Harimun Tricity {Stratum 2} [Flauva continent], local time [235.06.15]
image [https://i.imgur.com/a1GSQ7p.jpg]
______________________
Over one and a half thousand years ago, in times when the System was still struggling to find its footing on Corora, a young lady decided to rebel and plow her own path into the future; disappointed with the state of the world she was living in.
By no means was she poor. She stemmed from one of the most influential lineages on the Flauva continent. One that bowed down only before the emperor. The one that reigned supreme in the number of factories, mines, and production of luxury goods.
One that was claiming ownership over the most advanced precision machines built in the Empire.
And therein lay the issue.
______________________
The call for help from the lower strata was reverberating through the chambers of her mansion all day long. In recent years, first time in over 300 years, the plague escaped the confinements imposed on the infected on the lower strata.
Her parents, her uncles and aunts, and all their peers knew the history. They understood the danger. Or, at least, she had thought so at the time.
Yet, instead of acting when they could, all they did was debate. Debating over the profits and losses. Discussing the current political scene. Laying plans for long-lasting projects that were going to abate the issue… only on paper. While their true goal stayed the same – expansion, influence, and prestige. In other words – the wealth.
The fact that she was being shunned by her family didn’t matter. As an illegitimate child, it was a thing one would expect. As a crossbreed – miraculous as that was in itself – even more so. Her mother loved her all the same or even more than appropriate, bravely standing against her own husband and the social pressure. Her short stature and disproportionate body, she called ‘cute’, ‘priceless’, or ‘precious’. It soothed Ellie’s heart. It was all she needed to feel fulfilled in her life. It was what made her strong.
So, no. Those things didn’t matter to the young lady of the Lahalla household.
Maybe it was because of her Gnome heritage. The race was known for its smarts. Maybe it was because of her dreams. Learning from the abstract images of what could be would influence anyone. Or maybe it was because of her rationality – a thing she prided herself in.
In any case, she was aware that she was different. That her brain worked differently. She was focusing on details omitted by the majority; she pondered on possibilities alien to others. Thus, Ellie couldn’t even fathom the thought process of the people around her – the people responsible for the safety and prosperity of the Empire.
She noticed the danger early. The consequences of the Empire’s inaction. She was learned, so it seemed obvious to her. Their civilization would die out without the support from the lower strata. Not only because of the economy, imported food, and ascending migrants. Her young mind noticed how the separation between the casts led straight into their dark past; how it would eat away all the advancements made from that time.
The plague was developing. Without a countermeasure, without cooperation, the people would continue to be devoured, one group at a time. The knowledge of centuries, closely kept by those in its possession, would disappear along with them. And the plague would spread like wildfire. Even if didn’t touch higher strata – which was doubtful in itself – it would mean the end of the civilization they knew.
She was ridiculed. The 15 years of life experiences under her belt weren’t enough to convince anyone. Their pride and their customs wouldn’t allow that. She could advocate her case all she wanted, winning every dispute – be it with her ‘father’ or any other influential member of her family – but she was never taken seriously.
Her reasoning ignored; her small voice left unheard. Not in the cacophony of the ‘more important’ matters. Not under the overwhelming, overblown self-assurance of her betters.
Age and status mattered more than common sense, it seemed.
And that was something she couldn’t accept.
<<<———>>>
Ellie walked hurriedly through the wide and empty halls of the capital’s main temple. Her violet dress was fluttering wildly because of her improperly long steps.
The sculptures depicting the old ascended deities passed in her peripheral vision but she paid them no mind – an act that would cause her mother to have a heart attack, surely. But Ellie didn’t care. Those… beings were long gone. Dead, departed, or just silent. She wasn’t going to pay her respects to the indifferent monuments of the past.
And she was in a hurry. It may have been a blessing that she didn’t have a guardian or a personal maid, but staying outside of the mansion for too long would be noticed.
After a few minutes, she reached the newest section of the Temple, her destination visible at the end of the corridor.
An overturned hourglass. A symbol of a new deity that decided to interfere in the matters of this world. One that was actively seeking believers.
She stopped before the strange artwork, observing.
The deities, especially those born from ascension, liked depictions of their old, humanoid forms. This one, though, was abstract. Alien. Hinting at something more than a simple ego directing their actions. Although, she couldn’t tell what the symbol truly meant.
Without hesitation, she stepped forward and put her hand on the glassy surface. She was going against her blood. Against the stipulations of the Lahalla’s forefather. If they knew, her family would disown her. Threw her away like a trash.
She couldn’t care less at this point.
She condensed an ounce of Mana in the hand touching the ‘statue’. This wasn’t difficult, the next step would. She wasn’t proficient in Mana injection – another example of limiting the knowledge. And one that was most crucial.
Because, from what she had learned, deities coveted their Mana.
Pushing with all her mental force, the condensed orb of Mana flew forward, piercing her skin with great difficulty. A pitifully small amount reached the surface of the monument that was under her hand.
Her hand tingled. She didn’t know if that was enough, but she didn’t have time.
She closed her eyes.
Sîȵ, I agree to commute, she sent a meditative thought with the next pulse. She was still forming and pushing new Mana orbs. Imbuing them with her intent was something she trained extensively. She just hoped it would reach the deity.
She repeated the message over and over again. Sending her orbs as quickly as possible.
Connection established.
Initial donation received: [145.356263…] Mana units.
Status updated:
No augments available.
Unlock new features by donating Mana.
It was a success. The connection had formed, definitely. The cold, indifferent, unspoken words blossomed in her mind, just like the absolved knight had said it would.
Her Mana was moving on its own now, she could feel it; seeping through her skin without her conscious effort if she allowed it.
She ignored the voice. She now had a new God, so to say. Yet, it wasn’t all she wanted. She wasn’t satisfied. It wasn’t why she was here.
Sîȵ our situation is dire…
Sîȵ, I want to fight, too…
Sîȵ, I want you to use my Mana…
The unspoken messages continued for a minute.
There was no answer.
Her Mana was depleting quickly. She started panicking, trying again and again to convince the strange being to her cause.
Clenching her teeth in anger, she sent the last orb she was able to deliver. But this time, she packed all her raging emotions inside. The anger, the impatience, the disappointment, the feeling of being betrayed…
Sîȵ… aren’t you omniscient? I see now that you were lying! she accused with the last of her Mana.
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
Suddenly, the flow of Mana reversed. Her hand hurt, but she didn’t dare to remove it from the monument. Something was happening, finally.
That, we are. To an extent.
The message was different this time. Alive, full of meaning. Ripe in information she couldn’t process.
She didn’t try to send her Mana back anymore to communicate. It didn’t seem necessary anymore. Instead, she imposed the meaning over the Mana that entered her body. A new pool that was almost as reactive to her thoughts as her own resource.
I require assistance. Direct me.
It will cost you. What are you seeking?
A Master. A person who can help me change…
She didn’t bat an eye at the angry interruption.
I have no value for you. You won’t help.
It was a statement, not a question.
Direct me to someone who can help me introduce a change. With the plague on the rampage, you are only to lose. Let me change that! All I need is information. Not energy. Not power. Not assistance. Definitely not your augmentation! I can give what I have myself, but no more.
She wasn’t stupid or naïve. She understood that help wasn’t given for free. Even if their cooperation was for the better of both, she would set a precedence. Most importantly, she was sure this deity could achieve its goals without her. It just needed time.
But it was speaking with her directly, just as she hoped. She still had a chance.
Ellie understood, deep down, that their lives weren’t valuable for higher beings. Even if that exact thought was an antithesis to her own morals. For how she saw the world. It was merely a fact.
…
A promising
‘…They aren’t going to budge on that part… But it’s good enough,’ she thought to herself.
The payment?
Your memories. All of them. Some may be lost in the process.
She hesitated. It was a risk. A huge one, because they didn’t even state the probability of failure.
Can you make a copy of my knowledge? Make it available for me?
That, we can.
Then, I don’t care. Take what you want.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Dzyl Archipelago {Stratum 2} [Shattered remnants of the Eastern edge of Flauva continent], local time [235.06.26]
The vehicle lurched, again, sending most of the mess in her cabin right at the wall.
Ellie gripped her hammock for her dear life. It was swaying wildly but kept her from hitting the walls.
“Lanar!” she screamed in accusation, her high-pitched voice piercing through the wooden deck without a problem.
She had almost managed to fall asleep.
“Sorry, princess!” A gruff voice replayed, muffed by the deck of her latest flying prototype. “Your invention isn’t perfect by any means! Far from it!”
She could only grind her teeth at the remark. It was true that the vehicle wasn’t tested in the open space, but the hot-air balloon encompassing the floating rock should give them more than enough stability.
Best Sky Sailor in the seven cities? What a scam! she shouted internally.
Truth be told, she wasn’t that surprised. Gliders worked differently than her Nostro-eighteen. The man had to lean, and lean fast.
She didn’t have much time to ponder, though. Her small vessel lurched once again, this time sending everything up to the ceiling…
______________________
Dzyl Archipelago was one of the most dangerous places for the gliders. The chaotic wind currents and unstable Mana density made for a challenge that only the most talented Sky Sailors braved.
Those people were madmen in the eyes of the public. Poor men and women hungry for recognition and the Helmsman title.
But the little princess didn’t know about that. All the knowledge she had gained, she did through reading and studying. As one could expect, that alone wasn’t enough to compensate for the reality.
The fact that her ship was able to withstand the treacherous skies was more than Lanar hoped for. In fact, he already wrote down his testament. The lady paid enough for him to disregard his life – his family would live long and prosperous lives whether he returned or not.
______________________
Ellie’s feet touched the ground lightly.
A perfect landing, if she was to say herself.
The ship was too unstable to float around the small island. The upward currents sent them into the sky four times. If not for her improved chute, she wouldn’t be able to descend.
Lanar already left the premises. She gave him her blessing with the hope that he would reach the continent and propagate the new technology.
Her technology.
Flying vehicles weren’t really a thing. Most of the existing models were dependent on the abilities of the user – be it physical or elemental manipulation.
Losing her prototype was a small price to pay for the possible development of future generations. And a small price to pay for Lanar’s service.
As for her family – she had left her home already. There was no point in worrying about the reaction of her family or the servants. She didn’t plan to come back.
She could worry about escaping the island later. In the worst case, she could drift down to the lower stratum on her chute. Although, it would be a painful experience. She no longer could sustain her body in the lower Mana density.
Sighing, she took in the view of the grass field lying before her. It looked idyllic. Calm and unperturbed. The island wasn’t huge, maybe fifteen thousand steps in diameter.
She frowned and double-checked the coordinates once again.
Sîȵ may have been meticulous, but she lacked the navigation knowledge to truly work out where her target was – one of the reasons she hired a Sky Sailor.
But still, she could look around for the landmarks. It was a difficult task with the settling sun, but the distances from the closest islands seemed to be correct.
Still, her island remained empty.
She walked through the high grass, searching for the invisible.
<<<———>>>
Two days later, she was starving.
The island was definitely the one pointed out by the deity. She had confirmed it more than dozens of times.
The rations she brought ended. She had never planned for an extended exploration. At least, she had the water condenser. Drinking from it was mitigating her hunger pangs.
I don’t have time for this… she came to the conclusion. Whether the Master was testing her, or she lost her way, didn’t matter.
She started digging.
After moving some soil with difficulty, she met a hard, solid stone. The vegetation was very much in the way.
Perfect, she thought seeing the solid underbelly.
Wasting no time, she started to inscribe with her knife. A simple enchantment. She had no filler, but it was easy for her to just cover the indentions with a slab of stone and pump her Mana down the shaped paths.
That should be enough for what she had planned.
<<<———>>>
The island shook. The vibrations almost dislodged the bigger boulders from the bottom of the flying earthen plot of land.
“Hello!” a distorted voice of the young lady reverberated through the air.
There was no answer, so she repeated her call. Then again, and again…
“Stop shouting!” someone screamed from behind her, making her jump away involuntarily.
She quickly turned to look at the…
Small kid?
“What?” the child asked with disgust written all over his face while clearing his earhole with his pinkie. “Never saw an immortal?”
“A-apologize,” she bowed down. “I meant no disrespect. I wa—”
“Will you leave this place on your own volition,”—the kid interrupted—“or should I send you back?”
That stumped her momentarily. Looking up shyly, she knew she was an eyesore. Just like for the deities.
“I… want to exchange goods…” she said quietly, never breaking the eye contact.
“Exchange?” The kid smirked. “And what, pray tell me, do you want to trade with?” the kid asked, leaning forward. His long, white hair changed color to pink. A bad omen if she ever saw one.
“…I can draw you pictures. Depictions of what could be,” she answered truthfully. It was a gamble and the only thing she was talented in. And she saw quite impressive scenes in her dreams. Surely, one would intrigue the mysterious individual.
The kid narrowed his eyes. He leaned forward even more, his way-too-slow breath brushing against Eillie’s chicks.
She didn’t dare to move. But also, she didn’t stop staring at him.
She had a goal, after all.
“Interesting…” the boy mumbled to himself. He straightened up and cutely tilted his head. His hair changed to the color of the sky. “You… what do you want to draw?”
“Worlds,” she said simply, looking down at the ground in embarrassment. It was really difficult to explain what she could show him.
The kid laughed. “Worlds, she says. You better don’t disappoint! Call me Deh for now. Be my guest. Your name?”
A cottage materialized behind the kid. On the plot of land that she was sure that she checked multiple times before…
“…Turi. My name is Ellie Turi.”
<<<———>>>
Weeks passed. She drew a lot, but Ellie’s masterpiece still wasn’t finished. Not because she wasn’t working on it. It was because every time she asked Deh about something, he showed her marvels of the world that she couldn’t simply ignore.
He never explained anything to her, though. Not yet.
One thing was for sure, that person wasn’t in a hurry. She had a feeling that it wouldn’t matter if stayed here for a year or a hundred. Not for him.
But she didn’t have the time. She already prolonged her stay.
She started working earnestly on her latest picture. What she had drawn wasn’t exactly groundbreaking. It was a simple thing.
A plot of land. A land worked by people. The dangers that it brought to them could be easily spotted in the background. Some were hidden, though. A suggestion here, a discoloring there… a very delicate work. Possible catastrophic events were hidden under layers and layers of paint. Camouflaged in symbolism. Invisible to the naked eye.
She had learned a few things about Deh in her time here. The man was living off of puzzles and mysteries. Be it of a physical, metaphysical, or intellectual nature. He never stopped; never got bored of them. He had a library full of riddles of any kind and not even one answer written down.
He also didn’t care about the Corora. That was obvious. She had asked him about the plague once…
His empty stare, as if he couldn’t believe his own ears, was humiliating enough. But he actually elaborated, which was much worse.
“You are asking a person from another world about the illness of yours…” he started, his tone indifferent, cold as a winter wind. “All that when I can clearly see that your people have all the necessary tools to find out more about it and act against it…”
“I-I wouldn’t know…” she stuttered.
Instead of answering, Deh looked at her unfinished art.
“I understand now… That’s what you meant by a change. An effort of one little being spamming the globe. One ultimately irrelevant… or so one would think,” he paused, looking at the sky. It was obvious that he was deep in thought.
“We can’t change that much… Not all at once,” he finally said. Ellie’s heart almost broke hearing those words. Nonetheless, Deh said ‘we’, not ‘her’. Her gaze turned to the small kid who seemed to blend with the surroundings every time she wasn’t looking.
“But you can influence much further future…” his sharp gaze met hers. “I can teach you what you want… But first, finish that picture and show me the extent of your dreams. Don’t disappoint me. And remember – blind people are to be left blind.”
<<<———>>>
The finished picture took Deh only a few seconds to decipher. Ellie was crestfallen but he berated her for that.
Art, her art, the only thing she was proficient with… touched upon more than mere feelings. It was a true vision. A complex one. Her Soul, unrefined as it was, was in sync with her previous lives. She could and would see more than normal people. She could and would interfere in situations that the future would bring – with his help or without.
And so, Ellie Turi started learning from Deh. Things she could never imagine. Advanced mathematics, slightly more convoluted physical mechanics, quantum physics, Manaless physics, Manacasting, biology and microbiology, Soul Arts, Mana manipulation in all its scope, and more.
More, more, and more. A steam of knowledge that seemed unending. All that for the cheap price of her pictures, dreams, and memories.
______________________
Year 336.
After a century of struggle, the Flauvarin Empire fell.
Millions of lives were lost in the wake of the unstoppable plague. A tragedy on a scale not ever seen; not even on the stratum zero – the plague’s source.
In the final moments of the dying realm, a flying fleet under the banner of an unnamed savior arrived, saving thousands of lives.
The higher echelons of the Empire were abandoned, to never be heard from ever again.
______________________