The city’s solution for the vampire problem appeared five days after the night of the graduation. Momentary spread through the population as Terrastalia appeared outside its walls. The city guard and student police had already spread the news but had stayed in place to help calm the people. Learning that the titan had come to take away criminal mages and the entities responsible for the ritual murders calmed them.
Nox got a chance to meet with Brianna before the guards surrendered her to Lillin’s dungeon. She appeared much less feral than when their eyes last met.
“I’m so sorry,” she said, eyes bloodshot and paler than he had ever seen her. “I don’t know what happened. I promise I had zero control over myself. You and the party have been great to me the past couple of months. I’d never intentionally hurt you or your own.”
“How long?” Nox asked. “Was it the night after we got back?”
Brianna nodded. “It was Hinata. She was ready for me. I’m not sure how she did it, but the bitch separated me from the others and did something to my mind. Ever since then, it has been looking at the world through warped glass, and nothing matters besides what Warmonger wanted.”
“Do you still feel the compulsion? Is there an invisible force still guiding all your decisions?”
“No. It's like they’re all speaking at once in my head. Most are scared, but one is furious and wants to rip our hearts out. He wants me especially.”
All the vampires were feral when captured. They could do nothing but scream for their mistress and demand the head of the one who took it. But then they calmed a day later. Most calmed and turned into catatonic husks—or just refused to cooperate. But a couple of them, including Brianna, expressed regret for what happened and offered to cooperate. Their input and Perry’s divinations helped find the remainder of the vampires.
“I didn’t want any of this. Can’t you talk to them for me? Sort out a deal like you did for April?” Brianna adopted a pleading tone. “I only ever wanted to delve and do something good for the world. None of this was my decision. I promise. You have to believe me.”
Nox’s heart ached for the woman. They hadn’t known each other for long, but daily sparring and delving had told him that the woman was competent and reliable. “I’m sorry, Brianna. Killing someone while in Warmonger’s service makes you a permanent part of the coven. There will always be others speaking in you, influencing your mind and decision.”
“I’ve not felt April since my mind cleared.”
“She didn’t kill anyone,” Nox explained. “Dean Myrina was able to unravel her from Warmonger. We respect that none of this is your fault, but our hands are tied. Its not fair, but necessary.”
“How can you say that? That wasn’t me! I’m—”
“You still killed people. Important people. There are far too many people who want your head, but we’re ensuring they don’t get their way.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to die than spend the rest of our lives imprisoned in a dungeon?” Brianna asked. Her voice remained steady, but her eyes glistened crimson. “What kind of life is that?”
“I’m good friends with your future jailer,” Nox said. “Maybe I can ask her to give you some freedom within Terrastalia. She could make things bearable.”
As Brianna turned away from Nox, he caught sight of bloody, viscous tears slowly traveling down her cheeks. He couldn’t bear the sight and turned away. Nox marched past the cells containing the other prisoners, eyes following the runes lining the doorways. He recognized the wards for detecting mana usage and also the connected devices meant to suppress prisoners. The city would save a lot of money if he granted them the use of Crystalize Essence for their prisons. It would nullify the effects of all magic besides body enhancements. Summons would persist, but summoning would be impossible.
“I’m done,” he told the guards outside. Several powerful mages, a dozen of Dean Woodson's dogs, and a handful of individuals with black crystal spheres planted in their chests waited outside.
It took them a few minutes to get organized. Then, all of the different parties moved simultaneously, transporting the vampires, all reported conspirators, and one-and-a-half year's worth of criminal aether practitioners into Terrastalia. Nox accompanied them, walking down the corridor with inactive sun-lamps. The escort appeared to appreciate a Low-Expert mage's company, and Nox noticed a new level of wariness. The news of his ascension got out after the graduation evening.
Everybody knew that Sir Nox Ratra, destroyer of the myconid blight and owner of the Galleria, had graduated from Woodson University as Wizard First Class. Thousands had witnessed him and his party fight dungeon creatures, the boss, and his avatars, saving lives and reducing property damage. Now, they knew he was one of the rare practitioners who made it to the elite level of Exper.
Ordinary people seemed extra careful around him. They picked their words carefully, and many outside of the nobility struggled to maintain eye contact for long. He couldn't help but wonder whether they even cared that there were two separate ranks in the realm and the difference in power between them was immense. Stars achieved Low-Expert at two-hundred-and-fifty-six mana. Meanwhile, High-Expert started at five-hundred-and-twelve. The complexity and detail possible between the two different star sizes made a significant difference.
Nox currently only had the mana to match an adept. It would take immense spell research and further system development before he achieved the same power level. He wasn’t yet sure of how to improve the Temporal Sphere star. Temporal Acceleration and Temporal Retardation were its two base functions. Nox had considered improving their potency or trying to figure out a new function he had titled Temporal Stop. He had no clue of how to achieve it. For the time being, he resolved to study the emerald essence glass he got from Niddhogg. Nox believed it had the answers he sorely needed.
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The past week’s studies and meditation hadn’t earned him any new planets, but Nox had accomplished valuable research. He felt close to solving the Grow Essence spell mystery but needed a few more weeks to iron out the kinks. Udit Sen’s journal and the tomes on essence had helped him consolidate something far more exciting: Essence Infusion. Nox intended to solidify it as a spell that revolved around both stars. Nox hoped it would help him empower Otis with magical effects like Pudge did his beasts and Dean Woodson her dogs.
Currently, Otis had little to contribute during combat besides being a nuisance for the enemy or his magical explosions. An enchantment would help him do more. Nox wanted to reach a point of self-sufficiency so he could survive and overcome enemies alone. He liked being around the party but worried his future would come with more situations like his solo encounter with Liesel Wyrd.
The Cabal might’ve previously believed that he was just an apprentice who happened to be present during Pestilence’s fall. Now, there was no denying that Nox intended to be a thorn in their side. Far too many people had witnessed Nox and Liesel Wyrd’s fight outside the city council building. He was sure many had heard their conversation, too. People knew what he had accomplished. The word would inevitably reach the Cabal. Nox hoped that the people of Daksinsthan, Nihon, and Han would succeed in their individual missions and defeat their targets. There was still a chance they would send after Nox and the people he loved. So, Nox wanted to be ready.
In the coming days, Nox intended to talk to Dean Elgin Thorpe and connections in the local delvers guilds about hiring people for a personal guard. He intended to disguise it as protection for the Galleria and the adjacent properties he was in the process of acquiring. In truth, their first priority would be the protection of his family and everyone in his care.
All boarded an airship from the university docks and embarked for the dungeon atop the dragon-turtles back. Since the center of the city had the best wards and defenses, it had served as the vampires' prison. The guards took all the prisoners below deck while Nox leaned on the railing and watched the world go by.
The recent chaos hadn’t touched the city’s two inner-most sections except for one collapse. A minor dungeon opening had appeared where Karen Taylor’s business and store stood. He had checked on the staff of Ratra’s Knightly Brews. They were shaken up but unharmed. Only a few draconic asura and a couple of large lizards had come through the opening. Kishan, as a trained mage, successfully contained them long enough for help to arrive. It was clear to everyone now that the breaches happened at all the ritual sights. No one had died in the alley behind the store, but Warmonger’s agents had still marked it with the corpse, blood, and ancient arcane symbols.
Now that everything on the surface appeared calm and under control, Dean Woodson had sent several parties into Hogg’s Lair. Reports claimed there were several new monster nests. Special wards and enchantments increased their reproduction rates. Delvers found evidence of Mind Magic around Niddhogg’s resting chamber and the areas that spawned his avatar. The fact that so much had happened under the last druid’s nose highlighted the failings that came with her incredible age.
News of the dungeon’s growth had spread across the realm. Delvers from neighboring villages, towns, and city-states flooded into the city. Shopkeepers and hawkers in the outer markets already had their businesses open to serve the incoming visitors. Ingrid’s little birds claimed that the taverns and boarding houses were already at capacity. The Market Ring saw increased traffic, too, but Nox hadn’t seen much of it in the Galleria.
The city’s nobility and students seemed to be rattled to celebrate after vampires attacked an event populated by the continent’s, if not the world’s, finest educators and mages. Nox didn’t blame them. Given everything that had happened since his arrival in the city, he believed people would be migrating away and abandoning the area in favor of quieter and less disaster-prone areas. Only the presence of Ygg and her ability to repel more regular threats continued to give the population confidence.
“As long as Ygg stands and the university keeps its doors open, the city will thrive,” Perry had told the party when Joey expressed his concerns. “I understand you have a terrible past because of Sundarshahar, but the two existences make it the safest and arcanically powerful state in the land. People will continue to come here with dreams of becoming the best mages, aether warriors, scholars, and artisans the world has ever seen. Plebs will flock to the dungeon Ygg keeps contained and nourished. There is a lot of money here, too. The only place more secure is the Imperial capital. However, you’re no more than a pest there unless its your birthplace or the Imperium invites you to be a resident. As long you keep your affiliation with me a secret, they might grace you with the privilege someday.”
The only sign of the destruction that remained was the brand-new buildings and streets. They lacked the signs of age and wear, and the outer rings appeared far more organized than during Nox’s previous visits. The city had cracked down on illegal constructions and encroachments onto roads and pathways. The disaster had taught the people the importance of well-maintained traffic.
Nox’s informer in the city council—Utpal Banerjee—told him that Lord Highwater had increased investment in the city guard. They weren’t just looking to increase numbers but also improve training. Nurturing arcane talent and getting individuals to just apprentice would significantly improve their effectiveness. There was talk of bonuses and special ranks for anyone with journeyman cores. Disaster scenarios would be much easier to manage with such individuals int he official defensive force. It would also give retired delvers and war mages more incentive to work for the city government instead of joining the private armies of the rich and powerful.
There was talk of building disaster shelters in the outer rings too. The sections suffered the most during times of disaster. Construction was no issue, but the city needed time to gather enough ward crafters and materials for the project. As one of the continent’s superpowers, they couldn’t afford to lose the people’s confidence any more than they had already. Much to Nox’s surprise, many naysayers didn’t blame the city council or deans for the recent disaster. There was a growing sentiment that as a major place of power and as the home of the existence that provided humanity with most of its mana, it would continue to draw attackers and those who wanted the gods to return. There was no changing it.
It was mid-morning when the vessel reached Terrastalia. Lillin, more individuals implanted with black crystals, and several giant humanoid entities waited just below the entrance. It was tempting to rush to her straight away so they could talk. More than eighteen months had passed since the last time they saw each other in person, but Nox resisted. Prisoner transfer and the trade of vital materials took priority. He was just glad to lay eyes on her again. The promised three hours to spend time with her afterward, though not enough, would have to do.