123. Complete Conjugation

Before making his final decision, Lukas checked what conjunction abilities Biomancy and Stormdragon’s Eye spawned together. It wouldn’t influence what he or the other clones received, but considering the complete future arsenal felt sensible. 

• Draconic Biology: Morph will either adopt draconic features like scales or claws, or grow arcane organs unique to dragons and their descendant species. Specimens or remains aren’t necessary like with animances, but they will affect potency. 

• Life Dragon’s Aura: Morph will gain the ability to emit an aura that washes away fatigue, enhances natural healing, and accelerates growth. His connection to the life attunement will be strengthened, accelerating magic generation and potency.

Despite the versatility and power the first would give Morph, Lukas wanted the second option. Auras typically came from Heart or Soul abilities. The attunement would grant the clone great versatility and allow him to fill roles besides infiltrator and vanguard. 

The clones had returned to the tunnels in the mountains around the Gray and retrieved one of the dead silver dragon’s fangs. Morph hadn’t figured it out yet, but Lukas hoped it would allow him to develop scales, claws, and hopefully draconic organs. As his wealth grew, he intended to procure more dragon remains for Morph to copy with Animancy. Draconic Biology would grant shortcuts, but since the same was possible without it, it felt unnecessary.

I want Life Dragon’s Aura. More attunements mean more options.

As a result, Lukas’s first instinct was to pick Attune Storms for the conjunction of Stormdragon’s Eye and Spellweaver. It would grant him more versatile clones, capable of using ice or wind spells. However, utilizing new elements wasn’t the same as getting access to Life magic, which was an entirely different school on its own. Instead, he re-analyzed Draconic Intelligence.

Lukas didn’t interpret it as the ability to turn spells into minions, but rather a means of programming complex functions into otherwise simple spells. It was a field where wizards excelled at using their complex spell scripts, but sorcerers struggled. Metamagic allowed the modification and reinterpretation of spells, but often lacked fine-tuning. He foresaw a large variety of functions.

Draconic Intelligence and Shadow Illusion together would allow for the creation of complex, moving illusions probably capable of doing far more than just standing still like a statue. Spellweavers would have an easier time turning flame spheres into drones capable of conducting complex, intricate maneuvers. Then there was the incredible possibility of smart passive spells that lay in wait and only activated when specific conditions were met. Stormweaver didn’t hold a candle to either of the other two options.

Finally, Lukas turned his attention toward the final selection. Dracometal Scales felt too powerful to give up. It would make any clone granted Alter Metal Mass even tougher, with not just physical toughness but also arcane defences. Any granted Stormdragon’s Eye would also have greater survivability. As much as he liked the idea of changing up and down, treating any surface as a floor, it didn’t feel like enough. 

If only it granted gravity attunement.

A crippling headache descended on Lukas as he locked in his decision. The changes were too potent, too many, and had occurred far too swiftly. There was a reason most ascensions demanded long rest periods. Lukas expected them to grow longer as he continued to ascend.

Shadow Clone: Tier 3 | Rank 2
Mid-Tier Ability: Empowered Clone II
Tier 2 Ability: Shade’s Mantle II | Domineering Darkness
Body-conjunction ability: Shadow Steel
Mind-conjunction ability: Shadow Illusion

Altered Metal Mass: Tier 2 | Rank 8
Mid-Tier Ability: Cover Weaknesses, Emergency Alteration
Tier 2 Ability: Steel Weave
Heart-conjunction ability: Dracosteel Scales
Soul-conjunction ability: Shadow Steel

Stormdragon’s Eye: Tier 2 | Rank 0
Mid-Tier Ability: The Calm Before
Body-conjunction ability: Dracosteel Scales
Soul-conjunction ability: Draconic Intelligence

Spellweaver: Tier 2 | Rank 1
Mid-Tier Ability: Mage’s Instinct
Heart-conjunction ability: Draconic intelligence
Soul-conjunction ability: Shadow Illusion

Arcane Smithing: Tier 1 | Arcane 8
Mid-Tier Ability: Creator’s Touch

Biomancy: Tier 2 | Rank 0
Mid-Tier Ability: Mimicry
Heart-Conjunction Ability: Life Dragon’s Aura
Soul-Conjunction Ability: Shadow Mimic

For the time being, Lukas left the new shard alone. He had wasted long enough on the ascension and conjunction abilities. Just because the Revolution’s members were dead, it didn’t mean their forces were no longer a threat. It was unlikely any of them knew that all of their leaders had turned into food. Taking them out took priority. Only Zwei remained. All of his other clones were down, leaving all the work to a small squad of Shadow Seekers and Penelope.

First, he resummoned Morph. The clone didn’t need instructions. He immediately bathed Lukas in the life attunement aura. The headache dulled.

“Don’t adopt your character face,” Lukas instructed. “I don’t want anyone tying your Aquila face to me. It's best if the persona is kept separate from this business.”

“I thought as much, boss.”

“Journal, can you please ask Eins how things are out there?”

He is ignoring me and probably in the middle of a fight.

“Do you want me out there?” Morph asked.

Lukas shook his head, summoning Ace, followed by clones with an assortment of specializations and shard abilities. He waved over one with the necessary elements to be Flukas and handed him the Spell Sniper’s focus. “You’re me for the time being. Mira and Penelope need to believe you, too.”

“I don’t think any of us are going to need essences to mark our presences anymore,” Flukas replied. “I don’t know if you feel it, boss, but all our arcane signatures carry the same trace as the dragonblooded. It should mask whatever emptiness Ogden and Esther feel.”

“That might be true, but I’d rather not take any risks until we know for sure.” Lukas opened the journal’s storage and retrieved the Phoenix Glaive. “Morph and you.” He pointed a Stalker with Alter Metal Mass. “You’re with me. The rest of you need to assist Penelope and Eins. Put on a good show.”

“Where are you heading, boss?” Ace asked, his face soured as he rooted around the journal’s hidden compartment. “Eins better have grabbed my hat.”

“The basement,” Lukas replied. “We need to investigate Ephram’s vault.”

“Investigate,” a Stalker said, throwing up air quotes. Several clones chuckled. “Got you.

“On the contrary, we’re not risking robberies today unless we come across something super tempting and we can pin it on someone else. Ephram is too closely tied to the Aquila guild and the Schwarzberg Kingdom. This is already going to piss them off further. A Stalker’s memory tells me there was a faint hint of Void energy down below. It's vital we find out what it is. If we can find tangible evidence linking Ephram to what happened in Reistein, no one can claim our claims of what happened here are hearsay.”

“You think the deed to the orphanage of special children won’t be enough?” Flukas asked. “We stashed it in the Hidden Compartment with what looked like research logs.”

“Separate crimes. Someone could claim rearing and creating magical children was for the betterment of the kingdom. They can’t do that if we find Void specimens or relics, too.”

“Got it.” 

Only half the clones threw up a mock salute. Flukas and three clones left the ritual room. They had no trouble with the door now that the barrier had fallen. “Are you disappointed over me not picking Draconic Biology?” Lukas asked Morph.

The clone shook his head. “The aura and life attunement make a lot more sense. I’ll figure out the rest on my own. Growing my own biomass and occasionally acting as a healer will be great for a cover. This should help me get deeper with the Aquila guild. Xander will think I’m following his footsteps and be more willing to open up.”

“He’s got a big mouth. I get the feeling that flattery and sparring with him will get you far.

The trio gave Flukas and the other clones some time before heading out.

__________________________

Ace stopped his fellow clones before exiting the ritual room. He claimed that a faint orange hue bathed the door. Flukas used the opportunity to put Shadow Mimic and Draconic Intelligence to the test. He sent the Stalker out first, wearing a hardened Shade’s Mantle. Two illusory copies of him followed.

The process proved surprisingly simple. Flukas created two illusory copies of the Stalker, which they had done countless times before during practice. He imbued them with simple instructions: follow the Stalker and do whatever he does. The monstrous magic drain taught him a lesson. Open-ended instructions and not enough detail required significantly more intelligence to accomplish and, therefore, required more magic.

El-Prime will appreciate the information. 

A barrage of projectiles assaulted the Shadowsteel-wearing Stalker and the clones. They scattered, drawing the enemy’s attention away from the door. Flukas paid little attention to the clone’s fate. Between the armor and Dracometal Scales, he had ample defence. Ace went out next, tossing his dice in the direction of the incoming projectiles. Flukas followed after a boom and a period of silence.

Lightningfire spheres revolved around the clone, ready to clean up whatever enemies remained. Much to his delight, Ace and the Stalker had already done the job. A couple of them had been cut down or mangled. The rest looked like they had blown apart. Flukas still didn’t understand how Ace’s magic worked, but it wasn’t the time to find out. He imagined the clone had amplified a lightning spell to ridiculous levels or caused one of their spells to fall apart. 

It seemed a magical storm had ripped through the area. There were lightning burns, chunks of ice, and even a couple of fires. Ace appeared proud of himself. It was likely he got a decent dice roll. Flukas was sure it wasn't Snake Eyes; otherwise, there would be celebrations and even some dancing. Instead, Ace was trying on the dead defenders’ helmets and hats while whistling to himself. 

“No messages from Eins yet,” the Stalker said. “Should we split up and find them?”

Flukas shook his head. “The boss wouldn't do that. We stick together. He will want Mira to be safe. Penelope can take care of herself. If we're lucky, we’ll find them together. If not, we prioritise Mira.”

“Is he ever going to get in her pants?” the Stalker asked.

“I'll put my money on he’ll get in his own head and not go through with it,” Ace said. “Besides, it might take him a bit to get past seeing ol’ beaky. He's aching right now. Can you feel it?”

“Best if we don't fuck around or pull his leg too much,” Flukas suggested, focusing on Spellweaver’s passive effects and scanning their surroundings for traces of draconic magic. “He puts on a brave face, but we know how he feels.”

“I think he should get over himself and give Mira a chance. He needs that comfort to stay mellow. Things were better for us when he was getting it on with Leisel.”

“Is this what developing an inhibition is supposed to feel like?” Flukas sighed. He froze, frowning. The clone pointed to his left down a long hallway. “Black dragonfire explosion. She just unleashed something big.”

“Mira is in trouble or just ended things,” the Stalker commented. “Either way, this shouldn’t take too long.” He glanced at Flukas. “Summon Assistant Spindle. It will make you more convincing.”

“Good call. The boss shouldn’t mind.” 

The familiar blinked into existence as soon as Flukas used the ability. Minarv’s upgrades were noticeable. It wasn’t just a matter of a greater variety of arcane threads and increased volume. The spike they were wrapped around was longer, and the wood was so dark it appeared almost black. Meanwhile, the metallic cylinder attached to it appeared more intricate with more detailed carvings. It appeared to be made of solid silver. At the same time, the inscriptions carried a faint white glow reminiscent of moonlight.

“Is that life-attunement thread?” the Stalker asked, his tone betraying surprise.

“It’s not just life,” Ace stated. “That thing also has threads of my arcane energy. The boss is going to put us to work studying divination and healing spells now.”

“And body reinforcement. Don’t forget body reinforcement.”