That's me. A vampire.
I have mixed feelings about this. Guess that’s why I still haven’t taken that first bite. Outside of my dreams, that is.
But I’m sooooo hungry!
Penny is sitting with me at a library table. I watch as she takes out a piece of chalk and draws a short line on the table halfway between us. She picks up a short, slender, pointed stick by the silver-metal grip on one end. It reminds me of a conductor's baton. It’s a magical device which helps with the precise manipulation of Mana energy. Okay, I'll just go ahead and call it a wand.
I can feel her Mana flowing into the wand as she slowly traces over the chalk line on the table top. As she does so, she leaves a glowing yellow line floating above it. She stops investing her Mana and the line slowly fades away.
I reach out and pick up my own wand - one that Penny has gifted me. I hold the tip above one end of the chalk line and concentrate on manipulating my Mana. I begin to feel it flowing into the wand. Slowly, I redraw the line in the air.
The line I draw looks splotchy, varying greatly in thickness. It splutters and flickers like a broken neon sign. Yet I am filled with happiness. It is the best I’ve ever done. I let a smile show on my face. Penny smiles back.
Magic is weird. My opinion but now you know. There are Sigils and Spells and something I’m gonna call Skills. Before even any of that there is Manipulation.
Manipulation is the ability to move energy around. Pure and simple. There’s Mana energy, which is in matter: Saki can Manipulate that. There’s Spirit energy, which is in living things: Nix can Manipulate that without even thinkin’ ‘bout it. There’s Primal energy, which is fundamental to the Universe (whatever that means). There’s also Demonic energy but there ain’t no Demons around here at the moment and nobody else seems to understand it.
If you can’t Manipulate energy directly, then you have to use Spells or Sigils. Spells are a way to harness your own energy to make a framework which Manipulates Energy for you.
If you use certain types of Spells enough, they can turn into Skills. That’s kind of a shortcut internalization of the Spell frameworks. I’m given to understand that Sigils are a physical manifestation of a set of Skills. Apparently they are found in Dungeons and they’re all the rage with those people who want to get magic fast.
Like the Heroes and Saints we came here with. ‘Though I’m not gonna blame them. That’s on their handlers. My former classmates don’t know no better because the options weren’t explained to them.
Bet you didn’t expect such a teck-nick-ul lek-shur from Kari, did you? Hah! Go suck it! I’m multi-talented.
So anyway, I was talking about my book. The one I got from the dragon. I been working on some spells for scanning the environment and finding stuff. Much to my surprise, when I did a scan, I turned up a treasure in my own room. Right on my desk!
My book. I suppose it popped up on scan because I can read it now. Guess Saki was correct about there bein’ some kind of weird book magic involved. Where before was just nonsense, now there are words I can read.
And it’s about Primal Magic: specifically time and space magic. Woohoo! Bottomless bag here I come!
Addie is scary. Has anyone mentioned that?
Addie is also the boss. She gives us something to do and expects it to be done. No excuses.
So. Much as I would prefer to be lounging around in my room meditating on Trials and the kisses that sometimes come with them (fanged and otherwise), I am here in the library with Jane. We’re reading a book about Dungeons and Hexes.
This is an important topic because, near as I can tell, the whole economy of this world is based on them. They literally produce all of the resources that are consumed.
Dungeons seem similar to what I heard about back home. Basic fantasy gaming. They are underground labyrinths which generate monsters and treasures. A risk and reward structure. They have levels. Some Dungeons are deeper than others. Over time, they can change their structure, grow larger or smaller, change the mix of monsters or treasures, etc. Dungeons are scattered throughout Emulgren. Each one has only one entrance.
Dungeons produce Mana Energy in large quantities. Some Dungeons specialize in a certain type of Energy while others produce an even distribution. Monsters killed in a Dungeon disappear instantly, leaving behind a Mana Stone. Which is concentrated Mana Energy in hoardable form.
Dungeon explorers (called Divers), find artifacts of various kinds in them. That’s where Sigils come from, for example. Precious metals, gems, and ores can also be found there. Things killed in or taken from a Dungeon regenerate over time. Usually within days or even hours.
Hexes are a different story. The entire surface of Emulgren is divided into equal-sized regular Hexes with sides of about fifteen kilometers. If you could fly up high enough, the surface of this world would look like a board wargame. Sounds crazy, huh?
Each Hex is its own biome. Deserts sit next to arctic tundra. Forests next to plains. And etc. Different Hexes have different flora and fauna. Unlike Dungeons, the flora and fauna of Hexes can be harvested. That’s where our food comes from.
Hexes regenerate their flora, fauna, and etc. on a regular schedule. Anywhere between three and sixty-two days. They also contain insane amounts of Spirit Energy.
These things seem perfectly designed for someone like Kari, who likes to collect things. And maybe Rio, who likes to find ways to game a system. Personally I want to find me a nice Hex which generates steak, potatoes, and deep-fried catfish. Then I’ll build a house there for me and my future harem.
Maybe Saki can find a Hex which specializes in tater tots?
"Rio, why did you seduce me?" Asks Jane.
"I didn't seduce you, you seduced me. And all I've done is kiss you. I don't think that counts as seduction."
"But still, why are we here? In this closet, exchanging kisses?"
I do not know how to answer that question. She is the one who dragged me in here. So I ask a different one, "Do you believe in love, Jane?"
"Nnnoooo..." long and drawn out. "Not anymore. When I first got married, I did. But when he left me, I didn't see the point anymore."
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
"I don’t believe in love, either. But I do believe that two people can bring each other some happiness. I’m not afraid to admit that I adore women. I like the way they look. I like to see them smile. In fact, I like all of their expressions. I like the way they taste and I like the scent of their hair. I like the softness of their skin and the little noises they make when I kiss them. I especially love to kiss a woman when I know it will make her feel good. That's why I’m in this closet with you. I expect nothing less and will accept nothing more. I hope I haven’t misled you."
"No, you haven't. I think our goals are the same." She giggles, "Just how far will you go to please me my Lord?"
"As far as I can," I say. "But you should know I’ve taken a vow never to bring a child into this or any other world. I will not have someone else suffer pain like I have."
She smiles. "On that we have an accord then. Now, enough talk. It seems we have mutual desires which can only be fulfilled through consensual action."
The girl says not a word. As surprising as the situation is, she says nothing. She stands on a platform, suspended over a lake of fire. In her hand is a … wand? Gods she hates that name …. and before her is a clear glass plate.
“State your name,” commands a voice, deep and powerful, echoing throughout the immense cavern.
Still she does not speak, but her hands move in a complicated pattern for a moment. It isn’t that she chooses not to speak, it is that she cannot.
“Write your name,” commands the voice, now.
The girl raises the wand and writes on the glass plate, Sakura Tsubaki. First in English. Then in Japanese. Then in German, in Turkish, in Russian, in Mandarin, in Sanskrit, in Greek…
“Enough!”
The girl Sakura, called Saki by her friends, stops, lowering the wand.
“Attend my words! You will undergo a trial. A trial of endurance, intelligence, control, and will. Are you ready?”
Saki asks no questions. Merely nodding her head in assent. She is clearly not someone to back down from a challenge.
A two dimensional shape appears in the air before her. “Copy this shape on the tablet. You must be precise. Make no errors.”
Saki looks at the example closely and then begins to draw. She has hardly begun when the floor beneath her suddenly drops away, hurling her down into a sea of magma. She cries out with a soundless scream as her hair and clothes start to burn, then the flesh melts from her bones as she hits the molten rock below.
An instant later, the platform and girl reappear. She drops to her knees, writhing in pain but stops when she realizes she’s back where she was.
Tears are flowing from her eyes. She finds it hard to get back to her feet.
A two dimensional shape appears in the air before her. “Copy this shape on the tablet. You must be precise. Make no errors.”
She stoops down and picks up the wand.
###
She breathes a sigh of relief as she finishes the latest figure without making a mistake. This one took her almost ten tries. She has already completed seven such figures, increasing in difficulty each time. She has lost track of how many times she has been dumped from the platform to meet a painful death.
Or so she deems it. There is no way she could have lived through any of those experiences. With each new figure, the scene below changes. Lava, a freezing cold ocean, a field of stone with spikes. Never the same one twice. The creator of the trial seems to have a boundless imagination.
In front of her, the glass tablet disappears and she feels a surge of hope.
Quickly dashed. It is replaced with a kind of glass cube.
“You will now proceed to three dimensional shapes. You have five minutes to practice.”
True to its word, the voice calls out after five minutes and assigns her a simple shape. This time, three-dimensional.
Turns out 3D is a lot harder. She no longer even tries to track the number of times she dies. She learns to deal with the shakes and the creeping terror. Death hurts each time. There is no getting used to it.
By the end, she’s lost all track of time. She might have been there for hours, days, even years. It doesn’t matter. There is only the task. Only doing your absolute best. Only the will to press on no matter what.
She completes one last figure. A complicated dodecahedron with an intricate pattern and text in an unknown language. As the final stroke connects to the construct, the world around her dissolves in a shower of light.
Magic. It comes in many types and forms. On this day, at this time, it takes the form of a spoken chant and a magic crystal. The spoken chant was taught to me by a woman who can’t speak. The crystal was stolen
But that doesn’t matter. I say the words, make the gestures and achieve my goal. Magic. The Magic of my Blessing. Now displayed before my eyes in the shimmering depths of a crystal.
It has changed. This doesn’t surprise me. Previously, this is what it said:
Ilarion Partidon
Acolyte of Azazel, Lord of Chaos
Curse: [Unbreakable]
Very little information. It was just enough to convince the authorities here that I am of no interest to them in their schemes. Now it reads:
Ilarion Partidon
Acolyte of The Fates (Ljouyhfoiwe, Vnueiweh, and Emily)
Curse [Unbreakable]: Chains of Anima
Magic Energy Types: Primal, Spirit
Affinities:
Oracle {Fate, Holistic}, Gravity, Body Enhancement (Constitution)
Skill Sets:
Mnemonist (Legacy), Cold Heart (Curse Sacrifice), Lover (Curse Boon)
Roles:
Clairvoyant (Acolyte Boon), Mage [Unknown type] (Summon Boon)
A LOT more information now. And of a scope that raises questions about how the Blessing works and where it gets its information. However, I think I can parse most of it.
Mnemonist is a reflection of my life on Earth. Thus the Legacy designation. It was one of my defining characteristics and apparently carried over to this world.
Acolyte of the Fates explains the content of my Trials. Clearly I am being trained for the Clairvoyant role. The Gods, if such they really are, taking a direct interest in the lives of the people they claim.
A mysterious title for my Curse, along with two Skill Sets. Sounds like Nix was right when he guessed that our Curses take something away - the sacrifice - and give us something in return - the boon. Plus boons for being an Acolyte and for being Summoned.
Overall, the Blessing seems to give a summary of what we’ve already learned about ourselves, plus information about our standing in relation to the Gods and a few hints about things to come.
And definite confirmation of my theory that the Trials are some form of training for us. None of the other Summoned have experienced Trials. Only us Accursed. Makes me wonder why we’ve been singled out.
I need to talk to Addie about this. Have Saki record the Blessing for each of us. Maybe even run a new Blessing for a sample of the other Summoned for comparison. Knowledge is power.
The spell trees are finally complete! Saki and I have a cup of tea to celebrate. Now we have a mechanism for fleshing out our knowledge about each of our magical abilities. The spell trees go way beyond the affinity testing we had done previously. Now we can tell what types of spells each person can cast within each of their affinities.
And that’s not all they do. We expanded them to have a description for every spell that is documented in my library. Plus their place in a hierarchy that doubles as a road map for learning. We’re really quite proud of ourselves.
We need to talk to Addie about this. Let her know what we’ve accomplished and let her decide how best to use it. Funny how I’ve started thinking about her as my leader now too.
We go to the main dining hall for lunch. My goal is to practice Mesmerize, a Mind magic skill. I’ll practice on the people around us. Kari and Rio are here to observe and test. Mostly I'm working on getting people to forget they saw me.
I approach people I know. Talk with them briefly, Mesmerize them to forget and then leave. Kari or Rio then act like they are looking for me and ask if they've seen me. We do this about ten times as different groups filter in and out of the dining hall.
At first, things are a little rough. They give a puzzled look before finally admitting they haven't seen me. By the end of our training session there’s no hesitation. I'm getting smooooooth!