Technomagica 46. Pyrophoric (Patreon)

I looked at Kliss, her hand outstretched toward me, her eyes shining with hope and desperation.

I grabbed her hand and pulled her up.

“You’ll do it? You’ll take me to the Church?” She asked.

"Kliss," I began. "I appreciate your offer. I really do. But I can't make this choice on a whim. I don’t trust promises without evidence. I died on Earth when I was sixty. More than once, I have been betrayed and lied to by the leaders of the Empire I lived in.”

“So, you’re… seventy two now,” Kliss murmured as both of us walked to the edge of the cliffside.

“Sort of,” I nodded. “I do have a body of a twelve year old which gives me a bit of a mentality of one and I absorbed some interesting knowledge from the Astral Ocean, which gave me all sorts of interesting perspectives.”

“Like what?” She asked.

“A female seventeen year old Alanial Agromancer,” I listed. “A brutal Alanian Agent who killed numerous Ishira followers while trying to save Skyisle. An old Alanian soldier who fought the Basq.”

“Those are perspectives of the Inians,” Kliss said. “They’re likely skewering your perception of how things truly are.”

“I don’t disagree with that,” I said. “These three people lived more than a thousand years ago and a lot of things have changed since.”

I turned to meet Kliss's gaze. "You see," I began. "As I told you before, I was born in a world without gods or magic. We relied on something called 'science'. It's a system we used to understand the functions of reality based on observation, questioning, and experimentation."

“Science?" She echoed, her expression uncertain.

“The Empire of Equality uses some sciences do they not?” I asked. “You understand cause and effect and design spells with orderly hexagrams and geometry. You are not entirely irrational, even if you rely on magic. You didn’t seem that surprised when I showed you static electricity - lightning without magic.”

“Yes, that’s true,” Kliss admitted, her brows furrowing as she processed the information. “We understand cause and effect.”

“Science is systematic and objective,” I said. “It refuses to accept anything without empirical evidence. In my world, we used science to explain and understand every single phenomena. It's a way to find truth, based on evidence, not belief." I paused, my gaze drifting to the vast expanse of the Valley of Death below. "That's why I'm hesitant to blindly follow Equality or any divinity-offered path that seems too good to be true. It's not about being right or wrong, it's about seeking truth. And that's what I'm trying to do, to seek truth in a world that seems to be wrapped in layers of deception."

“And how will this... science of Earth help you find the truth?" she asked.

"Through deep observation, questioning, testing and collecting data," I explained. "For example, if I told you that the flame of a candle will always burn upwards, how would you know it's true?"

“I would light a candle,” Kliss stated simply with a small shrug.

“Exactly!” I exclaimed. "You'd test it. And if the flame does always burn upwards, then it becomes a fact. That's what science is. It's a way to debunk lies and find facts. But the key is to always stay open-minded and ready to learn.”

Kliss stared at me, her expression unreadable.

“Are you willing to open your mind to the possibility that the world you know might not be as it seems?" I asked. "If you believe in Equality and her perfect Elysium without conflict wholeheartedly, then there’s really no point in arguing with you. If you’re not willing to search for the truth, I'll simply use you as a laborer to dig up more Alanian tools and artifacts and never reveal their real purpose or function to you."

Kliss glanced at Delta sitting against the Alanian hexagonal battery. It was clear to me that she craved more knowledge about the ancient Empire.

“In my opinion, the very act of taking one's soul, whole or piecemeal, via the various Vows, is wrong,” I said. “A ‘good’ deity wouldn't be so transactional. The Gods of Novazem, at least the ones I’ve learned about thus far - Ishira and Equality are far too similar to a parasite species.”

Kliss's brows furrowed at my words. "A parasite? But Equality give us powers, guides and protect us," she said, a touch of defensiveness seeping into her tone. “Equality is more symbiotic! By serving her we get to enter Elysium! The price of a ticket there is working hard and helping people!”

"That's one way to see it," I replied, "but in my perspective, Equality is taking away a very essential piece of you in exchange with an unconfirmed promise of returning it later. Isn't it a bit like a parasite feeding off its host? Is everyone in the Empire of Equality as positively dedicated to helping people as you are? Did Giovashi not completely screw you up with a second Vow?”

Kliss silently contemplated my words, her gaze dropping to the ground. I could see the conflict in her eyes, her deeply rooted beliefs clashing with the new perspective I was offering. It was a lot to take in, and I knew I had to tread carefully, giving her the space to process and question.

"I'm not asking you to immediately abandon your beliefs, Kliss," I said gently. "Just to keep an open mind and question what you've been taught. After all, isn't that the essence of seeking the truth?"

Kliss seemed contemplative. "You're asking me to question everything I've been taught, everything I've known," she said.

"Yes," I replied, gently. "Not to reject it outright, but to question it, to understand why you believe what you believe. That's how we grow, Kliss. That's how we find what is true and what is false! Haven’t your Vows hurt you again and again? They don’t seem that perfect to me if they’re constantly forcing your hand!”

The Overseer of Skyisle opened and closed her mouth.

“I am level fourteen and yet I can make level 21 spells because of science, not because of magic,” I revealed. "Twelve years ago I had no idea what magic even was, had no idea that the Soul-Song even existed!”

"You have to be lying," she said. "Nobody can break through the level cap of Skyisle without knowing arcane secrets and having access to powerful magic. Did you use Alanian artifacts to create spells above your level?"

"No, Kliss," I replied. "I didn't use any artifacts. I use my knowledge of math, science, the laws of physics, chemistry, biology. These principles exist on Novazem world too, they're simply not as well understood by your magitek civilization.”

Kliss squinted at me.

"I'm telling you the truth," I assured her. "I've used science to understand magic, much like you use your knowledge of history and logic to try to be a better Overseer. My understanding and exploitation of reality is based on universal laws that exist everywhere, even in your world. I can do spells above my level because of my knowledge of really advanced math developed in a world without magic, not because of some ancient necromagi secrets I’ve dug out from the Astral.”

"Just... math? That sounds… like impossible nonsense,” she said.

“Would you like to see something impossible then?” I asked.

“Like what?” She asked.

I threw her armacus at her and she cautiously slid it back onto her wrist.

“I can make other tools like your armacus, if you help me out.” I said. “Create power capable of lighting up the world without mana.”

“Power without mana? How can this be?!” She stared at me. “I don’t understand…”

“Just watch,” I said. I dug in my pocket and pulled out a small, semi-porous sodium rock which I had found closer to the Valley of Death and to dig out from the cliffside. The alkali metal, also known as natrium, didn’t not naturally occur and must have been created by the destruction of Tricameron and the catastrophic release of magic which formed rare elements all around the valley. I’ve been digging and collecting them for future use and study in my bag.

I presented the white rock to Kliss. “Here - go ahead and Identify if this has magic or power in it.”

The Overseer took the rock in her left hand and shot an [Identify LV 88] spell at it from her armacus. “It’s a rock. There’s nothing magical or interesting about it.”

“I bet you a thousand gold that this rock will set water on fire,” I said.

“What? That’s ridiculous!” She huffed. “It’s a rock!”

She shot another Identify spell at the sodium to make sure that I wasn’t messing with her and then stared at it holding [Magic-Sight] rune. “I guess… there could be a level 100 no-spy hexagram inside it or something else that I can’t detect…”

“Hexagrams don’t work if they’re disrupted, correct?” I asked.

Kliss nodded.

“So if that rock is crushed into dust, there’s no possible way it can set water on fire, right?” I said. “You up for that bet?”

“Sure,” Kliss turned the rock over in her hand. I noted that she looked like she was just humoring me.

“Crush the rock over that puddle,” I told her. “And let the dust fall into the water.”

She easily crushed the sodium rock with her bare hand, letting the dust rain down over the water.

With a hiss, sodium ignited as soon as it touched the surface of the thin puddle. White smoke bloomed into the air and the water caught fire.

“WHAT IN THE HELLS?!” Kliss jumped backwards, staring at the burning water with eyes as wide as two cups.

Brilliant orange sparks exploded into the air as bits of sodium detonated, setting more water on fire.

“I believe someone owes me a thousand gold,” I said smugly.

“But that’s… that’s impossible!” Kliss cried. She stared at the burning water and then back at me. “How?! HOW?!!”

“It’s called an exothermic reaction,” I commented.

“But… but… there’s no mana in that rock! This stands against everything I’ve learned at the Academy!” She blinked in absolute confusion. “How’s the water on fire? What’s making it burn?! Where's the hexagram?! Did you hide it under that puddle?!”

Kliss shot an Identify spell at the puddle, leaned towards it trying to spot the shimmer of magic. There wasn't any.

“Energy stored within the rock is released upon contact with water. You’re aware how wood burns for a long time if it’s set on fire? It’s kind of similar. A chemical reaction."

The puddle slowly stopped burning.

“But... There's no wood! It’s water!!! Water is cold and wet!” Kliss rubbed her face, looking at the white smoke blooming from the puddle. “This doesn’t make any sense! Am I dreaming? Did I die and wake up in hell where a twelve year old is mentally torturing me?!”

"You can pay off the thousand gold by being in my employ as my second assistant," I smirked.

Kliss pinched herself and yelped as she did. Then she looked back at the smoking puddle and back at me. “So, you really can do impossible things.”

"No. I can do 'possible' things. You just lack the knowledge to correctly categorize and apply them. Anyone can do this! I found that rock here, near the Valley of Death because I knew what to look for. A chemical reaction doesn't require magic or Alanian soul-songs. You were the one to drop the rock into the puddle, not me." I explained. “See? You’ve just discovered a truth that you didn’t know about.”

Kliss fell silent for several minutes, pondering things over.

“What does this mean?” She muttered.

"It means that there is another way, another path to take," I said, spreading my hands wide over the smoke pouring from the water. "I posses vast knowledge from beyond the stars of Novazem. I have an understanding of the inner workings of the universe and its laws. I know mathematics far more advanced than anyone in Skyisle even dares to dream about. I can create magic, design new spells.”

Kliss stared at me, eyes growing wide. She was buying my self-aggrandizing, her world crashing with my revelations.

“I can figure out how to save Skyisle from Giovashi simply by virtue of having a different perspective from everyone here! The Arch-Priestess is a very clever, dangerous enemy and she might already have a plan in case you summon an Imperial Inquisitor here. But, she definitely doesn’t know about science, won’t know what to expect if we don’t use magic!”

"But I... I don't know anything about this... this science either," Kliss admitted, glancing at the smoking water. "I wouldn't even know where to start."

I smiled at her "That's the beauty of learning, Kliss. You don't need to know everything from the start. You just have to be curious and willing to learn, to explore, to question. And from what I've seen, you have that in abundance!"

Kliss nodded slowly. "Alright, Slava," she said. "I'm willing to learn. Show me how to see the world in a new way."

I nodded, my smile growing wider. Both of us fell silent for a few minutes, staring at the view of the Valley of Death. A river skirted the distant, warped hills, running along black sand. Rays of sunlight cut through the clouds, dancing along the rushing water.

“I know that the Vows are imperfect because the people making them are imperfect," she suddenly confessed. “I know that what the Empire is doing in Skyisle isn’t optimal. It's likely that the Inquisitor might refuse to relocate Skyisle because the lives of the locals aren’t that important to him. Plus, the Vows can be misused, as Giovashi has clearly shown me.”

She made another deep pause.

“You just showed me something impossible. You just gave me a tiny mote light in the darkness, a hope that you can really offer something completely new. I’m going to cautiously follow it... I'm going to figure out exactly what you are. I don’t understand you fully yet… but if what you said is really true, if you have secret knowledge from beyond the stars, then maybe… you’re really the only person in this world that can make a difference.”

“I don’t know if I can make a difference,” I said. “But the least I can do is try.”