Ends of Magic

Nathan inspected his new class description with slack-jawed surprise. There were just so many new things! Each previous class Development had given him three new class skills and Developed two or three of his existing class skills. But this time every antimage class skill had improved, in addition to three new skills.

“What occurs?” Sarah asked with a raised eyebrow. She’d noticed his expression and drawn attention towards it. Soon enough all of the Heirs were paying Nathan their undivided attention.

He swallowed and blew a breath through pursed lips before speaking. “I know what the bonus for clearing the Grave of All Giants is. Every single one of my class skills just Developed.”

Stella was quickest on the uptake. “All twelve of them?” Her voice was excited, almost giddy.

Nathan nodded. “Yup. I… Well. Those are some upgrades. And the new skill are incredible too, I think.”

That last one looks like it’s either completely useless or going to absolutely save our asses at some point. Based on what I felt from the Grave Tangles, probably the latter.

Aarl chuckled slightly. Every single one of the Heirs was gobsmacked, but he seemed the most sanguine. “Dad always said the 729 skills were the most potent. What did you get?” He asked the question with a hint of hunger in his voice.

Nathan was happy to answer. They were in the middle of nowhere with nobody around, and he was blocking magical spying. “[Aura Projection]. I can spend Stamina to make my aura bigger and faster.”

Stella rolled her eyes. “It’s already blasphemously large. It’s already a trial to avoid it with my spells.”

Nathan smirked at her and continued. “[Selective Dispel]. With concentration, I can allow certain spells to behave normally within my antimagic.”

Khachi started chuckling, glancing at Stella with a smug expression. “The expected boon.”

“My third skill is [The Living World],” Nathan said, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. “Which I think comes from the Insight I got from the Seals.”

“Don’t bait the castlebear,” Sarah said wryly. “What’s the Secret of the Seals?”

Khachi’s expression changed quickly to thoughtfulness, and he raised a quelling hand. “You spoke earlier that this knowledge was dangerous. Think carefully if we must know.”

Nathan shrugged. “I don’t think any of you are in a position for this knowledge to be dangerous. All the Questors know anyways, and I have a suspicion that we’ll end up embroiled in these things one way or another.” He gestured up at the night sky above them. “The patches of white and black on the world overhead. The blights. They’re each centered around a Seal.”

“So if you break a Seal, the magic spills out and blights the world around it?” Aarl asked.

“I don't think so,” Nathan replied quickly. “Seals regulate and filter the ambient magic of the local region, preventing harmful mana from building up. They also slowly charge up a massive mana pool and then release all of that energy to the sun on the solstice. I'm not sure what would happen if you break one.”

Probably a minor blight? And the sun wouldn't get as much power. I wonder if that's ever going to be a problem. Maybe a few Endings down the line.

Stella and Khachi both looked like they wanted to talk, but Nathan held out a hand to indicate they should hold their questions. “The problem is that the settings on the Seals can be changed, so instead of purifying the ambient mana they corrupt it. Did either of you feel how those Grave Tangles were trying to corrupt the world, blacken it so nothing could live on that battlefield?”

Stella shook her head, but Khachi nodded slowly. “It was a bleakness. Corruption is a good description.”

Aarl shot a confused look at Sarah and raised his hands helplessly. “I just killed undead in front of me.”

Nathan smirked at his teammate, his tone playful. "There's more to fighting the bigger threats." His voice grew more serious as he looked back to the rest of the Heirs. “I think that’s what the blight is. A Seal that corrupts the land around it.” He pointed upwards at one of the patches of blackness. “Far around it. If the Seal of Gemore was corrupted, I think the blight would spread from Giantsrest to Agmon. Probably further.

“What are the colors? Two kinds of corruption?” Stella asked, indicating the speckles of white overhead.

“I think so,” Nathan responded. “There were three settings. One purified the mana, what’s happening now. Another spread that kind of corrupted death mana far and wide, and the third was some strange combination of crystal, fire and light. The death is the black patches, the crystal and light are the white patches I think.”

Khachi stroked his chin thoughtfully, intently focused on Nathan’s description. “What causes this setting to change? Is this why our traditions are to guard the Seals on the Solstice?”

“I think during the Solstice anybody or anything could flip the switch. If a monster ever breaks through to the Seal during the Solstice, then it could make the change. I think It can only be changed once each solstice."

“Wonderful!” Sarah said with emphatic dryness. “Another catastrophe. Davrar itself is the dungeon.”

Nobody had a response to that, so they all sat for a moment before Stella broke the silence. “What does [The Living World] do?”

“It says it drains corruption and cleanses blight of every form,” Nathan responded. “Turns me into a little mini-Seal, I guess.”

Aarl snorted. “Who needs ancient magical constructs when you have antimages?”

Sarah rolled her eyes at her brother. “What of your other skills? Any dramatic Developments?”

“A few,” Nathan said. “My Stamina is now ten times the base level. I can ride the wind, so Stella’s wind gusts should be able to hurl me towards somebody. My antimagic is even more general, and I think it can affect Divinity now. I lost my Rage skill, but now have the benefits without the downsides.” He shrugged. “Almost everything got better. ”

The Heirs launched into more questions, and Nathan could see their own eagerness to reach level 729 and get their own class Developments and share in the same bonus that they'd all gotten from finishing off the Grave of All Giants.

We just need to stay alive that long.

"It's going to take so much time to recharge your Stamina." Stella complained, extending a plasma torch in his direction.

-

The next night, Stella approached him cradling a deep purple flame. “I’ve got a few questions about an improved fireball spell,” she said, holding out the fire. “I’ve enhanced the fire mana to feed from what it burns, but when I tried to work that into the fireball spell it unbalances the spellwork.”

"Shouldn't you be working on water mana?" Sarah asked from the side. "It seems a key weapon for an ocean journey."

"I'm following my flame," Stella said, indicating the strange fire she was holding.

Nathan blinked down at the flame. He couldn’t tell exactly what was going on, but she seemed to have somehow made a feedback loop so that the fire mana fueled itself by reducing atmospheric oxygen. It wasn’t perfect, but it seemed like it would make the same amount of mana produce more energy by drawing energy from the things around it. Then he parsed the actual question. “Ah, yeah. I got some hints into an improved fireball construction from the Academy. I also had some thoughts about how you could use a jet of fire to propel the fireball faster…”

Tutoring 7 achieved!

-

A few uneventful days of travel later they walked towards the gates of Litcliff. They’d landed out of sight of the city and were approaching on foot trying not to be too flashy. Aarl's armor was hidden under his clothing, Sarah's bandolier was tucked into a dimensional bag, and Khachi's armor only reflected a little bit more light than it should. They walked along the remnants of an ancient road, but it was closer to hard-packed dirt than a true road, with the occasional paving stone sticking out of it. It looked like a road with a lot of traffic that didn’t get any maintenance.

The Heirs crested a rise and beheld Litcliff for the first time. The dirt road sloped down from the hills towards the dark ocean that covered a third of the horizon. A large inlet cut into the land, with Litcliff at the end farthest from the sea. Cliffs rose to either side of the body of water, making it almost a fjord. The city sprawled around the tip of the bay, buildings scattered over the slope down to the water and the cliffs to either side. A tall wall blocked the land approaches with a singular gate in the very center.

Once more, Nathan’s breath was taken away by the sheer scale of Davrar. He’d seen the ocean on Earth, but something about this ocean made it seem larger. After a moment it clicked. The waves were enormous. He was miles away from the main body of the ocean, but he could still see the swells from here. When he squinted he saw the flash of spray in the air as they pounded against the far-off cliffs.

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Those waves must be massive. A hundred feet or more. And it’s a pretty calm day.

In contrast, the waters of the large bay holding Litcliff were calm. It looked like the huge waves just died away to nothing right past the mouth of the inlet. Fishing boats plied the smooth waters, and he could see a rakish clipper shrouded in a small cloud of mist sliding across the smooth waters towards the city.

Nathan turned his eyes back to the city of Litcliff. The buildings marched down the slope to the water, dense and solidly made of stone. But there was a crudity to them that told him they weren't ancient constructions. This wasn’t a city like Gemore, built upon the bones of the ancients. If there was a ruin or a dungeon here then it wasn’t visible. The cliff to one side of the harbor was carved into the facade of an elaborate structure, palatial and grand as it surveyed the wide docks. Several towers held structures that Nathan had to squint to see were large siege engines, heavily favoring weird ballista-shapes with three, four or five arms.

There was nobody else on the road, though the dirt path looked well-traveled. The Heirs approached the city, ready for attack from any angle. This was where the assassins chasing them had come from, after all. Stella had raised the most inconspicuous barrier she could, and Nathan and Khachi were in front. Everybody had a hand on a weapon, though that wasn’t unusual for people traveling the wilds of Davrar. Nathan raised a hand in greeting to the trio of guards on the singular gate as they walked within yelling distance. “Hail!” Between his stealth skills and his mental defenses, the Heirs had all agreed that it made sense for Nathan to take point in any conversations or negotiations that took place.

He carried a small bag that looked like it could be a dimensional sack. With only basic clothing and shoes he looked like a farmer or villager here with an Adventurer escort. His aura had expanded with his recent class-up, but it had also grown even easier to control. He was spending a faint trickle of Stamina to keep it almost fully drawn in.

High-tier Disguise 5 achieved!

The guards eyed their party carefully, eyes flicking from Aarl’s greatsword to Stella’s robes and Khachi’s face. An older man stepped forward, droopy mustache hiding his face. “Gemore Adventurers? Purpose in Litcliff?”

Nathan shrugged. “I’m looking to catch a ship.” He examined the guards as he did. They seemed to a cut above Gemore’s guards in attitude and equipment, armed with enchanted weapons and standing lightly as if ready for a fight.

They're the primary military force of Litcliff. Gemore has Adventurers for the real fighting and the guards are to provide security and keep the peace. Military versus cops. Here the guards do both jobs.

One of the man’s eyebrows lifted, and he paused to study the Heirs for a moment longer. A faint mental skill pushed against Nathan, but withdrew just as quickly. He nodded gruffly and beckoned them forward. “You’re the Heirs of Gemore. We’ve been expecting you.”

That sentence made every one of Nathan’s friend’s tense. Stella’s magical shield flared bright, and golden light started collecting around Khachi’s armor.

The man shook his head, hand dropping to the mace at his belt. “No need to spit salt. The Oligarchs know about your complications. We don’t want fighting inside the city. Wait here and I’ll summon your escort.”

The mustachioed guard stepped inside the gatehouse, and Nathan tracked the signature of the enchantments on his gear through the wall. The man moved with purpose through a few rooms and activated some kind of [Message] enchantment. Nathan couldn’t decipher the contents of the communication, but it was definitely sent back into the city.

There’s a chance they just called for reinforcements. Maybe I should reactivate my jamming-field skill and block [Message]? That just seems like a way to cause confusion and reveal a card we don’t need to show.

The guard returned to join his fellows, giving them a shallow nod. “Shouldn’t be long. Jaus is quick. Stay with him in the city, unless you wish to be cast into the sea.” Nothing happened, and the silence stretched awkwardly. One of the other guards started whistling a jaunty tune.

Then a tall man strode out of the open gates, whistling the same tune. He was lithe and toned, wearing armor that was molded to his form and duplicated the anatomy underneath it. As he walked the plates of metal attached to his body bent and flexed, not seeming to encumber him at all. His only other clothing was a loincloth over his groin - though it looked like the armor continued underneath it. He had a bow and quiver on his back and an oddly shaped club at his waist that buzzed with enchantments.

He sauntered over to the Heirs while looking each of them up and down. “You must be the Heirs.” He drawled out the words. “I’m Jaus, and it’s my station to prevent any mishaps while you’re in Litcliff.” He seemed to finish sizing them all up and approached, holding his hand out to Aarl. “You must be Stanel’s get. I’ve always wanted to clash with him.”

Aarl stepped forward, taking the other man’s hand and shaking. “I’ve heard of your deeds. We follow your light.”

The two fighters seemed to engage in a brief battle of strength disguised as a handshake. But both of their hands were gauntleted in enchanted metal. Neither showed any sign of discomfort as metal creaked in their grasp.

Jaus chuckled. “Well, you’re a young bladeserpent. What’s your purpose here in Litcliff? I warn you, the Oligarchs will decline your audience. Too much risk.”

“Blasphemous luck that we don’t wish to speak with them,” Aarl replied easily. “We’re looking to hire a ship. Are the docks going to decline us too?”’

The man barked out a laugh, then turned and gestured for the Heirs to follow. “No, but the captains might.” He set a fast pace, crossing through the gates at a steady walk that nonetheless ate distance as if he was jogging. it looked like some sort of Talent or skill that let him cover more distance than he should.

Once on the other side he shot a curious look back at them. “Why are the Heirs seeking a ship? Doesn’t your destiny lie in Gemore?”

Aarl just shrugged, and Jaus’s gaze traveled over the rest of the Heirs. When it landed on Nathan he felt a slight pressure to the look. There was something encouraging them to answer, an encouragement to elaborate. Stella shifted uncomfortably, but none of the Heirs replied to the question.

If we needed a reminder that this is hostile territory, that wasn’t a bad one. This feels like stepping into the Ashbood Cobra lair, but the cobras are all cozying up to us first. But we don’t want to fight a city, much less a neutral city full of bystanders.

If Jaus was put out by their silence he didn’t show it, merely turning back around and gesturing down the road that sloped towards the harbor. “If you needed an escort to find the harbor I’d call you a fool, but I’m lashed to you nonetheless. Follow.” He set off at a fast walk, covering distance at what would have been a dead sprint for a normal person, while shooting a challenging look over his shoulder.

“Should we even follow?” Sarah said with a frown. “He’s supposed to stay with us.”

Aarl shrugged. “He’s an elite of Litcliff. He’s testing us, and trying to tease out our capabilities.”

Stella scrunched up her face. “That’s a dungeon for fools. We don’t let him place the target.” She started forward, moving at a normal walk.

Down the hill Jaus looked back, and Nathan could see the annoyed look on his face. In a flash he was back in their faces, teeth bared in what was technically a smile. His words were mocking “Are elites of Gemore unable to match my pace?”

“I want to see the city,” Stella said, pointing around at the plaza around them. It wasn’t as fancy as what Nathan had seen in Giantsrest, but a fountain burbled to one side and the ground had a crude mural of breaking waves. “I’ll only regret if I don't appreciate your home properly.” She met Jaus’ eyes levelly, and her eyes sparked with lightning.

The man snorted, once more panning his gaze around the Heirs. “Well, if you wish to waste time. Do any of you wish to move faster? I’ll give you a rapid tour of the city if your blood calls for it.”

Once more there was the pressure of his gaze, encouraging them to take up his offer. He seemed to focus the effect on Nathan and Aarl, but neither of them took the bait.

“I can see your city well enough from here,” Nathan said, pointing around to the cliffs on either side. They were festooned with colorful buildings, and the cliff near the docks on the left size had been completely covered with a palatial structure carved into the rock. “Is that the palace?”

Jaus growled lightly. “It’s the Hall of Tides. The Oligarchs do meet there, yes.”

“Neat,” Nathan replied dryly. “Now, the harbor?”

Status of Nathan Lark:

Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 7

Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 5

Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7

Class: End of Magic level 731

Bottomless Stamina : 73840/74100

Indomitable

The Undeniable Strike of the Antimage

Stamina Burn

Momentum Mastery

Stoneflesh

Arcane Nullification

Galefoot

Close Quarters Mastery

Boundless Aura

Denial of Mysticism

The Ending of Magic

Aura Projection

Selective Dispel

The Living World

Class: Spellslayer level 504

Regenerative Focus: 5140/5140

Catastrophic Blows

Battle Stealth

Mage Infiltration

Forgettable

Sneaky Blow

Antimagic Stealth

Magical Manipulation

Lethal Index

Wizard Resistance

Magic Jammer

Controlled Failure

Utility skills:

Tranquility 1

Inspiration 8

Acceleration 10

Mystical Discernment 1

Alertness 10

Arcane Insight 2

Effortless Dodge 10

Mental Vault 5

Tutoring 7

Parkour 8

Visibility Control 4

High-tier Disguise 5

High-tier Battle Cry 2

Aura Control 3