Chapter 215 – Floor 35: Part 2
The city of Kelestria was nestled in the middle of a sunny valley beside a calm river, where white and fluffy clouds drifted lazily across a blue sky. Its streets shimmered with a dazzling, rainbow coloured glow, the stones were imbued with a radiance that seemed to dance beneath the feet of its inhabitants.
The city’s architecture was a artistic blend of impossibly tall spires, curved structures that bent at angle that defied gravity and vibrant colours that would never exist in nature. Each building had a whimsical nature to them, as if they were unique expressions of the builders desires.
If an outsider were to visit, which they never did, they would describe Kelestria as a breath-takingly beautify city unlike any others in the world. The air thrummed with magic; the enchantments here had been built layer by layer for centuries.
The Kelestrians themselves were as stunning as their city. Their features were flawless, their hair used magic to achieve a wide variety of styles and colours. It was common to see platinum blond, vivid red or pink, even blue heads of hair walking through the streets.
The Kelestrians drifted through the city with an air of effortless grace, their movements slow and unhurried. It was as if time itself had surrendered to their charm and whims. With skin like polished marble, they wore clothing of the finest materials that clung to their frames with unmatched elegance.
Life in Kelestria was leisurely, filled with laughter and music. Their days were spent studying or singing, and drinking and dancing were common in the streets. There was never a hurry to accomplish a task, never a rush to be somewhere at a certain time of day.
They lived in a world were ambition was secondary to personal enjoyment, where magic could provide them a lifestyle without a care I the world. Their greatest aspiration was to experience the beauty of the moment rather than the demands of the future.
Kelestria and its people were extraordinary, and very few recalled that their lives of ease had been built upon the backs of others until their magic and accomplishments removed the need for them. The Harboured had been an unsightly blemish on their city and their lives, a stain on the beautiful tapestry that their civilization had become.
So, they tossed the Harboured aside as soon as they were able, removing them from their lives. They shoved them to the corner of their world to live in squalor and desolation, blocking the roads and preventing them from ever returning, and promptly cast thoughts of the Harboured from their minds and memories.
It was through this paradise, on a spring day that was warm, bright and full of life, a young woman quickly walked through the streets towards the center of the city. Her actions drew attention, so few people in Kelestria rushed anywhere.
It was clear that this young woman was in a hurry to reach the Lumina Arcanum that hovered above the city, connected to the ground by a teleportation circle in the center of the city.
The Lumina Arcanum was the center of magical learning for Kelestria, a place where their greatest minds gathered to discuss magic, philosophy, politics and knowledge. It was a university, a library, a workshop, and a city hall, all wrapped together.
The structure was suspended high above the city streets, a magnificent structure that embodied the city’s commitment to knowledge and the preservation of magic. The Lumina Arcanum drifted gently on currents of shimmering air, its presence an awe-inspiring sight against the backdrop of blue skies.
Crafted with a mind toward elegance rather than functionality, it featured sweeping arches and delicate spires that made it look as if it were constructed of spun glass. When the light hit it, the entire structure glowed with a golden light that radiated across the sky.
The young woman was breathing heavily when she arrived at the teleportation circle, named the Nexus Gate. She, like most Kelestrians, were unused to intense physical activity and she let out a breath of relief when she saw the pillars of glass that surrounded the square where the magical artifact was located.
The magical teleportation circle was an intricate design etched into the stone on a large square, where anyone could freely travel to the structure above. Its circular shape was about ten feet in diameter, adorned with thousands of runes and sigils that glowed softly.
At the center was a radiant gemstone, a sapphire of considerable worth that acted as the focal point of the magical construct. It was a testament to how important the Kelestrians considered this place that such an item was left unguarded.
No one in Kelestria would think of stealing or damaging it.
This young woman was Lirael, and she had been summoned to the Lumina Arcanum in response to a Research Thesis Paper.
Lirael was a striking figure with an elegant, willowy frame that exuded grace and beauty. Her long, silver hair cascaded down her back in soft, flowing waves. It caught the light in such a way that it made her practically glow in the sun.
The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Her skin was flawless and smooth, giving her an otherworldly appearance, with violet eyes that were large and expressive. Even out of breath and nervous, she was amongst the most beautiful women in Kelestria.
She anxiously ran her hands along the sides of her white robes as she waited for the Nexus Gate to activate. She didn’t understand why she had been suddenly called to the Lumina Arcanum in the middle of the day.
Everything had been going so well for her!
As a junior researcher, she had worked under the most intelligent inventors and enchanters in Kelestria. It was going so well because she had just submitted her thesis paper to her committee chair yesterday!
She had so much faith that she would be promoted to a full Researcher based on her findings that she couldn’t understand why her seniors wanted her to come to the Lumina Arcanum to discuss it in person. It’s not like she had done anything truly groundbreaking; she had taken their advice and stuck to a more safe topic of research.
‘Resonance and Enchantment: Exploring the Effects of Magical Harmonics on Kelestrian Spellcraft.’
It was a simple research project, only requiring her to take harmonic samples from around the city and several locations around it and measure them against past recordings. Her findings didn’t even require much interpretation; there was a significant increase in Harmonic Resonance compared to a decade ago.
She had triple checked her findings! Why would the Committee Chairs want to discuss it with her?
Lirael tried to calm herself by taking deep breaths, but there was a panic inside her that wouldn’t settle. Would she have to redo her Thesis? A year’s worth of work undone? How would she explain it to her parents or her peers?
She had thought that she had played it safe by choosing an easy topic. Several of her colleagues were looking to create new spells or enchantments, but Lirael felt the risk of failure was too great.
Her thoughts were spinning in circles, and Lirael disappeared in a flash of light as the enchanted Nexus Gate brought her to the Lumina Arcanum. She ignored her peers and the beautiful sights from above as she rushed to the room assigned by the Committee for their discussion.
She slowed down just as she came to the heavy, wooden door. Taking a last, calming breath, she tried to appear composed as she opened it and stepped inside.
There were so many more people present than she had been expecting, and she brought up solid only a few feet from the door. There were dozens of professors and senior researchers, committee chairs and prominent members of the Arcanum who cut off their conversations and turned to look at her.
Lirael let out a startled gasp and she almost took a step backwards out the door, thinking she had entered the wrong room, when her mentor and advisor stepped forward with a strained smile.
Dominic Alvarado was the chair of the Enchantment Research Committee and a friend of Lirael’s parents. It had been he who had gotten her the position in the Arcanum and had guided her in her career. An older man of nearly a hundred and eighty, he was beginning to show his age. His hair was turning white around the tips, and his tall figure showed a slight pudginess of inactivity.
He shuffled forward and patted her on her shoulder.
“Ah, Lirael, my dear. Don’t be alarmed; our colleagues have all been eager to see you and discuss your findings.” Dominic said, trying to calm her like one would a frightened child. He led her toward a chair while the others took their places.
It was a classroom, with Lirael occupying the center seat, and everyone else had chairs and tables in a ring around her. If the atmosphere wasn’t so tense and gloomy, she would have laughed at the thought of her acting like a professor and the Arcanum’s elite being her students.
After guiding her to her chair, Dominic stood next to her and nodded to his colleagues before speaking once again.
“Now, we have all read Lirael’s research and her unique findings. I believe that it would be appropriate for her to give a brief overview before we ask any questions.” Dominic said, holding up his hands to forestall some of his more eager peers from talking.
“Lirael, I’m sure you are confused by all of us taking an interest in your work. But please, this is serious. Would you discuss your Thesis and your research methodology?” Dominic said, stepping back from her side to give her space to talk.
“Um… yes, sir. My Thesis is based on Arava Kedleston’s theory of Harmonic Resonance in Enchantments. She theorized that, by studying the Harmonic Resonances emitted by enchantments, it was possible to identify them without observing the spellcraft involved.” Lirael stammered out; her eyes kept darting from Dominic to the assembled crowd and back again as she got through her explanation.
“Yes, and to prove this theory, Arava conducted extensive tests through Kelestria. You followed in her example?” Dominic asked, and Lirael nodded.
“Yes. Her theory was sound, even a century later. I used her findings as a baseline, along with samples taken throughout the city. By assessing their harmonics, I found that you can indeed estimate their function, along with age and the enchanter who created them.” Lirael said, a hint of pride in her voice.
But the assembled crowd didn’t seem impressed with her findings. It seemed like they were waiting for her to make a different point and were frustrated that she hadn’t reached it yet.
Clearing his throat, Dominic replied.
“There was an interesting fact in your research that we would like you to expand upon. While you were conducting your tests, you found something odd in the enchantments?” Dominic inquired, and it seemed to Lirael that the crowd held their breath in anticipation.
“Yes? I suppose? There was a change in the enchantments, an increase from their Resonance that began a decade ago. It was reflected in their Harmonics.” Lirael explained, confused as to why that mattered. It was only a small part of her paper, and she provided a theory.
“I thought there was some change in their structure, perhaps a new organization of sigils and runes that caused the shift.” Lirael said, looking to Dominic for the answer. His face was grave as he shook his head.
“Thank you, Lirael. Ladies and gentlemen, you have all seen the proof with your own eyes. She is blameless in this matter. I have recreated her experiments myself, and they are conclusive.” Dominic declared, and there was a stir amongst those assembled.
Lirael’s confusion was obvious, but Dominic ignored it as he continued.
“The results are clear. The Harmonic Resonance match the historical records perfectly. There is no doubt the Harboured have grown in strength enough that their magic is reacting to ours. We must send an expedition to the wasteland and put a stop to-”
Dominic was interrupted by screams and shouts, followed by a warning siren from the city’s defences. Before anyone could see what happened, the sun disappeared from the sky, and night descended.