Technomagica 69. Elders (Patreon)

“I wish to make an [Unbreakable Vow] to [Goddess Equality] to serve Ignatius Oavion Cessna and to obey his orders for as long as he remains the Overseer of Skyisle. I will sacrifice my [Sadness] to this goal,” I finished the binding phrase.

“An interesting choice of a sacrifice,” Ignatius nodded.

My three Infoscopes saw brilliant, gold threads emerging from elsewhere. The divine threads crossed the threshold of my Ward-barrier, activating Battie as they reached out towards my soul.

My mind accelerated.

Ignatius froze, became suspended, his eyeblink stretching into eternity. My Infoscopes struck the gold threads, sliced them wherever they had found purchase. There were too many of them. A few managed to pierce my soul, but they were weak and feeble.

The remaining gold threads sprouted into the roots of my first Vow.

A bulbous fungus rapidly began to grow from my soul. It's glowing head rose upwards like a lopsided, grotesque mushroom. Control threads rushed from it into my brain, trying to hijack my amygdala. I demolished them before they could find purchase and then I focused on the Vow itself.

This was the perfect moment to strike - while the Vow was still growing, not conscious, not able to dive into the Astral yet.

Thirteen Lymphagons armed with Sectus and three of my infoscopes attacked the young Vow, not letting it form properly. Like supersonic aircraft they rushed right through the Astral parasite’s mind and organs, obliterating all of its innards as it grew, leaving it but a mindless, empty shell.

As time in the physical world nearly stood still, my Phantom Hunter threads moved through the Astral across the hollow Vow, planting my soul shards within it. I hummed the Alanian songs to create a new type of an abomination - a mixture of a Vow and a man.

I figured if a tree like Leemy could become intelligent, then why not my own Vow?

The Vow became filled with life once more, but now it was fully under my control. The magical construct rose into the Astral, armed with divine threads of Goddess Equality, but not answering to her at all.

Amari’s hunter amulet hanging on my chest instantly devoured the remnants of the Vow’s divine blood spilling through the Astral.

Time resumed as my Neurovista ran out of mana.

I exhaled and blinked.

Ignatius looked up at the fake Vow hanging above me, sensing it with one of his skills.

“Very good,” he said. “You can upgrade your Vow to a [Citizen’s Pact] in Cessna after you're done working for me here in four years.”

“Thank you, Lord Ignatius,” I bowed with the same wide, false smile.

“Do you know how to operate the Voicecast runework?” He asked me, pointing at the crystal sphere embedded within the table of the Overseer’s office.

“I do,” I said. “Overseer Kliss taught me how to use it.”

“Excellent,” Ignatius said.

He walked up to me and pinned a silver Equality pin to my lapel. “I thus declare Dante Alan Skyisle the temporary Administrator of Skyisle on my behalf. I'll quickly look over some of the Overseer records to make sure that everything is in order. Once I... depart from Skyisle, you’ll be representing the Empire here on my behalf, so stay sharp and obey the Laws of Equality. You’re free to go for now, but you'll be living in these quarters and reporting to me twice daily... in the mornings and evenings via the Voicecast orb. I'll add my name to it as the primary contact.”

“Yes, my Lord,” I bowed.

I left the Overseer's office with a spring in my step.

Skyisle was mine!

Well, it was technically mine under Imperial law. I still had no way of taking power from the hidden owner of Skyisle - Giovashi.

I decided to deal with things one at a time.

—-----------------------------------

“So, it’s official?” Dad started at the Equality pin on my lapel as I entered into our parents' home. Mom sighed, displeased by the sight of the pin.

“I’ve been made the Imperial Administrator of Skyisle,” I nodded.

“Did they make you say a Vow... to Equality?” Dad asked, his expression stern.

“Nope,” I shook my head. “I have no Vows on me that would bind me to obey some other power.”

“Truly?” Georgi’s eyebrows went up.

“Yes,” I affirmed. “Kliss was able to convince the new Overseer that Skyisle is incredibly dangerous to live in and that I’ve been a trusted assistant in her employ. Overseer Ignatius is just as young as Kliss. He gave up his executive power to me, terrified that the magogenic fault will devour his levels and skills.”

“What’s your plan then?” Dad inquired.

“The Overseer’s term is four years,” I said. “This gives us time to make Skyisle stronger.”

“To what end?” Dad asked.

“So that I can save everyone here,” I said. “The Valley of Death is growing. If I do nothing, everyone’s levels will keep dropping until we all lose our magic.”

“Stronger how?” Mom asked. “I’d like to hear a specific plan, Dante.”

“Delta and I found a level 24 Mystic tree in the forest,” I said. “Its Green magic naturally resists the radiance of Decay. I’d like your help to plant its seeds all over Skyisle.”

Dad nodded.

“You can use your Agromancy skill to make the seeds blossom faster,” I looked at mom.

“If we can get everyone’s help, we can save Skyisle!” Delta affirmed.

“The Green-Vitality tree is just the beginning,” I said. “I’d like to institute a lot of changes in our village, make a new Ward network beneath each house.”

Mom looked down at me. “You’re capable and smart, Dante… but you’re too young, the Elders will not accept you bossing them around.”

“It’s true,” Dad nodded. “They are a stubborn bunch.”

“Without the fear of the Overseer’s armacus many will likely refuse to have their wards upgraded,” Mom said. “Besides, neither of us is a Wardsmith.”

“They will want to know which one of us has skills that can build new wards,” Dad said. “Do you know how to make wards, Dante?”

I opened my mouth and closed it, not certain if I should tell my parents everything.

“I have… special skills that allow me to approach Ward design from a new angle,” I said finally. “I’m fairly confident that I can improve the Wards.”

“From what I know the arcane wardstones lie in the lower catacombs beneath the Church and the Pub,” Dad mulled, rubbing his ginger-bearded chin. “Only Giovashi has the key to the deepest tunnels. I’ve gone down there a few times to repair old bulkheads with one of the Fox and Fiddle barmaids making sure I don’t wander off.”

“You would have to talk to one of the barmaids to set up a meeting with Giovashi,” Mom said. “She likely will not approve of someone so young meddling with the arcane Wards, as she is the eldest person in Skyisle.”

I pursed my lips.

“How old is Giovashi?” I asked, curious if my parents knew that the old witch was practically immortal.

“I don’t know,” Dad said with a shrug.

“I think she’s at least eighty,” Mom replied. “I first met her as a child of four and she looked the same. Presumably, she has a Vitality skill that keeps her spry. I will absolutely help you plant this tree around Skyisle, but you might want to reconsider your Ward-improvement plan until you consult Giovashi and other Elders about the matter.”

I sighed.

My Infoscopes failed to scout most of the deeper wards, obliterated by the powerful no-spy runes carved within the tunnels beneath town. Thanks to the Wardstone key left to me by Kliss, I could only access the higher level of weaker wards that had been added by the Empire of Equality. While it was a useful system to track people of Skyisle, these wards paled in comparison to the ancient Alanian obelisks hidden in the deeper tunnels.

“I’ll figure something out,” I said. “Don’t worry about it.”

I definitely didn’t want to chat with Giovashi or her barmaids in person. I’ve been avoiding the Ishira Priestesses, worried that the Arch-Priestess would banish me back into the Astral with a word. A vague plan began to form in the back of my mind.

“Mom?” I turned to Cassandra. “What happened to your parents, exactly?”

“They went into the Valley of Death and never returned,” she said with a small shudder.

“What about their parents? What happened to your grandparents?”

“I don't know,” Cassandra said. “I think that they also perished in the Valley of Death. My parents didn’t speak of them.”

“What if they didn’t go into the Valley?” I asked. “What if they’re somewhere else?”

“Why would they be somewhere else?” Mom raised an eyebrow. “Each generation of the Alans was bound by a Vow to watch over Skyisle as its protectors.”

“Will you bind me to watch the Valley then?” I asked.

“I…” Mom choked, glancing over at Delta.

“What?” Delta asked, squinting back at mom.

“I must bind one of you to the Valley with a Vow,” Cassandra confessed after a deep pause. “Skyisle must have a Sentinel. The Song must not be forgotten.”

“So… if you bind me as a Sentinel of Skyisle, then Destiny could leave and perhaps become a great mage elsewhere?” I asked.

“I… I suppose so,” Mom nodded.

My mind latched onto the idea like a suckerfish.

“So then… it IS possible that an Elder Alan is alive… somewhere out there. Someone who wasn’t bound to the Valley, someone from our family who left to study magic and never returned,” I said. “In fact, there could be an entire Alan family out in Cessna and we don't even know about them as we’ve lost contact a century ago.”

“I guess so?” Mom said, her eyes lighting up ever so slightly.

“I’m going to find them then,” I said resolutely.

“How?” Cassandra asked.

“As the Administrator of Skyisle I have full access to the Imperial Voicecast network,” I explained. “I could easily call Agamemnon, Cessna or any other major Imperial cities and inquire about an Alan or Alana Skyisle mage living there. Then, I could call them and see if they'd be interested in meeting us!”

“Oh…” Mom’s expression brightened considerably. “Really?”

“Yes, the Empire has good record keeping. But, don’t get too hopeful,” I said. “It’s just an idea. An Elder mage or their children might not be interested in coming to Skyisle. But… if they are, if another Alan exists somewhere out there, it would be a big boon to our family to have them return and help us out.”

“That would be… swell,” Mom said, clasping her hands. “I’ve never considered that I might have… family out there.”

“Yep,” I nodded. “I’ll let you know if I find someone.”

“Thank you, Dante,” Cassandra smiled and wrapped me in a hug. “I’m so proud of you.”

Delta huffed from where she was standing. I pulled her into our hug.

[Are you seriously hoping to find another Alan?] She asked mentally.

[No,] I replied. [I don’t trust some distant family members not to have Vows on their souls or to act entirely within our interests. Plus, I doubt that Cessna record keepers would just give out such information to a temp Skyisle Admin.]

[So then what?] She asked.

[We’re going to create our own Elders,] I replied smugly. [We’ll call them… Vladislav and Delta.]