179, 2/2

Erick and Tasar stepped down onto the beach near the t-station. Riivo had appeared less than a minute ago, looking like the kindly old iron man that he tried to be. A block of platinum a meter across held in the air next to him, shining bright with reflected light; it was 21 metric tons, and taking it through the t-station like Riivo had was the same as blipping 21 people, so it must have cost a fair bit of mana to move. Erick commented on that if only to be polite and to start the conversation. Riivo said it was no trouble at all, and then went through some pleasantries of his own. When those were done Erick introduced Riivo to Yggdrasil.

With a pleasant smile, Riivo bowed to the meter-wide iridescent eye of Yggdrasil, saying, “Hello, Yggdrasil. I’m Riivo of Archmage’s Rest. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

“Hello, Riivo. I am Yggdrasil of Erick.” Yggdrasil tipped his eye, saying, “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

Riivo had a little chuckle while Erick and Tasar grinned at Yggdrasil’s introduction.

Moments later, Erick set down the block of platinum inside his Privacy space, upon Yggdrasil’s boughs, while Tasar and Riivo sat down at the table. Yggdrasil’s tiny [Scry] eye prowled the Privacy, watching the newcomer as he had watched Tasar earlier. Ophiel did the same, but from his various perches around the room. Both of Erick’s summons had much the same reactions to new people in this space; they didn’t quite like it. Possibly because Erick didn’t quite like it, either, but it was what it was.

Erick offered, “Would you like any tea? We have some here, courtesy of Tasar’s mother, Otaliya. It’s quite good.”

“I have always enjoyed Otaliya’s blends, so I would gladly take some tea,” Riivo said, “I would also enjoy speaking of Kydyr’s final days.”

The mood was already somber because everyone knew that this was going to happen, but at Riivo’s declaration it was time to actually start that conversation. So, as Erick began making tea, talking all the while. He spoke a little of how his lessons with Kydyr went, speaking of how he had problems with shadowork and how Kydyr had helped. He still didn’t think shadows were ‘real’, but that didn’t really matter. Mostly, he spoke of how Kydyr had acted before the Fae Magic incident. And then… How he acted after. He spoke of how Kydyr had gone raging mad, and how he had no idea what he had done, so Kydyr explained, and then went on to explain quite a lot. Erick had never heard of Elemental Fae before then. Kydyr warned him away from further Fae Magic, and started warning of the ‘Flowery Murderess’ with a little rhyme that he purposefully didn’t finish, because he realized he was rhyming, and apparently that would have called her down on him. Eventually, Erick offered to kill the Flowery Murderess with Kydyr’s help, but Kydyr said no.

Erick said, “Then there was talk of the Worldly Path, and what sort of magic I should try to get a Wizard to make in order to complete [Gate] without Melemizargo.”

Riivo nodded solemnly. Tasar sighed.

Riivo said, “I would prefer to discuss the [Gate] business after we know of Kydyr’s full final day.”

Erick nodded. “Then Kydyr helped me to make the standard runic web spells, though he did want me to do the Object variants. I did not do that. I made the full [Concealment] and [Intangibility] spells, and then we moved on to runic webs.” He continued, “Several hours and meals later, Kydyr said I was as competent as anyone hoping to graduate from apprenticeship, but that I would forever have trouble because I have no Runic Class, or Class Ability which grants runic assistance.

“Kydyr casually spoke as though he wanted to move to Yggdrasil’s cavern, and I approved. I was happy about the move. So I began to set down some small rules, which mostly involved making sure Yggdrasil was comfortable with the move before the move… And Kydyr rescinded his desire, calling it a flight of fancy. I tried to get him to come, but…

“Since we were done, he told me to go.” Erick said, “He thanked me for killing Ar’Kendrithyst and I moved on toward talking of what was coming next, and how I hope the Headmaster didn’t ask me to go into Ar’Cosmos to kill a bunch of dragons for him. And then…” Erick frowned. “He spoke as though all dragons deserved to die, for they’ve all ‘done horrible things to innocent people’. I now believe that he knew what was coming for him, though I did not understand as much at the time.”

Tasar and Riivo had listened the whole way through. Both had sipped their tea, but most of the caramel-colored liquid remained in their cups, growing cold.

Riivo spoke first. “He always thought himself guilty of some great crime.”

Tasar scowled. “He was not guilty of anything. He tried, and he failed, to purge the world of Ar’Cosmos, along with a great many more of us. There was no crime committed except for the crime that can exist between nations attacking mass murderers.” She added, “And that whole thing was done with! We had a treaty. Our treaty enforced certain lines but the Flowery Murderess—!” Tasar glared at nothing. “She broke treaty.” She breathed, then she relaxed, and said, “Theoretically, anyway. If the Dark’s words prove to be true then there might be another war. A more solid one this time, too. Less small solutions to small problems. More permanent solutions to apparently permanent problems.”

Riivo frowned. “Outright war is likely not the best solution.”

“Ar’Cosmos is not going to give up their progenitor, and executing the Flowery Murderess’s current persona of Letter Killer is not going to be enough.” Tasar said, “The Shades are dead. Erick is going to make [Gate] within the year time limit given to us by Stratagold. We wrought will enforce peace and prosperity across this world, and that means inside Ar’Cosmos, as well. Kirginatharp is undoubtedly going to call for a purge—”

“I do not care for that bloodthirsty man.” Riivo said, “And you should be less eager for what the changing world will bring. Destruction will come before stability, and I am not looking forward to that first half of the coming changes. The dragons are not a threat at the current moment, even with the Flowery Murderess’s action, but if we push, they could become a threat. This is what almost happened last time.”

Tasar frowned at the old iron man, saying, “Ending an existential threat to the world should not be a problem for you.”

In that moment, Erick was conflicted. He saw in Tasar’s words his own words, reflected and changed but embodying the same sort of emotion as his own emotions, when he had spoken those same words about the Shades.

Riivo calmly said, “Tasar. To start: A Geode Guardian should be more concerned with defense than offense, but also, I do not wish to have this conversation at this moment. I wish to discuss Kydyr’s death; not the full implications of what his murder means for troop movements.”

Tasar pulled back. She relaxed. “Of course. I will say one last thing, though. The dragons threatened to march on the world before but the Shades dominated the Surface and stopped them. With the Shades gone, the dragons will choose domination again.”

Erick could no longer be a bystander in the conversation. “I have a question about that.”

Riivo froze, as though realizing Erick was here, and then he nodded. Tasar gasped a little, a sudden dark gleam in her eyes. Both of them had briefly forgotten about Erick, but now, they realized what their conversation looked like, and especially how it looked to Erick. Tasar had focused on the vengeance…

But Riivo had focused on… too much to narrow down. He was especially hard to read in that transformative moment.

Erick said, “To make sure I am understanding correctly, the dragons of Ar’Cosmos have Dragon Essence and therefore the Dragon Blood Curse, so they can’t enter the world, but the threat you’re talking about are the specific houses of Fae, Carnage, and Death. Correct? Those are the only ones that can actually enter the world, and search for more Wizards to bring back to expand their Houses, unless I misunderstand something. What are we actually looking at, if war were to happen?”

Riivo said, “An offensive war, delving into Ar’Cosmos itself, is going to be terribly bloody.”

Tasar had a great deal more to say, though. “There is an estimated half a million people living inside Ar’Cosmos, though personal accounts vary wildly between 5,000 and a few million. It’s a realm so deep in the mana that space itself is twisted and tangled, so there is some discrepancy on true numbers, and none of our scouting missions have ever been terribly successful. All we have are estimates.

“But the three Houses of Ar’Cosmos are somewhat known to us, and each one holds between 20 to 50 full powered dragons, with Essence that has been shifted to their house’s Element. Each one is as strong as a real dragon, though those strengths have been shifted toward their specific power base. Maybe 1% of the people in there are these dragons.

“Them going on the offense means we will have between 30 to 50 full powered dragons entering the world. We can actually deal with that, and mostly, they can escape at-will back to Ar’Cosmos, which is why they remain inside. The Shades would have ended them too if they stepped out, but that is not something we would have ever counted on.

“Almost every other permanent resident of that place is either a dragon working to be elevated to a House, or a dragonkin that has yet to try and grow their Dragon Essence into something large enough to where they can become a true dragon, and thus become eligible for elevation to a House. This is about 25% of the population.

“Then there are the transients that live in Veird, and participate in dragon society inside Ar’Cosmos. These people enter the Forest of Glaquin and call to that Twisted Vision, and the Twisted Vision answers with a [Gate], providing a safe and private passageway which leads to the city itself.” Tasar said, “Once inside the city, the guest dragons will sometimes bargain to store their eggs until they can hatch in the safety and power of the Old Cosmology, though that is rare. Mostly, though, the transient dragons try to have something of a shadow society with banned books and the terrible learning of harmful magics and stripping Veird of anything valuable to bring back to Ar’Cosmos in the hopes of elevation to a House.

“And we’re probably going to have to go there because they do have [Gate] magics.” Tasar frowned as she nearly growled out, “All because of that Flowery Murderess! I don’t understand why she had to kill Kydyr. Gods above!” She breathed hard, then said, “We had a good thing going. We had peace.” She glared. “But the dragons… And That Fae. They saw a weakness. They took it. That’s who they are. And we’re going to have to go the full distance this time. The Shades are gone.”

“I disagree.” Riivo said, “Emotions are heightened right now and though war will likely happen, it will not happen simply because one hermit of an archmage was murdered— And I know that was awful to say, Tasar, but it is the truth.”

Tasar buried her feelings, saying, “We have lots of good reasons for war, and absolutely no reason to let them strike us first. Or again!”

Erick needed to shove the conversation away from war before he started asking questions about dragons and likely received horrible answers in turn. So he said, “I want to talk at length about Ar’Cosmos, but there are other topics which need hammering. My first concern should go quickly, but then I wish to talk of [Gate].”

Tasar sat up a bit, most of her anger purposefully crushed down in favor of magical discussion.

Riivo smiled softly, saying, “I have lots of time today for this, for I too, wish to talk of [Gate].”

Erick nodded, then said, “My first concern is that I will be making a runic web here, with the metals you brought. But I wish to know if I have actually secured your vote for the inquiry.”

Riivo nodded in thought, then he said, “I have a question, in turn. About the kill spell the Dark has revealed and you have turned on its head with your stunt in the embassy. What is the nature of the boon, to counter the burden?”

And because Kydyr had likely already told Riivo…

Erick simply said, “She helped me select a race of people; sorting out the question mark on my Status.”

Tasar went wide-eyed; surprised and full of questions.

“And the nature of this race?” Riivo asked, acting surprised, but not, because Kydyr had already told him, no doubt.

Tasar glanced at Riivo, surprised that he would ask such an invasive question. Matters of meetings with gods were always private affairs unless freely given.

Erick answered, “Between me and her, and no other.”

Riivo frowned a little, then said, “Kydyr had told me something like that, but I wasn’t sure and he had no further answers… Very well. Thank you for answering my question at all.” Riivo said, “Kydyr also told me that you were rather competent for your experience, so I doubt I will need to verify whatever [Fairy House] you construct in this location, but I would ask that you allow me to do so, anyway, whenever you manage to complete the project, or sometime soon afterward. As for the inquiry: I ask that you fulfill a few outstanding quests at the Rest so that I can give you the vote you request. If you complete these quests before Bright Tea, then I will be excited to call myself your ally in that venue.”

Erick smiled, and said, “Then I can do those quests after this meeting. On to [Gate]?”

Riivo said, “Please, yes.”

“What thoughts have you?” Tasar asked.

“I’ll lay them all out there, and then we can talk as you want.” Erick took a deep breath, then began, “Mana is an alternate reality that we connect to through our souls, which touch upon all possible realities at the same time. Fae Magic, in particular, can form an alternate reality and actually allow the user to step into the mana. You can see this from inside a [Fairy House] rather easily; when another thing moves from outside the space into the space, that other thing appears to be an illusion, or at least what an illusion would look like through [True Sight].

“So does [Fairy House] allow the user to step into an alternate reality inside the mana? Possibly.

“Could [Gate] be a deep enough step into this alternate reality, and then the inhabitant steps out of another location? To an outside observer, this would appear like [Gate]. Only the time spent in the alternate reality separates such an action from being [Gate], itself.

“So is the Wizardly part of this experience to shorten the time spent in the alternate reality? To create a door between one part of this material space that passes through this alternate space inside the mana, to then exit in another location?

“As a side note, it could be possible to create a construct in the mana that [Teleport]s someone down the path, but this would go against the 1000km limit of [Teleport] and maybe this idea isn’t the full idea, or even part of the idea, but I speak of it anyway, for completion’s sake.

“But back to alternate realities:

“What does the Dimensional Ban ACTUALLY DO?” Erick added, “And then there’s more about how Fate Magic is actually Spatial Magic, but maybe both Fate and Spatial Magics are truly Fae Magic? Which is actually Dimensional Magic? I don’t know. I’ve got a lot of puzzle pieces here and very few definite answers.”

Tasar was on the edge of her seat, looking like she wanted to speak up right as Erick mentioned alternate realities, but then Erick continued to speak. As he went through his ideas, Tasar looked less ready to speak, and more ready to listen, and think. She also frowned a little for any number of reasons; possibly about the idea of ‘realities in the mana’, but Erick wasn’t sure.

Riivo had a much calmer reaction, just listening.

When Erick finished, Riivo said, “Mana is not an alternate reality. The Dimensional Ban prevents transitioning to new realities. What Fae Magic does is trick, and deeply. Deep enough that we can call a place like Ar’Cosmos a fragment of the Old Cosmology but it is not actually that. In my learned opinion, this idea of Fae Magic acting like [Gate] is likely a good ending point for the Worldly Path, for a Wizard could likely Paradox such a thing into working as [Gate] appears to work.” He sighed. “But now, if this is true, then that means you must find a Paradox Wizard who is also learned in Fae Magic, which… I must be honest. You will likely fail.”

Tasar found something to say in that moment. “Riivo is correct that we could spend our allotted year searching for a Paradox Fae Wizard, or… We could just go to Ar’Cosmos and take whatever Fae-aligned Wizard they already have, for they have to have at least one for Essence Shifting purposes.”

“Oh!” Riivo perked up. “Yes. That might work. House Fae likely does have a Fae Wizard locked up… Or possibly drugged into compliance. Or…” His voice trailed off as he wasn’t sure how to say what needed to be said.

Tasar had no such trouble speaking. “Politeness is for polite times, Riivo.” Tasar said to Erick, “To tell it like it is: House Fae likely has at least one Wizard soul-mutilated into Fae Paradox, and compliance. Such a kidnapping mission would be beyond deadly, but it has the highest chance of us actually finding and securing a Wizard before the year is out.” She added, “We could search for a Wizard on Veird. Such a search would be difficult, but with a lot less potential for danger, though we would likely have to break such a Wizard along the Fae-Paradox axis ourselves, which I am not comfortable with… Or the Worldly Path could provide.” She did not look happy as she added those last words.

Letting the Worldly Path decide anything seemed like a bad idea to Erick, too.

Riivo nodded. “Better to kidnap such a mutilated Wizard out from under Ar’Cosmos, fully break them to acquire [Gate], and also to release them back into a normal life.”

Erick was awash with a dozen different emotions, from relief that the two wrought had instantly tried to solve [Gate] in the way that Erick had ‘solved’ gate, but through more exact, specific means, to how Tasar spoke openly about how they would need to rescue a Wizard from Ar’Cosmos, which was also nice. But then she mentioned fully breaking the Wizard for their own uses, which was… What they were going to have to do, Erick supposed, or leave it up to the Worldly Path, and Erick wasn’t sure which option was worse.

And then Riivo suggested a ‘release back into a normal life’, which was also nice, but in a creepy sort of way, because he spoke like it was only right and proper for him to decide the fate of others. But that’s what wrought did, Erick supposed.

Erick went back to the beginning of Riivo’s words, though, to focus on what he needed to understand. “So this idea of mine where [Gate] magic is primarily Fae Magic, but also Spatial Magic and Fate Magic and the construction of a sentient passageway in the reality of the mana, has merit?”

Riivo said, “On the surface, I should say so, especially that part about sentience, for Twisted Visions certainly have sentience. But I don’t understand what you mean by ‘alternate reality’, exactly. Dimensional Magic is Banned, as I have said. It could be that I am misunderstanding you, though.”

Tasar said, “I would also like more information.”

“Okay. Then first…” Erick asked, “Can you tell me what you think the Dimensional Ban does? From the top, please.”

Riivo sat back a moment in thought.

Tasar got right to it, saying, “To understand the Dimensional Ban, one needs to first understand how the Old Cosmology worked. Back before the Sundering, one could deepen one’s connection to any of the Elemental Planes that existed inside the mana and thus create rifts that radiated pure mana from any of the planes one could reach. The planes of Fire, Air, and the like, were easiest to reach, but there were also many others. In this way, the old mages were able to take in Fire mana, for instance, and then use that Fire mana to cast fire spells. This form of magic still exists to this day in the form of Rift Magic, but it’s not the same function at all.

“Not all Elemental Planes existed everywhere, but the primary six usually did.

“The Sundering had the effect of creating—

“Let me back up. One of the major theories of the Sundering is that someone created a Primal Tear in Old Cosmology, which then manifested as Primal Lightning, which crossed the entirety of the Old Cosmology, leaving behind massive voids in the manaocean. Veird, and all of the rest of the Old Cosmology, was sucked into one of these voids, to end up here, in this New Cosmology. It was only through the efforts of everyone within the proto-Script that they were able to manifest the Grand Translation, thus bringing Veird into physical alignment with this New Cosmology.

“The Dimensional Ban was meant to maintain the veil on the other Elemental Planes that exist inside the manasphere, preventing us from reaching them as the mages of the Old Cosmology routinely did.” Tasar said, “Therefore, your idea that [Gate] is some sort of dimensional hopping spell is likely not correct, since that magic was specifically Banned.”

Erick sat back in thought.

Riivo said, “That is the short version, and there’s some discrepancy about how Wizards create new Elements, but I agree with Tasar’s condensed explanation.”

Tasar nodded, then sat back and waited.

“Could Melemizargo’s Wizardry be enough to break that Ban?” Erick asked.

“Yes.” Riivo said. “If this Quest looks to go in that direction I suggest you stop and make do with t-stations.”

Tasar was sad at losing out on [Gate], but only for a moment, then she nodded, accepting Riivo’s words, adding, “Any Wizard we find won’t be able to break the Foundational Bans, anyway, so if this goes that way, we need to stop as soon as possible, if only to prevent further death through Fate’s tribulations as we keep trying to reach for something that we cannot grasp.”

“… Well. The good news is that I do not believe we need to break the Dimensional Ban.” Erick said, “But also, I believe that Fae Magic gets around this ban. All magic gets around this Ban, as you have stated it to exist.”

Riivo frowned, hummed, and said, “Controversial. But please continue.”

Tasar was all ears.

“I can make a [Sun Rift] that pours mana out of it to boost and harm in equal measure. Boosting magic is sort of like the mana alignment that you spoke of when you mentioned ‘mages taking in elemental fire’, Tasar.”

Tasar frowned a little. She did not believe him, but she wasn’t about to countermand his ideas before he was done with them.

Riivo had much the same reaction.

“Anyway.

“Fae Magic is weird, because everyone’s Fae Magic disrupts everyone else’s Fae Magic.

“Some magics get along fine, like overlapping [Ward]s work well together. Two people can cast two [Fireball]s on the same location, and while there is some fluid dynamics stuff going on with that, mostly, the spells coexist. For a lot of spells, there are fluid dynamic interactions, or strict Health versus Damage interactions, but almost all magic can coexist in the same space because mana has a lot of space inside of itself.

“I postulate that the reason that Fae Magic disrupts Fae Magic is the same reason that it is hard to cooperative cast; all individualized mana is anathema to all other individualized mana, unless people work hard to smooth away that discrepancy.

“But Fae Magic is crushed into the same category by the Script.

“Therefore, all of the ‘alternate reality’ of Fae Magic is therefore trying to occupy the same reality, but it can’t. There is some wiggle room, of course, but broadly, the Script denies the breadth of magic that the Fae used to enjoy in the Old Cosmology.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

“Perhaps this is why the fae were truly killed off. They could simply not physically or magically coexist.

“For all Fae Magic exists as a specific power/area in the manasphere; its own instantiated reality. Maybe not as strong as a true break in the Dimensional Ban, but it’s close, and if you go deep enough with it, you can reach beyond the scope of the Bans, but that’s not important for this discussion. It will be important for a discussion about assaulting Ar’Cosmos, though.

“Anyway. In all of these ways, Fae Magic is more like Domain Magic than any other magic out there because it inherently needs access to the alternate reality designated as ‘fae’ inside the mana and Script in order to function. You can see as much when you’re inside a [Fairy House] and someone tries to walk through the space. It is like they are illusions, and you are real, so perhaps Fae Magic is able to accomplish this because it is a true perspective shift, and… That thought isn’t fully fleshed out yet.

“Moving on.

“A Domain is an area of power attuned to your desires which automatically denounces the desires of others by the simple fact that you got there first. When two Domains collide, what happens there is that two people are comparing strengths of influence in the mana, and the stronger one wins.” Erick said, “Two different Domains cannot exist at the same time; they naturally fight.

“And when one Domain wins, their will becomes absolute. Perhaps even strong enough to evade the Script. So, in this way, I think that someone with a Fae Domain might be able to make their influence inside the mana near-absolute. Or perhaps just strong enough to produce all the effects that we know exist inside Ar’Cosmos; the ability to evade all outside Sight, differing rules of magic, a pacification of the Dragon Blood Curse, and the ability to control the length of reality inside a [Fairy House], for instance, thus producing an effect functionally identical to [Gate].

“So.” With his heart hammering in excitement, but also subdued by the fear of being wrong, Erick asked, “Do you know anyone with a Fae Domain I could speak with in order to verify any of this?”

For a long moment, no one said a word. Tasar looked quietly surprised, while Riivo frowned at nothing in particular, both of them thinking. Erick’s heart thumped loudly in his chest as he waited.

Tasar rhetorically asked, “A Fae Domain to mimic the workings of [Gate]? I… I could see that.”

Erick’s face broke into a smile.

And then Riivo both crushed and refined Erick’s hope, saying, “Only the Fae can get a Fae Domain. I know of no mortal or immortal with that capability.”

Erick cautiously nodded, saying, “I expected that.”

Tasar rapidly spoke, “But how would the math work— Perhaps the math is different inside Fae… Space? Fae Space? Sure. Let’s call it that, for now.” She said to the two of them, “It… It could be very possible that the math of Fae Space would allow for this sort of spatial transition that would mimic what we see when we look at [Gate].”

“I know nothing of math, but I assume you have a Spatial Domain, Tasar.” Erick asked, “Do you have [Fairy House] as well? We could test this right now.”

“No; I do not.” Tasar said, “Never cared for the stuff. I learned a bit about runic webs and illusionwork through Kydyr and knew many of his fae spells, but I never had a knack for that school of magic.” She frowned at nothing in particular.

Erick asked, “Would a Spatial Domain work inside a Fae Spell? What could you do with a Spatial Domain?”