Chapter 114: Coming Clean |
Never enough clones.
The ‘special’ clones already used almost half of Lukas’s clone slots. Eins continued to toil in the workshop, crafting weapons and tools of varying strength and complexity. His fellow artisan clone didn’t have a unique shard, but was almost always spoken for, dividing his time between Irma and helping Eins complete his projects.
The ‘Infiltrate Aquila’ plan was going brilliantly. Morph was already a member, and there were talks of another mission with Xander and Mira on the horizon. He had proven himself as the most valuable of the clones. The investigation into the mysterious Aquila faction was underway and making surprising progress. Now that they knew Ephramm was directly involved, investigations could begin from the Revolution side. Zwei and a pair of stalkers were already on the project.
Finally, there was Ace. The clone had already died half a dozen times during his testing, and the memories involving them had provided a great deal of insight into how Fortune’s Favor functioned. Lukas was beyond impressed. It wasn’t going to lead to Chaos Magic as he had hoped. He was almost sure of it. However, the clone’s unique attunement carried traces of divination magic, but it felt as if there was a lot more to it.
Luck magic must be all about divining probabilities and then pushing things in the right direction.
Ace had displayed the ability to use Arcane Scan’s original, complete version. Detect Hidden had helped the clone uncover acorn stashes left by local squirrels, stashes of coins buried around the river banks, and also concealed murder weapons.
Now that they had a rough idea of how the dice functioned, Lukas had Ace out in the city practicing the luck-stealing and burning abilities. He believed using them to force favorable dice rolls was possible. For the time being, he had ordered the clone to steal and put together a device before targeting gambling dens and low-end spell emporiums. Lukas didn’t want to waste a shard ability on danger instinct because he believed replicating some of the sort with divination magic felt possible. He hadn’t researched the arcane school but believed something of the sort was bound to exist already.
Shadow Clone has progressed to rank 1!
Shade’s Mantle can now assimilate new shadows quicker and for less magic.
“Of course I’ll train you!” Penelope exclaimed when Lukas visited her with Mira in tow. “Our meeting is way overdue.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” Mira beamed, glancing over her shoulder at Lukas. He gave her an encouraging nod. “Lukas has told me so much about you and passed on all of your lessons. We wouldn’t have succeeded against the Void Heart without all the flame magic lessons.”
“I find it extraordinary that you progressed so much under him when he is a novice with less experience than you,” Penelope stated, her smile almost saccharine.
Mira’s eyes widened when she spotted Shae on the other side of the room. The Elder Wyrmkin had changed considerably in the past handful of weeks. He was several times his original size, standing at almost seven feet tall and proportionally wide. His tale was now one and a half times longer and considerably thicker. A swipe from it was bound to break bones. Unlike the last time Lukas saw him, the scales covering him seemed smaller, more compact, making Shae appear almost naked.
“Is that a—” Mira’s voice quivered, and her shoulders noticeably stiffened.
“Yes,” Lukas said, swiftly closing the door behind them. “That’s Shae. Elder Wyrmkin. We rescued him from his former cultist tribe in Iskander.”
“Rescued. Imprisoned. Then employed.” Shae flashed a toothy smile. It was unsettling and unnatural on his lizard-like face. His teeth appeared almost crystalline, and where they met, the gums appeared metallic. “I’m training under the M—” He paused when Penelope cleared her throat. “—under Penelope.”
“Oh, wow.” Mira’s shoulders relaxed. She marched up to Shae and offered him a hand, eyes lighting up. “I suppose we dragonblooded are the bridge between the Elder Wyrmkin and humankind. There’s no reason why we can’t be friends.”
“Friendship?” Shae sounded shellshocked. He glanced at Penelope, almost as if asking for permission, before shaking Mira’s hand. “I didn’t think of it that way.” His speech improvements continued to surprise Lukas. “We both have dragonfire burning in our chests. So, yes. We can be friends.” Shae waved deeper into the dining room to a table the fabric barmaid was setting. “Would you care to join us? Penelope is helping me with my table manners.”
“I’d love to,” Mira said, accompanying Shae. All of her previous fear and concern had disappeared. She appeared glad to have made the new acquaintance.
“What happened to the stony, metallic, scale armor?” Lukas asked Penelope.
“He learned how to call it forth when needed and also develop it further,” she answered. “The disguise won’t be important going forward. Shae can claim it's a spell or shard ability and wear it as armor.”
“A draconic-themed Earth Armor spell. I can see that story working, especially given his vocabulary. If I just listened to Shae without looking at him, I wouldn’t know he’s not human.”
“That’s the plan. It won’t be long before he can start going out on his own.” Penelope nodded at the stack of papers on a nearby table. “The conclave will appreciate my research. It seems the Elder Wyrmkin’s connection to their dragonfire is significantly deeper than mine and probably Mira’s. It is especially the males who have a physiological connection to the fire. I can’t help but wonder if the females are worried about the power their counterparts can call forth if their draconic heritage is awakened.”
“That’s one way to maintain dominance, I suppose. Keep the physically superior sex weak and rule with magic. I must apologize if I overstepped with Mira, the dragonfire rituals, and everything else.” Lukas did his best to sound sorry. He didn’t want to cut ties with Penelope, but was starting to find his way without her. It felt good to be free of anyone’s direction and not be worried about the conclave using or manipulating him. “I saw something that needed doing and used a—”
“—a stolen ritual.”
“Stolen is a strong word. I just memorized it with the soulbound relic’s help after you had me paint it all of those times for Shae.”
“And now you’re here to ask me for a favor,” Penelope continued.
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
“Is it that obvious?” Lukas asked, flashing a cheeky grin.
Penelope nodded. “You’re starting to get predictable. Speak. Tell me what you want.”
“I’m investigating a certain group within the Aquila. Certain members of the Revolution were involved, and they’re the same people who implanted the black flame in Mira. It's possible they’re doing the same to other children, either trying to awaken arcane heritage or planting alien magic in them. Mira might be at risk. I worry they might want to revert whatever the ritual did.”
“And where do I come into all of this?” Penelope enquired.
“I’d like you to teach her how to make the most out of her dragonfire.”
“Dragonfires,” the sorcerer corrected.
“Yes.” Lukas sighed. “I’m sure you can sense it too, but the ritual wasn’t enough. It's a temporary measure, and she still needs to master the silver and black. In the meantime, she can’t be in the Gray. If the conclave hasn’t given you a new task, would you mind taking her away for a while? Perhaps on a trip around the countryside or to the Schwarzberg capital.”
“That’s a lot to ask. Especially when it still feels like you’re lying to me.”
“The only thing I have omitted about my past is the fact that I’m actually eighty years old, from another world, and this is the third realm I’ve lived on. Although this is the first time I’m in a new body, and I think I like it better than my own. It’s better looking than the ugly mug I was born with.”
Penelope took a step back from him. It didn’t seem out of fear, although her eyes were wide. She looked him up and down and snorted. “That’s one of the ridiculous things that I’ve ever heard, but somehow makes sense with you. It explains so much.” She sighed, shaking her head. “You do understand that I can’t travel with you anymore. My loyalty is to the conclave first, and I can’t be sure—”
“You can’t be sure about my allegiances and trust me after I omitted something so big for so long,” Lukas said, completing the thought for her. “It’s why I didn’t tell you and also why I’ve been second-guessing my decision to join the conclave.”
“You’ve been looking for your own path and would rather not tie yourself to anyone or anything while at it.” Penelope sighed. “I guessed as much a while ago. It’s why you keep layering lies upon lies. Trusting you is hard enough, but with this…” She took his hand. “I understand. You can’t trust me to protect your secrets, and you’re right. There is only so much I can conceal from them. Clones. Soulbound relic. Transmigration. It's all too much.”
“I thought it was vital I come clean because I’d like to stay friends.” Lukas squeezed her hand.
“We’ve saved each other's lives. We’re more than just friends. I’ll be in the Gray a while longer, but when I leave, you’re not coming with me.” Penelope pulled a locket from her pocket and handed it to Lukas. It was similar to the amulet for communing with the Court of Owls he had found and not yet used. “This is for communicating when we’re far apart. The magic takes forever to recover, so I’d use it sparingly if I were you.”
“Does this mean you’re leaving the Gray? Did Weaver manage to communicate with the Conclave?”
“Yes, but not straight away, and no,” Penelope replied. “Something is getting in the way of Weaver’s scrying and divination. Neither of us can figure it out. The aftereffects of the storm shouldn’t linger for so long. But the conclave knew I was here and sent a message the old-fashioned way. Certain aspects of the Gray require investigation. It’s not the kind of thing I do, but since I’m here, I might as well. If you’d like, I can take Mira with me and teach her. Field experience is better than any theoretical knowledge or lessons I can share.” She chuckled. “You know from experience that I’m neither a good nor a hands-on teacher.”
Relief washed over Lukas. He had worried things would go poorly if and when he came clean to Penelope. She was taking it surprisingly well. Concerns regarding losing her friendship had deterred him before. It was no longer a factor.
It would be helpful to have a contact within the council. More importantly, I want to keep her around.
“I was worried this would mark the end of our relationship,” Lukas said. “I’m glad that isn’t the case. So, will you help Mira?”
“Of course, but I can’t take her out with me straight away. No one can infiltrate Weaver’s domain, and if they manage, the defences are far beyond me, let alone the Revolution or Aquila. I’ll take her out eventually, but it will be a while. In the meantime, if you need help with your mission, I’d be more than happy to help.”
“I’m not too shy to ask for help.”
“You’re only shy when the secrets involve you,” Penelope replied, nudging him. “I wanted to cut ties with you altogether. Bass talked me down.”
“Well, that’s a surprise. I thought he hated me.”
“Hate is a strong word.” Penelope laughed. “You’re not high on his list of favorite people. That much is for sure. However, Bass knows that I care about you and knows I’d regret it if I were to shut you out completely. He suggested I look at things from your perspective. You made your concerns and fears known from the very beginning.” She sighed, looking up at him. “The thing is, you’re correct about the Conclave. The ‘for the greater good’ mentality often paints them in a negative light. Your gifts and past would make you too tempting an asset not to use and manipulate. Us parting ways is for the best for both of us. We can be in the same city and region. We can spend time together, and you can come to me for guidance. I’d like you to share your otherworldly knowledge and applications of lightning and storm magic, too.”
“Here comes the but,” Lukas said.
“But, it’s for the best if we don’t work together for your sake and mine.”
“You don’t have to convince me, Penelope. I agree. Besides, I’m starting to like my life in the Gray and would like to extend my time in the city. Cheap materials and excellent craftsmen. It’s been great for advancing my smithing and enchanting.” The fabric barmaid stopped by, carrying mugs of hot, spiced cider. “Thank you,” Lukas said, accepting it graciously. “The only thing missing is someone who can guide me on the best use of Spellweaver and illusion crafting. It still feels like I’m floundering with the ability.”
“If you’re lucky, Master Weaver might consider offering you some guidance,” the barmaid said. “Once the haze obscuring his Loom passes, of course. He can’t focus on anything until that’s resolved.”
“What’s your plan with the Revolution?” Penelope asked once she was gone.
Lukas shrugged. “I don’t know if the entire organization is up to no good, or it's just Ephram. Zwei is looking into it. Morph’s infiltration of the Aquila is going brilliantly. His friendship with Xander has been excellent for gaining access to spaces and learning secrets that would take ages otherwise. He still has a long way to go, though. Ace is investigating the gambling dens and the city’s sparse criminal underbelly.” He shook his head. “Military states are the worst.”
“Who is Ace? New specialized clone?”
“I got a Shard of Lady Luck through the Shadow Seekers,” Lukas answered. “It created something interesting in the Mind Pillar. Fortune’s Favor. Luck-stealing, burning, and can summon an interesting weapon. It's not a lot, but it's interesting. Best of all, the attunement seems to work just fine with divination spells.”
“Lady Luck? That is truly unique and interesting. Weaver might be able to help you with that, too. That’s assuming he likes you and is willing to teach you, of course. Just don’t lie to him as much as you have to me.”
“This is all delicious!” Mira exclaimed, waving Lukas over. “You have to try this!”
“I’m always amazed by how an entity with no taste buds can cook so well,” Lukas said, joining Mira. He flashed the fabric maid a wide smile. “We’ve been talking. She said yes.”
“Really!” Mira’s eyes lit up. “You’ll teach me?”
“Yes, but it will involve staying with me for a while,” Penelope stated, joining them at the table. Shae prepared her plate. “That means no guild activities. No Ephram.”
“He won’t be happy about that. Ephram has done a lot for me, he wouldn’t—”
“We just need to cover our bases,” Lukas added. “I might be wrong. Maybe an organization within Aquila is using him. Perhaps my guild’s intelligence is all wrong. This is temporary, so we can confirm things.”
“In the meantime, I’ll help you improve your control over both your dragonfires. No one like you has existed before so it might take a few months. Once we progress a bit, you could help with a couple of field missions, and we can put it all into practice.”
“Fine.” She sighed, glancing at Lukas. “You saved me. So, I’m trusting you on this.”
“Thank you.” Lukas smiled, helping himself to a goat steak.
