45. Theorycrafting Paying Off

Chaos had broken out in the cavern. Bass and Elder Wyrmkin warriors fought each other while simultaneously trying to fend off and put down the mutated phaser. The clones were working to destroy or at least damage the ritual laboratory. Explosions shook the cavern as Penelope fought the Shamin somewhere out of sight. Dust and stone chips rained from above. A couple of big chunks of stone had also broken loose from the ceiling but had mostly landed in open areas and the settlement’s kitchen.

Meanwhile, Lukas silently moved between the totems. Each of them appeared to have a separate unique bundle attached to them. He wished to cover his bases and check all items attached explicitly to the ritual laboratory, examining each one individually. Each visit allowed him to unravel layers of intricate defenses. There was no guarantee the clones would succeed, Lukas needed to lay the groundwork for Penelope to do her job when she arrived.

The dome kept drawing his attention. Its energy was familiar. Lukas, or at least one of his clones, had spent the last sixty years bathed and surrounded by the Great Silver Dragon’s energy. The dome’s energy carried several similarities but was also unique. It felt older and more raw. What Silverspine radiated was refined and processed, much like magic steel. Meanwhile, the serpent’s energy reminded him of a rich vein of arcane ore.

Lukas needed a way to deactivate the defenses altogether. Simple spells and shard abilities seemed to function, but he could manipulate or play with the Shade’s Mantle. Most intent casting felt impossible, and the magic seemed to fight him. Lukas doubted he’d get anywhere if not for his newest shard ability.

Spellweaver has progressed to rank 3!

Your instincts regarding a thread’s purpose and power have improved.

When Lukas reached the next totem, he didn’t find precisely what he wanted. However, the thread resonated with him. It connected to the dome.

Are they drawing magic from it or trying to harmonize with it? Or maybe both?

It didn’t matter. He severed the thread. The journal hummed, but Lukas didn’t check it. He sprinted to the next target. It seemed he had done something right during his work, and he was glad he didn’t hide as initially planned. It was reckless and impulsive and unlike him. He blamed the young body and its hormones. It made him want to take things into his own hands and get involved in the same way it made the clones want to pursue Kat, even though they knew the relationship would never last.

A rock fell in Lukas’s path as he jogged to another totem, forcing him to skid to a halt. “Frar.” The haste spell refreshed, and he dashed to the side, avoiding the debris that followed. He wasn’t sure whether it was his unraveling of threads or the Shamin and sorcerer’s battle above, but everything was starting to come apart. 

Maybe it's for the best. No one can disturb or reach the serpent if paths are blocked. Given how big that thing is and how powerful it feels, it can dig or magic its way out. Assuming it ever wakes up, that is.

Little explosions rang around the ritual laboratory before merging into a big bang. Lukas felt El-Two die. When he looked over, he found all the biomass containers smashed to bits, biomass, and fluid spread everywhere. They splashed all over the alchemical solutions El-Three had poured out. Everything sparked for a moment. Elvis saw it in time and dove out of the way, throwing himself flat on the ground. The other clone didn’t react in time. 

El-Three died next, caught in the following blaze.

The journal vibrated again, a sense of finality about it. Lukas didn’t need to check it to know. 

The tremors that followed knocked the remaining Elder Wyrmkin down. Bass took them out. The mutated phaser was already dead. Its head lay on the ground, separated from its body, ripped clean off. 

“Eliminate all stragglers!” The familiar roared at Elvis, not bothering to check on the fallen clone or his ‘shadow construct.’ “Capture one if you can. I’m going back to Penny.”

Lukas resummoned the downed clones as soon as Bass left the cavern. “You heard the cat,” he said. His minions didn’t need telling twice. There was no time for jokes, protests, or opinions. They sped away with the unsaid instruction of hunting for valuables fresh in their mind.

There was no telling if things were over. Instead of fleeing, Lukas took cover and checked the journal.

The ritual laboratory is destroyed. There is no danger to Lady Silverspine’s slumbering cousin, and there is no risk of her awakening. 

Your quest is complete!

You may pick a journal upgrade and any of the following:

• Ranks for any of your abilities

• A portal scroll to a new location

Hell no! I’m not trusting Silverspine’s portals. She might throw me into a warzone or force me to do another job straight away. How many ranks of Shadow Clone can I get?

Three.

That’s it? This was a much longer and harder job than the last.

Each tier demands double the mastery of the last, and every pillar and shard’s needs vary. Spellweaver will gain seven ranks. Alter Mass will gain enough mastery to reach the next tier and then another rank afterward. 

Altered Mass. Pump up Altered Mass.

Are you sure?

Is it going to knock me out?

Not with me involved. Please pick your essence.

Lukas only checked with two of his growing collection of essences. He already had plans for most of the rest. He believed them better invested in his other shards. 

Altered Mass has progressed to rank 9!

Slider limits and alteration speed increased.

Alter Charge

• Significantly extend the range of your mass slider on the low-mass end of the spectrum.

• Burn extra magic at the extreme ends of the slider to spawn waves of repulsion or extraction.

• Offensive and utility minor abilities available.

Alter Metal Mass

• Significantly extend the range of the mass slider on the high-mass end of the spectrum.

• Burn magic to alter the mass of metallic objects you’re touching.

• Defensive and utility minor abilities available.

Lukas had long decided what he intended to do with Altered Mass. In fact, he only checked with the Essence of Repulsion out of curiosity. Lukas wanted to upgrade the ability using the Essence of Steel, expressly for the defensive abilities. He needed tougher clones who survived longer despite their low or high-mass state. The possibility of repulsing shadows from a conjunction ability gave him pause, but there was no guarantee of him getting what he wanted. 

Meanwhile, Alter Metal Mass was going to give him the ability he wanted: to alter the mass of objects. He didn’t like the limitations of the ability, only things made of metal, and he was touching, but Lukas was sure that would change with time and future upgrades. More importantly, he looked forward to whatever minor abilities would come with Essence of Steel and the conjunction abilities afterward.

Alter Mass has ascended to the second tier. It is now Alter Metal Mass.

Alter Metal Mass has progressed to rank 2!

Mass alteration magic lingers in objects for a second after release.

The product of the rank update surprised Lukas. If the duration increased enough, he could foresee brilliant tactical use. He didn’t have enough time to think it over and immediately moved on to the minor abilities. He worried that something big was coming and desperately needed all the gifts the upgrade had to offer.

Give me something big and good.

Please select a minor ability to accompany Alter Metal Mass. It will be accessible to you as well as the clones.

• Liquid Steel Armament: Gain the ability to conjure a mass of liquid steel and shape it into a copy of whatever weapon you desire. Runework may be copied, but not arcane sources or essences. Only one mass can exist at a time and constantly drains magic until dispelled.

• Steel Weave: Weave steel through your body. A low-mass weave is flexible and provides minor armoring, helping with fragility issues and dulling pain. A high-mass weave increases protection but limits flexibility and movement. Changing mass dispels the weave.

Why only two options? Did I use the wrong shard?

Less is not bad. When the tier upgrade is potent and fitting, the energy for producing quality or a variety of sub-abilities is reduced. One can add only so many things to mass alteration. Certain shards and pillars also have fewer possibilities. The more different the upgrading essence from the core concept, the more paths. Essence of Steel fits Alter Mass well.

Steel Weave, then. 

Lukas liked Liquid Steel Armament but hated its limitations. ‘Only one can exist at a time,’ concerned him. There was no telling if the clones could create one, even if they gained the power to use Alter Mass. He also intended to take the backseat in fights or not get involved at all. Which meant he’d only ever get to use it as an emergency weapon or hand it off to a clone. He would’ve still considered it if not for the constant drain.

Besides, he wished to focus his attention on magic and not split it between too many different active abilities. Managing Shade’s Mantle and Spellweaver was already going to demand most of his attention and energy. Steel Weave was passive and gave Lukas precisely what he needed, and the journal suggested the clones would benefit from it, too. Increased low-mass protection for himself and his minions was perfect.

The most exciting bit was next and what Lukas had been waiting for ever since he learned about conjunction abilities and theory crafted using whatever he understood of Fracture’s magic.

Your Body and Soul pillars have ascended to tier two. Conjunction abilities are available and may also be used by the clones. Please pick one of the following:

• Clone Mass: Create a perfect copy of any object. Magic cost is dependent on size, material, understanding, and knowledge of the object. Cloning magical properties significantly magnifies the cost, and once the process starts, it can’t be stopped. Once personal magical stores are depleted, life force will be consumed next. Copies are temporary and will decay at an increasing rate the longer they have existed; magical objects will deteriorate even faster.

• Shadowsteel: Gain arcane knowledge and understanding of Shadowsteel. Grant mass and solidity to shadows alongside the material properties of steel. Magic cost scales with volume, mass, and density. Understanding, experience, and shaping techniques can further reduce cost while increasing potency.

• Summon Steel Shield: Summon a copy of any steel shield you have studied. The magic cost will vary with size, shape, density, and understanding of its building process. Enchantments and arcane properties may not be replicated. Magic poured into the summoning cannot be recovered until the summon is dispelled. 

Lukas grinned to himself and just about kept himself from jumping around like a schoolboy. When he learned that conjunction abilities could spawn from the properties of essences and have nothing to do with the base shards or their tier-one abilities, he knew what he wanted.

After Penelope got him access to the Iskander Arcane Research Center, Lukas had clones browse the library whenever time allowed. They had focused their studies on shadow magic. Granting solidity to shadows was something that demanded years of study and mastery. Changing the properties of shadows was even more challenging. Both demanded mastery, understanding, research, patience, and far too much magic.

However, Shadowsteel gained through a conjunction ability bypassed a good deal of that. Lukas was sure he’d need to spend ages practicing, experimenting, and playing with it to turn it into something truly potent, but he had clones to assist with the act. They could use conjunction abilities linked to the Soul Pillar, after all. 

Shadowsteel would also allow him to emulate the other two conjunction abilities eventually. Shaping and practice would allow him and the clones to create shields. They’d also eventually be able to copy objects. They wouldn’t be good enough to trick and fool people—like giving them a bag of fake gold or false documents that disappeared afterward. But Lukas hoped that future essences would assist with that.

The power compass’s adjacent page changed to match the changes.

• Spellweaver: Tier 1 | Rank 3

• Shadow Clone: Tier 2 | Rank 3

  • Shade’s Mantle

    • Shadow Steel

  • Steel Weave

• Altered Metal Mass: Tier 2 | Rank 1

The journal had more to say related to its personal changes and upgrades, but Lukas ignored them for the time being. The fight between the Shamin and Penelope was more chaotic than ever now that Bass had joined the fray, and the cavern’s collapse had accelerated. There was also a deep rumbling coming from far below their feet. It felt like the tremors prior to a stampede, leaving him to wonder if there were Elder Wyrmkin troops or minions they had stored underground, preparing for an invasion. The chaos might’ve also awakened something worse.

It didn’t matter. Lukas had no intention of finding out what it was and ran for the cavern’s exit.

All of the clones followed suit, carrying loads of varying sizes. Most had found sacks and satchels and stuffed them with Lukas. They didn’t know what while Elvis ran with a bound and gagged colorful Elder Wyrmkin over his shoulder. The specimen was short and skinny. Lukas believed it was the messenger but couldn’t tell because of the increasing volumes of dust in the air.

Lukas added some solidity to Shade’s Mantle around his neck and head, not taking it all the way to steel but enough to create a light physical layer. He pulled a piece over his nose and mouth before hardening the bit on top of his head further. The magic drain was intense and came with a sudden hit of incredible mental strain. His eyes watered, but Lukas couldn’t tell if it was from all the dust in the air or the exertion. 

Instead of taking the long route, he and the clones took the direct exit. Penelope was in their path, but he had resolved to come clean to her. Mostly. He was surprised to find her on the ground, barely moving, while a housecat-sized Bass pawed at her, demanding she wake up. His hind legs were trapped under a massive boulder.

Lukas sprinted at the pair at low mass, burning Haste and moving as fast as his body would allow. Then, just as he reached Bass, he threw himself at the boulder, trapping the familiar and pushing the expanded slider as far as it would go. He failed to get it to the highest point in time, but it was enough. The boulder rocked backward, and the familiar pulled himself free, getting out of the way just before the giant rock rolled onto him again. He immediately grew to his enlarged form.

Bass picked Penelope up with his mouth and flung her onto his back. His feline eyes widened as he took in all the copies of Lukas. Except for Elvis, all of them wore Shade’s Mantle.

“I can’t fly while carrying all of you. Maybe just three.”

“That’s enough,” Lukas said, looking down the tunnel. A sea of four-legged creatures moving on all fours charged at them. Ugly grey scales covered most of their bodies. “You only need to carry two.”

“And some bags,” Elvis added, carefully placing the tied and now unconscious Elder Wyrmkin on Bass’s back. He took the sacks and bags from the other clones and handed them to Lukas. “Get out of here, boss. We’ll slow them down.”

The mage and stalker clones had already started their work. Shade’s Mantle spread out in front of them, solidified and giant spikes growing out of them, like pikes. 

Lukas nodded before climbing onto the giant lion’s back.

“You’re going to abandon your brother?” Bass asked.

“He’s not my brother. I’ll explain everything later. Getting Penelope and our prisoner to safety takes priority. She needs medical attention and I know just the right person to provide it.”

“I was right. You’re a liar that shouldn’t be trusted.” Bass didn’t hesitate and started running. “You helped me and are going to ensure Penny doesn’t die. Or else.”

“You’re going to eat my head?”

“I’ll save that for last.”