We all sat in silence for a long moment after the Professor finished his opening speech. Julia was the first one to speak.
“I’m sorry, but what in the hells is a conduit?” She said.
“I’m so glad you asked.” The Professor said. “You will be once you’ve been properly trained.”
“No, but like what is a conduit? Like what will we be doing exactly? You mentioned they need to be there when another world or universe collapses? That doesn’t sound very safe at all. In fact it sounds like possibly the worst possible place to be.” Julia said reiterating her question.
“You would be correct.” The Professor said.
“Oh fuck that.” Julia said back and stood up to leave. “I came to learn magic, not travel to dying universes to steal their magic.”
“Steal? We do nothing of the sort!” Professor Dos said loudly. “Please sit down, Miss Armedez, and let me finish my explanation.” Julia didn’t sit immediately until Krista pulled on her arm.
“Come one Juju, sit.” Krista pleaded. Julia made a face and sat back down with her arms crossed.
“Thank you.” Professor Dos said. “Now let me explain. Being selected to become a conduit is a rare opportunity here at the university. It will accelerate your learnings exponentially. It is, a choice mind you. So if after my explanation you still feel that you’re not willing to take the risks associated with the role, you can opt out and become a regular student. Alright?” The hellhound looked around the room for anyone else trying to leave. When no one did he smiled and continued with his speech.
“Like I mentioned, these worlds are alternate versions of our own, some very similar, some wildly different. That particular one I showed you is called The Meridian conflict. It’s quite famous as it was the very first alternate world we discovered. It’s gone now, but it’s discovery paved the way for a lot of the way we do things in the magical world now. Their society had an open magical policy so the whole planet was full of magic. It was a sight to behold. However when they knew the end was coming, they made a pact with us and together we developed the Conduit program. As a Conduit, you’ll be acting as an ambassador to new worlds. We make sure to set up arrangements beforehand to allow for these worlds to give us their magic willingly. So a lot of the job is being sent to meet with fellow magi and coming to a mutual agreement. The other, is if the time comes and that world begins to collapse, you will be sent in during its final days to help.”
“How are we meant to help save a dying world?” Luca spoke up.
“We’re not there to save it.” The Professor said. “When a world is due to collapse, and it depends on which world, we’ll take a snapshot of its final days. Don’t ask me how that works, I don’t truly know the mechanics of it myself. Once the world collapses we send an imprint of those final days into that magic energy and a core of the QuarterMaster system that runs our magic here. The magic energy and the QuarterMaster then work together and recreate the world along with a bunch of quests based around the unfinished business of the inhabitants of the world. If we complete that unfinished business the magic energy is released to us along with a bunch of rewards and items generated by the QuarterMaster.”
“So, we create a fake version of that world’s final moments before it dies and use it to gain magic and items?” Xavier said.
“Yes. It even recreates the people in that world too. They aren’t alive again, it’s all being filtered through the QuarterMaster System, but they’re usually almost perfect replicas.” The Professor explained. I felt something in my chest. I was starting to get angry at this conversation and I wasn’t really sure why.
“But why?” I asked. The Professor looked at me confused.
“Why what, Mr Adams?” He asked.
“Why go to all that trouble? Recreating a world and it’s people through its own magic? Couldn’t we just take it without all the extra hoops to jump through?” I said, not really sure why the tone in my voice was carrying an air of hostility. Professor Dos cocked his head like a dog does when it’s confused and then narrowed his eyes. Then he shook his head.
“Oh my apologies. I forgot to mention what happens if we don’t do it this way.” He flicked his wand again and the room went back into night mode. Another globe popped up. “This is our earth, well, no, it’s the closest version of ours. With one main difference. They didn’t make the pact with the Meridians.” He flicked again and instead of that same decaying animation playing the whole world began to glow. Small explosions started all over the world and pillars of flame and bright energy shot out into the sky. Soon the world was a hellscape. “This is what happens. The energy is too much. There’s countless examples we’ve encountered when looking into the nexus of worlds.”
“Nexus of worlds?” Octavia asked.
“It’s a device that helps us navigate through the soul ocean of our planet to others. It’s also the main computing hub for the QuarterMaster System.” Professor Dos said. “That reminds me.” He swished his wand another time and a window showed up that looked exactly like a normal interface window from the QuarterMaster System. “We have a special guest speaker here for this lesson. Would you like to introduce yourself?” The window seemed to jump up and down and then it rearranged to look like a human face made out of a mess of text, numbers and symbols. It smiled as it looked around the room at us. At least that’s what I thought It was doing. We heard the voice coming from all around us without a clear source.
Hello My lovely Little Conduits! I just wanted to introduce myself to you as I know you’ve probably heard so much about me! I am the ever useful and amazing, Quartermaster! It’s voice said.
There was a long pause and silence as the face on the floating window sat completely frozen with an approximation of a smile.
Sheesh. Don’t all clap at once… It said. Luca brought up his hands to clap, but Octavia placed her hand on his and pushed them back down with a shaking of her head. The window turned in space to look at Professor Dos.
Did you explain to them about how fucked the world is without us doing the conduit program? Ya know, with all natural magic being depleted? It said. An audible gasp echoed in the room from several students. The window spun back to look at us with a guilty expression.
Whoops, Guess not. Sorry to rip off the band aid, Kids. Yeah, our world ran out of magic a couple dozen decades back. That’s why we went looking for other worlds. It got pretty bleak for a bit there. I was almost dead until we made our deal with Meridian. You did, tell them about Meridian, right? The Professor just nodded.
Good. Okay, so here’s the deal. One you asked why we did it. Where are you, where? All you corporeal beings look the same to me. There you are! The Cyclops Killer! Yeah, I remember you! You blew that things head off! Great stuff. I was super impressed when you managed to kill it even after I gave you an out with the survival timer. Did I give you a reward for doing that by the way? Give me a second.
Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
Professor Dos interrupted, “You were going to answer why we need to do it, QM?”
Right, right, sorry. You would not believe the amount things I need to keep track of at any one given time. Yes, the why! Here’s the thing with magic. It doesn’t like to be told what to do, but it does like structure and order. It’s both chaos and creation. It’s a hypocrite. I would know, I’m basically 99% made of magic. That last 1 percent is my winning personality. So, when a world dies, there’s all that chaotic energy, all that potential, just crying out for order and structure. So we, and by we I mean me, give it some. We create a version of the world that we can challenge for it’s riches. Magic loves to reward people. It loves a something that can prevail against the odds. Don’t ask me why it has a flair for the dramatic.
I was starting to see that maybe the Quartermaster had a lot of those same attributes.
If we just took the magic. It would be that pure chaos. It would rage and writhe beneath our grip like a snake trying to bite it’s captor. It’ll burn like a wild fire in a summer heat and use our world as kindling. So we need to teach it to reward us, teach it to like that rewarding structure and harmonize it with our world’s magical frequency.
“Our world’s magical frequency?” Octavia asked interrupting.
Oh, Hopp. I didn’t know you were here. You know about frequencies, don’t you?
"I’m Octavia Quinn actually.” She replied. The QuarterMaster formed a face like it was squinting at her.
Oh. You’re the spitting image of the old girl. The Frequency. It’s unique to a world’s magic. As a conduit when you’re in another world you’ll be given a harmonizer and it will hum a tune imperceptible to us, but the magic all around will hear it. Magic responds quite well to music and sound actually. The first magi used music to cast their very first spells. They were awfully tone deaf though. It’s a wonder they were even able to conjure a spark back then. Sorry, Dos is giving me a look again, I’m getting off track. Here’s the long a short of it. You are all being considered as Conduit Candidates. We want you to go to dying worlds, complete quests and bring back the rewards so that our world can continue using magic. In exchange, you’ll become more powerful than you can imagine. Learn much faster than studying these dusty old tomes. See sights that shouldn’t exist. Meet people that defy logic and expectation. And when you’re done with your first year, you’ll have earned enough money to retire early.
A few murmurs started in the classroom, but I was the first to speak, “We’ll be getting paid for this? It’s like an internship?”
Exactomundo! That’s if you can make it through the first test.
“What test? We just finished our entrance exam. I still haven’t even learnt a spell.” Julia said somewhat exasperated.
Calm your farm, debby downer. The first test isn’t until the end of the first semester. Dos and I just thought we’d present this little teaser for you. Dangle that carrot, so to speak. Any way, I think that’s all I have time for. Except, I can take a couple questions. Anyone?
“I would like to know why we’re being asked to do this? Why isn’t fully trained Magi?” Julia asked impetuously. “Surely you shouldn’t be risking fresh young potential on these dangerous dying worlds.”
Are you always like this? The QuarterMaster sighed. The whole reason we send you is that young potential. You’re all exactly like that untethered magic. Raw, unrefined, chaotic. I noticed the QuarterMaster seemed to look at me when he emphasised that last attribute. But putting you in these situations tests who you really are and shows you who you could really be. Isn’t that exciting?
The murmurs of the students began again. Julia had sat back down now and seemed to be mulling over that response thoughtfully. I was surprised she was capable of that. Luca was the next to ask a question.
“You said that your system, Mr. Quartermaster, was used to create a version of their dying world in the moments before it’s collapse. Is that right?”
I blinked. I was surprised by his serious tone.
I’m not a Mr. Just QuarterMaster. But yes, that’s true.
“I’m not sure how comfortable I am in stealing from a dying people and their world. So, the people there, are they real?” Luca asked. The QuarterMaster’s mess of symbols that made up it’s face formed a wide smile.
That’s open to interpretation, young magi. Logic would suggest no. Yet with magic, logic is more of a suggestion. Here’s the facts.
Firstly, I recreate them as a facsimile of what I have observed them being and with the help of their soul oceans and the imprints they left on the magic of the world, I make what seem like real beings.
Then they become physical and form thoughts and ideas of their own. But it’s all based on the programming I’ve given to the magic to remake them. So morally, or metaphysically, they are as alive as you would say magic is.
Luca seemed pleased with that answer as he nodded in agreement. I looked over to Octavia sitting next to me to see how she was taking all of this. Her face seemed like she was gritting her teeth in anger.
“Octavia, are you okay?” I whispered. She flinched and the expression disappeared. She looked at me and forced a wain smile.
“Sorry, what?” She said absently.
“You looked pissed off just now.” I said.
“Oh, did I? It must have been from what Julia said. She’s so entitled, right?” Octavia said clearly trying to deflect. I maintained eye contact, signalling I wasn’t buying that response. She made a expression I couldn’t really read.
“What’s going on? Is this bothering you? Recreating people with magic?” I asked. She sighed and hunched down dropping her voice to a whisper as well. The QuarterMaster was answering another question about what kind of rewards we could expect.
“Doesn’t it bother you? Like bringing back the dead? Using them as part of a quest or a test? It just feels wrong somehow. I know I’d rather be left to rest than be puppeted by some kind of malevolent magical intelligence.” Octavia said.
Hey, Love birds. I can still hear everything you’re whispering about. I may look like I’m physically here, but I’m not really in this room.
The QuarterMaster said making both Octavia and I jump slightly. It appeared right next to us as a mini version of the window. They also had duplicated and appeared next to everyone else in the room.
I’m everywhere, kids. They said in unison. You raise a great point. Care to say it out loud? It said returning to the single large window. Octavia looked around awkwardly. She looked embarrassed by all the attention now that all the students were staring at both of us. She tried to speak, but her words came out as a stuttering mess. She’d so confidently asked a question earlier, why was she so nervous now? I jumped in saving her from speaking further.
“I know you touched on it earlier, but I was just saying that it’s a little fucked up that you’re basically puppeting dead people. Like I know I’m new to magic here, but necromancy is a little bit too crazy for me.” I said. I placed my hand on Octavia’s which was clenching on to a book so tightly her knuckles were turning white. She released her vice like grip and physically I noticed her shoulders relax. This tension was starting to worry me.
Ooooo. Okay. Gold star for the sack on this one. Listen, kid. As much as I liked your earlier bravdo with picking an S rank exam, I’m starting to think you’re just a little bit thick. Do you think it’s smart to antagonize the system that decides your rewards? I could smite you where you stand little Magi.
Professor Dos was shaking his head and waving at me not to keep talking. I decided against my better judgement to push my luck.
“I don’t think a system designed to teach us, and that’s asking for our help by the way, shouldn’t be threatening it’s new pupils. Further more I don’t think you would smite me. Or anyone here. You need us. You can’t do this without us, am I right?” I paused waiting for a response. Instead the window looked like it froze. The whole class seemed to be holding it’s collective breath. A new window popped up in front of my view. I saw the rest of the students react as well. It seemed like we’d all received it.
- Silver Triumph Completed -
‘You can lead a horse to water’ (100 Silver Triumph Medallions)
You have been given an opportunity to impress the QuarterMaster.
Reward: Provisional Conduit’s License + Harmonizer upgrade
+2 to all stats while carrying this license*
Unlocks the waypoint tab in your inventory
The QuarterMaster formed a smile just before the window disappeared. Another window popped up in all the student’s view. It was a single chat message.
Welcome to the program kids. First test is in a week.
-QM