With all the witches dead, Yana agreed to stop casting her summoning magic. I am glad I did not have to kill her. She also relinquishes her two guardians to me. "With the witches dead, there is nobody to pass on their wretched knowledge. I no longer need protection. If they wish to go with you, they may."
The crimson cultists all line up and walk through the flux rift leading back to the tower. As everyone walks in, Leland looks reluctant. I walk over to comfort him. "It's far from my place to take you from a normal childhood. This decision is entirely up to you. In fact, I don't expect you to come along. Think about it carefully."
Leland looks down. "I... I want to come with you. I want to learn."
"Be forewarned, then. All before me who have studied the art of thaumaturgy have gone mad. If you truly wish to be able to harness it in totality, I must perform experiments on you to increase your hard capacity for warp. I will explain it more later, but know that it will be the most painful experience a living creature can undergo. Are you sure you want this?"
He nods reluctantly. I pat him on the back and give him a playful shove through the flux rift.
The three new recruits look around the vast, empty expanse bewildered. "This is... horrible," says Rebecca. "There's not even a sun or a moon! It's so dark, and the ground is covered in this sickly purple substance!"
"It is a bleak realm, but it is mine and mine alone. Very few have ever dared to follow me here. I can only think of the three nameless warriors, who were more foolish than brave, the quadrillion-strong army of the multiverse, and Tetrax, the only god who was a match for me in combat. It is safe here."
As we enter the tower, operations resume as normal. Six cultists carry in the Thumper, and the praetors accompany me to my lab. I take the moment of respite to continue thaumaturgical research.
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After about six hours of work, I have designed a new spell focus. In addition to Shortwave Cascade, Firestorm, Portable Hole, and my various other spell foci, I have developed a focus I have named Dimensional Shift. Using various mathematical theories, equations, and of course, principles of essentia and vis, the focus can shift me through various dimensions. It cannot make me four-dimensional, however, and only moves me through those unseen spaces, so a twelve-dimensional being could still likely overwhelm me with attacks. Using the same concepts, however, I have upgraded the Goggles of Revealing to reveal matter within those dimensions in a format I can see and react to, so I am not completely helpless against such threats.
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I have also developed a duplicate casting gauntlet for Leland to utilize vis casting. However, since I find myself short of a noble soul, I am forced to add several pre-installed spell foci so he can cast anything at all. I add a basic fireball spell, a spell that quickly constructs a magical barrier, a spell that imbues the gauntlet with electricity, enhancing his punches, and a spell that heals whoever he places the gauntlet over.
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After a day of rest, I call my scrying mirror over to me. "Mirror, show me Merlin." The mirror reveals to me an old man hunched over a staff in a grey cloak with a beard. He sits in the desert, meditating. "Show me what world he resides in." The mirror pans out to show me... Primis Mundus. The demon said he traveled with Moses there. I suppose the Arthurian legends were true after all. He may possibly be the most powerful opponent I will face, stronger than any other god. If he still possesses the manna of God, I'm not sure I can hope to defeat him, but we will see.
I gather all the crimson cultists in the main hall. "Today, we move a step closer from stopping the scourge that is summoning magic. I have tracked down the ancient wizard Merlin. Most of you have likely heard of him from King Arthur's court. The legend was in fact true, and he is the perpetrator of everything we have vowed to fight against. He has remained in Primis Mundus, even though I'm sure he's perfectly capable of traveling where he pleases. He is alone, but do not let that fool you. He will likely be the most powerful opponent any of us have ever faced. Therefore, I have developed some new weapons to help us." I hand Leland the new casting gauntlet. "For Leland, I give this lesser casting gauntlet. You should be able to figure out how it works on your own." He takes it graciously and pulls the brown leather over his hand, admiring it. "For myself, I have developed several new powerful spells. Furthermore, I have finished developing backup clones for everyone here in curative vats in case of death. Finally, we will be taking my golem army with us, so we are as prepared as possible. And... just in case..." I reveal a small, purple spell focus I have been hiding in my hand until now. Leviticus visibly shifts, and steam bellows out of Winter's joints. "...Nefarium."
"What is that?" Asks Claudius.
"In the worst case scenario... I will cast this spell, and obliterate all life in Primis Mundus." The cultists gasp. "I loathe to do so, but Merlin must pay for his actions, and no living thing can survive Nefarium. But enough of that. We have work to do."