The Park
Not long ago
“Your mission is to claim the Spire within the park,” the Black Enforcer’s cold voice echoes in Blake’s ears as he runs in the direction of the park. “We’ve gotten word that other System Star holders are already attempting to claim the Spires within the capital. Do not fail, for this mission is necessary for our family.”
Blake scowls in response to his father’s words, never having liked his parents’ obsession with their family. An obsession so great they tend to neglect their own children when focused on work.
But despite his feelings on the matter, he understands the importance of this mission. So he answers right away, “Understood, Father.”
To Blake’s surprise, though, even as he continues running, the call doesn’t cut off right after his affirmation. Instead, his father comes back and says, “She’s awake, son,” in a much warmer voice than Blake’s heard in years.
The corners of Blake’s mouth quirk upwards at that one sentence.
So they really are changing…
Blake feels overjoyed to hear that Ashley is awake, but he’s also happy to know that their parents may finally be changing for the better.
It started when Ashley had first entered her coma.
Blake and his other siblings all finally snapped.
And ever since then, their parents have been acting strangely.
“But…” Blake’s father continues as Blake continues running towards the large Spire, “it would appear she may have memory loss.”
Those words almost make Blake freeze in his tracks. But he keeps running out of pure instinct.
“Does she…” Blake begins to ask, feeling his throat tightening a little at the thought of Ashley not remembering him.
“We don’t know,” the Black Enforcer continues, sounding worried himself. Which isn’t something Blake ever saw until the day Ashley fell into her coma. Not once in his entire life before then. “She fled without a word.”
Blake grits his teeth, but before he can say anything, the Spire he sees not too far in front of him begins to glow, making him stop in his tracks.
Shit, am I too late?!
“Father, the Spire seems to have been claimed by someone…” Blake begins only to trail off when he sees the pure silver spire changing color to black and crimson. Something that should only happen if the one claiming the Spire has a secondary energy.
According to Etheria, at least.
And for the Spire to turn black and crimson, that can only mean one thing.
“Archmage?” his father asks, using his enforcer title.
Blake takes a second before he gently smiles and answers, “The Spire was claimed by someone with chaos energy.”
He hears his father sucking in a breath and pausing on the other side of the line. Meanwhile Blake turns his gaze down at the bottom of the now-black-and-crimson Spire to see a few enforcers appearing right at the entrance in a crimson flash of light. Each being teleported out of the Spire upon its claiming.
“Wait for-” the Black Enforcer begins, only for Blake to cut him off by saying, “You focus on maintaining our power. Leave her to me.”
Then he hangs up the call without a word before taking the earpiece off of his ear and stuffing it in his pocket.
I’m sure him coming to see her now would only hurt her, change or no change.
The air all around him begins to shift ever so slightly before settling. Meanwhile the Gates he can see begin to take on a black and crimson tint to them rather than the neutral blue they had before.
As if saying they belong to the new Lady of the Spire.
Blake walks up towards the Spire before stopping right in front of the entrance, ignoring the other enforcers who were at first expressing their own anger at being late but are now trying to sneak away from Blake without being noticed. And failing miserably at it.
I’m so close…
He reaches out and tries to touch the Spire, only for a crimson barrier to repel him as if slapping his hand away. Meanwhile a notification appears in his vision.
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Entry to Spire #14 is forbidden without permission from the Lady of the Spire, Ashley Sinclair.
The Successor of Chaos.
Blake closes his eyes with a smile on his face.
I can finally see her again, awake and well…
A tear leaks from his eyes.
My beloved twin.
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Ashley
I smile as I read the first notification that appears after touching the crystal.
Congratulations, you have now claimed Spire #14 and are named by the System as the Lady of Spire #14.
No users are allowed within your Spire without your permission unless they have more System Stars than you.
No users are allowed to enter a Gate within Spire #14’s territory without your permission unless it is within the first minute of the Gate opening.
Now that is a very nice notification.
The next one, however, isn’t all that nice. And it isn’t something I read about in that Starter Manual.
Congratulations, as the Lady of a Spire on the world Val, you have claimed a position on the Planetary Council of Val.
Whenever the Planetary Council of Val meets, you will be summoned to the Council Chamber.
Additionally, you may bring with you up to two advisers to represent you.
The first Planetary Council of Val will take place one week after the tutorial ends.
Be prepared to attend.
I hate you, Chaos.
“Come now, daughter of mine, you don’t have to worry,” Chaos says, once again making me wonder if the bastard can read my thoughts or not. “You don’t have to do anything in the Council other than attend. And you can even hide inside of your booth without showing yourself to anyone. So isn’t it still worth the tradeoff?”
I stare at the notification for several seconds before it vanishes without responding. Then I eventually nod my head, agreeing that it really is still worth it so long as I don’t have to do anything.
“And in case you were wondering, sweetheart,” he comments, making me almost narrow my eyes a little at that term of endearment, “I can but can’t read your mind. Only the thoughts that you direct at me. The rest is just me guessing what you’re thinking. I am your father after all!”
Well, that’s good at least. Ignoring that last part.
“Oh, you wound me, my beloved daughter!” Chaos says, making me wonder if he’s messing with me or not.
I think back to his initial reaction to our first meeting with me being awake. When he picked me up and started spinning me around like a little child.
He’s probably messing with me.
A Primordial can’t be that… that.
I begin to turn around to walk over towards the edge of the Spire, only to notice that the dome around the Spire’s peak is now crimson in color instead of the previous color. And it’s not just the barrier, but the entire Spire is now black and crimson.
“The Spire takes after me, little Ashley,” Chaos says, using yet another nickname.
Just how many little nicknames and terms of endearment is he going to use?
I pause as I’m about to step forwards, toward the edge of the Spire.
Then again, he’s Chaos. So I guess this unpredictable and bizarre behavior might be normal.
Anyways, I walk over to the edge of the Spire before looking down at the park below. At which point I see the enforcer that likely got teleported out fleeing away. But I also see someone standing right at the entrance. As if they’re hoping to be let in.
They’re too far for me to make out any details about them, though. So I turn around and walk back towards the center of the Spire’s peak. Then I just lie down on the ground with a sigh and focus on trying to figure out gravity magic.
The tutorial said to start by imagining the affinity-tuned mana in me spreading out of my heart, through my body, and out my pores. Following which I need to paint a picture of a rune in my mind. One that will make one of the basic spell circles.
There are dozens of spell circles, though, and not everyone can use every spell circle. Generally it comes down to talent as a mage to determine which ones you can use.
Although I get the feeling it may actually just be your skill. What with my own mana manipulation skill being labeled as basic and all.
Regardless, I’ll just try every basic one in the tutorial.
I should be able to open the tutorial through the forums even outside the Event Hub after all.