129, 2/2

An Ophiel descended to a tower of the Mage Guild of Spur. He stepped inside, allowing Erick to greet his two passengers, then wrap them in light. After several quick lightsteps, Sizzi and Sirocco Zago stood before Erick, Koropo, and Bloodwoo, upon a platform of the Red Henge.

The two of them looked much as Erick remembered. Both mother and daughter were pale violet incani with upturned horns and white hair. Sirocco was in her 60s, but Sizzi was somewhere around 30. Both could easily pass for noble women, considering that their rose-red dresses were surely designed to impress. The only ornaments they wore were silver jewelry, in Sirocco’s case, and a gold bracelet with bright purple gems for Sizzi.

The band was one of Sizzi’s summons; made with [Stoneshape], if Erick recalled correctly. Her other summon was upon her shoulder; a tiny, magenta bunny. That bunny flopped her ears and wiggled her nose, as she looked upon Erick. It had been a trivial thing to include both extra ‘bodies’ in Ophiel’s lightstep trip to the Red Henge, but Sizzi would need to resummon the rest to this location, now that she was here.

Erick blinked, and one bunny became two. Sizzi was already resummoning them.

Both of the women looked to Erick, but then looked up, and up, to regard Bloodwoo. The man was rather tall. Erick barely came up to his thigh.

Erick smiled, saying, “Hello, Sirocco. Sizzi. I’m glad you two could make it on such short notice.” He gestured to Bloodwoo, saying, “Chieftain Bloodwoo Nosier of Arbor Nosier.” He gestured to Koropo. “Warchief Koropo Ikabobbi of Arbor Ikabobbi.” He gestured to the newcomers, saying, “Sirocco Zago and Sizzi Zago; Guildmaster of Spur’s Mage Guild and her Summoner daughter.”

Sizzi gave a small curtsy. Sirocco did not.

Koropo nodded in greeting.

Bloodwoo regarded Sirocco, saying, “Welcome to the Grand Hunt of all Moon Reachers and Deathsoul Shrooms on Glaquin. I have heard some interesting information, but is your daughter capable of what I have heard?”

Sirocco did not miss a beat, saying, “She is more than up for the challenge and the honor of participating in your Grand Hunt. Just last week, her Summons ventured into Ar’Kendrithyst and slew dozens of high-level monsters. She has Classed into Summoner, and I have no doubt she will be a power unto herself in a short time.” Sirocco said, “She merely needs a good foothold upon history to become that power.”

Bloodwoo said, “We shall grant her this opportunity after a successful display.” He turned to Sizzi, saying, “Your level and the box for your summon.”

They had never asked Erick for that, nor had they asked Kiri for hers. But Sizzi did not rank that high; not yet, anyway. Sirocco held one hand on top of her other, as she turned to her daughter, and nodded, fractionally; she had obviously anticipated this, and had likely told her daughter what to expect.

Sizzi curtsied again, then held up a blue box. Erick had already seen her summon’s spell once, but he saw it again, now. It looked almost exactly like Ophiel’s.

Bloodwoo read the box. His eyes went slightly wider when he was done. “I was informed you had multiple summons?” His eyes flicked from the bunny on Sizzi’s shoulder to the bracelet on her arm. “This is just one box, though.”

Sizzi said, “Thank you for this opportunity, Chieftain Bloodwoo, but if you would allow this beginner mage some of her own secrets, the box for Rokkel and Grahla are mostly the same.”

“Do you have much experience with ranged-killing?” Bloodwoo glanced to Sirocco, saying, “I have heard of your mother’s capabilities for [Scry]ing. I imagine that if you learned some of her skills in addition to your unusually well-made summons, then you truly will become a force to be reckoned with in the future. Or even right now.”

“I have learned much of what is taught in my mother’s Guildhouse and have been running myself ragged assisting with the Army of Spur in our pacification of Ar’Kendrithyst. Or at least the management of the horrors coming out of there every day, now that the Shades are gone.”

Erick stood straighter. Ah. Maybe Sizzi had been really busy? He looked to Sirocco, and she looked at him, but said nothing.

Bloodwoo nodded, seemingly satisfied. He said, “We’ll try not to keep you too long. But it might be a month.”

Sizzi nodded, saying, “I am sure that with Archmage Flatt, myself, your own people, and the might of Treehome backing us all, we can rid the Forest of Glaquin of at least a few major threats. It benefits us to assist with this, for now that the Shades are gone, we might look into corralling the Crystal Mimics and bringing back part of that green land, too. But if the Forest still exists as it does, then that is just asking for us to turn Glaquin into another Nergal, or gods forbid, Quintlan.” She said, “We are thinking that we would like your assistance with this when the time comes.”

Sirocco spoke up, “There is also the matter of payment.”

Bloodwoo regarded Sizzi; he ignored Sirocco. “Who is ‘we’?”

“Spur.” Sizzi said, “And the Wasteland Kingdoms.”

Bloodwoo said, “Hmm.”

Erick frowned. He wanted to hum his disapproval, too, but after a moment he put a happy face back on, and said, “A dream for another day. How far is the Wasteland thinking of expanding?”

Sirocco spoke up, “The Magisterium is considering expanding all the way up and around Candlepoint.”

Erick could not stop his face from doing a turn. Perhaps his eyes went wide? He wasn’t quite sure.

Sirocco spoke into the sudden silence all around them, “Now that the Shades are gone, all that fresh water is out there, and we have a friendly face as the Archmage in charge of that land, the people of the Wasteland are eager to establish new lands past the Wall. We desire to open up trade routes with the new land of shadelings, and to restore the sandy land of the Crystal Forest back to its green self of a thousand years ago. Or at least one small part of it.” She added, “A test case for future expansions, at the very least.”

Erick’s face surely did another weird thing.

Sizzi and Sirocco both glanced his way, before looking back up at Bloodwoo.

Bloodwoo turned slightly, toward Erick. “Were you aware they were going after your city?”

“That is the furthest perspective of the truth as anyone could be.” Sirocco, politely, said, “We merely see the benefit of such an action; of getting close to our newest neighbor. A bridging of nations, both old and newly formed.”

Sizzi, in what was likely a prearranged signal, ended further discussion by speaking up, “I am here to help Treehome and all citizens of this world, and I would like to get to that. Is there a place I could be, Chieftain Bloodwoo?”

Bloodwoo gestured to Koropo. “Warchief Koropo can fit you into the working. Light duty for now, or whatever he decides. Much of your main duty would come later when we assault the adult Deathsoul Shrooms.” He turned back to Sirocco. “Guildmaster Zago. I ask you to join me for a talk, but first I would know your allegiance. Do you work for Spur, or for the Wasteland? Who am I dealing with, here?”

“I work for the good of Spur, but I know the location of my homeland and my ancestors.” Sirocco asked, “Treehome might distance itself from these affairs, but you have heard that the humans have released a Converter Angel against us, have you not? Archmage Flatt is even honor-bound to fight the thing, which should come as no secret.”

Bloodwoo frowned. “Let us talk somewhere else.”

Sirocco asked, “Will you be joining us, Erick?”

“No thank you. I am needed here.” He wasn’t exactly mad, but he did need to think for a minute, or a few hours. If he went with Sirocco and Bloodwoo he would surely blow up at them, and besides that, he was needed here; Erick had not lied. Every five minutes something was happening that required the adjustment of a map, the elimination of a particular threat, or the rescue of a team, though, thankfully, that last one had only happened once, so far. He said to Sirocco, “Thanks for coming, and for informing me of the new state of the world.”

Sirocco said, “It’s nothing sinister, Erick. Baroness Xelxex has sent some envoys to Candlepoint and she liked what they showed her. Our Stone Archmage, Peatrice Shallowhammer, has fully recovered, too, so the capability of us changing the landscape of the Crystal Forest has gone up a notch. Ah. And you should know, now: The reason she and Orenza were injured last time you interacted with us, when you were clearing out those mimics? That was the Converter Angel. The Wasteland has been fending off strikes from various unconnected foes for the last few months, but it is only now, with Caizoa and the Black Star, that we have managed to root out those infections and see those separated incidents for the larger scheme that they were.”

Erick felt a profound gulf of dispassion swallow him, as he said, “I really hope the Wasteland doesn’t bring the Quiet War to Candlepoint. I will not abide that, Sirocco.”

With a perfectly political smile, Sirocco said, “We would never do such a thing, Erick.”

Bloodwoo interjected, “Yes they would. They will drag you down if you let them, Erick.”

Sirocco conceded, “We cannot control what the Republic does, but we have obligations to respond.”

Bloodwoo hummed, then said, “Let us be off to Nosier, then, Guildmaster. I’m sure you can’t stay for very long.” He regarded Sizzi, saying, “Koropo is empowered to talk of gold, after he sees you in action.” He nodded to Koropo.

Koropo gestured away, saying, “This way, miss.”

Sizzi curtsied again, then followed the Warchief.

Sirocco asked Bloodwoo, “A [Teleport]?”

Bloodwoo held out a hand. “Of course.”

Hand in hand, the Chieftain and the Guildmaster vanished in a blip of green light.

Erick remained. It had all happened so fast. The Wasteland wanted Candlepoint, eh?

Was that a good thing?

He looked up at the blue, blue sky, and at the ribbons of red that flowed through the manasphere, curling around floating red crystals like they were whirlpools. And then Poi, who stood behind him this whole time.

Poi shrugged.

Erick nodded. He got back to work. Maps needed adjusting. Monsters needed killing.

The sun moved across the sky.

And Erick got to see Sizzi in action.

– – – –

Grass grew to the sides of a game trail carved into the Forest floor, while trees blocked out almost all light from above. Something magenta flashed inside the grass. Tall ears poked from the green, followed by a twitching nose and beady eyes.

The bunny looked up.

Some of the trees were not like the others. Instead of brown bark with green moss and vining leaves covering them, they were silver shaggy things, topped with shaggy silver pillows each the size of a mattress.

One of the mattresses moved. It tilted a bit, to look down. Tiny black eyes, like polished obsidian, blinked at the bright bunny below.

And then a tiny hand, covered in rings of tarnished silver and dirty gold, came down from that silver mattress, as that mattress smiled.

Teeth, like a shark’s, surrounded a hole of red flesh that quickly widened into something much too large for the monster to which it belonged. A biologist from Earth would have trouble putting together the bone structure of such a beast, but any knowledgeable person from Veird could tell you that the bones of a Moon Reacher were more suggestions and cartilage, than the solidness of any femur or ulna. Moon Reachers were basically stomachs attached to rubber arms, and made all the more horrific for it, for the only way they could support their own bodies was through prodigious Strength. The only way they could maintain their health, for all the parasites and bugs crawling on their skin, was through a Vitality of the same.

With some artistic license taken, the Moon Reacher did what it was named after. It seemed to reach from the moon, or at least a very high space, to pluck at the bunny down below.

The bunny responded with lightning.

A [Grand Lightning].

A tempest unsealed! A storm brought down to land! Magenta cables of thick, coruscating power struck from that tiny magenta bunny, running up the length of the arm reaching for it, then continuing on to every other target in sight. Five Moon Reachers, none of them that close to each other and only one of them briefly aware of their death before it happened, each received a dose of shocking power that went back and forth several times in the blink of a single Script Second, connecting each monster to each other, frying, burning, electrocuting, and killing, while excess power continuously flashed out into the rest of the Forest, burning trees and incinerating green life.

The bunny’s job was done. Her mana was used up. The bunny seemed to sigh into the Forest as she turned into dissipated mana.

In other parts of the Forest, tiny not-slimes made of gold and amethyst eyes found their own targets. They too, discharged their [Grand Lightning], ending themselves in the process. They had just enough mana to get to their targets, and to kill their targets. Some of the more distant targets required multiple [Teleport]s to get there, and those bunnies had to wait to recharge, but that didn’t take too long.

Sizzi was a Scion of Focus with a pair of Erick’s Willpower and Focus rings on her fingers, after all.

And besides that! Those bunnies and gold-amethyst slimes came back at the rate of one every minute, for their creator was a Summoner and one of her Class Abilities let her summons come back on their own, depending on how many remained. Bunnies multiplied like… Well. Bunnies.

Slimes multiplied like cells dividing.

In addition to that Class Ability, another Class Ability Sizzi had was to double the number of summons by halving their mana and damage.

So.

This meant that, all around the Forest, 38 targets at a time (Sizzi kept one bunny and slime with her, of course), lightning loosed, and Moon Reachers died, for of course they died. [Grand Lightning], like [Grand Fireball], like many other ‘Grand’ type spells, was actually multiple [Lightning]s at the same time.

– – – –

Sizzi said, “Nine [Lightning]s, in my case, based around [Force Beam] with Mana Altering for Lightning and Chaining, with the duration shunted into more power for a minimally increased cost.” She popped out a blue box. “It’s the limit of my current ability, Warchief.”

Erick looked at the blue box, then back to Sizzi. The spell was expensive! But it worked.

Sizzi must have noticed his look. She glanced to him, but spoke to Koropo, “It’s expensive, but thanks to the rings Archmage Flatt gifted Spur for the defense of the city, even with each summon halved in power, each Rokkel or Ghrala has enough mana to get to one target, and then to take out that target.”

Koropo eyed the rings on Sizzi’s fingers, and there was a desire there, but he did not ask Erick for rings, and Erick did not offer.

Erick shifted the conversation, “Summoners are pretty good.”

Sizzi grinned. “This would not be possible without you, Archmage.”

“Or you, either,” Erick said, for Sizzi had helped him to make Ophiel in the first place.

Koropo sighed, then smiled wide, showing off his lower fangs, as he said, “Ah! This is wonderful. We really need to train some good Summoners.” He looked to Erick. “We’re offering a million gold for whatever method allowed this new breed to flourish. I want rings, too. Name your price.”

Erick suddenly balked. “What? No.” And then he seemed to see a glimpse of a terrible future, and every good thing he saw before him took on a darker hue. Last he heard, Sizzi had accidentally given away his method for making Ophiel to her uncle, who ran off to the Magisterium of the Wasteland and tried to give it to them, but as far as Erick knew, nothing came of that, thank the gods! Well, he wasn’t going to take a second chance and let this method go to Treehome, either. And besides that— He rapidly asked, “You don’t consider this a war crime waiting to happen? That’s what I was worried for, at first. But if it’s just me, Kiri, and Sizzi, then that’s fine! But no more!” He doubled down. “No more. Not from me.” He looked to Sizzi. “No.” He added, “No rings either. Sorry. Uh. No.”

The incani woman nodded.

“I will ask after the rings some other time, and yes, you are right about these summons being warcrimes waiting to happen.” Koropo said, “But all archmages are all warcrimes waiting to happen. It changes nothing that you have summons like you have. But Miss Zago here? And Miss Flamecrash? These are new magics that would save countless lives. We would obviously need to implement some failsafes, like perhaps having practitioners get their mind blanked by a Mind Mage after a successful creation… But that is just a detail of security. There are many achievements to your name, Erick, but personally, this summoning achievement is the one where I see the most opportunity for good.”

“Still. No.” Erick said, “I am glad no one has been able to replicate this success.”

Koropo sighed, small. The Warchief suddenly waved off, saying, “Onto the job! We’re glad to have you here, Sizzi Zago. My people will keep you in the loop and active.”

Sizzi curtsied. “Though I will not be spilling Archmage Flatt’s secrets, I will be paid for my efforts on the Reachers and the Shrooms, Warchief.”

Koropo laughed. “Aye! Wouldn’t have it any other way. Our people come through and clean up the messes, but if anything should happen to not be there during that clean up, then that’s fine. Don’t get too greedy, though. This Culling is expensive. Other than any choice of treasures you might find, we’re offering 10% of whatever you kill in rads and 10% of your portion of the day’s kills in treasure, to be divided at the end of every day. It’s the same offer we’ve given everyone. The only limit to how much you make is how fast and how many Moon Reachers you can eliminate.”

Sizzi said, “Very well. I accept this standard offer.”

“Good.” Koropo said, “You’ll go far, Miss Zago.”

“I intend to.”

Koropo chuckled as he walked away to deal with a clerk who had been waiting for him.

Erick turned to Sizzi. “That’s some nice Summoner Class you have. I didn’t expect doubled summons and automatic resummoning. What else is there?”

Sizzi smiled; a genuine expression. “A lot I wished I could have taken, but I settled for Doubled Mana and Regen and a few other basic Abilities. I couldn’t have done this without you, Erick. Thank you.”

“I couldn’t have done it without you, either. And Koropo’s right, you know.” Erick said, “You’ll go far. I hope you make good choices, but then again, I hope that for everyone.”

Sizzi turned serious. She bowed. “Thank you for this opportunity.”

Erick would have spoken more with her, but Koropo wasn’t the only one with a clerk waiting to speak with them. Sizzi also had some people waiting to get her into the system. He asked her, “We’ll do dinner, perhaps? You and your mother and all of us from Spur?”

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“I would be delighted, and I’m sure my mother would be as well.”

“And now for work.” He turned to the clerk assigned to him, asking, “What’s up?”

“Just some adjustments to map 14, 17, and 19, Archmage.”

“Around the Fallen Hills?”

“Correct. We need…”

– – – –

The day came and went.

New numbers were tallied.

There would be five more days of this, or somewhere around there, and then…

Every single Moon Reacher in the Forest of Glaquin would be dead and gone.

Sirocco spoke over her glass of wine, “But there are still more Moon Reachers in the world, and even on Glaquin. They don’t like the mountains for all the Stone Elementals roaming that land, but they do still exist in the Wyrmridge, the Greyhorn, and everywhere else.”

Erick cut into his steak, saying, “There was talk about that today. Treehome wants to assist with Imaging and culling all throughout the mountains around the Crystal Forest.”

Dinner was served in a private room to the west of the hotel under Arbor O’kabil, and it had been served fast. Kiri, Sizzi, and Jane all sat next to each other. Poi and Teressa sat on the other side of the table.

Erick and Sirocco sat on opposite ends.

After a few small words between everyone, and a few small pleasantries, here they were. In a certain sort of way it was nice to see Sirocco again, but so far Erick was still tense, and could not put out of his mind that the Wasteland wanted to expand around Candlepoint, like some amoeba swallowing a morsel. Sirocco didn’t seem to want to approach that topic yet, and neither did anyone else at their table, but that tension held in the air, for sure.

Sirocco asked, “If they approach the Wasteland for assistance or permission, then we will agree to assist. Moon Reachers are extraordinarily rare in the Greyhorns, but they do show from time to time. The only problem with getting rid of all of them in all the mountains would be the Greensoil Republic. Last I heard, that Converter Angel is in the Mondariskas, to the west of the Republic.”

“… I have half a mind to just get that over with.” Erick asked, “Is Caizoa ready?”

“She’s getting there.” Sirocco said, “And the Angel isn’t always over in those mountains, anyway. She moves around a lot. A lot faster than we thought possible. We think she has a [Gate].”

“You can just buy the Spell for 10 points, if you can get that far. And that’s concerning, simply due to the tactics required to take down such a target.” Erick said, “But what concerns me more is that you are speaking as though you are a member of the Kingdoms, and not a pillar of Spur.”

Silence, save for the scratching, and then sudden stopping, of cutlery on plates.

“In the face of such danger all incani must band together, for we die if we do not.” Sirocco said, “Even a pillar of Spur is a target.” She continued, “Did you know that I was scheduled to die, just seven days ago? It is true. An assassination attempt was scheduled to go off in the middle of the Triumph of Light, but then you happened with the Cleansing of the Shades, and Caizoa came out of there with the Black Star and upset the Angel’s plans in the Wasteland, and all those monsters came out of there, and we had to adjust every single one of our security protocols— It was this adjustment of protocols that saved my life.”

Erick had dropped his fork. He didn’t even know he had dropped it until Sirocco had paused her terrifying words.

Sirocco said, “Silverite authorized a few special scanning magics which we installed in a few discreet locations. These scanners caught the intruding Angel-touched mere minutes before they attacked. I was saved. Eleven people were killed in the crossfire.”

“… I am sorry, Sirocco.”

“For what?” Sirocco asked, flippantly. “Don’t mistake me, Erick. I’m not mad at you. You have a full schedule. You are dealing with matters that affect the world over and it’s not like this was my first time as a target of assassination; No. Frontier has tried to murder me too many times since I became the Guildmaster of Spur. I’m not mad at you. I’m mad at the Angels. I’m mad at the humans of this world. I have had to deal with this Quiet War my whole life. It is exhausting.” She asked, “Aren’t you mad at the Republic, too? They’ve withheld that Quest reward for killing the Daydroppers for months upon months! They refuse to execute that woman in their custody, and thus they screw you out of those points that are rightfully yours.”