“Hello!” a voice rang out, causing the group to startle. Panic coursed through Anna, and she noticed Arashi unsheathing his swords.
“Over here!” the voice called, and she turned to see a man standing near the 3D map of the city.
“My name is Arto. I am a museum guide,” the newcomer said, closing the distance. He shook hands with everyone, with Anna being the last.
“Is everything alright?” Two other voices asked. Following Arto, a man carrying a shotgun in a police uniform and a woman in a black dress carrying a handgun drew nearer, their expressions tense.
“Who are you?” The woman asked, her tone menacing.
“We’re just seeking refuge,” Damon interjected.
“I apologize for the commotion,” Arto said. “Everyone is on high alert here.”
“There are about a hundred of us between staff and guests taking refuge in the museum basement,” the man said, lowering the shotgun.
“Is any of you a doctor?” the woman asked. “There’s only one with us, and he’s spent. We need some extra hands.”
“Unfortunately, we aren’t doctors,” Damon said.
“I can give you this,” Leo said, handing the woman a vial. “It’s a highly concentrated healing potion. A mere drop should be able to help out a lot.”
“This is great,” she said, beaming. “Thanks,”
“I believe these guys want a tour,” Arto remarked, looking at Anna, who nodded in agreement.
“You shouldn’t be working in this kind of situation,” the man said.
“It’s alright, I need to distract my mind. You guys can go back,” Arto replied. The man and the woman nodded and headed back.
Arto was a fifty-year-old tall blond man with blue eyes and long hair, dressed in a black tailcoat. He wore a pendant on his lapel with the museum's logo.
“So, tell me about you,” Arto asked.
“We were actually just visiting the city when all this chaos happened!” Anna said.
“Such bad luck!”
“That’s right! In the middle of the chaos, our group dispersed. We agreed to gather near here whenever possible,” Leo explained.
“That was a good decision. The museum is a great rendezvous point and it’s also a safe place to hide,” Arto said with a giggle. “So, let me accompany you on a tour around the museum, free of charge!”
Everyone nodded in agreement and followed after the guide, with Anna bringing up the rear.
“Let's begin with the northern area!” Arto said as he approached Caesar's statue. “This is Gaius Julius Caesar. Many historians claimed he was an Arlo user of Sound or maybe Words… Wind deviants. I think Mademoiselle here doesn’t know what that means, I heard you saying you're not very familiar with Thaumaturgy. So, let us enter the north zone, and I’ll explain!”
Anna was startled when Arto referred to her but nervously nodded in response.
They started their tour, walking down a long yet narrow hallway adorned with baroque-style decorations. Statues of many scientists lined their path, guiding them toward the northern area. At the end of the hall, they took a left turn, entering a chamber with a similar architectural style. However, this time, the ornamentation was in shades of blue, red, green, and brown, with each color representing an element.
“Aether is at the center of every life form in this world. The Greeks called it the ‘breath of the gods’. It's also known by other names in non-western cultures. Names such as Qi, Prana, or Mana,” Arto explained.
“What exactly is Aether? Where does it come from?” Anna raised her hand, seeking to understand.
“No one really knows exactly," Arto continued. "As I said, it’s the energy that gives life to any life form. Many have said that Aether comes from the Akashic Records, these hypothetical records are a memory of all the events that have occurred since the dawn of time. A library that keeps everything recorded, through the use of Aether. It might just simply be a myth; no one has ever seen it.”
“It’s said that within the Akashic Records is stored everything that has occurred since the beginning of time and all the knowledge of the universe. Once someone dies their memories are stored there,” Damon added, enhancing Arto's explanation. Anna listened in awe, her eyes wide open as she nodded at Damon's words.
The new chamber appeared tiny compared to the main hall, yet it could easily accommodate about one hundred adults. In the middle stood a white marble statue of an elderly woman, symbolizing Aether itself.
“Aether is the energy that provides life to the cosmos. The Mågiats are those not trained in Thaumaturgy, the art of Aether manipulation. Aether separates into four Primary Elements: Water, Fire, Earth, and Wind. The use of the elements by the Arlos and Janas depends exclusively on the affinity you are born with. You cannot simply decide what to use, but it is not rare to find Arlos and Janas capable of using several of them. The rarity, however, increases exponentially the more elements you bring into the equation.” Arto smiled.
“What determines affinity?” Leo asked, Anna stared at him eyes wide open. She wanted to ask the same question.
“Affinity with these elements depends on the aptitudes and attitudes of oneself. Your upbringing, the environment where you grew up, your personality, the kind of food you eat, the quality of water you drink, and even your genes. There are hundreds of factors. If you are a farmer living in the countryside, your children will likely have Earth affinity.”
Anna nodded, and as Arto approached the statues representing the four Primary Elements, she gazed at them in fascination. A figure of a young woman carved from marble of different tones depicted each element. Blue for Water, red for Fire, green for Air, and brown for Earth.
“Now, these others are some Secondary Elements, also called deviants,” Arto said, pointing to smaller statues surrounding the four Primary Elements which were represented by little girls.
“Water has Lightness and Darkness because water can alter the light spectrum. Earth has many deviants such as metal or mud. Wind has very few known deviants such as Storm... but there are other two that are incredibly important,” Arto cleared his throat. “Well, some scholars claimed those two deviants are the same thing, they are Word and Sound. According to many, these two are considered the most powerful and dangerous of all the deviants.”
“Why is that?” Anna asked, tilting her head in curiosity.
“It’s because Words and Sound can easily manipulate feelings and even the minds of people," Arto explained. "For example, let’s look at Julius Caesar as I mentioned earlier. It’s said he was a Word or Sound user because he could encourage his soldiers to the point of turning them into berserk warriors, doing so only using words of exaltation! What would have happened if a man like Napoleon was a Word user? He would have been able to conquer the whole world just by talking to people.”
“So what’s the difference between Sound and Word?” Anna asked, intrigued.
“Like the way they’re written, sound tends to affect things like noise; it’ll amplify the sound waves to affect the eardrums. A rupture or perforation of the eardrums can lead to a loss of equilibrium or conductive hearing loss. A collapse or retraction of the eardrums can also cause conductive hearing loss or cholesteatoma and in the middle of a battle, the instant loss of hearing may dictate your demise.” Arto smiled, as she beamed. “You know, many Arlos, Janas, or even Mågiats who have lost their hearing have gone insane. So, the usage of these deviants is not taught in any school of Thaumaturgy as it’s deemed too dangerous. At the same time, the manipulation of Wind is insanely hard to learn. It requires too much practice and… too much patience, things many people nowadays don’t have. Words are basically the same thing, but the basic difference is that Word use... well, words.”
“It sounds redundant.” Leo interrupted.
“I know,” Arto chuckled. “A person capable of casting this deviant may be able to command others to do as desired. Turning others into slaves, brainwashing them! To do so, it’s needed to be done in a way the target can comprehend. You cannot use words in, let’s say, Serbo-Croatian with someone who only speaks English.”
“Oh, I got it!” Anna nodded. “To make it effective, you should speak the same language as your target!”
“Correct!” Arto said. “There are a few users of these deviants in our society. Most of them are self-educated or people who follow family traditions. Most of them are registered and identified by the government of the Hidden Cities. A very small elite.”
“Word can user order anyone to commit suicide, that’s why is so dangerous and heavily regulated,” Damon asked, scratching his chin, delving into the darker implications.
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“Well, yes… In theory. However, the effectiveness of Word also hinges on its weakness. The person affected by Word needs to be weak of mind, someone with no willpower.”
“So, if you are in a battle, and one of your comrades dies, you will be vulnerable because of the loss which means you can be affected by both Sound and Word?” Arashi joined the conversation, connecting the dots.
“Yes, that's correct. Sound shares the same weakness,” Arto confirmed.
“Wow!” Anna said, mouth wide open.
“Let’s go to the next area!” Arto suggested. They resumed their tour and approached the next hall. “Practicing Thaumaturgy!” Arto read the title of the new exposition.
This chamber was filled with shelves holding old books and photographs. Sculptures depicted children practicing Thaumaturgy.
“So, people use wands?” Anna asked. “I haven’t seen Arlos or Janas using them!”
“Well, you don’t know too many… We don’t know too many Thaumaturgy users,” Leo teased, emphasizing the limited scope of their knowledge. Anna rolled her eyes but agreed with a nod.
“Wands are instruments used to teach Thaumaturgy. To cast a spell you need to follow certain steps. First, you need to be able to sense or see the Aether stream in the environment. Second, you need to gather Aether from the environment into your body. Third, you expel it in the form of spells. The third step consists of other sub-steps. The Aether travels through your body, and then you concentrate it in the wand before casting the spell. Only after that, you will provide the name of the spell and expel the Aether. In the trajectory between the wand and the target, the Aether will transform into what you cast at your command. Wands make the casting and learning of Thaumaturgy a lot easier because you don’t need to do anything else other than casting the name of the spell. The wand will do the transformation for you,” Arto clarified, shedding light on the practical aspect of Thaumaturgy.
“So, why are there so many people not using wands?” Anna inquired, genuinely curious.
“Well, some people get used to a wand and never stop using them, like me!” Arto proudly displayed his wooden wand. “Many others, over time and with practice, can cast spells without wands because they are used to gathering Aether. They can perform all these sub-steps as naturally as you breathe. When you were born, it might’ve been hard for you to breathe or even see things, but over time and with practice, it becomes instinctive. The same happens here."
“That’s so interesting,” She said.
“Wands make the process of learning Thaumaturgy easier for newcomers. That's because wands concentrate the Aether in only one point, in the wand’s tip itself. When you don’t use a wand, the Aether is dispersed throughout your whole body. When you expel it, the energy might dissipate and get wasted, and the spell will not be as powerful as desired or might not even be cast at all. The same goes for those Arlos and Janas who don’t need to name the spells to transform Aether into Thaumaturgy.”
“What do you mean?” Damon asked, captivated by the explanation.
“When a Thaumaturgist casts a spell, they do it after the wand, the hands, or any other catalyst have concentrated the Aether and then expelled it. This way, the casting catalyst can transform the Aether into a spell after being named. Let’s suppose you go to a coffee shop and ask for a cappuccino, then the worker will serve it to you. You cast a spell, you name what you want to cast, and the wand will transform the Aether into what you ordered.”
“So, if you want a cappuccino but you don’t say anything… What will happen?” Arashi asked, exchanging glances with Anna and Leo.
“How can you get a cappuccino from the employee if you don’t say you want a cappuccino in the first place?” Damon answered after Anna and Leo shrugged.
“Oh! You won't get anything because it’s like you never order anything!” Leo grasped the concept, and she nodded after. “Now I get it!”
“That’s right, those users who don’t need to name the spell to cast it are very rare and very few, like endangered animals!” Arto emphasized the rarity of such individuals. “Because it’s like telling the barista what you want telepathically. Unless you’re a telepath, it’s basically impossible.”
Anna giggled.
“They’re very few, so it has been difficult to study how they can do it. There’s a theory that says that it’s because they name the spell when the Aether is still within their bodies. Thus, the process of transformation of the Aether is accomplished inside them. Other theories posit that it’s because they keep a link between the energy and their brain. Therefore, when the Aether is expelled, they name the spell and cast it using telepathy or some similar ability. But in the few cases recorded Arlos and Janas can cast spells this way from the moment they are born, it’s an innate skill. Most of the recorded cases were able to sense and see the Aether stream from infancy. Consequently, they can cast spells even unconsciously. Of course, there have been people who learned how to do it, but most of them are legendary Arlos or Janas from antiquity who lived for centuries!” Arto concluded, clearing his throat.
The group resumed their tour and reached a new hall, now delving into the 'History of Paasilinna' section. Anna couldn't help but comment on the brevity of the Thaumaturgy section.
“The Thaumaturgy exhibit was indeed short!” Damon agreed with her.
“Yes, many people have complained about that. I proposed to the museum authorities that that exhibit needs to be expanded. Many visitors consider it to be the most interesting area!” Arto sighed, his passion for Thaumaturgy evident. “The History of Paasilinna is also interesting, though.”
“Let’s continue,” Anna prompted, eager to learn more about the city.
Arto began to narrate the story of Paasilinna's founding, mentioning the group of people who had fled from Rome.
“The Unseen City of Paasilinna. Founded by people of many backgrounds. Priests, scientists, and merchants who fled from Rome. They didn’t like having their lives in the hands of the Pope.”
As he spoke, he pointed to the statues of the city's anonymous founders.
“The oldest building in the city is a little cottage near Lake Tuoni. And it's the only remaining, original building. The founders destroyed the old town when they built the wall around the downtown and the Courts District.” Arto pointed at some paintings that depicted the city's former appearance.
“Paasilinna, as you may know, is the oldest Hidden City in the Western Hemisphere. There are only three older cities than Paasilinna. The Sunken City of Kitezh, the Kingdom of Shambhala, and the Sultanate of Iram of the Pillars. Others are newer than Paasilinna such as The City of Gold, the Seven Cities of Cibola, or the Twin Islands of Lilliput and Blefuscu.”
Anna was enthralled by this history lesson. “Wow, all this is new for me!” she exclaimed.
“Yeah,” Leo nodded.
Then chaos erupted. An explosion and an earthquake shook the ground, followed by more explosions.
“Back to the entrance!” Arashi urgently directed.
Through the windows, Anna witnessed one Amahraspand statue, drawing closer to the museum. “It’s coming to the museum,” Panic coursed through Anna as she feared for the museum's safety.
“We need to distract it!” Damon suggested.
Anna followed Arashi’s lead as the group evacuated the museum, leaving Arto behind. The statue's unyielding pursuit made it clear that the museum had been its target. However, as Anna and her companions scurried away from the museum, fleeing into the Commercial District the Amahraspand chased after them. Anna and the group took refuge in an abandoned restaurant, as they tried to devise a plan.
“I'll distract it,” Arashi declared. He reached for his katana, ready to confront the threat.
Leo, however, had another idea. He grabbed his brush and a bottle of multi-colored ink. “Are you painting?” Damon asked.
“How does that ink work?” She inquired.
“The brush turns anything I sketch into reality. This particular ink grants me a lot more freedom. By thinking of a certain color or texture, the ink transforms accordingly.”
“Very interesting,” Arashi remarked, intrigued.
“What color is the blade of one of your swords?” Leo asked.
“Black,” Arashi replied, their plan taking shape.
Leo dipped the brush into the jar of ink, smoothly sketching a katana on his left arm. In the beginning, the painting remained gray, but within a few seconds, it transformed, mirroring the vibrant colors Leo envisioned. With a lot of care, he stowed away the ink jar and brush, peeling the drawing from his skin as if it were a sticker, which caused a slight bleeding from the cut.
Eager to test the newly acquired sword, Leo couldn't contain his excitement. He dashed out of the shop and sprinted towards the imposing statue. Raising his gun, he fired a shot, getting its attention. The statue retaliated by brandishing its weapon, but Leo, armed with his ink-made katana, blocked the attack. However, the colossal weight of the statue forced Leo to stop and jump out of the way, escaping its crushing blow.
"Leo!" Anna's voice rang out, filled with concern.
As Leo maneuvered between the legs of the Amahraspand, the statue jumped, its wings stirring up a powerful gust of wind.
Leo tumbled to the ground, rolling over the broken pavement. The statue seized his left leg with its free hand, holding him in front of its white marble face. In a swift motion, it snatched Leo's sword and hurled it towards Arashi, though missing its intended target.
Anna, no longer able to remain hidden, ventured out from her cover, following Damon's lead. Damon reached the statue from behind, gripping its right foot and causing it to lose balance. In a final desperate act, the statue flung its weapon once more toward Anna before crashing to the ground.
The weapon grazed past Anna, slashing her left shoulder, and causing her blood to flow out of her wound like a geyser. The pain was overwhelming, leaving her no time to scream or even process the sensation. Weakened by the shock, she fell to the ground, delirious, as her blood seeped into the snowy ground, staining it crimson.
"Anna!" She heard voices calling her name. Through her hazy vision, she noticed Damon rushing her way and lifting her in his arms. Time seemed to slow down, everything appearing sepia-toned except for Damon and herself. As they sought refuge in a new location, reality returned to normal. Damon gently laid her down in a nearby building, a few yards away from the statue.
"Ah! I don't have the Panacea," Damon gritted his teeth. "I need to get it from Leo. I'll be back in a second!"
Anna coughed, her eyes fluttering open, only to find herself alone. Her body ached from the cold, and dark spots clouded her vision. She lacked the strength to stand up, whispering, "I'm so sorry," tears flowed down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry,” she sobbed, as her body succumbed. Darkness enveloped her.
In an abyss of darkness, not even a glimmer of light reached Anna. However, she noticed an adult wolf with piercing yellow eyes and bluish-gray fur staring at her.
"Do you desire power?" the wolf asked, causing her to hyperventilate.
"I want it!" she shouted, her longing echoing through the void.
With a sudden burst of speed, the wolf sprinted towards her, baring its teeth. Anna was consumed.
When Anna regained consciousness, she swiftly blocked the statue's weapon with the sword Steve had given her. Determined, she forced the Amahraspand to release it. Her sword’s blade was surrounded by red fire, and as she seized the statue’s hand, she stabbed it with her weapon. Climbing up its arm, she ascended straight to its head, severing the other hand that attempted to grasp her. Anna unleashed the weight of her blade onto the Amahraspand's head, splitting it into two vertical halves which disintegrated into dust long before she hit the ground.
Damon sprinted towards her, grabbing her still-bleeding arm. She remained motionless, her gaze distant and lost.
"Ah, Anna! You're bleeding too much," Leo reprimanded her.
However, her intense glare shifted as she turned her attention towards the Palace of Jäävarasto in the sky.
"Hey, your wounds!" Leo yelled, dropping some Panacea onto her shoulder. Gradually, the injury began to close.
"Anna!" Leo and Damon shouted in chorus, their concern evident in their voices. But despite their calls, she abruptly sprinted away.
----------------------------------------
Arto observed the intense battle unfolding from the safety of the fifth floor of the museum, his eyes glued to the clash of Damon, Leo, Anna, and Arashi as they bravely fought against the menacing statue. A wicked smirk played on his lips as he viewed the chaos.
Suddenly, Joanne Belloc materialized beside him, her presence catching Arto off guard.
“I wasn’t expecting you so soon,” Arto chuckled.
With a gleam in his eye, he turned to Joanne and remarked, "The teenager, Anna, is prepared and eager for action!"
Joanne nodded and vanished.
“Völundr, you seemed to have found some interesting pawns this time.” He sneered, “Let's see how that plays out.”