Arcanum

Chapter 1 Chrono Maxima

If asked then most Polish mages would point to John Baron as the most driven and progressive mage. Sadly, the same mages would have pointed to him if anyone had asked them about the most reckless and unstable mage of the new era. As talented as he was, he proved that genius and madness are divided by extremely thin lines.

In his short career, this twenty-two years old wizard has amassed as many fans as he did enemies, and his personal criminal records would be a source of pride for anyone in the magical underworld.

John would never describe himself as a renegade or plain criminal. He always preferred to think of himself as a visionary and scholar that made some decisions on the verge of morality's gray area.

In the end, if not for him, the population of basilisks in Poland would have never been restored. Some might argue that the Arcane Council exterminated these creatures on purpose a few years back, but what price do you put on an antidote for beast venom. Apparently the price was the lives of a few dozen cows and some traumatic encounters for one or two mortals. In John’s books, it was negligible. He even considered himself a co-author of the new remedy that was made shortly after one of the bigger incidents. Admittedly, the Arcane Council still didn't address the claims he included in the letter, arguing that he should be named co-author of the miraculous elixir. The man was sure it was only a matter of time before his petition went through the bureaucratic labyrinth.

When talking about John, one should not forget about his greatest accomplishment inside the borders of Poland. After months of meticulous preparations he was able to liberate and distribute ancient knowledge which had been hoarded by a bunch of old, selfish wizards. The press took the wrong side like it usually does, so his grand achievement was known as, The boldest robbery of the 21st century. In John’s own opinion, his actions were closer to liberation than common thievery. The poor masterpieces, filled with priceless arcane mysteries, would still be gathering dust till this day if not for his effort and bravery, that could not be stopped even by the chimeras which guarded the secret chamber.

Just thinking about it was bringing a happy tear to the man's eye. Whole weeks spent on exploration and research just to find a mansion belonging to an ancient magical family that spared no effort in cloaking it with every possible spell and enchantment. Bypassing and breaking all of the security measures was a challenge in itself, but as they say it, twentieth time's the charm. After months of planning and nineteen almost suicidal attempts he was successful. John was able to almost empty out the treasury of House Potocki, and he was adamant on the opinion that the ancient family should be partially blamed. In the end, despite nineteen failed attempts, they didn’t even once think about upgrading their security.

To his dismay, his efforts at freeing all this knowledge earned him a new blood feud with House Potocki. One that according to them will end only with the death of John Baron and his wretched bloodline. The fact that a few precious artifacts were accidentally lost on the same day did not ease the family’s anger.

His homeland might have known this event as John’s crown achievement, but the truth was a bit different, as this one escapade was only the tip of the iceberg that was this young mage’s career.

You want to adopt a wyvern, but your request for a permit was just denied for the tenth time in a row? Look no further, John is your man.

You want to brew a not fully legal elixir? John will offer his helping hand. In the end, who else will risk everything just to advance arcane knowledge even a single step further? If someone asked, John proclaimed himself as a mystical version of Robin Hood, if someone else was asked about this proclamation, then responses were slightly less positive.

John was always a step ahead, and over the years that helped him to retain his freedom and ability to experiment with magic. Even now, while dodging tireless attempts of bounty hunters, young Baron was able to think about his incoming research on his latest find. Maneuvering on his flying sword that he obtained by accident while touring China, he already was looking forward to new and exciting experiments involving a mystical rook, found in an abandoned cave at the foot of the Bavarian mountains.

German mages flying in old, enchanted, military automobil, occupied with chase, were explicitly showing contempt for his actions. Although John did not speak German, a constant stream of fireballs aimed at his back told him more than enough. Apparently his new friends had a different definition of an abandoned cave.

Yes, it is possible that it was located on their estate, and yes, its contents was protected by a battalion of enchanted medieval armors. But sea law clearly states that treasures belong to the finder. The fact that before his visit the cave was not under water does not change that. After all, he had to get rid of the magic guards in one way or another, and as it turns out, the salt water was their bane.

The young mage could have lost the chase a long time ago, but decided to use this occasion as a form of exercise, and he needs every minute of it as he will spend the next couple of weeks cooked up in his lair.

“Hans schnapp dir den Flammenwerfer!” The sight of Mage taking out a small bronze dragon from the backseat was John's clue that it's high time to bail out.

Not losing any more time, the running mage checked straps of his backpack one last time, to make sure that his precious cargo was secure, and he crouched on the flying sword. One stroke of his hand over the ancient runes was all it took to turn him into a blur that disappeared over the forest, and into the night.

Laughing like a small child, the young mage was flying at terrifying speeds. The sword might be old, but damn royal treasures pack a real punch. John doubted that the feeling of freedom and wind in his hair would ever get old, but it was about time to see what his newest treasure was capable of.

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“Breaking and entry into the estate of House Potocki, robbery of priceless arcane knowledge and distributing it under your own name. Property damage and resisting arrest…”

John had to give that one to the Arcane Council. The council members approached this with full professionalism.

Three days ago the young mage came back from his adventure in Germany, and from that point on he devolved into researching his latest treasure in peace. It all ended with a small mistake that brought him half of the Council on his head.

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Just like every self-respecting researcher, John enchanted his creative thinking with energizers that he bought in a supermarket close by. Contrary to most wizards, John never abstained from the conveniences of mortal civilization. More than once his shady dealings were made over the phone, just to bypass all possible vigilance of the Council, as there is no better way to order some dragon eggs. Worst case scenario, he would be taken from a madman between mortals.

That's right, technology has come to his rescue more than once, and the godsend energizer has become the prime fuel for his brilliant brain. Sadly, this godly drink betrayed him for the first time, when he was spotted by a fellow mage on one of the restocking trips. The sole mage traveling through the streets of a small Polish city just had to be there when John went out.

That accidental meeting was the start of a five hour-long siege on his small, cozy laboratory. One sighting was enough to block the whole block with spells and illusions. Even now mortals were staying clear of their oven houses to avoid the so-called gas leak.

The officials came prepared for the arrest of low-life criminal with impressive resume, but they were greeted by an impenetrable fortress. The knowledge amassed by John on his escapades were used in full to turn his basement into a true mystical stronghold. Every single brick was enchanted with multiple defensive spells, and steel doors that separated him from mobs of angry wizards were a magnum opus of protective magic. Special goblin steel stuffed with spells, enchantments and runes was proving to be worth its weight in gold, as it barred entry for everyone present.

Although John was proud of his work that was stumping the best that the Polish wizarding community has to offer, he knew that it was only a matter of time before they breach his defences. Most of his own experiments were funded by people that thought of their own security measures as impenetrable. They were wrong and John did not plan to follow into their footsteps.

“Silentium” even after five constant hours, the charges that were read aloud from the other side of the doors were pleasant to hear. With a heavy heart, John had to stop them with a quick spell. He needed all the focus for what was about to come.

He turned to the only clin area in the room, that could be easily mistaken for an exceptionally messy pawn shop. Magical artifacts and plain old mortal antics were thrown around everywhere. Old notes filled with past experiments covered every inch of the floor. Some of them had burn marks and seemed like they were saved from fire more than once.

All walls were hidden behind cupboards filled with items that could put John in the Council dungeon for the next thousand years.

Cursed amulets, eggs of magical creatures and beasts on the risk of extinction, magical elixirs that were forbidden to own in every civilized, magical community on the planet.

The collection gathered over the years by the young mage was truly impressive. Despite it’s worth, all this was starting to lose any meaning, as John’s future was fully dependent on the items waiting for him on the table in the middle of the room.

One of them was a golden astrolabium that the young mage had borrowed a few months ago. That stunt was the reason why he has a lifetime ban from entering the borders of Portugal. Contrary to its mortal equivalent made by mortals, his astrolabium didn't show simple coordinates. This piece of art was able to synchronize with the whole globe to show even the smallest changes in Earth’s weather. Truly priceless treasure, impossible to recreate with fading skills of modern mages.

Astrolabium looked like a golden globe encased between rune filled metal rings. With one gesture the mage was able to conjure an image of the whole planet. Using exquisite illusion, a small model could show weather changes around the world, not missing even the smallest cloud.

With the next gesture, John turned off the illusion ending his final examination of the artifact. Next to it, there was his newest prize. A tiny, almost transparent crystal that, for lack of better name, was called the chrono stone. John had to admit that this wasn’t his brightest day when it came to naming things.

Getting this crystal wasn’t easy, but he didn’t regret even a second spent on fighting enchanted guardians. This unassuming thing was strongly connected to time powers. The connection was strong enough to randomly age mage hand when he grabbed it for the first time, just to change his hand into a small childlike appendage the next second. Effect might seem comical and unpredictable, but this ability came for John’s rescue at this moment.

His plan wasn’t really that complicated. In theory, a simple connection between the stone and astrolabium should allow him to briefly influence Earth’s aura and by doing so give him a small window to manipulate time. One time jump and puff, he would be free from the prying eye of the Council, three days back, and he would stop them from ever finding him in the first place. As a bonus, he could add the greatest discovery in modern magic to his resume. Just thinking about that gave him goosebumps from excitement.

Not wanting to waste any more time, he prepared for the incoming task. He put on his hands fingerless gloves that were his own invention. Their sole purpose was to create an arcane field in which he could freely manipulate any object with utmost precision.

To start with, he encased the astrolabium in an energy bubble. He was lucky that he had spent whole weeks researching this mysterious artifact after acquiring it, or else he would have no chance in succeeding in this endeavour.

John cut himself from the outside world, giving the arcane sphere his undivided focus and attention. His concentration allowed him to freely analyze the artifact's structure. After a few minutes he was able to build an image of the inner circuit that was powering the device. All this time he kept looking for a single point. The one that was responsible for attunement to Earth’s aura. He has found it in the base of the astrolabium silently controlling every single function of this marvelous device.

Young mage has sent a stable stream of energy from his own core into the device to connect his internal circuit with an artificial one hidden in astrolabium. As it wasn't the first time he attempted something like this, he succeeded and started carving a new patch inside the device. One that would allow him to connect it with chrono stone.

After an hour of tireless work, his forehead was drenched with sweat, but his eyes showed a hint of satisfaction. Right now, next to ancient runes, there was a new symbol, one that allowed connection to something else.

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John was sitting on the floor, and he couldn't stop the painful groan that escaped his mouth. Fingers of his left hand were slowly regrowing with the aid of a healing potion. They were like small disgusting plants growing on speed-up video. The man has spent the past six hours on attempts to connect the damn chrono stone with astrolabium. Working with ancient Portuguese artifact was nothing compared to even the most minor modification on the stone. This tiny thing has proven to be the most stubborn item he has ever encountered, and it had a tendency to reverse any modification made to it structure.

In the last few hours John was able to find a way of making temporary adjustments inside the small crystal. The only issue was the fact that his experimental method was unforgiving when it came to any kind of mistake. His enchanted glove was the only thing that saved him from losing the whole hand when the flow of the magic suddenly reversed its course.

Young mage was sending his own magic directly into the crystal. Like an ocean wave, he was slowly eroding its structure and building new channels. Sadly, the concentration required to finish his task has proven to be too much. John was in dire need of a mental boost, and a simple thought of what he was about to do gave him a minor headache. His innate resistance to negative potion effects was terrible at best. Even healing potion from before will end up with a magical hangover, and what he was planning will get him something way worse.

Like a death row inmate, he slowly went to the fridge for his last meal. From an almost empty shelf he took two things. Vial of glowing, blue liquid and his last energizer drink.

Blue potion was the strongest elixir boosting concentration that John could use without turning his brain into mush afterwards. Its effects were truly miraculous, but he will pay for them in full with a whole week of migraine and vomiting. Knowing that he will not be able to avoid his fate, he drank the potion in one gulp and washed its bitter taste with an energizer.

Results were instantaneous. The whole room became vividly clear, and he almost felt like he blind man seeing for the first time. His chaotic thoughts were finding order in a natural way, giving him logical clarity. Without hesitation he went to one of the cupboards, and with one move threw priceless treasures to the floor, like a common thrash. Hidden beneath random items, there was a simple wooden amulet. It was made by a shaman from North America, and this small contraption was one of the few items that were given to John willingly by one of his friends. Tiny totem depicting heads of three creatures, Thunderbird, Nocturnal Stag and mighty Ursae, quickly found itself on mage’s neck, hanging from a string, and giving him further enhancement to his senses.

Going back to astrolabium abandoned moments earlier, the man could feel the smallest movement of air on his skin, and he almost felt vibrations coming from constant spells bombarding his trusty steel doors. He could hear rustling of paper notes when he went over them, and he even caught faint smell of metal coming from artifact staging on the table.

He caught chrono crystal with his left hand that barely had time to fully heal, and placed it onto the newly inscribed rune symbol on astrolabium.

John immersed himself in his project. There was no more Arcane Council banging on his door. There was no world outside his newly created sphere of energy. His own magic has flooded astrolabium like a tidal wave that quickly divided into organized strings, and joined the inner flow of the device. There was no more John or Astrolabium. They became one, and with united will they enforced their wishes onto the small stone. Deviant crystal had to give in, and a new circuit was created. One, that was more than just the sum of its parts.

Their wish to go to the past resonated through everything, until the world was flooded with bright while light.