Transcendence?

***Nation of Mist, Fjen-Harbour***

“Why am I even here?” I am the first Sky-General of the Nation of Mist! It is a bad joke that I have to attend a stupid demonstration like this. Why are we even listening to outsiders?

The sun is standing high and it is hot. A wonderful day with a calm sea. I watch out at the Great Sea and enjoy the view.

My adjutant is following me while I walk up and down the pier. “And why am I the one who has to wait for them!”

The proud Nation of Mist is losing its edge! When I think back to five hundred years ago. We sailed the Great Sea and knew the layout of the world before anyone else.

We could take care of our own problems!

Nobody else has our long lifespan. So we are able to take a different approach and look at the great picture. A hundred years ago nobody would have dreamed of buying a magic spell from someone from the main continent.

But the elders start to fear the Immortal Empress. The Phenex Empire became more and more aggressive within the recent years. It's all because of that damned Immortal Empress of theirs.

If they have a wise and immortal leader, even the short lived humans from the main continents can become a threat.

Of course there are their mages who live a little longer because of their affinity to mana. But who cares if someone like that lives for a hundred, two hundred or five hundred years.

We people from the Nation of Mist just have to lean back and wait for their natural demise. The Immortal Empress on the other hand is stretching her evil fingers for us since a few hundred years ago and there is no sign that she will die any time soon.

From our reports she should be a normal mainlander. But her magical affinity is unbelievable high. That's at least what our spies could tell us.

She unified the smaller continent and formed the Phenex Empire within a few hundred years. Now it looks like she is changing her aim outside. The main continent and us should be her next target.

She even started to build a sizeable fleet of ships. It's not yet at a threatening level but it will be in a few years. The resources and the workforce of the whole continent are in her grasp.

Last year she started a military expedition to learn the locations of our islands. We managed to beat her fleet but the price was high. The new ships of the Phenex Empire are a good match for our own war ships.

And they had new spells for oceanic warfare which surprised us completely.

I guess the elders are frightened. That's why they jumped at the chance when we got an offer for a new military spell from the main continent.

“Sky-General! They are here.” The adjutant points towards three people who are coming from the Gate. Our Gates aren't connected to the network on the main continent. So it's quite a hassle to create a connection between one of our Gates and theirs.

The new arrivals are a grey haired old man and two boys of about fifteen years. The grey haired man is called Nathan Lenarch. He is the head of one of the biggest merchant houses on the main continent.

Our merchant fleet can't land in a single port without having to do trade with one of his businesses.

“I see. So the one who wants to sell us something is the well known Nathan Lenarch. I am the Sky-General of the Nation of Mist.” I shake the hand of the old man.

“Nice to make your acquaintance. But I have to disappoint you. I am just the mediator. The one who wants to sell his knowledge to you is this young fellow here. Let me introduce you. This is my son, Kane Lenarch. And this is his friend who wants to earn some money, Ascathon Arenzien.”

Is this a joke? I look at the two boys who are smiling at me. “I am sure that you will explain yourself fast. The Sky-General hasn't much time for jokes.”

The boy with dark hair and grey eyes steps forward. “This is no joke. I want to sell you a military spell for naval use.”

“How should a child like you get his hands on such a spell. And whom did you get it from!” I look at the kid with an annoyed expression.

“I developed it myself. So I am the only one you could buy it from.” The boy smiles at me with a knowing expression.

“I see.... So what do you want for this rumoured spell of yours? I will give you the benefit of the doubt because the Lenarchs are with you. Military classified spells aren't found often.” I look out onto the sea.

“Three thousand platinum coins in hard cash!” The boy answers fast and with precision.

“Are you out of your mind boy? Do you even know how much money that is!?” I snap at the child.

“Enough to buy a principality or a few cheap ones? If not I would have to ask for more.” -Ascathon

“Boy. No spell is worth a principality!” I shake my head at the boy.

“If the spell can overthrow the balance of naval power in this world, then it's worth that much and even more. Be happy that I am coming to you first. How much is your naval superiority worth to you?” -Ascathon

I tilt my head at the child. Of course our naval superiority is worth everything to us! Our fleet is our protection. We have no army. If our navy was beaten we would be helpless. “Then prove it!”

I walk towards the shore and point at a small model of a warship. It's about five metres long and has all protective enchantments of the real thing. It's anchored about thirty metres out in the sea. “Sink that ship!”

After I heard about this appointment I had this small model made. I doubt that a single mage will be able to break the defensive barriers after fifty of my mages poured all their mana into the seals.

It's a model. But it should be next to indestructible! And maybe I can try to steal the spell if he tries to sink the model for a few times. That would save our Nation some money.

Ascathon shrugs his shoulders and turns towards the model. He makes a few fast gestures into the air and points one hand at the miniature ship.

Voiceless incantation!!? At that age?

The sea is calm and I realize that some bigger bubbles start to rise around the model, but that's it. “Hmpf. You are trying to burn it? That's the great spell? What a joke. The ship is protected against strong temperature changes. So you won't affect the crew with something like that. And there is no harm in boiling water around a ship either.”

Ascathon smiles and suddenly the whole area around the ship starts to boil. The bubbles increase in numbers and size until the water around the ship turns almost white and foam starts to form.

Then, from one moment to the next my model tilts and is gone!? I watch the boiling sea agape where the model swam perfectly fine a few seconds ago!

My model simply sank without any reason!? How can that be!

“And if that wasn't flashy enough for you. All you need now is a little spark.” Ascathon flicks his finger.

*BOOOOOM*

A huge fireball explodes at the spot which was previously occupied by my model and a shock-wave throws me to the ground. My ears are ringing and I look around. Everyone else was taken off of his feet too.

People are lying on the ground or on their knees all around.

“~Mwahahaha!~”

I crawl to my knees with ringing ears while the mad kid beside me is lying on his back and laughs.

“Oopps. I underestimated the strength. It's hard to control the size of the explosion.” Ascathon stands back up again. “So? How much do you want to pay for a spell which can sink any ship?”

“Do you even know what will happen if someone else gets his hands on a spell like that!? How does it even work!? There were just bubbles in the water! That's all!” I stand back up again.

“Oh. I guess that whoever has this spell controls the seas of this world? And who cares how it works? It works! That's the point.” Ascathon looks at me with questioning eyes.

“Even so! A few bubbles! That's all it takes? We won't pay three thousand platinum coins for bubbles!” This is a joke!

“Then we will go and sell the spell to someone else.” Ascathon turns and walks back to the Gate. What's wrong with this kid!? No! Wait!? What's wrong with me!?

What if he sells that spell to someone from the main-continent? Or worse!? What if he sells it to the Phenex Empire!?

“W... Wait! Stop! That's blackmail! What will you use all that money for anyway!?” I grab the kid at his clothes. Urgh. To do something like that as the proud Sky-General! I am acting like a beggar!

“I will use it to live like I want!” Ascathon turns back to me and crosses his arms in front of his chest.

“F...Fine. But we want assurances!” I give the kid a forced smile.

“Which ones?” -Ascathon

“You sign a magical contract that you won't give that spell to anyone else and we pay you the three thousand platinum coins.” Nobody else is allowed to have a spell like that!

Ascathon gives me a huge winning smile.

“~Deal!~”

.