Chapter 125: Remnants of the Northern Empire

The Divinity Augost let out the kind of sigh only a disembodied spirit could. He had never met such a group of people who discussed and meandered as much as these Earthen Magi. They gave tentative acceptance to join the Empire of his followers, only to continue on with endless contracts, deals, terms of exit, and other matters.

How he wished to descend upon Earth and wipe out the plague known as ‘Lawyers’.

But he knew the end result was worth it, and he was but a split off consciousness. The more he saw of the Magic of Earth’s Magi, the more impressed he grew. While in combat they were nothing strong, it was in everything else they did he was fascinated in.

Many of his Mages were far more combat focused, especially given the system. The idea of a spell to automatically write down words, to create complicated airtight magical contracts only on the ‘Spirit of the Word’, or their many and very specific medical magics were beyond interesting. Their stasis spells specifically would cut down on numerous combat related deaths.

The creativity trickled down into their combat. He found one of the ‘Council’s’ leader’s use of absorbing powerful Beast Souls into his skin and then into his Magic quite impressive. Even if his strength was at the middle of Tier 2 at most, how strong would his technique be if he could gather the Soul of a Dragon? Or if he could be influenced by the system?

That they shared enemies with him only made it all the better. He had gained something he never could have before: the name and appearance of a Defier. Rainer Nvos. Even just thinking of it brought resistance to him, but he could always refresh his knowledge.

He would find this walking Human treasure sooner or later.

Rainer carefully crept towards the tower. He had about three hours before he ran out of Void Will. Thankfully, he didn’t have to actually read anything, and could just look and recall it in [Sleep Learning]. The lack of a Spatial Ring certainly affected his image of being a master thief. Any enchanted items of value would unfortunately have to be left behind in this wonderful tower since [Void Suppression] prevented him from using much during both its duration and the after effects.

He wanted to avoid being found out at all, so [Void-walking] into the place with its defensive magics wasn’t an option. Nor was physically taking anything.

The idea of busting in the front door was suddenly very appealing. Stupid morals. And he couldn’t even sink into his Void Will anymore to suppress them either. Apart from hurting his pride to resort to that, he’d have to also truly sink deep to even be affected.

Rainer gave a distorted laugh to himself, enjoying that the Tier 2 Aura Guards didn’t even hear him. Sponsoring enchanted items for the Trial of promising Tier 1 Aura users seemed to be a commonality amongst all Guilds. What was trading 50 years of your life for another 200, and raw power to go with it. He had traded 50 years of his own not to be consumed by the Void and Arcane inside him.

He walked right past them, looking at the large open doors in front of him. There seemed to be a meeting of sorts in the ‘lobby’ of the tower. The Mages stood in a circle over a large table, an assortment of reports covering it. Many of them were quite powerful. He supposed the chances of an outsider entering here were so low that there was no need to convene to a private meeting room.

Rainer walked forward, a wave of magic passing over him and disregarding him entirely. He was light on the horizon, the wind in the air, no more than a passing part of nature. The impressive defensive Magics of the Tower, that went beyond simple enchantments, ignored him.

“Have we decided which Dungeon parties to support?”

The conversation interested him, but Rainer still made his way towards the stairs. He was on a time limit after all. But after a few unrelated notes of conversation, he finally heard something that interested him.

“There is the one led by the Hunter’s Guild Master, of course. Of any, that Fairy has the highest chance of reaching the Third Tier. He is a frightening thing…”

“And what of the [Archon]?” A powerful Magus asked. His eyes revealed he was blind in a conventional sense.

It seemed Rainer did need to pause for a moment.

He froze as the man with pure white eyes seemed to stare right at him. But the [Archon] relaxed as the [Soul-Fire Seer] glanced elsewhere.

“Too young. Far too young. He would be a fool to charge towards the Third Tier unless he was pressured from the outside. Success or failure of his Dungeon Party is irrelevant, though his ability to damage our magic so easily is powerful, but at least it is promising he has chosen to make this place a home,” another spoke up.

“There is rumor of both the Flame-touched Goblin and a suspected member of the Devil Race joining his Guild. It would be assumed they’d be in his party. Then there is the subject of his fake background… the traveler clearly has the ability to return to his homeworld.”

“His guests may have an easy route to the 2nd Tier, but they aren’t anything to watch in the short-term. Though even their worst seems to be able to passively block our scrying attempts. The Magic of their original world must be impressive.”

“The Magic-Touched will never pass their Third Tier Trial. The Goblin is of no consequence.” Much to Rainer’s shock, everyone nodded in agreement. What the hell did that mean? “Though we should watch the Devil. Our attempts at scrying him have been noticed and unlike the others he nearly managed to trace it back to the source. It is far different from the [Archon] in which we are blocked simply by a massive force of power. The future of such a being is both clear and infinitely unclear.”

“Are we just to ignore the Wolfkin?”

Rainer was surprised as he saw all these old men’s faces crinkled in a mixture of resignation and annoyance.

“At least we know why our magic doesn’t work on him, He’s an [Archon]. But her… just a common Wolfkin of the Wolf King’s line, one who won’t even get to learn the technique that makes them so strong. Why does our magic fail completely on her?” He seemed to be asking a question, though those around him took it as if he was talking to himself. It took only moments of silence for the subject to change.

“Then the King of the Sea-”

Rainer hurried off up the stairs, deciding he best focus on what he came here to do. And also to speak to Amer about these attempts. Isn’t this something he should have mentioned? Ever since Rainer had shared his [Sleep Learning] space, they had gone beyond trading favors hadn’t they?

He walked further up, searching for anything even looking like a book. He crept through various rooms, noting the sleeping or quietly studying inhabitants as well the many currently unoccupied rooms. He had no time to note down what he was reading and simply scanned through everything. A bit of excitement went through him everytime he scanned something that included runes but he knew he couldn’t pause if he wanted everything they had to offer.

Rainer stood in front of his first lock. Not feeling a spell currently around him and a quick use of [Soul Detection] showing him alone, he knew it was finally time for him to make some noise. He as quickly as he could cut through the enchanted lock with an [Arcane Blade]. Were it not for the triality of his Soul, he doubted he could have pulled on his suppressed energy pool. Despite the decrease in attributes, he knew any enchanted item not specifically made to deal with Arcane couldn’t be this spell’s match.

He snapped back into complete stealth even as he was opening the door. His smile threatened to scare all the world’s children as he combed through his greatest treasure of notes yet, a small library.

The Tower’s height, and the reduction of his attributes, gave Rainer the feeling this was a one way trip. He’d either be found and killed at the end of it, or he’d peacefully [Void Call] himself to remove all traces of evidence. [Void-walking] away would require challenging the powerful defenses against teleporters, that would no doubt be quite magically loud even if the spell itself left almost no traces.

Much of the later rooms were empty or unused, some giving off the feeling of a laboratory. Clearly, the Farseers weren’t making full use of this massive place. He knew that most of them actually lived elsewhere, the tower serving as a base and only a home to few.

[Soul Detection] made it easy enough to sense anyone, though sooner or later he knew he’d have to deal with a place an Avatar of sorts was guarding. In fact, he was hoping for it. If there was nothing worth an Avatar guarding he may have as well not come. He still remembered the lack of things written down in Nalmar. They kept certain secrets and research materials written down but the algebra that sat in the middle of calculus and addition, was kept off the books. Few prepare for the downfall of an entire city.

Rainer went ever upwards, passing by numerous empty floors. It was only when he reached the 33rd, by his measure, that his [Soul Detection] caught wind of what he wanted.

Apart from a central staircase, the floor was wide open, though clearly some of it was used to hide behind the massive metal doors. Two meditating figures sat in front of it, and Rainer could instantly recognize the two Avatars from the Magi he saw below. The difference in their Mana Pools were clear.

He gave the enchanted door a final glance before heading higher. That would have to be his last destination due the high possibility they’d sense him breaking through the door. And killing their Avatars, assuming he’d manage it, would only alert them.

It took what seemed like ages, but Rainer managed to get his weakened body to the top floor, or rather the entrance to it. His long trek over countless empty and unused floors had been well worth it.

He nearly blinded himself as he looked at the ancient enchantments covering the entire last floor of the tower with [Arcane Revelation]. They cracked with age but were still filled with a boundless power. The magic wove into the stone as if it belonged rather than being an attachment. It was a masterpiece in enchantment.

And clearly it kept out the Farseers themselves. He saw numerous scars and marks against the stones, obvious attempts at entering. No doubt if they thought it would work, they’d consider destroying the tower just to access this final sealed off place.

Of the history Rainer knew, he only understood that after the war with Demonkind the Northern Empire fell. Groups of Mages, later forming Guilds, had scattered across the remains, acquiring their own fortunes and remnants from it. And then finally countries formed in the wake.

But didn’t the top of this tower alone prove it wasn’t that simple? Had a Demon reached the Third Tier? Or had another hand played a role?

Rainer almost felt reluctant. To destroy such a work of art. He committed it to memory, knowing just how much he could learn from this complicated enchantment.

Minutes later, a blade of Arcane stabbed into the lock, opening the last staircase of this tower.

Or so he thought. He watched in awe as the enchantment self-corrected. But, it seemed whatever source it might have once drawn on was gone. The whole became ever so slightly less.

Working fast this time, Rainer managed to open the door before the enchantment could correct the damage of his [Arcane Blade]. He went up the swirling staircase and entered a room that was beyond his desires.

He recognized the office for what it was; an ornate desk worn down only by the years stood in the back, a wide clear window that he was sure didn’t exist on the outside stood behind it. In the center of the room, where the enchantment seemed to originate, was an empty Mana Storage enchantment. The strange, thin, four-clawed pillar reached nearly to his chest in height and sat in the center of the room.

The empty square doorway that stood off to the side of the room confused him, but he left investigations for later. The enchantments on whatever it was were long gone.

But it was the books covering the walls that drew his attention. All that was left was a solemn hope that they didn’t crumble in his hands, aged by the years of nothingness.