Ori stood by the lip of the crater in the dreaming. His sky; stark black speckled by silver pinpricks of stars above, contrasted sharply with the landscape of dusty, silver regolith beneath his feet. On his shoulder, Freya’s prismatic glow was muted enough for him to see the delicate structure of her butterfly-like wings.
“Can you see the threads? I think they lead to her soul,” Ori asked, Vision of the Progenitor’s glowing at full intensity.
“No,” she exhaled, continuing hesitantly, “but I sense it. Like a pull. She’s in there…”
“But?”
“But we’re not ready to do this. Fix the wand first; if it really is her phylactery, it’ll likely serve as a beacon. None of this is certain, so take every measure you can to improve your chances." Ori simply grunted in disappointment.
Vision of the Progenitor had rapidly accelerated his initial comprehension of most of his affinities, from what Freya had described as Threshold, the minimum level of comprehension needed to use an affinity for spellcraft, to Immersion, a level where one felt comfortable with an affinity, could predict its general behaviours when used, and had an improved sense of the applications an affinity could be used in. The affinities that Ori felt had reached this stage had been his Astral, Celestial, Abyssal, Material, Mana, Aether, Soulcraft, Light, Dream, Lightning, and Void as well as his inherent, unnamed and likely transcendent Light affinity.
His affinity for Quintessence languished at threshold due simply to its rarity and lack of use in daily life or enchanting. Meanwhile, Modern Warfare, a higher-order concept vastly disconnected from his other affinities, was harder to make progress on, though he suspected that leading a war and implementing it to his design would change that.
Because of his increased understanding of Soulcrafting, Ori had initially felt confident about his chances of retrieving fragments of Lady Seraphine’s soul from the Ethereal realm. Upon reflection, however, he realised that part of his drive or impatience likely stemmed from guilt. He had found love and happiness and perhaps, for a brief moment, forgotten about his friend’s sacrifice and his promise to save her. Ori controlled the emissions of his emotions, his feelings no longer bleeding out into the astral dreaming, and for the rest of the night, he sat in quiet reverence and contemplation with his familiar's presence tempering his self-recrimination.
He knew his time in this final trial was nearing its end. The re-enchantment of his soul-bound artefact and Taurna’diem with Harriet weighed upon him like Christmas Eve and the last day of A-levels rolled into one.
“What do you think about my plans for re-enchantment?”
“They're good; you're keeping it simple, allowing you to focus on the enchantment keeping its soul bonds. It shows an uncommon level of maturity, especially for you,” Freya responded.
Ori snorted. “Ha, I’m not above keeping things simple, but it doesn’t mean it’ll just be some basic enchantment.”
“Are you still going to try that thing with Poppy?” Freya cut in, her concern sharpening her words.
“If she agrees, then yeah, I think so,” Ori’s heart twisted, though he felt confident he could pull it off, the risks of messing up were more than he could bear. Worse, something within him knew that he needed to be able to do this, not just for Poppy’s future advancement, but for Harriet’s survival after he left the trial. In addition, Harriet’s growing concern over her ‘minor’ premonition had sent Ori into a frenzy of preparation and planning. The pressure of keeping them safe had driven him beyond his limits with every waking and dreaming moment now devoted to their growth and survival.
Freya sighed. “I’m just as frightened for the both of you, but I think you can do it. I actually worry about what it would mean if you could do it.”
“Like the fact getting you from Pixie to a fully-fledged Arch Fairy should be possible.”
Freya snort-laughed. “There’s no way I’m grinding that much Peritia. Also, until you can figure out a way of doing that without sex, you can forget it, not only am I still married, but we wouldn't be physically compatible until I reach fairy.”
"Ha! Yeah, I'll figure it out. Though, I’m actually kind of serious on the rest of it. Harriet said something the other day that’s been kicking around in the back of my mind.”
“Oh, did she finally put her foot down and demand that your days of philandering are over?”
“Haha, no, besides, I’d never…" Ori stalled and wisely decided against completing that sentence. "Anyway, she said that, because of who I’m becoming, I needed standards,” Ori smiled, expecting Freya’s rebuke and condemnation of his ever-expanding ego and lustful human nature, but her serious introspection surprised him.
“She wants whoever’s bonded with you to be at, or working towards, what, Sovereign rank?” Freya said seriously.
“Not exactly, she wanted me to choose the standard. It’s a bit silly, I’m just a mortal noob, and here I am saying that you have to be several ranks higher than me to ever get a look in.”
“Undervaluing yourself can be just as bad as an overinflated ego, Ori. And she’s not wrong. What you can already do is astounding, and if you're successful with Poppy and the Queen… If it ever became known, then you’d have scores coming to you… or coming for you. Anyway, I probably would have thought about telling you to think about getting standards for future bonded myself but…” Freya groaned before whining. “I really didn’t want to do all that work for advancement.”
Ori laughed. “I bet Seraphine will be up for it when we get her back. If you don’t get stronger, you know she’s going to bully you? I mean, she wasn’t exactly impressed with your Peritia leeching.”
Freya groaned even more as their banter in the dreaming continued to the end of the night.
----------------------------------------
"Your enchantment request is ready, madam," Ori announced with a bow as Poppy entered with food and refreshments. In his hand, he held a finely crafted rose-gold chain. He had shaped the coppery-gold material into links himself, following a crafting guide for jewellery from Freya’s library of knowledge rather than the workshop’s collection of crafting guides. After folding the initial enchantment into the material blank that was spun into wire, a secondary enchantment followed by a long, draining Quickening had produced something Ori was genuinely proud of.
"Oh, goodness. That’s beautiful," Poppy exclaimed.
"Let me," Ori offered, reaching around Poppy’s neck with the necklace in hand and fastening it. "You asked for an enchantment that’ll help you remember me, so I made this Chain with an Encapsulated Dreams enchantment. For the next couple of days, it’ll record everything you do—your sights, your senses, your emotions. And when you're feeling the happiest, the emotions are perfectly preserved using a dream affinity enchantment that lets you relive the memories sometimes when you sleep. It’s invariant within the neutral demiplanes, so the enchantment should last forever if it’s looked after."
"Ori, this is wonderful, it’s perfect." She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him, no doubt intending for this to be the first of many memories.
She led him through the shadows to her suite for the first time. Smaller than his own, it was nonetheless crammed with mirrors, wardrobes and free-standing dressing units, giving Ori new insight into how deeply Poppy’s interest in clothing and performance-related dresses ran. Beyond that, Poppy’s intoxicatingly subtle scent lingered more strongly here.
Distracted by the sight and smells, Poppy shoved him onto the bed and straddled him. He wasted no time in peeling down the neckline of her dress to access those thick, dark nipples. She giggled, then gasped as his suckling turned into nibbling.
"I never could figure out if you preferred mine over the mistress's. When they're out, your eyes always seem to be fixated on hers, but you never miss an opportunity to worship mine with your mouth when they're close enough."
"What can I say, I like variety," Ori admitted, looking up into her warm eyes and easy smile as she fiddled with the edges of his afro and ran circles around his back.
"Mhmm, I should expect that by the next time I see you, you’d have likely sampled every variety of nipple and breast fate has to offer?"
"Ha, as if. And what about you? Seven hundred years is a lot of time to sample lots of men," Ori asked, his gut twisting in jealousy and apprehension on the topic.
"You forget, we’re bonded now, I know what’s in your heart. You fear the imbalance between our boundaries, or how it could fester jealousy and hypocrisy, but like Harriet, we love that you are who you are, and we’re excited about who you're becoming. We have no interest in controlling or confining you, and you should not fear our interests being swayed by other men. Only Harriet wishes for you to be more discerning in your… relationships, and only because of the longer lifespans of higher ranks," Poppy said, the glint in her eyes turning decidedly more intense as she ground her crotch into Ori’s unfortunately still-covered and rapidly hardening length. "I actually get aroused daydreaming about you ploughing some lucky tavern girl or seducing a prissy little sun elf princess. When you come back to me, I would have you recall in great detail all of your conquests, from every woman your manhood has sent to paradise, to every quim your fingers have strummed into bliss," She tensed as an Arcane Hand added additional physical pressure on her hips as he continued to explore her ever so inviting nipples. "mmmmngnnhaa!" She shuddered, her hair-trigger orgasms rolling through her as he felt every twitching muscle around her thighs and core contract and the sudden hot wetness of girlcum settle beneath his balls. Completely unabashed by her sudden release, Poppy continued, "You’re my mate; it brings me glory to know that you are desired. Embrace your lusts and promise to never close off your heart, and always come back to me," Poppy said, her voice oddly thick as if in a trance, her breathing heavy.
"I promise. Mhmmmm, I have no idea what I did to deserve you, but…" Ori mumbled into her cleavage.
"Hmmm?" Poppy said, coming back to herself.
"...but I’m going to make a down payment. Poppy, do you trust me?"
"Yes."
"I believe I can… I want to try and help you racially evolve."
She smiled, and Ori could see the depth of belief with a touch of amusement in her eyes as he was about to perform an interesting party trick. "Alright, if you believe you can, then I trust you."
"The thing is, it’s a soul crafting, so it might hurt, but I’ll do everything I can to minimise it," Ori said as Vision of the Progenitor flared.
"You know I have no problem with pain, Ori, especially if you have your manhood within me while you fondle my soul,” Poppy grinned, reaching for his trousers as Ori lifted to pull them down. He was buried deep within her before he could take another breath, groaning as she sank onto him, through her steaming channel before his tip found a narrow opening deep within her core.
“Mmmmmnnghh! I... I'm in your womb?” Ori gasped in surprise. The sensation was overwhelming and yet he instinctively needed to thrust deeper despite the vice-like grip at the tip of his cock..
“Mhmmm,” Poppy mumbled, momentarily blissed out. “I believe this is one of the few physical differences between our races. Should you deposit your seed within, I could keep it on the edge of fertility for a time, months, maybe a year. Don’t worry about children; it’s more about the feeling of holding on to a part of you, a form of emotional investiture.”
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
“Okay,” Ori grunted as Arcane Hands pushed her deeper, the insane tightness at the tip of his length and the pressure of her dancer's thighs wrapped around him sending his eyes rolling back. “Ggghrgh. Y-you ready?”
“To become an Arch Elf? Absolutely not,” Poppy chuckled and squeezed him tight, “but I trust you all the same. Please, maestro, let me become your next enchantment.”
Ori held her as he nodded, his mind already peering deep into her soul. First, he reinforced their bond, widening and strengthening it, increasing the bandwidth of knowledge and information that could pass between them while installing several safeguards that would allow her to safely terminate the bond if she wished. He wove their immortal souls and the incarnate spirit into a dense enchantment that took into account all of his lessons and insights so far.
Through his dream affinity and their Mana Union, Ori ignited his domain and injected the entirety of his comprehension and experiences forming and using his unified characteristics through Taurna’diem. Poly Dexterity snapped into place immediately, with Poppy’s likely propensity for movement and dance making that particular unification effortless. Meanwhile, a tide of Peritia flooded into her as her page of fate was rewritten.
Then, he addressed the clashing natures of her Lunaesidhe and Var’Drow heritages.
He felt her body tense as his intent travelled through their bond to form channels that deeply interconnected the two aspects of her soul. Then, he called upon her mana. Using insights from the Lunaesutra'Kuri Kari, Ori and Poppy entered Mana Union, using their combined intents and Ori's Soulcrafting affinity, to first remove the barriers encasing both parts of her heritage. This was what Ori believed to be the most perilous part of the entire endeavour as not only was this conflict between her two racial heritages likely to have ever prevented natural racial evolution as Fate was not kind to those with mixed blood, but this was also the moment of maximum strain on Poppy’s soul, where the pressures of Mana, Soul and Peritia teetered upon a perilous balance wherein any wrong move or miscalculation could cause irreparable harm. That this part of the process also required Poppy's active participation while she was effectively suffering the pain of a soulcraft, only made things worse.
The glut of Peritia lying beyond the walls of her soul breached the barriers in a flood, nourishing the sudden exponential expansion of her soul. Distantly, he heard Poppy scream, though whether in pleasure or pain, he couldn’t afford to lose the focus needed to find out, as he guided and fine-tuned the process of evolution with his Vision of the Progenitor.
Through it all, his love and determination anchored a process she now took the reins of. He had considered taking this opportunity to evolve also, however unlike Poppy who had a glut of unspent Peritia, Ori had nowhere near enough Peritia required for his own evolution, and even if he did, his bargain with Freya pretty much locked down his usage of it until she evolved. Breathing easier in this moment of union and flux, Ori reached for a stretch goal he saw no reason not to attempt. Through his dream affinity and their Mana Union, he used using the dregs of his domain to push comprehension of domains, intent and aura, however before he felt Poppy could assimilate any of these aspects she was far less familiar with, Ori's mental focus shattered.
The backlash from his domain collapsing broke his concentration for the rest of the ritual, Mana Union failing as the swirl of Peritia ebbed, but it was done. His head spinning, Ori gently laid down a limp and still glowing Poppy upon the bed while a whirlwind of Peritia settled within her.
Her eyes opened several long minutes after the glow faded, as Ori patiently stroked her straight brown hair. Her eyes seemed to look through him, flickering as if reading something before her, before a slow wondrous smile blossomed on her face, still flushed and damp with sweat. She giggled and then squealed.
“I’m an Arch Elf! A New Moon Arch Elf! Ori, not only that but I’m the matriarch of a new, minor evolutionary branch of Elves as no one of my split heritage has evolved before! Oriiii!” She kissed him in an excited squeal, Ori revelling in her happiness as much as he was relieved at her good health.
“You feel okay? Nothing feels off? Or hurts or needs tweaking? I did something at the end but I think it didn’t completely work.”
“Ori, I feel amazing, look at me. I’m so close to ascending to Immortal rank. I can figure out unifying Intent later but with Aura and Poly Dexterity…” Her eyes went distant again. “Yes, now I only need the Peritia to move to Immortal rank. Ori, do you know what this means? You’ve saved us, with a little more Peritia I’ll be able to stand up to Rufus and…”
Ori shook his head. “I intend to do the same with Harriet, given the rules or conventions she’s under, she’d need to face him eventually, hopefully having her ascend to Immortal rank will give her a better chance during that confrontation.”
Poppy chuckled. “Wow. Oh wow. You plan to do this during Taurna’diem, don’t you? And my goodness, this would have normally been divined; a royal ascension, Harriet could become High Queen and no one would see it coming.” She said in ever-increasing awe, her eyes staring into the distance as she clutched him tighter than she likely realised.
“High Queen?”
“The strongest of the Briar Queens by rank. She’s also the youngest of the queens, so… she’d likely be the youngest High Queen in recorded history. Wow, just, wow.” She continued, her excitement unquenchable. “And all this just because I said I was happy for you to fuck other girls while I kept myself hot and wet and completely untouched for you?" she giggled, only now acknowledging their recent intimacy, her words and her slippery pussy lips sliding upon his hardening length, leaving no doubt about her intentions for the rest of the day.
----------------------------------------
When Ori insisted on being present the next time Harriet saw Poppy, he was somewhat surprised by their reaction. Stepping through the shadows, they arrived to meet Harriet in her office.
"Poppy— oh Ori, what are you..."
"Notice anything different about me?" Poppy prodded.
"I... You're my height now, but you’re not wearing..." Harriet's voice trailed off, her gaze unfocused. Then, she gasped, her eyes widening in dawning realisation as Poppy's grin brightened. They then crashed into each other, hands clasped together, squealing and jumping for joy in a manner Ori found eerily similar to teenage girls back on Earth.
"How!" Harriet exclaimed.
"Ori, of course." Poppy hugged her friend. "It’ll be your turn next."
"What!?" Harriet responded in a daze.
"Well, that was fun to watch," Ori laughed, finding Harriet's disbelieving expression worth the trip.
"Oh, yes. Let me just take him back to the workshops and I’ll tell you EVERYTHING," Poppy gushed. Harriet simply nodded as she watched them travel through the void.
----------------------------------------
With less than three days until the end of his self-imposed deadline, Ori had been working non-stop on enchantments. Between his Mana Nexus, his growing comprehension of affinities, and his desire to safeguard Poppy’s and Harriet's futures, his progress by any normal measures had been rapid. Due to having a mana core, Ori could now learn class specific spells, and with so many to choose from, he found he could choose spells that leveraged his unique balance of talants while taking into account his preferences in how he wanted to craft.
That memory of the elven blacksmith forging a sword mid air, had stuck with him and was likely the main reason he'd had b learnt the following spell.
For Shaping, Ori learnt a generalised transmutation spell called Echo Forging.
> Spell Name: Echo Forging
>
> Type: Active, Transmutation
>
> Characteristic Requirements: Intelligence: ≥50, Perception ≥750, Will: ≥25
>
> Other Requirements: Enchantment-related class, Dream-related affinity, Material-related affinity.
>
> Effects: Enables the user to transmute an imagined, memorised, or dreamt object into reality, contingent upon material costs and channelling skill.
>
> Description: Echo Forging is an active, channelled, transmutation spell that allows the caster to incarnate imagined, memorised, or dreamt objects into physical form. This spell relies heavily on the caster's ability to visualise the object in detail, as well as the availability of necessary materials and sufficient mana. The quality, durability, and functionality of the created object are influenced by the amount of mana used, the duration of the forging process, the clarity and detail of the visualisation, and the size of the object relative to the caster's skill level.
>
> Notes: Upon activation, Echo Forging demands intense concentration and a deep understanding of the materials involved. The spell allows for adjustments during the casting process, where the caster can integrate infusions and enchantments into the object, depending on their skill level. This makes it particularly useful for creating bespoke magical items or reshaping and re-enchanting items that are already soul-bound to a user. The effectiveness of Echo Forging can be enhanced by local environmental conditions that are conducive to the spell's energy requirements. For instance, casting in an area rich in natural mana can reduce the material cost and increase the fidelity of the transmuted object. This spell requires a high level of perception and intelligence, as the caster must not only visualise the object but also comprehend and manipulate the complex arcane mechanisms involved in its creation. Echo Forging is particularly powerful when used in conjunction with abilities that enhance mental clarity and focus, such as Beacon of Wisdom or Lesser Clarity.
Leaning into both his Material and Astral affinities, as well as Vision of the Progenitor, Ori believed he had found a great, all-purpose spell that would enable him to form the initial shape of objects without requiring bulky tools.
Unfortunately, the spell proved to be exceptionally difficult to use. Beyond the high level of concentration required to achieve even basic results, the level of imperfections left behind in the process was unacceptable—at least initially.
A day of using the spell had produced noticeable improvements, though it wasn’t until Poppy entered and noticed his growing level of frustration that he realised just how much he had improved over the day. She reminded him that as a mortal, the Intelligence requirements of the spell alone were pushing well beyond that of most middle-level Awakened.
His original plan to use Echo Forging alone to reshape and re-enchant Seraphine seemed months away, however, and he was forced to simplify his process by breaking the re-enchantment into three steps.
> Spell Name: Lesser Echo Print
>
> Type: Active, Enchanting
>
> Characteristic Requirements: Intelligence: ≥55, Perception: ≥100, Will: ≥100
>
> Other Requirements: Enchantment-related class, Alchemical affinity, Dream-related affinity.
>
> Effects: Enables the user to etch precise inscriptions into materials using a channelled spell, which can integrate alchemical essences and aspected affinities into the inscription for enhanced effects.
>
> Description: Lesser Echo Print is an active, channelled enchanting spell that allows the caster to precisely etch inscriptions into various materials using mana. Directed by a channelled spell glyph, or guided by a memory or vision from a dream, this spell is a mana-intensive and meticulous method that ensures high precision in inscribing magical texts and symbols. The inscriptions can be imbued with alchemical essences during or after the etching process, and aspected affinities can be incorporated to enhance the magical properties of the inscribed item. The depth, clarity, and magical potency of the inscriptions are influenced by the caster's control over the flow of mana and their skill in managing the details of the spell.
>
> Notes: Upon activation, Lesser Echo Print demands the caster's undivided attention and a profound understanding of the interaction between mana, material, and magical essences. The exceptionally high requirements for Perception and Will—set at 100 each—reflect the significant difficulty and skill necessary to successfully use this spell. These high requirements are indicative of the precise control and intense focus needed to manage and direct the spell's complex processes. This spell allows for detailed adjustments during the etching process, where the caster can modify the intensity and pattern of the inscriptions as needed. Lesser Echo Print is particularly valuable for creating high-value enchanted items where precision and specificity of magical effects are crucial. Lesser Echo Print is particularly effective when used in conjunction with cognitive-enhancing abilities like Beacon of Wisdom or Lesser Clarity, which aid in maintaining focus and control during the prolonged and detailed channelling process.
It was a pain needing to master another complex spell, but in contrast to Echo Forging, Ori found that Lesser Echo Print was far easier to use effectively, despite its mental and mana-intensive nature. With a reliable method to consistently inscribe enchantments, Ori then turned his attention to Quickening:
> Spell Name: Lesser Life Spark
>
> Type: Active, Quickening
>
> Characteristic Requirements: Intelligence: ≥20,
>
> Other Requirements: Lightning affinity, Life affinity, Celestial affinity, Light affinity.
>
> Effects: Used in the quickening stage of enchanting to potentially spark wills within enchantments and imbue the quickened artefact with properties beneficial to users with light, life, lightning, or celestial affinities. Can also function as a revival spell in specific circumstances.
>
> Description: Lesser Life Spark is an active spell used during the quickening stage of enchanting. It can ignite wills within enchantments if none exist, thereby imbuing the quickened artefact with dynamic properties that align with light, life, lightning, or celestial affinities. This spell not only enhances the artefact's compatibility and efficacy with users who share these affinities but also introduces potent qualities into the artefact.
>
> Notes: Lesser Life Spark can also function similarly to Lesser Resurrection in specific contexts where an individual's physical form has been restored, and their spirit remains linked to the body. This dual functionality makes Lesser Life Spark a versatile tool in both enchanting and healing disciplines. The effectiveness of the spell can be enhanced in environments that naturally amplify the affinities it utilises, such as areas rich in celestial or life energies. Lesser Life Spark is an indispensable tool for enchanters and healers alike, offering both magical enhancement and life-sustaining possibilities.
For the final stage, Ori chose to learn Lesser Life Spark, primarily because it matched his affinities but also due to its dual-use nature. He envisioned using Death Ward to prevent someone's soul from becoming untethered after a fatal wound, and, after leisurely repairing their body, quickening them with Lesser Life Spark to fully bring them back to life. Beyond this, Ori marvelled at the insights this link between the concepts of life, the spark of life, and the quickening stage of enchantment, provided him. Like those early introductions to enchanting which suggested that its rhythms were in all of creation, the more Ori observed and implemented techniques, the harder he found it to disagree with the premise.
His initial attempts with the spell proved it to be relatively easy to use, requiring a moderate upfront mana cost that he could just about afford, for spell activation.
After reviewing and practising these enchanted spells almost a hundred times each over the next two days, Ori was ready to reshape and re-enchant Seraphine.