My words had the effect of a bomb exploding. A full dozen Bronze tunnellers, who were practically on their way out, stopped in their tracks, jaws dropping. In Ain, they were accustomed to more grandiose, lengthy, ornate, often even poetic mottos. Among the local nobility, of course, there were shorter phrases, but they were much more primitive, something like 'I am revenge!' or 'My sword is swift!'. Such simplicity, succinctness, and, above all, the powerful semantic load, like in the famous words of Gaius Julius Caesar, was something new for them, like a stream of pure spring water. I even had to raise my hand and wave, then say:
"That's it. That's the whole motto. Three words. Now my Page is complete."
"Came, saw, conquered." The lady behind the counter whispered in admiration, her eyes shining. "So brief and so beautiful! I saw all your fights in the tournament, Master Raven. And I can confirm: this motto suits you impeccably!"
"Thank you." I nodded slightly, smiling in acceptance of the compliment.
"Place your hand on your Page." The Opal mage asked, with less irritation in his voice than before.
I placed my palm on the Book again and felt a much stronger static electricity this time, turning into a sharp tingling sensation on my skin. The sensation didn't last long, about five seconds or so.
"Congratulations, Master Raven," nodded the mage-registrar. "You are recorded in the Book, and now you're one of us."
These formal words were met, it seemed to me, with not so formal, but rather sincere applause from everyone in the hall.
"If you wish, I can have your motto engraved on your guild insignia or embroidered on the ribbon," the lady behind the counter offered. "It won't take long, and everything will be ready by tomorrow. For you, as a member of our Guild, such a service will cost very little."
"Thank you, but I'll decline," I waved toward the exit and continued, "The road waits for no one."
"Oh!" The woman expressed surprise. "Aren't you staying in the city? Tomorrow, the Alchemists' Guild is throwing a huge feast."
"I'll miss it," I shrugged.
"And where to, if I may ask?"
Her curiosity baffles me, but I don't think there's anything more behind her question than personal interest. Besides, it's probably best for me to tell the truth. If any earthlings were looking for me, like Ronin or Ye Lan, they would find me much faster.
"In Pentapolis," I briefly answer, then specify, "Deytran."
"Enticed by the rewards of the Divine Towers..." Hearing my response, Om Nguyen smiles, looking at me with a fair amount of condescension.
"Om Raven," the guild's steward leans forward, resting her palms on the counter, "You certainly distinguished yourself at the Tournament, but the Towers... Don't listen to those who say you can descend into them starting from Wootz. That's not true."
"Why not?" her partner interrupts with a smirk. "One can descend at Wootz - that part is true!"
"Here you go again!" The warrior-woman looms over him, hands on hips. "Nobody understands your jokes!"
"It's okay," I reassure her, "I understand that kind of humor."
"Really?" The mage leans in, like a tiger ready to pounce.
"Om Nguyen hinted that one can descend into the Towers at Wootz, but he didn't say that one can come back out at Wootz," I explain.
"True..." The Opal mage's smile looks more like a predator's snarl.
It seems these two stewards are bored and would be happy to chat for a few hours, but I have other plans. So, politely saying my goodbyes, I leave the hall of the Tunnellers' Guild. Descending the marble staircase, I pick up my belongings and sling my bags over my shoulder. The sun has been up for almost half an hour, so Tries is already awake. Merchants open their shops, officials and workers rush to work. Guards pretend they've been as alert all night as they are now. Of course, most passersby recognize me, but no one lingers their eyes on me. Instead, everyone is trying hard to look elsewhere. This probably has to do with the fact that many residents of Tries are well aware of who Oma Tahayasi is and her temper. And as a result, few want to attract the attention of this stern woman.
"Really now..." remarked the Ninth Praetor as soon as I hoisted my bags onto my shoulders and straightened up.
Her gaze settled on my guild emblem, and I felt a faint wave of spiritual power emanating from the lady, to which my new Sign responded with its distinctive resonance.
"You think I would stoop to forging a guild Sign?" I raised an eyebrow in genuine surprise.
"No." My direct question seemed to unsettle this usually unflappable woman. "I checked not out of distrust but out of surprise. To be honest, I thought all the rumors about you refusing the Alchemists' Guild were just some sort of play. But now I see you truly did refuse them." Our eyes met. "They must have offered you very favorable terms to join, oh Raven. I'm sure of it."
"I had my reasons." I held the gaze of the Ninth Praetor and calmly replied.
"I don't doubt it." Without delving into further questions, Oma Ai gestured with her hand. "To the Temple?"
"Towards it," I responded, not falling for her simple trick.
The Ninth Praetor nodded indifferently in agreement, but I had a feeling she would be glad to see me leave the city as quickly as possible. I understand her sentiment, but it's still a bit unsettling to be regarded in such a manner.
The majestic Temple of All Gods is just a hundred steps away from the Tunnellers' Guild branch. However, covering less than half this distance, our trio turned off the Central Square onto the nearest street. As Aun had mentioned, this street was named after the goddess of magical arts, Magevra. As soon as I recalled this divine name, I was pierced by another bout of "memories of the future."
Morpheus called this goddess the most enigmatic deity of Ain. She was the only one without her own Scripture. Less is known about her than any other god. Even about Obeorn, of whom the followers of Antares have been erasing the slightest mentions for many centuries, much more is known. She is the only one in the recognized Pantheon who doesn't have her true Priests. It's believed that everyone who uses magic offers prayers in her honor. Although Magevra's true altars can be found in most Pantheon Temples, you rarely see worshippers at them. The reason is that Magevra has no Echo. All gods of Ain, except for her and Eyrat himself, have Echoes, but this pair does not. From this, those earthlings who studied Ain's history concluded that Magevra did not perish in the Great War. And that she, like Eyrat the Creator, is imprisoned by demons. Imprisoned but alive. I don't know how true this is, but there's certainly logic in these reflections. Because if she had Fallen, her Echo would have appeared in Ain, but there truly wasn't one.
Because of the absence of Magevra's Scriptures, even the priests of the Pantheon know very little about this deity. This goddess stood on the First Step of the Stairway of Divino - alongside Obeorn and Antares. It is believed that the Great Ridge, which divides the continent, arose as a result of her dispute with Ishid over which manifestations of Magic are stronger. Her name is often mentioned in the Scriptures of other gods. But all this information is indirect. Throughout the entire past Cycle, Arien, wanting to understand the mechanism of magic in Ain, gathered the smallest bits of information about Magevra, but even she found almost nothing.
"I recommend Om Nagarava's shop," the Ninth Praetor interrupted my recollections, stopping at one of the shops and pointing at the door.
"Thank you." It's not wise to decline such a recommendation.
Once again, leaving my belongings under the watchful eye of the surprisingly silent Aun, I entered the small shop, above whose door hung a characteristic sign in the form of a scroll. Since it was still early morning, there were no other visitors in the shop besides me. Behind the counter, sitting on a carved stool and reading a book, was a middle-aged man dressed in a blue kashaya with silver embroidery. When the door barely audibly closed behind me, the man looked up from his reading. It seemed that the book was much more interesting to him than the first customer who had visited him today.
"Good morning... if I'm not mistaken, a guest of the city, Raven," the owner of the magical shop greeted me without getting up from his chair.
"Good day to you, too, Om Nagarava. Oma Ai Tahayasi recommended that I visit your shop."
The mention of the Ninth Praetor instantly changed the Sapphire mage's attitude towards me. He quickly put away his book, stood up, and spread his hands in a welcoming gesture:
"How can I help you?"
"I'm interested in learning scrolls for domestic magic."
"Learning?" The shop owner asked again and, seeing my nod, continued, "An unusual request, but I have something to offer. Wait here." Saying this, he slipped behind a screen.
The slight surprise of the merchant was understandable. Such shops usually sell one-time-use scrolls, alchemy, various minor artifacts, reagents for rituals, enchanted paper, magical inks and paints, and the like. They usually also have learning scrolls in stock, but these are not often purchased, as it's better to study magic from teachers. Firstly, lessons from mentors are cheaper, and secondly, learning magic through scrolls usually does not guarantee results. Often, to memorize just one spell, one had to "burn" from three to thirty scrolls. Nevertheless, such scrolls were a good option for me, as I needed not to learn magic from scratch but rather "remember" it.
"Please," emerging from behind the screen with a huge bundle of scrolls and spreading them out on the counter, the shop owner invited me closer.
Knowing what I needed precisely, I picked out six scrolls and set them aside. It was simple household magic that one could do without, but it made any journey much easier. "Cleansing from Dirt" and "Cleansing from Rust" from Earth Magic. "Parasite Removal" from Air Magic. "Pure Body" and "Clean Hair" from Water Magic. "Drying" from Fire Magic. If not for my unique hairstyle, I probably wouldn't have thought of entering such a store. But without the "Clean Hair" spell, if I simply washed my head, I would quickly ruin Master Song's delicate work. And since I stopped by, I decided to purchase everything else.
"Master Raven," the Sapphire mage looked up at me, "I must warn you that the minimum requirement to study these scrolls is two Talent Stars in the corresponding magic. For guaranteed learning of the spell from the scroll, all Four Stars are required. I must point out that the scrolls you've chosen belong to different Elemental directions. You have here Water, Air, Earth, and Fire... While as far as I remember, in the tournament, you demonstrated only an inclination toward Lightning. Don't take my words as an offense, but I think you should reconsider your scroll choices more carefully." He pointed at one of the papyri on the counter. "For instance, instead of 'Cleansing from Rust,' you can take this. It's a 'Discharge' adapted for household needs, which can be used to remove rust from weapons."
"It works for weapons," I nodded, "but not for chainmail. Besides, the cleaning with it is much harsher and is only suitable for extreme cases."
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"Exactly, but I'm offering you something you can definitely use..." The Sapphire mage spoke with a weariness in his voice, as if he had long tired of explaining obvious things to fools.
"Om Nagarava," I smiled in response, "Don't worry, I understand how learning scrolls work, and I know what I'm choosing."
"Oh!" This time, a hint of surprise mixed with faint respect flashed in the shop owner's eyes. "In that case," he began pointing at the scrolls in succession, "Two gold, two gold and five silver, nine gold and fifteen silver, one gold and eighteen silver, two gold and three silver, exactly four gold." He then raised a finger. "Non-negotiable, as this price already includes my respect for Oma Ai."
"Fair enough." The prices were all reasonable, so I agreed and counted out the necessary amount.
"Anything else?"
"Thank you, but no." I took a step towards the exit and, turning around, asked, "Unless you have a learning scroll for 'Direct Lightning'?"
"A Combat Magic learning scroll?" The magician raised his eyebrows, then chuckled softly and said, "Tell Oma Tahayasi that my store adheres to all trading rules in our beloved city, and I don't sell Combat Magic learning scrolls."
"It's for me, actually," I tried to justify.
"Yes, yes, and I don't have anything like that for you personally either," the shop owner said, sounding more irritated this time.
Not wanting to anger the Sapphire mage further, I said my goodbyes and left the store.
"Did you buy everything you needed?" the Ninth Praetor asked as soon as I stepped out of the shop.
In that seemingly innocent phrase, I clearly heard, "I hope this is it? No more delays, right?"
"Yes," I replied without delving into details and then packed the scrolls into my travel bag.
After finishing that simple task, in which the main thing was to make sure not to damage the magical seals on the scrolls, our small group once again stepped onto the Central Square and headed towards the Temple. In complete silence, we walked until we reached the stairs and started to ascend them leisurely. But about halfway up, I stopped and turned to the Ninth Praetor.
"Oma Ai, give us ten minutes."
"Of course, ten minutes," Madame Tahayasi nodded and continued on alone.
"Master!" Aun spoke up immediately after the Ninth Praetor moved away. "Won't I accompany you to the Gates?"
"No," I shook my head. "I will enter the Temple alone. It has to be this way. It's for the best."
"Master!" The boy seemed lost. "But I have so much to tell you..."
Understanding that I had been the only support for the boy these past days, I chose this moment to stop so he could express himself. So much had suddenly happened in the young boy's life over the past two weeks. It was such a short span, yet Aun's entire life had been turned upside down. He saw me as the only anchor he could cling to in the stormy seas that fate had thrust him into. And now, in these moments, even this anchor would vanish from his life. Tears threatened to spill from the boy's eyes, but he held them back. Even though his voice barely trembled, the way he incessantly spoke without pause revealed his anxiety. It seemed the boy believed that as long as he spoke and I listened, I wouldn't leave.
A long time ago, back on Earth, one of the Masters of the Word said: "We are responsible for those we have tamed." I never considered this much-loved phrase to be true. Yes, when it comes to animals, I fully agree with de Saint-Exupéry. Because if you tame a cat, dog, or even a hamster, you truly are responsible for them. But when it's about people, I completely disagree. A human is not an animal; they have their own mind, and if someone "tames" themselves to another and you aren't their parent, it's their personal choice. The responsibility for that choice should be borne by the "tamed" individual, not the one they've attached themselves to.
Nevertheless, I stood there, listening to Aun's disjointed words, with a massive lump stuck in my throat. Even though I have a Purpose, and there's no room beside me for anyone else since they would slow me down, saying goodbye to this insufferable chatterbox isn't easy for me. Parting with Ilona, Miranda, and Flabius was much easier! I simply waved goodbye to the earthlings from the departing ship's deck, and that was it.
For the entire ten minutes, Aun spoke to me while I tried to plant as many hints as I could about the imminent future into his head. However, it seems all my efforts were in vain. Because of the state the boy was in at the moment, he barely heard me.
"Aun," when our allotted time came to an end, I took the young man by his shoulders and turned him toward the city, "Look down there. That's your city, your ancestors lived there, your kin lives there, and no matter how you feel about it, they will help you. Over there," my hand pointed towards the market square, "is your beloved's house. Now look at me. I'm but a brief moment in your life. A shadow that flits by and will vanish. Now, look down again. This city will remain with you, and all its people too. You're standing firm on these steps now, so remain just as firm going forward. Descend with your head held high and do what you must. Don't let anyone stand in the way of your happiness. Alaya awaits you."
"Thank you, Master." When the boy turned back to me, his eyes were dry, and determination was evident in his gaze. "Your final advice, Master Raven."
"Do you remember when I talked about the safest place in Tries?"
"Of course, I remember," the boy snorted.
"So, I wasn't joking." With that, I patted him on the shoulder, swiftly turned around, and began walking up the stairs.
"But... Master!.." I heard the discontented voice from behind but didn't turn around.
I felt the boy's gaze piercing my back with every step I took, a boy I had grown so fond of. I'm sure finding better words for this farewell was possible, but I just couldn't. Maybe because it's tough for me too...
"You're surprisingly punctual, Om Raven." As soon as I crossed the threshold of the Temple gates, the Ninth Praetor approached me.
"Could you look out for him when you can, Oma Ai?" I nodded towards the temple stairs.
"I noticed that young Duan has grown into a surprisingly charismatic youth. You've become attached to him, but don't be fooled. He comes from a lineage of merchants, meaning being likable is in his blood," the stern lady shrugged in response. "As soon as you parted ways, he's probably already forgotten about you. I'm sure he profited handsomely from your partnership... Like on bets, for instance." With these words, the Ninth Praetor showcased her impeccable knowingness.
But even after saying so much, she didn't respond to my request. Apparently, she doesn't intend to watch over the young man. Understandable, she probably has enough responsibilities already without spreading her precious time thin for some lad. Of course, I wasn't really expecting a positive response, but at least I tried. It's not that I doubted the boy's ability to negotiate with his future mother-in-law. In fact, I had almost no doubts about that. Aun did manage to gather the necessary sum, and Aunt Zian is a merchant first and foremost, so she wouldn't miss out on a good deal. Most importantly, she'd definitely recognize the potential in her future son-in-law, who earned so much in such a short time. I believe things will soon work out for the young man. Nevertheless, it would have given me peace of mind if someone were to watch over him in the coming days discreetly. But as the saying goes, "If it's not meant to be, then it won't happen." Aun has survived his father's death, bankruptcy, his family's indifference, and assassination attempts organized by his future mother-in-law. He can handle anything else on his own, without external help.
"Om Raven," noticing my contemplation, Mistress Tahayasi said and tapped a nail of her index finger on the enormous crystal hourglass, which stood on a pedestal right by the entrance, "you asked me to arrange something. Let's not keep the esteemed servants of Sundbad waiting."
"Of course." I agreed, adjusting my bags, and followed this perpetually busy lady.
All the priests we met along the way politely greeted the Ninth Praetor, while the common citizens who entered the Temple for prayers averted their eyes quickly. I was also the subject of attention, but it was fleeting, as they tried not to draw the attention of Oma Ai in return. Apparently, Mistress Tahayasi's reputation in the city is much more fierce than I previously thought. However, this detail wasn't important, as I would soon leave Tries and, hopefully, never see this slightly irksome woman again.
When we reached the center of the main hall, my gaze was drawn to the altar of Antares, and I slowed my pace slightly. Something had to be done with the conflict of Light and Shadow within my soul. And the sooner, the better. The balance I had achieved seemed too unstable. As disappointing as it was to lose the vast theoretical possibilities offered by any Affinity, I was ready to give up Light to preserve my soul. And since I wasn't going to renounce the blessing of Seguna, even though Shadow is weaker than Light, the choice between the two opposing Forces was clear to me. Someday, I'll inevitably attract the attention of Antares' Echo. This is unavoidable, especially since I intend to venture into the Tower of the Sun City. If the displeasure of Light catches up with me inside the Tower, which is essentially a metaphysical manifestation in the physical world of a Divine Soul, I might simply be burned right at the entrance. Something I would greatly prefer to avoid. Thus, it seems best for me to approach Antares through one of the true altars, reveal my soul to the Echo, and stoically endure the punishment that will befall me for the stunt I pulled during the award ceremony. I don't think Antares will execute me on the spot. Drawing from the experiences of other earthlings known to me from the Previous Cycle, the most that could happen is the loss of my Affinity. But I'm prepared for that. If I didn't have this Affinity, the punishment could be much more severe. However, now isn't the time for such experiments. So, I will have to find another true altar of Light in a less crowded place and "talk" to Antares' Echo near it.
Following the Ninth Praetor, I first crossed the main hall, then the entire inner courtyard of the Temple, after which we entered the Heavenly Tower and climbed to its roof. Throughout this time, none of the priests stopped or questioned us. Everyone simply nodded in reverence and continued with their tasks.
The first thing that catches your eye when you ascend the Heavenly Tower of any ancient Pantheon Temple is a massive, four-meter-in-diameter, circular structure located right at the center. To any earthling seeing the Gates of Sundbad for the first time, they evoke a familiar association. Their appearance indeed closely resembles the Stargate from the eponymous movie. They are slightly larger than depicted in the film, and there are many differences in the details, but the initial impression is almost universally the same among my fellow earthlings.
"Oma Ai Tahayasi," a distinguished middle-aged man with a hefty, intricately carved staff detached himself from a group of Sundbad's priests bustling around the Gate, "Is this our traveler you've been speaking of?" He asked with a smile, pointing at me.
"Master Yangon, you are entirely correct," the Ninth Praetor bowed deeply, and I immediately mimicked her gesture. "This is Om Raven, the victor of the Alchemists' tournament, and he needs to leave our city as soon as possible."
"I recognized Om Raven," smiled the apparent chief Priest of the Way in Tries, examining me from head to toe, then gestured towards a large scale. "Please, proceed."
"I'm familiar with the Transition Ritual." Returning his friendly smile, I stepped onto the weighing platform with all my belongings.
One of the junior attendants promptly wrote down the result in chalk on a wooden board. Then, with all my belongings, I was asked to walk through a small labyrinth drawn on the tower floor.
"The charge is six and two," another attendant declared the moment I halted.
While I was being "measured," Master Yangon whispered something to Oma Ai. But upon hearing the results, he looked at me in surprise and asked insistently, "Om Raven, you are Steel, am I wrong?"
"You are right," I agreed.
"You have quite an excess charge for your rank, more than a unit." He then turned to the Ninth Praetor and, smiling amicably, said, "Respected Oma Ai Tahayasi, we can handle it from here. Please." He gestured towards the exit.
It was such an evident send-off that I tensed involuntarily. Yet the Ninth Praetor seemed unwilling to instigate a conflict with the Priest of the Way over someone as insignificant as me. She said her farewells and left the roof of the Star Tower with calm and confident strides. As soon as she disappeared from sight, the Priest approached and thrust his staff into my chest.
"Show me, young man," he demanded, then added, "I am neither a judge nor a guard, I don't care what you have. The Way is open for all, even for Obeorn's servants. That's the Covenant, so don't be shy."
The energy surplus could be explained by my dense Core, but the measurement placed me at the level of the Precious Coil, so that wasn't the case. Taking a deep breath, I issued a mental command: "Visualization."
"A stored spell of the Itildine level 'Fire Tornado'," the Priest of the Way clicked his tongue. "I'd suggest you get rid of that burden before the Transition, but I'll refrain from that request," the servant of Sundbad chuckled, "I still value this tower!"
"Thank you."
"Are you familiar with the concept of Ripples?" he asked.
"I am."
"Then I won't lecture you on morals and risks," Master Yangon smiled, "After all, I am a priest of Sundbad, not Antares, and I believe that everyone chooses their Way, even if it ends in a cliff…"
"Thank you for the warning," I caught the hint and shook my head in disagreement.
"So, a Way to Deytran, as far as I remember?" Approaching the Gate, the Priest of the Way began to turn the setting discs.
While he was busy with this procedure, I took out my chainmail and put it on. Then I checked how the armor fit, tightened the straps and started to unwrap the tip of my spear.
"Our Gates are renowned for their reliability," noticing my preparations, one of the younger attendants said irritably, approaching me. "There hasn't been a single malfunction in over a year."
"Saldan, don't you have something better to do?" The Priest of the Way growled at him without interrupting his work, "Our stairway in the tower hasn't been cleaned since last night!"
"I apologize, my thane," the annoying junior attendant squeaked and hid behind the weighing platform, pretending to clean it.
"Om Raven," Before I could get my weapon ready, the Priest of the Way called out to me.
When I approached him, he nodded toward the carved table nearby and said,
"Two thousand, precisely." Noticing my surprise, the Priest chuckled carelessly. "Why so cheap? Don't worry - the Ninth Praetor will cover the rest. Oma Ai seems very eager to get you out of the city... so let's not go against her wishes."
I opened my belt, counted the required amount, and neatly placed the coins in even stacks on the table. When I turned to the Gate, it was already prepared. Climbing five symbolic steps, I stepped towards the Doors of Sundbad, and my hand froze an inch away from the milky haze that waved in the Gate, obscuring what lay beyond. Taking a deep breath, holding it, and with a brief mental prayer: "May I be lucky!" I took a step forward.
"May the Way guide you."
Those were the last words I heard in Tries.
Another step, and I immersed myself in a yielding jelly, and then, in an instant, I felt compressed into one endless line.
Transition!...