Zolan was satisfied.
The bed was comfortable, the blankets soft and the mattress just the right amount of firm. The pillows at his back supported his spine, raising him up into a seated position, but they were not needed to support his head, for his neck was strong. He gazed out at the ocean, at the vast blueness below, and at the sun in the distance. That great big ball of fire was already coloring the sky with oranges and golds. The sunsets at Oceanside were always spectacular. Zolan loved watching them for well over the last hundred years of his life.
Ten years ago, he had thought he had seen the last sunsets of his life, but then he carried on for another decade, and now he was here.
And he was seeing the first sunset of his new, long life.
Zolan smiled, not only because of the number of days he had left, but also at the smaller joys. His butt wasn’t asleep from this odd, semi-uncomfortable position, even though he had been sitting here like this for the last hour, just looking out the window. And his joints didn’t ache. And dinner had been wonderful. And he had kept it all down! And he didn’t have diarrhea afterwards! He also managed to get to the toilet all on his own. Twice he had used the toilet since they had first woken him up half a day ago, and he first saw his new body. He had managed a nice little shower all on his own in the middle of the day, a few hours ago, and he had even tested out the plumbing.
It all worked, and really well, too!
Zolan was impressed with Wizard Flatt’s craftsmanship. It was like being blessed by a god of secular power. Zolan had gained his fair share of godly blessings over the years; they were what had allowed him to live so long. But being ‘blessed’ by a Wizard was on a whole different level.
Zolan thought back to that bath again. He almost wanted to take another one, just because he could. He was young again and he didn’t have to worry about scales tearing off as he washed his skin with a normal cloth, nor did he have to worry about rashes from using the scented soaps. And he could still smell those scented soaps on his skin even now, hours after the shower. The small smells of his old body didn’t assault his senses like they had for the last 60 years.
So many things had changed.
Zolan even had a job waiting for him when he finally got out of this hospital room!
His mind whirred for that sort of proper stimulation again. To look over books and to connect information with other information. To pull apart the insides of an organization and put it all back together in the best possible ways. He had places to be! Sights to see and a—
A whole life ahead of him.
He smiled and a tear fell down his face, as the truth of the situation hit him again, for perhaps the hundredth time. It was still so unbelievable. He had lost a lot in order to gain this new life. From level 92, to level 0. Race changed to demi. All of his magic and all of his godly blessings he had gained over all his long life dedicated to Oceanside, to the Arcanaeum Consortium, to Rozeta and her son. All of that was gone.
He had lost some of his name as well.
Zolan Brightborn
Demi, age 134
Level 0, Class: None
Exp: 0/100
Class: -/-
Points: 0
HP
180/180
210 per day
MP
200/200
210 per day
Strength
18
+0
[18]
Vitality
21
+0
[21]
Willpower
20
+0
[20]
Focus
21
+0
[21]
No longer ‘Goldbranch’, he was ‘Brightborn’. And he had started off with Stats all near 20. He had lost and gained in unequal measure, but he felt, on the whole, he had gained more than he had lost.
He hadn’t lost his family, though.
Zorik, that big lug of a paladin great grandson, sat sleeping in his armor in a chair in the corner of Zolan’s hospital room. Someone had thrown a blanket over the boy and he slept soundly. Ah! The miracle of youth; able to sleep in armor! A mundane miracle if there ever was one.
Zolan didn’t blame Zorik for his sleep, though. The poor kid had been fraught with worry for the past fifteen days, ever since it was official that Zolan was going to try for a position at House Benevolence. The boy almost had a war response when they were going through Zolan’s initial soul tests, where the Headmaster’s proclamations were held until the end.
Those initial soul tests had turned out very positive, though they were still waiting for the final results...
But the initial results were good, and Zorik had crashed for the first time in a long time, now that he knew his grandpapa was still his grandpapa. Zolan loved that boy. He was a good great grandson.
After Zorik completed his Paladin training and Class elevation, he had been assigned by the Church of Rozeta to protect and watch over Zolan. This was, of course, because Zolan and Zorik worked to make that happen. Usually such an assignment simply did not happen, but Zolan still had a lot of pull in his retirement. It was much nicer having his favorite great grandson close by all the time, instead of some other Paladin, even if Zolan sometimes felt he was too much of a burden…
All the time.
Now, though…
Now.
Everything had changed.
“Knock knock,” said a visitor at the open door.
Zolan turned and smiled. “Ah. I didn’t see you arrive.”
The Headmaster looked as he always did; as well put together as possible. He did allow himself a genuine smile, though; a rare expression for one of his station. As he walked into the room, he asked, “What’s your range?”
Zorik startled awake from his chair, ready for war, but then he saw the intruder was only the Headmaster, so he settled back down. He did not try to go back to sleep, though; he simply stood and made himself ready for anything.
“2 meters. Barely worth noting at all.” Zolan said, “A curious thing, that. I find that being able to actually see the world with my own eyes is making me less inclined to stretch my mana sense as much as I should. Of course, your moratorium on spell casting doesn’t help.”
The Headmaster chuckled. “Well about that: your [Reincarnation] is now officially accepted as real. We’ve run all the tests we want to run. I’m here to congratulate you, and to announce that you are free to start regaining what you lost.”
Zorik breathed out, his silver armor making small settling sounds as the Paladin relaxed.
Zolan was pretty darned happy, too.
With a false sense of finality, the Headmaster casually declared, “You won’t be allowed inside the archives, or any other sensitive locations though, now that you have declared yourself for House Benevolence and Erick.”
Ha!
“I’m glad to hear you’re calling him ‘Erick’ and not ‘The Wizard’.” Zolan said, “Gives me hope for the future that you’re already so familiar with my new boss.”
The Headmaster smirked a little. “Usually, foreign dignitaries will at least stand when I meet them.”
“I am a hospital patient and I will milk this for all that I can.”
The Headmaster chuckled.
Zolan said, “Dinner was great, by the way. I’m glad to see that the kitchen remains up to standards.”
“Only the best for an ally.”
Zolan realized something. “You’re really happy about this. Even more than I am, I think.”
“Of course I am, and for so many different reasons.” The Headmaster said, “Allow me to give you the latest one: including you, Erick has accepted all 16 applicants I sent him, and will be giving each one a [Reincarnation]. Mox is already on her way back to get her treatment.”
Ha?
Ha!
A great big mirth burbled up from Zolan’s stomach, multiplied in his chest, and came out as a great big, full-throated laugh. Tears of joy fell once again. The Headmaster joined him with a smaller chuckle, but Zolan knew there was more to be said; more nuance and more details. That could wait, however. The Headmaster allowed Zolan to have this moment.
It was a good moment.
Eventually, though, the Headmaster said, “It’s more complicated than that, of course.”
Zolan wiped away some of his tears, saying, “Of course it is.”
The Headmaster pulled a nice set of grey and white clothes from the air and set them on the table beside Zolan, saying, “Get dressed and let’s take a walk, since that is something you can do now.” He smiled and began walking away.
The Headmaster was overjoyed.
And Zolan was, too.
Zolan threw off his blankets and easily hopped out of bed, moving in a way that was completely unfamiliar to him, and yet, was growing on him. He was adjusting. He was remembering how he used to move, back when movement was easy, when his legs didn’t crack with every bend, when his spine used to move without breaking, and when he could uncurl his hands and actually use his fingers as they were meant to be used.
He was lithe and mobile, and he could take off his own hospital gown easily.
Zorik averted his gaze, the copper scales of his face heating up as he mumbled, “This is so weird.”
“Weird can be good, Zorik!” Zolan said as he began changing, his new underthings and pants fitting him well. As Zolan looked in the mirror set into the wall, he smiled, adding, “Holy fucks I look great. Look at this chest! These arms! This stomach! This ASS! Erick— My king does good work!” He turned to Zorik, laughing a little as he threw his arms wide, saying, “Look at this! This is fantastic!”
But Zorik wasn’t looking at Zolan’s body at all. He was looking at Zolan’s face, and there was sadness in his eyes. Zorik said, “This is… I’m very happy for you, grandpapa, but this is a thing I don’t understand.”
Zolan composed himself. He rapidly put on his new shirt, as he said, “It’s just life, and life is weird. It’s boring, too. But also wonderful. Exciting. Old and new at the same time. And then there are special events, things you see so rarely that they appear to be miracles. Those events throw everything you thought you knew into turmoil. Usually, those events come along once every few decades.” Zolan finished putting on his jacket. “I was prepared to go onto my everlasting life with Rozeta in the Script, thinking I had seen the last of my miracles, but I’ve seen too many miracles in the past two years to be satisfied with a natural end. I have to see what comes with my own eyes, and I have to help build that future, too. I hope you can be okay with that decision.”
“I’m fine with it. I’m just… It’s weird.”
Zolan smiled wide. “Life is weird, but gods above, life is also very good.”
Zorik asked, “Why demi, though?”
“You’ll find out when you’re older and a stray scale falls off in bed and pokes you in the side all night long because you can’t move yourself, and then you get a small infection that turns into something large because you were too stubborn to inform your nurses of your proper needs.” Zolan said, “Scales are great when you’re young and healthy and getting into fights on a daily basis, but they’re not practical when your plans mostly involve shaping paper.”
Zorik was briefly horrified. Had he failed in his duty? Had he failed his grandpapa?
Zolan added, “That happened years before you came along. By the time you became my main guard, I learned how to restrain my movement so that wouldn’t happen as much. There’s a lot of self-limiting you do as you grow old. Too much to ever really mention to others. Don’t worry about it.” He waved away the horror of the moment, and he was going to say something else, but he fixated on his fingers. Fingers. Not claws. He waggled the pale violet digits at Zorik, saying, “Fingers! Not claws! Weird, but fun!”
Zorik grumbled a little.
Zolan ignored that and opened the door. He stepped out into the hallway, where the Headmaster waited.
Zolan had to look down to see the guy.
This brought Zolan a lot more joy than he would have thought possible.
The Headmaster had to look up to greet him, which he did, and with a smile. “It’s been a while since I had to actually look up to you.”
“I always did enjoy knowing that I was briefly taller than you, and now I’m back here again.” Zolan smiled. “Even if you could simply be taller if you wished.”
The Headmaster happily said, “Being big isn’t all that great.”
Zolan laughed a little, and then he and the Headmaster began walking down the hallway.
Eventually they would talk of important things, of what the Headmaster had heard of House Benevolence’s plans for the future, and of magic that Zolan once knew and would need to reacquire, but for now, they spoke of small things as they strolled toward the entrance of the hospital. They spoke of the past, and though Zolan recognized the Headmaster’s talk of old times as a small test of memory, to see if he was still all there, Zolan was happy to succeed on those tests, and give some of his own. Neither the Headmaster nor Zolan could truly believe that this [Reincarnation] thing had worked so well, but as they spoke, they both came to realize that yes, this really had happened.
In his unsaid thoughts, Zolan was absolutely sure that the Headmaster would not lie about the truth of this magic in order to secure an alliance with Erick, and especially not if Erick was actually a con artist; if he was mangling souls into the shapes of the formerly alive, like Messalina, the Life Binder. That woman’s [True Resurrection] was an absolutely horrific magic that still plagued this world, over 300 years since its creation, though the only people who truly knew what that magic actually did were Messalina, the Headmaster, and the gods. Zolan and most of the world was of the impression that [True Resurrection] was a fake magic, and the Life Binder was duping everyone who went to her asking to get a loved one back. False souls in fake bodies, it was!
But sometimes the Headmaster got this look in his eyes when the subject came up…
Whatever the case, that soul-mangling had been why the Headmaster had decried [True Resurrection] as false, and why he had exiled his wife and killed his fake children. Perhaps, though, when they got into a more secure location than here on the street, Zolan would ask the Headmaster about [Reincarnation] and [True Resurrection], directly.
But for now, they spoke of current events and memories, stretching back from mere days, to a century ago, back when Zolan first started working for the Headmaster, back when he got his start in the department of student affairs.
All the while Zorik followed, shiny in his armor and looking less worried with every passing minute.
- - - -
Mox Dawnsider once again sat in a chair in Erick’s office, and this time she had completed paperwork.
“Thank you for allowing me to verify your words and your magic with my own eyes and resources, my king.” Mox said, “I am ever thankful for your benevolence.”
Erick had already looked over [Reincarnation] paperwork, but now he looked over Mox. She was thrilled, scared, ready for danger, and ready for a bitter end. Whatever happened, would happen. She was different from her first visit. Now she believed, fully, and without reservation.
Her body was different from last time, too. A small cavity of fluid had opened up around her pancreas; the result of a [Cleanse], perhaps? In fact, there were dozens of such small cavities here and there, but in just the same way, there were dozens of small healthy bits here and there. Only one day later, and Mox’s soul scarred body had been halfway transformed due to all the healing and cleaning magics she always had to use on herself.
She needed this cure. She wanted this cure.
Erick was glad he could bring her this cure.
Erick tried to bring down her anxiety level, though, saying, “I understand that Zolan is walking around and he’ll be here in two days, after his great grandson helps him to secure some easy levels. I trust you have a similar convalescence planned?”
Mox said, “I do. Everything is ready. After this, I ask for your assistance in transporting me to Oceanside, whereupon I will make all reasonable haste to rejoin you here at House Benevolence. If that is agreeable with you, my king.”
“It’s fine with me. Are you ready?”
Mox stood up, standing as tall as she was able. She breathed deep, then said, “Everything was on the paper but… If possible… I would like…” She breathed. She said, “I would like really great skin— And to keep my analytical mind of course. Please, my king.”
Erick smiled softly as he stood, saying, “I’ll do everything I can to grant all of your wishes, Mox.” He flooded [Merciful Ether] across her body as he started moving his sunform in, saying, “Now just breathe deep, and count backward from one hundred. I got you. You’re safe here.”
“I believe you,” Mox whispered, as she rose on tendrils of soft lightning, her heartbeat racing as she rapidly began counting backwards, “One-hundred, ninety-nine, ninety-eight…”
She got all the way to 73 before her speech slurred and her heartbeat slowed.
- - - -
Mox was now an exceptionally beautiful human woman of dark, perfect skin. There was not a blemish on her, and in some ways she seemed like she had makeup on. Her soul was whole, and she had both her eyes once again.
When the world had fractured under the power of [Reincarnation], and a thousand hopes for the future appeared in those fractures, Erick had picked out the one that most closely resembled the one Mox had picked out for herself. She was a mother of four, with a husband of indeterminate personage looking after the kids, while she organized worlds and people. She still had time for her kids, though, and eventually she was able to raise her kids to powerhouses who brought peace and prosperity wherever they went.
Erick sent Mox through the [Gate], onto the waiting [Floating Platform] of the hospital staff, and under the watchful eyes of Kirginatharp.
The Second to Rozeta watched as Mox was floated away, out of the receiving room, smiling the whole time. And then he turned to Erick. He was still smiling.
“Greetings, Erick.”
“Hello again,” Erick said, “I’ve been informed that you heard the plan for my overseer positions.”
Kirginatharp nodded. “Stratagold will likely offer their own words about all that, but I have nothing really more to add except… I had a talk with Zolan. He’s out with his great grandson right now, regaining some levels. But he said something that has stuck with me. He envisions you as the living embodiment of a treaty between our many lands, which feels appropriate.
“I have a slight concern that you are allowing one of those Deaths to oversee your branch of enforcement, but… I’m sure you can make that work. You seem to have a plan, and though I find it unconventional, it will likely work as well as everything else you have tried.
“I’m glad to see you’re undertaking this new mantle with the severity it demands, and I’m truly thankful that you’re taking everyone I offered. It will be good to see them all walking around and working again, even if they aren’t working for me.” Kirginatharp smiled. “Even if some of them aren’t how I remember them, either.”
“They need not be strangers to Oceanside,” Erick said, “I invited Zolan to move some of his family over, as well.”
“I know the boy will stay with Zolan, but the rest will likely take time to show, if they do at all. His name changed, do you know?”
Erick startled a little. “No. I did not know that.”
“Brightborn.” Kirginatharp said, “It’s a good name.” He added, “It’s already started a big problem with the Goldbranchs but I doubt it will turn into anything more than family drama. Zolan is still their original patriarch, after all.”
“… Huh.” Erick glanced to the hallway where Mox had vanished, saying, “Huh.”
Kirginatharp continued, “Aside from that, all of your reincarnators will be weak for a while, so I hope you will put them up in truly secure housing while they regain their power, or at least until you get some proper guard at your House.”
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“Easily done.” Erick said, “There’s plenty of space for more housing on Yggdrasil.”
Kirginatharp breathed out a small sigh of relief, then said, “Thank you, Erick.”
Erick nodded. “Thank you as well, Kirginatharp, for all the wonderful staff.”
“You are a living peace treaty; it is only right that I participate as much as I can.” Kirginatharp made to move on, saying, “Now if you will excuse me, I must attend to Mox.”
“Before you go. I have to ask… Is Mox not really that close with her family? There are obvious holes in her resume when compared to what she said she wanted. She didn’t even show up with anyone.”
Kirginatharp paused for a moment, thinking, then he said, “Most of Mox’s family has been killed by exterior forces, or they became very good at hiding. I doubt she actually visited you alone. I’m sure she will tell you more when she wakes, though.”
… Was that the reason for the cleared history of the manasphere here and there inside the House?
Perhaps.
Erick nodded. “Thank you, then. And now I’ve got a meeting with Stratagold. See you later.”
Kirginatharp smirked, nodded, and began to follow where Mox had gone.
Erick closed the portal.
- - - -
Erick knew the next applicant and they had already exchanged pleasantries. Her resume had not been a part of the original forty-odd resumes, though. She was a new addition, and probably just because of what Erick had told Sitnakov earlier in the day.
That information had gotten around fast.
And now here was Aisha, from Archmage’s Rest, near Stratagold.
She was an iridescent-silver human-shaped woman. She was a co-librarian down at the Rest, with a heavy focus on Book Magic and Prognostication. She was, perhaps, the best prognosticator of the past that Erick had ever met, for she could see through the static of Fairy Moon’s murder of Kydyr, though she wasn’t able to see Fairy Moon herself. Some holes in the manasphere’s memory were too difficult even for her. Other than that personal skill, she was very knowledgeable, for she was one of the only people to tell Erick plain facts about Wizards, and other important things, like the structure of Ar’Cosmos. She was also one of the few people to tell him that even if he was a Wizard, she would be on his side.
She was also an archmage, and she was a Knowledge Mage.
Apparently, her archmage level magic was the ability to [Scan] a whole library and understand everything written there for up to an hour afterward, with pertinent information lasting longer. She was also very skilled at Force Magic.
All of that was great to know.
But mostly…
Erick said, “A person of your caliber was not what I was expecting when I told Sitnakov what was going to happen with my choices. An archmage is a rare thing.”
“Everyone wants your House to work, but when your final decisions about hierarchy came through, and when it became apparent that you were taking a Death Dragon as your hand of enforcement, the manasphere seemed to call to me, and so I put myself out there, into those talks. From there, we arrive at here.” Aisha said, “Everyone else Stratagold gave you still qualifies, but I knew I had to be here. I want this to work, Erick, because I have to ensure that the mistakes of the past are not repeated again.”
And she was telling the plain truth, as far as Erick could see.
“We only interacted a handful of times, but you were the only one to guide me without fear, to tell me of Wizardry and so much more. I’ve seen proof of how good you are with [Witness], and how good you are at spotting current trends and slotting yourself exactly where you need to be.” Erick said, “But I need to know how you will react when you see a Shade walking around here, because though she hasn’t made her presence known, Goldie is around here somewhere.”
Aisha steeled herself. “I cannot personally work with a Shade, but if you should deem it prudent when you have to work with a Shade, I would like to provide opposing counsel. The same goes for any other dangerous entity. If such a thing is not possible in the moment, then I would happily and graciously provide counsel before or after such meetings of powers.”
Erick nodded slowly, and found himself fine with Aisha’s offer of counsel. As a small test, though, he asked, “Who would you suggest for the next Overseer position, of Law or Wellbeing? Stratagold gets one of them, and Ar’Cosmos gets the one left over.”
“No one, for either position, and for a detailed reason.” Aisha continued, “Your stated hierarchy is a bit odd, for it seems to split duties in odd ways, or at least odd by our sensibilities. We all expected mayors and managers and other smaller functionaries, not for you to head right into a Greensoil-type or Archipelago Nergal-type kingdom.
“But to answer your question...
“You have stated that you would give us our next choice of Overseer, and we would choose the Overseer of Wellbeing, for mundane education and healthcare. You might think we would choose the Overseer of Law, but this is a trap. Not one we believe you have made on purpose, but a trap nonetheless.
“This is because whoever chooses the Overseer of Law will get on your bad side, since you have differing ideas of what laws are good, and what laws are bad. Such a problem might erupt right away when a crucial decision is made to your displeasure, or perhaps such a problem will fester terribly. Either way, the Overseer of Law will be a thorn, perhaps more than most. Or, perhaps they’ll fall in line exactly how you want them to fall.
“I can't say for certain either way, though I would err on the side of caution.
“And to make the lack of representation fair for all, if I were you I would hold off on appointing an Overseer of Wellbeing, as well, simply so that there are fewer problems between Ar’Cosmos and all the rest of us. A 3 to 1 split in your Overseers might not work out well, either, but with Ar’Cosmos receiving Overseer of Enforcement, which might be the most powerful position, then perhaps this sort of ‘unevenness’ is acceptable.
“In my opinion, you should appoint an Overseer of Law later. Perhaps a year or two down the tunnel. You should pick someone who naturally arises out of the systems that naturally arise from new cities.” Aisha finished with, “Perhaps someone in Candlepoint’s city hall would actually be best for Overseer of Law? Perhaps someone from there might best serve as Overseer of Wellbeing, as well. Or maybe someone from Songli? I understand you have a hospital over there, after all.”
… Huh.
All very good points.
Erick said, “Your counsel is appreciated, but I still need to accept those other two Overseer positions, because I can’t do everything myself and I want the organization to happen here at the beginning. Hearing this, does Stratagold still wish to forgo Overseer of Wellbeing?”
Without hesitation, Aisha said, “We could provide a temporary person for Wellbeing, but we still feel it would be best if a mortal took over both Wellbeing and Law.”
“Then I’m going to take a man from Oceanside and give him the position. Stratagold only gets you, as Overseer of Magic, but once you take this oath, you’re not part of them anymore. You will be the Overseer of Magic for House Benevolence, and when we have talks with Stratagold, or other wrought nations, I expect you to speak on behalf of this House, and not on behalf of any other.” Erick said, “Since Archmage’s Rest is similar to a club and less like a nation, it’s fine to retain ties to them, but they will be lesser ties.”
“I easily accept your restrictions and your demands, for I have been waiting a long time to solve the problems of the past, and to make a brighter future.” Aisha steeled herself, saying, “Please ask me anything, and I will do my best to answer. I know a lot of minor secrets.”
“Your willingness to have your loyalty tested is admirable.” Erick said, “I have no doubt that one day, far down the line, there will come a test. On that day, I hope I will have proven enough of my own character to garner your full loyalty.”
“You already have 55% of it.”
Erick paused, Aisha’s sudden honesty catching him off guard. He laughed a little, saying, “I’ll do my best to bump that up to at least 95%.”
“I have no doubt you will succeed.” Aisha sat seriously, once again. She glanced to Poi, then back to Erick, saying, “I would like to take the oath now, if it behooves your benevolence.”
Erick nodded to Poi, and Poi stepped forward.
Erick laid out a simple oath of solid words, duties appointed, and expectations laid, with demands against deceit and to always work in good faith for him, and for House Benevolence.
Aisha made her loyalties known to her new Apparent King, and Wizard of Benevolence.
Erick approved.
Aisha walked out of Erick’s office with several immediate tasks, but the first one was the construction of a Benevolence research center. Erick wanted to fulfill Rozeta’s request of him to have ‘whole teams working on this’, and so, he handed that task off to Aisha.
With a sparkle in her iridescent platinum eyes, Aisha said, “I am so very glad to have come to you, and to have been accepted. I will make your wishes a reality, my… My king.”
Erick gently teased her, “It was odd for you to say that last part, wasn’t it.”
“It was!” Aisha laughed a little. “I’ve been saying that to King Alfonin for so long… It’s a change, for sure. It’s a happy change, though.”
Erick showed Aisha the way to her research tower, and to the tower he had planned to give to the wrought forces of House Benevolence. That wrought home was fully across the way from Ar’Cosmos’s assigned tower. Erick expected many of these ‘new hires’ to live inside the House, for now, but perhaps for Aisha and his other Overseers, those specific people might get housing on Yggdrasil.
Or maybe not? Maybe they would want to be near their own people… In this transition state, anyway.
Erick had already promised Kirginatharp that he would put the reincarnators on Yggdrasil, but the wrought were not temporarily weak at all, and nor were the people from Ar’Cosmos.
Whatever the case, it was time to move on.
Erick spent the next two hours interviewing other applicants from Stratagold and Oceanside.
- - - -
“It says here that you pride yourself on being a hardass toward your students,” Erick said, reading off the guy's resume. “Why do you take pride in that?”
Raingorl Bonesnapper was an orcol man of simple clothes and simple words, with a resume that was shorter than most, but only because he had the enviable ability to simply mark out his many, many Arcanaeum Consortium and Oceanside awards of excellence in teaching. 75 years of awards, in fact. He also had other awards from all over the place, from many different lands. He had taught the current King of Greensoil in best farming practices, and the current Majordomo of Eidolon in political theory. He had gained recognition for his instruction in the best ways to start new cities, from the heads of seven such cities, all of them growing and thriving on the islands of Archipelago Nergal. Raingorl knew how to make places work well.
And now he was here, at the end of his old life, and the beginning of his next.
As an orcol, Raingorl had retained his racial blessing of beauty well into 110, but his age was beginning to show. Darker spots of green on his face. Wiry hair that fell out long ago, leaving him bald. A thinness that could not be solved by more food. A need to use a cane. Deep wrinkles around his eyes.
His eyes, though, were still bright and attentive, highlighting a mind that had not deteriorated at all. He knew what he was about, and he had faced this question of being a hardass many times before.
With a measured voice, Raingorl said, “In an adventurer’s arena, and in life, having a hardass for a teacher means less hardship later. I might correct a student based on nuances that they would never encounter, but knowing that those nuances exist might help a student plan better. It might save their life. Or, I will have discouraged someone from being out there in the field where they will have gotten themselves or another killed. I would consider either way a success.” Raingorl said, “In the end, the point is not to fully instruct a student, nor to coddle them into trying things that will harm others, but to instead cause a spark inside a young mind which will cause them to seek out bettering behaviors, in every arena of their life.”
“Admirable.” Erick asked, “I have nothing against how Kirginatharp teaches mundane topics so I doubt we’ll come to any impasse there, though I likely will wish to talk about all that at some later date. For now, the normal curriculum works fine. I have no doubt you can set up schools and hospitals up at Candlepoint, either, for in addition to teaching, you were also the director of education for the Arcanaeum Consortium for 25 years. You’re in as the Overseer of Wellbeing.”
In small pieces, and then all at once, Raingorl’s face and body relaxed. With a stuttering voice, he said, “Ahhh… This is good. Thank you, Wizard Flatt. Thank you.”
Erick let the man have his moment. He could surely relate. After several seconds passed, Erick said, “When I first came to Veird, I was amazed at how much the Script helps people to regain themselves. You might not know it… But it’s hard out there without magic; without Health and without healing. I’m glad I have this opportunity to give back some of the goodwill I’ve already received from the better parts of your world.”
Raingorl smiled wide, exposing his large lower fangs. “You’ve run into problems too, though.”
“Of course. I have no problems with how Kirginatharp teaches mundane topics, but I do have a problem with the magical side of things. It’s not a large deal right now, but when push comes to shove, I want to know that you will be on my side of things.” Erick asked, “So will you?”
“The Headmaster does as he does in order to protect the world from magical misuse, but he has lots of opponents in the Consortium who wish for looser regulations on what they are allowed to teach.” Raingorl said, “I was a moderate in those circles, but there are many ways in which those progressives have good points. I look forward to talking about that with you… Though mostly I expect to be able to teach normal curriculum. The magical stuff is under the Overseer of Magic, I understand?”
“True; I just wished to know the measure of your stance.” Erick continued, “Now… You have filled out the [Reincarnation] paperwork, but I am aware that there are often things people wish for that they do not actually put down on paper. This spell can do a lot. Do you have anything you would like to add, that you don’t wish to put down in physical words?”
Raingorl looked like Erick had asked him a weird question. He said, “No. Everything written is what I want, and I am fully aware of the side effects of my [Reincarnation]. I will be set to 0, and all blessings and otherwise stripped from my person.”
“… Okay.” Erick felt the man was lying, but perhaps it was more of a lie to himself, than to Erick. Whatever the case, [Reincarnation] could be used multiple times on the same person, so if Raingorl wanted something different later, then Erick could do that. So he moved on. “If you are ready, then let us do the oath of office.”
Raingorl held his hands steady on his cane as he fixed his eyes upon Erick. “I am ready to pledge myself to House Benevolence and to you, Wizard Flatt.”
Twenty minutes later, Erick sent a very handsome 19 year-old, 110 year-old orcol man through a portal to Oceanside.
- - - -
Burhendurur and Fairy Moon sat in Erick’s office at the top of House Benevolence.
A new stack of resumes sat on Erick’s desk. He casually flipped through them, reading them as fast as he could glimpse the pages—
He smiled.
“Ah. That boy Hizogard who had been in stasis for a few centuries.” Erick said, “He’s coming to work for me. That’s good. He looked like he needed some new direction in life.”
Burhendurur said, “His family had a long history of being good members of House Carnage before their destruction at the hand of Stratagold.”
Erick looked over Burhendurur, saying, “And you seem to have all of yourself here and ready for a new life, too. As a small warning, though, if you all can’t play nice with everyone else here, then that will be a problem. I have already given everyone else the same warning, but now I repeat that warning to you.”
Burhendurur said, “I’m rather sure that every single person picked out and laid before you in that paperwork will be able to do the duties assigned to them, and to keep the peace as much as they are able.”
Fairy Moon had just been watching this whole time, but she couldn’t keep quiet any longer. She changed the subject, “I shall be your Overseer of Law.”
Like he had been sucker punched, rapid, all-consuming anger flooded out from Erick.
The room instantly brightened with flickers of lightning from every light overhead. Lightning flashed outside, striking down from a cloudy sky to touch upon a corner tower of House Benevolence.
A storm brewed.
Burhendurur’s breath hitched. He wanted to move away from Fairy Moon, but he did not. Poi had a similar desire to move away from Erick.
“Absolutely not,” Erick said, staring right at Fairy Moon, his eyes flickering with brightness. “The kidnapping aside, since the outcome there was eventually favorable to all, you have disregarded my judgments and desires once, and in a moment of great importance. You killed the Red Dot dragon instead of dragging him to court. I cannot trust you with the position of Overseer of Law. Do not ask for this to change.”
Fairy Moon stared right back at Erick, her eyes alight with pink and green Springtime. “You mistake my mandate as less than the wonderful wish that it is.”
“You mistake my denial of your request as something you can gainsay.”
A terrible moment of shifting futures arrived like a monster peeking in through a window…
Lightning struck outside.
And…
… Fairy Moon relented slowly, then rapidly and all at once. “Bah. I’m too busy back in Ar’Cosmos anyway.”
The storm moved on.
Erick did not relax, though. He rapidly looked over the various applications he had received and picked out the one that read the best. “Mikatiti’s understudy; the carnage dragon who oversees the Rotunda when Mikatiti cannot be present. I pick him for the Overseer of Law. If Volaro is anything like Mikatiti, then I assume he will be open to shifting opinions, but be able to hand down fair rulings.” He said to Burhendurur, “And you’re Overseer of Enforcement. Do you approve of Volaro as a person?”
“I do.” Burhendurur said, “He belongs to a branch family of Carnage, and if it weren’t for Bright Smile’s eagerness to rise to power and Volaro’s complacency with the law, then Volaro might very well have been the next Head of House Carnage.”
“Good.” Erick said to both of them, “Get him here, and let us start swearing in these people. When that is over, we can also discuss the placement of Ar’Cosmos forces inside House Benevolence. I have a tower set aside for your interests. My plan, right now, is to put up [Fairy Stronghold]s in those towers, so you —and only you— will be able to go into those places and feel secure in those locations. I will be doing the same for the wrought’s tower, and for other locations. Obviously, this is not foolproof, and especially not for your forces...” To Fairy Moon, Erick said, “If I catch you in any of the private lands I put up for the security of all of the various antagonistic forces I got running around here, then we will have uncomfortable words, Fairy Moon. Honor this pact, and honor it now.”
Fairy Moon looked at Erick, then said, “We can place our own protective orders—”
“My land. My rules.” Erick said, “I will be putting up the [Fairy Stronghold]s. You will not go fairying around into other people’s privacies.”
Fairy Moon huffed, “Then I cannot cavort anywhere without alerting all others!”
“That is precisely the point. I don’t want anyone else using Fae Magic around here, and that means you, most of all.” Erick said, “But in a few years, when the bands of intent on Fae get relaxed, then that should no longer happen. I hope that instead of fighting this, you take this small time to prove that the relaxation of those bands of intent will not lead to even more problems down the road. I want to trust you, but that trust has to be earned. I should mention, AGAIN, that you had earned my trust until you fucked up and killed the Red Dot dragon without bringing him in for questioning.” Feeling suddenly more tired than angry, Erick earnestly asked, “Please do not make another mistake like that again. Testing this decree of mine would be a mistake.”
Fairy Moon frowned, but all of her anger evaporated quickly enough. “An acceptable arrangement; I agree.”
“… Okay.” Erick said, “Then: Moving on...”
- - - -
The organization of small words and orders given moved both fast and slow.
Some people were eager to get out of Ar’Cosmos, rushing through Springtime with an orderly, yet quick pace, right into the tower space that Erick was already setting up for them. Hizogard was among these people. He was among the first successes of Ar’Cosmos’s new Renewal Tank System, and he showed up for duty in his human body, with his blond hair and bright blue eyes, looking ready to tackle the world. He was also completely embarrassed once he saw Erick.
Hizogard crashed to the ground when he saw Erick, going down on one knee and lowering his head as he shouted, “This one apologizes for his lack of knowledge and manners in our previous meeting, my Wizard and my King Erick Flatt. Please forgive my disrespect! It will not happen again!”
Erick forgave the guy, of course, for only an asshole would not forgive a man who lashed out at others after just waking up and finding out that their entire family was gone, and everything he knew was different. Hizogard did not accept that forgiveness as much as Erick would have liked, for Hizogard wanted to become a part of the offices of Enforcement. He needed to prove his loyalty and his strength of arms by ensuring that all the enemies of House Benevolence would rue the days they decided to act against his Wizard.
‘His Wizard’.
Erick moved past Hizogard’s display of something akin to chivalry.
Other people came out of Ar’Cosmos rather slowly, wary over everything and not fully trusting the tower that Erick had filled with [Fairy Stronghold]. Erick let them put up their own magics if they wished, after they had made their oaths, of course. He stressed that his Fae Magic would be the only allowance of that magic in this space, too, which made a lot of people glance between him and Fairy Moon.
Fairy Moon rolled her eyes each time, then Erick stared at her, and she repeated the promise she had made before about not messing with the fae spaces Erick would construct, nor would she mess with the people therein.
One thing Erick did not expect about all of the Ar’Cosmos people was that almost all of them were mere weeks out of the Renewal Tanks, meaning Erick had helped every single one of these people regain lives that they had thought they had lost forever. No longer half-dragons, they were simply people, and they were grateful.
He had expected another dragon or two, but nope! Just the two; Burhendurur and Volaro. Volaro didn’t show for a while, though.
In the meantime, Erick learned a funny thing about those Renewal Tanks. Apparently, Redflame had improved upon the initial design. House Benevolence’s new paper shapers and guards had not been reset to 0, like everyone else who Erick had reincarnated. Most of them only lost anywhere from 50% to 90% of their previous Status. It was only a few people, like Hizogard, who lost everything, and only because his half-dragon situation was far enough gone to kill him when he was out of [Stasis].
… Erick didn’t know how he felt about a ‘half-[Reincarnation]’.
Toward the end of the parade of new people, happily moving into a new tower, Erick finally met the man he had been expecting. Volaro walked out of Springtime with Fairy Moon at his side, but Fairy Moon could not stand to talk about someone other than herself becoming a judge, so she left.
And then it was just the newest dragon in Erick’s life, and Erick, in his office.
Poi remained behind Erick though, of course.
Erick’s new Overseer of Law, if he didn’t prove incompetent or worse, was a calm, orcol-sized and shaped man. From afar, he looked the part of any normal orcol with long black hair, but up close, one could see that his black hair hid two curving horns that wrapped around the sides and back of his head, to come out almost in line with both sides of his jaw.
And his eyes were pools of red Carnage fire.
Their interaction was about as involved as the one Erick had with Burhendurur, taking a while and involving magic talk, but it also delved into the importance of the law, and separating law from enforcement.
Volaro said, “I have often overseen the Rotunda with Burhendurur in session, so I have no doubt we will be able to work well together. But not perfectly. Both in the larger arenas and in the smaller courts, we have locked horns often enough to know the measure of each other. It is good, however, to have such a strong backing in your arm of Enforcement. A word of warning, though: I fully expect Burhendurur to be framed for various crimes in various attempts to strip him of his position, and then for one of Kirginatharp’s or Stratagold’s forces to take over that Overseer position.”
“I’m fully expecting there to be lots of office drama.” Erick said, “I hope that it does not rise to the problem of murder or other similar evils, though. But when it does, you will be overseeing those trials.”
Volaro nodded slowly, then asked, “And how do you expect this land to run?”
Now there was the big question.
Erick gave his answer, “Everyone living under the same laws, with justice for all. I’m imagining that many past crimes will need to be forgiven, though, if there is any hope at all for this to work. To that end, I will be offering amnesty to those who come here, pledge an oath to the new world, and choose to lay down their weapons and their hate.” He said, “There’s more to it than that, but that’s a good enough answer for now.”
Volaro looked at Erick. “We likely have very different ideas of which laws are important to judge harshly, and those which should be forgiven. So in this transition state, how would you like me to judge? I am versed in Common International Law, but that law is considered terribly thin. I could judge based on Ar’Cosmos Third Reformation Law, but that would automatically call for an expunging of all foreigners and a Fae Seal struck against them, and that will not work as per your established dislike of that magic. First Order Law would simply kill any offenders of the common peace, which is widely open to interpretation, and I feel executions will be low on your list of acceptable outcomes.”
“I am against execution except in the cases of mass murderers, or the unjustified and unrepentant. I expect a lot of fines to be levied against offenders, for most cases are more delegation between two sides, and less trials of high crimes.” Erick said, “In those largest of trials, I would prefer judgments made with a goal of reformation or conciliation. Instead of Fae Seals and exile, I might be offering a [Blessing of Empathy] and halfway homes, though you and I will likely need to have a larger discussion about that. One other thing to think about is that I can also levy a [Reincarnation] against people who egregiously harm others, thus stripping them of all their power, making them reasonably easy to contain.”
Volaro breathed in a little deeper than he had been; he was surprised by Erick’s words, and a bit by what he considered ruthlessness. He was wary, but he was ready to rise to power in a new land, too. Perhaps politically, he said, “I will need to take these ideas into account.”
“This has been a good conversation, Volaro.” Erick said, “I expect to countermand your judgments many times in the near future, but I am sure we can eventually see eye to eye.”
“I agree.” Volaro asked, “Shall we do the oath now?”
Erick smiled a little, feeling good about this whole thing, and then he began, “I, Erick Flatt, demand your fealty, Volaro Carnage, for the power I invest in you is the only power you will have in these lands...”
- - - -
When the sun rose across House Benevolence the next day, Erick inducted 15 more wrought into House Benevolence. They would be sorted into offices and organizations soon enough, though the lion’s share of them would likely head off to the Benevolence Research tower. Many of them were eager to start working directly with Erick to see what Benevolence could really do.
Those people went into a different [Fairy Stronghold] secured tower, across from Ar’Cosmos’s tower.
An hour later, when most people were settled into their new homes, and before anything untoward could happen...
Erick introduced both sides to each other.
That meeting was tense.
Erick told them all where the Benevolence Research tower was, while also instructing them not to fight, and that they were part of the same House now. It was a conversation fraught with difficulty and hard emotions, but it needed to happen. Erick mostly just told anyone who raised their voice to walk away. That happened more than he would have liked, but exactly as much as he expected.
That introduction devolved into a mostly empty room fast enough...
But three people remained. Aisha, Volaro, and Burhendurur (and Teressa, Poi, Kiri, Jane, and Sitnakov, standing with Erick, but they didn’t count much for the difficulty of the situation. The people of Ar’Cosmos did goggle a lot at Sitnakov, but the giant black man did not engage, thankfully). Erick’s three new Overseers spoke amicably for a good twenty minutes after the room cleared, and then they all decided to speak again another day. They had not threatened each other, nor had they raised their voices. They simply met each other in a calm space.
It was the best outcome possible, in Erick’s opinion.
In everyone’s opinion, actually. After everyone left, Sitnakov told everyone that he had been absolutely sure that someone was going to throw a punch.
Erick moved on… Somewhat.
For the next ten hours, he watched the spaces between Ar’Cosmos’s part of House Benevolence, and the wrought area, hoping and praying that nothing bad would happen, and that no side would make a move against the other. As far as he could tell, he got his wish.
While that was going on, he had small interviews with all of Kirginatharp’s people in his office at the top of the tower. He accepted oaths, and then he gave them all new bodies and sent them off to Oceanside to recover. Most of them had a few last-moment requests that were not written down at all, which was understandable once those requests came out into the open. Everyone had something they wanted to change about themselves, and these people were no exception.
Zolan was not alone in desiring something special.
Mostly, though, they all had small vanities like Mox. Requests for nice skin, or flexibility, or more strength than they had in their original body. Five people asked for good metabolisms and easily controlled appetites so they wouldn’t have to watch what they ate so much. Erick was pretty sure he nailed those requests.
And nothing downstairs exploded!
Success after success!
- - - -
That night, in his bed in his home on the boughs of Yggdrasil, Erick barely slept for worry over something happening in the House. The first meeting had gone about as well as he could hope, but there had been anger there. All day long, wrought and otherwise had ventured out of their assigned [Fairy Stronghold]s in order to do this or that.
Each side saw the other side…
But nothing happened.
Eventually, though, Erick did manage to get two hours of sleep. It had been enough.
- - - -
The day dawned, and Erick was already at the House.
Zolan, Mox, and Raingorl would be ready for pickup in ten minutes. After they got here, the three of them would meet the other Overseers already in House; Burhendurur, Volaro, and Aisha. Erick would get all six of them in the same room together…
And then…
And then they would talk.