even if he wakes up, nobody will believe his story of being a prisoner and waking up here without memories.

  Somehow I like being a soul magician. Fireballs, ice shards who needs flashy magic with an ability like this.

  “Marina? Are you okay? That person was scary.” One of the servants says and I am a little late to realize that she was talking to me.

  So I am Marina? Ok, that works. “Ah. Sorry. I think I am okay. I am just a little spaced out. My body moved on its own back then.”