One of the greatest discoveries in the field of magic was the P, the Modeel-Exhaustive-Proof. Albert Modeel (Reconstruction Era, 312-638), was an archmage from the free city of Serfurt. He served in Arcadia for five decades, then went off to study and compile his own theories. Modeel famously travelled throughout most of the known world, his compendium serves as a thorough list of magical sites upon worth any sort of ntion.
There has long been discussion upon trying to find the source of magic. There is obviously a link to the soul, although elves are also able to master magic. They are slower than humanity, although they suffer from the weight of agelessness. The ratio of magical accidents when sorted by race, elven-to-human, is a comparison of a molehill to a mountain. Even the most studies that aim to publish in the best light have to admit that, at a sheer minimum, humans are more than two and a half thousand tis more likely to set themselves alight. Yet the Elven-Magic proof is needed, for it separates magic from being an easily explainable, solely human talent.
Albert Modeel singlehandedly destroyed the Solstice-Channelling theorem which states that the alignnt of planets amplifies our spells here. The Fake-Solstice experint (FSE), which Goddess Elassa helped participate in, was sheer undeniable proof that there was no link to the moon. The magicians in the experint believed a solstice was ongoing and thus they channelled their magic to a level only seen during Solstice incantations. The Raw-Willpower philosophy (RWP) ca about shortly after that, the fact it has beco the most successful tool of teaching magic is proof enough that even if the theory is not correct, it has stumbled closer to the truth.
Nevertheless, the RWP cannot be correct for we have locations that amplify magic on Arda. Leylines and their confluences, valleys were magical energy naturally flows, ancient ponds bursting with power. Magic is an art of the soul, and yet magic cannot be solely confined to the soul. After the FSE, Modeel left Arcadia and started travelling throughout the world in an effort to find even one connection that magic had to the objects in our skies.
There is no need to re-write his words, so he shall simply be quoted: “No matter what scientific theory, what common folk-tale, what ancient mythology is presented and tested, the greatest links to the stars, the moon and the sun remain coincidental. No amount of abstract thinking is able to reveal a cohesive pattern, even if we take into account multiple theories at the sa ti. Thus, I have to state my conclusion with certainty, no matter how much I wish not to admit it.”
“Ardan magic is an internal phenona. I doubt that magic, as we know it at the very least, exists elsewhere in the universe.”
- Excerpt from the recently published “Journeying to Today”, a text on magical history, required reading in the (Imperial) War College of Arcadia. Co-written by High-Mage Elzbieta Teadrick and Samai Torrence.
Neneria stared at the news on her phone as she finally stepped off the damn ship that she had been confined to for the past months. What a journey, she had stepped escaped Legion through a dwarven hold in Arika, then had to make her own way into Imperial Ausan territory. Her ship had been turned around and it had to sail all the way around Arika to reach Imperial Kirinyaa. But she was here now, on the red Kirinyaan soil as several new Imperial Army divisions were being their agonizingly slow trundle to the north
Kht had fallen. The local governnt had declared an inability to operate, the flag of Tartarus had been raised over its city’s. Apparently, the local populace had tried to mount a failed in the streets of Karis. In Tanta, there was still brawling, Alexaniapolis was still sending civilian vessels north, Darmarnour had declared for Tartarus too, the country would cease to exist by the end of the week.
And it was all being broadcast, Tartarus had not pulled the cloud cover of Ashen Skies over the city, instead they had forged a gap in their own ashfront and charged straight through into the undefended country. Pantheon Peace had kept it demilitarized and there had been no real attempt at building an army. Tartarian Legions had simply marched in. How the Empire would respond, Neneria did not know. Whether it would be a total bombing of the population centres or whether it would be a war of attrition, this was not her job to handle.
But there was one thing she did in fact know. Kht falling was an assurance she would not be going back on those damn waters again.
Tartarian magic is unique, or maybe it is our own that is the exception.
Helenna walked through the rapidly rising panopticon that was the IBI headquarters. The ring had been completed, now, the first floors and walls were being finished. A statue of Helenna was already being produced, to be placed in the very centre of the garden in the ring. Her watchful eyes would be gazing through every window, just as the IBI would be gazing everywhere into the Empire. She couldn’t believe that she was getting away with a aning that blatant. The White Pantheon would have stopped her. But as excited as she was for the headquarters of her new institution being built, there was sothing else on her mind.
Kht had fallen, videos were being stread online of demons walking through the slums of Karis. Humanity in chains, locked away in their own apartnts and hos. The cities had been turned into a prison camp. A…
Helenna rembered in the past, before even the Great War, when captured villagers would be made to walk in front of armies to stop the enemy cavalry from initiating a charge. The tactic had first been used by Kassandora to great effect. Then, a local Divine had tried to do the sa thing against the Goddess of War…
Oh no…
She had to ring the one God who could actually stop her.
Their flaseerers are able to channel over great distances, seemingly in touch with the flas. It is not so much their souls exerting power over reality as them turning so hidden lock that we have not found.
Malam took a swig of clear, burning vodka. It imdiately did its work, dulling the raw focus she had on the tracking of demonic presence in the Empire. This little ga was fun, she got a burst of energy when another report from the SIS ca in that a pair of succubi had been found and swiftly pruned from Arda, but it was a ga nonetheless. She stared at the map of Kht. This was the real thing.
It was incomparable to Ratsweeper or even to the Arseille No-Evacuation Scenario. Ratsweeper was an elimination operation, the Anarchians were pests to be removed. No one in Rancais had shed a tear for them. An Arseille No-Evac Scenario could have been written off. Legion ca too quickly, so bureaucrats heads would roll, and the world would keep on turning.
But this? This wouldn’t even be Continent Cracking. If Kassandora was allowed to do what Kassandora would do, then she would wipe the slate clean. The Empire would cheer, no doubt, and the rest of the world would be horrified. If Kassandora went through with the obvious solution of bathing the entire nation in nuclear hellfire, then that was effectively signalling that the Empire had reached its limit of peaceful expansion.
The Goddess of Hatred, just as she had done in the past, would have to save humanity from the ravages of war.
The portal networks and great rifts work in the sa fashion. Through whatever chanism exists, Tartarus is sohow able to align their world with ours. The connection defies all known ways to apply magic.
Fortia looked over the news, she showed her phone to Maisara, then supposed she should show it to Fer as well. The three Goddesses huddled around the phone, they were sitting on a patch of grass, having yet another episode of drinking. That was common now, the Fer budget was truly limitless and no one had given them orders. Fer seed to take it for granted, Maisara hated it mightily, Fortia was in awe at the fact that the Goddess of Peace was a variable that the Empire could keep in reserve. “Oh.” Maisara said. “That’s Kht done then.” She said.
“There’ll probably be a retaking campaign.” Fer chuckling, nursing a bottle of blackberry-flavoured vodka in her lap. For her size, the woman did actually drink fairly slowly. Maisara and Fortia were running through the bottles at twice Fer’s speed.
“Do you think so?” Fortia asked, looking down at her bottle of whiskey. “It’ll be us then.”
“Probably.” Fer said. “But who knows? I’m not high-command. Supposedly, we’re waiting for the ICDT first firing.” What a feat Arascus was doing. To throw an entire through the atmosphere, at this point though, with the sky in Rilia being torn down, Fortia could believe it. What was throwing towers compared to that?
“I hope it’s us.” Maisara said. “I’m bored.” He looked at the empty bottle of vodka, then threw it so distance away into the grass.
“That’s littering.” Fer said quickly.
“I’ll clean up.” Maisara fell back on the grass. “Sorry Fer.”
Fer burst out in laughter, most likely aided by the alcohol. “Well if you’re that nice, I can check for you if it’s us.”
“What?”
“I’ll ring Iliyal.” Fer patted one pocket, then the other.
“Your phone’s here.” Fortia pointed to the grass next to the Goddess.
“Oh.” Fer said giddily. “Right.” She picked it up, unlocked it, and rang. It was picked up almost instantly. “Hello Hello? Iliyal? How’s my favourite little elf doing?”
Iliyal didn’t even seem to care at the nickna he got. “I’m currently heading to Goddess Kassandora’s ergency Kht eting. What is it Fer?”
Of Beasthood’s smile dropped.
Tartarian fires when magically channelled, are not Ardan fires. Whereas the torches of Tartarian soldiers can be controlled by our pyromancers, once they start being affected by their own seerers, it is as if the fire stops being fire.
Anassa appeared besides Irinika. Ten days ago, fighting in ash-choked Esberia had been a gruelling exercise. The war seemingly had no end save for the Empire’s defeat after an agonizingly slow crawling retreat. Anassa and Irinika could win every battle, they could slaughter thousands, millions even, of demons, and it still would not be enough.
The ICDT tower in Rilia had ended that endlessly slow grind. There was no grind anymore. There was only a matter of ti. The curtain had been pulled back and it revealed the finish line was far closer than anyone had anticipated. “Did you see the Kht news?” Anassa asked as the two Goddesses stared down upon yet another ravine caused by their combined powers. Another several thousand Tartarian soldiers dead.
“I did.” Irinika imdiately to pull out tobacco from a pouch that was hidden within the darkness which wrapped around her body. Anassa did the sa, with an orange, she had gotten the idea from her big sister, to just carry her favourite treat on her at all tis. It was far easier than sending a copy out.
“What do you think on it?” Anassa asked.
“I think nothing.” Irinika lit the pipe, took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she bathed in the smoke. Eventually, a faint mist escaped her lips. “I just wonder how this problem will be handled then.”
“The Kht problem?” Wasn’t that simple? Kassandora would just destroy the entire region. It was that easy.
“The not-letting-Kass-run-berserk problem little sister. That one.”
The conclusion then is that Tartarus truly has discovered so fashion in which to affect fire in a completely different fashion from us. They effectively transform natural fla into sothing else, which has no connection to human will. Or they disconnect it from reality. Or whatever connections we use to force our own will upon the elent, they manage to twist into sothing else.
- Excerpt from “Combatting the Tartarian Arts”, published during the Surface War by the Arcadian Press.
Kassandora looked over the maps of Kht, Kavaa, Iliyal to either side. Aryon and Beryon off to one side. Admiral Callaghan finally returned to the ground, he stood at the map of Ainai, the short gap which served as the only land route from Arika and into the rest of the world. “We have a problem.” Kassandora began with the obvious. “Kht has fallen. Kht is not the prize though, I have written off the populace already. They are going to be slaughtered nonetheless, no matter what we do.” Her finger moved to Udeah. “This is the prize. Kavaa, if you will share.”
Kavaa nodded and added her piece. “In the Great War, the Udeah rift was one of Tartarus’ major connections into Arda. It is incomparable in size, only the central Karainan rift or the Paraideisian gate are of similar scale. We are talking about a million a week once it opens.”
Kassandora turned to the table. “Gentlen. We are saving the world here.” Her eyes passed over each and every single person on the table. “If we fail, we have a second rift on Arda. There is no price too high, no brakes on this operation, no holds barred.”
User Comments
0 comments from readers