Spellheart 10: Chapter 28 (Patreon)

Assyrus’ breakthrough to the Demigod realm was just as dramatic as Nela’s. Thankfully, our additional preparations ensured that, this time, she went through it undetected. Her aspect and concept helped, since hers was largely about skill. Once she had the concept in hand, stopping its effects was easy.

Assyrus had always been the most innately gifted of my women, except perhaps Tivana. Though, unlike Tivana, Assyrus didn’t have an entire nation supporting her advancement. She had trained quietly in her tribe in the wilderness, always destined to rise to chieftain of the Waterbeetle Tribe.

As a result, she’d spent much of her days practicing simple weapons techniques and had grown quite skilled with them. Skilled enough that she could fight Yorik to a standstill with melee weapons, despite not being a body cultivator.

And like Yorik, she truly loved fighting. Though to Assyrus, it was less the rush of battle and bloodlust and more the act of testing her skills and pushing them to greater heights. To learn where her limits lay and the breaking past them repeatedly.

The battlefield was all well and good, but the sparring arena or the training ground worked just as well for her. Anywhere she could put what she’d practiced to the test was where she wanted to be.

I supposed it was only natural that she would unlock a related concept. It took time to put a name to it, but eventually, I called it the Champion concept. And thanks to our connection, I shared that moment with her. I experimented a bit with it and found it worked well with the idea of Duty from Nela.

Nela had been experimenting with her own nascent Demigod capabilities as well. She found that using them granted her a substantial passive buff when taking actions in alignment with her responsibilities. It wasn’t as fight-changing as Tivana’s Impossible concept or my Identity concept, but it was far longer lasting.

Assyrus’ concept was similar in that it also provided a passive buff. When active, Spell Eater felt light in my hands. My fingers were more nimble, and I was keenly aware of an opponent's weapon no matter how they tried to conceal it. Between the two of them, I’d judge my fighting prowess as roughly forty percent greater than before in a stand-up fight.

At the Demigod level, every step forward came with a mountain of work behind it, so a boost like this was one that had my allies from the Primordial World salivating with envy. They might work for a century to master a spell that would give them a mere five percent boost. In contrast, I’d gained eight times that in less than a week.

But it still wouldn’t be enough to take on one Immortal Ascendant directly. Let alone two. Their overwhelming spells meant neither of them would fight me in a stand-up fight. Still, the boost would help me stay alive a lot longer in a fight against them, so the new concepts definitely wouldn’t go to waste.

Besides, I wasn’t nearly out of matriarchs. If I kept getting power-ups each time one of them ascended to Demigod, perhaps I could defeat a pair of Immortal Ascendants, no matter how they fought. While leaping that tremendous gulph would be harder than any before it, as a Late Sorcerer, I had been fully capable of slaying weak Demigods. The same would be true for Immortal Ascendants if only I had the time to prepare.

After a bit of aftercare for Assyrus and training with Nela, I sent most of my matriarchs into the Cultivation Chamber, where the time-accelerated state would hasten their own eventual breakthroughs to Demigod. I would make my usual rounds around the Hearthwood, then experiment a bit more with the locket and the digital pocket watch in preparation for our next big fight when Elara stumbled across me.

“Elara, funny meeting you here. Out for a stroll as well?” I said amicably. I hadn’t had nearly enough time for this latest companion of mine since returning to the Hearthwood. I felt a bit bad about that since she was giving my city her all to defend it. I’d even seen her teaching many of our people in open-air lectures. When she started talking about zeal, even powerful Sorcerers like the leader of the Golden Sword Sect sat on the muddy ground, listening like a fresh-eyed student.

“I wish I could say it was a coincidence.” Elara shrugged her shoulders shyly, looking nothing like the powerful Late Demigod I knew she was. Perhaps time in the Primordial World had humbled her, but she seemed not to have the lofty confidence other Demigods had. Unlike other Demigods, she also had no followers to speak of. She’d arrived with me alone in the Hearthwood. Despite constant activity from the Teleportation Array, nobody had arrived carrying her banner. That was a far cry from my other Demigod allies, who now had hundreds of Sorcerers and thousands of wizards in the city.

“But?” I asked, curious at Elara’s presence.

“I asked your friend Sam to peer into my future and find a good time to bump into you. One where you could talk comfortably. I know you’ve been terribly busy lately, and how passionate you are about dual cultivation.” I saw a faint crimson hue flush across Elara’s face.

I shook my head. “For you, Elara, I’d make time. But as you said, now is a good time to walk and talk, so why don’t we?”

I held out my hand, and Elara happily wrapped her arm around it. Linked like lovers, we strode through the Hearthwood.

“I should have guessed the Patriarch would nab another one,” I heard someone mutter as we walked by.

“Well, this is just great. It seems the standard has been raised again. Now, you need to be a Demigod to slip into the Patriarch’s harem. I knew I should have clawed my way in when he was only a True Mage. I knew the heavens could be cruel, but must they rub my mistakes in day after day like this?” another elf moaned as she cradled her head in her hands.

I tuned them out to better focus on Elara.

“I wish we could do more with this time we had. You are not that different from how I remember,” Elara said.

“You talk as though we’re on a time limit,” I chuckled. “Tell you what. We’ll sit down and exchange notes when we’ve finally driven off the Cult of the Unblinking Eye for good. Then we’ll figure out if I’m really your long-lost husband or not. If I am... well...”

Elara shook her head. “Don’t trouble yourself on my account. I know you are him with all my heart. Soon enough, you’ll know as well.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked suspiciously. Elara was suddenly acting suspiciously cryptic.

“My time here is nearly up, which means you will meet me for the first time sooner or later.” Elara cast me a sad smile. “Please be patient with her. It took me many years to free myself of the perspective the Elven Star Dominion imprinted on its people. When you meet me, I probably will not be particularly cooperative. But feel free to use whatever means necessary to bring me under your wing.”

“Elara, you can speak straight with me,” I said, not liking the way Elara spoke, as though preparing for death.

She took a breath. “Alright then. If you insist on me speaking plainly, then please remember to tie me up nice and tight the first time we meet. It was very hot. Especially when you smacked me on the ass. That was wonderful. I might have moaned and complained then, but I’m giving you permission now. It’s perhaps my fondest memory of--“

“Woah, woah...” I held up my hand. When I’d asked her to speak candidly to me, I hadn’t expected her to speak this candidly.

The flush on Elara’s cheek had turned redder as she spoke, and she fanned her face with her hand as if to cool it. I felt her pressing up against my side, two perky nipples pressing against my chest. “Sorry, sorry. I was lost in the memories for a moment. But do your worst to me! I’ll be a naughty, evil genius whose help you desperately need. I insist you torment my past self until she breaks and bends to your will! Punish me thoroughly for the crimes she’ll one day commit! After all, she’ll need memories that’ll last her a thousand years of loneliness.”

“Uh... right... okay.” I scratched the back of my neck awkwardly.

“Oh no. You think I’m weird now.” Elara took a step back, covering her mouth in horror. “I thought you were into that sort of thing, though? That’s what I remember, at least. And you’ve got that whole sex dungeon thing. Apparently, it isn’t even your first sex dungeon. You build a new one wherever you go.”

I reached out with my hand to pull Elara back by my side. “Nothing like that. I’m just... caught off guard, is all. None of my other companions were nearly as bold as you when getting started. I’m usually the one guiding sweet, innocent maidens into my dungeon of debauchery.” With a few notable exceptions, of course.

“Oh. Oh...” Elara’s embarrassed flush turned back into a smile. “Well, don’t worry. You’ll get that chance with me as well.”

I tried to pry a little more, but despite my best efforts, Elara remained cryptic. In the end, I took it as an odd way of reminding me that she was interested and that I shouldn’t forget about her while keeping busy with my matriarchs.

I would make time for her eventually. Right now the priority was making more Demigods and getting more glimpses of their concepts. That would get us out of our current predicament. Well, that and talking with a certain fairy.

***

“So, fairy whose name is not Bob, I’ve found a few items for you to find here on this little locket if you’d care to nab more for me.” I waved the locket the Fairy of the Immortal Glade stole for me days ago.

“Cupcake! Cupcake! It’s a cupcake day today,” the Fairy of the Immortal Glade said.

I nodded. “Ask, and you shall receive. The finest chefs in the Hearthwood are hard at work making the tastiest cupcakes a fairy could ask for. Just wait and see.”

“Yay! Alright, Pastry man of the Hearthwood. I will grab you your shiny things.” The fairy jumped down from her tree branch and landed on the ground as gently as a falling leaf. She seemed to drift downward slower than possible, given that she was roughly the size and shape of an adult woman, albeit one on the smaller side.

“Good. Get it for me, and you’ll have as many cupcakes as you want.” This item, in particular, was of great interest to me. I wasn’t sure of the details, but I was pretty sure I’d seen Louis wearing it near constantly. Seeing how powerful a watch that could reverse time was, if Louis favored another item even more, it was bound to be even more incredible.

I’d caught a glimpse within a chest by Louis’ bedside table. The chest was enchanted to block out all types of magical detection, but the new locket I’d obtained was another matter. It pierced the magical defenses like they weren’t even there.

It was an earpiece, simple and old-fashioned by the world’s standards when I left Earth. It couldn’t have been something Louis brought here, which meant it had to be an artifact given to one of the humans who arrived here to compete in this little deadly game we had all involuntarily signed up for.

I’d seen Louis wearing it throughout the entire Demigod party. I thought he’d been communicating with someone, but maybe he used the item for something else instead. The real question was, what made this earpiece so important to him?

I’d like to think I waited patiently for the Fairy of the Immortal Glade to return, but that couldn’t have been further from the truth. I fidgeted, jumped to the top of the walls for a surprise inspection, paced in a circle, and generally was far more nosy than usual.

Eventually, I channeled my will into something productive. Despite first appearances, it was clear that my secret fairy thief was skilled at what she did and knew how to wait for the perfect opportunity.

I checked in with the locket now and again to find the chest still sitting locked, though the fairy had assured me that a locked box only made swiping things easier for her. Something about reaching back in time and grabbing the item before the box was sealed. I couldn’t tell if it was some profound Immortal Ascendant power or incomprehensible fairy gibberish. In her case, the two blended into one and the same.

The trick with stealing this particular item was that Louis took the earpiece with him whenever he left the tent. It was only in the box when he was using his bed. Normally, we’d simply wait for him to sleep, but Louis was a Demigod with little need for sleep like me. Especially when on a campaign like this. The bed had nothing to do with sleep.

Apparently, Louis and I had disturbingly similar tastes. His desires were darker shade of gray though, while I favored a more playful, whimsical style. The heavy bedposts were made of firm enough metal to restrain all but the most powerful of elves.

Louis, like me, was busy practicing dual cultivation for one last power-up before our next battle. His dual cultivation technique was considerably more harmful to his partner instead of cooperative like my technique was. As a result, he was rapidly accumulating a pile of former Sorcerers, Wizards, and True Mages drained down to their last drop of power and reduced to nothing more than Mage Acolytes trying to build up their first layer of power on the way to True Mage.

I avoided watching events too closely through the locket and kept my eyes on the prize. Eventually, the fairy made her move. A powerful Mind Mage like him might be able to sense someone watching him, even through an artifact. While Louis was thoroughly distracted, I heard the faintest click of a lock. It happened so fast I could hardly sense it, even though I knew it was coming.

The lid didn’t even open after the click, but my instincts told me something had happened. Well, my instincts and the thousand alarms that went off.

Louis whirled around, tearing himself free of the elf he was partway through draining. His eyes immediately landed on the box, lids widening in panic. He jumped for it and tore the lid open. Whatever mechanism locked the device had failed, thanks to the Fairy of the Immortal Glade’s powers.

“No!” he screamed, falling to his knees. His hands went to his temples as he stared at the empty box in horror. He looked left and right, then under the bedside table. But the earpiece was gone.

He grabbed either side of the box and tore it in half. “Useless trash! Thief! There’s a thief about! What are you all lying there for? Search!” He yelled at the pile of elven flesh he’d heaped beside his bed. Half of them were unconscious.

Bodies used to a higher power level felt heavy and useless when drained. To them, the loss of power likely felt like the difference from being an Olympic athlete to someone bed-bound and horribly ill. They could still move, but just climbing to their feet would take more work than running a marathon would have before. Still, their fear of Louis forced them up and about anyway.

“Where are you, thief?” he demanded to the rapidly emptying tent. The search spread wider, but I knew it was already too late, for the thief was already at my side.

“Got your thingamabob, pastry man of the Hearthwood!” she said, proudly presenting the earpiece to me.