Pausing at the base of the mountain, Willow took in the view of Danglawan City sprawling up the mountain-side. “Looks like we have what? Another three hours of hiking?”
Her boyfriend Oliver groaned, “We’re never going hiking again after this. Thank god we don't live in San Fran.”
She laughed and kissed him. Pulling back from him, Willow smirked, “Let’s hope someone up there can help us go home. Otherwise, you better hope that I can carry you down.”
“I think we’ll just have to live up there if nobody can help.” He stretched and pulled up his sleeves. “Guess we better start walking before it gets dark.”
----------------------------------------
Opening the book ‘History: the Age Of Confluence Volume 1’ on the table, Elle settles down to read. Judging by the sound of two bells, she has less than three hours to absorb as much as possible about the Calamities. It’s better to be quick on the uptake when it comes to common knowledge.
23868.03.29 PDI
By Eurimas’ blessings, we live another day. Although monsters encroached upon these halls which have withstood the test of Time, we faithful followers slayed those foul beasts. When the ground stopped shaking, we tended to our wounded. 29 acolytes have been killed.
Elle notices that the handwriting here appears shaky and splotchy like the author cried through writing it.
As the combat dwindled, we crept out of our barricades in search of supplies. To our astonishment, the Temple was no longer part of time-weathered river city of Ostree, surrounded not by lush hills but rugged mountains. No follower recognized these behemoths, so we approached the unfamiliar buildings close by the Temple to assess the situation.
Strangers greeted us in a foreign tongue, but one of them was able to translate. Van Nguyen informed us that the rifts which had plagued our world for months prior have torn our world apart.
She pauses after this sentence, her eyes blinking rapidly. Van arrived in this world before the Second Calamity? However, that happened around five and a half months ago. Rifts only started appearing on Earth four months ago.
If monsters hadn’t attacked Earth by then, Elle understands Van’s refusal of Equinox’s offer. Why did the goddess approach him then? His control over gravity might be related to her space manipulation. Perhaps it has something to do with wormholes?
She decides to continue reading. According to the author, the Temple joined forces with the remnants of Vinayre and other survivors of the Second Calamity. The logs describe a harsher environment than current, describing the rotational shifts taken to fend off the relentless waves of monsters.
It seems like the Calamities happened gradually with pieces of the second world appearing in Sinkpoint overtime. Without the Ice Shield, the subsequent transport of new monsters almost wiped out the survivors. Elle rapidly read through the records, heart rate picking up slightly.
With great sadness, I am sorry to say we have received news of Grand Mage Aspirash’s passing. While the Temple powered the barricades, more monsters overwhelmed the current shift of combatants, forcing the exhausted previous shift to join them. Unfortunately, their efforts seemed to only slow the inevitable defeat.
Seeing this moment of crisis, the Grand Mage unleashed a devastating spell, sacrificing his own life in the process. He pulled all the present beasts together and transformed them into stone. We and our allies have agreed to call this newly created mountain Mount Aspirash; may it withstand the trials of Time just as its creator’s name will!
A mountain made of petrified corpses… That place would’ve sounded cool if not for the hunters who disappeared near there. She rubs her arms as a shiver runs through her body.
The logs continue to discuss the process of building the city and forming a cohesive leadership. To her surprise, the process ended up being democratic, but she thinks it might be due to pragmatism in hindsight. The current mayor Caexil (with the ‘x’ pronounced like the pinyin version in Mandarin or somewhat like an ‘sh’ sound in English) Innohyre managed to expand his telepathy power to learn Universal.
Since the only other person who could speak it was Van, Elle could understand the reasoning. After about ten minutes, she finally reaches the entry about forming the Ice Shield. She’s curious to know who made it, considering its multitude of fantastical properties. Nobody’s mentioned anything like the fog in regards to Mount Aspirash yet.
23868.04.12 PDI
The third Calamity began today. During the weary hours of dreaming, we all felt reality thrum like the twang of a lute. We stumbled out of our beds, bones reverberating with that solemn “note”.
When we exited the Temple, our gaze took to the dusk sky, pulled by an overpowering instinct. Where there would have been a smooth, unbroken canvas, a jagged tear gaped like a beast’s maw.
An unfamiliar building stood on the rift’s other side. Its walls were a uniform, creamy white similar to our residences, but their architecture contained arches and unconventional curves which spoke of engineering genius. The other residents of Vinayre had rushed outside as well, and we all stared open-mouthed at this storybook sight, scarcely believing our own eyes.
As the rift began to widen, I made eye contact with Mayor Innohyre. His bloodshot brown eyes were gripped with mortal terror, and I could see sweat on his face even from a distance. Before I could understand his reason for fear, I heard him broadcast to everyone through telepathy: “Everyone, take cover! Make a barrier if you can!”
His quick warning saved lives. By the time the first objects from the city hit the ground, we reached the Temple’s threshold. I ordered the other acolytes to head underground while I stayed with the High Priestess and other Temple officials at the entrance.
Other Vinayre residents remained on the surface, protected by various structures. Although I could not witness even my comrades’ silhouettes, I could hear the mayor and other telepaths relay discussions of strategy.
Mayor Innohyre said, ‘We can’t keep retreating farther underground; the monsters there will overwhelm us.’
Hunters’ Guildmaster Winnow formed an ice wall on the ground and began extending it upwards toward the still-growing rift. ‘Channel your powers through the ice. Use it as a base for the barriers.’
More ice elementals joined her efforts, and we set the Lady’s blessings upon the glacier which rushed upwards to embrace the pulsing rift. With our powers, the ice received a temporary respite from the passage of Time, and we hoped it would last long enough to endure the entire falling city.
A house dropped from the rift and thudded on the ice before sliding down the cold slope. More aura-users used their powers to strengthen the glacier, and I could feel the hair on my skin rising from the sheer energy in the air. The frozen barrier no longer felt like ice but rather like all our condensed aura masquerading as it.
By then, we could see the full city through our desperate shield. Entire streets crashed onto the ice, sending a cacophony through our ears.
A telepath relayed Mr. Nguyen’s words to us, ‘I’m pulling the debris towards the glacier instead of us. Brace yourself, it’s going hit hard!’
I leaned against the wall, too concentrated on the barrier spell to keep myself upright. With every house that smashed in the glacier, my head ached with stabbing pain.
Another telepath passes along Arcanists’ Guildmaster Ryne’s request, ‘I need more environmental mana.’
Many people protested as they were also using environmental mana, but Alchemists’ Guildmaster Dulani intervened. ‘I can decrease the amount you need to cast a spell, if that’s what you’re looking for?’
I grew irritated. Is the Temple not providing the main barrier spell? We deserve any breath of respite that can be given.
Ignorant to the extent of our labour, they return Guildmaster Ryne’s reply, ‘That’s perfect, thank you.’ The buzz of energy on my skin subsided for a moment before heating to a painful burn.
At least, I thought it burned until I noticed my breaths leaving a trail of fog. The temperature plummeted as the glacier grew rapidly and extended past the Temple. Poking my head through the threshold, I watched a four-story library collide with the ice that was clear as glass. Books poured out of the library’s smashed windows.
It was not only buildings falling however. I sank to my knees as I witnessed people being crushed into streaks of blood, exhausted by the physical and mental toll. If there was any screaming, we could not hear it over the downpour of debris.
After a valiant period of Time, I was unable to channel more of the Lady’s blessings. Yet, the glacier didn’t collapse even as my comrades lost strength to continue. Mist drifted from the ice as we waited for the onslaught to end.
The survivors from the city managed to avoid most of the falling rubble and used various methods to reach the ground. They retreated to Vinayre’s buildings and watched the rest of their city crumble onto the ice. Eventually, the rift disappeared, and we regained our breath in silence.
From there, the logs describe the people’s continued efforts to rebuild and fix Vinayre. Aided by the monster-repelling fog, the citizens found it easier to weather the Fourth Calamity without any interesting remarks.
Even the Temple of Eurimas thought highly of the Ice Shield and Vinayre’s increased growth. Variations of the phrase ‘endured the test of Time’ appears so much that someone might think Time is a GPA booster.
Overall, Elle thinks this record is a decent representation of recent events albeit with a clear bias towards the Temple. It’s a good starting point for any future investigation into the Calamities.
According to the book, forty-four aura users helped make the Ice Shield, but it doesn’t explain the magical theory behind it. What spell did the Arcanist Guildmaster use? How does the Ice Shield emit monster-repelling fog? She wants to take a closer look at the glacier before coming up with a theory.
On a more uncomfortable note, the author tends to share a sense of religious superiority over the survivors from the fallen settlement known as Una City. The book describes them as lost folk in denial over their god abandoning them, and its tone reeks of condescension to Elle. She reads an interesting passage from about two months ago.
A handful of survivors from Una City refuse to see reason. If their supposedly divine ‘System’ has not deserted them, why are they unable to call upon many of its blessings? We only sought to grant them peace and comfort in knowing the Lady’s eternal presence.
Alas, they have decided to leave Vinayre altogether. They have gathered a group of people hailing from different worlds to explore the frontier, straying from the hallowed ice’s protection. Tomorrow, they will set off on their foolish expedition and build a settlement in the mountains west of Vinayre.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Given the lack of any other settlements on her journey to this city, this entry likely refers to Fort Kernstone. Elle understands Mikell’s warning about discussing religious topics now.
Come to think of it, Ira might be from Una City given that it’s the closest city from Nessaprine. That would explain her distaste for the Temple.
After about another hour, Elle finishes the book with nothing particularly curious to note, reaching a log dated yesterday. She stretches and gets up to return the book to its rightful place. Wandering over to shelf on divinity, she begins to skim the titles when a person interrupts her.
“Sorry, I think we should start heading back to the guild.” Edellan apologises, but Elle’s fast to reassure them. The two say goodbye to Panna and then they exit the Temple, greeted by the dim evening light.
Heading away from the Temple, she listens as Edellan gives her directions to the public library near City Hall before speaking, “Excuse me, but I want to try something quick. Feel free to go on without me.”
They shake their head. “It’s fine. I can wait.”
“Alright then.” Taking a deep breath, Elle stops and closes her eyes. She pushes aside her buzzing thoughts and directs her attention to her surroundings. It’s difficult for her to use this skill unless she’s concentrates.
People’s auras resemble heartbeats to her, brushing against her senses in rhythmic pulses. Standing next to her, Edellan’s aura feels slow and cool in temperature. Other people are too far away for her to properly sense, or more accurately, the range of their pulses don’t reach her.
After a minute passes, Elle finally feels a subtle, cold pulse. It washes over her and spreads across Vinayre. She opens her eyes.
That felt like being hit by mist from a spray bottle, similar to the moment when she stored the monster bones. Based on that experience, the Ice Shield might have purification properties which could explain the monster-repelling effect. What does this say about her powers though?
“Is everything alright?” Edellan interrupts, quizzical grey eyes watching her.
Her ears warm as she realises how she looks from an outside perspective. “Yep, sorry. I wanted to try something. Can you sense aura?”
They raise their eyebrows. “No, not really my thing.”
She knows that aura-sensing isn’t a unique skill, so she’ll try comparing notes with someone else. “No worries then. Let’s go.”
Edellan opens their mouth and then closes it. They shrug and continue walking. “Sure, don’t want to be late.”
***
When the two enter the Hunter’s Guild, Tiami greets them with a less tired expression. “Welcome back. You’re right on time; only one person has arrived so far. I’ll meet you all in the meeting room at the end of the hall once I’m done here.” She gestures towards a hallway left of the receptionist’s desk.
“Sounds good.” Elle glances at the guildmaster as she passes by the desk, but she only catches a glimpse of Tiami’s workspace. Among many sheets on the table, one paper reads ‘Festival of Ice and Hearth Itinerary’. She wonders if it’s similar to the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrated back at home.
The two walk to the meeting room, and Elle opens the door. It’s a utilitarian space with a circular table that seems like it can fit about twenty people. Unlike the wooden tables in the foyer, this one looks industrial and scuffed like it had been repurposed from a schoolroom.
A young man with light brown hair looks up from his books, already seated at the table. His violet, almond-shaped eyes surprise Elle for a moment, but she reminds herself that they’re no stranger than magic and curses. He’s slim with a tailored lilac vest and white shirt. A sharp, grey coat hangs on the back of his chair.
She steps into the room. “Hi, I’m Elle. Are you here to investigate the missing hunters as well?” Curious about his books, Elle sits down a few chairs away from him. Edellan sits on her right.
“Indeed.” His posh, baritone voice sounds quiet and gravelly as if unused to speaking. “My name is Thermal. I presume the two of you are here for the same?” He glances at Edellan with a polite smile.
His name causes a familiar, subtle dissonance in her head like it had been translated using Universal. Elle wonders whether this is an alias or his parents simply had unique naming choices.
The miner returns the slight smile, “Edellan. I’m only in town for tonight, but I’ll help out as much as I can.”
Elle adds, “I’ll be staying though. Be a second pair of eyes if we need it.”
Intrigue flickers in Thermal’s violet eyes. “Do you have experience with magic?” His gaze falls on her modern clothing.
“No, it’s just a power that I picked up. It only works for things within 100 metres of me though.”
The interest in his expression dims. “Oh, I see. Well, it might prove to be useful in certain circumstances.” Although still polite, his expression has become more aloof.
Feeling awkward now, Elle looks at his tomes on the table. The opened one appears to discuss transmutation from her best guess, but the jargon makes it difficult for her to understand. It seems to suggest that holy and necromantic energies tend to linger when an object or being which previously possessed them are transformed. “What about you? Are you a mage of some sort?”
For a second, she thinks she misspoke as Thermal’s smile shrinks. However, he seems to let it go as he clears his throat. “...I am a researcher of arcane arrays, formerly studying at Umere Academy.”
“Arcane arrays? Sorry, I’m not familiar with that term.”
He shifts in his chair. “No need for an apology, few people outside of arcane studies know. Arcane arrays are written conduits of magic which do not use runes or other spell components aside from the medium they are written in.”
Edellan folds their arms, “So arrays can do more specific things, right? Because they don’t rely on runes which are predefined.”
Thermal looks at the Kinnonese with renewed interest. “Indeed, it is a double-edged sword. While they can theoretically be tailored to your exact needs, experimenting with arrays can be unpredictable. You can never be quite sure what a new design will do until you test it.”
Edellan leans forward in their seat, matching the arcanist’s enthusiasm. Elle decides to take a backseat on the conversation since she’s never seen the miner so animated. She would like more versatility in her skillset, and arcane arrays might fit that role.
The door opens before the conversation can continue. Tiami enters the room with a liquor bottle and tray of glasses. “Alright, everyone’s here now. I brought a non-alcoholic bottle of cider from the Crooning Loon for us to share.”
A short, tanned woman with pointy ears follows her, wearing a tattered traveller’s cloak. Her pants and shirt are a natural beige with holes patched together with mismatched thread. She has short, sun-bleached blonde hair and surveys the room with curious, hazel eyes. “Can we get some real drinks after we find them?”
Tiami sets the refreshments down on the table. “If you’re successful, I’ll treat everyone to a round of shots. How about that?”
“Works for me!” The woman’s voice is a peppy, high pitch but not loud enough to be ear-splitting. If Elle’s pushed to describe it, her accent sounds something in between Cockney and a Southern drawl, but it’s not truly comparable to either. She sits across the table from Elle and looks at everyone. “So, this is the team then?”
Each pouring themselves a glass of cider, they go around in a circle of introductions. The woman seems to be listening with an easy-going smile, but Elle notices a slight sharpness to her eyes. When it reaches the stranger’s turn, she meets Elle’s gaze with a softer look as if sensing her trepidation. “I’m Serana Neradime. Dropped in from Arishelm, but I’ve been in Vinayre for three weeks.”
According to the journal in the Temple, Arishelm is the second world that merged with Sinkpoint, so Serena must be from the same world as Eurimas’ followers. Elle didn’t realise Arishelm had ‘fantasy’ races, but she tries not to stare at Serena’s elf ears.
“Excuse me, do you mind speaking a bit slower? Xanam is my second language.” Edellan averts their eyes in a sheepish manner.
Serena gives an apologetic grin. “Sorry, I’ll dig in my heels. Xanam’s also my second tongue, and people say I chitter too fast in my first. Have to learn Universal sometime, seems like a nifty trick.”
Tiami nods, sipping her cider. “Yes, I’d organise a class if I had the resources. It’s inconvenient for people to learn a new language every time they move. But I digress, we’re here to discuss the disappearances of eight huntsmen in these two weeks.”
She retrieves a scroll and folder from her bag, spreading out sheets of paper for everyone to see. “The Guards spotted Team A leaving from the eastern gate before 2 a.m. today. I don’t have any photographs of them, but a guard agreed to store his last memory of them here.” Tiami pulls out a light blue crystal and holds it towards an empty wall.
The crystal projects an image of two men and a woman on the wall, all in the process of exiting the city. They’re dressed for a longer trip, carrying weapons and camping bags. None of them have particularly notable features except for the man who wears a silver necklace with a charm shaped like a half-open eye attached to an opal.
“Ceress Inkbought, Zoran Drake, and Fesper Bleck formed a team here about a month ago. They mostly kept to themselves and didn’t cause any trouble. When they missed their 10 a.m. check-in, I sent another team to scout the area. They found Mr. Bleck’s necklace on Mt. Aspirash.”
This is the second time she’s heard of a missing person leaving nothing but their necklace somewhere. Elle studies the delicate jewellery in the image and wonders if she should invest in one too. “Is that all they found? He might’ve just lost it.”
Thermal shakes his head. “I find it unlikely that a cleric would be so careless as to misplace his divine focus. For those of you who might be unfamiliar with it, that charm’s design represents Cravallus the Goddess of Secrets. She grants insight to her followers through the full moon, blessing them with clear sight.”
Elle turns her gaze away from him, trying to recall where she’s heard the name. “Cravallus… You mean the sister of Eurimas?” Through skimming the Temple’s logs, she remembers the phrase ‘Cravallus’ cloak is made of Time; Eurimas sings in the Moon’s prime.’ The author used it to describe a ritual performed on the first full moon after the Second Calamity.
“Indeed,” he sounds mildly surprised. “Both of their followers share certain religious observances.”
She nods and recalls that the Temple performed the ritual to divine information about Sinkpoint. However, they received nothing, not even the name of the Quantum Graveyard. Mikell is right; people would be extremely curious how she knows that name… If Sinkpoint is the real name of this place, of course.
Thermal looks to Tiami. “Do you have Mr. Bleck’s necklace? I would like to examine it.”
“Of course,” she retrieves a plastic bag, and the necklace inside is covered in dirt. For a second, Elle is surprised to see plastic, but then she remembers that the first world had similar technology as Earth. “This is how it was found. Please be gentle with it; the Temple has been hounding me for it since it was confiscated as part of investigations.”
The followers of Eurimas seem to have fingers in many pies. Elle feels her unease grow, but she can’t tell if it’s a justified suspicion or mounting paranoia. Thoughts of Equinox and Elle’s lack of confidants in this foreign city linger in her mind.
Thermal takes the baggie. As he scrutinises the necklace on all sides, his violet eyes seem to glow faintly, but it might have just been a trick of light. “...This is made of Moon-blessed, agrave silver, and I can sense leftover traces of divine energy, possibly from a healing spell. The gem is an opal of above-average quality. I can also sense a tiny amount of blood.”
Elle leans forward in interest, “Excuse me, you can sense blood? How?” From her observation, it’s difficult to differentiate between dried blood and soil in its current state by sight alone.
“I can detect spell components as long as I have encountered them before.” Giving one final look, he places the necklace upon the table. “Besides the divine energy, there is no other magic left upon it. However he lost his divine focus, it was not due to anything magical.”
“Nothing magical…” Elle gets up and takes the bag. Even through the plastic, the metal feels unnaturally cool to touch. “Do you know what kind of divine energy? Is it Cravallus’?”
Thermal hesitates for a moment, mouth pinching at the corners. “...No, I am afraid I lack the knowledge to discern between the nuances of each deity.”
Serena takes a swig of the cider and wipes her mouth with her sleeve. Thermal frowns for a second before his expression returns neutral.
The blonde woman hits the table with her glass. “Okay, okay, shooting out of my ass here, but what if the Temple guys took the group out or something? When I poked around, it seemed like a priest started the curse rumour. Maybe they have a grudge against the Hunters’ Guild!”
Edellan interrupts, “Should we be discussing that right now?” Their eyes look toward Tiami with a inquiring glance.
The guildmaster stares at the necklace in Elle’s hands, but her gaze seems unfocused as if in deep thought. Upon hearing Edellan’s question, her expression becomes alert again, and she looks back at them. “This room is warded against eavesdroppers and scrying. We’ll be fine.”
Serena grins, “Soooo? What’s their deal?” Her green eyes flick between Elle and the guildmaster.
Tiami leans back in her chair and folds her arms, taking a moment to think. “...While it’s true that the Temple isn’t fond of the Hunter’s Guild at the moment, I think they have bigger grudges against other factions. Even if they are responsible for the rumours, I don’t think they’re responsible for the disappearances.”
Elle turns the necklace over in her hands, examining the iridescent opal. She can’t sense the divine energy that Thermal mentioned. “Then why start the rumours at all?”
She sighs, “A jab at me. Even if it’s at the city's expense…”
Draining her glass of cider, Serena props her head up with her other hand and sets down the glass. “So you know for sure that none of the rumours are true? The staff is still inside the Grand Arcanist’s tomb?”
Tiami’s face twitches for a second, so subtle that Elle almost missed it. “There is no staff. His body, everything he had on him--- it all disintegrated after he cast that spell.”