Transcendence?

***Eastern Planes, Arcane Academy***

“I feel really old today.” A short stretching creates some really horrible sounds in my creaking bones. “Can you make this short? After three hundred years, you really feel your age. I might retire soon.”

My office is a small, but comfortable room. I don't like it big. Just show-offs have big and expensive offices.

I carefully watch the head of the Inquisition in front of me. Norent Grant. He is a really young magician who hasn't even reached a hundred years. I think he is in his forties, but his talent enabled him to rise to the top.

The two powers within the Academy are the Inquistion, which is trying to limit the available knowledge, and the Academy itself, my office. We are trying to teach all young mages to control their powers.

The Inquisition fears that too much power might destroy the world. So they limit knowledge wherever possible. But it's the easiest to keep the commoners away from the well of wisdom, so they are hit the hardest by the Inquisition's actions.

I am not a fan of it, but everything has a price.

“Headmaster Sagittarius. I need all information you have about a certain Ascathon Asceron. And about Celestial Asceron. Formerly Celestial Jasmine.” Norent places his fingers on the writing table of my office and leans closer.

“Ah. That one? You said Celestial Asceron? He married? Hahahaha. I hope they'll send their child here. There is much to be expected from their offspring. Although I don't understand how they got together, they hated each other like water and fire.” I smile. The world is still able to amuse me. On the other hand, water and fire are able to create an explosion together.

“This is no joke headmaster! They violated a few of the most important laws against technology! And they killed one of my inquisitors when he tried to arrest them.” Norent bangs his fist onto my table and I wince. There is no need to damage my furniture.

“May I see the report of this … event?” I stand up and walk to one of my archives at the wall. I have everything filed in chronological and alphabetical order. A few seconds of searching produce two records of the specified persons.

Norent refuses my request. “You know very well that our reports are secret. I can't give them to someone outside of the Inquisition!”

I press the two useless records to my chest. “Then I have to inform you that it's the same for the Academy's files. But I may be able to offer you a trade …” I am acting like my reports have really important information on the matter.

But I know that that's not the case. When Ascathon got his certificate, I investigated the person and his whole surroundings myself. There was nothing extraordinary during his entire time at the Academy. Just an ordinary person who suddenly got perfect scores on his final exam. I thought he found a possibility to cheat in his test.

Though there was no proof of that.

Norent's jaw starts to work and I shiver at the sounds he produces through that action. This guy needs to get his emotions under control. Finally Norent nods and throws a report from his folder onto my table.

I hastily grab the report and hand Norent the records to finalize the deal. Then I start reading and take a seat in my chair. Norent starts to look through my files too.

Ten minutes of silence follow.

“Fascinating!” “Useless!”

When Norent reaches over to get his report back, I pull away to get it out of his reach. “Nonono … Not so hasty. A deal is a deal.”

“Your files are useless, old man!” But he sits back on his chair.

“You learned that he is a smart fellow, who was either able to cheat at his final exam, or played a game with his teachers for the entire time he was at this institute. And that his wife isn't less mysterious.” I smile and store Norent's report away.

“Anyway. We have to deal with this.” Norent looks at my records with a grumpy expression.

I shrug my shoulders. “I don't see how. The Academy may have a strong influence on Mislow, Norfolk, The Nation of Mist and Jamaian. But your investigators overdid it by attacking a noble out of the blue! The Jarl is protecting the Sarn-Valley under the premise that the military power, which is being built there, may be needed against the Phenex Empire.”

After a deep breath I continue. “Don't you think that the downfall of Jamaian and the Phenex Empire should get our attention instead of this small principality? And even if you lost an inquisitor, they were stupid to even try to get close to someone who can build such artefacts.”

Norent looks up and glares at me, but he says nothing.

“Your people screwed up. I don't even know how you intend to explain this to the Jarl. We need Norfolk. The Phenex Empire isn't moving for now. But that's just because they took a bigger bite than they could chew. At some point their reinforcements will arrive. And then we need every help we can get. That includes Norfolk. If we anger them and they decide that the Phenex Empire is the better choice, then we have a huge problem.” My lips twist in amusement while looking at Norent's new expression.

“They wouldn't!” Norent shakes his head.

“Why not? The Jarl is a smart and liberal minded fellow. And he is greedy, not only in his eating habits. He embraces the new and takes chances. Just look at his actions. He accepted someone into his nation, who turned his back on his home country. He even gave Ascathon full rights as a noble of Norfolk. Now he protects the Sarn-Valley as a secret research centre.” I smile at Norent, who became a little pale.

“I would think up a really good apology if I were you. The Immortal Empress is a dangerous enough entity all by herself. If we have to fight on two borders, we will lose for sure.” I look down at my table and sigh. “By losing Jamaian so easily, we may have already lost. Our unity is simply too loose to oppose her.”

Norent snorts and stands up. “Then the Inquisition may have to show the other powers what we are capable of.” He turns and leaves my office.

Hot headed youth. There are things in this world, which you can't even imagine. I stand up and grab my cane. Enough work for today. And this will come with me. Norent's report wanders into my robe.

I leave my office and head home. This world is on its best way to a really big war. The Academy will have to decide soon where it stands. Unfortunately that seems to exclude the Inquisition.

And there aren't just the big nations at work here. Some very old beings pull the strings behind the curtains. The only one who is easily recognizable is the Immortal Empress. Others may be rising at this moment … like Sarn.

Then there is the Nation of Mist. Those guys are simply too patient! I don't trust them at all. The only one who is maybe able to see their plans is the Empress.

And the Kingdom of Mislow is too passive as well. I don't understand what's going through the heads of those mind mages.

Why can't an old mage like me live the rest of his life in peace.

The sun is low and I enjoy the last rays of light while walking down the main street.

After a few minutes I arrive at home. A wave of my hand opens the door and locks it behind me after entering the house. “Hmm. Humm.” My house is already dark. It's sad that I live alone. My wife died already two hundred years ago. She never had that much magical potential, so her lifetime was smaller than mine. I still loved her until the end.

After her death I had some meaningless encounters with other women. Nothing serious. I enter my living room and set my cane aside. Time to read this report thoroughly. A wave of my hand summons a light globe and I sent it towards the centre of the ceiling.

Then I walk towards my big comfy rocking chair which faces the window.

“~Hiii. How were you doing all those years?~”

“HaaAAAH!”

I jump at least half a metre into the air and turn around. Someone broke into my house? There are dozens of barriers and detection spells! I should have felt something!

In the couch beside the entrance is a beautiful woman with white flowing hair. She looks young and has a well proportioned figure. She is wearing a white and black dress with golden strings weaved into it.

“Jazira! You almost caused me a heart attack! I am too old for this!” I grab the backrest of my rocking chair to support myself.

“~Ah.~ Sorry, Sagittarius. It seems that the time left its mark on you.” Jazira, the Immortal Empress, smiles at me.

“And you haven't aged a single day!” I turn my rocking chair to face her and drop into it. “Why do I have the honour of such an important visitor? Are you here to conquer my humble institution alone?”

“~Hahaha.~ Not today.” Jazira waves at me with a dismissive gesture. Hopefully I will be dead when she comes to conquer the Academy.

“I am here because I want information.” She leans back and crosses her legs.

“Aaand why should I help someone who intends to conquer the world? Even if that someone is a former lover of mine?” I start to rock with my chair back and forth.

“~Because.~ I think that someone like me is pulling at the strings of fate for this world.” She has an even broader smile now. “And I want to find out who it is.”

I stop rocking. “Another immortal? Like you?”

She places the tip of one finger on her lips. “Not exactly like me. I am already for a long time on this world. I think the one I am talking about is a new arrival. Do you know the name Ascathon?”

My expression falters a little and she claps her hands. “So you know him! You are still so easy to read. Nothing has changed since we were together.”

“You think he is an immortal?” I look at the ceiling. “That would explain his knowledge. He didn't cheat at his exam.”

“I am fairly sure of it. Unless he is a very sly genius who hid his abilities for his entire life. I want to find out about his goals.” Jazira leans forward.

“Why don't you sneak into his house and ask him? Maybe he'll give you an answer.” I pull out Norent's report and throw it to Jazira, who grabs it with ease.

“If he really is another immortal, I would like to face him with as much knowledge as possible. He may be a dangerous existence after all.” She flips up the report and starts to read.

“What could be dangerous to you!?” I shake my head.

“Memory loss, damage to my soul, death. I don't intend to start all over again.” She didn't look up.

I wait for a few minutes in silence.

Jazira smiles and closes the report. “How ~cute~. They are playing family.”

“Are you jealous?” I smile at the dangerous being in front of me.

“A little.” She stands up and hands the report back to me. “And now I am sure that he is someone like me. To build greenhouses in Norfolk. Looks like he intends to overthrow this world's order.”

I arch an eyebrow. “I see the potential in his principality. But to overthrow the world order? By building fields in the north? You meant those fields with 'greenhouses'?”

Jazira bends down and kisses my forehead. “My lovely Sagittarius. Such a powerful mage. You are older and wiser than most on this continent. Yet you fail to comprehend the power behind an idea.” She turns and walks outside.

“I will lock the house behind me! You don't have to stand up.”

.