Nathan sat atop the mountain, considering what he'd learned. He had one answer, but many more questions. The Seal filtered out deadly magic around Gemore, exchanging it for magic that encouraged life. But why? How far did its reach extend? What happened when those switches were swapped to other positions?

Something about the filtering changes, most likely.

He opened his eyes and looked to the sky. He’d been sitting here for hours, though not long enough for the sun to set. The burning orb sat in the sky directly overhead. But he wasn’t looking at the sky of this moment. He was consulting his memory, remembering what was revealed on a cloudless night. When the world above revealed hundreds of continents, many infected by huge patches of white and black that looked like spreading blight.

He remembered the night of the Solstice, when the sun had gone out. Every single Seal across Davrar had awakened, creating a network of light and magic that connected to the sun. He’d noticed that every patch of spreading blight had been centered around a seal that nonetheless had contributed power during the night of the Solstice. With that information, Nathan directed his attention back down into the mountain. He noted the switches, watching how they connected through the rest of the machine. This time he asked the right question.

How would the ambient mana change if the switch was flipped?

The answer was clear. The mana flows would be rerouted, passing through different converters and then being released to fill Davrar with corruption. The left side would convert much of the ambient mana to the same corruptive death magic Nathan had felt from the Grave Tangle, blighting the land and covering the sky with darkness. The right side wasn’t quite as obvious. It seemed to involve several different mana types, including crystal, light and a few more that Nathan wasn’t familiar with. But they seemed likely to have the same effect of making the land uninhabitable for hundreds of miles in every direction. The Seals didn't start the Endings, they were another danger altogether.

Congratulations, you have developed the [Wizard’s Understanding] utility skill into [Arcane Insight].

Utility skill: [Arcane Insight]

You understand the arcane.

Nice. I guess ‘arcane’ means mana and wizardry together. And maybe more.

Nathan rose to his feet, stretching and looking down at the Seal before him. The forty-foot circle of carved stone looked like a secure vault, not a machine that kept the continent healthy, and could just as easily doom it.

My guess is that during the Solstice it’s possible for somebody to hit the switch - especially a monster. If they let a single monster through it would be enough. I bet there are other rules, like once the switch has been flipped it can't change again until the next Solstice. I imagine it would be quite an adventure, to fight your way across hundreds of miles of blighted territory to reach the Seal on the Solstice and restore the land. On any other day it would take a powerful Wizard - or a powerful Antimage. This seems aimed at Questors.

Void of Magic has leveled to level 729! Congratulations, you have uncovered the secret of the Seals, and the power to unleash Corruption upon the land! Please choose a developed class from the following list!

Potential Classes:

End of Magic: Where you pass, magic ends. With this class your aura will expand to a storm, and you will smother magical catastrophes of every kind. Your antimagic will obey your will, targeting only that which you wish to End. Upon this Path, you and your antimagic will dominate the battlefield as an Ending dominates a continent.

Nullmage: You wield antimagic as an archmage wields mana. With this class you will be able to create constructs of antimagic that have a long-lasting effect, and grant high-tier Magic Resistance to those you train. Upon this Path you will help protect all civilization from magical scourges and leave the gift of antimagic wherever you travel.

Slayer of Giants: You have slain the last of the Giants, ancient guardians of Davrar turned bitter in their graves. With this class you will gain the strength and nobility of the lost Giants, becoming a beacon and inspiring defender of civilization on Davrar. Upon this Path you will embody their power, guiding others with ancient wisdom and unparalleled might.

Undying: You defy death in all of its forms. With this class your endurance and willpower will reach incredible levels, dramatically boosting the regeneration of all resources. You will also become difficult to entrap, ensuring that there is no simple path to defeat. Upon this Path you will be an unbreakable thorn in your foes’ sides, impossible to defeat with simple means.

Warden of the Arcane: You pass judgment on dishonorable magic users. With this class you will gain the ability to detect evil deeds, and mark those who have done evil. Those marked will not be able to flee you, and you will gain significant advantages against them. Upon this Path you will maintain the balance of magical power, ensuring it is used for the good of all.

Nathan blinked up at the notifications in surprise, open-mouthed and gratified. He’d been hoping for this. He’d noticed how close he was getting to the level 729 milestone, and had considered going off into the wilds to hunt down some monsters for the necessary levels. But it hadn’t felt right. Antimage was Nathan’s primary class, and the results of this Development would stay with him for the next fifteen hundred levels. He didn’t want to earn his next class killing stalkers. But deciphering the secrets of the Seals, learning about Corruption - that felt right.

Maybe that’s why I have five options instead of the more common two. Though at least one of those is just there from the Grave of all Giants. I hope that wasn't the enhancement that was mentioned.

He gave the options a quick once-over, forming a few quick opinions. He couldn’t dismiss any of the options immediately, though Slayer of Giants was close. End of Magic seemed the most directly antimagic-oriented, but maybe it was time to step outside of that box. He’d just had proof that his antimagic was good enough to beat a Questor.

Nullmage would let Nathan do more for Gemore. He could train more antimages and leave antimagic constructs behind him to suppress dungeons or protect the villages. It would be an excellent class if he intended to stay and fight against the Endings. But that wasn’t the plan.

Undying continued the train of classes he’d been offered to upgrade his healing, though this one was more tempting than any of the previous options. It would boost both his Regeneration and Stamina, and help him escape from capture. That meant it was worth considering, even if Nathan already thought his healing to be perfectly sufficient.

Warden of the Arcane was interesting. It seemed optimized for one-on-one duels against other people. If he did end up having to hunt Questors across Davrar it would be a good choice. But it didn’t seem like it would help much against their minions, and every Questor seemed to run at least one kingdom.

Nathan let out a deep sigh as he stepped off the stage and began walking towards the edge of the mountaintop. He was still deep in thought when a beam of light lanced up from Gemore to burn a hole in one of the sporadic clouds above. He blinked in confusion for a second before a boom rolled across the mountain.

That was one of Stella’s lasers, or at least the ionization trail from it. What’s going on down there?

Nathan sprinted forwards to throw himself off this mountain for the second time in his life. He scanned Gemore for attackers, focusing on the Caxol residence. That was where the Heirs were supposed to be talking to their parents. He didn't see anybody except for some guards who'd mobilized from the noise.

A moment later he understood what was going on. He slowed his fall from terminal velocity to something a bit easier to control, gently steering himself towards the small but lush garden outside the large house where Stella had grown up. He landed in the garden just a few feet behind Stella, who was red-faced and yelling at her parents.

“Younger does not mean weaker! I killed a Grave Tangle just days ago, and have dueled archmages. This is our Path to follow, and you cannot stop us from leaving to walk it!”

Dalo’s face was fixed in a deep frown as he stared down at his daughter, stroking his beard. “A powerful spell. But you do not have water mana yet. You will be disadvantaged at sea.”

Stella looked over to Nathan and let out a slow breath, seeming to take reassurance from his presence. “I will learn, or I won’t. We’re still going.”

Kullal stepped forward, laying a furred hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “If the task is so weighty, the Guardians will go. You’re powerful enough to stay here and protect Gemore. You can inherit our duties.”

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“No.” Stella shook her mother’s hand off and looked up with angry eyes. “We swore this Oath, and the time of prophecy has arrived.” She turned to Nathan. “Tell them. What the Questor told you. About the Ending of History. Why we need to go.”

Nathan sighed. “The council asked me not to spread that around.”

[Muffle]

Stella’s expression was demanding, pleading. She was willing to defy her parents on this, but she’d prefer that he convince them, because they weren’t listening to her.

He dipped his head. “Everybody should hear this together. Where are the others?”

Kullal cast a quick spell, and soon enough the rest of Nathan’s friends emerged into the garden followed by their parents. Stanel stayed close to his children, a resigned expression on his face. Kia’s expression was carved from ice as she followed Khachi out, and her glance towards Nathan was frigid.

Once they were all inside the privacy spell, Nathan spoke. “When I defeated him, Badud swore that he’d bring the Ending of History down upon us. A hundred years, but I don’t know if that’s the truth. The only way to stop it is to go out there, to find the Questors. I told the full details to the council.”

Dalo’s eyes crackled with light, and he lifted a few feet into the air. When he spoke, his voice was thick with anger. “Then your quest has already doomed us all.” He advanced towards Nathan, arcs of lightning connecting him to the ground with momentary flashes.

Nathan rolled his eyes and suppressed a flash of anger at the man’s melodrama. He stepped up to meet Dalo, letting his aura spill out and suppress the unfocused mana that sparked through the air. “All I did was fight our enemies, and I won. But they’re not done yet. This is one more challenge to conquer. We will go forth into Davrar and stop the Ending of History. And if we fail, we will come back and protect Gemore from it. We are Elite Adventurers, and this is what we swore.”

The older man scoffed. “None of you have reached level 729. You are not powerful enough for…” He paused at the derisive smirk on Nathan’s face.

Nathan pointed towards the mountain arching overhead. “I just learned the Secret of the Seals, and reached level 729. I haven’t chosen my class, but I do have five options.” He paused, seeing expressions of shock cross the faces of the Guardians. Then he stepped forward, cutting off the magic that was holding Dalo aloft. The mage dropped to the ground, catching himself with a huff.

Okay, maybe I’m a little annoyed.

Nathan wasn’t done talking, even as Kia’s hand rose to grasp her sword. “The Heirs are powerful. We have inherited your Insights and forged our own paths atop them. I am the one who has killed a Questor, and Davrar will back up that claim to impress upon other Questors that they should listen to me.” He glanced towards his friends. “Did you tell them about the fight versus the undead army?”

Kia broke in, her voice sharp and her hand on the hilt of her gigantic sword. “They did, and we will speak on that later. But the Seal - waking giants, did you tamper with it?”

Nathan shook his head vehemently. “No. I know what it does. It’s safe, and any tampering will only make it dangerous. It could kill Gemore if somebody did the wrong thing.”

“Blasphemous secrets of Kalis!” Stanel swore. “More dangers. What is the Secret of the Seals?”

“I don’t know if I should tell you,” Nathan responded pointedly. “Keep protecting it from monsters on the Solstice and you’ll be good. Any other time of year and somebody would need to be a powerful archmage or antimage to do anything.”

“Then we will keep your antimages away from it,” Kia said quickly.

“They’re not powerful enough for that.” Nathan replied, then thought about it for a moment. “Yet. But they might be. They have the necessary Insights. But they don’t need access,” he conceded.

Nobody knew how to respond to that, and there was a moment of awkward silence. Then Aarl spoke up. “Five level 729 class options, eh? Dragon’s breath.” The silence continued for another few seconds.

Kullal walked up to her husband and snuggled into his side. “We’ve only fought monsters for years. The Heirs have faced Questors and mages. Nathan needs to be there to speak to the Questors. This isn’t something we can do, is it?”

Dalo wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on top of her head. “Hear me, I wish it were otherwise.” He glanced over to Stella, eyes sad. “When will you come back?”

“I don’t know. Years?” She glanced around at the other Heirs, who all variously shrugged. "It's a journey into the unknown."

Nathan appraised the Guardians of Gemore, raising an eyebrow to ask if there were any more challenges. Stanel shook his head, expression downcast. Kullal met his gaze with faint tears in her eyes, but did not speak. Dalo sighed loudly.

Kia returned his look evenly. “I do not object. Khachi’s power has grown beyond my ability to guide. His is a dangerous Path, but I will trust the man I raised.” Then she smiled, the expression weary on her angelic face. “It seems the matter is settled." Nobody else spoke, so she continued. "If this is to be the last time we see each other for years, we should remember it joyously. We have some time, so let us go inside, and create a memory to light the way in darker times.”

They all trooped inside as Kia took on the task of reviving the party. Soon enough they were all seated in comfortable chairs with hot food spread around them and the drinks flowing. Idle conversation started back up slowly, but it did start.

Dalo eyed Nathan over the rim of his glass, morbid curiosity on his face. “Stella said you went inside the Academy. What was it like?”

Nathan snorted, putting down the glass of syrupy purple liquor he was drinking. “A mess. The lecturers were awful teachers. I swear they didn’t have a single teaching skill among them. They all thought they’d be archmages and that teaching was a chore.” He reached for a bowl of some kind of fried meat. “But they had so many Insights, and the Academy itself was designed to teach magic. The dining halls were shaped like specific spells.” He went on to describe some of the things he’d seen inside the Academy, quickly gathering everybody's interest with his descriptions of the Academy. The Heirs had heard some of this before, but Nathan hadn’t exhausted every detail when he’d spoken of the Academy before.

Stanel spoke up when he started winding down. “I won’t be free of regret until I hear how you fought a Questor and won.”

“Well, it helped that I’m an antimage, and he’s a mage.” Nathan pointed out. “I wouldn’t do as well against Brox. Though I bet Aarl and Sarah together could take him.”

His friends looked up with wide eyes.

Nathan shrugged. “Believe in yourselves. Questors aren’t invincible. Brox is just fast, and has good gear. Aarl can block him, then Sarah lines up a shot. His enchantments might block it, but that's something I can fix.”

Stanel opened his mouth, but Kia interrupted him by rapping her knuckles on the table. “Let us hear this story as a tale, in its proper order. I would hear your account as it begins when you entered Giantsrest. Especially of the deeds of Faline.”

Nathan grimaced. “Ah, yeah. You were right about her. The city was in lockdown as we approached, so I flew us in over the walls…"

Utility skill: [Wizard’s Understanding]

With this skill, you understand magic and wizardry around you. This extends to all applications of magic and wizardry, including spells, enchantments and other effects.

Utility skill: [Arcane Insight]

You understand the arcane.

Status of Nathan Lark:

Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 7

Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 5

Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7

Class: Void of Magic level 729

Deepened Stamina: 22170/22170

Void of Feeling

Antimagic Momentum

Raging Thrill

Implacable Inertia

Unarmored Resilience

Magic Anathema

Airborne Agility

Hand-to-hand Expertise

Voluminous Aura

Denial of Wizardry

Mana Severance

Class: Spellslayer level 504

Regenerative Focus: 3683/5140

Catastrophic Blows

Battle Stealth

Mage Infiltration

Forgettable

Sneaky Blow

Antimagic Stealth

Magical Manipulation

Lethal Index

Wizard Resistance

Magic Jammer

Controlled Failure

Utility skills:

Tranquility 1

Inspiration 8

Acceleration 10

Wizard’s Detection 10

Alertness 10

Arcane Insight 1

Effortless Dodge 10

Mental Vault 5

Tutoring 6

Parkour 8

Visibility Control 4

High-tier Disguise 4

High-tier Battle Cry 2

Aura Control 3