Galen and Nala sat beside each other in front of my core and tried to detect the amount of mana correctly when something seemed to disturb them.
“Marcus, I don't want to be smart-arse but did you loose concentration just now on purpose?”
I sighed and thought about how to break the news to them.
“I had a visit from Tiria just now and got a downgrade because my enchantments seemed to be too powerful because of my mastered mana manipulation skill. She set it to journeyman and told me that some of the other gods were quite jealous of my powers, therefore we have to be cautious as some of them might send agents to steal my core. For the foreseeable future I will be the only city core and most of the powers on this world seem to be willing to fight for me and the advantages I can offer to whoever holds my core. Oh,and she gave us a countdown for the attack of the goblins, saying that we have three weeks for preparations.”
Galen and Nala looked at each other and then stood up, searching for Kalla.
“She's down at the river if you search for the princess. I have already broken the news to her and she is on the way to us right now for an emergency meeting. There are some ideas I want to try for our defences but I have some questions first and depending on the answers I will have possible ways to better our chances of rebuking the small green critters that are coming for our throats. I also want to try a possible cheat for giving you the mana manipulation skill but it will depend on how far Tiria is prepared to give me leeway for it, and I want to increase my level as soon as possible to get new skills. Somewhere in my skill tree has to be something to better our chances and I'm sure that there will be at least one skill when I reach level 10.”
The two mages looked at me and grinned suddenly which gave me goosebumps seeing it. I had a premonition of what they were planning, but if I wanted to get stronger as fast as our future was demanding then I would have to put up with some pain and level the hard way again.
“Ok, Galen, bring it on. I know what you're thinking and I admit that it is needed, so just give me all of your mana and I will adapt to it like last time.”
The old mage didn't need any more stimulation and put his hand on my core and I was again feeling intense pain when his mana put me on the edge of breaking apart. My body grew again using the crystal in my inventory, but this time I leveled not once but twice in one row. The pain was intense enough that I regretted my decision right away and when Nala put her hand on my grown crystal I wanted to stop her with my whole being but I wasn't strong enough to raise my voice and could only watch in horror her hand touching my body, sending also her mana into me.
My vision became narrow and turned to black and white. I lost my sense of time and space completely, surrounded by grey void and loud screaming noises that seemed to say something to me, but I was so fixated to escape this mess I got into that the meaning fled me.
I got back my consciousness after what seemed days to me, but looking at the sun and the elves that stood around me with worried expressions I recognized that only two hours must have gone by.
Kalla called me repeatedly and with growing fear in her voice.
“Marcus,please answer me! We need you, just don't give up!”
I saw Galen and Nala standing aside with some elves closely watching them with weapons drawn and a new screen awaiting my attention.
You have reached level 10!
New Ability unlocked: City buff
You can summon another city guardian
New Title: Crazy Evolver
Nice, but I have to solve the problem in front of me first and then check the new additions out.
“Hey, sorry to have made you worry about me, but I have told Galen to help me get some levels. As it seems I hadn't made myself clear enough because Nala also gave me her mana and that was more than I could take easily. The last hours have been a personal hell I don't want to revisit, so just release the two and then let's get back to business. We have some work to do and I need them for an experiment that could solve some problems.”
Kalla nodded to the guards and they took a step back, putting their weapons away. Most of the elves still watched the pair cautiously but went back to their business after the imminent crisis had been ended. An elven woman with red curly hair that reached down to her bottom and a nice female build went to the released pair and drew them into a hug.
“I'm just a day away and you cause such an uproar here! It seems that I will have to watch you two more closely for some time and see to it that you stay out of trouble.”
She turned around to and made a curtsy showing her ample cleavage hold back by a leather outfit that hug her athletic body like a second skin.
“Lord Marcus, my name is Kitara and I am Galen's second wife, leading scout of our settlement and at your service. If these two have caused you misery please share their punishment with me as I stand to my husband and co-wife in every situation.”
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I was impressed by her behaviour and asked myself what I would have to do to get such a babe for myself, and this old geezer had two of them. The world wasn't fair!
“There are no hard feelings from me, Lady Kitara, as my own stupidity lead to this situation. I will try to be more precise with my words next time to avoid being almost thrown into the void again.”
Galen and Nala had the decency to flinch when I said my sentence. I wasn't especially angry with them but a little punishment wasn't beneath me.
“As you offered so generously your help I will take you by your word to help me with an experiment of mine,” I said and then focused back onto Galen, “Galen, I have a question relating to your marriage with these two ladies here. Is there some magic in the connection or is it only something on the paper? I mean, would a spell targeting you also somewhat affect any of your wives?”
Bewildered Galen hesitated to answer my question,” I don't understand your intention with this. Can you clarify what you want to try?”
I gathered my thoughts and saw that most of the elves around us showed strong curiosity turning their heads so they could hear the discussion better. I had used my mind speech like a loudspeaker until now and changed it to some selected few persons now, limiting the circle of people down to Kalla, Galen and his wives.
“OK, I want to try creating a new city guardian, but there will be a twist. If this marriage is magical in its core I think I can use this to create not one but three guardians in one go. I'm quite sure that Tiria will give me her thoughts about it but I'm not violating the rules the rules directly, at least I think I don't. Are you up to it?”
Galen and his wives shared some concerned looks and I saw the redhead nodding slightly when Galen turned back to me and said,” Alright, Marcus, first the connection is magical in its core, because we give our promises to our goddess and she approves them or not, creating a magical force enforcing our vows. So there is perhaps something you can use to do whatever you are trying to do and make all of us into city guardians, which I will certainly approve.”
That's the spirit I need for this undertaking, and watching Nala and Kitara nodding their agreement even if the second one a little bit hesitant, I used their feelings of guilt towards me by sending each one a magical invitation to my inner mind. Galen and Nala sat down immediately but Kitara was bewildered first and after watching her partners beginning to meditate, copied them and accepted my invitation.
Kalla watched the show and guessed that I was up to something, having a somewhat jealous and grumpy expression. I was sure that she would have liked to become a city guardian too and so I said, “Princess Kalla, would you like to watch the experiment? All you have to do is sitting down and meditate. I will send you an invitation and by accepting it your mind will make a connection to my inner mind where the show will happen.”
She looked suddenly a bit frightened and I almost feared that she would refuse but then her expression changed and with determination in her voice she answered, “Go ahead, Marcus, I will join you and the others. In fact I thought you couldn't have another city guardian so soon but it seems that your growth enabled you to enlist a new one and if there is even a remote chance for more of us becoming your defenders, I will take it.”
I wanted to tell her right away what has happened but only answered, “Just sit down and enjoy the show. We will discuss everything inside.”
She followed my advice and my invitation took her also inside my mind where the other three eagerly awaited me and studied the lab in the meantime. As soon as Kalla appeared I joined them surprising the elven princess with my looks.
“I took you for someone a bit younger but I guess that doesn't make any difference now,” Kalla just shrugged and looked around the place with curiosity in her gaze, “That's a really impressive laboratory that you have here, even better than anything I had myself at my former home. Although I would like to explore the place for some time and try some things, I think we have some other issues to keep our attention.”
I nodded and smiled polite to my guests, pointing to a place with a table and 5 chairs made from stone, “Let's sit down and discuss, what I have in mind and then you can give me your thoughts about it. I know we could have had this talk outside too, but I like the feeling of my body and looking you in the eyes when talking makes it so much easier for me to express my intentions.”
Galen and the others only grinned and sat down on their chairs. Kitara examined the place with her eyes and then turned to me, “Lord Marcus, I had a long journey and no chance to catch any refreshment,so would you be so kind and offer me something to drink?”
I frowned and just wanted to create a cup when I realized that this wouldn't help her in any way, “Kitara, I fear that will have to wait. Only your mind is here with your body resting outside, so any refreshments I could offer you here would be completely useless. I hope this won't take too long, but knowing your needs we will take a short break if this takes longer than an hour. Is this okay with you?”
She smiled and I was taken aback by her beauty when her whole aura changed, “You are so kind, my lord, but I can wait for this conversation to end. I'm curious what you want to try with us and what benefits it will pop out for me and my partners.”
Her smile was disarming and I had to gather my senses before I could answer, “I will try to connect to your magical ties with each other and bind you all with my magic as my city guardians. I should have enough mana now for this to work out, but a little bit of residual risk is still given. I would understand it if you or the others wouldn't want to try this experiment of mine, but with the possible gains of two additional guardians our forces would get much more powerful.”
Galen took Kitara's left hand and explained what I already said when I chose Chara as my guardian, “The best advantage of it would be the immortality we could gain. You know that dungeons can fortify some monsters and create bosses that they can revive when these are killed, right?” After seeing her nod, he continued his speech,” Marcus will be able to do this also as long as we are in his range of influence and even if we are killed outside of it, there is still a chance for coming back from the dead if someone can bring our cores back to Marcus here,” He threw a curious look at me,” By the way, is this similar to the magic cores some bosses drop when they are killed?”
I was at a loss here and raised my hands defensively, “I'm sorry, but as Chara hasn't been killed until now, I have no clue about it. But when I concentrate on her I feel something inside her skull connecting with me, so perhaps that's the place where her core is located.”
Galen shortly pressed his lips together, thinking about it and then continued, “I also heard that Marcus can bestow his own skills onto each of his guardians and even buff their abilities somewhat depending on his own strenght and give us access to his own mana pool. Naturally this also works the other way.”
Kitara frowned and looked at me, “This almost sounds too good to be true, so what is your gain in this?”
I leaned back into my chair and felt the eyes of all my guests on me when I answered the question, “You are right, there has to be some hooks attached to being a city guardian. The first one would be that you are bound to me and have to follow my orders. The second is the fact, that I can take over your body and use it as long as I like with or without your consent. I am a benevolent guy and wouldn't do this without a good cause but you have to accept this if you want to become immortal. And last but not least is the fact that I always can release you from your duties when you violate my rules or betray me in some way. I haven't said this publicly because some people that want to become guardians themselves would perhaps try to put you in a bad light and therefore hamper my growth as a city with their intrigues.”
Kalla squeezed her eyes, anger in her voice when she addressed me, “You haven't said that you could take over the guardian's body when you selected Chara before.”
I only shrugged and with a plain expression answered her, “You are right but I guessed that all of you knew that dungeons are able to guide their bosses directly by possessing them. You all seemed to know so much about dungeons and I think that I did Chara a favor when I chose her because she can become a very powerful mage sometime in the future with the right guide. I won't use her as a body substitute only to experience the world again with my former senses, but I will use her to defend myself,so suck it up, princess and let's go on.”