Published at 16th of February 2024 2:25 pm

Chapter 2.71 Binary Star System

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“How do you feel?” Dean Woodson asked Nox. He and Alexander shared a recovery room in the university infirmary. Since she had claimed the job of healing her grand-nephew and heir, the druid also extended her care to him.

“It feels like I’ve been struck by a lightning spell, and someone trapped the essence in my left arm,” Nox answered, feeling disoriented. The last thing he remembered was Lillin devouring Sif in Terrastalia’s heart and the mind-numbing pain that followed.

“I need more than that, Nox Ratra.” The old druid looked tired. Her puffy red eyes and the streaks under them suggested she had not long finished crying. Given her status as dean and savior of humanity during the past war, Myrina Woodson rarely displayed weakness, and it was the first time he had seen her in such a vulnerable state. “Give me symptoms.”

“None of my bones feel broken anymore.” He flexed his back and tested all joints. “There is no discomfort except the pain in my left forearm.” Nox’s chest tightened as he studied his left arm. The mana burn scars now extended from his elbow to the back of his fingers. Only his palms were free of the dark lines and their angular branches. Dean Woodson fished a needle out of her coat and tested his fingertips with them. “Nothing. I feel nothing but electric pain from the elbow down.”

“You’ve sustained deep and probably irreparable nerve damage.” Dean Woodson sighed. “The Imperium or Daksinsthan might have healers to grow you new nerves or perhaps replace the arm. I can’t think of much else to help you. I’m afraid you’ll have to deal with numbness and moderate loss of control for the rest of your life.” Nox winced when she injected him with a mote of mana. A freezing burn replaced the lightning-like pain. It reminded him of frost fire and was several times worse than what Sundarshahar’s ruler did to him. “The pain would be mana burn. The rest of your mana circuits have gained width, but I’m afraid you’ll need to relearn how to use magic from scratch. Your delving days are behind you.”

When Nox looked inward, he found his mana system starved. His Shaping and Animation planets still revolved around the old star. Meanwhile, the entirety of the old mana system now orbited an entity almost double the size of Crystallize Essence. The spell within felt strange. He recognized most of it but not the peculiar hollowness at its core. The magic appeared wild and had minimal runes. It felt intimately linked to his will and heart.

The star had a much more powerful, attractive force than its smaller counterpart. Nox sensed it wasn’t just the mass and increased gravity that came with it. The star was hungry. And no stray mana clouds lingered in his core. It had devoured everything.

Most curious of all was the newest planet. It had a unique orbit with a gourd-like shape. The half around the new star was almost half that of the old. The strange path suggested that the planet would benefit from both of his core spells. He didn’t just sense Otis in its core, but a far more powerful and familiar presence. Nox smiled. Lillin had left him with a piece of herself.

Dean Woodson handed him a manameter. It was a far more advanced device than the one granted to him by the university.

Nox Ratra

Adept

Crystalize Essence | Essence Animation

1/132 | 1/29

Essence Shaping | Arrow

1/56 | 1/13

Temporal Sphere | Spatial Familiar

213/203 | 30/30

Nox didn’t know whether to feel excited or disappointed. He attempted drawing in ambient mana to help his old star recover. Unfortunately, the newest heavenly body aggressively attracted the energy and held on to it even though the star was beyond its maximum capacity. It failed to assimilate the mana, but no cloud formed.

“This happens occasionally with binary star systems,” Dean Woodson commented. “I doubt they covered this side of things in Intermediate Mana Theory. It looks like your dear friend made things considerably harder by using the framework of your original star. The Haste vortices are sucking in all ambient mana and trapping it in your storage scripts.”

“And there’s nothing better at storing things than spatial magic.” Nox sighed. “Lillin warned me this would happen. She said I’ll end up scarred and arcanically disabled. No more delving for me, I suppose.”

“I didn’t take you for the kind to give up so easily,” Diya commented. Nox hadn’t sensed or heard the ancient Spell Weaving professor's approach. She emerged from behind the curtain, dividing the room. Alexander lay on the other side, fast asleep. Mana burn hadn’t left him with any permanent damage, but he needed a few more days to recover. “If anyone can solve this problem, it’s you. I’ve not met many mages with your talent in Spell Weaving. That Sigil of Artisan you have might as well count as a cheating tool.”

“Does Spell Weaving count as artisanry?” Dean Woodson asked, eyebrows raised. She frowned, returning her attention to Nox. “Hold on a moment. Can Artisan’s Library store spell scripts on top of formulae and recipes?”

Nox nodded. “That surprised me, too.”

“I know it's your discovery, but do you mind if I use this knowledge, Sir Nox Ratra?” The druid’s expression softened. “The university and delving department can benefit immensely from this knowledge.”

“Of course,” Nox said. “Just vet people and ensure they’re not linked to the Cabal or Plaguebringer before granting them a sigil or information.”

Both senior mages stiffened. They exchanged concerned glances with one another. “We don’t speak those names without silencing wards. Caitlin and Joey Greengrasse told us everything that happened. We’d like you to debrief us before the city council once you feel a little better. Perhaps we’ll deal with this after your exams—if you’re willing and able to do them, of course. We should finish our talks with Lillin Grey until then.”

“Talks with Lillin Grey?” Nox perked up. He craned his neck, looking out the window. Terrastalia still stood outside of the city. The titan appeared closer than when Nox last saw it. “Is the City of Ygg going to ally with a dungeon?”

“Probably.” Dean Woodson sighed. “We still need to discuss terms, and it will take a few days, but she approached us with a unique idea. She plans to turn her dungeon into a prison. Allied states will give her criminals—especially the violent and irredeemable. She’ll keep them trapped in her walls, restricting their growth movement and slowly feeding on their mana. In exchange, she’ll share her resources with us. I’m hesitant, but Dean Oleg loves the idea. The mountain has materials, especially metals, that are not easily available outside. The titan also causes unique mana crystals and essence deposits to grow in the dungeon’s depths.”

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

“It’s a barbaric trade, but if the Cabal is involved, we don’t have much of a choice,” Diya added.

“Who are they?” Nox asked. “Kris never mentioned any such—”

“For good reason. They’ve been inactive for almost thirty years, and we thought them gone. I didn’t know our favorite detective was investigating them.” The dean wiped her eyes. “Kris kept all information close to her chest until she found substantial evidence. I forced this job on the fool so she’d stop being reckless. I hoped responsibility would ensure she gave up her almost suicidal drive.”

“I don’t know what the others told you, but she didn’t do anything reckless or stupid in the fight.” Nox refused to let anyone believe that carelessness had killed his mentor. “Kris knew the consequences of what she was doing from the start.”

Nox summoned Otis. The manameter gave him a rough idea of what Lillin had done with the spirit and his newest planet. When Nox requested Otis extract the last few objects placed in the dimensional pockets, he obeyed. The gremlin opened his mouth, expanding to several times his size, and spat out Kris’ corpse, Clementine Wagner’s head, and her throne.

“Clementine was too strong for us. I burned most of her body to a crisp, yet she continued summoning her insects, which were getting progressively stronger. Kris knew we would all die if the woman didn’t fall. The city and Ygg would follow. So, she did what was necessary to save us.”

“How can you be so sure?” Diya enquired, her words barely audible.

“The smile,” Dean Woodson replied. She Shaped the floor, raising Kris’ corpse to the same level as Nox’s bed. The old druid tenderly ran her fingers down the dead woman’s cheek. “I’m sorry I doubted you, child.” She leaned over the body and kissed Kris’ forehead. “I don’t know if she ever told you, but this beautiful woman was once my apprentice. She knew precisely what she was doing.” Then Dean Woodson stood upright, wiping the sorrow and heartbreak from her face as she looked at Clementine’s remains and the soot-covered throne. “Store the relic. I doubt you or your friends have the necessary power to use it, but it can prove a valuable bargaining chip when you meet with the council.”

“I was hoping to study the runes and then sell it.”

“There aren't many entities in the city who can or will pay you a fair price for the throne. In fact, given its past owners, the council might deem it more appropriate to confiscate it. Keep it hidden until the time is right.”

“The magic in the relic is old and twisted,” Diya added. “You're better off not practicing and spreading such spells.”

“Yes, Dean.” Nox did as instructed, and Otis cooperated. When the gremlin hopped into Nox’s lap, he realized the spirit’s material body was just as big as his torso. A hint of Lillin’s presence radiated from the gremlin, too. “How’s everybody else? Is Aria okay?”

“The event only resulted in two casualties,” Dean Woodson told him. “Kris and Ernest Beaufort. He held the Wellspawn back just fine, but three aether warriors came through the portal before it closed. Ernest held them off long enough for Wolfhammer to reach the scene, but his phylactery suffered irreparable damage. He’s no more.”

“By Yggdrasil, no.” A pit formed in Nox’s stomach. “Where’s Michelle? I need to speak to her. I need to apologize—”

“Michelle Beaufort accepted the Imperium’s offer and departed a few days ago. She asked me to tell you and Caitlin never to contact her again. I’m sorry, Nox.”

“We should’ve told you earlier, but you’ve been in and out of fever dreams for a week now,” Diya added. “Given your state, we had to minimize the use of healing magic and only do what was necessary.”

“How’s Caitlin taking it?” Nox asked.

“Not well.” Dean Myrina Woodson pressed a key in Nox's intact right hand. “Since Kris had no living family or will, all her possessions and independent research now belong to you and Joey. As the senior apprentice, you have first pick and can legally claim the majority of her assets.”

“I don't want her money,” Nox said. “Joey needs it more.”

“I'd advise you to check your inheritance closely before making decisions.”

The city council's meeting with Lillin was about to resume. So, Dean Woodson took Kris’ body and Clementine’s head and departed. The council members had already seen Nox's stolen coat with the Plaguebringer's emblem. The additional evidence would, hopefully, help solve whatever matters they were currently debating.

Diya, being the lovely grandmotherly woman that she was, stayed with Nox and comforted him. At first, he only had to process the loss of Kris and the new barrier separating him from his oldest and dearest friend. Now, he had to deal with the guilt of Ernest's passing. The Beauforts had declared their displeasure and stance on delving months ago. The struggles that came with Ernest losing his identity due to the changing roster of monster parts in his body only further encouraged Michelle to keep him away from combat. She didn't want to lose her last blood relative, after all.

Even though Kris and Lillin told him otherwise, Nox still blamed himself for the portal. Ernest stayed by it on his request to protect Aria. Literature warned against moving bodies of Spirit Walkers and Astral Projectors. There was always a chance of damage to the connection between soul and body and the slim chance of the individual failing to find their way home. If they had taken the risk and fled somewhere safer, she would've most probably survived, and Ernest wouldn't have had to pay for his bravery with his life.

Diya didn't tell Nox that it wasn't his fault. She let him rant, vent, and cry. Nox was around seven years old when his mother ejected him from the palace and decided never to let anyone see his tears. However, the ancient professor's warm embrace and comforting words broke his resolve and the dam holding everything back. Nothing held back the grief that came with losing the woman who believed in him, gave him extraordinary opportunities, and changed his life. The Beauforts had also played an almost equally giant role. It was Michelle’s assistance and guidance that helped him achieve several alchemical breakthroughs and launch his business. Now, she hated him and never wanted to see his face again. Nox cared about Ernest, of course, but he was significantly closer to Michelle than him. His death had cost Nox two dear friendships.

The professor stayed with Nox until Lady Edelweiss arrived. She sensed his mental state, climbed into bed, and held him before Diya could leave. He felt embarrassed exposing his broken side to Aria, but she reassured Nox that it only shone a warmer light on who he was as a person. She called it a pleasant reveal after the recent darker discoveries. Even though she disliked Lillin and Nox's relationship with her, Aria also comforted him with his grief about the new distance between them. After all, they were as good as siblings and had grown up together.

Eventually, Alexander stirred. He looked weak and worn but successfully got a laugh out of Nox with his usual boyish jokes. Then Caitlin and Joey visited the bedridden men, and the group reminisced about the good times together. No one brought up the adventures inside Terrastalia or the deaths. Instead, they only talked about the pleasant memories and joked about the fallen's antics or idiosyncrasies. They reminded Nox that he wasn't alone. He and his friends were just fools in a career with astronomical casualty rates.

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