“Explain,” Harriet said, her tone hardening in concern.
“Have you heard of the transmutation, Quicken Perception?” Ori asked, handing over the spell scroll to her. He then went on to describe his plan and the reasons behind it, even offering details of his dream walk and discussions with Freya. All the while, Harriet maintained a cold neutrality that lasted several breaths after he finished speaking. She opened and then closed her mouth several times as if reconsidering what she was about to say.
“And you’re set on this course of action?”
“Yes.”
“Quicken Perception, this is not even something I’d even attempt, even at Sovereign. Why not wait until you awaken?” Harriet countered.
“Unless I gain control over my life by gaining this kind of power, I don’t think I’ll survive long enough to awaken,” Ori said, meeting Harriet’s gaze with unflinching resolve. Before she could question him again, Ori continued, “If you seriously think this is too much risk for too little reward, I’ll accept your decision, but if there’s the slightest chance this could help you too with whatever you're dealing with, then I won’t back down.”
A flash of genuine anger appeared on Harriet’s face before she looked away, deep in thought.
“If you are to do this, it will be under my aid, guidance, and supervision.”
“Then I’ll be in your capable hands. And thank you,” Ori smiled.
Harriet snorted. “Don’t thank me yet. Come with me, we must make preparations,” she said, before touching one of the rings she wore and calling out. “Poppy?”
A shadow near the corner of the room widened before a familiar brown-haired high elf walked into the room as if through a door. Ori’s skin tingled from the residual Mana and remembrance of his recent journey through the void.
“Yes, mistress?”
“I will need you to clear my schedule for the next few days and make a trip to the capital to fetch some needed supplies.”
“Mistress?” Poppy asked again, somewhat confused.
“Ori plans to Quicken Perception,” Harriet said by way of clarification. A breath passed before Poppy gasped, hand going to her mouth. “And I’ve agreed to aid him on such a reckless endeavour.”
“But he’s a mortal? I don’t understand. How do you even know you meet the spell requirements-” Poppy said crossly, holding back none of her feelings on the matter.
“I’ve had a divination. I've also got spells with higher requirements.” Ori countered.
“Are you sure? This is a Quickening, a… a form of soul crafting.” Poppy turned from Harriet to Ori, searching for answers between them.
“It wouldn’t be the first time. So yes, I’m sure.” Ori said.
“That’s-” Poppy tried to continue before she was cut off.
“Poppy, I will need you to fetch several records from the capital and some materials and also, Ori,” Harriet commanded, her tone snapping Poppy out of her burgeoning outburst. Centring her expression, she turned towards him. “You said your familiar believed we could maximise the gains and chances of success by merging synergistic transmutations, yes?”
“Yeah,” Ori confirmed.
“His familiar??” Poppy looked askance between the two of them, frustrated by her lack of context and general disregard.
“Then, please let Poppy know what affinities you’d find compatible. I could step outside if you wish for privacy?”
Ori shook his head. “No, I think we’re beyond that point, especially if you're going to go to all this effort for me.” Ori turned to Poppy, “I don’t know what my Inherent Affinity is exactly, a divination said it was unknown to the Library of Fates but I believe it’s a transcendent rank, light-related affinity.” He focused, drawing in ambient Mana into a ball before aspecting it with his affinity in the way Sera originally taught him. A prismatic hole in reality appeared between them.
Poppy’s skin turned pale under the light.
“I-I see,” Meanwhile, Harriet audibly swallowed several times before she could get her words out, her skin rapidly growing flush as her breathing deepened. Ori watched their reactions carefully, his heart racing a thousand beats per minute. Would they turn on him? Devour him or steal his soul? Would he even see his death come if they decided to strip away everything that apparently made him special? Anonymity and subterfuge had been his only forms of armour, and now his balls hung in the wind.
As the silence stretched and no further reactions beyond their apparent shock and bewilderment emerged, Ori released a silent, internal breath of relief. They seemed more confused and disbelieving than greedy and hostile, though there was always time for thoughts of exploitation and avarice to emerge later. Unwilling to leave behind another pilgrimage site due to the permanent nature of his affinity, Ori unaligned his Mana and dispersed the spell form, dismissing the spell.
This time he visibly exhaled, deciding to go all in with this exercise in trust, “I’ve also reached threshold comprehension in Astral, Celestial, Abyssal, Material, Mana, Aether, Quintessence, Soulcraft and various Light, Dream, Void, and Lightning Inherent Affinities. There’s more, but going by your reactions, I’m not sure you could handle it if I told you.”
Harriet shared a pointed glance with her handmaiden, before returning their open-mouthed stares to him. “Just who have we summoned?” Harriet whispered, her hard, Queen mask lowered for just a moment to reveal a woman flustered and unaccustomed to being uncertain. “If there’s more, it would be prudent to know it in advance, as it could influence our plans going forward.”
“Alright, I have a two-fold and a four-fold-unified characteristic, I have Polydexterity and a Domain,” Ori said, equal parts anxious, tentative and relieved.
“D-Domain??? How?” Poppy hissed, utterly aghast.
“Poppy!” Harriet snapped, seemingly more upset at her break in decorum or manners than the reaction itself.
“Anorial, he’s a mortal, with divine characteristics and a transcendent affinity!” Poppy snapped back.
“A Demigod?” Harriet hypothesised.
Ori shrugged. “I don’t think so,”
“Why not?” Poppy wondered.
“Would mean my parents were gods, wouldn't it? Last I heard, gods don’t die during childbirth or get sick with cancer,” Ori said.
“Spirits Ori, I’m sorry,” Poppy said looking abashed.
“It’s okay.”
“Poppy, with my ring, you should have everything you need,” Harriet said, her Queen persona back in the forefront.
“Yes, mistress. And how should I handle matters in the capital?” Poppy asked.
Harriet glanced at Ori, before removing her ring and holding it out. “If his spies catch wind of what we’re up to, so be it. I would love to see them try to work out our intentions.
“Yes, mistress,” Poppy said, her calm mask returning, taking the offered ring. Just before she walked back through the shadowy door she emerged from, Poppy shot Ori a heated glance. Whether it meant anything beyond, ‘we really need to talk’, Ori couldn't tell.
“While she fetches those things for us, let's begin with the Split Mind transmutation,” she said, turning to leave the room. Ori noted how she seemed more distant, more formal after revealing his talents and feared whatever progress they had made towards a better relationship with each other had just been dashed.
“So, are we okay?” He said uncertainly, his footsteps following her into the corridor.
Sighing, she turned to face him. “We’re fine. On a personal level, nothing has changed- no that’s not quite right. I must thank you for extending such trust, it’s just...”
“It’s just?”
“This is just overwhelming. Overwhelming in the sense that my entire view of fate has been turned on its head and…”
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
“And…” Ori pressed.
“And,” Harriet sighed, “just how does this fit in with everything happening in society. My thoughts are spinning with implications.”
“Uh huh,” Ori said, unsure of what to think of her naked calculation. “For a moment there, I thought you guys were going to dissect me or turn me into alchemy ingredients,” he said without an ounce of humour.
“Ori,” She moved in abruptly, close enough for intense, blue eyes to encompass the entirety of his attention as they searched every inch of his face. Close enough for him to catch the floral scent of her skin. It was a natural fragrance so compelling in its subtlety, that it left him craving more. The Queenly mask was gone and a naked fragility was evident within an expressive face that now showed equal measures of frustration and concern. The differences in their heights became more apparent as her mouth moved within an inch of his chest, her voice a quick, whisper. “Let me be clear on where we stand. While my mind is in turmoil, my spirit…” She swallowed, as she seemed to reconsider her words. “...You've earned my trust. When you succeed in this reckless endeavour, I promise to reveal your purpose and there shall be no barriers between us.”
Ori swallowed, throat suddenly dry and mouth uncommunicative. He wasn’t a blushing virgin and while it wasn’t hard to read between the lines, Ori still had trouble reconciling the fact that a powerful, elven queen could have any interest in him beyond his obvious talents. “What does, 'no barriers between us,' mean exactly?” Ori struggled out under his breath, the disbelief in his words easily heard given their proximity.
“We will talk more on this matter after the transmutation,” Harriet said, before turning to continue her march down the corridor.
“Right, where are we going?” Ori wondered.
“Eldamar Sanctum,”
“What’s that?
“Our family’s Aether Rift.”
----------------------------------------
> Aetheric rifts, formally known as Rupturae Aethericae Lacerationes, are naturally occurring tears in the fabric of fate where Aether, a primordial paracausal energy, spills into Fate from beyond reality. Unlike Mana, which is directly influenced by the mind, Aether's chimeric and often chaotic nature is said to be influenced by the subconscious ego of a creature's soul, leading to unpredictable effects that may manifest as internal or external phenomena.
>
> The influence of Aether differs markedly from that of Mana. The use of Aether in spellcraft is wild, unrepeatable, and unreliable, leading few to specialise in it. While no known, formal or repeatable forms of spellcraft, also known collectively as the long-fabled Aethermancy, have been derived from exploiting Aether, beings attuned to chaotic natures, such as the Fae, can use Aether in small measures in beneficial, albeit chaotic ways.
>
> Beyond the Fae, usage is primarily seen in aiding transformations of material in enchantments or transmutations of flesh, spirit, or nature. However, certain rituals can enhance the effects of standard, Mana-based magic in controlled settings. Aetheric weapons, such as bombs and poisons, have been rarely documented due to their unpredictable nature, leaving them just as dangerous to the user as their targets.
>
> In addition, unregulated exposure to Aether can lead to aberrant mutations or cancerous growths. For most Awakened beings, direct ingestion of even small amounts of Aether is lethal without prompt treatment by a High Healer. Aether is also chimeric, capable of replicating or transforming into other forms of paracausal energies (Mana, Peritia, Grace, Breath, Quintessence) when removed from its source and left in its raw, unstabilised form. This transformational ability adds to the complexity and danger of handling Aether.
>
> Despite being known as an unreliable and fickle form of magic, many believe that mastery of Aether is a path towards great power. This belief persists even though the inherent risks and challenges associated with Aether are well-documented.
>
> Natural Aether rifts significantly impact local flora and fauna. Typically docile creatures can become aggressive monsters requiring culling by experienced teams of Awakened. Through this Aether-Warping phenomenon, rifts have been known to spawn formidable magical creatures. Examples of such creatures include Hydra and Phase-Beasts, both known for their ferocity and unpredictable nature.
>
> The zones around unregulated Aether rifts are hazardous and become increasingly dangerous over time. The Delvers' Guild and The Summons' Guild are often tasked with addressing such problems when they exceed the local populations' capabilities. Aether-warped creatures are highly sought after by many Awakened for their value in alchemical and crafting ingredients. These creatures often possess unique properties that make them invaluable in various magical disciplines. Many believe that the Faewilds, a realm of untamed magic and wonder, were a product of the wild nature of Aether.
>
> In the hierarchy of paracausal energies, only Quintessence is seen as more enigmatic than Aether in its apparent inaccessibility and potential. The allure of Aether, despite its many dangers, continues to draw the attention of scholars, Delvers and mages alike, each seeking to unlock its secrets. Despite being known as an unreliable and fickle form of magic, many believe that mastery over Aether leads to paths beyond divinity. This belief persists even though the inherent risks and challenges associated with Aether are well-documented.
>
> The study of Aetheric Rifts and their effects is a field rich with potential discoveries and perilous pitfalls. As we delve deeper into the mysteries of Aether, we’ll find that rifts come in several ranks…
Ori's mind glazed over as knowledge from Freya’s extensive research filled his thoughts. Less than ten paces away lay the object of his study. He had thought he had seen Aether before, during the fifth and sixth trials. Those motes of blue, so different from the blue of Mana, compelling yet ephemeral, elusive no matter how hard one strove for them. Yet, their wild, alluring power tempted and tantalised all the same. To Ori, Mana felt like a cool, soothing, obedient fluid, whereas Aether, as he had experienced in the trials, was like willful, chaotic, glittering dust.
Now, as he sat on the floor, Ori saw another aspect of Aether. Before him, an atavistic glowing rupture in reality, peeled away Fate, revealing a sapphire world of blue radiance pulsing in time with his heartbeat. It became clear to him why Aether didn’t behave like Mana. With so much of it in front of him he could see that, unlike Mana, Aether lacked a 'mind' to react with his own. If it had one, it was more ancient and primal than the logical, waking mind of sapients. More akin to the hypothalamus, that part of the brain that shivers, raises goosebumps, or sweats in response to cold, heat, or fear. The part that grows hungry when undernourished, aroused when sexually stimulated, or sleepy when exhausted. While his mind wanted to reach out, to experience and understand it, a deeper part of him, beneath the veneer of logic and structured thought, simply craved it, instinctively knowing it was essential for survival.
“As intoxicating as it may seem, Aether is ruinous, even to those with Affinity, like us,” Harriet said, walking around him as she watched the rift in fate bleed blue light into the cavernous hall. Across the ground lay concentric rings, infused enchantments that Ori currently didn’t understand. Beautiful silver circles created patterns on the ground that reminded Ori of planetary orbits and their accompanying moons, and for some reason his mind drifted, thinking back to one of Harriet’s classes.
“You have an Aether Affinity? And now that I’m here, why do I think it has something to do with your Astrologer class?”
“Very astute. It’s a talent or perhaps a mild Aether Warping of the Luinilthar bloodline, one that allows a higher measure of success for rituals and fate-based magic when in the presence of Aether. It has been the power that enabled our house to rule so successfully,”
Ori bit back his tongue, he had so many questions, for example, was fate-based magic like divination or something else? And what spells did an Astrologer even have? He wondered if this bloodline or its lack thereof, was the reason for her current crisis, whatever it was, but he pushed those errant thoughts aside for now as he focused on what he needed to do.
“And now you plan to use this ability to what? Tip the balance of probabilities in my favour?”
"Precisely. Split Mind is a relatively straightforward transmutation despite its effects. It's one I undertook not so long ago, so it will serve as a good trial run for both of us to become accustomed to the process before we attempt what must come next."
“Alright,” Ori said, his attention returning to the high elven queen who looked starkly attractive bathed in the spectral light of the Aether.
“When we begin, I request that you take off your shirt and sit here,” she gestured towards one of the moon-like rune circles, “with your back towards the Aether Rift, while I’ll sit here, back to back with you, our skins touching,” Harriet said.
Ori did a double-take, completely taken aback by her words. “Our skins touching?” Ori asked, his mind split between replaying what she said in disbelief while a loud ‘Sex Magic’ klaxon drowned out almost all meaningful thought.
“Yes.”
“Okay. But why?” Ori said, the cogs in his mind only just starting to turn again.
“It is as I said, I plan to use the Aether to enhance your transmutation, for this to work however, I would need a direct link to you. As we have no other mediums, direct skin contact over a large enough area would be ideal.”
“What about just holding hands?” Ori said, wondering just what on earth was his life just then.
“If you're uncomfortable with the idea of-”
“No, it’s not that, quite the opposite actually. You are… distractingly beautiful, I don’t think I’d be able to focus knowing you were, behind me… like that. And wouldn’t you be uncomfortable? And you're a Queen, I’m sure there's-”
Without offering any clarification, Harriet’s dress fell to the floor cutting off Ori’s babbling, leaving her dressed only in white, silken underwear. Ori stared both in shock and transfixed by the lines and curves of her figure. Oceans of pale, unblemished skin shimmered in the spectral blue light while proportionally large, teardrop breasts capped by pale, almost inverted nipples were freed by the sudden removal of her bra. She stood, her gaze fixed on his, just as heated and intense as ever. “Well?” She asked as if in challenge.
“Well, what?” Ori swallowed, his eyes transfixed by the rapid rise and fall of her breasts. The part of his mind still listening wondered if she meant for him to compliment her or…
“Your shirt. Please remove it. Do understand that what I do now, I have not, and would not do for just anyone, and while other orientations may offer more contact, I believe neither of us is quite ready for that right yet,” She said, her deadpan delivery almost hiding the flicker of vulnerability beneath her stern, imperious veil.
“Okay,” unwilling to ask for a third time, he fumbled removing his shirt in a rush, Freya’s flippant suggestion ringing in his mind. He caught Harriet’s gaze one last time, then turned away in guilt of his prior, unabashed ogling. “Sorry for staring,” He added sheepishly as he felt her presence move to the circle between him and the Aether Rift.
“I am not unaware of the effect my appearance has on you, nor am I naive enough not to know the scale of scandal this would cause if word of us got out. But for now, none of that matters. You require my aid and guidance, and I freely offer it. Please sit,” Harriet commanded.
After sitting on the floor, Ori suppressed a gasp as he felt Harriet's smooth, cool skin settle against his back. Shorter by half a head, he was surprised by how his breathing seemed to settle down, matching rhythms with the rise and fall of her slender shoulder blades and curve of her spine, as if he instinctively sought the optimal up-time for maximum skin contact surface area. And after that was accomplished, focus slowly returned to Ori as the sensation of sitting back to back with a topless elven bombshell, became, if not normal, then at least comfortable.
“Why risk scandal to help me? I would have been happy doing this on my own.”
“You are the man I summoned. Lets leave it at that for now as any more of an explanation will have to wait until this is over. Now focus, and when you are ready, begin.”