“As you can see from the scan of my core,” Damion said, passing his body scanner artifact around after he scanned himself. “I have a number of affinities, so stronger than others. Because my core is not forced to be solely Ice mana, I suppose I am technically able to cast spells of any affinity, though I found myself in the dilemma of being unable to unless I imprinted another affinity, similar to how other mages were imprinting spells on their cores when morizing them.”
“You have an interesting array of affinities,” Mage Levine said, not really asking a question.
“It was a bit of a random process, and I haven’t fully grasped all of it. More important than my affinities is the casting of spells. Our students in Avalon will one day be like , their affinity on the outside of their core and able to cast spells of any affinity.”
“Any affinity?” Mage Strand questioned.
“Yes, but they would be like , likely limited to spells of their specific affinity, unless they imprinted more, which is probably not the best solution.”
“Yes, we have discussed this before. Have you found a new solution?” asked Mage Fletcher.
“More of an old solution,” Damion responded. “As you all know, the Alfar and the Iblis both have, what was once described to as unusual magic. This is because they are not limited to one affinity, like our people have been. So, if you believe the Iblis, that our people were once people of the Mother World, then this solution is one we once had, but was denied to us when our people were banished or lost in the eons since then. Grimoires, an artifact that can hold magic seals and, when called upon, assist a mage in casting spells.”
Damion took out the schematics for the grimoires and let them be passed around by the council mbers. Each was quite intrigued, especially since, if they understood the use of the artifact correctly, it was not limited to those with their affinity outside their core. The spell limit, which even S Rank mages were subject to, prevented mages from learning more spells than what could be imprinted on their cores, but with the grimoire, it ant many of these mages could make use of a wider range of spells.
For Mage Fletcher it was not much of a concern, after all, there were a limited number of Spatial affinity spells, but the other mages on the council were all at the point of only being able to learn one or perhaps two more spells. These last slots they had been holding onto for a long while, each secretly trying to co up with an ultimate spell worthy of their final spell slot. With the artifact the Iblis had gifted Damion they would be able to learn more spells. They might not be able to make use of spells of other affinities, but just adding spells to their arsenal would increase their combat power considerably.
“This artifact… opens many doors,” Mage Levine finally said. “So, that might be best left closed.”
“Advancent cos with risks. Most artifacts can be put to nefarious uses, but I think we all agree that this artifact should be kept secret until our students are ready to begin learning spells.”
Stolen novel; please report.
“A good security precaution,” Mage Strand comnted. “I believe each of us here should work, over the next few years, to design security asures for these schematics. If it is possible to prevent a grimoire from being stolen from a student or, at the very least, their spells from being stolen, it will resolve much of my worry.”
“Agreed,” seconded Mage Chaparro.
“Mage Wells, I have a question for you,” Mage Fletcher said. “Where did you learn your Spatial spells?”
Damion felt a bit warm now that this topic had been broached. After all, he had essentially stolen the spells from Arica, who was Mage Fletcher’s son’s student.
“Since it was difficult for to acquire spells early on, I tricked Arica Miller into showing the magic seals she knew.”
“I thought as much. While I am a bit disappointed in how you acquired them, I would not go so far as to say you stole them. You did offer her the scans of that S Rank Spatial artifact you sohow acquired. And I know, you did not get that from the Fontane brothers.”
“No, that artifact ca from an Iblis. Who passed it to in hopes of helping grow stronger faster,” Damion admitted.
“Which brings us to the most important topic for this eting,” Mage Teft said, getting the attention of the rest of the council. “What the Iblis want in exchange for the assistance they provided Damion.”
“Did you promise the Iblis sothing in return for their assistance?” Mage Chaparro got her question out before any of the other council mbers could.
“According to the Iblis, before our ancestors were banished, they altered sothing on the Mother World and placed a seal on it that only a human true mage can undo. What they did has caused the Mother World to steadily increase mana production and create more and more Realm Breaches each year. What they asked of , was that I help them undo what was done by our ancestors. And I agreed.”
“How does their situation affect us?” Mage Fletcher asked, realizing there must have been so connection between the changes to the Mother World and Nerotath.
“It is theorized, that if nothing changes, the Mother World will beco uninhabitable, because the mana density will be too high.” This statent from Damion caused the entire group to murmur. Too high of mana density? Just how high was it there already. “And then eventually, the sa thing will happen to all the other worlds where the Mother World is opening Realm Breaches to bleed off its excess mana.”
“Interesting,” Mage Strand said, scratching his chin. “Our mana density has slowly risen over the eons, as have the number of Realm Breaches. I am inclined to believe in the link between our worlds. However, our levels rising to the point of Nerotath becoming uninhabitable is hard to conceive.”
“The ambient mana density on the Mother World was mid A Rank. With mana density that high, most humans would not be able to cope,” Damion pointed out.
“Is this the reason why the Alfar and the Iblis tend to only appear in A Rank and above Breaches?” Mage Fletcher asked.
“I don’t know the exact reasoning for that, but I do know they both use the Realm Breaches as training and farming zones. To harvest particular magical resources that can be found in those Breaches. The goblins on the other hand, have resorted to breeding in Realm Breaches because their young are unable to survive in the high mana density of the Mother World.”
The S Ranks shifted uncomfortably when they heard about the situation with the goblins. Damion had pieced together over the years that the S Ranks knew more about the various races than they let people believe. Goblins were often considered pests to be exterminated in Realm Breaches, hearing that they were there primarily to raise their young left a nasty taste in their mouths.
“Very well, if we accept all of this as true. Why they needed a human mage and why they helped you grow,” Mage Strand said. “It does not answer the question of why they let you return? Wouldn’t their purposes have been better served by keeping you on their world until you reached the strength needed to undo the seal?”
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