Chapter 259, 1/2

Erick flew for 3 days, largely as lightning and shifting rather a lot quicker than he ever might as a dragon.

Over these three days, Erick had toyed with the concept he was on an infinite treadmill once more, however that was merely unfaithful. He had run exams with leaving large ever-glowing lights within the sky, one half of them yellow, the opposite half black, pointing all the way in which again to the place he had began, every of them linked by a strand of node community. That line of linked lights was nonetheless seen, even now, stretching far, far into the gap. From this angle it regarded like a string of gold-ringed black eyes, and every eye lay instantly behind the opposite.

Erick had wanted to maneuver off of that center-line to see the huge distances he had already crossed, but it surely was all nonetheless there each time he checked.

The Margleknot sky regarded the identical this complete time. The angle of the sights up there hadn’t modified, so both the sky was faux for each single particular person, or these different surfaces have been, like, a photo voltaic system away, or extra. However that might make the sky faux, for positive, as a result of Erick noticed stuff taking place on different elements of the cosmology up there. Both method, the sky was not a very good indicator of distance traveled.

The desert appeared by no means ending.

Till immediately it wasn’t all the identical factor over and over… Considerably.

There have been rocks on the bottom now.

Over there was a tiny oasis of moist sand and no seen water in any respect. Grasses nonetheless grew in that moist sand, although. It was a spot of inexperienced in an in any other case empty world.

… Which gave Erick an thought of finish the monotony.

Erick molded resons right into a [Terraforming] and threw the storm into the sky, attaching it to the node community and an [Undertow Star], molding all of it collectively right into a self-sustaining system of mana-siphoning worldly transformation.

Immediately the sky clouded over, the horizons turning dim and gray. The one lights got here from the road of gold-rimmed gentle orbs and the node community behind Erick, and the sudden look of a tiny star of energy that flooded the world with tendrils of shadow—

The star pulsed and Benevolent lightning scoured the sky, ripping throughout the empty heavens, splitting right here and there because it chained off in each path, including clouds wherever it cut up because it stretched out into the vastness of the desert surroundings. The clouds gathered extra lightning.

After which got here the rain.

Erick flew as a dragon for some time as an alternative of as lightning, having fun with the cool rain on his scales and the strike of lightning on the bottom right here and there. Each time the lightning struck damp soil it scattered in each path, spreading inexperienced right here and there. Typically that inexperienced glowed. Typically it simply blew or washed away within the storm as minor lakes popped up right here and there. Flash floods raced throughout the desert as shadowy tendrils solid down from the sky in each path, touching upon the brand new life. That new life fed the mana calls for of the various spells he had tied collectively; the [Terraforming], the [Undertow Star], and the node community and all the large gentle orbs connected to that community.

The storm wouldn’t go ahead anymore as a result of Erick wasn’t placing down any extra community in that path, however it could go backward, again to the place Erick had began the community about two days in the past.

Possibly there was life hiding out down there, someplace, however Erick hadn’t seen something, and doubtless due to that point worm. If the one factor residing out right here was the time worm then fuck the time worm. It might drown, new life might unfold, and that might be effective.

Lightning crashed, as if agreeing with that thought.

Erick grinned. It in all probability was agreeing with him.

Erick flew for an extended whereas as a dragon, simply having fun with the rain. He even stopped at what regarded like a model new lake to take a break and a drink and to feast on some mushrooms rising and glowing on a damaged new-forest, close to the lake’s edge. He didn’t just like the crimson mushroom he tried, or the purple one, however the blue ones have been improbable. He copied a variety of these after which grilled them on some utility cooking spellwork.

With a stomach filled with blue mushrooms and water, each of which have been utterly superfluous to him since he was a True Wizard now, Erick flew quicker as soon as once more.

He left the storm perhaps 20 hours later. It was laborious to maintain monitor of time since this desert world was full-sun full-time, however Erick thought it may need been a day of flying, each as a dragon and as lightning, to flee the [Terraforming] storm. He loved the solar on his scales for just a few hours, after which he turned to lightning once more and started flying quicker.

One other two or perhaps three days handed earlier than the scattered rocks and tiny spikes of stone within the desert changed into greater than that.

It occurred .

The horizon led off into the infinite distance…

…. after which the horizon obtained nearer.

Past the density of ambiance that existed right here, Erick noticed one thing that was not the tip of the desert, but it surely was one thing comparable.

Obsidian shards, like mountains-sized knives, caught up from the sands, like tooth reducing tan flesh. These daggers had a variety of house between each, they usually edged from horizon to horizon so far as Erick might see. However as he actually regarded, and as he flew nearer, he noticed that these obsidian shards have been ever-so-slightly curved away from him. As if they have been the beginning of an arc of black knives jutting up from the desert sands.

There was some type of magic on them.

Erick obtained nearer and stopped just a few kilometers from the encirclement, and it was an encirclement, for positive. It needed to be ten thousand kilometers broad in accordance with Erick’s guesstimations. He might solely see a part of the circle. He couldn’t even see the tip of the gray sky pillar that pointed at one among Wraithborne Tower’s Layer 1 cities, however he was fairly positive it was in there. Someplace. In all probability within the very heart of the obsidian dagger ‘wall’.

This was his vacation spot, for positive. Erick checked his Lightning Path and noticed that the Lightning was pointed on this path, particularly to right here, too, however solely briefly. The true method ahead lay past…

Over there…

Illusions, maybe? Erick narrowed his eyes and tried to pierce no matter illusions is likely to be laying on the opposite facet—

He couldn’t see clearly, however he noticed some type of phantasm magic encapsulating all the land on the opposite facet. It was nonetheless desert over there, however there have been… buildings? Spellworks?

Oh.

Guardians on a wall, taking a look at Erick within the sky, questioning what the heck he was doing.

Erick spoke in draconic, which was his ordinary language lately, “Hi there! I’m Erick Flatt, Wizard of Benevolence, and I’m coming into the Wraithborne Tower’s hideout. Make method, or I’ll make method. You’ve got a minute to conform.”

He floated there.

A voice known as out from the ‘wall’, “You’ll be able to’t enter from right here! The worm is simply too shut and you might be too massive. Please fly round to the opposite facet!”

Erick remodeled again into an individual, the transformative garments that Lionshard had given him remodeling with him, turning from jewellery on a horn to a pleasant white and black go well with. Erick felt a bit constrained by his human kind, however that was regular. Being as a dragon for thus lengthy at all times had just a few unwanted side effects, and the instinctive, disruptive feeling of ‘I don’t need to be this small’ was one among them.

Erick’s voice remained massive. “This higher?”

“… Sure! Please come by means of right here, and quick!”

One of many illusions between two obsidian knives pale exposing a land that regarded fairly fucking depressing. At first look Erick noticed troopers that have been useless, within the literal sense; they have been bones and armor and dried flesh. There have been a bunch of mostly-dead troopers, too, within the sense that they have been pores and skin and bones and severely malnourished. The mages controlling the undead regarded soiled and unwashed, with pit stains and worse of their white underwear, whereas their over garments have been purple materials that they used to cover all the remaining. Males, ladies, bug folks, some particular person product of paper who may need been an elementassi of Elemental E book, goblinkind; there have been every kind past the wall, in what gave the impression to be a ahead settlement on that facet of the obsidian knife wall.

And for each particular person, there have been at the least two undead.

The biggest of the undead have been flesh golems 50 meters tall, each of them wanting like sexless males, hanging out on each side of the obsidian knife entryway, gazing at Erick with full-black eyes that appeared virtually malevolent of their gaze. Not Malevolent, although; or at the least not that Erick might see.

The doorway had solely been open for a naked second.

Erick zapped proper on by means of to face close to the particular person whom Erick suspected of being the speaker, seeing as how he was in a central place on a wall-like bulwark-building, however he was clearly not answerable for this complete land. He was just too… unclean, actually.

Erick began with, “Hi there.”

The person in a purple gown bowed quick then he shouted to the facet, “Shut the Wall!”

The 2 flesh golems tapped the 100-meter-tall obsidian knives and sound rang out. A flickering mirage echoed into the house between the knives, and the desert past turned vague. Erick couldn’t see something past perhaps 50 kilometers. He had overpassed his storm days in the past, anyway.

He questioned if these folks knew in regards to the storm on the market? They regarded like they might use some water.

The purple man turned to Erick and did a correct, formal bow, going all the way in which right down to his knees, urgent his head towards the bottom. “This one greets the honorable Ascended Flatt. How might the Wraithborne Tower be of service?”

“You all look slightly depressing. Rise, please. Want any assist with something?” Erick thumbed again towards the way in which he got here, saying, “I left a big perpetual storm about 4 days again that method. Barring shenanigans by the worm— and also you do imply the time worm, proper? Once you spoke of the worm. Anyway. Barring shenanigans then that a part of the desert goes to be filled with water and life for a very long time coming. And that’s simply a few of what I can do, so let me assist you in some massive method, after which you possibly can level me towards the exit to layer 0.”

The person targeted as Erick spoke, his eyes nonetheless solid downward as he thought quick.

After which he rose, as Erick had commanded, and mentioned, “Water 4 days from here’s a boon that can not be overstated. We recognize this generosity. The Limitless and its time worm doesn’t abide by such water creation, so we are going to ship out skeletons to seize and return no matter water they will carry and hope that some is left by the point they will get that accomplished.”

Erick smiled, saying, “Water is essential then. I’ll take into account making a storm right here. Transferring on: Who is definitely in cost right here? What is that this place anyway? I got here to this a part of the Wall for no matter motive, and also you look marginally in cost, however I don’t need to put you below any extra stress as a result of I’m positive that perhaps Morbion will come down and interrogate everybody who speaks with me.”

The person tried to not present worry as he mentioned, “Now we have been knowledgeable of doable actions taking place round us due to your esteemed personage. When you want to communicate to somebody in cost then please proceed on to the primary metropolis, which is within the heart below the massive gray pillar, and go to the biggest constructing with the largest dome. It’s there that Chancellor Eldawae holds his courtroom. Welcome to Da’luwe.”

“And a effective welcome it’s.” Erick gestured towards the grand metropolis within the far, far distance. “That’s Da’luwe, then?” He gestured downward to the empty land between right here and there, after which down much more, to the jumble of buildings and hovels on this facet of the obsidian wall. All the pieces rotted and fields regarded weak and horrible. Men and women tried to make use of magics to eke out tiny fruits from a meager orchard that was not getting practically sufficient water. Nobody appeared to be getting sufficient of something. “So what does that make this blighted land? A subsidiary? A torture? A relegation? Are your soul shackles chafing you, mister man in purple?”

Erick watched him, however he additionally mana sensed each single different particular person within the closest 500 meters. He counted 376 folks, and perhaps 1200 undead. The undead have been tougher to depend as a result of a few of them regarded composed of a number of our bodies. Possibly 21 folks have been actively listening to this dialog. Each single undead was listening, although.

The person in purple’s physique betrayed his hope whilst his phrases got here out, “We’re doing effective right here. Your fear is appreciated, Ascended Flatt.”

Erick obtained to the purpose. “How a lot is your debt?”

“7,300 res—” The person stilled. His soul twisted just a bit, after which relaxed. “My debt is my very own, Ascended Flatt.”

“… Hmm!” After which Erick handed him a reson jewel value 7,500 resons. “Yours.”

The person touched it—

… Erick questioned, with the Demons being actual once more, was slavery again on the desk on Veird? Yggdrasil hadn’t spoken of that again when he had talked about what was occurring again dwelling, however the demons, even when they have been incani, had a behavior of doing the slavery-thing.

However in that case…

Coming into into an Elemental Vile and Demon slave contract was the one method for an incani to die and find yourself with the home they signed up with, as an alternative of randomly positioned someplace else on Hell, as like, a dretch or worm; the bottom lifeforms of demonkin.

And that was largely true. Demon slave contracts weren’t all that dangerous, in a technical sense. The brand new ‘slave’ grew to become a member of a demon home upon dying, and positive, there was conscripted grunt work, however they have been handled extra like little brothers or sisters, and not likely like slaves in any respect. The Outdated Demons have been all useless, and all that was left on Hell was generational household homes constructed by incani, and upon centuries of useless grandmas, cousins, brothers, fathers, etcetera.

The soul shackled slavery on show right here in Da’luwe was not like incani slavery in any respect.

As Erick flew by means of the sky, wanting on the floor beneath and on the folks, wraiths and ghosts and different incorporeal flying undead started to elevate up from the perimeters of homes right here and there, all of them wanting virtually invisible towards the remainder of the world. They have been the aerial protection pressure, after all. A few of them took to the sky to observe Erick. Some floated up in entrance of him, instantly in his path, their eyes filled with hate and their our bodies turning partially actual as they ready to strike. However then their eyes would flash a distinct colour, going from invisible to barely inexperienced, or yellow, or orange, or purple. Purple occurred rather a lot. After which, when that occurred, the undead would disperse, or transfer to the facet, or ignore Erick.

Erick assumed that the ghosts have been all on easy instructions to kill anybody within the sky, and that it took work to make them not assault the folks within the air, which was why Erick was the one one within the air proper now… In any respect, it appeared. All over the place Erick regarded, nothing was within the sky in any respect, aside from him.

Erick floated towards the biggest, central buildings, which held upon a low mountain within the heart of town, wanting like an Evil-Vatican-meets-Parthenon type of place, and largely gray with black accents. It was a land product of domes and spires and tall silver bushes, sitting behind a excessive wall that separated it from the high-class elements of the primary metropolis of Da’luwe.

Some scary-looking undead, together with what gave the impression to be just a few ghost-alien-dragons, briefly appeared beneath as Erick crested the wall separating the central fortress from the remainder of the dominion. However then these ghosts went again to whole invisibility, soaking again into the wall and the land. Their eyes didn’t flicker in that redirection. They didn’t want to listen to instructions; they have been doubtless clever ghosts.

All the pieces within the fortress land was gentle gray stone with black accents, and it regarded positively evil.

Nonetheless, it regarded kinda good.

Erick landed by a large fountain in a big, central sq., proper in entrance of the large domed constructing. This appeared like a very good place for him to start out, and his Lightning Path agreed with him.

Dwelling folks and some liches, for positive, had been strolling round down right here, going from right here to there, however all of them scattered when it was obvious that Erick was coming down into this courtyard.

Erick confronted the massive domed constructing, and questioned at its closed doorways. They have been every tens of meters tall and wrought with imagery of metropolis constructing, which was fairly good in Erick’s opinion. Metropolis constructing was rather a lot higher of a theme than most undead favored to—

Large, black, ghostly skeletal arms reached out of the air and gripped the doorways. The steel doorways groaned below the burden of themselves, and the skeletal arms pulled tougher, opening them broad. The skeletal arms pulled the doorways open all the way in which, after which pale again into the stone. The corridor past regarded like a grand central stage surrounded on all sides by low seating—

Horns trumpeted a clarion name of energy from contained in the constructing.

After which a person stood upon that central stage. He walked out of the massive constructing, towards Erick. He was clearly a lich, sporting skinny black robes that confirmed gray pores and skin and a sexless physique. Black bones poked by means of right here and there. All of it needed to be an affectation pointed a technique or one other, and Erick wasn’t positive what the purpose of his affectations have been, precisely. He was elven and about as tall as Erick, which was round 3 meters as a result of his personal dragon stuff. Erick assumed this was Chancellor Eldawae.

It was in all probability Chancellor Eldawae.

Erick stepped ahead, assembly the person midway, within the solar.

The person stepped out of the assembly chambers, his eyes full of silver gentle, as he regarded Erick. He gave a tiny, partial bow, saying, “Greetings, Ascended Erick Flatt of Earth and Veird and the brand new Father of Margleknot. I’m Chancellor Eldawae. What brings you to our humble respite within the Limitless? A method again to Layer 0, maybe?” He pointed within the distance, towards a dim gray pillar on the horizon, to Erick’s proper. “That’s the appropriate path to the closest portal to Layer 1, however that’s not the total story. Go there, after which observe the subsequent 4 pillars and you’ll make it to the way in which out of this land. It takes an ascended a few 12 months to get to that first cease should you’re shifting quick, however not too quick. When you transfer on the full velocity of motion you’ll get there in a minute, however about 14 or 15 years may have handed right here on this land. Your entire journey to Layer 1 is one thing which may take an individual both 10 minutes and 75 years, or 6 years of merely shifting quick.

“Or.

“I’ve a greater choice.

“Kill the time worm and we are able to see about funding the creation of a portal right here, in Da’luwe. Falling to Layer 1 is simple. Leaving Layer 1 is barely normally doable by means of strolling, or dying. However we are able to make a portal below sure circumstances, for 1 particular person at a time. The one motive we don’t have one is as a result of it’s costly to keep up the wards, and each time the worm exams them we’re set again that rather more.”

Chancellor Eldawae stopped speaking.

That was all slightly easy, then.

Erick mentioned, “I need to set up extra Benevolence towers in your land to deliver extra bounty to your land, and to permit for a freer populace. I’ll see about killing the time worm afterward.”

Chancellor Eldawae had no response, besides to face there like a posed corpse, concerning Erick.

Erick remained silent.

Finally, Eldawae requested, “Your objective in these Benevolence towers?”

“My purpose is the eradication of Evil from the Wraithborne Tower which might end result within the eradication of a variety of subsidiary evils in the remainder of Margleknot. I might want for slavery as you realize it to finish as properly. I do that as a result of every little thing may be made higher. One of the best ways ahead to a greater tomorrow is barely to kill what must be killed after which save all the remaining, together with the really nice evils. So long as folks want to be higher, then I need to assist these folks be higher.

“Take, as an example, the physique you’re sporting. Is that for present, or as a result of that’s what your magics permit for? If it’s for present, then that’s effective. In case your physique is that method as a result of that’s the most suitable choice you will have obtainable —and I see that many undead round listed here are equally corpse-like— then know that Benevolence could make for really correct our bodies. My boyfriend is an archlich and he put some Benevolence into his our bodies some time in the past, thus permitting for a a lot wider array of feelings and cohesion and energy.

“Much more energy.

“And talking of energy, and going again to the towers I need to put up: you’re low on sources right here, or one thing, and also you want extra sources. I’ve completely no thought why you will have a water scarcity in any respect, as an example. The tower I’ve already constructed is one thing I put up in 5 hours and can final eternally, until it’s messed with. I’m positive I might do higher if I had your cooperation in that.” Erick mentioned, “In a extra sinister method, I’m serving to how I can and proving that Benevolence can do what you can’t for no matter causes, and very simply as properly. That’s how I can show my energy and the weak spot of your present society.”

A few of that was bluster. Onerous to say what elements, precisely.

Chancellor Eldawae was silent once more, considering.

Erick waited, however he was not idle. He gauged the reactions of each single particular person watching this trade, from up within the close by towers, to on the wall and making ready to strike Erick down with spellwork if the phrase was given, to contained in the lecture rooms to the facet, to those that mana sensed this dialog from inside hidden bunkers inside partitions right here and there. The troopers amongst these right here have been all ready for the sign to go, or to face down, however the courtiers and sycophants and clerks and nobles all watched with a bit extra fear, or hope, or absolute disdain.

Most everybody right here wished Eldawae to finish Erick proper right here and now.

The smarter folks knew that Eldawae wouldn’t have such a straightforward time doing to Erick what he had undoubtedly accomplished to so many others with a view to hold himself in energy.

Eldawae was a wise particular person.

And so, Erick waited.

Eldawae relaxed a fraction and regarded Erick with dismissive silver eyes as he spoke in a pleasing tone, “I discover it insulting that you simply assume my physique is just not an appropriate kind. Intercourse is extremely overrated, Wizard Flatt.”

Erick grinned. “I utterly agree. However then there’s meals, and heat, and a complete bunch of bodily issues which are good to have.”

“You might enact your towers. The boundaries of Da’luwe are from the tops of the Wall to the highest of that central tower behind my grand assembly chambers. Your present tower is beneath this measure, so that’s effective. Don’t construct greater than that, or the worm will see. Don’t dig any deeper than that peak beneath the floor of the sands, both. To be protected, merely don’t go beneath 25 meters.

“We don’t have a variety of water or many different sources so we’ve to import a variety of it from facet realities utilizing resons. All the pieces runs on resons right here, and every little thing is imported.

“Da’luwe is a penal colony, so please don’t go releasing folks from the crimes they’ve dedicated. These crimes embrace homicide, rape, arson, warmongering, failure to pay, genocide, treason, drug trafficking, terrorism, fraud, grand assault, impersonation, and lots of others.”

Erick simply requested, “Are you a penal colony seeking to maintain folks, or to rehabilitate them?”

“To carry till dying. Rehabilitation is just not what folks get despatched to Da’luwe for, however that does nonetheless occur infrequently.”

“What about all of the folks within the metropolis who aren’t undead? Who’re simply residing lives of ease? Or the folks by the Wall? Are all of them Contract soul-shackle slaves, too?”

“The people who find themselves residing in luxurious in Da’luwe are both those that are born to those that are imprisoned right here, or guests from exterior who discover themselves stranded right here within the Limitless, who come to us such as you got here to us. Those that have been born right here, in the event that they select to remain previous the age of majority, are the vast majority of these within the metropolis. Everybody who lives right here contributes all of their energy to powering Da’luwe, although, and that features those that will not be prisoners. Extra energy goes to paying off money owed, if folks have them. Most individuals don’t have money owed; they’ve sentences for offenses dedicated. Many individuals keep shackled previous their funds with a view to assist others.” Eldawae mentioned, “Those that have minor offenses, however that are nonetheless main within the eyes of the Tower, get to maintain their our bodies and mind upon arriving right here, in the event that they work a job like ‘wall guard’. Those that do main offenses develop into undead shackled to town till their debt is taken into account paid, after which they’re allowed to die and be a part of the Ready Room ready line.”

… Nicely that was rather a lot.

If a few of it was true…

Erick determined he nonetheless didn’t like their system.

After a second extra of considering, Erick requested, “How does one kill the time worm? Is it simply the one?”

“There’s solely ever one time worm in existence at any time limit, and the one strategy to kill it’s with excessive energy, surrounding the whole beast and obliterating it right down to the final iota of existence. Soul magic works properly. It solely ever stays useless for a few hundred years, although. Don’t fear about making an attempt to cease it for longer than that.”

“Is it really senseless? Unable to be soul shackled?”

“No, and no. It’s a really clever beast, but it surely desires to eat and eat, and that’s all it’s good for. Killing it would open up Da’luwe to doubtless combating a floor warfare within the close to future towards any variety of unknown actors and some recognized enemies on the market, however there’s at all times extra of these than anybody can depend. That warfare will occur in 70 years if we’re fortunate, 90 if we’re extra fortunate, or 30 if we’re unfortunate.” Eldawae mentioned, “Those that crash towards our obsidian knives, in search of to take our bounty, usually discover themselves prisoners, although.” He shrugged. “It’s normally a wash.”

“… I’m going to exit and make some sources for you all, after which I’ll go deal with the time worm downside. Discuss to you later.”

“Please hold your struggle away from town. Far, distant.” Eldawae stepped again. “It was a pleasure to fulfill you, Ascended Flatt.”

“You as properly, Chancellor Eldawae. I’ll be again.”

“I sit up for correctly welcoming you to Da’luwe subsequent time.”

Erick flew up and out of town, to the outskirts.

32-ish hours later, and after having created eight extra useful resource towers all in a slightly organized circle surrounding the primary metropolis, Erick flew out and away from the obsidian wall, again the way in which he had come.

Towards the lands that held the time worm.