My wings tear through the thin, rarefied and cold air that penetrates my lungs, my eyes see the mana currents that enhance the winds that carry and sustain me.
The vastness and freedom always bring peace. Below, farms cover the spaces between cities, forming a large patchwork blanket with various shades of green and brown.
I begin to descend, my 6m wingspan take on a slightly sharper angle of attack and my speed increases, soon the second protective film covers my immense eyes, protecting them from the cutting winds. An hour into the flight, I see my target in front of me.
City of the Sky, a flying island with a slightly ovoid shape, flat top, 2.6km long and 1.2km at its widest part, at the “fattest” part is a 300m high palace made of immaculately white stone, this palace has 9 towers, one for each known school of magic:
. Abjuration- Yellow
• Conjuration-Orange
• Divination-Red
• Enchantment-Purple
• Evocation-Blue
• Illusion-Green
• Necromancy-Black
• Transmutation-Brown
• Universalist-White
At the top of each of them an individual arcane symbol shines, each in a different color. As I approach, focusing my trajectory on the white symbol, the tower of the universal school.
In front of the palace, a city spreads across the other part of the island, the Blue Citadel, all built in glazed bricks of various shades of blue, its other name is The City that Never Sleeps. In the rocky part, raw hematite, at the bottom of the island, are the docks, a continuous flow of “dragonflies”, bringing and taking people, products and resources, which are greedily consumed by the palace and citadel above.
On a platform my brood brothers are perched, I finally flap my wings and begin to descend, landing on my perch.
I undo the magic and return to my body. In front of me an imperial condor is watching me. I get up and stretch my muscles, sore from hours lying in the same position. Even though the niche is magically designed to provide comfort, many hours of standing still always have this effect. I approach the majestic carrion bird, perfectly trained, it waits for me to offer it its bowl of meat, duly left for 2 days in the elements. Imperial Condors, the pinnacle of House Audi's magical engineering, with a 6m wingspan, long, narrow wings, immaculately white feathers, its body is 1.55m tall, the same as mine, but much lighter, a short neck supports a head with immense eyes, similar to those of an owl, but of a deep green, its short, curved beak denotes a bone breaker, its neck ends in a collar of golden feathers.
She looks at me and I hold out a feather, which I take from my pocket, and pass it over her head and down to her muscular chest. Touching the feathers with hand could disarray them and hinder her flight.
“Mileday. The meeting will be in 2h.” Saig calls to me from the archway leading to the tower.
Still with his back to Saig, - He wears a faded coat and loose pants complete with broad hat. He cuts an attractive figure and his suit of custom-made cloak with fashionable embroidery. He has a very tight haircut. His brown eyes are slightly larger than normal. He is happy with his job as a personal secretary. He turns his eye from what people do, preferring to live and let live. A fanatic, his devotion to his small selection of gods is unquestionable. He claims to be doing their will and will base all his actions on whether or not they would be pleasing to the gods. - I continue to pet Melodia, my Imperial Condor. I put away the feather and let the bird feed.
“How is the mood?” I head inside the tower
“The Senate is still recovering, yesterday Lord Avel died, despite all the efforts of the Yellow mages of the Clerics of Light of Aristus. They are afraid.” He tells me as we walk through the empty corridors.
“It is not only the Senate, the Imperial Court is also, even the pompous and vain Duke Rivold Guegan is quieter. Yesterday I was walking in the blue city, and even the populace is nervous."
"Have the investigators noticed any pattern in the deaths?”
“Yes, Milady, the deaths occur in two ways, the reports are consistent: 1st a scream that does not stop until the vocal cords tear, 2nd the eyes explode, 3rd ears leak blood, in that order, death is immediate in these cases, 4th all those who die in this way were elderly, it affected men and women, regardless of race. The second form is coma, people affected in this way fall into a catatonic state, and die of hunger and thirst shortly after, even those who were magically treated die in days and it also affected men and women, regardless of race. The Clerics of Light of Aristus stated that in these cases the soul gave up.”
“Anything else?”
“Yes, those who fell into a coma were mostly vigorous, strong and healthy people. Another thing is that the “Bloody Plague” and "Deadly Sleep", as it is commonly known, affected both commoners and nobility. The Romani Empire, through its ambassador, said that they were also affected by the Plague, but did not go into details.”
“As for the “screen,” the scholars of the Red Tower discovered some things.” I ask and he pulls a parchment from inside his robe and begins to read it.
“The scholars have reached the following preliminary conclusions:
The anomalous entity, known only as the True Core, is probably an aberration-type creature. The text mentions the cryptic word “beyond-verse,” there is still some debate about technicalities, but it suggests an extraplanar origin. The part that speaks of an insatiable hunger that will consume the living and the dead, and the various mentions of corruption and the corrupted, suggest an evil entity.”
We arrive at my office and my maids arrive to help me bathe and change my clothes.
Saig waits patiently outside and as soon as the maids leave with the cleaning supplies he enters and continues as if he had not been interrupted.
“In the part that says quest there are several clues but the last one restricts the search to 2 places that are the only ones that have all the indications: Xok’al and Ielkier.”
“Xok’al, the lost continent, which was only discovered 50 years ago, infested with barbarian peoples, cannibal tribes and ancient curses. Ielkier the forbidden continent from which no one has ever returned.” I comment as I finish getting my makeup done and my hair done.
“Exactly, milady.” He continues reading the report. "The part that probably causes the most alarm is “The True Core: An entity is adaptable and powerful, capable of changing its tactics and strengthening itself and learning over time, in its repertoire, magics that not even the Gods can do on the material plane.” Scholars can’t even conceive of what that is, how something can be above the Gods. Truly alarming."
"The terms “PURGE and INTEGRATION INTO THE SYSTEM". They suggest that there will be a cleansing after the defeat of the entity, but the cleansing of what, who, how and where is still a mystery as is the meaning of the word SYSTEM.” He takes one last look at the parchment and puts it inside his tunic.
“The terms of minimum level 15, along with the fact that only a few people were affected, suggest that they were holders of this prerequisite, the term of alignment suggests some kind of conformity.”
“Another point to note is the side-by-side terms hero/herald. Hero clearly evokes the image and symbolism of a champion of good, while the term herald is more vague, and since the Gods are mentioned in a general way. It may be that the agents of darkness are also summoned.”
“I thought so too while flying on Melodia’s wings.” The handmaidens finish their service and leave silently.
“What in the name of the Goddess of Magic, Yuldur, would make the Gods of Light and the Gods of Darkness unite? How terrible is this entity?”
This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.
I gesture for Saig to follow me and through the corridors we go to the Chamber of the Senate of Magic.
The red wizards are trying to probe both Xok'al and Ielkier, but both locations are notoriously resistant to divination spheres and teleportation spells. Even with an anchoring system in Port of Rocks, 10% of the time it teleport and and similar spells fails. The mana channels on the continent are very strong and wild, but Ielkier is immune to these spells.
We enter the Chamber of the Senate of Magic, nine chairs, 2 with shrouds covering them, the Leader of the Black Tower and the Brown Tower. I wave to the Leaders of the Blue, Purple and Green Towers, who are already in the room, they are part of the Imperial faction. The Min faction, Yellow and Orange Towers have not arrived yet. Towers, White, Brown, Black and Red are the unaligned.
I sit in my high-backed chair, Saig next to me and we wait for the other remaining members of the Senate to arrive. Soon the doors open and the members of the Min faction enter, accompanied by the emperor's "eyes and ears." I look at Saig. "The emperor wants a witness to record this hearing." This must be Vizier Matronus' doing; the Emperor only cares about his wines, hunts, and concubines. Loann and Theolo greet me, and before they sit down, Loann, leader of the Red Tower, goes to the Speaker of the Chamber and whispers in his ear, then sits down.
Once everyone is seated and his servants and secretaries are positioned in chairs along the walls, the Speaker stands up and, with his shriveled voice, says, "I declare this session of the Senate of Magic open." He then looks at Loann and continues.
"Lord Loann, you have requested the word, to bring new information. My lord." He extends his hand and leaves the pulpit.
Lord Loann stands up and takes the pulpit. Loann is a man with thick, toned arms and a rotund belly. He wears baggy pants and a collared shirt complete with sweater under a stole in the colors of his tower. He sports a long golden beard and long hair of a similar color. His gray eyes are passionate and lively. He is a professional flatterer and uses sarcasm to attack and weaken his opponents. Despite his formidable combat skills, he remains a coward. He always tries to fix and not replace. It was with this mentality that he earned the leadership of his tower.
With his thick accent from the northern provinces, which drags out the “R” he begins.
“Welcome, dear colleagues!
It is with great sadness that I begin this meeting,” - he points to the empty chairs, - “gathering here brilliant minds and talented professionals that I admire so much. I feel honored to share this moment with you, and I am sure that together, as always, we will achieve extraordinary results.
The contagious energy that I feel here fills me with enthusiasm and confidence that this will be a productive and profitable meeting for everyone. I thank each one of you for attending and I wish you all a day full of achievements!
“Buffoon!” is said in a disguised cough by the leader of the Blue Tower, Filiz, who always dresses in collared shirts and wears a blue scarf over his head. He has no hair. His face is lined and worn. He trusts no one. He is unforgiving and prone to outbursts of anger. He has a cruel and sadistic; something he gained from his previous mentor. It seems to be a Blue Tower tradition, his apprentice has the same character traits.
In his shrill witch voice. "Enough of this nonsense, tell us what you found out!"
Loann looks at everyone, but as he sees no support.
"Of course, of course..." He searches through his papers. "Here. - he taps a sheet - We have received reports that the Plague has been widely felt throughout the continental region of Zeisibar with the count coming in and the deaths reaching 3000. Yes, a low number, hunger and cold kill many more every year. But these 3000, most of them are leaders or vital people in the chain of command and at the top of the power. – he looks at the “Eyes and Ears” who nods – “The empire has almost lost its "head", so to speak. The Emperor’s second son, Prince Karaghe the Dragon Slayer, also falls victim to the Plague, the news is being kept secret and his death will be communicated at some point in the future.” He clears his throat and drinks a glass of wine, quickly brought by one of his servants. “The Collegiate of Primarchs of the Empire, has already formed a group to go on this Journey, 7 paladins, led by Antinua Ofandrus, the Paladin, and her companions in arms.” Murmurs rise and many show their agreement, Antinua is well known for her beauty and skills with sword and spear. “Our Brothers in the Romani Empire also report similar problems. Many of her generals are reported missing and have mysteriously returned to their fiefdoms.”
“Everything indicates that there will be no summer campaign this year.” Loann concludes.
“Something good came out of this whole situation,” says Thiala. She wears a yellow tunic, tight underneath her purple stole. Her head is shaved. For a half-elf, she has a very ordinary appearance. She is overprotective of the interests of her Tower. She does not like loud noises that distract, but is hospitable in general. Her greatest love is knowledge and, as such, her addiction to traveling and buying books is notoriously exploited by others.
“Continuing,” says Loann, “The Sanhedrin of Cardinals of the Romani Empire, announced an expedition to Ielkier. Led by Gilles Laflechê the inquisitor.”
“The collegiate also reported that their oracles received strong signals pointing to Xok’al."
“Finally, I and my peers from the Romani Empire have concluded that those who died will also come to the Blue Screen, but did not accept the quest. I do not want to presume the reasons for this choice, but those who viewed the Blue Screen and accepted are alive to tell the tale, we also assume that this one has the minimum level 15.” He gathers the papers and leaves the pulpit. I start to get up to go to the pulpit.
Filiz stands up with her shrill Witch voice. “COWARDS! That’s what those who didn’t accept are.”
Thiala says “Very normal when facing a threat capable of things that not even the Gods can do, if we trust the “Blue Screen.”
Filiz continue “I only needed to know 3 things to accept the quest; there will be combat, there will be Disintegrate and a target! I only came to this meeting to find out my destination and to inform you that my tower will send an expedition to Xok’al tomorrow, those who have blood in their veins and courage are invited. Now you can continue clucking with silly chickens. Probably when I’m there you’ll still be arguing about how many angels can fit on the head of a pin.” He says the last sentence spitting. And don't leave the room with your followers in tow.”
After the door closes, I go to the pulpit.
“Blues!” And I let out a small laugh. With that, the atmosphere in the room becomes a little lighter.
“Loann, thank you for everything. First of all, we must decide on a date for the election of the new leaders of the Black and Brown Towers. I propose that the candidates be presented to the council within a week. After that, I propose that all the towers meet to form a committee to define the actions to be taken.” He leaves the pulpit and the Speaker takes my place.
“Anyone else who wants to speak?”
Jeves of the Green Tower, usually wears his gray robe and has his rod always tied at his waist. He is physically well built. His black hair is tied in a tight ponytail with a green ribbon. He was once handsome when he was young, which still shows in her age, but is a faded beauty, stands up and takes the pulpit.
“I propose that tomorrow be declared a day of mourning, the symbols of all the towers be erased and all members of the magical caste of the palace gather in the courtyard to pay homage to the deceased.” He leaves the pulpit.
The Speaker rises “Does everyone agree with the proposed orders?”
Everyone raises their hands.
“I declare this session of the Senate of Magic closed.”