Zarian stepped off the road before mbers of the New Florida Guards saw him while out on their morning patrol.
There were more than just the Dragon Slayer Corps, skeletons, and shade spiders.
Rhea and others of the imperial administration had made the wise decision to reinvent the military for the empire and their vassal states. Each vassal had their unique approaches to their specific regions while also adopting general practices they would all understand if standing united.
It was a grand effort that would take more than a few seasons to get into proper working order, probably years of work, really. But Zarian was glad to see the nascent efforts coming together.
He was also glad that he didn’t have to do much but be the emperor while everyone else handled the busy stuff.
Then again, he wasn’t even being the emperor right now. He was being Isaiah Skybreaker, and his new alias, or persona, needed a different appearance, a new fit.
In a sequestered alcove far off the public roads, surrounded by wild hedges and broken statues, Zarian changed clothing.
Gone were the blacks. Gone were the dark red and tribal logos of a fierce crocodile. Gone was the classic FAFO print.
Now skyclad, Zarian fitted himself with the uncommon quality clothing Bianca had painstakingly made for him, despite having no real magic for crafting and enchanting.
That was fine. She made up for it with pure imagination, the zeal of a fashionista, and nearly 2000 Wonder.
Instead of boots, he wore light straw-like sandals with thick socks. His leggings were light, with the material appearing baggy around the upper legs while fastened tight around the lower legs. His top was an open v-neck vest over a long-sleeve and skin-tight shirt that ca with well-fitted gloves.
A short cloak, scarf, and hood ca over the top to cover most of his head and neck. Then, finally, there was the fox mask, which was mainly blue with white stripes. The rest of the outfit was mainly white with blue highlights and accents.
Zarian smiled, knowing Bianca had put aside ti to make this outfit that she could’ve used for practice or her own preparations before her solo adventure.
He had too much stuff in his hall-sized closet that had co from her imperial funded fashionistas he hadn’t worn yet, but this one felt just right for the Isaiah Skybreaker persona.
Still, he wouldn’t dare head into the biggest tournant around in uncommon gear. He might as well make use of so stuff he’d gotten from his brutal and cruel absolute training.
Closing his eyes behind the mask, Zarian focused on picking out the enchantnts weaved into his outfit. He found them in each individual piece, categorized their basic functions, then dove deeper into their runes.
Once he recognized the runes as a mix of 10% elven and 90% common, he carefully singled out the runic sequences where he could add adjustnts and weaved more elven into place until they were at capacity.
Then he did the hard part of adding enchantnts based on the originals, but with more creative designs on his part based on the elven and common he’d studied under Ruvaria’s intense tutelage.
His 1310 Mysticism combined with his new trait and skill for sorcery ca in clutch.
The trait or the skill would’ve been fine by themselves.
Having both took a novice sorcerer with an advanced aura manipulation to soone who could be considered an actual sorcery expert.
Zarian felt his traits and Force of Sorcery skill working together, applying more intention, more accuracy, more craft to his enchanting without needing to be an enchanter.
He would never be Hannah’s equal in enchanting, and he was frankly taking too long in upgrading an uncommon outfit compared to others in the empire who were crafting tradesn.
But that was fine, because in the end, he was having fun with magic.
“Impressive,” Para murmured from within his ear.
Zarian smiled as he heard the all familiar dings in his head.
“Wow, that’s unexpected,” said Ekri the Tailor, who was waiting off to the side. “Milord, you do know it takes years of practice for soone to do what you just did, right? I don’t believe you had crafting or enchanting abilities when I last saw you.”
Zarian didn’t respond right away as he pressed his hands on the chest of his upgraded outfit.
He could feel the epic vibrancy of the magic against his skin, the elven runes humming to the tune of sothing he could almost hear through his own flesh.
The tune reminded him of how Ruvaria would hum or sing in a beautiful elven language that wasn’t so easy to translate and seed special to her.
Granted, his sorcery and enchantnts didn’t stand to hers, but still, he felt a touch more magical, a touch more aweso, and a touch more happy that all that pain from his absolute training could lead to this.
He was a wizard and a sorcerer, and that was fucking aweso.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
“I could upgrade it to legendary if you want,” Ekri asked.
“No,” Zarian growled, his tail shifting angrily while wrapped around his waist and hidden under the epic material.
The tailor waited politely and didn’t even point out Zarian’s sudden rudeness. After a few breaths, Zarian reined in his wildness and addressed the tailor properly.
“I’d like to upgrade it myself once I beco more skillful. It’s good practice. And since it’s from a friend, it’ll an more if it’s done by .”
Ekri nodded, accepting the explanation with grace.
A mont of awkward silence filled the void between them, which Zarian allowed as he tried to figure out one more addition to the outfit. Sothing was missing, and he didn’t know what.
It was going to bug him for a while, so he was thankful when Para ca with a solution by reinventing herself, too, blossoming behind him with nine light blue and ghostly fox tails.
Finished, Zarian cast a mirror array in the air to see his and Para’s appearance, stunning himself from the sight. The vibrancy of the magic, especially after he’d upgraded it himself, made it look like sothing straight out of fantasy instead of a plain cosplay, especially with how the nine fox tails wavered with spirit behind him.
Nodding in satisfaction, Zarian dismissed the mirror array and turned to Ekri. “Can you fly?”
“Not very well, milord.”
Zarian piled together blocks of stone with aura and then applied a few rare enchantnts and arrays. The cobbled together thing looked like sothing that belonged in the wilds across the Walled Continent, yet it floated in the air and had enough space for six to stand on it.
Then, with a few ticulous pushes and pulls with aura on so taphysical levers, Zarian sent them flying above the land on the makeshift flying rock pile.
Then again, it wasn’t really flying. It was more like falling with style since the main arrays in use were gravity-based. Worked perfectly fine, though, and he was making excellent use of the enchantnts of his fox outfit, boosting the concealing arrays.
“Forgive for speaking out of turn, milord, but I must admit Lady Ruvaria has done … a thorough job with you,” Ekri the Tailor said, coming across as more bashful than Zarian had ever seen from the drider.
“My abilities might call a master, but I’m really still a novice,” Zarian downplayed.
“Milord, we both know how powerful you are, hm?”
“Yeah, yeah, I can destroy the universe. What’s new?”
“This isn’t a part of that set of powers, right? The ones that can destroy everything?” Ekri pointed at the pile of rocks falling in style beneath them.
Zarian glanced down. “No, this cos from and my studies. And lots of pain.”
“Yes, well, I’ve lived for a long ti, and most of that ti was spent serving Ruvaria in secret, feeding her what she wanted to know about Carrowmore. And every now and then, she will depart so of her great knowledge upon .
“I’ve had opportunities to pick up sorcery and … I just couldn’t. That doesn’t stop from being an excellent crafter and enchanter, but sorcery doesn’t fit , and many others are the sa. And if they can make sorcery work, they are strictly of the more non-adventurous inclination.”
“What are you saying?”
“You’ve mastered adventure-capable sorcery in a fraction of ti than you should’ve and that’s frankly unbelievable,” Ekri stressed.
Zarian looked with so confusion at the tailor. From an outsider’s perspective, the eye holes on the fox mask were pure white, so there was no seeing the reactions of the man who was pretending to be Isaiah Skybreaker.
Behind that mask, Zarian was strictly uncertain of why any of what Ekri was trying to say mattered. But he didn’t feel like being rude to Ekri. Not anymore.
Ekri wasn’t a threat to his relationship with Naomi. Ekri was also a servant to Ruvaria and mainly soone who would help.
So, Zarian answered the best way he could.
“I … see.”
Ekri slowly nodded. “Just be careful when you show off anything beyond what mages or wizards could do in a combat scenario. Now, shall I explain all that’s pertinent to you about Carrowmore before I leave you be?”
“You won’t be heading back ho?”
“It’s best I don’t, since I’m not a baron anymore. And you should go as independently as you desired. If anything, all I ask is that you pay my old place of business a visit. There will be soone there who can show you my work, and maybe you’ll trust to make you sothing.”
“And to make Naomi sothing, I imagine,” Zarian said casually.
“If … you and the lady are willing, milord.”
“It’s fine. Just know she’s very special to . And don’t forget the others.”
“Understood. How can I forget? Especially the one who made that outfit. Truly, you and your Outsider friends are marvels.”
“I see.”
Moving on to the topic of Carrowmore, Ekri did his job splendidly. For once, he didn’t speak in an over the top and jovial manner. He was direct, precise, and to the point, almost reminding Zarian of a sewing machine with how fast and how concise he spoke.
Ekri stitched together a patchwork canvas that covered all the important tidbits, and he added so interesting notes about how this tournant differed vastly from all the ones before.
“Multiversal,” Zarian repeated.
“Yes, milord. My sources that remain in Carrowmore are adamant about that. We’re getting contestants and audiences from other universes.”
Zarian looked up at the sky as the twin suns crawled amid blocky clouds. “The other Systems are trying to do things from a different angle. But there’s no major alert, so that ans they’re expecting to gain sothing from the tournant itself.”
They were expecting the Dark Emperor, the reason for the Darkrun Apocalypse, to show up. A few delegates from the empire would attend as part of the political circus, but the Dark Emperor himself wouldn’t be there in the spirit, only in the flesh.
It would be Isaiah Skybreaker registering at the tournant and facing its multiverse-spanning challenges.
“Is that it, Ekri?”
“That is all, milord.”
“Do you want to get lower to the ground?”
“No need. I can make my way from here.” Ekri moved to the edge of the rock pile only to hesitate and look back. “I didn’t take Lady Naomi seriously when she talked about you. Even after the Darkrun Apocalypse, I still didn’t take you as seriously as I should’ve.”
“What changed your mind?”
“You have a conviction that is too heavy for even the likes of . It makes the prospect of standing in your way more unideal. Not because of your power, per se. It’s just the attitude you have that promises a relentless and unforgiving approach regardless of power.”
“I see.”
Ekri watched the young man with the blue fox mask, blue fox tails, and unfathomable power before the tailor took a step off the impromptu rock plane. Then the tailor was gone, and Zarian was officially on his own with his closest companion.
“Ready, Para?”
The foxtails waved and wavered like nine flas shaped into furry tails. “Almost. I’m thinking of a new na.”
“What’s the first thing that cos to mind?”
“Starlight.”
“Oh, why’s that?”
“Because when you break the sky, the stars will be there to greet you.”
“Very well.”
Zarian and Para, with their new identities and appearance secured, left behind the piles of rock that were falling with style. They moved in and out of the void, again and again, leaving behind the reach of the empire, going further north beyond the regions of the Blood Prairie Savages.
They went further north than they’d ever gone before, with a great sea of razor-sharp and crimson grass covering the rolling landscape beneath. Black ruins, so built up like hills and small mountains, dotted the Blood Prairies for so ti.
Everything changed as they reached gray planes with sparse grass and skeletal vegetation with stony bark. They found eerie creatures that stalked about like bent over humans and had spurs of bones pointing out from their limbs and their skulls.
They found roving clans of man-eating giants that were more monstrous than humanoid, ten tis bigger than a troll, and with teeth that could tear through epic rocks, let alone bone. When the landscape changed again, they found snow while climbing up a higher elevation.
The castle mountains of the north appeared after a few more trips in and out of the void, and the change in landscape stood grander and more awe-inspiring than the likes of Grimrock. The mountains this far north of the Walled Continent would’ve endured Zarian and Naomi’s spar far better.
“I see why they call it the Cold Booth Castle Mountains, Starlight.” Zarian pointed up. “The one in the middle really does look like a big blocky boot. But damn, it’s so big it could’ve crushed the Grimrock Castle Mountains.”
“And we’re going right underneath the tread, Isaiah,” Para said. “There waits the caverns of Carrowmore.”
Dropping from the sky, Zarian and Para joined a caravan of travelers without them noticing, which was pretty impressive. The caravan held folks who were all Level 100, which Zarian felt from their auras and the palpable weight of power without having to use his devourer trait.
And from what Zarian could see at first glance with his eyes and his aura, he was the only decently human person among them. The rest were of adventuring races he hadn’t encountered yet, and he had a feeling they weren’t native to the Walled Continent, nor the World of Castles and Caverns.
Reviews
All reviews (0)