Chapter 20 High
The air rushed against his wings like water flowing in a rapid river. Fast, rough, but at the same time somehow wonderful and beautiful. Unknown currents moving in different ways, pulling and tugging.
Dorian laughed in exhilaration as he soared through the sky, looking down on the world below.
The sea of leaves moved with the breeze, looking warm and comfortable in the calm, afternoon light.
'Wow!' His only thought was the sheer, amazing feeling of flying through the air.
He wasn't truly flying, of course. He was merely gliding, using his wings to keep gravity at bay. Myyr Dragon's weren't capable of full flight. He also hadn't dared to practice this in the mountains, where Grandmaster Class beasts ran amok.
According to William, almost all Grandmaster Class beasts would live in either mountainous regions or special areas with a high concentration of Magic Herbs. The Nebra Mountains, as Dorian learned they were called, were a prime example of these mountainous regions.
Forests, like the Thousand Oak Forest that not only surrounded the Nebra Mountains, but extended far to the south, were populated with dangerous beasts, but usually only at the limit of Master Class.
Dorian had learned a bit more about the true divides between Classes from William, in their extended talk. While Ausra had a massive amount of information in regards to the species of types of creatures, the genie wasn't very informed on the world itself.
The reason Dorian hadn't seen any Lord Class beasts, the Class above Grandmaster, was due to their extreme rarity.
Lord Class beasts in the wild were an excessively uncommon occurrence.
Almost all Lord Class beasts, in the 30,000 Worlds, originated from intelligent clans. Lord Class Black Mire Dragons, Lord Class Torrent Hydras, there existed several species that had the ability to grow into the Lord Class, though reaching that Class was not a guarantee, even with the correct bloodline.
These clans tended to group together, and thus when a beast entered Lord Class, they would do so within the clan, or lands controlled by said clan.
The laws of this universe, according to Ausra, made it so that it was possible, though rare, for a beast to mutate at birth into rare or powerful bloodlines that they possessed a trace of in their original bloodline. This seemed to happen more often when one lived in an area where Magic Herbs grew, one of the mysterious laws of existence.
At least some of the Grandmaster Class beasts Dorian had seen had most likely arisen as a result of this. A beast mutating and gaining a Lord Class bloodline was theoretically possible, but extremely rare.
This threw a bit of a wrench in Dorian's plans to grow stronger.
If Lord Class bloodlines were so rare, it was unlikely he'd be able to find even a trace of one in a common beast. It was possible he might find traces in stronger or more power Grandmaster beasts. But would that trace be enough to work with? Or would it be degraded like the Myyr Dragon bloodline had been?
It wasn't like he'd be able to hunt down herds of the same Grandmaster Class beast, as far as he could tell. He'd never seen more than one of the same type of Grandmaster Class beast.
The stronger your Class or bloodline, the more difficult it was to conceive a child. It was possible he might be able to find a beast that had a mate of the same race, but a whole family?
Some Grandmaster beasts possessed a semblance of intelligence and some even truly were self aware and intelligent, though none he had seen thus far. He drew the line at hunting down a creature like that, even if it was for the sake of growing stronger. If he was attacked, then he would defend himself and go from there, but otherwise…
Dorian cast these thoughts from his mind as he focused on his gliding, soaring forward. He strained the muscles in his wings, flapping hard to maintain as much height as possible as he glided forward.
Gradually, he was drawing towards the canopy of leaves.
Watching himself slowly drift downward, soaring over the treetops, it felt incredible to Dorian. He'd studied Aerospace Engineering as a college student, and knew quite a bit about the math and physics of how flight worked.
But actually experiencing it, himself, through his own body?
There was no feeling like it in the world.
The control of his wings, his body's movement in flight, it all came naturally to him.
He carefully guided himself towards a small opening between a pair of large trees, controlling his body with precision. He managed to sail through the gap in the leaves without a hitch, sliding into the forest.
"GRAAAWWWRR!"
The instant he came under the cover of trees, Dorian was unfortunate enough to immediately encounter a beast.
He forcibly stopped his gliding, coming to a halt and crashing down hard on the ground as he looked at the hulking beast in front of him, his eyes narrow.
He had landed in the thick of the forest, on a small raised section. Trees dotted everywhere, gradually obscuring his vision.
Right in front of him, just below, stood a large, 2 and a half meter tall creature that looked like a bull with dark green hide. A pair of firm white tusks stuck out of its brutish mouth, its beady eyes glaring at him. It stomped its feet on the ground several times, its muscles rolling.
"Hello there." He said aloud, staring at the creature in consternation.
'Ausra..?' He mentally queried, continuing to study the boar.
'A Forest Boar. Powerful creatures prized for their tough horns, and delicious meat. Its maximum growth places it at the middle of the Sky Class.' A cool reply rang out in his head.
Dorian shrugged, the tiny bead of concern in his heart fading away. His current body, right now, was at the early stage of Master Class. While he may not have the fighting instincts of a Myyr Dragon, Dorian could feel the dense, rippling muscles and thick scales he now possessed. He wondered how much stronger he would be at the Grandmaster Class.
"Grrr…" The Boar gave a quieter growl, its body shivering.
He looked down from the small hill he was on, shaking his head.
"It's over, Forest Boar. I have the high ground." He rattled his claws, his eyes giving off a threatening gleam.
"GRAAAWWRR!" The boar ignored him and charged, its tusks pointed at his chest. Each step it took threw up dirt and rock, clomping its way up the small hill.
Dorian's eyes thinned to slits as he took a deep breath. He felt a feeling of warmth inside his body as he activated the Ability he had just learned. It took a mere split second for a vast number of symbols in his soul to blast out from his Soul Spell Matrix.
After that split second, a powerful cascade of brilliant green flames burst from his mouth, blasting directly down towards the Forest Boar. These flames burned with a brilliant gleam, boiling forth like an unstoppable waterfall.
As Dorian let them loose, he noticed that while he could see the flames burning through the air, the heat itself the flames gave off didn't seem to have much affect on him. The Ability he was using seemed to not only create these powerful flames, but also protect him from them.
He abruptly snapped his mouth shut, cancelling the Ability as he felt its drain on him. Every Ability one used, like every spell a Wizard cast, would create a physical and mental drain, on one's body and their soul. Using too many could cause you to collapse, and even physically damage yourself.
WHOOSH
THUD
The Forest Boar fell to the ground, roasted through and through. Its entire body was seared, cooked straight through to the core. The Lesser Emerald Flames that Dorian had created were potent, with the strength to directly roast a Sky Class beast in a single hit.
He blinked hard as he considered this. Abilities, it seemed, were extremely valuable tools to have.
Right now he had two. His Flame Claws Ability from the Red Salamander, and his Lesser Emerald Flames from the Myyr Dragon.
As he continued to Evolve, taking in more and more forms, he would gain more and more Abilities. A smile appeared on his face as he realized this.
Even if he couldn't easily find a Lord Class bloodline, that didn't mean he couldn't grow stronger.
A mesmerizing smell interrupted his thoughts.
He looked down, staring at the roasted boar.
The delicious scent of cooked meat was wafting up his nose, the fat and muscle on the boar's body just waiting to be devoured. Because he'd cooked it through and through, he ruefully realized he wouldn't be able to absorb its bloodline, though he hadn't been planning on it.
His stomach rumbled, and Dorian realized he hadn't had anything to eat today, not after trying to eat that roasted deer, and then being rudely interrupted.
He smiled. It seemed he would get to eat roasted meat today, in the end. He walked up to the fire and cut off several choice parts, stuffing some of them into the Spatial Pouch he had tied around his neck.
He then turned towards the south, his innate sense of direction guiding him. He then set forward and continued on his way, munching on a roasted boar leg as he half dashed through the forest, dancing a little dance at the delicious flavor of the cooked boar.
..
"I should think of Light Magic… as a Dao of Light?" William scratched his head at the thought, his mind focused on unpacking the inheritance of magic the esteemed Wizard had left for him.
He was more than halfway back to Yor City, smoothly flying high over the forest below. He'd decided to look at the magic he had inherited, trying to understand it.
The thought process of the Wizard, however, was extremely complex. Instead of an orthodox method of studying Magic, focusing on learning one spell at a time, moving forward carefully with each step, the fallen Angelic Class Wizard Horhavil Candor treated it like he was coming to an understanding of how Light Magic itself functioned. He moved away from simple memorization, and more to understanding the patterns and symbols that represented Light Magic, and the concepts behind them.
It was far too high level for William to truly understand, but it left him feeling impressed, impressed and small. The universe was so much bigger than him, and his understanding of it was far, far too insignificant.
He continued to review the odd Light Magic, becoming more and more interested. Gradually, he began to focus on the first spell. Light Magic: Healing Touch. It was a spell that focused on healing another individual, drawing from the energy in the air around you.
Light Magic had powerful healing spells, and powerful destructive capabilities. Its one weakness would be its lack of powerful defensive spells. It had a few, but at a higher level was lacking compared to other branches of magic.
He was in the midst of thought, tossing these concepts over in his head, when a loud, grinding noise interrupted him. A second alter his wooden vessel lurched to a halt, almost knocking him off his feet as he stumbled forward.
William jerked his head up, his eyes widening in surprise. He raised his hands forward and readied himself to cast a spell, his body tense.
A moment later he lowered them, recognizing what was before him.
The familiar looking transparent vessel that they had original flow to the Nebra Mountains in, from the spell of the Royal Wizard Aymon. Several floating, transparent chains had latched onto his wooden vessel, locking it in place. He mentally beat himself up for missing such an obvious ship approaching him. Being lost in thought like that was dangerous.
"Hail, young Wizard! Are you alright?" A voice called out gruffly.
A muscular man with long black hair, and a short beard motioned at him. Behind him William could make out several other figures he didn't recognize, but one he did. The Royal Wizard Aymon.
He could also feel an incredible concentration of energy on the people in that vessel, and instantly knew they were not only people he couldn't afford to cross, but people he needed to not even offend. Most of them were powerful Wizards, though he could make out a few warriors with them. Black Iron Guards once more, powerful warriors from the capital.
"Yes, I'm fine. Can I help you?" He asked politely, feeling as if he already knew the answer to that question.
"Yes, yes you can. You are William Robel, correct? The Wizard that was injured and lost here earlier when attempting to capture a creature that caused a disturbance in Fate?" A stern looking woman stepped forward, her long red hair tied up in a tight bun, with piercing green eyes that seemed to bore though his soul.
"Yes…" William responded, nodding his head, though he wouldn't quite say he was 'lost.' More like abandoned.
"Excellent." She motioned with her hand at him,
"I've already spoken with your Family Head. You will be justly rewarded for the pains you suffered. In addition, he has assigned you to assist us in tracking down that… dragon." Her voice left no room for negotiation, her eyes cold.
William sighed on the inside, feeling a deepset unwillingness rise in him, alongside an even larger feeling of helplessness. He walked over towards the transparent vessel and boarded it, dismissing his own.
"Now," The woman began as he boarded, walking in front of him. A few of the Wizards in the surrounding turned to stare at him. The muscular looking Wizard, meanwhile, turned to the front of the ship, ignoring them. Up close William noticed several faint, black lines of energy floating around the man.
"Tell me exactly what you remember, or know, about that disturbance in Fate, and how exactly you are still alive."
..
The Wizard King Telmon sighed, rubbing his forehead. His violet eyes pierced forward, looking into the distance, as if he was gazing at all existence.
Instead of his grand throne room, he was currently sitting on a small, grey pillar, in the middle of a forest clearing. Several small trees dotted the area, partially obscuring a set of ancient stone ruins, covered in mysterious hieroglyphics.
Instead of his customary white robe, he wore a simple brown smock, and a set of brown leather pants. Clothes an ordinary peasant would wear. The crown he normally wore on his head was nowhere to be seen.
Off in the distance, roughly twenty miles away, an enormous floating edifice could be seen. A massive, dozen mile wide circle of white stone, supported by thousands of streams of white light, floating several hundred meters high in the sky.
Upon this stone circle were tens of thousands of buildings, palaces, and all sorts of structures. A chaotic, expansive city, soaring in the sky. Tens of thousands of figures could be seen, flying in the sky to and fro near the city.
The illustrious floating capital of the Borrel Autarchy, Heavenseeker City. The holy land of Wizards, where spellcasters went to seek the heavens.
"Cassiera." His voice was warm and gentle as he spoke, motioning off to the side.
Immediately a figure blurred into existence, the world around her warping as she bowed. Her silky blonde hair and her green eyes added a certain fire to her eager smile, making her appearance one of beauty. She was lean and fit, the curves of her body visible through the tight blue dress she wore.
"Your highness." The adoration in her voice was thick.
"Your report." The Wizard King gave her a calm nod.
"We've gained a deeper understanding of the creatures that have caused a disturbance in Fate. At least, of the 32 in worlds under our control." She began, flipping her hair back behind her as she clapped her hands. A small sheath of notes appeared that she began to scan through.
He interrupted her,
"The casualties first." He asked, his voice steady.
Cassiera looked down, her eager smile fading.
"3 Lord Class Wizards, more than 30 Grandmaster Class Wizards, and roughly 220 Master Class Wizards. The number of civilians or those at a lower Class killed in action is expected to number in the hundreds of thousands in wake of the widespread destruction." A hint of sadness filled her tone.
The Wizard Kings sat calmly, his voice not displaying a single emotion as he heard her report.
"I see." The immediacy of this threat seemed to be much higher than previously thought.
"27 of the 32 Anomalies, as we have taken to calling them, possess clear Lord Class strength, ranging from the early stage to the peak Pseudo-King Class. All of them possess incredibly powerful bloodlines, many of them ancient and thought extinct. Some, perhaps all, of them appear to possess the ability to transform their physical body." She said, frowning,
"They are not only incredibly strong, but Fate itself seems to warp around them, usually in their favor. This has made it exceptionally difficult for any of the teams the Departments sent out to capture any of them. Spells go slightly awry, coincidences occur, luck seems to turn just right for them." She continued,
"Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to track Lord Class figures through Fate for any extended period of time, and as a result several of the Anomalies have escaped from our sight. We are currently working to track them." She waved her hands forward as she added,
"The manner in which they arrived here set off faint waves through Fate, and we are attempting to pinpoint their locations in this manner, though we estimate these waves will die down in roughly a week."
"Not a single one was captured, despite the casualties? Were any of them killed?" Telmon's voice was dangerously calm.
"Yes sir. The Lord Class Volcanic Wizard Petryon perished taking out an Anomaly that had the bloodline of an Ancient Boorakian Wood Giant, also at the Lord Class. The corpse of the beast is currently being transported towards the Capital." Cassiera bowed her head again, trembling,
Telmon simply glanced at her, taking the information in before waving his hand,
"The other 5?"
Cassiera bit her lip as she responded,
"Three of them we were unable to find at all, and believe they have either gone dormant or decided to hide themselves and succeeded. One of them we aren't quite sure on its strength. The reports I've gleaned from our Fate Wizards in the area indicate its a Lord Class Draconic beast… an incredibly odd one. But… From my own investigation into Fate…" She shrugged,
"I detected remnants of a Mid King Class Aura."
Telmon frowned when he heard this,
"What was so odd about it? Are you certain of the Aura remnants?" A Mid King Class beast… this could prove troublesome for even some of the Department Heads. Beasts that had powerful bloodlines were very difficult to deal with.
"Yes, absolutely certain. As for why it was odd… apparently when they discovered it, it was found singing a song in an unknown language while dancing around a fire…"
The Wizard King stared at her for a brief moment, blinking his eyes several times.
"Dancing around a fire…?"
"Yes sir, dancing around a fire." She responded promptly.
"While singing…?"
"Yes sir, while singing." She responded again, just as prompt.
He rubbed his forehead again, closing his eyes, sighing deeply,
"What team is in the area of that particular Anomaly?"
"The Lord Class Wizard Hadrion, the Rising Star of the Black Lightning Department. He is all the way on the outer world of Hasnorth, sir. Two additional teams are expected to arrive to assist him, from the Sundering Department and the Darkness Department." She responded promptly.
Telmon closed his eyes, and then opened them, a deadly light gleaming in them.
"Send an order through Fate when we are done talking. Which Fate Wizard does he have by his side? I remember him. It was… Larah, right? The 5th disciple of your 3rd disciple?" He rubbed his forehead again, a tired look appearing on his face.
"Tell him he is to pull back, immediately. Order the same to all teams that are attempting to engage this threat. No Lord Class Wizard is to go at any Anomaly without at least 4 other Lord Class Wizards to assist. As for the potential King Class, only Department Heads are to engage with it." His words were full of authority, shaking the air itself.
"My message might not make it through in time, due to how far away he is." Cassiera said, bowing her head.
Telmon waved his hand, indicating it wasn't a problem. He then turned, and looked at Cassiera with a question in his eyes.
"The last one?"
The beautiful, blondehaired woman's mouth twisted,
"The last one… was found on the Major Planet of Norra, near our border with the Graal Alliance. Two Lord Class Wizards, Antdre from the Gravity Department and Ormon from the Diamond Department, went to engage it simultaneously." She paused briefly,
"They were both killed in action. The Anomaly there appears to be a King Class beast that is at the very peak, almost Pseudo-Angelic Class, with the bloodline of a Divine Golden Lion." She looked at him.
The Wizard King blinked slowly, and then folded his hands together slowly. His eyes shivered with emotion at the mention of word 'divine,'
"Continue."
"It left a message after it killed them, declared with enough force that roughly ten thousand nearby civilians died from the yell alone." She motioned with her hands at the notes she held,
"It said 'Tell the Firstborn that I, the Secondborn, will be coming for my rightful title.' Promptly after that, it went on a rampage killing thousands of beasts in the wild. Its activities after that we are unsure of, save that it left Norra headed in the direction of the planets controlled by the Graal Alliance."
Telmon took a few moments to think, his eyes cool.
"Inform the Department Heads they are to take action immediately to target these threats and eliminate them. Each Department is to avoid leaking information and causing a panic. In addition, tell the Royal Knights to appear before me in the throne room." He sighed, shaking his head,
"I would move personally if I could…I have a bad feeling about this." He turned, looking out into the distance at something not visible.
"Send your messages first, and then continue your report. How have the Draconic Tribes and the Graal Alliance reacted? Have the Shades or Nobles made any movements?"