Chapter 122, Start of Book 5!

Erick stepped back from his summoned chalkboard and considered his new list.

Things To Do, in no particular order:

1) [Renew], non-lethal way to subdue someone, new magics to make me look like a different person

2) Make sure Yggdrasil is comfortable, invent some defensive spells for him

3) Make sure Candlepoint is comfortable, set up trade routes from them to the Wasteland? They’re only one blip away!

4) Find + kill Converter Angel

5) Check up on Shades? Maybe not.

6) Uncover other existent threats to the world, and then end them! (hopefully not)

7) Have some fun during vacation!

He smiled. This was a good list. Six items was a good number of necessities. They were, of course, six very large entries, but that was fine. He smiled wider. Then he banished the chalkboard and gave a final once-over to his tower…

… Okay!

Done! There was nothing else he needed here! Erick had packed his bags, but now it was time to break the real news to everyone else, except for Poi, of course; the resident Mind Mage already knew everything Erick was planning to do. And what a plan it was!

It was time for a Worldly Path! Or something to that effect. Erick still wasn’t sure, exactly, what all of the [Gate] Quest entailed, but he’d find out. If the last three days were any indication of what was going to happen to him if he stayed in Spur, well then… he just wasn’t going to stay here.

Oohh~

He’d be back. Spur was still home, of course. But he needed to be away for a while, or at least until events stopped coming at him like Script Second cooldowns. The problems hadn’t started with hero worship, or threats of murder for that matter. Far from it. But the current problems had headed in those directions rather fast.

- - - -

The first real action of the first day of the ten-day end-of-the-year Festival known as Triumph of Light, was a telepathic conversation with an antagonistic young woman.

‘Hello, Caizoa,’ Erick sent.

An immediate flare of ‘No’, something that was surely more instinctual than real, severed Erick’s attempted communication, slapping him with a good thousand points of False Damage. He weathered that minor storm without blinking an eye.

And then he went about his day, wondering if Caizoa would call him back, or if he’d be forced to go looking for her.

He started with breakfast. Potatoes went on the grill, eggs became omelettes and went out first, flour and various supplies became pancakes, while coffee dripped down into a glass pot. Erick made most of the food, alongside Kiri, while simultaneously fielding questions from his young apprentice. Justine was in a different room, telepathically talking to people, but Teressa was deep in thought, sitting at the kitchen table, staring off into space, her half-eaten omelette sitting before her like a forgotten foe.

Kiri’s enthusiasm for Erick’s trip through Ar’Kendrithyst had been tempered by Poi, but only after the sapphire-scaled man had given her a hard look, after she asked about the people in Brightwater. From there, her questions changed into the topic of high-level archmage battles, or more accurately, the act of fighting a Shade, and all of what that entailed.

Erick continued, “… I’m glad I never got to see ‘Dorofiend’s second form’, or whatever that was. [Domain of Light] shut that down rather fast, or, more realistically, it just gave me a moment to catch him off-guard with a [Fulmination Aura] from Ophiel. That moment of lightning, empowered by the [Domain of Light] for some interesting reason, was enough to zap him into death. And that was all it took.”

“Ah. Yes. [Fulmination Aura].” Kiri scrunched her face as she flipped sausages on the stove. “I’ve seen your [Fulmination Aura]. Isn’t it only 25 plus Willpower damage per target, per second? Used through Ophiel, that means only 25 damage per second.” She postulated, “Perhaps it is your specific definition of a ‘target’, that makes it so effective?”

“It’s 26 mana per second.” Erick said, “If it wasn’t able to target every individual cell of a person, then it would be a pretty useless magic.”

Kiri’s spatula stilled above the flattop grill, as her eyes went wide. “Every cell?”

Erick hummed, then said, “Maybe it’s not that precise. But there’s certainly more than one ‘target’ per person.” He added, “And I’m pretty sure Shades don’t have cells like you or I. Maybe they’re magic cells? They’re all vulnerable to [Luminous Trap]. I think they’re actually made of Elemental Shadow, which is partially Light-based, so this makes some sort of sense.” He spoke up for Teressa’s benefit, “That was how I killed the Witch.”

Teressa startled. She glanced to Erick, then down to her food. She stuck her fork back in the omelette, but her heart just wasn’t in the meal.

Erick saw the orcol woman’s reaction, and then continued, “She tried to pose as Fallopolis to do something and to catch me off guard with a curse, or something, but I wasn’t falling for that. Mana sense helped to show that she wasn’t who she pretended to be, which I was very happy to learn, but the most ‘off’ thing about that fake Fallopolis was that she didn’t smell right.”

Teressa glared down at her omelette.

Erick said, “So I sucked her up into a black void. But by this time, the Shades had seen this trick with the fight with Hollowsaur. To counter a trap, the Witch had prepared an automatic [Dispel] magic in the air some ways away. This triggered and released the Witch. When she came out of that black void, the torture of being in that super-lighted space had broken her illusions. She was no longer Fallopolis, but instead a grey-skinned orcol with grey eyes.”

Teressa’s eyes suddenly flicked toward Erick. She demanded, “How can you know that was her? No one has ever seen her.”

“I can’t, since the Kill Notification did not list ‘the Witch’. But there are a great many circumstantial evidences that lead me to believe that she was the Witch.” Erick said, “Primarily among them: she used illusions, and when she died, River Tower Gloom in the Swamp erupted in green and grey light, spreading mushrooms and Extreme Light in a heavy grey mist that rushed out into Ar’Kendrithyst. There was also the message that played in the air above River Tower Gloom congratulating those who finally managed to kill her. It went like this:” Erick thought for a moment, then recounted, “To those who finally managed to take my life: Congratulations. Have some poison, some mutative monsters, and my undying curse. Rot on this damned cursed world for the rest of your miserable, short life.” He continued, “I really do think she was the Witch, Teressa.”

Silently, Teressa returned to her omelette.

Kiri ensured the silence didn’t last long, asking, “What about her curse?”

“Ah.” Erick refilled his coffee, then said, “The second time I encountered the Witch, I trapped her in a much better [Luminous Trap]. That second time, I also threw a [Perfect Mirror] around that void, as well as a sunform Ophiel that was equipped with a [Pure Reflection Ward]. Several [Dispel] attempts struck that reflective orby Ophiel and bounced away. Before much else happened, though, I had an Ophiel turn real and then poke a feather into Perri’s prison. Ophiel filled that prison with a [Luminous Beam].” When Teressa just blinked at him, he added, “It’s that one that is all light and power. It bounced around in there and probably killed her ten times over, just by virtue of exposure to the beam.” Teressa slowly nodded. Erick continued, “I think I got really lucky, there. Any number of things could have gone wrong. Her [Dispel]s could have been larger. Her soul could have been split before she encountered me, and likely has been, but if that second version of herself still exists, she’s no longer a Shade.”

Teressa frowned.

Erick continued, “She tried to curse me before that second encounter, back when she pretended to be Fallopolis for the first time, but I stripped that off of myself, while she taunted, ‘This could have gone easier if you would have let that into you’, or something like that.” Erick recalled Perri’s exact words, but he saw that Teressa wasn’t taking this as well as she could have, so he went rather informal in his retelling, “And then, you know, the second time she came before me, she also pretended to be Fallopolis. But then I sucked both of them into their own black voids and then canceled them and Fallopolis came out of one and Perri came out of the other, and then I wrapped Perri in all those previous spells and then killed her with the [Luminous Beam].”

Teressa nodded.

Kiri asked, “But what about the undying curse?”

“Oh? Eh. I think the bouncing [Luminous Beam] killed it. That thing is partially Extreme Light.” Erick said, “I canceled Perri’s prison and nothing came out of it; no flex in the manasphere, no intent in the world, nothing. She’s dead, and all her plans are dead.” He added, “But some of those new monsters still live.” He waved a hand, saying, “And the Swamp is now the Mushroom Swamp, or whatever. Not sure what’s going on there.”

Teressa nodded, again. This time, she spoke, mumbling, “There’s plans to slash and burn the whole place.”

“Do you want to be a part of that?” And then Erick asked the better question, “Or would you rather take a trip to Treehome?”

Teressa looked up at Erick with hope in her sparkling emerald eyes.

Erick added, “I said I’d like to go there for the Triumph of Light, or for some sort of vacation, and last I recalled you wanted that. Plans have only slightly changed since the Shades have died.”

Teressa allowed herself a small smile. She said, “Making definite plans for the Triumph before the Triumph is bad luck.”

Kiri spoke up, “Which is why all the hotels are booking up right now.”

“Not all of them.” Teressa pulled a fake-scowl at Kiri, saying, “I can find some good places.” She looked to Erick with hope in her eyes. “If you want to go?”

“Yes, I want to go.” Erick said, “So best start making some plans. I’m counting on you for our itinerary.”

Teressa laughed, faint, and then it was gone. She nodded, then said, “Yes. Of course, boss—” She froze. Over a moment of thought, she thawed, asking, “I’m going to need some private time to see my… to see my old home, though. If that’s okay with you?”

Erick had hoped that she would want to see her old home. He easily said, “Whatever you need, Teressa.”

To the side, Kiri kept her smile to herself. Erick didn’t openly show his joy at Teressa’s words, either; he knew better than most how fragile someone in Teressa’s emotional state could be, and she wasn’t the only one recovering from a great tragedy in this household. Erick knew he would be ‘walking on dragon eggs’ for a while, but that was fine. As Erick set out the second serving of breakfast, and everyone came to the table, and he saw the burgeoning light in Teressa’s emerald eyes, and a similar, if more nuanced light glimmering in Justine’s red eyes.

After breakfast, Poi spoke privately to Erick, sending, ‘Caizoa is trying to contact you.’

Half a second later, before Erick had a chance to respond to that, came the voice of the woman in question.

‘Hello, Archmage Flatt.’ Caizoa asked, ‘Why did you call?’

‘To coordinate.’

‘I don’t have time to go on the offensive right now for the Angel has infected my homeland. We are clearing that up and then we will move on to the Angel itself. It will be several days.’

‘How long do you expect that to take? What are the problems? Can I help?’

‘These problems are our own. The Angel’s soul infection is nefarious but easy to spot now that I have the Black Star. The best thing you can do is stay home and out of danger.’

Erick smiled. ‘Can’t do that. You know more than most what has happened and I need to be a part of this, Caizoa.’

There was a deep, angry inhale on the other side of the line. Caizoa sent, ‘Fine. Let us coordinate. What is your itinerary? Where can I meet you without any guards nearby?’

Erick teased, ‘So that you can know where I am and kill me?’

‘I don’t feel like killing innocents, but I will make an exception for you.’

‘Ha! I didn’t expect such honesty from you.’ Erick said, ‘Anyway. If we can’t agree with me helping you, then Candlepoint needs trade routes, and the Wasteland is the closest to them. Can you secure some of those for me?’

‘… What is with this sudden change in topic— No. I will do no such thing.’ Caizoa’s voice raised, as she sent, ‘Of all the stupid things to ask for! I am not a merchant! Don’t talk to me about that! Why would you even ask me about that?’

‘The topics on my mind are many and few, in that there are many different ways to secure safety and prosperity for the people who need such assistance.’ Erick added, ‘And besides, I’m just giving you the opportunity to help me, here. There are many others that I can personally go to with this desire, and many who have been working on this for a while who I have yet to check in with. But you’re there and we’re going to work with each other for a while, so I figured ‘why not?’ and gave you a call to lay out some of my concerns and questions.’

Erick knew that asking Caizoa for trade routes would be useless. But with that Black Star affixed to her young self, she was now a power that would be written about in the history books. Who knew what kind of doors were opening up all around her?

But besides that, Erick wanted to curb the woman’s tendency toward violence with regard toward himself, at least. Asking for trade routes seemed like a good way to show that he was not just some human archmage, on the ‘other side’ of the Quiet War.

Caizoa went silent, but the connection remained open. Erick got the impression she was thinking.

Erick decided to get back to the main topic. He said, ‘I’d also like to know what a ‘converted’ looks like, so that I can identify them myself.’

‘That is easily done.’ Caizoa said, ‘Everyone is to know what the enemy looks like, and it is thus:’

An image came down the line of a normal-enough incani man, except for the binding chains that locked him down upon a heavy iron chair. He was bloody and unwell, as though he had been beaten and starved and made sick, somehow. But they couldn’t have had the man in custody for more than a few hours, could they?

Erick fought down his urge to decry the inhumane conditions, and sent, ‘I could use a location so that I can view the man myself. What you’ve given me is nothing but sadness at the man’s treatment. No soul image. No blood image. No mana sense. And… Caizoa… Don’t you have better ways to fix him than whatever this is?’ He tried to be diplomatic with his words, at least.

After a moment, Caizoa sent a location, along with the words, ‘He’s just the latest in a line of people captured and contained, and the tenth to be cured today. He won’t look like this for long.’ She warned, ‘They’re going to try to fight you off when Ophiel shows.’

‘I would like your help to ensure that a fight does not occur. It will make working with you in the future easier for me.’

‘Look to others if you need more help than this, Erick. I’m already at the end of my patience with any of these fuckers, and would love it if you brushed past their meager defenses with overwhelming power. All too often these nobles around me forget that they are but mice in the face of the true dangers of this world.’ She repeated Erick’s own words back to him, ‘It would make working with you in the future much easier for me.’

She cut the connection.

Erick sighed.

And then he looked to Poi. “Can you contact the Baroness Xelxex for me, please?”

Poi nodded, and then did so.

Three minutes later, while Erick sat in his library reading a copy of a copy of a book that he probably shouldn’t own or display in the open at all, the voice of a certain magenta incani came to Erick.

The Baroness spoke, ‘Archmage Flatt. I have heard some interesting stories and seen some interesting reports come across my desk this Triumph of Light. If you could, tell me what happened?’

Erick considered not telling her for a brief moment, but he quickly discarded that idea. Having the Baroness know what happened, from him, was better than the alternative. He sent, ‘Melemizargo has withdrawn his legitimization of his Clergy, and because of that, all but seven Shades are dead and the rest have mostly been Blessed into submission by the divine force of Koyabez, with myself as a conduit for that force. But that is not why I called.’

‘And why have you called?’

‘Your people in the Wasteland have captured some victims of the Converter Angel. I need to see them so that I can identify the symptoms myself, for when I go hunting for the monster myself.’

‘I’m sure we have, but I cannot give you leave to do as you wish with those victims. You are not a member of my people, Erick. If you’d like to change that, we can certainly talk about that process, if you wish.’

‘Ah. Sorry. A misunderstanding.’ Erick said, ‘I am asking for forgiveness for I am going to check up on the man, myself. Right now.’

Keeping her tone even, but not able to keep her sudden anger completely hidden, Xelxex asked, ‘Is this truly how you wish to play this engagement?’

‘We have had a good working relationship so far, and I wish to continue this into the future, but I will not let anyone get in the way of my obligation to keep the Angels and the Demons out of Veird. Everything would be much nicer if both sides would lay down their arms, but until then, a bit of force is necessary.’ He added, ‘If it makes you feel better, I am going to approach Helix and demand he find a way to send the Angel back to Celes so we can avoid this—’

‘Ha!’ Xelxex laughed; a hurtful sound that became real as the laugh continued for ten seconds. She said, ‘Good luck, Archmage Flatt! I’ll smooth over some waves for you, but try not to make a tsunami.’

‘Thank you.’ Erick added, ‘And one more thing: I am looking to open trade routes for Candlepoint—’

She cut him off, saying, ‘What do those shadelings produce besides worry for the rest of us, Erick? This is my problem with that shadeling city. Nothing but a problem! Just look at them, so close to the Wall! Unless they can give us a reason to appreciate their proximity then there is no reason to have any ‘trade routes’, as you call them, with that city.’

Erick offered, ‘Food? I can make the farms there rather large.’

‘No one is going to eat anything that comes out of Candlepoint and the Wasteland is much more self sufficient than the nonsense farming that you tried with Spur. No. We’re not accepting any foodstuffs from Candlepoint, for a hundred different reasons. Try again.’ She cut off further communication, saying, ‘Understand, Erick: I am very busy. I only answered your call because I needed to, but if you want to talk trade, then come up with something better or— I’ll send an envoy to Candlepoint. That is the best I can do. They’ll arrive in a few days, or something. One of my people will contact one of your people. Farewell, Archmage Flatt. Thank you for killing the Shades.’

She cut the communication.

Erick turned his attention back to the Wasteland.

His Ophiels had already slipped through a dozen [Ward]s, circumvented a dozen more, and tripped the last several because people were already spotting them and time was more important than subterfuge. Deep below the surface of Veird, Ophiel reached the captured agents of the Angel. Erick took a good long look at the five men and four women locked up behind heavy doors and under heavy chains. He saw their weird souls, their shifted blood, and a strange, bright mana that they held in the center of their being.

If Erick had to guess, he would have called that bright spot ‘Holy Mana’, but he wasn’t quite sure.

With several concentrated thoughts, Erick extricated his Ophiel from that darkened hole in the ground while dozens of mages and warriors tried to blast or cleave those sunform blobs of Ophiel apart. Some people just stood to the side on the surface, watching the whole thing, making no effort to be involved.

Caizoa was one of those who stood to the side of the exit, hovering in the air, waiting for his Ophiel to emerge. She waved her giant blue sword; a greeting, perhaps. Ophiel waved back, mostly ignoring the spells flying at all of his [Pure Reflection Ward] protected selves; he did try to angle the reflections away from the casters, though. No need to accidentally hurt someone with a bounced [Fireball].

With several quick lightsteps, each Ophiel vacated the field of battle. They headed for Candlepoint, and took up their usual patrols across the skies of that darkened city.

Then the calls started coming in.

Erick answered most of them, since they were all from people who were able to demand his attention.

There was Silverite, who mostly just asked him if he had really done what people were saying he had done. Erick told her he hadn’t hurt anyone, but yes, he had invaded a secured compound inside the Wasteland. Silverite didn’t seem to really care past that.

Then there was Sirocco, then the Baroness, again, Caizoa, that magister Iordex with his purple and gold robes, and then Mephistopheles, actually. That last one was an odd one. Erick had never telepathically communicated with the man in charge of Candlepoint before, but it was nice to do so. Mephistopheles just wanted to know about this envoy from the Baroness who was supposed to show up in a few days.

Erick took some time to speak to the nominal ‘mayor’ of Candlepoint, since this was an important discussion. He said, ‘I am glad you asked. So. What kind of products can Candlepoint make? I’m trying to get some trade routes for you guys and the Baroness seems to think that you can’t offer anything.’

Mephistopheles sent, ‘We’re not very stable right now, Erick. Those minotaurs just showed up and everyone is on edge from the news we’ve received about Ar’Kendrithyst.’

‘… You know what? I think it’s time I came to Candlepoint in person. See you soon!’ Erick cut off that communication before the man started speaking too loudly and questioningly. He said to Poi, “Time to go to Candlepoint. Want to come?”

“I’m ready.” Poi asked, “But what about your mana?”

“Eh. I have a high enough base pool, and Intelligence drops almost everything to negligible costs.” Erick said, “But you’re just saying that to make me aware of my limits more than I already am. Don’t worry, Poi. I’m fine.”

“Very well, sir.”

- - - -

Candlepoint looked more or less the same through his own eyes as it did though Ophiel’s, but this was still Erick’s first time in the shadeling city, in person. It was Poi’s first time in Candlepoint, too. Erick looked to his right-hand man, and the scattered city around them, and wondered at how different things might be now that the Shades were gone.

Erick had landed the pair of them in a rather central location, where the landscape all around them was dotted with singular buildings surrounded by greenery, with nice roads connecting everything. There weren’t many people, though. It was near noon, and most shadelings were crepuscular. This was good; Erick decided he didn’t need to meet more locals right at that particular moment.

He did, however, need to get some of the city’s defenses up and running while he was here. In the interest of being proactive, he hopped on that task as soon as he saw that task looming above him.

The Black Crystal was fifty meters tall, and just as black as Erick remembered it being. However, being here in person conveyed something that Erick didn’t really recognize as a problem before now.

Waves of the lake lapped against the coastline not two hundred meters to the west. This proximity to the lake seemed to be asking for trouble, but that could be fixed with a bit of lakeside construction. But besides that, the Black Crystal was already fully exposed to the world. Unlike the few Crystals he had seen in the Brightwater during his short time there, this one was vulnerable. A concentrated blast of firepower could probably snipe the thing to shards from kilometers away.

That was probably by design.

Either to keep Candlepoint from looking like too much of a danger, or to leave its primary defenders vulnerable to whatever plots Melemizargo demanded, the Crystal was not very well defended at all.

Erick could change a little bit of that, but that base vulnerability would require…

A giant dome put over the thing? Some unknown defensive magic already inside the artifact? A self-repair function that Erick didn’t know about? Having some shadelings constantly monitoring the Crystal and protecting it from attackers?

Any of those solutions would likely keep the Crystal intact.

Erick turned away from the Crystal, to take in the rest of the Crystal Courtyard, and to watch as shadelings appeared. He and Poi were no longer alone. A pair of people had popped out of the shadows near a general store to the south. The store was closed, but it was not unoccupied. Erick briefly nodded at those new shadelings. One tentatively waved. The other bowed.

Ah. Good. They knew who he was.

To the north, other shadelings had appeared next to Melemizargo’s Church. Those people were now frantically either moving away, or cautiously coming closer. Those people knew who Erick was, too. Erick briefly wondered why some of them would run, before he put those worries out of his mind, and re-considered the Crystal.

The new arrivals in the Crystal Courtyard were in for a show, or a failing; Erick wasn’t sure which it would be. But first, he would have to switch this artifact from Darkness, to Light, if possible.

With a Shaped cast, Erick began to slowly conjure a [Domain of Light] down into the black Crystal. The spell did not take hold instantly, instead, Erick had a pillar of light gently fall through the center of the shadowed Crystal, from top to bottom, and then expand outward in all directions, pushing out all the shadows and darkness within. The slow start to his investigation of the Crystal turned out to be a smart move, for it had lost its [Prismatic Ward] protections while Erick had been inside Ar’Kendrithyst, and some people had decided to move into those deep shadows.

Or something.

Erick wasn’t quite sure what people were doing inside the Crystal, but whatever the case, they were kicked out, now.

Three shadelings fell out of the shadows in the Crystal into the waiting arms of a few Ophiel, who set them down outside of the Crystal’s space. Two of those shadelings looked rather pissed, but they quickly got over that emotion when they saw who had evicted them. The third just screamed a little while he fell from thirty meters up, screamed some more when Ophiel caught him, and then he ran, as soon as Ophiel set him down on the ground. Erick paid the runner no mind.

Soon enough, the [Domain of Light] brushed through the entire black Crystal. All the shadows inside became little more than Gloom that sprung from the solid surface of the artifact like steam from a kettle, to filter away on the morning wind. Soon, the shadows were gone. The Crystal was a bright white and yellow-gold structure of quartz or maybe some kendrithyst derivative. Maybe it had been mined from the Brightwater District? Whatever the case, the Crystal looked a lot better like this, Erick thought.

His next thought was that he would never openly call what he had done a ‘[Cleanse]’, for that would have implied that shadows were an evil that needed to be cleansed, and that would simply not be right; Candlepoint was full of shadows that deserved life and liberty and all that, after all. But Erick had certainly shifted the Element of the Crystal.

Back in that first day of the Shadow’s Feast, Fallopolis had said a curious thing to him, asking him why he hadn’t played around with this Crystal yet. As of right now, with the Crystal realigned to Light, Erick realized why Fallopolis had asked him that. He had seen the other Summoning Crystals in Brightwater, but this one was much different than those other, mass-produced artifacts. It was much larger, for one. For another, it had a much greater inner magical signature than the other Summoning Crystals he had seen.

Maybe it had more self-defense options than simple summoned guardians?

There was another option, though.

Since this whole ‘reintegration of Shadows into the Script’ plan of Melemizargo’s pivoted around Erick taking control of Candlepoint, that Dark Dragon had probably either made this thing able to explode, at the worst case, or to accept all sorts of variable inputs, at the best case. Since, according to what had happened since then, Melemizargo’s plot didn’t seem like an initially destructive one, Erick was betting that this thing couldn’t explode at all.

Or at least not without a great deal of overrides.

… Erick was rather confident that he could mitigate any explosions of the Summoning Crystal’s size.

The three people had barely fallen out of the Crystal when Erick reached for the interior of the artifact with a tendril of light, with his mana sense, and the senses of several Ophiel.

The woman had done nothing but watch, until Erick started touching the Summoning Crystal with light tendrils. She yelled, “What are you doing?!”

“Being proactive.” Erick found the enchantment in the Summoning Crystal. He offhandedly answered the woman, “It probably won’t explode, but be prepared to run.”

The woman said, “Don’t touch it! I almost had it figured out!”

She almost figured it out, eh? All the more reason that Erick was here, now, working on this as soon as he could. He ignored the woman, and continued to poke at the Summoning Crystal’s interior.

The interior was not just a single enchantment. It was a complicated spiral of enchantments, actually. Several dozen artifacts lined up together, in complementary structure, with each of those artifacts powered and maintained by soulstuff. Erick’s eyes widened. These were real artifacts. Greater Artifacts.

… And this woman here had almost figured them out?

Hmm.

Erick looked to the two people who had fallen out of the Crystal. A human man and an incani woman. The man stood as still as stone, not wanting to draw attention to himself, while the woman glared hatred at Erick, her grey eyes swirling with shadows. She had very quickly gone from disturbed to disbelieving to angry, all in the span of the last few seconds. She wasn’t hurt, though, and neither was her partner. The third one had run away upon being ousted from the Summoning Crystal, but he peeked out from behind the edge of a far-away building. He noticed Erick noticing him. He quickly returned to the shadow.

Erick told the woman, “I didn’t break it.”

“Yes you did!” She continued, “I was just about to solve it all! And then you flooded out the miasma! How’s it supposed to make suits of armor for us now! SHIT!”

The man at her side touched her shoulder. The woman barely calmed at all; in fact, she probably got more mad, but she did regain a small level of self control.

She said, “Archmage Flatt, sir. I heard you were a support. Please allow us to support ourselves first, sir.”

“I am not going to stop you from supporting yourselves, but I need to know what this artifact does. People are going to ask me about the giant artifact in the center of this town, and I’m not going to lie to people when they do.”

The woman seemed to lose much of her anger.

Erick added, “And I really didn’t break it.” Erick said, “These things are pretty damn sturdy, and this one, I think, was made especially for me to play around with.” He tripped a few obvious switches inside the Crystal. “See?”

Three armored summons appeared a few short steps away from the four of them, each of the conjured armors made of matte white light and glows. The first was the warrior summon that Erick was already familiar with, and that had been set all around Candlepoint back when Bulgan was in charge. It was two and a half meters of thick armor, with a sword to match magically locked to its back. The second summon was a robe of similar size to the warrior, but this one came equipped with a staff. Erick suspected it had [Force Beam] spells, or something similarly powerful and cheap. The third summon was a meter-tall munchkin made of floating knives.

None of the summons did anything but stand upon the open ground next to Erick.

The woman almost spoke again.

But a person Erick had wanted to talk to appeared just down the street. Mephistopheles was already hurrying their way. As Erick’s eyes turned toward the new arrival, the woman followed Erick’s gaze, and also saw who was coming.

She whipped back around to Erick, gleefully smiling.

Ah. She probably thought she was getting her toy back, didn’t she?

… Maybe she would? She certainly seemed to be here on someone’s orders, otherwise she would have run away as soon as Mephistopheles appeared, but instead, she turned happy.

It looked like it was time for politics.

Mephistopheles was exactly as Erick remembered, but without the over-the-top flamboyance of his previous position as Master of the Garrison. His lacquered red horns and fancy clothes, which were just a touch nicer than everyone else’s, still set him apart from the rest of the shadelings within sight, while his grey eyes wholly marked him as a part of the people here. He wasn’t alone, though. He had brought another.

Ava stood a woman apart. A shimmering stripe of green makeup had been slashed across her eyes and face like someone had taken a pearlescent green paint brush to her visage, while her bright green dress billowed in the morning breeze. She looked at Erick with hungry green eyes, and aside from Poi, she was the only other person here who was not a shadeling. While Mephistopheles rushed toward Erick with the stride of a man in charge, Ava lightly walked forward, her bare feet helping her along her chosen path as though the very ground wanted her to be where she wanted to be.

With the appearance of those two, others came out of hiding. All around the Crystal Courtyard, people stepped out of the shadows, into the light. Almost all of them looked upon Erick, and the bluescaled dragonkin behind him, with questioning looks upon their faces. Only a few spoke in hushed tones, ‘That’s Archmage Flatt’, as though the presence of the Ophiels above weren’t already indication enough.

Mephistopheles approached, and said, “—”

“Hello, Mephistopheles!” Erick spoke before the other man could, “I hope you’re ready for a new world order.” He announced for the crowd, too, saying, “In case you haven’t heard, almost all of the Shades are dead. That includes Bulgan and Tania.” The crowd, while not gathered close at all, heard what Erick had said. Some gasped. Others exclaimed, ‘It’s true!’. Mephistopheles and Ava did not flinch; they must have already known. Erick said, “I can set up some defenses for Candlepoint with this Summoning Crystal by appointing certain people as users of the Crystal, but I’d also like to talk to you about the minotaurs and whatever is going on there. But first: Are they doing okay? Are you doing okay? The city looks great, by the way.”

Mephistopheles frowned a little, then said, “—”

Ava spoke first, “The minotaurs are like young shifters; barely able to control their form. They will learn, or likely seek out the Lifebinder. Rumor has it that she was active in the region not several months ago.”

“She was; that rumor is true.” Erick almost frowned. Would some of the minotaurs actually do that?

… Of course they would.

Duh.

Ava’s composure solidified.

Mephistopheles frowned at Ava, then pointed at the less-angry shadeling woman who Erick had kicked out of the Crystal. “I already had someone on figuring out the Summoning Stone. You did not need to do this Archmage Flatt.”

Erick acknowledged the woman, then said to Mephistopheles, “I know I did not have to. But I’m being proactive while everything is in turmoil and I needed to see how this worked, myself. Other people are going to ask me about the giant artifact in the middle of Candlepoint. Everything is going to go weird, and fast. Even if the Shades were evil, the Shades were the most stable, powerful force in this world. I have no idea what is coming, but I must act upon the world before it acts upon me, and that includes certain things like this Crystal, here.” Erick returned his eyes toward the Crystal, then asked, “In that regard, there’s options here to appoint people who can then control the various summons. You’d be one of the appointed, of course. As well as Ava here, and then Slip, and Zaraanka, and maybe Valok. We can appoint whoever you wish, later, after we talk.” He added, “I’m not too sure how the Summoning Crystal works in practice, but you could use them, yes?”

Mephistopheles said, “Of course, Archmage.” He gestured to the unknown woman, and said, “When we get around to it, I wish to also appoint Willow. She’s quickly become my second-in-command.”

Erick looked to the not-so-angry incani woman. “Oh?” He narrowed his eyes. “You were not near Mephistopheles until today.”

Willow weathered Erick’s gaze with her own strong visage. “Correct! I only came out of the fugue yesterday. I’m not sure why, but I used to work under Shade Lapis five years ago, and now I’m here.”

Erick withheld judgment, but silently vowed to check up on Willow every now and then. He turned his attention back to Mephistopheles and said, “So why do you trust her?” He rapidly added, “No. Nevermind. I’ll not pry into your business.”

Mephistopheles said, “Thank you for your consideration.”

Erick got back on track, saying, “A lot of things are going to be happening very fast— Ah. I sound like a broken record. Anyway. Stuff is happening. I want you all to be safe. I don’t think it’s a good idea to throw around too many shadow magics, if possible, which is why I turned the Crystal to Light magics.”

“I can appreciate the sights we’re sending with such an artifact, as well as the timing. This is fine. Thank you, archmage Flatt.” Mephistopheles bowed, then said, “I’m also glad to finally welcome you to Candlepoint, in person. We have been informed of your accomplishments—”

“I really don’t mean to interrupt you, but I was only barely involved. I have to clear that up, right now.” Erick said, “Melemizargo denounced his Clergy. That was why the Shades died.”

More murmurs went through the crowd.

With unbridled and quiet rage, Willow whispered, “Good riddance.”

The force of her conviction almost caused Erick to derail the conversation again, but he did not.

Mephistopheles nodded, then said, “It is how you have said, then, Archmage Flatt. But I digress: While we are happy to welcome you here, finally, why are you here, in person?”

Ah.

Erick might have made a mistake in coming here so fast. Not only was it rude, but it had caused a misunderstanding.

Mephistopheles wasn’t asking that question with regard to current problems or solutions. He was asking that question because he was scared of losing his current level of power over Candlepoint. Eh. He didn’t need to worry about that. Erick could see that the town was doing fine, and no one seemed to be too angry at Mephistopheles. The guy was doing great, and Erick wanted nothing to do with managing a town.

Though, with Justine waiting in the wing, Mephistopheles had probably been wondering at his expiration date for a while.

Erick waved off the need for such a concern, saying, “I’m not here for anything drastic, and nothing is changing with regard to how you want to run things. I had originally planned for Justine to take a role as the non-shadeling face of Candlepoint, but she’s—” There was no need to spill Justine’s fragile emotional state all over the Crystal Courtyard. Justine was still picking up the pieces of her life and her self from the tragedy that had been her life as a shadeling, and Erick wanted to let that happen. He said, “I don’t think you have anything to worry about with Justine. She might be going on a lot of missions for Candlepoint, though. I just came here so quickly because I needed to get a very fast jump on everything, before other people started making decisions for me and about me and about what all of this might mean, going forward. I am here to stabilize anything that needs stabilizing, to fix up this Crystal to see what it can do since I will likely be traveling for a while, and to check out to see if any Shades are hiding in this town.” Before anyone’s visible emotions spiked too high, Erick told the truth, “I already put an Imaging out over the waters of the lake. I can’t find any Shades in this town. So that’s good news, right?”

Mephistopheles’ politician-face barely cracked. But it did crack.

Oh? Was he expecting a Shade to be in Candlepoint? Who?

Erick had expected Slip to be a Shade, but that was not to be! The Guardmaster of Candlepoint really was telling the truth this whole time; he wasn’t a Shade. The man in question stood to the side of the Crystal Courtyard, almost out of sight. According to all the sights and scanning Erick had, the man was just a normal shadeling with a normal rad inside his chest, atop his heart.

Erick added, “I do want to know if you guys like the name of the town, though. We can certainly change it from ‘Candlepoint’ to something else now that there’s no Shades to care about. Also, I’m going to try and open some talks with the Wasteland, to see about getting trade routes. Gotta strike while the iron is hot, after all! Maybe I can throw Justine at that? Eh. Her choice.” He spoke up again, “Also! Do you guys want another party? I hear that’s what we’re supposed to do on the Triumph of Light.”

By now, there were a good forty people standing a good distance from Erick, Mephistopheles, Ava, Poi, and Willow. With Erick’s final words, almost everyone’s eyes brightened.

Ava said, “We still have all of those other beds and blankets and food that you gave to us just yesterday.”

Erick smiled. “Yeah, but you can always use more, right?” He gestured to the rest of the city, saying, “Where are those minotaurs? Let’s go meet them. And whoever else you want me to meet. We can walk and talk and then come back and assign users for the Summoning Crystal.” He added, “I already talked to Baroness Pirazel Xelxex, and she said that no one was willing to do food trades with Candlepoint, and I sort of agree with that. I don’t like it, but I can see the point of not disturbing established markets too much.”

Mephistopheles nodded, then gestured toward the north, saying, “Then let us walk this way, and speak of possible products.”

Erick walked north, and others followed. Willow stayed behind, her eyes firmly locked on the Summoning Crystal. Erick turned away from her to focus on the people around him.

Ava began with, “Textiles is always a profitable business. With the controlled weather, we could easily raise silk spiders or cotton fruit.”

Erick asked, “People would be comfortable working with spiders?”

“It’s actually quite easy for a shadeling to work with monsters like silk spiders.” Mephistopheles said, “I’ve done a lot of work with those types myself. If Tania is dead, we could even rush in and grab some from the Weaver’s Quarters. She had some specialty spiders that she never let anyone have.”

Erick winced. “That place was on fire, last I saw.”

“That just makes them mad.” Mephistopheles smirked.

“If you guys want to do that?” Erick said, “Sure. I don’t care. Like I said when Bulgan went away: I’m just your support. Everything that this town is and could be is up to you.” He added, “But if all goes well, then in a hundred years when my World Tree has grown to be an actual World Tree, or maybe before, then Candlepoint could be a stepping stone to the stars, with [Gate] travel happening right here in this city.”

If he figured out [Gate]s before then, then maybe Candlepoint could become a hub-town; Erick did not voice this idea, though.

Mephistopheles’s eyes went wide as he stopped in his tracks.

Ava recovered faster than him. She laughed, loud and happy, then asked, “Truly?”

“It’s the truth. Yggdrasil is growing out in the lake right now, and I expect him to be the size of two stacked mountains in a hundred years.” Erick pointed to the air above, at a particular [Scry] orb. “That’s him. Hello, Yggdrasil.”

Yggdrasil’s [Scry] orb bounced in recognition.

Mephistopheles and Ava stared at the hovering ball of invisible intent.

Ava waved, and happily rolled with the situation, saying, “Hello, Yggdrasil. I’m the Sewermaster of Candlepoint, and I like pretty things. Can you use [Telepathy] yet?”

Erick was taken aback at Ava’s casual attitude. It was kinda nice. It would also be nice to see what Yggdrasil would do.

But… apparently what he would do was ‘nothing’.

Ava looked to the air, waiting. After a moment, she said, “Ah. Shy?”

“Maybe.” Erick said, “I know arbors advanced at a very fast rate, and Yggdrasil is more than that. Ah. He hasn’t talked to me yet, either.”

Mephistopheles asked, “Do you wish for us to protect your… He’s still a [Familiar], then? He hasn’t split from your soul yet?”

“No need for any of those concerns. Thank you, though.” Erick said, “It’s all very new to me, but I’m a hundred percent confident that Yggdrasil can protect himself, and he’ll eventually protect you all, too. All I can ask is that you be polite, but don’t coddle him. I heard that was really bad for arbors, and I bet that goes double for World Trees.”

“Usually…” Mephistopheles said, “Usually, they have to become real beings before people consider them arbors, and no one considers their still-[Familiar] tree [Familiar] as a World Tree… How sure are you of this fact?”

“Fully and completely sure.” Erick said, “It’s just a matter of 100 years.”

“And this time table? You seem sure of that, too?”

“Yes.”

Mephistopheles scrunched his face in thought, as he looked away.

They walked in silence, toward the north. They passed houses and apartment buildings, where large trees lined the roads providing shade to all, but very few people were out and about. It was a nice walk.

Ava changed topics. “Back to trade, then? I am interested in all the finer things in life, so I want theaters and music halls and the international connections to make those happen, but the basics come first. I’ll help with whatever is necessary, but where do we start? I was hoping for some sort of food trade, but if that is off the table, then I really do think that textiles would be a good primary market.”

Mephistopheles said, “Food is sorted, thanks to Valok, so we can accept Xelxex’s warning away from the food trade. But not everyone is happy with the options of this city, for we still have a ways to go with the normal necessities, like bakers, clothiers, cooks, cleaners, meat farmers— Now there’s an odd problem. We needed cattle and otherwise, and I understand that you promised Valok’s man, Mister Ooragh, to procure such goods. But now we have the minotaurs.” He looked to Erick, saying, “They just… showed up! I’ve spoken to them all, and they seem perfectly nice, but… People want beef and goat and some even want spider, but when the first minotaur overheard the farmers talking about some of our plans for the future and the inclusion of cows in those plans, there was an altercation.”

Erick frowned.

Mephistopheles said, “It’s sorted, for now, but the problem is here.”

Erick decided, “I’m not having a conversation with them about how they feel over nearby cattle farms. Let us avoid the issue for now and stick to chickens and fish.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Mephistopheles said.

Ava said, “Everyone is learning to live differently. The problem with the minotaurs is that they’re still in the middle of their war response, so we’re walking on dragon eggs. Some fool boy got up in their face when they first got here— the boy is fine, but these people are all high level adventurers.” She added, “Luckily, shadelings are high level, too.”

Mephistopheles pointed forward, saying, “We put the minotaurs in their own compound, across the street from the orchard. Most of them crashed out once they were out of danger, but we should be able to find a few still awake.”

- - - -

Erick glanced ahead, and all around, with the help of his Ophiel, his [Greater Lightwalk], and several senses beyond the norm. Mostly, he liked what he saw.

Dark-walled apartment buildings were scattered here and there, with some in clumps and others on their lonesome. Most were occupied by people who looked like they just moved in; Erick didn’t investigate those places more than a cursory glance through the windows. The empty houses, however, all had plumbing and kitchens and all of that, ready and waiting for someone to move in and turn the place into a home.

Glass in the windows, chimneys for fires at night if it got cold, thick doors for safety. Locks. Erick readily noticed crystal panes in some of the walls that seemed out of place, but upon putting a tendril of light down into those shadowed depths, he understood them as shadeling pathways; something for someone to [Shadowblend] through, similar to the crystals of Ar’Kendrithyst.

With a touch deeper underground, a smile crept upon Erick’s face. There was an entire second layer to the city of Candlepoint, just below the surface.

Erick turned to Mephistopheles and Ava, and said, “I like the underground crystal areas.”

Mephistopheles said, “They’re mostly bunkers in case of attack.”

Ava lightly complained, “Not everyone can get into those bunkers, or take part in the markets that are growing down there.”

“When did that start, anyway?” Erick asked.

Mephistopheles said, “The first crystal roads were laid a week ago.”

“They’ve been expanded, since,” Ava added.

Erick let that conversation drop as the four of them walked down the street, and a fifth separated from the shadows of a tree to join their party. Slip, the Guardmaster with bright white eyes who everyone thought was a Shade. He certainly looked the part, with black skin, horns, and bright white eyes. The man had never done anything to dissuade those rumors, either.

Erick greeted him, “Hello, Slip! How goes the fishing?”

“Sir.” Slip bowed his head a fraction, then righted himself. “It’s only been a day since last we spoke. Nothing much has happened, except for everything, apparently.”

Erick nodded, saying, “I suppose that is true.”

“The lake looks good, though.” Slip said, “It’ll take a while for the new plants to spread and restore a balance to the waters, but that’s just a matter of time. Just a matter of time for more fish to spawn, too.”

“Got any ideas for various markets for Candlepoint to take part in?” Erick asked.

The guardmaster surprised everyone, saying, “News and printing machines and various other propaganda to ensure that we aren’t attacked out of some misguided attempts to ‘cull the last Shadow holdouts in the world’.”

Erick froze. “Please tell me you are exaggerating for effect.”

“Only a little.” Slip said, “That Summoning Crystal will go a long way to ensuring safety, and I like that you rid it of all those shadows, but we will be attacked. With your help, I feel we can defend ourselves from all but an archmage attack. To that end, I am asking for permission to contact you in the case of such oversized threats.”

Erick was startled again. “Of course you can contact me for such a thing! Have I not explicitly said as much? I feel like I might have… Or maybe not?” Erick returned to what the man had originally said, “But propaganda machines? You all don’t want a society built on false ideas, do you?”

“We wouldn’t be dispersing lies.” Slip said, “But it would be good for Candlepoint to be seen as the world healing from the atrocities of the Shades, rather than as a holdout of shadows.”

Well. When he put it like that… Erick could agree… To a certain extent.

Mephistopheles said, “Being under the auspices of the man who ended the Shades should be good for that.”

Slip said, “Which is why his appearance here is good for us, but it is not enough.”

Erick suddenly saw what was going on between Mephistopheles and Slip, though it appeared Ava was slightly out of the loop. Perhaps the two men had had this conversation before, and were just now including Erick? Whatever the case, Erick smiled, and played along, “I will be telling people that Candlepoint is still under my protection. I only hope that when I send people here that you treat them well.” He added, “I’ll tell you before I send people here, of course.”

Slip allowed himself a smile, as he said, “Candlepoint is one of the safest places on Veird, and I aim to keep it that way. Invite whoever you wish, and the Guard will ensure their safety with our very lives.”

“I mean…” Erick was uncomfortable with Slip’s level of zeal, but he said, “Acceptable. Thank you, Slip.” Erick stopped walking forward, since they were close to their destination, and turned to the three members of Candlepoint, “And be sure to contact me if any large monsters come for Candlepoint, too.” He gestured to Poi, saying, “Or contact Poi. I don’t think you have met, but— Mephistopheles, Ava Jadescale, Slip, this is Poi Fulisade, my head guard, and one of my closest confidants. Please treat him as you would me. He already knows who you are. A lot of people do, actually, but it’s past time for certain bilateral information exchanges.”

Ava, Mephistopheles, and Slip, each bowed to Poi.

Poi took a half-step forward, coming to stand beside Erick. He barely bowed at all, before righting and saying, “Greetings. I am a Mind Mage, and if I may be so bold: I humbly suggest less talk of propaganda, and more consideration to honest trade.”

All eyes widened.

Erick barely held himself back from flinching. Poi just came out and said that he was a Mind Mage? And then he offered an opinion?!

New things happened all the time, apparently!

Erick recovered, and said, “I agree with Poi. So let’s come up with some ideas for industry that don’t involve food.” He added, “Or unique magics. Or propaganda. Something that isn’t a valuable resource of the area, either. Something that is only purchasable through the people who live here.”

A small silence descended.

Ava suggested, “Adventuring guides? Every shadeling is a Classed individual at level 55 or higher. That’s almost four times the worldwide average. Power leveling youngsters was good for goodwill in my previous life.”

“Yeah. But that’s the Underworld,” Slip said. “And even that has fallen out of favor in recent centuries.”

Erick frowned at Ava’s suggestion of violent work, but he said the word to see how it felt, anyway. “Mercenaries?”

“We wouldn’t be calling it ‘mercenary’ work, Erick! Guides. Not mercenaries.” Ava said, “It’s a rather unique service that brings a lot of prestige with it, as long as behavior is maintained, of course. High level insular communities do that all the time in order to showcase talent and honor and the like. Guides were particularly prevalent over in Nelboor.” She looked to Slip. “Is that still true?”

“Yes.” Slip said, “Somewhat.”

“But… Mercenaries?”

“Monster-only hunts, of course.” Ava said, “It’s something that Zaraanka and I have spoken about a few times.”

Mephistopheles said, “I’m not sure.”

Ava frowned at the man.

Erick did not like the idea of mercenaries— Or rather, ‘Guides’… And yet, there was something about it that sounded… Almost good? Shadelings as guides would allow the rest of the world to see them as agents against the darkness of this world… And yet, Erick’s frown only deepened, killing the conversation in the process. With a few deep thoughts rattling around in his head, Erick resumed his walk toward the minotaur encampment. The other four followed, in silence.

Erick reached the minotaur house not one block later.

It was a rather ordinary series of buildings, three total, shaped like a U with the northern winds flowing into the center of the three structures. It was only ten small houses, and with a quick glance inside, Erick recognized three bedrooms per house. There weren’t enough rooms. Some minotaurs were sleeping on the ground, or in the same beds as another. A quick count showed at least 45 people, all of which looked mostly the same, but with slight variations.

They all had bronzed skin, either almost shiny as gold, or as deeply brown as stained wood. Cloven hooves for feet. Reddish hair, but only on their heads… And none on their arms or legs? Erick wasn’t about to violate anyone’s privacy any more than he already had, but from what he saw, they did not have normal mammalian hair distribution. Most of them wore conjured armor, which was a bit of a shame. Maybe no real clothes fit them? At least not yet, anyway. All of them had horns similar to those of incani, but more to the sides, and with about as much variation as incani horns, too. Some had no horns at all, but Erick saw bald, hard spots on a few heads where their horns should have been. Some of them had already carved off their horns.

And now, as he looked, he saw some people crying into mirrors and touching their hair, or the rest of themselves.

Erick hoped the body dysmorphia wouldn’t be that bad, but it obviously was. These ‘minotaurs’ were a people created from all of the various races of Veird, save for the wrought, and each one of them had been soul and blood warped into mutant magical cows, then mutated back into mostly-bipedal bodies, and then changed again into what and who they were right now. Though the Shrouds of their souls seemed strong as steel, with all that body and soul modification, there was going to be mental trauma, too.

But even knowing a bit of what to expect, Erick still felt his heart lurch hard when he spied a woman trying to cut scales into the golden skin of her muscular forearm, while a second woman desperately tried to stop her from hurting herself. The second woman almost needn’t have bothered. The knife failed to cut more than a thin red line into the gold woman’s skin. There was no blood.

Erick turned his attention back to his surroundings.

Slip gave a nod to a pair of shadelings in guard uniforms, stationed outside of the minotaur compound. Those guards bowed toward Erick as Erick’s small group of people walked past them, toward the communal part of the central building. Slip slipped to Erick’s right side, while Mephistopheles and Ava held back a bit, and Poi stepped to Erick’s left side.

Most of the minotaurs had crashed out, sleeping, or trying to sleep, but as Erick approached, a few industrious and wide awake cow-people caught sight of him. Events proceeded fast. Someone yelled out about ‘company coming in’. This call repeated twice through the compound, rapidly becoming murmurs as everyone who wasn’t totally wiped out quickly hopped to attention, coming out of their homes to stand at the doorway to watch, or coming all the way forward into that communal space in the front.

As Erick stepped onto the dark stone under the central pavilion, others were already waiting for him to speak, or for someone else to come forward and demand Erick explain his sudden presence among them.

All before him, Erick saw strong people in a weird situation.

Except for a few particularly large guys and girls, every one of them was still shorter than an orcol, but they stood tall all the same, providing a more united front against Erick’s intrusion than he had expected to find.

“That’s him!” came the startled voice of a bronze-skinned man taller than Erick, with curling white horns on his head. “That’s Archmage Flatt!”

Murmurs erupted as recognition and shared words enlightened everyone to Erick’s identity. And then, like a switch flipping, the entire gathered group of twenty-odd people casually dropped to their knees. Tears fell. They prayed several different ways. Some with their hands clasped together, others with their heads bowed and arms to their sides, and still others who kowtowed, going as low as they could.

Shocked to silence, Erick said nothing. And then he got hold of himself. Words rushed out, “Please! Don’t do that. Stand, please.” When they didn’t immediately comply, he stepped forward, almost ready to lift them off of the ground himself, but the first people he approached shuffled backward, their eyes going wide. Erick stopped. He stepped back, and they seemed to relax. Still, he said, “Please don’t do this worship thing.”

“It’s not worship.” A strong-looking man got back on his cloven hooves, saying, “It’s honor. We honor you for what you have done for us.”

Another stepped up, a woman, saying, “We honor you.”

“Honor to the Archmage!” said another, and then another.

Soon, they were all standing again. Most of them took up the call, “Honor to the Archmage!” But a few remained quietly reverent, their amber eyes sparkling in the light.

Erick felt their emotions wash over him like a warm wave in the ocean. As it passed, he asked them, “Are you all physically okay? Is there anything I can get for you?”

The strong-looking man stepped forward. “Is there anything we can do for you, good sir?”

“Nothing I can think of, but—” Erick instantly asked, “How did you get here? Where is Hollowsaur?”

At the mention of their torturer’s name, the entire crowd turned ugly. Some spat on the ground. Others openly cursed the Shade’s name.

The strong man said, “That Shade is gone! And good riddance!”

A woman said, “We couldn’t kill him, but we tried. Sorry for failing, sir.”

Before the gathering turned more ugly, Erick said, “Don’t worry about it. You’re all okay, and that’s what matters.” As some people frowned at that, Erick added, “Or at least you will be okay, now that the danger of that man has passed.”

That seemed to restore some of the relief on the faces in front of him.

The strong man said, “That Shade tossed us through a [Shadow Gate], dropping us here, telling us all the while that he was sorry.” He glanced toward Slip, then back to Erick, saying, “Some of us already knew this place and its people, and so it was easy enough to get temporary housing. We are making the best of it, and hope to be out of here as soon as we can. But some of us won’t ever be welcomed home as we are. I know I will not be welcomed back home, and I know several of my fellow people won’t be welcomed to their homes, either.”

Ah. It was time for more politics.

Erick picked up what the guy was putting down, saying, “If it were up to me, I’d offer you permanent residences here in Candlepoint, but—” He gestured to Mephistopheles, silently asking the mayor of Candlepoint to come forward, as he said to the strong man, “Mephistopheles is the man in charge around here, along with his other contemporaries. They have final say on any immigration.”

Mephistopheles immediately accepted Erick’s approval of his position by cementing himself in that position, by saying, “Of course they can stay.” He turned to his new people, and said, “You will be bound with the same rules as any citizen of Candlepoint, and you are encouraged to find or make jobs. We’re a growing city, and could use all the help we can get.”

Relief passed through much of the minotaur crowd.

And then Erick had an idea. He sent to Poi, ‘What I’m about to offer does exist, right?’

‘Yes. A lot of us specialize in this for our own communities, though the help you’re thinking of is considered beyond extreme by almost every culture except the Mind Mages.’

Erick suddenly felt a lot better about the broken, yet strong people he saw before him. He spoke, “If anyone wishes for some Mind Mage emotional support or therapy, I will be looking into that sort of assistance not only for you—” He said to Mephistopheles, “But also for the shadelings of Candlepoint. I really should have done this sooner, and so I can only apologize for not acting in your interests faster.”

Even though Mephistopheles grinned at Erick’s side, and then wiped that expression away, the relief of the previous moments became something more spiky, and worrisome, as grumbles passed through the gathered minotaurs.

And then the strong man spoke again, playing a role that he saw needed to be played, “Thank you, Archmage. I will be the first in line for such a service, and I can only hope that some of my compatriots will follow my lead.”

With that simple statement, the strong man seemed to lose a lot of his support all around him. One suddenly-disgusted man stepped away, deeper into the crowd.

But Erick couldn’t help but smile. “I’m glad to hear that, and I can safely say that after all that has recently happened it would probably be good for me, too, to see a therapist.”

A few awkward chuckles passed through the group. And that was okay. Erick was fine with putting himself out there like that, exactly as the strong man had done.

Erick asked, “What’s your name? I’ve just been calling you ‘strong man’ in my head.”

The man smiled at his moniker, then said, “Danarin Longtusk. Former orcol, newly-created ‘minotaur’, and unexpectedly finding himself overjoyed at the true beauty of life ahead.”

Every single large person in the group smiled at that, and even a few of the smaller ones. Erick recognized the sentiment Danarin expressed; by saying ‘true beauty’ he was referring to a life lived outside of Aloethag’s divinely-imposed standards of beauty, and outside of the goddess’s control over any part of him, even if that part had been his empowering Rage. The man had even crouched his language in common idioms instead of directly calling out Aloethag, and that, more than anything, let Erick know that he actually had been an orcol, before all of this soul mutilation. With that revelation, Erick turned a slight attention to the smaller minotaurs, and wondered if the Angels or the Demons were still talking to the former humans or incani, telling them of wars to be fought against their eternal foes, or not. Erick guessed that those smaller minotaurs, too, had been severed from their usual divine overseers. Probably.

Maybe.

Erick considered how to bring a bit more joy to everyone here, and tried, “So as you all know, it’s the Triumph of Light.” A few of the orcol-sized minotaurs gave a quick ‘whoop whoop!’ leading Erick to smile again, as he continued, “Keep in mind that Candlepoint is a city of refugees, though, so our ability to party as we should is a lot lower than it usually is, but even so, I will be trying to supply some good cheer and beer and all of that before the end of the day. Has anyone spoken to all of you about the various people in power around here? And the various help that everyone is trying to give each other? I can’t direct you around much, since I am just an assistant here to help everyone else get back what was taken from them, and so in that way, people like Mephistopheles here should prove much more helpful to you and yours than I.” Erick ceded the floor to the mayor.

Mephistopheles spoke up, “We’ve not gone over much more than the preliminaries.” He turned to the crowd. “But if you’re all willing, then we can begin to integrate you into Candlepoint, as guests or residents, or whatever you want.”

Danarin, who was still a step more forward than anyone else, said, “We’re glad to receive assistance, and to help, and more than ready for the celebration of the Triumph of Light. We’re all well over level 50, too, with many of us having many different skills from classical Arcanaeum training, to warrior training, to self-sufficiency training.” He acknowledged Mephistopheles, then turned to Erick, saying, “We will not be a burden on Candlepoint or on your good graces, Archmage Flatt.”

Erick couldn’t help but continue to smile. “I look forward to it.” And then he conjured images of the various other people that were in charge of Candlepoint, and said, “So this person is Valok Greentalon. His home is over that way, and he was the head man of Spur’s Farmer’s Council before he was assassinated and then resurrected as a shadeling, here in Candlepoint. He is my friend. You can probably seek him out in order to get work at the Farm over there, or to find food.” Erick conjured another person, saying, “This person is Zaraanka Checharin, a competent woman who is currently in charge of the various rad gathering and other adventuring-ish forces of Candlepoint. If you’re into that, seek her out.” He gestured to the other people with him, except for Poi, and said, “And these people can introduce themselves.”

Ava went first.

Soon, small groups of minotaurs were talking in small groups with Ava, Slip, or Mephistopheles.

Erick hung back, and let others come to him, if they wished.

And they did.

He spent an hour talking to various minotaurs, while he had Kiri run around in Spur, searching out caterers and such, while Poi also, but remotely, helped organize a Triumph of Light feast that Erick would surely need to [Duplicate] to make work for an entire town.

Two more hours passed rather fast, with Erick talking more to shadelings now, than the minotaurs. A lot of people just wanted to talk to him, to either thank him, or submit a request for certain items that they thought everyone should have.

Somewhere in all that, Valok showed up.

Erick saw his friend, and smiled wide. “Hello, Valok!”

Valok smiled back, as he walked closer. “I heard you fucked up more shit.”

“I did indeed do that, and more.” Erick grabbed the man’s offered hand and pulled him into a one-armed hug. “Glad to see you in person. Sorry I didn’t show up sooner.”

“It’s okay. It’s okay.” Valok quietly asked, “My daughter isn’t with you, is she?”

“No.” Erick said, “I wouldn’t spring that on you. Not after what you said last time.”

Valok’s white-grey eyes turned slightly whiter, and brighter. “Good.”

Somewhere in all of that, Erick heard the grumbling stomachs of some of the people around him. He started asking what people wanted to eat, knowing full well that he had most of a feast on its way, eventually. He was just gauging the crowd. But Valok heard Erick and rushed in, saying that they had Triumph of Light supplies, but the cooking wouldn’t start for another few hours.

… Erick still had Poi and Kiri continue to find some bulk food sellers. It turned out that the people Erick used before, Palasio’s Caterers, were already booked for the entire week. Most caterers were booked, with those bookings mostly taking place in the dawn hours of that very same day; it was bad luck to make plans for the Triumph of Light before the Triumph of Light, after all.

And then Danarin threw a wrench into the whole thing by coming right up to Erick and saying, “I want beef.”

Erick’s face became a mask, as talk around him seemed to end. “Really?”

Danarin glanced around, then promptly declared, “Everyone is too freaked out by it, but—” He opened his mouth wide, and showed Erick some impressive pearly-white chompers, saying, “Oo hee hese?”

Erick’s mask broke, as he saw what he saw. He smirked, saying, “I see those; yes.”

Danarin spoke normally, “I may have molars, but I still got incisors and fangs. Grass ain’t gonna cut it with me; no sir, archmage sir.”

Erick couldn’t help but chuckle. “Okay— Then! A normal feast. I’m already working on it, but I can ask for some beef, too.”

Danarin cheered up, smiling wide, saying, “I can cook! Just need some supplies! A lot of us can cook.”

Valok interjected himself into the conversation, saying, “We got grills that need manning, if you’re up for it.”

“After the torture I’ve been through, I’m up for just about anything!”

A few happily shared Danarin’s sentiment, with cheers and joy. A few others just gave small, hard smiles, as they tried to keep from breaking all over again.

- - - -

The sun set as a party of unique proportions began, in a land claimed by shadow but liberated by light. There were more musical instruments now than there were hours ago. There was more food than there had ever been before. Songs from a hundred different homelands raised to the sky, as different people got up on impromptu stages that had been scattered all throughout the cosmopolitan city of shadelings.

Erick asked an innocent question, “What about music? How does that work on Veird? I never really investigated any of that.”

Mephistopheles had one answer, “You hire people to sing or play for you.”

Ava had another, “There’s song crystals, but those are only for people with too much money and not enough sense. They burn out after a few dozen days, so they’re only really good for listening to new plays when you can’t see them in person.”

Zaraanka had another solution, “Hire a songstress. They telepathically play music for everyone in the area, and over long distances, too.”

“That fad didn’t die out?” Ava wiggled her fingers beside her head, glancing at Poi as she said, “There was a whole problem of Mind Magery back in my time.”

Poi silently sighed.

“It died out and came back several times,” Zaraanka said, sipping a beer. “Mind Mages probably culled them a bit, but the versatility keeps bringing them back.”

Poi chose to enter the conversation and give Erick the answer he was looking for, “Music does not exist on Veird how you know music.”

Ava’s eyes brightened. “Oh! A new way to listen to music? How?” She turned her attention fully away from the players in front of them, to Erick, saying, “Do tell?”

“Maybe. I’m thinking, now.” Erick smiled, as he sipped his own beer, and watched Danarin, shirtless and sweating on stage, belt out a deep song about returning home. “I think I’d have to invent plastics, too? Oh! No. I can make records out of glass, I think.” He added, “Or metal. Or anything. Need to invent the recorder first. Hmm. Now how would that work...”

With a smirk, Ava said, “Let us know if you have a breakthrough, okay?”

Erick nodded, as his mind went off in a direction he hadn’t considered. Soon enough, his head started bobbing up and down to the sounds and joy in front of him. Others danced. Erick almost wanted to get out there and do the same. But. No. Not right now. Not yet. No dancing in the crowd for him.

Maybe later.

- - - -

The party was good, and then it got great. As the sky turned from blue to red and gold, celebrations spread across the city. Erick duplicated many, many things out of sight of everyone else, ensuring that no one went hungry. A few guards, organized by Slip, began handing out raw goods and prepared food at various stations around Candlepoint, for those who did not wish to take part in the larger festivities.

Beer flowed like water.

Some people happily lost their shirts.

Some lost their pants.

Erick did none of that, but he did have a good time ensuring that everyone else had a good time. Mostly, he stayed on a short VIP stage area erected on the other side of the minotaur compound, a short distance toward one of the main song stages, while others came and left Erick as they wished. Erick felt kinda funny, as people came by his ‘station’ and bowed or kowtowed, but when they just honestly thanked him? He felt great about that.

He felt less great about no one else willing to come to Candlepoint, in person, besides Poi. Erick even offered! But no; Kiri, Jane, Teressa, and Justine were all busy.

As the three crescent moons took to the starlit sky above, each of them barely a sliver of light, and the bands played loud just a short distance away, Poi quietly broke the news, “Silverite wishes to honor you at Spur’s ongoing festivities.”

“It’s that time already?” Erick had been suspecting something like that would happen for a few hours, now. According to everyone back home, Spur was in the throes of a party in the Human District that was much, much wilder than the tame thing happening all around Erick, in Candlepoint.

Danarin, who had chosen to stick around near Erick for most of the evening, asked, “Are you going?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “We’ve got to honor you once more. Just give me ten minutes.” And then he was off, back into the crowd.

Erick had wanted to tell him that there had been way too much ‘honoring’ by then, but Danarin knew this, and thus didn’t wait for an answer. Erick was beginning to suspect the man had a few of the new Stats, or perhaps he was just that adroit. He was pretty sure that every Minotaur had Constitution, at least.

Poi continued, “While we are waiting, there are many others who also wish for your presence as soon as possible.”

“… Others?”

“Yes.” Poi said, “On the personal side, there’s Guildmaster Zago and Guildmaster Mog, who wish for a detailed account of what happened. There’s the populace of Spur, Kal’Duresh, and Frontier, who are clamoring for definitive answers. You might consider writing a book to field much of these sorts of queries.

“On the less personal, and halfway to the political side, there’s the Baroness, who has decided to openly support you to get into your good graces. Archmage Syllea Wyrmrest has expressed a deep interest in hosting you for a trip to Treehome; she has likely intercepted Teressa’s attempts and successes for booking rooms and such in that Forest city. The Headmaster has formally requested your presence for a full accounting of everything that happened. In return, he is willing to throw in a Favor, as well as a bargain of trade, as well as access to his vast resources.” Poi waited.

Erick did not speak his concern; the Headmaster’s offer seemed too good, didn’t it?

Poi continued, “But from the rest of the world, there are demands to know— and I’m paraphrasing here: ‘What the fuck did that fucker do now!’ ahem.”

Erick erupted with laughter.

Poi continued, “From most to least rude, those demands come from the Pearl King of Portal. The Viridian King of the Greensoil Republic. Many different kings and queens of the Wasteland Kingdoms. Various states, provinces, and democracies of Nelboor. Eidolon, of Nergal. And even two wrought geodes. Stratagold and Titanite.”

“Democracies? Those exist on Veird?” Erick shook his head, ridding himself of that concern, for another concern was much more interesting just for the novelty of it all. “Stratagold and Titanite? I’ve heard of the first, but not the second.” Excitement entered his voice. “Could I actually get to go into a wrought city? That’s an impossibility for most people, isn’t it?”

“No. That is not what is happening here.” Poi frowned a little, then said, “They’ve both formally invited you to their embassies. You would not be allowed inside the cities themselves.”

Erick waved that off, saying, “Then I won’t be doing—”

The stage ahead lit with lights, brighter than those that had come before. The current singer was a young and happy human woman shadeling, who cheered to her friends in the audience, then bowed to Danarin, who had taken the stage from behind. She hopped off the front, into the crowd, like so many revelers that had come before, as the shirtless, bronzed minotaur walked forward. From behind Danarin came several other minotaurs, along with Zaraanka, Ava, and Valok, and a few other shadelings.

A quiet filtered across the crowd.

For the first time tonight, in the brief silence that followed Danarin’s proclamation, came the sound of the wind. That wind flowed from north to south, and it was getting a bit chilly already. Winter was technically over as of this morning, but the Crystal Forest was always cold in the dark.

A few people in the crowd turned back, toward Erick, briefly, before turning back to the stage. This was obviously something special happening and they had no idea what it was. Erick had no real idea, either, but he smiled anyway.

On the stage, Danarin’s voice was already amplified by the [Ward]s cast in that space, but when he spoke, it was even louder than before, “On this Triumph of Light, we honor those who we lost along the way. We honor those who are here with us now. And we honor those who led the way through the Darkness, and brought us into the light. And in this last case, we honor one who has done more than most ever have. Thank you, Archmage Erick Flatt, for the rescue, the transformation, and the new home. We wish you well in the years to come.” With one hand holding a mug of beer and the other gestured forward, toward Erick, he declared, “To long life, and battles won!”

The crowd took up the cheer, “To long life, and battles won!”

As Danarin and the rest of the people on the stage took a drink, Erick did, too.

This was a good night.

It took half an hour to extricate himself from the party, but it happened soon enough.

- - - -

Erick stood at Silverite’s side on a much larger stage, overseeing a much larger crowd. This crowd was mostly contained to the Human District, but bright festival lights and animated images of cute slimes and cutesy dying monsters had been scattered all across Spur. The entire city was a land of lights, without a single visible shadow anywhere in sight.

In the south, in the distance, atop Ar’Kendrithyst’s walls, white wardlights each easily twenty meters tall flickered like massive bonfires, illuminating the walls and the night like a line of miniature suns. That was an impressive sight, too. Erick preferred the Dead City this way, compared to its normal darkness-on-the-horizon.

Silverite finished her speech with, “So thank you, Archmage Erick Flatt! Thank you for eradicating the Shades of the Dead City. Thank you for coming to Spur. Thank you for dropping onto our world.” As a bit of a joke, she added, “And thank you for leaving some of Ar’Kendrithyst for the rest of us.”

The crowd roared for Erick.

Erick tried to smile, as he responded more or less as Silverite had asked him to, saying, “I’m glad I could help. It’s still dangerous there, as proven by the fifty-nine confirmed dead from just today. Don’t think you can just walk in there now that the Shades are dead. Only one person out of every fifty used to die to the direct machinations of those particular monsters, while most died to the monsters, but now the monster-keepers are gone. We have no idea what will come out of there—”

Right as the audience was starting to lose its mirth, and right on cue, Silverite interrupted Erick, saying, “The dangers are still there! But we know how to deal with them, so please stick to the normal channels when attempting to enter the Dead City.” She raised her voice, and her own cheer, as she said, “But that’s all for later! Enjoy the night! Enjoy the day! Enjoy this new development of Ar’Kendrithyst, and what might very well be Veird’s most special Triumph of Light, ever!” She gestured behind her, adding, “And now, back to the band!”

As the crowd cheered and the music resumed behind Erick, Silverite exited stage left, and Erick followed.

She whispered to him, “Let’s meet in your house.” She extended him a hand, “Can I get a lift?”

Erick took her silver arm, and was both surprised and not. It had been a long time since he had physically touched a wrought, and though he knew her to be warm and firm as flesh and bone, he had expected her to be cold and hard. With a tug of his readily-kept sunform, Erick picked up Silverite and flew the both of them over the crowd, his orby form sparkling with rainbow hues more vibrant than the other prismatic light all around them. The crowd cheered at his passage.

Erick set down inside the foyer of his house; only a few kilometers from the music, and the crowd.

Silverite immediately turned to Erick saying, “I need you to take a vacation. A long one.”

Erick felt a tender sort of angry-joy in his chest.

“Understand me: This is NOT me kicking you out of Spur.” She practically glared right into Erick’s soul as she spoke, “I want you in Spur. I want you here. Never forget this.”

“I know.” Erick said, “I can tell. I want to stay here, too.” And because he knew he could get away with it, he said, “But I’d like Candlepoint to receive some help while I’m away, if you could.”

Silverite seemed to judge Erick for a long moment, then she said, “Good. As long as you understand I’m not doing this to you.” She added, “And of course I’ll help Candlepoint when I get half an hour without an emergency. Might take a month, though.”

“That’s fine. I understand this, too.”

Silverite slowly nodded, then said, “You say you understand, and I believe you, but you’re agreeing too fast. I expected a bit more anger. That would at least allow me to explain myself.”

Erick smirked. He faked an angry voice, “How could you?! After all I’ve done! How awful.”

“Thank you.” Silverite said, “This is not about you. This is me needing to restructure absolutely everything Spur does and is, without the archmage that caused it all attracting a thousand ‘messages of grave importance’ from the various leaders of the world, each of which I have to answer ‘right now or face political sanctions’, with every single one of them demanding I make you accountable to them. If you’re on vacation, I can tell them that you’re out of your office and I have no idea when you’ll be back. Watch out, though. Some of them will contact you directly. If someone tries to steal you from Spur, let me know and I can make you a better offer.”

Erick appreciated that, and he said so, “I appreciate that, Silverite.”

She nodded, then said, “I need you to know that the ‘59 number’ I told you to say was less than half true. It’s more like 200, and the numbers are still pouring in. Killzone is grinding his ass off trying to keep up with the shitstorm it seems practically every idiot youngster is committing in trying to enter that death trap of a Dead City.”

“… yeah. I know.” Erick said, “I suspected something was up when you gave me my script. Didn’t think it was that bad, though.”

Silverite softened a little. Mostly around the eyes. “How are you feeling, Erick?”

“Busy busy. Not as busy as you, but still. Busy busy.”

“That’s not what I meant, and I can tell you knew that already.”

“Ah. Yeah. I’m avoiding my feelings for now. It seems to be working.” He jokingly said, “I thought that I would come home and crash and cry for a week. That hasn’t happened.”

“I know the feeling.”

“… And I believe you.”

“I like this idea of you working with Candlepoint to open new markets.” She said, “This is a good thing to focus on. I’ll help you with this, too, as I have said. There’s no more need for you to focus on the monsters or—”

“Aside from the Converter Angels and the Ancients still out there and the random monsters that kill people every single—”

Silverite stepped forward and put a warm hand on Erick’s shoulder. “It’s not okay, but it will be.” She softly said, “There will always be monsters, and you have done your part, Erick. You’ve done more than most ever will. It’s okay to retire after only one year on the job.” She smiled, saying, “That’s what Champions usually do.”

Erick felt his eyes tear up, and he couldn’t stop the flow. Silverite pulled him into a hug, and Erick fell into her embrace. He cried. It wasn’t pretty. Silverite still held him, anyway.

Halfway through with the heavy emotions tumbling through his head and heart, Erick pulled away from Silverite, mumbling, “Thank you.”

Silverite still held Erick’s shoulders with her hands, squeezing gently as she said, “Take a vacation.”

“Yeah.”

“Considering what you just came through, I’m not too worried about you out there as long as you keep a low public profile. But Poi will stay with you, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Good.” She released his shoulders, and stepped back, saying, “I’ve got people to meet and work to finish. I’ll see you later, Erick.”

“… Yeah. I’ll see you later, too.”

- - - -

Erick gave a small nod toward Teressa as he headed off toward bed.

Teressa stood strong, saying “Boss,” with an almost reverent tone, as Erick passed.

- - - -

The afternoon sun shone down from Erick’s windows, waking him as its warmth touched his hand. He startled, fully awake. Worries shot through him like bullets. Where was he? What happened? Who died? Is Jane hurt? And then, he answered those questions himself, almost as fast as they came. He was at home. He slept a full night and all of the next morning. No one was dead; a quick activation of [Greater Lightwalk] confirmed Teressa, Poi, Kiri, Justine, and Jane, were all alive and in the house, doing various things from using the bathroom, to poking around at plants, to baking bread, to ensuring that the people outside…

Erick glanced out his window.

He shut the curtains. He would deal with that later. They were just people and… and a lot of stuff.

Erick would deal with that later. For right now...

Not even half a second had passed, before the thought of being unprepared caught Erick completely unprepared in its ferocity. It would take him a good three seconds to put together all of the magic necessary to ‘be prepared’.

That was too long.

But he could fix this problem!

Erick looked up [Healing Word].

Healing Word 1, instant, medium range, 10 MP

Speak, and heal a target for 25 + ½ WIL.

You may cast your next Healing Word as soon as you desire.

Purchase Healing Word 1? Yes/No

… That clause of ‘next [Healing Word]’ practically screamed that it would take an expert hand to extract it into usefulness. Erick spent the point and bought [Healing Word 1], giving up easy access to all other healing spells in the process. You could only buy your first healing spell for free, after all. All subsequent healing spells required a Registrar-assigned Quest.

A worry Erick had thought he had laid to rest, came clawing forward.

Erick’s own brief idea of an Immortality spell in the beginning of his time on Veird was just a passing fancy, but it was still a bright goal on the horizon. But mostly, it was a desperate clawing at the world by a man who thought he was going to die very soon. He had suspected, yet never confirmed, that buying a healing spell would have taken up his single attempt at [Immortality]…

There were more than a few ways to live forever, anyway. Erick need not invent an entirely new path. Besides: Fights in this world both started and ended within the span of a handful of Script Seconds. If he was able to extract [Healing Word]s ability to avoid the Script Second, then he would likely be able to string together a full activation of all of his necessary spells, like [Greater Lightwalk], [Lodestar], and [Hunter’s Instincts], all in the space of a single flashing Script Second. Living right now was more important than living forever.

But… Still.

No. Erick discarded those wasteful thoughts.

But as he considered future needs, Erick realized he had more points that needed allocating. He opened his Status, and considered the numbers.

Right away, he noticed his Regen was shit, but at least only his Mana Regen had been broken by [Death’s Approach]. His Health Regen worked fine, and because of Rozeta’s Boon of Recovery, practically doubled his resulting Mana Regen.

Therefore, his Mana Regen was acceptable… Somewhat.

… His Mana Regen was only acceptable when his Intelligence was considered. That Stat dropped almost all of his spell costs down to nearly nothing, and was even making him rethink some of his Class Abilities. Was 10% Spell Cost Reduction actually necessary, anymore?

Erick Flatt

Human?, age 48

Level 90, Class: Particle Mage

Exp: 2.32 e20 /7.54 e20

Class: 10/10

Points: 25

HP

6,930/6930

13,878 per day

MP

17,460/17,460

13,878 per day

Strength

20

+211

[231]

Vitality

20

+211

[231]

Dexterity

7

+211

[218]

Constitution

20

+211

[231]

Perception

19

+211

[230]

Willpower

80

+211

[291]

Focus

80

+211

[291]

Intelligence

20

+211

[231]

Favored Ability waiting!

Favored Ability waiting!

Favored Ability waiting!

Right away, he noticed that did not like having uneven Stats, and that he was likely going to be putting his belt somewhere safe and out of the way. Perhaps. Or maybe not. He could work out something better than the clunky silver thing he had gone to bed wearing around his waist.

To a proper mana sense, his belt was practically a firework strapped around his waist. It screamed ‘steal me’. His rings were like minor lights compared to the belt, but he figured he could get away with the rings. If he were forced to abandon everything, though, it would be better if he weren’t the clumsy oaf he had been before Dexterity came along. Eh. He was likely still a clumsy fighter, even if he evened out his Dexterity, but… Whatever.

… He put 3 points in Dexterity and 1 in Perception.

Nothing really changed for Erick, lying in bed, and that was fine. Things would likely change a whole lot if he decided to abandon his rings and belt, and go incognito on his ‘forced’ vacation.

Five points went into each Willpower and Focus. That dropped him to 11 points left over, and that was as far as Erick was willing to go. He would probably find a much better use for those points outside of his inflated Stats. New health cost skills, perhaps? New ‘forbidden spells’ like [Duplicate] that stripped points from you if you managed to make them? New basic spells he had never heard of before? All of those were possibilities.

He briefly considered more Intelligence, but he rapidly decided against putting more points there.

Oh!

An idea!

As Erick looked over his Class Ability, Blood Mana, which allowed him to spend Health in addition to Mana to cast a spell, he thought to cast a Healing Spell on himself using Blood Mana. Using this methodology, he could theoretically cast massive heals on himself for a fraction of the mana cost.

Erick’s mana costs were already fractioned, but this was new magic! It had to be explored! So Erick did just that.

Erick triggered [Healing Word] for the cost of 1 Health and 1 Mana, and almost launched out of his bed at the surprising pain. A series of phantom bee-stings tap-tap-tap’ed across his chest and arms. The pain passed as fast as it had come. Okay. That was strange. That hadn’t happened when Erick had experimented with Blood Mana before. As another experiment, Erick cast a [Cleanse] with Blood Mana, again spending 1 Health and 1 Mana for the spell.

No bee stings that time.

Ah. Well.

Pain for Blood Healing, or whatever, was either sadism on the part of the Script, or some weird interaction between healing magic and Blood Mana. Maybe both. Erick filed away that question for another day, and cast [Healing Word] on himself, normally.

He flickered with white light, and then it was gone.

… He cast [Healing Word] again, instantly. And then five more times in super-fast rapid succession.

A wide grin plastered itself to Erick’s face. With all his bonuses, [Healing Word] only cost 1 mana. It had actually cost more to cast the spell with Blood Mana. Ha!

Erick rapidly transformed a thousand mana into a thousand casts of [Healing Word]. He watched as a white glow suffused his skin, like a life magnified. He continued to smile, as he fell back in bed, and relaxed, feeling a lot better. [Healing Word] was great. Was there some ‘feel good’ component to it? Or was this just the niceness of being hale and clean? Ah! A question for the healers. Not a question for the mages.

Oh! But this rapid-cast function! How amazing!

Oh. This rapid-cast function… How… Troubling.

Rozeta had been right; being allowed to ignore the Script Second was a slippery slope. Erick had tasted freedom, and he wanted more. But he also recognized that no one should have this much power.

Ah. Whatever. Erick ignored philosophy for the moment as he rapidly cast enough [Healing Word]s to level the spell to [Healing Word X]. When that single second passed, Erick discovered that the spell did not change from level 1 to level X. But that was fine. It was already powerful enough.

He held one hand out, and channeled mana through [Healing Word].

— And was suddenly entranced by the complexity and joy of ethereal words without meaning, and yet full of meaning. Like a sudden orchestra in his bedroom, [Healing Word] played in the white light of his hand; a voice echoing upon itself to reinforce the way, to enable more of the song to come again, faster and faster. A staccato song that only stopped beating when Erick desired it.

Erick cut the channel.

“Ah.” He said to himself, “Healing magics are complicated, and that one is much more than it appears to be.”

Knowing he would likely have to try multiple times, and thus take multiple days, to pull the magic he wanted out of [Healing Word], Erick threw away his first attempt with an offhanded, experimental cast.

[Healing Word]’s staccato beat came away from the orchestral music and a blue box appeared.

Quick Spell, instant, self, 10 mana

Cast Quick Spell as soon as you desire.

Erick balked.

Was that a success? Had he done it on his first try?!

Maybe… Maybe it was? Erick wasn’t quite sure what ‘success’ looked like, in this particular case. [Quick Spell] might have been the best possible outcome? He cast a few hundred [Quick Spells], just to see if it worked, and it did. A hundred no-effect spells splashed out of Erick like so many puffs of white light.

Ah. Well. Maybe this worked? Whatever the case, there was no time like the present to try for something else. What other spells did Erick have that he didn’t mind experimenting with? How about… [Force Wall]? Yes. That sounded decent. Suddenly erecting a dozen walls across a battlefield wouldn’t stop Spatial magics, or whatnot, but a dozen sudden walls would be great for controlling minor monsters.

And now that he thought about it for more than half a second, there were actually a lot of ways that instantly casting a dozen [Force Wall]s could be useful.

With a happy smile, and an almost childish joy, Erick channeled a song of delineation in one hand and a staccato of rapid beats in the other. Combined, they formed something new. Erick cast a different kind of [Force Wall] against the side of his room. As a mostly transparent wall of white force appeared, so did a blue box.

Quick Wall, instant, medium range, 65 mana

Create a stable, stationary wall of hardened mana. Absorbs 50 damage before breaking. Lasts 1 minute.

You may cast Quick Wall again as soon as you desire.

… Okay. That looked very wrong. [Force Wall X] was much, much better than… than whatever [Quick Wall] was supposed to be.

Force Wall X, instant, medium range, 50 MP

Create a stable, stationary wall of hardened mana. Absorbs 500 damage before breaking. Lasts 10 minutes per level.

Yeah. Erick had screwed up somewhere. Perhaps [Quick Spell] was the problem? He channeled mana through [Quick Spell], listening intently to the staccato beat. Hmm. There might have been a problem, there. He held out his hand toward the Ophiel currently roosting on his headboard.

“What do you make of this, Ophiel?”

Ophiel, who had been quietly watching, now took up the staccato song, amplifying everything about it, filling Erick’s bedroom with a beep-shh-beep-shh-beep-shh.

Oh. Drat.

“Ohhhh.” Erick said, “Now I hear it. That ‘shh’ shouldn’t be in there.” Then he looked at the belt around his waist, and wondered why 200+ Perception couldn’t help him out with the sound, here. He took off the belt.

… Nothing really changed.

He looked to the belt, asking himself, “So why couldn’t I hear the magic?” He thought for a moment. He looked to Ophiel on his headboard, and asked, “I know my soul is damaged… Could that be the problem?”

Ophiel shrugged his little eye-filled wings.

Erick certainly heard as someone stepped down the hallway, outside of his room, though.

Jane asked, “Dad? Are you awake?” as she fully opened his bedroom door. “Ah. You are awake. Are you feeling okay?”

Erick briefly considered putting the belt back on, but he decided against that. Instead, he held it out, considered his daughter, and decided now was as good a time as any. “I’m doing fine, but since you’re here, I want to talk to you about this.” He set the belt on the nearby dresser. Jane’s eyes turned toward the silver, cable-like construction. “This belt allows the user to unlock all of the New Stats. It also shifted my Status to ‘human’ with a question mark. Unlocking all of the New Stats also made me rather odd for a good while. Maybe five to ten hours; I was inside a liminal space at the time so I don’t quite know how long that lasted. And that’s another warning against the New Stats. There’s also a horrific reaction if someone has a New Stat outside of the other New Stats. Like if you already have Charisma and then you gain Perception; it rips your soul and body apart. But anyway: There don’t seem to be any downsides right now to my human-question-mark Status, or to the Stats themselves, but who knows what will happen later. Melemizargo is trying to get his Stats into the Script, but that might not happen. So here. Take this belt. Don’t wear it right now, and maybe not ever. And especially not if you already have one of the New Stats.” He said, “But the choice is yours. You’re already smart enough, and strong enough, but maybe you’ll need something more one day, and this could be it.”

Jane thoroughly ignored the belt and pulled over a short reading chair to Erick’s bedside. She sat down. She looked her father in the eyes, and said, “I’m worried about you.”

Erick sarcastically said, “Me too.”

Jane continued, “And though you’ve always done what you could to support my choices, this belt and an offer of the New Stats is a bit much, even for you. I’m not going to wear that belt. I’m not going to risk myself like that, but I will take it, if it makes you feel better. I’m sorry you risked yourself like that, too.”

Emotions swelled behind Erick’s eyes, and came out as tiny tears rolling down his face.

Jane put a hand on her father’s hand, and said, “You want to talk about it?”

Erick sobbed, once. After a while, he said, “I want to talk about it.”

“I’m here. Let’s talk.”

And so they did.

“So many people died, Jane. So many… So many awful things happened...”

- - - -

Hours later, and over tea and chocolate chip cookies, Erick finally got through much of his story, told from a much less tactical perspective, and a much more emotional one. Somewhere along the way, Erick asked Jane of her night, and she shared her own experiences of the last few days.

The first day of the Triumph of Light had been more than hectic for Jane. It had been a killer. Monsters inhabited Forward Base. Adventurers flooded the Dead City. The people of the Brightwater showed themselves to the world. Adventurers flooded the Brightwater, and the Brightwater fought back, easily turning away every single person that tried to invade.

“They failed to stop the Headmaster, though,” Jane said, bringing the horrific recounting down to a personal level by naming a specific person.

Erick’s eyes went wide. “He went in there? Personally?”

“Oh yeah. Him and about five hundred of his Elites. They hit three places over the course of one hour early this morning. The Library is now gone, in its entirety. Where once were towers full of books, there’s now a scoop carved out of the horizon.” Jane said, “Then the same thing happened to the Palace District, and a part of that Truedark Arcanaeum. He entered the city as a dragon, dad. Nearly a kilometer long! Bright gold the whole way down from nose to tail, with a halo of light twice as large as that.”

Erick whispered, “Wow.”

“Oh yeah.”

Erick suddenly said, “You need to work on your magic, Jane. You need a Domain. You will die if you don’t have a Domain. The Headmaster’s halo was likely his Domain; I think I have close enough to the same one.” He rapidly said, “I’m going to teach you how— I need to teach Kiri, too. Holy shit. You don’t even know how bad it could be— If you don’t have a Domain then you’re less than a bug to—”

“Dad. Dad.” Jane set down her drink and stared into her father’s eyes. “Dad. Relax. Please.”

Erick breathed in, then out. “It’s not over yet, Jane. Shadow’s Feast was just the start. Something is going to sweep in to fill in the gap left by Melemizargo’s Clergy. And now that Converter Angel is here, too!”

“And that’s not okay, but we don’t have to worry about the power vacuum or the Angel right this second.” Jane said, “Right now, we’re just talking. There’s no need to worry about magic or the future right now.”

Erick tried to sum up his fears, trying to keep his words from turning into a rant, as he said, “Okay. Fine. But let me say this: You need a Domain. It’s the only thing that will stop someone from fucking you over at their whim.” He added, “And maybe you should put on that belt, but I’ll never forgive myself if it does something bad to you. But I think I’m fine, and I gained a mana sense due to those New Stats, as well as a lot of the Sight spells. They were the only things that allowed me to see through the various illusions inside Shadow’s Feast. Also, [Healing Word] is a spell that the user can cast as fast as they want, skipping over the Script Second, but I think I screwed up my first attempt at extracting that ability from that spell. I managed to make [Quick Spell]—” He pushed the box for that toward Jane, along with [Quick Wall], saying, “But [Quick Wall] is nowhere near as good as [Force Wall]. Just before we started talking, Ophiel showed me that I messed up extracting [Quick Spell] out of [Healing Word]. I think I failed on the first try because my soul has been damaged by what I had to do to win that final fight with the Shades and I can’t hear the magic so well...” Erick said, “And I’m worried about you. I know I try to let you do whatever you want. But I’m worried about what comes next… And I’m rambling.”

Moments passed in silence.

Jane said, “Hello Rambling, I’m Jane.”

Erick just blinked. And then he laughed. And then he cried. Jane got out of her chair and grabbed her father into a hug.

Erick mumbled against Jane’s shoulder, “I should be the one supporting you. I’m the parent here. I’m sorry I can’t be stronger for you.”

“I’m only strong because I have the best dad of two worlds.”

Erick laughed again, and this time Jane joined him. Time passed, as father and daughter embraced. After a short while, Erick pulled away from Jane. He sniffled. He threw a [Cleanse] into the room, ridding himself of the mess he had made of his face and of Jane’s shirt.

He breathed, and then he glanced to the side, to a window. “When did that start?”

Jane did not need to look out the window to answer. “Last night.”

On the street, and on the nearby empty lots, just past a short wall that was not there the last time Erick looked, there were guards. They wore the silver armor of Spur’s Guard, and stood outside of the new wall, to keep the people beyond from coming too close.

People of every race and sex and type of dress had been coming by all day long, and though only a few of them stayed longer than five minutes, all of them brought something with them. Something special to lay upon that wall, or upon the land just beyond. There were tiny painted portraits of those who had died because of Ar’Kendrithyst, and the Shades. Mementos of broken swords. Broken staves. Tiny rings. Flowers and candles. Some people came with small stacks of stone books and left those relics of Rozeta amongst the other mementos. Some came with tiny carved-stone slimes, or little Silver Stars, in honor of Phagar, or Koyabez.

Incense spilled into the air from dozens of small bowls of rice, scattered among the display.

Erick had avoided looking at most of the memorial, or thinking about it all too deeply, until now, until he had disgorged some of his worries. Until he was able to take on more. He sat down again, and gauged himself. He was ready to take on more.

Jane sat back down in her own chair, and continued, “It started about three hours after you departed the celebration. Good speech, by the way. Was that your idea?”

Erick shook his head, then sat back down in his own chair. “Silverite had that whole thing planned out. A lot of political talk is happening around me and I’m mostly just going with the flow. I met the minotaurs yesterday, you know? Ah. Wait. I already said that.”

“You did. But go ahead.”

“Danarin, their ‘spokesperson’, for lack of a better word, got that title because he spoke up when everyone else was silent. I think he’s a good guy, but he definitely saw an opportunity for power and took it.” Erick glanced at the air, briefly checking Candlepoint like he had since he woke up, and said, “I’ve been checking on Candlepoint since I woke, and that guy is already throwing people into groups and organizing with Mephistopheles— That’s another guy that stood up and took control when he could, and everyone else let him… I let him. But he seems to be alright, too.” Erick paused. He asked, “So where is everyone else? Except Poi.” Erick looked through the light, to see Poi sitting in the Library, reading to himself.

Poi looked up, and waved.

Erick smiled.

Jane said, “I asked them all to give me and you some space when you woke up. Kiri, Teressa, and Justine are all at Forward Base. Kiri’s helping with Sunny to clear up some of the larger problems while Teressa has already explored the Swamp twice now. Justine is just there to help Killzone find targets of opportunity. I was helping with that for a while, too. But then you woke up and Poi alerted me, so I came here.”

Erick sat back in his chair and looked to the chocolate chip cookies and the cooling coffee. He asked Jane, “What do you want for dinner?” He added, “And do you want to come on my vacation to Treehome? Has Teressa figured that out? I thought she would have been on that. She still wants to go, right?”

“I want burgers and fries for dinner, and I do believe that Teressa does still want to go to Treehome. She’s already organized all that, as far as I know. I heard you’ve got some very fancy reservations at a very fancy hotel, too. So I’m looking forward to the full spa treatment.”

Erick giggled.

Jane smiled, adding, “You know: If they do that sort of thing on Veird.”

“Ha! Oh. Wait! We could provide luxury spa treatments at Candlepoint!” Erick said, “That’s an idea.”

Jane continued to smile, as she said, “Yes. It’s an idea, for sure.”

Erick got up from his chair, saying, “So smash burgers and fries?”

“Good choice. I love it already, dad.” Jane got up from her chair, and hugged her father again, saying, “I love you.”

With a smile, Erick said, “I love you more.”

- - - -

The next day, Erick set an appointment with Spur’s Registrar, Irogh, and then attended that appointment, using Poi to dodge the very-full Courthouse hallways. Even still, some people in the hallways had recognized Poi, though they did not approach until Erick lightstepped into the room and slid past the woman coming out of Irogh’s office. He disappeared beyond Rozeta’s Script-blue doors and shut those doors, just as the people in the hallways had started to call out for ‘just a moment of his time!’ or some other desire.

As blessed silence filled the room, Erick felt a sudden tension drain from his shoulders. He said, “Hello, Irogh.”

Irogh was the same man he remembered; orcol, very handsome, with short salt-and-pepper hair. The man smiled, showing off his large lower fangs, as he said, “Welcome, Erick. How can I help you?”

“Hi! Yes. Sorry for trying to be quick and rude about this: How long till these New Stats are real? Did I fuck up [Quick Spell], or is that the good version? You probably won’t answer that, but I’m trying, anyway. And with my Intelligence dropping most spell costs down to nothing, which Class Ability would be better to replace for Quest Board: 10% Spell Cost Reduction, or Force Savant?”

Irogh let out a small laugh, then said, “I’m not sure about any of that.”

Erick paused. “Uh. What?” He narrowed his eyes, questioningly, saying, “I expected some denials of answers, but to not know any of them?”

“I know that my memory got blanked the last time you were here, and I’d prefer for that to not happen again. To that end:” Irogh announced, “You’ve been approved as a Minor Entity of the Script. Congratulations! That designation means this:”

As Erick was still trying to process the sudden event unfolding before him, a blue box appeared.

Welcome, Erick Flatt, to the roster for Minor Entities of the Script.

What this means, is that you now have the ability to act as a Registrar for yourself. Questions you would normally pose to a Registrar will now be directly answered by Rozeta, if such answers are possible. Please note that due to operational security, Rozeta WILL NEVER answer questions about how the Script works, but she will always explain your newfound magics or abilities to you.

You have NOT been granted power.

You have NOT been granted legitimacy.

You have NOT been granted a vote.

You will be denounced as a Minor Entity if you abuse the access you have been given.

Thank you for understanding.

Irogh said, “All you have to do is send a small prayer and Rozeta will answer you, directly, allowing you to work your Status however you wish. You still need to provide grand rads if you wish for large alterations, though. That part hasn’t changed.”

It seemed like a whirlwind of events was happening all around him, and all Erick could do was hold on and weather the storm. It had only been three days since the Shadow’s Feast, and now this was happening, too? Whatever ‘this’ was, anyway. Erick had heard of ‘Minor Entities of the Script’ before; one of the authors of one of the Headmaster’s large tomes had been a Minor Entity.

But what did that actually mean? Was it just a self-Registrar ability? Really?

And yet, Erick only had one problem with what was happening right now. He said, “I feel like I’m going to miss our interactions.”

Irogh smiled again, saying, “I will too, but I won’t miss the mind wipes. Don’t go abusing what you’ve been given. I suggest you only use this new ability when you’re in a secured and private location. Operational security is real, Erick.”

“… Okay.” Erick deflected that problem to another hour. He focused on Irogh, saying, “There’s going to be more parties, and I might have one in a few months. Silverite has asked me to leave Spur for a little while, so I’ll probably do that, but do you want to come to that eventual party?”

“Maybe I will.” Irogh smiled, and said, “Thank you for the invite.”

Erick nodded, then turned back toward the blue door to the room. “There’s people waiting out there for me, isn’t there?”

“I’m sure you’ll survive the attention.”

Steeling himself, Erick said, “I’ll see you when I see you, Irogh! Thanks for everything.”

Irogh said, “Thanks for coming to Spur almost a full year ago.”

“Thanks for the welcome reception almost a full year ago!” Erick braved the door, opening it wide. A dozen voices called out to him, but guards had pushed the crowd back while Erick was meeting Irogh, leaving him with a clear path to Poi. “See you!”

Irogh waved from his office as Erick touched Poi with a light tendril, and the two of them lightstepped away, back home.

The crowd voiced their disappointment with ‘Aww!’s and ‘Dammit, I wanted to talk to him!’s and various other annoyed words.

- - - -

It was time to get gone.

Erick set down his two packed bags onto the floor of the foyer, then called out, “Where is everyone! Aren’t we ready yet?”

Kiri shouted back, “Check in isn’t till noon!” She rambled into view atop the grand staircase, carrying two bags with her. “What’s the rush?”

Erick smiled. “I have an announcement!”

Teressa stepped out of the kitchen, saying, “Ah? Boss?”

“Nothing to do with you— Well. Maybe slightly to do with everyone. But this is personal.”

Poi walked out from behind Teressa, asking, “Do you really feel it necessary to spill this secret, too?”

“What secret?” Jane stepped out of the shadows under the staircase. “What’s going on?”

Kiri plopped her bags onto the ground next to Erick’s as she eyed him.

Justine stepped into view atop the staircase, then took several steps down. She did not join the group gathered around Erick, though; she held back.

With everyone more or less there, Erick announced, “I know how to get [Gate], and— Yes, yes, Kiri. I see you all excited. You know the Quest? Yes, you do. I already showed you.” Erick handed out the box to all of them, just so they could see again.

Special Quest!

The Worldly Path 0/1

OR

10 Points

Reward: The ability to cast Gate

He said, “It involves a trip around the world, done without Spatial Magics to make the trip shorter, for there is no actual destination, because the journey is the destination. Which means this small vacation to Treehome is just the start, for me. Everyone else can make their own decision about if they want to come all the way with me around the world, or not, but there will be no hard feelings if you just want to get on with your own life, or plans. I honestly have no idea how long this is going to take.”

Silence filled the room.

Erick added, “I’m keeping the house in Spur, and will be turning the weather nice around here whenever necessary. If you chose to only come part way, you’re still part of this household. This is just an extended vacation, for me. And maybe for you, too, if you want? Planned locations include the Songli Highlands, the Orrery of Rozeta, and the Core.”

Kiri’s eyes went wide again. “Holy— The Core?!”

Jane smiled wide.

Poi frowned.

Teressa looked pensive,

Justine looked… Hmm.

Erick said, “Nothing will change in the long run. I’ll be back to Spur eventually. But this is my plan going forward. I also picked up this Class Ability called the Quest Board, though I’m still debating how to use it. I’ll probably get some Quests from some Relevant Entities and knock those out as I’m traveling, but hopefully they’re not too arduous.” When no one spoke, and Jane just smiled wider, Erick added, “It’s just something for everyone here to think about.”

Justine said, “I won’t be going.”

Everyone turned toward her.

Justine added, “You said I could stay here as long as I wished, but, I think this is a good spot to break this temporary arrangement. I wasn’t even coming with you to Treehome.” She stood tall. She said, “I’m level 57 again. I snuck off into Ar’Kendrithyst to kill some known monsters. I’m ready to go back to Candlepoint, and I will be doing this, today. Now is a good time.”

Erick said, “I’m happy to have helped you when I could, Justine. You’re welcome to come back whenever you wish. Are you packed up, too?”

“It would take but a moment to do so.” Justine bowed at the foot of the grand staircase. She rose, saying, “Thank you for everything. Could you please remove my prismatic permissions in a few hours? I should be gone by then.”

“I’ll do you better than that. I’ll keep your permissions active for a day, okay? If you have to come back for the night, I’ll know with Ophiel, and I’ll keep your permissions active even longer.” Erick said, “You don’t have to run off because I’m running off for a while. I mean that.”

Justine smiled, faintly. She sniffled, held back her tears, and said, “I am eternally grateful for everything you have done for me, Archmage Flatt. If I can ever repay even a portion of your goodwill, please do not hesitate to ask.” She bowed again. She rose again, saying, “I’m… I’m going to hurry up with that packing. Goodbye, Archmage Flatt.”

His heart broke a little to hear her call him something besides Erick. He said, “Please. Call me Erick.”

“I cannot. That would be too informal.” She bowed again. “If you will excuse me, I must prepare. You have been extraordinarily kind in ways I did not deserve. Thank you, for everything.” She blipped away; just upstairs, not wanting to wait for Erick to say another word.

He could tell that leaving was hard on her, but also that it was something she had to do. Erick wished her the best. She wouldn’t be in the house when they got back from Treehome, and that was an emotional blow, but Erick could visit her in Candlepoint, anyway. She’d be fine.

This was okay.

Jane glanced at the spot where Justine had been, then looked to her dad. With a smirk, she said, “This ‘Worldly Path’ sounds pretty darn awesome to me.”

Erick felt a rush of warm joy flush through his body. He said, “I’m glad to hear you say that.”

“Well shit yeah, dad!” Jane said, “Let’s see the entire world! Fuck yea I want to see the Core!”

Kiri said, “You have no idea what that means, Jane.”

“It means I get to kill a level 90 monster, Kiri!” Jane playfully demanded, “Where’s your sense of adventure!”

“Dead and buried so that I can stay alive, thank you very much.”

Jane laughed.

Teressa brought them back down to the moment, saying, “Let’s see Treehome first, please.” She added, “And I need to get my bags.”

Jane rushed off, saying, “Me too!”

Poi silently went to his own room, to grab what he needed.

Five minutes later, they were all gathered back in the foyer.

“Okay!” Erick held out tendrils of light, touching Teressa, Kiri, Poi, and Jane, as he said, “Getting around Ar’Kendrithyst without blipping was kinda difficult, at first, but then it got really easy toward the end. Poi, Teressa: We should probably go by that Light Dungeon I made and get you [Greater Lightwalk]. It’s very, very useful.” He deployed his [Lodestar], turning the light around all of them all up to eleven, as he said, “This first step is gonna be big, but it won’t be bad—”

- - - -

Erick stepped once, and moved a hundred kilometers to the north of Spur, and a good twenty meters off of the ground. Light glowed like a platform underneath everyone, easily supporting their weight in the afternoon sky.

Teressa exclaimed, “That wasn’t a [Teleport]!”

Poi smiled.

Kiri said, “Holy crap you can do that? How much mana was that?”

“Negligible.” Erick said, “Maybe 3? Without the Intelligence cutting spell costs it would only be 10, anyway.”

Jane stared at her father. “How did you do that?”

He smiled. “Domains are important, Jane. You need one.”

She frowned at him.

Erick admitted, “It’s called [Lightwalk] for a reason. Just walk on the light! And then use the light to help you walk faster, and a Domain to walk even faster than that! Simple.” Before anyone could interrupt again, Erick said, “But we’re delaying the trip. Hold on! Here we go again. A lot of steps this time, each one faster than the Script Second!”

Erick stepped once, and moved his whole party another hundred kilometers. And then again, and again. Before long, Erick stepped the five of them to the edge of the Crystal Forest. A few more steps brought them over the Wyrmridge Mountains, into the airspace of the Forest, and within sight of Treehome.

Teressa looked down upon the vast green world ahead, and smiled.

Erick looked down upon the vast green world ahead, and wondered if he could talk to the particularly large trees that dotted the sprawling community of Treehome. They were Arbor trees, after all. Giant, massive, former [Familiar]s, each one reaching a thousand meters into the sky. Some, even higher than that.

And then another thought occurred: Maybe the whirlwind would calm down a little bit.

This was supposed to be a vacation, after all.