Ends of Magic

Ever since Nathan had picked up his magical senses, the transit roads of old Gemore had confused him. They just didn't seem to follow the rules for normal mana-based magic. When he'd learned about wizardry he'd wondered if it could explain the spatial nonsense that went on with the roads. Now, he’d asked his friends if he could stop and examine the roads so he could satisfy his curiosity. He stood in a clear area just to the side of the enchanted road with his senses focused on the grandiose enchantment buried underneath the cobbles.

The roads were suffused with just as much wizardry as the Ascendent Academy had been. However, there were more differences than similarities between the two ancient wonders. The transit roads of Gemore weren’t aware in any way, and didn’t seem to have any kind of monitoring component. It was just a stationary enchantment, albeit a very advanced one on an enormous scale.

He delved deeper into the feeling of the wizardry, noting how it was different than what he’d encountered before from Badud and the Academy. It felt less tangible, less focused on matter and more focused on the fabric of space.

Dimensional-flavored wizardry? It’s not a different type the way there are different mana types, but it feels like the entire spell is in a slightly different wavelength that is more in tune with spatial effects.

Wizard’s Detection 8 achieved!

The other Heirs lounged around the courtyard. They were keeping a wary eye on the ruined buildings of Old Gemore. The monsters that prowled these ruins weren’t much of a threat to them anymore, but even a stalker could claw your face off if it caught you by surprise. They left Nathan alone. He had enough of a track record of staring at weird magical things for them to trust him that far. But he had promised not to break it first.

I probably could break it. Isn’t that a scary thought. I bet it would be enough to rank-up Arcane Nullfield. Definitely not going to do it. Gemore depends on these roads, and I think this enchantment spans the Tokyo-size ruins of Old Gemore.

He delved deeper into the network of wizardry underneath him, noticing how it stretched out to both sides of the road. The magic seemed to be stretching the structure of space and holding it in place. The effect was most notable on the road, where reality was scrunched up and compressed down to facilitate the fast-travel effect. But the web stretched out across the city, subtly stretching reality in all directions.

This wizardry is also creating more space inside the walls, though it's not a significant effect except compounded across the city. I wonder if anybody’s ever noticed. It seems like a lot of effort for a relatively small effect. I wonder if there’s another reason they did it.

Nathan drew his brows down and closed his eyes as he held the structure of the wizardry in his head. It was taut, but the magic wasn't doing any work. It was like supporting two heavy weights by connecting a rope to both and then hanging them from a tree.

This isn’t just a spatial compressing spell linked to a spatial expansion spell. If I understand wizardry properly both of those would take constant energy to maintain. But somehow this magic has linked them together to support each other. It’s completely stable, self-maintaining and has no obvious failure modes unless tampered with. Let’s not do that.

Wizard’s Meditation 10 achieved!

He opened his eyes and breathed out a long breath. “I can’t use the transit roads. At best they won’t work for me, at worst Old Gemore explodes.”

Aarl snorted. “Is that all you learned from ten minutes of silent contemplation? We were planning to fly over them anyway.”

Nathan smirked back. “I also got two rank-ups. Both to unique skills.”

“I hope your own fire burns you,” Aarl replied, shaking his head in mock disgust. “Ranking up skills by sitting and studying ancient magic. I should have been a mage.”

Stella spoke up, sounding dour. “I can’t even feel what he’s talking about. It’s all blasphemous twisting of space.” She seemed grumpy. “My parents don’t know either, unless they hold secrets from me. And nobody can explain wizardry to me either.”

Nathan scratched his head awkwardly as they climbed over the buildings and set course for the center of the ruined city. “I think it’s easier from the antimage perspective. Also, this wizardry is pretty subtle compared to what Badud was throwing around. That made it a lot easier.”

They flew in silence for a time before descending into the large open square before Gemore’s enormous walls and making for the gates. Khachi let out a long, satisfied sigh as they approached. “It is good to be home. The air smells right here.”

Nathan resisted the urge to make a snarky comment about them leaving and never coming back. Khachi already knew. He was just enjoying the familiarity while he still could and. It would be cruel for Nathan to rub salt in the wound.

The guards on the gate of Gemore gave them the stink-eye as they approached. One whipped out an enchanted monocle to scan them for unwanted magical signatures, like mental magic or parasitic monsters. She squinted through the loop and tilted her head as if she was trying to make the image better.

Nathan’s aura had been floating around them in a loose haze. It wasn’t enough to interfere with any of the Heirs’ magic items, but it was enough to block most sensory magics. He withdrew it and the guard blinked in shock at what was revealed. She held up a hand.

“Halt. You’ve got the mana signatures of…” she squinted through the monocle again. “I don’t even know what that is. We need to check you out carefully. And as for you,” she gestured to Nathan. “You’re a problem. I will need to give us an accounting of what you’ve been doing, and we’ll need individual interviews.”

He opened his mouth to protest, then closed it. They didn’t have much time, and he didn’t want to spend hours getting interviewed by the Giantsrest guards to prevent them from bringing a cursed magical item into Gemore. But the poor guard was just following protocol. The whole situation still made his recently upgraded paranoia tingle. This might be justified, but it would leave the Heirs vulnerable regardless.

A good assassin could infiltrate the guard, and it would be a great way to get close to us without arousing suspicion.

“But we’re elite Adventurers now?” Stella said questioningly, gesturing around. “We’re the Heirs! You know. Took Halsmet. Destroyed Giantsrest. Are your ears closed to the world?”

The guard gave them a hard look. “Sure. But we must be stone certain that you aren’t bringing danger with you.” She glanced around as if seeking input, but spoke again before anybody else had the chance to chime in. “Hear me, we’ll do this as quickly as we can. Let’s split you up so the magical signatures aren’t interfering. Then you’ll show me the new items and explain what you’ve done to ensure their safety.”

Nathan kept his face blank as everybody around him nodded in acceptance. On the face of it this seemed like a reasonable way to deal with them. But his memory was perfect, and this was not how the guards of Gemore dealt with potential risks. They didn’t split people up and examine them individually, they kept tabs on them and reported potential dangers up the chain. But this one guard seemed very intent on splitting them up and interviewing each of them individually.

I’m guessing the lead guard is an assassin. I’m not completely certain, so I’m going to wait for confirmation. I should be the primary target, so if I go with her first then that should trigger her to act. I need to warn the Heirs.

“I’ll go first,” He said amiably and the guard nodded her acceptance, turning to lead him towards the gate. He glanced back towards the Heirs with a wry smile on his face. “Just like coming back from the Fortress Foundry.”

When we were fleeing Kozar’s anger and ran into Badud and Taeol.

Stella blinked in surprise, and Khachi’s brows drew down, but Nathan had already turned to follow the guard into the darkness of the tunnel through the massive wall. He was on high alert, his senses tuned for the slightest indication that they were about to be attacked while trying to seem completely at ease.

High-tier Disguise 4 achieved!

That feels like confirmation, both that she’s an assassin and that I managed to hide my suspicion of her. I'm just the trusting adventurer, back from the wilds and trusting the guards to keep the city safe.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

The moment Nathan stepped into the darkness beneath the gate the woman turned to face him. Her movement was slow and casual, and she had an apologetic look on her face as if she was sorry for the delay. But Nathan felt the Heirs’ attention slide away from them as her off hand struck with casual speed. The limb stretched towards him, stabbing a dagger towards his gut.

Nathan swept his hand down, striking her in the wrist hard enough that the dagger spun away and clattered against the stone wall of the tunnel. The assassin’s other hand reached out, seemingly empty. Nathan caught the blow, holding tight onto her hand. He grabbed the arm he’d just deflected with his other hand and glared into her face, speaking loudly. “Who hired you? How many more are there?”

She merely sneered up at him, triumph written across her features. “Dead men don’t need answers.”

“Huh?” Nathan said. Then he felt a numb feeling creep up his arm from where he’d grabbed her fist. There was a faint prickling feeling from where a needle attached to a ring had dug into his flesh. Some skill had prevented him from feeling it until he focused on the injury. Now he’d been injected with a strong paralytic. The poison pumped through his blood, quickly reaching his heart and from there spreading through the rest of his body. It tried to shut down every muscle it found, including his heart and lungs. But it achieved precisely nothing.

I think she’s got skills to let her blades get through my skin, and more to enhance her poisons. Still not enough for an [Immortal Body] rank.

He grinned down at the assassin. “I don’t seem to be dead. Do I get answers now?”

She snarled and twisted in his grip, fighting not to get away but to stab him some more. He held on even as her arms undulated wildly. Then she twisted and kicked out at him, a hidden blade in her shoe managing to score across his face. She subsided, looking up in satisfaction as black necrosis spread across Nathan’s skin. The smile died as the black patch faded away.

Nathan raised an eyebrow. “You done?”

Her face was grim. “You can’t resist every poison.” She started struggling again, and Nathan sighed and headbutted her. She rocked back, dazed. Then she snapped back forward, the blow entirely ignored and scratched him with a blade strapped to her wrist. Yet another poison coursed through his veins far more quickly than it should.

He broke her arm over his knee. A moment later the injury vanished as if it had never been. It didn’t heal, it just reverted to the healthy state of a moment before. She failed further, trying to stab or kick him but unable to escape his grasp.

So Nathan did the only thing he could think of. He swung her bodily into the wall, slamming her hard enough into the stone wall of the tunnel to shatter her ribcage. He didn’t release his grasp on her arms and watched as she recovered from the blow in a split-second, transitioning from badly injured to perfectly healthy without any intermediate stages. He whipcracked the assassin’s arms downwards to slam her skull into the ground, cracking it like an egg. A moment later, she was perfectly healed, even the blood and brain matter sprayed across the ground gone as if it had never been.

This can’t go on forever. Even my healing skill has limits. Let's find hers.

He slammed her into the wall again, causing near-fatal injuries that once again vanished. Four more times she recovered instantly from near fatal wounds, though she couldn’t do anything with Nathan jerking her around and viciously smashing her into one solid stone surface after another. On the fifth strike the injuries remained. But Nathan had gotten into the rhythm of it and cracked her against the ground one more time. More bones broke, and he looked down at the brutal injuries he’d caused.

Very dead, and staying that way.

Spellslayer has leveled to 504! You have killed the renowned assassin Sael Zithrye, escaping her deathmark!

Void of Magic has leveled to 718! You have struck down a deadly assassin.

There was a sudden burst of noise behind him as the guards and the Heirs suddenly noticed what was going on now that the assassin was dead. The guards hadn’t been prepared for a fight, but the Heirs had. It wasn’t even a contest as Stella knocked them all down with a gust of wind and Aarl and Khachi stood overhead with weapons raised.

One of them snarled up at them and held up a polished stone that was blinking with an orange light. “We’ve called the Adventurer’s Guild. Don’t charge into that dungeon. Surrender.”

Nathan walked over, dragging the corpse of the guard. “What’s her name?”

The guards frowned at him, looking at the corpse of their compatriot dully. “Yill?” One of them ventured. “She’s only been on gate duty a few days.”

Nathan held out the dagger he’d plucked from the ground. The edge shone with an oily film of poison. “She tried to stab me with this. Have any of you ever met her before the past few days? Why was she leading gate duty if she was so new to the guard?”

The guards blinked up at him for a moment, then one of them shook her head and cursed. “Harpy Tits. An imposter with social skills. Ending-damned strong ones to fool us.” She held out a hand so they could help her up. “We’ll need to explain to avoid a fight with our reinforcements.”

After a moment of eyeing the hand cautiously, Aarl grasped it with a metal-clad gauntlet and pulled the guard upright. Khachi stepped back and allowed the rest to clamber to their feet.

A familiar voice called down the tunnel. “Come through one at a time, weapons down unless you intend to lose the hands that bear them.”

Aarl yelled back. “Greetings, Father! An assassin just tried to kill Nathan! She’s dead, and we’re all good here. Can we come through?”

There was a moment of silence, then Stanel’s voice came back, sounding grumpy. “As your flame calls. Sarah first. Weapons down.”

The Heirs looked around and shrugged, then Sarah walked into the tunnel, stowing her revolvers into the dimensional pouches at her side.

One of the guards frowned. “But the security check?”

Nathan snorted. “Between my antimagic and Khachi’s divine magic we’re clean. If we’re not then your enchantments aren’t going to pick it up. Besides, we’re going to go talk to the Guardians of Gemore. If something goes wrong, aren’t they the ones who would deal with it regardless?”

The guard shrugged and looked around at his peers. “I don’t have the stones to say no.” All of the other guards nodded their agreement, and the Heirs trooped into Gemore.

They were met with a semicircle of thirty Adventurers on the other side, with Stanel standing directly opposite the opening. But the danger was past, and Stanel was fiercely hugging his kids. All of the other Adventurers had relaxed and most were starting to head back towards the guild, sheathing weapons and snuffing magic.

Stanel finally released Aarl and Sarah, beaming at the rest of the Heirs. “Your arrival sparks our courage. Onwards to a party for the ages!” Then he shot a look towards Nathan. “Except you. Sudraiel and the Council are waiting in their chambers.”

“I’ll be off then.” He met each of his friend’s eyes, finding trust and resolve in their expressions. Aarl handed him the Liber Physicae and Nathan leapt into the air to climb the hill without exposing himself to any would-be assassins.

Status of Nathan Lark:

Permanent Talent 1: Arcane Nullfield 7

Permanent Talent 2: Immortal Body 5

Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 7

Class: Void of Magic level 718

Deepened Stamina: 20293/21840

Void of Feeling

Antimagic Momentum

Raging Thrill

Implacable Inertia

Unarmored Resilience

Magic Anathema

Airborne Agility

Hand-to-hand Expertise

Voluminous Aura

Denial of Wizardry

Mana Severance

Class: Spellslayer level 504

Regenerative Focus: 3791/5140

Catastrophic Blows

Battle Stealth

Mage Infiltration

Forgettable

Sneaky Blow

Antimagic Stealth

Magical Manipulation

Lethal Index

Wizard Resistance

Magic Jammer

Controlled Failure

Utility skills:

Wizard’s Meditation 10

Inspiration 8

Acceleration 10

Wizard’s Detection 8

Alertness 10

Wizard’s Understanding 10

Effortless Dodge 10

Mental Vault 5

Tutoring 6

Parkour 8

Visibility Control 4

High-tier Disguise 4

High-tier Battle Cry 2

Aura Control 3