Chapter 107: Much Awaited Progress

Shadow Clone Sorcery

Lukas’s theory proved correct.

The victims of the Void slugs all resided in the neighborhoods along the river. All basements and cellars contained evidence of body-snatched individuals. It seemed they remained in a dormant state until their master was threatened. The Void Lord was undoubtedly intelligent. It only used the individuals who were residents of Reistein for its purposes, saving the rest for when military mobilization was needed.

Leisel and Tori, the recently promoted auditor, needed to investigate further, extending the party’s stay in Reistein. They couldn’t figure out why the heart hadn’t spread its influence to the entire population and had confined body-snatching activities to the area between the river and the stream running through the settlement. It seemed the party’s presence had hastened its plans, hence the ritual involving victims from the neighborhoods surrounding the mines, but they couldn’t be sure. It was likely a rushed effort to take control of the city.

After extensive door-to-door inspections and interrogations, the party resolved that no threats remained in Reistein. However, it would be shortsighted to leave the security to the guards straight away. There were also several questions unanswered. So, they decided to remain in town a while longer. Since Leisel didn’t predict combat, she gave Lukas and Haima permission to ascend.

Dragonfire Weaver

• Gain the ability to produce dragonfire of all elements you can naturally access and weave them into any spell you desire.

• Your arcane manipulation and projection abilities will significantly improve.

• Minor offensive abilities available.

It was as Lukas had predicted, the Essence of Dragon was far too potent. The magic within fundamentally changed the power granted by the shard or deviated heavily from its theme. He imagined things would be different if he used it on one of those pillars after ascending a few tiers. However, he refused to give up on the possibility of perfect compatibility overcoming all else.

Spellweaver

• Shape woven spells into wards bound to a location without reagents or extra materials. Only spells you can personally cast are legible, and shaping speed will vary with mastery and familiarity.

• Your arcane detection and spell dismantling abilities will significantly improve.

• Minor utility abilities available.

It wasn’t quite what Lukas was expecting, but it was still an interesting addition to his collection of metamagic. He rather liked the idea of attaching Silencing Shadows to a set area, denying all within the ability to see or hear. The prospect of traps involving sound, lightning, Shadowfire, Stormfire, and whatever else he could conjure up also excited him. Most of the recent spells Lukas had developed focused on combat, but there was a lot more to be achieved using sound and lightning. He couldn’t wait to explore the possibilities.

The potential was endless, and he didn’t doubt the ‘minor’ ability would add something astounding. Shade’s Mantle had been a game-changer, and the clones were just starting to make the most out of Alter Metal Mass and Steel Weave.

Shadow, storm, lightning, sound. Any of them turned into dragonfire is already devastating. But do I just want more power?

No. I don’t. A shadow field of fear would be bloody amazing.

Lukas went with Essence of Arcane Shaping. He had made up his mind long ago and wanted to push his fundamental magical abilities to the maximum. It was likely essences related to manipulation and projection also existed, and he hoped to use them for Spellweaver’s future upgrades. Lukas didn’t want to become a sorcerer who rose to prominence because of inherited power. He wished to become a master of all magic, not just whatever would help him create the flashiest arcane explosion or construct.

Please pick one of the following:

• Weave Intelligence: Shape intelligent constructs using arcane threads. The complexity of tasks they can complete scales with the spell’s power and the intricacy of the weave. The construct will last until its magic runs out or the script drawing ambient energy fails.

• Assistant Spindle: Conjure a spindle of all arcane threads you are capable of creating. It will behave as your familiar, drawing ambient magic to weave spells of the same tier as your Mind Pillar. The spindle will act independently unless directly controlled, and can be directed to assist in tandem casting.

Lukas didn’t spend much time on the decision. Weave Intelligence had its benefits. The flame spheres that Penelope had taught him to create paired brilliantly with drone spells and functions. A good deal of the next tier of magic she had suggested involved programming them to complete a variety of tasks while moving independently. The sub-ability would make the pursuit significantly easier. However, it was once again something he’d learn to accomplish with enough time and practice.

Meanwhile, Assistant Spindle was unique. It wasn’t metamagic but a familiar. Lukas didn’t want anything of the sort initially, but typically, they were assistants and bodyguards. Esther and Penelope claimed that familiars capable of casting spells were near non-existent. The fact that the spindle would act independently was a detriment. However, he liked the idea of having someone assist him with complex casting, sharing the strain and reducing the concentration requirements.

Two options again?

Essence of Arcane Shaping has perfect compatibility with Spellweaver. The base tier-two ability is already potent. You’re lucky to get a sub-ability at all.

I like the Spindle the best, but I need more information. Is it sentient? Can it detect arcane threads and manipulate them the same as I? Can the Spellweaver clones use it?

Yes to the first two questions. It won’t manipulate outside spells, enchantments, or rituals unless you direct it. The familiar isn’t creative and will need your assistance with such endeavors. However, it can cast independently, using your arcane arsenal. Think of it as a way around dual casting without the mental strain. Spellweaver clones may summon the Spindle, but only one can exist at a time.

It won’t be a smart mouth like Bass or overly emotional, will it?

Spindles aren’t known for their speech or expressing feelings.

The journal didn’t elaborate, and Lukas guessed it was all the extra information he was going to get. He wanted the ability the most because he believed that it would eventually assist him in disentangling the journal from Lady Silverspine, and he made his decision. The real prize awaited afterward.

The ascension process took one and a half days. More journal messages awaited him when he stirred. The ‘shadow golems’ hadn’t stayed idle while he slept, using the Body Pillar’s ability to help with clearing out the burnt building and conducting repairs. It had taken the exhausted party some time to get the blaze under control, and the fire had spread to a handful of other roofs. The volunteer work had paid off.

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Altered Metal Mass has progressed to rank 5!

Slider limits have expanded.

Minor ability upgrade available.

Altered Metal Mass has progressed to rank 6!

The cost of altering the mass of metals is decreased.

Please choose from the following:

• Emergency Alteration: Gain the ability to make yourself weightless enough to float at low mass or become a heavy, durable, immovable wall at high mass. Extreme Alteration burns large amounts of magic and comes with equivalent mental strain.

• Cover Weaknesses II: Your bones and muscles gain elasticity at low mass, reducing the risk of breaks, sprains, and strains. Meanwhile, at high mass, your stamina demands aren’t as high, allowing longer acceleration, and you won’t tire yourself out as fast.

• Instant Reset: For three times the magic cost, instantly set your mass to anywhere on the scale. Repeated usage comes with compounding mental strain.

The second tier of Empowered Clone had come with a significant boost. It wasn’t the same for Cover Weaknesses. The wording seemed no different from the base version. Besides the eight clones and their combat abilities, Lukas didn’t feel like he needed the second rank. He valued the Body Pillar for its conjunction ability and for creating clones at varying weights. Lukas didn’t remember the last time he used it personally. Now that Spellweaver had ascended and no longer needed as much attention, he intended to use more front-lining clones with Alter Metal Mass.

Emergency Alteration looked like a fun option for ‘oh-shit’ moments when Lukas or the clones needed to achieve the impossible. He saw it as a means to get out of trouble or turn the tide of battle.

Finally, he turned to the much-desired conjunction ability. He recalled that the choices would come from several possibilities: the two shard abilities interacting with each other, either shard ability interacting with the other’s essence, or the combination of the two essences.

Your Mind and Soul pillars have ascended beyond the first tier. Conjunction abilities are available and may also be used by the clones. Please pick one of the following:

• Duplicate Print: When casting a spell, duplicate it for no additional mental or casting time. The total arcane expenditure will be three times the base spell.

• Shadow Illusions: Weave illusions out of shadow. The cost of the illusions will scale with the size, complexity, and experience. They’ll persist until the magic fueling them is consumed.

• Pocket Spell: Weave a physical pocket of arcane threads that contains a spell for later use. Destroying the pocket will instantly release the magic, allowing an instant cast. You can’t carry more than one pocket at a time, and it will rapidly decay if left alone or handed off to another.

Duplicate Print tempted Lukas. His first shard—the Shard of Duplicaiton—had offered a similar ability for the Mind Pillar. He rejected it because of Arcane Clone. Now, it had reared its head again. Lukas wanted it but had concerns regarding the cost. Duplicate Print was excellent for personal use, but he worried that the clones would overuse or misuse it to the point of destabilizing their arcane shell. Their lack of self-preservation had drawbacks.

It was a combination of Arcane Clone and either Spellweaver or the Essence of Arcane Shaping, or both. Lukas couldn’t be sure, and it didn’t matter much to him. The second option was the real prize and seemed like a combination of both essences.

It wasn’t just that Lukas adored the idea of illusions. They were great for misdirection, infiltration, combat, and everything else. More importantly, it synergized brilliantly with the recent fear infusion from his soul ability’s third tier and the power from Spellweaver’s second tier. He imagined creating Shadow Illusions to lure people into landmines or fear fields.

Pocket Spell was decent, but just didn’t pack the ‘oomph’of the other two. It would be excellent for Penelope or Mira, who utilized several spells that demanded long cast times and came with extreme mental strain and energy drain. Meanwhile, most of Lukas’s magic involved quick casts or building on foundational constructs like the spheres. They were skill-based, swift casts that didn’t burden him individually but added up over time.

Maybe further down the line, when I’m more powerful and a better mage. Shadow Illusion is too handy, comes with the illusion attunement, and synergizes with everything else too much to pass up.

The journal wasn’t done. More messages appeared when Lukas locked in his decision.

You have eliminated the Void Heart and removed all of its influence from the area.

You’ve been rewarded with an additional charge for empowering my functions and a spell manual.

A spell manual? Where did that come from?

It was confiscated when you portaled to Iskander. I couldn’t protect it from destruction during the journey. However, storing it within subdimensional storage was no problem.

Hold on a moment. Lukas frowned. You’ve had loot that’s rightfully mine all of this time, but refused to hand it over?

It’s not that I don’t want to give it all to you. I had to send it through the portal system to a space under Lady Silverspine’s control. Accessing it is impossible without her magic, which I can only unlock when quests are completed.

Lukas wanted to curse out the dragon, but refused to let anything befoul his mood. Ascending the Mind Pillar and all the goodies that came with it had put him in an excellent mood.

What’s the scroll?

The name on the cover got an eyebrow raise.

“Spectral Traversal Series”

Lukas eagerly flipped to the table of contents.

“Table of contents

• Sense The Dead

• Ghost Walk

• Spectral Swap

• Ghastly Ally

• Haunting Locus

• Portal Through Limbo”

“This is incredible.” Lukas gasped. “I could maybe adapt this with one of my attunements, like I did with Earth Lance.”

Would you like to use the stored Charges to increase my functions?

“Go on, then,” Lukas said, only half paying attention.

Please pick from the following:

Inspector’s Compendium II: Gained the power to inspect people, gaging awakened pillars, general ranks, and overall power level. You need contact for the inspection, and be wary of anti-scrying and divination wards. They might warn the target of inspection attempts.

Cost: 2 Charges

Hidden Compartment III: Double the storage space’s capacity. Organic items placed within will go into stasis. No living objects can survive the process.

Cost: 3 Charge

Escape Portal: Gain the power to open a portal to a random city or settlement once every lunar cycle, escaping to somewhere without conflict. You may sacrifice an essence sphere to have the portal take you somewhere you’ve been before.

Cost: 2 Charges

Messaging Service: Share messages with the clones through my pages. The process will require a minor arcane investment.

Cost: 1 Charge

“I can’t believe you’re using a charge for the Messaging Service. I’m obviously going for that.”

Would you like to bank the final charge?

“Yes,” Lukas replied. “This Mira quest better come with a big payday. I want to upgrade Hidden Compartment again. More options to improve you wouldn’t hurt either.”

Why not pick Escape Portal? You could instantly return to somewhere you’ve been before using an essence sphere. It's only random if you have me tap into Lady Silverspine’s energy. It will take you where her interests lie.

“I have trust issues. The prospect of instantly returning to Iskander is tempting. I want to save it for when I have explored more of Fracture. It's no use to me right now. My cover requires me to stay with the party, and burning an essence to return to the Gray from the mines or other quests is still too rich for my blood.”