386. Of lessons, magic and a little chance

Cassandra Pendragon 

While I had been talking I had realised something quite important: the concepts I wanted to explain bloomed in my mind as soon as I tried. Which meant teaching was actually the best way for me to learn. Who'd have thought, maybe Arthur's academy idea was more profound than I had expected but puzzling out my prospective occupation was better left for another time.

With a wry grin I continued my explanation. I'm not going to bore you with the umpteenth iteration of how external and internal powers interacted, Sera had already provided a very succinct summary two days ago, but I'll include the parts I finally came to understand while I put them into words:

"… which brings us to another aspect, the quality or purity, if you so will, of different energies. While it's true that power derived from life itself is much more potent than regular mana, the question remains why and it's more or less linked to why some mages are more powerful than others, even when they use the same techniques, spells and the same kind of energy. External energies carry a varying degree of intent. Consequentially the mana you take in from the explosion of a star is much more potent when it comes to blowing things up than… let's say the mana you've taken in from an ancient spiritual glade. When it comes to healing the opposite is probably true. Now, that intent can, if sufficiently pronounced, change the very structure, the essence of mana. In short, the forces of life aren't that different from mana but they've incorporated a minuscule amount of the very being who's produced them. It sort of follows that the forces you can harvest from an ant are exponentially less potent than those from… let's say a Purple Worm or a dragon. The same holds true for soul energies except that souls are nigh indestructible and most of them are old, really old. The intent they carry is hardly comparable to life forces which means that even a single mote, nourished by a soul, can usually crush a river of mana." I looked up from the fire and flipped the skewers one last time as I ordered my thoughts to come around full circle.

"Which now brings us back to the structure of the world. The abundance of energies on our planet is channeled into different realms. First off that's a defensive mechanism to prevent Gaya from becoming oversaturated but it's also a consequence of the intent the energies carry. I imagine you don't know what a black hole is but a sun works just as well as an example. Energy can't be destroyed. When a star dies it usually… well, it's not that simple, but for the sake of argument let's say it explodes. You'd normally expect the power to diffuse, become a part of something new, and that's, metaphorically, not far from the truth. The problem is, those powers aren't nurturing and quite averse to life in general. If they were to saturate our world it'd most likely turn into an elemental plane of fire and force, not the healthiest environment to raise your children. Those… in a way purer forces, laden with more intent, are channeled into realms. The world of the fey is a great example. Its teeming with the mana of creation to a degree that a human would be poisoned or mutate if he spent too much time there. As for the other six realms… I just don't know. Like I said, I'm not even sure if they're inhabited but I want you to find out. Lastly I have to add that there is also an uncountable number of realms that were born through… well, us. I hope you've realised by now that our world is, in a way, truly alive, carrying with it the sins and wonders of the past but it can also be influenced by the present. The easiest example would be a powerful mage who's created his own sub realm. That's intentional but it can also happen by accident, for example when the beliefs of a people elevate someone or something, even an idea, to godhood. Deities and devils usually create their own realms, respectively called heavens and hells, but I don't have the foggiest idea how many there are and whether they're dormant or even accessible." The meat was done and a succulent smell filled the air as I handed the two skewers over. They readily accepted the charred, wooden sticks with slight frowns on their faces. It had been quite a lot to take in but I wasn't finished yet:

"Eat up, I'm sure I've given you enough to think about for now but while you digest your meal there's one more thing we should address. What does it actually matter to you and why can it be useful in promoting your own growth. Two things, first, and I guess you've figured out as much yourselves by now, there's no black or white when it comes to magic. Neither the art of a spell caster or a sorcerer, nor the type of cultivation you've studied in that sect, not even the soul based sorcery the Emp… it doesn't matter, what I'm getting at is that none of those are inherently stronger or better than the others and they aren't mutually exclusive. You've got to understand what you're learning and put it into perspective, that's the only way to reach true mastery. Pretty basic, once you think about it, but still the most prominent reason why most mages can't progress past a certain point. They'd have to incorporate different approaches into their magic and most are too arrogant to even consider it. Case and point dragons. They're powerful beyond belief with their carbuncles readily transforming any kind of energy for them to use. But that usually means they don't bother with developing their intent, their will, and a truly powerful… cultivator, for example, could simply seal them off which would leave them stranded without a way to refuel." I paused and pulled two eggs from my stamp to fry them on a thin, broad stone. Lost in thought I cracked the shells and watched the milky white liquid harden while the smell of fresh snow wafted through the cave. Definitely an ice bird. If the talons hadn't given it away I would have been sure by now. While they devoured the skewers I continued:

"Secondly, if you manage to broaden your perspective and hone your skills in different areas you'll hardly ever be backed into a corner. The creature from before for example, your brother, he was brimming with power but it was only his own. I simply overwhelmed him by brute force but a skilled mage, for example, could have converted the force of the dying mountain into a spell that would probably have killed that beast on the spot without ever tapping into their own reserves."

"Can you do all that," Aglaia asked breathlessly. I understood her well enough. She had thought she already knew quite a bit about magic but in reality she had only taken the first steps into a world that would become more extraordinary and frightening the deeper she was going to dive.

"Probably but I don't really have to," I replied. "When it comes to strength I don't need to borrow or bargain. The forces within me… I'm not sure if they really are infinite but it surely feels that way. Which also means that I can use them as a counterweight. My will, my intent is bolstered beyond your imagination simply because there's already an earth shattering strength attached to it." To prove my point I extended my hand and breathed: "ignite." The very next second, even though I hadn't used any power of my own, an orange flame, tainted with silver and blue appeared in midair, lazily dancing across my palm. I closed my fingers and extinguished the spark. 

Indigorath swallowed and cleared his throat, which sounded pretty similar to grinding rocks, and asked: "I… I think I understand parts of it but I can't help but wonder… why would you ever need us to help you? Can't you… snap your fingers and put an need to whatever trouble you're going to encounter in the future?"

"If only… I'm not alone. More of my kind are walking across Gaya right now, watching me constantly, and I can't challenge them directly. Not yet at least, not without endangering my home. Which means my hands are tied, for now. But yours… aren't."

"Do… you honestly expect us to go up against one of your own kind," the worm gasped.

"Not unless you've got a death wish," I chuckled. "Don't worry, they won't care what you do. In a very perverted way we're… again I'm sorry if it sounds degrading, but we're playing an elaborate, disgusting game. And the two of you are… one of my moves."

"Pawns to be sacrificed," the worm immediately asked.

"No. You don't know yet but once the whole debacle starts you're very welcome to dig into what I've done… what I'm going to do. Trust me, I don't sacrifice my own people for the greater good. Never have, never will."

"Your people," the kitsune parroted, half hopeful, half afraid, her eyes travelling from her tails to mine. I only shrugged.

"What did you expect? I'm a guardian by nature and a royal by birth which makes me a tad possessive from time to time." I caught her gaze before I added: "and you also remind me of my wife. That's not underhanded way of coercing you into subservience. I'm just trying to explain why you don't need to worry about me hanging you out to dry, whatever the future may hold." Her eyes were aglow with the myriad of conflicting thoughts racing through her mind, but when the fire hissed quietly on the verge of petering out and I turned away to ignite another part of the log she suddenly blurted out:

"Your wife? Who is she? Why do I remind you of her?" My dear, you're dating an oversized slug but that's what's caught your attention? I didn't say it out loud but a small smile I couldn't quite suppress. 

"Two reasons. One, she sent me to protect you, or rather to slay that beast. Of course you're going to remind me of her with every breath you take and two… she's of your tribe. Up close you don't quite look like her sibling but the similarities are very much there. You might have even seen her from afar. Right now she's still my maid. Platinum hair, white tails… does it ring a bell?"

"You married your maid," Indigorath interrupted incredulously. "What about your parents? Did the king and queen really agree to…"

"Do you honestly think I asked for permission? But even if I had, I don't think they'd have minded. She's also my kin. Not only a kitsune but an angel. The power of a court matters very little to us. Truth be told I imagine my father would even have asked me to seduce her, if he had known."

"Had known," Aglaia asked quietly but I only shook my head and didn't reply. That wasn't a story I was willing to share. Not now and not here at least. In the future, maybe.

Unexpectedly I felt a faint tug on my wings, the power I had to channel towards the fissure to keep it open increasing by the second. My time here was running short. With a sigh I said:

"I have to leave soon. But before I do there are still two more things we need to discuss. One revolves around pressure and velocity and the other concerns your possible destinations in the future as well as how you might get there. Now listen up, I don't think I have the time to repeat myself. Let's start with travelling between different realms. If you're strong enough you can forcefully create a portal, pierce the veil and simply step through, but you aren't there yet. It doesn't matter too much, though. The realms are powered by Gaya herself which means thy need an anchor, a bridge that allows energy to travel from one sphere to the next. Mostly it's a stereotypical, ancient stone circle, a magical grove or the heart of a volcano, depending on the nature of the realm in question. Those… bridges, if you find them you'll be able to cross over."

"Do you know where they are," the worm asked but I could only shake my head.

"No. I only know that several crossings to the fey realm are most likely going to appear on the Emerald Island in four years. But that's too late. You've got to find the hidden paths. That's what I meant. The fey realm is the most important for now but I've got a hunch that the others shouldn't be ignored either… as for how you can go about it… legends, myths… strange phenomena are bound to occur close to a portal and you have four years to figure it out. I'm sure you won't be able to locate every crossing, but a few…," my words trailed off as I shifted my tails again.

A silky sound, almost like running water, reached me when Aglaia rose to her feet, the thick, white furs she wore rustling softly. When her tails vanished into the warming embrace she almost looked like a human, except for her white, fluffy ears. Unfortunately the worm was padded enough to make do without any garments and was as naked as the moment I had first laid my eyes on him. Goddamn creepy slug.

"Let me get this straight," she began while she paced our cozy ice cave restlessly. "You want us to travel the world, accumulate the magical knowledge of different… you called them schools and keep an eye out for any strange rumours surrounding magical hotspots?"

"That'd be a task for the ages," I chuckled. "You don't have to chase after every far fetched story. The ones where people tend to vanish should be more than enough. Think about it, a passage can be crossed in either direction."

"But those areas have probably already attracted more than enough attention," Indigorath interjected. "Do you expect us to break in if push comes to shove?"

"Or bargain for the right to snoop around. Which brings us to the weapons I've mentioned before. I could get into why they actually work and try to explain what heat extension means but I'm sure you'll figure it out all by yourselves sooner or later. For now all that matters is that there are much more efficient ways to kill than a bow and arrow, even though the basic principle remains the same. Instead of pulling a string the necessary force can also come from something else. An explosion for example. Unfortunately it's not that easy to harness that force but a quite clever man, Samuel Colt if memory serves, came up with a pretty neat contraption that actually can."

I shook out my shoulders and allowed one of my wings to slither to the front, effectively burning delicate lines into the ice underneath my feet. 

"The basic idea is actually quite simply. Use a reagent, anything, really, but black powder works the best as far as I know, and light it up in a confined space. It will expand rapidly and the resulting force can be used to propel a projectile. If you only have one opening in said confined space you can even predetermine the direction and, of course, depending on the size of the explosion, the force." I roughly sketched the diagram of a cartridge in the snow. "As you can see there's only one opening. Unfortunately without additional restrictions the force would dissipate much too quickly to generate enough power to hurt anyone who's more than let's say half a metre away. Also, reagents with enough latent power to create a notable output have a tendency to attract elemental manifestations which could make the whole thing blow up in your face. Literally. To circumvent these problems you'll first have to add a set of suppressive runes to each cartridge, effectively preventing it from self igniting. You'll need a frame, too, to influence the direction and the speed the bullet can reach. That's where the actual weapon comes in."

With a few rough strokes I created a blueprint in the snow. "As you can see the projectile will be propelled along the barrel. I'm not sure how much you know about archery but an arrow without fletching won't hit. The fletching makes the arrow spin which adds stability and penetration force. To achieve the same goal with a bullet the barrel has to be rifled, otherwise it won't fly in a straight line. Now, how to build one…" they were listening with rapt attention, their imagination running wild. Hardly surprising, really, since the potential I was hinting at was practically limitless.