An expendable focus was a key component in the utilization of magical energies, otherwise much of the technological advancements of Mitros wouldn’t function. In their most simplest form, focuses acted as a conduit between a source of magical energy and the outside world.
Magical energies could be released without the aid of a focus, but that was usually to uncontrollable and often explosive results, that is why there was such a propensity for such occurrences within the grounds of Ernestine Academy where experimentation tested the limits of a focuses abilities.
Not only did focuses allow for a more controlled flow to be released, but they also formed the flow of magical energies into a particular shape, such as in the case of the wand Kayden had taken from Bellina, which was clearly meant to shape magic into the element of fire.
Most focuses were not meant to access the inherent magical energies contained within people through their auras, but instead used the natural energies obtained from the earth in the form of metal that when burned released its stored energy. This magical energy was completely neutral unlike what would be obtained from an aura and thus much easier to manipulate.
Expendable focuses that utilized auras as their source of magical energy were thus much more volatile in nature because people’s auras were unstable, often containing multiple elements which shifted depending upon their mood or circumstances. If a person had an aura that was incompatible with the energies the focus was meant to channel, then at best it simply wouldn’t function, and at worst, the focus could have unpredictable results, which were often explosive in nature.
Runes were meant to prevent things like this from happening. They stabilized the magical energies so that they were easier to manipulate and further shaped those energies so that they performed the desired results. Furthermore, failsafes were put in place to prevent undue harm.
However, runes could only be stretched so far, and the more runes there were, the more magical energy was lost through the transference process, which developed into weaker results. Thus, rune carving was a balancing act between ensuring the desired result was obtained without the expenditure of too many magical reserves. This was a very difficult art when utilizing neutral magical resources such as what was obtained from the earth, the energy by its nature was very ‘lazy’, or in other words, had to be told exactly what to do and therefore was very predictable, but inefficient.
Aura magic and other aligned magical reserves were much more efficient but much harder to control. What resulted when they were utilized through the aid of a focus was a careful balancing act that required extensive control over one’s aura in order to prevent discrepancies in the casting. The better control one had, the more powerful the result of the casting would be, even capable of things well beyond what neutral magical energy could accomplish.
Kayden had been taught all of these basic concepts throughout her academic career but had never been trained in how to utilize her aura through a focus. The Academy was much more interested in the utilization of neutral energy reserves for the explicit reason that they could obtain much more predictable results. However, they did not deny the importance of one's aura. But because of its volatility, it wasn’t taught until beyond the third year, which Kayden would now never see.
Students were trained in very limited aura sensing and shaping abilities to prepare them for this eventuality, but nothing beyond it. The most the average third-year student was able to do was to see broad magical alignments and learn to equalize their aura.
But that was only if one was taking into account what the school taught. Often, families taught their own unique aura-shaping abilities to their children. It was frowned upon by the Academy, but could not be prevented. Kayden had been taught by her father how to channel her aura into enhancing her body, specifically her fists through the manipulation of the elements of her own biology.
All of this to say that although she did have aura manipulation training, it was not geared toward the element of fire. Her capabilities with focuses were only in theory, and even that was more concentrated on focuses that did not utilize auras as their source.
So when she grasped the wand, pulled it from the backpack, and pointed it at her aggressors, she was very aware that it was just as dangerous for her as it was for the men she intended to use it against. In fact, it was even more dangerous for her than it was for them. Of course, they did not realize that.
When they saw the wand, they instantly raised their knives toward her but took a few warry steps back. Kayden carefully moved it from one man to the next. It was a bluff, but a very convincing one. Wands were illegal for a reason.
“Put that stick away before you poke someone in the eye,” Yeri said.
“This is a wand,” Kayden said, waving it around even though it was obvious they could tell what it was from the runes inscribed in it.
“It’s probably a fake you bought from some street charlatan,” Yeri said, but his voice was uncertain.
“Does it look like a fake to you? Are you willing to gamble your life on that? I’m a trained Ernestine Academy arcanist.” None of that was explicitly untrue. She just didn’t mention that she had never finished her training, and had no idea whether she would be capable of carrying through with her threat.
“You're bluffing.”
“Try me.”
They were in a stalemate. Yeri didn’t want to risk provoking her because he wasn’t sure if she was lying, and Kayden couldn’t make a move because if she tried to run they would see through her ruse and attack. The men continued to prowl around her, looking for an opening while she kept the wand trained on three different targets at once.
It was true that even if she could use the wand, they would still be able to subdue her before she could get off more than a single shot, but that would most likely be at the cost of one of their lives, and none of them wanted to be the sacrifice.
They stayed like this for several long minutes. Someone had begun to come down the street but when they saw what was going on, they quickly retreated back the way they had come. Kayden didn’t think it was so that they could call the guards. She understood very well that nobody would be coming to save her skin.
Kayden had a feeling that if she didn’t do something soon, one of the men would get up the nerve to attack. She had to act if she was going to get out of this. Even as she was determining this Yeri was slowly inching closer.
“I can take one of you out before the other two reach me, or I can self-destruct the wand and take all of us out, and a good portion of the street.”
This gave them pause. They were banking on the fact that she would only get a single shot off, and even that was no guarantee that she would actually hit one of them, but if she did self-destruct the wand that was sure to cause damage to them all.
Kayden was confident that she was at least capable of following through with that threat. It would be simple enough to overcharge the wand so that it exploded. From what she had gleaned from briefly studying the wand’s runes after taking it from Bellina, it had very limited safeguards. That meant Bellina must have been very confident in her ability to use it, but it also meant that it was extremely unstable and basically a live grenade in the wrong hands. It most likely wouldn’t be strong enough to cause the amount of damage that Kayden had threatened with, but they didn’t need to know that.
“You would be willing to kill yourself just to save a few scripts,” Yeri said.
“Are you willing to get yourself killed just to earn a few scripts?” Kayden countered. “Besides, I have no idea whether you only intend to rob me. I’m betting you intended to kill me after robbing me, so if I’m dead either way, then I intend to take you along with me. I’ve got nothing to lose.”
After a moment of consideration, Yeri growled. “Let’s go boys. This Uptowner isn’t worth the trouble.”
Then they left. Once they were well out of sight only then did Kayden let out a relieved breath and lower the wand.
She jumped and spun around with her wand back up when a voice spoke from behind her. “Well done.”
It was Darris, leaning against a wall.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were an arcanist?” He took a swig from his flask.
“I should blast you away right now?”
“You still need a guide, don’t you?”
Kayden kept the wand trained on him. “You betrayed me.”
“That wasn’t betrayal. You hired me to guide you, not to get myself killed for you. Rule one of living in Cliffside, know when to cut your losses and run. I didn’t particularly like the idea of letting you get killed, but I liked it a lot more than both of us getting killed. What’s it gonna be, have you finally realized what you’ve gotten yourself into, and want to go running back Uptown, or are we going to get out of here before they figure out you were bluffing.”
“How do you know I was bluffing?”
“That wand requires a fire-oriented aura to work and I saw no trace of that present in you.”
“You have aura sight?” she asked, surprised.
It wasn’t that rare of an ability to be able to read one’s own aura as Kayden had been trained to do, but it was another thing entirely to be able to read others, especially to the level that Darris seemed to have been able to. Kayden herself hadn’t reached that level. She could pick up basic info on the auras around her if she really concentrated, but nothing too specific.
Darris didn’t say anything in response to this.
“I wasn’t bluffing about the other stuff. I don’t need to be able to manipulate fire to be able to overcharge the wand.”
“Yes, but to do that you would have had to have the intention to kill yourself, and believe me, it is a lot harder to throw your life away like that than you think. Even if you had hesitated for an instant, that would have been enough for those men to prevent you from following through.”
Kayden could see the truth in his words. She wasn’t sure if she would have been capable of blowing herself up.
“Regardless,” Darris said. “You are much more capable than I first assumed. You at least have some training as an arcanist, and more importantly, you have some guts. That increases your chances of survival slightly at least.”
With that, he turned and began walking up the street.
Kayden stood uncertain for only a moment before following after him. She didn’t have much of a choice if she wanted to find her father. She just had to remember that when it came down to it, she couldn’t count on Darris to have her back. In fact, it was probably a good idea to stick to that rule in general. She was on her own. At least until she found her father, and maybe not even then.
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Their destination wasn’t much further, only a few more blocks. It was a small home, not quite a shanty, but only a small step above that. Darris knocked on the door and a few moments later it cracked open to reveal a single eye peering out.
“What is it,” the owner of the eye said in an extremely gravelly voice like she had been smoking her entire life.
“Can we come in?” Darris asked.
For the first time, the eye peered past Darris and caught sight of Kayden. The owner of the eye clicked their tongue in dissatisfaction, and opened the door all the way, breaking into a fit of coughing as they did.
Kayden was revealed to the sight of a very ragged older woman. She had been expecting it based on the fact that Darris had said they were going to see his sister, but still, it surprised her that the owner of such a voice belonged to a woman, especially one as frail looking as the one standing before them.
Darris’ sister waved them inside as she continued to cough. Darris, seemingly used to his sister's fits, wasn’t phased in the slightest, but Kayden couldn’t help but worry that the woman would kill over in a moment's notice.
Inside was a single room, the kitchen bedroom and living area all in one. Despite its humble appearance, it was very clean and orderly. Darris took a seat at the small table taking up the living space and Kayden followed suit. Darris' sister closed the door behind them with a final look outside as if she was suspicious they had been followed. By the time she had joined them at the table, her coughing fit had subsided.
“This is my client, Kayden,” Darris introduced.” Kayden, this is my sister Vic.”
“Nice to meet you,” Kayden said.
Vic nodded her acknowledgement at Kayden.
“We need a place to stay tonight. Is that okay?”
Kayden was about to argue that she wanted to find her father as soon as possible, but Darris cut her off before she could, probably sensing that she wouldn’t agree to this course of action.
“It’s getting late, and I am not going into gang territory during the night. We will head out first thing in the morning.”
Reluctantly, Kayden nodded. She didn’t know anything about Cliffside, and had to trust Darris’ judgment. Although, it was difficult to extend any amount of trust toward the coward after he had abandoned her to those robbers.
Vic nodded her assent. Kayden was getting the sense that Vic didn’t particularly say much. The elderly woman stood and hobbled over to the kitchen to prepare a small meal of bread, cheese, and dried meat.
“Nikiphero is a very secretive organization,” Darris began to explain.
Kayden glanced in surprise at Vic who could overhear their conversation. Vic didn’t react in the slightest.
“She’s fine,” Darris said, then continued. “Because they are so secretive, their location is relatively difficult to track down, but you can’t have an organization as extensive as theirs without leaving a trace. I have even heard their reach extends as far as Uptown, which I suppose is the reason why an Uptowner like you has become involved with them. All of that to say that these people you want to track down are some of the top dogs Cliffside and are extremely powerful. There is nothing I can do to help you after I have led you to them.”
Kayden nodded. She was already aware of this. True, she didn’t exactly realize how tenuous Darris’ loyalties lied until after the confrontation with the robbers, but she knew from the very start, she would be going into the snake pit on her own.
She was beginning to believe that her father was a much bigger player in this organization than she originally thought. She didn’t know what her father’s dealings with Nikiphero exactly were but she knew that it involved Uptown, which was serious enough that it had all of Uptown up in arms. And if that was true, then Kayden was sure that using her father’s name would be enough to at least get through the doors. Although she had to admit that it was a serious gamble. But she had come too far to back down now.
“As long as you understand that then I will take you to them. They are centralized in the Ivossin Cavern, and control several of the mining operations there. They also have significant stakes in the fighting arenas as well, which I have experience with, so we’ll start there and see if we can gather any information as to where their main base of operations is located. Once that is done then my duty toward you is fulfilled and you are on your own.”
Kayden nodded, prepared for whatever may come.
By now Vic had finished preparing the food and laid it on the table. Kayden, who was starving by this point, reached out to grab some, but Vic held out her hand expectantly. Kayden sighed, it seemed there were always strings attached to everything Cliffside. Kayden took out ten scripts and handed them over to Vic. Vic nodded self-satisfactorily and gestured for Kayden to eat.
“We’ll also need some clothes, if that’s alright,” Darris said.
Vic looked expectantly at Kayden. Kayden glared at Darris like this was his fault and handed Vic over ten more scripts. Darris seemed completely oblivious to the exchange and crammed his mouth full of food.
As they ate, she revealed some of the necessary information that Darris would need in order to help locate her father, such as his name and description. He said she had only hired him to direct her to Nikiphero and not to find her father, which Kayden understood, but she said if he was able to find out his direct location then she would pay him an extra two-fifty.
Once they had finished eating, and although it was very simple, it was still very fulfilling to Kayden. Vic proceeded to pull some of her old clothes from her chest. Luckily, Kayden and Vic were relatively similar in size so the clothes fit just fine. They did smell like they had been crammed in an old woman’s chest for several years, but they accomplished the job of disguising Kayden as a Cliffsider.
They consisted of a pair of dark breechers that Kayden had to roll up a little at the ankles, a gray blouse with a hole in one of the armpits, and after a moment's consideration from Vic, a black jacket with an upturned collar that fit Kayden almost perfectly. When Vic saw this it brought a small smile to her lips, although Kayden couldn’t say why. The only article of clothing that Kayden was able to retain was the red scarf she used to wrap around her face. It didn’t stand out that much compared to the extensive array of face coverings available Cliffside.
Vic prepared her a small bed in the corner on the floor while Darris slept at the foot of the bed. He was already fast asleep, having downed the rest of the contents of his flask.
Before turning in for the night, Vic came over and gave Kayden a blanket. When she passed it over, she patted Kayden’s hand gently. The woman may have charged her for the food and clothes, but Kayden now understood it wasn’t because the woman disliked her. It was done out of simple necessity.
She thanked the woman and proceeded to try to get some sleep, although it was a difficult process since she didn’t exactly trust her two hosts. What proceeded was a very uncomfortable night where Kayden didn’t succeed very well in getting much rest. Every small sound caused her to jolt awake, and Cliffside, if anything, was even more active at night than during the day.
In the morning, they had a light breakfast which Vic did not make her pay for. It seemed she had provided enough scripts that this was included free of charge. Kayden was grateful for that because her resources were already dwindling rapidly, and who knew if she would have to bribe the necessary information out of someone in order to find her father.
When they left, Kayden once again gave her thanks to Vic even though she had technically paid for the privilege, but some good manners couldn’t hurt. Vic only nodded.
As they walked the streets, Kayden garnered a lot less attention than the day before. Due to her experience yesterday with the robbers, Kayden was on edge, but as they continued onward, nobody interacted with them. It was still relatively early so there weren't many people out.
It wasn’t until they were almost to their destination that Kayden realized where they were headed, the lifts that carried people across Cliffside. She didn’t say anything, but she couldn’t help feeling a small amount of nervousness. She should have realized that they would have to use the lifts to get to Ivossin Cavern. It was unlikely that it would have been at the exact level they were on.
It required a small fee to use, and Kayden was of course expected to pay for both her and Darris’ passage. She sighed when she handed over the scripts.
With that all taken care of, they lifted off and Kayden was able to look down on the docks as they were carried up toward Ivossin Cavern. The lift swayed unsettlingly in the wind and Kayden clutched at the rails on the side as if that would keep the whole thing stable.
“First lift ride?” Darris asked. “Don’t worry, I’ve ridden these things hundreds of times and the cable snapped only once. Luckily we were only a few feet off the ground, otherwise I wouldn’t be speaking to you today. But it's unlikely that would happen.”
Kayden felt too sick to even glare back at him. She instead turned her focus toward the approaching cavern. It yawned open like the pitch black maw of some humongous beast.
As they grew more level with it, she could begin to see lights shining within, and the closer they got, the more appeared.
There were roads leading up to the cavern, but Kayden, despite her fear of the lift, could understand why Darris had opted against going that route. The roads winded along the cliff face and were extremely underdeveloped and steep. It would have taken hours to climb them. Kayden could see people climbing up and down them, some of them even carrying packs almost as big as themselves.
They reached the lip of Ivossin Cavern which revealed the city nestled within. It was nothing like what Kayden expected.
Since they couldn’t count on using the natural light from outside. There were lights everywhere, even more so then what was on the docks. It seemed every available surface was lit up with neon lights.
What was more, it looked almost like Uptown. Of course that was only an initial impression and couldn’t have been any further than the reality. Ivossin was nowhere near as stately or elegant, but it wasn’t the shanty, poverty stricken place she had been expecting from what she had seen from the communities surrounding the docks. It was an advanced and even prosperous looking area. There were still obvious signs of poverty which you wouldn’t glimpse in Uptown, but still, it wasn’t at all what she imagined.
The lift descended toward the city and Kayden lost her aerial view. She had momentarily forgotten her fear from the lift from her surprise, but was still immensely grateful when they lurched to a halt.
“Welcome to Ivossin Cavern,” Darris said when they disembarked, then he leaned in and whispered so that only she could hear. “We are officially in the domain of Nikiphero so best be on your guard, and don’t look too much like a tourist.”
Kayden nodded in understanding then proceeded to follow him through the streets. Despite his warning she couldn’t help but admire the place around her. She had experienced and seen a lot that was outside what her small world had exposed her to in the last twenty-four hours, but this made them all pale in comparison.
The buildings here were so tall, reaching beyond what was capable of being achieved in Uptown because here they could use the cavern ceiling to stabilize themselves. She even saw a few that were built from the ceiling and hung in the air above the rest of the city. It once again boggled her mind how many people actually lived Cliffside.
The people were completely foreign to her. They wore strange clothes, some so gaudy that they wouldn’t even be appropriate at a costume party Uptown, their makeup extravagant and painted strange designs, and many wore tribal-like tattoos.
It felt like Kayden had traveled to another continent, not to another part of her own city. Did these people even speak the same language? Kayden knew that they did, but still, they felt so different from what she was used to, that she found it hard to believe they spoke the same language.
Even with how alien it was to her, she couldn’t help but admire it a little bit. She was beginning to understand why so many of her classmates often came Cliffside to go to parties at their clubs. There was a feeling of freedom and self-expression here that didn’t exist to the same level in Uptown.
Of course, that was only the surface level impression she got from what she saw, but pretty soon she began to pick out the seedy underbelly that all of the lights and paint attempted to hide.
Just like at the docks, there was a weariness to the people here as if at a moment they were ready to either fight or flee. She saw people passed out in the streets either from drugs or simply a need for some place to sleep. Kids ran around unsupervised, trash littered the streets, and street vendors clogged every space that was available. It was so wild and disorganized that Kayden couldn’t understand how anyone could live here, but maybe that was her own bias from being an Uptowner coming through. No wonder, Uptown didn’t like to associate with Cliffside. They were completely opposites.
They neared the fighting arena when Darris stopped her. The arena was at the center of where several of the major streets intersected.
“It is probably best if I handle this part myself. You wait out here, and I’ll come back for you when I’ve got the information we need.”
Kayden didn’t argue. Now was not the time for such things. If Darris thought it was best for her to remain, then she would remain. He walked off toward the arena which had several buildings connected to it and approached some people outside of one. He spoke to them for a bit and then followed them into one of the buildings.
She had been waiting for him for only a few minutes when she began to get bored and look around the area a little more.
The arena must have been fairly important by the way it was positioned in the city. There was plenty of space around the building to allow lots of traffic. There wasn’t much at the moment, but she could imagine the place became pretty packed as the day progressed. There were several posters on the walls and fliers fluttering around on the ground depicting contestants within the arena.
Curious to see the type of people who would fight for money, Kayden picked up one of the fliers. She froze. Staring back at her was the face of her father.